One of bloggers who I read on a regular basis (because she plays fun conversation games) just returned from the place where I am moving. She wrote a wonderful recap of the city, and with pictures.
I thought I'd direct you there so you could read what I look forward to doing on my days off from work. BIG GRIN.
Click HERE.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
I'm Moving
Again.
Remember last month when I mentioned an idea that could lead to a possibility? It led, and I'm therefore leaving. Again.
Overseas. Again.
Location detail to come soon. I thought it'd be fun to leave you hanging a little bit. Won't it be fun for you to guess where? I'll publish any good comments.
Remember last month when I mentioned an idea that could lead to a possibility? It led, and I'm therefore leaving. Again.
Overseas. Again.
Location detail to come soon. I thought it'd be fun to leave you hanging a little bit. Won't it be fun for you to guess where? I'll publish any good comments.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Most Random Post Ever
So I have these pictures I've been meaning to post for almost two months now... Back in July, we had almost 1200 people come through the learning center (where I work and live) in one month. The turnover was so amazingly fast that housekeeping couldn't keep up, and my boss therefore recruited (read: ordered nicely) all of us live-in residents to do laundry until it was under control. After several weeks of washing, drying, folding, and bagging up packets to put in each room, this is what the dirty pile OUTSIDE (that's not counting the piles inside) the housekeeping building looked like.
Inside, it looked like this. Yes, that's me, standing on a table so that I could reach the top of the pile behind me there. Note that the pile behind me began at about six inches off the floor...
And that's me and Harry, exhausted from folding laundry for days and days, usually six-eight hours a day. ICK. And what's worse: next month, we have the fast turn-over again. Three days to get this place ready for the next group coming in. Fun times around the farm!
In other random news. My favorite modern poet (more commonly known in Christian music circles as a musician, but really, to me, he's a poet who happens to sing his poetry), DEREK WEBB, is offering his new album as a free download. Click here to download it. I encourage you to check out Derek's previous stuff. He's a cool, cool, dude. I wish I could write like him.
And just to be fully random. For dinner tonight, the cafeteria served sloppy joes, tater tots, and peaches. My mind took me right back to third grade, and I feared a bully around the corner.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Storms and Job
Flying above Middle America the other night, I saw a glimpse of God's glory. Below us were thick, black storm clouds. In them, flashes of lightening. Above us was clear night sky filled with stars. It truly felt like I was in the heavens, watching the battle of a fallen world below, while safe in my Father's glorious heavenlies above. His glory and majesty and greatness brought tears to my eyes.
My mind has been distracted by the fact that we do indeed live in a broken, fallen world. No matter how much God heals us and grants us His many blessings through our walk with Him--that walk remains in the midst of a battle. A battle in which every single soldier is wounded.
Even as I was on a personal high from my trip to California, surrounded by clarity and brilliance, (much like my plane that night), those in my life are in black clouds of gloom and despair. One friend spoke of the intense battle of sin that continues to rage in the dorm halls that used to my home. Another shared with me of the fight in her family in which she is caught up and torn as mediator. Yet another, precious sister revealed the heart-wrenching tale of a certain relationship in her life. A co-worker overseas spoke over the phone with me about her ill-functioning team. And Whitey's family is wearing black.
I struggled to find words of comfort for so many of my friends this past week, most especially to the precious sister. How does one remember that God is still good and faithful--or at least find comfort in such truths, when life seems to be such a nightmare as hers? I kept thinking of Job, who somehow praised God anyway. And in the plane above that storm--I was able to. I was reminded of so much of God's character.
The people below could only see the storm, but we could see the whole view, just as He sees the whole picture. His is the one who will lift the clouds, carry us safely through the clouds, or keep us firmly set above the storm. He put all those stars into place. He is bigger and more powerful that what I saw from the sky that night.
THAT majestic God is the one we intimately know and who loves us beyond measure. THAT is our God! He is not broken or fallen. There is no darkness in Him, unlike these clouds that fog our lives. He is trustworthy to carry us through life's most powerful storms, to bring us safely to our final destination. There may be turbulence, sickening frightening turbulence, along the journey. But He has promised to bring us safely home. And what He has promised to do, He is faithful to do. And while my life seems all clear and starry sky brilliant right now, the image He gave me that night is the only words I know to offer to my friends in the storm. He will bring us through it.
"I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end, HE will stand upon the earth. After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh--I will see God." Job 19
My mind has been distracted by the fact that we do indeed live in a broken, fallen world. No matter how much God heals us and grants us His many blessings through our walk with Him--that walk remains in the midst of a battle. A battle in which every single soldier is wounded.
Even as I was on a personal high from my trip to California, surrounded by clarity and brilliance, (much like my plane that night), those in my life are in black clouds of gloom and despair. One friend spoke of the intense battle of sin that continues to rage in the dorm halls that used to my home. Another shared with me of the fight in her family in which she is caught up and torn as mediator. Yet another, precious sister revealed the heart-wrenching tale of a certain relationship in her life. A co-worker overseas spoke over the phone with me about her ill-functioning team. And Whitey's family is wearing black.
I struggled to find words of comfort for so many of my friends this past week, most especially to the precious sister. How does one remember that God is still good and faithful--or at least find comfort in such truths, when life seems to be such a nightmare as hers? I kept thinking of Job, who somehow praised God anyway. And in the plane above that storm--I was able to. I was reminded of so much of God's character.
The people below could only see the storm, but we could see the whole view, just as He sees the whole picture. His is the one who will lift the clouds, carry us safely through the clouds, or keep us firmly set above the storm. He put all those stars into place. He is bigger and more powerful that what I saw from the sky that night.
THAT majestic God is the one we intimately know and who loves us beyond measure. THAT is our God! He is not broken or fallen. There is no darkness in Him, unlike these clouds that fog our lives. He is trustworthy to carry us through life's most powerful storms, to bring us safely to our final destination. There may be turbulence, sickening frightening turbulence, along the journey. But He has promised to bring us safely home. And what He has promised to do, He is faithful to do. And while my life seems all clear and starry sky brilliant right now, the image He gave me that night is the only words I know to offer to my friends in the storm. He will bring us through it.
"I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end, HE will stand upon the earth. After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh--I will see God." Job 19
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Tidbits of the trip and return
I got to eat at In and Out, Naan and Curry (my absolute favorite San Fran restaurant), Taiwan (the best Chinese food outside of China), the Crepevine, and the Dipsea. My stomach is happy.
I got to hear Erwin McMannus (twice), Sonic Flood, Alice, and several of my friends share on a heart to heart/face to face level. My ears are happy.
I got to go to Disneyland, Hollywood, Mosaic, Coit Tower, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Headlands, my old school stomping grounds, Patrick's Park, and the house on 5th and G. My feet are happy.
I got to see Whitey, some traveling friends, Gerber Daisy friend, Faux, some dorm friends, my old accountability partner (and her new baby), my friend I used to share a wall with, and the Golden Gate Bridge. My soul is happy.
On the plane, I got to fly above a storm of black clouds. Below me, there was lightening flashing. Above me were stars. It felt like I was flying through outer space. (Glad the ride didn't break like a few days ago...) It was so amazing that I began to cry at the glory of our God. My eyes are happy.
Security at the airport took my brand new (and therefore full) tube of Lancome lip gloss. Because I look like a terrorist, right. My purse is not happy. I drank some Mighty Leaf tea today and felt better.
I re-entered my world on the farm today to be told that I have to finish four quilting projects by Tuesday, a writing project by next Thursday, and I have several days of meetings ahead. Welcome home.
I got to hear Erwin McMannus (twice), Sonic Flood, Alice, and several of my friends share on a heart to heart/face to face level. My ears are happy.
I got to go to Disneyland, Hollywood, Mosaic, Coit Tower, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Headlands, my old school stomping grounds, Patrick's Park, and the house on 5th and G. My feet are happy.
I got to see Whitey, some traveling friends, Gerber Daisy friend, Faux, some dorm friends, my old accountability partner (and her new baby), my friend I used to share a wall with, and the Golden Gate Bridge. My soul is happy.
On the plane, I got to fly above a storm of black clouds. Below me, there was lightening flashing. Above me were stars. It felt like I was flying through outer space. (Glad the ride didn't break like a few days ago...) It was so amazing that I began to cry at the glory of our God. My eyes are happy.
Security at the airport took my brand new (and therefore full) tube of Lancome lip gloss. Because I look like a terrorist, right. My purse is not happy. I drank some Mighty Leaf tea today and felt better.
I re-entered my world on the farm today to be told that I have to finish four quilting projects by Tuesday, a writing project by next Thursday, and I have several days of meetings ahead. Welcome home.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Space Mountain
When Whitey told me that she was going to take me to Disneyland, at first I wasn't so up for it. I mean, I've been to Disneyworld in Florida plenty of times, and I've also even been to Disneyworld in Japan. I've ridden "It's a small world" enough to have frequent flyer miles. Come on--my life IS "it's a small world." But I remembered that it IS the Happiest Place on Earth. And a theme park with Whitey?! It would be a barrel of fun. So we went.
First order of business: Space Mountain. It's always been my favorite ride and always will be. To me, it's the perfect roller coaster. Just fast enough to be fun, not so crazy that I feel unsafe. (I may be adventerous to go all around the world, but not so much with the rides. What's worse--I just finished reading "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," which is all about a guy who dies from a roller coaster ride. Thanks, but no thanks. I can get my thrills elsewhere.)
So Space Mountain, right? We go all through the line, blah blah blah, and we hop into the last seat of a rocket and take off. If you've never ridden Space Mountain, it's all in darkness, like you're rocketing through outer space. So we're shooting up and around, zip to the left, zip to the right. Life is fun.
The theme music and sounds were playing pretty loudly, so it was hard to fully capture what we heard. But we heard it. An announcer kept saying things like, "Please remain inside your rocket. Please do not attempt to get out on your own. Someone will come to assist you momentarily." Strange things to hear when your rocketing through outer space at warp speed, right?
All of a sudden, our rocket came to a complete stop AND THE HOUSE LIGHTS CAME UP. We looked around us and realized we weren't back at the beginning of the ride. We were in the absolue middle of Space Mountain. Huh?
That's right. Space Mountain BROKE while I was riding it!
(AG, can't you just hear me now? Life with Soj is always an adventure!) We looked down at some of the levels down below us, and there were four other rockets just sitting. Whitey yelled down to them, "How long have you been sitting there?" They said that we'd all pretty much stopped at the same time. We were still completely locked into our seats, so we couldn't really get out, but we turned around as much as we could to fully take in what the inner workings of the ride looked like.
Some Disneyland "cast members" (they're not employees, but 'cast members') came up to the lowest car, pressed some buttons, and then push started the rocket to make it get going again. While they were push starting the second, I pulled out my camera. I just couldn't believe all this was happening. At Disneyland! The cast members got the lower three rockets push started and back on track to return to earth.
They made it up to our level and were about to push start our rocket when we heard a motor above us whiz for a second and then fade out. Complete shut down. An announcer got on the loud speaker and announced (I guess to the people still in line) that Space Mountain had shut down and would need to close for the next hour, so everyone needed to evacuate the building.
I read the cast member's name tag, and shouted, "Hey Jesse! What's up? What happened?" He explained that there are safety features built into the rides, and if a rocket goes faster than is safe, the ride automatically shuts down. Sometimes, because of peoples' weight in the rockets, when it's going downhill, it can pick up too much speed. Aparently, the rocket in front of us had some heavy people in it.
Suddenly, my cell phone started ringing! It was so random. You'd think that I wouldn't have reception there in outer space and all, but wow...Verizon has some good satelittes! So I answer my phone and start telling my friend that I'm STUCK IN SPACE MOUNTAIN! I hang up on her because Jesse starts explaining to us how he's going to get us out of the rocket. Row by row, we were to lift our arms in the air to get them away from the safety bar. Then he would press a button that would release it, and it went snapping back into place.
Next, Melissa (the other cast member), talked us through how to safely climb out of the rocket. Whitey and I were the very last two people to get out. Imagine, if there had been just one more person in line in front of us, we wouldn't have gotten to have this whole experience! Once we were all out of the rocket, Jesse and Melissa walked the eight of us through the inner ramps and stairwells and such of Space Mountain. We got to see all the lights and mirrors, and tracks and turns and everything! Then we went out an emergency only door, got a pass from another cast member to return to the front of the line later, and went on our merry way.
Space Mountain will forever be my favorite ride. And I told Whitey, I think this birthday experience surpassed the desert safari last year. I've tried posting the pictures about a gazillion times now, but silly Blogger isn't posting them. I'll try to show them later.
First order of business: Space Mountain. It's always been my favorite ride and always will be. To me, it's the perfect roller coaster. Just fast enough to be fun, not so crazy that I feel unsafe. (I may be adventerous to go all around the world, but not so much with the rides. What's worse--I just finished reading "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," which is all about a guy who dies from a roller coaster ride. Thanks, but no thanks. I can get my thrills elsewhere.)
So Space Mountain, right? We go all through the line, blah blah blah, and we hop into the last seat of a rocket and take off. If you've never ridden Space Mountain, it's all in darkness, like you're rocketing through outer space. So we're shooting up and around, zip to the left, zip to the right. Life is fun.
The theme music and sounds were playing pretty loudly, so it was hard to fully capture what we heard. But we heard it. An announcer kept saying things like, "Please remain inside your rocket. Please do not attempt to get out on your own. Someone will come to assist you momentarily." Strange things to hear when your rocketing through outer space at warp speed, right?
All of a sudden, our rocket came to a complete stop AND THE HOUSE LIGHTS CAME UP. We looked around us and realized we weren't back at the beginning of the ride. We were in the absolue middle of Space Mountain. Huh?
That's right. Space Mountain BROKE while I was riding it!
(AG, can't you just hear me now? Life with Soj is always an adventure!) We looked down at some of the levels down below us, and there were four other rockets just sitting. Whitey yelled down to them, "How long have you been sitting there?" They said that we'd all pretty much stopped at the same time. We were still completely locked into our seats, so we couldn't really get out, but we turned around as much as we could to fully take in what the inner workings of the ride looked like.
Some Disneyland "cast members" (they're not employees, but 'cast members') came up to the lowest car, pressed some buttons, and then push started the rocket to make it get going again. While they were push starting the second, I pulled out my camera. I just couldn't believe all this was happening. At Disneyland! The cast members got the lower three rockets push started and back on track to return to earth.
They made it up to our level and were about to push start our rocket when we heard a motor above us whiz for a second and then fade out. Complete shut down. An announcer got on the loud speaker and announced (I guess to the people still in line) that Space Mountain had shut down and would need to close for the next hour, so everyone needed to evacuate the building.
I read the cast member's name tag, and shouted, "Hey Jesse! What's up? What happened?" He explained that there are safety features built into the rides, and if a rocket goes faster than is safe, the ride automatically shuts down. Sometimes, because of peoples' weight in the rockets, when it's going downhill, it can pick up too much speed. Aparently, the rocket in front of us had some heavy people in it.
Suddenly, my cell phone started ringing! It was so random. You'd think that I wouldn't have reception there in outer space and all, but wow...Verizon has some good satelittes! So I answer my phone and start telling my friend that I'm STUCK IN SPACE MOUNTAIN! I hang up on her because Jesse starts explaining to us how he's going to get us out of the rocket. Row by row, we were to lift our arms in the air to get them away from the safety bar. Then he would press a button that would release it, and it went snapping back into place.
Next, Melissa (the other cast member), talked us through how to safely climb out of the rocket. Whitey and I were the very last two people to get out. Imagine, if there had been just one more person in line in front of us, we wouldn't have gotten to have this whole experience! Once we were all out of the rocket, Jesse and Melissa walked the eight of us through the inner ramps and stairwells and such of Space Mountain. We got to see all the lights and mirrors, and tracks and turns and everything! Then we went out an emergency only door, got a pass from another cast member to return to the front of the line later, and went on our merry way.
Space Mountain will forever be my favorite ride. And I told Whitey, I think this birthday experience surpassed the desert safari last year. I've tried posting the pictures about a gazillion times now, but silly Blogger isn't posting them. I'll try to show them later.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Bein' sure to wear some flowers in my hair
So I'm in California (big grin), hanging with Whitey (big grin) and just all around am enjoying myself. I hadn't been on the ground even an hour before I had a Double Double with grilled onions (big big grin...I was so dagum excited about it I think the girl who took my order thought I was on crack.) I heard Erwin McMannus speak TWICE. I went to the Happiest Place on Earth today (and OH MY WORD do I ever have a story to tell! but I'm waiting till I have pictures to prove it, cause you might just think I was fabricating otherwise. Be anticipating, folks, antcipating. It's a doosey. And no, I didn't see Brad Pitt.)
So I guess the biggest news of my trip thus far (besides the doosey of a story-to-come) is that Whitey's grandfather died the morning I arrived, and she therefore has to leave and go to Oklahoma. Doesn't that just figure? She flies me out to Cali for some good hanging time, and then can't be here! So...happy birthday to me--she bought me a ticket up to San Fran so I can see all my old peeps (and my beloved city by the bay) for two days. SO...Sunday I'm flying to San Fran, where I'll hang with my beautiful Gerber Daisy friend, eat some yummy chinese at the Taiwon restaurant, see friends and babies and fog and steep streets. I plan on sitting in Patrick's Park and just being with Jesus a little bit too.
I'm a happy camper. Must sleep now. Hollywood tomorrow.
So I guess the biggest news of my trip thus far (besides the doosey of a story-to-come) is that Whitey's grandfather died the morning I arrived, and she therefore has to leave and go to Oklahoma. Doesn't that just figure? She flies me out to Cali for some good hanging time, and then can't be here! So...happy birthday to me--she bought me a ticket up to San Fran so I can see all my old peeps (and my beloved city by the bay) for two days. SO...Sunday I'm flying to San Fran, where I'll hang with my beautiful Gerber Daisy friend, eat some yummy chinese at the Taiwon restaurant, see friends and babies and fog and steep streets. I plan on sitting in Patrick's Park and just being with Jesus a little bit too.
I'm a happy camper. Must sleep now. Hollywood tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
How Rumors Get Started
I live in a 4-apartment house with 3 couples (all over the age of 50, some over 70) and a single girl named Harry. We all share one big living room, where we all hang out together nearly all the time. We're becoming known around campus as "the happening place to be." (I think because we eat ice cream and pie every single night...)
One of the husbands of the couples is named after a president, and so I call him Mr. Prez. Mr. Prez is notorious for being super friendly with anyone and everyone. SUPER friendly. Well, this week, Harry and I have been house-sitting for some friends in the city, and they happen to have a dog...with the same exact name as Mr. Prez.
A few nights ago, (the dog) Mr. Prez tore up a bunch of stuff in his parents room. Harry and I agreed it would be better to have (the dog) Mr. Prez sleep in my room with me so that he won't get lonely and therefore misbehave. (Are you beginning to see where I'm going with this?)
Well, I'm standing at the front desk at work yesterday, and Harry asked me how Mr. Prez did last night. I responded, "He did pretty well. Sometimes, he'd get up and come and stand by my bed. I'd roll over and say to him, 'Mr. Prez, go back to your bed. No, sir, go to your bed. That's a good boy.' And then I'd roll over and go back to sleep."
Harry noticed that our secretary's eyes had nearly popped out of her head. "B, you do know we're talking about the DOG Mr. Prez and not the person Mr. Prez, right?" B, who didn't know we are house-sitting, gasped in relief and nearly shouted, "Oh thank goodness! I was beginning to wonder what in the world was going ON in that house of yall's!"
Mr. Prez (the person) and his wife nearly fell out of their chairs they were laughing so hard when they heard this. I promise...I was talking about the DOG.
One of the husbands of the couples is named after a president, and so I call him Mr. Prez. Mr. Prez is notorious for being super friendly with anyone and everyone. SUPER friendly. Well, this week, Harry and I have been house-sitting for some friends in the city, and they happen to have a dog...with the same exact name as Mr. Prez.
A few nights ago, (the dog) Mr. Prez tore up a bunch of stuff in his parents room. Harry and I agreed it would be better to have (the dog) Mr. Prez sleep in my room with me so that he won't get lonely and therefore misbehave. (Are you beginning to see where I'm going with this?)
Well, I'm standing at the front desk at work yesterday, and Harry asked me how Mr. Prez did last night. I responded, "He did pretty well. Sometimes, he'd get up and come and stand by my bed. I'd roll over and say to him, 'Mr. Prez, go back to your bed. No, sir, go to your bed. That's a good boy.' And then I'd roll over and go back to sleep."
Harry noticed that our secretary's eyes had nearly popped out of her head. "B, you do know we're talking about the DOG Mr. Prez and not the person Mr. Prez, right?" B, who didn't know we are house-sitting, gasped in relief and nearly shouted, "Oh thank goodness! I was beginning to wonder what in the world was going ON in that house of yall's!"
Mr. Prez (the person) and his wife nearly fell out of their chairs they were laughing so hard when they heard this. I promise...I was talking about the DOG.
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