1. The only fight I have ever been in was in 4th grade and it was pretty violent. It was between me and my best friend Andrew. (Not Zahn) =)
2. I won second place in a costume contest in 1st grade. I was a smurf. I should have won, but I went to a really legalistic elementary school and they probably thought I would cast a spell on everyone.
3. I was spanked in first grade (the school called it cheating, I call it giving someone secretarial work) and the first whack made me have to use the restroom. So I had to go to the little wranglers room then return for my next two whacks. I think I still need therapy for this.
4. One of my favorite things besides a good ocean and beautiful skyline is a clear stary night! If you add Over The Rhine, a glass of wine, and a leisurely walk afterward, you are pretty close to heaven.
5. I wanted to be a marine biologist or an ER nurse.
6. I wasn't a big fan of the Asian culture. Then I lived in Japan. I wept when I had to leave and come back to the US.
7. I was the first person onto a pretty horrific accident. I'll never forget seeing the the things I saw.
8. When I was a youngin' and I was afraid, I would run and hide somewhere. I still do that sometimes today, but I'm getting better at facing my fears.
9. I love love love love love my church! www.christcc.org Check it out.
10. I've had many men tell me I look like Oscar De La Hoya
11. My sister Renee's first boyfriend taught me how to do headstands when I was a kid. One night for their pure entertainment, and the entertainment of all the guest in the house, I decided to perform my new trick. After assuming my headstand position, I proceeded to split my legs in the air, thus releasing a loud noise from my buttocks. They didn't know what was coming with the headstand did they?
12. In 4th grade my friend Kelly used to eat her earwax and flash us by pulling her dress up. I hope she isn't reading this.
13. One of my roughest times in life was my junior-senior year summer. Jesus literally picked me up and carried me through.
14. My most embarrassing moment (well not anymore) included my friend Tory's house, a clogged toilet, and a dixie cup.
15. My sisters and I used to sing three part harmony in the car wherever we went. One of our hits was "Oh I Ain't Got A Barrell of Money"
16. I love that Jesus teaches us to love! It something I really am learning and want to be better at.
17. I currently have the greatest boss ever. Beth W Bowen!
18. I wish my spring break this year (which will be doing the show Miss Saigon--come see it) could be like last year. Going to Florida and Disney!!
19. My nickname in Junior High was "lardbutt". I might as well go to therapy for this one too.
20. Have I told you how much I love cookies? What about cheesecake? M&Ms? Trail mix?
21. I really want to go skydiving
22. Creativity is my heartbeat. I've written tons of music and two and a half musicals. The songs aren't so bad, but the musicals need some work. =) I would love for Jesus to allow my music to heal people.
23. I never have had a speeding ticket! (Who wants to play "I have never?")
24. I used to rollerskate shows non-stop in the basement when I was younger. I also loved to perform regular non rollerskating shows on the front porch for the people passing by car.
25. I have a jacket and shoe fetish. My mom has told me I can't buy any more jackets. =)
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Why Grandma Doesn't Shop At Walmart
This really is my grandmother explaining why she won't set foot in a Walmart.
Relationships: A Pathway To Loneliness
Henri Nouwen struck a chord in me; a dissonant chord; a chord that hits the ear harshly, but with tones that leave brilliant depth, a chord you don’t want to be right, but for some unforeseen reason it is. Nouwen expresses the thought that when you enter a friendship or relationship with human beings, it makes you all the more aware of your own loneliness. It reveals all the needs within yourself, whether realized or unrealized, that you are hopeful that the person across from you can somehow meet, somehow touch, somehow be the end all be all, somehow embody being hope. One glaring need is basic: wanting to be wanted by someone, and for a brief period of time, having that need met, having been chosen as ‘the one’, ‘the best friend’, ‘the boy/girl friend’, the ‘husband/wife’. But what does time do to these titles? How does a society that spins the word ‘commitment’-as if it were foreign-support these ideals? What happens when 4 days, 4 months, 4 years pass, and someone feels as though they are back to the drawing board, in search of that one we believe can make every need go away?
If we look closely we can see how avoiding loneliness manifests itself: many times it involves becoming so heartily encroached in some type of connecting activity to help you feel anything besides the loneliness that doesn’t budge. As humans we need experiences, we need the tangible, we need someone to say that they love us, we need the most current attractive distraction to buy us a little more time from the pieces of us that are undeniably frightening to unite with that lie deep in our hearts.
Facebook- I’ve heard some refer to this social network as a “glass of milk with just a hint of arsenic laced in it.” An online activity so entertaining, a place to reconnect with friends from your past, a click of a button to see what the latest news is of your cyberworld/real world collision of friendships. Yet how much time does it take from us? How often have you found yourself going from page to page desperately wanting a deeper connection with the picture displayed in front of you? How many times has it served as a place of hiding?
I believe we should never view loneliness as a negative attribute. If loneliness could be a part of our healthily lifestyle, then why are we so quick in delaying to really see it, or rather embrace it? Loneliness can help spur on healthiness in relationships with others by letting us understand that every person we come into contact with is exactly like us: human with needs. When we finally discover that another person by no means can save us 100% of the time, we begin to let the one we are relating to off of the hook of our need for a human-savior. We release our demands of underlying requirements that we have placed on the relationship. We simply can just be with no ploys, no manipulation, no striving, and no performance. Then we can see through that relationship that there has to be something bigger and greater outside of ourselves that can fill those deep lonely places--something supernatural. And only when we get filled there can we even begin to fathom pouring it into others.
Lower still with no expectation.
Underlying Urinal Usage
Urinals live between being necessity yet apprehensible activity, a need yet anatomical requirement. What makes urinals an event that causes my mind to plan ahead minutes if not hours before I venture into the bathroom realm? What makes this pure convenience to every day life such a stressful thirty seconds?
What happens mentally before we step up to the porcelain wall hanging? First, you have to make sure that you’re in tune with the underlying male rules and regulations for proper urinal use. The rules you ask?
The following rules are underlying and are in effect whether an occupant is using a divided or undivided urinal system.
When approaching the urinal, first asses the situation seeing how many males exists per urinal. If the occupancy isn’t high, then please proceed to the nearest urinal that is affixed at least two urinals away from a current occupant. This will make other occupants feel less awkward. If all urinals but one are filled, feel free to try to find a stall toilet to use. If no urinals or stalls are available, please wait in line at least 8 feet away from any urinal occupant, do not look in their direction and do not talk.
When a urinal becomes available to you, please move quickly to that urinal not turning your eye to your right or left as this could be used to non-verbally tell other occupants that you are either a new urinal user or just an untrained user. Also the wandering eye (as the National Urinal Association credits this term) can also have adverse affects on other occupants-who may question the sexuality and reason for your use at that specific urinal. Keep your eyes ahead and do not talk.
When in full use of the urinal, it is best if you do not bring up conversation or short talk with other occupants at the urinals. This causes much discomfort to all of the patrons, because this is not a normal arena for conversation. Some men are not able to focus on two large tasks at one time, and the conversation may cause many doubts between you and another occupant of where your eye contact should be during that conversation because conversation induces the wandering eye. The NUA would also recommend that not even a small greeting should be used, because you will not be in synchronized usage with your possible neighbor and this can make for an embarrassing situation. Please, do not talk.
Approaching the “turn around time” (NUA Glossary of terms) is important and is very crucial to your well being and the well being of others in the urinal grounds. When beginning to exit, please zip quickly keeping your eyes in complete vertical alignment with the wall that is currently in front of you. After your person is ready to exit, please turn quickly 180 degrees making no eye contact with any other occupant. Walk directly to the sink and please wash your hands, and immediately proceed out the exit door. Remember, do not talk.
All in all, I say break the rules. Chat it up! Ask your urinal neighbor how they are doing! It will make for good stories! But…do keep away from the wandering eye!
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