Brandon Heath- Give Me Your Eyes

I realize it's not original to love a song that's #4 on the Billboard, but I do. I just recently started listening to K-LOVE again (streaming it online), so this song is new to me. Living in New York, I have learned to block out the crowds and ignore people; there are just so many of them, everywhere, all the time. We all ignore each other. People think New Yorkers are mean and rude, but really we just exist in our own bubbles moving from Point A to Point B hoping to stay out of other people's way and expecting them to stay out of ours. It reminds me of Chapter 10 of The Phantom Tollbooth where Alec tells Milo and Tock that people in the city of Reality decided that things would be much more efficient if they went everywhere as fast as possible and didn't bother to stop and appreciate things along the way. As a result, the city withered away and became invisible. I want to learn to open my eyes, to see things and people the way God does. That's why I like this song so much.

Give Me Your Eyes

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere,
Why have I never cared?

Chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah
Yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work
He's buying time
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?

Chorus

I've been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all along

Almost Famous AKA my 2 Seconds of Fame

On Wednesday, we had uncharacteristically beautiful weather for February. Sunny, 60 degrees. My co-workers and I sat outside for lunch, and it seems we were not the only ones. Last year, the intersection of Broadway, 5th Ave. and 23rd Street underwent major renovations to make it a better public space. This worked out great for me since my office in the Flatiron Building is smack in the middle of this intersection. When the weather is nice, tables and chairs are put out for everyone to use, and Wednesday was the first time this winter that they came out. A guy from Streetfilms also came out to film and interview people making use of the space. This is where my 2 seconds of fame comes in. Check it out here. If you don't feel like watching the whole video, skip to 3 minutes in for a brief glimpse of yours truly :-)

Help! Name change dilemma

I know I still have almost 4 months to go before I get my new name, but I've already started thinking about a new email address. After all, I won't be adsouto anymore. I will be adyuen. However, that email address has already been taken as there are many, many more Yuens in the world than there are Soutos. With that in mind, please participate in my new poll to pick a new email address. If you have other ideas, please vote "other" and leave a comment. Thanks for all the help!

Weather conditions

Today, I am wearing leggings, knee-high socks, regular socks, boots, jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt, and a turtleneck knit sweater. When I go outside, I will add leather gloves, a winter coat, a scarf and a knit winter hat.

Tomorrow afternoon, I will be wearing jeans, a t-shirt and flip-flops. I could wear shorts, but they are packed away for the winter.

Today I am in New York City. It is 20 degrees but feels like 8.

Tomorrow, I will be in Scottsdale, AZ. It will be 75 degrees and feel like 75 degrees.

Do you think it is the meteorologist who mathematically figures out "feels like" using factors like wind speed, pressure and humidity? Or, do you think it is the assistant meteorologist who walks outside and says, "hmm... feels like X"? My money's on the former, but I love the idea of the latter.

in another life...

I would like to be

* a National Geographic wildlife photographer
* a professional ballerina
* a board game developer
* a marine mammal trainer
* an actress
* a forensic anthropologist

No longer "under the law"

I often felt I lacked a good answer to why Christians don't follow all the Old Testament law anymore. I know that Christ came to fulfill the requirements of the law, but there are many laws that we still rely on to govern what is right and what is wrong. I really liked my pastor's explanation. Tim Keller said, "We also recognize that many parts of the Old Testament law no longer relate directly to us as believers. Since Jesus is the ultimate priest, temple, and sacrifice, we observe none of the ceremonial, dietary, and other laws connected to ritual purity. Also, Christians of all nations are now members of the people of God, and God’s community no longer exists as a single nation-state under a theocratic government. Therefore, the ‘civil legislation’ of the Old Testament is no longer appropriate. Adultery in the Old Testament was punishable by a death, but in the New Testament it is dealt with through exhortation and church discipline (1 Corinthians 6-7.)... The law of God simply shows us what human beings were built to do—to worship God alone, to love their neighbors as themselves, to tell the truth, keep their promises, forgive everything, act with justice. When we move against these laws we move against our own natures and happiness. Disobedience to God sets up strains in the fabric of reality that can only lead to break down."

Book Review: Dreamhouse Kings #1 : House of Dark Shadows

Title: House of Dark Shadows
Author: Robert Liparulo
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Category: Young adult, suspense

My Rating:****

House of Dark Shadows is Robert Liparulo's first young adult title and the first in a series called Dreamhouse Kings. I was pleasantly surprised with his debut and am looking forward to reading Book 2.

The story follows fifteen year old Xander King and his family as they move from Pasadena to Pinedale, Ca. At first, Xander and his brother David are upset about leaving the big city and all their friends to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere, but the house that the Kings decide to buy quickly entrances the two boys with its mysteries. The shadowy figure of a large man who appears out of nowhere, tricks of sound, and secret passageways make this just creepy and scary enough to be interesting without being too much for a young adult audience. At first I thought it was too fantastical, but Liparulo was eventually able to bring me to a place where my disbelief could be suspended. The book is heavy on movie and television references, which bothered me at first, but it really suits the main character, so I got over it.

I thought House of Dark Shadows was gripping, a page-turner, unexpectedly frightening at times and a great story.