oh, how lovely

i like early morning.

it occurs to me that this statement is totally uncharacteristic of myself. allow some explanation.

i like being awake in the early morning. i detest the thought and abhor the act of waking up early in the morning. but...when circumstance requires, or if i just happen to have not actually gone to bed that night, i do enjoy being coherent and functional during the early morning hours.


sadly, the heaven's usually don't align correctly so as to make this a reality. i have to suffer through waking up most of the time to enjoy morning. and by then, all enjoyment has passed.

but...it will be noted that when this does occur, there is so much to be enraptured with at that time!

take, as an example, the above picture. no justice is rendered to the actual scene by the device used to make the image...but the general idea is understood. this is nearing the close of my favorite part of morning. i like the 45 minutes to an hour just before the sun rises...and a few minutes or ten past. that's the best time. that is when the birds are doing their thing, when the air is just crisp and tasty... when all that is wonderful about the world is at it's best.

i don't get the opportunity to see this part of the day very often--more than i probably want to...but i don't enjoy it nearly as often as i see it. but, a few times a year, i get to joy in the splendor of it.

it's always rather refreshing...especially if i don't have anything too particularly pressing that i have to be about. i think this is one reason i like camping so much. i usually wake up early when camping...and am perfectly happy to do so, with a general disregard for the time i went to bed. then i can just sit...and contemplate God's wonders, and relax from the worries and cares that usually jostle me throughout the day.

it's nice. it's really nice.

paradise lost

so...they've had these magnificent flowers surrounding the library for the past several weeks--just gorgeous! i should have taken more pictures of it...but neglected to do so. here's one that i snapped just before coming to post:


now...i know it's a little old and wilty looking...but you can imagine the splendor of it all.

the post sadness also contains a closeup shot from the gardens...

and so, you can imagine my dismay and morbid fascination when, as i came in the west atrium entrance, i find a scene of carnage and destruction upon the field where once lay such beauteous wonder.



my only consolation is knowing that there will be something fresh, new and more befitting of the present season that will shortly replace this herbal armageddon.

painful sight

so, i'm leaving class...and i witness something very hard on my eyes.

it starts with a girls...innocent enough.

then she has a pink notebook...relatively normal-ish.

she's also wearing a huge pink sweater...kinda scary.

and...to top it off: a bright, shiny, barbie-pink macbook...ouch!

some colors are just best used over small areas.

going abroad

well...maybe.

and no, this is nothing like going a viking. i already have a wife.

what this does mean is that i am seriously looking at doing an internship in europe for the spring/summer time period. or maybe "the islands."

this is a very exciting prospect for me. it would not only send me back to europe, and most likely france (really...the most important part of the whole endeavor...), but it would also look super good on a resume!

there are a couple of options i'm looking at:
     1) "the islands" - info meeting tomorrow to figure out what that means... it has something to do with the church...
     2) united nations, european union or british parliament internship - any number of places around the old world
     3) french internship - this would put me somewhere in the great nation of cheese and balls (uh...no. not that. well, yes...that too...but i was referring to the game "boules"...translated "balls") - working for government, business or tourism. yea! :)

so...i'm basically really excited at this possibility. i'm starting to find all sorts of info regarding how people will give me free money for this too...which is even better. why go to europe at your own expense when someone else is willing to pay you to do it? i mean, honestly....

subliminality

last night i made ratatouille.

no...this had nothing to do with innate murine culinary talent. that's so pixar!

but...it did involve couscous. this was enough to make my soul want to burst with joy and excitement!

and...the tablespoon or so of butter i added to give the sauce a little extra oomph aside...it was probably the most vegan meal i've eaten in months!

it was a meal greatly appreciated by all who partook...and really...who didn't want to partake?!

who wouldn't want to partake?!

need we really ask these questions...i mean...this is COUSCOUS!

ahhhh....i need to move back to france.