Reading questionnaire

I generally don't do tags anymore, but this was book related. how could I resist?!

Do you snack will you read?

Not really, which is strange, because eating is pretty much the best thing in the world.

What is your favorite drink will reading?

Tea, with milk and maybe a pinch of sugar. I can drink it black, but I love watching the milk intermingle.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I underline, highlight, dog-ear my books. I find it infuriating when I can't find a specific quote and don't understand how people can keep their books in such perfect condition. Besides, I really love when I borrow a book from a friend and I get to see what their favorite parts.

How do you keep your place while reading a book?

Whatever is closest. I have found the most random things in books, from missing toothbrushes to spare change.

Are you the type of person who tends to read to the end of the chapter, or can you stop anywhere?

Some books literally can't be put down and must be read in one sitting. (Nancy Drew in high school, anyone?) The thing about reading to the end of the chapter is that it always ends on a semi-cliffhanger, leaving you wanting more...

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or onto the floor if the author irritates you?

I usually forget that someone actually wrote the story, so I usually yell at the protagonist.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you look it up right away?

Definitely! I love finding new words to add to my vocabulary! (I was so embarrassed when I discovered the meaning of the word detrimental a couple years ago - I thought it meant necessary)

What are you currently reading?

Oh, about seven different books. Making the most progress on Pride and Prejudice by the lovely Miss Austen and Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Also have Quiet, On the Road, and Eleanor.

What is the last book you bought?

Oh geez, I could have a different answer every day. Today I bought House of Dolls by Francesca Block; Women of the Bible; Vintage Book of Contemporary Short Stories; Beloved by Toni Morrison; and the Poisonwood Bible. I also got the CS4 Photoshop Essentials and Fast Living: How the Church Can End Extreme Poverty through Amazon. Safe to say that I love buying books.

Do you have a favorite time/place to read?

I like to have a big chunk of time. I hate getting sucked into a book and having to leave the characters.

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?

I usually go for stand alones.

Is there a specific book you find yourself recommending over and over?

Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers. Read it. Now. Seriously, why are you still here? Retells the story of Hosea from the Bible and shows God's love for us even though we are constantly turning away. I ended up sobbing on the bathroom floor reading the final chapter.

How do you organize your books?

I just pray that they all fit and I don't have to buy another bookcase. (I currently have five in my apartment!)

Boston.

Tragedy. Its one of those things that is impossible to put into words, yet everyone feels the need to do it.

By now you've heard of the tragedy surrounding the Boston Marathon. As of this writing and to my knowledge, there are two dead, 57 injured, and 8 critical. Some of my good friends are passionate about running. It could have been any one of them. When I heard the news I just couldn't be on the computer anymore. I had to leave the room.

This was the first time a tragedy in the states really hit me. I'm not going to say that the recent shootings or 9/11 haven't had an effect on me, but I tried not to let them touch me. This one did for some reason. I don't even have any family or close friends living on the east coast. I think it was the photographs. The image that really broke me was one I saw on Twitter, where several runners were just laying in blood. That's when it became real.

In my mind, bombs don't exist in my world. The Middle East, sure. But in my perfect, untouched,  middle class world, it is full of student loans and groceries. Nothing out of the ordinary, and certainly nothing life shattering. I know this sounds ridiculous since it obviously isn't true, but sometimes brains don't make sense.

Yet, even in the midst of this turmoil, people weren't just losing it, they were rushing to help others.

       "What I'm most struck by: video of the explosion shows police, military, bystanders
         running TOWARDS blast area to help. People. Are. GOOD." @DrGMLaTulippe

Pray for Boston. Pray for helaing. Pray for understanding in this chaos. Pray for peace and hope.

Energy! No energy required!

I would have taken a picture of my own, but my camera is currently in the shop. Sadness. I found this recipe on pinterest through Gimme Some Oven.

These things are delicious, but be careful! All of that oatmeal can really fill you up. I didn't have any coconut flakes or chia seeds, so I just added in a little more oatmeal and flaxseed. I didn't try honey yet, but the syrup made it very, very sweet.

No-Bake Energy Bites

• 1 cup dry oatmeal
• ⅔ cup toasted coconut flakes 
• ½ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup ground flaxseed/wheat germ
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup honey/maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

This is an incredibly simple recipe.  Just mix all of the ingredients together, chill for 30 minutes, and roll into balls. Makes about 18 per batch (maybe more...I always sample my treats while I'm making them).

Enjoy!

Bates Motel

Can we talk about the Bates' for a little bit?

First of all, I'm a huge Hitchcock fan and therefore, you are required to bear through some Psycho trivia before I continue:

• First (American) movie to include a toilet. Hitchcock had to make sure it was necessary to the plot, so that he could keep it in.
• The (90!) splices in the shower scene were so fast that the sensors were sure they had seen some nudity. The slowed it way down, and had to admit that there wasn't any.
• Did you notice all of the taxidermy in the scene where Norman and Marion are eating sandwiches? The Birds was Hitchcock's next film.
• Psycho is based off a true story, serial killer: Ed Gein.
• Hitchcock's last film in black and white. He thought it would be too gory in color. 
• Hitch was forced to use money from his television show because of the lack of support from studios.

I love that they brought in an older brother, Dylan, for Norman. Brings in a whole other aspect of Norman's family life. I hope they interact more in the next couple episodes. I keep wondering what the writers are going to do with Dylan's character. Will he help Norman develop into his own person, or will Norma interfere and send him packing?

I also really love that the whole set is very classic, but still set in modern day. When I saw the first episode, I was assuming that it was set in the 60s. Before I knew it, Norman had earbuds in, listening to music and girls were wearing leggings.

By the time I saw Psycho for the first time, I already knew about the infamous shower scene. However, the scene where Detective Arbogast is stabbed by 'Norma' is what shocked me. So the stairway got me really excited when they first showed it in Bates Motel.

Now we know that one of the first things we hear from Norman in Psycho is a lie. "My mother moved here and bought this hotel with a guy." That quote is very summarized; I couldn't remember what he said exactly.

When I first heard about Bates Motel, I was worried it would just be really kitschy, but the teasers got my hopes up. Who could replace Anthony Perkins as the adorable, but frightening, psychopath? Overall, I think Hitchcock would be proud of this series if he had been around for it.

Does Norman actually see visions and go into trances? Or is his mother planting ideas? Who killed Norman's father? How long until Norman kills his mother and her lover? Is that what really happened?

Broken and joyful.

Okay, this is ridiculous. It has been more than three months since I last posted. Not much has happened since then... Oh wait, I went to Mexico.

Why Mexico? Because I like to scare my mother - it's a wonderful past-time.

Michelle, one of my good friends, asked me if I would be interested in going down to Mexico for a mission trip. I, always up for wanderlust, jumped at the chance to go to the orphanage. I had no idea how much I would learn from it.

A team of eleven of us left at the end of January for the 1700+ mile journey. Before we even got to Mexico, I knew that I would be coming back next year. We shared our testimonies on the way there (plenty of time in the spanse of three days!) - it was so wonderful to hear the backgrounds from close friends and from new ones too. We are not what we want the world to see, we are so much more broken than that. Really brought us all together. We also went through Forgotten God by Francis Chan (about the Holy Spirit, I highly recommend it!) as our devotions. It can be easy, even if you go to church and Bible study on a regular basis, to just sit back and go through the motions. It was  wonderful to be challenged. One night I remember feeling so unworthy to read the Bible, not because I clutching to my own sin, but just realizing how often I ignore the Bible as it sits on my nightstand waiting patiently to be read.

The kids amazed me. They had so much joy amidst such heartbreak. Once you hear their stories, you question if you are thinking of the right kid. How could THAT have happened to him?! Molestation, exposure to sex at such a young age, false accusations. What do you do with all of this despair? How can it be turned into hope? We are so much more broken than we let on.

It was phenomenal going to church in a different country. We went twice, Sunday and Wednesday night. Even though we couldn't understand 94% of what was being said, we all really loved it. There is comfort in knowing that you are worshipping the same God.

Though we have brokenness, joy can break though.

I learned that images can really bring people together. I've known this for a long time (and especially true with kids), but it was lovely to be surrounded with the kids looking at images of themselves and their friends. I was really debating having such a large memory card though, my fingers got tired of pushing buttons! :) Images transcend where language and cultural barriers begin.

Some of our accomplishments:

• Fixed broken tiles in the girls' dorm
• Fixed braces on the girls' beds
• Changed out lights
• Kitchen cabinets
• Painted kitchen ceiling
• Started walls for laundry room
• Got rid of black mold in the house parents' bathrooms
• Gaga Pit
• Benches for additional seating
• Locks
• Fixed knobs on drawers
• Changed faucets
• Started new relationships with the kids! 

Make sure to check out the video I put together. (If you are using a blog reader, the embedded video isn't showing up for some reason.) A lot of the images are the same, but you can get a better feel of what we did if you watch it. I also put up a shorter version.

I also started an account with YouCaring - it's a great website for fundraising. If you feel the urge, I'd appreciate it. You can click the link or get to it by the widget on the top right. If you click on updates, the needs list for this coming year is right there.

I still don't understand how these kids can turn such despair into fierce joy, but I'm anxious to go back and find out.

joy | alegría

One Word

One word. 365 days. A changed life. 

That's the challenge over at One Word 365. I had never heard of them until reading Sundi Jo this morning. I think it is a much better idea than resolutions which are quickly forgotten in a month. Choose one word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long.

I'm choosing genuine.

          [jen-yoo-in] means not fake or counterfeit; 
          sincerely felt or expressed.

Over the years, I've had some friendships, though fun, that were quite shallow. Now I am blessed with some truly beautiful friends and would very much like to keep it that way. Some I've meet only once, though I consider a kindred spirit (I'm looking at you, Nan). And for some others, I was not expecting to become such close friends, whether that was my own judgment on their personal appearance or I deemed them too cool. High school, much? I want to be authentic and real with my friends. This doesn't mean I am going to be open about my whole life with everyone, (Come on, that's what social media is for) but I am aiming for a genuine life.'

Happy New Years everyone! I'd love to know if you take up the challenge. What is your word?

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful. And don't forget to make some art. Or write, draw, build, sing, or live as only you can. And I hope in the new year you surprise yourself." 

::Neil Gaiman::

What to expect when you're not expecting to expect

I'm an awkward, single twenty-something. This is the time in my life where nearly all of my friends are engaged, married, or having kids.

This is not a post by yet another crazy girl that "just wants to be married." I'll be the first to say that I'm not ready to be married, much less have kids. I'm not even sure I want to have kids. I came across this quote while reading Steinbeck's Out of Eden today:

When a child first catches adults out ― when it first walks into his grave little head that adults do not always have divine intelligence, that their judgments are not always wise, their thinking true, their sentences just ― his world falls into panic desolation. The gods are fallen and all safety gone. And there is one sure thing about the fall of gods: they do not fall a little; they crash and shatter or sink deeply into green muck. It is a tedious job to build them up again; they never quite shine. And the child's world is never quite whole again. It is an aching kind of growing.

That's a huge responsibility, when I have enough trouble keeping an aloe vera plant alive.

So what should you expect when you are not expecting to expect?

You'll experience self-doubt. That's okay. If you aren't doubting yourself a little, that means you're not testing the waters. "A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor."

Solitude. I love spending time alone, so this is actually a plus for me. I am really good at being single and liking it. (Why yes, I am about as introverted as they come.) In my opinion, people need to learn how to enjoy being by themselves. Take a trip by yourself! Explore new places, read a book in one sitting, learn a new skill.

Find out who you are, continually. Trust me, you'll change over the years. Read things that challenge your beliefs. Step out of your comfort zone.

Be.

I wonder what it's like to be God. One minute I'm running around like a beheaded chicken, the next I'm amazed at what He provides.

I was going through my budget because now I'm a big girl with a real job and real debt. As a desperate act, I decided to cut out Netflix before my next billing cycle. I love Netflix. Even though they decided to raise prices by 60% and I am a terribly cheap person, I still remained a faithful subscriber. Alas, the Bank of North Dakota does not understand my needs. 

There I was, staring angrily at my budget. Why did I go to such a ridiculously expensive university? Why am I not a billionaire? Or at least someone who can afford groceries without donating plasma?

I opened up my email and voila! I had a housekeeping job. 

I am glad that I went to such a ridiculously expensive university. I cherish so many of those friendships even though they now live about 13 hours away from me. I am not a billionaire because then I wouldn't be the weird cheapskate that I am. And I love donating plasma.

Something I've been trying to learn (for seemingly my whole life) is to be still and know that He is God.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Memories

Memories have a way of suddenly overwhelming you. One minute you are drying a spatula, the next, you're trampled by all of these events that you were hoping you had repressed. Nope, no chance of that happening. I want to blame it on something. But even as I write this I can't think of one single thing to blame it on, other than dishes being boring. I'm not going to delve into the details, because, well frankly, that's not my style. I like to keep my life semi-private. Despite my incessant and narcissistic postings on social media. I shall forever be an introvert. (For a great article on myths of introverts click here.)

I think God wants me to really deal with all of my emotions. I tend to try to just set it aside. Bottle it up. I thought I was done with that. Eesh. I had several months of therapy after I broke off my engagement and while that did help, I still have my issues. Like guilt. My good friend Joy asked me on the train back in September how I am dealing with it. I kind of shrugged off the question. 

I'm working on giving things up to God. (It seems like I say this every three months.) It's a work in progress. He needs to work in me. And for that to happen, I need to spend a lot more time with Him than I usually do.

This might not make sense to anyone. If so, I apologize - hopefully I can pull together my thoughts for a real post.

Employed!

I'm a freelance writer for The Examiner.
I submitted my first article today. Click here to see it. Since I get paid by my audience number, I'd appreciate as much traffic as possible. I'm just a poor 20-something trying to pay off school loans.

Bemidji

Mom and I went to Bemidji, MN at the beginning of August. I finally edited and tagged all the pictures.  This is what happens when you are sick and don't feel up to simple things like standing, much less cleaning or cooking.

At Villa Calma, our amazing bed and breakfast. 

We were able to stop along the way and take pictures. 

 Headwaters at the Mississippi River! Crazy how a huge river starts out so small.

Crocheted tree.

Exciting, terrifying.

So I'm at a very exciting and terriying time in my life currently.


I recently was offered a job position as a nanny in Jackson, Mississippi. I was ecstatic! Turns out that wasn't God's plan for me. The family was one of the sweetest I have ever met. I loved them and their church; I am so glad to have had the opportunity to gain some more dear friends. But it left me with more questions than answers after I got back home. After I did, I finally caught up on my sleep and slept for 13 hours straight. I think it's safe to say that I hadn't completely recovered from my jet-lag.


I haven't had time since I returned from England to go through pictures. Now that I have some free time, I'm hoping to blog more and take/edit pictures on a more frequent basis. Also, since I'm poor, I added advertisements to the side of my blog. Please click on them and make me rich ;)


Anyway, exciting. Absolutely anything can happen right now. I could be headed to Africa for an adventure. I could discover Prince Charming on my back steps. I could be offered a photo job. But I'll just keep busy and wait to see what God decides to do.


Terrifying. The vast amount of school loans are looming. I have some money saved up and I'm cleaning several houses locally. Not exactly the makings of a debt-free life. Will I mooch off my parents until the economy improves? I hope not. Time to write the next great American novel.

The Help

You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

Yesterday I went to the theatre with my mom to see The Help. There was a bit of language in the beginning. Nothing too severe, but probably not something you want to bring your kids to see. 

I didn't really know much about The Help. I hadn't even seen a trailer for it. My mom really wanted to go and I thought, what the heck, why not? After all, it takes place in the 60s. If it bombs, at least I get to look at pretty dresses for two hours. Wow, I was wrong. It is one of the most powerful movies I have ever seen. It had me laughing and crying almost simultaneously. 

It brought to light some shocking things which I had never realized (the 'help' not being allowed to use the same toilet as the whites because they had "different diseases.")

Not only is this film phenomenal because of it's story, but most of the characters had so much growth. When I was first introduced to what I thought was going to be a flighty, ditzy character, I was annoyed. However, I found her character to be very entertaining. She grew. The ditz isn't often given a chance in movies. 

Get off your butt right now and go to a theatre.  And invite me!

Stop reading, get out of here. Run, don't walk. 

And ask about the origin of your pie.

Ever-frightening

Pauley Summer get-together!

We had family over this weekend! It was so fun having everyone here. This time I didn't take as many pictures, and just decided on talking more with people. I took just over 100 pictures, which is hardly anything for me :)

Dawson is such a cutie!

Dudley captured Andrew's heart.

Cherry picking!

Evidence of extended family

We like to eat.

London in 24 days!

Bucket List

Got the idea from Through the Waters of Life to post my bucket list here. Maybe it will prompt me to get more done! :) Bear with me, it's a fairly extensive list.

Personal Fitness

·      Run a marathon (it'll have to be short unless I somehow gain an ironman body overnight)

·      Hike in the mountains

·      Do an indoor rock-climb wall

·      Bungee jump

·      Learn to swim

·      Learn to surf (I got up twice in Hawaii, but would like to get better at it)

·      Do P90X

·      Lose 25 pounds

Hobbies

·      Learn Cricket

·      Complete a crossword puzzle

·      Learn to quilt

·      Solve a Rubik’s Cube

·      Learn to play bridge (I watch too many old tv series)

·      Go fishing at sunrise

·      Listen to Bach and Mozart

·      Own a horse

·      Milk a cow (despite living in the country, I have never milked a cow)

·      Win Super Mario Bros on Nintendo (I am absolutely HORRID at video games)

·      Start a fire without matches

·      Hold a snake (the sheer thought of this scares me silly!)

·      Finish crocheted green blanket (more than half way done with it as a queen sized)

Home

·      Grow an herb garden (I would LOVE to be able to cook with my own spices)

·      Buy a home, with a window seat

·      Host 10 dinner parties

·      Have a plant, and not kill it

·      Watch no TV for one week

·      Own a piano

·      Pay off all school loans.

·      Splurge on a pair of shoes (DONE! -- TOMS)

·      Have a secret room behind a bookcase (I don't think I'll tell if this happens)

Charity

·      Volunteer at a soup kitchen

·      Help to end slavery

·      Spend a day talking with an orphan

·      Spend a day talking with a homeless man/woman/child

·      Own 5 pairs of TOMS

·      Mission trip/expedition (kaya) every year

Language

·      Learn French fluently

·      Learn an accent well (British or Irish preferably)

·      Learn HTML coding

·      Learn basic sign language

·      Expand vocabulary

Writing

·      Write a book

·      Learn calligraphy

·      Practice handwriting

·      Write a paper, just because

·      Write a sitcom

·      Write your autobiography

·      Compile a cookbook

·      Use typewriter frequently for writing letters

Food

·      Eat a jalapeno pepper, whole

·      Anchovies

·      Escargot, Lucy style

·      Make homemade ice cream

·      Put up root beer

·      Avoid fast food for six months

·      Cook every dish from the ’69 Betty Crocker cookbook

·      Eat Haggis

·      Learn to make Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

Phrases To Say

·      Sit on it!

·      Quick, follow that car!

·      I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship

·      Go ahead, make my day

·      A martini. Shaken, not stirred.

Read

·      The works of  e.e. cummings,

·      The works of Thoreau

·      The works of Emerson

·      Bible, cover to cover

·      Entire Encyclopedia Britanica

·      100 NY Best Sellers (2/100)

Films

·      Watch all of the AFI’s greatest films

·      Watch every single Hitchcock film

·      Be an extra in a film

·      Become a still photographer for a movie set

·      Watch every Academy Award for Best Picture

Photograph/Travel/Adventure

·      Eiffel Tower

·      England

·      Ukraine, Hungary (E. Europe)

·      Greece

·      Corrie ten Boom’s home

·      Holy Land

·      Italy

·      Ireland

·      Peru (Machu Picchu)

·      Maine lighthouses

·      Prince Edward Island

·      DC in the spring

·      Oregon (Multnomah Falls)

·      Sundance

·      Gondolas in Venice

·      Big Ben

·      Abbey Road

·      Chase a storm

·      Fly in a hot air balloon

·      Take the Amtrak from Seattle to the East Coast

·      Learn the ins and outs of Photoshop

·      Re-learn geography

·      Change a flat tire

·      Drive stick shift

·      Visit all countries of heritage [Denmark, Germany, France, Switzerland, Scotland, Russia]

·      Live in Europe for a month

·      Start photography business

·      Visit Holocaust camps, after re-reading The Hiding Place

·      Fly first-class overseas

·      Photograph for National Geographic

·      Visit all 50 states (21/50)

·      Drive down route 66

·      Go behind a waterfall

·      Attend the Olympics

·      Watch the sun rise every day for one week

·      Photograph war

·      Photograph a wedding

·      Visit a castle

·      Explore a cave

·      Impromptu road trip (Denver, Devils Mountain)

·      Human Trafficking Photography Expedition via Kaya travel