4 hours and the beginning of summer

Well folks, I'm starting to get pretty excited. It's 4 hours 'til midnight. Coldplay's new album, Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends, will be released tomorrow. I'm hoping iTunes will push the button for the east coast and I'll get to listen in about an hour, but I'm not getting my hopes too high.

I'll be posting a review of the album as soon as I've actually listened to it. So far, I've done a pretty good job of "saving myself" for this first listen today. I've heard about 5 seconds of the single, "Violet Hill" and about 45 seconds of another song of the album today at the music store, but otherwise I've been keeping my ears closed for the first full listen. I'll take notes, write something up, and share it as soon as it's ready. I hope it's good, though I hear mixed reviews. I'm not one to listen too heavily to the popular media's take on what I like as far as music goes, so I'll be making my own mind up upon my listening.

In other news, tonight's the first Monday night of summer. Stacy is down in San Francisco, taking a short vacation with a couple of her teacher friends. I've had a pretty good day, pretty quiet around here. I went to my very first Yoga class today, which was fun. I'll try to write something up for that once I really get a feel for whether I like it or not. I've also done a bunch of start-of-the-summer errands, watched more of the West Wing, and I'm plowing my way through The Subtle Knife. Life is good. I'm glad summer's here.

Simple EcoSneaks – My new kicks

I got my brand new kicks in the mail today. Say hello to 100% recycled foot goodness.

Last week, I decided it was once again time to up and buy a new pair of shoes. I decided that since it seems like the world is collapsing around me, with rising gas prices, global warming, etc., it might be interesting to find a "green" shoe alternative. You know, something not made in a sweat shop, but maybe something made using ethical practices and eco-friendly material. And I found Simple shoes.

I had heard of the company before, but never owned a pair. I have usually needed to be pretty picky when it comes to shoes, as I have super-super-flat feet. But I thought I'd give something different a shot, knowing that by rocking the Superfeet orthotics that I already have, I might be ok.

My choice turns out to be the "Skiff" model, made with the following (from Simple's website):

• The men's Skiff contains no animal byproducts or even regular animal products. This shoe is vegan friendly and veggie friendly.
• Hemp uppers
• Yes those toe and heel bumpers are old bike tires
• Organic cotton linings
• Recycled PET (that’s recycled plastic bottles) wrapped latex elastic
• PET pedbeds (that’s recycled plastic bottles)
• Yes, that outsole used to be a car tire
• 100% post consumer paper pulp foot forms

How about that? And they're comfortable too!

A day off, a cup of coffee, a moment

So, we had a day off yesterday. Just closed the office and took a day for a break. It had been a long week, a long couple weeks really, so a day to breathe was very welcome. I scheduled a dental appointment in Shoreline and decided to take a long day in the big city (Seattle), alone, just driving around, spending some time in my favorite coffee shop, just being quiet, being with me. Being contemplative. Being.

***********************************
A day off.
I’m giving myself a few hours to breathe.
No meetings. No planning. No computer.
A book. Strong coffee. A good place. Alone.

I’m sitting in my favorite Seattle coffee shop.
El Diablo Coffee
Rich Cuban coffee, spicy Cuban music
Angels, demons, and the like stop in for their fix
Some stay to paint the walls with their divine comedy
Others pass, moving out of the fire to the cold streets
Maybe back to the church across the way
Maybe back to the cemetery

I pause at a place between heaven and hell
No resolution here, just a holding place

The rich foam, sweet espresso, pure sugar, melting together
Take me to another time
I can hear Oscar calling, screaming for his people
That call for liberation
From oppression, repression, aggression
Maybe liberation from this depression?
Another sip, I remember that voice of the voiceless

This is good.
I need another cup.
***********************************

I stumbled upon El Diablo Coffee a few years back, when Stacy was taking
a test at SPU and I needed a place to study for my history thesis paper
on Oscar Romero and liberation theology. For some reason, every time I’ve been there since has been memorable and significant in some way. Yesterday was no different.

the 24 list

I think I like lists. And so, to honor the end of my 24th year, here’s a list of things that happened in my life over the past year. Feel free to remind me if I leave anything out.

• Celebrated my 2 year wedding anniversary with Stacy
• Started my own business
• Made unsuccessful offers on two houses in Bellingham
• Moved into a new house (to rent)
• Led my first mission trip to Vancouver, BC
• Joined Presbymergent
• Rejoined Facebook
• Ran (and got a medal in) my first competitive race.
• Started taking piano lessons
• Successfully landed two large web design projects for local Bellingham clients
• Changed jobs, again. Now I’m the "Program and Music Coordinator" for the INN.
• Attended my first Presbyterian session meeting
• Completed my first conditional use permit application to the City of Bellingham
• Traveled to Boston
• Traveled to Chicago
• Was in one wedding (Sean and Gina in Chicago)
• Co-led the summer INN for my second summer
• Listened to a lot of music
• Read a lot of books
• Worked too much
• Saw friends and family too little

Overall, a good year. Seems like there’s been a lot going on in life this year. It also seems like it’s been a year of further transition into adulthood for me. I feel like I’m continuing to move into this new body, this new way of life that is "real life." That might sound like a negative thing, as we idolize youth, but I’m actually enjoying the good parts of it. I’m enjoying that I have more responsibility in my life now than I’ve ever had. People expect much of me, at work, in relationships, in everything. And I like that. Hopefully I’m learning how to live up to the expectations of this life, this journey I’m on.

As I’m turning a year older tomorrow, 25 brings new prospects for me. I’ve been reflecting over the last couple weeks on what I’m going to do differently as I move ahead. Maybe it’s spending more time here or there, or just simply cutting out the superfluous things that clutter my day. I’m not sure how this next year will change me, shape me into who I will be, but I know God guides it all and I’m confident in the goodness of that. Maybe next year, after another year (good or bad or whatever it is), I’ll have another list. Another reflection, another reminder of where I’ve been and where I’m off to next.

I guess it’s Christmas time…

At least according to Starbucks. I’ve heard that they made the big Christmas switch-over last night. I’m trying to hold off stopping by, but it’s inevitable that I’ll see it sooner or later. My small group meets there Friday mornings, so I’m in for it tomorrow.

The question is, what if I want a Pumpkin Spice latte still? I might want to pick up something autumnal on my way to Thanksgiving dinner. Do I have to forgo the pleasures of the Fall (hmm, that’s an interesting phrase, when applied to coffee with a little theology thrown in) just because the ‘bucks says it’s Christmas?

Pumpkin Carving

What last week of October would be complete without pumpkin carving?

And since I really miss LOST…

Good Summer Life

It’s been a good week. In all the busyness of this summer, it’s nice to be able to look back sometimes and say, "hey, it’s been a good week." Here are some reasons why:

My tomatoes are getting ripe. And boy are they good bite-sized snacks, a couple at a time.

I moved offices. This is good and bad. It means Lance has officially moved out of the INN office, which is sad. But it also means that I have my own little cubby-hole of darkness. (Both of those sound bad, but I like small spaces where I can settle in, so the black hole will suit me well).

I got new running shoes and clothes. For anyone who knows me, that may be a shock. How about I’ve gone running 3 days in a row. Now that’s a shock!

I love Stacy. That’s simple. And she makes any week good.

Merry Christmas

I probably won’t spend much time blogging over the next few days, so I wanted to wish everyone a merry Christmas. Hope you are all with people you love, enjoying some down time together, reflecting on this time of anticipating our coming (again) king.

The season can come at us from so many different directions. This year I’ve been able to see beyond some of my cynicism in all the commercialism and begin to understand a renewed excitement in what Christmas is actually about. While there was obviously some uncertainty to what this promised savior would actually do in the world, there was so much joy in knowing God came down, God moved in his creation to pull them back from all the distractions of sin and short comings of themselves. Joy to the world for the Lord has come and continues to dwell among us.

And, since it’s Christmas and I have idle time, here’s what I’m….
Reading: How (Not) to Speak of God, The God Delusion, and Why the Christian Right is Wrong
Listening to: Sufjan Steven’s Songs for Christmas, Damien Rice’s 9, Rosie Thomas’ These Friends of Mine, and Switchfoot’s Oh Gravity! (out 12/26)
Drinking: Starbuck’s Christmas Blend and Boundary Bay’s Cabin Fever ale
Watching: Six Feet Under – Season 2 and 24 – Season 4

Blessings.

Snowed In

You know the snow is bad when WWU decides to cancel school. I don’t know how clearly I can say it, but this has been one of my favorite November’s yet: terrible wind, buckets of rain, and now….SNOW! I’m a glutton for bad weather I guess, because I love this stuff.

And with the snow, it’s the silence that falls on the world that I love the most. Just when shoppers are gearing up to brave the mall, students are ramping up for a few very difficult weeks of school, and everyone starts to move into the break-neck pace that is the holidays, God decides to soften us all a bit with the silence of snow. It’s like the world takes a deep breath on days like today. We close our windows and doors, turn up the heat, and feel like we can take a quick break. We do the things we had been putting off, because we were otherwise "too busy." The inability to go out of the house or the deadened noise of the street seems to put our bodies at ease and let us relax.

Maybe this day is the last bit of Thanksgiving, a reminder, just before we jump off into a different season, to reflect on what we are grateful for.

Burnside Writers Collective: On Swearing

Check out this great article on from the Burnside Writer’s Collective. And…please…refrain from any silly commenting BS and watch your mouths.