My friend Deb is one of those people who uses what they’re really good at for really good causes.

The filmmaker, activist and social experimentalist in her made a little video as part of a filmmaker competition sponsored by World Vision and Sojourners. It’s called “Four degrees to Clean Water Experiment” and has been selected as a finalist entry. It touches on these thoughts:

1. Lack of clean water traps people within the poverty cycle.
2. Each person can play a valuable role in saving lives, if we work together.
3. You won’t miss the $10 you donate and yet it could change someone’s life forever.

Four Degrees to Clean Water Experiment from Deb Gregory on Vimeo.

Vote for her video here.

Join the cause here.

I think it was a bad idea to put this desk next to the big window that faces the street. All I have to do is lift my gaze an inch and I can watch the cars pass by, or watch the sky change, or watch all the people walking home. I’d much rather look outside than do what I sat down to do (a long list of things that help maintain the fragile appearance that I have it all under control… like paying my rent and emailing so-and-so about that thing I said I’d do).

Just now, I saw the guy from Brazil walk by. I gave him a ride a few weeks ago and he reminds me a little of James Dean. Especially today with that black leather jacket.

And just just now, I decided to buy the new Augustana album, “Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt”. Every time I listen to Augustana, I pretend I’m in California. I pretend I’m driving along the coast in San Francisco. And I pretend that I’m still a kid without responsibilities, that all loves are first loves and that I’m about to dip my toes in the Pacific for the first time.

I really need to pay my rent.

Jeff has done it again. In his rare free time, he’s managed to dream up and make happen a music video for his song “Almost Flew”. And why not tackle the old art of claymation on the first go?

The little clay bird in this video reminds me of the very first Christmas present I ever gave him: a blue parakeet we named Buddy. I write fondly about our little pet in this early post.