Three Thoughts

1. Read "Life of Pi." After the first section, where it's mostly world-building and getting the main character's viewpoint established, it's a fascinating and energetic read with a Bengal tiger. It also catches, with a lot of grace, a perspective that I'm seeing a lot of: Pi Patel, the main character, practices three religions and considers them of equal value-- Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. He has this buffet view of faith that a lot of students are developing and the book makes that make sense, which is both scary and useful.

2. Listen to MuteMath. They're a band with a strong faith message who've avoided the label "Christian" because of the implication that Christian music is somehow less valid than mainstream. (From the plethora of mediocre-to-unbearable Christian bands singing the same songs out there with their syrupy, utopian, everything-will-be-okay-when-God-gets-here-until-then-there's-nothing-I-can-do-but-sing ideas, I can see why a good band would want to avoid being lumped in with them. Grrr.) Their "Reset EP" CD is a gem. I especially like the track "Peculiar People."

3. Watch "Over the Hedge." I haven't seen a movie for a long time that so gently but effectively skewers Americans' excess in all things. I have to give away my favorite quote:
RJ: "That's called an SUV. Humans ride around in them because they are slowly losing the ability to walk."
Verne: "How many people fit in one of those?"
RJ: "Usually... one."