All quotes from the Faith and Practice, PYM 1997.

[tanaise]

I had to leave meeting this morning when the kids left because every time I'd close my eyes to center down, I'd see how his shirt gapped and I could see the hollow in his hip just above his underwear. Which, while pleasant and all, is not conducive as of "an openness to the leadings of the Spirit" as a meeting for worship should be.  Unless the Spirit is suggesting that I need to "acknowledge and nurture sexuality as a gift from God for celebrating human love with joy and intimacy."    And seeing as that's about all you ever talk about too.  Hmm.  Reading this section, I feel I've been lax in my Quakerism as I haven't been 'learning to incorporate sexuality in [my life] responsibly, joyfully, and with integrity' since childhood. 

Huh.  My faith and practice says *nothing* about how many people belong in a marriage.  I don't think I'd noticed that before. I mean, I'd noticed that it doesn't use any sort of gendered terms, including in the passages about families, but other than quotes of historical personages, it says nothing about the sex of anyone in the marriage.  Oh, wait, the marriages section does say 'the couple,' but the sexuality part mentions no such limitations.  I apparently can only marry one person in the eyes of the meeting, but I can maintain whatever sort of relationships that don't interfere with my seeking the divine will and such.  Good to know, though I was planning to be traditional. 

cause right now, everytime I'm not thinking of something else, I remember how all I would have had to do was move my hand about 12 inches over and a couple inches down, to the smooth patch of skin I kept noticing, and keep remembering now, and I'd be well on my way to sexual harassment. 

Instead, though, I lay in the grass and watched the sky get darker around venus, and the stars come out.  And I listened to the music, and watched the little girl on the blanket next to us conduct the orchestra, and not ever wonder if it was something little girls are supposed to do.  I hope she grows up and becomes a conductor, she was having so much fun doing it.  And I listened to the music, and thought, "oh, I remember this bit,"  and, "ooh, I know what's next."  When I was growing up, my dad always had the radio on when he was cooking or pretty much anything else, so I grew up listening to classical music and country.  And I don't know the names of many of the pieces, but I recognize them as soon as they start. 

I didn't quite get choked up during the Ode to Joy.  It was so beautiful and all, but I wasn't as fond of the soloists as I have been in other renditions of it.  Their voices didn't work together the right way, and...I don't know, it just jarred me.  but oh.  The choir bits.  So lovely.  We both sat up for that part. 

Yesterday day I stopped by a bookstore and found a copy of The Renwick Gallery's picture book, Jingo by Pratchett, Dangerous Angels, and a lad-lit book, all for a buck a piece.  woohoo!  Oh, and then I read all of a book at the B&N, and then I had a raspberry milkshake as a definate treat for myself, and called my dad as I walked back to the house.  I told him he's my grandparent's favorite ex-son-in-law, but this is truly a case of damning with faint praise--one of the exs nearly killed my aunt, and the other was systematically an asshole for so long.  My dad might have been an asshole, but at least after a few years he didn't come to Christmas anymore.  :) 

And then we had a discussion of queries and such for the admission process in the kitchen when I got back from walking around today (down to tealuxe, and then back along the esplanade, where I took pictures.  I loved all the architecture in DC, but here it's kinda...less impressive.  Maybe I'm in the wrong places.  I did start doing a study of...sidelights?  so we'll see if I can't find some nice ones, and I'll probably start throwing together a website about now since I haven't much else to do unless I work on the angel smut.  Hmm.  you know, I think I'll print out Red Sky tomorrow and see if anyone in the house can put their finger on the problems.  timprov had some really good suggestions, as did chance88088, so I just have to poke the story a bit more and see if I can't find the right ending for it.  i think I'm really close now. 

Comments

[palinade.livejournal.com]

Lots of neat and old architecture along Comm Ave. in the Back Bay area--Back Bay is really the place to see stuff, actually. And Beacon Hill--which is a good hike up cobblestone streets and steep gnarly sidewalks. If your knees or feet are being grumpy, skip the hike. But if you're feeling peppy, go take a walk up the hill and peek into some really old houses. It's pretty cool.

There's also some pretty good stuff in the North End; and goodgoodgood Italian restaurants (hope they're still there).

[tanaise.livejournal.com]

I live on Beacon Hill now, which is why I'm so disappointed in the architecture.