Minus/Plus

Minus:

The holidays are especially more annoying and sad this year.

Plus:

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and a letter from Mina. 

Maybe the holidays won't be so bad...

40+ street artists you should know besides Banksy.

Audra Lewicki

Audra became my friend while I spent a semester in D.C. She's from West Virginia, but attended Wooster College in Illinois. We instantly became friends some how. I admired her passion, spunk and curiosity. She started a recycling program at her college, which I thought was pretty rad.

Fond memories:

• singing our field trip song while skipping every time we visited various organizations for lectures
• reading/journaling/playing by candlelight and talking about how we felt like we were characters in "Little Women" in South Africa
  
• generally frolicking, laughing and crying together in South Africa

Audra is so vibrantly beautiful.

I was looking forward to her visit to San Diego this week. But, a family emergency came up so she's coming in January. It will have been six years since we first met. Wow.

사랑하는 효정,

생일 축하한다. 

It's probably already your birthday in Korea. 

(I thought you might appreciate:)

Awestruck

What one word describes your current state of mind?

It's Election Day!!!

I'm so excited!

Church Hunting

Hmm, that sounds so negative.
How about I call it church searching?
But then, it sounds so .... lost (?).

Ok, anywho...

I went to a church in La Jolla my mom recommended. It was small and reminded me of FPC (my home church):

• the intimacy of the group
• the awkward newcomers introduction time
• the 'happy birthday' song on the first Sunday of the month. Everyone sounded drunk.

Everyone was very friendly.

Things I liked:

• the group ranged from age 70 to little kids. Most everyone was in their 30s.
• the pastor is Korean, but most of the congregation is Caucasian. There were a few Koreans. One Brazilian guy, one African guy, and generally a good little cultural mix.
• family-ness.
• communion service every first and third Sunday of the month.
  
• singing hymns.

I think the church may have been a little too traditional for me, but maybe I'll get used to it. I don't know; I still want to go back to Flood. I really liked all the different ministries at Flood. Plus, I felt a little more connected. It's odd because I felt more comfortable at the small church yesterday because it felt more like home, but I felt more excited at the bigger church.

Maybe I'll go to both services next Sunday. A whole day of church.
We'll see...

from The New Yorker

UNDECIDED by David Sedaris

This morning's highlights:

• buying a bag of the best oranges in the world at the farmer's market
• talking about pretty things with the jewelry lady
• video-chatting with Kristine, which included a special "E.T." moment and virtual hug
  

Dear God,

Thank you for loving me
in spite of me.

Sleep.

I need.

Giddy.

I like the word "giddy" because I think the way the word looks perfectly describes the feeling.
The loops and curves.
I haven't felt that silly junior-high-school girly giddiness in a while.
It's kind of fun.

Meet Me In St. Louis

I'm not exactly sure what there is to do or see in St. Louis besides the arch, but I look forward to exploring. If all else fails, there's always television at the hotel. (It's a luxury when one does not have one at home.)

It'll be interesting/awkward to hang out with the people I work with. I don't mind the people at my office, but we're going with people from the other agencies too. JJ's goal is to get them drunk, so they'll all get along better.

Hopefully, I'll get to attend a few interesting workshops, rest a bit and enjoy watching work people having fun.

Studio 14

It's been fun going to thrift stores searching for pieces of furniture, flower vases, tea cups, etc. I can't wait to start my little garden. There's something quite soothing about gardening; I especially enjoy patting down the moist and cold soil. 

I feel relaxed, at peace and simply comfortable when I walk into my place. It's small, yet cozy and perfect for me. Plus, now I'm just across the street from Whole Foods, two blocks from Trader Joe's, three blocks from my yoga studio and still close to my favorite bookstore. 

I feel incredibly grateful. 

"Drill, baby, drill!"

I'm "darn right" speechless.

Maureen Dowd's Op-Ed piece about Paul Newman

Which Disney Princess are you?

Which Disney Princess are you?

You are a true bookworm and dream of a life better than the simple, quiet one you lead now. Your good looks can attract the town jerks, but you manage to ignore them most of the time. Sometimes you feel like you're surrounded by idiots. So what are you waiting for? You don't need your father to be kidnapped to get out and see the world. Although you can be stubborn, you're also very compassionate and see beyond people's façades.

JJ came out as Esmeralda. (His comments in parenthesis as we read his profile out loud)

You are an exotic beauty who enchants everyone you meet. (Oh, that's true.) You have a special love for music and dance. (Oh, fo' sho'!) You are very kind to strangers, regardless of appearances, but you don't always see beyond good looks when romance is involved. (That's so true.) You have a strong attachment to your community, whether that be made up of family, friends, or both, and you never forget your heritage. Your beauty might attract the wrong sort, so take care that you're not taken advantage of. (That's very true because I attract all sorts) Luckily you don't die at the end of the Disney movie, although in the book you're hanged. (I'm a gypsy; I like that! But, I don't like that hanging part.)

Such a hilarious end to the day.

Elder JJ Quotes

1. JJ's advice on dating:

• Never date a man's potential.
• Playing with a man's emotions is worse than playing with his money.
• Just talk to him, get it out and let it go.

2. Kristin and I were talking about moving around some tables for the meeting later.

• JJ says, "Do you guys want me to help? You might need some muscle."
• Kristin: "Are you flexing right now?"
• JJ: "No, this is the regular, muscular me."
• (laughter explodes in the room)
• JJ: "Ok, you all are laughing a bit too hard." (walks out of the office)

I appreciate that we laugh a lot in our office.

My first celebrity crush

Paul Newman, 83, is dead.

I think Paul Newman was my first celebrity crush. I watched a lot of AMC growing up because of Mama Liu's love for movies and she somehow believed that "classic" films were okay for children to watch (although many of the films were probably inappropriate for a girl my age).

I remember watching Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Cool Hand Luke as a child and just being so captivated by him. I don't know what I really saw in him as a young girl.

There was something beautifully sad about the characters he portrayed in my favorite movies.

subject line: psst

my profile picture on Goodreads.


In my inbox this morning:

David said to you:
your photograph of your toes is outstanding! a fine example of the self portrait of toes genre!

you said to David:
why thank you kind sir. I'm always looking to contribute to the oh-so-avant-garde self portrait of toes genre.

David said to you:
you should be proud as they are outstanding toes.

For some peculiar reason, I am quite proud.

(Sometimes I get in this strange mood when I just listen to Jeff Buckley all day. There's something about the way he sings that totally draws me in.)