Traci-Colored Glasses

some (more) thoughts on bilingualism....

2011-03-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

Anybody who speaks two or more languages knows that bilingualism (or multilingualism) is a continuum. What does it mean to be fluent in another language? Does it mean you can carry on a conversation, or read, or interpret, or write in that language? If so, do you have to be able to converse about technical/scientific/legal/medical things, or is it okay if you only can get by in common speech? And what does it mean to be bilingual? Do you have to be equally comfortable in both languages to be truly bilingual? Different people have different definitions of the terms bilingual and fluent. For me, I know that I'm always learning, and that there's always a whole lot more that I can learn when it comes to my own bilingualism/fluency in Spanish. I can read, write, and speak Spanish, in a variety of subjects including a lot of technical/scientific/legal/medical terms. I can interpret for people, regardless of the speed and accent they use in Spanish. I can listen to and understand the TV and newspaper, I can write articles and papers in Spanish. I can read and understand technical works in Spanish. I can teach in Spanish, in a variety of subjects. Still, I "prefer" English in the same way that I prefer my left hand over my right hand. Although I could put the Spanish language track on in movies and listen to them dubbed in Spanish, and I could understand the movie that way, I wouldn't usually make that choice unless there were some other reason (extra practice, everyone else watching doesn't speak English, etc.). Similarly, I choose to read books almost exclusively in English.

I recently read THIS article that talks about these types of interesting bilingual things when it comes to thoughts and dreams.

One of the things that the article talks about is "what language do you think in?" I would say that I think mostly in English. However, when I'm talking with Elias or otherwise heavily immersed in Spanish, I think in both English and Spanish. This is fairly obvious when Elias and I are writing grocery lists. You should see my grocery lists. They are a hot mess of English and Spanish. The list usually looks like this

Milk
Leche de soya
lechuga
cheddar cheese
artichokes in a can
pollo/carnes

You get the idea.

The article also talks about dreams. What language do you dream in? I would say that 80-90% of my dreams are entirely in English. (When I'm in the US... when visiting Colombia or another Spanish speaking country, that percentage goes down to maybe 50%). I have funny stories about dreaming in Spanish, though. Very rarely in my dreams am I actually speaking Spanish. Usually it's people who I know in Spanish speaking Spanish (Elias, for example.) I've also had dreams where people I know who don't speak Spanish in real life (my mom, for example) who are speaking fluent Spanish. Weird!

Another strange example from this week:
I've been having lots of nightmares and unpleasant dreams in the past 6 weeks or so. I think it has to do with stress and life changes, but Elias has been either waking me up when I start doing what he calls the "bad dream breathing," or I've been waking HIM up when I start shouting or thrashing about in the middle of a nightmare. A couple of days ago I was in the middle of a HORRIBLE nightmare involving Elias and I getting held hostage in Colombia. Everyone in the dream was speaking English (funny since we were allegedly in Colombia, but whatever). All of a sudden I realized that it was not real. So in my dream I started saying (in Spanish) just start shouting "pesadilla" (means nightmare) and Elias will wake up and help you. So in the dream I started shouting PESADILLA PESADILLA! All of the people in the dream didn't understand. As it turns out, though, I was actually shouting pesadilla and Elias did wake up and helped me out.

Cool, eh?

Being Strong...

2011-03-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

A couple of months before I found out I was pregnant, I started taking Zumba classes. I love Zumba! It was such a wonderful workout and so much fun. After the pregnancy, I went to Zumba a couple of times, but then, as previously discussed, I turned into the pregnant diva lady who didn't want to do anything except eat hash browns, cry on the couch, and sleep. WOE TO ME! I would cry. Zumba went right out the window, as did practically everything else. I started feeling better in about the fourth month of pregnancy. Annoyingly for me, this was right about the time that all the books and "who asked you?" advice people told me that I would feel better too. Incidentally, there is nothing more annoying than feeling like absolute and total crap and having someone say "heee heee, you're going to be feeling just great in a few weeks." OH YEAH I wanted to scream. WELL I DON'T FEEL THAT GOOD RIGHT NOW, SO BUGGER OFF. (I don't really say bugger off, nor do I actually even think it, but it sounds insulting enough, eh?)

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, feeling better. I started to feel better, but I wasn't anxious to put Zumba back on the menu. I know that many people run and jog and do all sorts of high impact stuff during pregnancy... it just didn't seem like something I wanted to do. All of that jostling around... So I went back to yoga I am relatively new to yoga, but I really enjoy it. I took a prenatal class at the hospital and some classes at churches (both mine and another, taught by a member of my church). I'm not "great" at yoga, but that's the wonderful thing about yoga... it's an individual practice. You do what you can, when you can, and if you're doing the best you can do and breathing those yoga breaths, you're doing great. I signed up for a free week trial at the yoga shelter in town. I love that it's called the yoga shelter, because it really does feel like shelter, to me. After my week's up, I have the option of doing a 2 month trial at a reduced rate. I'm going to go for it, because two months will take me up to the very last month of pregnancy.

I'm not sure what my point is here, other than to record how gosh darn proud of myself I am for being strong, doing something good for my health, and kicking some butt in yoga. It ain't easy, but it's good for me. :)

Yay for being strong...

Lenten Spiritual Practice... Found!

2011-03-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

So... I guess when you're back to blogging, you're really back to blogging. That's all I'm going to say about that. Marie reminds me that blogging about blogging is the most boringest thing ever.

Yesterday I talked about feeling sort of floundering when it comes to finding my own Lenten practice. It can't really be to commit to going to the communion services every week (done) or going to small group every week (done) or doing a Bible study every week (done) or attending a contemplative prayer service (done) or catching up on scripture readings (done) or having a special prayer time (done). I already do all of those things. Believe me I'm not saying that to toot my spiritual horn. In fact, quite the opposite. The very fact that I do do (doo doo, ha) all those things further complicates the quest for a spiritual practice. I do all of that stuff already because it's my job. Yes, I love my job, but it's still my job. It's hardly a discipline that refreshes and renews and restores. So for me, I need a practice this lent that will take me to a new place, a quiet place... a place where I get to be the observer and the follower, not the leader. Last night I figured out I've been there for about a week. That place is Mitford.

See, last Sunday I started to read the Mitford Series. The Mitford Series is a series about a small town preacher, Father Tim, and the adventures in his little town. The author, Jan Karon, is so descriptive in her writing that you can smell the apple pie baking. There's even little line drawings of the town so you can see where the diner is in relation to the tiny chapel. I love these books, because they take me away. They are spiritual for me in that Father Tim is an excellent minister. He's humble and kind. He quotes scripture. He has a dog named Barnabas. For the past week, I've been travelling to Mitford in my spare time. While I'm waiting for my tacos I read about Dooley and his endeavour to earn a new red bicycle. As I'm drifting off to sleep, I get caught up in the story of Cynthia, and I wonder if she's going to get that heart transplant after all. While I'm waiting for a breakfast meeting to begin, I wonder who ate Father Tim's lunch from the church refrigerator, and I wonder if it's the same person that ate that angel food cake a couple of weeks ago. It's a perfect, perfect place for this pastor to go this lent. It occurred to me last night, as I was reading, that this is my spiritual practice for lent. I've already been doing it for a week, it has all of the components of a spiritual discipline. Reading these books refreshes me and deepens my faith, and I have to make a conscious effort to dedicate some time to it. Also, it is enjoyable which is, for me, a prerequisite of a healthy spiritual practice. Why practice something you hate?)

So, this Lent, in addition to all of those Lenten practices I will be doing, I will be reading the Mitford Series. I'll give a report at the end of Lent.

How about you?

HAHA! Back on the glasses...

2011-03-11T19:21:00.000-08:00

Ok... true story, I've been away from this blog for so long I seriously forgot I had it. I was reading a post by Mihee and I thought "ya know... I should start up a blog that's not for cooking and not really for work/theological discussion but is sort of a place where I can talk about whatever I want to talk about, funny stories, etc." (Do I say etc. in my own mind? I don't know. I digress.) Anyway, I was thinking that today and then later I checked into my twitter account (something I also don't do very often.) I realized "Oh yeah I actually already have a blog like that." Who knew. So here I am, back to the glasses, easy as pie.

Of course, after being away from this blog for so long, I am faced with the "what the hey monsters should I write about" dilemma. I feel significantly less pressure on this front knowing that a. the people who read this blog probably also follow me on facebook and b. nobody's being forced to read this thing. Still... what to talk about. I'm gonna have to go hodgepodge list here, people. It's the only way.

1. Tsunami in Japan. This morning one of the first pieces of conversation between Elias and I was the 2(ish) inches of snow that was blanketing our car. The same sort of pretty white snow blanket that 3 months ago would have been charming and wonderful. This morning we were annoyed by it. WHAT? SNOW?! ARGH. They said it was supposed to be a dusting. This is NOT A DUSTING BECAUSE IT REQUIRES AN ACTUAL SHOVEL. But before I went outside to work on it, I turned on the usual morning facebook/blog/news update. Suddenly the snow seemed like, well, no big deal. Isn't that how it always is? Perspective. Perspective. The images
are overwhelming. Prayers for Japan. Prayers for all of us.

2. Lent. As a pastor, I am constantly encouraging my congregation to take on a spiritual practice during lent. Whether it be attending weekly mid-week communion services at 7:30 a.m. or joining a discussion group, or attending a special service. Since Elias is now working in a church he's doing a special Bible Study on Friday nights as well (in Spanish). I wonder what it all means for me, though. For me, I'm leading these discussion groups, or helping Elias to plan his, or thinking of a meditation for the communion service. They're part of my vocation, my profession. While they're certainly beneficial to me, spiritually, they don't feel like something that I chose to do as a personal commitment to my faith. They seem like, well, my job. I'm a few days in to lent, and I still haven't picked something I want to do, for me, during lent. More on this later, I hope.

3. Baby. Obviously a huge change since I abandoned this blog is that I started growing a baby. Seriously. No lie. This is the truth. Crazy. The first three months of being pregnant, I was the worst pregnant lady ever. I'm not kidding. I was melodramatic, and puking ALL THE TIME. I was complaining and crying and eating only hash browns. I was not handling the whole thing well, at all. No joke, I would go to work (eating only 5 or so foods on my approved list) go home and cry and then sleep. Every single day. Then I started to get better, and now I'm one of the happiest pregnant ladies ever. I feel great, have lots of energy and am having a blast feeling the baby move around. It's getting big enough that I can feel actual arms and legs and a head and butt in there. It's kind of creepy, but also very cool. I heard (and have read) that in the very end of pregnancy sometimes people feel really large and uncomfortable, so I am prepared to return to my worst pregnant lady ever stage. Now that i'm back on the blog, you can read about it. Save your enthusiasm.

--
I guess that's good for now. It's fun to be back on the glasses.

xoxo

words or phrases i taught my husband today. the "aint that the truth" version.

2009-08-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

"honey-do list"

the list included:

- go to store and pick up chamomile tea and toothpaste
- pick up prescription
- return videos
- wash dishes
- sharpen knives

sounds demanding, but have you SEEN some of the other "honey do lists" out there? sheesh. i think this one is do-able. plus, elias seems to like the concept of the "honey do" list. what with all of its order and sense of accomplishment and all...

also, i've been making dinner like the perfect fifties housewife recently. another post on gender roles and feminism is coming on. also a few recipes as well.

xo

I know it's been a long time since I've posted on here

2009-08-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Mainly because I'm overwhelmed with stuff to write about.
I did have to post this quote, though, because I believe it to be absolutely true.

I don't care how low they drive support for this with misinformation. The minute the president signs this bill, his approval will go up. Within a year, when the good things begin to happen, and the bad things they're saying will happen don't happen, approval will explode." - Bill Clinton

on the surface

2009-07-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

on the surface, this is a happy-go-lucky love song that is
syrupy sweet. TOO sweet. it's like that one time
paula deen made a breakfast sandwich with TWO DONUTS
instead of bread

but there's something to this song "lucky"
and i'll tell you what it is.
first you should know (if you don't already)
that i rewind songs, and play them on repeat if
i like them. i've been known to listen to one song for HOURS if i
really like it. as if that wasn't weird enough, i also have been known
to simply rewind portions of songs that i like and listen to the
song segments on repeat.

this song has one of those portions.
you can find it from 1:08-1:28 in the video below...

i like it so much for a few reasons
first, musically... it's in a minor key
and is a very sad sentiment in the middle of
a very happy song.
i think i've talked about this before.
i love happy lyrics in minor keys
and sad lyrics in major keys
these are sad lyrics in a minor key, so they
shouldn't count, but the song is mostly happy
lyrics in minor key - so i still appreciate the contradiction.
second, the lyrics... remind me so much of how i felt when
elias was in colombia and i was here.

they don't know how long it takes
waiting for a love like this
everytime we say goodbye
i wish we had one more kiss
i'll wait for you i promise you
i will.

enjoy. (the whole song, but particularly my favorite part :)
also ignore colbie caillat's irritating swaying around

i have quite a bit to blog about....

2009-07-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

but, i have given so little time to it, recently. i have about 4 minutes here... so let's see how far i get.

for starters, e and i bought two lawn chairs. you know, those foldy up kind that you can put on your back? i have to say, those two chairs have made me so ridiculously happy. what a great purchase. with those chairs, we go places. we set up our chairs in parks and concerts and just have ourselves a grand old time. there's something great about having your chair and being on the go. i love it.

in other news, i'm completely disgusted with CNN recently. their version of "news" is appalling. not only are they not reporting any actual news, but they are following up their non-news with everyone's facebook comments and tweets about it. terrible. i wish there were a news channel that reported actual news. the best luck i have is CNNEspanol.

let's see... what else... ? a couple of weeks ago i made strawberry shortcake and impressed the pants off of myself. i also made a recipe from my childhood, taco pie, and it turned out darn nicely as well. i'd like to continue to grow and cook.

also, i cleaned my kitchen.

is my life this dull that i'm reporting on cleaning the kitchen? nah, my life is really exciting. i just can't boil all of the excitement into a four minute post.

later.

oh, i so need to chill with the E quotes, but i can't help myself.

2009-06-27T20:27:00.000-07:00

note: this is not translated. came out this way, in english.

the scene: having just walked a million miles in the heat, elias throws off his shoes and puts one of his feet up toward the vent so the AC hits him right in the foot.

E: Look, Traci, fresh for my foot!

there are a lot of serious things i could be blogging about, but this was hilarious

2009-06-26T20:10:00.001-07:00

the scene: me with my freshly cooked veggie buffalo wings. extra spicy. this conversation was in spanish, but one day we will be able to have a conversation like this in english too.

elias: oooooh! those look good. they smell good too.

me: yes, these are my spicy vegetarian meat that i bought at the store, remember?

elias: i remember. can i try one?

me: no, you hate them. you tried them last time, and they are really spicy.

elias: please? just a taste? just a little taste? like a corner?

me: look, it's not that i'm unwilling to share, it's that i KNOW you hate these.

elias: i'm serious, it won't be very much, just a tiny taste.

me: ---

(elias rips off said corner -- keep in mind, that's the SPICIEST part of the veggie buffalo wing, because it's mostly the outer coating. ten seconds elapse)

elias: HOLY MOLY! Oh my gosh! that is SO SPICY.

me: (seriously mad.) Elias, I TOLD you, now, cut it out and get out of here.

elias: i know, i know.

lord help me if we have a kid, and it's a boy. like him.

2009-06-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

C.S. Lewis

words or phrases i taught my husband today, the "i have video proof of this one, too" version.

2009-06-11T20:29:00.003-07:00

"shut your pie hole."

liked this quote

2009-06-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

“Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more.” - Erica Jong

words or phrases i taught my husband today, the sneeze edition

2009-06-07T07:09:00.001-07:00

"gross."

simple things that make me happy (migraine edition)

2009-06-06T05:27:00.000-07:00

1. migraine ice patches
2. honeydew melon frappe (sounds gross but is, in fact, delicious)
3. excederine migraine
4. peppermint and eucalyptus foot lotion, applied to my head when i have a migraine. (sounds like it wouldn't work, but it does.)

When Your Mind's Made Up

2009-06-06T04:46:00.000-07:00

Just saw the movie "Once" yesterday. Somehow I missed it when it first came out, and we keep getting these "free old release" coupons at Blockbuster. When I saw this one, I remembered that I liked a song from it. Boy oh boy. What a great movie. I like this movie in the same way I like "Mrs. Potter." I feel like I really understand the main character.

Anyway, this scene was, by far, my favorite. It's a scene, but also a song. (You'll see what I mean). I don't want to give away the movie, but, in context, the lead singer has just taken out a loan to have this recording studio for a weekend. He knows nothing about recording, and the guy in the soundbooth is super cynical, thinking that he and the band are a bunch of bozos. This is their first take of the song. Love the song. Love the movie. You should rent it (even if you don't have a free coupon.)

a couple of great new things i've learned about cooking...

2009-06-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

i ain't no chef, that's for sure. but recently i've learned a few tricks that have been REALLY helpful in terms of making food that is cheap, healthy, easy to make and tasty.

first, baking my own bread. if I can do it, just about anyone can. i used to think that baking bread was about mixing, and kneading, and letting it rise, and then punching it down and letting it rise again, adding mysterious amounts of flowers, consulting a psychic to know i it was ready and blah blah blah. turns out it doesn't have to be. i found an AMAZING book called "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day." i found it via a NYT article. the only special equipment required is a pizza stone (even that you can skip and do it in a loaf pan if you don't have the stone.) the book claims you need a pizza peel to slide the dough onto the stone, but you don't. i've used a cookie sheet with no lip as well as a cutting board. i'm hoping to get a pizza peel sometime now that i've made literally dozens of thease loves, because i know it's something i'll use. but i digress.

The original NYT recipe is here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/dining/211brex.html Try it out and see for yourself. If you like it, I do recommend getting the book, because it shows a milion variations like foccaccia and pizza dough, flat bread etc. the dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, (and in fact it gets better with time) and so when you're ready to bake your rolls or pizza, or whatever, you just tear off a hunk and bake it. it's been exciting for me, the smell of fresh baked bread, tasty pizzas, etc. yippee for bread.

second, beans. i have made my own black beans for years, on the stove. they've always been good, but they've always taken a lot of intensive effort. soaking the beans, chopping the stuff, skimming off the foam, stirring, turning down the heat, checking them... blah blah blah. i made them one time in the crock pot (just threw the beans and all the stuff in and let them bake overnight.) the beans were good, but not as good as usual. finally, i found the secret that i think makes the best black beans ever with very minimal effort: you cook the beans in the crockpot for about four hours with just salt, THEN you add the garlic, onion, other spices, etc., and cook them for another hour or however long you want. delicious. if you're not into beans, well, not as exciting. if you're me, this is excellent news! tasty beans without having to work hard on them? excellent. incidentally, i got the idea to cook the beans this way from this site:
www.cookforgood.com. it, also, is a great site, worth checking out.

words or phrases i taught my husband today - the "you're not kidding" version

2009-06-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

**Note: This feature, as well, is not going to be numbered any more.**

"Champagne taste, beer budget."

simple things that make me happy - meredith version

2009-06-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

** note: i'm going to stop numbering the simple things that make me happy, because I can't remember them. instead i'm going to give them titles. **

1. walking down an unfamiliar street in south bend in the sun and ending up at le peep
2. pumpkin spice coffee in the summer (surprising and delicious!)
3. peasant potatoes (even if it's confusing)
4. the silly things elias does because he doesn't get this culture (such as: putting all of his change in the "take a penny, leave a penny" jar, because he thinks he's making a donation to a charitable organization by doing so.

2009-05-28T09:01:00.001-07:00

i used to ignore the fray until i found these live versions... holy cow.

2009-05-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

my favorite refreshing things on a hot day (in order of preference)

2009-05-21T17:54:00.001-07:00

1. Ice water
2. McDonald's soft serve
3. Limeade with mint
4. Cold (and I mean REALLY cold) beer with lime - drank before it gets hot

how to be a good wife...

2009-05-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

First, the rules (according to this textbook.)

HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE
Home Economics High School Text Book, 1954

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal, on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so that you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the home just before your husband arrives, gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.

Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair, and if necessary change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.

Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad he is home.

Some don'ts: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he is late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.

Make the evening his. Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.

The Goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

---

I'm not sure where to start on this thing, but suffice it to say.... um... I choose a different path. :)

Thanks Marie.

Simple Things that Make Me Happy #4

2009-05-19T10:32:00.001-07:00

1. Mint tea (either hot or iced)
2. Mango
3. Getting excited about the American Idol Finale
4. Sun Dried Tomatoes

words or phrases i taught my husband today vol. 3

2009-05-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

"shoot the sh--"

john stewart tells the truth

2009-05-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Moral Kombat

thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Economic Crisis

Political Humor

life in a bilingual household, or why don't they teach the word "wrinkle" or "wrinkly" in Spanish textbooks

2009-05-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

The scene: our bedroom
The action: Elias begins to stuff his tie in his jacket pocket

Me: (in English): Don't do that, your tie is going to get wrinkled!
E: What?
Me: If you put your tie in your pocket it's going to get wrinkly.
E: What is wrinkly?
Me: Wrinkled
E: I don't know what is?
Me: (in Spanish) I don't know the word in Spanish, it's what happens when you need to iron something.
E: Oh, yes. Arrugado.
Me: Fine, arrugado. Wrinkly. You should learn that word, wrinkly. It's important.
E: Ok.

i think this is fantastic

2009-05-12T20:00:00.001-07:00

Simple Things that Make Me Happy #3

2009-05-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

1. Fresh pineapple juice, whirled up with ice and a tiny bit of sugar
2. The fact that #1 was lovingly prepared for me by my husband
3. Receiving mail in the mailbox that isn't a bill
4. Sending "real" mail.
5. Good Bible music for kids.

non-partisan

2009-05-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

in my outrage of the torture coverup in this country. nancy, i'm not too proud of you right now, either.

Simple things that Make Me Happy #2

2009-05-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

1. Making my own lunch
2. Grey sweatshirts
3. Lazy mornings
4. Re-using things I already have instead of buying new ones
5. Morning walks with Elias

phrases or words i taught my husband today (volume 2

2009-05-07T06:00:00.001-07:00

"A bird pooped on my t-shirt."

SImple Things that Make Me Happy #1

2009-05-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start another feature here on the glasses, called "Simple Things That Make Me Happy." It's fun to think about the simple things in life, and how they can bring me joy. Watch for lots of these posts....

1. Iced tea on a hot day
2. Watching my cat gobble up tuna fish or fresh chicken when I give it to him as a present
3. Baking my own bread
4. Pineapple scented black beans from TJ's
5. Sitting around a dinner table of church members, chatting about speeding tickets.

what the @#$%! is THIS?!

2009-05-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8036528.stm

I was mad about this crap under Bush, and I'm mad about it under Obama.

simple gifts...

2009-05-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

phrases or words i taught my husband today (volume 1)

2009-05-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

- "If you smelt it, you dealt it."

Swine Flu

2009-04-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

Do you have the swine flu?

Go to

http://www.doihavepigflu.com

to find out.
:)

A post about my name...

2009-04-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

My name is Traci M. Smith... if you google Traci M. Smith, or look it up on myspace, facebook, linkedin, etc., you will see I'm not the only one. There are a lot of Traci Smiths. Still, I like my name and in these 30 years of life have become quite attached to it.
Here are some reasons I like my name:

I've had it my whole life
It's easy to remember
Five letters in the first name, five letters in the last name
Easy to spell

That's about it... I've had my name my whole live, and I never changed it. Not even when I got married. I didn't change it for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to) the following:

Nobody (I repeat: NOBODY) whose opinion mattered to me cared one hoot whether I changed my name or not (not my friends, not my parents, not my mentors... nobody)
I know many intelligent, successful women who have kept their maiden names, and I admire them.
My husband is from a culture where women don't change their names
My husband said that he didn't care whether I changed my name or not
I feel that my husband and I are able to demonstrate our love to one another and to the world in so many ways, no one would dare to believe that my decision to keep my name had anything to do with an unwillingness to commit my heart, mind, and soul to the marriage.

So I kept my name. And I haven't thought too much about it, really... with the exception of one or two BIZARRE incidents.

1. Someone (granted, I think he's at least 75, probably 80) asked if the fact that I didn't change my name meant I was legally married. (Um. Yes, in fact, I'm very married.)

2. Someone flipped out about how to address an invitation to my husband and I. I mean, seriously flipped out.

So, as a public service announcement, and "for the record" (so to speak). Let me say the following: I'm happy with my name. I'm happy with my decision not to legally change it. I do not discount the possibility that if children come into my life that I might (informally) use my husband's name as a last name. I am proud of my women friends who keep their names. I am proud of my women friends who take their husbands' names. I am proud of my women friends who hyphenate their names. To me, a woman's choice to change her name (or not) is personal. It doesn't really affect me. It's none of my business, really. I call my friends by their names. End. Of. Story.

Finally, to those of you who are baffled and bewildered about how to address correspondence to my husband and me, let me say the following:

1. We will graciously accept your mail, however you choose to address it. We don't micromanage our friends.

2. If you are asking how we would prefer to receive mail, the following would be our preference:

Elias LASTNAME & Traci LASTNAME
ADDRESS ADDRESS
Detroit, MI ZIP

or

Elias LASTNAME
Traci LASTNAME
ADDRESS ADDRESS
Detroit, MI ZIP

or

Mr. Elias LASTNAME and the Rev. Traci LASTNAME
ADDRESS ADDRESS
Detroit, MI ZIP

or

Elias and Traci
ADDRESS ADDRESS
Detroit, Mi ZIP

This concludes the post about my name.

(or so I thought)

My good friend M pointed out that in all of my examples I put E's name first. If I'm all about "equality" and such, why didn't I put my name first? Good Point, M. Feel free to address the mail Traci & Elias. or Reverend Traci Smith & Mr. Elias Whatshisname. :)

what I've found interesting yesterday and today...

2009-04-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

Andrew Sullivan on Doug Jehl's decision not to use the word "Torture" in the NYT.
Found it here .

The law on torture. (Nothing new to me here, but I liked how it was presented and laid out.)
Found it here.

Rodd (a member of my church) and his son's little league team name.
Found it here.

Danish photographer Peter Funch stakes New York City street corners out for two weeks at a time, taking pictures of passersby from the very same spot. He then uses Photoshop to composite the results into single images.
Found it here via boingboing

More to come.

Back to the glasses...

2009-04-27T12:45:00.001-07:00

So, it's been awhile since I have posted on Traci-Colored glasses. I was blogging for awhile at Tanto Decir, but stopped that as well. It's a nice, sunny day, and I started this blog last year in April, so I thought I'd come back to it. Look for more "things I like" and general comments and thoughts on... well... whatever!

2008-11-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

She who does not thank for little will not thank for much.
- Estonian proverb

Thing I like #3 -- Barack Obama

2008-09-01T16:43:00.001-07:00

You know, it's no secret that I am a giant supporter of Barack Obama (AKA Uncle Bob). There are many political reasons I could expound on, but right now I want to talk about the guy's classiness. Sure, he has trash talked McCain, but this is the general election, people! Also, in my humble opinion, he has hit WAY more above the belt than McCain. But anyway, I was really impressed with his response to the fiasco involving Palin's pregnant daughter. This was from a press conference today...

I have heard some of the news on this and so let me be as clear as possible. I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people's families are off limits, and people's children are especially off limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics, it has no relevance to governor Palin's performance as a governor or her potential performance as a vice president. And so I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories. You know my mother had me when she was 18. And how family deals with issues and teenage children that shouldn't be the topic of our politics and I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that is off limits.

Barack Obama is thing I like #3.

PS E and I got to see him live today!!

just because i like to think myself clever...

2008-08-20T05:53:00.000-07:00

I would like to go on record, this morning, August 20, at 9:00 a.m. (before the nomination is announced) as saying that I believe the Vice Presidential Nominee for Barack Obama will be Delaware Senator Joe Biden.

How did I come up with my guess, you might ask? Did I carefully research each of the people on the short list and research their politics and voting records? No. Did I read a lot of blogs about guesses? No. Did I try and think like Obama's strategists? Well, only on one point. Graphic Design. Graphic Design? Has Traci lost it? No, she hasn't. I'm telling you, design matters, and it certainly matters in this campaign. You see, all along I have been following how the Obama campaign has been using rock solid graphic design and branding to make Obama accessible and easy to understand. It's been brilliant and oh-so-fun for Traci to watch. Eye candy! Anyway, back to the veep.

So in "guessing" who the Veep is going to be, I found the "short list" of candidates and I took a little spin around their websites, most of which are atrocious looking. When I got to Senator Biden's I thought to myself... does this website look like it's been tinkered with a bit by Obama's graphic design team? Yes. Does it have the same blue that is all over Obama's site? Yes. Is it easy to understand and pleasant? Yes. Is Joe Biden the nominee for VP, based on my extremely non-scientific analysis? You betcha. The announcement should come this week. See if I'm right.

brilliant song about crazy televangelism. it's so 80s and so current all at the same time. also... not limited to televangelists...

2008-08-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

2008-07-31T04:38:00.000-07:00

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-prayer26-2008jul26,0,1436211.story

a story i've been thinking about recently

2008-07-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, "Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!"

The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces.

"Don't cry 'wolf', shepherd boy," said the villagers, "when there's no wolf!" They went grumbling back down the hill.

Later, the boy sang out again, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!" To his naughty delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive the wolf away.

When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said, "Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don't cry 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!"

But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more.

Later, he saw a REAL wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly as he could, "Wolf! Wolf!"

But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come.

At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn't returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him weeping.

"There really was a wolf here! The flock has scattered! I cried out, "Wolf!" Why didn't you come?"

An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked back to the village.

"We'll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning," he said, putting his arm around the youth, "Nobody believes a liar...even when he is telling the truth!"

Things I like #2 - John Mayer

2008-07-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Many of the people that read this blog, Traci-Colored Glasses, already know that I love John Mayer because they have read it umpteen times on another blog I used to write. I feel the need to proclaim for the new readers of the glasses that I am a huge fan of John Mayer. I dabbled in John Mayerdom when he came out with the album "Room for Squares" in 2001, but it was the album "Heavier Things" in 2003 (right about the time I went to seminary) that sold me on John Mayer. His song "Clarity" became my theme song for seminary, and then JM began to release more and more brilliance... He released a blues album about when I was feeling the blues, he released Continuum when I was ready to graduate seminary, and he's released a variety of Live albums, most of which I have, all of which I've listened to, many times. His most recent live album "Where the Light is" is, by FAR, my favorite live album. It's genius. I'm waiting for his next album, although, he claims to be "uninspired" to keep making records. Noooooooo!

John Mayer, thing I like #2.

carolina.

2008-07-13T07:14:00.001-07:00

you will have to forgive me.

Independence Day!

2008-07-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

Independence Day! Happy 4th, everyone. A few days ago, I decided that this Independence Day would be a day where I would gain my independence from some of the clutter and laundry that is trapping me in life, so today I have been busily working on dishes, laundry, paper clutter, etc. I'm no where near done, but I'm seeing some progress. I am treated myself to this album and this song as independence day "clean up my life music."

Things I like #1 - Ubuntu Linux

2008-07-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

Brian recently posted a "things I like" post on his blog, and I liked the idea. I am planning, therefore, to write about "things I like" on this blog from time to time. For the first one, I thought it would be a good idea to write about Ubuntu Linux, because Brian introduced me to it!

To understand Ubuntu, you first have to understand linux. Simply put, linux is an operating system, just like Windows Vista, Windows XP, and all of the Macintosh OS flavors (Panther, Tiger, Leopard, Hedgehog -- oh wait, Hedgehog was actually an Ubuntu release.) So there is Mac, there is Microsoft, and there is linux, except it's really hard to put "linux" in the same category as Mac and Microsoft, because Mac and Microsoft are both companies, whereas linux is not. You can't trade Linux on the NYSE. Linux distributions are all supported by the community. And by "the community," I mean a whole lot of nerds. You can include me in this category if you want, but most of the nerds in the linux community are wicked smart, and exceptionally devoted to computers whereas I am merely interested in one thing: getting my computer to work. I might have gotten started using Linux because I wanted to be a smartypants computer geek, but I have stuck with it because it works better than Microsoft Vista, which routinely makes me cry. In the 3 or 4 months that I have been using Ubuntu at home my computer has NEVER crashed, it has NEVER frozen, I have received ZERO error messages, and I have been booted off the internet ZERO times. Ubuntu Linux, you are a thing I like! Look for more posts on things I like as well as more posts on Ubuntu and Linux!

A few thoughts about speaking to someone using an interpreter...

2008-07-01T19:20:00.001-07:00

I just got back from a GREAT weekend interpreting in Chicago for some Cuban people. As I was interpreting (from Spanish into English and then English into Spanish) I realized that there are some common mistakes people make when using interpreters that should be avoided. I also was surprised to see a fellow interpreter make some mistakes that were bothersome to me. So, in the interest of making the world a better place to interpret and be interpreted, allow me a few moments to stand on my interpreting soap box.

First and foremost, remember that the purpose of interpreting is to help communicate thoughts from one language into another language. Sounds simple enough, but it can be tricky. The interpreter's role is simple, to facilitate communication.

Some thoughts and stories that might make this clearer.

For those using an interpreter:
1. Talk directly to the person who is using an interpreter, not to the interpreter. Avoid talking to the interpreter and saying "tell him I said x." Simply look the person in the eye and tell him or her what you want to say.
RIGHT: I really enjoyed your sermon! Thank you so much for everything!
WRONG: Tell him I really enjoyed his sermon and that I am thankful.

2. Avoid making comments to the interpreter that you don't want repeated or interpreted. It causes a feeling of isolation or exclusion.

3. If you are concerned that your message is not getting across, speak to the person directly and ask him or her if he understood. Avoid making comments to the interpreter such as "Did he understand me?"

4. If you are a third party listener where an interpreter is being used, do not correct or interrupt the interpreter. If an interpreter is pausing to find the correct word or if he or she asks for clarification, don't "butt in" and "help." It's rude and also distracting.

5. Don't shout! Just because a person doesn't speak English, it doesn't mean that he or she can't hear. Speak in a normal tone and pace.

As an interpreter. (I can't believe I have to type these things. I'm crabby.)
1. Interpret what people say to the best of your ability! If you don't like it, tough! Your job is not to judge or "soften" what is being said.

2. Don't answer questions that aren't being asked of you! You are the interpreter! It's not about you! (sorry, lots of exclamation points.) For example if someone asks the person you are interpreting for, "What color is the sky?" your job is to turn to the person you are interpreting for and to say "What color is the sky?" Your job is not to say "blue" to the person who asked the question. Duh.

3. Say what the person said! If he says "I'm tired" say "I'm tired." Don't say "He says he wants to go home and take a nap." I'm serious. This is based on experience, people.

4. Watch your body language and gestures. I say this because it's something I personally need to work on. When I am interpreting I tend to get squirmy and play with rings or bracelets or whathaveyou. It's annoying and distracting. I need to do my job.

5. Don't let pride get in the way. If you didn't understand what was said, ask for clarification. It will make you a better interpreter.

pio pio

2008-06-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

i love this.

in honor of father's day

2008-06-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

i just had a lovely conversation with my dad for father's day. we chatted about the boat, about the mission trip i just went on, about the wedding, etc. then the following conversation ensued:

traci: "barack obama is coming to detroit tomorrow and i can't go because i have a meeting."

dad: "who's uncle bob?"

traci: laughter. "BARACK OBAMA"

dad: "oh, i was wondering which side of the family uncle bob was on."

traci: (still laughing.) "i'm going to put that on my blog."

happy father's day, dad. i love you.

they say...

2008-06-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

they say that love can heal the broken
they say that hope can make you see
they say that faith faith can find a savior.

jars of clay.

2008-06-07T20:17:00.001-07:00

given the amount of time i spend on the cell phone this makes me very nervous.

busy week

2008-05-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy week. (Hence, the lack of posting.) Exactly 8 days ago I decided to go to Colombia. Tomorrow. There was a lot to get in order as far as the visa and my job, and I'm not entirely confident I got it all done. Still, it is an important trip. I was starting to melt and wilt, and I need to see my fiance. I still need to pack and do some laundry and get some t-shirts for R and A, but it will have to wait. The great irony is that my sermon this week is about "being still." Haha. There was an unexpected surprise this week, and that was the evening I spent reconnecting with a seminary colleague of mine and getting to know his spouse. We were both at the same wedding, and we had a great time talking and laughing.

"Forsake not an old friend, for the new will not be comparable to him."

Miss Always Invisible...

2008-05-27T06:10:00.000-07:00

I found Marie Digby via You Tube awhile ago when I was looking for acoustic versions of familiar songs. She now has a record deal and she's not quite "unknown," but she's not a household name (yet.) There are two things that are striking about her in her youtube videos 1. She has an amazing, angelic voice. 2. She is very beautiful. I was surprised, then, to learn that this song "Miss Invisible" was autobiographical... it's about an awkward kid who doesn't fit in, who's hiding behind the bleachers and wanting someone to befriend her. It's a reminder to me to continue to be a person who looks to befriend those on the outskirts. They are in every "group," churches, schools, seminaries (yes, seminaries too. That's a post for another day...) Who are the invisible people in your world and community? How can you reach out to them?

the exercise i posted about a couple of days ago

2008-05-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

i posted a couple of days ago about the exercise i read from ys marko's blog... i did it this morning. here's how it went:

1. Write down the names of 5-10 people you love.
i had nine... E, six family members, and 2 friends.

2. Write a word or phrase about each person writing what it is you love about them.
that they listen to me was a common theme, also that they are kind and good listeners. a couple of surprising things came up here, too.

3. Write down the names of 5-10 people who love you...
i had 7... 4 family members, 2 friends and E.

4. Next to each name, write what it is that this person loves about you...
this is harder than you would think, but i came up with some stuff...

5. Finally, write down a list of things that God loves about you.
this was easier than i thought it would be... came up with lots of reasons...

the final part of the exercise was to pick something that surprised you about what God loves about you... i picked "because God is delighted by me." delighted? i delight God? i was surprised that came to mind, but i believe it's true.

i encourage you to try this exercise. it's a pretty private one, which is why my answers aren't really descriptive or clear. it's a good thing to try out sometime!

Prayers for someone I don't know (except through his music)

2008-05-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

I was planning to write a post about the American Idol finale when I heard about the death of Stephen Curtis Chapman's 5 year-old daughter. Steven Curtis Chapman is a prolific songwriter, and an exceptional human being. I have listened to his music since junior high school. My favorite song of his is called "Sometimes He Comes in the Clouds," and it is a song about adversity. You can listen to it here. It's heartbreaking in the context of this death. I can not imagine the pain that comes from losing a child. My candle this evening is lit for the Chapman family.

2008-05-21T10:41:00.001-07:00

YS Marko told about an exercise he did at his church. I am going to do it this weekend, and report back. If you feel so led, you should try. Sounds like a valuable exercise.

What you need:

Some time
A quiet space
A flat stone and sharpie (or piece of paper, cardboard, whatever.)
A pen and paper

Got the stuff? You're ready...
1. Write down the names of 5-10 people you love.
2. Write a word or phrase about each person writing what it is you love about them.
3. Write down the names of 5-10 people who love you
4. Next to each name, write what it is that this person loves about you
5. Finally, write down a list of things that God loves about you.

Done?

The stone and sharpie is to write down the most surprising thing that God loves about you, to keep as a reminder. Cool, eh? I'll let you know on Monday (or Tuesday) how it goes.

thanks, julie.

2008-05-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

my friend julie just posted about a commercial that has been bothering me as well. thought i'd get on board and post about it too. maybe if enough bloggers get on board electrolux (and at least kelly ripa) will contemplate the absurtidy of their message.

the commercial is this one:

i'm sure i don't need to spell out the problems with this commercial, but i will anyway, because, ahem, it's good to get stuff off one's chest. while i wasn't around in the 1950s, i hear there were some pretty cool things going on. soda fountains, poodle skirts, etc. i also hear that women were expected to be perfect in every way. they were expected to entertain, take care of the kids (and the dog) and do it all while looking fabulous and feminine. hard to do. then women started to work outside the home. good for us! we have skills outside the home too! but somehow, it seems, that this working outside the home thing has become something that we are to do in addition to taking care of the kids and the dog, maintaining a beautiful home and being a size negative zero with perfect hair and makeup. kelly ripa: you are a fun, talented woman. your husband is a hottie. you are a multi-millionaire. we get it: you are superwoman. however, let us not forget that you have a nanny, a housekeeper, a hair and makeup stylist, a driver, a publicist, and probably someone who picks up your starbucks for you. listen up ladies: wanna stay home and be a mama? good for you! wanna work outside the home? you go girl! wanna do both? i admire you tremendously, but don't think you can do them both perfectly a la this ridiculous commercial. ain't gonna happen.

p.s. make sure to read julie's blog. it's better than this one.

cats on a treadmill.

2008-05-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

i have been having a sort of cranky day today. this video made me laugh out loud. hilarious.

http://view.break.com/502351 - Watch more free videos

Bouncing around in my head. . .

2008-05-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

... sometimes I just lose it! That happened to me today. Luckily for me, I took a deep breath, my cat curled up on my chest like he always does when I'm upset, and I gained a little perspective. Quietly, quietly, I could hear these words in the back of my head "The Lord is gracious and slow to anger he is rich in love, he is good to all." My favorite Psalm is Psalm 145. It became my favorite Psalm after a song by the same name introduced me to some of the themes in it. More times than I can count it has bounced around my head when I've felt weary or worthless or weighed down. The Lord is gracious and slow to anger he is rich in love he is good to all.

Randomness...

2008-05-15T05:38:00.000-07:00

Well... I haven't posted in a while, and I'm kind of in a hurry. I have lots of stuff I could write about and a few "linky" posts to post (plus a post about Ubuntu that I've been meaning to get to) but for now, here is some listey goodness because it's usually what I post when I've been away for awhile and have no time.

I've gotten back on the exersise bus. I used to exersise quite a bit, but in seminary, things like eating nachos and reading like crazy took over. It's good to be doing yoga, walking, pushups, etc. I want to look smashing in my wedding dress.
Speaking of wedding dresses... my mama and I went shopping for them this weekend! We are still waiting on a lot of blahbity blah with the visa, but we are getting closer, and so I felt justified in shopping. What girl doesn't want to try on wedding dresses? The one I liked the most was at Macys. Calvin Klein. It is simple by the Traci definition of simple, not simple by most people who sell wedding dresses definition of simple. No beads, no bows, no sequins, no frilly frilly frou frou stuff. It looks nice, but would look even nicer with... EXERCISE! Ha ha.
Also last weekend, my dad retired! We presented him with his Scholarship Fund and he was thriillled! I was happy too. What a great weekend of family.
Oh, one more thing we did this weekend: play video games. I felt kind of bad for all of the teasing I have done of losers who play video games, because I LOVED the nintendo wii. Seriously, I may have to get one of those for E and I to play during our first year of marriage. How hilarious would that be? We played guitar hero, golf, and these carnival games. Super fun.
It is beautiful outside. Absolutely gorgeous. It stresses me out that E is probably going to be moving here in the ugliest time of the year and will have to wait months for this to come back around again. Ah Michigan. How I love your weather. Not.

Compelling list.

2008-05-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

I found this list awhile ago, but didn't have a chance to look at it carefully. As I was doing some cleaning up of internet files, I found it again. Enjoy.

20 Common Mistakes of Eager Leaders
1. Winning Too Much. The need to win at all costs and in all situations—when it matters, when it doesn’t, and when it’s totally beside the point.
2. Adding Too Much Value. The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion.
3. Passing Judgment. The need to rate others and impose our standards on them.
4. Making Destructive Comments. The needless sarcasms and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty.
5. Starting with “No,” “But,” or “However.” The overuse of these qualifiers, which secretly say to everyone, “I’m right. You’re wrong.”
6. Telling the World How Smart We Are. The need to show people we’re smarter than they think we are.
7. Speaking When Angry. Using emotional volatility as a management tool.
8. Negativity. The need to share our negative thoughts, even when we weren’t asked.
9. Withholding Information. The refusal to share information in order to maintain an advantage over others.
10. Failing to Give Proper Recognition. The inability to praise and reward.
11. Claiming Credit We Don’t Deserve. The most annoying way to overestimate our contribution to any success.
12. Making Excuses. The need to reposition our annoying behavior as a permanent fixture so people excuse us for it.
13. Clinging to the Past. The need to deflect blame away from ourselves and onto events and people from our past; a subset of blaming everyone else.
14. Playing Favorites. Failing to see that we are treating someone unfairly.
15. Refusing to Express Regret. The inability to take responsibility for our actions, admit we’re wrong, or recognize how our actions affect others.
16. Not Listening. The most passive-aggressive form of disrespect for colleagues.
17. Failing to Express Gratitude. The most basic form of bad manners.
18. Punishing the Messenger. The misguided need to attack the innocent, who are usually only trying to protect us.
19. Passing the Buck. The need to blame everyone but ourselves.
20. An Excessive Need to Be “Me.” Exalting our faults as virtues simply because they exemplify who we are.

from Business week via Brand Autopsy

snow patrol: chocolate

2008-05-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

this could be the very minute i'm aware i'm alive: all these places feel like
home.

from a song entitled, "belief."

2008-05-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

this is one of my favorite john mayer lyrics from the album "continuum." i've posted about it elsewhere, i'm sure.

is there anyone who ever remembers changing their mind from paint on a sign? is there anyone who really recalls ever breaking rank at all for something someone yelled real loud one time?

it reminds me that the true persuading is usually done in quiet conversation and patient listening. not so much on billboards and yelling loudly. though i do like to yell, sometimes.

Homestar Runner!

2008-05-07T05:14:00.000-07:00

When I was in seminary, I used to watch Strongbad's emails on www.homestarrunner.com. For those of you who are not familiar, Strongbad is a slightly sassy character who answers viewer emails with sarcastic stories. There is a whole cast of characters (Homestar, who is goofy and child-like, Marzipan, Homestar's girlfriend, Strong Sad, who is melancholy and depressed all the time, Strongbad, who is stararcastic and witty, The Cheat, who doesnt' speak, and a host of others) Annnnyway. I happened upon Homestar Runner again this week, and really liked Strongbad's new email about cereal, and I thought I'd pass it on for those of you who used to watch and let it drift away, or for some potential new fans. Check it out here.

Comments!

2008-05-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hey, readers! I know you read, because I can tell, but only a few people have ever commented. I'm not being critical, because I read dozens of blogs and only comment on a few of them. I did make a decision, however, to allow "anonymous" comments, meaning that you don't have to sign in with an open-id name or with a blogger id. Now, if you want to make a comment, just click "anonymous" but be sure to sign your name any "anonymous" comments that have no names (or, obviously that say something rude or grossly inappropriate) will be de-le-ted. Now, a special request... if you are a former reader of tanto decir, can you please comment on this post if you have never commented on this blog before? I am getting the feeling that some people didn't get the memo that I moved over here, and I'm trying to figure out if that's true. Also, comment just for the heck of it! Say hi! Tell me who you are. Also, tell me what your favorite stuff to read on here is: drama, design stuff, theology, quirky randomness, whatever. I gotta go to work, people. Seriously.

iraq

2008-05-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

i heard someone say today that he was "bored" with iraq. i think i know what he meant, and i'm not trying to be too hard on him. this war has been going on for years now. a lot of people have had a lot of strong opinions about it for a long time. still, the phrase "i'm bored with iraq" sort of jolted me out of my seat. let us not forget that those who are actually living in iraq, those whose homes have been destroyed, family members killed, children irreparably scarred emotionally and physically aren't "bored" with this war. they're still fighting for their lives, wondering if they'll be caught in the crossfire, praying for peace. i doubt that US soldiers are bored, either. they're still thousands of miles away from their families, heartbroken many of them.

sometimes i think photos can help when we feel jaded. (i'm pretty sure that's what the person meant when he said bored, he meant jaded.) this one struck me as particularly powerful today.

Great Song...

2008-05-04T19:09:00.001-07:00

Still trying to learn what it means...

Dig, by Adam Again (covered by Jars of Clay, which is how I heard it)

I had big idea
I had a crazy eye
I broke the sacred seal
I told a lazy lie
I've had my conscience bent
I've had my patience tried
I've been up in the desert
And down by the riverside

Will the eagle fly
If the sky's untrue?
Do the faithful sigh
Because they are so few?
Remember when I cried?
Remember when you knew?
Remember that look in your eyes?
I know I do

And count the stars to measure tme
The earth is hard, the treasure fine
To the sea I'll crawl on my knees

Feel it coming in
Feel it going out
Water covers sand
Blood covers doubt
So I begin again
Again, the healing bow
There was a time that I might have surrendered
But not now

Consult the cards to measure mine
The earth is hard, but the treasure fine
At the sea, I'll wait on my knees

Nice article from Relevant

2008-05-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

Relevant Mag always puts out good stuff. This is a great article. As I would expect, Mark Driscoll ends up soundling like a jackass and everyone else sounds intelligent and thought provoking. I hope the word jackass isn't unnecessarily obscene, but that guy gets on my nervs. Rob Bell, Erwin McManus and Efrem Smith are predictably right on the money, in my opinion. Found the article via Adam's facebook status.

miracle

2008-05-03T22:13:00.001-07:00

tomorrow i'm preaching on my favorite miracle story in the bible. can you guess?
1. it's not a miracle jesus performs
2. it's in the NT
3. it doesn't show up in the lectionary

el gato famoso

2008-05-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

mixed blessings, always.

2008-05-01T16:18:00.001-07:00

the bad news: i keep crashing computers.
the good news: i feel inspired to try ubuntu again.

Resolutions: Month 4

2008-04-30T18:24:00.000-07:00

Every month I'm posting about my resolutions for 2008. I'm happy to say April was a MUUUUCH better month than March, resolutions wise...

1. i will eat a more balanced and healthy diet. specifically: less take out (actually, the take out has to be its own goal, but i'll put it in here too) more whole grains, less cookies, (waaaay less cookies), more salad, more portion control.
i have made more progress on this goal than any other goal this month. i am the picture of healthy eating... wuuuu-hoooo. got the portion thing down, and the salad thing down, and the cookies. basically the only cookies i eat these days are in those 100 calorie packs. good deal.

2. i will worry less about future events and spend more time focusing on current blessings
again, i'm doing fairly well on this one. living in the now, being where i am. i give this one a B.
3. i will nurture my love for art by creating more art, learning more about art, and visiting the art museum more frequently
hmm... i'd give this one a B- for the month. actually, come to think of it B.
4. i will eat less take-out (this will help with goal number 1, but will also help with general laziness and spendingtoomuchiness.)

A+ this month. woo hoo.

5. i will try to keep my apartment more tidy. i know this is a matter of opinion and i, of course, am the only judge, but i'm not planning on cheating MYSELF in my own resolutions
for me, one who constantly struggles with tidy-ness, i'd say i'm doing pretty good on this one. the hardest to keep up on this month = (gulp) dishes. the cooking for myself healthy foods means there are quite a few dishes. i'm working on straightening things up bit by bit, though.

6. i will try to err on the side of compassion in my personal and professional life. (again, hard to quantify, but i know what i mean.)
hmm... i give this one a B as well...
7. i will drink more WATER, plain detroit tap water, when i am thirsty i will sometimes choose WATER, not diet soda, not tea, not coffee, not juice. WATER. (i am hopeful that this will help with my migraines)
excellent! been drinking water like a fish. the only problem = still getting the migraines. i was pretty convinced that dehydration was a major factor, now that that's clearly not it, gonna have to keep working.

8. i will finish the devotional book for my dad
This one gets a C- i'm keeping up on it, but barely, and i'm doing them like 4 days at a time. i'd really like to sit down and do a month or two to get ahead.
9. i will get out of the apartment more, especially when it is lighter in the evening)
I feel fairly good about this one as well. B to B-... taking walks in the evenings, going out with friends, getting back to YOGA!

10. i will attend more lectures/seminars/workshops and/or read more books on peace and justice related topics.
Again, I'm not doing well on this one C-... it's a good thing that there are 8 months left in this year to keep up. I have been keeping up with Torture news (that sounds funny) and politics, and a little bit with the UN and its involvement with the food price crisis, but other than that, I have not been to lectures/workshops and i've read exactly ZERO BOOKS on peace and justice this month. May, May, your month is coming.

11. i will intentionally nurture my own spiritual growth, recognizing that i cannot minister to others unless i have received spiritual nurture... i will be willing to try a variety of different things throughout the year (worship service i can attend, spiritual director, personal prayer journaling, etc.) i will keep at it and report on my progress monthly.

C to C+ I'm keeping up with some of the old disciplines, but would like to get moving on some other new ones. Happy about the Sabbath Keeping and prayer, but would like to get moving on some scripture reading and memorization.

3 things

2008-04-30T10:57:00.001-07:00

i'm taking a break from working right now and i would like to point out three things.

1. my cat, dj, now has a facebook page. as i have proclaimed repeatedly on the other blog, and facebook, and in person, i have the greatest cat in the whole wide world. coming soon: profile picture for dj! i love the internet.

2. if i were anywhere near princeton at all, i would go to this conference next friday. is there anybody near p-ton that wants to go and give me a report? it's 15 bucks, only. and you get lunch. can't beat it.

3. this evening i will be posting my progress on my new year's resolutions. (i've been doing it every month, but traci-colored glasses is a new, more widely read blog, so i'll have to catch you up to speed. i am posting that i will be posting for my benefit, because if i post it, i'll do it!)

the difference between younger and older evangelicals in the US, according to tony campolo

2008-04-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

great article. it matches up with what i seem to have noticed as well.

found here via huffington post

tagged to this one by suzanne

2008-04-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

I am: God's own.
I think: I know a little about a lot.
I know: who I am.
I want: peace.
I wish: I had the piece of paper we've been waiting for.
I hate: hate.
I miss: E.
I fear: a collapse in the world economy.
I feel: sleepy.
I hear: the beautiful voice of Sara Bareilles.
I smell: chipotle pepper hummus.
I crave: limeade with mint.
I search: for historical context of Bible passages.
I regret: very little.
I love: many things..
I ache: after yoga.
I care: how the story ends.
I always: am changing.
I am not: a reader of fiction.
I believe: Jesus showed us a better way to live.
I dance: in my apartment to loud music.
I sing: in the shower.
I cry: spontaneously, sometimes.
I fight: sometimes.
I write: less often than I would like.
I win: less games in Scrabulous than I would like.
I lose: to my mom, usually.
I never: know where the road will lead.
I confuse: my cat when I come home in the middle of the day.
I listen: to music most of the day.
I can usually be found: via email within 3 hours.
I am scared: of high open spaces.
I need: to be still.
I am happy about: the opportunity to see my family in a couple of weeks.
I hope: this post isn't too obtuse or boring.

I tag: all of the bloggers who read this,

the unpleasant phenomenon of being "cut-out."

2008-04-28T18:35:00.001-07:00

been thinking about this today....

Monica: Oh, what are we gonna do! I don't wanna see her!!

Phoebe: Ugh, Let's just cut her out!

Monica: What?

Phoebe: Cut her out of our lives! Just ignore her calls and dodge her 'till she gets the point!

Monica: Oh, I guess we could try that, but... it seems so harsh! (to Chandler) Have you ever done that?

Chandler: No, had it done to me though. Feels good !

in praise of the BBC

2008-04-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

I get my news from many sources each day, one of which is the BBC. There are a lot of things I like about the BBC, including the one minute news option (one minute! do you not have one minute per day to catch up on world news?) go to the news page and click on (what else?) one minute news. I also like the day in pictures feature. One of my favorite features, however, is the special reports. Whenever I feel a little behind on an important news story, I check to see if there is a special report. Usually there is and it will include a Q&A, pictures, and all relevant news stories on that topic. For example, I've been blogging a little bit about the current food price crisis and how it has affected me. If you feel a little behind, check out the BBC's Special Report On World Food Prices to read relevant news stories, and see charts and pictures. Enjoy.

Horatio Spafford

2008-04-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

Today was hymn Sunday at my church. We sang more hymns than usual, and we talked about some of the stories of the hymn writers. It was a special Sunday for me because I love hymns. Some of my favorites are: My Jesus I Love Thee, All Creatures of Our God and King, It is Well With My Soul, Crown Him With Many Crowns, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, O Sacred Head Now Wounded, Take My Life, Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus and O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing. (There are more, but those are a few of my favorites...)

I was reminded today of the remarkable story of Horatio Spafford. Many who read this blog have, no doubt, heard his story, but for those who haven't (and even as a reminder for those who have) here's a reminder of the two tragedies that led to his writing of the hymn. (from wikipedia)

First tragedy: The Great Chicago Fire

On October 8 1871, as Horatio and his wife Anna were grieving over the death of their son, the Great Chicago Fire swept through the city. Horatio was a prominent lawyer in Chicago and had invested heavily in the city's real estate, and the fire destroyed almost everything he owned.

Second tragedy: The wreck of the Ville Du Havre

Two years later, in 1873, Spafford decided his family should take a holiday somewhere in Europe and chose England knowing that his friend D.L. Moody would be preaching there in the fall. Delayed because of business, he sent ahead of him his family: his wife Anna, and his four remaining children, daughters Tanetta, Maggie, Annie and Bessie.

On November 21, 1873 while crossing the Atlantic on the S.S. Ville Du Havre , their ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel and two hundred and twenty six people lost their lives, including all four of Spafford's daughters. Somehow his wife, Anna, survived. On arriving in England, she sent a telegram to Spafford beginning "Saved alone."

Spafford then himself took a ship to England, going past the place where his daughters had died. According to Bertha Spafford, a daughter born after the tragedy, the hymn was written in mid-Atlantic.

The first verse is so powerful when you know the story.
Spafford writes:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

When I reflect on the fact that Mr. Spafford wrote those words as he stared into the very same waves that claimed the lives of his four precious daughters, I am so moved. We do well to learn the history of the hymns we love.

I know many, though certainly not all of the people who read this blog are hymn lovers. Tell me, what are your favorites? Post them in the comments!

Colombian Children's Song...

2008-04-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

I have many favorite Colombian children's songs, but Sol Solecito is my favorite as of late. I'm putting the video up because it's so sweet and happy (and hilarious when Pinocchio busts out his percussion playing. Just wait!) I'm not sure if it's sung in other Spanish-speaking countries, but it's definitely sung in Colombia. Here's my translation, although it (obviously) is a lot cooler and fun in Spanish because it rhymes. (You can get that if you play the video.) It's pretty impossible to watch this video and not smile. If you do, your heart could (possibly) be made of stone. Notice my superfluous use of exclamation points in the translation. I think they are appropriate.

Here it is "Sol Solecito" (Sun, Little Sun)

Sun, little sun, warm me a little today, tomorrow and the whole week! Moon, little jingle-bell moon! Five chicks and a calf! Snail! Snail! At one o’clock the sun comes out! Here comes Pinocchio playing the drums with a spoon and a fork!

thinking about this quote today...

2008-04-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Marie who maintains a blog that is far more interesting, witty, and well written than this one (subscribe immediately!) pointed me to this quote awhile ago. For some reason, I've found myself thinking about it today.

"The truth is a river where the strong can swim down deep and the weak and the broken can walk across so easily." -Caedmon's Call

fontbots!

2008-04-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

if i ever have a kid, he or she might be subjected to posters of fontbots because their mama is such a font geek.

via bad banana blog

cool idea

2008-04-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

for a virtual wall as a traffic light of the future.

wouldn't it seem logical

2008-04-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

that MICROSOFT Vista would be able to recognize a MICROSOFT life-cam without making me install drivers and dance a jig and sing a song and read it poetry? My favorite part of the process -- when MICROSOFT Vista told me that it couldn't recognize what type of camera I have. I got an error message that said "If you know the manufacturer of your device, visit the website." Yes, computer, I do know the manufacturer of my device, in fact YOU manufactured it, yes, YOU did, Microsoft. Billy, Billy, Billy Gates. It's a good thing I like the fact that you give lots of cash away. Sigh.

world hunger crisis, and a nagging sense from God.

2008-04-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

There is a perception, I think, that pastors are people who know God better than other people. I think this is a dangerous perception to have for two reasons, 1. being a pastor is a vocation, and certainly pastors have felt God's presence in our lives as we have sought ordained ministry, but that doesn't mean we don't have to work to stay close to God. We have to pray on our own, we have to struggle and wrestle with questions about faith and theology, we have to weep and wonder. 2. People who are pastors should never feel that they are somehow unable to attain a closeness to God that only "pastors" can achieve. That's not true.

Having said that, I want to talk a bit about how strongly I have felt God speaking to me this week and I am wrestling with God is calling me to do about it. In order to explain, I have to go back a little bit... In seminary my friend Nick, a dear soul, one of my best friends on earth, once prayed over our lunch with this simple prayer, "Lord we thank you for this food, and as we prepare to eat it we are mindful of those who are without food today and we ask that you would provide for them in your mercy, Amen." (Sorry, Nick, if I misquoted it, but that is almost exactly what you said, I'm fairly certain.) I never forgot that prayer, because it touched me so much. How appropriate it is to pray for the hungry before we ourselves eat. It humbles us, reminds us not to take things for granted. Since I heard that prayer, I have begun to pray it on my own before I eat a meal. I don't pray before every meal I eat, but when I do, I almost always pray for those who are without food, that God would provide for them.

Over the past week or so, as I have been reading and studying the worldwide food crisis, I have found myself praying for the hungry in our world a lot. It has been there, in the back of my mind, all the time. It's very weird, and I don't know what God is saying to me. Is God calling me to pray, night and day, for the hungry? Is God calling me to write prayers about hunger for other pastors to use? To do more research? I'm not sure, but I know that for now, I will continue to pray for the hungry in our world. More on this later....

For now, read this article in the NYT... it's amazing, and heartbreaking.

in honor of earth day...

2008-04-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

50 ways to help the earth...

via Chris Glass

Religious Literacy

2008-04-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

In about an hour I will facilitate a discussion on the book Religious Literacy: What Every American Should Know -- And Doesn't by religious studies professor Stephen Prothero. The book's thesis is simple: US Americans are fairly ignorant when it comes to religion. We lack a basic knowledge of the world's religions, even though we are fairly "religious" as a nation. Prothero explores this paradox and then provides a detailed glossary of religious terms every US American should know. I highly recommend this book. If you are a JAPC member and want to join the study, you are more than welcome to join. Email me for dates and times.

torture

2008-04-20T18:35:00.001-07:00

As most people who read this blog already know, I am passionate about the eradication of torture worldwide. As most of the people who read this blog should know, the United States' record on torture is abhorrent. Not only does the US personally torture prisoners of war (most famously made public through the Abu Ghraib scandal in Iraq), we are also infamous for sending prisoners to other countries to be tortured as well as for training foreign military intelligence to use torture.

About a week and a half ago, we learned (officially) what we have been saying for years now, that "harsh interrogation techniques" used on Al-Qaeda suspects were authorized by the highest government officials of our nation. Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Powell, Tenet, Ashcroft -- all of them, gathered in high level meetings to discuss the grim details of torture, including waterboarding. (Note: "harsh interrogation techniques" is usually code for torture, as understood by the Geneva Conventions.)

Though I am frustrated it hasn't received more coverage by them, The New York Times published an OpEd piece about it today. There's so much I could say about this, but for now, I will just remind you of one thing: torture does not work as a means of gathering information. Though it seems cool on shows like "24" it is simply not true that reliable information can be obtained from suspects through torture. No one doubts that torture produces information. Of course it does. Wouldn't you say something if you were being tortured? The problem with torture (the fact that it is immoral and cruel notwithstanding) is that it doesn't work. There are many articles/resources I could point you to on this point, this one is a good place to start if you are a "scholarly" type person. If not, just google "ticking time bomb and torture" and read what people on both sides have to say. I have no doubt that the argument for torture in this circumstance will sound silly to your ears, as it does to mine.

t-shirt rug

2008-04-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

i really like this t-shirt rug

found it on instructables via boingboing

On Housing the Homeless 2

2008-04-18T22:24:00.000-07:00

Well... here it is 1:30 am on Saturday and the week of housing the homeless at church is nearly over. After breakfast, our guests will pack up their belongings and head on to another church in Detroit for another week. The program is a rotating model where the guests travel from church to church each week. The week has taught me a lot about how to coordinate a program like this, how to pace myself, how to encourage volunteers, how to be patient... all in all, it was a wonderful experience, a great week. One of the highlights of this week for me happened this evening when we took a small church "tour" of the sanctuary, chapel and church parlor. Throughout the week the guests had been asking to see the rest of the church, and so the Sr. pastor graciously agreed to talk about some of the features of the sanctuary and other rooms. All of the guests were amazed at every tiny detail of the sanctuary. They asked thought provoking questions about the symbols, and the differences between different faiths. One man, when we walked into the beautifully decorated parlor exclaimed "Wooooo---eee! This room is downright BEAUTIFUL!" I was touched by his enthusiasm, and it reminded me of the beauty of the church I work in, and how being around it all the time might cause me to take it for granted.

rewards!

2008-04-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

it's been a long week. i've treated myself in a couple of ways for making it through. first, i bought myself a big ole espresso frappuccino from starbucks. secondly, tomorrow i am going to see the movie 21. i'm suuuuuuper excited about this movie. i haven't been as excited about a movie in a long time.

nice article on pastoral identity...

2008-04-18T04:43:00.000-07:00

If I were ever to work on a PhD that is related to ministry, I would want it to be on the subject of pastoral identity. Here is a nice article from the PC(USA) website:

http://www.pcusa.org/theologyandworship/whatwedo/pastoraltheology.htm

this one made me laugh...

2008-04-18T04:39:00.000-07:00

painfully polite and hilariously hostile writings from shared spaces the world over

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/

i know i'm a nerd, but

2008-04-17T14:07:00.001-07:00

i really want to go here, someday. it's only 4 hours from detroit. i will have to make it happen, somehow.

On Housing the Homeless...

2008-04-16T03:43:00.001-07:00

This week is an unusual one for me. Whereas I usually spend a good portion of my work day in my office at church and don't usually stay in the building past 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. (And that's only if I have a meeting), this week I am virtually living at church, with th exception of a few hours in the late morning and early afternoon when I go home to sleep. This is because my church is housing homeless people for a week, and I am in charge of staffing this project. The homeless people arrive at 5:30 or so each day, we have dinner, activities (movies, bingo, card games, etc.) lights out at 11 (for them). In the morning we serve breakfast and hand out a bag lunch. A bus comes to pick up our guests at about 7:30 a.m. and then they are off to Downtown Detroit where they work, look for work, or stay in a day shelter to return again at 5:30 p.m.

For me, the housing the homeless week has been very enjoyable work, both in the preparation of the previous few weeks and then this week itself. I have enjoyed working with the other churches that we have bought in to help with dinners. I have had fun coordinating the making of lunches, the preparing of snacks, the planning of activities, the collection of toilietry kits, the staying up most of the night. This week has reminded me why I became a pastor: I love to serve God's people, and (even more) I love to help others serve God's people. There is one thing, however, that worried me about participating in this week from the very beginning, and that is how the experience would affect me emotionally. Since I was a little girl, the idea that some people do not have homes to sleep in at night has affected me deeply. Even though I have since "grown up" and learned that "that's the way life is," I was still a little nervous that I would be so saddened by the stories of the people and the reality of homelessness in our country that I would be deeply, deeply troubled all week. This has happened to me before. Soon after I moved to Detroit, I ran into a homeless woman who was having a migraine headache. Since I get migraines, I know how awful they can be. I couldn't imagine suffering one on the street. She asked me for Excederine and grapes. I was very upset over her story for at least a week. I still think of her when I eat grapes.To try and guard against becoming too overwhelmed with the reality of homelessness, my plan was to be friendly and welcoming to the guests, but intentionally stay away from asking to much about their individual situations and inviting conversation about their specific needs and stories. My plan hasn't worked.

One by one this week many of the guests have stopped me in the halls as I have been scooting from the kitchen to the dining room caring for food and entertainment needs. "Pastor, can I talk to you for a few minutes?" or "Pastor, can I see you?" Though I tried to steer clear of such conversations I haven't resented these requests at all. In fact, I have been honored that the guests feel I am someone to be trusted. For the most part, the guests just want someone to hear them out, to listen. (Don't we all?) The surprise for me in all of the conversations this week has been how much hope they have shared with me. Whereas I was expecting to feel overwhelmed about homelessness and distrought over its harshness, I have been ministered to by the people I am alleging to serve in unbelievable ways. (How often this happens in life...) A man from the country of Georgia who knows more about early Christian Church history than I do told me all about Saint Nina, and how she brought Christianity to his home country. "You see," he said "Women like you have been doing important work for Christ for a very long time." He also told me about why he is proud to be a Detroiter, how this city is the first city in the world to have a traffic light and a paved road, that we have the second oldest Opera house in the country. "Don't forget," he said "This is not a dead city." Another man made me laugh when I was talking to him about movies. The group has watched a lot of movies and went through the 8 or so we had in the first couple of days. When I told him I would work on finding some more, he responded by saying "Reverend, you're so sweet." and then he paused and said "Excuse me. I don't mean sweet. I mean, you are a very spiritual woman of God!" I told him that calling me "sweet" wasn't a problem for me. In fact, it was quite a high compliment. I have been touched by our guests' concern for one another, how they have sought to protect one another. Though I am not able to honor requests for clothes, shoes, and medicine, many of the requests I have received for those things have come from one guest about another.

I have, of course, been disheartened by some of the stories. People have been telling me about personal tragedies in their lives so painful they don't want to go into details, they have shared how they are overwhelmed by life in the shelter, and the lack of privacy. There is an elderly man with diabetes who often smells of urine who can't get up from his mat, who spends almost the entire time he is here from 5 pm on curled up in a fetal position on his mat. It's not all rosy. There are still questions and heartbreaks. Yet, amazingly, through the grace of God, I have been blessed this week by a group of people who have recognized my call to ministry and have told me every day how blessed they are to know me. I am truly humbled.

panic

2008-04-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

There is a story in the April 21st issue of the New Yorker about elevators which you can read here. The story features a man named Nicholas White who was trapped in an elevator for 41 hours. The New Yorker has posted the video of the man's 41 hours in the elevator, time-lapsed so that the video takes three minutes and ten seconds. As the New Yorker article explains, these 41 hours changed Nicholas White's life forever.

I will warn you that it is difficult to watch. (The embedded YouTube video that follows is the same as the linked one above. I found the YouTube version loaded easier and was smoother than the New Yorker version.)

Dave Barry on how to turn your taxes in to manure.

2008-04-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Find it here. I love the part about his "accounting system." I totally relate.