take me out to the (other) ball game

Kim and I got some really great tickets this weekend to the Purdue homecoming game. Thank you, G.E. (and no, that does not stand for "General Electric")! There were definitely some people with large bottom halves that took up a lot of space on the bleacher seats, but all-in-all, it was a super experience, and we had a really awesome time! Purdue CRUSHED the competition (University of Minnesota) 27-21.

Boiler up!!!

a quick rundown

Here's my last week in speed-mode:

1. Baked a zillion coffee cakes.
2. Went to Chicago spent the night and drove back in 12 hours. AND SAW ANNA!
   
3. Met some new people at church.
4. Had a great discussion at AG.
5. Called students to do surveys. (x a lot!!!)
6. Watched the season primeir of America's Next Top Model.
7. Cut more squares for my quilt.
8. Got some through-a-long-chain-of-people football tickets for the homecoming game.
   
9. Did the most varied-pace aerobics of my life.
10. Talked to Pepper!!!
11. Drank some coffee.
12. Tore it up studying I John.

I don't know what else I did this week worthy of note. My life is often a little boring. Still, I did spontaneously go visit Stenvig, and for that I'm proud. I'm not as boring as some may assume....

***Disclaimer: if the tooth fairy and Santa still come to your house, read on at your own risk.***

The drawing is not one of my own, sadly. It's a self-portrait of Rebecca Sharp from Florida. She's 10, and when I searched Google images for "talked to Pepper," hers was one of the images that made the first page. Her cat is named Pepper. That's a little different than a sister, but interesting, nonetheless. Also, I noticed she believes in Jesus, the tooth fairy, Santa and the Easter Bunny. Something tells me that this little girl needs to know that these four are not really all on level playing field. I mean, for one, the tooth fairy works every night, not just once a year, and of course, Jesus is the one who is actually real.

not quite what i bargained for

Tonight while at the shed-burning party at "The Country Club," I got into a conversation about puggles--this hybrid dog (beagle and pug). They're pretty darn cute, or so I heard, so when I got home, I thought I'd google an image and see what these puppies actually look like.

This pic is what I got (in addition to pictures of the puppies). Also called a "puggle," this is a pic of a baby platypus. I think it's MUCH cuter than a puppy.

if a body catch a body...

"But what I mean is, lots of time you don’t know what interests you most till you start talking about something that doesn’t interest you most." ~Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye

I finished reading The Catcher in the Rye this afternoon after having owned it since high school. As I'm sure most high school students have, I'd heard a lot about the book--it being a classic and all--but never actually read it or knew much about it. It's everything and nothing I expected.

I had heard (somehow) what the end was, but the whole time I read the book I kept wondering to myself, Was that really The Catcher in the Rye and not some other book? It wasn't until I read the last chapter that I knew for sure.

Mrs. Kim ;) and I were talking about it tonight before we watched some of the Colts game... I think I am not a detail person when it comes to reading literature, even though I'm (apparently, according to standardized testing) top-notch at comprehension. I didn't have any idea Jake was impotent, for example (The Sun Also Rises). Anyhow, I feel like there must be some deeper stuff than what I am getting from TCITR, but what it might be, I have no idea. I've checked out some online commentaries, but anyone who has any thoughts on the book should share them with me!

This pic is from Diana Bryan. Check out her stuff.

about today

My body is getting some serious training lately. Kim and I have been kickin' it up in aerobics at the co-rec, and today Mindy and I went running to explore our subdivision. I think I should grow to like running, but that'll most likely take a long time to do. As for today, though, my few minute bursts were a good start. I'm hoping I'll be able to continue to discipline myself in this area... I am basically a huge baby when it comes to running. I'd much rather do any other kind of exercise than actually run. Mindy's a good pusher, though, so if we continue to go together, this could be the beginning of a lovely workout routine. :)

This pic is from the first Bethlehem Road Race in 2003. I think these little kids probably enjoy it more than me at this point.

i want to be your feet...

Today was one of those entirely exhausting days, but I feel like it was not purposeless exhaustion. Actually, important decisions were made, exercise was done, people were met, contacts were gathered, the Word was studied, and the Lord was glorified. It was an entirely good kind of exhaustion-producing day. :)

I enjoy that such a day is a possibility. I feel like I've done a good job and it actually means something.

* * *

Tomorrow is another day for raising support in my little world. I need to get out the letters I printed last week, and also buy a new ink cartridge (sadly). I am exceedingly thankful for four solid hours to work on printing letters, getting things done, and basically, doing the support-stuff I don't have time to do during the week. Once these get sent, I'll have people to call next week! Yay!

* * *

If you've ever seen me post-workout, you notice I'm very red. I don't know why I flush so easily (it's simply heat-induced, I think, since I get that way whenever I'm hot at all...), but I noticed today that my post-flush look is very pale, except for my cheeks. It's a little weird, but not creepily so.

* * *

For the record (and the all-important citation of others' work, because I definitely value that), this pic is called, "Feet of the Campesino" by Ken Light. Impressive, eh?

almost un-boxed

This Labor Day weekend was spent with my parents (36 hours of fun)--moving the rest of my stuff from Kim's to my place, and working on unpacking the many boxes I had stored there. I have so many books! Not that I'm surprised by their sheer quantity, but my mother definitely was shocked to open box after box of them (right, Mom?).

I had a goal of getting things unpacked during the weekend, but that didn't happen, so I'm gradually putting things away day by day... I'm hoping that everything will finally have its own place by this weekend. There aren't really that many more boxes to put away... it's those silly little odds and ends that need homes at this point.

On campus, things seem to be going slow, but hopefully will be picking up after getting the dinnerline surveys (!) tonight and tomorrow! I've definitely been anxious to get my hands on some serious contacts, so this will be great! :)

* * *

Also noteworthy is the fact that Fridays have kinda become my support-raising days. Last week I spent four hours getting some support stuff done (and I need to get those letters in the mail ASAP!). Hopefully the trend of accomplished and fervent working will continue and even increase. I really want to have solid support and be done with the letter-writing campaign, but moreso, I really want to be able to spend all afternoon on campus each Friday. Still, if I have to be off-campus for a bit, this is definitely the way I like it. It breaks up my week a little (some diversity in what I do), and doesn't take me away from working with students that much.

* * *

Just for fun, here's a pic from my trip with Melinda after the end of the project in Germany. I'm eating herring in Sverige! Min Svensk farfar skulle bli så stolt!