QUOTE: see, love, eat.

Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.

—Maurice Sendak

VIDEO: Sarah Kay: If I Should Have a Daughter...

I've always been fond of Spoken Word Poetry. Typically, people hear that term and think of rap (which is appropriate), but there's more to it than that. Performance Poetry, to me, is inspiring and entertaining. It's something that needs to be listened to, not just heard. Observed, not just seen. It's an art form, it really is. Sarah Kay is a very talented poet and performer, outstanding in her field. The first three minutes of this video include her performing one of my favorite Spoken Word Poetry performances, a poem she wrote called B. I love poetry, reading it and writing it, but I've never taken my shot at performing it. Perhaps this was the inspiration I needed to make that first attempt. I hope it's just as inspiring to you.

WEBSITE: eggwatchers.com

I can imagine, given the season, you might be considering hard-boiling some eggs soon. You know, for dying purposes. But hard-boiling eggs is such a bother, isn't it? It takes enough time that you can't just wait in the kitchen for them to be done, but it's not like you have time to pop in a movie or something. So you're stuck in limbo. Might I introduce you to eggwatchers.com, a website that not only tells you exactly how long your egg(s) will take to boil but entertains you for exactly that amount of time. A cousin of YouTube, eggwatchers is the perfect solution to this Easter dilemma.

Happy boiling, friends.

And Happy Easter :)

SONG: Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32 by P. I. Tchaikovsky

As a budding musician, once upon a time, I participated in a performance of this piece. It is meant to represent Francesca's descent into hell. And you can hear it in the tone, tempo, and character of the entire piece. IT'S SCARY.

Inasmuch, this piece has become my theme song for Finals Week. The temper of the timpani, the wailing of the high strings, the hopeful cadence of the clarinet, the chilling rumble from the celli. There's nothing I can think of that could better describe the haunting ballad that is Finals Week.

It is quite lengthy, but if you venture to listen to it at all, I would suggest starting around the 8 minute mark and follow it to 16 or so. But only if you want the story to have a happy ending. I can picture the snakes, like fast approaching deadlines, slithering closer and closer while you lay there, helpless. And then tumbling into disarray as you plummet to the bottom of a volcano. Total chaos. But soon comes a sliver of light through the storm clouds. You realize you've made it out alive. And life is good :) You skip along and birds fly around your head and the sky is blue and you sing a song of gratitude that it's all finally over. Or is it? I'll let you figure that one out for yourself. Listen to the whole thing. You won't regret it.

VIDEO: Mommy's Nose is Scary!

Okay, I'm not usually one for "cute baby" videos, but this one is a classic. And I think this baby's reaction to his mother blowing her nose fits in pretty well with the way I live my life. Terror followed by sheer joy in the aftermath. (Granted, I don't have a cool walker like this kid does. ..)

Just watch the video. Remember what it was like when you didn't have to worry about anything. BE HAPPY.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

BOOK: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer)

Easily the best book I've read this year and a new favorite. I felt closer to the characters in this book than I'm used to feeling. I loved everything about it, and I can't recommend it enough.

About a strange young boy whose father died in 9/11, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close puts you into the mind of a child who struggles to understand his own grief. I enjoyed every minute of reading this book, and I can't wait to read it again :)

SORRY FOR THE HIATUS.

QUOTE: Take a Risk

PERSON: Jimmer Fredette

Arguably the most talented college point guard in America, Jimmer Fredette has created a new breed of fan. Likened to idol-worship, the fervor that BYU fans share for their beloved Jimmer has swept basketball fans across the nation. And when provoked, they can get a little nasty: click here to see the fans' reactions to a woman who wrote a letter complaining about Jimmer's fame.

But even without his fans, Mr. Fredette has been excelling at the thing he does best. Averaging 25+ points per game, Jimmer has more than once made up more than 50% of his team's final score. Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder has boldly declared Jimmer Fredette as the "best scorer in the world" at any level. But it's his combination of talent and humility that really sets him apart from other players. A team player, Fredette is quick to acknowledge his fellow ballers in every interview.

He's amazing. There's not much more to be said.

POEM: The Waking, Theodore Roethke

My grandfather's professor and mentor at the University of Washington, Theodore Roethke has always appealed to me; I feel a sort of kinship to him and his work. This poem, The Waking, speaks to me in a way that few other pieces of literature ever have. The first line of the final stanza ("This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.") seems like such a fundamental truth in my life. During times when my life seems to shake and fall apart, I learn what crutches I may reach for in order to steady myself. In searching for a way to glue the broken pieces of my life back together, I have been able to realize which pieces are actually worth keeping and which need to be thrown away. It's a painful process, but it is necessary. "I learn by going where I have to go."

The Waking, by Theodore Roethke

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.

I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?

I hear my being dance from ear to ear.

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?

God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,

And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?

The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do

To you and me, so take the lively air,

And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.

What falls away is always. And is near.

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

I learn by going where I have to go.

RECIPE: Snickers Surprise Cookies

These cookies are the easiest way to anyone's heart. A personal favorite of mine, I will find any excuse to make these delicious treats. They're super simple and taste amazing. The recipe that I have included is from this blog, which has tons of amazing recipes. It's not the exact one that I use, but it'll do to give you a taste of what you've been missing. Do yourself a favor this weekend: MAKE THESE COOKIES. You won't regret it.

Snickers Surprise Cookies

2 sticks butter, room temp (1 cup)
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg (13 oz) Snickers miniatures

1. Combine butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
3. Mix in flour, salt, and baking soda (gradually is best!).
4. Cover and chill dough 2-3 hours.
5. Remove dough from fridge. Divide into 1-Tbsp pieces, and flatten. Place an unwrapped Snickers on each.
6. Form the dough into a ball around each Snickers.
7. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

SONG: The Ballad of Love and Hate (Avett Brothers)

Sorry if the media player doesn't load. It's a little temperamental. The link underneath works just fine.

Avett Brothers - Emotionalism - The Ballad of Love and Hate by dbklayman

I've never been much of a ballad-lover, but this song had me hooked from the beginning. The personification of love and hate (two of the most basic and relatable emotions) create a story that draws the listener in after the first verse. A hopeful song with a sadly predictable ending, this ballad speaks to the listener from both perspectives. Everyone knows what it's like to love; everyone knows what it's like to hate. And unfortunately, everyone knows what it's like to settle. Beautiful lyrics, simple melody, universal subjects. A wonderful ballad.

BOOK: A Natural History of the Senses (Diane Ackerman)

Diane Ackerman's catalog of the five human senses describes the foundational aspects of human life with all the detail and eloquence of pure poetry. More entertaining than many novels I've read (and certainly more educational), this book helped me to understand so many basic fundamentals of human nature that seem lost to even the most educated minds. Chock full of fact and narrative, it is easy to imagine the sights, tastes, sounds, smells, and textures that Ms. Ackerman so vividly depicts in her writing. Universal and timeless, the senses of the body bring centuries of different cultures to common ground; every musician, every writer, every artist, no matter where or when they live (or have lived), practices their craft based on these senses. You will learn things about yourself, about your body, about human culture in general (it's more primitive than you would think) that you never thought to learn about.

I highly recommend you read this book. You'll never think of the world in the same way.

WEBSITE: blackle.com

Blackle.com is a Google-powered search engine with a black back screen. The default white back screen of google.com uses much more power than a black one. The search results are the same as Google's and it's just as easy to use. The only difference is that blackle.com could help you save up to 750 megawatt-hours a year. I encourage you to make Blackle your primary search engine. It's the little steps we take that really make a difference.

For more information about blackle.com, click here.

VIDEO: forever's not so long

Here is a 12-minute short film about death in an "end of the world" type of context. Despite the gravity of the topic at hand, the film maintains a certain airy, lightheartedness about it. I hope that when the day comes, I will be content enough with my life that I will accept the end, nonchalantly and fearlessly.

from me, to you

I made this blog for you.

There are so many things out there. Books, movies, songs, poems, paintings, people, articles, styles, fashions, foods. There's no way I can keep up. There's no way any of us can keep up.

So here is a place where you can go to find something new. Something you've probably never heard of, never tried, never even wondered about. Something that I love, that I want to share.

From me, to you.