Wednesday, September 28, 2011

courier new

i got a typewriter.  I've been wanting one to write letters with before i go back to australia.  it weighs about 50 lbs so it can't go with me, though it would look great in my room. It was a journey getting this thing.  I've been going through craigslist, which i write about...almost all the time.  1st attempt:  fail. They didn't get back to me, though i sent a ridiculous amount of e-mails that sounded like 'I know i said my last e-mail was the last time I was going to contact you, but...'.  2nd attempt:  at an estate sale found on craigslist.  the lady wanted $50 and i offered her $10.  She did not take it.  3rd attempt:  met up with a stranger at a gas station to purchase, from his white van, this lovely thing.  he was the nicest guy, though him and his wife didn't communicate very well that she had sold it to me at half the price for $7.  anyways,the final piece was getting new ink today and lo and behold, there is a typewriter shop that looks like it's straight out of a movie (wish i had taken a picture) across the street from where i'm working today.  a long haired old man with tattoos helped me find the right one and i am good to go.  it types double rr's and double ff's but i find that all very endearing right now.  I have my grandma to thank for this purchase.  she thought my little whim was worth putting her $20 behind.


it's such a pretty color

Musicians


It doesnt even matter what instrument you play. musician always look cool. These guys were rehearsing for the wedding ceremony. they played home by edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros. it was brilliant.

simple.

The other day I made a ridiculous proposition, the reply I got was 
"its so simple.. that its complicated"
its true.. it was.. I was being blatantly obvious about something that everyone thought there was more to it.
there wasnt.
The last few days I havent been able to get that comment out of my head. cause how often do I approach the simplest of ideals and complicate them to no end in my brain. 
When the truth has been clearly stated. 
"Its so simple.. that its complicated"
my theology(complicated) talks about truth(simple) how can I reconcile this.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Monopoly.

this is where i knew i had a good thing going.

this is where they made me cash in half of my $100s because there were not any left.

wally thought it would be a good idea to turn his money in to $1 notes so his wad would be as big as mine.

i started off with just railways and oranges... and then this is how i finished.

good games boys, good
So I recently found out that i have been playing monopoly wrong my whole life... but its ok. because i still won.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

an experiment

so i've just spent the last 72 hours at a wedding. 
a wedding of two of the most incredible people i know. 
how do I know they are incredible, well one of there most amazing characteristics is their humility.. their lack of fear and the way they just welcome you into their lives.
this was an incredible 72 hours. I was inspired by a lot of really beautiful strangers.
and reminded at just how blessed I am to know and have had my life touched by the new married couple.

my experiment. is inspired by their ability to love and to show it abundantly.
i love, and i love a lot. i just fail to show it and ruin most moments when love is around. i especially cringe at physical affection.
but these two.. master the ability to show love. and one of my favourite things to watch is their displays for affections not just for each other but those around them... like when zoe grabs people and nuzzles her face into peoples neck.. or the way evan hugs and does not let go.. ever.  I have empathy and recognize how that makes them both feel and how the other person feels.. and its all good. And i currently live with this guy.. whose genuine affection conveyed in a simple short back rub or if he hasnt seen you in like 5 hours an amazing hug... it completely blows my mind... i thought he just done it to people who like it.. but then i watched and noticed he does it, because he loves with no reserve

my experiment is as follows

my hypothesis is to consider what hugging does to my ability to love people. 

my aim is to show that hugging directly results in the ability for people to show and express affection and therefor create an on going lifestyle that may very well manifest into other forms. more words of affirmation, more capacity to serve, more intimate quality times, being a greater light for the love of Christ and so on

The method: hug people I love.... with a genuine need to show my heart for them. 

I could write about how cheesy this is, but the truth is.. it isnt and i humble myself to admit that..   what I saw at that wedding, what i see in these people was so the workings of God, and anything of God.. I am in. It shouldn't just be humility to run after God, but a whole lot of boldness and fearlessness.


The groom in action... See that love!!

Friday, September 23, 2011

first day of fall (in the northern hemisphere)

"Autumn in Ann Arbor, MI."
(Courtesy lsf21/myBudgetTravel)

odd job #4

This may have been the best job i've worked yet.  I worked at a wine festival and my job was to pour wine for the tastings.  What it really mostly involved was drinking wine while getting to know the two amazing people I worked with. thanks again craigslist!


not the greatest photos, but you get the idea.

Monday, September 19, 2011

holga. finally.

i got a holga camera back in june. the main interesting thing about holgas are they take imperfect photos, which isn't as possible now with digital.  So they let light in where they shouldn't and blur the edges, etc.  I envisioned myself taking incredible photos like the ones I found on google images. that's not really what happened. It's a bummer because while on a learning curve, incredible scenery all across north america went by me. so far I have a few photos that are...alright. 
robbie the dog

double exposure of...I think the same thing

south dakota

Sunday, September 18, 2011

High Tea

Sweet Potato and sour cream soup.. IN TEA CUPS

Meat balls on cucumber(genius), spinach ricotta tart and chicken and leak quiche

tomato sandwichs with lemon lime dressing, ribbon sandwich with turkey and buttload of goodness, and the bottom shelf of deliciousness.

cool fork

your own plunger or tea pot and mini cupcakes...

the garden

so satisified

lavender

on food. who knew!!

aawwww the love

Jess and I, honestly one of the most thoughtful, caring, compassionate and sensitive women I know. I love her dearly!
Today I was blessed so much by my friend incredible friend Jess (above).
She arranged a surprise birthday get together with a small group of friends.
We ended up going to high tea, it was amazing and I couldn't have asked for anything more thoughtful!!!

Galveston

At the start of the year I was visiting Houston, Texas. While there I
got to visit the historic costal town of Galveston and Galveston Island. 
here are a few of my favourite pictures.
i dont know why but this picture i love.

all the beach houses being built. they are all on stilts in case of ocean surges.

my pal koston on galveston island. this was an ocean like i had never seen before

Texan beach.

lighthouse in the middle of a field

intersection, im into them

brook stomping a dead fish. mm hmm!

on the ferry.

Friday, September 16, 2011

yesterday's sky

The sky was so pretty yesterday. We're starting to get proper fall weather. these are from throughout my day: going for a walk in the park, cooking for my grandparents, cooking for my family, and then driving to my friends house in Cleveland for the first official dinner she made in her new place.  As usual, I only took pictures of the sky and not the people I was with. I'll probably regret that tendency when I'm 50.


going for a walk
taking photos while driving is almost as bad as texting while driving.  on rt 90

oh clev-a-land.  you looked kinda pretty last night! the view from the end of monica's street. 

Monday, September 12, 2011

odd job #3

 for a few hours a week I stop by my grandparents house and make sure things are tidied up and that their food is sorted out for the day.  They have 7 children, so I do a little bit and the rest of them do a lot. While this job is going to be short lived (i started this month and will only do it till I go back to australia, which will be soon), it's been good for me to have this extra time with them as I don't get to see them much.  My grandma is pretty forgetful now and so she asks me the same questions over and over ('when do you go back to school?   Where is it at?  Australia?  Oh!  that is so far! Do they pay you?') and Ernesto encourages me by saying 'you are doing the Lords work'.  Then they watch their Spanish soap operas.  It's been good.

eating lunch

she would be HORRIFIED to know there is a picture of her anywhere without makeup.  this lady always looks so nice when she leaves the house.

is doesnt seem real does it.

it does not seem possible that such incredible sights actually happen.. it blows my mind and screams how glorious is my God!! 

Friday, September 9, 2011

toms is giving eyesight

this might be old news now, but i'm just finding out. toms is now giving the gift of sight on a one-to-one ratio when people buy their eyewear.  The first few countries they focused on were nepal and cambodia, which warms my heart.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

people from the october dts after their car overheated somewhere on their way to byron bay.  don't know who took this photo but i love it.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

my dad is a pretty creative guy and he is currently teaching elementary art.  I woke up and found this little guy he'd created for his students to draw.  

he made the skelaton pieces out of clay and then baked it.. i think the wierdest part is it's little wire tail because it makes me think of seeing my broken tail bone on an x-ray.



Monday, September 5, 2011

holy heck.  everyone has a story and it kills me (in a good way) when I remember that.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

odd job #2

I get the weirdest jobs.  When I get home, I get really scrappy getting odd jobs to cover my expenses and to save for upcoming things in Australia.   Thankfully, Craigslist was created. If you don't know what that is, it's an online classified ad where you can browse ads for houses, jobs, items people are selling, etc. from your area.  You may also know it from newspaper headlines like 'Craigslist Killer Found!' and other creepy things like that.  Don't worry!  I stay away from anything where people express a need for 'massages' or 'adult services' and everything has turned out safe and family friendly. 

If you are a faithful reader, you would have read that one odd job I've had recently was assisting at a team building bike charity event.  My main role for that 7 hour job was to time adults riding children's bikes through an obstacle course to see which team was the fastest. Good times. 

I currently browse the Cleveland Craigslist for these things:  1. free things 2. typewriters 3. people giving away air miles or a ticket to Australia (haven't found that yet) 4. odd jobs  5. an iphone that costs $20 (haven't found that either).
 
My current odd job is working at the Cleveland Airshow for the next three days.  It requires very little skill except being able to speak English and explain things to people.  I stand in trailer that's set up to as an interactive experience complete with ipad like computer things, and I tell people how to watch 3-D film clips on them.  I also tremble in terror all day as the planes do tricks just feet away from me while envisioning one of them losing control and crashing into the United States Air Force promo booth. 

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of me doing this promotion, though now that I've written this post, I may take some tomorrow.  If you are a Clevelander, you should definitely stop by and see me.  Here is a photo of the display in general. 



Look out for 2 more coming:  Me and Alisha possibly working 'Fashions Night Out!' at Saks Fifth Avenue, and me care taking for my grandparents, who predominantly speak Spanish, until I go back to Australia.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

see this

see this if you get the chance.
it was heartwarming, pretty, funny, and unique