Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Photos for Wednesday: Summer in Prague

Morning Reflection


I spent part of a summer a while ago in the Czech Republic teaching English, and as a part of the trip I visited the lovely city of Prague for a few days. And I think I fell in love with this place...


Morning Breaks
Hradcany Castle
Afternoon in the vineyard


All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, July 2009, all rights reserved
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Living with Lewis (is back)

Tuesdays with Lewis is back! I've started re-reading his book, The Four Loves, which is probably my favorite book by him. If you haven't read it, I encourage you to get a copy (for Tucsonans, I know the UA library has at least one copy) and read along!

Lewis starts off his book by making the distinction between gift-love and need-love: love which gives to another and love which arises out of a need that must be filled (e.g. the love of a mother for her child and the love of a child for his or her mother). And he advises us against the temptation to classify one as better than the other or one as more godly than the other. Though God loves through gift-love (He does not need us), He Himself desires our need-love.

Lewis writes:
"Man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God. For what can be more unlike than fullness and need, sovereignty and humility, righteousness and penitence, limitless power and a cry for help?"(4)
This is the paradox that seems to lie at the heart of Christianity. God, who needs nothing, decided to create creatures whom he could pour out his riches upon with the desire that they would turn and love him out of their desperate need for him. He loves despite the fact that many reject him (It says in Romans that Christ came and died for us while we were still his enemies). He loves expecting nothing in return.

It feels strange sometimes: I know that I seem to come to God in a constant state of desperation. I have nothing to give but my own broken life, and I have to come again and again with a prayer for help and a realization that I can do nothing on my own. And yet this is what God desires, that I come again and again to him empty so that he can fill me with his Spirit and his love. I can give nothing to God that he has not already given to me. It runs very counter to my logic of exchange in relationships. But God seems to run entirely counter to human logic in general ('For my thoughts are not your thoughts and neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord - Isaiah 55:8)

I love Lewis' book because it explores the many challenges and paradoxes of God's love and of the human loves with an incredible amount of wisdom and thought.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Recipe Roundup: Five-Minute Lunch

I like to experiment in the kitchen a bit, and I had a recent experiment that turned out quite well, so I thought I'd share:

Five Minute Lunch

Tomato-Feta Couscous Salad
(a.k.a. An incredibly healthy, easy, and delicious lunch you can make in five minutes)

Ingredients:
1 cup dry couscous

1 cup water
2 tbs. butter
pinch of salt, plus salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste

Handful of cherry or grape tomatoes (I used yellow grape tomatoes from Trader Joe's)
Crumbled Feta cheese to taste

Prepare couscous according to package. I use Trader Joe's whole wheat couscous, which takes about five minutes in the microwave. For their couscous, combine dry couscous, water, butter, and pinch of salt in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 3.5 minutes on high. Let sit for up to five minutes. Fluff with fork.

While microwaving couscous, cut your tomatoes in half. Once couscous is done, add feta, tomatoes, and desired seasonings.

Enjoy your delicious and healthy lunch!

Tomato-Feta Couscous Salad

*Note: any other vegetables can be added to this mix if desired. I've tried this with roasted squash and roasted zucchini, and spinach in addition to the tomatoes and it was very tasty.
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Monday's Musings: Thankfulness

Winter's End


I am incredibly blessed. 

Unfortunately, like most people, I have a habit of focusing on the negative things going on in my life instead of seeing the enormous amount of good things that tremendously outweigh the bad. So today's post will be all about counting blessings:

I spent much of my weekend with great friends, got to spend time with a few people I haven't seen in months, went to the IceCats (hockey) game, ate amazing food, and enjoyed Tucson's beautiful spring weather.

I have an incredible community at Second Mile that loves to eat and laugh and spend time and enjoy life together.

I have friends who talk about weird and crazy things (like foot anatomy and the lack of diapers in some foreign countries) and who love to build each other up.

I live in Tucson, AZ, where it can be 80 degrees and sunny in February.

I am a university student in the U.S. which automatically places me in the top 1% of the world's population in terms of wealth, no matter how broke I think I am.

My fridge is full of fresh fruits and vegetables, and I have the time and resources to be able to eat a balanced diet and get plenty of exercise. I never have to go hungry. 

So far I've been able to travel to 15 different countries and have all sorts of amazing experiences that have given me a unique perspective on the world.

I am studying a topic which completely fascinates me and am able to do things I love (research, learn, read lots of books). No matter how much I complain sometimes about my thesis, I really do love what I'm doing right now.

I'm currently an ESL teaching intern with Iskashitaa Refugee Harvesting Network and I love it. It's been a great challenge and incredible blessing to get to serve the Tucson refugee community.

I have an amazing boyfriend who is so good to me and whom I love very much.

In my apartment right now, I have more material goods (clothes, shoes, etc, than I would probably ever need). (Something that I am hoping to use to bless others.)

In the last year, I've gotten to know students from countries around the world and eat food with them and hang out with them, which I've loved.

I have grown so much and been so blessed through leadership in InterVarsity- it has challenged me in my faith, provided a great community, and introduced me to many of my closest friends.

It's spring in Tucson, and all sorts of plants are blooming. The flowers have been gorgeous, and it seems like there's new life everywhere I turn.

I live within walking distance of a fantastic coffee shop and get to enjoy delicious coffee every day

There's a lot more that I haven't listed here, but it's a start. If you haven't thought about it in a while, I do greatly recommend starting a list of the ways you are blessed. What are you thankful for?


All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, February 2012, all rights reserved
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Sunday, February 26, 2012

A Song for Sunday: The Head and the Heart


The Head and the Heart is my new favorite find. I came across them a few weeks ago, and I just love their sound- their melodies and harmonies are fantastic. This is probably my favorite song by them. I find it hauntingly beautiful. Hope you enjoy:




This is also a live performance (which just solidifies their amazing talent for me).

The Head and the Heart on Sub Pop
http://www.subpop.com/artists/the_head_and_the_heart


"Rivers and Roads" as performed by Charity, Josiah & Jonathan of The Head and the Heart - shot in late winter 2011 by Ryan Mcmackin

Friday, February 24, 2012

Friday Links

It's Friday! And it's currently already 61 degrees here in Tucson. I left the house this morning in just a sundress, no leggings, no jacket. Spring is here!!!
This week's links are much more lighthearted than those I posted last weekend (but if you still haven't read those, I recommend you do!). I've found all sorts of lovely and creative things for you to check out this weekend:

This house featured on Desire to Inspire is so amazing. (There's a swing, and a catwalk, and a beautiful breakfast nook, and an amazing shower...when can I move in?)

A helpful guide to thrifting that shares the sorts of treasures you should never pass up

All-natural, pretty graffiti made from moss (this is so cool!)

Dana Tanamachi's chalk lettering never ceases to amaze me

This DIY lunch bag is so adorable

Lindsey Adelman Studio posted this gorgeously-industrial DIY chandelier project

It is actually still winter in some places, and the canals in Leiden (in the Netherlands) completely froze! Some brave souls took advantage of the ice to have coffee on the canal

Check out this incredible new city library in Stuttgart, Germany

Last, but not least, here's a great quirky and critically acclaimed short film (disclaimer: some bad language and mature content)

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Thursday's Short Films: Fountain Type

For all those typography nuts out there, I've got a treat for you. These clever films are all trailers for new fonts released by Fountain Type from typeface designer Rui Abreu. So creative! Which one is your favorite?



Heroine from Fountain Type on Vimeo.


Catacumba from Fountain Type on Vimeo.


Foral from Fountain Type on Vimeo.


Aria from Fountain Type on Vimeo.



Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Photos for Wednesday: Spring

Spring has officially come to Arizona and it's lovely! I like to celebrate by bringing it indoor. My kitchen table has been bedecked in spring since last Wednesday:

Daffodils
Calla
Kitchen in Spring


PS: Don't you love my Trader Joe's vases? I've been collecting glass bottles for a year for some eventual awesome DIY project.


All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, February 2012, all rights reserved

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tuesday's Reads

Well, I've finished reading A Grief Observed, and I'm not currently reading any other C.S. Lewis books, so I'm afraid that this is the end of the Tuesdays with Lewis column. However, since books compose a very important part of my life and I would describe myself as a voracious reader, you can expect to see many more book-themed posts on Tuesdays.

At the moment I am in the middle of two very different books, both of which I highly recommend:

King Leopold's Ghost
Click to view on Amazon

King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild tells the little-known story of the brutal colonization of the Congo (costing an estimated 10 million lives) and the radical human rights effort that arose in an effort to show the world what was happening. Many of the most devastating and protracted conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa today stem from the events told in this book. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to better understand current events in Africa (and to anyone in general). Hochschild is an excellent storyteller, and he bolsters his account with primary source documents from a variety of historical sources. Be warned: this is a very heavy read and many disturbing events are covered in this book. However, I believe that knowledge of such events is absolutely essential for understanding of current world orders and to prevent such atrocities in the future.





The Good and Beautiful God

Click here to view on Amazon
 
On the entirely opposite end of the spectrum, I am currently going through The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith with my mentor, and I think it's one of the best books I have ever read on spiritual discipline and transformation. Smith focuses on breaking down the false narratives about God (God is angry and punishes me for all the wrong things I do, God wants me to try harder, etc) and replacing them with truth. He focuses on the getting to know the God that Jesus knows and presents spiritual disciplines as a way to gain freedom in our walk with God. Now, as a more artsy-creative type, I know that I often chafe at "disciplines," seeing them as to-do lists to rush through as quickly as possible because I "have to." This book is not at all like that (The first discipline is sleep! As in, "This week take one morning and sleep in because rest is vital"). Basically, this book is amazing, and you should read it. (Especially if you're someone like me who usually hates devotional books and finds them to be boring and unhelpful.) I love how much it focuses on breaking down lies with truth and embracing God's goodness and the freedom we have in Christ.


Monday, February 20, 2012

Monday's Musings: Confronting Darkness

Damon Winter/ The New York Times- Haiti: the Shattered Year


I often feel that I have to walk a thin line in my major between callousness and grief.
As an international studies major, my particular focus is ethnic conflict, which means I spend most of my time immersed in accounts of war, genocide, rape, murder, brutality, injustice...I constantly read accounts that bear witness to the depravity of man. I honestly don't think anyone who studies what I do could look you in the eye and say that humans are inherently good. The wrongs occur to easily. Anyone in the right circumstances could be a mass murderer.

But what do I do with this? What do I do with the accounts of injustice upon injustice? The most natural reaction is to take action: I must do something, I must stop this. But so often the crimes are past, the victims are dead, the pain already inflicted. Some say that prosecution is the answer; do the dead really care?
Even if action were possible, it is too much for one person. On any given day at any given hour, horrific acts are occurring across the the globe. According to some sources, approximately 48 rapes occur in the Democratic Republic of Congo every hour. 27 million people are in slavery around the world. Thousands have died in civil conflicts this year from Libya to Syria to Sudan to Uganda and so many more.
And even if I took action, the chances of success, of stopping the atrocities before they start, seem slim. One only needs to read the accounts of the many desperate activists and officials who tried to prevent the Rwandan genocide to understand how even the most fervent warnings of impending disaster often go unheeded.

Grief is another natural reaction. But one cannot grieve for the world. The front pages of the world's major news sources are a constant litany of sorrow. Were I to begin to grieve I fear I would never stop. And grief is so often paralyzing, preventing action. I must move forward if I am to change anything.

My current answer has been to focus my energy towards one case of suffering, to pour all my efforts into Chechnya. I've learned to read over the individual sorrows to look at the big picture, to look to the future, to search for solutions. But in all this it becomes so easy to become callous. The lives destroyed are mere numbers now, statistics that point toward trends towards violence and instability. I shut my eyes to other tragedies. I focus on the dead in Chechnya, not those in the Syrian streets or the Somali countryside.

This week has been one of breaking down that callousness, of confronting the many injustices of the world, of reawakening grief. I love how Nicholas Wolterstorff discusses mourning in his book Lament for a Son. He asks why Jesus gave the beatitude, "Blessed are those who mourn," when mourning and sorrow are usually the last things we celebrate. He writes:
"The mourners are those who have caught a glimpse of God's new day, who ache with all their being for the day's coming, and who break out into tears when confronted with its absence...The mourners are aching visionaries. Such people Jesus blesses..." (85)

Grief is vital. I must grieve for the women in the Congo, for Haiti, for Syria, for the starving in Somalia, the war widows in Chechnya, those trapped in the trafficking industry...I cannot shut my eyes and wall off my heart. I must grieve- not without hope, not in a way that promotes inaction, but in a way that moves me to prayer, to lay my burdens at the feet of Christ who suffered for us. And I must still move forward in action to relieve the suffering of those I can. So I continue to walk the line, in grief and in action, balancing the tender heart that mourns with the focus needed to forge ahead.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Song for Sunday: Oh Land

Oh Land sings her song "Lean" live with a string quartet. I think this arrangement is absolutely gorgeous, and I love her outfit. I love the simplicity of this song and the way it showcases her voice so beautifully. Hope you enjoy:



Directors: Sebastian Birk, Thomas Daneskov & Alexander Topsøe / Director of Photography: Jasper Spanning / Music video by Oh Land performing "Lean" live with String Quartet. (C) 2011 Sony Music Entertainment

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Weekend Links: Human Trafficking

Like other types of crime, slavery has changed over time [GALLO/GETTY]- via Al Jazeera


I apologize for not getting these up yesterday (things got a little crazy around here). Anyways, I hope you all had a lovely week. Mine was definitely much more restful than last week. I've rounded up quite a few links for you all, but I have to warn you that these aren't my typical, lighthearted links. This week on campus, IEmpathize, an organization that raises awareness and supports the victims of human trafficking, sponsored multiple events and art exhibits meant to engage students and inform them about the serious problem of human trafficking and human slavery. There are currently about 27 million people in slavery around the world. I challenge you to look through these links and find out more about the human trafficking industry, human slavery, and what you can do to help. I can vouch that all organizations I link to are reputable and effective in the fight against human slavery.

Just yesterday I spotted this article in the New York Times that discusses slavery in Afghanistan

Al Jazeera has done an entire series on Modern-Day Slavery

What is modern-day slavery? What does it look like?
Check out this video from Not For Sale 

How many slaves work for you? Discover your slavery footprint (Yes, you have one. Mine is 35).

Watch this Ted Talk by Kevin Bales: How to Combat Modern Day Slavery.
Kevin Bales is one of the founders of Free The Slaves, an organization that seeks to liberate slaves and destroy the systems that hold them in slavery.

Check out the Free the Slaves interactive map to see where slavery is happening right now.

Here is a definition of human trafficking from the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime

Child sex trafficking happens here in the US: check out this report from Shared Hope International

Learn more about human trafficking here in the US and what you can do. This is the US Department of Health's webpage for human trafficking

International Justice Mission is an incredible organization on the front lines of the fight against human trafficking and human slavery. They work to strengthen the legal systems to prevent slavery and trafficking, they work to hold perpetrators of these crimes accountable through the legal system, and they rescue and care for the victims of slavery and trafficking.

Check out this short video to find out what IJM does

Not For Sale is another amazing organization that supports community abolition activism and provides multiple ways for you to get involved in the fight against modern-day slavery. Check out their Slavery Map to see where cases of modern day slavery have been reported around the world

Also, check out Not For Sale's Free2Work site and app. You can check out the supply chain for the products you buy and see if they are made with slave labor. Learn the story behind the barcode

IEmpathize is an international child advocacy and media movement that seeks to partner with grassroots movements to find solutions to human trafficking. They focus especially on slavery and trafficking in Mexico, Southeast Asia, Russia, and the US.

For Tucson locals, Southern Arizona Against Slavery is an awesome community coalition to fight trafficking and slavery in Arizona (and it was founded by a couple friends of mine).

Streetlight Tucson is another organization that focuses on ending child sex slavery. They partner with local law enforcement and state and community organization to report slavery, rescue and rehabilitate victims, and to educate the community about these crimes.

Abolition Media is another great local anti-trafficking organization focused on mobilizing the creative arts community

Live in Phoenix? Check out Streetlight USA to learn how to get involved in the fight against child sex slavery










Thursday, February 16, 2012

Thursday's Short Films: Public Awareness

Film is an amazing medium for raising awareness, for communicating a problem, for stirring people to action, and for promoting social justice and human rights. These are a couple of films that do an awesome job of spreading a message:



Solidarités International - Water & Ink from Moonwalk Films on Vimeo.
A film by Clément Beauvais
BDDP Unlimited
Eurobest Silver Award 2011 for Public Interest  

For more information about Solidarites International click here


A Love Story… In Milk from Catsnake on Vimeo.
Made by Catsnake (twitter.com/CatsnakeFilm) on commission from Friends of the Earth (foe.co.uk).
foe.co.uk/lovestory

Written and produced by Stephen Follows (
stephenfollows.com)
Directed and edited by Danann Breathnach (vimeo.com/danannbreathnach)
Music composed by Michael Csanyi Wills 





Recycle! (Or I might just cry...)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Photos for Wednesday: Italy

These are really old photos taken on a trip to Italy. (I apologize for the poor quality- they were taken on a 5 megapixel camera.) But they are some of my favorite photos from a wonderful trip to one of the more romantic countries around:


Towards the Heavens
A Venetian Canal
Upon History


All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, July 2008, all rights reserved

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Giving Up

"Giving up" by Ingrid Michaelson is probably one of my favorite love songs of all time. It's more realistic than romantic, but I think that's what makes it great. Enjoy:




"Giving Up" by Ingrid Michaelson from the album Be OK

Living with Lewis: Seeing Love

“Look your hardest, dear. I wouldn’t hide if I could. We didn’t idealize each other. We tried to keep no secrets. You knew most of the rotten places in me already. If you now see anything worse, I can take it. So can you. Rebuke, explain, mock, forgive. For this is one of the miracles of love; it gives- to both, but perhaps especially to the woman- a power of seeing through its own enchantments and yet not being disenchanted” - Lewis, A Grief Observed, 89.  

I hope I can always say likewise about my love.

Lewis continues:
"To see, in some measure, like God. His love and His knowledge are not distinct from one another, nor from Him. We could almost say He sees because He loves, and therefore loves although He sees” (89-90).  

How amazing it is to be loved by the One who holds all things.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Monday's Musings: That holiday...

By Giving Weddings via The Wedding Row


Tomorrow is Arizona's 100th birthday! Yay for the centennial! I expect all sorts of celebration around the city. It also happens to be Valentine's day.
I'm not particularly a fan of this day. Honestly, I thought it was the best when I was a kid and we made the day a party that included lots of candy and pictures of puppies. (You can never go wrong with puppies and chocolate). However, there is a lot of meaning attached to this day in our culture, so I'll share the few thoughts I do have regarding this day.

1. It's just another day. Don't let all the ruckus make you doubt your self-worth or attractiveness or anything else. Your worth is not defined by being in a relationship or by being single or what you do or don't do on a Tuesday night.

2. If you do see this as an opportunity to go on a fun date, great! Have fun! (But remember...if you are in a serious relationship you should be having date nights pretty regularly)

3. If you don't want to go on a date, but do want to do something, you have so many options. This provides the perfect excuse to gather up some friends and eat ice cream and watch movies or whatever you want to do.

4. This is a great opportunity to drop a friend an encouraging note or do something kind for those you love. (Again, this should be a regular practice!)

5. For the single girls out there: I have been in your shoes up until this year, and I loved it. There is so much freedom in being single- enjoy it! You can do whatever you want, you have way more free time, and you can focus more on building good solid friendships. Please don't settle for mediocre just so you can be in a relationship. After deciding that I was probably going to be single for at least another five years, I was pleasantly surprised by my current relationship. And it is SO good. Don't settle for half-best or off-and-on or a "pretty-good" relationship. Please wait. God wants to give your His best for you. Now, this doesn't mean you should set unrealistically high ideals, but you most definitely shouldn't settle for "meh" just for the sake of not being single.

Finally, and most importantly, take some time this week to stop and remember our First Love, the Original, the One who gave his life for us. Because as wonderful as our loves here on this earth can be, they are only shadows of true Love.

Hosea writes:
"But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from captivity in Egypt. 'When that day comes,' says the Lord, 'you will call me 'my husband' instead of 'my master.''. . . I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord." (Hosea 2:14-16,19-20)
C. S. Lewis says this:
"When we see the face of God we shall know that we have always known it. He has been a party to, has made, sustained and moved moment by moment within, all our earthly experiences of innocent love. All that was true love in them was, even on earth, far more His than ours, and ours only because His. In Heaven there will be no anguish and no duty of turning away from our earthly Beloveds. First, because we shall have turned already; from the portraits to the Original, from the rivulets to the Fountain, from the creatures He made lovable to Love Himself. But secondly, because we shall find them all in Him. By loving Him more than them we shall love them more than we now do." (from The Four Loves)
So in the midst of all the chalky candy hearts and glitter and whatever else comes with Valentine's Day, remember to reflect on the Love that gave himself for us.



PS: If you want some more on relationships, check out these amazing sermons from Second Mile.  Ruth was an incredible series on relationships (that played a huge role in my current relationships), plus these older messages on relationships are great as well.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Song for Sunday: Iron and Wine

Iron and Wine is one of my most favorite musicians. His music is so beautiful in its simplicity of melodies that are just gorgeous when woven together. Here, he plays his song "Tree by the River" for a La Blogotheque Takeaway Show in a wine cellar:



Iron and Wine | Tree by the river | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Poetry


So...I'm giving in and contributing to the Valentine's Day sappiness. But I do insist on contributing artfully-- with some of my favorite love poems. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.


Typography art from TheBestCaseScenario

XVII
Pablo Neruda

No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio
o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego:
te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras,
secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.
Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva
dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores,
y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo
el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra.
Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde,
te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera,
sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres,
tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía,
tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño. 


 XVII ((I do not love you...)

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

Translated by Stephen Tapscott
 

Thistles in October
Я вас любил... 
А С Пушкин

Я вас любил: любовь еще, быть может
В душе моей угасла не совсем;
Но пусть она вас больше не тревожит;
Я не хочу печалить вас ничем.
Я вас любил безмолвно, безнадежно,
То робостью, то ревностью томим;
Я вас любил так искренно, так нежно,
Как дай вам бог любимой быть другим.

I Loved You...
A.S. Pushkin

I loved you once: perhaps that love has yet
To die down thoroughly within my soul;
But let it not dismay you any longer;
I have no wish to cause you any sorrow.
I loved you wordlessly, without a hope,
By shyness tortured, or by jealousy.
I loved you with such tenderness and candor
And pray God grants you to be loved that way again
 

Three untitled poems from e. e. cummings:
               
Sunset in the Catalinas
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
                                   i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
  i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart) 
                     
   
Waiting for the Rain

i have found what you are like
the rain

        (Who feathers frightened fields
with the superior dust-of-sleep. wields

easily the pale club of the wind
and swirled justly souls of flower strike

the air in utterable coolness

deeds of gren thrilling light
                                       with thinned
newfragile yellows

                          lurch and press
--in the woods
                       which
                                  stutter
                                           and
                                                 sing
And the coolness of your smile is
stirringofbirds between my arms;but
i should rather than anything
have(almost when hugeness will shut
quietly)almost,
                      your kiss 
                              
Can't find original source...if you can, please let me know!
i like my body when it is with your
body.  It is so quite new a thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body.  i like what it does,
i like its hows.  i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which i will
again and again and again
kiss,  i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh ... And eyes big love-crumbs,

and possibly i like the thrill 
of under me you so quite new 



 


Friday Links

It's finally Friday! (My crazy two week dash is finally over!) I hope you're as excited for the weekend as I am. I have nothing planned for certain, which is wonderful. I might wander over to the Gem Show (the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is this weekend and it's a big deal around here), I should probably do some coursework, and maybe I'll get together with a few friends. Or maybe I'll just sleep :)
Whatever happens, this is going to be a lovely weekend. And I have lots of fun links for you! As I was writing this, I realized that I perhaps should include some Valentine's Day related links since that is coming up this Tuesday... but Valentine's Day has never been big deal for me, so I won't. (If anything, Valentine's Day has always provided an excuse to have a girls' night and eat ice cream and do arts and crafts--which I highly recommend.) Anyways, whatever your Valentine's Day plans include, I hope you enjoy these links:

This print by Ryan Kapp is one of my most favorite prints ever

Cute masking tape makes everything more fun

Someday I will have illustrations from the incredibly talented Katie of Ooh Moon in my house. These fish are the best. (Plus 10% of the proceeds go to support children in developing countries through Compassion International!)

Chocolate!! (It's for every occasion, not just Valentine's Day)

One of my all-time favorite articles from the New Yorker

Want a bedskirt but hate the typical bedskirt-pleated-weirdness? Check out Kelley Moore's tutorial for a fun and creative bedskirt (made from towels!)

Beautiful winter art

Well, that's all for this week. I hope you have a wonderful and restful weekend!





Thursday, February 9, 2012

Thursday's Short Film: Apricot


Today I have a beautifully crafted short film about first love. It's also the winner of the Community Choice Award and Best Narrative on Vimeo. Hope you enjoy!



APRICOT — A Short Film by Ben Briand from Moonwalk Films on Vimeo.

Written & Directed by Ben Briand
benbriand.com

twitter.com/ben_briand

Produced by Matt Dooley, Michele Bennett, Alexis Bensa, Gaspard Chevance
moonwalk-films.com
cherubpictures.com.au
Cast
Ewen Leslie, Laura Gordon, Alice Zahalka, Joshua Rozzi
Cinematography
adamarkapaw.com

Music
basilhogios.com.au

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Photos for Wednesday: Moanalua Gardens

Plumeria
Under the Monkey Pod Tree
The Hitachi Tree
Patterns in the sky



This might have been one of my favorite spots in Honolulu. The trees stretched up above us, the breeze blew lightly, and everywhere I looked there was a little bit of something beautiul: a golden koi, an opening flower, a curving stalk silhouetted against the sky. It was quite lovely.

All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, January 2012, all rights reserved


Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Living with Lewis: Questions

“When I lay these questions before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of ‘No answer.’ It is not the locked door. It is more like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate, gaze. As though He shook His head not in refusal but waiving the question. Like, ‘Peace, child; you don’t understand.’
Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable. How many hours are there in a mile? Is yellow square or round? Probably half the questions we ask-- half our great theological and metaphysical problems are like that.” - C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed, 86-87.
I’m sure well over half my questions have been unanswerable.
“Peace, child; you don’t understand” is an answer I’m sure I’ve received many times.
The problem is living at peace with that, patiently awaiting the day when the glass will no longer be lit so dimly.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Monday's Musings: Treading Water

On the rocks

I don’t really have a whole lot to write about this week. The past few days have been hard, busy, crazy, and stressful. I've had some great, fun times, but that feeling of struggling to keep my head above water is back.

What do you do with someone else’s suffering? When you want to do something, but you can’t do anything and it begins to wear on you and worry you and becomes too much to bear?

What happens when you feel yourself begin to lose control? When everything seems to begin to break down?

What do you do with the feeling of being hopelessly and utterly overwhelmed by everything that is going on?

I usually try to fix things myself, or I turn to other people and cling to them like someone drowning. It rarely works.

The only hope we have in this life is Jesus. I must cling to him.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Song for Sunday: Stornoway


This might just be the best band you've never heard of. Hailing from Oxford, but named for a town in Scotland, this band has catchy melodies with great harmonies and a huge variety of fun instruments. Anyways, I greatly enjoy their music. "Zorbing" is the first song I ever heard by them, and it's probably still my favorite:


Friday, February 3, 2012

Friday Links

 Sorry for getting this up so late, but it's been a crazy day. This weekend I'm working for close to fourteen hours for the internship on top of my usual homework-load and Superbowl Sunday. (Monday might actually seem like a bit of a relief.) Anyway, I hope your weekend is a bit more restful than mine, and that you enjoy these links I found:

These made me smile

I really want to try this in my neighborhood

These valentines are adorable

But I really think this card might be perfect

This would make pasta night even more awesome

I'd love to try this DIY project. What kind of village would you make?

One of my many dreamhouses around the world

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Thursday's Short Film: Geronimo Balloons

I actually have two videos for you today! I found this first video featured on Happiness Is and absolutely loved it. It's perfect for the first video of February (considering that Valentine's Day is just around the corner).



Geronimo Balloons Valentine's Day from hak lonh on Vimeo.

But then I did a bit more exploring and discovered this video, in which Jihan “Jihanimo” Zencirli, the "Master Balloon-Trooper" behind Geronimo balloons, explains how she got started and why she loves what she does. And it made the first video so much more awesome because I love the way this girl thinks!



Geronimo Balloon Troopers from hak lonh on Vimeo.






PS: Find out more here

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Photos for Wednesday: Watching Waves


On one lovely, peaceful afternoon, my boyfriend and I took a drive out to the North Shore to watch the waves. He went out to swim for a little bit; I was content to stay on shore and take some shots as the sun set.

North Shore
Riding
Cresting
Going in
Crashing in

All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, January 2012, all rights reserved