Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Kenya Feel the Love Tonight?

After 3 airplanes, 4 airports, 30 hours on a plane, 6 terrible meals...we're here.

We just got in to the Nairobi hotel...it's pretty sweet.

Steve has some Internet...hopefully I'll be able to blog frequently...

So, how are things with you?

Monday, February 19, 2007

Dear Reader

Please do not punish me for being blogless for the next two weeks, as I will be traveling internationally.

I promise to uphold my daily blogging routine as soon as I return to America.

Your friend,
Allison

P.S. Each time you check to see if I've updated from Kenya, say a quick prayer for our team...the hearts of the Kenyans...safety, health, life change.
Thanks!

Last Meal

Tomorrow at 5:30am I leave for Kenya for two-and-a-half weeks.

If you were going to a foreign country, what would you want your last American meal to be?

I chose Chipotle.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

What a difference a week makes

LAST SATURDAY I WAS:
In Indiana.
In 3 degree weather.
Wearing Ugg boots and a huge coat.
Prepping a program for 1300 people.
Making to-do lists for the next weekend.
Watching a Salvador concert.
Eating at a fancy steakhouse for dinner.

THIS SATURDAY I AM:
In California.
In 85 degree weather.
Wearing jeans and a T-Shirt (and sweating).
Prepping a program for 217 people.
Making a packing list for Kenya.
Watching Parent Trap (Lindsay Lohan).
Eating hot dogs for dinner.

NEXT SATURDAY I WILL BE:
In Kenya.
In (most likely) 80-90 degree weather.
Wearing jeans and a T-Shirt (and maybe a sweatshirt).
Prepping a song for a church of 200+ people.
Journaling about my trip.
Watching TV on DVD while falling asleep.
Eating (hopefully) potatoes, chicken and coke from a bottle for dinner.
Talk about a difference...

Friday, February 16, 2007

Thea Michelle

My cousin Thea is the most articulate little child I've ever met.

Today, I had two cute conversations with her.

FIRST:
I asked her if she wanted a million dollars. She said, "Of course". When I asked how she would spend the money, she replied, "Twelve soccer balls, forty-two baseballs, and 50-cents on a palm tree chair".


SECOND:
After the viewing, funeral, graveside service, and lunch--for my great-grandpa-- Thea looks at my Nana (my great-grandma) and says "Hey, what about Grandpa?" We said, "What do you mean?" She responded simply with "Well, he's supposed to be with us". Not a dry-eye at the table.

Identical Twins?



How much does the drummer from The Police look like a thinner Jerry Springer?

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Top Five + Top Five = Top Ten

Top Five Male Solo Artists of All Time:
5. George Michael
4. John Mayer
3. Justin Timberlake
2. Michael Jackson
1. James Taylor

Top Five Bands of All Time:
5. New Pornographers
4. Wilco
3. Muse
2. The Police
1. Queen

How would you answer?

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Excuse me, on what aisle can I find butthole? Oh, the music section.

Today at Target I walked in to some one's fart.

I stepped around the corner to pick up an i-Tunes card for Matt...and instead picked up some gastrointestinal dysfunction.

It was seriously disgusting...

Happy VD


I arrived at my desk today to find a bucket of gifts: sunglasses, chocolate, and Play-Doh. One of our cute interns, Annie, had taken the time to put together a bucket for each of us...she's so great!

It's been a fun day so far...and with Melting Pot tonight, I'm sure it will continue to be awesome!

Happy VD everybody!

P.S. I love the smell of Play-Doh, but that's an entirely different story...

Top Ten Tuesday

My Great-Grandpa died yesterday. I remember being told every Christmas and every birthday that "this will be their last"...and it began to feel as though that would never come. Then yesterday, it happened.

I was boarding my flight home and received a text message from my mom telling me he had died. I didn't know how to react. Do I cry in the plane? Do I text back? Do I tell my mom "sorry" even though it's my relative too?

I don't know how it works. Therefore, in my effort to grieve, I've decided to bump up the Thursday Top Ten List...and make a Top Ten Memories of my Grandpa John.

10. He traveled to America, by boat, through Ellis Island...he helped me with a few reports when I was in school
9. "Did you eat? Do you want a sandwich?"
8. "Sit down. How's your mom?" (5 minutes pass) "So, how's your mom?"
7. "John...oh that's a good name you got there"
6. *Light whistling* "Gramps, turn down your hearing aid"
5. "Kiss me right here on the cheek"
4. "How do you say refrigerator in Italian?"
3. "You know you're getting prettier each time I see you"
2. "Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts"
1. "Hey, what you say little monkey?"


I loved my great-grandpa...even if he was a perve in the last year.
It's weird to think that he won't be around for another Christmas or birthday...

Monday, February 12, 2007

Oh, Well Done Brierley

Didn't know my friend Pete has a blog?
Check it out!

I love the Timberlakes

Apparently, so do my friends.

The Making Of...

Jake did some crazy things for videos this weekend.
As Griff loads them into You Tube, I'll post them here for you to see.
I'm so sad that I did not take more photos.

Here are a few from the Making of Hotel, Hotel.
FYI, I was made fun of for taking these photos because my flash ruined some of the great footage.






Later in the weekend, Tim got a little crazy:

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Hotel, Hotel

J-Reezy looks an awful lot like Smitty.



One of my favorite pieces of the weekend's programming.
(For those who are wondering, Kurt's piece was #1)

Pictures of Indiana

Thankfully, Alanna brought her camera (and cord)...

Getting ready for the room party giveaway


This is when you could see the ghost...


Seconds later, he was gone.


Those are a few of the fun times.
Tomorrow: Toby Mac concert.

Friday, February 09, 2007

I've always been an old woman

Most volumes are too loud for me.

Many people are too adventurous for me.

My bedtime is earlier than the average 24-year old.

This weekend, I have not been asleep before 3am. Once because of my chatty friend Katie...other nights because of programming details.

What's going to happen when I'm 60? Will all of this flip-flop? What if I'm adventurous, party-going, and bass-pumping.

Indy, Day 2

It's 3am. I'm sitting in a hotel room with 3 very funny fellows.
I have almost peed my pants a few times tonight...
I have not laughed so hard in a long time.

Seriously...funny.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Tonight in Indianapolis

I made my very first snow angel. Ever.

After dinner we were forced to walk home (Griff, Coop and Jake thought we needed to truly experience the cold weather)...it was about 3 degrees and only about 3 blocks. However, I was wearing a T-Shirt and sweatshirt...no boots, no warm jacket...it was very cold.

So there was a fresh snow patch next to our sidewalk and I decided to walk through it. It sounded like a good plan at the time. Then I decided, and was encouraged by friends, to make a snow angel.

I plop down on the ground and fall backward, thinking that it would be grass...it was not: it was a brick path. I continued on with my snow angel, not wanting to give up half-way through my very first attempt...but stood up feeling like I had taken a brick to the head (oh, I did)...

I had snow all over my back, and head...and I could barely feel my hands save for the stinging...

A very memorable first night in Indy...the first of 5, I'm sure. I'll keep you posted.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Let's All Be Honest...

If you were 100% honest, how much time would you say that you spend doing personal things in an average work day?

Making doctor appointments, checking myspace/facebook/blogs, texting/emailing friends, planning a personal party or event, googling people you know, checking for your home on Google Maps...the list goes on.

No judgement, just a question...

Monday, February 05, 2007

My Favorite Movie Lines

I stole this idea from my mom...

* Waiter, there is too much pepper in my paprikash, but I would be proud to partake of your pe-can pie.

* Horses, horses, horses, horses...

* You can't just ask people why they're white.

* I'll be quiet. I'll be peace.

* I got my Tuesday panties on, but I guess you knew that, didn't ya?

* I killed a man with a trident.

* He's so handsome, just like his reward posters.

* George Bailey, I'm gonna love you 'til the day I die.

* I want you to hit me as hard as you can.

* Lawrence is good at piano. He shall be rockin' in my show.

* No corrective lenses tonight, Mr. Papageorgio? No, I do not require them.

* No clothes on anyone, sickening.

I could go on all night...that's what she said.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Stating the Obvious

1. Donnie Darko is a really good movie
2. Muse is a really good band
3. Brad Pitt is a really good actor

These are all true statements. I agree with all three.

Dinner Games

Last night, at dinner, Matt and I played a very fun game.

We sat at the table, naming celebrities and the movies they've been in.

Here's the way it works:

Name a celebrity (great choices are Tom Hanks, Will Ferrell, Denzel Washington)
Then take turns naming movies he/she has starred in.

Once one player runs out of titles, that round is over.

We played all the way through dinner and the whole drive home.
It was very fun.

I Beat the Game

Growing up, I always heard my brother say he'd "beaten the game"..."the game" being whatever the newest video game of the day was...

I never beat video games. I could find the secret passage on the second part of level one of Mario Brothers...but I could never kill King Koopa to even get on to level 3. (The secret passage led you to level 2, right?)

Anyway, I've done it. Finally. I have beaten my latest video game--phone Sudoku.

On every level so far, it has said "Current Points: ###" and then "Level Upgrade at: ###"...now it just shows my point total.

I am a Black Sudoka...and you can't get better than that.
I finally have beat a game...I finally have a black belt...though it is in Math.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

From the Archives Pt 2

An email to Katie, 2 weeks into my stay.

So God is totally kicking my butt over here. It's been great. Somehow we (Kaira and I) got identified as the Christians (Which is so great, and probably has a little to do with our talking about our old jobs, or about church or my JH girls...) so anyway, everyone has been tracking us down to have conversations about Christianity. It's been stretching to say the least. I have been trying hard not to step on toes or offend with my responses...or get defensive. I have been trying to ask other questions to make them think about what they are saying or what they already believe...I've never had so many people approach me and ask questions. It's been really cool. Kaira and I talked to a girl last night who said she would love to come and check out churches with us, and would even read Purpose Driven Life if we gave it to her. I think that is a pretty hard hitting book that brings up some issues that we could discuss with her, or point her in the right direction to being reading a Bible. There are also other Christians here who are trying really hard to fit in and so they are not really staying strong...so it's been cool to have them come to us and ask if they can spend a few days with us and not drink or watch a live sex show (seriously, how crazy is that?!)...anyway, I feel like I am having to really walk it now...and know my stuff...a little different from home when I could bring them to Crave and have someone else answer their questions...it's a new thing for me and I am very scared that I am doing it wrong, or not well enough...but I know that if I am ready to be used that God will work through me and He is powerful...

Super Sweet was Super Sweet

Katie put together an amazing evening for our leaders. They were given tons of dessert options (chocolate fountain, milk, Oreos, fruit, cupcakes, coffee, creamers, etc), and a chance to chat with each other about how their piece of the ministry is going...

The program was made up of Kurt, Shaun, Jake and Megan sharing about how God has used our leaders this year...and then we watched a Nooma video.

I have balked Nooma for a long time. I thought they were only popular because they were trendy, so I refused to watch them. We watched one last night called Dust. About the old testament saying "May you covered in the dust of your Rabbi". It was a great 10-minute video. He ended with the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water...and how Peter only failed because he doubted himself. But Jesus never doubted Peter. Jesus believed in him, in his ability to walk on water...to do exactly as Jesus did.

Katie ended the evening by tearfully sharing how God still believes in each one of us; in our ability to be exactly like Him, to make a difference in this world...

Taffy lead a few worship songs with a great student band, and the evening was over.

It was a great night, with tons of encouragement and love given to our leaders (and even to our office staff). Great job, Katie!

Warning! This post may have been written by a 12-year old boy

So...who invented a plunger?
Where did the need for a plunger come from?

Why is it that a butthole, at 2 or 3 centimeters wide, can push out something that has a diameter of more than 4 or 5 inches--larger than the hole in the bottom of the toilet-- and therefore needs a plunger to help it flush?

I'm sure this is a disgusting Saturday morning conversation, but I was just thinking about it...

Any answers?

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Top Ten Annoying Starbucks Drink Requests

10. Caramel Sauce instead of Caramel Syrup
9. Soy
8. Espresso Macchiato
7. Extra Foam
6. 1 pump
5. Breve
4. Three Ice Cubes
3. Iced Caramel Macchiato
2. Extra Dry Cappuccino
1. Extra Hot


If any of these are part of your drink--change your order...every barista rolls their eyes at you when they call out your drink.