This is my roommate, Kaitlin. She’s 18 and from Georgia. Surprisingly, we get along swimmingly! She’s sassy and blunt and I love it. Her favorite sayings are “Sweet and sassy!” and “Whatev.” She is becoming a source of sanity for me here. We have two other roommates who are very nice but it’s quite squishy, so we’re going to try to get our own room. Put in a quick prayer for us, hey?
Peaches October 30, 2007
R.C.U. October 27, 2007
I know I just posted, but I forgot to tell you guys something. My blog shows the search engine terms people use that end up bringing them here, and today one of them was “turds falling from but”. Hee.
When I Do October 25, 2007
I’m not really homesick yet. But when I do feel homesick, I’ve noticed it’s in the mornings and at night. It’s when I wish I was waking up in my bed, using my own toilet, shower, and sink…having a place for everything and everything in its place. Not climbing up onto a bunk bed at night, or listening to 18 year olds run down the hallways screaming for an hour after “curfew.” But once I’m going about my day, I’m cool. It’s just one of those things, like wanting a teleportation device. If I can’t teleport to my own bed every night (which would kind of get wearing, because I’m assuming even teleportation creates some sort of jet lag); I wish there was some way to like have your entire room and bathroom in a suitcase. One of those crazy, Mary Poppins’ bag kind of magical things; where the inside is so much bigger than the outside. Kind of like the wardrobe in the Narnia series. Do I sound crazy? Maybe because all I’ve had for lunch today is skim milk foam. Hmm. It would be great to have my pantry and refrigerator in that suitcase too.
Los Angeles is Burning October 24, 2007
So I’m just sitting around in Newcastle and hear that there’s some crazy fires going on in Southern California. Hmm…pretty much almost everyone I know and love live around there. Should I be worried? The weird thing is to be so isolated from it all. If it weren’t for email, I probably wouldn’t even know about it. I hope all of you guys are okay; not inhaling too much smoke and not having to evacuate your houses or anything. I’m praying for you!
Bread Bin October 20, 2007
So this bakery donates bread to our base every day, and that’s pretty much all they give us for food. Bread and pasta. Great, huh? I walked past a bakery today with gleaming cases filled with doughy pastries, and usually my mouth would be watering. But instead, I wanted to throw up. I guess it’s good to not like bread anymore, but not when it’s the only food you’re given. Sigh.
Sydney, Hey October 18, 2007
Well, I made it to Sydney! My flight was great and it was so awesome to see Katie at the train station! I had a wonderful weekend with her in Sydney, and I must say that Sydney is the most beautiful modern city I have ever seen! Guys, I’m a little bit in love with the Sydney Harbour bridge. Here she is, looking stunning in the sunset:
Left (Quotable Friday, Vol. 15) October 13, 2007
“We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn’t it?
It might be time for you to go. It might be time to change, to shine out.
I want to repeat one word for you:
Leave.
Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It is a beautiful word, isn’t it? So strong and forceful, the way you have always wanted to be. And you will not be alone. You have never been alone. Don’t worry. Everything will still be here when you get back. It is you who will have changed.”
Donald Miller,
Through Painted Deserts
And so I did. Leave, I mean. So far, it’s been amazing…I’ll try to update soon…when I’m not sitting in the lobby of the youth hostel with 4 minutes left on my Internet allotment! Send me some love, yeah?
Gossip Girl October 10, 2007
Why, oh why, am I so powerless in the clutches of the CW? I knew I shouldn’t watch the pilot of Gossip Girl, but I Tivoed it anyway. And despite my disgust with the way the show portrays sixteen-year-olds partying, talking, and drinking like 35-year olds (what kind of bar serves a martini to a high schooler?), I still find myself drawn in to the drama, the ridiculously good-looking cast, and the top 40 soundtrack. I’m so freaking predictable. But I have to admit, what first drew me to the show was its star, Blake Lively, who plays Serena. She played Bridget in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and she’s awesome. I totally want to look like her. Or her SoTP co-star and CW vet (Gilmore Girls, what), Alexis Bledel. I was not disappointed in her performance in the pilot. An unforeseen plus was Penn Badgley’s adorable “good guy” character, Dan; the intelligent, confident-yet-self-deprecating type who doesn’t even realize he’s good looking.
All that to say, after being seduced by images of a glamorous, Manhattan socialite lifestyle; I’m about to embark on a minimalist, Australian missionary adventure. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Don’t watch Gossip Girl. It’s addicting.
Time Travel October 9, 2007
You know what’s weird? I leave Los Angeles Wednesday night at 9:05pm. I get to Australia at 9:20am on Friday morning. But I’m only traveling 19 hours, yet I show up 36 hours later.
Now’s the weird part: I will not live the day October 11, 2007. Maybe I’ll be in the air for a few hours of it, but that doesn’t really count…I get on a plane and it’s Wednesday night, I get off and it’s Friday morning!
Even stranger will be when I return…I’ll actually travel BACK in time!!
P.S. I actually really hate time travel stuff…at least, time travel movies. Kate and Leopold, Back to the Future, The Lake House…yuck, yuck, and yuck.
