Ups
1. Band director wants to attend the free Spanish class I teach at my church! (He’s going to try to make it next week.) I was pleased that he was interested, but I don’t want to make that a bigger deal than it is.
2. The Middle School football team is undefeated. I went to their game last night and it was so sweet to see the boys’ faces light up when they saw me there. I told them I would come!
3. I have a big block of free time in the afternoon today through Thursday because of SAT testing.
4. I’ve finally gotten the ball rolling in applying to grad school. More details on that as they develop . . .
Downs
1. This crazy woman rear-ended me last week. I didn’t care too much about being rear-ended—my car is still drivable and she’s at fault so her insurance should patch up the scrape. But what bothered me is that she tried to intimidate me and tell me that I didn’t have on my turn signal, which I did. But even if I did not, she should have been a car length behind me, which she obviously was not, and SHE hit ME. You at fault, girl. You gonna have to pay. Siddown.
2. One of my precious 5-year-old little babies at church was hit in the face with a golf club while playing with a neighbor kid. It broke his jaw in two places—in one place it was so bad the bone went through and was poking him in the gum. They’re going to have to wire his jaw shut for a few weeks. His parents are really torn up about it. So am I. I love that little boy. He’s so small and innocent. I hated to see him lying there with his face all swollen and stitched up. I told him that when he comes home, I was going to come over and read to him and play games with him, and that I love him so much. It was heart wrenching to see him attempt to say “I love you” in response.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
It’s More Spiritual This Time
I’m sorry for this continuing saga on His Musical Hotness, but this time, instead of descriptions of adrenaline rushes (or lacks thereof), it’s more . . . spiritual.
Girls have to give all the background details. (Girls, you already know this.)
It was simply gorgeous today. Just exquisite. The notoriously oppressive Southern heat and humidity has passed, and today it was sunny, moderate and ever so slightly breezy. During lunch, I decided to soak it up and read my Bible on one of the benches along the quad of the school campus.
Who comes walking out of the Performing Arts Building, crossing the quad, but His Musical Hotness himself? I didn’t have a quasi-heart attack. Self-consciousness didn’t inch its way up my throat. I felt completely normal and almost . . . serene.
When he approached closer to where I was, I called his name, Mr._____, and he came over and commented on the weather, (seriously, it was a downright perfect day), asked what I was doing, was it Middle School’s lunch break now? I told him that it was, and that I was just sitting here reading my Bible. He asked what I was studying, and, with a sheepish smile, I told him that right now I was reading Luke, and that I try to read the Bible through every year with one of those chart things, but I don’t always make it. He said that he does too, the same thing happens with him, but at least he makes it through the New Testament. But then he turned and said, with a laugh, that he’d better go to his meeting with Dr._____, he doesn’t want to get in trouble, and walked on. Then he stopped and came back.
Him: “Hey, do you go to a church around here?”
Me: “Yes, I do.”
Him: “Really? What kind of a church is it? Is it near here?”
Me: “Oh, yeah, it’s a Pentecostal church. You know where EastChase and stuff is on Taylor Road, right? You just get onto I-85, take a right at exit 11—“
Him: That’s the Mitylene exit, right?
Me: Yeah! You know where it is. You take an immediate left onto Hwy 80, and there’s the church, you can’t miss it.
He thanked me and walked on to the High School. He came back out minutes later and we waved and told each other “see ya” and “have a good one.” He started whistling a gospel tune as he walked on.
Okay, from this exchange, I gathered:
1. He’s a Christian that actually reads his Bible.
2. From the way he asked, he’s looking for a church.
3. From his reaction after I said, “it’s a Pentecostal church,” he must be somewhat familiar with Pentecostalness in some way or another, or at least know what it entails.
4. It wasn’t as hard to carry on an actual conversation with him as I thought. In fact, it felt natural. How my hair looked didn’t cross my mind not once. And for me, that’s a big deal. lol.
Maybe God is trying to teach me to see people as people. Instead of looking at band director as simply a good-googa-mooglingly fine, unattainable golden boy, why not see him as a human being, as a soul?
Girls have to give all the background details. (Girls, you already know this.)
It was simply gorgeous today. Just exquisite. The notoriously oppressive Southern heat and humidity has passed, and today it was sunny, moderate and ever so slightly breezy. During lunch, I decided to soak it up and read my Bible on one of the benches along the quad of the school campus.
Who comes walking out of the Performing Arts Building, crossing the quad, but His Musical Hotness himself? I didn’t have a quasi-heart attack. Self-consciousness didn’t inch its way up my throat. I felt completely normal and almost . . . serene.
When he approached closer to where I was, I called his name, Mr._____, and he came over and commented on the weather, (seriously, it was a downright perfect day), asked what I was doing, was it Middle School’s lunch break now? I told him that it was, and that I was just sitting here reading my Bible. He asked what I was studying, and, with a sheepish smile, I told him that right now I was reading Luke, and that I try to read the Bible through every year with one of those chart things, but I don’t always make it. He said that he does too, the same thing happens with him, but at least he makes it through the New Testament. But then he turned and said, with a laugh, that he’d better go to his meeting with Dr._____, he doesn’t want to get in trouble, and walked on. Then he stopped and came back.
Him: “Hey, do you go to a church around here?”
Me: “Yes, I do.”
Him: “Really? What kind of a church is it? Is it near here?”
Me: “Oh, yeah, it’s a Pentecostal church. You know where EastChase and stuff is on Taylor Road, right? You just get onto I-85, take a right at exit 11—“
Him: That’s the Mitylene exit, right?
Me: Yeah! You know where it is. You take an immediate left onto Hwy 80, and there’s the church, you can’t miss it.
He thanked me and walked on to the High School. He came back out minutes later and we waved and told each other “see ya” and “have a good one.” He started whistling a gospel tune as he walked on.
Okay, from this exchange, I gathered:
1. He’s a Christian that actually reads his Bible.
2. From the way he asked, he’s looking for a church.
3. From his reaction after I said, “it’s a Pentecostal church,” he must be somewhat familiar with Pentecostalness in some way or another, or at least know what it entails.
4. It wasn’t as hard to carry on an actual conversation with him as I thought. In fact, it felt natural. How my hair looked didn’t cross my mind not once. And for me, that’s a big deal. lol.
Maybe God is trying to teach me to see people as people. Instead of looking at band director as simply a good-googa-mooglingly fine, unattainable golden boy, why not see him as a human being, as a soul?
10 Things All Single People Must Do
before settling down . . . check it out here.
I've done 1, 2, 3, and 4.
5 and 6, not quite yet.
7, I'm working on it.
8, well, I can't say I've quite gone there with my money yet.
9, I guess my Spanish ability and activities count.
10? Boy, am I the winner on that one.
I've done 1, 2, 3, and 4.
5 and 6, not quite yet.
7, I'm working on it.
8, well, I can't say I've quite gone there with my money yet.
9, I guess my Spanish ability and activities count.
10? Boy, am I the winner on that one.
Monday, September 18, 2006
The Thrill Is Gone, or Impression: Sunrise
Oh, hep me, B.B. King, hep me.There was another band director sighting today. There he was, talking to the secretary about the Auburn game when I made my Middle School entrance. We acknowledged one another with hellos, nods and smiles. He had all the same cute mannerisms, dazzling smile, and lively eyes as I sat there, waiting for the 4th period bell to ring, an innocent bystander to their conversation. I discovered that he has the same unconscious habit of cracking his knuckles as I do.
But instead of an unnerving adrenaline surge, all I felt was a resigned detachment. He became Impression: Sunrise by Monet. He’s a beautiful masterpiece only truly appreciated from a distance.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Older Guy
Why I have been contemplating this lately, I cannot exactly say.
I have briefly touched on this in other entries, but now, I shall put forth my theory on what I think I might want, the pros, and then the cons.
What I Think I Might Want
I think I might want an older guy. I’m 24, so I’m talking a 30+ guy. All of the guys I have had any type of relationship with/attachment to/crush on/ fill in the blank with whatever you want/ has been older. From one year older to eight years older. If you include my professorial infatuations from my college days, well, the gap substantially widens. lol.
I do not believe I am ultra mature. There was a time when I really liked an older guy and I discovered that the feeling was mutual, but in the end, I couldn’t deal with him any more because he was serious and ready to settle down and I was flighty and immature. But I was 16. Now, I think I have reached the point where I’m more serious and ready to settle down.
I do feel, however, that I may be more suited to someone older because of my goals and interests. I do not mean to generalize, and perhaps I just haven’t gotten out enough, but it just seems like guys in my peer group are not quite as mature. They still talk about . . . videogames and stuff. They’re still trying to “find themselves.” I don’t mean to down them for that. In a way, I’m still trying to find myself too, but I feel that I have clarity about my goals in life and what it will take to accomplish them.
The Pros
I think the big pro is that the older guy would be more stable, emotionally and financially. By this time, I think he would have himself figured out, and would be sure of what he wanted. He probably wouldn’t be as apt to be impulsive and varying. He would probably also be more apt to be financially secure and stable. He probably would have established himself in a career by now and be concerned with investing his money in more lasting things rather than . . . the latest shoes, videogames, cell phones, cars he can barely afford, and other flashy gadgets, all of which are wrapped up in trying to be ‘cool.’ Stability and security are the key words.
Secondly, I kind of like the idea of being partnered with someone with more life experience. He could teach me things I don’t know, introduce me to things I’ve never experienced. He would be more likely to intellectually stimulate and engage me, and that is such a must. I don’t want him to be like, “Hemingway? Oh, yeah, I remember reading something in high school about how this old dude caught a big fish and died in the end. Hey, let’s play Halo!”
The Cons
The big con is that, well, he’s older. It might be cute when I’m 20 something and he’s 30 something, but what about 10 years down the road? When I’m still considered relatively young in my mid-30s and he’s entering his 50s? And kids. Will he be too tired and rusty to play and keep up with them? I would want him to teach them how to throw a football and catch a baseball and shoot hoops. Would his knees be arthritic by the time the boys were old enough to play some one-on-one? And connected to his age, it’s almost a certainty that I’d outlive him. Would I be prepared to lose someone earlier than I’d want to?
And like, what if I wanted to blast TobyMac and lip-synch while dancing around the house? Would he be turned off and think I was immature? I’ll admit, my taste in music is kind of different and he might not like it. Sometimes I get really giggly and laugh uncontrollably, and sometimes I get moody and cry uncontrollably. Would he tire of my girlish ways? Would he ever have fun going to an amusement park and riding roller coasters over and over and over? The cons definitely have some good points to think about.
In the End
I really don’t know. I always put forth these theories of mine very tentatively because I don’t have that much experience in order to say that I definitely know what I want. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about. And really, who knows? I might marry a guy who’s 45 (though I must admit, my pops would have a really hard time with me being with a guy only 5 years younger than he is.) or, I might come across this super mature 20-year-old who’s my dream come true (though I think I would find it hard to be with a guy the same age as my youngest bro. ::shudder::). I really don’t know.
I have briefly touched on this in other entries, but now, I shall put forth my theory on what I think I might want, the pros, and then the cons.
What I Think I Might Want
I think I might want an older guy. I’m 24, so I’m talking a 30+ guy. All of the guys I have had any type of relationship with/attachment to/crush on/ fill in the blank with whatever you want/ has been older. From one year older to eight years older. If you include my professorial infatuations from my college days, well, the gap substantially widens. lol.
I do not believe I am ultra mature. There was a time when I really liked an older guy and I discovered that the feeling was mutual, but in the end, I couldn’t deal with him any more because he was serious and ready to settle down and I was flighty and immature. But I was 16. Now, I think I have reached the point where I’m more serious and ready to settle down.
I do feel, however, that I may be more suited to someone older because of my goals and interests. I do not mean to generalize, and perhaps I just haven’t gotten out enough, but it just seems like guys in my peer group are not quite as mature. They still talk about . . . videogames and stuff. They’re still trying to “find themselves.” I don’t mean to down them for that. In a way, I’m still trying to find myself too, but I feel that I have clarity about my goals in life and what it will take to accomplish them.
The Pros
I think the big pro is that the older guy would be more stable, emotionally and financially. By this time, I think he would have himself figured out, and would be sure of what he wanted. He probably wouldn’t be as apt to be impulsive and varying. He would probably also be more apt to be financially secure and stable. He probably would have established himself in a career by now and be concerned with investing his money in more lasting things rather than . . . the latest shoes, videogames, cell phones, cars he can barely afford, and other flashy gadgets, all of which are wrapped up in trying to be ‘cool.’ Stability and security are the key words.
Secondly, I kind of like the idea of being partnered with someone with more life experience. He could teach me things I don’t know, introduce me to things I’ve never experienced. He would be more likely to intellectually stimulate and engage me, and that is such a must. I don’t want him to be like, “Hemingway? Oh, yeah, I remember reading something in high school about how this old dude caught a big fish and died in the end. Hey, let’s play Halo!”
The Cons
The big con is that, well, he’s older. It might be cute when I’m 20 something and he’s 30 something, but what about 10 years down the road? When I’m still considered relatively young in my mid-30s and he’s entering his 50s? And kids. Will he be too tired and rusty to play and keep up with them? I would want him to teach them how to throw a football and catch a baseball and shoot hoops. Would his knees be arthritic by the time the boys were old enough to play some one-on-one? And connected to his age, it’s almost a certainty that I’d outlive him. Would I be prepared to lose someone earlier than I’d want to?
And like, what if I wanted to blast TobyMac and lip-synch while dancing around the house? Would he be turned off and think I was immature? I’ll admit, my taste in music is kind of different and he might not like it. Sometimes I get really giggly and laugh uncontrollably, and sometimes I get moody and cry uncontrollably. Would he tire of my girlish ways? Would he ever have fun going to an amusement park and riding roller coasters over and over and over? The cons definitely have some good points to think about.
In the End
I really don’t know. I always put forth these theories of mine very tentatively because I don’t have that much experience in order to say that I definitely know what I want. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about. And really, who knows? I might marry a guy who’s 45 (though I must admit, my pops would have a really hard time with me being with a guy only 5 years younger than he is.) or, I might come across this super mature 20-year-old who’s my dream come true (though I think I would find it hard to be with a guy the same age as my youngest bro. ::shudder::). I really don’t know.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Coming Soon . . .
There’s something special happening October 20-21, and I intend to be a part of it.The 2nd annual IQ Forum 2006 is nearly a month away! “IQ Forum? What’s that?” you may ask. The IQ Forum is a symposium-like conference, sponsored by ninetyandnine.com and Gateway College of Evangelism, which is geared toward college and career-centered young adults seeking godly success in the 21st century. (Read: not a singles conference.) All details can be found at the IQ Forum website.
I took a road trip to St. Louis last year for IQ Forum 2005, the very first time it was ever held, and gained so much insight. I was enlightened, inspired, and spurred into action—I was challenged to start something that contributed to the work of God. (I wrote a ninetyandnine article about it and also blogged about it in a previous entry.) What really hit home with me was the Creating Your Own Ministry panel. I did just that by teaching a free beginning Spanish class sponsored by my church. The cool thing about it was that God used it to bring one of my mom’s co-workers to Him—it simply opened the door. (I’m starting the classes back up again Tuesday, and I’m excited to see what else God is going to do through it.) I can honestly say this was a life-changing conference for me. I say ‘conference,’ but in reality, the IQ Forum is so . . . un-conference because of the fact that it is an intimate, symposium-like format where the audience actually engages with the speakers.
For IQ Forum 2006, not only will I be in attendance, but I will also contribute as a panelist in two sessions—The Integrated Church: Issues of Racism and Redemption in Pentecost and Creating Your Own Ministry. I’m really excited about it (as if you couldn’t tell). Other topics this year range from Starting Your Own Business to 21st Century Apostolic Music. They’ve also added a roundtable book discussion session (one of the books being the one I’m reading now—The Tipping Point), which is SO me.
If you are searching for fresh spiritual and practical takes on living a godly, successful life, then the IQ Forum is for you. C’mon, you know you need a break. You’ve got over a month to take a couple of personal days off of work and plan to take a trip to St. Louis. You won’t be sorry you did!
Friday, September 08, 2006
What I Want More Than Anything
There have been so many times that I thought I wanted something, and then when that desire finally became a reality, I was left disillusioned. What I thought I wanted more than anything somehow always turned out to be less than what it was cracked up to be.
If this guy would just like me. Come to find out, the guy did end up liking me, but . . . I was young and he was older and was a bit too serious for my immature state of mind. I tired of him.
If I could just have clear skin. I had an acne problem that turned horrid after I entered college. It was something that plagued me. After taking the right medicine, things got 100% better, but why didn’t I feel 100% better about myself? Acne wasn’t the problem, my self-image was.
If I could just go back to Spain. I went to Spain once and would have done anything in the world to go back. In the end, I did go back, but the reality that life is still life wherever you go was uncomfortably sobering at times.
If I could just have a boyfriend. I finally entered into a relationship serious enough to be considered part of a pair. But being in a relationship is about so much more than how each person feels for the other. Relationships take sacrifice and commitment. In the end, I decided with great agony of mind that the relationship was not something I was willing to commit to anymore.
If I could just finish school. Well, I finished. But getting a degree or two is far from having “arrived.”
There are a million if-I-could-justs.
But I think there is one thing that I want more than anything that I wouldn’t be disillusioned by when it came to fruition: I want to be able to say that I changed someone, something, somewhere in this life, for the better. I know that sounds so . . . on-the-back-of-a-box-of-girl-scout-cookies, but there’s no other way to say it. I want to make a lasting, positive impact in this world. I’m not saying that I want to be famous. My goal is not to make it into the encyclopedias of ages to come. I just desperately want to spark something. To do something positively different, not just glide along with the status quo of mediocrity. I don’t want to have lived my life in vain.
If this guy would just like me. Come to find out, the guy did end up liking me, but . . . I was young and he was older and was a bit too serious for my immature state of mind. I tired of him.
If I could just have clear skin. I had an acne problem that turned horrid after I entered college. It was something that plagued me. After taking the right medicine, things got 100% better, but why didn’t I feel 100% better about myself? Acne wasn’t the problem, my self-image was.
If I could just go back to Spain. I went to Spain once and would have done anything in the world to go back. In the end, I did go back, but the reality that life is still life wherever you go was uncomfortably sobering at times.
If I could just have a boyfriend. I finally entered into a relationship serious enough to be considered part of a pair. But being in a relationship is about so much more than how each person feels for the other. Relationships take sacrifice and commitment. In the end, I decided with great agony of mind that the relationship was not something I was willing to commit to anymore.
If I could just finish school. Well, I finished. But getting a degree or two is far from having “arrived.”
There are a million if-I-could-justs.
But I think there is one thing that I want more than anything that I wouldn’t be disillusioned by when it came to fruition: I want to be able to say that I changed someone, something, somewhere in this life, for the better. I know that sounds so . . . on-the-back-of-a-box-of-girl-scout-cookies, but there’s no other way to say it. I want to make a lasting, positive impact in this world. I’m not saying that I want to be famous. My goal is not to make it into the encyclopedias of ages to come. I just desperately want to spark something. To do something positively different, not just glide along with the status quo of mediocrity. I don’t want to have lived my life in vain.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
The Inevitable Question
Coworker: So, did you do anything special over the break?
Me: Actually, I took a trip around the world, you see. First, I stopped in Egypt to see the pyramids, and then I went to Greece to climb Mt. Olympus. After that, I stopped by the Coliseum in Rome to see a gladiator fight. Soon after that, I went to Israel so that I could dive down to the deepest part of the Dead Sea. Then, I went to Australia to eat some kangaroo steaks and shrimp on the barbie. Next, I went to China and I walked the entire length of the Great Wall. After that I went to India to drink some authentic chai tea. Finally, I went to the heart of Brazil to learn the ways of the Kraho Indian tribe in the Amazonian Rainforest. And I got back to Montgomery just in time. Amazing, huh?
Coworker: Oh, that’s nice. We went to the beach.
Okay, okay, what I really did was drive out to Augusta, GA to see my aunt and uncle and beautiful little cousins. I had a great time, slept in a bit, ate lots of nice big Southern breakfasts, got lots of love, hugs and kisses from my darling cousins and . . . what would Labor Day be without a barbeque? Ribs, chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, greens, baked beans and corn on the cob. Good times.
I’ve also started this book that I bought when I was down there called The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. I already read another of his books called Blink and I was wowed, so my next quest was to read his previously written book. The guy is brilliant. He proposes in very sparkling and understandable prose his theory that ideas, trends, fads, phenomena, etc. spread in the same way viruses spread. It’s basically the epidemiology of ideas. It sounds weird, but it really makes a lot of sense, and it’s highly interesting.
Anyway, (sigh) work continues on the morrow. I might use my outlandish answer to the inevitable question just to get a reaction out of someone.
Me: Actually, I took a trip around the world, you see. First, I stopped in Egypt to see the pyramids, and then I went to Greece to climb Mt. Olympus. After that, I stopped by the Coliseum in Rome to see a gladiator fight. Soon after that, I went to Israel so that I could dive down to the deepest part of the Dead Sea. Then, I went to Australia to eat some kangaroo steaks and shrimp on the barbie. Next, I went to China and I walked the entire length of the Great Wall. After that I went to India to drink some authentic chai tea. Finally, I went to the heart of Brazil to learn the ways of the Kraho Indian tribe in the Amazonian Rainforest. And I got back to Montgomery just in time. Amazing, huh?
Coworker: Oh, that’s nice. We went to the beach.
Okay, okay, what I really did was drive out to Augusta, GA to see my aunt and uncle and beautiful little cousins. I had a great time, slept in a bit, ate lots of nice big Southern breakfasts, got lots of love, hugs and kisses from my darling cousins and . . . what would Labor Day be without a barbeque? Ribs, chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, greens, baked beans and corn on the cob. Good times.
I’ve also started this book that I bought when I was down there called The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. I already read another of his books called Blink and I was wowed, so my next quest was to read his previously written book. The guy is brilliant. He proposes in very sparkling and understandable prose his theory that ideas, trends, fads, phenomena, etc. spread in the same way viruses spread. It’s basically the epidemiology of ideas. It sounds weird, but it really makes a lot of sense, and it’s highly interesting.
Anyway, (sigh) work continues on the morrow. I might use my outlandish answer to the inevitable question just to get a reaction out of someone.
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