The Arthouse

2008-02-26T17:51:00.002Z

Musings

Sheesh, it's been nearly a year since I posted anything! Whoops... Well anyway, here are some semi-creative musings I had on an early-morning walk to work out Morningside Road and through the Meadows...

I.
Triumphant she stands, face to the wind.
Bosom puffed out, proud, belly not far behind.
Leaning in to the gale, she wields her staff of power - a lollipop sign.
"STOP" it commands to the traffic.
Mouth scored in to her creviced face, outlined bright red
And showing off crooked old teeth within.
As her neon safety jacket billlows back,
Draped over the lumpy shape of her rotund form,
She catches my eye and laughs.

II.
The fog hovers,
Waiting for a reason to move on.
Sparrows rough-and-tumble,
Fluttering like a school of dried leaves.
Seagulls sit,
Fat,
Like pieces of trash left over from Saturday night's carelessness,
Waiting for food to show up.

-

2007-04-22T22:04:00.000+01:00

2007-04-01T22:48:00.000+01:00

Your Hands - Pablo Neruda

When your hands go out,
love, toward mine,
what do they bring me flying?
Why did they stop
at my mouth, suddenly,
why do I recognize them
as if then, before,
I had touched them,
as if before they existed
they had passed over
my forehead, my waist?

Their softness came
flying over time,
over the sea, over the smoke,
over the spring,
and when you placed
your hands on my chest,
I recognized those golden
dove wings,
I recognized that clay
and that color of wheat.

All the years of my life
I walked around looking for them.
I went up the stairs,
I crossed the roads,
trains carried me,
waters brought me,
and in the skin of the grapes
I thought I touched you.
The wood suddenly
brought me your touch,
the almond announced to me
your secret softness,
until your hands
closed on my chest
and there like two wings
they ended their journey.

Current Mood: Yummy
Current Music: Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

2007-04-01T18:54:00.000+01:00

The Motorcycle Diaries

I love this movie. They've stopped selling it. How interesting to watch Che Guevara develop from an immature boy in to a revolutionary through his interaction with individuals within the context of creation. There's something mysterious and HUGE about that which really grabs me. I love the theme of travel, moving on, leaving behind.
"Dear Mom," he wrote, "What do we leave behind when we cross a frontier? Each moment seems split in two: melancholy for what is left behind, and excitement for what is ahead." I feel like that's the story of my life!

Current Mood: Satisfied.
Current Music: BBC Radio Scotland News.

2007-03-25T18:02:00.000+01:00

Saturday Night Fever

I love it when I get in to 'the zone'. You're going to laugh when I say what I mean by the zone. Yes, I'm talking to you, Mom! Basically, I don't like cleaning. And I like it even less because (being a carer by trade at the moment) my work is (among other things) to clean other people's houses. So when I actually get in to the mood to clean our house, I go for it. So last night, at 10 pm, after working since 8am, I vacuumed the flat (and moved most of the furniture!), washed a mammoth pile of dishes, tidied up our kitchen generally, washed the stove top, scrubbed down the bathroom, hung 2 loads of washing AND mopped the kitchen floor! Tim, I'm sure, is glad that he had escaped to the movies at that point so he didn't get sucked in to the black hole that is AL's cleaning zone. It's hereditary. :-) (Love you Mom!) And, yes, it feels so good afterwards!

Current Mood: clean!
Current Music: Money - Pink Floyd

2007-03-23T22:52:00.000Z

REV ROCKS!!!

Just got back from going to see one of my Navs girls in a rock gospel choir called Revelation (Rev).
If you hear 'gospel' and you think hymnals and choir robes, forget that!! There was a full band, plus the Edinburgh Uni drum society, amazing spotlights, and a choir of.... I don't know, 60+?
They sang everything from 'Amen' and 'Awesome God' to 'Hey Ya' and 'You Gotta Be'. At the end my friend Tori and I were up dancing in the aisles! I loved it. Some of the soloists were really great as well.

Running at 6.15am tomorrow and then doin a full day's work. Never in my life have I wished a Saturdays would pass quickly until starting this job! Oh well, it's not too bad. I eat my packed lunch in the garden at the Modern Art Gallery which is nice. Except for once I was wandering around and stepped on this stone circle and then after I was told 'you're not supposed to be on there' by some nosy fellow patron, I realised it was mean to be an artwork. Oops.

Current mood: ready for my bed.
Current music: A Day in the Life - Beatles.

2007-03-22T21:26:00.000Z

Back from the dead... again...

I won't make reference to the fact that I haven't posted since last YEAR, but anyway there it is.
I was working today, which was fine... one of my clients lives in an area that's awkward to get to, so I ended up running to his house (jogging?) and back, and to the next client's house and back... over 10 1/2 KM!! I think that's over 6 miles, but not sure. So feeling a bit run over now! It's good for me I'm sure.

I'm looking forward to my day off tomorrow - going to sleep in, then meet a mentoree for coffee, and then meet MY mentor for coffee, and then I'm going to a gospel choir concert! The choir is called Revelation, and apparently they're really good.... plus one of my Navs girls is in it. Very excited. It's meant to last from 7-11pm! In true gospel music style. :-)

My friend Natalie came for dinner last night before choir, and she brought ginger cake that was iced with the most delicious white icing EVER! It was really nice and chewy. She said "I feel like my teeth are snowboarding on this icing." :-)

ONLY 18 DAYS TILL WE GO TO THE STATES!!!

Current mood: happy but knackered.
Current music: Sparks - Coldplay

2006-12-08T22:51:00.000Z

1 Concert down, 4 to go!

Well we had our first concert on Wednesday night. It went surprisingly well (for a first concert of the season) except for the fact that once I went and sat down in the front pew... when I thought I wasn't meant to be singing... but I was meant to be singing. Oops. And one time I sang the complete wrong words on a solo verse. And the audience had the words in their leaflets. Oops.
But other than that it was good fun!

I had my 3rd driving lesson yesterday (yep, learning to drive a stick!) which was fun. I get to drive a Mini! My instructor, Graham, is so unflappable and laid back that if he was any more laid back, he'd be laying down. Which is good. He doesn't "grab the handle" or over react if I make a mistake. I've been out in mainstream traffic now, so today I asked Tim if he'd take me out driving to get extra practice. He did very well. He only grabbed the handle once and never shouted, didn't scream "Mommy" which was positive. And we're still married! No, seriously, he was encouraging and said that I knew everything I needed to know, just need to be confident. So that was encouraging. :-)

I can't wait to start making our flat Christmassy! I need some twinkle lights, my Christmas ornaments from TX, some holly branches, and also to do some seasonal baking... Mom just sent me a bunch of our traditional family recipes. Yummmm......

Current Mood: Mmmm... Buckeyes....
Current Music: My husband's voice! (Awww, shucks!)

2006-12-04T12:20:00.000Z

My Life This Week...

-Last Navs meeting of the semester (for which I'm cooking as usual)
-Lunch with Dayspring, a friend from my old church St. Columba's
-Dinner with my friend Claire (in Choir)
-4 Choir concerts (www.rudsambee.org.uk)
-Hanging out with Tim-Bo
-Dinner with my soon-to-be-12-year-old friend Lydia
-Breakfast with my old flatmate Jude
-A 2 hour driving lesson!!!
-An open house for Aften, a friend going on a mission trip
-Making/buying Christmas gifts
-Somehow fitting WORK in there as well
-And volunteering at CAB, which I have to go to now

AGH!

Current Mood: Enjoying the sun despite the HAZARDOUS high winds
Current Music: Jesu, Son Most Sweet and Dear - Rudsambee

2006-11-19T19:36:00.000Z

Happy Thanksgiving!

Okay so it's a bit early, but today was the day Tim and I could celebrate. So we cooked 2 chickens , 5 kilograms of potatos, some cornbread and a bag of black beans, and at it all ourselves. Okay, just kidding, we ended up having 16 people over for lunch in the end (the party kind of grew... we were even adding people at 1 O'clock today!) And they each brought a side dish to supplement the meal. Our last guests stayed til about 6:30 tonight, and it was SUCH a wonderful day! We got up at 7ish to start cooking and went to church, then came back and finished everything off. We loved it, and it was actually so easy to do, Tim and I said to eachother tonight that we should definitely do it more often. (I also thought to myself More Power To Catriona Lamont - the minister's wife at my previous church, St. Columba's - who does this single-handedly every blimmin' week.)

I was really praying that it wouldn't be JUST a day of eating (as Thanksgiving in America can typically be) but a really blessed day where peoples' relationships are deepened, and they leave encouraged and closer to God. I have to say, thanks to the Lord, I really think that happened. I saw a few significant conversations going on, and could tell that people were truly blessed by the community gathered in this house. I'm so thankful to Him. It reminds me of one day in my Texas home, many years ago, when Mom and Dad put on a Thanksgiving lunch, and we ended up collecting a selection of strays who didn't really have plans. I remember thinking, "Wow, this is cool, this is how I want to live life." (Lord, please give me eyes to see more clearly those opportunities to love people better in your Name around me.)

Music: When I Was Drinking - Hem
Mood: Mmmmmmmm....

2006-11-12T18:59:00.000Z

Adventures Ahoy!!!

Well, today my mom, dad, and baby sis have embarked on an amasing adventure. They are going to INDIA for 2 weeks! The reason it's so amasing is that my sister, Skylar, will get to see her birthplace for the first time in her memory. They'll fly in to Mumbai, then go to Pune(and get to visit BSSK, the childrens' home where Sky was for her first 10 mos), Lonavala (birthtown), Dheli, Agra(Taj Mahal!) and Srinigar (we have close family friends that live and work there).

Skylar has always seemed extra-special to me because she is from India. Had the turn of events been different, she might not have been my sister. But I'm so glad she is - God sure knew what He was doing. I wish I could be with her as she goes to see this strange and yet familiar land. The preciousness of it is almost beyond words, and I can't wait to hear what her experience of it was like.

Love you Sky. Have a blast.

-Sis

2006-11-06T16:26:00.000Z

Monday, Monday...

The weekend was nice. Worked Saturday morning and evening. In between I went to part of a training day for the Navs students which was helping them to think about what the core nugget of their beliefs as Christians are (known as The Gospel), and how they would communicate that briefly. I wasn't there for the bit where they went on to the Royal Mile and asked other people what they believed... I think they got allsorts. The students asked these acquaintances what things were most important in life, what they wanted to have accomplished by the end of their life, what they thought happened after death, who or what God was to them, etc...
Very interesting the responses! I don't people generally put much thought in to recognising and being able to communicate what their core beliefs are.

Sunday, we went to church at MBC and the sermon was definitely challenging: Matthew 6 says your heart is wherever your treasure is, so what is your stewardship of your money telling you? I had no idea that, after "The Kingdom", Jesus spoke more about MONEY than anything else! That is huge, and we don't challenge ourselves on that enough.
For Sunday lunch we went to the Wexlers', a couple from my choir, for curry. It was really nice to get some good time to chat with them. And in the evening we had our next-but-one-door neighbours Kris and Sarah over for tea and games. I love having friends so close by - it reminds me of Mom and Dad's stories of living next door to some friends, the DeVries', including late night card games, etc... :-)

Current Mood: Gearing up for Navs!
Current Music:... Nothing particularly. That's unusual!

2006-10-28T15:07:00.000+01:00

Photos from our Kosova-European Tour! Sorry it's taken a while, but now here's a little taste of our trip with Tim's parents, Alan and Mary, through Kosova-Macedonia-Albania-Greece-Northern Italy-Austria-Germany-Holland-England-Scotland!

Prizren, one of Kosova's most beautiful and historic towns.
Traditional Albanian dancing (on the left) and music (on the right) at our dasma, or wedding party, thrown by Alan and Mary for their Kosovan friends! Albanian dancing + Scottish dancing = jump in the swimming pool fully clothed to cool off! Tim is dancing in his wedding suit behind the dancing guy in the stripy shirt...
Yours truly, dancing with friends at the end of the Dasma
With our friends the Berisha family!
Tim & Pup in Albania (only moments before Bessy, the Packers' faithful Volvo station wagon would get stuck at an off-road, deserted beach!)
An old monastery in Albania
Who invited those weirdos?!
Venice!
More Venice :-)
In Kolne with the Boeker familyOn ferry back home to the UK, exhausted
With the Whittaker family in Northallerton, where Tim spent his teen years. Yeah, we'd pretty much lost it by that point!

2006-10-13T16:36:00.000+01:00

AL wuz here.

So last weekend I was in the Lakes District. My choir, Rudsambee, were singing with another band in Cockermouth, which is where Wm. Wordsworth was born. Can you see from this photo how he would have been inspired to such grand poetry? :-) It was lots of good fun. Here were interesting things about the trip:
1. Travelling in the car with Frances, the choir director. She's lovely and hilarious!
2. Frances' driver-side windshield wiper stopped working... the rain was chucking it down!
3. My lovely host couple, David and Bridget! To my delight, they adopted me for the weekend.
4. The tour they took me on around the Lakes District
5. Singing (duh)... for those of you in the know, remember the "Whistle Daughter, Whistle" song which I sang at my wedding reception? Well we sang it again this time, and the guy who arranged the piece was in the audience! No pressure...
6. Our meal at the Ostrich farm on the return journey (including sheep's milk ice cream!) and shortly thereafter passing a cafe car park containing at LEAST 100 Harleys.
7. And then running over a poor little pheasant who was too stupid to stay off the road. Oops!

Current Mood: Chirpy
Current Music: Tim strumming Ol' Bess (my guitar)

2006-10-06T10:23:00.000+01:00

Got some new shoes...

What do you think? :-)

2006-09-29T15:56:00.000+01:00

GOT MY VISA!!!

Well folks, the postman rang the buzzer 4 times yesterday!
1. Passport and Visa
2. My birthday package from my parents and Skylar
3. Tim's Open University study books
4. Tim's cell phone

I can't decide whether I'm more excited about getting my visa or my BIRTHDAY present! :-)
So yesterday I went to get a national insurance number (aka social security) and today I went to my new employers to start picking up shifts. They're desperate for workers so they were already trying to get me to do too much. But I know how to say no. Now I'll just have to actually SAY it.

Tim and I are away this weekend, helping to train the Navs small group leaders, and then I'll be 24 on Monday! I think we're actually going to 'celebrate' more on Tues b/c my Birthday is full of CAB and Navs. And it's on a Super Tuesday as well.

Current Mood: Navs-Weekend-ish
Current Music: I Hate Everything (But You) - Derek Webb

2006-09-24T23:21:00.000+01:00

Whew...

Well the concert went really well!!! Thanks for those of you who sent encouraging emails or comments. We ended up having the best crowd we'd had in a while: around 60 people came!! Miriam, a girl in my Navs group, couldn't come so she made a flapjack with dried fruit and chocolate for the interval refreshments, which went down a treat! Everyone kept saying "tell your friend that's the most amazing flapjack I've ever tasted!" Not to toot our own horn, but we sang very well, the second half entirely by heart (which is a challenge considering we rarely sing in English) although with that horrible lighting it was hard to connect with the audience.

One couple who I'd given a flier to at the Farmer's Market came, and I said hello before we started. After the concert, they sought me out and said "Thank you so much for letting us know about this! We're going to keep tabs on your choir and come to other concerts." Fab! By the way, the smoked kippers tent was where they were smoking fish and selling their products. It's like a smoke house, but no house, so the smoke blew all on me. They say if the smoke keeps blowing on you, someone's thinking about you....? :-)

Tim spoke very well about Bethany - thanks again for the prayers! I could tell he was nervous (and I was nervous for him) because I know him, but everyone else didn't think he was nervous at all. It was great. Afterwards, though, at the pub, our director announced she was leaving the choir after our Christmas concerts. She said that, having had such a great concert, it confirmed her decision that she's brough the choir as far as she can and it needs a change from her. Plus she wants to pursue other types of music. Which I can understand, after having been director for 7 years, and in the choir for years before that. I think she'd be great, just singing and playing the guitar to Scottish folk tunes. Very sad for us, though.

Starting first proper day at CAB (Citizens' Advice Bureau) tomorrow. Last Monday was just a 2 hour intro. Very excited! Still no sign of a visa (hence no sight of starting my paid job. grrr!!)
First Navs pod night tomorrow as well. Wa-hey!

Current mood: Time for bed.
Current Music: Fall Silent - Five O'Clock People

2006-09-23T13:24:00.000+01:00

Choir Concert Tonight!!!

Tonight my choir, Rudsambee, will be performing at St. Martin's Church in Dalry at 7:30pm. Website: www.rudsambee.org.uk

Every year we do one concert in aid of some charity, and this year I plugged for Bethany Christian Trust (website www.bethanychristiantrust.com). At the interval my own dear Timothy is doing a 5 min chat about Bethany, which should be good. The only bad things are the fact that not many people have bought tickets yet, which is very unusual for our choir, and also the fact that the lighting at this particular church is pretty much a gigantic interrogation lamp hanging from the ceiling. So we're all going to look really scary and shadowy meaning we'll have to smile extra big.

Today I stood out at the farmer's market near the castle handing out fliers... just down wind of the smoked kippers tent. (Cough, hack!) So I hope I can still sing tonight!!

2006-09-17T00:15:00.000+01:00

You'd Think I'd Have Learned...

Well, Mom, I did it again.

When I was 5 or so, I was cutting a sheet of paper in to little bits of confetti. An early sign of my insanity. It eventually became clear that my long brown hair was an obstruction to this most fastidious pasttime, so I of course solved the problem by cutting the front and side portions of my hair off to a satisfactory level. It suited me just fine, but when Mom woke up, she was not happy. She cried.

This was the day before I was going to have a photo portrait made at good ol' Olan Mills.

Here it is, 19 years later. Yesterday I decided that my bangs were getting to a rather uncomfortable and unattractive level. No, patiently growing them out is not the sensible option.
Unfortunately the sharpest scissors we have in the house are rather dull kitchen shears that are good for cleaving some chicken breast apart, but that's about it. Did that stop me? Of course not.

I'll give myself some credit when I say that the bangs look pretty good now. Better than before and at a reasonable, if not jaunty, length. The problem came when I decided that the long layers of my hair were looking a bit frazzled. "Just a wee trim," I thought to myself. Moments later I emerged from the bathroom with my hair in braids. Let's just say that I'll be going to the hair dresser's on Wednesday morning (which was the soonest available appointment). Don't worry, it's nothing drastic. I lost only maybe an inch off the longest layers at the front. Maybe 2... As far as that area, I wouldn't even give myself the credit of saying it looks like I did it with kitchen shears. Nay, it looks more like I took hedge trimmers to it!

The good thing about hair is that it grows back. Poor kid.

Current Mood: Fine.
Current Music: That bouncy ball song(?) - Jose Gonzales

2006-09-16T01:21:00.000+01:00

A Cry for Help As Another Election Looms...

This is going to seem really random, but it's a slightly cheeky (although genuine) cry for help so here it goes! :-)
With another U.S. election looming in dim view (I think it's for senate, governor and ... house?), I'm realizing that yet again I have no idea who to vote for, or even who's the pickins. I don't want to stereotypically vote Republican just because I'm from Texas; I want to make an attempt at understanding things! I tried to get online and do some research but it just all seems like propaganda, as though they're trying to say very similar things in order to be "popular". So, I thought I would ask for some advice.

If you have a sec, please post a comment or e-mail me regarding the following:
What websites can you think of that will tell me the facts I need to know, hopefully on the somewhat less outrageously biased side of things, in order to make an educated vote about TX governor, senator, etc? I also welcome personal opinions (also hopefully not outrageously biased). :-)

I even tried to draw up an excel chart to make it clearer but now it's 1am and I'm getting a bit frayed... it's not for lack of trying!

Current Mood: Confused...
Current Music: Some crazy guy from a nearby psychiatric hospital, banging his drum down the road (yes, it IS 1am, but it probably doesn't make a difference to him!)

2006-09-12T20:32:00.000+01:00

Now, before you jump to conclusions...

Isn't this a great pic of my family? No, my brother Aaron hasn't regressed to the age of 6 months, and no, my mother hasn't had a 'surprise baby', thank goodness! It's a friend's kid. But aren't they lovely? I hope I'm as pretty as my mom when I'm at her point in life. :-)

Not much going on at the moment... just because I got a job doesn't really mean anything because I'm still waiting for my... drumroll, please... VISA!!!! What a surprise. Everyone keeps saying to me 'but shouldn't you be able to just work straightforwardly once you marry a British National?' and my reply is generally along the lines of, 'well, that's what you'd think, isnt' it?' So anyway it could be any time from October to Christmas before I can work. So, I'm thinking about what to do with all my time! At the end of the month I will be starting the Citizens' Advice Bureau training course which will take place on 1 1/2 days of the week. So... Navs will have an extra team member again for a while! :-) Tryin to mentally re-shift gears again.

Just found out that 2 of my friends, Sara Phillips (from TX) and Teresa Edwards (from Hamilton, near Glasgow) are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and know eachother! I LOVE random connections like that! :-) She also met my friend Adam (Glasgow again) who was there this summer to see Teresa.

Tim's on night shifts this week, which makes for interesting schedules. During the day it's strange for me, because he's home, but we can't talk or do anything together because he's sleeping! He was actually able to stay awake last night, and sleep all day today, so that's a blessing. 1 down, 6 to go. Zzzzz.....

Current Mood: Sleepy
Current Music: Night Like a River - Hem (Just got their CD 'Rabbit Songs' today!!)

2006-09-02T14:33:00.000+01:00

So I tried to do something new...

Spurred on by Lyd's recent blog about change, I thought I'd re-jig my site. Not only did I lose all my links to friends' sites and the ability for you to leave comments, but I'm also too tired to figure out how to fix it. Neither can I figure out how to put a photo on the site bit (as opposed to putting a photo in a post)... Igh... So until it's fixed I guess you'll have to do something like send me an E-MAIL! Which would be no bad thing.

Aaron! Help!!! :-)

Current Mood: Waaaaahhh...
Current Music: Waaaaaahhhh!!

2006-08-30T09:26:00.000+01:00

Got a job...

So Monday I filled out and returned an application (by hand) to a potential employer called Aspen Hamilton, which is a care agency for people who need a bit of help to stay independent in their own homes. Yesterday morning someone from the office called and said "come in for an interview today" and phoned back half an hour later to say "assuming all goes well, can you start training tomorrow?" (!) So I had the interview (thank goodness for that stint volunteering in Hillcrest Hospital's physical therapy department!) and got the job on the spot. So I'm starting today.

Kind of a shock because it happened all so fast. Not to mention the fact that my passport is away getting renewed and then as SOON as I get it back, it will be getting sent STRAIGHT off again to get my new residence permission document... so they've only seen a photocopy of my passport and marriage certificate. I guess they're desperate for employees.

I'm not jumping up and down, but it will finance us while I get experience in welfare advice work at the Citizen's Advice Bureau (volunteer work) and will be good people experience... something future employers will find easier to understand than Navs!

So we'll see what happens. I'm going to be working alot. Including 2 evenings per week, which isn't ideal, but I think it will have to be that in order to make ends meet, since 2 days per week (for the first 3 months, then maybe 1 day after that) will be given to volunteering at C.A.B. I will get 2 days off each week though, and it means that one day per week Tim and I will have together with no other commitments, and the other free day I can use for meeting Navs people.

I keep thinking, "Lord, did I do the right thing? What if I hate all of this? I wonder if I'll be embarassed telling people that I am doing work like this, which takes virtually no qualifications and isn't exactly glamorous, after I'm used to being a 'local leadership team member of a worldwide student organization'?"... but as I left the interview yesterday, slightly bewildered, I just had a sense of, "this is the Lord's provision." So I'm gonna go with that.

Current Mood: 'Nuff said.
Current Music: Painting Pictures of Egypt - Sara Groves

2006-08-22T13:11:00.000+01:00

Back Out of the Saddle Again...

Sunday night Tim and I just got back from going to visit his parents in Kosovo. We stayed with them in Pristina, the capital city, where they threw us another huge wedding party to introduce their local friends to us... what a party! Lots of Albanian and Scottish dancing, loud music, and it ended with the men jumping into a swimming pool with their suits on (led by Tim of course)!

After just over a week there we began an 8 day drive down through Kosovo, Macedonia, Greece, then got a ferry up the Adriatic Sea to Venice, drove through the mountains of northern Italy, through Austria, Germany and Holland, got another ferry down the channel to England, drove up through England and back to Edinburgh! What a trip. It was loads of fun and I saw some of the most beautiful parts of the world I've ever seen.

Pretty tired now and still unemployed! Agh! Oh well, I know it will take some time. It's actually good that I don't have a job right now... it means I can use this time to get everything sorted after our trip.

I loved seeing the photos of Lael's wedding and Charissa's new baby on the Loft website. As wonderful as it is to be here, sometimes I can't help but feel that I am majorly missing out on other things.

Current Mood: Waves of nostalgia
Current Music: Live jazz guitar music wafting through the window - The musician outside the new Mark's & Spencers which just opened around the corner today

2006-07-31T17:42:00.000+01:00

Well I figured I oughtta post!!

Exhausted! Went to Jude and Angus' wedding on Friday at Morningside Baptist, and then partied until about midnight. I love ceilidhs but they are so exhausting, especially if you have a double-whammy like we did...

The following day we got up at 6:30 am and drove to Aberdeenshire where I sang in (and Tim operated the sound equipment for) Jennie and Dave's wedding (at a CASTLE no less!) and partied again til 1am. The bride and groom's first dance was INCREDIBLE! They swing-danced to 'Face the music and dance'. We got to see Mark and Jenny Stirling again, which was lovely, and their 13 year old daughter Catriona was one of the bride's maids (she said when she came down the aisle, that was only the 2nd time she'd seen Mark cry!) Awww...

Now we're returning to normal life as I nurse my ceilidh bruises and midgie bites. Currently reading Siberian Light by Robin White... it's set in Siberia (duh) and centres round the murder of a rich man and 2 militia men, lots of coverups, KGB, etc. It's pretty slow and dull right now, but I'm going to hang on til the end!

We are having burritos tonight!!! Yum. Can't wait.

Current Mood: Chipper... and hungry...
Current Music: Begin the Beguine - Duke Ellington

2006-07-14T08:13:00.000+01:00

Aaagh, I should be working!

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion:

You have medium extroversion.
You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party.
Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences.
But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time."

Conscientiousness:

You have medium conscientiousness.
You're generally good at balancing work and play.
When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done.
But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it.

Agreeableness:

You have medium agreeableness.
You're generally a friendly and trusting person.
But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism.
You get along well with others, as long as they play fair.

Neuroticism:

You have low neuroticism.
You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.
Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.
Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure.

Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is high.
In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas.
You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits.
A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

2006-07-14T07:59:00.000+01:00

Got sidetracked...
...and ended up reading Catcher in the Rye instead, upon Tim's recommendation. It is NOTHING like I imagined it would be. I thought it would be a political napalm or something about colonialism...???
It's actually a story about a swarthy 17-year-old liar who has terrible language and wants to get in to every woman's dungarees. Haven't finished it, and am still intrigued, but it's not a book that I enjoy.
Thoughts?

Current Mood: Studious!
Current Music: Round Here - Counting Crows

2006-07-12T07:40:00.000+01:00

Just finished reading...
Life of Pi by Yann Martel

About to start reading...
The Young Hornblower by C.S. Forester

What are you reading?
Current Mood: ilovecoffeesoearlyinthemorning
Current Music: Polne Ruzo - Rudsambee song from Poland...

2006-07-09T17:48:00.000+01:00

Got rejection letters for the 2 jobs I wanted most. Dang. At first was pretty upset but now just feelin resigned. Still waiting to hear about 3 jobs I don't want as much, but Father knows best and that's gonna be okay.

Was in Birmingham doin a study week for FFM (distance learning course)... only 3,500 words of essay to go!! Whew. Got back Friday night and then on Saturday morning got up early to go to a friend's house and fix her hair for her WEDDING! And she wore my watch (we had matching watches by coincidence and her watch stopped this week) and I wore her shirt to the wedding. :-) Was lots of fun. Bride and groom were both in my choir so it was a big choir event among other things.

This week will be spent whoopin that essay's butt... and more job hunting. Looking forward to it in a strange kind of way: the paper is researching and writing a Bible study on a passage of Romans.

2006-06-26T20:18:00.000+01:00

Writing, writing, writing...

Still filling in applications. Right now I'm procrastinating on filling in one job application because I know I won't get it. Don't have enough experience, but feel like I should at least apply... just because...
Will be putting 4 in the mail tomorrow, hopefully will hear in about 2 weeks on most of them.

Today went to a lovely Turkish cafe in Leith called Cafe Truva which was so scrummy! Alison and I had meze, which is a bunch of little different starters (like tapas). Sat in the direct sunlight which felt great on my body but was murder on my eyes - hours later they still hurt. Oops. Sunglasses... yeah.

Tomorrow is my last Salsa class at Dancebase because I'll miss the final one next week (away in B'ham at FFM... grrr...) My teacher is so lovely, I really want to take more classes with her in the future, maybe in autumn.

Current Mood: Okay, ready to work.
Current Music: Tennessee Waltz - Hem

2006-06-16T14:56:00.000+01:00

Currently Listening To...

I have recently discovered a band called Hem. Here's what The Rolling Stone had to say about Hem's debut album, 'Rabbit Songs'. And it's true. Check them out. You won't be sorry...

"Rabbit Songs is sophisticated, sexy and gorgeous -- a gentle mix of country and folk music that makes for exquisite acoustic pop. Dan Messe's soft compositions feature eight pieces -- which on some songs grows to sixteen -- interweaving piano, mandolin, pedal steel and violin without sounding cluttered. In fact, one of Rabbit Songs' major achievements lies in its inspired, understated arrangements. But, make no mistake, this New York City band's most attractive feature is lead singer Sally Ellyson, whose voice combines the tradition of American roots music with the pipes and delicacy of a lounge singer. Instead of sounding stale singing someone else's lyrics, Ellyson enlivens Messe's lovesick songs. "But someday when my heart exhales/I'll tell you everything/These sweet words spilling all about us/I'll say please, please be with me," she sings on the addictive "Stupid Mouth Shut." As for the other fifteen, the tracks range from sad lullabies ("When I Was Drinking") to upbeat bluegrass ("The Cuckoo") to quiet anthems ("Night Like a River"). Rabbit Songs typifies musical elegance, a passionate and beautiful folk-pop record. Benjamin Friedland, The Rolling Stone."

2006-06-12T19:06:00.000+01:00

Another day, another entry

Highlight of today: did a 'trial run' WEDDING hair-do for a friend! She's in my choir, and so is her fiancee - they're getting married in July and she asked ME to do her hair. It was pretty fun but I feel really nervous - what if I screw it up?! She's not going to have a back up hairdresser!!

Still working away. Blessed by moments of concentration here and there. I ALSO sent off my application and CV (resume) for another job. I would really love this job. It's working with the Edinburgh Uni students association as a 'welfare adviser'... basically students can come to you with pretty much any question imaginable and you help them or take them to someone who can. I LOVE helping people fix their problems, and in Navs, all too often its a problem that only time and the Holy Spirit can fix, which is great because it glorifies God, but to be honest it's also annoyingly slow for my flesh's liking sometimes. So this would be fun.
I'm praying that I will hold it with an open hand. But PLEASE pray that I AT LEAST get an interview! Oh please Lord.

So that's that. How are you?
Current Mood: Hopeful
Current Music: The magpies outside divebombing the fat orange cat

2006-06-10T11:16:00.000+01:00

Stil Alive

Got the marriage paper done and now working on another paper: how churches do things differently and why. It is a gorgeous blue-sky day outside and is very hard to make myself sit down and work when I'd rather be out there.

Last night I discovered that you can listen to A Prairie Home Companion online... live or the archives! It was great! I listened to April 8, 2006. It even had an episode of Guy Noir and a message from the Ketchup Advisory Board. :-) The most recent episode even had Meryl Streep singing with Garrison Keillor. Good clean fun just how I like it. I can tell I'm going to be listening to lots of that! Will need to figure some way to get it in to the kitchen so I can listen while I cook...

Have any of you gotten addicted to "Lost"?

Current Mood: resigned but relatively cheerful
Current Music: Birds and the Bees - Prudence Johnson and Garrison Keillor :-)

2006-06-01T09:57:00.000+01:00

CHOIR TRIP!!
Isle of Skye... gorgeous

A late night sesh... voices, guitars, bodhrans, flutes...

In the pub... again... Claire says "AGH!"

After tour at Sari's bye-bye dinner. Tim jus shoved a whole head of lettuce in my mouth. :-D

So it was fun. And tiring. 4 concerts in 5 days plus hundreds and hundreds of miles. Sounds familiar to a few of you I know! It was great but I was glad to get back as well, especially as I've still got a huge load of homework to do. Trying to kick it as fast as possible.

Yesterday I had a Navs prayer meeting in Glasgow, and when I got back, there was a gorgeous bouquet of Star lilies and eucalyptus sitting on the kitchen table!! Awww. I carry them around the house with me. It's sad, I know. But If they're on the kitchen table and I'm studying in the lounge, they're going to waste. So I'm sniffing in the flower smell now.

You'll be glad to know that most of the mice have gone to the giant mousetrap in the sky. I think.

We have a Navs "new team" day on Saturday and then I'm running 5K in the Cancer research Race for Life on Sunday. Sunday afternoon and Monday are my days off. Whew...

Current Mood: space-bar happy
Current Music: Thirteen - Big Star

2006-05-17T16:30:00.000+01:00

I'm on the war path!

Yes, there's no avoiding it now. No more denial. As I sat typing my paper today, what did I see out of the corner of my eye? Yes, you can probably guess. An evil little furry thing strolling nonchalantly across the floor of my lounge! After finally getting a hold of myself and overcoming the skin-crawling urge to scream (which I did), I promptly went to the nearest hardware store and bought traps and poison! DIE! Heartless, you say? That's what I thought when I saw roaches, snails and mice being dealt with in my parents house (not that we were overrun of course, but on occasion...) but now that it's my own, OUT I say! IGHRRR!!!! I have already wounded 2 fingers slightly in trap construction. But it's a small price to pay to have my house back to myself.

Current Music: Bye bye bye - backstreet boys (WHERE did that come from?!)
Current Mood: Lying in wait

2006-05-11T16:42:00.000+01:00

ORKNEY

This weekend we went up to the Ornkey Islands for the wedding of my friend Sarah Rowe to Matthew Finn. It was gorgeous! And so full of life, full of God. It's an incredible thing to witness two lives, so focussed on following Jesus, unite to follow Him together. Here's some pictures to show you what Orkney's like:

The Ring of Brodgar... older than the pyramids...

A beach on Orkney

Lots of amasing food, including haggis, fry-ups, and Pollack (fish) that we caught straight from the sea (well, I didn't catch it, Ben did, but I got to taste it!)... lots of great dancing (ceilidhs), I swam in the FREEZING North sea, lots of great conversations (ranging from the relevance of marriage in a postmodern society to whether or not there's a God), and even played a bit of footie... I am not very good but I have a slightly vicious side...
Sarah and Matthew are staying with us tomorrow night (yippee!!) as they have to fly through Edinburgh to get to Africa for their 5 week honeymoon doing charity work in Kenya. How cool is that.

Current Mood: procrastinating (again)
Current Music: some Thomas Tallis piece... think it's something about hacked him up in pieces sma'...

2006-05-03T19:27:00.000+01:00

GO SEE THIS SITE.

I was going to post a few pictures of my Uncle Matt's photography, but he's got his own site and it's way better than mine... plus I'd probably be breaking copyright or whatever if I posted them... www.thedigitaltrekker.com is Matt's site, he's an excellent photographer and lives in Kashmir, India. He's had photos on the covers of photography magazines, on news websites, etc.... You'll love it.

Today I had my friend Lydia Martin over for dinner. She's 11 and lives just across my back garden and sometimes we talk back and forth from my kitchen window to her bedroom window. She wants to be a film actress someday, and is probably confident enough to take over the world singlehandedly. It's funny, although I'm 23 and she's 11, she's so cool that I keep thinking "woah, I can't believe you want to be my friend!" She's a Lord of the Rings fan as well, and has a cat named Gandalf (and yes, he's gray).

Tomorrow Tim and I are driving up to Orkney with some friends for the wedding of our friends, Matthew Finn and Sarah Rowe (soon-to-be-Finn!). I can't wait. I'm singing a song while they sign the register... a capella! Nervous? Me? Surely not... (?!?!)

Ooooh! Tim just phoned, leaving work, and said "ya wanna go for a movie?" so I'm going to meet him at the cinema to watch "Inside Man" with Denzel... anyone else seen it? You like?

Current mood: Chipper!
Current music: Majesty - Matt Redman

2006-04-27T11:42:00.000+01:00

BATTLE OF THE BEES!

Doing much better, electricity is sorted, I think. :-)

I had my first SALSA dancing class at Dancebase on Tuesday night! It was so fun, we had an absolute blast hamming things up (I went with Ellie, Tim's little sister). A funny thing happened, though... we did the basic steps SO many times over and over again - for the slow people - that by the end of the class, I wasn't sure if I was doing it right anymore! Kind of like when you repeat a word 40 times and it begins to lose its meaning... weird.

Yesterday I was minding my own business, studying in the kitchen, windows open. Suddenly I hear a menacing bzzzzz....zzzzzz.zzzZZZZZZ... a bee came in the window, searching for something to munch. I tried to let him bee (!) for a while, but he kept whizzing by a little too close. So when he got back near the window, I STUPIDLY thought I could shoo him out with a tea towel. What an idiot (me, not the bee). Of course it just made him SUPER mad and he started charging me, at which point I shrieked like a GIRL and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind me. Every once in a while I attempted to venture back in to the kitchen, but who knew bees had such a long memory and so little forgiveness?

After a few hours of exile from the kitchen, I remembered the days of LOFT! In the summer we'd often get 4 or 5 wasps in the room at a time, plaguing us (I was about to type plagiarising... which I think in my brain was a combination of plaguing and terrorising)... anyway, and what we'd do was get those backpack vacuum cleaners and suck the wasps up in to it. So that's what I did! There was much hysterical rejoicing.

Current mood: pretty good... it's sunny!
Current music: none... not even in my head!

2006-04-20T11:40:00.000+01:00

NOPE.

Well, it turns out that just before I called someone else nabbed the piano. This was because, on the first day I was calling, I had the wrong NUMBER and only got the right number the next day. Oh well, it wasn't meant to be. I thought I'd be upset but I wasn't. If it's going to happen, it'll happen, I guess I need to not lose heart and keep praying.

Other people have worse things to worry about... poor Sheena (a fellow Nav) is pregnant and all of a sudden has excruciating back pain. She can't stand up, lay down, get up to go to the bathroom... sometimes moving her arms to eat something causes pain. Yesterday Jude and I went to keep her company and help her out, as we will today too. Neil said that it is going to take weeks, possibly months, before it gets any better. :-(

And today I've been on the phone battling it out with Scottish Gas... there was a discrepancy (REALLY long story) and basically they've been trying to bill me 64.80. An expense which I, in fact, have NOT incurred. It's been going on like this for 4 MONTHS and every time I call, it doesn't do any good. They've been sending us letters threatening legal action if we don't pay up, and this morning a guy actually phoned up from debt collection to harass me about it. I tried to explain and he totally didn't listen, and I was crying on the phone. This harassment is ridiculous. So I've spent all morning trying to get it straightened out. I was helped by a lovely girl named LeAnn who really listened and sympathised and helped. I have lodged complaints and will lodge a few more. And it's cloudy. God, can I lodge a complaint about that? No, that's ungrateful. Hey, at least I have coffee and a roof over my head!

And I'm going to Isla's for dinner tonight, so that's nice. She's a Navs student who called up and said, "you cook dinner for us every week, so now it's my turn to treat you." :-)

Current mood: I think it's obvious!
Current music: Warning Sign - Coldplay (The fact that a song with a title like 'Warning Sign' is stuck in my head has nothing to do with my mood, oddly!)

2006-04-17T12:56:00.000+01:00

Possible PIANO!!!!

Today when I was in the grocery store I saw a notice for a FREE piano (I'd only have to pay for removal and tuning) and from the phone number I can tell that they live in the area... and the photo looked nice! So maybe! I keep calling them but no one picks up... COME ON!!

Current mood: Hopeful!
Current music: Rare Willy - Rudsambee

2006-04-16T09:40:00.000+01:00

New 'Do also...

Forgot to say when I posted a second ago, I have a new 'do. :-) Not as important as the resurrection, but still thought you might like to see! I've got a 'fringe' (bangs)...

Happy Easter!

2006-04-16T09:24:00.000+01:00

He is Risen!

Happy Easter, Y'all. :-) Got up around 6:30 this morning to start cooking - nice and sunny and peaceful today. Yesterday we went to see the Easter play in Princes Street Gardens. SEVERAL hundred people were there. I'm not good with numbers but it was alot. Maybe a thousand? I don't know. It was pretty good and we're glad we went. I hope and pray that it gets people thinking. Some photos below:

Unless I wash your feet, you can have no part with me...

Pilate's Pavilion...

Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani?

Peter, if you love me, feed my sheep.

2006-04-15T10:23:00.000+01:00

I is alive!

No, I haven't fallen off edge of planet. Have been off this week and doin lots of fun stuff, sleepin, taking drives, painting, friend-ing, etc. Gorgeous weather today. Probably going to see the Easter play...

Will write more soon.

2006-04-06T17:16:00.000+01:00

S.O.S.!!!

Yes, I'm doing it.

At this very moment, I am indeed, without a doubt... actively... procrastinating. I'm writing a paper called ... wait, what is it called again? I need to go look. .... Oh yeah, it's called "Missionary Community: A Spirit-Empowered Priesthood of Proclamation". How does that grab ya. I've even made it through the hardest bit - research (I think I did about twice as much as necessary, now I've got down to typing it! I'm not even halfway through my first body paragraph and I'm almost halfway through my word limit!)... and yet I Persist in this Preposterous Pastime of Procrastination. I can taste freedom but I just can't SWALLOW it yet. Grrr! Its at times like this when I just want to ... do something! Anything else... Get a Grip, AL!

Okay, I've gotten a grip or two. Now I'm going back to the keyboard, which I love and will give lots of hugs.

Current Mood: Pro-procrastination
Current Music: Take My Hand (Wedding Song) - Rudsambee (my choir!)

2006-03-28T11:12:00.000+01:00

More photos from Christmas!

True, that...
Scary... my baby sis... DRIVING!!

"I love you, Car!"

Aaawww...

Yeah, so it's Tuesday. I generally like Tuesdays (boy, it took me about 4 tries to correctly type 'generally'! That time took 2 tries!) ...sheesh...
This week I'm in a sort of frenzy of studying for my theology course. Next week I'm editing the new Nav Bible studies... The week after that (week of the 10th) I actually am taking a week off, and Tim has it off as well b/c he's doing 7 nightshifts next week! Sooo looking forward to it. I was talking to my friend Louise, saying "What in the world will I do with myself?!" And she suggested doing something creative... so I think I may go for walks in the hills on a couple of the days, and then also may try some painting. I just found an art shop up the road and am thinking about water colour, or perhaps painting some kind of fabric belts as gifts for friends... got a few ideas.

Cool story... for Sunday lunch I was planning on serving Mexican beans and rice, and invited Tim's sister Ellie over, and was going to invite several more people... well I soaked the beans all night Saturday, and got up on Sunday at 6:30am to get them cooking before church (cos dry beans take FOREVER)... and then went back to bed (big mistake) waking a few hours later to some lovely smoke... and incinerated, ashen beans. So we had to uninvite Ellie. But we had no food in the house for ourselves even (end of the week) and the grocery store is shut (refurbishments). So I prayed that God would provide us lunch (but half didn't think He would, that we'd be having a bowl of plain rice for our meal)... after church, we hear a "yoo hoo!" out in the back yard, and there's our minister, Karl, standing on his trampoline, asking us if we wanted to join them for lunch - and he'd had no idea about the beans! So in the end we all got lunch, even Ellie, and the Martins got blessed by knowing God used them to feed us. :-) Pretty fun.

Current Mood: hungry! (It's lunch time)
Current Music: Nothing but the Blood - Chris Tomlin

2006-03-21T17:25:00.000Z

Sunny days...

I just had the best smoothy ever. It was called "The Punctual Penguin" and it had yummy stuff like bananas, oranges, and coconut milk in it... yummmmm. It was from Black Medicine, one of my fav coffee joints, in Marchmont.

This is the final Navs week until Easter holidays. I'm shot... or as Neil says, "I'm cream-crackered!" and ready for a holiday. May have to take a few days off in the next 3 weeks of uni hols. On Sunday Tim and I realised that we were TOO tired... in a bad way.
So now we've decided to definitely have one official sabbath day per week (which isn't Sunday, cos that's generally not restful seeing as how we usually have folks at our house most of the day). Because of Tim's schedule we decided it'll be alternately Friday and Saturday. Now we have to think up a list of "helpful activities" which are rest-conducive and "unhelpful" ones. I've got a few items in mind already... We are also going to do our devotions together (read through Galatians slowly and pray) on the days when Tim is off work. I'm excited.

Reading "The Blind Assassin" by Margaret Atwood. Strange, strange book. Any Atwood fans out there? My friend Lorna aptly said, "She doesn't write about nice things, but does it in a very gripping way." I'm not exactly sure what it's about yet.

Well, recently I've been cooking fish once a week because I heard it was healthy... well, last week our fish dish made me SICK so I am going on a fish strike this week and sticking with NORMAL food! Last night I made Chicken Florentine (and it was amasing... it tasted JUST like I remember from the Olive Garden... or even better!) and tonight I'm making Tim's favourite dish in the whole entire universe... lasagne! Yummm.

I just realised that I spend an inordinate amount of time talking about food, in general. Sometimes when I go to bed at night I dream about how yummy breakfast will be... :-)

Current Mood: Content
Current Music: Home - Sheryl Crowe

2006-03-17T19:18:00.000Z

Come on, Lord!
(No, this isn't mine... just wishin...)

2006-03-15T19:16:00.000Z

What a mess.

Me with Bethany and Evie (Tim's cousins)

Sarah's moved :-(

So. Pictures.

I spent this morning with Jude, and we walked her new dog, Toni, which everyone thinks is a ridiculous name for a female dog, but Jeremy loves it because he can call her Tory, which is the name of his political party (which Jude hates!). Sandwiched in between that and other work, in the afternoon I made cupcakes with Gracie (my friend's 2 year old). We put a candle in one and took some pictures, and she said "Happy cake!" thinking it was a happy birthday cake. :-) I'm very tired right now- I think all that's happenned in the last few weeks is catching up with me. No matter how much sleep I get, I wake up feeling like I just pulled an all-nighter. It was nice to spend the day with Gracie, a lovely, simple person with very few "issues" except for the fact that she really really wanted to wash the dishes herself, I job which I happily reliquished... and mopped up later.

Current Mood: Bed. I want it.
Current Music: Wedding Dress - Derek Webb

2006-03-14T09:51:00.000Z

Wow.

Thanks guys for your encouragements to pray. One good thing for the meantime is that I have been given a Scottish Psalter with the sheet music. In my old church, St. Columba's, we sang praise music (the Psalms) a capella only. So until the some day arrival of a piano, I can worship that way. :-) I was at Tim's sister's flat the other day (which has a piano) and played for a while... and loved it! :-(

Hmmm... do I know anything else interesting. Not particularly. On Thursday we're having dinner with our pastor, Karl Martin, and his family. He's got a lovely wife, 4 blonde girls, and a cat named Gandalf the Grey. :-) He said sometimes when the cat escapes, before he goes to bed at night he has to go hunting in the bushes around his house saying, "Gandalf?! Gandalf?!" and he keeps expecting a voice to come back saying, "Yes, Frodo?"

Current Mood: blah... the sky is grey...
Current Music: Love Unknown - Scottish Psalm tune

2006-03-10T16:54:00.000Z

Myriad Thoughts.

Today I was walking to the usual Friday morning team meeting and saw a V of geese flying north! The crocuses have been up for a while and it's not long now til the daffodils light up the nasty, soggy Edinburgh landscape. I've even convinced myself to think that the cherry trees in the meadows are on the verge of blooming. But anyway it's pretty much inevitable now. Summer's on it's way.

I'm being a little ambitious in saying that because we actually have to go through spring first before summer will ever think about getting out of bed. I can't say I'm all that big a fan of spring, because by the time the omnipresent Scottish winter is over, who the heck cares about spring, bring on the hot sun and afternoons reading in the meadows! Maybe I'm being disrespectful.

It's been an extremely hard week - in terms of work, relationships, emotions... I'm glad to be getting to the end of it. Tomorrow I have nothing planned except maybe some running and hanging out with Tim, and in the evening, Neil and Emmie have invited us over for a curry! Neil said, "hey do you guys want to stay over at our house that night, and then we can just stay up chatting til all hours?!" I said "you mean, a sleep-over?" and he said "yes!! wouldn't it be brilliant?" Just as I was offering to bring some glow-sticks and cookies he remembered they have a guest in town so their spare room is full.
THAT would have been hilarious.

I'm now also reading the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis... at the end of nearly every paragraph I think to myself (or say out loud) "NO!!" because I realize that I've fallen in to the very trap that Screwtape is telling his nephew Wormwood to employ to deter his young Christian 'patient'. Very interesting.

Tonight I'm going to Alison's (navs girl) along with Sarah Ross, Lindsay and Isla to have dinner and watch one of the Glad You Asked sessions ("why does God allow suffering"... very pertinent at the moment). I'm excited that, though they missed the week when we discussed this already, they're keen to take an evening out of their weekend to go over it. Sometimes I think "what if I'm just pushing this on them and they only come to Navs out of guilt?" but I don't think that's true in reality...
Got a letter from Sarah Rowe! She's up in Orkney now, and will marry Matthew in less than a month (6 May). I love writing letters. I think it's "fabby-do" (as Jude says). There's something about pouring your heart out on to a page, the pen and stationery you choose, handwriting, that communicates a bit more than e-mail. Or blogs.

I'm praying (sporadically) that God will give us a piano. Recently I've really really missed having one - both as a way to relax, express myself and worship. But I don't think it'll happen unless God works a miracle. The reason I keep praying sporadically is because sometimes I wonder "Am I allowed to pray this? I mean, I don't NEED it to survive..." Any thoughts? Can you pray with me? And I'll let you know what happens. :-)

Current Music: And - Waterdeep
Current Mood: Slightly industrious

2006-03-02T11:51:00.000Z

What I'm Reading.

So I just finished Alice in Wonderland (which, I was shocked to discover, was written while Lewis Carroll was trippin' on LSD! I thought there was something slightly too clever or insane about it) and now I've started another book.

It's about a fatherless farm boy Jim, in 1930's U.S. He's just turned 10 and thinks he's all that and a bag of chips... not off to such a smart start. But I suppose he'll grow up. My favourite sentance in the book so far was this description: "In the low places near the river, stray ghosts of fog still hunted among the trees." I love that! He could have said "the remains of fog still hung among the trees" or something usual. I love that the hunting ghosts though...

Gotta go write an article now about Bethany Christian Trust, which aids the homeless and vulnerable in Edinburgh... writing for their newsletter about the area of their ministry that collects and gives furniture to people who need it. Check this out: http://www.bethanychristiantrust.com/sevenlevels/level6.php

Current music: Whatever scary Star Wars music is on Skylar's xanga...
Current mood: HUUUNGRY!

2006-02-28T09:12:00.000Z

That is sooooo beef stroganoff.

So now you know what I made for Navs dinner last night. Pretty yummy, although the stewing steak was twice as expensive as mince so I did it with mince... it was the po' man's version.

Yesterday Tim and I went out for tea to the cafe around the corner, Nicki's, and chose our wedding photos. Finalmente! We did pretty good I think, and kept within the 30 photos limit very easily. The annoying thing was that we realized there were virtually no pics of my mom or Tim's dad, expcept for in the family shots where we're all together. It feels kinda wrong but there's nowt to be done. Aaron, you've got a whole page to your handsome self! :-)

This week end Tim's uncle Paul is getting married down in the borders. I'm looking forward to going on a trip WITH Tim for once... usually I go away on my own. It'll be fun to catch up with all Tim's fam again too.

My friend Pip gave us a visitor's book for the wedding, and it's been really fun for everyone to sign it when they come over for a meal. We've got some great comments from crazy friends. :-) At St. Columba's, the church I went to for 2 years before getting married, there is this wonderful lunch culture where everyone goes to someone's house for lunch after church - there was not many a Sunday lunch went by where I wasn't enjoying a feast in someone's home. So I've decided to bring that to Morningside! Maybe they do it there as well, but I haven't heard.
So far Tim and I have had Matthew/Sarah/Miriam, the Gillies'/Colin's brother, Claire/Dave/Louise...
On Sunday Tim met a young couple who just got married on the very same day as us, Billy and Jilly (great names!) so I think we'll target them next.

Current Music: Graham and Jilly's Wedding - Emily Smith
Current Mood: Well the sky is BLUE today so I'm happy :-)

2006-02-24T08:52:00.000Z

The Chefered Pamp.

So last night I did it.

I actually officially became a domesticated, uncool, married lady. I went to a Pampered Chef party. The last time I went to one of those I was, I don't know, 12 or something, and the demonstrator showed me how to cook a skirt-shaped cake and stick a barbie doll down in it to make it look like she was wearing a beautiful cake for a skirt. Being a tom-boy I was embarrassingly unimpressed.

This time was better, admittedly, and we got to chow down on some yummy food whilst we watched. At the end of it, I cut off one of my limbs and gave it to the Pampered Chef in exchange for a fabulous, top-of-the-line, super-duper, self-defrosting, kick-A ice cream scoop which will, of course, last us a lifetime.

Current Music: That Counting Crows song where he calls himself a rain gauge...?
Current Mood: Revving up for a day where I'm going to conquer the world!

2006-02-22T21:56:00.000Z

Dang.

Last week on Thursday my friend Rhona's dad passed away. He was a lovely, gentle man and I spent my first Scottish Christmas with him and his family in Ballachulish up north, which was very generous. And a lovely time it was. They found out he had cancer last year.
The funeral was amazing. Rhona spoke towards the beginning, about her dad. The main thrust of what she said was about his faith, that he was a man of faith and that he believed that Jesus was The way The truth and The life. I personally was reduced to tears by it, and a friend of ours, Chris, who is an undertaker by trade and has been to numerous memorial services (obviously) said that it was the most powerful presentation of the gospel that he had ever heard! Praise God for Rhona and all that He's done in her family.

On a completely different and slighly irreverent note, I just went to a play... it was called - get this- The Vagina Monologues. My friend Isla was in it so I wanted to go root for her. She did very well and was the best actress out of all of them, I thought.
The play itself was... the word self-indulgent comes to mind. But I can see why it was written. I guess in many cultures, including the west, women and womanly things have been taboo for so long, now that people have the freedom to use (or misuse) freedom of speech, it's somehow cathartic to get the issue 'out there' somehow just so that something is said rather than nothing.

Don't know if that makes any sense what I just said... anyway...

Current mood: sleepy
Current music: A Living Prayer - Alison Krauss

2006-02-06T12:39:00.000Z

The Canny Man's

So there's this great little pub around the corner called The Canny Man's. Canny really means 'shrewd' or 'artful' but The Canny Man is actually a policeman I think. I guess good policemen are canny. Anyway I had never been in until Friday evening when Tim and I went with John and Susan, friends from my choir. You walk in and there are little knick knacks plastering the whole place... between that and the amount of people that were crammed in, you had to walk sideways to get anywhere. They had more bottles of liquor lining the cabinets than any other place I'd seen. Musical instruments and cases hanging from the ceiling... along with Skiis, decorative belts, dog cart yokes, and even a woman (mannequin of course). All the bar staff are required to wear a suit and tie, and if they don't like the look of you, they may refuse to serve you! I wanted to go dressed in a trash bag but Tim wasn't so hot on the idea...
You could tell that EVERYONE was a regular and there was even a 'regulars corner' which apparently is a sacrament for the old-timers and you don't dare sit there or move the chairs or even breathe the air.
But it was pleasant and most punters were friendly. One girl just turned to me and started telling me her life story including the fact that she's a westernized muslim which makes her feel torn in 2 directions (should she follow her religion or society, which seem to be mutually exlcusive?)... interesting to mull over.
This weekend was lovely... spent most of the time drawing, which I haven't done in ages. Yay for coloured pencils! :-)
Okay, I posted. Gold star for me!

Current Mood: hungry
Current Music: some classical floaty stuff on in the background...

2006-01-12T16:07:00.000Z

Isn't she beautiful?
That's my kid sister Skylar! What a babe.

Well, the last couple weeks since we got back from Texas have been close to mayhem. Not in the chaotic sense, but just had a very full list of things to do. One of which included being the editor-in-chief of the new Navs Bible study materials. Look in that little window on the bottom left hand side of the screen, and go to "navs". Then click on "resources" and then "glad you asked studies" to see them. I think they're going to be pretty neat, if I do say so myself.

There's this little kid who lives across the street and one floor down from us. He is so funny to watch as I type... he runs around the living room, molests the cat, and generally flops all over the place like some kind of half-baked ninja warrior.

The next project on the books: the Navs weekend away (jan 20-22). Since November Tim, me, and a bunch of Navs students have been planning every detail of this retreat. Everything from booking mini buses to planning the food menu and budget, arranging cooks, main speaker, seminar topics/speakers, entertainments, publicity, accommodation, worship, audio/visual, childcare, fund-raising, info/note-taking booklets, and more! Oh yeah, and hopefully around 100 people will come. Yikes! It's been amazing to watch the students really step up to this challenge and do well. It makes me want to get students alot more involved in organizational stuff in the future, because we all learn so much, and are brought together as a team. Pretty exciting. I will let you know how it goes.

Current mood: Well, it's dark, rainy and cold. But life is good.
Current music: With No Shoes - The Charlatans

2006-01-07T14:22:00.000Z

2005-12-05T23:20:00.000Z

A blast from the past...

I pick the best times to procrastinate... :-)
Seeing as I hadn't posted in a long time just thought I'd make a few people laugh. This is from FIRST YEAR at Covenant! Hard to believe that was me and Rach 5 years ago. And we are still just as weird.

Current Mood: late night paper-writing buzz
Current Music: L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole

2005-11-12T16:20:00.001Z

NEW E-MAIL

Oh, and I changed my e-mail to annalaurenpacker@googlemail.com
...so please make a note... as Carrie said, "Now that's REAL commitment!" :-)

2005-11-12T15:56:00.001Z

What a cool guy! (I took this one. Go me!)

Awww.

España
So here are a couple of snaps from Barcelona. Enjoy. :-)
Life has been muy bueno since our return 2 weeks ago. There are still several boxes unpacked as of yet, and many thank you notes unwritten. But slow and steady wins the race, right?! Tomorrow is Tim's 25th birthday and I've got a few things up my sleeve. I LOVE surprising other people, hope they don't mind being on the receiving end...

Recently I keep finding things like old letters/ prayers I wrote in my journals which continually blow me away with the massiveness of God's plan and faithfulness. Just read one journal entry where I said I didn't know how I would ever make it over to England (that's where I was headed at the time!) and how things would ever work out... it was a mountain too hard to climb, I thought. "Of course," I wrote, "Maybe God's got some kind of ski lift worked out that He just hasn't told me about yet." How I laughed when I read that! And cried a bit. God's too big.

Last night we had a sort of flat warming party... sometimes we play poker (not for money, just with chips) with our friends and make a fun event of it. We've had the "Tom Schmidt Summer Cup", the "October Lucky Horseshoe" and last night was the "Packer Honeymoon High Stakes" in honour of our recent marriage. :-) And... it was a black tie event! So I wore my wedding dress and shocked them all. Well, might as well get at least one more wear out of it! Loads of fun. Even Tim's old flatmate joined in the game from Las Vegas via the internet/ webcam, and won. Life's funny.

Current Mood: content, chilly, in "list" mode
Current Music: Terence Blanchard - Lets Get Lost

2005-11-03T17:04:00.000Z

Photos from the wedding day

Our first kiss

Ellie (Tim's baby sister) and Sky-bo

The guys

Don't you love these?!

Angus and Jude at the ceilidh

At last, Tim and AnnaLauren Packer

2005-10-30T12:40:00.000Z

So, Barcelona...
Surprise! To all of you who were wondering where we went on honeymoon, wonder no longer. We had an amazing week under Barcelona's blue sky. We ate loads of fresh seafood and fruits and veggies... yum!! The city was full of fun stuff to do: cathedrals, art galleries, museums (including Gaudi and Dali), innumberable cute alleys to wander down, and gelati ice cream (oh yeah). I loved speaking Spanish all the time and Tim learned a bunch as well. I taught him really helpful phrases like "Una cerveza, por favor" and "Dame un beso, muchacha". :-)
If I absolutely was forced to live there... I could definitely deal with it.
We got back home yesterday (thank you Lofters for our lovely surprise! that was really sweet) and it's nice to be in our own place.
Today will be a day of cleaning and unpacking... oh joy.

Current Mood: content
Current Music: Tim's playing worship songs on his guitar :-)

2005-10-21T09:52:00.000+01:00

YAHEE!! Today is the Day!

This is the last time I'll type my name as AnnaLauren Hunt! :-)
Skylar is practising for me the fiddle songs that she's going to play at our party tonight. She sounds like a star.

Probably should go brush my teeth now instead.... what am I doing BLOGGING on my wedding day?!?!?!

2005-10-20T16:15:00.000+01:00

The Final Countdown Begins!!!

Well, 22 hours from now I'll be married. I am amazed at how NOT stressed out I am. I'm definitely in "busy" gear right now, but everything's going great. Just now packing and writing a few thank you notes and we're going to do the "test drive" at the church tonight.

Yay!

Current Mood: Pretty darn happy.
Current Music: Bzzzzzz - the man with the mower outside.

2005-10-15T01:27:00.000+01:00

Oops... sideways... well how do you like my boots? Don't hurt your neck.

Sky looking beautiful on her 17th b-day

Roadkill

Don't know why I typed Roadkill. Maybe I typed it because that's what I feel like. I should really be in bed now, seeing as it's 1.30 am and I have a morning prayer meeting in our pod tomorrow.

Got wedding dress today - it's hanging on the hook on my bedroom door!

Tomorrow's my hen night. For those of you who don't know what a hen night is, it's like a bachelorette party. Guys have a stag party (bachelor party). Don't worry, no male strippers will feature in tomorrow night's festivities. Other people are organizing it so I have no idea of what to expect. Should be interesting! :-) I'll let you know if I survive.

Current Mood: Road kill. Nuff said.
Current Music: The Land of Vertigo - Waterdeep

2005-10-13T01:22:00.000+01:00

Your Inner European is French!

Smart and sophisticated.
You have the best of everything - at least, *you* think so.

Who's" Your Inner European?

Hmmm...

2005-10-11T00:24:00.000+01:00

Me and Sky Bo

Me and Tim

Mom, Dad, Sky, Mimi and B-Daddy are here now! Today was interesting, as my family and all the Navs students passed in the doorway... my fam out to vacate the premesis, and the Navs students to fill every inch of it. :-) It was a good night. Think we may start a Da Vinci Code book group, and hopefully invite friends along. Did the crying thing again (i.e. crying for no reason as soon as all the students leave)... poor Tim didn't know what to do with me. I'm sure he'll get used to it. Hugs are good.

Tomorrow Sky and I are going to my church's moms and toddlers group in the morning... but it's almost 1 am and the sound of facing 15or more little kids early in the morning makes me want to snuggle further under my sleeping bag... which is where I'm sleeping right now! Crazy times.

Current mood: bed.
Current music: my mind is a blank sheet. that's not a song, it's just my mind really is blank. :-)

2005-10-08T23:40:00.000+01:00

A Poker Shark...

...I am not. There was a poker extravaganza on tonight over at Lincoln's... there were 3 tables of 9 each! But tonight I just wasn't feeling patient and I was the first to go All-in... and lose! My two pair was beat by Andy Stothers' flush. Ah well.

I did that thing again of not stopping, so I got kinda sick and lost my voice this week. It's back now, almost in full force! It feels really weird picking up the phone to talk and knowing that the noise that comes out of your mouth is not going to sound like you. Several times when people called me, after I said "Hello," they paused like a deer in the headlights unsure of whether to just hang up and redial, or try to clarify with "AnnaLauren??" Maybe in the future when I don't want to talk I'll just answer the call with a smokers voice, "Aah, whaddaya want?!"

Only 12 days tomorrow til we get married! :-) Early tomorrow morning my family will arrive, and Tim's a few days after. I'm going to have to get up at about 5:45 am to go to the airport. Ow. But it's wooo-oooo-ooorth it!! I can't wait to bite a big chunk out of Skylar. Yum!!

Current Mood: Tongue-hangin-out-of-mouth-tired
Current Music: I'm Afraid I'm Not Supposed to Be Like This - Waterdeep

2005-09-30T12:40:00.000+01:00

Prej and Pridudice

Well I swore I wouldn't do it. But I did. Yes, I actually went to see the new "Pride and Prejudice".
After receiving a grab bag of varying reports I thought I'd have to go see for myself. And I was pleasantly surprised! Don't expect it to be just like the BBC (A&E) version. If you're looking for replication this isn't it, but it was as faithful to the text as it could be without taking 5 hours.

Now I know what you're all thinking... what about Mr. Darcy?! Well, this guy was not Colin Firth, but he was a good, and slightly more human, Mr. Darcy. And there was no pond at Pemberly, in case you were wondering. :-) The unforgettable, snivelling Mr. Collins was still laughable but also a little freaky.

I liked that this version represented the surroundings in a slightly dirtier, more crowded and earthy way instead of lovely and pristine. It seemed more true to life in that sense. And Kiera Knightly, though skinny as ever and un-Lizzie like in that respect, made a fine, spunky job of the role - she seemed more human as well, less masked. And she had "fine eyes" though the film didn't point them out this time around. Her family was certainly as annoying as ever, speaking of my poor nerves.

So there you go.

Current mood: Well it's sunny, so I'm feeling pretty good!
Current music: Refine Me - Jennifer Knapp

2005-09-25T21:46:00.000+01:00

The world just keeps getting smaller

I walked in to church slightly late this evening after a cracking afternoon of Bible pictionary, and who was sitting in church... who in the world except Dr. Kenneth Stewart and his wife of Covenant College! I rubbed my eyes cartoon-style and blinked. Yep. After the service was over (and in my surprise I must admit I had a hard time concentrating on the sermon) I ran over and hijacked poor Ian's conversation with them to introduce myself. Turns out he's over here on sabbatical, studying. They were really lovely and very interested in all that I was doing over here.

Kind of made me miss Covenant slightly... and reminded me again of how priviledged we all were to get that kind of education, in terms of Bible teaching. There is simply nothing here like that, even if you are a divinity student. Covenant had its drawbacks to be honest, but it was a blessing too.

Navs meets at *my house* for the first time tomorrow night... 20 students... 9 chairs... it's going to be interesting!!!

Just read a good book. "The Last Ride" by Thomas Eidson. It's about a washed-up white American Indian who comes to find his long-lost daughter to save his granddaughter and rekindle their relationship. There was a bit too much post-modern spirituality "this is my personal grab-bag of religion" chat in there for a good old western, but it was a good read and a page-turner. And heart-wrenching at the end!! I hate coming to the end of good books.

Current mood: cheery
Current music: speed of sound - coldplay

2005-09-24T23:04:00.000+01:00

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Here it is, 11pm and I just realised I've wasted about 20 minutes of my precious life looking at a website about how to grow your hair long. No wonder people are having nervous breakdowns when the regimine for growing your hair is more rigorous than bootcamp! Forget it. I'm gonna whack. J.I. Jane, here I come.

...Maybe not til after the wedding.

Today was a day full of people. I think tomorrow I'd rather just stay in a closet. Time for bed now anyway.

Current mood: zzzzzzz
Current music: zzzzzzzz

2005-09-22T22:46:00.000+01:00

Well, autumn is here, ain't it?

Maybe not for you guys back in the states, but it's definitely creeping in here. I am trading in my flip flops for my sweaters (or "jumpers" as they say here). Today I went to Glasgow to visit some friends. The 40 minutes walking from the train station to their house (and the 40 minutes walking back) afforded nothing but chill and spitting rain. Imagine standing under one of those little vegetable moisturiser spray things at the grocery that keeps the veggies looking moist and fresh... well let's just say I was looking moist and fresh most of today. Not that I'm complaining. No.

I just had a 1-on-1 with a girl in my Navs group, Sarah. She's awesome! She just graduated and is now in a job at a medical research company. Most Christians have to fight their way in to Gospel conversations with non-believers... well Sarah is having to fight them off! No matter what she does, people at work just won't stop asking her about her faith! It's so exciting and really inspires me to keep trying with my friends as well. We just finished studying 1 John together and now we're going to study the Heidelberg Catechism's treatise on Prayer. Sounds fun.

Current Mood: Ready.
Current Music: Goodbye is All We Have - Alison Krauss

2005-09-20T21:43:00.000+01:00

Third Time's a Charm

Well I have tried several times today to post but it hadn't happened.... okay, woah, I just got distracted by this girl walking down the street whose pony tail was cinched up on the very TOP of her head... it looked like an erupting fire hydrant! YIKES.

Went to the doctor today. Been havin these bizarre dizzy spells where all of a sudden I just lose equilibrium for about a minute... The doc didn't know what the heck it was. Probably Planning-a-wedding-itis. Heh...

Here comes fire hydrant girl again with a huge can of lager in her hand. Hm.... I like this computer being in front of a window! I feel like Jimmy Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window". From here I can also see a window across the street and 2 stories above me that is using an American flag as a curtain. Interesting. And directly across from me there is a girl who works at the grocery store. She almost never shuts her curtains so as I type my emails I can see her putting on her make up, fighting with her boyfriend, washin dishes. It's like a trip to the theatre. Will keep you posted on further episodes. :) Okay, so I'm nosy.

Current Mood: inquisitive
Current Music: Nameless - JJ72 (I'm going to see them in concert this Friday!!)

2005-09-20T14:48:00.000+01:00

ummmm...

2005-09-05T09:50:00.000+01:00

http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=PartitaII

Sky-bo's website!!!!

Current Mood: killemail
current music: He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven - W.B. Yeats

2005-09-05T07:47:00.000+01:00

I'm Back From The Dead!!!
Well we've been on a real trip since the last time I posted. Tim and I now own a HOUSE!! That process was probably one of the hardest things, if not the hardest thing, I have ever done. Everything that imaginably could have gone wrong DID. It was another one of those "11th hour" saves. Buying a place here works differently than in America.

Trying to buy a house in Britain makes getting a work visa look like a piece of angel food cake.

But, Tim and I both learned alot. And we were really forced to trust God when things were out of control. Which is always a good place to be. Not that it was pleasant.
So, now we've got alot of scrubbing and vacuuming ahead of us. Oh, and I need a bed to sleep on (thankfully I'm not completely bedless- in the meantime I'm staying at Tim's parents' flat!)
We also have a table and chairs! Yay.

Thanks for continuing to post stuff even when I wasn't. :) (See Aaron, I've posted!! Now you have to!! So nyaa.)

Heathers, I'm so glad you can come!!!!!! Who else?

Current Mood: foggy (that's what it looks like outside)
Current Music: the soothing whir of this compy

2005-08-18T15:29:00.000+01:00

Jude's Wedding
I took this one of my flatmate Jude at her wedding.
Lovely!

Current Mood: Need cup of tea!!
Current Music: Green Grass Grows Bonny - Emily Smith

2005-08-17T23:03:00.000+01:00

Me and my bro Aaron.... isn't he handsome? :)

Tim and I went to see a dance event at the Dancebase in Edinburgh tonight. There were three pieces, and the first one was actually a film of a dance done on a carousel out in a field in Pittsburgh PA. The colours and dancing were lovely but it was a bit frustrating because you could only ever get fleeting glimpses of the dancers, as the carousel was moving. Sara Crow, the choreographer, was actually staying with Tim's parents while she's here for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. (And as it turns out, she's cousins with a girl I've known ever since I lived in Glasgow!)

Walking over to Dancebase, after having sat at the computer printing out wedding invitations all afternoon, Tim and I started going loopy. We pretended to have arguments as we walked down the street, much to the surprise of passersby!
"Tim, I can't BELIEVE you finally said you'd take me out on a date... and you're taking me to MCDONALD'S?! Is that all I'm WORTH to you??"
"Oh, take a hike why don't you!! Maybe if you'd actually do a little something for ME once in a while, I'd feel like taking you somewhere nicer! GOSH!"
That was fun. :)

Current Mood: Mischievous... but too tired to do anything naughty
Current Music: In My Head - India Arie

2005-08-16T23:57:00.000+01:00

We're Already Married!!!
Okay, not really. But we did have a little "wedding ceremony" for fun when Tim and I went to stay with his parents at their home in Kosovo. :) Dancing. Singing. Tambourines. Crazy clothes.

And...

There's even blackmail footage. That was fun. And tonight we went with Tim's family to the place we're having the wedding reception to taste the food... YUM! What a treat. It was lovely except I was terribly homesick for my own family, and every few minutes I had to go to the bathroom to splash my face with cold water and breathe deep breaths. *Heee... Hoooo...*

...Ironic, isn't it? Right after I say "oh, to be on the road!", I collapsed tonight in a heap of tears and snot on my bathroom floor because I miss home. Oh well, that's life isn't it. Life is one big mosh pit of continuous hellos and goodbyes.

Current Mood: wrung-out
Current Music: My Ain True Love - Alison Krauss

2005-08-16T02:58:00.000+01:00

The Sweet Tea Gospel

That title sounds a bit like a Toni Morrison book, but oh well. I really don't mean to put myself across as an iced tea maniac. I'm not. I've just been thinking about it alot lately, that's all. I asked my English friend Susanna what her feelings were on the matter, and she said nothing much, althought it was a refreshing drink, and wondered how I felt.

I said, "Well, since you asked, I'll tell you that I actually have quite strong feelings on the matter. Would you mind if I share the iced tea gospel with you?
In the beginning... God created tea. For drinking pleasure.
But then people went to hot places like Texas and were kept away from tea because it was too hot to drink.
But God knew that tea was too good to pass up and so He wanted for people to be able to drink it anyway.
So He helped people think up the idea of brewing it in a glass jug... not with boiling water... but by the sheer power of the Texas sun shining on the front porch. And then putting ice in it. And sometimes other yummy stuff like orange or mint leaves. And LOTS.... of sugar.
But this type of tea consumption isn't just for people in hot countries... it can also be enjoyed in more mercurial climates like that of Scotland, or even Wales.Anyway, just thought I'd let you know."

Do you have any soapbox you'd like to share with me? :)

Current Mood: Rather fiendish
Current Music: Still the One - Shania Twain (wait, how did THAT get there?!)

2005-08-15T18:21:00.000+01:00

Walkin' Blues

This morning as I slowly munched my slice of banana bread I pondered.
It's been a while since I've been on the road... carrying my only belongings... walking anywhere I wanted to get... eating breakfast for lunch or tuna from a can... dodging scary men... ferrying wherever the wind blew.

There's something refreshing about not knowing where the heck you're going (or maybe not even where you are) but at least you have your ticket home. Like going to Prague with the Lofters or to Ireland with Liesl.
Yeah, my feet be itchin to get on the road.

Great book: "A Ride in the Neon Sun: A Gaijin in Japan"

By the way my sweet mint iced tea went down a treat at the party. The #1 comment was "wow, that's so refreshing." Of COURSE it is. Why else would we drink it in Texas.

Current mood: smarty
Current music: Walkin Man - by James Taylor

2005-08-13T15:34:00.000+01:00

...Months later...
Another post! Miracles happen... sorry guys. :)
Guess what I made today. Sweet mint iced tea! I had a hankering for some real southern sweet tea, and remembered I had a huge ziplock of Lipton's tea bags in the back of my closet. It's like finding money in your jeans pockets. Yum.
Wedding planning stuff is going fine. We're in the invitation-printing process. Tim's a gem because he has alot more knowledge of/patience with computers than I do. I was so excited to hear a possible rumour that a bunch of Lofters are considering coming to the wedding in October...?! Is that right? Can anyone second the rumour?! Exciting!
My flatmate Jude also just got married on 5th August. What a lovely day. Tim and I were the amateur behind-the-scenes photographers. What fun.
Tonight going to Sheena and Lincoln's housewarming par-tay and taking banana bread. Yum.
How's it going Lofters?
Aaron, wazthap? :)

Current Mood: Agitated! I should be doing other things than writing blog
Current Music: Til Kingdom Come by Coldplay

2005-04-08T14:33:00.000+01:00

Airports, spilling coffee, and pinching bums...

Well, Tim and I were meant to fly to Kosovo today to stay at his parents' house there for 10 days, but when we got there this morning the flight was cancelled due to technical difficulties. After spending like 5 years in the customer service line to get our flights moved to tomorrow, we decided to hang out in the airport for another half hour, just for no reason. I went to get us some coffee at a nearby kiosk, and the barista was so overwhelmed with customers that, as he took my order, he pleaded with me, "Take me with you! I don't care where you're going, just take me with you!"

Tim and I sat on the airport lounge floor drinking our coffee when this guy who couldn't handle his suitcase rammed in to me and spilled my coffee... as Tim says, "It looks like you did a wee!" Oh well.

Then there was this grumpy old lady who kept giving us the hairy eye ball. Think Save The Last Dance. Whenever I smiled at her she looked the other way, embarrassed and still grumpy. I asked Tim, "What do you think she'd do if I went over and pinched her on the bum?" She looked like she could use a good bum pinch anyway. Moments later, we realised why she was standing around looking "pinched", cos she was waiting for her travelling companion who was late. To our surprise, they checked in at the Amsterdam counter! Who would have thought, two grannies off to get high on hash!

What's the world coming to.

Current mood: sunny
Current music: Sparks - Coldplay

2005-04-05T02:04:00.000+01:00

Sorry, will try to upload a photo. Painful process.

Computers.

2005-04-05T01:31:00.000+01:00

With Relish
In the town where I grew up in Texas there's this hole-in-the-wall burger joint called Kim's. Ever since I can remember my family has been going there to get the best burgers in the world (they also make a mean breakfast burrito). I always order mine with mustard, pickles and cheese only, fries on the side. A waitress called Betty works there who has known me since I was 3 or 4 years old, and I used to write her little thank you notes on napkins for serving us, in that curly, "elegant" first-grade handwriting of mine (it was probably hideous).

When I turned 16 my family went there for breakfast and the wait staff all came out and sang me happy birthday (which never happens there) and gave me a free piece of chocolate pie. They have lots of decorations from the early days of Coca-Cola, with Gibson girls and everything. And there's this one wooden sign for an old dentist office with this huge wooden tooth nailed on it that's the size of a football.

Well, I have found a burger place... "joint" is a bit too earthy, this is more like an "establishment"... in Edinburgh called Relish whose burgers rival Kim's! The relationships with staff aren't there necessarily, but man. I had a burger tonight the size of my head. And it was good. They even serve root beer! You can't get root beer in Scotland, so one can costs £2, which is like $4. As Dad says, "That'll make yer tongue slap yer brains out!"

Post me a note about one of your favourite haunts.

Current mood: in the twilight zone... it's almost 2am
Current music: some Third Eye Blind song

2005-03-31T23:23:00.000+01:00

Well, I figured engagement was a good enough reason to drag my blogspot out of the closet and type a few things. :)
It has been a little over 2 weeks since Tim and I got engaged! Since then we took a bit of a planning hiatus so we could jus enjoy being engaged (which was not hard) ... so today Tim called around to a few reception joints to see what's what. We're looking at December.

I have also been shopping for wedding dresses which is fun but can also feel just slightly bizzarre, maybe cos I've been wondering what this would be like for 22 years. Woah.
Mom's going to come stay with me in May and we're going to do lots of wedding stuff and have loads of "Sanctuary Time". Sanctuary Time is where we sit in one's boudoir and I pick her brain about life. Quality.

Stanley (my aged, portly, pipe-smoking neighbour) is great. He stands out on the front porch and smokes pretty much all day every day. His smoke stinks up the whole building, and he drools due to the pipe being clamped between his teeth, but he has got such a genial disposition and always asks how things are with Navs and how Tim is doing, and gives me a daily weather update. Bless 'im!

Electricians are evil. They make your house work. But they're evil. At least mine is.

current mood: dazed (it's past my bed time. again.)
current music: Us You Me - Badly Drawn Boy

2004-11-15T14:54:00.000Z

Hi, SORRY, SORRY!!! I am the blog dilinquent of the WOOOOOORRRRLLLDDDD!
I will do better, I promise! :)
Just not today. But sometime I will. Yeah. More news to follow....

2004-04-28T23:43:00.000+01:00

I just ate a "flavoured muffin". What do you think that means? They look like blueberry muffins, they smell and taste like them... I probably don't really want to know what is in it, though. Junk and "flavouring" most likely.

I am up late right now working on a project for tomorrow. We are having another "Big Questions" seminar/Q&A session where students can bring their non-christian friends and discuss whatever the topic of the night is. Tomorrow the topic is the reliability of Scripture and the evidence for the resurrection.

The evidence that substantiates the claims of Christianity are overwhelmingly huge. Before, I did not doubt there was evidence, but I didn't know the volume was so immense. I tried to look at things objectively so I wouldn't just agree with what I read simply because I was a Christian. Looking at it as impersonally I could, simply from the evidence (archaeological, historical, logical, extra-biblical literature, and the list goes on...) I cannot conclude anything except that the Bible is (at the very least HISTORICALLY) reliable, and that the resurrection really did occur. The amount of evidence (versus arguments against Christianity) is more than a tidal wave... it's like a tsunami! It hasn't been a piece of cake, but I think every Christian should make the effort and look in to this. Even after a few more days studying it, my faith has been really strengthened and I feel much more ready to "give an answer for the hope that is in me".

Today I was on the way to my choir practice and it started drizzling (what a surprise)... but then I looked up in the sky and saw these 2 GIGANTIC rainbows in the sky--they were thicker and the colours more intense than rainbows usually are, and they didn't disappear in the sky, but where really vivid from one end all the way to the other. It's so cool to look at those and think that a few thousand years ago, God made the first rainbow, as a promise.

Well, back to my mystery muffin and seminar.

Music: some mindless classical fluff
Mood: sleepy but cheerful

2004-04-26T00:14:00.000+01:00

Happiness...

2004-04-23T18:24:00.000+01:00

Weeds, Walks, and Wunning (oh well, alliterating was a nice idea...)

Okay, I'm sorry I haven't written in a while! My poor little blog has been the last thing (or almost the last thing) on my mind while getting started back with navs.
This entry will probably be short too, seeing as how I've practised my guitar alot today so it hurts to type. :) I just taught myself to play 3 lovely songs in the last week: Sweet Home Alabama (YAY!), Strong Enough (Sheryl Crowe), and Hopelessly (Train). So now I can add that to my repertoire... the only other thing in it is Horse with No Name (America).
It's a simple song but a good one, because it's only 2 chords, and you can just play that and put in any words you want (mostly because I don't know the real words, but that's beside the point).

Today I was hanging out with Louise and Rhona (2 other interns, or "connect workers" as the job is called) and we were describing how each other walked! That was quite interesting. Rhona said I walk like a dancer because my toes kind of point outwards, and I stand up straight (which I think I do subconsciously because I'm so short!)... I guess that's a good thing... maybe. When Louise imitated my walk it was so good it was SCARY!

There's this girl who works at the convenience store around the corner called Evie who I've been chatting to recently, because I go shopping there alot. One day I noticed she had an Edinburgh U music society sweat shirt on, and so I asked her if she was in an orchestra and what instrument she played, and thus began our chat-relationship. Turned out she's a cellist in the symphony orchestra, and they were having a concert that evening, and she invited me to come. So I went along (the concert was really great) and we've kept chatting, and told eachother about what we did on spring break and all that. Today when Louise and Rhona and I went to the store to get ice cream, Evie was working and I introduced them and we talked about what movie we were watching and what she was up to at the weekend...
It was really cool, and now I am wondering what I could to do move it to "the next level". Sheesh, that sounds like I'm trying to date her! I just think it would be cool if I could invite her to a Navs thing, or maybe not even that, but it would be cool if somehow our chats could start going deeper, but that isn't exactly easy to do over a cash register when there are other folks in line behind me. Hmm... well I'll just keep trying and I'm sure God will provide the perfect opportunity when He sees fit.

Tomorrow I am getting up at 6am despite the fact it's a Saturday (WHY?!) to go running with Kristen, and afterwards we're having breakfast (I hope she makes me breakfast burritos again!) and then working in my new garden!

These college guys live downstairs in one of the ground floor flats (apartments) that has a little garden out front, maybe 8x15 ft, but they never use it and it's all weedy. I have been looking for something to do in my free time that is not watching a movie (time-waster) OR reading (I do too much during "work") OR with people (can also be work at times) to help me switch off, and I think gardening may be the ticket. It's really theraputic to rip out weeds and hack at old bush stumps... with your bare hands! I have this huge scab on my elbow now thats pretty gnarly... no, let's call it a battle scar, a badge of honor! (?!)

Okay, I guess my entry wasn't so short...

Music: It's a Jolly Holiday with Mary (from Mary Poppins)
Mood: subdued (it's a cloudy, yet not rainy day. "Dreich," I believe is the correct Scottish term, but you pronounce it "drEEhhh" like you're hawking a loogie... sort of). :)

2004-04-05T23:32:00.000+01:00

I went to Prague last week to see Lyd Hitchman and Meg Boutwell and Meg's BFA co-worker, Heather Marsh. What a blast. It was sunny and perfect the whole time, and it was the most gorgeous city I have ever seen! Plus it was blessedly cheap: free accommodation and food. The TRAIN I missed and had to buy a whole new TICKET for was not so cheap, but I digress...
The photo I just posted was taken on our first morning there, which was last Tuesday. Lyd and I made breakfast burritos from scratch, even down to home made tortillas. It was quite yummy until we got to the "dessert" (if dessert for breakfast is allowed). Let's just say that I (yes, I admit, it was my fault) got the sugar bowl and the SALT bowl mixed up. Hilarity (and heartburn) ensues.

Here are some noteworthy quotes from the trip:
-"Green AND red? Stoplights in Germany are schizophrenic!" (AL)
-"The next road looks like... 'Hillbilly?'" (Meg)
-"Hey guys, there's a pidgeon with a helmet on!" (Heather)
-"The next road is... 'Portabelohorska?'" "What? Pot-bellied horse?" (Lyd and AL)
-"Freddy Fresh, Hanky Panky, Tricky Ricky, Polly Dolly." (The Toilet Paper) (Yep, some public restrooms have advertisments on the TP!)
-"Okay, I definitely just saw a chicken leg laying in the road." (AL)
-"Our waiter charged us for tap water?! No wonder he was so slap-happy about filling up my glass." "Yeah, he was like, 'Drink up, sweet cheeks.'" (AL and Lyd)
-"It was like a sauna for your butt..." (Heather)
-"Getting hit on by Czech construction workers is the perfect way to end our trip!" (Meg)

2004-04-05T23:26:00.000+01:00

Hey, sorry for not writing so long. Here is a photo from when I was in Prague last week! Hang on, I'll explain...

2004-03-23T01:02:00.000Z

Picking petals off daisy heads

It is amazing, isn't it, how we can lie to ourselves. I don't think I can kid anyone else in to thinking something half as well as I think I can kid myself in to thinking that I think something that I don't really think. (If you can unravel that statement, you get a trophy.)
Thank goodness for friends who can point out the slightly important fact that you've driven off the rails a bit.

Fear is a wolf that often likes to hide itself under the sheep's coat of good taste or prudence. I think I need to surrender my ideas of what's good for me to God. Otherwise, I am going to continue living under the thin guise of being in control which will ultimately not only dishonor God, but make me unhappy too.

Okay, Lord, what ever you say. I'm ready and waiting, so let it hit me!
(Did you hear that Carrie? Pray hard!!) :)

Mood: contemplative (and I also have this urge to raise my right eyebrow at every opportunity)
Music: Party's Just Begun - Nelly Furtado

2004-03-20T10:14:00.000Z

Here's a photo of me and a fellow choirmember, Sari, playing Celtic music on our holiday at the beach in Arisaig a few weeks ago.

2004-03-19T13:26:00.000Z

Hey dudes!

I know that you all are ecstatic to hear this... you can now leave COMMENTS about my blog, and tell me what's going on with you. Please please leave comments--my bro created the comment links with the sweat of his brow (thank you Aaron!)

Just click on the word "comment" in white below the post you want to comment on.

Anyway, hope to hear from you all soon!

2004-03-19T12:50:00.000Z

Here's a photo I took of my friend Louise's engagement bouquet! :)

2004-03-18T23:13:00.000Z

Imagine huge gusts of wind... imagine driving rain... imagine pelting hail... imagine a muddy hill at a 60 degree angle... imagine wet socks (and pretty much everything else on your body)...

My brother Aaron is here visiting (!) and today among other things we went hill walking with Pete and Dave up Ben Leddy near Callander. It started out looking like an okay, typical Scottish-brooding-clouds sort of day, but went downhill (hah) from there. The view from halfway up (since we didn't make it to the top!) was great, and it was definitely exhilarating to be half-alive, half-icecicle! The best part, though, was after we'd gone back down and were sitting in a warm car eating the best ham sandwiches we'd ever tasted (I even liked the mayonnaise on my sandwich, and for those of you who know me well, you know I loathe mayonnaise!). It was actually pretty fun, but mostly in hindsight. :)

After stopping in a unique Scottish tea room in Callander on the way home (which incidentally was painted the most bizarre of minty lime green colors... the sign on the door said [and I quote], "RLStAURAVT") we got back to Edinburgh safe and sound. After Pete and Dave drove off, and Aaron and I were inside and shut the door, we both said "Aaaaaaaiiiggghhh!!" and doused ourselves in a cup or two of scalding hot tea to thaw out our extremities.

And now off to bed. :)

2004-03-10T23:31:00.000Z

I like music from Train. There's something about it that reminds me of driving on Lookout Mountain after dark with good friends. It makes me think of Amalia!

I'm so glad that music does what it does... you can listen to a song or album years later and it can remind you of a specific time in your life, or even a specific day at times.

Cheryl Crowe reminds me of high school, Sugar Ray reminds me of community college, Norah Jones is of course inextricably linked to Loft. Eminem reminds me of Lindsey McChristian!

I wonder what music I listen to now that in a few years time will bring me back to today.

2004-03-10T17:20:00.000Z

Release Your Inner Sasha!

According to a recent interview, although Beyonce Knowles does her best on stage to look like the vixen of 2004, she's 'not really like that' in real life, it's just that when she performs on stage, her super-confident alter ego (which she named Sasha) takes over.

Today my flatmate Broon (Mary) and I were fixing lunch and I made her laugh, and she let out this delirious cackle that seemed to come from the far reaches of the 5th dimension. Afterwards she said "I don't know where that crazy laugh came from!" and I told her "It must be your Sasha."

This is pretty handy.

Now whenever I feel like doing something outrageous, I can pass the buck to "Sasha" and not get in to trouble. Just think of all the mischief...
Come on, people, release your inner Sasha!

Mood: empowered!!!
Music: She's on Fire - Train

2004-03-09T11:52:00.000Z

Last night was the Navigators main meeting to end off the spring term, so now we've got a month long break before the summer term starts.
I lead the meeting, which means I had to get up in front of 150 students and leaders of other ministries and actually TALK! It actually went pretty well, and I was only a speechless airhead for the first 10 seconds, which is good. :) Then I kicked myself in the behind [mentally] and said "pull it together sweetie" and everything was fine from there on out.
Thankfully I wasn't the one teaching; just transitioning from one section of the meeting to another and making announcements.
At one point Mark Stirling (the head of Edinburgh Navs) was introducing the new team for next year, and he had pictures on power point. Then a picture of a flower came up, and he said, "I don't have a picture of this person, but it's a rose... and it's yellow... can anyone guess who it is?" Nobody could, so this guy from Dallas said "it's the yellow rose of Texas!" (which signified me!) :)

This Thursday I'm going with the other interns to England for a conference and getting back on Sunday. Monday will be spent getting my flat in order because my brother Aaron is coming next Tuesday!! He will only be here until that Saturday :( but I can't wait to see him and introduce him to the Navs.
Gotta go now... it's noon and for some reason I'm still in my PJs... oops!

Mood: Happy!
Music: Girl from Ipanema - Stan Getz