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Alright, I might as well comment like everyone else on the USA Today articled entitled NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls. The gist of the article is that regardless of FISA laws, which requires a court order and due cause, the NSA (National Security Agency) and good ol' Bushy has demanded and he has been given (by every phone company but Qwest. Yeah Qwest!) all the records of the telephone calls we have made. I was listening to NPR today. They're calling it "social network analysis." The idea is that we each create a unique web of phone calls, so any sudden change in our web or connection from our web to a suspected terrorist web may be detected. Moreover, our unique web may be identified despite location/number changes. It is skeptical and creepy to say the least. Can I just say that it gives me the heebie jeebies? Suddenly all of my grandmother's stories of Nazi Germany come rushing into my mind. I know, you're thinking I am paranoid, but honestly after everything shady and underhanded this admininstration has done (do we remember Padilla, the nucs in Iraq, the torture), let's just say I don't want to trust in their good will, especially when this was done outside illegally. And all this auhtorization and classification bullshit is driving me nuts! What happened to the separation of power? I bet in thirty years we're going to look back and think, "How the hell did that happen?" (if we aren't already).

There is a good post on Sally McFague, a femiinist theologian, over at TURN.

Oh, the irony. They call this conference "Together for the Gospel," but completely eliminate half of the population. (Note their "Affirmation and Denials" Aritcle XVI.) I know I feel so united as the body of Christ... Don't you?

Okay, this is a cool way of surveying our musical history... So you go to shuffle songs on your iPod and then list the first ten songs that are randomly selected from your library. I'm actually a bit nervous about this because, well, I have some very cheesy old school Christian music, but here goes...

1. Voule Vou...; Christina Aguilera; Moulin Rouge
2. I Was Lucky To Know Him; Mark Isham; October Sky Soundtrack
3. Encore 1; Les Miserables
4. Take Time; Lenny Kravitz; 5
5. The World is Black; Good Charlotte; The Chronicles of Life and Death
6. One Sweet World; Dave Matthews Band
7. The Economy of Mercy; Switchfoot; Learning to Breathe
8. Faceless Man; Creed; Human Clay
9. New York, New York; Frank Sinatra
10. Could I Be You; Matchbox 20; More Than You Think You Are

Wow, no cheesy Christian music, but I haven't listened to any of these songs in ages. Latest would be Good Charlotte; a friend just gave me their CD. Now its your turn to fess up to all the NSync you once bought...

My lastest obssession is Imogen Heap. You may know her as the vocalist from the duo Frou Frou. Her new single, "Goodnight and Go," is awesome and now holds the coveted place of background music on my myspace page. These are the lyrics:

"Skipping beats, blushing cheeks I am struggling
Daydreaming, bed scenes in the corner cafe
And then I'm left in bits recovering tectonic tremblings
You get me every time

Why d'ya have to be so cute?
It's impossible to ignore you
Must you make me laugh so much
It's bad enough we get along so well
Say goodnight and go"

Ahhhh! She is saying exactly how I feel about a certain someone... I hate it! He is too great! I wish he didn't exist (but only because he's not madly in love with me). Unrequited love seems to be my lot in life.

Meditation On A Beluga:

I love aquariums. When I was in sixth grade, I was an avid member of the Marine Society and dreamed of becoming an oceanographer. Since then I am content to stare at fish while scuba diving, but I still love aquariums. So Shannonn and I went to the Vancouver Aquarium where we happened to see the beluga whales perform. During the show, the trainer mentioned that beluga whales have forty percent body fat. And if you notice, they are not very pretty. In that moment, I had a revelation. God made Beluga whales. And they are fat and ugly. But that is how God made them and that is beautiful. Simple, I know. But like most women, I am susceptible to society's vision of beauty, and it was profound to realize that maybe, just maybe, "they" are wrong. I love belugas.

See the slideshow of my Vancouver Pictures HERE.

I am back from Vancouver! Wohoo! It was so fun to get away and experience a new, stranger place. I really LOVE to travel. It didn't really register that I was going to a foreign country until I got there and got fun, colorful money. But basically, everything was the same. There was a Starbucks on every corner, and the cars drove on the right side of the road. The best part was spending loads of quality time with my best friend, Shannon. But it also made me realize a few things. First, I am used to being independent. And I like it! I make decisions and never have to wonder whether someone beside me concurs. I was happy to return to my own egocentric life. (Remember that next time I start griping about how the universe has conspired against me to keep me sad and alone forever.) Second, I actually enjoy solitude. Being with someone 24/7 is draining, especially for two high energy women like Shannon and me. I can only take so much laughing and foolishness. Yes, I know its hard to believe, but I am not happy and hyper all the time. For once I was glad to be alone. Third, friends are really great. Shannon and I have known each other since freshman year of college when we were randomly assigned to live together. We were roomies through out college and have stayed more or less close since. All that to say, she knows me well, probably better than anyone, and she loves me and encourages me. That is so precious. It was good to soak up all the love she had to give. But before I get really sappy... she also shows me (inadvertantly) my shortcomings. It was a glimpse into marriage. She forced me to be less selfish (though sometimes I wasn't) and to, well, just be a nicer person. So there you go, the personal reflections on Joy's vacation to Vancouver. Of course, these reflection haven't told the many wonderful adventures on bikes, buses, and feet, but those will come when I post the pictures (which will be next month b/c I ran out of download space on Flickr but some are on there).