Go!

Go see "Amazing Grace."

. . .

Why are you still sitting there?

When souls mate

One of the strangest things about marriage is the coexistence of one purpose and two perspectives. Every now and then, I look at my husband and think, "How is it possible that we're clearly two peas in a pod yet couldn't disagree more about [insert topic here]?"

This week we had one of those "difficult" talks, where emotions run high and frustrations even higher. You want so badly for the person who shares your bed, your sink and your car to share your opinion as well. How can we see this so differently when we laugh at all the same things?

These talks are hard, but not having them is harder. Pick your poison: now or later. Either way, take a deep breath and remember it's not the end of the world.

The first 24 hours after a talk such as this feel odd -- even holding hands seems out of place, and eye contact takes effort. But you go to bed, wake up and start the day as usual. "This is my husband, the man I chose and would choose again in a heartbeat."

We don't see eye-to-eye on everything, but thankfully, we walk hand-in-hand through all of it. A refreshing sprinkle of rain to him might be my threatening storm, and the sunshine that irritates his eyes might create an inspiring sunset for me. We won't always view our circumstances and possibilities the same way, but we're there together in the thick of it all.

A song for Valentine's Day 2007

To my valentine:

When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark, baby
Have a little faith in me

When the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try, baby
Have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me...

When your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darlin'
From a whisper start
To have a little faith in me

When your back's against the wall
Just turn around, you will see
I will catch ya, I will catch your fall
Just have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me...

Well, Ive been loving you for such a long, long time baby
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend
Cause for us there is no end
All you gotta do is have a little faith in me
I said I will hold you up, I will hold you up
Your strength gives me enough
So have a little faith in me

All ya gotta do is have a little faith in me...

(John Hiatt)

You know it's a sad day for pop culture when...

...these are your headlines:
" 'Norbit' rules box office with $33M debut"
"Chicks rule the Grammys"

The "Norbit" comment speaks for itself, one would think, but as for the Grammys please don't misunderstand -- the Dixie Chicks are very talented musicians. Was "The Long Way" worth five statues? Negatory. Last week, experts were predicting a Chick-littered awards show because it was the music industry's year to "make a statement."

I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I'd want to win a Grammy Award out of principle. I would want to win because I'm the best of the bunch. How many of us can name another song off the Chicks' album aside from "Not Ready to Make Nice"? And yet it won the ALBUM category. This CD was not that critically acclaimed, you must remember -- certainly not like fellow nominee "Futuresex/Lovesounds."

It's insulting, really, the more you think about it. The Grammys are supposed to be apolitical when compared to the Oscars. Just as insulting was the completely over-the-top introduction of the Chicks' performance, in which "brave" was the least-superfluous adjective used to describe them. Their one popular single from the recent release is a big "up yours" to anyone who dismissed them after they declared in a foreign country how ashamed they were of President Bush (wow ... bravery indeed ... wonder why that sentiment didn't come up in their Houston concert?).

Whether it was stupid of them to make those statements all that time ago is neither here nor there. What you need to remember is that the Chicks lost their fan base, and what made them buzz-worthy again was a bitter, self-indulgent political statement. This Grammy recognition will likely be the Dixie Chicks' swan song. Propped up as anti-war symbols by music industry puppeteers, and with few original, loyal fans, where can they go from here?

In other news, this commentary on all the Anna Nicole Smith hoopla is one of the few articles actually worth reading.

Just Like Romeo and Juliet

I wouldn't mind being found like this thousands of years from now.

I knew there was another reason I didn't like that movie...

In other "speechless" news, Jessica Simpson recently revealed it was during a viewing of "The Notebook" that she finally decided to file for divorce. "It was about that moment of desperation," she says. "I needed to breathe."

I'm no geography buff, but I do know it's decidedly impossible to be at two places at once. And as Ms. Simpson was rarely WITH her estranged husband during that last year of marriage (what with all those great screen roles and important photo spreads), she was more often than not SEPARATE from hubby Nick Lachey.

Did she need a "breather" from Nick, or from the strain of a marriage in which she rarely saw her soulmate? I really have no light to shed on this. It just sort of struck me and I wondered if it struck anyone else.

Thatta "Girl"

"Because I Said So" is not opening to great reviews from the critics. So I thought this was particularly worth noting:

"Sidelined as the big sis, 'Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham shows enough spunk to make you wish the movie was about her instead."

Addendum: My-bittersweet-Space

And now a "thank you" to a certain special aunt who took the time to exhort me after my previous post. It is important to remember that circumstances, and often people, are changing constantly in this life. We grow, we move, we experience ... we change. And we have but one Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Thank God for that.

I would do well to be grateful for the relationships I am able to nourish each and every day, knowing full well that humans are imperfect and can at any time let me down. Lord knows I've let others down!

I pray for the grace to live "one day at a time, sweet Jesus" -- mindful of the friends I have, fond of the friends I used to have, and open to the friends I have yet to make.