east coast, ya'll...

i really have very little to say, and honestly I'm not sure why I'm awake at 1:30 a.m. tonight in Baltimore. I'm hanging out @ Kate's house and watching Conan while she's asleep on the couch.

We've had an eventful day today, and I'm excited about our weekend to just hang out and shop and have fun! I just made the coolest craft project ever, and I'll have to post a pic of it another time. I think I might just have to open up a store that sells these things...it's pretty darn cute.

Tomorrow we're going to paint pottery, which is a fun pastime with Kate! I love that we can be crafty together. I'll take some pics then and post those later too!

In other news, it's just as cold out east as it is in Illinois. I'm ready for summer. Mom, Cory, and I are heading to Vegas a week after I'm back from Baltimore, so that will have to suffice for my warm weather needs for now.

Until then, I'll enjoy the accents, seafood, and shopping of "Baldamor" and some good friend time w/ Kate!

so much to say, so much to say, so much to say...

i'll do my best to make this as brief as possible.

1. First things first, people, search your peanut butter. I just located a recalled container of Peter Pan Peanut Butter w/ the first 4 digits of 2111 in my sister & brother-in-law's cabinet. If you're out of the loop, it's been recalled. Check the news. Now you know.

2. Fellow Grey's Anatomy watchers, we need to talk. The show better not turn into just "Anatomy" next week. I'll quit you, Grey's Anatomy, if you do such a thing.

3. 3 words: John Mayer tomorrow.

4. This is what I've been waiting to blog about all day... in light of ESPN columnist Bill Simmons' Grammys Diary, which my friend Dustin highlighted in his blog the other day, Lindsey and I put together our own diary of our morning at the enlightening Equip Conference in Peoria, IL. Background: Equip is a "Christian Workers Conference" in Peoria that mostly offers workshops to people who teach Sunday School. I'm also almost positive that the people there walked in the doors directly from 1985. (disclaimer: we're already seeking forgiveness for our slighty comments. if you are offended by our judgments, you may want to refrain from reading):

• 8:41 a.m. - We take note of charismatic Arts Conference people across from us and their interesting video. Note to self: Avoid eye contact with strange guy from there who keeps clapping while wearing very ugly vest
• 8:55 a.m. - Lindsey spots 2 mullets while I search for event schedule. I return to spot the second mullet worn by a woman sporting 3 hairstyles: short cut bangs in front, short spikes on top, and curled under chin-length oompa-loompa hair in the back. Does it get any better than that? Who needs to choose a hairstyle when you can sport 3 of them simultaneously?
• 9:06 a.m. - Avoiding eye contact with crazy arts conference guy no longer works. He approaches the table, proceeds to force information about his arts, drama, dance, miming, flags conference upon us, and is kind but slightly pushy.
• 9:32 a.m. - I spot the best outfit of the day...straight from 1991 maybe? Head to toe: brownish gray hair in low side ponytail, hunter green turtleneck w/ small white pine trees, turtleneck tucked into (so you can see the line where it's tucked in) black stirrup pants...yep, i said it, stirrup pants, and black hiking boots. I realize that '80s styles are coming back, but I'm pretty sure this one was oblivious rather than intentional.
• 10:17 a.m. - Random guy stops by to ask just one question about our school: "Does your school teach baptismal regeneration?" So Lindsey and I think silently, look at each other, look back at him and say "and by that you mean...what, exactly?" to which he responds with "that's all i need to know..." and walks away. Later we realize that no, we do not believe in that nor does LCC teach it.
• 10:34 a.m. - Arts Conference people continue to clap to their own DVD...this continues throughout the day.
• 10:42 a.m. - I discover that cultures are suddenly clashing--there's a lady wearing a Winnie the Pooh sweatshirt, a long denim skirt, and...what's that in her ear? a Bluetooth? interesting...someone got half the memo at the change in decades...
• 10:49 a.m. - We consider going to visit the booth that supplies resources for all of your feltboard needs. Maybe I should make one on how NOT to teach Sunday School lessons? unless the church is "bringin' feltboards back...(yep)"
• 11:28 a.m. - Yet one more interesting person stops by to inform us that he has attended 18 colleges...and proceeds to display to us his actual I.D. cards from several of those colleges as well as providing us with a brief history of his family name and their travels from Europe.
• 11:40 a.m. - We go to lunch and revisit 2007 for a short time.
• 1:13 p.m. - We return to find Sarah here for her shift and keep her company until we leave at 2...also to prepare her for her experience. While doing so, arts conference guy begins more awkward conversation and impolitely comments that we are not an exciting school because we are not forcefully recruiting people walking by...(which means, we are not shoving our school down people's throats) to which Lindsey responded with a polite answer that we don't recruit with a sales pitch, but we want our students to want to come to LCC.
• 2:00 p.m. - Lindsey and I head back to Lincoln feeling much more knowledgeable about '80s attire, pushy conservative Christians, socially awkward Christians, and much more after witnessing some of central Illinois' finest.

With all that said, we realize it's quite judgmental and rude, but we could not help but have comments. Jesus loves these people, and so do we. I just wish Stacy London and Clinton Kelly would appear and change their worlds up a little bit. The Christian subculture could get me going in itself with the way it gives Christ a bad name, in my mind, by marketing Jesus only to those who already know Him. That's another topic for another day. For now, I'm off to dream of stirrup pants and oompa loompa hair...ooh, and fanny packs...we saw those as well.

Bringin' Serving Back

I think I have watched this video at least 10 times now... I'm quite proud to know these guys and to say that 2 are LCC Alums and 1 is my former internship mentor.

so so funny.

an update on life...

I actually haven't posted in awhile. Here is a brief and random update on my life:

• Awaken is over and went VERY well. Despite lower numbers, God did some great things at and through the retreat. I was moved, and I was glad. Sometimes during the planning process and making sure things are perfect and ready I miss the point. Thankfully I was reminded of the whole point during the retreat.
• Also, don't be surprised if you find a video of me, Chantell, Emily, and Sammy doing '80s Jazzercise on youTube someday soon. I wouldn't doubt it if someone puts it up there...you might pee your pants laughing if you ever get to see it. We were pretty much maniacs for about 10 minutes, but I wish I could wake up like that every day.
• Somehow I've suddenly become addicted to chocolate. I used to not like it all that much, and I've been hooked on it for several weeks now. Mostly dark chocolate still...as long as I avoid those silly Dove promises in the wrappers.
• 10 days till John Mayer
• 15 days till I'm hanging out w/ Kate in Baltimore
• 23 days till I get to hang out w/ Amanda in Louisville
• 51 days till I go to Romania. WOW. I had to count that one...closer than I thought!
• one more day closer to warmer weather...but not close enough. I hate this cold and if I show up missing someday it's because I've up and moved to Texas.
• about 3 and a half months till I have a little nephew!!!
• I still look fwd to Thursday nights--The Office and Grey's Anatomy--like a 5 year old waits for Santa on Christmas Eve.
• God is working...God is always working. (That is much better if sung to yourself as lyrics to dcTalk's "Word 2 the Father" from back in the day...) but it's the truth. TobyMac knew what he was talking about even in the '80s.
• Today I feel content.
• Good songs I've recently added to my iTunes: Amy Grant's Heart in Motion CD (yes, old school...don't even debate that one b/c it's classic.), Chasing Furies song Thicker (which reminds me of sound checks w/ One 5 Oh!--also an oldie but an amazing song), The Benjamin Gate - Lift Me Up (this song gets me pumped up like none other...love it.), Paolo Nutini - New Shoes, Lily Allen - Smile, and Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good. Oh, and of course our Jazzercise songs: Let's Get Physical and She's a Maniac. Praise the Lord for the '80s.
• tonight i am doing laundry and watching American Idol.
• This weekend I look fwd to watching my 3 year old niece "audition" for 'Merican Idol' in front of my sis, my mom, and me. She should probably get a golden ticket to Hollywood for her cuteness...even if her songs are made up and always involving Home Depot somehow. (she really loves Home Depot...we don't know why.)