Friday, February 29, 2008

Students...

How long do you wait before you add someone to your Top Friends?

Do you only add them if they add you?

Do you always move your crush in to the Top?

What makes you decide to move someone up?

New Blogs I Love

I was just informed of these beauties.
I subscribe to their feeds and they have been clean so far...but I can not guarantee that there will never be anything sketchy:

The Sartorialist (fashion photos)

Stuff White People Like (just as it sounds)

I Heart Daniel Faraday

I once wrote a post about my love for Sayid.
But, sorry Mr. Jarrah, I have found a new love.


Daniel Faraday...


I love the suit.
I love the thin tie.
I love the beard.
I love the nervous mumbling.
I love the scientific brilliance.

He is my favorite.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

A New List

Statements that were not part of my world in 1985:

--This is my new default picture.

--Just text me when you get here.

--I just Googled it.


Can you think of any more?

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

My First Snowball Fight

It was amazing!




I think there are more photos to come...

Is Being Published Online the Same as Being Published in a Book?

I'm going to consider it the same...
So, I am a published author!
Thanks Brazel!

My Nerdiest Post Ever

This weekend, while I was in Cincinnati, I was in a room full of dudes with Apple Computers. They had created a network and were chatting with each other, sending files back and forth and writing notes...

I had my work computer with me (a stupid PC) and was left out of the fun. Not to mention I was embarrassed by my laptop's weight and lack of beauty (for which I was teased several times). I really missed my lovely 17-inch silver PowerBook.

How about you: Mac or PC?

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

a-MAIZE-ing recycleable

Yesterday, on my flight from Detroit to Salt Lake City, I stopped to grab a coffee from The Coffee Beanery. (I know, copyright infringement?)

It was very delicious...and I drank the entire thing before getting on the plane.

As I sat on the plane, I noticed this:
"This cup is made from corn, a 100% natural, renewable resource."

So, then I ate the cup...and it was also delicious.
Nope, I wish.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Cincinnati Photos Part 1

Alanna has many, many more...here are just the beginning...
tomorrow: snowball fight photos!











Sounds Like Bologna to Me

Have you ever seen someone on a TV show make a sandwich?

Every time I see it happen, they have two pieces of bread, one piece of cheese and one piece of meat.

Who eats a sandwich with just one piece of meat?

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Jake's Newest Video

Here it is:
Overnighter...

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Things I've Learned On My Trip to Cincinnati

1. In Cincinnati, Coca-Cola suffers from syrup-deficiency. I would opt for water if not for lesson number 2.

2. In Cincinnati, the water tastes like metal. I have purchased bottled water from the hotel store each day because I can not force myself to drink from the tap.

3. California is the only state in which people can be over 23 and unmarried. The more I walk around the convention, the more I'm made aware that most youth pastors over the age of 19 are married.

4. Teaching myself to use in-ear monitors is equivalent to teaching my Grandmother to use the Internet.

5. Grown men think they know the words to Bon Jovi songs, but in actuality, they only "chorus-know" them.

6. Blogger.com does not recognize the word "Bon Jovi". But it does recognize the word Doppelganger.

7. Apparently, to a majority of the world, Comic Sans and Papyrus are completely acceptable fonts.

Good news: my bag arrived this morning!
Bad news: I so badly wanted to post something that I am sitting in the bathroom typing this because my hotel roommate is asleep...

My Friend Jake Goes By Many Names

You've seen:


And:


Probably this one too:


How about:


Tonight is the World Premiere of the newest creation.
I saw a sneak preview a few days ago. Brilliance.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Cincy--Day 1

This morning, I flew out of Long Beach Airport with this itinerary:

Long Beach to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City to Minneapolis
Minneapolis to Cincinnati

Little did I know, things would change.



Here's the tiny plane I flew from Long Beach to Salt Lake City. I turned off my phone, like a responsible passenger.

When I arrived in Utah, I had a message on my phone telling me that my flight from Minneapolis to Cincinnati had been cancelled. They had re-scheduled my flight for noon tomorrow and I would arrive at 4pm tomorrow. So I talked to a wonderful woman at the Delta counter and she switched my flights. Now, I was flying directly from Salt Lake to Cincinnati. One problem: my luggage probably wouldn't make the connection.

My new flight was filled with students. They were playing football at the gate and it reminded me of how much I love youth ministry.
I arrived in Cincy (the airport is actually in Kentucky), hours before my initially scheduled time, without my bag...but they did give me a sweet Sky West shirt...more on that tomorrow.

Jake and Griff came to pick me up at the airport, driving very slowly in the falling snow. No more than two minutes from the airport, Jake begins to veer toward the curb saying, "no, no, no, no, no"...until we hit and drove up over the curb.

Griff and Jake got out of the car with the intention of pushing us back in to the road and continuing on...but they were met with this:

I, of course, instantly start laughing because we're not hurt and it's funny (after the crazy day we've all had already.)

As we wait there, calling the rental car company, an airport policeman pulls behind our car to help. He asks a few questions and then makes a call. He tells us there is someone on the way to help. Seeing that we are each wearing jeans and T-shirts with wimpy CA jackets and tennis shoes (in the snow), he asks if we would like to wait in his car?

Get in a police car in Kentucky? Of course.
Griff and I were laughing and joking, Jake was not ready to think it was funny...he'll still not.
Oh, and to help, the cop lit a flare. Radical.
Josh and I, still smiling and laughing...Jake was filing a report with the policeman and rental car manager.
After less than an hour, we had a new rental car (the broken car will need more than $1000 in repairs) and arrived at the hotel.

We met up with the Group Staff and had a good laugh about the "car accident"...

Griff and Jake had arranged to meet a few youth pastors for dinner. With the "unfortunate incident", we were very late to meet them, but they waited around. The guys introduced themselves, and then introduced me...and one of the youth pastors (Josh) says, "I love your blog. It's the best." (He then told Griff, out of obvious requirement, that he also enjoys his blog)

We walked around for about 30 minutes looking for a restaurant, but evidently, restaurants close early in the snow...So we ended up at a Waffle House.
Neither Jake nor I had ever been to a Waffle House.
These are the friendly youth pastors: Josh on the left and Shan on the right:
Jake and Griff...loving the greasy food.
We ate waffles, hash browns, omelets, bacon, toast, a cheeseburger...and maybe more...it was so tasty! (Since I hadn't eaten all day)
Jake loved the restaurant.
He also loves this guy...he was the chef.
In case you can't tell, that's Jake jumping in the front:
It's now 4:58am...and we are finally going to sleep...such a fun, exhausting night...I'll be wearing the same thing in my photos tomorrow...at least until my suitcase makes it here...

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

I'm So Flattered...

Chase gave me an award...how radical is that?!

Kenya Planning Part 2

I met with Steve Rutenbar today to talk though some details for the trip.
We will leave sometime around July 22...and return sometime around February 20.
(There are at least three of us going for six months and at least two more traveling along with us to help make the 'settling in' easier)

Today I was able to get details on insurance, emergency evacuations, internet, banking, flights, visas, immunizations, malaria pills, laundry, food and water. Good news: they sell Kraft Mac and Cheese and Jiffy peanut butter in stores in Kitale! Hooray! AND Mary, who is one of the home care-takers runs a chicken business so I won't have to kill and pluck chickens to eat! (Which is a total answer to prayer)

I'm planning to write my support letter on my 10-hour travel to Cincinnati tomorrow...

I'll continue to update as plans solidify...please keep praying for safety and peace in Kenya!

This Just Might Be The Cutest Thing I've Ever Seen



I found this on Josh's blog.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Zed's Dead, Baby. Zed's Dead.


Zed died over the weekend. I forgot to feed him (which says a lot for my parenting skills). His funeral service was scheduled for today at noon.
Dominik invited us to attend:

Zed is dead. He had a short but fulfilling life. To celebrate his life and death we are going to have a short service at the side of the office building at 12.
You can bring flowers and pot luck is to follow. Please bring an item.
In love and grieving,
Dominik

So, we prepared ourselves to celebrate life.

Allison made flowers:

Bethany made a fish-size coffin:

Dom spent a few minutes alone with Zed:

Dom fished Zed out of the tank while we sang "Oh, Artie Boy":

Alanna was ready with a rubber glove to ensure proper keeping in the coffin:


Dom had set-up a lovely burial plot, over-looking the parking lot, with a view of the new Student Zone:

Matt Hall shared a few words, including "Z is for Z-amazing times we had together..."
Then Dominik sang a song for Zed, "...I've never been more homesick..."

Using a frisbee (Zed's favorite activity), Dom buried the coffin:

We laid flowers and said out final goodbyes:

Here is a photo of the mourners taken shortly after a verse and chorus of "I Can Only Imagine" (Bethany and I were wearing paper hats, but that's for another post):

We shared one final moment of silence and moved on to the potluck at Corner Bakery:


R.I.P. Zed.
You will live forever in our hearts.

Monday, February 18, 2008

The Ships Come In It's Christmastime...

If a song mentions Christmas in the first few lines, but not in the chorus, and it's not the main theme of the song, is it okay to listen to this song during the non-December months?

Kenya Planning

I meet with Steve Rutenbar on Wednesday morning to talk through more Kenya details (money, insurance, contacts, etc).

I've been making lists in my head of things I'll need to stock up on:
shampoo
conditioner
soap
toothpaste
peanut butter
mac and cheese

It will be a lot of preparation, but I know it will be amazing!

My Favorite Poet

Landon.
You can read some of his works on his myspace.
Here are a few of my favorites:

love at first sight
remember those times
where we climbed into the sky
and opened up the stars
and jumped inside.

tell me all your fears
i promise i'll stay here
and love until
they fade and disappear.

like moon i'll wax and wane
while sun just shines away
i'll do my best to reflect the light
this is love and love at first sight.


fully fledged (untitled)

i am tired and sorry.
sick and tired of being sick and tired.
i am tired and sorry.
i miss you in fully fledged form.
but i will rest here and wait.
i have done it before,
i can do it again.
i have grown weary of your sillhouette.
i miss you in fully fledged form.
i am in love.
and i am in deep.


I'd have to say that his little brother, Devon, is following in his poetic footsteps.
Way to write fellas.

I Hear the Bells

For the last few days I have been listening to the same song over and over: "I Hear the Bells" by Mike Doughty.

I enjoy it mostly because it names two punctuation marks (commas and ampersands) and then uses a fake past-tense for "snooze" (snost).

I know I'm such a nerd for loving a song based solely on grammar...

Saturday, February 16, 2008

No Ordinary Dog

When I grow up, I'd like to have a dog that can skate.

It's a Funny Story...

Last night at the beach, Josh Pease asked me to make-out with him...well, not intentionally...

Card House Carpet

So, apparently my new carpet lends itself to card houses...








I missed the sweep-kick, and just got the before and after shots.