My First Love

Have you ever been shaken to the core by a song or album? I have always enjoyed music of all kinds, from hymns to punk. My first experience like that was the first time I heard a U2 song. It was.....well.....kinda spiritual. It was like I was sucked up into the speakers and actually part of the song.

I've been a follower of their music for many years now, own all the albums, seen them in concert 3 times (twice in Dublin), I've even been to three of the four members' houses (well the outsides anyway). They never cease to have that same effect on me after all this time. Certain songs transport me back to certain times in life, some sad and some exhilarating.

One of the things that impresses me most about U2 is not their music, but their social activism. If you look at every single one of their album covers, you can learn about various social causes they have supported such as poverty, political prisoners, AIDS, malaria, and economic stability in empoverished countries. You can read up more on their cause to end poverty at www.one.org. I also appreciate their non-partisan approach to such social causes.

I once read a book about the band, and learned three of the members were involved in a grassroots Christian church in their early years as a band. They were even baptized in the Irish Sea, not far from where I lived in Dublin. Many of their early songs were actually songs of praise.

So this week they released their latest album, No Line on the Horizon. I have been listening to it non-stop and have been reminded why I love them so much. At the moment, I am totally taken with a song called Magnificent. It's a throwback to their more spiritual roots.

Magnificent
Magnificent

I was born
I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
Only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar

I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise...

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar

Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts

Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent
Magnificent

The Strangest Thing....

As I was driving home yesterday afternoon, I noticed that there was a dead cat lying on the corner of the intersection by my house. I think my neighborhood has a hex or something.

And no, I didn't stop to take a picture! (But I was tempted!)

You SO Won't Believe What I Did Today!!!!

WARNING!!!! GRAPHIC IMAGES!!!! If you are grossed out by dead animals.....DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER.........

OK, but I warned you.........

I came home from church this morning to find a kitty napping in the sun in my front yard. I notice it didn't hear me when I went out to the mailbox. I approached ever so carefully to inspect the poor creature, only to discover it was dead. It was at this point I was wishing I had my dad or another man around to "fix" the problem.

I started to have flashbacks to an incident this summer when my former dog, Bentley, seriously maimed and paralyzed a cat in my backyard.....or so I thought. It was about 2 am and I was awoken by a death howl coming from the back. I went outside to see Bentley with a kitty in his mouth acting like it was his toy. I finally got him away from the cat and put him in the crate. The cat dragged itself toward the fence with it's front paws. There was nothing I could do about it until the morning, anyway, so I went to bed. The next morning I searched the yard, and there was no kitty to be found!

Well back to today......I decide if I just go inside and shut the front door, problem solved. I called dad, who told me I was silly and gave me many options of how to take care of the problem. One of the solutions he gave me was to tie twine around it since I didn't want to touch it and drag it to the dumpster. Ummmmm.....not gonna happen!

I closed the front door and decide to try and forget about the dead kitty in my front yard. Now mind you, our lesson in church was about death.......is this a sign or something?

I am plagued by this dead kitty in the front yard, so I resolutely set out to "take care" of it. When I looked closer at the cat, I noticed it's eyes were half open. I have an Anthropologie box lying around, so I figured I would put it to good use. My plan is to get a shovel, pick up the cat, put it in the box, close the lid, and carry it to the dumpster. Easy enough, right? WRONG! Riggermortis set in and the frickin' cat didn't fit in the box!!! To make matters even worse, it had blood coming out of it's mouth and cat hair in it's paws!!!!

Well, to make a long story short, I "made" the kitty fit in the box, put the box in a trash bag and carted it off to the dumpster. Immediately, I came in and washed my hands even though I never touched the kitty with my hands.

I am now very proud of myself, and can confidently say, "I don't need no stinkin' man!" Hee hee!