Legolas Was Here August 3, 2009

Apparently, a lot of people have been finding my blog lately by typing “Legolas” into the Google Image search engine.  The picture I used for this one post is the first image result to pop up!  Weird.  If you’re reading this blog and feel upset that it’s not a fansite, may I offer you this consolation: the author of this blog is an Orlando Bloom lookalike.  With that comforting knowledge, feel free to wander the archives and comment if you like.  Doesn’t matter how you got here…the more the merrier!

A Question, Sir July 22, 2009

So, I was reading through some of my old blogs today (oops, did that just tag me as a narcissist?) and one thought was running through my mind: when did I get so effing boring?  In other words, when did I start to take myself so seriously?  Sheesh.  I started this blog with references to Zach Braff’s unfortunate profile and lists of words I love or hate.  Now it’s all heavy quotes from heavy books leading to heavy pondering about life.  Who am I?  Like, seriously, who writes about sun-warmed tomatoes?  I have to laugh at myself.  Okay, here are some justifications, though – 1) I’ve been going through re-entry (not just from Norway back to the States, but from one lifestyle to a totally different lifestyle) and so I’ve found writing to be a natural and helpful outlet for me.  And once I finish a piece, I think, why not throw that up on the ol’ blog?  2) I’m not working so much, and I have a crappy Internet connection at home, so I don’t really have oodles of time to piece together fluffy blogs filled with images and links to Amazon and Wikipedia.  3) I don’t know, I just feel like there needs to be a third.  Maybe I’ve become a bit of a snob?  Maybe I think my readers have come to expect more from me than valley-girl reviews of movies and TV shows?

So I just wanted you to know that I understand this blog has evolved into a bit of a literary review, philosophical/spiritual journal type of blog.  And that’s not all bad…but is there still room on here for current events and confessions of guilty pleasures and celebrity crushes?  Or is the only place for that now my status updates on Facebook?  Bah.

Okay, here are a few randoms running through my mind that I (generously) put pictures with:

- I read an interview with Jennifer Aniston in Marie Claire where she called Diet Coke her “brown monkey.”  Love it!  And if Jennifer Aniston, with her amazing yoga body and glowing skin and there-is-NO-WAY-she’s-40 looks, can still be semi-addicted to Diet Coke, I think it’s just fine that I drink it a few times a week.  Thanks, Jen!

- Do you think that wearing a hat is ALWAYS making a statement?  I read somwhere (poss. Esquire) that it is.  My sister gave me a freaking sweet straw fedora for my birthday and I’ve worn it a lot already, always with many compliments and girls being like, “No, seriously, where did you get that, and do you think they’ve already closed for the day?”  The hat had its big debut at a friend’s bbq/mini-concert/dance party (yeah, it was fun) on Saturday and was warmly received.  But I couldn’t help feeling like that girl the whole time…you know?  Plus, I might look cute in a hat but I NEVER look cute when photographed in a hat.  Sucko.

- Seriously, are they EVER going to make a Gilmore Girls movie?  Because I would totally watch it.  Logan, I didn’t forget about your proposal and the house in California with an avocado tree in the yard.  If Rory’s still following Obama around, I’ll come hang out.  (NERD ALERT)

- …and The Bachelorette.  So, SO good.  Could you believe the Men Tell All special?  Those guys were crazy!  Even Chris Harrison was later quoted to say that they came off as “knuckle dragging cavemen.”  I fully agree.  I also stand by my theory that men are worse gossips than women.  The only thing is, they don’t get as hurt when someone talks crap about them.  If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?  If a guy talks crap about his friend and said friend doesn’t care, is it still gossip?  Oops…I’m wandering too far into pondering mode.  Back to The Bachelorette.  Who will she choose?  I think my vote is for Kiptyn.  He’s totally cute and grew on me, but I’m scared that when the going gets tough, he’ll drop out and go back to having tacos at Wahoo’s in San Diego.  I love Reid for her, but I think she’ll never be satisfied because he seems to be too much “in her league.”  What do you guys think?  And would you still love me if I was the new Bachelorette?  It would be so fun and you would get so many cute clothes!

And…comment!

Dancing Like No One’s Watching May 13, 2009

You know that sappy little quote, “Live like there’s no tomorrow, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like no one’s watching”?  I’ve kind of been thinking about that lately, but with my own twist: “blog like no one’s watching.”  Because lately, it feels like everyone is watching.  On Facebook, too.  Now when I post a status update, I have to think, “Okay…my mom, my grandmother’s friends, my former professors, future employers, friends, ex-boyfriends, distant relatives, frenemies, and possibly Erwin McManus are going to read this – is it worth it?”  And by that I mean, is it worth it to deal with the awkwardness of when someone brings up what I wrote on a status update last week (hello…isn’t that like an unspoken rule, don’t bring FB status updates into real life?) or worse, when my grandmother told me the other day that her friend enjoyed reading my posts on Facebook.  WHAT!?

And blogging is the same story, only magnified.  A blog post is a bit like a glorified status update…or a status update is a condensed, pocket-sized blog post.  At least, the way I do them.  I kind of pride myself on the fact that I don’t blog OR post status updates that are incredibly boring, i.e. “just got to work, it’s Monday.”  Or, “Waiting at the doctor’s office.”  Dude, save that for Twitter and the boundary-less, cyber co-dependent mess that is.  I guess people don’t blog about such boring topics, but some come pretty close.

Like this post, if I don’t wrap it up soon.  Besides not having enough “creative me” time, I’ve also had a major writing block called “self-censorship.”  I’ve dealt with this before, but now it’s back even stronger.  The thing is, it’s basically calling me to live a life of higher integrity.  Meaning, whatever I’m going to do, I should be able to do it in front of anyone – friends, coworkers, grandmas, teenybopper second cousins.  However, I need to be real about who I am and that I’m not perfect and that there is no way in hell (that’s right, I said it) I can please all of those people at once.  Hence, blog like no one’s watching.

And hey, I think dancing like no one’s watching is pretty fun, too.

Guilt Trip April 3, 2009

I am ashamed.  I’ve got my hands behind my back, my head’s down, and I’m making little circles in the dirt with my foot.

I know it’s been a long time, guys.  This might be the longest I’ve ever gone without a new post.  And I left you hanging with such a lame one, as well!

I’m sorry.  

But I made it safely back from Germany.  I’m not going to lie, it was really hard and I was pretty broken and empty when I got back to Norway.  BUT, once I got back to Norway, things quickly started looking up.  For instance, I saw a moose wandering through a snowy field on our way to Grimerud from the airport.  Cool!  (By the way, this picture is taken from the plane as I descended into the eternal winter that is Norway.  Okay, it’s not THAT bad, but dude, look at all that snow!)

No, but really, it’s been amazing to be back here at Grimerud.  Being away has made me realize even more what a special place this is.  I’m not going to get started on all my feelings about that – it’s a post for another day.

But last week we had a really fun, memorable week of debriefing with the DTS.  So…not much time to blog.  And this week I’ve just been trying to soak in my last few moments in Norway, so I’m not really into hanging out in front of my computer until just before bed when Facebook calls my name like the crafty siren she is.

I just wanted you all to know that I’m doing well, I’m still alive, and I’ve got a few ideas for new posts in my head that hopefully I can get up soon…maybe even this weekend because most of the base are working like busy little ants for the Easter Festival this week.

Kisses!

From the Field February 20, 2009

 

In case you want to know more about what I’m doing with YWAM in Germany, I posted my latest update in a page here.  See in the upper right hand corner?  It says “Germany Update.”  Just click there!  Ciao.  (Yeah, they say that in Germany, too).

The above picture is Heidelberg, which is about 20 minutes from the city where we live.  The picture below is of me on Valentine’s Day (ahem, single for the *cough* year in a row…)  We passed out roses that had tags reading “God Loves Mannheim.  We Do Too.”  In German, though.  :)

Moody Moose Buttons December 7, 2008

Guys, I’m sorry I haven’t posted all week. I feel so ashamed, especially since you’ve really pulled it out lately with the comments. (By the way…if you really loved this blog so much, you can always browse the archives!)  But it’s pretty much because the thought of this blog has bored me to tears lately. Not that I don’t have ideas…cause I do. You bet your butt I’ve got a bunch of amazing, thought-provoking, laugh-out-loud, tear-jerking ideas for posts up my sleeve. But then when I actually sit in front of my computer I’m just like, “Blech.”
Plus it’s winter. Which means every day after dinner, when the sun has already been down for three hours, I have to sit there slapping myself awake until KRIK or lectures or small group or whatever. And it’s cold. So I’d rather sit here and listen to Dashboard Confessional and feel like an emo teenager then really think about writing a good post.  Damn.  I promised myself my next post was going to be positive.  I really don’t hate my life…there’s lots of great things here!
I promise a warm and fuzzy post is coming soon! Maybe.  Uh, until then…puppies, puppies, puppies.  Yay!

Seriously? November 11, 2008

Apparently, my friends read this.  I keep running into people and often, their parting words are something like, “And hey, I read your blog, so I keep up on what’s happening with you.”

Surprising…especially since only about 4 people comment here.  I’m so glad you all are reading this, but…show me some love people!  

P.S. Yes, my trip home is going well…except that I’m ridiculously tired.  Catching up with people takes a lot of energy!  But I’m soaking up sun and the English language, and eating some really good food (more on that later).

What I’ve Always Wanted October 24, 2008

Sometimes I will want something for a really long time, and for some unknown reason, deprive myself of it.  Like, I don’t know how long I loved Jason Mraz’s cover of “Melt With You” before I finally got it…and, come to think of it, I didn’t buy it – my friend gave it to me on a mix CD.  

Censored! October 21, 2008

I have a problem.  Norwegians are beginning to read my blog.  For the past couple weeks, I’ve had friends here make a passing comment in conversation on something I had written on Eeper, like, “I know you like brown cheese…I read it on your blog.”  And suddenly, I feel very exposed.  What once was a place to vent my reactions to this new culture is now being accessed by those who make up a huge part of said new culture!  Crap.  What can I write about now?  Can I complain about the food or the weather or the way it feels when half the dinner table is speaking in Norwegian and I have to pretend I have better things to do than be part of the conversation?  I will be either an object of scorn or an object of pity.  Oh, and on top of all that, these are YWAM-ers…what if I say something “unChristian”?  Damn.

Bah, this sucks.  Oh well.  I think I’m just going to keep pretending that no one reads this and hope for the best.

Quotable Friday, Vol. 28 (Saturday Welcome Back Ed.) October 4, 2008

“When I write, I feel like an armless legless man with a crayon in his mouth.”  

Kurt Vonnegut

Maybe that’s why I just sat in front of my computer for an hour trying to write two different blog entries, and ending up with two long-winded, self-interested, boring pieces of crap.

Too bad I’m not like Kurt Vonnegut and actually an effing genius.