Things I'm thankful for this week - VI

my sense of self

weekends

especially saturday mornings when i don't set an alarm.

singing

light and truth

yellow

photo from: shutterthemes.com

Things I'm thankful for this week - V

warmth and heat

good books

the guidance of the holy spirit and answers to prayers

my comfy bed

clementines

photo from: commons.wikimedia.org

Things I'm thankful for this week - IV

great music

especially beethoven's ode to joy, which saved my sanity last year.

genuine laughter

chocolate

the restored gospel of jesus christ.

i live in dc!

the view from the steps of the national portrait gallery

photo from me

Things I'm thankful for this week - III

my sister

my nieces and nephews

my brothers

my parents

my siblings' spouses

in short my family who are my best friends.

p.s. the items and people in the lists are in no particular order.

image from: ldschurchgifts.com

Things I'm thankful for this week - II

Things I'm thankful for today:

1.  I'm not in Kuwait this year.
2.  My mom is recovering well from her fall down the stairs last Thanksgiving.  It's been a long road to recovery, but I think she's almost there.
3.  The scriptures
4.  My car
5.  Military service men and women all around the world, who are putting their lives on hold and even on the line to protect freedom and democracy, and make our world a safer place to live.

Things I'm thankful for this week - I

The week of Thanksgiving and DC is at its best, color and sunshine everywhere.  Each day this week, I spend time thinking of five blessings I'm thankful for.  I thought I would share my lists this week.

Here's my list of blessings today:
1. fuzzy, thick socks
2. good friends
3. clean drinking water
4. fresh cut flowers
5. my job

my vote

She was amazing.  The transformation from a woman who only has it together when she's inventing her reality to a woman completely unhinged and terrified of her true reality was breathtaking.

I couldn't take my eyes off her.

A choir director of mine once said to us that all art is about relating to or understanding the human experience in a whole new way.  'A Streetcar Named Desire' certainly did that for me.  The desperation in all the characters to have a good life, which for most meant keeping things the way they were.  For Blanche, played beautifully by Cate Blanchett, the desperation for a better life, for someone to love her and to get out of her previous was heart stopping.  She couldn't see beyond herself and couldn't move past her past.  She was trapped, she knew it, and she wanted to get out.  In the end Blanche was fighting like a trapped animal, caught by only one leg in the trap, thinking there is a chance for freedom.  The struggle was amazing to watch, and Cate Blanchett's depiction was absolutely riveting.

It's not easy to watch the struggle for survival, especially when it fails.  In a story like this, for me part of the experience is trying to see how it could have ended differently.  If people had acted better, looked for the good, had more compassion, or even just honestly talked would it have made a difference?  Would the struggle have ended so crushingly?  I'll be thinking about this for a while.

photo from playbill.com

plans for the weekend

a good friend is coming to town for the weekend.  we have plans.

i get to be a tourist this weekend and show a friend the sights and the sites.

tomorrow we will see this.

photo from vogue.com

yes, that is cate blanchett seated in the middle,

and we will see her here.

photo from dc.gov

i love the kennedy center.  it's a beautiful place to see and listen to art.

'a streetcar named desire' is such an aching, tumultuous story.

i am looking forward to it.  here's one review.

other plans include:

breakfast at eastern market -

i can't decide if i will have the brick, blueberry bucks, or the french toast.

decisions, decisions.

the '1934: a new deal for artists' exhibit at the smithsonian american art musem -

you can check it out for yourself here.

dinner or lunch at matchbox -

i love the mini trio appetizer, it's perfect for sharing with a salad.

and maybe this:

photo from nps.gov

great falls is one of my most favoured spots in the dc area.

i go here to renew and think, and especially, when i need nature and not city.

i love dc.

have a great weekend wherever you are.