60 Days

This morning I printed a 3 month calendar, and beginning today counted out 60 days. (August 2 is # 60). I have a goal to spend part of each day doing something different than what I would normally. I'm not sure what that will be. It may be mastering a new piano piece, volunteering at a homeless shelter, walking the beach...who knows! But I do want to do something each day. I don't want to finish summer break and wonder what I did to develop and expand my horizons. And this is where I'll chronicle from time to time. BTW, I will need you all to hold me accountable!

Today I was invited to breakfast at Linda's house. Her sister, Anne, and a mutual friend, Arlette were there as well. Normally on Monday mornings I have to begin the week accomplishing many things, and would save this "frivolous" activity for a Friday. Instead, my workweek began after I played for a couple hours. (That's not being irresponsible, is it? I think I was actually more productive once returning home--)



We four have completely different lives. Linda is an artist. Anne lives in Minnesota, works still at 72, and has 9 grandchildren homeschooled by her 1 daughter an hour away from the cities. Arlette is from France and is an interior decorator. Then me, who you of course know. In spite of our differences, the bond of friendship transcends age, vocation, and life experience.

What a fun way to begin not just the week, but the next 60 days!

Austen, Beauty, Cinema

This morning, the man about the house and I were discussing whether we preferred the movie adaptations of Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility. In different areas I think both excel over the other. Some are from comparing the cinematic with the literary. Others are just preference. Seeing as G. has not read her books, his only point of reference is the likability of each movie as it stands on its own.

This morning's topic reminded me of a recent Times article about the Rice portrait's accuracy concerning her beauty. It is interesting to note that all the heroines of recent interpretation have been played by beautiful women (Knightly, Thompson, Paltrow) and in the upcoming Jane Austen movie, she is even portrayed by the stunning Anne Hathaway. The controversy regarding her own physical features and our own imaginings of the beauty of her literary counterparts intrigues me.

Why do we continue to define beauty by things that clearly fade? This cannot be true, and in fact in God's society, isn't. "What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in."

And now I am chastised within. What am I teaching my three daughters?