dang internet...

so I just wrote an entire blog and b/c the Marriott's internet is ridiculous expensive here in

so somehow I'm connected to the Comfort Inn's wireless...(???i don't understand this stuff...) and then it disconnected me and lost my blog. oh well. it was clearly unimportant.

We're here for the National Small College Enrollment Conference and so far, it's been great! To most I'm sure it sounds like watching paint dry, but it really makes me more excited about my job and it's fun to learn from hearing about how other schools work. It's a much different world here during this conference than from the North American Christian Convention in Louisville just a few weeks ago, but just as the NACC world is a subculture, so is the College Admissions/Retention/Enrollment world.

I am happy to be in the South and to have all the SWEET TEA I want. Seriously, the rest of the country needs to jump on that train. (OK since i just said "jump on that train" it reminded me of the new Rascal Flatts song "Me and My Gang" that is too cheesy for their own good...just a side thought. I digress...) And Lindsey is happy w/ her Derby Pie at Bistro 301 down the street.

And I really like my new phone. Say hello to her:

and i like my Kirk Franklin ringtone... ;-)

The 2 Greatest Photographers Ever

This video is hilarious! Jeremy Cowart, who is an amazing photographer of a lot of musicians I love, "interviews" Dave Barnes and another guy Barrett Ward. He's asking them about all these photography terms...sooo funny.

the eleventy bajillionth blog of the day...well, only the 2nd you'll see

I am one of five things:
a) a fraidy-cat
b) extremely paranoid
c) overly imaginative
d) MacGyver
d) all of the above

While sitting in my windowsill and reading (with my windows open, of course, b/c I prefer fresh air over air conditioning, so in the midst of summer heat I allow both simultaneously.), I heard a car alarm that seemed to sound like it was coming from where mine is parked behind the apartments. Without much concern, I carry on, assuming and hoping it is not. About 3 minutes later, and approximately every 4-5 minutes from there on out, the car alarm repeated itself. I started to grow in my concern.

I also saw a teenage boy across the street carrying something (i have no idea what) and yelling across to his friend. Then he ran back across the street, seemingly to where my car and my neighbors' cars are parked. The car alarms continued only about every 5 minutes, but no further voices except every once in awhile and very distant-sounding.

I watched cars drive by on the street to see if there was any reaction, and one van did slow down with some concern, but ne'er again returned. I also keep thinking I'm hearing something like the sound of some kind of metal pipe or something, which could just be the remnants of tonight's rain dripping onto a pipe somewhere nearby. Or, from my crazy mind, I have decided it is someone taking the rims off of one of the cars.

Finally, after another car alarm I decided I'd go and check on the situation. Slowly I unlocked my door, opened it, stood there, heard nothing but silence inside the hallway, and got scared. I closed the door again and returned to my windowsill.

I still think they're out there. Maybe I'm just plain crazy. Right now I'd like to think I'm MacGyver instead, and that in the morning, the police will be wanting to know my infamous details as a witness for their records of someone's lost rims or broken-into car...possibly even my own.

I think I need to get a life. But we'll just see in the morning...for now I'm too scared to go see for myself.

i'm back in black...except not.

Back from Wisconsin, yo. It's so much more friggin' humid here. Why? I suppose it could be worse...like as humid as it is in Savannah, GA. now THAT is humidity.

I feel like I have a million things to catch up on, but I never can seem to get any of them done. Why is that? I can't seem to focus myself for some reason. I need some good windowsill time to just sit and read and think and write tonight. I think that's how I'll spend my evening.

I have lots of things that I've wanted to sit and think and pray and write about lately. Community is one of them. Church along with that, which is pretty much the same thing. I feel like I'm trying to find my place in a church right now, and especially after talking to Becka the other night for awhile about how hard it is to have to "pick" a church after college, I'm feeling weighed down about it. Though I've sort of chosen one already and have been going there, it's like I'm having second thoughts. I don't really know where I belong anymore among churches.

I really want and need to be serving in some way. I get too easily caught up in myself sometimes and forget that my role here is to serve people...and that, I feel I've neglected.

I need to focus less on myself and even less on "finding myself" as this generation is so fixed on pursuing. I've read lately some things that reminded me that we're not here to "find ourselves" but to find Jesus more and more. So why is it that this "twixters" or "twentysomethings" generation is so set on pursuing our own identity?

Anyway, these are just random thoughts that are running through my mind and happen to be falling out of my fingertips. I'll spend some time actually processing them later.

On a completely different and random note, I'm writing in pink in honor of my new pink Motorola SLVR pink phone I'm getting on Thursday or Friday. It will have iTunes on it. Since I don't have an iPod, I'll take a sweet phone that can hold songs for now. ;-)

and on that note, i'm outtie.

from the state of cheese

It's kind of loud in the hallway currently in my hotel room in Appleton, WI. Kinda sounds like the guys in the hallway are trying to get into our room. (You know, that's probably the case...Lindsey and I are always fighting them off...j/k!) Hope they're quiet the rest of the night so we can sleep!

In honor of the state of cheese, I have to state that my favorite type of cheese is feta. I love it. Especially on a Greek salad from Panera. It's odd, you know...my sis introduced me to these wonderful salads at an Atlanta Bread Company in Westerville, OH years ago, and today I ate the same thing at another Atlanta Bread Company in Rockford, and it was nothing in comparison to Panera's. I was sad, but I'm glad to know that the best is always waiting at Panera not far from home. At least the A.B.C. had Mango Iced Tea...another fave. But we're on the topic of cheese, not iced tea.

And on the topic of cheese, I'm sure there will be a lot of that (not in the food sense) at Lifest this week. That's the Christian Music Festival we're at in Oshkosh for the next few days. There are some good bands, but mostly I don't listen to Christian music, so some of it is not my fave. For example, I believe 4Him is there tomorrow...they're still around? I didn't even know that! I hope they sing that Rollercoaster Ride song...

Another example of non-food-cheese at the festival this week pertains to some of the other exhibitors. Lots of Christian t-shirts, dog tags, bumper stickers, and what have you. Funny story...we passed a creepy van today on our way, while still in IL, that was COVERED on the back w/ tons of Christian bumper stickers that would probably seem quite offensive to a non-Christian. When we walked around this evening, I saw a table full of bumper stickers, looked behind, and it's the same guy. I laughed.

However, an example of actual food cheese that is here would be the fried cheese curds. Gotta love fair food. Did you really have to involve the word 'curds' in the title? That just makes me gag thinking about it. I'll stick w/ the corn dogs and funnel cakes, thank you.

And though there are many crazies making Christian t-shirts out there, you should really check out JesusBranded clothing. It's pretty sweet. They're based out of Seattle, as all cool things are, and they give a lot of their proceeds to actually feed the poor and clothe the naked. It even says it on the inside of the shirt. I got a cute one. :-)

That's all. Fun times in the land of cheese heads.

-Cheesy McCheeserson

sweet home chicago

So i'm getting ready to hit the city tonight...trying to pack up my things and get myself ready, and I'm jamming to some old school Whitney Houston. She had some good hits...too bad she has gone off the deep end these days!

In honor of Rachel & Heidi's birthdays, we're heading to Chi-town tonight to go to the Taste, stay @ the Hilton (thanks to priceline and its great deals), and go out on the town, and back to the Taste tomorrow. For two days, why on earth am I taking enough clothes for a week? I don't know. I have a problem with packing.

And i'm not unpacking from the NACC, because I'll now be in Chicago for two days, return for two, and then head to a music festival in Wisconsin for work.

I love traveling!

hm...

I really haven't a clue why I am awake right now... I'm tired, but probably due to the large piece of chocolate cake I ate about an hour ago, I don't know that I could fall asleep. I just want to be tired enough when I actually lay my head down on the pillow in my Galt House hotel room.

I'm in Louisville right now for the North American Christian Convention, which is quite an interesting time. Fun, but also can be boring, and somehow tiring. This Christian Church/Church of Christ world is such a funny little network. Everyone knows everyone somehow.

Tonight instead of going to the main session I skipped and walked down to Waterfront Park where the Gabe Dixon Band was playing for free. No one else wanted to go, but it was kind of fun to just walk down the river by myself and people-watch and enjoy good music. I love a good people-watching place and love a good band. And if I could figure out how to post video clips on here, I'd post you the clip that I taped from afar of this guy dancing in the crowd. Let's just say there were some free-spirited people there that were pretty interesting to watch. He had about 3 moves that he chose throughout the night...including something similar to the robot.

I'm enjoying the view of the Ohio River from our 18th floor room, and I think tomorrow morning I'm going to take a nice walk down the river when I get up. Have I mentioned that I just love being in the city where there is actually life at night? However, somehow I am still in my hotel room while the rest of town is out and about, probably partying it up at 4th Street Live somewhere...except for all the NACC goers, I'm sure. I should probably get some sleep so I'm rested and rarrr-ing to go in the morning.

currently watching...

I love this movie. And for multiple reasons:

• It makes me want to live in NYC.
• It makes me want to visit NYC in the spring or the fall. ("Don't you just love New York in the fall?")
• It makes me want to sing that song they sing around the piano at Christmastime with my family and friends.
• Meg Ryan is wonderful. (sidenote: I wish she wouldn't have had so much work done on her face...she used to be so darn cute and now she just looks different.)
• It has a superb soundtrack filled with Harry Nilsson, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, The Cranberries...
• All of their conversation about what 'NY152' means...
• Great quotes like:

"Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway and today - I saw one! It got on at 42nd and off at 59th, where, I assume, it was going to Bloomingdale's to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake - as almost all hats are."

or

"I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

or

"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make 6 decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall! Decaf! Cappuccino!"

or

"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable but small. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave?"

or

"If I ever get out of here, I'm getting my eyes lasered....WHERE ARE MY TIC-TACS?!?"

or, the all-time best part, of course

"I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly."

Ahhh... I love this movie. It's so comforting to watch a movie you know the whole way through and love no matter how many times you've seen it.

$

I hate money.

Memory box Monday

This is my new thing: Memory Box Monday. I'm going to start a series of all the funny finds I'm discovering in this memory box I found at home this weekend. I'll inaugurate the series with this, the photo documentary of a story written by myself--an 8-year-old genius (or not) in 1990. (with commentary)

(please note: the title is "The Bear Who Found the Best Present Ever" and I wrote next to it this message--"December 14, 17, 18, 1990, keep so I can read it to my kids"). Clearly I'll be reading this story to my children someday.

(above) the thought bubble says this: "Maybe someone will buy me for Christmas!" Wow, I was creative.
(above) somehow I was bright enough to draw this illustration from the inside viewpoint of the toy store so that the name on the window appeared backwards. Genius, I tell you.

(above) Notice that I crossed outo a word and rewrote it. Very professional. I know this book is going to be published someday.

i think Ashley used to be my favorite name for some reason, so of course the girl was named Ashley.



Oh yes, this is the happy ending. What a conclusion, right? I think I ran out of ideas, because following this page there were 4 pages left blank but with page numbers on the bottom. I must have planned to be more creative than I was. Nevertheless, look for this book to be published sometime soon. Coming soon in a Barnes & Noble or Borders near you...

It's just the beginning...

If I haven't talked enough about it before, you need to know about Invisible Children.

On April 29 this year, thousands of us gathered worldwide to give up a night of good, solid, comfortable sleepfor a few reasons:

1) to try to understand what the Invisible Children in Northern Uganda experience every night. This event, the Global Night Commute, was hardly comparable to the nightly commute that children in Uganda make daily to avoid being taken by the Lord's Resistance Army to be forced to fight for a corrupt leader.

and

2) to draw the world's attention to something bigger than people gathered in a park or on a sidewalk or in the center of a city--a war. This is a war taking place against the LRA in Uganda that is basically a giant act of terrorism within their own country and largely affecting their own children.

and

3) to write letters to political leaders concerning this war in hopes that America can help the people of Northern Uganda experience freedom like we do. It's unfortunate that we so often forget the freedoms we have...like the fact that we don't have to hide our 4 year old children at night in fear that they might be taken, be handed a knife or a gun, and be forced to kill.

I don't write about this to make you feel guilty, but I'm writing to remind people--including myself--that there's a great need that cannot be ignored. Honestly, I feel awful b/c since April 29th, I haven't thought much about Invisible Children. I played my part. I went. I didn't even stay overnight because I had a long day the day before. I showed up. I wrote letters, created art, and left at 2 a.m. I don't deserve recognition for having gone, that's for sure.

Nevertheless, my heart beats for this organization and more importantly, for the people in Northern Uganda. They are our brothers and sisters, our neighbors...not unlike the people we talk to every day aside from some cultural and physical differences.

Today they just released this new video that re-ignited my passion for what they do. I hope you watch it and I hope you and I will both remember to pray for the Invisible Children in Northern Uganda. Check out the rest of Invisible Children's website and if you can get involved in any way, please do. Not for your own good, but for the Greater Good.

no mail

Today when I had no mail in my mailbox, this is what I thought next: "I hope nothing happened to the mailman! I hope he (or she) isn't laying dead somewhere or hasn't fallen or been captured or something."

And all just b/c I had no mail. Is this normal?

it's a random day.

I already posted this once today, but I've added a few things out of boredom...

Because everything else today has been random, so will this post. After weeks of having no visits scheduled at the school, today we had FOUR show up! Crazy! So, it was a random day, but good! In honor of that, other random things...

1. I wish it was Thursday so I could watch So You Think You Can Dance tonight.

2. I can't stop listening to Jackson Browne and Frou Frou and Imogen Heap and the old Starfield CD lately. Random? Yes. Couldn't be a more varied music selection. Copied Dad's Jackson Browne and Jimmy Buffett and Bad Company CD's last week on our trip back from Chi-town. Thanks for the good tunes dad!

3. Kate is married! (pictures to come) It's crazy! It's not real to me that one of my closest friends is now married and will be living halfway across the country soon. At least I have a reason to visit Baltimore now. Note: I will be honest--I was a darn good CD maker for pre-wedding, post-wedding, reception, and honeymoon car ride mixes for her. ;-)

4. Even though technically I am a member at Eastview, I am feeling churchless as of late. It is so hard to find community there when I live here and feel like my community is all over the place.

5. I'm not happy that my neighbors enjoy playing loud techno music at 3 a.m. I don't live in a college apartment, so this is not acceptable. I also don't appreciate when one of them leaves his laundry in the washer or dryer for 6 days at a time. Sick.

6. I want to go on a vacation. Really bad.

7. I have 3 weddings left this summer. That's not bad considering I had like 9 two years ago.

8. We are doing a fiesta-themed booth at the North American Christian Convention for the Bible Bowl Nationals. Dorky, I know, but you gotta do what you gotta do. It's Bible Bowl, people...need I say more? (I like to pretend I didn't do Bible Bowl for 2 years in Jr. High...but I won't lie; I did.)

9. I think I'll go for a walk tonight. AND get an ice cream cone. OK so instead I had strawberries and chocolate pudding. But I did go for a walk.

10. I'm really wanting to take a spontaneous road trip soon...maybe this matches up w/ #6.

11. I don't think I will ever see the movie The Omen. The previews are enough to give me nightmares.

12. I do, however, still need to see The Breakup despite my brother-in-law's negative response.

13. CIY starts this week all over the place. I'm jealous. It brings back sweet old memories from the BCG's and from adventures w/ Amanda in high school and a million other things that ever happened at CIY.

14. I'm so glad Missy finally posted that they're having a baby so I can express my excitement! Yay! Steph and I vote it's going to be a boy; Alli and Heidi think it'll be a girl. My tiny little old roomie is prego! :-)

15. Currently I'm watching ABC's new show How to Get The Guy...and wondering if I need to be on it. J/k. Well, maybe...

16. How is it that when I go to Kroger with the intention of only leaving w/ some fruit, I end up with half of the store?

17. I love popcorn.

18. I need a haircut.

19. I have too much time on my hands, clearly. Next blog will be something of substance. I promise. Pinky-swear.

beating a dead horse?

Here is a letter I'd like to write to some churches nationwide right now:

Disclaimer: As you consider my words, Church, please don't think that I harbor anger or bitterness against you, as many sometimes do, because I dearly love you. I love the Body of Christ and how each part is different yet plays a crucial role in a greater purpose. I love the variation and the beauty of uniqueness within God's creation. I love how each of us reflects the Father's image in a different way. I love that it is a place where all are welcomed and all are loved, and I love that the Church is made up of imperfect people who are simply set free...free to love and to give and to serve...within and around the world.

Dear Church,

I'm writing you out of concern that we might be missing the point on a few things. After a considerable number of congregations have begun to debunk The Da Vinci Code through 4-week or even 5-week sets of sermons, I have begun to question this as a necessity. Dan Brown's fictional piece has been out for 3 years now, and only the fame of the film's recent release has brought on this phenomenon of Christian defense. If the book alone contains the falsehoods we're now decoding, why has it taken us so long to do so?

It is claimed that 45 million American adults have read this book and that, out of that number, a large percentage have probably believed statements that are unbiblical and nonsensical. False teachings are everywhere in Brown's writing. Are they not everywhere in fictional work? Are they not everywhere in the world? Dan Brown's bright ideas may appear to be different, but in reality they are nothing new. Why didn't we argue the Left Behind series in a similar way? Why have we left alone the millions of other false teachings that permeate our culture? The Barna Research group, in fact, concluded that "The Da Vinci Code confirms rather than changes people's religious beliefs." If it is already confirming rather than changing beliefs, then why are we taking so much time out of our Sundays to argue Brown's fictitious story when we could be preaching a 5-week series straight from scripture--perhaps 1 Timothy 1:3-11--about false teaching?

I realize that I, having completed Bible College (though I still feel like I know very little), may be more grounded in my beliefs than some believers. If I were to read Brown's book (which I have not yet done, simply because I just haven't) I would probably recognize and be able to separate truth from fiction quite easily. There are some who may not be able to, and that is probably why we're taking such a strong stand against The Da Vinci Code--to help those brothers and sister decipher what is true. However, I think we're misplacing the blame--it isn't necessarily the fault of Dan Brown that some may be led astray by fictional truth.

Might it be the Church's fault? Can I even make mention of such an idea? Is it possible that the Church is at fault for failing to teach basic foundational truths about Jesus? Perhaps a stronger emphasis on solid Christian beliefs, a better foundation on truth, or further discipleship and follow-through with young believers might be the answer. When that begins, the Christian worldview can be formed and nurtured, and then a believer can look through the eyes of Scripture and into things like The Da Vinci Code, the latest Kanye West album, American Idol, the AIDS crisis in Africa, or Brad Pitt and Angelina's relationship. Having a Christian worldview is the starting point.

One of the best things about the Church is that it's a place where believers and seekers can be taught the truths about Jesus and the Bible in a corporate setting. The reason for this is so that conversation and action happens; truths are not only taught, but they are talked about and, in turn, lived out. Wouldn't it be a shame if, right now, a seeker came to one of these Da Vinci Code-Decoding services and saw how argumentative and defensive we seem to be? That is my fear in all of this--that we might lose many on account of prideful defense (or in this case offense). Just this morning I could sense an argumentative nature that should probably have taken place between the preacher and Dan Brown rather than between the pulpit and the pews.

I appreciate and am thankful for the decoding of fiction that is happening for those who may not have been able to discern what was true and even for my own knowledge. However, I simply feel it has been drawn out too long and we are missing the point. We are beginning with culture and going back to Scripture to find a strong defense. Shouldn't we begin with Scripture and simply learn and study and understand so that then we can view culture?

These are just questions I've pondered throughout this series and as I've discovered the growing number of churches covering this fashionable topic for varying numbers of weeks. I am not a leader in a Church, I realize, so my words may mean very little. But I am, however, one of the many who sit in the pews on Sunday morning and crave spiritual food that will help me to understand my God and His Kingdom and His creation more. I would love it if we began with His word.

Thank you, and I look forward very much to the next series to come, whatever it may be.

-Mandy

multi-tasking

I'm pretty good at doing multiple things at once. Currently:

-watching So You Think You Can Dance that I taped while I talked to Faith on the phone earlier.

-emailing another friend

-yelling at the teenagers who, currently, have their cars parked outside on the street with loud rap music blaring and they're literally dancing in the middle of the street. (I'm not actually yelling at them except for once in awhile screaming "Shut up!" at a volume they probably can't hear, but hoping they do...)

-filling out the U.S. Census I got in the mail today. Kinda fun, but definitely didn't realize we still had those since the days of Caesar Augustus and such. I remember asking my parents when I was little how they counted populations and they always told me there was a census, but I never quite believed it till now!

-eating frozen peaches from grandma & grandpa. yummy...

-uploading songs for kate's wedding CD's that i'm working on.

-obviously, blogging.

I should probably find some more things to do because I'm clearly not doing enough.

things i should probably buy soon...

-Anderson Cooper's book Dispatches from the Edge. Just spent 3 hours in BN reading it today and I'm almost halfway through it. Amazing stuff. And can I just say that he's pretty hot for a 40 year old guy? I'm just sayin'....he is!

-an iPod. someday, apple. someday.

-a new cell phone. nah, i'll just see what free ones i can upgrade to.

-The Fray's CD. Thanks Steph--you got me hooked on that song and now I hear it everywhere! But I love it!

-wedding gifts...ugh.

-a ticket to fly to Cali to see Becka. ;-) i promise, girl, i gotta get out there before you and faith get famous from the Amazing Race.


yeah, that's all. i couldn't think of anything else to say. note: i will not be purchasing any of these soon, however, unless you want to send donations. :-)

it's a beautiful day...

It's pretty much like the most gorgeous day ever. I guess I could request just slightly less wind while driving with the windows down so that my hair wouldn't fly everywhere, but I'm not going to complain. It's beautiful. 93 degrees + sunshine + Saturday + nothing really to do = a good day.

I love that when I have nothing really to do I can find a million little things to do such as sleep in, go for a walk/run (mostly walk), vacuum out my car, wash my car, change my shower curtain liner, wash my bathroom rug, file my nails, paint my toenails, write on my blog, make a yummy dinner, bake an angel food cake, read & lay out at the park, Sudoku, and on and on. I think I'll also rent a movie I love...possibly Lucky 7...and eat popcorn. And maybe get some ice cream.

I love summer. These are the days.

lots to say...

<----(heidi, sorry i posted the "oops it looks like we posed with heidi's cardboard cutout" picture on...i HAD to!)








OK...first of all, I've gotta share some fun from last night's little Girls' Night Out w/ Alli, Steph, and Heidi. It was soooo good to catch up and just go out to eat and we all knew we'd pretty much revert back to age 18 but who cares? It was just like old times, minus a few people. As we sat at our table at O'Charley's I said, "I feel like we're on Sex & The City...minus the sex. Well, and the city."


We had some good times chatting about life and singlehood and jobs and nieces and nephews and diversity issues in schools and food (i have to include steph's quote of the night that her caramel pie ice cream tasted "like heaven in her mouth") and apartments and houses and friends with babies and all else under the sun. And then we had silly time in Meijer as well as our photo shoot... here are pictures from the night:



heidi & steph...i think discussing the goodness of the caramel pie ice cream but i can't remember...








one of our many attempts to take photos of ourselves in the parking lot...

















...and that's all the good ones I got b/c my camera sucks and kept dying. oops. I need steph to email me hers. (hint, hint Steph)

...and onto tonight's conversation piece that really doesn't even need to happen...American Idol. seriously, do we need to even have a 2-hour event tomorrow night? i think we all know who's going to win. And if it's Katharine, you better believe I'm never watching it again. Doesn't matter anyways...Elliott was my vote.

-And what's with every other channel now having some sort of rock star show? Come up with something new, people!

-the ACM Awards ended with Kelly Clarkson performing with Rascal Flatts...I wasn't too impressed. I'm pretty sure their voices don't blend very well. Please try again.

-the movie The Interpretor is pretty darn good. I just finished it.

And, that's all. 5 minutes of your time spent reading this? I know, I have nothing better to do.

P.S. Yay, I'm taking 2 personal days that I need to use up--tomorrow (wednesday) and Friday so 4 day weekend for me and a nice day off tomorrow! Hopefully I'll be able to find something fun to do!

yuck.

i feel yucky today.

yuck.

that's all.

i think i'll go rent a movie and sit around and do nothing in my comfy clothes all day and night.

and i'm sad my roommate has now moved out. :-(

this is my work break...

So this is going to be my 15 minute afternoon break that we're supposed to get every day... I need a break from working on new displays for camp teams to take and from calling references.

I'm currently listening to someone's old school Audio Adrenaline on iTunes. It's Don't Censor Me from way back in the day. I really wish I had the older stuff, however, like with PDA and Who Do You Love and those oldies but goodies. They remind me of when Cory would come home from CIY with her tapes and I'd listen to them at night on my Walkman. I was cool.

Last week, Cory and I had a fun time torturing each other by emailing old cheesy Christian lyrics back and forth to each other. (It all started with her having a Point of Grace song in her head--the one that had a video where they were singing in an empty cafe.) It was fun. So in honor of that, here are the old school songs, CDs, and such that will always remain cheesy but continue to hold some kind of memory or tradition:

-anything Point of Grace, such as...The Great Divide, Circle of Friends, Life, Love, & Other Mysteries, Gather at the River, or Keep the Candle Burning

-speaking of candles, you've gotta have Kathy Troccoli and Go Light Your World on this list. That will forever be the graduation service song that was either played or sung when Rondel planned our graduation services from high school.

-dcTalk's Free At Last CD or Nu Thang. Seriously. I love those. I think I might have to break out some of those soon. I'm pretty sure the song I Luv Rap Music from their first record will be remembered for awhile by most guys who lived on F1 or F2 in Titus at LCC. I suppose now is an okay time to come clean with us leaving that on their answering machines...they'll never know.

-don't even know who sings it, but from an old, OLD CIY cassette tape, the song Housin'. (not to be confused with the Audio Adrenaline song Big Big House). "Come and go with me, to my father's house...we can live together. Come and go with me to my Father's house; we can live forever! ... to the rap part (which of course I still know the words to): You like what you like and I like what I like, forget about what we like it's all about what He likes, see He likes to be the one in full control of your heart of your mind, of your body and your soul. And I'm down with that, cuz he's the one that made me. The power over evil is the power that he gave me but not only that, He gave me the mind to catch the beat that moves your feet and moves your body to the rhyme..." Need I say more?

-Another one that reminds me of Cory, Shelly, and Linnea is "...in the Eye of the Hurricane...in the center of the storm...in the chaos there's a comfort, a harbor safe and warm..."

-I have to bring up the group Church of Rhythm, who I believe encountered a bit of identity crisis after my obsession with them in Jr. High during which I had them sign the inside cover of my Bible. When I saw them at the Clinton Jr. High Overnighter I was all about the Free At Last poppy song of theirs and any other song of theirs. Amanda, I'm sure you'll remember those days... Then a year later at CIY they were suddenly hardcore alternative. Weird.

-Must I even bring up old Amy Grant music? Baby, baby, that was alllll classic. Don't even get my heart in motion...
-Hm...I believe Jars of Clay was an obsession of mine during a phase of my high school years after seeing them at ICTC and meeting them afterwards. I was such a dork.

Well I'm sure there are more, but it's so fun to think of those old school songs I used to jam to on my Walkman and on church youth group trips. Remind me if I'm forgetting some faves...

tv drama and affairs

So I can't handle the drama anymore. No more season finales for me...I think my heart needs a break from beating so fast by being worked up from these shows. I just finished watching Grey's Anatomy and last week's Gilmore Girls season finale that I had taped and still hadn't watched. My heart has been just about leaping out of my chest, and I think that's a sure sign that I should stay away from these shows for a little while. (good thing they were the season finales...but i'll be back next season!) Anyway, I know most of you reading couldn't care less, but I have to vent and let out my frustration! And I promise, I'm going to tie these 2 shows together with a major frustration about TV drama...I know you're so excited to stay tuned for that!

First, Grey's Anatomy. Seriously, Meredith and Derek need to get themselves figured out. And Izzy can't quit! She has to come back! And I'm glad that sometimes, just sometimes, Alex knows the right thing to do and say at the right time. I think he redeems his faults in those moments. I know deep down that Burke & Christina will be just fine...and even if he can't operate for some time due to his gunshot wound, I think it'll be good for their relationship and make them stronger. I just can't get over Denny...just can't get over it. I can't imagine being suddenly engaged, either, and then an hour later having to see my fiancee's body headed to the morgue. I just can't imagine it...

Now, Gilmore Girls. What in the world is going on? I can NOT believe Lorelai slept with Chris. Before I go off on that, I have to note that Rory did an amazing acting job when Logan left for England...that was really good. Overall, I'm pretty disappointed with the season finale being overtaken by the stupid people singing on the sidewalks. At least it wasn't about Layne's cheesy band. Those scenes are the most pointless scenes ever. Just give me Luke, Lorelai, Rory, Logan, and Lorelai's parents. And we can leave out Chris, because he's throwing in too much crazy drama.

My major frustration (which ties both of these shows together) is that all of the sudden it is completely fine for people to have affairs. I know this is nothing brand new, but it just makes me so mad! With Derek and Meredith--I understand Derek's marriage isn't picture-perfect, and he claims he just can't help but look at her without wanting to be with her. Can you practice some self-control Derek? And with Lorelai and Chris, she was completely acting on an impulse of anger and I'm not quite sure what it is she wants...but it should be Luke. No matter what, I can't stand how these shows and so many others just make affairs OK. Last night my roommate and I talked about the same thing after watching Rumor Has It. Same thing. People, it is NOT okay to have affairs! Whether it's physical, mental, emotional, or whatever, it's unfaithful. I am tired of how the media downplays it just to produce drama even in real life.

I can't seem to figure out, though, if the media is simply representing what's happening already in culture, or if society is reproducing what they're seeing in the media. Which way is it? Is it both? I've always wondered that (almost like "which came first? the chicken or the egg?").

I need to think about this more instead of just blurting out some random words for all the world to see on here. I guess I should start piecing my thoughts together a little more! I think I just need to dialogue about this to get my brain rolling on that subject.

hm...

currently...

• I am about peeing my pants in suspense after watching Greys Anatomy tonight. It was the first part of the season finale and I'm not sure if I can handle waiting till tomorrow night for the rest of it. I definitely screamed pretty loud and am still shaking. too involved in a tv show? no...

• I am watching Rumor Has It with my roommate. And I'm sad that she's moving out in the next week. :-( Let's not talk about it.
  

• loving Ray Lamontagne. I just bought Trouble tonight at Borders and it was the perfect night to drive in the rain and listen to it...I had been wanting that CD for awhile and last weekend saw the Austin City Limits with him and Ben Folds on it, and that pushed me over the edge. I had to get it tonight when I thought of it in Borders.

• I'm wayyy excited to read Margaret Feinberg's What the Heck Am I Going to Do With My Life? I read her book Twentysomething and loved it, and I already feel like I'm going to have a lot more direction after reading this book. Also, looking fwd to reading it together with Faith and talking about it every Thursday night on the phone.

• looking fwd to moving to my new office tomorrow...not any bigger than my cubicle, but it will be a nice change at least to make me feel like there is a bit of change in my life and workplace.

• I'm so happy I got to see my girl Amanda graduate yesterday and hang out w/ her and the Cole family last night in Streator. AND...met her boy... :-) And I just love her friendship...that deserves a whole new post in itself. We can't wait to be in each other's weddings someday (that's just a sidenote).

• I am in a great mood...had a great Mother's Day w/ the parents and all the fam. Played Yahtzee with Grandma Shirlye at the nursing home and got beat TERRIBLY. The funniest part is, when I started to say "play Yahtzee" I said "play Nazi" instead. That made it much more entertaining...I told Grandma she could be Hitler. Instead, I think this lady named Betty walking around the nursing home might be the actual Hitler...she provided some nice entertainment as well by yelling at us to get out and by poking grandma. oh, Alzheimer's...you do crazy things but at least it can be funny!
  

graduation

So today was LCC's graduation and it made me ponder several things.

1) my own graduation from LCC 2 years ago. I'm pretty sure I still feel like there's an assignment I forgot to do or some reason I shouldn't have graduated, yet I did. And they still hired me...so I'm assuming I got it all done? Guess so!

2) I also remember my only concerns at graduation being these 3 things: 1-worrying about my cap falling off my head, 2-tripping on the stairs or on stage and then falling on my face (as every girl worries about in heels), and 3-having to go last and turn the tassle for everyone. Why does it automatically have to be the only person who served on Student Cabinet that year? Can't it just be the last person to walk across the stage who has to do it?

3) Graduation is both memorable and unmemorable. I have no recollection of what Gary Johnson's sermon contained on my graduation date of May 14, 2004. Yet, graduation is still a memorable thing in general. It's an accomplishment. a HUGE one that, at the time, you just don't realize. And after it's finished, you still forget how big of a deal it kind of is!

4) Graduation is also pretty much the reason I do my job...yeah I'm here to recruit students to come to LCC, but I don't want to recruit to keep students there. I do it to bring people in and eventually get rid of them again so they go back out into the world to serve and lead! There are two seasons that are the culmination of all my work--Move-in/Orientation weekend, and Graduation. It's what is beyond both of those that is most important. I hope the people I recruit are world-changers.

traffic school

So I had to go to traffic safety school last night because of my one and only ticket that I received months ago. 6-10 p.m.--the most boring night of my life. It couldn't have come on a day when I was more tired, but I survived! The little old teacher was just adorable, and I'm pretty sure I almost teared up a couple of times due to his stories from being a past cop and all the accidents he witnessed, losing his son to an accident b/c he didn't wear his seatbelt, and all the disgusting things he had to see b/c of people who are drunk and then drive. Idiots. I really HATE when people drive after drinking. Do I really need to prove why? I think it's obvious.

Speaking of driving safely, I was on my WAY to Bloomington to take the class, and I almost got hit by this lady with an Arkansas license plate. She totally just merged right into my lane, ignoring my little red Focus in the way. Ugh.

I definitely have a little bit of an aggressive driving behavior. I even took the little quiz in my book last night and it made me realize I need to cool it down when I get mad at all the Lincoln drivers who don't know how to use their blinkers. Hopefully now I'll stop losing my patience in the first 5 minutes of my day on the way to work.

AND...I felt like a jr. higher trying to keep myself awake by tracing the letters in my book, doodling my name, and drawing geometric shapes. I almost kept giggling though, when the teacher would say "happen" or "push" or "can't" with his Southern IL accent. It sounded like "heappen" or "poosh" or "ceeant". It was funny to me. Anything to stay awake.

However, for the friend I talked to all hours of the night that caused my tiredness, it was well worth it.

Anyways...I promise someday I'll have more substance on here...I just need to sit and write someday.

P.S. it's freaking cold outside today! what happened?! seriously, summer, come back!

nothing at all of importance

i don't know how, but somehow that stupid "oh where is my hairbrush?" song just popped into my head. i realized it after i got annoyed with some voice in my head singing it.

krista taught me how to play Sudoku (is that the right verb there? do you play it? do you just "do" it? do you "solve" it? whatever.) last week and i came to the office to print off some online if i could find them. and then i ended up on here. i don't know how. i'm bored.

today was holerfest. reminds me of the holerfest several years ago in which i could not enjoy the festivities due to completing my Legal Environment independent study for Rick Hobler. I spent a greater part of the evening in the library computer lab (which used to be right NEXT to the hole) working on writing several chapter reviews from these legal journals in which i was VERY uninterested. I don't believe I really even had time to eat dinner that night. Keep in mind, this was all in the day our IDS 302 project had JUST been completed and everyone else was right outside the window having fun without me. it was a sad, sad day. you shouldn't feel bad for me, though, b/c it's over. like 4 years ago. i'm over it.

i'm already realizing how bored i'm going to be when my roomie shannon moves out later this month. i will miss her dearly. :-(

i can't even begin to tell you how much i really like the cream puffs and eclairs that are available at your local ALDI store. they're wonderful. just a thought.

Rob Blackledge is coming here on Tuesday. Should be fun to hear him sing us some of his tunes again!

My skin has been pretty itchy lately...for a few days it stopped and i think it's coming back again. Maybe i need to put more lotion on. or maybe i am going to become yet another statistic in the midwestern mumps outbreak.

did you hear that they want to raise stamps 3 more cents to 42 cents? Jeez, by the time i get married it's going to cost like $3000 just to invite people! ugh.

and on that note, i will end this meaningless post. Sorry to get all Ecclesiastes on you.

i want to be engaged

Don't tune out too quickly there...

I'm not talking about engaged as in ring on my finger, planning a wedding, buying a dress, spending thousands, planning my life together with the love of my life...

Although someday I do look forward to that, I'm talking about a different kind of engaged.

This thought popped into my head last night for some reason, and I just realized that I want to be engaged more in life. I need to be. We all need to be.

I'm talking about being engaged, fully, in conversations. So much in tune with the conversation and that person that you're not distracted by something on your mind, looking for someone else, checking your phone, texting another person, or going over whatever you need to say or do next in your head.

I'm talking about being engaged in friendships, family, and other relationships. I mean tuned into that person's life and truly caring for and loving them. I want to love people wholeheartedly and without superficiality. I see that too much and it bothers me...in myself and others.

I'm talking about being engaged in society...in acts of social justice, politics, pop culture, the community around you, the environment. It's easy for me to be engaged in pop culture and getting caught up in American Idol or The Next Food Network Star, but it's another story for me to completely engage other things of importance. (And note, I do think it's important to be in tune with all kinds of pop culture to know what other people in the world are thinking and doing.) I need to care more for the invisible children in Northern Uganda, the AIDS crisis in Africa and worldwide, people living life without joy in many parts of Europe, those living in Haiti under corrupt government, those in New Orleans and nearby that are STILL struggling to live, people who are homeless or needy even here in Lincoln, IL.

I'm talking about being engaged in my job...making sure that I am giving my best 100% of the time and making sure that I always see the bigger picture of Kingdom ministry being done beyond just what happens here at LCC and in the Admissions office. The outcome is not getting students to apply, become admitted, or even to graduate. It's what happens when they're finished with this place that I want to see happen. It's what I need to be motivated by daily in the tasks of my job.

I'm talking about being engaged in creativity...one of the best ways to understand and embody part of God's character. I want to be more involved in the arts...I want to sing more, dance more, learn to paint, learn how to create and imagine more...

I'm talking about being engaged in the body of Christ...to truly accept my brothers and sisters as they are and to find community there and be accepted myself. I want to be more involved by serving, leading, encouraging, helping, offering all that I can.

I'm talking about being engaged with Christ...to be the Breath of God, to have the Holy Spirit alive and active in me--confronting my sins and showing me the right way, to read and understand the Word that is living and active and then to act on it. I want to be engaged in prayer and constant communication with the Lord who already knows my thoughts anyway, so why can't I seem to offer up more time in my busy and un-busy days to give to Him?

This is how I want to be engaged. No rings necessary.

the Shanes, Bethany, and Aaron

So last night, we had Shane & Shane, Bethany Dillon, and Aaron Shust here @ LCC. FINALLY, is all I have to say! I've been wanting to bring Shane & Shane here for about 4 years now, and Bethany for quite awhile, so it was an awesome night of worship.

It's hard to promote it as a concert, in my mind, when I know that a night with those guys is nothing but a night of worship. It was refreshing.

On the other side of it, it was fun getting ready for it even though they had some rough spots getting here w/ some trailer issues in Iowa and then after the concert some other crazy things happening! They're all awesome people and SOOOO friendly.

If you haven't signed up yet for the Global Night Commute, or if you have no idea what I'm talking about, go to Invisible Children's website and check that out. It's this Saturday, April 29th in cities all over the country. It's your chance to show up to a silent protest against the war in Uganda that little kids are being forced to fight every day.

ALSO, the guys who made the film for Invisible Children and started this whole shindig are ON OPRAH TOMORROW, Wednesday the 26th. Watch it!!!

Today my niece is THREE YEARS OLD!!!! HOLY COW!!

it's good to be home

It's nice to come home for a few days. And in 'home' I mean to my parents' house. I still feel like I have two homes. I probably always will.

Good ol' Streator...not much to do here, but no different than Lincoln I suppose. At least Lincoln isn't known on Jay Leno for some crazy guy leaving his garage door up and thinking it was stolen... (if you haven't heard about this or seen this clip, let me know. i'll fwd it your way.)

Today I accomplished much...slept till 10:30, vacuumed out my car, helped dad mow the grass, washed my car (5 min. prior to the rain. I've concluded that washing your car is like doing a rain dance.), showered, went to visit Grandma in the hospital, went out to eat w/ other Grandpa at the American Legion, and came home to watch movies w/ the 'rents. Oh, and I had a lovely time sitting outside reading before we watched movies.

Have I told you how much I love this weather?

And let me tell you about the newest addition to my parents' house. It's a Gazelle. The animal, you ask? No. Heck no. It's Tony Little's latest exercise gizmo that my mom bought and it now adorns our living room. It's quite hilarious. I gazelled today for awhile, and mom put in the DVD of Tony Little's instructions which are quite hilarious. Money-making or not, that DVD is probably the silliest thing a person has ever created.

Well enough storytelling for now. I'm up way late tonight and for some reason felt the need to blog about my day in Streatorland. Hope it gave you something to do for 30 seconds of your day.

Happy Easter!

spring tunes and intersection

I want to put together a spring soundtrack. Or just a bunch of music that I love right now.

Here's what's in my ears:

Nathan Angelo
The Gabe Dixon Band
Wertz (as always)
United Live worship
Watermark

I want to tell you how much I love the first two there...they're new faves. I found their music and fell in love with it. Check out their myspace sites and get a little taste of the flava... (FLAVA-FLAVE! )

On a diff. note, today was Intersection '06 in Bloomington/Normal where all the campus ministries and people of all different denominations, backgrounds, personalities, etc. gathered to serve in one of 4 tracks (Vivacity, Simplicity, Scarcity, or Longevity) around B/N. I did the Longevity track which meant I hung out w/ some old war veterans in the nursing home. I had the coolest old man--he was so nice. It was such a blessing to get out and do something beyond myself for once. It makes me realize how selfish I am and how my days pretty much go by without actually realizing that there's a world around me in need. I usually need something to smack me in the face to help me see it.

I hung out w/ a girl named Courtney who goes to Fuel, and she's legally blind. I'm so impressed with the way she lives on her own and how she gets around so well. God used her in awesome ways today--she was able to hang out with a veteran who was actually going blind himself, so God was clearly orchestrating that one to put them together today.

Anyways, putting those two things together I found that sometimes I'm just as blind even though I can physically see. I'm sure she sees a lot of things that I don't in people or in this world, and I'm probably missing out. I need to start opening up my eyes to more.

And on yet another different note, check out The Mocha Club--something similar to what Invisible Children is doing, but a way to make a very small sacrifice of two mochas a month (=$7) to raise money to help people in Africa. I know most of those kinds of things ask for like $35/month, so this was something I know a lot of us can handle. Check it out.

best day ever

Here's why.

1) gorgeous weather. actually REALLY warm. and it's ok with me if it rains later cuz it's still warm.

2) we took a break at work today to go outside and play whiffleball!

3) i've actually had stuff to do and i've accomplished a lot today.

4) our boss took us to DQ and paid for it all.

5) i'm seeing matt wertz tonight. (AND Aubs and Alli)

6) i'm wearing flip-flops.

7) work is fun. i love this place!

8) BECKA got a blog!!!!!!! :-)

9) it's friday.

things i love (at random)

-cleaning out the dryer filter

-wearing summer clothes (this includes flip-flops)

-chicken salad @ Vintage Fare in Lincoln

-lately, Watermark, Norah Jones, and Stevie Wonder

-concerts

-bright colors

-fresh flowers (mostly daisies, as they are "the friendliest flower" in meg ryan's words)

-this desk calendar w/ 4 different tear-off notes from Pottery Barn that I am soon to buy

-air popped popcorn with melted real butter and parmesan cheese

-cramps. just kidding.

-my friend becka's abbrev's for words

-the feeling of all the LCC kiddos leaving on Week of E and the feeling they have when they come back

-singing along with a friend and a guitar (of course only those who can actually play and sing)

-making completely random lists on my blog

-playing different kinds of "Hit the Ball" (as the girls will all remember from our many times outside of the D-wing back in the day, and as I just played in my living room yesterday w/ Shannon, Barb, Haley, and Emily...although we didn't sign our ball.)

-projects. as of now, i have none. i need one.

-balancing my checkbook (i know. weird.)

-the shoes i'm wearing today

-mixing colors that wouldn't normally match

-vanilla soft serve from DQ with fresh berries.

-crossing things off of a list.

-polka dots and stripes

-being tan

-Oswald Chambers. I love reading my little daily devotions in My Utmost...

-the new Clorox Anywhere spray. I went on a rampage and cleaned every inch of our refrigerator yesterday. You can literally use it almost anywhere! Near babies, near food, etc.

it's true...

...it's April Fool's Day and I totally forgot! I need to do something...

...I haven't showered today.

...I can't get enough of the color green.

...I'm dying for summer to get here, for cookouts, concerts, flip-flops, and all that it brings.

...I'm burning CDs for my momma and my aunt that I promised to burn over a month ago.

...All my NCAA teams are out, so I don't care too much about the Final Four anymore.

...in case you're wondering, Kate won our office pool. Yay for her!!! :-)

...Matthew McConaughey may just be the hottest man alive. Thinking of seeing Failure to Launch again.

...speaking of that movie, I like Sarah Jessica Parker and her fragrance Lovely. Sprayed it on in Bergner's last night.

...Can't seem to find springy shoes that I like that are cheap enough and that fit both of my feet. I think my right foot may be smaller than the left. new discovery.

...The Next Food Network Star may be my new favorite reality show. (well, 2nd only to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition which is already named the best show ever.)

...I need to read a good book. I have no motivation. Or I just can't seem to get into the right one. It's like men. I just can't find the right one and when I think there could be a good one, I lose interest. Can I make that comparison? I don't know...

...My closets need some serious cleaning that I'll probably tend to today.