The Playing Tag with Seven Things thingy

Since two of my friends have done this I'm going to jump in on it too. I'm not sure I have something that falls into every category. Maybe not even most of them. But I love this kind of thing so here goes.

1) Name a book that you want to share so much that you keep giving away copies: Well, there used to be one of those a long time ago when I was in my 20's. It's out of print and I can't even find a reference to it on the web today so I'll go with my next one. It's Genesis Meditations by Neil Douglas-Klotz. He also wrote Prayers of the Cosmos. This man's writings about the mindset of the language used have given me a different perspective on how to read books of faith. They've given me a different standard. Faith is talked about in terms of a living, ever changing thing. Life is change and Life in God is even more so. I've given away a copy of each of these to my closest spiritual friend. I'd gladly give away other copies if I had the wherewithal to do so. Maybe someday soon when I'm a working teacher...

2) Name a piece of music that changed the way you listen to music: Paul Horn's music. Especially that he recorded in the Taj Mahal. He has turned music into an environmental experiment and the results are beautiful. Ever since listening to his works music has changed form for me. I can listen to a few notes and hear melody where I hadn't known any existed before.

3) Name a film you can watch again and again without fatigue: Actually, I can name two: The American President and Twister. The American President takes me back to the days when JFK's kids were pictured in Life magazine tumbling around on the White House lawn. Twister caters to my love of special effects and storm watching. I've seen each film so many times that I almost have the scripts memorized.

4) Name a performer for whom you suspend all disbelief: This one's really hard. I worked at not getting too absorbed by the fantasy of movies and TV shows because I get so easily caught up in the story that I feel like I'm a part of it. So picking out an actor or actress who I'm willing to see as the "real thing" in any role they choose is tough. I used to like to watch Bonnie Franklin who played the mother on One Day at a Time. She did the most awesome monologue on turning 40 that I'd ever heard. It was totally believable. I haven't seen her in anything lately so I don't know what she is doing. Someone I will watch in just about any movie he stars in is Harrison Ford. He is very good at the roles he plays and is also easy on the eyes. I can say the same thing about Sandra Bullock.

5) Name a work of art you’d like to live with: I agree with JSD here. I love the world we live in and the wilder, more "God's country" the place is, the happier I am. If I picked a work of art for my walls I'd like the original Michel Whalen painting that was the piece for the cover of The Stone of Farewell. It is an awesome wrap around cover with a beautiful lad in the midst of a cloud of butterflies with a lake in the background nearby. Here's a link to the print on Whalen's web site.

6) Name a work of fiction which has penetrated your real life: The writings of Robert Heinlein. Particularly Stranger in a Strange Land. I read that one several times and got something new every time I reread it. I was young and liked his liberal views on God, faith and love.

7) Name a punch line that always makes you laugh: I'm not sure I can answer this one. I love a good joke but other people are usually better at telling them than I am. Nor do I have a huge list of punch lines to pull from. Favorite comedians I can do. I grew up on Bob Hope and other intellectual humorists. They didn't generally repeat punchlines. Red Skelton was wonderful. I loved him for the poignancy of his humor. I also loved Carol Burnett. People I'll gladly watch today are Whoopie Goldberg and Robin Williams. If I ever do come across a punchline that I never fail to laugh at I hope someone draws it to my attention. I'll gladly come back and finish this list.

I wonder who is going to do this next.