Tomorrow I'm getting on a plane to go back home for a week. This is pleasing in my sight. It is not at all unpleasant to live here with the Krogers (even though it has rained nearly nonstop for four weeks straight and the house has been rampant with sickness; imagine how nice it would be if everyone was healthy and the weather was nice, eh?) but I really, really, really miss my home and my family. I get that it's supposed to be hard to adjust living away from home and all, but I think I am honestly just not ready to be 'moved out' just yet. Which is why I get the feeling I shall be returning to Pennsylvania in the fall, instead of the various other things I have been rolling around in my brain. Of course this isn't definite. Nothing ever is. But I just don't think I am ready for this completely.

...but anyways. Flying tomorrow, hopefully everything goes smoothly. And by smoothly I mean no problems with boarding passes, security or flights. No delays would be nice as well, as would being able to sit with nobody next to me. ;)

I say, pray that things go okay for me will you? There are, well, things. I don't know. There are things which it seems I should want to not be home because it would be easier to run away. But I guess I have to face them at some point or other. I don't want it to happen yet though. Well, I don't want it to happen at all. But it's got to, and, well, I don't know. It is hard to describe. I guess I just have to find the line between dealing and acceptance. Because acceptance will never happen, and I don't want it to. But facing things and standing up to them, that I can do. I have to. I'd prefer not to think on it anymore just yet. But just keep me in your prayers, yeah?

Also tomorrow apparently I have to wake up at seven for swimming lessons at eight in a cold pool. Demn. Oh well. At least I'll be awake and I will not be hard pressed for time to pack before I leave, hopefully. Naturally I am not done packing (it's not much to pack in the first place though, and really I'm only missing electronics which can't be packed until the last minute anyway)

Well, I'm off to watch stuff with people. Wish me luck tomorrow with swimming and flying and all that fun stuff.


-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

Sorry people. No cut because LJ is a fracking bastard html abusing loser website.

First of all. For those who are not familiar with the Warped Tour, it is a tour which has been held every year since 1995. Sponsored by Vans, it began as a skate punk sort of tour and gradually branched out to other genres within the rock/alternative scene. (metal, hardcore, screamo, pop-punk, etc) With shows mainly taking place during the summer and in the United States (and a few in Canada), it's a staple of the summer for many 'music' kids. Over 100 bands play the tour, from small local acts to major label, extremely well known bands. Some bands play the entire tour, some only a few dates. There are multiple stages ranging in size and performances are continual throughout the day; most bands have a half hour set, although this year main stage bands have been given a 40 minute set.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

I have decided that there are various songs/music videos I would like to share. Here's one of them; I thought that it would appeal to many on my f-list, what with our fascination with vintage type things. I am not sure entirely how historically accurate this video is, but I do know that the dance was filmed in an actual World War II era dance hall, and there were some WWII veterans present to make sure that things looked the same as it actually would have done back then. It's a bit of a tear jerker...this is one of my favorite music videos.

Also an fyi, it's pretty good quality (yay for bands having their videos on their websites in good quality!) so if you feel inclined to make it fullscreen, it should work nicely.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

And I also have run on blog entry titles longer than the title of an Underoath song.

Last night we stayed up until 3 AM. We watched Merlin and then we turned around and watched the heat lightning out the front window for quite a while. There was a proper thunderstorm, but the lightning continued afterwards.

This afternoon I was feeling ready to spend some time out of doors, and lo, it was beginning to look forebodingly stormy outside. I climbed the tree out front and perched upon a limb, listening to the Beatrix Potter music. (such lovely instrumentals, you know) The tree does not have a good view of the surrounding scenery, but one can see the sky through other branches and it is quite interesting. When it began to thunder in earnest I was somewhat intelligent and removed myself from the tree. Instead I lay in the long grass and watched the clouds float above me as the thunder grew nearer and lightning began to flash. There were just a few sprinkling drops of rain which felt wonderfully cool in such heat and humidity. U2 and Angels & Airwaves provided an apt soundtrack. Finally there was a magnificently loud crack of lightning and the thunder rumbled so that I leapt up and ran a bit in the grass. It was not frightening so much as exhilarating and I just simply had to move, you know? I walked backwards a bit towards the house and then decided to come inside, proclaiming it all to be 'fantastic'.

I am beginning to gather information for Warped Tour, planning and such. Hurrah hurrah. (I don't suppose anyone has any music by Big D and the Kid's Table, by any chance? I don't have most of the songs that they're playing for their set)

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

I spent part of my afternoon up a tree, discussing extensively The Prince And The Pauper with Stefan. I then came inside and squeaked at some of the icons that Hannah made, therefore prompting me to call her and kill her as she was not online. During the conversation my ear troubles began to peak.

Up until now I hadn't been too miserable with the plague that is laying waste in this house, but the fact that my left ear decided to suddenly build a blockade inside of itself has really not helped matters. 'tis quite miserable really. I tend to avoid medication of any sort, but this was miserable enough that I took Sudafed at the good doctor's suggestion. It helped the nasal congestion but nothing else, however Tylenol did assist with the pain. But I digress. Nothing has helped the blockage so far and it is bloody annoying. My hearing and balance are wacked and this makes me feel like I'm half conscious all day.

I've been sitting and watching people play Lord Of The Rings Online. It's rather interesting. Complicated though. Hmm.

Oh! My mood theme! I finally finished copying/pasting the links, as the admin console has been nasty to me lately. Check it people. It wins.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

So I just did a meme, posted it and then deleted it because the html was fucked and I didn't feel like fixing it. Sometimes I'm a real idiot.

I was feeling quite fine aside from a sore throat, and then I woke up this morning congested. It's gotten worse throughout the day and if there's one thing that makes me feel like crap, it's congestion. Ugh.

I've been reading random xkcd comics and finding them rather amusing.

Too much sociology will rot your brain. Be careful.

The CIA would be awesome to work for if that was my thing. I mean seriously. Their scholarship program is positively fantastic. I think I'd even be cool with giving up my summer vacations to work for them (there is a certain 'cool' factor to saying that you've worked for the CIA, don't you think? plus it looks excellent on a resumé), but having to stick with it for six years after I graduate college would be kind of sucky if the eventual plan was to get into music. Ah well. Why isn't there a Musical CIA or something?

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

So, it's Father's Day. There's a lot of people out there that don't have fathers. I'm grateful that I do.

My Dad, well, he's a special sort of person. He's a priest, which makes him different in and of itself. He's always been constant when it comes to that, when it comes to faith, standing by what he believes, in the face of adversities of every kind. My Dad is stubborn and stands on principle. He rarely loses an argument - and when he does, he walks away still thinking that he's won, because nothing can change his mind. He's also as wonderful a dad as you could ask for, in all those daddy sort of ways.

I've been told by various people for various reasons that I'm like him. Sometimes it wasn't meant as a good thing - but I took it as a compliment, because it's something that I'm proud of.

One thing about my Dad is that he's a great story teller. Daddy would tell us (and still tells my younger siblings) stories about when he was a kid, at night before we went to sleep. They were our favorite stories, the characters in them and the things which they did. Nearly everyone I know delights in hearing him tell stories, tales of his high school mischief and his college days. Even seminary (or perhaps I should say 'especially' seminary) makes for excellent stories, all the exploits that he and his friends would get up to. The coolest thing is that they're all true. Sometimes people think he's exaggerating, using a poetic license so to speak. But really, he's not, because I meet people that were there and they back up everything he says. At my grandfather's funeral a couple years ago, a gentleman came to sit at the same table as me during the repast after the service and burial. He asked if the seat was taken, and then made to introduce himself. But I already knew who he was; I could tell, although I'd never so much as seen a picture of him, because of the way my Dad imitated him while telling his stories. And that's not the only time that's happened, either.

Dad's a great storyteller, but there is one story which he hasn't told which is one of my favorites. He hasn't told it because it is about him, and I've heard it from my grandmother. My Dad is an artist, you see, and an excellent one at that. He was a young child (five? six? thereabouts?) and was outside lying in the grass with a pencil and paper. He lay there drawing for some time. When he came inside, he showed his mother his finished work. There on the paper were many, many lines. She asked him what it was and he replied, 'it's Close Up'.

Something else which Father's Day has got me thinking about. There are lot of 'celebrities' out there who are fathers. For me, naturally, the ones who come to mind are musicians. (also, neatly enough, most of these people are also married) Some of them are fairly new parents. Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy), Billy Martin (Good Charlotte), Joel Madden (Good Charlotte), Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance). Some of these people have taken a lot of crap from the media for their relationships/marriages, Pete Wentz and Joel Madden in particular. This annoys me. Simply because a person is famous (and this goes for the girls in the relationships who are also celebrities, too) does not mean that they are really all that different from the rest of us. They're human too, and a big reminder of this is when they have kids. Jacoby Shaddix, for instance. The guy has two kids, ages seven and four. He's a dad, he's a father. Everyone may see him as this crazy guy fronting Papa Roach, but I'll bet you anything that his children see him as only one thing - their daddy.

So thanks to all the fathers, the ones who we cherish in our hearts. Maybe your father isn't biologically your dad, or maybe you're thinking of someone who isn't exactly your father at all. Maybe you can thank him anyway.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

I'm posting pictures of myself (and thus, my newly dyed hair) in a friends only post. If there are people who read my blog who are not on my f-list, feel free to comment and if you are worthy, I will send you the pictures some other way.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

So peoples are still sick, some rather so. My symptoms are still rather mild, although my cough seems to get worse in the morning and night. Maybe that's just because that's when I pay more attention to it.

I have removed all my tags of names of people I know. It bugged me because they weren't accurate and it was too much trouble to go back through and fix them. So therefore I now have four categories which previously existed that I shall use. 'friends', 'family', 'midgets' and 'other people'. (for those of you that don't know, my lot often refers to our younger siblings as midgets or maggots. it's affectionate, I promise)

Hinder is a mildly guilty pleasure of mine. They're more poppy and raunchy than my usual tastes, but every once in a while I get in the mood for 'Lips Of An Angel' or something similar. /random

Rode Jesse's bike over to Nielsons today to visit with Victoria and Jonathan. Victoria and I painted our nails. Then we made dinner (fajitas) and dessert (brownies). We chit chatted and took pictures of my hair, which I will post tomorrow I think. I was on the way home when I noticed a white car behind me. I did not recognize it at first and, through the sound of the music coming through my earbuds (45 by Shinedown, I believe) I could hear an adolescent voice yelling at me. I rolled my eyes and was annoyed, hoping that they would pass by without further harassment. It was only when I glanced behind me again that I realized that the people in the car were Brennan and Jesse, and the latter was jokingly shouting at me to get off his bike, 'kid'. Silly boys.

I think I shall go to sleep or something like that. There is church in the morning, but I think only a very few people are going due to illness.

Happiness by The Fray is a beautiful song. Listen to it, think about it. It's important, I think.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

I am in one of those 'what do I want? what am I meant to do?' sort of moods. My thoughts are all over and sorted in strange ways.

( save the f-lists! )

As usual, my only conclusion is to work at the things which are at hand and try not to worry too much. Trust, I suppose. But it's hard not to worry.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

I feel quite ill. I blame Jesse, who supposedly has bronchitis. The sick feeling (sore throat, coughing and such) would not be so bad if it were not coupled with the soreness from hip-hop class las night. Combining these two things makes me feel somewhat nauseous, so that all in all I feel as though I've been hit by a truck (or a sixteen ton weight, as my subject line would suggest).

Hip-hop, while strenuous, was neat and I believe I remember most of what I learned. Warming up and practicing is in order, definitely. Hopefully I can manage that without dying. Also, I realized why I like hip-hop (or, before now, liked the idea of it). It is because I am a very contrary person. In hip-hop you are pretty much required to use posture which, in nearly any other sort of dance, would have you in big trouble. Bad posture, that is. And it seems that there is more emphasis on 'feeling the beat' and moving with it, to a point where having that groove is just as important or maybe more than the technical movements of the dance. Anyways. I like it.

Supposed to be going over to N's for hair dyeing with Victoria. It's only 10:00 however and I'm fairly sure that no one is awake yet. Until then (probably after lunch) I think I shall lay 'round and read. At the moment I am reading Lord Of The Rings and Alas, Babylon, as well as my Introductory Sociology book. Heehee, I'm about to start 'Chapter Eight: Deviance'. I am most amused.


-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

Aha. Firstly, college mathematics. Tiresome at times, pleasing at others (because understanding is always such fun when one is learning). Yesterday I was doing the drill questions at the end of a chapter having to do with sets, subsets, Venn diagrams and Cartesian products. I got a few questions wrong so I went back to see what I missed and why I was wrong. I figured out some of them, but there were two where I was stumped as to my answer was incorrect. I called Brennan in, since he's older I figured he might know more than I. He was stumped on the first question as well, so Jesse came in. So picture it; a sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen year old who have not taken college math courses. With the two questions I couldn't figure out, Jesse figured one and 'splained to me and B, and Brennan got the other and 'splained to me and J. It was quite neat.

Secondly...hmm. What was I going to say? Ah yes. Tomorrow I start hip-hop classes with B, J and Matthias. I am somewhat nervous about this, but mostly pleased. I have not taken actual dance classes (aside from English country dancing) since I was about six or so. However I have done copious amounts of English country dancing and a decent amount of musical theatre, so perhaps that will help a small amount. Also I am very musically inclined so that is somewhat helpful as well. But anyways. I look forward very much to learning all I can with this dance class.

Thirdly. Anyone know a way to embed a YouTube video that has embedding disabled?

I probably had more to say, but this post has been in the making for hours now. I kind of got interrupted by children running and being tossed and shrieking and the like. All good fun, wot wot.

I should get ready for bed, and I will do that sooner when I finish this post. Oh also, dyeing my hair (again!) on Thursday. Highlighting in with a (supposedly) brownish-red which should help my roots look not so terrible. Yes it works, I've done it before. The tactic for making the roots not look so bad when growing out, I mean. No idea how the color will turn out, as dye is strange that way. It's fun though, being unsure as to what the results will be. Generally it looks neat, so. However, I really hope it stays in my hair this time. Past couple times I've dyed my hair (twice in the past month - once with brown/red and the other time with blue and pink) it has faded so you can barely tell it's there within a week. However I was not using the good quality color-safe shampoo, so perhaps (hopefully) this will stay. It had better, else I shall be quite annoyed.

What was that I said about getting ready for bed? (I feel obligated to point out that the icon for 'relaxed' in my current mood theme is bloody adorable)

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

Not much obviously. I know everything, however.

Ahem.

stolen from callme_al01

Online journals are little filters that we each see every one else's lives through, the parts others choose to share with us. That said, we all think we are close, but really we seldom know *a lot* about each other. So I want you to ask me something you think you should know about me. Something that should be obvious, but you have no idea about. Ask away.

Then post this in your LJ and find out what people don't know about you...

Hmm. Re-downloading the Metallica albums that got lost when our computer died, FINALLY. Also I'm downloading entire Punk Goes albums and then deleting the shit I don't like. Why? Because I'm dastardly and awesome that's why.-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

I suppose I really ought to update, seeing how much has gone on the past several days. Or week or something.

I have now mostly settled in to my new place of residence for the next few months. The drive up was long and tiring, the two days which followed a chaotic mess of funness involving my family, the N's and the K's. Hordes of shrieking children and large amounts of food seem the prevailing elements, after the kids went to bed we (the teenage types) stayed up and watched not-kid movies, and I fell asleep near the end of most of them for at least a little bit. Five hours of sleep does that to a person.

My family departed yesterday morning. Last night I think I got a bit over seven hours of sleep AND I did not fall asleep while watching a movie last night, so perhaps the sleep department will get a bit more healthy. I could really tell I needed more sleep when yesterday I actually took a nap.

Oh also we went out moose hunting the other night with most people although smallish children stayed home (moose hunting being looking, not shooting) and saw several. Moose have a tendency to look like awkward, misshapen large horses, although for such knobby, bent up creatures they move gracefully.

Apparently there are all sorts of 'easiest' and 'most beneficial' and 'most efficient' ways to achieve my educational goals. I think for now I am going to limit myself to the immediate goal of 'Study The Damn CLEP Books And Don't Be A Gitly Git'.

And now I think I shall get up, get dressed and hope no one is in the bathroom so that I may brush my teeth and other sundry getting-up-in-the-morning-and-making-oneself-presentable activities. Showering shall have to be a tomorrowish activity, as my hair seemingly cannot go more than one day between showers (although swimming shall do if camping is done) without looking positively disgusting.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

That have come to me as a result of conversations and reading.

I value my freedom very much. The right to say 'I quit this job' is very important to me, the ability to leave it all if I need to is one that I'm not sure I could live without. Not at this point, anyway. Or maybe it's more of, if I find a situation to be one that is not for me, if there is something which does not fit with the important things, if there is someone telling me I cannot live in the way I think is right, I want to be able to tell them no, tell them that I don't need to be here, not if it means sacrificing what is more important. And maybe that's more important to me than other things, that ability. (also I never want to live in a situation where one must constantly rub elbows and flatter people whom one does not like; I recognize that there will always have to be compromises and sacrifices. but I would rather not have to worry about 'friends' who are only important because of status and not real things)

I want to learn to live like the sparrows. I realize that I do not have too much clothes compared to some, and I tend to judge it this way - if I don't wear it, then I get rid of it. As I look around at most of the clothes I own folded in piles on the floor, ready to be packed, I know that I wear all of these often enough for me to not feel guilty about keeping them, letting them take up space. But I think I want to have less, somehow. There is a lot of stuff on shelves and in drawers that I shan't be taking with me. As I look about me, many of these things bring reactions to my mind, emotional significance, memories that involve these things. But yet, it's all things which I don't need, which I don't use, maybe don't particularly want. I think I would rather have less. We are often only weighed down by that which we own. Life woul be simpler if we didn't have so much, I think. I think I want to start thinking harder before acquiring things. Will this make me happy? Will I really enjoy wearing it, looking at it, using it? Will its existence be a burden of some kind?

I laugh a bit at myself. I think I sound as though I'm going to bag up all my things and throw them out, and not go shopping, not buy things, in the next few months. Silly. But it's something that I want to learn to do. It will take time and thought and effort, but I do want that for myself. (I think that the only thing I do not mind having loads of is books; books, so long as they are good books that I like reading/want to read, there are never too many of. marvelous things they are, and not burdensome in any way, save in the light of building bookshelves)

Once again I laugh, this time less wryly and more joyfully. Perhaps all this is code for saying that I want to be poor. :)

(of course, I don't want to be poor. but it seems that maybe it's hard to obtain happiness and have a high paying job, or lots of shiny things.)

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

I'm tired. Was awoken at 8:00 this morning, spent the majority of the morning and afternoon walking round the mall with Adrianne. Found a pair of Converses that fit and were awesome and at Ross for not so expensive, and I was much pleased. 'twas the last item on my list of apparel which I really very much want and kind of need. Still could use some summery tops and capris/shorts, but those shall be fine if I happen to find ones I like at some point.

Then I came home and ate, wrestled with shoe laces and ran off to ride horses in the rain. Twas a lovely ride, but I got rather soaked.

At any rate, I'm quite tired and I think I shall retire earlyish tonight. Hannah and I have finished Torchwood and we don't know what to watch now. Ah well.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

What do you call the list of updates from people you follow? I don't know the catchy internet slang for it, I guess. But anyway. Quick 'splaining of who these people are - Tom Felton is the actor who plays Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies. He also writes acoustic type music which makes me smile. Mick Deth (Mick Morris) was the bassist for Eighteen Visions before they broke up in 2007. He now bass techs for Hatebreed, manages his clothing line (Dethless) and models occasionally.

( screencap ftw )


-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

I drove around town today and killed no one. I think I can do this, you know. (also I did not nearly die of nearly having a panic attack, which was nice too)

Also I got several of the things I had on my List Of Things That I Need (not just things I 'need', but things I really do need) and spent far less than I had anticipated. Goodwill is awesome and finding church appropriate shoes (i.e. not beat up Chuck Taylors) that fit, look nice and don't have heels (I dislike heels because they make me too tall) that are also on sale help immensely.

I think I shall make do with putting padding into my plaid backpack as a laptop case for now, because $20 for a new one when I can improvise just seems silly.

Rediscovered the iTunes visualizer. It is loads more interesting than it used to be...now must resist staring at it for inappropriate periods of time while listening to music. Watching it though is really cool. Sometimes, behind my eyes, I see shapes and colors similar to those created by whatever programming is used in the visualizer, but I've been seeing them since I was a small child; seeing them dancing to the music which creates images in your head that no one has ever seen. let's see colors that have never been seen / let's go to places no one else has been It's sort of how I imagine the planets, the stars, perhaps in some distant galaxy, or maybe the way God can see them, dancing in perfect time to the Music, singing in perfect harmony the praises, being beautiful because of beauty's existence.

Saturday was my last day of work at Luigi's. It was a satisfactory last day; one of my favorite hosts to work with told me quite sincerely that she would miss working with me and hoped to work with me again in the future, which was neat. Also three of the servers who were leaving a bit before me (just for the night, not for good, much to their chagrin) gave me big hugs and wished me luck. All in all 'twas very nice. I think that job was beneficial on all sides, in many ways. Also now I have a shiny letter of recommendation (picked it up on Tuesday). Hurrah hurrah.

Actually getting the work done on the lovely plaid bodice I got from Hot Topic back in December or some such. Hurrah. I want a different one though, one that won't cover my shoulders so much, that way if I decide to wear it to Warped I can be all tanified. (that is, if I don't burn as usual)

Hannah shall have returned soon, so we can watch Torchwood. Tomorrow hopefully I will acquire the rest of the things I need before leaving, and also maybe I'll actually rehearse the things that I'm playing (accompaniment for H's vocal piece) and singing (hymn with three part harmony with H and R) for the Honor's Recital on Sunday.

That is all, mates...for now.


-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.

My Tweets from the trip to St. Tikhon's yesterday.

Early mornings on holidays are so serene. It feels like you have the whole world to yourself. The day is promising as slowly the world wakes8:05 AM May 25th from txt

At a rest area. Saw a young father walking a big dog with a little blond curly haired daughter on his shoulder. They looked very happy.10:45 AM May 25th from txt

Driving near the Scranton area, saw a car with a Motionless In White (myspace.com/motionlessinwhite) sticker. Small world.11:06 AM May 25th from txt

Hannah-'no Black Adder or Monty Python at the monastery.' ... Sophie-'oh, darn!'11:55 AM May 25th from txt

At the monastery. Walked into the bathroom and two small boys peeped out of a shower stall giggling. Twas amusing.12:44 PM May 25th from txt

Dad is talking ham radios with another priest. This is going to take a long time.1:24 PM May 25th from txt
'The places that feel like home, you have to go there now and then.'-@jamietworkowski-i'm at one of those places now. Been here since birth.about 24 hours ago from txt

So many voices. Chanting, singing, talking, laughing, weeping. So much sorrow and joy in the stories i hear snatches of.about 23 hours ago from txt

Cutest thing ever; young guy in cassock (presumably a reader or seminarian) walking thru the garden holding hands with his girlfriend/wife.about 22 hours ago from txt

Just because you fall doesn't mean you have to give up. You can get up again.about 21 hours ago from txt

Weirdest thing ever; priest in klobuk walking by fiddling with a cell phone.about 21 hours ago from txt

Most amusing image ever; seminarian riding to Vespers on a bike, cassock tucked up into his belt.about 21 hours ago from txt

The 5 yo. decided to go on hunger strike. Waiter as he gives her the food-'come on, smile, it's not that bad i promise' tipped him extra.about 20 hours ago from txt

On the way home. Thinking about the world. Thinking about the church. Thinking about conflict and healing, pain and strength.about 19 hours ago from txt

The church has been going through very difficult times in the past several years. Situations have been rectified and it struck me yesterday, at that place with so many people gathered, there was a sense of healing. Some people couldn't see how we would possibly recover from the discoveries of scandal (forgetting, strangely, the far worse things the church has gone through; Iconoclast, anybody?). I think people are ready to move on now. The church is healing, becoming strong again, a bulwark of faith in difficult times.

It is disturbing, watching the changes being brought into our government, seeing how far things are encroaching on personal life and freedom. Yesterday was a reminder of the thing which has been there through the rise and fall of some the greatest empires of all time, a reminder that really, freedom does not come from government or presidents, but from faith and God.

-SXM, Sarah Meholick, Esq. Watchman, Bane of Shadows.