you make bath-time lots of fun

Now I'm not saying I would ever shop for myself at bath and body works, but my wife happens to have these two products that I use more than she does--the eucalyptus and mint foaming bath and bath salts. I've always been a sucker for a hot bath and a good book. Seriously, I'll spend forty five minutes just soaking and reading. So I took a bath after work the other night for the first time in quite a while. I used the foaming bath and decided to throw in some bath salts for an extra touch. After reading Franny and Zooey for about forty minutes I decided it was time to enter back into real time. In the post bath hours before bed, I couldn't believe how relaxed and stress-free I felt. So so nice.

I have been reading Salinger's Franny and Zooey strictly because I took The Catcher in the Rye with me on the plane to California last weekend and after finishing it I immediately started reading it over again. Once I got back to the house I figured I hadn't had enough of Salinger yet, so I picked up Franny and Zooey. My copy of this book was given to me on my 24th birthday by Bill Brower with the note, "on your way to the Eastern Philosophy chair in hell." I thought that was nice. Not too many people have given me books as gifts. Bill knew me well enough to know that I would love that book--the budding ascetic that I was. After finishing it back then, I immediately sought out and read The Way of the Pilgrim and then found a copy of the Philokalia in some small town Minnesota bookstore along the Mississippi river (this was while I was spending time in a Russian Orthodox monastery).

I suppose my move out to North Carolina was in many ways an attempt at asceticism--an attempt that seems to have mostly failed. Or has it?

The Bergstrand Trio

The Bergstrand Trio was spotted at the wedding of Emily Lake and Jason Lee, providing music for the consumption of their audience. Benjamin Bergstrand himself provided the lead for "Annie's Song" (available on page 121 in Rise Up Singing) while strumming along on his mandolin. Adam Robinstein played a mean guitar with a sweet opening riff. He was nervous and cute as ever. Monica (pronounced moan-ika for those in unfamiliar places) added in a beautiful complmenting harmony to Bergstrand's lazy and friendly style of singing.

Lee proudly exclaimed, "those are my friends," to anyone who talked about the song.

Lee claims that after having aquired a new instrument called a bouzouki on his honeymoon, he is hoping to become the fourth member of the Bergstrand Quartet.

One wonders when their first practice might be . . .

Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever

I wear a ring of white gold around my left "ring" finger. I have never worn a ring before except for about a week when I tried having a pinky ring.

The 8mm thick solid white gold ring shimmers in the sunlight and reflects an image of myself when I look in it, slightly distorted and funny looking. It is comfortable and I like the extra weight on my hand. The weight is new, yet somehow familiar, like I knew it should have been there all along. I like to play with it--twisting it and polishing it, paying attention to getting it clean when I wash my hands. I like my ring. It is a new and exciting part of my body. Just as much as my wife is a new and exciting part of my self.

I had the privilege of writing my and Emily's vows for the wedding.

I have reprinted them here, for the rememberance of those who were there, and for the convenience of those who were not:

I _______ freely give myself to you ________, to be your life mate.
To wander through this life together
Through valleys and upon mountains
Through shadow and through light
Through joy and through sorrow
Through good times as well as trying times

I promise to daily give of myself to you; to cultivate a selfless and pure love between us, so that we might share our love with those around us.

And just as Jesus Christ laid down his life as on offering for us, so I give my life to you.

Seriously, I can't believe I'm married. It's surreal. But very cool.

Word.