Что's Happening?

Here's a quick run down on what I've been occupied with-

New favorite movie: The Painted Veil. Now this is love that can bring me to tears. Plus, I was excited to have understood 80% of all the Chinese spoken. But I also thought they said something in Russian during a French song. I have many languages floating around my head right now.

Photo story that's rocking my world

New interest: researching political candidates. I liked that Brownback guy, but considering that only 8% of the of the Registered Republicans' choice for nominee in 2008 are voting for the "Other" category (source: cnn.com), which includes him, I've been considering McCain. He's pretty All American (being born in Panama and all), was a POW, adopted a child, seems pretty realistic. I'm just trying to be a good, responsible American.

Baking victory: satay! skewered the chicken and everything. Served over coucous. Get ready, Souphouse and friends.

Biggest time waster: watching internet videos (youtube, cobert report, too many debates, music videos, etc) And that one day when I sat through Fantasia from American Idol's biographical movie on Hallmark...

I didn't: go to the Linkin Park concert. Not that I cared too much, Ben was disapointed though. But I do regret that the same night was Pushkin's 208th birthday and I should have gone to some cafe giving poetry readings.

Missing: friends. Anyone really.

Contemplating: the future, well my future, education, the spiritual role in and of fashion throughout history, the meaning of marriage in the face of termal diseases, the purpose of my being here, the financially poor, the financially well off, whether or not I am mentally capable of someday speaking Russian fluently, why I should even bother, whether or not I should learn how to skateboard, becoming the spiritual leader and all that entails (Paul's whole "when I was a child" passage), when personal preferences should be fought for or let go.

Quotes: "I am sorry that I cannot say anything more comforting, for active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams thirsts for immediate action, quickly performed, and with everyone watching. Indeed, it will go as far as the giving of even one's life, provided it does not take long, but is soon over, as on stage, and everyone is looking on and praising. Whereas active love is labor and perseverance, and for some peope, perhaps, a whole science."
~Father Zosima in Dosteovsky's the Brothers Karamazov

"The father of the prodigal son gives himself totally to the joy that his returning son brings him. I have to learn from that. I have to learn to "steal" all the real joy there is to steal and lift it up for others to see. Yes, I know that not everybody has been converted yet, that there is not yet peace everywhere, that all pain has not yet been taken awy, but still, I see people turning and returning home; I hear voices that pray; I notice moments of forgiveness, and I witness many signs of hope. I don't have to wait until all is well, but I can celebrate every little hint of the Kingdom that is at hand."
~ Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son