December 3: Best Article

I read a lot, so it was hard to remember and pick just one, but I've referred to this article in conversation multiple times, and wondered about the idea as I've been using a lot of free services this year, like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. Anyway, Malcolm Gladwell reviews a book called Free which suggests that "all information wants to be free," as in you don't have to pay for it. (Not like twirling around in a open field... ahem.)

The idea of what's free, what isn't and what should be is one of those ideas that goes round and round in my mind.

It reminds me of working for NOOMA - talking about why we charged what we did for the films (especially as a nonprofit), and the idea of value and perceived value. They were $10 for a reason. Our designers were also very protective of the brand - the logo, the intro to the films, everything. There is value to the time, energy and creativity that goes into creating a brand, maintaining an image - the intellectual property. And part of what our customers paid for was the image, whether they realized it or not.

It also reminds me of a conversation with a friend of a friend who argued that information (music, design - use of logos, etc.) should be free, but that the business model should change. He told me about Mos Def's strategy earlier this year (summary here), which I hadn't heard about. I don't know if this is where music is headed, but it's interesting nonetheless.

It makes me wonder what my kids will be paying for some day or getting for free - if they'll think it's crazy that I paid 99 cents for a song on iTunes. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

I just thought this was funny.

December 2: Best Restaurant Moment

Dinner party guests arriving in a few, and I just got home from boxing. Good thing I drafted this earlier today...

Best Restaurant Moment 2009: Navarre. April 3. One of those spontaneous "Hey let's grab dinner" nights. My roommate Erica and I had been to a book reading by Susan Isaacs - she is funny, and so is the book (Angry Conversations with God). Afterwards, we were all sort of milling around talking about dinner and two friends decided to join us and then we were outside walking to Navarre: me, Erica, Ben and Justin.

So, Portland has a bajillion amazing restaurants. All over the city. Basically, wherever you are in town, you can find a place to eat, and eat well. Justin recommended Navarre - I had never been - and its theme is local food, family style. They prepare whatever they get from local farms, so basically it's a CSA restaurant. I like that.

The food was tasty. There were greens, mushrooms (Erica tried them!), fish, duck, bread and really good red wine. And good conversation about everything - work, families, art, art communities in Texas, fishing in Alaska, being 30 (I was close enough).

Later we went to Horse Brass for beers, and at the end of the night, the boys walked us back out to my car and we giggled like we were 14 again.

December 1: Best Trip

December 1: Best Trip



I told myself at the beginning of the year that I would have to cut back on travel - I had just moved to Portland six months before, and had come basically from Chile by way of Michigan. It was going to be a "save" year.

But I can't sit still, especially not when lovely friends are beckoning from all over. So just days after the Honduran coup, I headed down to Nicaragua to visit my friend Beth for a long weekend. Not the most stable country ever, but safer than Honduras.

It was the best trip of the year because:

1. It was the real deal. The accommodations were comfortable and safe, but this was no resort. Beth knew enough about the city of Managua to get us around via public transportation or cabs at night. And I met so people who actually live there. That is my kind of vacation.

2. I made a great connection with a friend of a friend which kind of happened through Facebook. Beth and I met up with Jane, George and their family - in Nicaragua for a month to serve and travel. The kids were fantastic - 7, 5, and 3 - speaking Spanish, playing with Nica kids and totally embracing a very foreign summer vacation. They let us tag along one morning to volunteer at a home for abused women and children - we played games, sang songs, fake-tattooed their arms, and loved on some kids for a morning.

3. This trip reminded me of Chile, my precious Chile. The Spanish, the culture, the volunteering. I vow to go back.

All that to say: Visit Nicaragua - for the year-round black curtain, the fantastic coffee, the gorgeous landscape, the friendly people and just to grow your heart and mind a little bit. And there's more here. (And FYI: this trip beat out 10 days home with my family, whom I love dearly, and a long, warm weekend in SoCal with great friends and a U2 concert.)

blog challenge 2009

I thought I had time for blogging. Apparently I don't. But that's about to change. And the reason is because I'm accepting a challenge. A challenge to blog once a day for the next 30 days about the highlights of 2009. The list is here. And so it begins.

can't wait!!

It's almost time. I leave for Michigan on Thursday night for a lovely red-eye to New Jersey (no, I am not kidding - I love Continental!) then on to the most cool Grand Rapids. I'm very excited - could you tell by my double exclamation points? I rarely do that.

My top five things I want to do:

1. Go to the beach! I'm tired of West Coasters making fun of Michigan's beaches. I miss fresh water that's warm enough to swim in. The Pacific is a huge ocean, yeah yeah yeah - but I can't lay out next to it or jump off a pier into it.

2. Spend some quality time with my niece and nephews. Seriously, Skype is amazing and I'm grateful for it. But I can't give Zach a zerbert, or color with Lauren, or march around with Max unless I'm there in person. Get ready guys!

3. Drive down to Chicago with my sister! I miss that city - it's always been one of my favorite places. I talked about moving there so much that people actually thought I did live there. Oops. Well, maybe someday. If we can, we're going to try to go to Webster's Wine Bar - one of my favorite places of all time. Seriously.

4. Enjoy the drive from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids and back. Do you have any idea how many times I've made that drive? I love that I know every exit, gas station and where all the cops like to wait.

5. Go swimming in my parents' pool. Holy smokes - it has been in the upper 90s here twice this summer - no one has AC and I have literally almost melted. Well, maybe not. But I did have dreams/mirage-like visions of my parents pool. And I think I will do a cannon ball.

Of course, I can't wait to see so many people (and their new babies!) and drive past my old house and just do life with people I love and miss. See you in four days!

thursday...

And I'm in the backyard, enjoying a fantastic summer night.









I'm exhausted - last week I got in from Nicaragua at 2 AM on Tuesday night. Fortunately, I have amazing roommates and one of them got out of bed to pick me up from the airport. Seriously - I owe that girl. I didn't feel great last weekend (I think it was the pupusas) and this week has been midnight to bed every night. I'm on my way to a little concert in a few, and will try to be in bed before 11. We'll see how that goes...

I went to Spanish conversation group last night, which I love. I get to practice listening, speaking and we have pretty interesting conversation. Last night, we discussed the coup in Honduras - if you think it's difficult to discuss in English, try Spanish. But I loved hearing the different perspectives. I'm not sure yet if I totally oppose it - but would love to hear your thoughts...

My next trip is to Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo from August 28 through Labor Day. I cannot wait. I'm planning on a real beach (yeah, that's what I said), pool time, a little humidity and some serious family time. And I'm thinking about a little jaunt to SoCal this fall. We will see.

A few extras: Just bought and read A Praying Life by Paul Miller - excellent book, I recommend it. Also just bought (and I mean like 4 minutes ago) Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus album from iTunes. Another good find. Recently read Relentless Pursuit - about life with Teach for America. I think I'm ready for some fiction. Suggestions?

nica!

It's warm - maybe 84 and I'm waiting for dinner. Beth is taking a shower after a day at the markets in Masaya and an amazing swim in Laguna de Apoyo - a lake created by a volcanic implosion about 23,000 years ago. I did a handstand, so I guess I can say that I touched a volcano with my hand. Boo-ya.

Nicaragua is beautiful. It's hot, tropical and Latin and I love it. I am practicing my Spanish with Beth which has been awesome and in the market today too. Some things remind me so much of Chile!

Beth and I just got upgraded to private rooms - instead of the dorm - at our hostel. Last night we were in an open air dorm with three other girls - it is the closest to the water, so we basically fell asleep listening to the waves.

So why Nicaragua? My friend Beth is working with an organization in Managua that provides community health services. She specifically coordinates trips for groups that come down to travel around and provide various medical, dental or construction services. And she'll be here for three years - so I thought I should come see what she's up to!

I can't say enough how fortunate I feel to be able to travel, and especially to be able to visit someone I know. God is providing for her in so many ways and it's humbling to see that. Even the people we've been talking to here at the hostel share their stories about the work they're doing and I see that God is moving here. Gracias a Dios!