pajama day

There is a wonderfully unique kind of joy when one spends the entire day in pajamas. It utterly trumps the kind of hectic stressful pressure that life brings some mornings and allows one to fully enjoy a relaxing day doing nothing sort of things. To wake up and have breakfast at a leisurly pace, lay on the couch and read or put a puzzle together on the floor in ones pajamas is to my heart, pure bliss.

I was given the opportunity to spend a day like this last week with one of my favorite people. We had so much fun laughing with each other, talking and just enjoyed the free time and laziness of the day. We read, drank a lot of tea and organized a game cupboard. It's amazing the things that are transformed from ordinary to wonderful when a best friend is around.

young

I love being around old couples. By old I mean, the relationship and not necessarily the people themselves. I had the privilege of spending some time with a couple who have been married about 60 years this last week. It was delightful.

He still makes her giggle, they sit close to each other at the dinner table and they finish each others sentences as they remember together. They can list off the names of grandchildren and great grandchildren with pride. He still plays with these great grandchildren and she cooks for a house full of people. Their house if full of old knickknacks and gifts from children over the years and pictures from the beginning until now.

Unexpectedly we found ourselves back in their home last Saturday evening, and upon our arrival were offered chocolate milkshakes. Pass that up? no way. We sat with them in silence for the most part, and watched the lights and ocean out their windows. They talked about their memories, first moving into the house and some funny moments over the years.

She said, "I love my new house. It's not really new of course, the floors creek and the paint is peeling in places, but its my new house. It's been a good people house."

one week

There is something about seeing someone for the first time in a long time. A nervous excitement almost. At first its a bit strange, surreal really, that they are present with you. Soon however, that unfamiliarity and strangeness melts away into knowing that brings joy- joy that overflows at being able to see and laugh with such a friend.

My heart has been so full of this joy recently.

another one bites the dust...

Computer number two down. I repeat computer number two down. 

I'm really just trying to finish. It's proving to be a little bit difficult. 

ready to be done

This evening I am just really, done. I'm tired and have been for weeks it seems like. I feel like I could curl up in my bed and fall asleep for two days. I have this last paper for my Latin American Literature class (the one I created for myself by the way) and I am struggling with having any motivation to get it done. It is supposed to only be 5 pages- pie. On books I've already read and have an opinion about- cake. But as I sit here tonight, so close, all I want to do is read a good book. The pile of them on my desk is ever growing.

last paper snack

Russian orange tea and chocolate chips. Thanks Sharon!

rainy day memories

a) Sophomore year Sam and Bethany and I tried to go to Alta for a rainyday cup of coffee. About 9.00 at night, on our way there my windshield wipers break. On the way home after discovering they were closed Newport Blvd is flooded out and water is going over the hood of my car, everyone involved screaming for their lives.

b) One night that same semester it was raining and our friend came up to our quad screaming for us. He was wearing a wetsuit, and covered in mud. 10 minutes later we were out on Heath lawn sliding and covered in mud as well.

c) I went to an outside high school, so many mornings I stood in the rain with friends. Some of which I still see almost every week.

e) Walking home up Parks Road and Banbury from the Bodleian Library and walking into the house to find dinner and tea waiting for me.

f) It was raining the day I got to Oxford, and a Jonathan Kirkpatrick opened the big red door and said to me, "well what are you doing standing out in the rain?"

g) Reading books and drinking tea while listening to the rain with James.

f) Today I went to the Gypsy Den in the rain and got adobe stew and cornbread for Ryan and I, and then hung out with her in the res life office for a good three hours. Beautiful afternoon.

llueva

It's raining in Costa Mesa today. I have so many incredible memories in the rain.

I am sitting on the big red couch downstairs with the front door open. I can see the rain in the park, on our front steps and dripping out of the trees near our home.

It smells fresh and new.

I successfully helped Tiffany roll up her drivers side window this morning, it does the same cool thing that mine does, where it refuses to roll all the way up.

I'm going to wear skinny jeans, green strappy boots and a pcoat today. Puddles beware!

an artsy day

This morning I woke up around 7.30 and went with my lovely Fula (I introduced her in a picture here about a month or so ago) up to Lakeview Community church in Pasadena to talk to a youth group there about Krochet Kids. It was cool, we got a little 10 minute slot to share and answer questions and then hung out and talked with the kids afterward. Such an adventure getting there and finding the place though, sheesh. But I was with Fula, and shes a great kind of person to take on an adventure.

Then we drove back down to Costa Mesa and stopped by The Camp, where Vanguard was hosting some sort of global awareness fair, to drop off our remaining hats. To see Bethany and Nic was a joy and Cristina was there with De Paz necklaces as well. I sort of budged off of her lunch and got to chat for a while, something I really love to do. She ordered something or other from Native Foods, and whatever it was it was wonderful.

I came home and showered, and then went to Vanguard's play with Noah and Katie Jenks, Mona and Ryan Mcgrady and some other friends. It was a Christmas comedy entitled "Expecting Carol"- a play within a play that in every way goes awry. Lets just say there was one Carlos Fernandez in a diaper on stage, can't get much better.

After the play I made tea for 5 or 6 people at our house, wonderful.

Now I'm studying, or about to start. The end is so close I can feel it.

again? really?

I tripped on the stairs, with my computer in my hands on my way down to the couch. It landed on the tile upside down. Forever to be plunged into a black abyss.

Enough said.

family christmas breakfast

A breakfast full of laughter.
Love these blue eyed boys!

No boys allowed in Bekah's room.

Boys attack!



Bekah and Bethany, new best friends.



Thanks Cristina! We had such a blast!

Photos by Cristina Robeck.

so bad.

Ok, so, in light of my most recent post (see below) in which I thought The Hobbit could sit on my desk and motivate me- wrong.

I just had to take it downstairs to Becca, and tell her not to give it back to me, because I started to read it...and it started to captivate me.

Don't worry, it's in good hands.

Back to homework...

in which I escape for a little while..

I went on a little personal retreat today, to a retreat center north of Long Beach. There were gardens and benches and it was quiet. Thats all I really have to say, it was relaxing and I am definitely a little more collected than I was this morning before I left.

On the way home I decided to drive down the PCH. There was traffic, but the 405 was probably the same way so I thought I might as well drive the interesting way. I was driving through...umm, somewhere and I saw a Barnes and Noble up on the right. So I forced my way through two lanes of traffic and turned in (I've noticed that when you make eye contact with the driver you want to get in front of they normally let you, its like, oh there's actually a person in that car).

What to get in Barnes and Noble? I decided a few weeks ago that I wanted to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien and a professor recommended I read The Hobbit first. The guy I asked to find it for me is actually taking a Tolkien class currently, so we had a fun little discussion. I walked out with it and skipped to the car (cause I was excited).

I can't wait to lay in bed and read- escape into another world. Until then it will sit on my desk as motivation to keep going until I'm finished.

more.

bethany grace

I'm constantly stepping over a guitar case.



Picks are a normal part of life, I find them in the most random places.



I helped lug an upright piano up a set of stairs.



I hear the phrase, "I really need to record some of this stuff" often.



I live with a singer and songwriter. She, in my opinion, is amazing. Since a trip to San Francisco last year my days often consist of walking into a room to find her spread out on the floor with bits of paper, a journal and computer around her writing or singing with her guitar. I sit at my desk reading while she works out lyrics and chords. "I wrote a song today!" she says, "well, part of one..like I have most of it I just need to figure out this one part." I get to be the first audience. Lately when she plays I sit with my book and either mouth the lyrics or sing along, because yes, I know all of the words to all of them. However my favorite is when she puts her pen down and just plays and sings, expressing feeling or frustration through her music and then forgets what she played after she's done.

brilliance.

my anthem for a week.

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high

Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I'm dreaming
I can hear them say

Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, well
It surely means that I don't know

On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune
But I hear the voices say
No!

Carry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
The center lights around your vanity
But surely heaven waits for you

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry (don't you cry no more).

week fourteen

Its the last week...the last real week. I'm so close, I can feel it. Pretty much every moment of my week has been planned out, down to the hour. It's ok though, because when it's done, I'm done.

Sunset from my bedroom window tonight.

home today

This morning I woke up around 10:45, which pretty much set the mood for the rest of my day.

I sat in my parents armchair by the fire curled up in my quilt most of the day. I am reading Bonhoeffer's book on community, it's wonderful. I devour his words. Sometime in the afternoon I looked out our big living room windows to see big white flakes falling from the sky. The clouds had set in and I could only see the first few feet of pine trees through the snow. It was a peaceful quiet afternoon.

Around 4:00 I decided to shower and brush my hair (highly overrated if you ask me). We, my family and I, ventured back over to my Grandma's house for round two of Thanksgiving dinner. My favorite part of the holiday really.

Over the last month or two of school I have been feeling myself becoming more tired each day, and sleep at night never seems to recover me. But this weekend has been restful, and definitely what I needed to get myself through this next two weeks.

Things I still need to do this semester:

Write my last Latin American lit paper.
Finish Bonhoeffer, write a paper.
Integrative paper for Bill's class.
Retreat for Bill's class.
One more Spanish test.
One more Empirical World test.
Finish editing last articles for Yearbook.

The end is near.

correspondence

just have to remember this

This evening I went to the Robeck's for dinner. It was typical chaos night, drinks were spilled, kids cried, dinner was awesome, and there was a lot of goofiness. Those are just a few reasons why I love their house.

Anyway, I was leaving and had said goodbye, passed out hugs and got into my car. I put it in drive and then out of the corner of my eye I see a little pajama wearing, barefoot boy running down the path from the house. I put my car quickly back in park and open the door as he is running around the front of my car, "Caleb what are you doing?" I ask as he jumps into my arms. He kisses me on the cheek and gives me a big hug and says in a this-is-obvious-I'm-not-sure-why-you're-asking sort of tone,

"You forgot to give me a kiss."

Then he ran his little barefoot self back up the path and went inside.

in which i find a cozy place...

So my previous boss and friend, Amanda, moved from one position to another at Vanguard recently. Really good move for her, we're all excited. Anyway, I went to have a one on one with her (see below) today and she was a few minutes late. In the front of her office is a brand new really cozy couch. So, me being me, I plopped myself down into it, got comfy among the six pillows on it and opened up my book. About 15 minutes later we left, and I had found myself a new spot to sit and read on campus. It's probably the most wonderful couch between Newport Blvd, Fairview and Vanguard Way.

While no one was looking I snuck a picture.

wisdom

"I wonder how many doors that we walk by, that if we opened, we would walk into and discover wonder."

-Bill Dogterom

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sharon,

I have so much to tell you.
Tea sometime soon?

Ash

one on ones

There is a tradition at Vanguard that I have not seen in any other place. They are called, specifically, "one on ones". As a freshman I went into my first one with the premonition that said staff member would ask me questions all about myself and dissect me and tell me what I needed to work on. Like a sort of therapist. I was partially correct. 

What I have found however is that after one, maybe two of these relationship starts to happen and wisdom starts coming from so many places. This week, wait let me look at my calendar, I have 6 different coffee/lunch/breakfast dates with individual people whom I love. That is not counting the meals I will share with friends. 

This afternoon I am getting coffee with a beloved professor. I had a meeting with my SFO director already this afternoon and on Friday I am having lunch with a previous RD and friend. I feel like I am packed with people this week. It makes for a difficult time getting all my schoolwork done, however I'm sure most of my learning is supposed to happen outside of class anyway right? 

ashee's here!!

Favorite moment from yesterday:

Sitting in a fort made of a huge blanket stretched over the couch, chairs and the coffee table. We had blankets and pillows on the floor and games and books inside. Rebekah asked me to read to her, so while JM and Caleb went to get Coke, RRR and I read in our fort. Heaven for Ashley? Yes.

for you

Gram,

Right now I am sitting in my kitchen after a kinda long, but partly relaxing day, (I took a nap about halfway through it). I am about to register for classes next semester and keep reading for my literature class on Friday. I am writing this to you because I am having a cup of "Constant Comment" tea, and every time I do I think about you. I am really excited for Thanksgiving, and to see you so soon! I love you so much, tell Opa I love him too.

Love,

Ash

KKI

I took some pictures on my phone last night, while we were waiting. I'm on an event team for a non-profit some of my friends started. krochetkids.org.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r83QNXP_epA

lots of poetry in my life recently..

Thoughts

I love the Autumn,
And yet I cannot say
All the thoughts and things
That make me feel this way.

I love walking on the angry shore,
To watch the angry sea;
Where summer people were before,
But now there's only me.

I love wood fires at night
That have a ruddy glow.
I stare at the flames
And think of long ago.

I love the feeling down inside me
That says to run away
To come and be a gypsy
And laugh the gypsy way.

The tangy taste of apples,
The snowy mist at morn,
The wanderlust inside you
When you hear the huntsman's horn.

Nostalgia-that's the Autumn,
Dreaming through September
Just a million lovely things
I always will remember.

-Jacqueline Bouvier

community

Recently I've started going to a new church. It's pretty much wonderful, well mostly the people are wonderful. But that's the point right? Anyway Bethany, my friend Amy and I got invited by Heather (married to Matt, two beautiful little girls Madison and Clair) to come over for dinner this last week. She made taco salad and it was wonderful, as was the conversation. The girls were in and out and Matt came in toward the end but really struck me most was effortless hospitality.

She didn't make her house spotless. I love that. She spent time with us and really cares about what is going on in our lives. So good. It didn't take months of going to church with them for us to get together. I feel like this is true for most of the people that I am getting to know there. A lot of families have extra college students living with them, and feed us often. Growing up there were always a handful of people after church, lingering and talking. Here it seems that the whole church does. I feel apart of a family, when little kids are running around causing havoc after the service, around the older men and women talking and praying for each other. Its really how I feel that church should be. Family.

guy fawks day: a rememberance

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot ;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'Twas his intent.
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below.
Poor old England to overthrow.
By God's providence he was catch'd,
With a dark lantern and burning match

Holloa boys, Holloa boys, let the bells ring
Holloa boys, Holloa boys, God save the King!

What was I doing last year today? Sitting in a tutorial while fireworks went off consistently for more than an hour. Amanda made an effigy, we hung it on a tree, and burned Guy Fawks to the ground. 

starbucks: more than just water

I may have corrupted a child. 

Until Tuesday night Caleb, 3 years old, believed that Starbucks was a place to get big cups of water. "Mom can we go to Starbucks and get some water?" he says. I laughed and then asked, 

ADW: Caleb how come  you don't get any chocolaté at Starbucks? 

CMR: What? They don't have chocolaté, they just have water. 

ADW: No, they have really yummy chocolaté there. 

CMR: Mom can we go to Starbucks and get some chocolaté?

Cristina: Thanks Ashley. 

post dreaming

I'm having one of those great mornings again. I woke up a half hour before my alarm (get enough sleep, what a concept) and its cold and foggy in CM. I made tea, breakfast (toast is really good with cinnamon and sugar and nutmeg) and am now sitting at my desk looking out at the wonderful ocean fog.

Should I go to chapel? Yes. Will I? It's doubtful.

Last night our once-a-week-roommate Michelle was over. She walked in on Bethany and I having a conversation about all things beautiful (I miss Desirae, she was the one who taught me how to have those conversations). Then we started talking about adventures and traveling and by the end we were yelling about how much we wanted to pack our backpacks (we even made a list of the food items we would bring*) leaving in the middle of the night (not telling anyone) and go on some random crazy adventure. Showering would not happen, we would be hungry often, but we would write poetry and music. We would meet wonderful people along the way and have stories to tell.

Such a good morning.

*bread

peanut butter

(Jelly is a luxury)

honey

apples

water

things that can melt

I went to Santa Ana for dinner tonight. Before JM got home I was sitting on the couch with Rebekah working on "homework". The conversation went like this,

RRR: Do pumpkins melt?
ADW: No they sorta rot, and get moldy..
RRR: (after telling me the story of her moldy pumpkin) What else melts?
ADW: ummmm...
RRR: Ice!
ADW: Yup! and chocolate melts, like MandMs.
RRR: plastic melts.
ADW: Who melts when you throw water on her?
RRR: The wicked witch!
ADW: What else melts?
RRR: Snowflakes!
ADW: Oh ya thats a good one!

For some reason, later, I was sitting there covering my eyes. I asked her, "Do you see colours when you close your eyes?"

RRR: No.
ADW: Close your eyes and try!
RRR: Oh ya I see yellow and red and green.
ADW: What are the shapes?

(remember we are now sitting on the couch together holding our hands up over our eyes talking)

RRR: Like circles and spots.
ADW: Do you see them moving?
RRR: How did you know?! Here, try your hands on my eyes and maybe I'll see the same colours you did!

What else melts? Delicious pot roast in my mouth and rolls that are sweet and buttery. The stress in my life melts when I go to the Robeck's for dinner. Oh ya, and my heart when Caleb and Rebekah sit on the couch-practically in my lap-with me.

november

This afternoon I wandered into my favorite fruit and vegetable market in CM. I haven't been in a while, since the summer actually. Says something about my diet recently doesn't it?

Out front, of course, were the marked down pumpkins. The reject gourdes that have lasted until after Halloween. 99cents each and still no one really wants them. I also passed by and walked in. I was immediately excited about everything I saw. Sure, your normal vegetables are there; beans and lettuce and the like. But I saw hazelnuts, fresh picked apples, persimmons, pomegranates and blackberries. These things to me are the the brilliance of fall, and only a little glimmer of hope for a fall in Orange County. Lets just say blackberry pie, apple crisp, roasted hazelnuts and pomegranates that last for days are some of my favorite things.

All those and a cup of tea.

when want turns into need..

I spent an evening in La Mirada this weekend. It was, as always, full of tea and incredible. Christy and Amanda are like a breath of fresh air to me. They are positive and encouraging and the things we talk about are things I only get to talk about with them. There was much laughter and cuddling. At any rate, they live in the house that has more bookshelves than DVDs. My favorite part of this house is the sheer volume of books in it. Books on the piano, books stacked on the floor, books in stacks on the tables and bookshelves in every room. This one is my favorite. Something I hope to be able to have enough books to do someday.

Books arranged by colour.

it all depends on your attitude

So, my day went like this.

I woke up on the couch this morning, around 9 still in my jeans and clothes from last night. I had fallen asleep there and Bethany's shaking and calling my name couldn't wake me up. I got in the shower and ready for chapel. Yesterday I bought the cutest new heels from the thrift store and put them on with the perfect outfit. Except for that I ended up being late for chapel, and on the way in the bottom of one of the heels broke. I also forgot a jacket on my way out and was cold most of the day. Spanish class was frustrating. We learned a whole new set of verbs in five minutes and then was expected to conjugate them without really learning how. Cool. I was frustrated and didn't understand and then when it came my turn to list off the different forms of verbs that I A) had never seen B) didn't know the meaning of and C) didn't know the form I was supposed to use. I almost started to cry. All this on top of not eating lunch and being completely overwhelmed with school. I could say I had a pretty rough day.

So my day went like this.

Brittany thought I may not have gotten to each lunch today, so she thought to bring me an apple and a cookie. Sam called me because she had heard my shoe broke and offered to bring me new ones and a jacket. When she got to the office she also had a cup of tea in her hand for me. Ryan was in the office and let me cry on her shoulder for a bit. Then she encouraged me. Cristina texted me as I was leaving the school, asking if they could come by. A bit later three of my favorite people rang the doorbell with cupcakes in hand (which are almost all gone by the way). We then went out to dinner and I laughed at Caleb, a lot. I got to talk to a good friend on the phone for a while tonight, and it made me smile, a lot. I went over to the guys' house and got to see a bunch of them that I don't see often anymore. Sebby came over after and had some tea with me.

All this to say I had a pretty great day.

one saturday morning...

Took these on my phone while we were being lazy on the couch.

This morning I woke up around 9:15 and rolled out of bed. I put some jeans on and took one look at my hair before I decided not to brush it. I was just waking up when I got to the Robeck's door and after I set my things down I almost immediately laid down on the couch and watched cartoons with Rebekah until breakfast was ready.

Eggs, biscuits with homemade jam, bacon, raspberries, strawberries, hash browns and coffee. I love meals with CMR and RRR because they are almost always action packed. This morning Rebekah was done with her breakfast and had moved on to leaning on me from her chair (something she often does). Well she put her foot up for a second and the next thing we knew her water glass was exploding across the dining room.

After breakfast and my second cup of coffee we all kinda laid around and hung out. Bob Marley (what?) and Jack Johnson serenaded us. We talked and laughed and looked at some of Rebekah and Caleb's baby pictures. Finally around 2:00 the kids got out of their pajamas and I headed home to work on my paper. Such a wonderful morning.

meet some of my friends please

These are all the girls I live with. From the left, Sam (Sambam) Jessi (Jess), Bethany (Bethers) is the one I share a room with, Me, Tiffany (Tiff) and Rebecca (Becca)

This is Sebastian (Sebby) and Sam, being goofy, usual.

Meet JR. He is the biggest teddy bear I know. A heart of gold this one and I just adore him :)

My friend Wix (Chris), is the greatest. Awesome drummer, total goofball.

My friend Simeon, who I met through Ryan (below). Pretty sure he knows nothing about cars, pretty sure this was staged. He is great, however, loves music and playing on the swings at night.
James, so many adventures with this one. Together we love reading and traveling and spanish and tea and the ocean and kids and trees.

Meet Nate (Natillo, Bubba, Bubs), Bethers you know, and Ryan (Ry). Nate is, big. I'm sure he's at least 3 times larger than I, but a total blast. Ryan is one of the besties, she is so much encouragement and joy in my day. I get most of my phrases from her.

This on the left is Fula, her real name is Andrea but everyone calles her Fula. She may be the raddest person I've met yet. These three girls are great together, so much friendship!


The above individuals are key in my life right now. This isn't all of them, just a lot of them. They are the ones I see everyday, or talk to on the phone during breaks and drives home. These are the people I clear my schedule for and think about most. Could not ask for a better group of friends.

P.s. Most of these pictures are random off facebook, which makes me realize that I really need to start taking pictures with these people.

we might be busy..

This is the state of my and bethany's room. Please don't judge us.

español

So, I am taking Spanish this year. It's not required or anything, I just really want to learn this language. Living in Southern California I feel I ought to, having a heart for people in El Salvador I feel I ought to. My professor, a man from Colombia, conducts most of the class in Spanish and is kinda tough when it comes to things like pronunciation and the ability to think up random sentences to say when conjugating verbs.

Right now I am in the midst of studying for our second test. I'm a little nervous. I usually am required to read and write and everything is very concrete. I know just what I need to do and how much effort to put in to get a good grade. With this, studying feels a bit more fluid. I can study and memorize and work on changing verbs from preparar to:

preparo
preparas
prepara
preparamos
preparais
preparan

all I want but if I need to do it for a word I don't know it becomes harder. If its a plural, harder yet and then I need to decide if its male or female. And that's just the present indicative form. These are the days I wish I was Catherine.

i'm just glad the committee is norwegian..

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2009

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

Oslo, October 9, 2009

 

in example:

In my Spiritual Disciplines class on Monday, Bill (an affectionately coined nickname for our Professor, previous Campus Pastor, mentor and friend) told us a story of two people who were once apart of his congregation. 

Florence and Phil, were engaged to be married just six months before Phil went away to war. They were in love and promised to each other that they would be married upon his return. Until then they would write letters to each other every day. He was sent oversees, to Europe and was on the beach at Normandy just a week after D-Day. Their letters were constantly in circulation yet it was sometimes weeks before one would get just a single letter, or sometimes a whole stack of them at once. For four years they wrote, for four years he told her how passionately he was in love with her and for four years she waited for him to come home. 

"She told me that the mailbox on her family's farm was about a quarter mile from the house. She used to walk it sometimes two and three times a day... searching for a letter."

Phil was wounded three times during his service. The final time, an injury that would  paralyze him, was by friendly fire. A man was cleaning his gun in the barracks, and it accidentally went off. The bullet went through the wall and hit Phil in the back, paralyzing him for the rest of his life. He returned home with about six months to live, or so they said. 

Even with so little time left, they were married. 

"They were apart of my church congregation. When I met them Phil had far outlived the doctor's predictions for how long he had to live. I was so privileged to be the one to renew their vows. For their 50th wedding anniversary."

Sitting in their home Bill asked Florence, "Why did you marry him?" She could have easily  changed her mind when he got home. Easily have chosen the less painful road, instead she faced watching her husband pass shortly after their wedding. Florence didn't answer, but got up and went back into her room. 

After about 10 minutes of shuffling around she re-entered the room with a large box. Inside were more shoe boxes. Each full of letters. They had matched their correspondence and stored them away. She began to read one to Bill and it was difficult for her. Not because of her old age or bad eyesight, but because the letter had been read so many times and touched so often the words had begun to fade. She stopped and said, "How could I not marry a man who writes like this?" 

Bill relayed to us that at the reception of the renewing of their vows he watched a couple who were just as in love with each other as the day they were married. 

"Every once and a while I would look over and watch Florence swat his hand away from her and say, Phil!!"

a productively lazy day...i hope

Someone once read me a book when I was little that I haven't really seen or read since. It's called the napping house. Today I was reminded of it when it was after 10 and all my roommates were still home. Then after we ate breakfast half of us went and crawled back in bed. 

My plan is to cultivate a feeling of productivity in my life this afternoon. However upon arrival to the office I still feel a sense of quiet relaxation in the air. Its just one of those days. I think I need a cup of coffee, and maybe some good music. 

The good thing about my to do list is that on it are things like, write such and such paper and read books x and y. Things that I normally just enjoy doing. With this new job comes a new desk that resides next to a wall that is made up of primarily glass. I think I have an affinity for windows. 

books and tea..

I got to spend the majority of this afternoon and evening with a good friend of mine. We laid out on the grass for a while, in the peace that seems to surround Vanguard's campus. Then we went to class, and were completely filled with wisdom from one of my favorite professors. Not once during his lectures do I ever wonder what time it is, or think about what I am doing next. After much debate, and by random chance we ended up getting pizza and eating down by the water. We got there via car, windows down and music up. Illuminated by the setting sun we ate close to the entire unevenly sliced pizza, and almost got attacked by a flock of angy-at-life birds. It's funny how watching the sun set, no matter how many times, never gets old. In the end we wandered into my favorite coffee shop- they switched the art recently- with chai tea. I went home with a stack of new, to me, books and some new tea to try.

Delightful.

life in manual

Tonight I was so blessed to be able to have dinner with many good friends. Pastor Marian, and his daughter Karolina, are visiting the States from Poland. I worked in Poland for three summers during high school and became good friends with them and Derek Ford (who lives in Wales and helps with the english camps) as well. To sit and talk and catch up with them was incredible. I left full of joy.

Driving through Twain Harte I put on the cd my sister left in her car...and took full advantage of the manual transmition I am driving this weekend.

"I get lost in the night
So high I don't want to come down
To face the loss
Of the good thing
That I had found"

Driving home I sang at the top of my lungs. When I got to the part of the highway where there are double lanes there was no one around. As I drove with the music up as loud as it would go I looked over and through the sillouted black pinetrees I saw enormous billowy clouds illuminated by the full moon, wizzing by me.

"See the time we shared it
Was precious to me
But all the while
I was dreamin of revelry"

bbrrr.

I just looked out the window at the thermometer. It's currently 47 degrees. Then I walked by the thermostat in the hallway and guessed before I read it. I was right on, 65 in the house.

Perfect.

windows down with the heater on

I drove home this afternoon.

For the first time, I think, as I drove away from Costa Mesa I felt a sense of relief. Maybe it was because I was listening to Brave Saint Saturn, or maybe because this last week was stressful and emotional, but I felt so much joy at the thought of being here tonight.

I got into Sonora as the sun was setting, and took a series of pictures that I'll upload later. Through Twain Harte I rolled the windows down and the scent of pine and pineneedles filled my car. I soon was shivering, and turned the heater on.

I forgot how much I missed twisty, open mountain roads.

I pulled into my driveway with a big smile on my face. I walked into my house and felt relieved. This house has turned into a little mountain getaway for me. Complete with a balcony that overlooks...trees. It has cozy carpet, a little kitchen and there are blankets and comfy old couches everywhere. From the backroom I can hear my dad building a fire. This weekend I plan on visiting some dear friends, and writing a paper for my favorite class. Other than that, I'm going to sleep in and relax; and hopefully see my Gram.

feels like fall

My roommate Bethany and I have been obsessed with fall ever since the first football game a few weeks ago. And even though its still about 80degrees in the middle of the day we have been trying to enjoy things like chai tea and jackets. There are leaves falling in the park and we listen to Bon Iver. There is even a pumpkin that has taken up residency in our kitchen.

Our friends look at us like where crazy, strangers watch us curiously as we take pictures on our phones of fall-esque things and send them to each other. But yet for some reason I feel like today came a little different than yesterday, a little cooler, a little cozier, and with a little more colour.


Summer ends now; now, barbarous in beauty, the stooks rise
Around; up above what wind-walks! what lovely behavior
Of silk-sack clouds! has wilder, wilful-wavier
meal-drift moulded ever and melted across skies?

I walk, I lift up, I lift up heart, eyes,
Down all that glory in the heavens to glean our Saviour;
And eyes, heart, what looks, what lips yet gave you a
Rapturous love's greeting of realer, of rounder replies?

And the azurous hung hills are his world-wielding shoulder
Majestic-as a stallion stalward, very-violet-sweet!-
These things, these things were here and but the beholder
Wanting; which two when they once meet,
The heart rears wings bold and bolder
And hurls for him, O half hurls earth for him off
under his feet.


-G.M.H.

santa monican joy

I was going to try and describe the joy of my day, but I think our faces do a better job.

pictures taken by Ashley Wells and Cristina Robeck.