Scenes from the Weekend

James, Seth and Zach. Friendship.

"My name is Inigo Montoya!"

Crowned King.

What is all this juice and all this joy?

Breakfast.

These are a little late, as it is almost the weekend again. However I think they're fun, and definitely worth posting. Last weekend for home-group James and I got out the leftover sparklers from Lindsey's wedding. Tremendous amounts of fun were had by all. I also learned a little more about my camera and keeping the shutter open as long as I want to. In the last week Texas has transformed before my eyes into a sea of green leaves and flowers. It is truly wonderful and for those of you who saw the pictures I've posted of the trees before-- look at the difference! It is a joy to be outside these days, makes me feel alive. 

Obama--On Libya

If you didn't listen to President Obama's speech last night, you should have. Actually, I caught most of it while driving to meet James for dinner. I know a lot of people would rather not see Obama as the leader of the US--but I also know that a lot of people aren't happy with anyone who is in power, no matter what their political convictions. I can't say that I lean one way or the other, but in this I think he is making some wise decisions. After all, he has the ability to act, we'd probably condemn him if he chose not to.

. . . . . . . .

"At this point, the United States and the world faced a choice. Gaddafi declared that he would show "no mercy" to his own people. He compared them to rats, and threatened to go door to door to inflict punishment. In the past, we had seen him hang civilians in the streets, and kill over a thousand people in a single day. Now, we saw regime forces on the outskirts of the city. We knew that if we waited one more day, Benghazi - a city nearly the size of Charlotte - could suffer a massacre that would have reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world."

"It was not in our national interest to let that happen. I refused to let that happen."

"It is true that America cannot use our military wherever repression occurs. And given the costs and risks of intervention, we must always measure our interests against the need for action. But that cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what's right. In this particular country - Libya; at this particular moment, we were faced with the prospect of violence on a horrific scale. We had a unique ability to stop that violence: an international mandate for action, a broad coalition prepared to join us, the support of Arab countries, and a plea for help from the Libyan people themselves. We also had the ability to stop Gaddafi's forces in their tracks without putting American troops on the ground."

"Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different. And as President, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action."

"Of course, even when we act as part of a coalition, the risks of any military action will be high. Those risks were realized when one of our planes malfunctioned over Libya. Yet when one of our airmen parachuted to the ground, in a country whose leader has so often demonized the United States - in a region that has such a difficult history with our country - this American did not find enemies. Instead, he was met by people who embraced him. One young Libyan who came to his aid said, "We are your friends. We are so grateful to these men who are protecting the skies."

"Born, as we are, out of a revolution by those who longed to be free, we welcome the fact that history is on the move in the Middle East and North Africa, and that young people are leading the way. Because wherever people long to be free, they will find a friend in the United States. Ultimately, it is that faith - those ideals - that are the true measure of American leadership."

"But let us also remember that for generations, we have done the hard work of protecting our own people, as well as millions around the globe. We have done so because we know that our own future is safer and brighter if more of mankind can live with the bright light of freedom and dignity."

For a video of the entire speech--he, as always, is inspiring to hear--watch here.

Enter Title of Post Here

"Ashley-- We're doing John Waynes you want one?" "Yeah! I really do."

Have you ever walked into a Starbucks and seen all the partners gathered around the espresso bar and then when they see you, disperse quickly and go back to what they were doing? It's wonderfully fun to make random drinks and try them.

John Waynes--basically 2 pumps of vanilla and cream, with two shots of espresso on top. The espresso sits hot on top of the cold cream so you get a layered effect when you drink it. Hot, then cold. The perfect pick-me-up after working all morning. Then we act like we don't know what people are talking about when they come in and order them, because technically they aren't on the menu and we don't technically have a recipe.

I worked from 6:30 to noon today.

It's a cozy drizzly day here in San Antonio. A perfect day to write letters and relax. I've been reading the San Antonio Express more lately. Yesterday there was an article about an art gallery I want to go visit, hopefully soon.

This blog isn't really about anything.

My apologies.

Funnies

I've decided to become an avid and voracious follower of Mutts.

At 208 Autumn Fall we have a subscription to the San Antonio Express and each day the comics are fished out of the Life section. This one has captured my heart. It's simple, the art is wonderfully adorable and I love the friendship that Earl, the dog, and Mooch, the cat, share. Mooch has a little "sh" lisp and Earl has a really big heart. Often Patrick McDonnel will also stray completely from his main characters, like the first strip I've posted and I think it's fantastic. I also enjoy that they are still in the papers, something I wish I could still say about Calvin and Hobbes. Also another reason I like this strip, it reminds me of that timeless friendship.

I Love You Opa

Praying you get better soon.
XOxOXoXoxoXoxOX

Tonight

I'm sitting in my room, with all my candles going, finishing up an article for the paper-- feeling inspired. I had a great day at work today, and as soon as I got done I received a text that said,

"Meet me at the big tree by your house".

I went and found James on a blanket, in the grass, with a big Costo pizza (supreme, my favorite) and a smile waiting for me. So wonderful. We ate and then laid on our backs watching the clouds, surrounded by the new green leaves on the trees. We went back to my house and watched the original Italian Job with Bill and Dorothy. It was delightful.

We'll see how this whole writing-for-a-newspaper thing goes. I am enjoying it, though I hope my lead editor does as well. Who knew, move to Texas and suddenly become inspired again by music and art, photography and writing. Who knew.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Currently listening to:

Oh My Heart by R.E.M.
Three More Days by Ray LaMontagne
Sun Hands by The Local Natives
and
For the Windows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilnti by Sufjan Stevens

Photography Project: Spring

I took these in our neighborhood. About two weeks ago I started noticing the abundance of green in the grass and trees. The moon orbited closer to earth than it has in a while, maybe it wants to give us all a chance to jump on and escape. 

Nothing is so beautiful as spring—

  When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;

  Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush

Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring

The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;

  The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush

  The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush

With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?

  A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning

In Eden garden.

                                 

--Gerard Manley Hopkins

Regulars

I looked up, and as he handed me a book he said, "I think you're going to like it, just get it back to me when you're done". 

My regulars are really starting to grow on me. Working in a coffee shop it's expected you see the same people coming in to get their coffee with room, triple cappaccinos extra dry, or grande iced coffee with three pumps of hazelnut in a venti cup. Todd, Betty, and Demitri (respectively) are just a few of the people I get to see everyday, and make sure their drinks are perfect. You wouldn't believe the smiles on people's faces when you have their drink ready when they get to the counter. 

Todd brought me in a book by Raymond Khouri a few days ago, after we got to talking about books and which authors we like. Coffee draws people from every age, race, interest, and lifestyle. I met a man who was 90 yesterday, and got to chat with a woman who was recovering from a stroke the day before that. I get to smile, laugh at their jokes, receive fresh breakfast tacos, and make their days significantly better. Sometimes I give free refills, sometimes I hand out free drinks just because I can, and other times I think a smile does the trick. 

It's amazing when "How's your day going?" turns an order back into a person. 

Olsen Wedding: In the Heart of Texas

Our wonderful friends Lindsey and Justin were married this weekend about an hour outside Austin, in a big red barn, and celebrated by doing the two-step for their first dance. Sunflowers, cowboy boots, sweet tea and fantastic music lit by a glow of twinkle lights and candles. One of the most beautiful weddings I have ever been to-- it was simple, but elegant and fun. There was live music by the Texas Unlimited Band, s'mores outside by the firepit and sparklers to send them off. Both the groom and the bride were wearing cowboy boots, and their parties followed suit along with matching flowers Rhi made for everyone. I think the best part was spending the entire day with this wonderful family and their friends. Congratulations you guys!

Contents of the Week

This week has been full of work and relaxing. My hours change from week to week, something I will be working on in the near future. In my spare time I've been,

-Drinking wonderful cups of coffee, currently the Komodo Dragon blend, which is earthy and herbal from the Asian Pacific coffee region.
- Reading On the Road by Jack Kerouak.  It is said to be the work that defined the "Beat Generation",  an autobiographical work that recounts, in a stream of consciousness way, his travels back and forth from New York to San Francisco and all the "kicks" in between. I've tried to start it before, but this time it clicked and pulled me in.

-Sitting in the sun with my journal and pencils.

-Listening to Ray LaMontagne's new album, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise.

-Getting to know my new co-workers. I've discovered a few of them are artists, photographers, and readers. The afternoon crew is my favorite, they get excited when I arrive and are really fun to work with.

-Enjoying the spring season that has arrived in San Antonio. Everything is starting to turn green, finally.

Photography Project: Let There Be Light

I may find myself, in a number of years, looking back on my time in Texas and thinking, gosh I really miss the sunsets in San Antonio. 

A few days ago I was driving and the sunset just took my breath away. Quickly I jumped out of the car and started capturing it. I think all the birds in Texas sleep in the grocery-store parking lot near my home, and as I was taking pictures there were hundreds, if not thousands, of birds flying all around me. The thought occurred to me-- they have been doing this since the beginning of time. How beautiful it must have been, that first day when suddenly the world was bathed in light. What was it like that fifth day, when the sun rose and set on all the birds of the air that were created?

Surely, it was breathtaking, surely God was present. 

San Antonio Express News

A friend of mine knows the head editor of the SA Express News--for the Californian readers, that is the local newspaper, like the Modesto Bee or the Orange County Register--and was wonderful enough to send him my resume and a cover letter.

Yesterday morning I went down the SA Express, without knowing what to expect, and met Dino, the recruiting editor for the paper. I sat down in his office and he gave me an overview of the newspaper and then ran through my schedule for the morning. Yes, he had scheduled 4 hours for me, full of meetings, introductions, and even lunch.

Here are the things I am excited about:

-I met with Jamie Stockwell-the lead editor for the Metro section of the Express. She has a team of 20 to 30 reporters and editors that help her put together one of the most important sections of the paper. She pitches stories for the front page and we have both worked in Washington DC.

-I got to sit in on a front page meeting and watch how the editors come together and talk about what stories will go on the front page.

- I met with Terry Bertling and Steve Bennett - Terry is the lead editor for Features and Steve is the Book Editor for the Express. He reads and writes book reviews for the Sunday paper. We talked about my time in Oxford, how they got started in what they do and before we left he asked if I would be interested in writing some reviews on some Young Adult fiction for him. It would be my pleasure sir.

-I met with Richard Erickson. Richard is the lead editor of five small community newspapers called the Prime Time papers. These papers focus on five specific communities in San Antonio and cover things like school board meetings, local law enforcement, high school events and zoning. As they are small they each have one editor and one writer and most of the time the two are also doing the photography for their stories. I'm going to ask if I can shadow one or two of them and learn a little about photojournalism, and possibly start to take pictures for their papers myself.

-I went to lunch at Paloma Blanca with the Prime Time editors, and it was truly wonderful.

-I met with Brett Thacker, the Managing Editor for the Express, the man that all of the lead editors report to and talked to him about how to get started at a paper.

-Before I left I stopped in to Richard's office to say thank you, he sounded like he had just as great a time as I did. 

Friends

Mark and Jane Petrak moved to San Antonio the day after I arrived here. I went to school with a niece of theirs at Vanguard, a fellow English major--who shared my opinions in and out of classes-- and they have known the Pierce family, well, since before they were the Pierce family. Some neat connections.

I have fallen in love with going over to their house for dinner and inevitably a game or two. They are refreshing, funny, completely real, and are the kind of people who speak their minds. Wonderful. Mark is a fantastic cook and James and I look forward to visiting with them each week.

I came pretty close to winning Settlers of Catan this last week, which says something because I don't think I've won a game of anything since Christmas.

Here's to next time.

Miss you.

    Heaps.

Overwhelmed

Donald Miller wrote in his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, something to the effect of--

"The people who are living stories worth being told, are actually out there, living them. They don't have time to write about themselves, no time to sit around and try to write out their amazing story. They are living it."

Bethany and I had a random idea float across our conversation on Skype, and went with it. What a blessing to have so many friends who want to jump in, participate, share the story they are living all over the planet. I feel so connected to them through this photography project. I have beautiful friends.

What I love most is the diversity in their pictures, and how each one interprets a theme. It gives a lens into their lives and takes a moment to reveal a son's growing hands, or a dear friend's workplace.

I love every moment captured.

It helps the miles fade away.