so so much....

I can't keep up with all that's going on... so instead of a cleverly crafted, well-written entry, you're just going to get the run down. I hope you won't mind. I'm tired.

Today: I started my day with an email from my dad with a scanned-in newspaper clipping. It showed a picture of our former house in the W- on fire. It's eerie to see a place you called home in flames. No one was home or hurt, so i'm glad for that.

A public service announcement came across my desk at work. It's for an assistant director training program. It sounds amazing and I will be applying. But please please pray. I feel like it's a real long shot, but i really want to do it.

My friend Patty won on Blingo again! Which means i, who referred her, won, too! Thanks, Patty! Amazon, here I come with my $5.....

Monday: I spent the day in the mountains at Camp Joy, for homeless kids. It was amazing for a lot of reasons. I wanted to stay all week with those kids. I know a couple days at summer camp won't change their situation.... but i do believe it could change their life. Jesus is a powerful dude.

Saturday: Chalk contest! Check my pics section for this year's entry... i'm too lazy to stick it in here, sorry. I'm proud of our picture, and thanks to Patty for being part of the idea conceptualization! They didn't have places this year, only one prize per category and one overall grand prize. The grand prize winner had a great drawing. The winner in our category.... well, at the risk of having a bad attitude, i say check out my pics section and see for yourself. We'll be back and ready to try again next year!

There's a lot more in between the "big events"- like church and dogsitting and work and such.... and I had been meaning to blog and really expound on a lot of these things. But the days have been so dang full, and when i get home i'm exhausted. At least you're not totally in the dark!! :) And a holiday weekend with no plans is on the horizon, so expect better blogs soon.

now i lay me down to sleep

Sometimes i just want to close my eyes and stop. Just for a minute. To rest. Not that i don't rest ever, because I do. And as crazy as life is, I take moments to stop or nap or play or what have you... But there's always a deadline looming or the knowledge that time is limited before I have to get up again and keep going. I realize this is normal, this is adulthood, and I have nothing to complain about. But sometimes, I just want to have a day with nothing to do, no expectations, no responsibilities, no accountability.

The chalk contest is Saturday and I'm v. excited. We're drawing a sunset in a clamshell. We practiced last night... and have a LOT of work to do. The competition time has been shortened to only three hours to draw, so we need a very strategic game plan. We're doing a run-through on Friday night... but i'm actually a little nervous, because i'm less confident at the moment. I know the remedy for that is preparedness.....

This week's project is eating healthy. I won't bore you with the rundown, because it's nothing you haven't heard, and it's usually something on my mind anyway. So yay healthiness. I did invest $20 in an emergency kit for my car though. I figure when Soph and i are back in an apartment i'll put aside emergency supplies there. At least my car is ready to go. The kit has first aid stuff, jumper cables and tow rope, gloves, blanket, and poncho, a flashlight (and i added glowsticks so as not to depend on batteries) and a year's free roadside assistance. I might add a couple bottles of water, an index card of emergency numbers, and some cash. I feel a bit more prepared now.

saturday in flight

i really have no business being on the computer right now. There's a big reunion tomorrow for my adoptive family, and i should be helping or at least finishing my house-cleaning duties. But i was working on a project on the computer anyway, and i am weak!! So i blog.

God got my attention over my bad attitude on Wednesday. As we sat in McDonald's for a late post-church dinner, I complained to Sophia about various church-related injustices. I felt they were valid laments- Kids' Kingdom limitations because we can't spend a dime, small-group let-down, frustration over drama ministry (or lack there-of). As I paused to take a bite of my high-calorie comfort chicken mcnuggets, Daylene turned to me and said, "I'm so lucky."
"Why is that?" I innocently asked.
She shrugged and said, "I love my life."

Darn kids.

*******

Sometimes my co-workers and I walk to a nearby restaurant for lunch. We take a short-cut through the bottom level of our parking garage. One day as we were coming back, we saw a lady emerge from the dumpster. However, she didn't appear to be homeless, and had a friend in the car nearby. My oh-so-outgoing friend, Shelly, of course asked her what she was doing.As it turns out, she was bringing food and fresh water to stray cats. Since then, we've seen her a couple of times. Her name is Fran and she's a very sweet lady. And it's awesome that she puts time and money into taking care of neighborhood cats (and no notes about how she's contributing to the pet population. At least she's doing SOMEthing, and who knows, i wouldn't put it past her to care for sick ones or invest in getting them fixed. )

*****

Traffic was unbelievable light on Friday morning, and I got to work 45 minutes early. That means Jamba Juice! And thanks to my little punch card, i was treated to a free breakfast smoothie! Nothing beats a twenty-minute miracle commute and free Jamba Juice! As I walked back to my car, I saw a woman with blonde hair piled on top of her head and huge sunglasses.... it was Fran the cat lady! I am always surprised to run into familiar faces in the city- it's not like it's a Wal*Mart in small-farm-town. When i expressed my surprise, Fran just said, "There are no coincidences". I hope i run into her again.

*****

We finally have our chalk idea! Sketches coming soon...... Also in random notes... i found out my blood type after donating last month. I am A+! I have no clue why but i've always wondered about my blood type...


Alright, if I don't get my booty off this computer, I'm going to be in for it! Besides, there's a toilet that needs scrubbed and a carpet that needs vacuuming....

thursday, eh?

Does your internal calendar ever get thrown off? You forget what day it is, Monday feels like Friday, everything is scattered... and you're not sure what comes next...

What would it be like without clocks and calendars? Without routines and obligations and bills? No credit cards, just a barter system? Simplicity is something the Amish got right.

No update on the complicated life situation. And i don't want another whiny entry, so i'm just not going into it. Meanwhile, a co-worker just walked by holding a bunch of phones and a weird look on his face. Hmmm....

Nine days until chalk contest '08! The theme is "Fanta-Sea". We're anxious to expand the sunset from a section of last year's turtle, but not sure how to make that fit the theme. Suggestions and inspiration are welcome.

i feel like doing a survey. Just because i want to type and make it look like i'm working, even though most of my work (besides incoming phone calls) is done for the day. So here it is. A survey from the latest on the bulletin board expressly to make me look busy.

*************************
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
Red Lobster. Olive Garden. Does Souplantation count? Cracker Barrel. Joe's Crab Shack. California Pizza Kitchen.

geez, no wonder i'm chunky.

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
speaking of.... cheese, mushrooms, various veggies

What do you like to put on your toast?
maranatha organice peanut butter on one, trader joes organic strawberry preserves on the other, please

What is your wallpaper on your computer?
the picture i took of the stone steps at the Pasadena park

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
blue recycling bin full of empty glass bottles

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
nope. though it's a little fuzzy around the time i fell during a KWC theatre audition

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
i like my name. Always have, even as a kid. My last name however... i'm looking forward to changing that with marriage. Not that i'm ashamed of my last name, people just have a hard time pronouncing it

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000
Do I have to chug it? Can I go at my own pace? If so, yes. Otherwise, i'll chug it for $5000 and you have a deal.

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?at least seven but probably more

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?last year, giving a police report when my friends' purse (then car, now that they had her keys) were stolen from church

Favorite:
Season?
summer summer summer summer!

Holiday?
Christmas. My birthday (yes, i think it counts). Easter. Fourth of July. Thanksgiving. Memorial Day. Labor Day. New Years. In that order. And yes, other holidays were omitted because i do NOT enjoy them. (Though in case anyone's taking notes, i'm looking forward to someone changing Valentine's Day into a day to look forward to instead of dread)

Day of the week?
Any day i'm not at work

****
Mood?pick one

First place you went this morning?the bathroom. it's weird- it's the first thing i HAVE To do when i wake up. seriously. no exceptions.

What can you not wait to do?
be financially stable again

What's the last movie you saw at home?
French Kiss

How about at the theater?
Mamma Mia

Whats the most random thing in the room you are in right now?
the awesome sort-of real-looking fake orchid on my desk

Talked to a jerk today?
It's why they pay me

Do you like anyone?
does it matter?

Can you do a cartwheel?
yup. Daylene asked me to teach her last summer. then she revealed she already knew how, she just wanted to see if i'd do it.

Do you have a piggy bank shaped like a pig?
Do i? I might. I haven't seen most of my belongings in over a year, so i'm starting to forget what's in those boxes in storage. Though it's pretty telling, isn't it? Amazing what we really can live without.

ARE YOU:
A Daydreamer:
please. must you even ask?

Sarcastic:
just another service i offer.

Shy:
actually, sometimes yes

Talkative:
yeah, you ask my second-grade teacher that question and report back to me when she stops laughing

prepare!

Our church small group has decided to sell those rubberband bracelets to raise money for Voice of the Martyrs. They're $3, silver with black writing and say "Pray for China" in English and Chinese. Funds support persecuted Christians overseas. Yesterday at church I was given five to find homes for. If you're interested, leave a comment or email me..... It can be your good deed for the day.

********************

Other notable happenings:
- attended two birthday parties and a wedding this weekend
- chalk contest at the beach in two weeks
- still no clue what we're drawing
- At one of the birthday parties, Sophia and I did temporary tattoos and facepaint for the kids... something of a warm-up for her family reunion this coming Sunday
- visiting Camp Joy (for homeless kids) in two weeks!! :)
- it's been recommended that I read a book called "Twilight". Anyone read it? Is it good? I need to resurrect my library card
- I'm really starting to loathe the sound of a ringing phone

***************

Every Monday Matters!

Did anyone else sign up for Amber Alerts last week?

This week... prepare for an emergency.

To me, this is challenging. There are so many possible emergencies, and it's impossible to predict when, where, and how it could happen. I guess having supplies at home and in the car is a good idea?

- develop a family communication plan, and select a family member outside of the area to call during an emergency to be a central information point.
- MEMORIZE phone numbers. Thanks to cell phones, we don't normally do this. However, if I don't have my phone or laptop, I couldn't tell you how to reach my parents or sisters. I'm thinking I need to fix that. Also, think about coins for a payphone or a phone card, since cell phones get jammed with high call volume. (We witnessed this after the earthquake the other day- and that wasn't even a disaster. We couldn't use cell phones for at least an hour or more, just because EVERYONE gets on the phone after a quake).

-Designate a meeting location, and a back-up plan B

- Create an emergency supply kit to carry you through three days. Here's one website with suggestions: http://www.ehow.com/how_4449709_put-together-travel-emergency-kit.html Also, check out the camping section at Wal*Mart or Target for useful supplies. I'm going to make a kit for my car, i think. I'll post details when it's done.

We don't know what the future holds. But I bet these folks wished THEY were prepared (fast forward about 50 seconds to the good part): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxJi-si5FRY

(I can't figure out how to put the youtube video in the darn blog... arrgh. Just click it)

overdue!!

So i really did mean to blog on Monday. However, i did update frequently last week, so it evens out, right?

Biggest craziness- last week, our company laid off a large group of people. Everyone was shocked and now sitting uneasy. Though they say they don't anticipate further cutbacks, no one feels secure- not to mention the increased workload to make up for those who aren't here. And, more importantly, we're a pretty close-knit office. Our hearts break for our suddenly-unemployed friends.

Of course, that paragraph would've been more bitter and sarcastic had i written it last week.... but forward we must move, eh? God has a plan, it is good. God is good all the time. (and I'll say it again until my heart is sure).

So my job searching has a little more drive behind it. I still send out a few resume's a day. So far I've only gotten one response for a personal assistant job. I'm waiting for confirmation on a Saturday interview. We'll see what happens!

Saturday I had a very enlightening counseling session with a pastor at church, and my emotionalness was brightened when I got a package in the mail... a crazy awesome book, the sequel to "Stargirl"!! I read it all afternoon... waiting in line at Wal*Mart, waiting for Soph's mom at the mall, in the car, and before I went to bed... and finished it! I loved it!! And it struck a chord.... i know it sounds cheesy but she's got a lot of similarities to me in the "free spirit" department. Though as I've ventured into "adulthood", that spirit is much contained (with depressing results, as you've witnessed). In the book, she's lost a little of her shine, too. And the way she finds to get it back... well, dang it, it made sense. Yay for revelations in young adult fiction.

Also saw "Mamma Mia".... oh-so-cheesy, but fun and silly. Soph and her mom really liked it, so that's what matters. Go Abba. Now i want to see "Dark Knight" and a zillion other movies i'm behind on. Oh, how I miss Blockbuster Online.

This week's project: Amber Alerts. America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response was created in memorium to 9-year-old Amber from Texas who was kidnapped and murdered. Now, by giving the public the information, 336 kids have been found and returned to their families.

What do we do?
- pay attention when you see a posted Amber Alert
- sign up to receive Amber Alerts on your phone or download a webpage ticker (Myspace posts them, too, I think?)
- Don't take it lightly- this kid is somewhere, and it really could be closer than you think. If it were your daughter, your nephew, your little sister or cousin- you would pray that people were looking for them.
www.amberalert.gov


Stargirls shed light.