If you see one movie before 2008 slips through your fingertips, this is the one to see!
Monday, December 29, 2008
A December Tradition
Pastor Sam talked about Run. Read. and Reflect. Here's my 2008 Reflections.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you had never done before? -- finished a ropes course! (and lived to talk about it...) 2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions and will you make more for next year? -- More or less, and I seem to be keen on New Years' resolutions so I anticipate having a few.
3. Did anyone close to you die?-- no, thank goodness.
4. Did anyone close to you give birth?-- yes, Megan!!
5. What countries did you visit?-- none.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?-- confidence in direction.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory? why?-- There's a few: (1) September 9 - I turned 21! (2) March 14th - realizing that I am more capable than I believed.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?-- My internship with the church which showed me the power of letting God take the reins, the power of dreams and goals, and getting my first 4.0 quarter under the most stress this fall.
9. What was your biggest failure?-- Winter Quarter...nightmare classes, lost friendships and anger - what a mess.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?-- Nope.
11. What was the best thing you bought?-- All 10 Seasons of Friends. 10 years worth of laughter and quotes...nothing better.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?-- Anyone who gave a word of kindness, encouragement or simply just listened. To you all, I am so grateful.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?-- Turn on the news...you'll find plenty of canidates.
14. Where did most of your money go?-- Gas. Groceries. And impulse buying...it's getting a little crazy!
15. What did you get really really really excited about?-- My birthday and trip to Las Vegas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?-- All I Wanna Do - Sugarland, Scream - HSM3, Love Story - Taylor Swift
17. Compared to this time last year are you happier or sadder?-- I think it's about the same with an extra dash of uncertainity and pinch of exhaustion.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?-- There's always more books I wish I had time to read.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?-- Homework. I didn't know it was possible to have so much work to do.
20. How did you spend Christmas?-- Home. Breakfast and presents, watching Ice Age 2: The Meltdown, being with family, eating and ending in a few rounds of Cranium.
21. How will you be spending New Years?-- On a double date...then cheers with Megan and the gang.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?-- Does that require the other person's mutuality? No, I don't think I can say I did.
23. How many one night stands?-- None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?-- Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives, Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, and ER
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?-- Nope, I try not to hate people.
26. What was the best book you read?-- So many to choose from...top 3: (3) A Thousand Spledid Suns, (2) The Shack, (1) Pillars of the Earth.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?-- Regina Spektor (The Call..I love that song)
28. What did you want and got?-- Change.
29. What was your favorite film this year?-- There was a lot: The Dark Knight, Wall-E, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, HSM3, and Slumdog Millionaire.
30. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?-- 21, on my actual birthday my dad and I went out to dinner to celebrate and later met my family in Vegas for a birthday I won't soon forget.
31. What is one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?-- Less car problems.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?-- emerging? Still love the sweaters...fleece is my best friend.
33. What kept you sane?-- My staff and friends.
34. What did you get that you didn't deserve?-- Many many things.
35. What political issure stirred you the most?-- definitely the presidential election
36. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?-- William Moseley...which has probably led to me watching Prince Caspian an insane amount of times.
37. Who did you miss?-- My family, all of my friends from home, and Tinker.
38. Who was the best new person you met?-- My staff...I'm entirely too lucky and those people are entirely too wonderful.
39. What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008?-- Taking risks, adventures and dreaming big are more life-giving then I ever imagined.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.-- "So we run... Yeah Yeah Yeah, we run. Come undone like a string on a sweater, that you pull but you know better, But doing what you shouldn'ts half the fun. So we run." --Sugarland (We Run)
1. What did you do in 2008 that you had never done before? -- finished a ropes course! (and lived to talk about it...) 2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions and will you make more for next year? -- More or less, and I seem to be keen on New Years' resolutions so I anticipate having a few.
3. Did anyone close to you die?-- no, thank goodness.
4. Did anyone close to you give birth?-- yes, Megan!!
5. What countries did you visit?-- none.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?-- confidence in direction.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory? why?-- There's a few: (1) September 9 - I turned 21! (2) March 14th - realizing that I am more capable than I believed.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?-- My internship with the church which showed me the power of letting God take the reins, the power of dreams and goals, and getting my first 4.0 quarter under the most stress this fall.
9. What was your biggest failure?-- Winter Quarter...nightmare classes, lost friendships and anger - what a mess.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?-- Nope.
11. What was the best thing you bought?-- All 10 Seasons of Friends. 10 years worth of laughter and quotes...nothing better.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?-- Anyone who gave a word of kindness, encouragement or simply just listened. To you all, I am so grateful.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?-- Turn on the news...you'll find plenty of canidates.
14. Where did most of your money go?-- Gas. Groceries. And impulse buying...it's getting a little crazy!
15. What did you get really really really excited about?-- My birthday and trip to Las Vegas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?-- All I Wanna Do - Sugarland, Scream - HSM3, Love Story - Taylor Swift
17. Compared to this time last year are you happier or sadder?-- I think it's about the same with an extra dash of uncertainity and pinch of exhaustion.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?-- There's always more books I wish I had time to read.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?-- Homework. I didn't know it was possible to have so much work to do.
20. How did you spend Christmas?-- Home. Breakfast and presents, watching Ice Age 2: The Meltdown, being with family, eating and ending in a few rounds of Cranium.
21. How will you be spending New Years?-- On a double date...then cheers with Megan and the gang.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?-- Does that require the other person's mutuality? No, I don't think I can say I did.
23. How many one night stands?-- None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?-- Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives, Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, and ER
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?-- Nope, I try not to hate people.
26. What was the best book you read?-- So many to choose from...top 3: (3) A Thousand Spledid Suns, (2) The Shack, (1) Pillars of the Earth.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?-- Regina Spektor (The Call..I love that song)
28. What did you want and got?-- Change.
29. What was your favorite film this year?-- There was a lot: The Dark Knight, Wall-E, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, HSM3, and Slumdog Millionaire.
30. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?-- 21, on my actual birthday my dad and I went out to dinner to celebrate and later met my family in Vegas for a birthday I won't soon forget.
31. What is one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?-- Less car problems.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?-- emerging? Still love the sweaters...fleece is my best friend.
33. What kept you sane?-- My staff and friends.
34. What did you get that you didn't deserve?-- Many many things.
35. What political issure stirred you the most?-- definitely the presidential election
36. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?-- William Moseley...which has probably led to me watching Prince Caspian an insane amount of times.
37. Who did you miss?-- My family, all of my friends from home, and Tinker.
38. Who was the best new person you met?-- My staff...I'm entirely too lucky and those people are entirely too wonderful.
39. What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008?-- Taking risks, adventures and dreaming big are more life-giving then I ever imagined.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.-- "So we run... Yeah Yeah Yeah, we run. Come undone like a string on a sweater, that you pull but you know better, But doing what you shouldn'ts half the fun. So we run." --Sugarland (We Run)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Time to sit - and be okay with it.
It doesn't take long before boredom sinks in.
Though I'm not sure boredom is the appropriate word. I know it's never a phrase to use to complain to the parents because a long list of tasks will be presented and let's face it, boredom trumps a ramba with the vacuum.
I think these past three months were so bombarded with people, never-ending to-do lists, assignments, and always always something I needed to be doing that to just STOP and sit my mind zoomed on by apparently missing the memo. My mind is still running ahead and just now looking back like whoa, wait a second why am I not burning the midnight oil?
It points to time. The past three months I've wrangled and wrestled with time trying to squeeze out every minute I could to get everything done and now I can leisurely sit and watch it solemnly pass by. But there's always that urge that's screaming in the back of my mind "HOURS are passing, what are you thinking?? Shouldn't you be doing something?" The answer, oh probably - but I don't have to. That's the beauty. Break is a beautiful guilt-free time-watching waltz.
So in the effort to not drive myself completely bonkers this is what I hope to accomplish:
+read (my book list is getting kind of ridiculous...)
+scrapbook (summer to now, phew)
+knit/crochet (because I've missed it so...and just bought some super sweet yarn)
+make myself a cookbook (so maybe I'll use my kitchen this next quarter...)
+Play the piano...mucho.
+SLEEP!
So, time, do your worst. I'm not falling for that "bored" feeling anymore. In fact, I think it's closer to the 'normal' feeling we're supposed to have instead of the frantic multi-tasking knotted mess of a brain everyone walks around with.
Though I'm not sure boredom is the appropriate word. I know it's never a phrase to use to complain to the parents because a long list of tasks will be presented and let's face it, boredom trumps a ramba with the vacuum.
I think these past three months were so bombarded with people, never-ending to-do lists, assignments, and always always something I needed to be doing that to just STOP and sit my mind zoomed on by apparently missing the memo. My mind is still running ahead and just now looking back like whoa, wait a second why am I not burning the midnight oil?
It points to time. The past three months I've wrangled and wrestled with time trying to squeeze out every minute I could to get everything done and now I can leisurely sit and watch it solemnly pass by. But there's always that urge that's screaming in the back of my mind "HOURS are passing, what are you thinking?? Shouldn't you be doing something?" The answer, oh probably - but I don't have to. That's the beauty. Break is a beautiful guilt-free time-watching waltz.
So in the effort to not drive myself completely bonkers this is what I hope to accomplish:
+read (my book list is getting kind of ridiculous...)
+scrapbook (summer to now, phew)
+knit/crochet (because I've missed it so...and just bought some super sweet yarn)
+make myself a cookbook (so maybe I'll use my kitchen this next quarter...)
+Play the piano...mucho.
+SLEEP!
So, time, do your worst. I'm not falling for that "bored" feeling anymore. In fact, I think it's closer to the 'normal' feeling we're supposed to have instead of the frantic multi-tasking knotted mess of a brain everyone walks around with.
Monday, December 15, 2008
These are a few of my favorite things...
So what is there to do when there's no deadlines, homework, tests, papers, job responsibilities?
Well, I'm reading Marley and Me which you must go buy a copy and indulge. It's witty, charming and the movie's coming out soon and I have a rule that I must read the book first before seeing the movie and I really want to see the movie...so here I am...in love with this book.
I can't get enough of Little People, Big World on TLC. I don't know what it is about the Roloffs, but I love this show. And Erin and I have decided that we are going to get our pumpkins next year from their farm!
Eventually, I would like to make a snowman when it is a little warmer than 2 degrees outside.
Snowed in, wrapped in a blanket with a cup of tea with the Roloffs. Mmmm yes please.
Well, I'm reading Marley and Me which you must go buy a copy and indulge. It's witty, charming and the movie's coming out soon and I have a rule that I must read the book first before seeing the movie and I really want to see the movie...so here I am...in love with this book.
I can't get enough of Little People, Big World on TLC. I don't know what it is about the Roloffs, but I love this show. And Erin and I have decided that we are going to get our pumpkins next year from their farm!
Eventually, I would like to make a snowman when it is a little warmer than 2 degrees outside.
Snowed in, wrapped in a blanket with a cup of tea with the Roloffs. Mmmm yes please.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
A little hard earned knowledge
These past few months have taught me:
+ meals are meant for community. Not microwavable edible cardboard all by your lonesome, but questionable Gwinn creations with those that make all the difference.
+Laughter is the sweetest sound (and workout) which is always in abundance
+Everything gets done. And what didn't get done, it will or it won't matter.
+Sabbath is the most wonderful treasure I've found in a long time.
+I like spontaneity more than I thought I did.
+I don't melt in cold weather (like I thought I would).
+I figured out that I speak gifts and quality time...still not sure on what I receive (Love Languages)
+Tears are therapeutic.
+Resilience is a process.
+I am a nut for tradition and sentimentality.
+I love things, a lot of things. Basically anything that brings me wholehearted joy (which is a lot) I LOVE.
+I also learned that I have the ability to love many things without a hierarchy.
+I'm trying to take bigger leaps.
+I am blessed beyond measure.
Friday, December 5, 2008
This is an excerpt from The Sunday Post from Part II of the article: "Special Report into Charity's Amazing Work in African Danger Zone" by Euan Duguid. My uncle, William Martin (pictured below) is currently serving on one of the Mercy Ships right outside Monrovia, Liberia and made it into the article! This is a testament to the hell that ravishes the people over there and a call for compassion on all of God's people. And...he's my uncle so I have to gloat a little bit!
"Meanwhile, we all have to eat and mealtimes in the spacious canteen provide a chance for the crew to relax. Many of them have stories worthy of Hollywood. Bill Martin, from South Carolina, is the ship's hospital manager and newest recruit. He'd only been in charge a week but over a dinnertime chat I learned he was no stranger to pressure. He'd served as senior advisor to the Liberian health minister for three years and dealt regularly with Mercy Ships. A Vietnam veteran then health insurance professional, Bill arrived in Liberia in 1999 at the height of the civil war to serve as a hospital administrator in Phoebe Hospital in Bong County. In 1992 rebel forces came in and killed 192 patients and staff, said Bill. When I was there we evacuated twice when rebels came close. It was terrifying. Bill was also part of a team who headed into rebel-controlled regions to assess healthcare. We had a 'safe passage' letter from the secretary general of the LURD rebels, a chap called General Peanut Butter. Unfortunately there were only boy soldiers at the checkpoints. None of them could read so we had to persuade them what the letter said. The most tense time was getting into a region suffering a cholera outbreak. We had to supply test kits to a clinic but an eight-year-old boy, with a locked and loaded AK-47, was posted in front of the building with orders not to let anyone in. He'd been told he'd be shot if he disobeyed the orders but I needed to deliver the testing kits. This is the reality of war. After an hour pleading his case, stressing people could die if the kits weren't delivered, he was allowed in. He doesn't know what happened to the child soldier."
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~2013~
