tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26665886681712849662024-02-06T18:27:45.035-08:00she ponderskathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-91571544385828224412011-01-12T10:26:00.000-08:002011-01-12T11:36:47.014-08:00enoughi know a great writer and sweet woman named <a href="http://www.shaunaniequist.com/">shauna</a> - she and i were neighbors for a couple of years in grand rapids and we share a really amazing friend who lives in california. shauna is smart and funny and most of all, honest. her books - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310273609/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1R29TPE6JSQRAXW3REXZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">cold tangerines</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bittersweet-Thoughts-Change-Grace-Learning/dp/0310328160/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279605437&sr=1-1">bittersweet</a> - are fun to read and push me to be reflective and purposeful. i remember finishing cold tangerines and making a resolution to be more celebratory about life (basically means i want to throw more parties!).<br /><br />today she wrote a post on <a href="http://www.shaunaniequist.com/blog/2011/1/12/enough.html">her blog</a>, and i loved it. it's about having enough - in both the positive and negative ways. i've felt like i've had enough (like i can't handle any more) and then been reminded that i actually do have exactly what i need. and i know i'll come to those times again. so if you're feeling like you're at the end of your rope, read it. and know that you're not alone.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-85225378778001851132010-12-23T18:42:00.001-08:002010-12-28T12:26:29.762-08:00homemadeso i've been making stuff lately. lots of good dinners and baked goods, and then this weekend, i made chapstick. yup, real chapstick. and it doesn't taste like plastic.<br /><br />my sister-in-law has a <a href="http://www.passionatehomemaking.com" target="_blank">sweet blog</a> all about natural living and homemaking. It's pretty interesting and gives me lots of good ideas, like the <a href="http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/11/homemade-natural-chapstick.html" target="_blank">chapstick</a>, which was inexpensive and easy. <br /><br />the other night i had a <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/best-beef-stew" target="_blank">beef stew</a> from martha stewart in the oven and baked <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/almond-cloud-cookies-recipe" target="_blank">my favorite almond cookies</a>. almond paste is kind of expensive, but so worth it - and requires a visit to the dutch store. hup holland!<br /><br />a couple of recent favorites:<br /><br /><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/07/pasta-with-pancetta-and-leeks/">pasta with pancetta and leeks</a> from the pioneer woman: oh my this woman knows how to dress up the noodles. you will never be the same. <br /><br /><a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000002012806">sausage and mushroom ragu</a> from cooking light: added a little red wine to the sauce and pan-fried rounds of polenta. amazing and more importantly, easy.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-28665095712638050982010-12-16T09:44:00.000-08:002010-12-16T10:27:56.944-08:00page cxviMy husband loves to worship. He plays the guitar and used to lead worship at his church and loves good bands. He gets into his music. He also loves songs about the Lord and for the Lord that actually say something rich and meaningful. It's one of my favorite things about him.<br /><br />When we were dating, he sent me this one song in particular - a version of Doxology by this band called <a href="http://www.pagecxvi.com">Page CXVI</a>. Strange name - we used to just call them "pages" or "page cxcvvcxicmi" - which I later found out was a quote from a CS Lewis book (see below).<br /><br />Anyway, the arrangement is beautiful. Rich. Layered and delicate, but so powerful. We wanted to incorporate into our wedding, but in the end decided not to. Then last week, we saw them live at a house concert. They ended with Doxology, saying that they had sung it in their wedding. So rad!<br /><br />Page CXVI basically took songs I have sung for years and made them new again. Check them out...<br /><br /><i>And, from their website about the name of the band:<br />The name comes from a reference to page 116 in our copy of The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. It is a poignant passage where Aslan begins to sing Narnia into creation out of a black void.<br /><br />It starts, “In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction is was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard. It was so beautiful he could hardly bear it.”<br />~ C.S. Lewis</i>kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-12260727156852106682010-12-14T15:38:00.000-08:002010-12-14T16:36:10.773-08:00i want to read thisCalvin College, my alma mater, hosts the January Series every year and I'm always interested in who they find to come speak at a small college in Michigan in one of the coldest months of the year. Maybe they just want to enjoy a little (or A LOT) of snow.<br /><br />So the list this year is okay - they have one of the cofounders of Kiva which will probably be interesting. But if I were there, I would be sure to see Father Boyle, a Jesuit priest who wrote a book about the work he's done with gang members in Los Angeles. The book is called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tattoos-Heart-Power-Boundless-Compassion/dp/1439153027/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292373260&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Tattoos on the Heart - The Power of Boundless Compassion</a>. It's been on the bestseller list for the LA Times for a while. And I love books about sociology. Getting from the library now.<br /><br />A couple others I've read that I recommend:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gang-Leader-Day-Sociologist-Streets/dp/1594201501" target="_blank">Gang Leader for a Day</a> - about a sociology major in South Chicago who gets the inside scoop on drug dealing and gangs<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whatever-Takes-Geoffrey-Canadas-America/dp/B003TO6G3/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292371613&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Whatever It Takes</a> - about Geoffrey Canada and his quest for good education in Harlem<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Pursuit-Trenches-America-Vintage/dp/0307278239/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292373118&sr=1-2" target="_blank">Relentless Pursuit</a> - follows a group of new graduates who dive headfirst into teaching through the intense Teach for America programkathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-42940035085957525882010-03-19T12:52:00.001-07:002010-03-21T16:42:47.412-07:00how would you respond?I get an email from DailyWorth a few times a week - it's a website about financial knowledge and strategies directed towards women. Sometimes the emails are strictly informative - how does a 401k work? - and sometimes they address specific situations women (especially working women) deal with. Most of it is pretty interesting and informative, and valuable for any adult.<br /><br />This week, the topic was <a href="http://www.dailyworth.com/blog/382-end-the-superwoman-syndrome?utm_source=Main+List&utm_campaign=ce24cc8719-03_16_2010_Main&utm_medium=email#jump2" target="_blank">Ending the Superwoman Syndrome</a>. And I know this is complicated - my roommates and I have discussed this at length, wondering where the idea came from, how much we've actually believed it and what choices we're going to make to not succumb to the myth that we can have it all.<br /><br />So I was interested in what this woman had to say. Clearly, she did not find it fulfilling to be Superwoman, but how did she fix it? What were her thoughts on making choices? What ones did she make and why?<br /><br />I read her article, and here's what I gleaned, based on the details of her life that she provided: she made her choices, and now she is a single parent with a successful business. She also has less stress and makes great money.<br /><br />In the comments, I asked her what she was looking for, ultimately. Was it money? Less stress? I said it sounded like her business was more successful than her marriage, and wondered if maybe the focus has swung from one extreme - focusing solely on everyone else - to the other, focusing on only ourselves.<br /><br />I got a couple of rebuttals in the comments - and I'll admit, I don't know the author's situation. But if she did choose her business, great money, less stress over working on her marriage or sacrificing for her son, I'm worried. And I want to know if we truly understand what we're choosing to have, and what we're choosing to give up.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-50932381030382692342010-01-30T10:52:00.000-08:002010-01-30T11:30:19.221-08:00Happy dayI had my first cup of coffee in nearly three weeks this morning. And it was so good. Truthfully, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Revolutionary-Program-Restore-Natural/dp/0061735329/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264879081&sr=1-1" target="_blank">the detox</a> we have been doing was not that bad. (Maybe I say that now because it's over? Who knows...) It was annoying not to be able to eat dinner when I wanted, and to have to make all of my own food. But I was rarely hungry, and I have not felt so good in many, many months. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to take themselves out of the maybe not-so-healthy routine of eating that we find ourselves in (ahem, Taco Bell - you know who you are), to listen to their bodies and think about where food comes from and why we eat it. <br /><br />I thought a lot about my friend <a href="http://www.jumpdavidjump.typepad.com/jump_david_jump/2009/08/the-operation-.html" target="_blank">David</a>, who is voluntarily going on a raw diet to combat the cancer wrapping itself around his brain, and writes about how he had to confront his emotional attachment to food, and find where his true source of comfort comes from. And I thought a lot about people who just don't have much food, and eat whatever they can get, whenever they can get it. It's pretty crazy when you think about the amount and types of food that we have at our fingertips - and how much we often throw away.<br /><br />All that to say, I had french fries last night, and I baked a chocolate cake this morning for a birthday party tonight. And I will appreciate every bite.<br /><br />Three more things: <br /><br />1) <a href="http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com">The Livesay Blog</a> - an amazing blog about service and faith from a Minnesota family doing work for Christ in Haiti. I started at the beginning, but their perspective about what's going on right now is powerful.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAcpgefKbgIkK9FxUsnyGCeFq5eHMpopmidbM-8Rs0n2bXpybUNTGoQIeZOLuZ7cplQqAUuoxEl9h_v4_rKiX43BUTstDZIc-1GWDcaRK9YfOirHgH-IVmFJY0G_WWD3WGkStjO615Z2K/s1600-h/valleyofvision.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAcpgefKbgIkK9FxUsnyGCeFq5eHMpopmidbM-8Rs0n2bXpybUNTGoQIeZOLuZ7cplQqAUuoxEl9h_v4_rKiX43BUTstDZIc-1GWDcaRK9YfOirHgH-IVmFJY0G_WWD3WGkStjO615Z2K/s200/valleyofvision.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432615829275074898" border="0"></a><br />2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valley-Vision-collection-Puritan-Devotions/dp/0851512283/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264878995&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Valley of Vision</a>: a gift from my friend Logan, also happens to be one of my boyfriend's favorites. It's an old book of Puritan prayers, and while it's a little King James sometimes, the prayers are beautiful, and convicting. Check it out.<br /><br />3) My nephew who just learned to walk. Also lovingly referred to as "Frankenstein".<br /> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzvp_wqC8vt_rRxn6lg2J7Kynf7rVN_7K18DdaEFQHjaAOoPStp3ErRLpmOJxkLVbm6K-dsyOuPzQkM1Hc-oQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-31650110139509762082010-01-16T11:39:00.000-08:002010-01-16T12:13:57.469-08:00deep breathThis has been a wild week. Erica (my roommate) and I started a detox/cleanse called "Clean" which requires a major change to our diet, schedule and time commitments. Today is Day 6 (out of 21), and I'm happy to say I'm feeling good, but it's not been easy. We are making everything we eat which, unfortunately, is so foreign to us. Smoothies for breakfast and dinner are good (but not as satisfying as solid food), and then lunch is usually chicken or fish with veggies and brown rice/quinoa. <br /><br />The last day of the cleanse is Erica's birthday party (can't wait!) but it might be more of a cannonball than an ease back into real food. We'll see how it goes. But I do feel good - more alert and less tired during the day. And I might be losing a couple pounds, which I can't complain about. I'll give my full review and/or recommendation at the end of the month.<br /><br />In other news:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe970JgDLn9nJ8BABwY5H14bmjKTCmLLRHsLON0pNRv6kkLslv3nkPbz1yX94ggbjPA576CX1awS9iN6mQZmFUwhyKywoV34sGMJ-iS3So2BCUJYPF9oyKwkWxfGgoJScEE4qJYenyAJ5/s1600-h/AugustineLaughs.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe970JgDLn9nJ8BABwY5H14bmjKTCmLLRHsLON0pNRv6kkLslv3nkPbz1yX94ggbjPA576CX1awS9iN6mQZmFUwhyKywoV34sGMJ-iS3So2BCUJYPF9oyKwkWxfGgoJScEE4qJYenyAJ5/s200/AugustineLaughs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427432043721336706" /></a>This is my friend Sarah with her little friend Augustine in Haiti at Christmas. (I went with Sarah to Haiti a few years ago and wrote about it briefly <a href="http://dutchgirl79.blogspot.com/2009/12/december-16-best-tea.html">here</a>.) <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Augustine lives at the orphanage where I volunteered, and was once very close to death. She's now a happy little girl, as you can see. :) <br /><br />Obviously, you all know what happened there this week, and although I am shaken by it and scared, I trust that God is there and he will redeem it, even as he suffers with us. My friend John gave me a book this winter and shared one of his favorite lines: <b>"Jesus gives God a face, and that face is streaked with tears."</b><br /><br />Sarah has been frantically working to get information about the orphanage and the babies, and found out yesterday that only one baby died because his oxygen was cut off. All the Sisters and the rest of the babies were spared. Even the orphanage is still standing. Something to be thankful for in the midst of this sadness.<br /><br />But this is especially difficult because I've seen the poverty and corruption of Haiti. It's frustrating to see a place where devastation is so long-standing and ingrained. How does one even begin to rebuild? They are starting from ground zero on nearly everything - political, social, economic, basic human rights infrastructures. It's daunting.<br /><br />So, I ask for prayers. For the people of Haiti, those who are responding right now and those who will continue to help. And today, especially, for the children.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-55049968663847048492010-01-06T22:25:00.000-08:002010-01-06T22:27:19.653-08:00this is actually going to be on mtvI didn't think I would ever want to watch a show on MTV ever again. Then my friend David posted this on Twitter, and who knows, I might tune in:<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/462215/the-buried-life-trailer.jhtml">The Buried Life</a></b><br /><br />Happy 2010!kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-1107675472634569642009-12-31T13:18:00.000-08:002009-12-31T13:20:55.921-08:00December 31<b>December 31: Resolution you wish you'd stuck with</b> (You know, there's always next year...)<br /><br />Spanish, Spanish, Spanish. Quiero hablar espanol!<br /><br />I vowed to keep learning Spanish, and for a while, I was a loyal member of a group that met at the Lucky Lab in NW Portland. I took a class at PCC, went to Nicaragua in July, and went to a couple of Spanish dinners, but for the last few months, felt like I haven't practiced much at all. And I really want to be able to speak it, to at least understand people when they're talking to me. <br /><br />Another goal for 2010. Obvio.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-5087550475529594452009-12-31T12:40:00.001-08:002009-12-31T12:40:58.317-08:00December 30<b>December 30: Ad</b> What advertisement made you think this year?<br /><br />I saw this via my friend Dan Klyn who tweeted about it. And it's from South Africa. Kinda cool.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://j.mp/4wvtLm">Best Ad of 2009</a></b>kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-82285797974293294702009-12-31T11:21:00.000-08:002009-12-31T12:32:53.111-08:00December 29<b>December 29: Laugh</b> What was your biggest belly laugh of the year?<br /><br />I knew this immediately. I distinctly remember saying that I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time - like this was the can't breathe-I'm crying-I might pass out kind of laugh. Sigh, I loved this.<br /><br />It was our friend (and my roommate) Molly's birthday and she insisted on not celebrating it - she was leaving for the Midwest the next day and she just wanted to go to the pub with our friends like a typical Wednesday night. So, naturally, we planned to kidnap her and take her to the Sapphire Hotel, a sweet little spot in SE Portland that makes some nice cocktails.<br /><br />The plan was for a friendly kidnap, to throw her in the back of a car and maybe blindfold her, but as soon as we got talking about it, somehow I was asked to bring rope for her hands and feet, and, well, things changed a bit.<br /><br />Molly made it to the pub alright, but we grabbed her as soon as she got her beer and dragged her outside. Then, on the curb, we tied her hands and her feet, and Joy had the great idea to throw a paper bag over her head (there may have been a belt). Yep. People were staring.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmz4-p7CFyaHY17cYzDsvkv4ZjwZPq_uaDH119g7mBM6OsSqC8kZoMZaNKzF3T_uwVDkyxTJ1vckt0DsfdQ9aG-TlDieoDcy8u5PrqjhBTjHKxC2Y7H0QibykmqhoeOp55fBovFXQZGtsR/s1600-h/molly1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmz4-p7CFyaHY17cYzDsvkv4ZjwZPq_uaDH119g7mBM6OsSqC8kZoMZaNKzF3T_uwVDkyxTJ1vckt0DsfdQ9aG-TlDieoDcy8u5PrqjhBTjHKxC2Y7H0QibykmqhoeOp55fBovFXQZGtsR/s200/molly1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421497120466921730" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgwwgxeGwiD3SM8WD4rInLpIE7E0sixDMGWmiPRKIAFWxvOgJLb-hbDx3abdE4PYJQ6vSDzkBCXhvlrSztA9U6IwwaBOK1RnhZIo7xumQsWkLV35YzRyb_XJPiAZgS_jEnD0g1lo_wwT7/s1600-h/molly3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgwwgxeGwiD3SM8WD4rInLpIE7E0sixDMGWmiPRKIAFWxvOgJLb-hbDx3abdE4PYJQ6vSDzkBCXhvlrSztA9U6IwwaBOK1RnhZIo7xumQsWkLV35YzRyb_XJPiAZgS_jEnD0g1lo_wwT7/s200/molly3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421497219868491266" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkC3Ad051DM53mPdc3hou4z6ahdWNUd3TMBJcETdcsea1SyOQHHoY2WhfQM7EZvdoeG7grHcwBVqF6ZZ6PnRX8W880nf0LxPjteWgRqnAf1R0UOhLTlfPBIsdImPmqSUK41KzuQhnwWi4V/s1600-h/molly6.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkC3Ad051DM53mPdc3hou4z6ahdWNUd3TMBJcETdcsea1SyOQHHoY2WhfQM7EZvdoeG7grHcwBVqF6ZZ6PnRX8W880nf0LxPjteWgRqnAf1R0UOhLTlfPBIsdImPmqSUK41KzuQhnwWi4V/s200/molly6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421497505531747874" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pTkQ6NGCjGVL35uOspp0s1XGwlhU-m4Rn1zM6UqGuQrDqB_46vllDls_B0KHC93HUHhCc2pCEpBt2ppOg1G87jl_-HdRi2c2in36JV5slOsnKoY9g_2FHIMNSsruxSeRV39ra9HiFnVo/s1600-h/molly7.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pTkQ6NGCjGVL35uOspp0s1XGwlhU-m4Rn1zM6UqGuQrDqB_46vllDls_B0KHC93HUHhCc2pCEpBt2ppOg1G87jl_-HdRi2c2in36JV5slOsnKoY9g_2FHIMNSsruxSeRV39ra9HiFnVo/s200/molly7.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421497599708417554" /></a><br /><br />We popped the back of Joy's hatchback and first, had the brilliant idea of tipping Molly in face-first, but didn't realize until it was too late that her hands couldn't really support her when they were tied behind her, so she was basically laying on her face. I think this is when I was laughing the hardest.<br /><br />Molly was a great sport - she laughed the whole time and didn't get mad at us for yelling at her to be quiet and lay down for the entire 20 minute drive. With a bag over her head. Thanks, Molls, for the best laugh of the year. Just wait until next year...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRB1I9IQ73Wkm4II2FZ49M9t9az2BS3jhg-L90cagIqlnqEl-d0f64J5xcj2lpSchg6-WkYE7m-yn69rxIwnNaO6YQFIOdQ0QfgoouMLT21pCtvCbzl4Z5XdGaCHfGg6BVd4pZwErW9xqe/s1600-h/molly10.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRB1I9IQ73Wkm4II2FZ49M9t9az2BS3jhg-L90cagIqlnqEl-d0f64J5xcj2lpSchg6-WkYE7m-yn69rxIwnNaO6YQFIOdQ0QfgoouMLT21pCtvCbzl4Z5XdGaCHfGg6BVd4pZwErW9xqe/s200/molly10.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421497879685546706" /></a>kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-65114902905355789562009-12-31T10:30:00.000-08:002009-12-31T10:31:53.773-08:00December 28<b>Best Stationery</b><br /><br />My friend <a href="http://www.joyeggerichs.com">Joy</a> is obsessed with unicorns, and I think she actually believes they exist. Yeah...<br /><br />So I was home this summer, going through my old desk and all my little memories and found a pad of paper with the most beautiful unicorn on every page. I'm pretty sure it was from 6th grade (ahem...). Perfect for Joy.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-52053740593474339632009-12-30T11:08:00.000-08:002009-12-30T11:23:15.533-08:00December 26 and 27<b>December 26: Insight or Aha! Moment</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtIIrD7Gkgd3N2egf1155TI2OXAuyZdwaPR6cA1hFfqNTyqKwykaQ0EXosxvYVIJF67Z8Z8S9XnJK21jgmcBH1349WT_NYpCSw4X67fAjM527855qbc7EJJLyqN-mhVv4DK44_cJQ1nbD/s1600-h/turning30.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtIIrD7Gkgd3N2egf1155TI2OXAuyZdwaPR6cA1hFfqNTyqKwykaQ0EXosxvYVIJF67Z8Z8S9XnJK21jgmcBH1349WT_NYpCSw4X67fAjM527855qbc7EJJLyqN-mhVv4DK44_cJQ1nbD/s200/turning30.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421111365838562274" /></a>There is something that sounds so cliche about having a different perspective when you turn 30. But I can tell you that there's truth to it. Something shifts; I don't know exactly what to call it. It's like I exhaled after a long time of waiting for something I couldn't put my finger on.<br /><br />I'm not where I thought I would be at 30, but I'm okay with it. And maybe that's what it is - just accepting my life as it is. Less pressure, more confidence. It's good.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b>December 27: Social web moment</b> <br /><br />I remember my first social web moment, ever. It was 1995, I was 16 and working as a library aide at a small, local public library. We had just hooked up to the internet with these crappy monitors - the only thing I saw was a black screen and orange text, no pictures or fonts or formatting. But it was the world wide web, and it was cool. Somehow, I found a chatroom and signed on as Princess something and started talking to people across the country. I was hooked.<br /><br />Twelve years later (!), I signed up for Twitter, but I didn't know what to do with it. I didn't follow anyone, and there for sure wasn't anyone following me. I tweeted a couple of times and promptly forgot about the whole thing. Then, I started back this year - I can't remember what prompted it. Maybe it was because more people were actually talking about it. Or that I realized that I could be connected to interesting people who could teach me something.<br /><br />The past several months have been entertaining, eye-opening, and generally informative - I'm learning the ins and outs of social media, checking out inspiring design projects and keeping up with news and friends across the country. I used to work in PR, and this is the stuff we were wondering about when all of this started to take off. Who would connect with who? And more importantly, why? Not exactly a moment, but a definitive, positive change in my online habits.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-80850817449830899392009-12-29T12:34:00.000-08:002009-12-29T12:39:38.497-08:00December 24 and 25<b>December 24: Learning Experience</b><br /><br />I worked with some cool people back in Grand Rapids before I moved out to Portland, and have had the privilege of staying in touch with them, which is why it was so distressing to read on Twitter earlier this year that one of those friends suffered a freak accident that revealed a huge tumor in his brain. David is a talented communicator and devoted husband, and he's 28.<br /><br />David had been blogging before about life, but started writing about this from the first hospital bed. And he writes straight from his heart about how he is choosing to respond to this - what he's found is that finding a tumor in his brain is something he's entirely grateful for. <i>Grateful</i>. For a tumor. He's taking leaps like never before, pursuing his dreams and genuinely loving the people around him. No regrets. Most importantly, he is trusting in God and discovering what his faith really looks (and sounds) like.<br /><br />I'm learning a lot from David. And I'm not the only one. You can follow his blog here: <b><a href="http://jumpdavidjump.typepad.com">Jump David Jump</a></b>.<br /><br /><br /><b>December 25 Gift</b> What's a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving?<br /><br />Netflix. I love it. I've seen Mad Men, so many amazing episodes of Friday Night Lights and rented old classics like <b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXuNa_h804c">Breakin'</a></b>. Yes, Breakin'.<br /><br />This week: Veronica Mars, Season 1. Sigh. This was such a good show.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-1177836413345225492009-12-28T20:00:00.000-08:002009-12-28T20:06:09.079-08:00December 22 and 23<b>December 22: Startup/Business</b><br /><br /><br />I know of a <a href="http://www.andcross.com">cool little production company</a> that's been doing some good work with a guy named <a href="http://www.heyjosh.com">Josh Shipp</a>, and I like what he has to say. His advice videos to teenagers crack me up - not sure what that says about me, but trust me, his stuff is good. He was also nominated as one of Inc. magazine's top 30 under 30 entrepreneurs of 2009.<br /><br /><br />Josh is quirky, a little silly and gives smart answers to tough questions. If you have teenagers, check him out. And if you don't, well, you should still check him out.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.heyjosh.com">www.heyjosh.com</a></b><br /><br /><br /><b>December 23: Web Tool</b><br /><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.mint.com">Mint.com</a></b> <br /><br /><br />My brother-in-law introduced me to Mint.com when I was home for Christmas last year, and I've used it ever since. I actually like the reminders, and I love being able to see everything - my credit cards, investments, accounts - in one glance. I could have used this a long time ago.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-57082136224212443542009-12-23T12:31:00.000-08:002009-12-30T16:08:30.832-08:00December 18-21I was in Michigan last weekend, and had been dying to write about it, but it was a major surprise trip, especially for my dear sister who had no idea I was coming into town. Crashing her party last week was definitely a highlight of the trip. And so were my niece, nephews and Christmas time!<br /><br />All that to say, you get a few days' posts in one. Giddyup.<br /><br /><b>December 18: Shop</b><br /><br />I am nominating <a href="http://www.artofthetable.net">Art of the Table</a> in Grand Rapids, Michigan for my shop of the year. They helped me in a pinch for my sister's birthday - she wanted a neoprene six-pack holder, which they carry and they also have a lovely stocked fridge in the back of the store full of hard-to-find beers. So, Amy put together a little bag for Lynn, I called her on her birthday, told her to stop in for a birthday surprise, and she picked up her holder and the beers she wanted. It was perfect.<br /> <br /><br /><b>December 19: Car ride</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfktviSMAblQPYUk9U3x_uLdAVpFG3KLJDQqhD7Bfl3Ptc0eyzNtHtDdJYyHzogn7S6o0KnVMHOBNJpdmIeDnStQ_YZCCl-nMIbgkZKG0wB_iAvBxaIwmqN710Z5HUZqyoQ44c3Y_Bnuxr/s1600-h/minino.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfktviSMAblQPYUk9U3x_uLdAVpFG3KLJDQqhD7Bfl3Ptc0eyzNtHtDdJYyHzogn7S6o0KnVMHOBNJpdmIeDnStQ_YZCCl-nMIbgkZKG0wB_iAvBxaIwmqN710Z5HUZqyoQ44c3Y_Bnuxr/s200/minino.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418533811183827394" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtBjjcE0fqFcjOUXBdZt1Ey_JrPVMMR0pmkP4-pUajqCIomU_H9yx7GAnTsLreGMgEW5R-pSsYTlb9FQ64ytMGjB1xo752K9R_7qcVJGDACT836X7IYM37V6VHdw0ENDyjDpjj92e9Kys/s1600-h/cow.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtBjjcE0fqFcjOUXBdZt1Ey_JrPVMMR0pmkP4-pUajqCIomU_H9yx7GAnTsLreGMgEW5R-pSsYTlb9FQ64ytMGjB1xo752K9R_7qcVJGDACT836X7IYM37V6VHdw0ENDyjDpjj92e9Kys/s200/cow.jpg" border="00" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418534003843763058" /></a>My favorite car ride of the year: the bus ride to the markets in Masaya with Beth in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is the old schoolbus heaven and every bus is named (ours was "Siempre mi nino"/"Always my child") and decorated - with bright colors and interesting drivers. We sang Mambo No. 5 with the locals and passed by cows and pigs, and families on bikes.<br /><br><br><br><br><br /><b>December 20: New person</b><br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEbzOS7EY83RTIUmoGDoHCRiLib-qvBUnQDXsIVn_aJ8GfNvBXioB5WaMUAWTsJWSvgPcPmJpVImurNDAp7SvTOpOR6WTQSqnFvZqNMWufNnXFZ9RKFIG_V-eZ5jv1tyilckNnTwC8wz6/s1600-h/work.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEbzOS7EY83RTIUmoGDoHCRiLib-qvBUnQDXsIVn_aJ8GfNvBXioB5WaMUAWTsJWSvgPcPmJpVImurNDAp7SvTOpOR6WTQSqnFvZqNMWufNnXFZ9RKFIG_V-eZ5jv1tyilckNnTwC8wz6/s200/work.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418534688403732370" /></a>So, technically, I met Margaret last year at work, but I don't think we actually became friends until this year. She works at an architectural firm here in Portland and we've been coworkers since last September - she's a talented architect. Margaret and her husband love to cook (he's a chef) and they invited me to a tasty Brunch-B-Q earlier this year at their house. They also brew their own beer, which I have tried and will tell you that it is GOOD. Margaret gives me good advice and laughs at my jokes even when they're kind of lame.(Wut? Wut?)<br /> <br />I'm not going to be working with Margaret much longer, which stinks. But there are happy hour plans in the works. And hopefully another Brunch-B-Q. Seriously.<br /><br />(This is Caitlyn, Margaret, me and Shane (all coworkers) at the Oregon Brew Fest last year.)<br /><br /><b>December 21: Project</b><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDO8-vGZMWDXo6A3QXILpxFZtqFOHM2-1etU1j46PBzSJcy3g865lYRNkwGUOT13XECD8trdlUBaLAIeRlbVTcrsPvvV_PsbDA5Swxa8TcJYg8dKqanYYaLCE_rijPSm5wL8nGutwWEzG/s1600-h/chair.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDO8-vGZMWDXo6A3QXILpxFZtqFOHM2-1etU1j46PBzSJcy3g865lYRNkwGUOT13XECD8trdlUBaLAIeRlbVTcrsPvvV_PsbDA5Swxa8TcJYg8dKqanYYaLCE_rijPSm5wL8nGutwWEzG/s200/chair.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418535780309134658" /></a><br />I haven't gotten very far in two months, but this chair is going to be amazing when it's done. I've got next week off and some good ideas. More pictures to come.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-75271011339102665432009-12-17T20:54:00.001-08:002009-12-17T21:00:45.775-08:00December 17: New word/phraseI can't take credit for this (Joy), but the best new word use I heard this year was "trick" as in, "I love my new cowboy boots - they are so trick!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1bMuH6CNAsb-D5fMy39kHCTtEggw9A4x70vhKPelL8LnO3oEJDiaesMraCsfD0C1-GkVivKHB6S10g95HwEOxy9NfiH9NBawNA0uZrzwphV0PylgUD-MBDn6sApmGv4XwWCb8NlU4IE4/s1600-h/boots1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1bMuH6CNAsb-D5fMy39kHCTtEggw9A4x70vhKPelL8LnO3oEJDiaesMraCsfD0C1-GkVivKHB6S10g95HwEOxy9NfiH9NBawNA0uZrzwphV0PylgUD-MBDn6sApmGv4XwWCb8NlU4IE4/s200/boots1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416436383140921618" /></a><br /><br />Think it will catch on?kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-9112325034441919442009-12-16T10:08:00.001-08:002009-12-16T10:12:14.808-08:00December 16: Best TeaBest tea this year: <b><a href="http://www.yogiproducts.com/products/details/egyptian-licorice/">Egyptian Licorice from Yogi</a></b>. And a short story: (apologies in advance for trying to cover something so special in just a few short paragraphs)<br /><br />A few years ago, I went to Haiti for a week to hold babies, and had one of the most powerful experiences of my life.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3812283963_7b219cbb30_m.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3812283963_7b219cbb30_m.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I met up with Sarah and Sarah - two amazing women who live in LA - who led the trip, and encouraged me to really embrace every part of our time there - finding hope in what seems utterly lost. We loved on babies at an orphanage in Port-au-Prince and I saw poverty like I've never seen before. I also encountered love like never before - from the sisters who work full-time at the orphanage, the grateful room moms and of course, those beautiful babies.<br /><br />It was also a chance to become friends with some lovely people, especially Sarah and Sarah, who I've been able to stay in touch with over the last few years. And when I visit LA, they generously offer their couch and their time to me, which I appreciate more than they know.<br /><br />These ladies are also tea-lovers, and Sarah O introduced me to Egyptian Licorice tea from Yogi the last time I was there in October (part of the reason she loves it is because it's from Oregon, of course). But also because it's just a little sweet and spicy. She's sweet herself, and packed a couple of teabags in my suitcase before I left. Definitely my best tea find of the year.<br /><br />P.S. Sarah and Sarah and Nikki G and others are headed back to Port-au-Prince in a few days to continue working at the orphanage - please pray for their safety and health and time with the sisters and babies. I wanted to go so badly, but for certain reasons, I'll have to wait until next time. Prayers and thoughts for them in the meantime.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-49710898034368310492009-12-15T19:44:00.000-08:002009-12-15T19:52:53.486-08:00December 15: Best packagingHowdy. We're about halfway now, and I have to say, it's been a struggle to post every day. Way to go, daily bloggers.<br /><br />It's been a good day - I just got my hair cut, I'm having one of my favorite Breakfast Wrap burritos and I just put some champagne in the freezer before I head out in a bit. Last night, Erica and I caught up on Glee and watched an episode of Friday Night Lights. We're not crazy TV people, but we might be just a teensy bit obsessed with those shows. Watch them if you can. Especially FNL.<br /><br /><b>December 15: Best packaging</b><br /><br />We started buying milk in the old-fashioned glass containers earlier this year, and while it's freakin' expensive, I love the fact that I'm buying milk from a farm and not wasting anything. Kind of makes me feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder. Well, probably more like Nellie, since she would get hers from the store.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-53990852849654727342009-12-14T21:20:00.000-08:002009-12-14T21:59:38.061-08:00tres posts for youThree days to catch up on - please don't judge. I've just been, shall we say, preoccupied - with good things, of course. But I'll try not to make a habit of this...<br /><br /><b>December 12: New Food</b><br /><br />This is kind of ridiculous, but I have to say that the food highlight of my year has been the Breakfast Wrap by Higher Taste. It's an Oregon thing, and Erica introduced me to it, and I have one at least once a week. I may be their most loyal customer.<br /><br /><br /><b>December 13: What's the best change you made to the place you live?</b><br /><br />This has been a year of settling in for our house. My lovely roommates and I moved in last December and it's just started really feeling like home. The biggest change for me was probably unpacking everything.<br /><br />We were just talking tonight over dinner about how great this last year has been for us as roommates. We are three girls living together, so there are bound to be little tiffs here and there, but overall, we really do love each other. Our house has become a place we're excited to come home to. And that's something I don't want to change.<br /><br /><br /><b>December 14: Rush</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh173SivCZtQR9R9Zb5lJ_qa65P3deLfjy9i_NVBJ4sVaVNmc7KMIK2sUsfWASJh3H3sO-iYIbiwleWuI3yi6hzvkcTvKQKcqOxGrwJMXESVkuCJ173hJMbjXSzJvnOA4FPohnerTjxrkON/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh173SivCZtQR9R9Zb5lJ_qa65P3deLfjy9i_NVBJ4sVaVNmc7KMIK2sUsfWASJh3H3sO-iYIbiwleWuI3yi6hzvkcTvKQKcqOxGrwJMXESVkuCJ173hJMbjXSzJvnOA4FPohnerTjxrkON/s200/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415336756628149026" /></a><br /><br />Hmm. A rush. I had to think about this for a bit. I've done a few adrenaline-rush activities in my life (skydiving, anyone?), but this year, I would say my biggest rush has been boxing.<br /><br />Now, I don't actually fight. It's just not in me to do that. But I do train like I'm going to fight. And I love it. I started classes a few years ago at Frank's Sun City Fitness - now <a href="http://www.franksfitness.com">Frank's Knockout Fitness</a> - and couldn't figure out why I actually liked going to a class where someone yelled at me for 45 minutes to do more sit-ups and punch harder.<br /><br />But it's the rush I get when I hit the bag, when my glove smacks it so hard and I know that if it were a person, he'd be in the hurt box. Or maybe it's just a chance to get rid of some underlying aggression issues. Either way, it's one of my favorite things to do, so I was really happy to find Erik's <a href="http://www.extendingfitness.com">Extending Fitness</a> here in Portland. It's my Wednesday night workout.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-34079654692203092752009-12-11T19:31:00.000-08:002009-12-11T20:02:31.512-08:00December 11: Best Place<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1390/1468416093_1daadd033d_m.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1390/1468416093_1daadd033d_m.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br><br><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngI7skm_GvSsX0PuhL2Z6MWcPR4DSk7s5Ge22iR8ij5rv7M2QlysAqYQupqI3dWRVhEZhu33lhjP7f_LQJ9gvgNFe5o7WdaDm-cyn6hQ7RDhpCo5XXszSt11PnZBpu_-8nC6khC9PQllD/s1600-h/76250001.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngI7skm_GvSsX0PuhL2Z6MWcPR4DSk7s5Ge22iR8ij5rv7M2QlysAqYQupqI3dWRVhEZhu33lhjP7f_LQJ9gvgNFe5o7WdaDm-cyn6hQ7RDhpCo5XXszSt11PnZBpu_-8nC6khC9PQllD/s200/76250001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414189780193064578" /></a><br><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCXV2Juzp5xeqxV7AhS71h-uXU4Xh1Hpt38_XRfcVxjqwTniRA7BfE_j9TDSGeuk0oOt33C5vNj1lSYmfG2Q_ACojd20ye9m4lB71ZiuCR4HKojhiw8Tt13hK2Oi2DrLEnr6rlXbcWS51/s1600-h/IMG_1728.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCXV2Juzp5xeqxV7AhS71h-uXU4Xh1Hpt38_XRfcVxjqwTniRA7BfE_j9TDSGeuk0oOt33C5vNj1lSYmfG2Q_ACojd20ye9m4lB71ZiuCR4HKojhiw8Tt13hK2Oi2DrLEnr6rlXbcWS51/s200/IMG_1728.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414189471766522114" /></a><br /><br><br><br><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Oh, how I love love love my parents' house. Yes, it's in West Michigan where it's currently 12 degrees with a forecast of snow for the next six months, I know. But it's home. My parents bought it from a couple whose <a href="http://www.marinmazzie.com" target="_blank">daughter is a Broadway star</a> (I inherited her bedroom, which I always thought was cool) - she visited one summer and told me and my sister that she used to throw great parties with the guys from Dukes of Hazzard. Awesome.<br /><br />The house has this super old intercom system with these weird-looking plastic white phones on the wall of most rooms, and the rec room has a cool old stereo, which we used to turn up while we rollerskated for hours. In the back, there's a pool and a deep ravine filled with trees that runs through the neighborhood and in the summer, it looks like a jungle down there.<br /><br />Every summer was filled with pool parties and diving board games and popsicles and hot dogs on the grill. And in the winter, we would watch the snow come down, filling up the patio until it covered the diving board. <br /><br />I used to tell them that they could never sell it. But I think I've made peace with that - maybe it's time for someone else to find out how great it is.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-83440386459836105662009-12-10T07:59:00.000-08:002009-12-10T08:50:42.695-08:00December 9 & 10December 9: Best Challenge<br /><br /><b>The Annual Review</b><br /><br />This was the first year I did an Annual Review, or basically a year-long plan with measurable, reachable goals for all the things I wanted to do in 2009 - learning Spanish, running, writing, etc. Thanks to <a href="http://www.chrisguillebeau.com" target="_blank">Chris Guillebeau</a>, I had a lovely spreadsheet (nerdy, I know, but I love them) to start with and track throughout the year. And it's not easy! It required really thinking through things that I wanted to do, setting goals and then evaluating whether or not I was actually working toward them, and ultimately deciding what was priority and what wasn't. <br /><br />I watched some ambitions drop like flies and other interests bloom, and I loved writing "done and done" when I completed things like my first (and maybe only) 5k and listing the books I'd read and trips taken. It was kind of like breaking down my life into pieces and chasing them down, making them happen. Or kind of like a good kick in the pants. Yup.<br /><br /><br />December 10: Album of the Year<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.imogenheap.com/ellipse">Imogen Heap | Ellipse</a></b>kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-20234307657226963822009-12-09T11:22:00.000-08:002009-12-09T11:24:58.899-08:00First up:Some quotes: <a href="http://jf.backpackit.com/pub/29-favorite-quotes">http://jf.backpackit.com/pub/29-favorite-quotes</a><br /><br />I like this one today:<br /><br />"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."<br /><br /><i>Margaret Young</i>kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-5607993217986954102009-12-08T17:10:00.000-08:002009-12-08T17:11:03.293-08:00December 8: A Moment of PeaceStepping off the plane in PDX after a good visit home this summer, and knowing this is the place to be. After almost a year and a half, I needed that.kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666588668171284966.post-54185780047013978212009-12-07T12:48:00.000-08:002009-12-07T12:52:29.120-08:00Blog Challenge 09 - December 6 & 7Yesterday was a busy day - in the way you wish all days could be busy - and I didn't have time or energy to post. So today's a two-fer!<br /><br />December 6: Workshop or Conference<br /><br />I didn't spend much time in workshops or conferences this year; however, I did go to a women's retreat for my church and, though it was a pretty low-key weekend, I took a lot away from the time spent with the ladies from <a href="http://www.thewellchurch.com">The Well</a> and the speaker. She covered a few interesting, influential women in the Bible, and by far, my favorite was the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.<br /><br />Jesus was a little cryptic, talking about living water and telling her about herself. But despite her story (and his mysterious words), this woman was not afraid to be herself, ask him questions and, ultimately, believe. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4&version=NIV" target="_blank">(John 4:1-42)</a><br /><br /><br />December 7: Blog Find of the Year<br /><br />It's a tie. <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com" target="_blank">Design*Sponge</a> (thanks, Amber!) and <a href="http://whatiwore.tumblr.com" target="_blank">What I Wore</a>. Love them both!kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18030105879504587976noreply@blogger.com0