enthrall me

...
take me to you, imprison me, for I
unless you enthrall me, shall never be free,
...

john donne
"batter my heart"

jello

Wow, I never would have thought to turn San Francisco into jello.

This is what my friends find when they are online too long.
More pictures at http://www.lizhickok.com/assets/portfolio/pages/01city.html

alcatraz

Arms of Love

What beautiful simplicity...


G          D             Em
I sing a simple song of love
      C   Em         D
to my Savior, to my Jesus.
G             D                      Em
I'm grateful for the things you've done,
          C   Em              D
my loving Savior, my precious Jesus.


Am           Em
My heart is glad
            D             G
that you've called me your own
Am          Em              D
There's no place I'd rather be
           G Bm7     C
than in your arms of love,
      G Bm7    C
in your arms of love,
           Em
Holding me still,
Bm7         C
holding me near
               G
in your arms of love.

©1991 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP)
(Admin. by Music Services)
All rights reserved.
International copyright secured.
Words and Music by Craig Musseau

I first learned this song in New York.
I even played it with my limited knowledge of the guitar.
(which is why i include the chords)
It has only come back to me now.

Music of the City

The saxaphone echoes through the subway stations of New York.
The trumbone player jazzes it up on River Street and a guitarist in one of the squares.
The songs at Horton Plaza make one feel like they are entering some kind of carnival grounds.

The Italian Opera singers on Maiden Lane.
The flutist outside the bookstore and the drums in the park.
The violinist at the restaurant bids everyone to come.

These are the sounds of beauty splashed throughout a largely impenetrable world.

famished

I'm hungry but not filled,
thirsty but not quenched,
longing but not satisfied.

When will the famine end?

?

Will you take what you can get or wait and treasure what is given to you?

the things I see

My favorite place in New York was somewhere I didn't know if I was allowed to be. A seemingly unused park-like place that ran along the Hudson River. I went there once, when I returned with friends it was gated and said "no entry." Two rows of trees were there, high and majestic, surrounded by a concrete pad and a crummy old fence. I saw a celebration. I saw a feast. I heard joy and laughter. And so I danced.

this endless romance

I want to run from here
to a place where there is no pain and brokeness

I want to close my eyes and fly
until it is just me and the endless blue sky

I don't want to see all the darkness I see
but it is here you promised to come to me

basketball

so I'm not as sore as I thought I would be. My calves are the only major area in protest. It has been over a decade since I played like that, and if I do say so myself, I wasn't all that bad.

It was three-on-three half-court then four-on-four full-court with a group of men. oi
I was a bit hesitant at first, the apparant regular girls never showed, and this was my first time meeting any of them. It took them a little while to warm up to me, but they gave me a chance and by the end they had welcomed me right in.

They didn't ask me my life's story or how my day had been
but they treated me like a woman and protected me like men

I didn't have to pretend that I was happy or explain if I was sad
I was in the zone and content to just play some ball.

I didn't have to talk and I laughed when I wanted.
I could just be and not worry about the rest of the world.

I am grateful for that.

roof tops

what to do on the roof tops of san francisco:

-take in the view no matter where you live
-enjoy a barbeque with friends
-watch the Blue Angels (US Navy airshow) fly overhead
-run up when you hear the explosions and watch fireworks for a while
-meet your neighbors who also came up when they heard the explosions
-invite them to walk on over to your rooftop to watch
-listen in the darkness to everyone else on their rooftops cheer when the fireworks end
-eat dinner
-watch the fog roll in as it turns the city into a kinkaid landscape with muted lights glowing all around
-dance
-soak in the indian summer sun
-read a good book

hula hoops

we have a few hula hoop lovers in the city

fan

I'm not into baseball, but at the last minute on Sunday I decide to go. First Giants game for me, second professional game overall. We get there late. They are already in the 3rd inning. Noise and distractions all around us, we are in the bleachers in outfield with our backs to the big screen. I sit down with my ever so appropriate hot dog and figure out who they are playing. At least our team is winning. I turn and look up at the big screen every once in awhile to figure out what is going on. And then I see my seat number up there - it is fan appreciate day and I just won something.

Well Walt, it looks like you have yourself a cap. I also got an autographed bobblehead and an authentic 'coachers' jackets. I'm swimming in the jacket and I have no idea what I would do with a bobblehead.

What an ironic & bizarre experience. I just had to laugh.

Oh, and the Giants did win after all.