de ti
aprendí
que el poema es nunca completo.
el poema se cambia el poeta
enseñandole su mismo,
descubriendo su corazón.
no soy poeta,
pero siento la musa en el aire de la noche.
la siento en mis codos, cuando mis piernas me piden que yo corra.
la siento en diez centavos que cambia a un llave roto cuando lo tocas
y no lo lamentas el cambio.
de ti
aprendí
la belleza de faltar claridad
y la verdad que sientes cuando no la sabes.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
legal entry
In the last forty-eight hours I've learned more about the "getting a visa" process than I think I'd ever known before. There is every kind of visa out there that you can apply for--student visa, working visa, business visa (the same thing?? I don't even know), reforestation visa (because Panama takes its reforestation business seriously), and more! And apparently, if you're from the United States (or from one of these other 25 countries) you don't need any of them if you want to visit as a tourist for ninety days or less (extendable to 180 days).
Of course, the reason I am learning all these things is in response to our lawyer, who has been helping us (alternative wording: stringing us along) through the visa process, introducing each new fee in the process without a prior warning that the next one will be coming.
Suffice to say everything always costs more than you think it will.
So after awhile we've started to feel like perhaps she doesn't quite have our best interests at heart. Or even that she simply doesn't really know what she's talking about? Or, perhaps the most likely scenario, the bureaucratic regime legitimately doesn't make any sense, and as she leads us through it we are growing suspicious of her over nothing. Lucky for me, the US Embassy just-so-happens to be on the bus route to school! So tomorrow will include a brief visit to the Embassy to find out what's going on, and what the law actually is.
My friend Mary (citing her mother?) reminded me that all this frustrating process of securing the bureaucratic documentation necessary to study in this country legally is just a taste of what those trying to enter the United States must go through. These people will never have the local Consulate or Embassy hanging out down the street, but are left to fight through the bureacracy on their own, hopefully with help from a lawyer. And all the while they deal with the same questions--does this lawyer really have my best interests at heart? Is this next fee, this next stamp, this next laminated piece of paper, really necessary? Or have I put up with enough of this? And will they even notice one way or another?
In Panama we have a terrifying suspicion that the answer to that last question is "no." Especially knowing that, if we were here "as tourists," we would not have to do anything at all to be here legally. That's 500 bucks of incentive to not bother telling la migra we've been studying. For better or for worse, the vast majority has been paid, and what remains for us will be taken care of before long. But first, the voyage into the Embassy walls to sort it out. And hopefully find some answers.
Of course, the reason I am learning all these things is in response to our lawyer, who has been helping us (alternative wording: stringing us along) through the visa process, introducing each new fee in the process without a prior warning that the next one will be coming.
Suffice to say everything always costs more than you think it will.
So after awhile we've started to feel like perhaps she doesn't quite have our best interests at heart. Or even that she simply doesn't really know what she's talking about? Or, perhaps the most likely scenario, the bureaucratic regime legitimately doesn't make any sense, and as she leads us through it we are growing suspicious of her over nothing. Lucky for me, the US Embassy just-so-happens to be on the bus route to school! So tomorrow will include a brief visit to the Embassy to find out what's going on, and what the law actually is.
My friend Mary (citing her mother?) reminded me that all this frustrating process of securing the bureaucratic documentation necessary to study in this country legally is just a taste of what those trying to enter the United States must go through. These people will never have the local Consulate or Embassy hanging out down the street, but are left to fight through the bureacracy on their own, hopefully with help from a lawyer. And all the while they deal with the same questions--does this lawyer really have my best interests at heart? Is this next fee, this next stamp, this next laminated piece of paper, really necessary? Or have I put up with enough of this? And will they even notice one way or another?
In Panama we have a terrifying suspicion that the answer to that last question is "no." Especially knowing that, if we were here "as tourists," we would not have to do anything at all to be here legally. That's 500 bucks of incentive to not bother telling la migra we've been studying. For better or for worse, the vast majority has been paid, and what remains for us will be taken care of before long. But first, the voyage into the Embassy walls to sort it out. And hopefully find some answers.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
el valle y la playa ~ the valley and the beach
Esta fin de semana fuimos a un pueblo se llama "El Valle de Antón," un valle hecho por una caldera enorma millónes de años pasados. Viernes, visitamos un Zoo se llama "El Nespín." Era poquito mejor que Summit, si sólo porque su tapir era disponible por fotos (digo, podría verlo y sacar fotos). También, tenía un ave se llama "faisón dorado," un pájaro muy bonito. Después del Zoo fuimos a los Pozos Termales, donde nos relajamos en los aguas saludables. En la noche fuimos para mirar el partido con Honduras en la televisión, y jugamos fútbol en los calles.
Sábado, escalamos una montaña se llama "La India Dormida," porque su perfil parece como una mujer durmiendo. Según leyenda, ella espera su amor, quién nunca regresó para ella (por la guerra? porque no le enamoró a ella? no sabemos porque). Rafael, Miguel, y yo caminemos más adelante que las otras, y regresamos mas rápidamente que ellas. Regresamos a la cuidad esa tarde, y en la noche miramos una película.
Hoy, Rafa y yo fuimos a Palmar para surfear. No había muchas olas, pero sentí muy tranquilo estar en el agua. Ahora, estoy muy cansado pero contento. ¡Listo por una semana nueva!
~~~
This weekend we went to a town called "El Valle de Antón," in the Valley of Antón, an ancient caldera (collapsed volcano). Friday, we went to "El Nespín," a locally-owned zoo. It was a little bit better than Summit, the zoo in Panama City, if only because its tapir was actually available for photos. They also had a bird called a "golden pheasant," which was absolutely wonderful in its bright colors. After the zoo we went to the hot springs (Pozos Termales), where we relaxed in the healing(?) waters of the pools. That night we watched the futbol game with Honduras, and played futbol ourselves in the streets.
Saturday we climbed the ridgeline of the valley, at a point called "La India Dormida," the sleeping Indian, so called because the ridge profile looks like a woman sleeping. According to legend, she waits for her love to return, who never returned (because of war? or because he didn't love her? we don't know why). Raphael, Michael, and I traveled farther over the ridge than the others in our party, going all the way over and returning through a different path than they did. We returned to Panama City later that night, and I watched "The Wizard of Oz" with some of my friends. I forgot how much I liked that movie. Special attachments, especially after we performed it (more or less) in high school with PA.
Finally, today Raphael and I went to Palmar to surf. There weren't a lot of waves, but it was relaxing to be on the water. I've missed being able to go out. As usual, this is the part where I say "I should go surfing more when I get home," which is true, but we shall see if i take myself up on that offer.
Nevertheless, it was a wonderful weekend, the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation, of large group time and small group time. Now I am tired but content, and ready for a new week of adventure!
Sábado, escalamos una montaña se llama "La India Dormida," porque su perfil parece como una mujer durmiendo. Según leyenda, ella espera su amor, quién nunca regresó para ella (por la guerra? porque no le enamoró a ella? no sabemos porque). Rafael, Miguel, y yo caminemos más adelante que las otras, y regresamos mas rápidamente que ellas. Regresamos a la cuidad esa tarde, y en la noche miramos una película.
Hoy, Rafa y yo fuimos a Palmar para surfear. No había muchas olas, pero sentí muy tranquilo estar en el agua. Ahora, estoy muy cansado pero contento. ¡Listo por una semana nueva!
~~~
This weekend we went to a town called "El Valle de Antón," in the Valley of Antón, an ancient caldera (collapsed volcano). Friday, we went to "El Nespín," a locally-owned zoo. It was a little bit better than Summit, the zoo in Panama City, if only because its tapir was actually available for photos. They also had a bird called a "golden pheasant," which was absolutely wonderful in its bright colors. After the zoo we went to the hot springs (Pozos Termales), where we relaxed in the healing(?) waters of the pools. That night we watched the futbol game with Honduras, and played futbol ourselves in the streets.
Saturday we climbed the ridgeline of the valley, at a point called "La India Dormida," the sleeping Indian, so called because the ridge profile looks like a woman sleeping. According to legend, she waits for her love to return, who never returned (because of war? or because he didn't love her? we don't know why). Raphael, Michael, and I traveled farther over the ridge than the others in our party, going all the way over and returning through a different path than they did. We returned to Panama City later that night, and I watched "The Wizard of Oz" with some of my friends. I forgot how much I liked that movie. Special attachments, especially after we performed it (more or less) in high school with PA.
Finally, today Raphael and I went to Palmar to surf. There weren't a lot of waves, but it was relaxing to be on the water. I've missed being able to go out. As usual, this is the part where I say "I should go surfing more when I get home," which is true, but we shall see if i take myself up on that offer.
Nevertheless, it was a wonderful weekend, the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation, of large group time and small group time. Now I am tired but content, and ready for a new week of adventure!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
cerro ancón and Pipeline Road
¡Hola, todos!
This weekend has definitely been a change of pace. Friday morning I went birdwatching at the famous "Pipeline Road" with two new Panamanian friends, Susana and Pedro. It was so much fun getting out into the forest with people who really love it (she's an eco-tourguide and he's a first-year bio student birding extraordinaire). They were able to point out plants and birds and identify them, so I ended up learning way more than I could have otherwise. It was a blast. It also gave me a chance to reflect a little more on what interests me, and I realized being a volunteer naturalist or science educator would be something fun for me, even if just short term.
Today, four of us ISA students climbed Cerro Ancón, or "Ancon Hill." We got only slightly lost along the way, discovering a picnic area that we were informed is not currently open to the public. At the top, we found beautiful scenery, awesome views of the entire city. Definitely a sight to behold; pictures forthcoming when I steal them from my friends.
On our descent, we stumbled across a strange, mostly empty village. There were brightly colored buildings and a large empty parking lot--it felt like we'd discovered the ghost of some old theme park. But people were around, so we went and asked someone where we were. She explained we were in the "Villa Afroantilla" or something like that, a tourist stop commemorating the cultural groups brought together to forge the Panamanian identity: for this group, this included people of African descent, indigenous people of the peninsula, and the people of the interior/mestizos. Our guide then showed us around the village, telling us about the people of Bocas del Toro and the stories of the indigenous peoples throughout Panama. It was a fun little surprise, discovering the little village. I even got to have a little hojaldre before we left, a yummy central american bread that I think we ate in Belize, too, under a different name.
From there, we took a short cab ride to the Fish Market, to at last try the obligatory ceviche. It was good, as expected, and now I can check that piece off my list and get back to my normal veggie-and-grain diet.
And now there's one more adventure before the weekend ends: birdwatching early in the morning with Panama Audubon. It should be fun, though definitely a different feel than yesterday. Enjoying my attempts to engage with Panama in ways that are meaningful to me. And hopefully to make plenty of new friends along the way! ^_^
This weekend has definitely been a change of pace. Friday morning I went birdwatching at the famous "Pipeline Road" with two new Panamanian friends, Susana and Pedro. It was so much fun getting out into the forest with people who really love it (she's an eco-tourguide and he's a first-year bio student birding extraordinaire). They were able to point out plants and birds and identify them, so I ended up learning way more than I could have otherwise. It was a blast. It also gave me a chance to reflect a little more on what interests me, and I realized being a volunteer naturalist or science educator would be something fun for me, even if just short term.
Today, four of us ISA students climbed Cerro Ancón, or "Ancon Hill." We got only slightly lost along the way, discovering a picnic area that we were informed is not currently open to the public. At the top, we found beautiful scenery, awesome views of the entire city. Definitely a sight to behold; pictures forthcoming when I steal them from my friends.
On our descent, we stumbled across a strange, mostly empty village. There were brightly colored buildings and a large empty parking lot--it felt like we'd discovered the ghost of some old theme park. But people were around, so we went and asked someone where we were. She explained we were in the "Villa Afroantilla" or something like that, a tourist stop commemorating the cultural groups brought together to forge the Panamanian identity: for this group, this included people of African descent, indigenous people of the peninsula, and the people of the interior/mestizos. Our guide then showed us around the village, telling us about the people of Bocas del Toro and the stories of the indigenous peoples throughout Panama. It was a fun little surprise, discovering the little village. I even got to have a little hojaldre before we left, a yummy central american bread that I think we ate in Belize, too, under a different name.
From there, we took a short cab ride to the Fish Market, to at last try the obligatory ceviche. It was good, as expected, and now I can check that piece off my list and get back to my normal veggie-and-grain diet.
And now there's one more adventure before the weekend ends: birdwatching early in the morning with Panama Audubon. It should be fun, though definitely a different feel than yesterday. Enjoying my attempts to engage with Panama in ways that are meaningful to me. And hopefully to make plenty of new friends along the way! ^_^
Monday, October 1, 2012
integrating into Panamanian life
I've been moving around a lot over the past several months, so making friends has been a challenge I've had to confront repeatedly. Since coming to Panama, I've mostly been hanging out with the other ISA students--US students studying abroad in Panama for the semester. This is great, but I really want to reach outside this circle and make friends with other people too. The other ISA students like to go out to bars to hang out and meet people. I enjoy going out with them, but it definitely feels weird at times since I don't drink. As time went on I was starting to feel isolated. I began thinking-- even if I did manage to make new friends at a bar, they were going to be people who wanted to hang out at a bar (duh). So if, as I contend, that's not really my scene, why was I making it my primary social activity? The answer is of course "because that's what the others were doing." When I stopped and thought about it, I realized the obvious: if I want to make friends, I should start doing things I actually like doing.
With this simple change in perspective, I have begun to take note of what things I like, so I can make it a point to do them. For example, a few weeks ago, several of the other ISA students and I went wandering through the city, and found a number of street food carts. I started a language exchange with someone who lives in Ciudad del Saber (where my school is). This weekend, several of us went to a beach and hung out with a friend from FSU. On a hike in Gamboa, I made friends with the naturalists, and this weekend we are hoping to go bird watching at the famous Pipeline Road. I looked up meeting times for the local Audubon Society. And this past weekend I went on a beach clean-up and made a couple of new friends. And I started talking to a vegetarian blogger here in Panama, whom I hope to meet up with in a week or two.
Meanwhile I am growing excited for my return home (which is still several months away). I am excited and nervous about exploring the relationships I have in San Diego, figuring out how to engage in friendships outside of the bubble. But when I think of the people I have kept contact with during my time away, I realize the richness I have waiting for me.
But for now, it's time to make the most of my present, exploring and sharing with the people I meet here.
With this simple change in perspective, I have begun to take note of what things I like, so I can make it a point to do them. For example, a few weeks ago, several of the other ISA students and I went wandering through the city, and found a number of street food carts. I started a language exchange with someone who lives in Ciudad del Saber (where my school is). This weekend, several of us went to a beach and hung out with a friend from FSU. On a hike in Gamboa, I made friends with the naturalists, and this weekend we are hoping to go bird watching at the famous Pipeline Road. I looked up meeting times for the local Audubon Society. And this past weekend I went on a beach clean-up and made a couple of new friends. And I started talking to a vegetarian blogger here in Panama, whom I hope to meet up with in a week or two.
Meanwhile I am growing excited for my return home (which is still several months away). I am excited and nervous about exploring the relationships I have in San Diego, figuring out how to engage in friendships outside of the bubble. But when I think of the people I have kept contact with during my time away, I realize the richness I have waiting for me.
But for now, it's time to make the most of my present, exploring and sharing with the people I meet here.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
the revolving door of post-college plans: an open letter to my academic advisers
Dear Dr. Lupo and Dr. Mooring,
As I continue developing my plans for post-graduation (I've
always, as you both well know, been a planner), I feel like I change my plans
for what I want to do every seven days. This time I'm not freaking out about
it, but I want to give you an update on the places my mind has been wandering
and seek your advice as I move forward.
First I was thinking I'd study some kind of Ecology, which I
narrowed down to coastal ecosystems. I had wanted to do some more hard science
so I could make a claim to have an "expertise" of sorts in a
scientific area before moving on. But as I looked at the options available, the
kinds of things professors were studying, etc, I realized that science for the
sake of science is not as interesting for me as I thought it was. I enjoy it,
but I can't see myself focusing in on something specific like a community of
clams or a certain marshplant. Then I spoke with recent Poli Sci dept grad
Rachel Christensen, who started asking me about my Mexico involvement, and I
remembered how much I love the people and organizations and
issues I've been involved with at the border. The thought of leaving that world
and those communities made me sad, and I began to wonder what I could do that
could be a boon to environmental and community organizations around the border,
or even at the Tijuana Estuary itself. I broadened my search a little bit
to consider watershed management, which at Univ. Wisc. Madison includes a
broader community component, which would lend itself to work at the Tijuana
Estuary. This drifted briefly into water resource engineering, which also looked
interesting.
But as I was sitting in my "Geography of Transportation
Systems" course here in Panama, I couldn't help but take heed of the
butterflies in my stomach right before each class. I mean, I am seriously
PUMPED whenever this class gets ready to start. As I began channeling these
feelings into notes about the kinds of things I am interested, I was reminded
of a list I made in Dr. Lupo’s class in choosing a topic for a research paper
for our Scope and Methods class. The list was called “things that interest me,
politically,” and I came up with public transportation, waste management,
environmental justice, education, renewable energy, livable communities. The
same list came up again when I was trying to come up with an Honors topic. Writing
this list for the third time, I realized that all my interests are united as
ways people are engaging to live together in cities and communities, and in the
resolution of failures to address these issues. With this new vision of what
interests me, I know that if I were to study ecology, I’d want to study urban
ecology. But moreso than that, I’m beginning to wonder if urban planning or a
similar field might be for me, either as a career path or at least a topic of
study.
And so, this brings me to where I am now. I am now wanting to
explore urban planning (or other interdisciplinary fields studying cities and
sustainability), and I am wondering how I can begin exploring if this would be
right for me. Is there anyone you can suggest I talk to explore this
possibility? To help me get an idea of what it would take to start in area like
this, and what other possibilities are out there? I’m sort of starting over
from scratch, while still holding on to a couple of leads from my previous
search that sounded interesting.
Thank you very much for your help, and for bearing with me on this
perpetually changing landscape called my mind. I hope you both are doing very
well. As you might have gathered from the aforementioned butterflies, I am
loving my classes here in Panama (all of them! It’s a blast). I have also made
a number of friends, but so far most of them are from the States… so it’s a
challenge to go out and make Panamanian friends that I need to take up next.
Respectfully,
Daniel Virden
Saturday, September 8, 2012
isla grande
This weekend was my first out-of-town adventure.
As part of our program, we took a tour of the Colón area of Panamá, on the Caribbean side of the Isthmus, directly north of Panama City. We ended up visiting Fort Lorenzo (an old Spanish fort from like the 1600's), the Gatún locks of the Panama Canal, and the city (well, town... village, almost) of Portobelo. It was fun, but we spent a LOT of time waiting for the ships to pass at the Canal. Definitely got a feel of what it's like to live near the world's largest multimodal intersection.
At the end of our trip, I decided to go on to Isla Grande, an island further east from Portobelo. I stayed at "El Rey Jackson," a combination hotel-and-mini-mart. It was the cheapest place on the island ($30 for a private room with fan and air conditioning), but I did not feel 100% confident about the cleanliness of the bed or shower. Still, it was private, which was nice, as it meant I could store my stuff safely without a problem. If I stayed again, I would have stayed at the "El Hostal y Pastelería," or something like that, just to the left of the dock I arrived at; it's a little more pricey ($35 for a dorm bed) but seemed a little livelier, with employees who were willing to talk and hang out, and breakfast was included. Ah well.
One person I met was the proprieter of the "Hotel Isla Grande," a large, comparatively luxurious establishment with private lawn and beach of its own. He made a point of helping me get oriented on the island, and let me rent a snorkel mask for only five bucks. A coral garden sat ten meters off the shore (spanning both the public and private half of the beach), with beautifully colored fish darting among the brain and fan coral structures. It was beautiful!
While everything turned out alright, my initial impressions of the island were not great. (I decided the island was much more "Lago de Atitlan" than "Glover's Reef Atoll.") The island is pretty heavily forested on the interior, with several rows of concrete housing at the shore. Most of the paths are more like alleys, with stray dogs wandering every corner. And there was a lot of trash along the shore; at times I passed residents sweeping trash directly into the ocean. The beach itself (a narrow stretch of sand near the Hotel Isla Grande) was clean and pretty, but the "regular" shoreline near people's houses was lightly peppered with garbage. After I got in my morning snorkel, I decided to make my way back to Panama City, and leave Isla Grande behind.
Going home, I was forced to recognize the garbage is not just an Isla Grande problem. All through the ride home I passed various piles of garbage or thin blankets of it along the side of the road, sometimes burning, other times simply persisting. I think to myself, "I want to fix it! I want to change something so that this beautiful country does not suffer from so much trash!" But litter and waste management is such a diffuse problem. Neither public action events (big clean-ups), anti-litter campaigns, or massive infrastructure developments can make a significant difference on their own. If people don't litter, where will they put their trash? And where will it go from there? And why is there so much single-use and disposable materials anyway in this country if there's nowhere to put it?
Which brings me back home to the states, where we still face litter, and problems with waste management, or even more dramatically with waste water and nuclear waste. Waste management is such a crazy problem, and I don't even know where to begin to change it. But I don't believe it is "just cultural"--this is a combination of major human challenges that we will need to face over the coming years. How can we generate less waste? What will we do with the waste we produce? And who will make these decisions?
With these questions weighing heavy on my mind, I returned home by way of Albrook mall, where I ordered a pizza (in a box that was thrown away) breadsticks (on a paper plate, wrapped in foil, with a plastic cup full of sauce), and a cinna-bon (on a paper plate, with a plastic fork) (and also a pack of individually-wrapped granola bars). Such a stark contrast, reminding me that I, myself, am part of the problem. By weight I still generated more waste than the glass coke bottle I brought home with me to recycle. So for now, at least, I resign myself to continue as a cog in the machine, disupting none of waste-machine whose wheels I turn.
As part of our program, we took a tour of the Colón area of Panamá, on the Caribbean side of the Isthmus, directly north of Panama City. We ended up visiting Fort Lorenzo (an old Spanish fort from like the 1600's), the Gatún locks of the Panama Canal, and the city (well, town... village, almost) of Portobelo. It was fun, but we spent a LOT of time waiting for the ships to pass at the Canal. Definitely got a feel of what it's like to live near the world's largest multimodal intersection.
At the end of our trip, I decided to go on to Isla Grande, an island further east from Portobelo. I stayed at "El Rey Jackson," a combination hotel-and-mini-mart. It was the cheapest place on the island ($30 for a private room with fan and air conditioning), but I did not feel 100% confident about the cleanliness of the bed or shower. Still, it was private, which was nice, as it meant I could store my stuff safely without a problem. If I stayed again, I would have stayed at the "El Hostal y Pastelería," or something like that, just to the left of the dock I arrived at; it's a little more pricey ($35 for a dorm bed) but seemed a little livelier, with employees who were willing to talk and hang out, and breakfast was included. Ah well.
One person I met was the proprieter of the "Hotel Isla Grande," a large, comparatively luxurious establishment with private lawn and beach of its own. He made a point of helping me get oriented on the island, and let me rent a snorkel mask for only five bucks. A coral garden sat ten meters off the shore (spanning both the public and private half of the beach), with beautifully colored fish darting among the brain and fan coral structures. It was beautiful!
While everything turned out alright, my initial impressions of the island were not great. (I decided the island was much more "Lago de Atitlan" than "Glover's Reef Atoll.") The island is pretty heavily forested on the interior, with several rows of concrete housing at the shore. Most of the paths are more like alleys, with stray dogs wandering every corner. And there was a lot of trash along the shore; at times I passed residents sweeping trash directly into the ocean. The beach itself (a narrow stretch of sand near the Hotel Isla Grande) was clean and pretty, but the "regular" shoreline near people's houses was lightly peppered with garbage. After I got in my morning snorkel, I decided to make my way back to Panama City, and leave Isla Grande behind.
Going home, I was forced to recognize the garbage is not just an Isla Grande problem. All through the ride home I passed various piles of garbage or thin blankets of it along the side of the road, sometimes burning, other times simply persisting. I think to myself, "I want to fix it! I want to change something so that this beautiful country does not suffer from so much trash!" But litter and waste management is such a diffuse problem. Neither public action events (big clean-ups), anti-litter campaigns, or massive infrastructure developments can make a significant difference on their own. If people don't litter, where will they put their trash? And where will it go from there? And why is there so much single-use and disposable materials anyway in this country if there's nowhere to put it?
Which brings me back home to the states, where we still face litter, and problems with waste management, or even more dramatically with waste water and nuclear waste. Waste management is such a crazy problem, and I don't even know where to begin to change it. But I don't believe it is "just cultural"--this is a combination of major human challenges that we will need to face over the coming years. How can we generate less waste? What will we do with the waste we produce? And who will make these decisions?
With these questions weighing heavy on my mind, I returned home by way of Albrook mall, where I ordered a pizza (in a box that was thrown away) breadsticks (on a paper plate, wrapped in foil, with a plastic cup full of sauce), and a cinna-bon (on a paper plate, with a plastic fork) (and also a pack of individually-wrapped granola bars). Such a stark contrast, reminding me that I, myself, am part of the problem. By weight I still generated more waste than the glass coke bottle I brought home with me to recycle. So for now, at least, I resign myself to continue as a cog in the machine, disupting none of waste-machine whose wheels I turn.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
la economía de gracias
Esta mañana fui a la Iglesia del Nazareno en Ancón. Por este servicio, hicimos algo especial: cada persona leyó un versículo que fuera importante en su vida. Eramos veinte personas, más o menos (es una iglesia pequeña), y por eso todos podrían compartir. No preparé por este, y por eso compartí Filipenses 4:13. Es corto pero es muy fuerte, y me ayude leerlo a veces.
Después, la pastora le dio a cada persona dos pastillas (dulces), y dijo <<Coma uno de estas pastillas, y la otra va a dar a alguien en la iglesia que le ha edificado a usted.>> Entonces, cada persona, uno después del otro, levantó y compartió a quien le darían su pastilla y por qué. Era muy emocional, y cinco o seis personas lloraron compartiendo como Dios ha sido en su vida por la persona. Y yo también lloré poquito por las historias que compartieron.
Me algré de oír las historias de la iglesia, de ver como la gente ayude y ama como Dios. Algunos personas recibieron muchos dulces, porque han hecho muchas cosas importantes en la vida de su iglesia. A ver su pequeña fortuna de dulces, era un símbolo de sus vidas de servicio. Y algunas, cuando era tiempo para dar gracias a alguien, le dieron dulces a tres o más personas, algo que solo podrían hacer porque tan mucha gente ha compartido con ellas. Esa economía, una de gracias y amor, era un imagen de la reina de Dios en su pueblo, aquí en la tierra. Gracias a Dios por todo lo que hace, y por las personas que trae en nuestras vidas. Amen.
~
This morning I went to the Church of the Nazarene in Anvon. For this service, we did something special: each person read a verse that was important in their life. There were twenty of us, more or less (it is a small church), so everone was able to share. I didn't prepare, so I just shared Phillipians 4:13. It's short but powerful, and it helps me to re-read sometimes.
Then, the pastor gave everyone two candies, saying "Eat one of these, and the other you're going to give to someone in the church that has edified you/encouraged you." So, one after another, each person rose and shared whom they were giving their candy and why. It was very emotional, and five or six people cried sharing how God had been in their life through the person. I even cried a little, hearing the stories they shared.
I was very happy to hear the stories of the church, to see how people helped and loved one another as God would like them to. Some people received many candies, because they had done many important things for others in the church. Looking at their small fortune of candies, it was a symbol of their life of service. An some of them, when it was their turn to give thanks and give away a candy, gave candy to three or more people, something they could only do because so many people had shared with them. This economy of thanks and love, is an image of the Kingdom of God in his people, here on Earth. Thanks be to God for all that he does, and for the people he brings into our lives. Amen.
Después, la pastora le dio a cada persona dos pastillas (dulces), y dijo <<Coma uno de estas pastillas, y la otra va a dar a alguien en la iglesia que le ha edificado a usted.>> Entonces, cada persona, uno después del otro, levantó y compartió a quien le darían su pastilla y por qué. Era muy emocional, y cinco o seis personas lloraron compartiendo como Dios ha sido en su vida por la persona. Y yo también lloré poquito por las historias que compartieron.
Me algré de oír las historias de la iglesia, de ver como la gente ayude y ama como Dios. Algunos personas recibieron muchos dulces, porque han hecho muchas cosas importantes en la vida de su iglesia. A ver su pequeña fortuna de dulces, era un símbolo de sus vidas de servicio. Y algunas, cuando era tiempo para dar gracias a alguien, le dieron dulces a tres o más personas, algo que solo podrían hacer porque tan mucha gente ha compartido con ellas. Esa economía, una de gracias y amor, era un imagen de la reina de Dios en su pueblo, aquí en la tierra. Gracias a Dios por todo lo que hace, y por las personas que trae en nuestras vidas. Amen.
~
This morning I went to the Church of the Nazarene in Anvon. For this service, we did something special: each person read a verse that was important in their life. There were twenty of us, more or less (it is a small church), so everone was able to share. I didn't prepare, so I just shared Phillipians 4:13. It's short but powerful, and it helps me to re-read sometimes.
Then, the pastor gave everyone two candies, saying "Eat one of these, and the other you're going to give to someone in the church that has edified you/encouraged you." So, one after another, each person rose and shared whom they were giving their candy and why. It was very emotional, and five or six people cried sharing how God had been in their life through the person. I even cried a little, hearing the stories they shared.
I was very happy to hear the stories of the church, to see how people helped and loved one another as God would like them to. Some people received many candies, because they had done many important things for others in the church. Looking at their small fortune of candies, it was a symbol of their life of service. An some of them, when it was their turn to give thanks and give away a candy, gave candy to three or more people, something they could only do because so many people had shared with them. This economy of thanks and love, is an image of the Kingdom of God in his people, here on Earth. Thanks be to God for all that he does, and for the people he brings into our lives. Amen.
Mi Biblia, y la pastilla que recibí por amigo Scott en la Iglesia del Nazareno en Ancón.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
bienvenidos a Panamá
I have now arrived and begun to settle in Panamá.
The first day here was orientation, meeting the other students studying abroad with ISA (pronounced, as "ee-sa," by our program director Vanessa), and learning how to take a taxi (flag 'em down, ask the price for where you're headed, only hop in if it's a reasonable price). We also checked out Albrook Mall, the main mall (at least in our area).
My homestay is awesome. I live with my Señora, Mama Cachi (Casilda, or just Mami), and her son Ciro (a graphic designer, about eight years older than I am). Ciro's cousin Anita also lives with us (and another cousin is in and out). I share a room with another student, Raphael. The family also hosts a tourist's hotel on the first floor of the house, where travelers come and go.
Mama Cachi speaks only Spanish, but is very patient and happy to speak to us. She makes breakfast and dinner for us every day, and talks with us for as long as we like. Ciro speaks English and Spanish, but understands that we are trying to learn Spanish, and is very supportive, correcting us and speaking to us in Spanish as much as we speak to him in Spanish. He gives advice on how to make the most of our time in Panamá, and last night he took us out on the town and showed us places to hang out in Casco Viejo (Old Town Panamá City).
Today, seis of us went to la playa at Veracruz. We had a lot of fun! Raphael and I climbed on top of an island full of trees--it looked exactly like the lion-turtle island in Avatar: The Last Airbender! It was awesome.
Now it's late, and the neighbors are having a party. Looks like a lot of fun, but I am beat and ready to rest! But that'll have to wait until things quiet down a bit more.
The first day here was orientation, meeting the other students studying abroad with ISA (pronounced, as "ee-sa," by our program director Vanessa), and learning how to take a taxi (flag 'em down, ask the price for where you're headed, only hop in if it's a reasonable price). We also checked out Albrook Mall, the main mall (at least in our area).
My homestay is awesome. I live with my Señora, Mama Cachi (Casilda, or just Mami), and her son Ciro (a graphic designer, about eight years older than I am). Ciro's cousin Anita also lives with us (and another cousin is in and out). I share a room with another student, Raphael. The family also hosts a tourist's hotel on the first floor of the house, where travelers come and go.
Mama Cachi speaks only Spanish, but is very patient and happy to speak to us. She makes breakfast and dinner for us every day, and talks with us for as long as we like. Ciro speaks English and Spanish, but understands that we are trying to learn Spanish, and is very supportive, correcting us and speaking to us in Spanish as much as we speak to him in Spanish. He gives advice on how to make the most of our time in Panamá, and last night he took us out on the town and showed us places to hang out in Casco Viejo (Old Town Panamá City).
Today, seis of us went to la playa at Veracruz. We had a lot of fun! Raphael and I climbed on top of an island full of trees--it looked exactly like the lion-turtle island in Avatar: The Last Airbender! It was awesome.
Now it's late, and the neighbors are having a party. Looks like a lot of fun, but I am beat and ready to rest! But that'll have to wait until things quiet down a bit more.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
transitions
I am now readying to embarking on the biggest part of my
time away from Loma: study abroad in Panama City. But before I get there I want
to take a minute to reflect on my summer in Washington, which has now been over
for more than a week. The summer has been wonderful. I determined from the
start I would make the most of my summer, and with help from my new friends, I
feel as though I did. This summer, I climbed mountains, laid on beaches, and
wandered cities (and towns). I met new friends from all over the western US.
And I was able to learn a little bit more about myself.
I am a planner. I enjoy making plans, organizing my future
and my present (and my past!), and attempting to engage others in plans. One of
the greatest gifts my new friends gave to me was telling me they appreciated
this about me. Most of us interns did not really know anyone else in Sequim, so
it was hard to find things to do. I took on the responsibility, fairly early on,
of trying as hard as I could to make things happen, whether trips to the beach
or just lunch at work. At times I got a bit carried away, or communications
could get a bit hollow (the newsletter mode comes all-too-easily to me), but
still at least two of my new friends made a point of mentioning they
appreciated my efforts—that they thought this was something good in me.
This recognition was a turning point in the way I think of
myself—that my goal of planning to hang out with others to help them and me
actually worked for some people, at
least sometimes. At this point I could look at myself, and call myself a
planner, and take pride in it. Which is kind of funny, because I think the last
time I was so deeply affected (positively, anyway) by a person’s opinion of me
was when Ryan Womack told me I was pretty mellow (a trait I also take pride in,
and which balances out my strong planning tendencies when I let it).
And now, I am moving on to the next stage. I have made
plenty of mistakes this summer, but now is a new beginning. New faces, new
friends, and (inevitably) new mistakes. I must make sure to learn from the experiences
I’ve had, and continue to grow and change. Off to Panama City! ¡Hasta luego,
Estados!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
living with animals
Our family was never one to own pets. We had a hamster (2, actually) for a short stretch, but they didn't last very long, and were near the end of my time at home. That is to say, animals were not part of the culture of our home. Accordingly, growing up I didn't have a feel for what it meant to have a pet as "part of the family." It just seemed kind of silly to hold an animal in that regard.
Since leaving for college, I've ended up having a couple of closer encounters with animals, from Hannah's dog and reptiles, to Picchu the cat and her brood, and now the McDougal Dachshunds. Living here with Ferg and Gwen has been a much more intimate interaction with dogs (and pets generally) than ever before, and I can honestly say I'm beginning to understand.
This morning the pup are curled up under my blanket after their morning romp. It was cold this morning, so they came in shivering and begging to be loved. Gwen was actually barking repeatedly until I finally let her into my room and helped her onto my bed. Annoying, but adorable.
It's fascinating to me how intuitive it is to interact with them. Not just telling them "Hey, stop that!" or "No! My food!" but even when they want to be cuddled, it just makes me really happy. And especially when they want to hang out in bed, there is a special, relaxed kind of intimacy. Like having another person there to cuddle with, it is relaxing and comforting to have a puppy lying there asking to be hugged and pet and patted.
To a certain extent, I'm sure the feelings of comfort and understanding can be explained away by personification of the animal, blah, blah, blah, but it doesn't change the emotional reality and significance of the connection. They really are very sweet dogs. And for that I am thankful.
Just reaffirms how much I want to have a pet when I am older. Though, my furball of choice will of course be a cat!
Since leaving for college, I've ended up having a couple of closer encounters with animals, from Hannah's dog and reptiles, to Picchu the cat and her brood, and now the McDougal Dachshunds. Living here with Ferg and Gwen has been a much more intimate interaction with dogs (and pets generally) than ever before, and I can honestly say I'm beginning to understand.
This morning the pup are curled up under my blanket after their morning romp. It was cold this morning, so they came in shivering and begging to be loved. Gwen was actually barking repeatedly until I finally let her into my room and helped her onto my bed. Annoying, but adorable.
It's fascinating to me how intuitive it is to interact with them. Not just telling them "Hey, stop that!" or "No! My food!" but even when they want to be cuddled, it just makes me really happy. And especially when they want to hang out in bed, there is a special, relaxed kind of intimacy. Like having another person there to cuddle with, it is relaxing and comforting to have a puppy lying there asking to be hugged and pet and patted.
To a certain extent, I'm sure the feelings of comfort and understanding can be explained away by personification of the animal, blah, blah, blah, but it doesn't change the emotional reality and significance of the connection. They really are very sweet dogs. And for that I am thankful.
Just reaffirms how much I want to have a pet when I am older. Though, my furball of choice will of course be a cat!
Monday, July 2, 2012
sleepless in seattle
So last Monday one of my coworkers sent out an email saying he would be heading to Seattle for a Mariner's game on the then-coming Saturday or Sunday, inviting anyone who wished to come along. When we met a couple of Seattle interns later that week, they agreed we could come crash at their place, thus making a weekend of the trip.
So, Aaron, Allie, and I made the trek yesterday morning to see the sights of Seattle. Allie has ties to Seattle, so she knew many of the places to see, and was able to show us around. We ran around and saw the troll, the gum wall, and the market, along with generally everything else I intended to see while I was in town.
Photo time:
While I had a lot of fun in Seattle, I was kind of surprised that I didn't feel it even more. For whatever reason, I just didn't feel that falling-in-love feeling I had when I went to Chicago, or that I have when I think of San Diego. I think expectations have something to do with it--Seattle is... Seattle. Like, the Seattle. So the thought of seeing it and loving it was so exciting... that perhaps I was slightly let down? Let down isn't even the right phrase. I just had a very romanticized image, not even an image, just a feeling for what it would be like to go to Seattle. Instead, it just felt like being in a city. It was fun, because I like cities, and because we saw some funny things, but it wasn't the Seattle experience I wanted it to be.
By no means am I giving up on the city. It was still beautiful, and I look forward to seeing it again. It might just be that rushing around sight-seeing took away from the effect. Playing pool with Jess and the others was definitely my favorite part of the adventure, even though that could have happened anywhere (except Sequim--there's not a single table in this town).
For now, it's back to Sunny Sequim and the birds.
Some music for the night:
Goodnight!
So, Aaron, Allie, and I made the trek yesterday morning to see the sights of Seattle. Allie has ties to Seattle, so she knew many of the places to see, and was able to show us around. We ran around and saw the troll, the gum wall, and the market, along with generally everything else I intended to see while I was in town.
Photo time:
The quirky toy store, suggested by Emma. You can find anything made out of plastic here: Bacon superherous (with Tofu nemeses), Ben Franklin and Oscar Wilde figurines, and of course your standard-issue rubber chicken.
A standard sight to see at Archie McPhee is the "Wallingford Beast." I have no idea what the deal is with this creepy plastic zombie-spider, except that it's there, in a curtained terrarium, so it must be famous. ...
The Fremont Troll. And a monster made of cement. ...
Here's our stalwart crew! That's Aaron on the left and Allie on the right.
And your fearless hero standing before the Seattle skyline.
The Seattle Library! Weird building. But it waters its plants with rain water! Which is cool. It's also a work of art on the inside.
Original newspaper from 1932. Really cool.
The Red Hall. A hallway that's completely red. Actually the whole 4th story is red like this. The camera kind of brightened the image, it's actually a deeper, darker red.
Pike Place Market! We saw people throwing fish, tried some fruit, and explored the various stands. We got Piroskies, a Russian pastry, from a little bakery next door to the original Starbucks.
I'd heard that duck tours were a cool way to ride around the city and then get on the lake. I did not realize that they are also filled with Jungle-Cruise-style puns. I groaned for a while, but after a while it grew on me.
Lastly, a duck tour boat with the "Sleepless in Seattle" boathouse in the background. Haven't seen the movie, but I figure if I do that'll mean something to me at some point.
While I had a lot of fun in Seattle, I was kind of surprised that I didn't feel it even more. For whatever reason, I just didn't feel that falling-in-love feeling I had when I went to Chicago, or that I have when I think of San Diego. I think expectations have something to do with it--Seattle is... Seattle. Like, the Seattle. So the thought of seeing it and loving it was so exciting... that perhaps I was slightly let down? Let down isn't even the right phrase. I just had a very romanticized image, not even an image, just a feeling for what it would be like to go to Seattle. Instead, it just felt like being in a city. It was fun, because I like cities, and because we saw some funny things, but it wasn't the Seattle experience I wanted it to be.
By no means am I giving up on the city. It was still beautiful, and I look forward to seeing it again. It might just be that rushing around sight-seeing took away from the effect. Playing pool with Jess and the others was definitely my favorite part of the adventure, even though that could have happened anywhere (except Sequim--there's not a single table in this town).
For now, it's back to Sunny Sequim and the birds.
Some music for the night:
Goodnight!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
breakfast with class
While looking for some other recipe last week, I came across the "Strawberry omelet." It sounded nuts, but I wanted to try it! So when a co-worker mentioned she would be picking strawberries, i asked her to pick me up some so I could try it.
This breakfast is the ultimate in class. Without a doubt the most beautiful omelet I've ever made.
Here's the recipe:
Strawberry Bliss Omelet (pulled from here)
I made a half-recipe, but here it is in full:
Ingredients
6 eggs
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided
Confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, water, salt and pepper. Heat butter in a 10-in. nonstick skillet over medium heat; add egg mixture. As the eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. I made the mistake of putting my eggs on the stovetop before I had sliced my strawberries. Don't do this. You don't want to need to be fiddling with your omelet when you should be cutting your strawberries!
When the eggs are almost set, sprinkle cream cheese, brown sugar and 1 cup strawberries over one side. Fold omelet in half. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes or until brown sugar begins to melt. Slide omelet onto a plate; top with remaining strawberries and dust with confectioners' sugar.
Our ingredients. The almond milk ended up being from the other recipe I was looking at. I almost put it in anyway, but I decided to start simple, and stick with the recipe. Always time for further exploration in the future.
In the rush of getting the strawberries sliced, I forgot to take any intervening pictures, but here's the finished product:
Ta-da! A breakfast with class. I added the powdered sugar a little later, and it really completes the meal! If there is such a thing as a breakfast wine, this is the meal to make with it. For now, I drank some cranberry-blueberry juice with it, which was delicious, of course.
Ultimately, my eggs did not completely set on the inside, but I think that may be because I wasn't lifting the edges enough earlier on. Still, it was good, and I'm going to continue experimenting. This one was not very sweet, so i think in the future I may try one of the ones where you put in milk and maybe vanilla. Nevertheless, today's was a successful breakfast adventure. Yum!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
notepad
So i'm a big fan of using my phone to record things throughout the day. Thoughts, ideas, directions, groceries--anything a person might need to recall. Unfortunately, my phone's Notepad feature has a 100-character (including spaces) limit on my notes, so sometimes I have to sprawl things out over multiple notes. It's about time to clean out some of my old ones, as they've been building up, but I thought i'd copy out a survey of my notes so you can get an idea about my life. So here is the list of notes currently saved in my phone, with comments if i feel like it:
1) "rocky top" clog-- passion in work, in hobby, fam. Funerals are cultural reminders. ~ From Aunt Lesley's funeral. "Rocky Top" was the song they played at the end; I was struck by the balance the funeral showed of her passion in every part of her life. Finally, the purpose funerals serve is that of cultural reminders of what is important, what is honorable, what is worthy of striving for in life, as well as providing a space for mourning.
2) How would you describe yourself to someone else? ~ One of those survey questions that are enlightening to actually try and answer. Sometimes I sit down and ponder this, even though I never quite answer it.
3) sccoos.org/data/tracking/ib
monitoring plumes
federal support for water testing?
hormgts
Voice of sd
4) ((combination for a lock somewhere))
5) Audubon trips July 17, 8 o clock. July 24 hurricane ridge trip.
6) Pablo Almodovar; director; "talk to her", "women on the verge of a nervous breakdown" ~ Ester's extended family recommended this director--i've not yet looked him up, but supposedly he's really sweet.
7) ((address for someone i tutored)
8) People are like events. Some people come and go and change things. I am event too. Diff levels of depth. ~ There are people who have gone from my life who I will never connect with again, yet still they have had a lasting impact that still instructs the way my life is lived. Juliet Hansen is probably my biggest example of this. We haven't spoken in ages, but for a time she was a big influence on my life. I should look her up again... but it would never be anything like what it was. Our friendship at that time affected me in a particular way, and I am glad for it. Kinda like this.
9) Swallow black with white underside circle around tail. ~ It was probably a violet-green on a cloudy day. I'll never be sure though...
10) Mexican cheese, onions, brn sugar
6+tomatoes
2 cucumbers
beets, walnuts, broth
11) What are the things that key me into the spirit? What quenches the spirit? Not what else do I need,
12) Ciao database. All international affairs and stuff. ~ I have no idea.
13) Whimbrel.
14) This service i render is not my own. It is a gift from my family, and to it, and to she whom we honor.
15) Black-headed grosbeak. Towhee? ~ That's the spotted towhee I was looking at. I've since seen a black-headed grosbeak and now I can tell the difference.
16) Towels, pictures, map, Tupperware. Mug, plant, tea ~ Things needed for a happy office.
17) By confronting our sins against others, we are forced to encounter our sins against God. ~ Pastor Steve, sermon on Jacob wrestling God. Really tied it together in a cool way.
18) When jacob encounters his brother, he is really [also] confronting himself--and God. by confronting our sins against others... ~ see above.
19) luggage, laptop case, jacket, science shoes ~ stuff to buy for Washington!
20) What is the gospel for individuals? What did the disciples preach before christ's death? The Kingdom of God is near. ~ epic sermon I listened to when I went to a Naz church in Chicago. The sermon's final climax and denouement were kind of bland, but the central question was fascinating-- "What was the gospel the disciples preached before Jesus died for our sins?" We will be talking about this here some day, because this question is one that never occurred to me before this sermon, and ever since comes up in my thinking about what is the gospel and what does it mean.
21) God brings about moral change--love, joy, peace. If you already have these, faith brings you there for others. ~ And into his service, as part of God's work in bringing about the fruits of the spirit in others. I always wonder when people list the fruits of the spirit and then say you can only get them if you're a Christian. But that's just not true--some people of other or no faith are loving, joyful, peaceful, etc. What does the gospel have to offer them? Perhaps a chance to take part in the work God's doing to bring about these fruits in others. This note comes from another sermon, one just last sunday or so, but building in some ways off of #20.
22) Spiritual dev, physical exercise, career/development, personal reading, educational videos, news. ~ Things to do when bored.
23) The _only_ thing the church ultimately has uniquely is the truth of faith--can't prove it, not only comfort. ~ While faith can comfort you, it's not the only thing. While faith can give life meaning, it's not the only one. The only thing the church uniquely offers is its message, which in faith we hold to be true. But all the benefits of a life of faith can be attained in other ways. If someone doesn't need these, we don't need to offer those things to him or her. At that point, we have only faith and our understanding of the world, which we can share and they can believe or not. But you can't prove it, not by personal experience nor by historical evidence. It is faith alone. Which I think is ok.
24) The exodus was the defining idea for the old testament. Today? What gospel the disciples taught while Jesus was alive? ~ Back on the theme of understanding how Scripture's messages apply now. A combination of class in Chicago and that sermon while I was there.
25) White underparts, brown back and wings, speckled brn near throat, light beak with dark tip, light br ~ I don't know what this was. I should have recorded some size info too....
26) Elwa bridge, off of 101? heading to joyce ~ A place possibly to hunt for bats!
27) When it's a struggle to pray, it's a great time to praise.
28) Possible conduits of grace: marimba, church!, Service, food, reading; (no point in feeling guilty) ~ If for whatever reason praying is hard or reading scripture directly every day or journaling aren't helping you connect to God.... then they are not helping you connect to God. Try to find out what does help you connect, and use those conduits as much as you need to. Mix and match! combine! This was sort of the point of a chapel speaker this past semester. I thought his ideas were kind of interesting.
29) What is my passion? What matters to me? What do i love? ~ Worth pondering more, always.
30) What already keys me into the spirit? God never forms two people the same way. Different "conduits of grace" see #28. And #27.
31) John Ortman, "slowing." take the longest line [in the grocery store], drive behind the grandma (or paul). practice waiting. ~ Another idea one of the last chapel speakers slipped in.
32) King's way church in carlsborg? church with no reputation (time to change) ~ notes from conversation with the pastor here at Sequim Naz. KW church might have some young people I could go to Bible study with. The other is something he was talking about-- his church currently has no reputation in the Sequim community--good or bad. He mentioned this he thought was a great time to make changes in the way the church relates to its community--to build a reputation, for good, in a new way. I think the idea of a church's reputation (in a sense independent or at least separate from thoughts about individual members).
33) Watch?? ~ I want to buy one.
34) Starlings: 12345, glide for a second, 12345..... ~ It's how they fly.
35) Baggage claim, part 1, out the door, giant planes from the ceiling, door 00 ~ How to get to my hotel shuttle in Seattle airport!
36) 23? Form from library; dollars for seattle ~ Idk what the 23 is about. Other stuff is what i need to do the morning before i leave for Washington state! I don't really need this anymore...
So a lot of those are unnecessary. But there's a peek into the kind of things I hold on to! ... Yeah.
1) "rocky top" clog-- passion in work, in hobby, fam. Funerals are cultural reminders. ~ From Aunt Lesley's funeral. "Rocky Top" was the song they played at the end; I was struck by the balance the funeral showed of her passion in every part of her life. Finally, the purpose funerals serve is that of cultural reminders of what is important, what is honorable, what is worthy of striving for in life, as well as providing a space for mourning.
2) How would you describe yourself to someone else? ~ One of those survey questions that are enlightening to actually try and answer. Sometimes I sit down and ponder this, even though I never quite answer it.
3) sccoos.org/data/tracking/ib
monitoring plumes
federal support for water testing?
hormgts
Voice of sd
4) ((combination for a lock somewhere))
5) Audubon trips July 17, 8 o clock. July 24 hurricane ridge trip.
6) Pablo Almodovar; director; "talk to her", "women on the verge of a nervous breakdown" ~ Ester's extended family recommended this director--i've not yet looked him up, but supposedly he's really sweet.
7) ((address for someone i tutored)
8) People are like events. Some people come and go and change things. I am event too. Diff levels of depth. ~ There are people who have gone from my life who I will never connect with again, yet still they have had a lasting impact that still instructs the way my life is lived. Juliet Hansen is probably my biggest example of this. We haven't spoken in ages, but for a time she was a big influence on my life. I should look her up again... but it would never be anything like what it was. Our friendship at that time affected me in a particular way, and I am glad for it. Kinda like this.
9) Swallow black with white underside circle around tail. ~ It was probably a violet-green on a cloudy day. I'll never be sure though...
10) Mexican cheese, onions, brn sugar
6+tomatoes
2 cucumbers
beets, walnuts, broth
11) What are the things that key me into the spirit? What quenches the spirit? Not what else do I need,
12) Ciao database. All international affairs and stuff. ~ I have no idea.
13) Whimbrel.
14) This service i render is not my own. It is a gift from my family, and to it, and to she whom we honor.
15) Black-headed grosbeak. Towhee? ~ That's the spotted towhee I was looking at. I've since seen a black-headed grosbeak and now I can tell the difference.
16) Towels, pictures, map, Tupperware. Mug, plant, tea ~ Things needed for a happy office.
17) By confronting our sins against others, we are forced to encounter our sins against God. ~ Pastor Steve, sermon on Jacob wrestling God. Really tied it together in a cool way.
18) When jacob encounters his brother, he is really [also] confronting himself--and God. by confronting our sins against others... ~ see above.
19) luggage, laptop case, jacket, science shoes ~ stuff to buy for Washington!
20) What is the gospel for individuals? What did the disciples preach before christ's death? The Kingdom of God is near. ~ epic sermon I listened to when I went to a Naz church in Chicago. The sermon's final climax and denouement were kind of bland, but the central question was fascinating-- "What was the gospel the disciples preached before Jesus died for our sins?" We will be talking about this here some day, because this question is one that never occurred to me before this sermon, and ever since comes up in my thinking about what is the gospel and what does it mean.
21) God brings about moral change--love, joy, peace. If you already have these, faith brings you there for others. ~ And into his service, as part of God's work in bringing about the fruits of the spirit in others. I always wonder when people list the fruits of the spirit and then say you can only get them if you're a Christian. But that's just not true--some people of other or no faith are loving, joyful, peaceful, etc. What does the gospel have to offer them? Perhaps a chance to take part in the work God's doing to bring about these fruits in others. This note comes from another sermon, one just last sunday or so, but building in some ways off of #20.
22) Spiritual dev, physical exercise, career/development, personal reading, educational videos, news. ~ Things to do when bored.
23) The _only_ thing the church ultimately has uniquely is the truth of faith--can't prove it, not only comfort. ~ While faith can comfort you, it's not the only thing. While faith can give life meaning, it's not the only one. The only thing the church uniquely offers is its message, which in faith we hold to be true. But all the benefits of a life of faith can be attained in other ways. If someone doesn't need these, we don't need to offer those things to him or her. At that point, we have only faith and our understanding of the world, which we can share and they can believe or not. But you can't prove it, not by personal experience nor by historical evidence. It is faith alone. Which I think is ok.
24) The exodus was the defining idea for the old testament. Today? What gospel the disciples taught while Jesus was alive? ~ Back on the theme of understanding how Scripture's messages apply now. A combination of class in Chicago and that sermon while I was there.
25) White underparts, brown back and wings, speckled brn near throat, light beak with dark tip, light br ~ I don't know what this was. I should have recorded some size info too....
26) Elwa bridge, off of 101? heading to joyce ~ A place possibly to hunt for bats!
27) When it's a struggle to pray, it's a great time to praise.
28) Possible conduits of grace: marimba, church!, Service, food, reading; (no point in feeling guilty) ~ If for whatever reason praying is hard or reading scripture directly every day or journaling aren't helping you connect to God.... then they are not helping you connect to God. Try to find out what does help you connect, and use those conduits as much as you need to. Mix and match! combine! This was sort of the point of a chapel speaker this past semester. I thought his ideas were kind of interesting.
29) What is my passion? What matters to me? What do i love? ~ Worth pondering more, always.
30) What already keys me into the spirit? God never forms two people the same way. Different "conduits of grace" see #28. And #27.
31) John Ortman, "slowing." take the longest line [in the grocery store], drive behind the grandma (or paul). practice waiting. ~ Another idea one of the last chapel speakers slipped in.
32) King's way church in carlsborg? church with no reputation (time to change) ~ notes from conversation with the pastor here at Sequim Naz. KW church might have some young people I could go to Bible study with. The other is something he was talking about-- his church currently has no reputation in the Sequim community--good or bad. He mentioned this he thought was a great time to make changes in the way the church relates to its community--to build a reputation, for good, in a new way. I think the idea of a church's reputation (in a sense independent or at least separate from thoughts about individual members).
33) Watch?? ~ I want to buy one.
34) Starlings: 12345, glide for a second, 12345..... ~ It's how they fly.
35) Baggage claim, part 1, out the door, giant planes from the ceiling, door 00 ~ How to get to my hotel shuttle in Seattle airport!
36) 23? Form from library; dollars for seattle ~ Idk what the 23 is about. Other stuff is what i need to do the morning before i leave for Washington state! I don't really need this anymore...
So a lot of those are unnecessary. But there's a peek into the kind of things I hold on to! ... Yeah.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
welcome to Sequim
I am now arrived and settled in Sequim, Washington (pronounced 'skwim').
Honestly everything about this experience has been wonderful so far. I came to this town after landing an internship at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a lab associated with the US Department of Energy and run by a non-profit (or not-for-profit?) company called Battelle.
I am renting a room in a house with a family here in Sequim, and from the moment I arrived they have been wonderfully welcoming. Kim, my host mom, is an awesome cook (like, seriously, she runs a restaurant and is an amazing chef), and gives me cooking (and cleaning!) tips, which are very helpful. Rick, her husband, has always made a point to talk with me when I get home or around the house, really making me feel welcome. And their daughter Maggie is really chill, the very first day taking me on a bike ride to the river to tromp through the mud. She has done a great job of helping me find things to do around town. Another student (well, a recent grad) from the Lab is living here as well. Caleb has been really fun to hang out with--we're currently watching through the Devil May Cry anime.... so much fun! Lastly, the dogs Fergie and Gwen are the most adorable little dachshunds, and they are very friendly once they're done "greeting" you when you walk in the door (with piercing yapping).
Work has been going really well so far. My boss is really fun, and my project (observing birds and bats!) is really fun, because I get to work outside for half the time. My coworkers have also been very welcoming, helping me around the office and hanging out at lunch. One of my new friends even invited me to a house concert! That was a lot of fun.
The town itself is simply charming. There's about 6,000 people in the town, one "main" street that has almost every store on it. There is a bike path leading almost the entire way to work, making it easy to ride to work.
Finally, Audubon has a center not far from where I'm living, so I have opportunity to visit them and learn as much about birds as I like!
Some photos:
Sorry for the kind of hollow tone. Now that I've gotten the location update taken care of, I can get back to thoughts or ideas the next time one of them strikes.
Honestly everything about this experience has been wonderful so far. I came to this town after landing an internship at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a lab associated with the US Department of Energy and run by a non-profit (or not-for-profit?) company called Battelle.
I am renting a room in a house with a family here in Sequim, and from the moment I arrived they have been wonderfully welcoming. Kim, my host mom, is an awesome cook (like, seriously, she runs a restaurant and is an amazing chef), and gives me cooking (and cleaning!) tips, which are very helpful. Rick, her husband, has always made a point to talk with me when I get home or around the house, really making me feel welcome. And their daughter Maggie is really chill, the very first day taking me on a bike ride to the river to tromp through the mud. She has done a great job of helping me find things to do around town. Another student (well, a recent grad) from the Lab is living here as well. Caleb has been really fun to hang out with--we're currently watching through the Devil May Cry anime.... so much fun! Lastly, the dogs Fergie and Gwen are the most adorable little dachshunds, and they are very friendly once they're done "greeting" you when you walk in the door (with piercing yapping).
Work has been going really well so far. My boss is really fun, and my project (observing birds and bats!) is really fun, because I get to work outside for half the time. My coworkers have also been very welcoming, helping me around the office and hanging out at lunch. One of my new friends even invited me to a house concert! That was a lot of fun.
The town itself is simply charming. There's about 6,000 people in the town, one "main" street that has almost every store on it. There is a bike path leading almost the entire way to work, making it easy to ride to work.
Finally, Audubon has a center not far from where I'm living, so I have opportunity to visit them and learn as much about birds as I like!
Some photos:
Audubon has these adorable stuffed birds that make their actual bird call! Guess what the Baby's getting as his souvenir....
The view from work.
Welcome to Sequim. We have sushi in a barn.
One of my coworkers (seen on the back right) plays in a marimba band in Sequim! Apparently marimbas are a thing here in the Pacific Northwest. How cool is that?
I've always been one to support small business.
Awww, Gwen wants out again. Or something. You can never be sure what exactly she's asking for...
House concert by Noelle Johnson and her band. You can't see the mason jars from here, but the plaid should tell you they're around.
The Olympic mountains.
The lighthouse on Dungeness Spit. Who's that standing there on the tip?
Sorry for the kind of hollow tone. Now that I've gotten the location update taken care of, I can get back to thoughts or ideas the next time one of them strikes.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
beet burgers!
I promise this is the last recipe for a while. But I had to get in one more beet recipe. This one was a big hit with the host dad and host uncle. "This is great! It gets even better the longer you eat it!"
"beet this burger" brought to you by Vegweb
1 tablespoon finely grated raw beet
1/2 cup cooked oats (quick or regular rolled oats)
1 cup uncooked oats (quick or regular rolled oats)
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely ground
1/4 cup almonds, coarsely ground
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1/4 cup green pepper, minced
1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup onion, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1) Mix the ingredients
2) heat them.
As you can see, once the ingredients are all gathered the recipe is pretty simple. Only one of the four burgers I got from this stayed together (a common problem in veggie burgers) and I'm not sure why. I think next time I'll add more water? To help make the oats more gooey.
The ingredients:
The chef hard at work:
Now to grate the beet:
Then mix the ingredients:
Tada! Veggie patty!
Serve along side the beet quinoa salad leftovers, and a nice dark juice. Yum!
Today's recipe was delicious! You should try it!
Later this weekend I'm gonna give a real update to this thing. But I just thought I'd share tonight's meal.
Monday, June 11, 2012
beet-quinoa salad
This week, for whatever reason, I got really excited about beets. So, this week will feature two beet recipes. Here's the first: a Beet-Quinoa salad I made for dinner last night.
Adapted from "Quinoa, Beet, and Arugula Salad," at Allrecipes.com
Ingredients
2 medium-sized beets, peeled and sliced
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
beet greens, chopped
goat cheese, crumbled, to taste
Directions
- Place a steamer insert into a saucepan, and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover pan and bring the water to a boil. Add beets, cover pan, and steam until just tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Bring quinoa and 2 cups water a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, and black pepper together in a large bowl.
- Remove quinoa from heat, then immediately add half of the vinegar dressing while fluffing the quinoa with a fork; reserve remaining dressing. Cover and refrigerate quinoa until cool, at least 1 hour.
- Stir green onions, arugula, goat cheese, beets, and remaining dressing into cooled quinoa mixture. Toss lightly before serving.
It's a beet!
The beets are all sliced up and placed in the steamer.
Ta-da! The final salad.
The recipe says it makes enough for 6 servings. I think mine will last at least that long. I just used the goat cheese at the end, rather than mixing it all in with the bowl. That way, I can still use it for something else later in the week!
This salad was really tasty! I think the goat cheese really finishes it off well! And the beet greens taste just like a spinach. Delicious!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
bruschetta!
I decided to make pasta today, but since I didn't know if I had rights to the landfamily's pasta sauce, I decided to use some of my excess tomatoes to make a bruschetta!
Ingredients:
Mine made enough for two! I served it (to myself) with a side salad, pasta, and some sourdough bread, and some cranberry juice.
And some music for lunch:
"Postcards from Italy" - Beirut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjzVbXeD_8E
Ingredients:
2 cloves chopped garlic
enough olive oil
2 tomatoes
3 sprigs thyme (I didn't have any basil)
more olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
shredded Parmesan cheese
fresh ground pepper
baguette or crostini
enough olive oil
2 tomatoes
3 sprigs thyme (I didn't have any basil)
more olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
shredded Parmesan cheese
fresh ground pepper
baguette or crostini
Some of our starting ingredients:
Instructions:
Sautee garlic in olive oil for about 2 miniutes on medium heat (probably less--mine ended up a little burned!). Place in serving bowl to cool.
Dice tomatoes and add to bowl.
Add the thyme to the bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and ground pepper to taste.
And that's all! I microwaved mine for about 30 seconds after to take the chill off. Next time I would probably do even more, or put the tomatoes in the frying pan for a little bit with the garlic.
the finished bruschetta:
Lunch is served!
Mine made enough for two! I served it (to myself) with a side salad, pasta, and some sourdough bread, and some cranberry juice.
Recipe adapted from "Joelan's Best Bruschetta" - http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,171,128181-248192,00.html
And some music for lunch:
"Postcards from Italy" - Beirut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjzVbXeD_8E
Friday, June 8, 2012
recap of time at home
I feel as though I've been moving non-stop since whenever I last wrote here. I am now all the way to Washington state, but I want to take a moment to reflect on my time at home last week. Updates on Washington will probably come later in the weekend. Because I was home for such a short amount of time (five days), I had to schedule things pretty tightly.
Family
I started off visiting Ben in Portsmouth. It was really good getting to spend some time with him; I honestly can't tell you when the last time I spent with him alone was. But he showed off the town, and we got smoothies. And we had a chance to really talk to each other, and try to get a feel for where we are in our lives. It was really fun. I think we the siblings have gotten to an age where we need to consciously work to maintain our relationships. Things are always so busy, it's hard to do that. But it's important. I hope our family will always remain friends. And I'm glad that, so far at least, we have.
~~~
Right at the beginning of the week, my aunt Lesley passed away. While she's been sick for a while, we all thought we had a little more time with her. Dad and I went down on Thursday for her memorial service at her church and the funeral. Something I noticed about the ceremony was that despite the sorrow at losing her, there truly was present a spirit of celebration of her life. She had made a number of specific requests for the ceremony, and the entire ceremony felt truly like a gift to her, a thank you, rather than a condolence to her family (though it was that, as well). It was a beautiful ceremony.
I loved how down to earth my Aunt Lesley was. She was one of the members of my family who I felt really understood me intuitively. Other members try and maybe even succeed, but she didn't even seem to have to try. She just already understood, and was supportive, celebrating my successes with me when I saw her. And she lived such a full life, making a meaningful impact in people's lives at home, through her work as a teacher, through her service at her church, and even through her hobby, clogging, which she coached (directed? organized?).
When I arrived, I was informed that I was actually to be part of the ceremony. She had asked that her nephews be represented in her pallbearers, and as I was the only nephew there from Mom's side of the family, I was given the honor and responsibility to represent my family. As we were preparing to carry her to the hearse, I wrote down a note:
"This service I render is not my own. It is a gift from my family, and to it, and to she whom we honor."
As I am continuing to try to wrap my mind around substantive meanings of community (ideas we started discussing in Belize, through the works of people like Wendell Berry, and also through study of Old Testament through a communal lens, and that I have read and reflected about elsewhere since then), it is meaningful to me to remember that even though I had a personal relationship with my aunt, that's not why I was chosen. Instead, I was called to serve as the representative of my family. I was chosen for this role. In a way this affirmed me to serve in this way. I felt as though I truly belonged in this family, to be able serve it in this way.
Friends
I did have the chance to see several of my friends while I was home. It was bizarre how differently each interaction was. It had been two years since I'd been home, more or less, and with some people, it was easy to believe that time had passed. With others, it felt as though no time had passed at all. And still others were people I hadn't seen in much longer, and I couldn't believe I had allowed so much time to pass. And yet we changed--we've all of us changed. Some of these changes I think were in ways that fit together, perhaps even better than when we knew each other before. I also realized that different relationship fit together in different ways. While I may love someone dearly, I won't be able to relate to everyone on the same level. I think this week was one where I discovered new places where I could relate on a deeper level than I expected, and with others I realized I probably wouldn't be able to connect as deeply as I had hoped. Still, even those relationships are precious to me.
There are just so many ways I was edified by this trip home. But they all were wrapped around in feeling like this place--with my family, with my friends--is a place where I belong. Some parts of returning home were hard, knowing that I could not stay longer, that I can only make slight progress to help my family there, to build my relationships further there. But ultimately, this time was a time of cathartic healing.
Family
I started off visiting Ben in Portsmouth. It was really good getting to spend some time with him; I honestly can't tell you when the last time I spent with him alone was. But he showed off the town, and we got smoothies. And we had a chance to really talk to each other, and try to get a feel for where we are in our lives. It was really fun. I think we the siblings have gotten to an age where we need to consciously work to maintain our relationships. Things are always so busy, it's hard to do that. But it's important. I hope our family will always remain friends. And I'm glad that, so far at least, we have.
~~~
Right at the beginning of the week, my aunt Lesley passed away. While she's been sick for a while, we all thought we had a little more time with her. Dad and I went down on Thursday for her memorial service at her church and the funeral. Something I noticed about the ceremony was that despite the sorrow at losing her, there truly was present a spirit of celebration of her life. She had made a number of specific requests for the ceremony, and the entire ceremony felt truly like a gift to her, a thank you, rather than a condolence to her family (though it was that, as well). It was a beautiful ceremony.
I loved how down to earth my Aunt Lesley was. She was one of the members of my family who I felt really understood me intuitively. Other members try and maybe even succeed, but she didn't even seem to have to try. She just already understood, and was supportive, celebrating my successes with me when I saw her. And she lived such a full life, making a meaningful impact in people's lives at home, through her work as a teacher, through her service at her church, and even through her hobby, clogging, which she coached (directed? organized?).
When I arrived, I was informed that I was actually to be part of the ceremony. She had asked that her nephews be represented in her pallbearers, and as I was the only nephew there from Mom's side of the family, I was given the honor and responsibility to represent my family. As we were preparing to carry her to the hearse, I wrote down a note:
"This service I render is not my own. It is a gift from my family, and to it, and to she whom we honor."
As I am continuing to try to wrap my mind around substantive meanings of community (ideas we started discussing in Belize, through the works of people like Wendell Berry, and also through study of Old Testament through a communal lens, and that I have read and reflected about elsewhere since then), it is meaningful to me to remember that even though I had a personal relationship with my aunt, that's not why I was chosen. Instead, I was called to serve as the representative of my family. I was chosen for this role. In a way this affirmed me to serve in this way. I felt as though I truly belonged in this family, to be able serve it in this way.
Friends
I did have the chance to see several of my friends while I was home. It was bizarre how differently each interaction was. It had been two years since I'd been home, more or less, and with some people, it was easy to believe that time had passed. With others, it felt as though no time had passed at all. And still others were people I hadn't seen in much longer, and I couldn't believe I had allowed so much time to pass. And yet we changed--we've all of us changed. Some of these changes I think were in ways that fit together, perhaps even better than when we knew each other before. I also realized that different relationship fit together in different ways. While I may love someone dearly, I won't be able to relate to everyone on the same level. I think this week was one where I discovered new places where I could relate on a deeper level than I expected, and with others I realized I probably wouldn't be able to connect as deeply as I had hoped. Still, even those relationships are precious to me.
There are just so many ways I was edified by this trip home. But they all were wrapped around in feeling like this place--with my family, with my friends--is a place where I belong. Some parts of returning home were hard, knowing that I could not stay longer, that I can only make slight progress to help my family there, to build my relationships further there. But ultimately, this time was a time of cathartic healing.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Chicago, part 3: leaving Trinity
This was the second and final week of my class at Trinity Christian College.
The ideas of the program were definitely more conservative (politically and theologically) than my own, but I really appreciated the time I spent there. It was really fun getting to know the other students a little bit, hearing their thoughts, passions and stories.
The last night of the Institute, I still had a lot of reading to do. So, I stayed up late into the night studying with some of my new friends, Kara, Rebecca, Rick, and Kyle. At midnight, we took a study break and all went to TGI Fridays for dessert. It was fun to be able to talk about whatever we wanted, to laugh out loud, and just enjoy one another's company. When we returned to campus, the night was so warm we took our books and laptops outside and pretended to study for a while out there. We went back after a little while, and after everyone else went to bed, I returned outside to continue work on my final paper.
Around 4, as I stepped out alone for the first time all night, I heard the birds fill the night air more loudly than any other time of day. I had forgotten about all these early birds. Their songs filled the still air, without disrupting the peace of the dark night sky. I wanted to join them, to sing in worship to God, but when the breath began to leave my lips, I could not bring myself to speak. Their songs were a piece of the silence of the air. My words would be a distraction. I was here as a witness to their song, stumbling upon a rehearsing choir and listening in unnoticed in the dark empty hall, the quiet grass of the small campus. Upon finding a place to seat myself, I allowed myself to be simply still. I watched as the dark of the night began to fade to light. I watched the silhouettes of birds flitting in the trees and to the tops of buildings. It was a beautiful sight.
No photos this time. Go read a poem instead.
Like this one! http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-peace-of-wild-things/
Maybe throw in a poem you're fond of in the comments section. Especially something by a living poet.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Chicago, Part 2
So what am I doing in Chicago, anyway?
In response to a lot of encouragement from both of my academic advisers at PLNU, I decided to attend the Law, Justice, and Culture Institute at Trinity Christian College, in Palos Heights, Illinois. Basically, it's a class on the history and philosophy of a way that Christians should act in and interact with politics, especially in the United States.
So far, the best book we've read was Living as the People of God, by Christopher J.H. Wright. It's not in publication anymore, but they got permission from the author to reproduce it for the Institute. Basically, it runs through a way of reading and applying Old Testament law. Rather than trying to reproduce it law-by-law in modern society (an approach few people would advocate today), Wright recommends what he calls a "paradigmatic" approach: identifying the core ethical ideas being addressed by a law within the specific culture of ancient Israel, and making sure that these principles are addressed in our approaches to justice today.
It's weird being here at Trinity. It's been so long since I've been surrounded by Christians, talking about Christian things in Christian terms. At Loma this past year I've kind of gotten out of the habit of talking about God or faith with pretty much anybody, especially since I've had other things pressing on my mind, from coursework to changing social systems. Being in such an intentional situation again is a good opportunity for me to reevaluate what I believe and why. Or at least, it's a spark. I'm hoping to spend a lot of time reading Rachel Held Evans's blog this summer, and I think these first few days have gotten me interested in doing so again.
The people I'm meeting here are very interesting. Dr. Sue Emmerich, who taught a creation care "Practicum" at the start of the Institute, is an environmental consultant who has worked in many different parts of the government, including the United Nations Environment Program and the EPA. She also has worked solving environmental conflict in the Chesapeake Bay using a faith-based, anthropological approach (see the ten-minute trailer about her work here). We've already gone out birding once, and I'm hoping we can again!
The other students are fun. A few are students at Olivet, a few others go to school here at Trinity, and then everyone else is scattered among other Midwest schools. Meeting people here, in an entirely new setting, I have the opportunity to reflect on what it is that makes me me. What do I share? What do I do with my spare time? How do I respond to what others share with me? Am I proud or humble, patient or impatient, kind or ornery? Adventurous or lazy or respectful or immoral?
These are the kinds of questions I will have LOTS of time to reflect on over the next year, as I continually move from place to place. But this is what I need: an opportunity to define and redefine myself, and see what sticks. To just be myself, and see what feels natural, what feels true, what feels right. I have defined myself with respect to particular people, situations, and circumstances while I've been at Loma. It's time to see what of that is truly myself, and what of it is just part of my social environment that I was wrapping around myself. And when I return home, I will bring with me what I have found to be myself, along with the pieces of the places I've traveled.
In response to a lot of encouragement from both of my academic advisers at PLNU, I decided to attend the Law, Justice, and Culture Institute at Trinity Christian College, in Palos Heights, Illinois. Basically, it's a class on the history and philosophy of a way that Christians should act in and interact with politics, especially in the United States.
So far, the best book we've read was Living as the People of God, by Christopher J.H. Wright. It's not in publication anymore, but they got permission from the author to reproduce it for the Institute. Basically, it runs through a way of reading and applying Old Testament law. Rather than trying to reproduce it law-by-law in modern society (an approach few people would advocate today), Wright recommends what he calls a "paradigmatic" approach: identifying the core ethical ideas being addressed by a law within the specific culture of ancient Israel, and making sure that these principles are addressed in our approaches to justice today.
It's weird being here at Trinity. It's been so long since I've been surrounded by Christians, talking about Christian things in Christian terms. At Loma this past year I've kind of gotten out of the habit of talking about God or faith with pretty much anybody, especially since I've had other things pressing on my mind, from coursework to changing social systems. Being in such an intentional situation again is a good opportunity for me to reevaluate what I believe and why. Or at least, it's a spark. I'm hoping to spend a lot of time reading Rachel Held Evans's blog this summer, and I think these first few days have gotten me interested in doing so again.
The people I'm meeting here are very interesting. Dr. Sue Emmerich, who taught a creation care "Practicum" at the start of the Institute, is an environmental consultant who has worked in many different parts of the government, including the United Nations Environment Program and the EPA. She also has worked solving environmental conflict in the Chesapeake Bay using a faith-based, anthropological approach (see the ten-minute trailer about her work here). We've already gone out birding once, and I'm hoping we can again!
The other students are fun. A few are students at Olivet, a few others go to school here at Trinity, and then everyone else is scattered among other Midwest schools. Meeting people here, in an entirely new setting, I have the opportunity to reflect on what it is that makes me me. What do I share? What do I do with my spare time? How do I respond to what others share with me? Am I proud or humble, patient or impatient, kind or ornery? Adventurous or lazy or respectful or immoral?
These are the kinds of questions I will have LOTS of time to reflect on over the next year, as I continually move from place to place. But this is what I need: an opportunity to define and redefine myself, and see what sticks. To just be myself, and see what feels natural, what feels true, what feels right. I have defined myself with respect to particular people, situations, and circumstances while I've been at Loma. It's time to see what of that is truly myself, and what of it is just part of my social environment that I was wrapping around myself. And when I return home, I will bring with me what I have found to be myself, along with the pieces of the places I've traveled.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
some photos from Chicago and the LJC Institute
The scene from outside my window as I rode the train from LA to Chicago. I passed all kinds of terrain, but this was one of the first tree-dominated landscapes I saw.
The Chicago Diner: awesome vegetarian restaurant, recommended to me by my new friend Mike M. After a long day in search of someplace to eat, this place was perfect!
The go-to hangout spot at North Park University, a dutch restaurant across the street from campus. They were kind enough to make a lunch item for me, since all of their dinner items were unfriendly to vegetarians.
Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago. This is the 9th and top floor, where they have beautiful sky views and lovely seating areas with green trees growing and some lovely artwork inside. The entire library was beautiful, architecturally imposing all throughout. They even had musical practice rooms on one floor!
Me and Mike. Mike was an unbelievably kind host during my time with him, making it a point to spend time with me and share with me even though I came at a time when he was trying to move. I could not ask for a better host, or a better friend to make.
Now, onto more recent history. The whole reason I'm in Chicago is for a class on law and faith at Trinity Christian College (more on that later). Today, the class took a trip to Brookfield Zoo! We were split into about three groups, and this was my group: from left to right: Drew, Dan, Kara, and, of course, me!
Tapir!
This is how our team measured up against the height of a polar bear. Conclusion: polar bears are HUGE!
Real post later, just wanted to get some photos out!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
a new beginning
This week I
embarked on the first of what will be a series of adventures one after another.
Over the next 8 months, I will be traveling to Chicago, Illinois, for a class
on politics and faith; Columbus, Ohio, to visit the fam; Sequim, Washington, on
the Olympic Peninsula, for a summer research internship; Panama City, Panama,
for study abroad; back to Columbus for the winter holidays; Washington, DC, to
witness the inauguration of our next President; before finally arriving back in
San Diego for my last semester at Loma.
After a hard year at Loma, these adventures will be a good chance for me
to rediscover who I am, what matters to me, and how I want to live my life.
Bold goals, I know. But I think a journey of self-discovery is the best
environment for bold goals.
Chicago, Part 1
The first
lesson I’ve learned about myself concerns planning. I am, by nature, a planner.
Accordingly, I’ve had my life roughly planned out for last five years, with
modifications here and there. But I also have a fascinated love of spontaneity.
That’s not to say I am myself very spontaneous—again, I’m a planner. It’s hard
for me to make decisions suddenly, to just let things go. Still, uncharted
adventures, where things just fall into place, have a romantic appeal to me.
So when
visiting a new city I have two compelling desires: the desire to plan out
everything I am going to do, and the desire to let everything slide into place,
deciding everything on a whim. In my first 24 hours in Chicago I think I’ve
found myself some compelling arguments for both of these methods.
I planned
to arrive in Chicago two days early. On coming to Chicago, my plan for finding
a place to stay had been to figure it out online during the train ride in.
Since the ride from LA to Chicago is about two days long, I figured it would be
plenty of time to figure things out (especially since finals week was stressful
enough that it would have been hard to sort things out then). Imagine my
surprise when I (re)discovered that there was no wifi on the train I took!
Thankfully,
through negotiations with my friend Marissa (an adventurer herself, who I met
in Belize) I was able to find a place to crash for the two nights before my
housing for Chicago kicks in.
When I
finally had lugged my luggage to Mike’s place, I was honored by his
hospitality. He helped me carry my bags, offered me food and water, and set me
up with towels for cleaning up. But more importantly, he invited me into his
apartment’s evening plans: Super Mario Wii, on the roof, at 10:30pm at night.
You know you’re in good company when you’re invited onto the roof to play video
games late into the night. It was so much fun. I was so glad to have ended up
at their place to stay, even though it didn’t come together fully until the
last minute.
Today, I
found myself in a new city with no plans for how to spend my day. Once again, I
was not able to track down wifi (apparently I cannot function without
ubiquitous Internet), so I decided to just venture forth and figure things out
when I got downtown. I checked out the downtown library (I’ll always be a
library nerd at heart), then my brain began to stall. I fumbled around, looking
for something interesting to eat or see or do. Unfortunately, just bumbling
around alone does not facilitate the magical appearance of interesting sights
to behold, and my map was conspicuously unhelpful in discerning what I wished
to see.
Wandering around, I felt as though
I was wasting my opportunity, missing out on adventures untold. This feeling of
aimlessness is the downside to the “just see what happens” approach for me. I
know if I was totally that spontaneous person, it wouldn’t bother me so much,
but I know that’s not exactly me.
Eventually, I texted my host for help, and he
offered up a perfect solution: a local vegetarian restaurant, “The Chicago
Diner.” The place was excellent—good food, lots of choices, and a good
atmosphere inside. And it was an opportunity to see another corner of the city
while I was out and about.
So ultimately, I’ve learned the
importance of both making plans and being flexible with them. Going forward, I
want to do a lot of research on the places I go before I go—reading, talking to
people who have gone, maybe watching a travel show if I’m really desperate—so I
will know what there is to see. And then, once I get there I want to have a
list (I love lists!) of things I want to see or do, so I’m not ever stuck
feeling like I could be doing something but don’t know what to do. On the other
hand, I need to hold on to these plans lightly, staying open to be influenced
by the course of events, so I can enjoy the adventure I’m having and not just
complete my list.
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