Music, My Bad Ideas, a New Pope, and Simplicity

First off, I want to be a great friend and share a little something with y’all.  NoiseTrade.com has the entire discography of a fantastic musician and another fantastic band up on their website.  You can (legally!) download both for freeeeeeeee (I’m thinking of Adam Sandler in Bedtime Stories here—a nod to you, Brian and Danielle).  Josh Garrels and Page CXVI are really just a bunch of musical geniuses who are sending us their music like manna for our ears.  Hope you enjoy them!

Yesterday while driving home, I thought I had a really great idea to pass the time while sitting in a little bit of traffic.  I thought it would be a good use of my time to bust out my nail file and go to town on my far too long nails.  Then I immediately had a mental image of me doing so while not paying attention and careening into the bumper of the car in front of me.  That would be a dumb idea, Tamsen.  Did you have any dumb ideas this week you want to share?

And even though I am not Catholic, here are some thoughts on the new pope:  Yay for the first non-European pope in almost 1,000 years!  Also the first Jesuit, a man who takes his vow of poverty seriously (he refused to use the appointed limo he had access to while a Cardinal in Buenos Aires.  He instead took the bus or walked everywhere), and the first Francis.  I think I may like him a LOT. 

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

My sister Kate sent me a wonderful quote the other day.

"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."  William Morris

Doesn't that make you want to go and clean out all the crap you have in your closet, basement, and garage?  I did a little cleaning myself this week.  Three purses, a t-shirt, and a pair of shoes went into the Goodwill pile.  Really?  I had no idea I had three extra purses lyng around!