:: ms cool boots, if you're merry ::

i got this envelope (there was a card inside, too) in the mail the other day.  it made me smile. 

:: stage fright and baby food ::

i hadn't wanted to move up to camp grace with my kiddos for only one reason:  stage fright.

i'd heard the teacher sometimes had to take part in the skits in big group and i really didn't want to have to do that.  i would get anxious just thinking about it.  i'd imagine having to stand in front of a room full of kids and a handful of adults and speak.  or "act."  or, Heaven forbid, sing.  i dreaded every image that came to mind.  but i love those kids to death (i'd been teaching since they were 2-3 years old) and i knew how absolutely selfish and unreasonable my worries were, so i  moved on up with my class.  (i figured i could always un-promote myself if it was just too, too much to bear.)

last night was my first night in the bear den.  we were in big group.  they told the kids to nominate one of their teachers to come up to the front to do...something.  my heart dropped.  "on the first night?  really?  ugh."

i am the only teacher in bear den, so (despite me trying in fake-jest (you know, pointing to the other person like you're kidding, but really, you're not) to get them to nominate the sweet lady who was jumping in, instead of me) it was unanimous; they chose me.

i went to the front of the room to play "musical spoons" - a musical chairs sort of game, but instead of moving from chair to chair, you pass a spoon around.  if the music stops while you're holding the spoon, you reach into a bag, pull out some food, and have to eat a spoonful of whatever you grabbed.  the first lady stuck with the spoon blindly chose a jar of turkey baby food.  she took the tiniest nibble and sat back down with her class.  a rule was made that the next time, someone else would serve the food, to make sure it was a healthy sized bite.

guess who was next.

as i was reaching in the bag, i said, "i hope there are some vegetarian options in there," (wondering, "do they make beef baby food?  it's going to be really awkward when i pull out some type of pureed beef and have to refuse to eat it.  oh, no, i hope it's not sweet potatoes."). i pulled out a jar of applesauce (whew!)  baby food and gladly ate my gigantic bite.

and learned that applesauce baby food is not the same thing as just good ol' apple sauce.

still, it wasn't too bad.

“In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
    swept over me.
I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me,
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.

“When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
    to your holy temple.

“Those who cling to worthless idols
    turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
    will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
jonah 2: 1-9

:: duh ::

studionico.etsy.com via a cup of jo

:: a fine line ::

banff mountain film festival magazine [2011-2012]

"the line between badass and dumbass is not only fine, it is a grey, wavy line, and in a different place for each individual.  it's hard to recognise, easy to miss, and painfully clear when overstepped.  it's the concept of pushing hard and not giving up, balanced against blind ambition and getting in too deep.  basically, when you start to get really scared, you are probably approaching your line."

adventurer, climber, BASE-jumper and para-alpinist Leo Houlding, in response to being asked how he knows when he is approaching the "fine line between badass and dumbass." 

:: reminder ::

:: an invocation for beginnings ::

ashow.zefrank.com

let me think about the people i care about the most, and how when they fail or disappoint me, i still love them, i still give them chances, and i still see the best in them. let me extend that generosity to myself.

let me find and use metaphors to help me understand the world around me and give me the strength to get rid of them when it's apparent they no longer work.

and let me remember that my courage is a wild dog, it won't just come when i call it. i have to chase it down and hold on as tight as i can.

let me not be so vain to think that i'm the sole author of my victories and a victim of my defeats.

let me remember that the impact of criticism is often not the intent of the critic.

and when i eat my critique, let me be able to separate out the good advice from the bitter herbs.

let me not think of my work only as a stepping stone to something else. and if it is, let me become fascinated with the shape of the stone.

there's no need to sharpen my pencils anymore. my pencils are sharp enough. even the dull ones will make a mark.

and God, let me enjoy this.

:: not what i want ::

"you get used to it," he said. "that's what this place is all about, Edward. getting used to things."

"it's not what i want," he said.

"that, too," he said. "you get used to that, too."

[from big fish by daniel wallace]

:: maddie on things ::

i'm not the first one to this party, but i am loving maddie on things, nonetheless!

maddieonthings.com

:: love says it all ::

www.coreysmith.com

:: love ::

one of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“the most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘hear, o Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ the second is this: ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ there is no commandment greater than these.”

mark 12:28-29

:: grandmother advice ::

cute project (despite many typos and grammatical errors!). this is one of my favs.

behance.net

for some reason, it made me think of the last few years of my grandmother's life when she became a huge fan of TLC's what not to wear. far from a fashionista, maunga would watch the show and (very critically) judge the women & men who had agreed to have their wardrobes trashed and closets restocked. she also was quite opposed the style (or lack thereof) of hilary clinton and considered nominating mrs clinton for a spot on WNTW. so stinking funny.

:: random thoughts ::

- i wonder if the aol man ever gets tired of saying "welcome, you've got mail." i always have mail. it's a given.

- it really bothers me that we call a bathroom meant for both genders "unisex" because to me, that sounds like it's only for one sex. bi-sex or omni-sex bathrooms would be much more fitting. (and when i say that it "really bothers me" i mean for years. to the point where i have sounded like i don't know what they're called because i will try to avoid calling them that in conversation. it really, really bugs me. and this is the week i've chosen to admit it.)

- earlier this week a girl told me i look like someone who would be on the bachelor. i'm still processing that.

- i get upset when i see/hear people saying that obama is a muslim who claims to be a christian. i hate to think how i would feel if people hatefully, repeatedly and ignorantly doubted my profession of belief in Christ.

:: a song for you ::

:: oh my soul ::

i liked the song in this video and looked up the artist. mike stocksdale. been listening to him on spotify today and am enjoying it. none of the songs have completely sucked me in, yet (in a josh garrels kind of way), but i'm definitely bobbing my head and tapping my toes. worth a listen.

:: love by design ::

observatory.designobserver.com

eero saarinen's list of aline bernstein’s good qualities (1954).

love the roman numerals, that her generosity made the list twice and that he was concerned with the sentence structure in XII (she was a writer). so, so sweet.

:: sweet treat ::

blueberry & cream cookie :: compost cookie

momofukustore.com

:: that time of the year ::

the other day i was at the mall and passed one of those calendar selling kiosks. i walked right on by, though there was a tiny part of me, for a very brief instant, that wanted to stop and look around. i smiled to myself, thinking back to high school when i would visit one of those stands and pore over the options to pick out the perfect calendar for me. and usually one for my boyfriend for Christmas. the themes seemed endless back then and it's amazing to see that the calendar makers have somehow managed to come up with even more motifs than before. puppies and horses and other cute critters. books. music. movies. tv shows. vehicles. cities and historical landmarks. pop stars.

anyway, i didn't stop. the last thing i need is to shell out some bucks for a calendar that i will diligently fill with important dates...for the first few weeks of the year and then neglect for the remaining 49 weeks.

if you do happen to be a calendar person, though, here's a cute one i came across on the web a while back. love the concept and execution. would be a great promo item for conferences and networking and whatnot (if the cost wasn't so high - could be printed instead of letter pressed, i suppose).

shop.inkello.com

:: my weekend in photos ::

pool day #2 of 2.

:: smile-inducing ::

via joannagoddard.blogspot.com

:: my weekend in photos ::

at the 30th annual freedom weekend aloft.
bottom row: the wailers, corey smith and thousands of our closest friends.