taking risks

i have started and stopped this post several times now.

i began with a list of risks i took today. it included trying a new drink at starbucks and talking about phd programs.

then i felt those were low-level risks and that i should aim higher.

and then i contemplated if risk was a worthy aspiration.

and then i got frustrated by getting caught in my head.

it happens to me quite a bit.

what have you started and stopped because you got caught in your head?

30 by 30 update: wild weekend adventures

it was a whirlwind of a weekend. i definitely am feeling the effects of it right now...my normal wednesday night of reflection is taking place in my bed instead of starbucks because my head decided we shouldn't go out in public tonight.

here's a little list update for you:

i wrote a fatty check to my dad for $850, so my debt is down to $1000. smackin it in the face. booyah.

i officially became a warrior. my friend, nate, and i ran the warrior dash on saturday. he has some pictures that i will post whenever he gives them to me. but you can also see a couple cool ones of me by going here: http://www.warriordashphotos.com/?SiteID=2 choose 2011 wd twin lakes, wisconsin--saturday. then enter 60345 for the bib number. you can see me jumping over fire and crawling through mud.

i fixed a meal right at the beginning of the month, but in the chaos of school starting and me moving, i never posted a blog about it. here it is: steak with bleu cheese crumbles, sauteed asparagus and shrimp, hawaiian bread, and watermelon. yup. it was sooooo good.

i am in the middle of a ton of books for school, but haven't finished any of them yet. i will keep you posted.

the other big thing you should know is that i am going to be rolling out some changes to the list in the next month. hey, it's my list...i can do what i want, right? as i mentioned, i moved...into a house with three super cool women from grad school (i'll do a post on them some other time)...and i want to shift my list so it resonates with where i am at right now...with this community of mine. so expect five or six things to get changed or removed completely from the list.

deuces.

wednesday nors

nights of reflection are back!

every wednesday night this semester, from about 5-9, you can find me plopped in a chair at the marion starbucks.

i have a hectic schedule. it basically jumps from one job to coffee date to class to job to...well, you get the point. i don't know the last time i deliberately crammed so many things in my life. i'm fairly certain i was never this busy during my undergrad days.

but here are two things i carved out in my schedule: night of reflection on wednesdays and sabbath on sundays. if my life is going to be busy and full of people, i need to be diligent about stopping and resting in my father's arms. otherwise, i will shrivel up and die.

it's going to be a good year, friends. i live and move in his grace.

my favorite...coffee place

i'm currently at starbucks. no, not my favorite starbucks. that one is in south carolina. and my second favorite one is in indiana. shoot, i'm not even at my favorite starbucks in madison. this one is probably number 3 on my list. but it'll do.

i like coffee. i'm not a starbucks snob in the sense that i think they have the best coffee or the greatest music or the comfiest chairs (actually, i might make that argument) or whatever. but i am a starbucks snob in the sense that i would always choose to go to starbucks over any other coffee place.

let's be honest: i almost always have starbucks gift cards people have given me. that's free coffee, in my eyes.

and i know what i like at starbucks...actually, seven or eight things that i like (although, yes, i still really only typically order one of three drinks). don't underestimate how important a sense of familiarity with a place is in my mind.

starbucks is my favorite coffee place, though, for one major reason above all others: it reminds me of wednesday nights in myrtle beach with miranda.

starbucks reminds me of post it note passing, of intimate moments with Jesus, of a corner with purple chairs, of falling madly in love with 90 people, of learning how to be real and authentic and vulnerable about my heart, of desiring to know and be known, of laughter, of talks about boys, of dancing in the rain, of jumping in the pool with all my clothes on, of sand everywhere, of runs with nina, of experiencing so much in ten weeks that seven years later, i am still talking about it with wonder and deep affection.

every moment i have ever had in a starbucks since myrtle beach has brought me closer to Jesus.

yowza

my bad. i don't know how a week can slip by without writing something. though, dear void, you are not holding me accountable in the least, so that makes it easier.

i wrote two poems today in class. you must think i never learn anything in there. well, you'd be right some of the time. but the first poem actually applies directly to a video that we had to watch. so there. as it turns out, docstoc will not let me publish that one because it is suspected of having adult content. probably cause it says the word 'naked' 7 times. oh, well. i'll just publish that in its own entry.

in other news, this was not a very relaxing weekend. it was full of people. great people, but still a lot of them. yikes. brief summary of the events:

slumber party with the dundores--nail painting, pizza eating, pumpkin carving, settlers playing. all in all, a good time.


the food explosion--making guacamole and fruit salad for 5 hours. oh. my. heavens.

the shid--christine shidla meandered down from madison to hang out at a starbucks in target in castleton. i like that redhead. yup, i am fully aware of the irony of making that statement and then using a black and white picture of her.


it is your baby shower--a lot of people. holy moses, a lot of people. oh, and also a fun time of celebrating my little sister and baby ez-c.