Yesterday there was a busker at my train stop in the center of downtown. He sang about "booze and bibles". He apparently knew quite a bit about part of the topic. My dad, who was toting along with me, threw a few dollars in his case. The man slurred out a "thanks you fer suwportioning the arts" and then gave my 66-year-old dad a hug. I laughed really hard at my dad's startled face. It still makes me smile. Don't you just love watching people in a new environment?
It might not be your cup of tea. Its a little intense at parts but man, I like it. I think it will be the theme song of my weekend. Lots of energy and excitement but somehow, still kinda chill. Yeah. That's what I'm going to go for. This week has been a nice sort of reprieve before the storm. I got a nap and a few good meals and perfect weather and a break from school and to see my husband. I didn't even make a to-do list or goal list (which if you know me, that seldom happens). But the storm is comin'. The craziness that is the 4th quarter at work and with school and with church... I will tell you what I told my husband - I'm giving myself two break downs. I think that's reasonable. You can expect one sometime around finals, and expect a post around the same time, that questions everything that's going on in my life (like for example this post) to which later I will likely be embarrassed but whatever. The other breakdown is just for good measure. I mean who only expects one breakdown during a 3 month crunch time? Pshah. And in case you are wondering, break downs involve crying a lot while sitting on my husbands lap and explaining how I suck at everything and I can't do this or that and how I don't know why I am doing anything in my life that I'm doing, etc. You guys get that right? Ha. Anyway, on the docket this weekend is 1. a cornmaze 2. a bon fire with smores and my guitar (playing it, not burning it) 3. getting to see my new little nephew again. i mean check out this cutie...
Do you see Doug holding him? Wow right?
And I'm going to try and work on my gallery wall going up in the guest bedroom. I got this AWESOME drawing of a horse I just framed from one of my favorite little girls in the youth group. It is amazing. When you see it and know it was done by a 14-year-old girl, you will be blown away. You'll be blown away not having that information too, but its just that much more impressive. Its huge too. Its just perfection. I need to post some pictures of the house soon. The bedroom is painted and the pictures are going up and things are just lovely.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Love you all!
So a little known fact about me is that I love soup. I could eat me a soup or a stew or a chili of sorts any ol' day. When I was about 13 or 14 I worked at a retirement home and I would push around a soup cart and ask if the residents were interested in the soup of the day. I had the most terrible time with Split Pea Soup. I would say "Anyone care for Split Pee Poop? I mean Split Pea Poop Soup? I mean Split Soup?" and then I would just give up and the old ladies would just laugh and laugh. Assuming it wasn't split pee poop day, I would sneak three or four soup cups in the back just before I'd head back out with the side dish cart. It was a fabulous job. Years later I worked in a place called Big City Soup (also a mouth full - I swore unintentionally at customers a number of times while trying to welcome them, "Welcome to Big **ity Soup" or "Can I interest you in a Big **ity Soup sample?") and that place had excellent soup! I still crave their soups all the time. I worked there over the summer and you better believe I ate hot soup all summer long. SOOOOOOOOO If you guys have a soup recipe, hand it on over. Here are a few fall pictures and a wonderful fall soup recipe that I can't wait to try out.
THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CURRY CONDIMENTS
Serves 4 to 6
3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded 2 yellow onions 2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored 3 tablespoons good olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 to 3 cups homemade chicken stock 1/2 teaspoon good curry powder
2. Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until very tender.
Blogging is strange. I had someone ask me the other day what type of blog I have. I wasn't really sure how to answer so I said 'random'. I feel that is probably an accurate description. It is sometimes about the happenings in my life. Its sometimes about funny stories or random terrible drawings in the paint program or sometimes about pretty pictures or beautiful music or sometimes about frustrations. Its probably an accurate reflection of me in that its all over the place. So I feel compelled to tell you, whoever you are - and if no one is there then that's fine too, that I do this because I want to and I like to share things. So share things I shall. First a few things from me and then a few random pictures and a video and such, because it wouldn't be a post from me if it weren't completely disjointed and all over the place. I've been reading a book about Clinton (I see all you people rolling your eyes. Just bare with me). Whether you believe in his political ideology or not, we can all agree that the man was a machine. Allow me to elaborate. He was the president of about 10-15 clubs in high school, mastered the saxophone, and graduated with honors while growing up in an abusive and unsupportive home. He went on to Georgetown, then Yale Law School, and then taught law briefly while running for congress. He was attorney general for Arkansas by 30 and Governor by 32. He stayed in the post (minus a one term loss of office) until he successfully won the office of President at age 46 by beating out an incumbent President. That's a machine, right? He decided when he was 17 that he was going to be President of the U.S. one day and he didn't stop till he got there. And there are plenty of other examples. Oprah, Mother Teresa, Christ... these people knew who they were/are and everything they do reflects that knowledge. They just find a means to channel it, be it through politics, television, ministry... I find this fascinating. I reflect on my own life and I think, uh well, where am I going? I feel at times like I'm running as hard as I can only to look up periodically and ask, where was it that I was headed? I think about who I want to become and what type of occupation best fits that and what type of activities help me become that, but its surprisingly difficult to work backwards when you don't know what you're working backwards from. And if you're thinking, well she just needs to figure out who she is and what she wants, then I would ask you, um, how? (sorry for comma splicege). I could give you the glib answers. I'm a thinker and a problem solver and an artist and a musician and a grand orator, and of course a loser and a winner and a lover and a sinner. Sure. But what the crap does that mean? I don't want to be the sum product of what I do. I want what I do to be the sum product of who I am. Do I make sense? Maybe this is a little deep. I blame it on the rain outside. Uh here is some stuff to lighten it up a bit.
some cool albino and half peacocks via mimi & meg
a cool fall scene via birch and lily
a before and after that I think is kinda fabulous via brass petal
a sofa I'm thinking of replacing my leather one with because I'm crazy - via Ikeaa song I think I like but haven't completely decided but leaning towards yes
and another video via Ted.com that changed how I think of advertising and marketing and how I write proposals and all sorts of things. I'm a Simon Sinek fan now.
ok and that's all the random stuff for now. Thank you. Come again.
Sorry my posting has been so sporadic of late. I'm stretched a bit thin right now. My job is going great but now through the end of the year is really busy. I'm finally getting an assistant though, so that should maybe help. And school is fabulous as well but it is fairly demanding. And church stuff is also excellent but again, quite time consuming. So between all those things and then my friend and my dad living with us and trying to be a participant in my marriage... Well you get the idea. On Tuesday night we had a wonderful activity where we took the female youth that I oversee and the leaders and went to a friend of mine's house up in the woods. He has an apple press. We brought 3 bushels of local apples and made fresh pressed apple cider. It was AH MAY ZING. He, my friend, has a grill right near the apple press and I grilled us up some maple sausage and apple slices that we put on french bread with melted mozzarella. It was SO good. We took pictures which I will share when I get them. And I plan on going back next weekend with my husband and some friends. It was a truly lovely affair.
We live in a gorgeous area. Yesterday my husband and I drove down a small road in the canyon and just enjoyed the changing leaves. We got out of the car and decided to follow a path. We had been on the path mere moments when we came upon a deer a few feet away. She was beautiful and serene. We slowly walked around so we wouldn't disturb her. We walked about 2 minutes and came upon THREE MOOSE!!! They were across the bank we stood on, drinking from the stream. It was amazing and terrifying all at the same time. They were enormous. We are going back tonight to take pictures of the area because it is just so gorgeous right now. "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus
This last Saturday I held the annual Young Women Leadership Appreciation Dinner. This is an event where I invite all the women (and a guest/spouse) who help run the program in our church that works with teenage girls (20+ dinner guests total). It is a particularly difficult event to pull off because all of the ladies I would normally ask to help me with it are the ones that I'm trying to not have anything to do with it so they can just show up and be appreciated. Thus, this year I owe a big thanks to my dear friend Ashley, her husband Brandon, my husband Doug and the other two men living in our house right now, my dad and my friend Rick. (Did I mention my life is crazy right now?) I love this event because I get to recognize all of the hard work these women do and I get to embarrass them with praise. I thought the dinner went beautifully down to the smallest detail. Every year I give them a favor to take with them and this year Ashley and I made raspberry butter for everyone. mmmm. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy of our lovely evening!
p.s. Funny side note - the orange berries in these jars were on a bush outside of my classroom on campus. I brought my dad to campus and asked him to pick berries for me while I was in class. A friend of mine in the program came into class a few minutes late and said "I'm almost positive I saw your old man in that orange bush outside picking berries". It was hilarious all of the strange looks he got. People thought he was a confused old man who was desperately hungry. Ha! Sorry dad!
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Yesterday there was a busker at my train stop in the center of downtown. He sang about "booze and bibles". He apparently knew quite a bit about part of the topic. My dad, who was toting along with me, threw a few dollars in his case. The man slurred out a "thanks you fer suwportioning the arts" and then gave my 66-year-old dad a hug. I laughed really hard at my dad's startled face. It still makes me smile. Don't you just love watching people in a new environment?
