Poor Wayfaring Stranger - Peter Hollens - Feat. Swingle Singers - A cappella cover - Beatbox
This song is amazing. I'm always in awe of what the human voice can do and the sounds we can make. The harmonies in this song give me chills, and the range that the female singer has is so beautiful. I think one of her highest notes in actually mixed into the harmony towards the end.
My favorite lyrics of this song:
I want to wear a crown of Glory
When I get home to that good land.
I want to shout Salvation's story
In concert with the Blood-Washed Band.
I'm going there to meet my Saviour,
To sing his praise forever more.
I'm just a going over Jordan.
I'm just a going over home.
Enjoy! :)
Monday, December 5, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Book Review: On Folly Beach by Karen White
"Folly Beach, South Carolina, has survived despite hurricanes and war. But it's the personal battles of Folly Beach's residents that have left the most scars, and why a young widow has been beckoned there to heal her own...." (via Barnes&Noble)
On Folly Beach by Karen White follows the story of two women: Emmy - a modern day woman who has just lost her husband in Iraq, and Maggie - a woman who survived WWII and the heartache that came with it. Their lives intersect when Emmy buys Maggie's bookstore, Folly's Finds at Folly Beach, SC, and moves from the midwest down to the Coastal South. She is haunted by her own memories and ghosts even as she discovers Maggie's ghosts as well. Emmy reveals Maggie's past through unsigned notes written in old books. Love, war, passion, heartbreak, betrayal, espionage, deception, and grief filter throughout the entire stories of both Maggie and Emmy.
History buffs will enjoy the story since it talks about German U-boat activity in the Atlantic during WWII and also about the Duquesne Spy Ring. The writer takes some liberty with history to make it more real for the story, but the basic facts stay the same.
This book touches on some of the hardest human emotions, and ultimately, it is about learning to let go, grieve, and then move on with your life. It is tragic at times and heartwarming at others. But overall, you leave the story feeling like you have glimpsed into the heart of human existence - love and loyalty between two human beings.
On Folly Beach is potentially the best novel I have read in a very long time. I would highly recommend it to any reader. It was incredibly well written and poignant.
I doubt that I will ever forget this story.
On Folly Beach by Karen White follows the story of two women: Emmy - a modern day woman who has just lost her husband in Iraq, and Maggie - a woman who survived WWII and the heartache that came with it. Their lives intersect when Emmy buys Maggie's bookstore, Folly's Finds at Folly Beach, SC, and moves from the midwest down to the Coastal South. She is haunted by her own memories and ghosts even as she discovers Maggie's ghosts as well. Emmy reveals Maggie's past through unsigned notes written in old books. Love, war, passion, heartbreak, betrayal, espionage, deception, and grief filter throughout the entire stories of both Maggie and Emmy.
History buffs will enjoy the story since it talks about German U-boat activity in the Atlantic during WWII and also about the Duquesne Spy Ring. The writer takes some liberty with history to make it more real for the story, but the basic facts stay the same.
This book touches on some of the hardest human emotions, and ultimately, it is about learning to let go, grieve, and then move on with your life. It is tragic at times and heartwarming at others. But overall, you leave the story feeling like you have glimpsed into the heart of human existence - love and loyalty between two human beings.
On Folly Beach is potentially the best novel I have read in a very long time. I would highly recommend it to any reader. It was incredibly well written and poignant.
I doubt that I will ever forget this story.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Things I Want to Do This Autumn
- have a bonfire
- go to a cornmaze
- hike to a waterfall
- visit the mountains
- watch Hocus Pocus, The Village, Sleepy Hollow, and other not-so-scary scary movies
- make pumpkin muffins
- press colorful leaves
- make a quilt
- buy a pair of heeled oxfords
- go to a fair
- and other seasonally appropriate things. <3
Saturday, September 24, 2011
It’s like a 5-yr-old girl’s birthday party exploded and reformed as a cake.
We had a fall festival at my church tonight and had a cake auction. I signed up to make a cake, thinking I would create some sophisticated and decadent glory of a cake.
Instead, I ended up making a strawberry boxed cake with canned frosting. Oh well. It’s the thought that counts, right?
Anyway, this is the finished product. It’s so magically beautiful.
I’ve heard that it looks like unicorn poop, confetti, an exploded birthday party, and “junk” (according to my sister Julie). But I love it. And if I had given myself more time to work on it, I would have even covered the sides with multi-colored sprinkles.
This is my cake. I regret nothing.
Instead, I ended up making a strawberry boxed cake with canned frosting. Oh well. It’s the thought that counts, right?
Anyway, this is the finished product. It’s so magically beautiful.
I’ve heard that it looks like unicorn poop, confetti, an exploded birthday party, and “junk” (according to my sister Julie). But I love it. And if I had given myself more time to work on it, I would have even covered the sides with multi-colored sprinkles.
This is my cake. I regret nothing.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Florence and the Machine - Cosmic Love (Live on KEXP)
Florence and the Machine - Cosmic Love (Live on KEXP)
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Lend Me Your Hand and We'll Conquer Them All
Living back at home and in Georgia is harder than I was expecting it to be. I don't have any friends here anymore. They've either moved away or we've grown so different that we aren't friends anymore. I've never been one to make friends easily, especially when not given many opportunities to do so.
I see groups of people all out together at restaurants just talking and eating and having fun. And I'm jealous. I wish I knew what it is that makes me so different from them - why I can't be in a group like that. Anytime that I have had a group of friends to hang out with like that, I've had to force it to happen, it seems. I'm not naturally a social person, but I love being social. What I mean by that is that I'm not comfortable making the first move and being the one to start talking first. But I love being around people and watching them and listening to them. I feel like I have to make a tremendous effort to step out on my own and make new friends.
When I was at my first Law School, my now friend Mike made the first move. He started talking non-stop the first day of orientation. And because of him, our group was made. And it was a great group. I miss the friendship there. At my second Law School, I already had a friend there and sort of hung out with him and his friends first. Then I hung out with my roommates' friends. But there are very few people that I know that are "my" friends - "my" friends because I made the effort to keep the relationship going.
I don't know why it's so hard for me.
I remember that, in college, I was very introverted and quiet my first two years. And I got like I am now - depressed about the lack of friends and lack of social life. So my New Year's Resolution in my sophomore year was to "be outgoing." And I forced myself into that happy, social butterfly mold. I made many, many friends - a handful of which are still my friends today. Apparently I did such a great job playing the role of social butterfly that some people started to believe that I actually WAS a social butterfly. An acquaintance of mine saw me at some point during my first year of law school (when I had reverted back to introverted Anna) and was so confused and thought something was wrong with me because I was basically being myself. He had never seen me be myself.
So this is the problem. When I am myself - quiet and introverted - I have no social life and very few friends. When I am not myself - social butterfly, cheery, etc. - I have many friends but few who actually know me.
I really need to do some heavy thinking to decide what to do at this point.
I see groups of people all out together at restaurants just talking and eating and having fun. And I'm jealous. I wish I knew what it is that makes me so different from them - why I can't be in a group like that. Anytime that I have had a group of friends to hang out with like that, I've had to force it to happen, it seems. I'm not naturally a social person, but I love being social. What I mean by that is that I'm not comfortable making the first move and being the one to start talking first. But I love being around people and watching them and listening to them. I feel like I have to make a tremendous effort to step out on my own and make new friends.
When I was at my first Law School, my now friend Mike made the first move. He started talking non-stop the first day of orientation. And because of him, our group was made. And it was a great group. I miss the friendship there. At my second Law School, I already had a friend there and sort of hung out with him and his friends first. Then I hung out with my roommates' friends. But there are very few people that I know that are "my" friends - "my" friends because I made the effort to keep the relationship going.
I don't know why it's so hard for me.
I remember that, in college, I was very introverted and quiet my first two years. And I got like I am now - depressed about the lack of friends and lack of social life. So my New Year's Resolution in my sophomore year was to "be outgoing." And I forced myself into that happy, social butterfly mold. I made many, many friends - a handful of which are still my friends today. Apparently I did such a great job playing the role of social butterfly that some people started to believe that I actually WAS a social butterfly. An acquaintance of mine saw me at some point during my first year of law school (when I had reverted back to introverted Anna) and was so confused and thought something was wrong with me because I was basically being myself. He had never seen me be myself.
So this is the problem. When I am myself - quiet and introverted - I have no social life and very few friends. When I am not myself - social butterfly, cheery, etc. - I have many friends but few who actually know me.
I really need to do some heavy thinking to decide what to do at this point.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Out and About!
Visited a shop today on Saint Simon’s Island, GA, called Tonya’s. It’s a Southern girl’s dream!
Everything from monogrammed canvas tote bags, to Lilly Pulitzer koozies, to preppy luggage, to brightly colored Initial cocktail napkins, beach towels, and insulated beverage tumblers. I got a bright blue insulated tumbler with white roses on it and a scrolled A for my first name. It’s adorable. Once I get a good picture of it, I’ll post it.
Everything from monogrammed canvas tote bags, to Lilly Pulitzer koozies, to preppy luggage, to brightly colored Initial cocktail napkins, beach towels, and insulated beverage tumblers. I got a bright blue insulated tumbler with white roses on it and a scrolled A for my first name. It’s adorable. Once I get a good picture of it, I’ll post it.
Visit the shop if you’re ever on Saint Simon’s Island. It’s on Mallory Street in the Pier Village.
Or you can just look online here.
Or you can just look online here.
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