let's run away

so i read harry potter 7 yesterday. i just took the day and read it, and it was worth it. i highly recommend the series and the book. i continue to be happy with what rowling did. i won't say any more right now.

the twins keep losing.

i played kickball today rather than my normal tuesday night ultimate frisbee (because i was back in my hometown for work). i kicked in two runs in the first inning and scored a run myself. in the third, i tried to stretch a run-scoring single into a double, basically ran into the outfield while rounding first (the field was so small), and got out, preventing the run from scoring (i'm stupid). in the fifth, with two out and runners on second and third, i kicked a pretty good one deep into left, but it was caught. so yeah, i stranded three runners in scoring position, making me worst player of the game (maybe not really, but....). the game ended up tied after six innings with the game needing to finish up to make room for the next team.

last weekend i played a bunch of ultimate, and i had a great time. i wasn't feeling the best about how well i was playing, but my team needed me to play some points, and i could do that, and play hard defense (mark in the cup, mostly). it reminded me of ron gardenhire talking about how important it was for ponson and ortiz to eat up innings as starting pitchers earlier this season for the twins.

is the blog-i-ness of this entry getting to you? i figured it would be. now i just need to start emoting about the girls i like or something like that.

but lest you fear, i spent my drive between homes writing down a list of albums that i consider important to me, in a situated way. in other words, i am not in this case going to go back through and decide whether some album has withstood the test of time, but rather let you know what albums i liked at various points in my life--what was important to me. and i encourage you to come up with a list like this of your own. think back to every year of your life--as best you can--perhaps do a little research to find out when certain albums were available, or remember what you were doing when you listened to something in particular. that's what i spent four hours in the car doing today, and i think i did pretty well. you should try this and post it here or send it to me.

for some reason, this summer i've felt like this... (yes, i'm trying to make this the bloggiest entry possible still)

i think i need a new heart by the magnetic fields

time stands still
all i can feel is the time standing still
as you put down the keys
and say don't call me please
while the radio plays

"i think i need a new heart"
"i think i need a new heart"

you've lied too
but it's a sin that i
can't tell the truth
cause it all comes out wrong
unless i put it in a song
so the radio plays
"i think i need a new heart"
just for you
"i think i need a new heart"

cause i always say i love you
when i mean turn out the light
and i say let's run away
when i just mean stay the night
but the words you want to hear
you will never hear from me

i'll never say "happy anniversary"
never stay to say "happy anniversary"

so i think i need a new heart
i think i need a new heart
give me time

and i will hang my head low

i just finished reading harry potter and the half blood prince. it's my second time through the book, having read it the day it came out last time, and again now in anticipation of the next one coming out.

rowling does an amazing job of growing her writing with the characters, both with her writing and with understanding what is going through their minds at various stages in their life, even when it makes her otherwise likable characters a touch annoying.

as i finished the book tonight (having read all of it today, along with doing a considerable amount of work), the following song came on, and i actually started crying. i definitely did not expect that reaction, but between being quite emotionally involved in the story, frustrated by the twins second straight one run loss, and other things, i guess it makes a little bit of sense. more than anything, the end of the book combined with this song really did it. what an excellent song. i leave you with it.

the crane wife (3) by the decemberists

and under the boughs, unbowed
all clothed in a snowy shroud
she had no heart so hardened
all under the boughs, unbowed

Each feather, it fell from skin
‘til threadbare, while she grew thin
how were my eyes so blinded
each feather, it fell from skin

and i will hang my head, hang my head low.

a grey sky, a bitter sting,
a rain cloud, a crane on wing.
all out beyond horizon,
a grey sky, a bitter sting.

and i will hang my head, hang my head low.