nothin' but the tail lights

i love to travel, i do. and, when it's traveling for work and not necessarily for pleasure, i'm ok with that. however, sometimes, i believe you can have too much of a good thing. and, that's exactly what the past two months have been for me...too much of that good thing.

back in october i took a trip to Riverside California for Kaleo conference. i traveled with a co-worker and 4 high school students to the campus of Cal Baptist. this campus was so beautiful that for a brief second i considered going back to school. luckily, sanity reclaimed me before i made any drastic decisions.
the conference, which was two days long, was intended for students (high school, college, and seminary) who felt called to something more. it really made me miss that college environment and all that comes with it.

what i learned from this trip is that i love california. i just sat in the sun and soaked it up. the weather was wonderful, that is until the santa ana's came in. i have never experienced such intense wind.

next stop on the whirlwind tour was Cannon Beach Oregon. i was sent there on a work trip to teach an internet class to senior adults. you gotta love my job, right? my topic was "buying and selling on ebay" and unfortunately these tech savvy seniors knew more than i did. but, the trip was completely worth it, because i got to eat my breakfast on the beach on a beautiful northwest day. how often do we get to do that?

the first weekend in november, not but two days after that last trip, found me driving into the middle of nowhere. well, technically it was oregon, but if felt like the middle of nowhere population 32. the annual Northwest Collegiate Ministries fall conference was held at a YoungLife camp just outside of Antelope Oregon. it was a great weekend of hanging out with good friends, making new ones, great worship and an excellent speaker. and yes, this too was considered work. i have a great job!

my travels were completed with two, count them two, trips to Yakima. the first was for the Northwest Baptist Convention's annual meeting. so, this was three long straight days of work. it is a good time for networking as well, after all i am a firm believer that much of life is about who you know. the second and final trip was simply for pleaseure as i spent thanksgiving enjoying time with my family.

here are some sights along the way...

while each and every event was fun and a great experience, i am happy that my life is a little bit more stationary these days. although, i'm sure that the next time duty calls me to some exciting new locale (one can only hope it is hawaii), i won't hesitate to go.

happy trees!

this may sound a little odd, but Bob Ross has been coming up a lot lately. Bob Ross, you know the guy on PBS with the big fro who paints the happy trees. he's come up in conversation on several occasions and most recently in an art class i took. while the latter makes almost perfect sense, i'm sure you're wondering why Bob Ross would be the topic of anyone's conversation. i'm not sure i can answer that and it actually doesn't matter, because this entry is less about Bob Ross and more about me and the art class.


to expain the art class i need to go back a little bit further, back to july to be exact, because that's when i celebrated my birthday and i guess you could say it was one of the monumental ones. this year i struggled with it, didn't really want to celebrate it, maybe even a little bit sad about it. but really it made me begin to question what i was doing with my life and how i got to this point. and while this may sound like a mid-life crisis, maybe that's what it is, a mini mid-life crisis. anyway, my birthday, coupled with Amy Cohen's book "the late bloomers revolution," made me begin to look at all of those things that i've always wanted to do and thought that maybe i would do someday, like...learn to play a musical instrument well, speak a foreign language fluently, travel, learn to paint, and the list could go on and on.


i was inspired by Amy who at the age of 35 learned to ride a bike for the first time, so i decided to start checking some things off my list...fast forward four months and enter Bob Ross and the art class. i signed up for an oil painting class that touted "even an inexperienced artist can produce breathtaking results." and as i sat at the table saturday morning staring at the sample painting portraying what i was about to attempt, i seriously doubted that a beginner could do it, at least not this beginner. i looked for affirmation from those around me, asking if they had done this before, how many times, and if they were convinced that they could produce the desired outcome. i looked for any clue that i could actually pull this off. i found little solace in my Bob Rossian teacher's apparent confidence in my abilities. i had this fear that what came out of me would look less like a thirty year olds work and more like a 3 year olds. my insecurities were wrapped up in my pride because i secretly wanted to be good at this.


what i learned is that not only can i do it, but i did do it. and while i'm not ready to open my own art exhibit, i would say that i am good at it. of course a professional would look at my painting and point out its many flaws, there are some that even i could show you, but for my first time it's pretty good. and, i'm proud of myself and what i've accomplished, but not proud in the way that hinders me or stunts my growth as a person, but proud that i faced a challenge and i came away from it a more well rounded individual.


now on to the next adventure...

coffee cup wisdom...

Starbucks "the way i see it" was brought to my attention at a work event and i must admit that i'm hooked. Starbucks explains their purpose behind this collection of thoughts, opinions and expressions as..."sparking conversation." So, here are some of my favorites...

The Way I See It #233
"i used to think that going to the jungle made my life an adventure. however, after years of unusual work in exotic places, i realize that it is not how far off i go, or how deep into the forest i walk that gives my life meaning. i see that living life fully is what makes life - anyone's life, no matter where they do or do not go - an adventure."
--Maria Fadiman
geographer, ethnobotanist and national geographic emerging explorer

The Way I See It #236
"scientists tell us we only use 5% of our brains, but if they only used 5% of their brains to reach that conclusion, then why should we believe them?"
--Joseph Palm
Starbucks customer from Oshkosh, Wisconsin

The Way I See It #267
"music can lift us out of depression or move us to tears - it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ear...music is not a luxury, but a necessity."
--Oliver Sacks
Neurologist and author

The Way I See It #268
"music is what i always turn to when i'm feeling a certain way. it's my reason for everything."
--Josh Groban

The Way I See It #272
"be the example; spread hope."
--Cat Cora
Iron Chef

The Way I See It #280
"you can learn a lot more from listening than you can from talking. find someone with whom you don't agree in the slightest and ask them to explain themselves at length. then take a seat, shut your mouth, and don't argue back. it's physically impossible to listen with your mouth open."
--John Moe
Radio host and author

The Way I See It #284
"you can't lead the people, if you don't love the people. you can't save the people, if you don't serve the people."
--Cornel West
Professor at Princeton University

wishin' and hopin'

i have this dream of being a writer. i know that on some level i am a writer, at least my family thinks i am. but, i have this desire to be able to sit down and have the thoughts just pour out of me (which is probably the root behind this blog). the dream of writing something clever and witty, even deep, something that people will want to read. this desire is so strong in me that when i read something that catches my attention, or makes me laugh, i find myself thinking, "man, i wish i could write like that." this is the most recent of these moments. it is an excerpt written by kelly minter in the book "no other gods," where she describes standing in line at a quick copy store on a particularly frantic day.

"i parked and ran into the store only to find a line of about ten people with very interesting and complex printing needs. this triggered one of those irrational moments where you start having personal grievances against people who want things like pictures blown up to banner sizes. seriously, what do they need that for? i secretly mused. i found myself trying to supernaturally control the speed of the cashier, like if i thought hard enough and envisioned her moving just a little more efficiently, perhaps it would come true. i know this doesn't work, but i find it therapeutic anyway."

it's writing like this that makes me stop and say emphatically, "yes, i totally feel that. i've been there. this person is writing about my life." just yesterday i was standing in line at a grocery store wondering how it is that no matter what store, what time of day, or tilt of the earth's axis, i find myself in the longest line possible. there can be one person in front of me, but i guarantee that that one person has five items without price tags, or can't find their debit card, or wants to use cash for part of it, write a check for 1/3 of the remainder and give their first born child for the rest. and i, like kelly, find myself trying to will the cashier to move just a tiny bit faster, or for the shopper to miraculously become organized and move a little bit more efficiently. however, unlike kelly, i don't find this therapeutic at all. i think that this wishing and hoping only causes me to become a little bit more bitter with each second that i wait. and then i question why i'm even getting frustrated, because i'm in no real hurry. i don't have anywhere to be just then. and when i'm done pondering our society's need to have everything faster and quicker and how i SHOULD be different from this world's "gotta have it now" mentality, it's finally my turn to check out.

what i've done....

i don't profess to know the spirtitual status of people in the media. there are the lindsey lohan's and britney spears' of the world that make you believe that they are desperately searching for something to fill a void. but, sometimes i come across someone that really makes me wonder. in the case of the band linkin park, it is more their words than their actions that make me curious. i admit that i don't know much about them, but i am a fan. it may be a bit far fetched to think that they could be christians, seeking maybe...but, i love their new song (featured in the movie transformers, which i also happen to love). i really feel like this could be a spiritual song. whether or not it was intended that way, i don't know, but it has spoken to me so i thought i would share it with you.

"what i've done" by linkin park

in this farewell, there's no blood, there's no alibi

'cause i've drawn regret

from the truth of a thousand lies

so let mercy come

and wash away

what i've done

i'll face myself

to cross out what i've become

erase myself

and let go of what i've done

put to rest what you thought of me

while i clean this slate

with the hands of uncertainty

for what i've done

i start again

and whatever pain may come

today this ends

i'm forgiving what i've done

go out and change your world

the saying...."God won't give you more than you can handle"....well, i put that to the test this last month. at what i can only describe as the urging of God, i committed to spend 12 days on a road trip with 33 perfect strangers, comprised of youth and adult leaders. they were headed to Clovis, California for World Changers and needed a last minute chaperone. i say that this had to be God, because it's against my introverted nature to sign on for something so far out of my comfort zone. this was a HUGE step for me! even more proof this was a God-inspired decision...i was less worried about not knowing anybody and more concerned with what kind of work i would be asked to do.

as it turned out...i had a great time, made some really good friends, and in just five days, with the help of one very competent crew chief, 9 youth, myself, and one other adult, put a new roof on a house. it was HARD work and i still question whether or not it actually looks good...but in the end it was extremely rewarding. you learn a lot about people when you spend 8 hours a day with them in 100 degree heat on top of a roof.

here are some pictures from the trip...

group picture...can you find me? i don't think i can even find myself and i know exactly

where i was standing.

BEFORE

Plywood, plywood, and more plywood.

Lukas, nailing in the final shingle!!!

here's the group with our homeowner, Kandy. she was so happy to have a new roof, which made all the smashed fingers, bloody noses, and heat sickness totally worth it!

bomb's bursting in air...

i spent the 4th of July with thousands of other vancouvians at Fort Vancouver. this was the third year in a row, it's now a tradition! supposedly, it's one of the biggest fireworks displays west of the mississippi. whether that's true or not, i don't know. but, it's probably the best feeling in the world to be sitting in the grass watching a spectacular show with all these strangers surrounding you, everyone singing along with Lee Greenwood's "God bless the USA," united for those thirty minutes.

the best part had to be the woman sitting behind us. every time you would see the little spark shoot into the sky, she would yell enthusiastically...."oh yeah, baby!" and every once in a while she would throw in...."bring it on!"

feel the moroccan beat....

last friday we surprised Jessica for her birthday. we took her to a cool little moroccan restaurant downtown. this place was great. it had great atmosphere, we all sat around a table on little cushions and ate with our hands. the food was fabulous!

there was entertainment....a bellydancer.

we finished the night with a non-traditional birthday cake in the form of Hostess Ho-Ho kabobs and Twinkie cake.

stop and smell the roses....

portland's annual rose festival took place over the past couple of weeks and we decided that we needed to partake in the festivities. here are some pictures of our experiences....



we spent some time down at the water front. apparently, this being a centennial year for the festival, it had some kind of a pirate theme. kind of makes sense with the popularity of Jack Sparrow and all, but it seemed a little bit odd.

the starlight parade is a really big deal. although we weren't aware of this until we made our way downtown and saw the parade route lined with people waiting, with the parade being at least 5 hours away. there is something people do here that blows my mind. they will mark there spot for the parade using duct tape or sidewalk chalk. they write their names in the space, sometimes leaving their lawn chairs. what amazes me about this is that everyone else, for the most part, honors it. i think this would be a great study on social behavior.

we watched the parade from Rea's downtown apartment window. she had the best seats in the house.
i love the entry way into Rea's apartment building. it reminds me of being in a foreign country. although, i've found that being in downtown portland is a foreing country in itself.

there is a race before the parade and people dress up in togas, superhero costumes, a man with a walker and a nurse running behind him, all kinds of crazy things. it was very entertaining. the parade itself started at 9 pm and was a great show. overall, this was another great portland experience.

i want my MTV!

Rob & Big...this is my new favorite show. it's on MTV, and it's really really funny! they are following the life of pro-skateboarder Rob Dyrdek (llittle white boy) and his bodyguard (guarding him from what, i'm still not sure) Big Black (big black guy, thus the name). they are the oddest pairing, which makes it even more comical. the whole show is based around Rob coming up with the most random thing to spend his money on (ex: a little baby mini horse and pasture in his hollywood home's back yard). the "project" usually includes Rob talking Big Black into doing something really stupid...and hilarity ensues. i think what makes this show so funny is that Rob is this extremely articulate white boy from middle america trying to be a little bit gangsta' in LA. i tell ya, it's pure genius! reality tv at it's finest!

when it's time to change you've got to rearrange...

a couple of days ago while i was watching country music videos before work (don't judge), i caught the title of big & rich's new album, titled "between raising hell & amazing grace." is that not the most perfect title for an album? i feel like it could be the title of my life. this is where i find myself, somewhere in between....not quite "raising hell," because when it comes down to it i'm a good girl, mostly due to an innate fear of getting caught. but...i'm not quite fully grasping the "amazing grace" that God so freely gives. i guess you could say i'm riding the fence or walking the line, which is a really scary place to be. i heard it best explained by this question..."at what point did i decide to live in this mediocrity?" ouch! when did i decide that it was easier to live a complacent life, then living life to the fullest enjoying all that God desires to bless me with? if only i would make the effort, make the change. if only...

i'm so amazed that sometimes God uses the trivial to catch my attention.

what's a happenin' hotstuff?

here are some pictures documenting things i've done and seen in the past month or so. enjoy...

i happened to catch the columbia river on a gorgeous day! when the northwest weather cooperates, you can't beat it!

i went home to see my mom for mother's day! it was a fun weekend of good family time. it also happened to be zillah's community days, which included a parade, good food, all the fixings. i even got to see some friends from high school, which was a really good thing. this is a picture of cassadie and jarod right after fishing tadpoles out of the pond. jarod turned 8 a couple of days after this. i can't believe he's 8!

the sunday of memorial day weekend, the girls and i found some hiking trails north of vancouver. they supposedly led to waterfalls, but all we found were picnic tables. there were some things that appeared to be small waterfalls. i worry about the people who see those things and think that's all there is. maybe they've never been to multnomah falls, silver falls, or anywhere else with amazingly spectacular waterfalls, and so they take the "parks and rec" peoples word for it that this is in fact a waterfall. but, i guess ignorance is bliss, right? not to discount the beauty of the place, because it was really beautiful. take, for instance, this bridge...

about a second after i took this picture, the wind picked up and erased the reflection. what's that about being in the right place at the right time?

thissss iiiissss ammmmmmerican idol!

i would like to remind everyone of american idol judge simon cowell's response to the seattle auditions..."they had the worst bunch of miserable singers that i've ever met in my life. it was two days of total misery." (you can read my particular view of the seattle audition by re-reading the january post, "blame it on the rain.") you might be asking why i'm bringing this up now. i feel the need to point out, with help from today's Oregonian..."imagine our delight in pointing out that this year's final two BOTH auditioned and made the cut in Seattle....a supposed bottomless pit of musical doom."

congrats Jordin & Blake!!!

we won't talk about where they found this guy....

life according to me....

in my opinion, i'm a fairly laid back person, easy going, even-keeled. for example, my roommates can tell you that my "road rage" consists of calling peole "punk suckers" when they cut me off. i don't think i have ever sent something back at a restaurant, even when it's wrong, because i avoid confrontation. in fact, you won't find me in a heated debate over theology, the next presidential election, or any subject for that matter, because i run from debates. hate em'. with that said, i get fired up and passionate about the most random things, things that in the grand scheme of things, don't amount to a hill of beans.

for example, i believe strongly that every starbucks experience should come with a money back guarantee. the guarantee should be that if you don't have a positive experience, then you get your drink for free. i understand that this would be a difficult thing to gage, because everyone's idea of a "positive" experience would be different. but, the way i see it, people are going to starbucks for a reason. most likely it's for a caffeine fix, because they're tired, or having a bad day, etc. i fully acknowledge that it's most likely completely psychological, this dependence on coffee. however, i feel like having a bad experience while getting your caffeine boost kind of defeats the purpose.

so, i have compiled a list of things i feel should/shouldn't occur to secure leaving starbucks with a smile, not a frown.
1. the barista should be polite without being over the top cheery. (it's a fine line)
2. they should get your order correct, the first time. (a given you would think)
3. you should receive your drink in a timely manner. (a starbucks run making you late for work does not help matters)
4. you should receive plenty of napkins to accompany your drink. (obviously limited to drive thru experiences, otherwise napkins are completely up to you)
5. the sides of the cup should be clean, not leaving your hand sticky. (in direct correlation to #4)
6. the lid should be on completely and therefore NOT dripping brown liquid all over your khaki pants.
7. finally, when/if one or more of these things does/does not occur, the barista should under no circumstances laugh and say "oh, sorry, i guess it's a bad day for you, huh?" (i believe this girl's employment status should be reconsidered, ok maybe that's a bit strong, but....)

like i said, i'm fully aware that this is minor when compared to say the war in Iraq, the aids epidemic in Africa, or even gas prices. but, for whatever reason, this is what gets me fired up. don't worry, i'm seeking help.

go boy, go girl....

every once in a while my "non-job" (as my roommates refer to it) requires me to work at events over the weekend. while the hours at these events are long, it's usually filled with meeting people and building relationships, networking if you will. i think this is why my roommates say that i have a non-job, because the benefits and perks far outweigh the negatives. ex: i may have to sit in a chair for hours until my back is no longer in its original shape, which is bad, but i get to meet fun people and then take days off later at my own discretion to compensate, which is good! plus, i can go to the chiropractor to fix my crooked back since i have good insurance (a fact that jessica reminded me of...she's not bitter she's just sayin') anyway, this past weekend was one of these working weekends. it was a preschool/children's leadership conference. really it was unlike any event i have worked at in the past. it was upbeat and fun, in fact the worship leader was Jeff Slaughter, the music composer for lifeway. if your church has done lifeway VBS material, then you have most likely seen this guy on the videos teaching you songs with actions. i have to say, though, that no one in their right mind should be ready to jump around flailing their arms at 8:00 in the morning. but, it was entertaining, from my perspective, to watch a room full of adults playing the piano on each others backs (see picture for a visual).

funny jeff slaughter story....i had noticed as he talked with people he would hug them and kiss their cheek. i thought....that's odd, since he made a point of telling us this was his first time to the northwest. how does he know all these people? a co-worker answered that question for me after she was introduced to him and received her hug. this was her answer...."this is his first time to the northwest, no one's told him we don't do that here, hug strangers. it's a southern thing."

sidenote: why is it that gresham oregon is the land that starbucks forgot? in washington there's one on every corner. but, on the day that i have to leave my house at 6:45 am to get to gresham by 7:30 am there's no starbucks to be seen. i don't get it.

cinco de rea-o

may 5th is my good friend Rae Trim's birthday! beacause of scheduling conflicts, we had to throw her surprise party last weekend. the party was in fact a surprise, amazingly enough we pulled it off, and it was a fun time of roasting and toasting our good friend as we celebrated her 40th birthday. here are some pictures of Rea!
this last picture is posted in honor of Rea. we stumbled upon this sign on the way to our single awareness day dinner and Rea later wrote a song about it. trust me when i say that the roadway is in fact not improved.

kickin' it old school

this was the last song i heard on the radio on my way to work this morning. if only i could remember other things in my life as well as i remembered the words to this song from 1988. if you want, you can check out the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O4sSZc2WCU. there's joy in the little things....

Will Smith
parents just don't understand

you know parents are the same no matter time nor place
they don't understand that us kids are gonna make some mistakes
so to you, all the kids all across the land
there's no need to argue, parents just don't understand

i remember one year my mom took me school shopping
it was me, my brother, my mom, oh, my pop, and my little sister
all hopped in the car we headed downtown to the gallery mall
my mom started bugging with the clothes she chose
i didn't say nothing at first i just turned up my nose
she said, "what's wrong? this shirt cost $20"
i said, "mom, this shirt is plaid with a butterfly collar!"
the next half hour was the same old thing
my mother buying me clothes from 1963
and then she lost her mind and did the ultimate
i asked her for adidas and she bought my zips!
i said, "mom, what are you doing, you'll ruin my rep"
she said, "you're only sixteen you don't have a rep yet"
i said, "mom, let's put these clothes back, please"
she said, "no, you go to school to learn not for a fashion show"
i said, "this isn't sha na na, come on mom, i'm not bowser
mom, please put back the bell-bottom brady bunch trousers
but if you don't want to i can live with that but
you gotta put back the double-knit reversible slacks"
she wasn't moved - everything stayed the same
inevitably the first day of school came
i thought i could get over, i tried to play sick
but mom said "no, no way, uh-uh, forget it"
there was nothing i could do, i tried to relax
i got dressed up in those ancient artifacts
and when i walked into school, it was just as i thought
the kids were cracking up laughing at the clothes mom bought
and those who weren't laughing still had a ball
because they were pointing and whispering as i walked down the hall
i got home and told my mom how my day went
she said, "if they were laughing you don't need them, cause they're not good friends"
for the next six hours i tried to explain to my mom
that i was gonna have to go through this about 200 more times
so to you all the kids
there' s no need to argue, parents just don't understand

oh-kay, here's the situation, my parents went away for a weeks vacation and
they left the keys to the brand new porsche
would they mind? umm, well, of course not
i'll just take it for a little spin, and maybe show it off to a couple of friends
i'll just cruise it around the neighborhood
well, maybe i shouldn't, yeah, of course i should
pay attention, here's the thick of the plot
i pulled up to the corner at the end of the block
that's when i saw this beautiful girlie girl walking
i picked up my car phone to perpetrate like i was talking
you should've seen this girl's bodily dimensions
i honked my horn just to get her attention
she said, "was that for me?"
i said, "yeah"
she said, "why?'
i said, "come on and take a ride with a helluva guy"
she said, "how do I know you're not sick? you could be some deranged lunatic"
i said, "c'mon toots - my name is the Prince.
besides would a lunatic have a porsche like this?"
she agreed and we were on our way
she was looking very good and so was i, i must say - word
we hit mcdonald's, pulled into the drive
we ordered two big macs and two large fries with cokes
she kicked her shoes off onto the floor
she said, "drive fast, speed turns me on"
she put her hand on my knee, i put my foot on the gas
we almost got whiplash, i took off so fast
the sun roof was open, the music was high
and this girl's hand was steadily moving up my thigh
she had opened up three buttons on her shirt so far
i guess that's why i didn't notice that police car
we're doing ninety in my mom's new porsche
and to make this long story short - short
when the cop pulled me over i was scared as hell
i said, "i don't have a license but i drive very well, officer"
i almost had a heart attack that day
come to find out the girl was a twelve-year-old runaway
i was arrested, the car was impounded
there was no way for me to avoid being grounded
my parents had to come off from vacation to get me
i'd rather be in jail than to have my father hit me
my parents walked in, i got my grip
i said, "ah, mom, dad, how was your trip?"
they didn't speak - i said, "I want to plead my case"
but my father just shoved me in the car by my face
that was a hard ride home, i don't know how i survived
they took turns - one would be beat me while the other was driving
i can't believe it, i just made a mistake
well parents are the same no matter time nor place
so, to you all the kids all across the land
take it from me, parents just don't understand

humor...not just a defense mechanism

last night we went to tacoma to enjoy ang's birthday present....
comedien brian regan...he is a funny funny man, and clean too! i won't attempt to repeat any of his jokes, because so much of what makes you laugh is the way he says things. all i can say is...check him out at www.brianregan.com. he can make a three day car trip fly by, trust me.

hear the bells ringing...

have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend easter sunday in a church service with over 10,000 other people? probably not. i admit that i had never wondered what it would be like, and now i’ll never have to, because i’ve experienced it. the girls and i chose to attend living hope community church on easter sunday. we thought it would be an experience…and we weren’t disappointed. living hope is what i call a “mega” church here in the couv. they run about 3,000 or more each week and have something like seven services. so, you can imagine what easter and christmas would be like for them. this year they decided to do something big, something different, and rent out the rose garden arena. while the actual number of attendees is still up for discussion, there’s some disagreement over how many the arena holds, etc, let me just say that from the 300 level of that place, there were a LOT of people there. can we say “sensory overload.” it was a quality service, done well, and over 700 people were baptized in four large pools, Praise God! but, there was so much going on, it was hard to focus, hard to remember why we were all there. so, i would have to say that for me, the highlight of the day was getting ready at home with my roommates, eating breakfast, spending an hour in a traffic jam trying to get to the rose garden (some might dispute that last one). this was the time where i was truly enjoying myself, worshipping God, discussing what the day meant, and listening to every version under the sun of the following song, sometimes twice, on the same radio station. it’s an oldie, but a goody. (thanks Ang for giving us the history of Keith Green, i now know that he was “touted” as being the beginning of Christian Rock. what would we do without you?)

"Easter Song" - Keith Green
hear the bells ringing

they’re singing that you can be born again

hear the bells ringing

they’re singing Christ is risen from the dead

the angel up on the tombstone

said he has risen, just as he said

quickly now, go tell his disciples

that Jesus Christ is no longer dead

joy to the word, he has risen, hallelujah

he’s risen, hallelujah

he’s risen, hallelujah

we also had a great lunch with good friends after church...ham, banana pudding, mac & cheese, mmm! good food, good friends, singing....good times!

too much of a good thing?

Top Ten Signs You're Watching Too Much "American Idol"
(as seen on david lettermen)

10. at confession, you say, "forgive me, dawg, for i have sinned"
9. each week, you vote one of your kids out of the house
8. after dinner you say in a british accent, "awful. just pathetic"
7. FOX switchboard operator knows you by name
6. when "idol" comes on, so do the adult diapers
5. had your stomach stapled like randy and you weren't even overweight
4. you understand what paula abdul is blabbing about
3. no number 3 -- writer watching "american idol"
2. got adam sandler to guest host your talk show so you could stay home and vote for sanjaya
1. your TiVo recommends you get some counseling

you mean we have to wait for this?

jessica and i took angela out to dinner the other night to celebrate her birthday (happy birthday ang!). Let me tell you, it was an experience. "ang, you choose...wherever you want to go...it's your birthday...your night." when i heard jessica say these words i knew...we were going to sushi. not just any sushi, "conveyor belt" sushi. i have to admit i've always been slightly curious, although i knew that i most likely wouldn't like it. unlike most northwesterners, coming from the seafood capital of the world, i have an aversion to fish or anything fish like. webster's online dictionary defines such an aversion as "a feeling of repugnance toward something with a desire to avoid or turn from it," which, i think, perfectly describes my feelings toward all things seafood. specifically, the word "avoid" would describe my feelings towards sushi up until this point.

so, as we set out on our "adventure" i began to give myself a pep talk. "it's alright beckie, you can do this. you've been to foreign countries, eaten stranger things, you can do this. it's just the fear of the unknown." this positive self talk kind of worked until we walked in the door and the unknown became the known. now, "conveyor belt" sushi (my term, Sushiland is the actual name) is definitely a unique experience. basically, you sit at a counter and watch food go by you on a conveyor belt, while you choose what you want to eat, by matching what you see on the menu in front of you. california rolls, shrimp tempura, fried bean curd are all terms that i'm now intimately familiar with. to make a long story short...too late...i survived and i can now say that i've experienced it, but it's been confirmed that i definitely don't like sushi. i mean, i can understand the worlds obsession with it...the idea of it is very cool and its extremely healthy, but...

after sushi we went to bubble tea. bubble tea, or pearl tea, is a milk tea with tapioca balls or jellies in the bottom and you drink it through a big fat straw. jessica says she likes it because "you don't often get the chance to drink and chew gum at the same time." that description doesn't make it sound very appetizing, but angela has recently become obsessed with it and since it was her birthday...we went. i thought that i really liked bubble tea. however, recently i found out that what i was drinking, and considered bubble tea, is actually a strawberry slushy with pineapple jellies in the bottom (yum!) and the actual bubble tea, well, i don't like it. so, what i've learned from angela's very asian birthday is this...what i consider to be adventurous and daring is just plain and boring to everyone else. and...i'm extremely ok with that.

party like it's 1999...er...make that 2007!

"i'm fifty, and i can kick..." if you recognize that quote as being said by molly shannon in a sketch on saturday night live, than you probably are not, in fact, fifty. (if you didn't recognize it, then please just excuse my random knowledge of useless pop-culture trivia.) as my father would now say, "what does all this have to do with the price of tea in China." to which i will answer...patience, i'm getting there.

so, my office loves to party. no matter what the occasion, or lack there of, they will find a way to celebrate. i know what you're thinking..."cake, free food, how very southern baptist of you." and i won't argue. plus, it gives you a free out from work for at least 30 minutes. today, during the 50th birthday celebration of a co-worker, i had some observations that i would love to share.

epiphany #1: i am currently in a place in my life where i find myself celebrating more 50th birthdays than any other number. i only find this odd because people around me used to be turning 21, 25, even 30, not 50. i know that this is only the case because i work in a place where i'm the second youngest person and the third is older than me by at least ten years. it's not necessarily a bad thing, just an observation.

epiphany #2: while people were teasing the "birthday boy" about being over the hill, going blind, etc...i found myself thinking...50's not old, wait, when did I get to the place in life where i'm thinking that 50 isn't that old. again, it's all about perspective...in that room, 50 wasn't old, it's the median age.

epiphany #3: birthday cards making fun of age are really not that funny. for example: "remember when...cell phones were the things you used to make your one phone call from jail...surfing was done on a board in the ocean...and airbags were people who talked too much."

and on that note...if you've followed me this far, then you might now be wishing that i hadn't shared my observations. what can i say...i love to share my random thoughts.

fight, fight, fight, for washington state...

washington state university's Butch T. Cougar...capital one mascot of the year!

a few of my favorite things...

friends....
last week i went to kansas for the wedding of a close friend. i had forgotten how good it feels to be around people that really know me, know my stories, laugh at shared jokes. it's easy, comfortable, no first impresssions.

work...
one of the things i love most about my job is lunch time. i'm not sure what i thought a lunchroom in the "real world" would look like, but i never imagined this. lunch in my building consists of crowding as many adults as possible around a table and then telling stories and laughing for an hour. (today there were 9 of us) i thought days like this had passed me by when i graduated from college, but i'm glad to say that i was wrong. i love when you walk into the room and see the full table, there's a brief glimmer of doubt, perhaps you'll have to sit at the other table alone, and then someone sees you and says, "don't worry, there's room for one more." and everyone scoots to fit you in. i'm almost convinced that no matter how many people came in that door, they would get squeezed in too.

things that make me laugh...

trade this life for fortune and fame?

so, i've come to the realization that life is all about who you know. that might seem like somewhat of a bleak outlook, especially for those of us who feel like we don't know anybody. but, i believe it to be true nonetheless. now the question is...what brought on this sudden epiphone? friday night i got to do one of the coolest things i've experienced in this city. i might say that about every new experience i encounter, but this time i really mean it. i had the opportunity to see nickelback in concert, on the floor, twenty feet from the band, for FREE! all because i knew somebody! i love concerts! i love the music, the atmosphere, the excitement. i love the feeling when the band stops and 10,000 people keep singing the words to the song. it's amazing! and, this one didn't let me down. although, i must admit that i have now heard enough of the "f-word" to last me the rest of my life. it must be a staple at "rock shows." apparently, you gotta drop the "f-bomb" to get the crowd pumped up. it worked for nickelback and three days grace, who performed before them. but, i can look past all that, because it was a great show! although, i'm still not sure how those four guys didn't get the hair on their arms singed off from the pyro, but....

idol obsessions...

top ten signs you're obsessed with "american idol"
(as seen on david letterman)

10. you berate your co-workers in a british accent, but you're from cincinnati
9. named your three kids "paula," "simon" and "the other one"
8. began attending fat camp in hopes of meeting ruben
7. your name is gary and you end each phone conversation with "gary, out!"
6. you can name more contestants paula's slept with than paula can
5. your baby's first word? "dawg"
4. no number four - writer home watching "american idol"
3. your floor is littered with greasy sheets of plastic wrap (sorry, that's a sign you're obsessed with american cheese)
2. before sending letter to california you yell, "you're going to hollywood!"
1. watched the first episode instead of working on your new plan for iraq

(disclaimer: i don't necessarily agree with or promote these statements except, of course, for the funny ones.)

while i'm admitting my obsession with american idol, i might as well put in a plug for my favorite on the show so far.

blake lewis, seattle wa.

heart cakes, fried okra, & good friends....

this is documentation of a valentine's day well spent! (we'll be working on our self-portrait taking ability in the future, poor beth was too short to even make it into the shot) my friend rea (bottom right, in the picture) referred to this as our second annual single awareness day dinner. i'm not quite sure if that means we're trying to make the world more aware of single people, or if we're just extremely aware of our own single status on this particular day. either way, it was a fun time! we tried something new and went to a place in portland called the "delta cafe." it serves southern comfort food (the best macaroni and cheese i've ever tasted). we'll definitely be back!

we all just wanna be big rockstars!

i just returned from a weekend at home with my family. we celebrated my dad's 56th birthday! happy birthday, dad! the whole family went out to dinner on saturday night. it was a lot of fun, and great food! black angus in yakima...mmm! we had good conversation and lots of laughs. here's a conversation between my dad and my 10 year old niece that had us all laughing pretty hard. for those of you who know my dad, you know he teases...well, this is what happens...

cassadie: i gotta go to the bathroom.
papa: they don't have a bathroom for you.
cassadie: what?
papa: they have a men's and a women's, but none for children.
cassadie: i fall under the category of women. (puts hands on hips) i am a woman in training.

let me brag on my niece for a little bit here. like i said, she's ten, which means she's in the fourth grade. for fun, this little girl does algebra problems that her mom brings home from work (she teaches math at a high school and now at a college as well). we're talking, order of operations, variables, ratios, percentages, stuff i still struggle with. cassadie often talks in ratios. (ex: if you ask her if she was good, she might say "oh, about 65%) like i said before...geniuses breeding geniuses. or maybe nerds breeding nerds, it's hard to decipher. either way, it's ridiculous. my sister says she's trying to get cassadie ready to take pre-algebra early so that she won't be bored in math class. crazy! i also got to watch cassadie play basketball. it's fun to watch, but extremely stressful. all of a sudden the outcome holds so much more importance. cass played well and i got to watch her smile proudly as she made one of her foul shots. she's getting to be a pretty good player. i'm proud of her. i won't talk about how amazed i was to hear her singing along to nickelback with her dad on the way home from the restaurant. so, just to remind us all that she's still a little girl, i thought i would share a picture she gave me while i was home. here it is...

kindred spirits...

do you ever find yourself thinking something clever and wishing you could put together an articulate sentence that would effectively get your point across? me...all the time. i seem to have this "disease" where i have a thought process, which seems important to share, but i have difficulty getting it out of my mouth in one piece...as i was internet surfing today, something i often do when i'm bored, i stumbled across a blog by my new favorite christian fiction author, kristin billerbeck. i would highly recommend her ashley stockingdale series, at least to all you ladies out there (guys, if you think you would enjoy reading about a single girl living life in the silicone valley, feel free to pick it up as well. that's not for me to judge). anyway, i now understand why i love her books so much, she articulately writes what i'm thinking. here are her thoughts on some subjects near and dear...

american idol...
"some of the folks auditioning seem...not quite right. sure, some of them are just kids wanting their five minutes of fame. others are kids that-well, their momma just lied to them is all. i understand they chose to be on the show, and i'm fine with that if these people are mentally competent. i'm just not sure they all are."

current events...
"is it just me, or is it NOT news that rosie o'donnell and donald trump are in a fight? first off, i wouldn't watch the view if you stapled me to the chair. i cannot stand to watch people in conflict and that show is women yelling over each other. hate that! if it's going to be conflict, give me smart conflict like the charlie rose show. or reality tv conflict, like simon & paula going at it. rosie talking about trump's comb over? trump calling rosie an animal? i need this in my life, why?"

laser tag...
"we tried laser tag once. any of you ever do that? if you haven't, don't. i'm a non-violent person by nature and it just goes against my grain to target people, you know? so, i'd hide out in forgotten corners and wait on the cease-fire alert. unfortunately, i was as inconspicuous as a bull moose in a china shop. did you know little kids can smell fear a mile away? they stalked me the entire evening. i kept saying, 'shoo, go away little people,' but they just kept laughing viciously and zapping me with their razor sharp beams. i felt as though i was caught up in a cross between star trek and zorro."

then there's always bowling...
"you know the one. where you pick up a ball that's heavier than your car, stuff your thumb and fingers into it, step up to the arrows on the floor and release said ball from your grasp, praying all the while your body doesn't go with it. After a clean release, the entire room-that was only seconds before alive with conversation, exploding pins, and movement-comes to a complete standstill as everyone watches your ball go barreling down your lane, bounce two lanes over and still manage a gutter, never once hitting a single pin. speaking of pins, yours are heckling, pointing and making bets on your next attempt."

i really feel like this girl and i could be great friends!

blame it on the rain?

disclaimer: for those of you who watched american idol and their auditions in seattle...if you're choosing to judge pacific northwesterners, please don't use those people as your demographic. because, not all people in the northwest have the "crazy eyes" that were showcased last night. secondly, many of those people weren't even from seattle or the surrounding areas, they traveled great distances to show off their "talent." so, if you're going to cast judgement based on that show...i ask that you take into consideration the beautiful scenery (when it wasn't raining). there's the space needle, pike's place fish market, beautiful flowers, etc.

hello, hello again

i have been asked fairly regularly why i haven't updated my blog in so long. my answer...i couldn't really think of anything interesting to say. i never wanted to be one of those people who blogged just for the sake of it. i guess i wanted it to serve a purpose, to keep friends and family in the loop of my life. and while i'm being honest, i wanted to be clever and somewhat entertaining. i'm not presuming to have met any of those goals. but, to get my roommates off my back, here's what i've been up to...

there was a question as to why i didn't have a picture of our christmas tree complete and decorated. so, here it is. while i'm not sure that this picture fully does it justice, we thought it was beautiful!

this is me, Jessica, and our friend Kym on new years eve. we went up to seattle to hang out with some friends...and some of their friends from church. it's a little weird to celebrate new years with perfect strangers. i'm not exactly sure why it's weird, but it is. i've also decided that it's kind of an over rated holiday. it's never as glamorous as they make it seem on television. i always try to think of something fun and fabulous to do, but in the end i find myself hanging out with friends, playing games, and chugging a bottle of sparkling apple cider.

don't i live a fabulous life?

now, for this next set of pictures, i would like to refer back to a previous entry where i reminded myself to vote "no" for the largest tree on the lot next year. these pictures would be exhibit A in my case against my roommates. you see...the huge tree that once fit nicely, albeit snugly, through our doorway a month earlier, seemed to have grown. i would like to stop here and thank the boy scouts who make our lives simpler by disposing of our christmas trees. their only request was simple...leave the tree by the curb and your donation on the door. at least we thought it would be simple. however, one bad case of christmas tree rigor mortis stood between us and meeting the demands of those wonderful boys. getting our tree out to the curb seemed a daunting task, cleaning up after it...even bigger.

in hindsight...maybe the trunk should have gone first.

we'll be finding pine needles for months to come...but we were successful!