525,600 minutes

As David mentioned on the car ride home today after realizing that our beloved Woodland Costco has been open for nearly a year, "the days are just flying by". I once thought that you had to be at least 40 to start making cheesy comments about the rapid passage of time. But ever since graduating college, I've found myself reflecting much more frequently about how another week, another month, another year has sped by.

At first glance, it is hard for me to define the year of 2008 in one short sentence, like 2005 (the year we got married) or 2006 (the year we bought our house). It seems like there was no large defining event for 2008 in the life of the Sholers. But digging a little deeper, there are several milestones for 2008 that come to mind.

This was the year that David and I both realized what career dreams we'd like to pursue (finance for David and career counseling for me). And then we researched how we could possibly make these dreams a reality (grad school). And now we're in the process of applying and hopefully both starting school in the fall. After a few years of uncertainty, it's a liberating feeling to have a sense of what I'd like to do with my life...even though I know it might mean 4 long years of going to school and working full time. How different things could be for us this time next year!

This was the year that Threshold, the post-college ministry at our church that I help coordinate, really grew in numbers and became a thriving community. After almost two years of wondering if there would ever be a steady base of people, me and others on the planning team were getting weary. However, God gave us the spirit of perseverance and I am so overjoyed to now see new people every week join the group and find a community of other people with whom they can celebrate, laugh, pray, and discuss life's hard questions.

This year was the year that I was reminded of the importance of having a sense of wonder of the world around you. This reminder came through our two trips: DisneyWorld and Costa Rica. Both of these experiences had their awe-inspiring moments---watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks at 17 stories high, standing on a beach with monkeys howling in the trees around you, or seeing scarlet macaws in flight-- and these moments make me remember that our Creator has such a vivid imagination and created us to LIVE and soak in as much of His creation as we can, no matter where we are.

And finally, this year was a year that I had a small stirring of desiring to have kids. It's not that having kids was never in the picture and now it suddenly is, but I've come to a place of thinking that if it were to happen sooner than we plan (we'd prefer to wait until we're both done with school), I would be content with that. I've never really been a maternal person and since being married, there have been actual feelings of dread at the thought of having a baby, terrified at how it would change our marriage and how I could handle a little being that screams, poops, and depends on me for everything. But now, after three of my sorority sisters either gave birth or became pregnant this year, I see their joy and get excited at the idea of extending the Sholer clan. However, unless God has other plans, this likely won't be for another several years so don't expect birth announcements anytime soon!

So it's obvious that 2008 is not a year that can be summed up easily, but it definitely was a memorable year full of new places, people, and experiences. Here's to 2009!

Merry Christmas 08

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

In the last week I've been determined to get a decent blog post on here updating about different life events---mainly, our trip to Costa Rica---and I've succeeded in failing to do so. Although Fridays are usually a somewhat slow day at work, tomorrow I have the honor of going to an ALL DAY faculty retreat as the advising office representative. However, the word "retreat" in this instance is deceptive---I'm not going to some luxurious spa to get away from it all; instead, I will be in a conference room with 15 faculty members and some head honchos from the dean's office trying to figure out how to solve the Design program enrollment crisis (i.e. the number of students in our major has gone from 320 to 600 in the last 4 years and yet the amount of faculty and sections we offer remain close to the same).

So my quest to write the perfect blog summing up our experience in Central America will have to be postponed. However, here is a quick update of random things that are catching my interest at the moment:

Harry's new Christmas CD:




Ingrid's new song that she played when I saw her in concert last month:




I started this book on our trip and am almost finished with it. Amazingly true story of one person's determination to solve public health problems in developing nations.


Finding that perfect holiday baking recipe

venturing to ferngully

On Sunday, we leave for Costa Rica. I feel a little ridiculous that we are going on another vacation only 2 months after getting back from DisneyWorld. The way I justified it several months ago was this: since our plans for possibly doing a big 3 week Europe trip this summer were foiled due to the horrible exchange rate between the euro and the dollar, why not take two 10 day trips instead and seize the day?

So we booked DisneyWorld and we booked our tour to Costa Rica within the same week. And now I feel kind of silly because I know that so many people rarely have the opportunity to go on a vacation once every five years, and yet we're doing two vacations in one year. But I realized that instead of feeling guilty, I need to embrace this current blessing we've been given of having the financial ability and the time off work to be able to do something like this. However, the key is to never take this blessing as a given, as something I'm entitled to have. I don't believe in the Joel Osteen version of the gospel---where if we grow in favor with God, God will then prosper us financially. There are a lot of good people that are poor. And a lot of evil people that are rich. Rather, my view is that God gives and God takes away (and this doesn't depend on how 'good' you are) and I pray I can recognize the blessing in each situation----through financial security and financial hardship.

Anyway, that was a long-winded introduction to this post, but I needed to get it off my chest. So yes, in two days David and I will be headed to one of the most beautiful places on Earth (so I've heard)! Ever since watching "Ferngully" as a child, I've always been intrigued by the rainforest and now I'm actually going to one! Pictures will follow upon our return, but until then....have a wonderful Thanksgiving, complete with lots of turkey and sweet potato casserole, and I'll catch ya'll on the flip side!



We'll be seeing lots of these guys:

election night thoughts

Almost two years ago, when his candidacy was first announced, the thought of a Barack Obama presidency seemed unreal to me. Going into the voting booth this morning and bubbling in Obama's name on my ballot felt unreal to me. And now, after the election is over and Obama has been declared the next president, it still seems unreal to me. I can't believe it's all over (finally!) and that what seemed like a distant dream is now going to become a reality.

However, despite my sentiments above, I am not an Obama fanatic. I know he won't solve all the country's problems and that he will make mistakes that will let me down. Like my fellow blogger Dan said:


"He is after all, merely a man, though extremely gifted and talented, and the challenges facing this land are of such a great magnitude. He's bound to disappoint and perhaps sooner rather than later. If you are looking for the Messiah, I believe he's already been here and is still at work but he's not running for President."

What inspired me most about today was not that my candidate won, but rather that the citizens of America were so interested in this election (no matter what side they were on). People were EXCITED again to participate in the process of democracy! Maybe this interest will last and people will become more involved in the political process of finding solutions to the problems that affect us all in some way: education, health care, and energy. That's my hope anyway. And I'm pretty sure it's hope that has got us to this result on election day, so it can't be such a bad strategy....

Here's to a new page turning in America's history.

A quarter century of living

My birthday always makes me very reflective. So last night around midnight, I had the sudden urge to look through some old journals. I enjoyed reading entries that show the person I used to be and how that person has shaped me into who I am presently. Reading through different things I wrote, I had varied emotions. In some ways, I'm so glad I've matured in certain aspects of life and find myself wiser in these areas than I was during college. However, I also realized that in the day to day grind of working life, I have lost some of the idealistic passions I used to have several years ago, when life seemed less complicated as a college student.

Going forward into my second quarter century, I have hope that I will come closer to finding the balance between the reality of life and achieving my dreams. Five years ago, my lack of life experience led me to compartmentalize my dreams into different areas. For example, I had my dream job (working in the music industry or as an event planner) and my dream relationship (marrying David). I soon came to realize during my senior year of college that pursuing my dream job wouldn't mesh with pursuing my dream of marrying David (for various logistical reasons) and this is where I began to discover a more holistic approach in how to be fulfilled in life instead of thinking the key to fulfillment was simply pursuing all my dreams in all the different areas of my life. But this was just the beginning of a long discovery process.

Then last fall, I read The Irresistible Revolution and another piece of my life puzzle fell into place. I had the great ephiphany that I was created simply to love. To love God and to love people. It was at this point I realized that it didn't matter what career goals I pursued, since I could love God and love people in whatever job I had. This was a liberating discovery that freed me from my pride and allowed me to fully embrace the position God gave me working on the UCD campus.

A month later, I was given the opportunity to work as a student adviser, a position that is in high demand on campus. Now I look back and see that God had been priming me for the last several years to get to this point in learning how to be content and not worry about status or what job title I had before presenting me with the student adviser position. I love God's irony sometimes.

I am so thankful for my current job in student advising and am even looking into two possible grad programs that would help me to pursue this career path even further. However, I know now that it doesn't matter whether or not I have a grad degree. If going to grad school doesn't work out, that just means there's another road God wants me to take. He's led me this far, so I figure I'll keep on driving, with my stereo on full blast, and see where my life road signs take me. Wherever I end up though, I'll still have what I need for any life journey: Jesus, my husband, my family, and my friends. And hopefully those four things will always my top priority in life, no matter what birthday I'm celebrating.

Just enjoy the show

I dare you to not smile while watching this:

an obvious epiphany

I've been pondering a lot of things lately. Last week I was feeling very melancholy, like there was a grey cloud over my head just floating around. Work was unexpectedly stressful. And, actually, life in general was a little overwhelming. Then there was all the coverage of the financial crisis, which got me to worrying about my parents and their financial security. Then on top of that, I started thinking about all the people I knew experiencing some kind of pain---physical, mental, or emotional. Basically, last week was one large ice cream sundae of worry and fear and stress.

But luckily, this sundae melted. I had a realization last Friday and it was quite simple really. Embarrassingly simple. I realized that DUH, God never promises us that life will be easy. However, I have grown so accustomed to life being easy that when life becomes a little tumultuous I freak out. But there is the choice we all have, to dwell in the fear or to move forward knowing that our hope in God will guide us through the fear. The only promising option is to choose the latter, and so now this week I have a renewed sense of optimism. Not because everything suddenly got better---uncertainty and stress and all that fun stuff is still there. But as Corrie ten Boom said, once you "trust an unknown future to a known God", everything seems much easier to handle.

Today's moment of zen

Ingrid and Sara....my two favorite female singers...on one stage. I'll be seeing them on separate stages this October and November, but maybe one day I'll be fortunate enough to see them both together. Or better yet, can they please come out with a duets album?

it's the truth, it's actual, everything is satisfactual

Disneyworld Vacay 2008

I've been a Disney fanatic every since I went to see "The Little Mermaid" in theaters as a wide-eyed six year old in awe at Ariel and Prince Eric. From that point on, pretty much anything Disney had my seal of approval (ok, there are a few exceptions but I won't go into that now). Well spending the past 8 days at Disney World has only increased my admiration for the pure and simple vision that Walt Disney possessed: to make people smile. I witnessed so many great moments during our trip: from little kids coming out of Star Tours for the first time exclaiming "Mom, we just went to SPACE!" to seeing so many newlywed couples proudly wearing their Mickey and Minnie "bride and groom" ears, to getting a picture with my childhood heroine Belle, to watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks with my husband on our 3rd anniversary. All of these moments and more equaled a trip full of many many smiles and Disney magic.

FAVORITE RIDE: It's a tie: Expedition Everest @ Animal Kingdom and Rock N'Roller Coaster @ Hollywood Studios

FAVORITE LIVE SHOW: Finding Nemo: The Musical at Epcot

FAVORITE UNEXPECTED EXPERIENCE: David and I volunteering to participate in the Backlot Studio Tour as "movie extras" in a fake movie scene they were filming where we had to wear waterproof suits and boots and pretend we had torpedoes being fired at us

FAVORITE "INTERACTIVE" RIDE: Toy Story Mania @ Hollywood Studios

FAVORITE LUNCH SPOT: Wolfgang Puck Express @ Downtown Disney

FAVORITE MEAL OVERALL: Our anniversary dinner at the California Grill at Disney's Contemporary Resort--best dining experience of my life

FAVORITE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE: "One Man's Dream" exhibit at Hollywood Studios showing Walt Disney's life

FAVORITE NOSTALGIC RIDE: Space Mountain or Splash Mountain

be our guest

Time for vacation!! This time the destination is Walt Disney World and I am so so excited! We had hoped to maybe do a Europe trip this fall but that idea totally crumbled after we kept seeing the dollar doing worse and worse against the euro and airfare continuing to go up and up. Oh well, Europe will always be there. And hey, the Epcot park has a world showcase with lots of different countries, so that can maybe make us feel like we went somewhere international.

I'm looking forward to eating myself silly at all the amazing restaurants, going on all my favorite rides, spending our 3rd anniversary watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks, and just taking some time to hang out at our resort to read and relax. Some people have given us confused looks when we tell them we're spending our vacation at DisneyWorld (especially when they find out we aren't taking little children with us). But I don't care, I'll forever be young at heart!


Where we'll hopefully get some rest and relaxation:

Well said

First of all, I read something funny on a blog yesterday:

Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor.

Secondly, Obama responded at a news conference to the 'community organizer' ridicule:


Look — I would argue that doing work in the community to try to create jobs, to bring people together, to rejuvenate communities that have fallen on hard times, to set up job training programs in areas that had been hard-hit when the steel plants close, that is relevant only in understanding where I’m coming from. Who I believe in. Who I am fighting for, and why I’m in this race.

The question I have for them is — why would that kind of work be ridiculous? Who are they fighting for? What are they advocating for? Do they think that the lives of those folks who are struggling each and every day, that working with them to try to improve their lives is somehow not relevant to the Presidency? I think that as part of problem, may be why they are out of touch and do not get it, because they haven’t spent a lot of time working on behalf of those folks.

Full response here:

Politics as usual

Since fellow blogger Kassey has labeled me as her "music and politics" friend on her blog roll, I thought that I better live up to the latter half of this title, especially since it's been a little while since I've posted on anything political.

I watched most of the Democratic National Convention last week and felt that most of the speeches were "fine"---not oustanding, but not horrible either. The most anticipated (i.e. over-hyped) speech was obviously Obama's and I think his speech was ok, but not as inspiring as some of his other speeches. I laughed when he promised to end our dependence on oil from the Middle East within 10 years: this isn't a realistic promise and it sounds like very idealistic thinking. I also didn't like how he was vague on his proposals of how to fund the government programs that he would like to enact. However, here's a section from his speech that resonated well with me and found a common ground that I think most everyone can agree with on some level:

"...we must also admit that fulfilling America’s promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength." Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can’t replace parents; that government can’t turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need. Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that’s the essence of America’s promise."

Then there's the Republican National Convention. I told myself that I would be fair and watch some of both conventions in order to hear why each side feels they are better equipped for the presidency. And I realize that at any political convention, the opponent is always going to get slammed and criticized. However, watching some of last nights speech's, I found myself becoming angered at comments that were mocking and disrespectful-specifically the comments belittling Obama's previous experience as a community organizer. Rudy Giuliani's speech took the first swing at Obama's community organizer days (go to 5:20 on the video below to get the full effect)). His tone was so condescending that it made me cringe. Then Sarah Palin, who proved that she is a sharp and energetic speaker, took another punch at community organizers by saying:

"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer', except that you have actual responsibilities."

Ouch. Apparently community organizers just sit around and twiddle there thumbs and contribute nothing to society. Also, In both of these speeches, I heard not much regarding what John McCain will actually do for America, just what he has done as far as serving in the military and being a POW. These are honorable things, but let's get to the issues.

But the more I read about what's been happening the last few days, the more I see how this election on both sides might follow the same tactics as the 2004 election: distract people with fanfare instead of provoking people to think about solutions to issues. I hope in the next 60 days this doesn't prove to be true, but only time will tell.


Rudy's speech (go to 5:20 to hear him scoff at the community organizer occupation)

second night

There's only a handful of movies that I've ever seen twice while in the theater. Today, The Dark Knight was added to this short list. I first saw it a month ago with my brother and my parents while David was gone backpacking. I was worried that all the hype had heightened my expectations too much and that on some level I would be a little disappointed. This was not at all the case....it met every expectation and then some. After the credits started to roll, I knew I would be seeing this movie once more before it left the big screen.

This afternoon, I finally took David with me to once again see what I think is definitely the best movie of the summer, if not the year. Seeing this film twice has now confirmed for me what a masterful work of cinema it is. The plot is full of non-stop action AND intelligence --two characteristics that don't usually go together in a movie. The tone of the movie sucked me completely into the dark and mysterious atmosphere of Gotham City. And I know that Heath Ledger's performance has been praised ad nauseam, but I'll do nothing but add to that praise: I strangely look forward to every scene the Joker is in because Ledger has created a character that is mesmerizing to watch.

There's already a lot of talk about whether Christopher Nolan will sign on to direct a third "Batman" movie. However, I could understand if Nolan is somewhat hesitant...because how do you top something as amazing as this?

two completely unrelated items

One thing I like:


Fiber-One bars have changed how I view granola bars. My dear friend Rachel Blaine informed me of the existence of these wonderful food items a month ago, and after hearing her endorsement of these fiber-filled delectables, I rushed to Costco and bought a box. She wasn't lying, they truly are a healthy granola bar that tastes like a candy bar! And they come in a variety of different flavors, which I was pleased to discover while strolling through Target the other day. I seriously look forward to having one at work each day. Scrumptious.

One thing I don't like:

Focus on the Family, a Christian group I'm growing more and more disappointed with, asked their supporters in a YouTube video (which they now have pulled) to pray for rain of "biblical proportions" when Barack Obama gives his acceptance speech outside tonight at Mile High stadium in Denver. What's ironic to me is that today is also the 45th anniversary of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech, a historic call for respect and unity within America. Forty-five years later, it doesn't really seem like some of the Focus on the Family folks understand this message.

of challah bread and a Savior

To avoid getting stuck in a 'reading rut', I made a list of different fiction and nonfiction books I wanted to read this summer, and I finished the first book off that nonfiction list this weekend--"Girl Meets God" by Lauren Winner. Winner chronicles her unique spiritual journey in this memoir that is a very approachable and interesting look into her former life as an Orthodox Jew and her conversion to Christianity. I knew next to nothing about Orthodox Judaism before reading this book, so in addition to having fun reading it, I also learned quite a few things as well. Winner puts a fresh spin on several Christian traditions like Advent (that have become routine to me) because she reflects on the meaning of these events both from her Jewish and Christian perspectives. I would definitely recommend this book, it was thought-provoking without being overly theologically dense and I appreciated Winner's authenticity in sharing her struggles and triumphs in her process of conversion.

Capturing the moment

Another awesome Olympic highlight: claiming the gold over China in women's beach volleyball.

The 29th Olympiad

The Olympics have always been an exciting time for me. I grew up with a family that considered watching the Olympics a must-watch nightly event for the entire duration of the games. I have always been enthralled by all the different back stories of the athletes--each has their own unique journey that bring them to a place where they hope to win a medal and make their country proud.

During these summer Olympics, I think I've hit the point of being obsessed. Obsessed with seeing the results 'live' (ok, well not really thanks to NBC's stupid West Coast time delay), which has meant that the entire last week I've stayed up past midnight every night to see who's going to win the gold in gymnastics or swimming. Needless to say, my boss started to notice on Thursday how tired I looked. But the bags under my eyes have been worth it. I've watched swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball, diving, badminton, track, rowing, and yes, even the trampoline competition (seriously? this is in the Olympics?)

So far, the most exciting moments of these games have come from watching the women's all-around gymnastics final (I was ecstatic that our women took gold AND silver) and of course, watching Michael Phelps write history with his 8 gold medals. My stomach was in knots watching the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay---Jason Lezac came through at the last possible MILLISECOND to beat the French and win it for the Americans. Then there was last night's 100 meter butterfly race. Absolutely heart-stopping. The difference between Phelps' gold and Cavic's silver: one-hundredth of a second. The group we were watching with was all screaming at the TV and then was in disbelief at the photo finish. Some in our group did not think Phelps had done it. But the electronic touch pad doesn't lie...and Phelps won by literally the length of a fingernail. You couldn't ask for better Olympic moments than these. And to think, there's an entire week left...here's to more amazing victories yet to come!

the moon is a magnet

"Lately music has been my compass: it's neither the map, nor the road but a steady constant that can help me make sense of the both. Most of the time, the songs that I write are more honest than I am."
~Jon Foreman

On Tuesday, I went with my bro and his friends (I was the elder of the group...haha) to catch Jon Foreman's show at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco. I hesitated at first about going because the show didn't begin until 9:30, so I knew I'd get home around 2 am. But then my brother hit me where it hurts with a comment about me being old and losing my college vitality...so obviously then I knew I had to go to prove him wrong!

Jon Foreman is the lead singer of Switchfoot, one of my favorite bands, and during the last year he has released 4 solo EPs for each season - Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer. Like Switchfoot songs, his solo stuff is insightful and introspective but the musical sound is way different---on some tracks he definitely has a Sufjan Stevens vibe going. For his live show, he was accompanied by a cello and drums and it was a wonderful, stripped down sound.

Some of his songs sounded even better in person and he threw in a few Switchfoot songs as well ('Only Hope' and 'Dare you to Move'). He is such a gifted songwriter and it's hard not to be convicted by his lyrics. However, his songs never sound preachy because you can tell he wrote them for himself as an outlet to articulate his mixed feelings towards American Christianity and the church and the pain and hurt in life.

Again, another concert I'm so glad I didn't miss....live shows re-energize me in a way not many things can!

Waiting for Jon to play

My brother's beard is frightening

law and order: part 2

After a long lunch break, we met back in the jury room only to be told that both lawyers needed more time to look over the questionnaires. I guess I shouldn't have expected the judicial process to be timely....ha. An hour later, we finally went back down to the courtroom and this is where the fun began.

They called 18 people up at a time, 12 to sit in the jury box and 6 to sit in the alternate row. Both sides then questioned these people about the answers they gave in their questionnaires, which as you can tell from my previous post had great potential to be uncomfortable. After all 18 had been questioned, the D.A. and the defense could say which people they wanted to excuse and then more people were called up to fill the now empty spots.

I should mention that both lawyers were younger woman, no older than 35. I found this interesting....I was expecting the defense lawyer to be a man. I wondered why this woman would defend this sleazy creep and then I realized a core truth of the justice system: I needed to be presuming this guy was INNOCENT until proven guilty, not the other way around. Both the judge and the defense would remind everyone of this multiple times. The prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty of a crime and not just some guy who had anal lube in a Motel 6 (which is gross, but not a crime).

A favorite question of the defense was to ask each person if they would want themselves as a juror if they were sitting in the defendant's seat. A lot of people responded with an honest "no" and were then made to explain why. "I had a family member in a similar situation." "I'm a mother of a 17 year old daughter." "I work for a women's organization that has to report situations like this." "I just couldn't be impartial due to my personal beliefs."

After each reason, the defense lawyer would reemphasize that the law calls us to be impartial and fair and set our personal feelings aside and determine a verdict based on the evidence alone and not our preconceptions. She then would ask each person one last time if, as mandated by the law, they could give her defendant a fair trial? Most feebly replied "Well, I hope I could be fair."

Another highlight of the questioning session was when the D.A. asked one of the potential jurors to further explain what he wrote on his questionnaire about his thoughts toward district attorneys. He then snarled "I think they're all pathetic!" Everyone in the room tried to stifle their laughter. Then the D.A. asked if there were previous experiences that this man had had to justify his feelings. Again, he retorted angrily, "That's none of your business!" Needless to say, he was excused.

Well this is going to be anticlimatic, but I wasn't questioned. After two and a half hours, they finally settled on 12 jurors and 2 alternates and the rest of us were excused. As I walked down the courthouse steps, I pondered over the fact that those people chosen would decide a man's fate. Ordinary people like myself get to play a crucial role in choosing the path of someone's life: imprisonment or freedom. But my time to play that role had not come yet and my day as a potential juror was over.

law and order: part 1

A few weeks ago, I received my first jury summons. At first, I groaned and thought "this is going to be a colossal waste of my time". However, my dear husband reminded me that it is my civic duty and I shouldn't be complaining about serving our justice system. "And besides," he said, "I think you'll find the process really interesting."

Well after yesterday, I have to say that I agree with David. For six hours, I got a glimpse into the jury selection process and had my own little taste of being in the ensemble of a courtroom drama.

(cut to the Law and Order intro):

"In the Criminal Justice System, all defendants are innocent until proven guilty, either by confession, plea bargain, or trial by jury. This is one of those trials."

So I was assigned to report to the Woodland Courthouse at 9 am yesterday. Walking up to the courthouse, I had a subtle case of deja vu of being in Washington DC and walking up the steps of the Supreme Court. I arrived a few minutes late (as normal) and was shuffled into the jury assembly room with about 60 other people. What really struck me was the variety in the room--everyone from grandmothers to businessmen in suits to one random guy who came in pajama pants and a fleece robe----seriously. The assembly room gave me the feeling of an airport waiting area....everyone was either reading magazines/books or listening to their iPODS and was anxious to go somewhere. I brought the new book I'm reading "Girls Meets God", and settled into my chair for a little while. After waiting for an hour, we were taken down to the courtroom. The judge was completely the opposite of how I pictured: instead of an intimidating authority figure, he was a jovial fellow and seemed keen on trying to make all of us laugh with his corny jokes ("does anyone feel like they've won the lottery yet?"). He then explained that we were going to be his guinea pigs for the day and try a new process. The D.A. and defense would give a short synopsis of the case and then we would be given a long questionnaire relating to the case's subject matter. After both the prosecution and defense looked over our questionnaires, we would be further questioned to decide who the jury would be.

Then we are told this is a criminal case. My heart beat a little faster after hearing this...a criminal case? What if we have to be sequestered like in the OJ trial? Well, this case wasn't quite the scope of the OJ case. In a nutshell: the defendant had text-messaged a 17 year old girl saying "Want to make an easy $200? Be with me for a night." The girl showed her parents the text, the parents contacted the police, and the police then decided to text him back pretending to be the girl and asked him to meet at a Motel 6. No surprise, the police find him at the Motel 6, all ready to go (we were told he had anal lube in his toiletry bag.....um disgusting), and they arrest him for solicitation of a minor for sex.

The awkward part was that the defendant was in the room when this was being described and it was hard not to look at him and think he wasn't guilty. He had these beady black eyes that were definitely creepy. We then were taken back to the jury room and given these mammoth questionnaires that had questions like this:

Which of the following do you find morally offensive? Explain.

1) Pornography 2) Nudism
3) Premarital sex 4) Masturbation
5) Exhibitionism 6) Homosexuality

Do you believe that two 17-year olds can have consensual sex? Explain.

What is the first word that comes to mind when you hear "district attorney"?

Let's just say it was a load of fun explaining why I found things like pornography morally offensive or how I feel about statutory rape. We were then adjourned until the afternoon and I took this time to explore the Woodland Library (their DVD selection is amazing!) and walk around downtown (not very exciting).

Since this post is getting a little too long, and my stomach is growling, I'll write more later. We'll be back after these commercials!

You can't stop the beat

I'm in an extremely chipper mood. Want to know why? Because I'm listening to my favorite Broadway showtunes! My showtune craze began today after watching "Dr Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog", a made for the internet musical created during the writers strike. Due to this, I have formed a new crush on Neil Patrick Harris. Starting at around 3:41, you will see why.




Well after watching this, I had to feed my hunger for people suddenly bursting into song by putting together a playlist on Imeem of my favorite songs from recent gmusicals. Legally Blonde, Avenue Q, and Wicked just to name a few. I know people say laughter is the best medicine but sometimes for me, a good Broadway melody will do just as well.

Cause I'm free...

There's not many things better to me than seeing a live show. Especially if John Mayer's playing. Last night was my 5th (or maybe even 6th?) show seeing John and each time there's always a different undertone to his show from everything to the set list to what kinds of solos he plays. This show I would label as "contemplative". Sure, he still had some playful banter with the crowd but there were several moments where he showed a more vulnerable side (well, as vulnerable as you can be with thousands of people). He played "Wheel", an introspective and melancholy song from his album Heavier Things, and in the middle he said that he normally doesn't do dedications...but that he would like to dedicate the meaning of the song to Randy Pausch, who passed away last week at 47 years old. [tangent begin] In case you haven't heard of him, Randy Pausch is the man who captivated many with his 'last lecture' that he gave while a professor at Carnegie Mellon and this lecture later became a world-wide phenomenom spread all over the Internet. The 'last lecture' about how to make the most of life was inspired by the fact that Pausch was terminally ill with cancer and he wanted to depart some of life's little wisdoms to his three young children before he died. [tangent end] Anyway, John said that Pausch's words were "stuck in his head and heart forever" and that he hoped when he got to be 47, he knew half as much about the world around him as Pausch did. It was definitely a 'softer side of John' moment.
Other unique parts of the show included a good amount of covers: Cream's quintessential blues rocker "Crossroads", snippets of The Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House", "Today" by Smashing Pumpkins, Duffy's "Mercy", and most notably, "Free Fallin" by Tom Petty. It's awesome how John puts his own spin on the song and yet is still able to stay true to the original version simultaneously. The night ended with one of my favorite JM songs, "Gravity" and I left on a concert high.
Here's to many more John Mayer shows to come!

We were noticing how John looks like a tanned chump in this poster

My fellow John Mayer fanatic, Aubrey

Had so much fun with these girls!

Balancing act

Over the last year, I've become more and more convicted by my materialism and continue to be amazed at just what a strong grip American consumerism has on me even though I try and fight it. So I have tried to make a conscious effort to discern whether I really need something before I buy it. But let's be honest, all I really physically NEED in this world is some food, a place to sleep, and a few items of clothing. So then the question really becomes "what degree of frivolity is this purchase?" Also, as many of you know, I will usually not buy anything on impulse. Most anything I buy must be carefully researched to make sure I'm getting the best price, etc. Well both my fight against materialism and lack of impulsiveness were challenged today as I was notified (by my fellow deal-watcher Dan Brown), that 30 G refurbished iPods were being offered on Woot.com for $130 for one day only. Now Dan knows (after we visited him and Krystle a few weekends ago) that I have a 6-gig iPod mini that I've definitely outgrown. My iPod still works fine but the poor lil' guy simply cannot hold any more music. Which, for a music fanatic like myself, is not an ideal situation. I hate having to pick and choose what albums I can put on it because it's so hard to know just when I'll feel like listening to that old Jars of Clay album or rocking out to that compilation of Queen songs I made years ago.

So when Dan brought this deal to my attention, it peaked my interest. I had told myself a few weeks ago that before the end of the year, I would purchase a new iPod, but I hadn't really done any research yet. And now I was presented with a 24 hour window in which to purchase this iPod for only $130. The 30-gig iPod can hold up to 8000 songs, but would this be enough or should I just wait and buy the newer 80-gig iPod classic for a hundred dollars more? But then again, a hundred dollars is hundred dollars and Dan promised me that both players were the same as far as durability goes.

After being a slacker at work and looking in multiple Apple forums and reading cNET reviews, I reluctantly pressed the "buy" button and purchased the 30-gig iPod. This reluctance is a natural reflex that happens when I spend more than $50 on something...I always second and triple guess my decision. But now that it's been a few hours, I am happy and looking forward to expanding my musical horizons beyond the 1500 songs I've been able to have on my current iPod. I still struggle with the question of whether I've just fallen into another trap of 'acquiring more stuff', but the decision to go with the older refurbished model instead of buying the flashier new version (because really, will I ever have 80 gigs of music?) makes me feel like I was able to loosen consumerism's grip just a little. And even though I don't physically need to have an mp3 player with all my music on it, I would say it really is an emotional need....music is one of my lifelines!

Down to earth

FINALLY saw "Wall-E" and it was quite a unique cinematic experience. It's hard to compare it to other Pixar faves like "Finding Nemo" or "Ratatouille" because it's just so.....different. How can a robot that only says one word the entire movie be such an endearing character? That's the magic of Pixar, they take anything and make it brilliant. I laughed, I teared up, I was in awe at the utter beauty of some particular scenes, and at the end of it all, as Peter Gabriel sings over the final credits (a great song to end the movie with) I was filled with a sense of hope, a hope inspired by such an overwhelming demonstration of human creativity. When a movie can cause THAT to happen, it's got to be something special.

brain food

Every morning, one of my former campus supervisors sends out a quote of the day and today's was:

If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears.
-Glenn Clark

Since I'm definitely in a traveling mood (56 days to Disneyworld and 123 days to Costa Rica!) this was a good metaphor for me to think about.

In other random news,I finished my first book of the summer last week, Three Junes. This was a great read largely because the story took place in several locations - Ireland, Greenwich Village, and Greece -- and so I felt like I was able to travel with the characters to these places. The main characters in this novel were richly developed and by the end, I felt like I had gotten a good insight into their lives, even if they were fictional. I would definitely recommend it.

I am currently doing a quick read of Roald Dahl's "The BFG" because it is one of my favorite children's books. I was reading on the bus yesterday and there was a family a few seats next to me. One of the little girls whispered (not so softly) to her mom: "Why is that woman reading a kid's book?" Her mom replied: "Because a good story isn't meant for just kids!" Amen.

Next, I will finally be reading a book my dear friend Kate has recommended to me for YEARS: Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. I'm gladly taking any other recommendations as well!

Things that go boom

Last weekend we took a little vacay to Southern California for the 4th of July holiday and it was a combo of friends, family, and fireworks. Here's the re-cap of our weekend o'fun.

To fuel up for the drive down Interstate 5, we stopped at Nugget to get gloriously delicious sandwiches that only Nugget can make. I am salivating just thinking about it. My signature sandwich is not the healthiest, because it consists mainly of lots of meat and cheese, but oh how I love it. I get focaccia bread with a basil ailoli spread, brushed with a little olive oil, piled with prosciutto, genoa salami, smoked gouda and fontina cheese. Since the sandwich is so freakin huge, I ate half for lunch and had the other half for dinner...scrumptious!

First stop was staying at my Aunt Becky and Uncle Chuck's place in Huntington Beach. David had been driving 8 hours, and I had been sitting restlessly in the car for 8 hours, so we were both quite tired upon arriving around 10:30 pm. However, somehow we got into a lengthy discussion with my Aunt about the state's decision to legalize same-sex marriage (she is against, we are for) and this caused us to stay up until a little after midnight. But I'm glad we chose to have this conversation instead of pushing it under the rug to avoid being uncomfortable. I'm hoping she can think about some of the points we brought up, mainly how the real issue isn't about how the state defines marriage but rather how we as Christians treat the homosexual community---with judgment or with love?

The next morning Becky takes us to Cappy's Dinner off of PCH in Newport Beach for brunch and then since she's a hair stylist, she takes us to a special store that sells expensive hair products at their wholesale price...and you have to be a licensed stylist in order to get in. I ended up buying Paul Mitchell's tea tree lavender mint shampoo...it smells awesome and I think will help repair my hair from all the flat-ironing I do! Becky even convinced David to buy a new jar of hair gel...after opening up several bottles and enthusiastically trying them all on his hair! Needless to say, David was just a tad annoyed at all the hair product put in his hair and was eager to take a shower afterwards.

We left Huntington and met up with one of my favorite couples: the Rickmans! I know that whenever we spend time with them, there will be lots of laughs. Our first night with them, we went to their favorite Thai place for dinner and had the amazing coconut milk and sticky rice dessert....mmmmm. We chose to rent "Vantage Point" and I have to say I was disappointed---definitely a '24' wannabe but didn't quite hit the mark. The next day, we joined Mark in his 4th of July ritual of watching the annual ESPN Hot Dog Eating contest. It is absurd how serious this competition is, it truly is given the same treatment on ESPN as any other major sports event! The first round resulted in a tie, so there was a 5 dog "eat off"---first one to swallow 5 hot dogs AND buns was proclaimed the champion. Just watching this whole thing made me want to vomit, but it was strangely entertaining as well.

We then went to Golden Spoon for a mid-day frozen yogurt run and decided to mull around Whole Foods. As you can tell, our outings all revolve around food. We ended up buying some awesome blue cheese (a Spanish variety) and a Tillamook sharp white cheddar...along with a fresh baguette and some wine to have before we went to go see an Anaheim Angels game later that evening. Since Mark works for Wells Fargo and Wells Fargo is a sponsor of the Angels, he was able to use his corporate connections to get us good seats for the game AND for the fireworks show afterwards! So we went to the stadium and had a very yuppie-ish tailgate session with our wine and cheese, and then went up to the Knothole, an exclusive club-level restaurant for special Angels guests only (which thanks to Mark, included us!). I'm not a huge fan of baseball, but it was good to catch up with Ashley and discuss our future life plans (or what, at this point, we think are our future plans). During the 8th inning, we went down to join the rest of the Wells Fargoians in order to get our special wristbands needed to be on the field for the fireworks show. That's right, we got to watch the fireworks on the field beside the players and their families...pretty awesome. We came back to their place

The next morning we met up again with my Aunt Becky and Uncle Chuck for breakfast before heading down to Sandy Eggo to see the Browns! Krystle and Dan just bought a condo in SD and I looked forward to seeing the Brown Bungalow. We were greeted by their new kitten, Pixel, and were given the official tour (I loved how Krystle had made a proud display of her Starbucks city mugs in their kitchen). Then we had Dan take us to his office at DivX, a tech company that he works for in La Jolla. Normally, taking someone to your office would be boring but Dan's work setup is awesome and designed with a younger workforce in mind---it's all one huge office space with lots of work stations and lounge spaces with flat screen TVs and Playstations. I laughed when I saw open bottles of alcohol on people's desks.....a little different than the university environment I work in. We came back to their place and changed to go to Chelsea's wedding ceremony. Chelsea is one of the girls who was on the 2004 Italy mission trip with me and through that experience, became a dear friend. I was happy we were going to be in SD the same day as her wedding, and I was also happy to be able to see Nicole (the other girl who was on our team) and catch up with her briefly. We didn't stay for the reception because we didn't want to neglect our already short time with the Browns but I was SO happy I could see her in her wedding dress, beaming with joy as she came down the aisle.
That night, we went to Cafe Coyote in Old Town and enjoyed the margaritas and carnitas....Mexican food always hits the spot. Then we took a little drive around Coronado Island and ended the night by playing some MarioKart on the Wii....I failed miserably. The next day our vacation came to an end and we made the long 10 hour trek back up to NorCal. However, NPR saved the day...we listened to several of their podcasts and were able to not go insane on the long drive (my podcast recommendations: "This American Life" and "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me!").

Overall, a very enjoyable and jam-packed 4 day weekend...if only the drive to see our SoCal friends wasn't so long, otherwise, we would do it more often!

i write you visions of my summer

Since this week marks the start of summer on the UCD campus, I was reflecting yesterday about what the season of summer for me used to be like 10-15 years ago. This would be my typical routine:

My brother and I would wake up about the same time (around 9:30) and would roll out of bed to go have a nutritious breakfast of Captain Crunch or some other cereal with a million grams of sugar.

Then we would rush to turn the TV on to catch "Price is Right", where we would watch Bob Barker in all his fake-tanned glory. During these summers, I became quite knowledgeable of what the cost of random household items were due to such games like:

The Grocery Game

Pass the Buck

After Price is Right, my brother and I would play hours of the latest video game on our high-tech gaming system (either Super NES of Nintendo 64). My favorites included:

Then we'd maybe swim in our backyard pool or play a game of rollerblade hockey with other neighborhood kids until dinner.

It's comical to think back about what my summers used to be compared to working 8 hour days during my summers now. However, I wouldn't necessarily say that one is better than the other. Sounds crazy, right? Well I think of it this way: working during the summer allows us to afford to be able to take a cool vacation somewhere versus spending all day watching TV and playing video games. So anyway, cheers to the summer of old and here's to the summers of new!

A change is gonna come

This weekend, Obama became the Democratic nominee (well, technically that won't happen until the convention in August, but let's not be too nit pickey here ok?). This is amazing. He beat the Clinton machine and all of it's ruthless, polarizing tactics. When he first announced his candidacy back in February 2007, I was hopeful, but I felt that I was also being naive to think he could honestly beat a Clinton. It seemed like all their power in the political arena would just CRUSH him and he wouldn't stand a chance. But people got excited at the prospect of someone who wasn't already jaded or corrupted by the political arena. And people showed this excitement by actually participating in the political process of VOTING. Imagine that!
Now I know Obama has his flaws, I've said this before. He's not a messiah, he won't solve all of our problems. But I do believe that Obama can evoke change---a change in the pessimistic attitude towards our country that has permeated the thoughts of many US citizens for the last few years. I think that despite what he does policy-wise, this may be one of the most important changes---from pessimism to hope. Have we all heard that word, "hope", a million times throughout all of his speeches over the last 16 months? Yes. Will it ever get old? To me, I think not.

a moment of levity

What a random party I went to tonight. I sampled 6 different wines, 4 different cheeses, talked to a woman from Uganda studying International Ag Development, congratulated a couple who got engaged 30 minutes before the party began, met people who were in the Peace Corps in Samoa with a friend I knew from high school, and danced giddily to N'Sync and Michael Jackson songs.
With everything going on in the world right now, it was nice to just have an evening of carefree fun.

biting off more than i can chew

There's a lot of things to process lately. The following headlines come to mind:

"Rain deepens Myanmar misery; death toll spikes" (Washington Post)

What is so utterly frustrating about this situation is that the the junta (military regime of Myanmar) are only allowing a FRACTION of the necessary aid items like food and water to go through to the cyclone victims and have placed restrictions on the movement of most international aid workers. To me it seems helpless. The death toll is already at 78,000 and thousands more will DIE if the junta don't open their eyes, swallow their pride, and allow aid to flow freely through the country. I mean, from the picture below, how could anyone think that not allowing to let aid come into the country would honestly be a good thing. Ridiculous.

China earthquake tops 50,000 (The Guardian)

Then there's the earthquake in China. So many tens of thousands dead and the government is now predicting that it will take 3 years to rebuild all the affected villages and towns from scratch. They are also saying the biggest problem now is the issue of not having enough clean water and how this could lead to a major health epidemic. Looking at pictures of the destruction there leaves me feeling overwhelmed. But I have to believe that each individual can help in the midst of tragedy is this large. Otherwise, it would be easy to be swallowed with despair.

Gay couples 'ecstatic' over ruling (USA Today)

And of course, there is the whole metaphorical whirlwind surrounding the CA Supreme Court's decision to make same-sex marriage legal. I have heard many opinions about this and am still forming my own. However, I will say that even though gay marriage does not fall into my Christian worldview, I do think that for equality purposes, gay marriage should be recognized by the state. I know that seems like a paradox, but this is a complicated issue. One of the best quotes I've heard on this issue is from Sullivan's blog:

"This is the same point I've made in the past; isn't constructing a separate and distinct category an example of pure animus (hostility)? You have conceded the substance, but cannot concede the name. Since no heterosexual couple's rights would be affected in any way, what exactly is the rationale for maintaining the distinction? Except bias?"

Essentially, gay couples in California have all the same benefits as a marriage under the category of domestic partnerships, so therefore why can't it be legally recognized as a marriage? And quite honestly, there are other issues I'd rather focus on (the economy, the war, education) rather than quarrel over why I agree or don't disagree with two people being married.

workin for the weekend

This is an ideal scenario: go to Monterey for 3 days with your hubby, have a wonderful hotel room with a great view, eat at fantastic restaurants (here and here), and have your employer pay for it. Well, this was MY ideal scenario thanks to the UC Student Advising Conference! While it was a good time of professional development, it was also a nice getaway from it all. And back to reality on Monday....

In other news, I've been neglecting to update the recent films I've viewed. I don't have enough energy to give in-depth reviews of them, but here are a few words or phrases that I would use to describe each one:

Atonement - perception is key, the plot was complex yet unfulfilling, strong acting performances
August Rush - music makes you soar, cute yet unrealistic love story
We Are Marshall - inspiring yet cheesy
I am Legend - freaky, depressing, Will Smith can carry a movie by himself
Michael Clayton- predictable, anti-climactic, Tilda Swinton did not deserve an Oscar
There Will Be Blood- read previous post: not worth your time.
Dan in Real Life - enchanting, delightful, put a smile on my face
Gone Baby Gone - disturbing, too many f-bombs,
Across the Universe - colorful, hopeful, creative


Current movies on my queue:

-Juno (can't wait to see it again!)
-The Savages
-No Country for Old Men
-American Gangster
-The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
-Before the Devils Knows Your Dead

As always, recommendations appreciated!

if i only had a brain

Want to spend some time learning about something that matters? Instead of watching a brainless reality show (I'm not trying to sound superior, I watch my share of reality TV) or browsing YouTube for yet another video of a baby laughing...check out these educational and INTERESTING resources on the web and learn something new about America's health care system compared to other countries, the patterns of production and consumption in our world, the back story behind the war in Iraq, or the genocide occurring in Darfur. Time for some brain stimulation:

Sick Around the World

The Story of Stuff

Bush's War

On Our Watch

living is simple

I had a perfectly delightful weekend which included great food, some musical theatre, seeing my close friend dance, and helping launch a new Sunday class for my church's post-college ministry. On Friday, David and I munched on sandwiches and yum-a-licious garlic fries at Pluto's and then headed over to see a campus production of the charming musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown". For being a completely student-run show, it was very impressive---everything from the casting to the set design was great. Afterwards, we met up with Kristen and Brad and I enjoyed blueberry yogurt with mochi (my new favorite treat!) at Swirl.
Then on Saturday, we slept in (always a nice bonus) and eventually made it to Roseville to have a delectable dinner at Fat's Asian Bistro. We normally never go out to Roseville, but Ashley's company, Backhaus Dance, was performing a show at a small dance conservatory there and so we decided to make a full evening of it. The last time I saw Ashley and her company was two years ago and it's always awesome to be able to see her company perform and watch her doing something she is so passionate about.
And then on Sunday, I was truly blessed to see the post-college ministry at our church take a step forward with the start of a new Sunday meeting time called Cafe (Connecting through Adult Fellowship and Education). For the last year, there has only been one time that people from the post-college group gather during the week, during a bible study on Tuesday nights. However, for people like us that are already in another bible study, or for people that simply can't come on Tuesdays, having a meeting time on Sundays will be a wonderful way for people in the post-college demographic to meet one another. The turnout was good, there were about 20-25 people that showed up and several people that I had never seen before. We'll see what direction God takes with our group next...

And now for something completely random, here are a few new things I'm really into lately:

Aveda Hair Detoxifier - A fabulous (and fairly inexpensive) product that my stylist used on me a few weeks ago and it honestly made my hair feel like a new creation, so soft and no more build up (which happens with the nasty Woodland water).





Jon and Kate Plus 8 - My friend Dan introduced me to this refreshing take on reality TV--it follows a couple who have twin 6 year-olds and sextuplets that are now three. David and I have both really enjoyed watching this show lately, it shows that unlike what you see on "Supernanny" , there really are some good, competent parents out there.


Prince Caspian by CS Lewis- The second of the Narnia series gives me another chance to escape to a fantasy world with fauns and dwarves and all those cool things.

travelin thru

As I'm reminded by fellow blogger Kassey, I am not good about updating my blog consistently. This is true. But in my defense, I have been so busy at work and haven't had my usual procrastination time (haha). However, things are actually back at a normal pace and I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity to give a quick update!
I went down to Orange County for three days last week for the first annual "Davis Girls Weekend" and hung out with my four close friends from high school: Ashley, Kate, Amy, and Susan. It was a much needed vacation and break from life. We shopped (I got some super cute tops!), we dined, we got Sprinkles cupcakes, we did a little hike around Crystal Cove, we went to a service at Rock Harbor, and most of all we just talked and talked and updated each other on our lives. I am so thankful to have these friendships in my life and I really cherish how we have all seen each other through a variety of life changes from our high school years into adulthood. We all need people in our lives who can reflect with us on where we've been and be excited with us for what lies ahead. I look forward to next year's girls weekend '09!

My job in student advising has been great, I really am enjoying the interaction with our Design students. Last week, the first week of spring quarter, was intensely busy but I think I'm getting the hang of things. Then there's my other role as the overseer of all the faculty recruitments which has kept me busy as well. But I really really enjoy coordinating all the aspects of recruitment and meeting all the different candidates. One of the faculty told me yesterday that she thinks the department should give me a "spa day" for all the work I've put into these recruitments, but honestly, it's one of the parts I enjoy most about my job so I think that's reward enough (and let's face it, with the UC budget cuts, I don't think they are going to be any extra perks for staff anytime soon).

This weekend I did "Relay for Life" with ADX and it was a very cool experience that involved 160 different teams setting up camp on Toomey Field and having at least one person from each team walking around the track for 24 hours straight. It's a metaphor for how cancer never sleeps, so therefore the fight to find the cure for cancer should not sleep either. I was there for an afternoon and a night shift, and it was so inspiring to walk around the track and see luminaries with the names of cancer survivors and victims and to realize that you were walking for these people. Another awesome part of the event was sporting the "Save the Ta-tas" shirts, designed by ADX alum Julia Fikse! A percentage of the proceeds from the shirts go to breast cancer research and the shirts are just so fun! Check them out here: http://savethetatas.com/

Ok, time for lunch! More updates to come soon....

War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is truth

I first read George Orwell's classic "1984" the summer after I graduated from high school. I was completely captivated by the story from the first to the last page and still emphatically recommend it to anyone I know who has NOT read this timeless masterpiece. Well, I determined that it's time to re-read one of my favorite novels of all time, and so I bought a copy from Borders and started reading it yesterday. Not many books have the power to suck me in right from the very first words---usually it takes at least 20 pages for me to "warm up" into a story. But even though this is my second time reading it, Orwell's fictional (but maybe becoming less fictional) world where conformity and Big Brother rule supreme, is capturing me again from the very first chapter and promises to hold me in total awe until the unthinkable words uttered on the last page. In fact, I'm taking a lunch break to go read another few chapters right now. Ciao.

These are a few of my favorite things

The Daily Dish by Andrew Sullivan

I started reading this blog after my friend Dan introduced it to me, and I now eagerly look forward to checking it whenever I have a few free minutes at work. I might be a little biased because Mr. Sullivan is a very vocal supporter of Obama, but this blog is just so right on in so many ways. When I read his posts regarding politics I think "he is articulating how I feel about this issue or that issue so perfectly". I think what I like most about his blog is that he's not just spewing out opinions but that his posts are usually very well-thought out, witty, and informative (I mean, the guy does have a Ph.D in political science and is an acclaimed journalist). Check it out.

Made of Bricks by Kate Nash
A quirky, fun, catchy album with sometimes random and off the wall lyrics. For example, one of her songs is about having a skeleton as an imaginary friend. Good stuff.





Billy Joel music videos from the 80's

After seeing Mr Joel live last week, I browsed on YouTube for some of his older music videos. These need no explanation of why they make me happy in an instant:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2F-nt7aC_JQ

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Smeyf8nhM5Q&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=omFqlr_kso0&feature=related

Cranberry white-chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

Mmmm.....





Thank you God for the little things in life =)

And they shall know you by your love

When I was in elementary school, the month of February always meant eating lots of conversation hearts and deciding which valentine cards to give to others in my class. In high school, Valentines Day became a holiday that always involved me being jealous of girls who liked to show of all the gifts they had received from their boyfriends. Then when I came to college, I stopped being jealous and scoffed at the sappy sentimentality of the holiday, especially when I learned that the greeting card industry reinvented what was formerly known as St. Valentine's Day in order to make some serious profit. Well, I've come to a point in my life where February 14th, the proclaimed "day of love", has gained a new meaning. It's an opportunity to ponder what loving others---our family, our friends, our community, our enemies--- really means, especially in the way Jesus called us to. In the book The Irresistible Revolution, Shane Claiborne puts it this way:

"I started to see that miracles were an expression not so much of Jesus' mighty power as of his love...what had lasting significance were not the miracles themselves but Jesus' love. Jesus healed the sick, but they eventually caught some other disease. He fed the thousands, and the next day they were hungry again. But we remember his love. It wasn't that Jesus healed a leper but that he touched a leper, because no one touched lepers. And the incredible thing about that love is it now lives inside of us...we shall do even greater things because the love that lived in the radical Christ now lives within ordinary radicals all over the planet."

So as Valentines Day is upon us, let it be a reminder of the impact we can have on the world through love, with God's help.

hold on to your butts

Thank you Election '08, you have succeeded in making me more interested in the political process than I have ever been in my entire life. Here's to a wild ride!

Why Things Could Get Very Interesting In August...

Yes we can.

Today I woke up and actually jumped out of bed excited (if you know me, you know I'm NOT a morning person and me being excited about getting out of bed is something quite rare). The cause for my excitement was exercising my right to vote on this morning of Super Tuesday. For the first time since I have been able to vote, I have a surprising amount of optimism for what the future of politics holds--and this is because of the hope that I think Barack Obama provides for our country. In him, I see a new political era rising. He is definitely not the perfect candidate and I disagree with him on some issues, but still, Obama has given me a reason to participate in this election and feel like I'm contributing to something bigger.

Here is the key article that really helped me make my decision to stand behind Obama. Now it's just a waiting game to see what happens at the polls today...

the times, they are a-changin'

change | ch ānj| verb
• money given in exchange for the same amount in larger denominations
• the substitution of one thing for another
• a new or refreshingly different experience

So I'm processing, as well as experiencing, the concept of change. First of all, I have been reading God's Politics over the last month and it provokes me to have a new perspective on how faith and politics should (or should not) interact, as well as helping me to evaluate what a positive change would look like in our government's approach to foreign policy. Then there's all the Election 2008 business where I'm greatly encouraged by the fact that there is no certain front runner and it is a more open race than it ever has been in years, possibly decades. "Change" is definitely a buzzword in this election and I really hope that the candidates who use this word will have some action behind it and not just lightly throw it around in a political popularity contest.
I'm also pondering how change can come at you out of nowhere. Like one of my co-workers, who got a phone call at work last week saying she has invasive breast cancer. Bam...your life just changes in an instant. And then there's the kind of change that comes at a slow, snail-like pace where the anticipation can feel like it outweighs the actual change. This would be the case of my younger brother, who for the last year and a half has been planning his semester abroad in Prague and now the day of his departure (today) has finally come.
And as I think about change, I'm also experiencing it as I transition to a new position as a student adviser in my department on campus. I went through different emotions this week as I thought about how I feel unprepared but at the same time very ready to take on this role. The cool thing about the position is that most of the students who decide to major in Design are usually making a significant change from the initial career path they planned on taking because they didn't realize that there was a major that could combine their artistic talents (in graphic, fashion or interior design) with practical skills that will help them be able to get a job. So I will help to equip them in order to make that change a reality which is why I think I'm so interested in the area of advising.
Anyhow, those are my thoughts are the moment. And to wrap this up, I'll end with one of my favorites quotes on the topic:

“Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine.”