Currently Reading Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America By Michael O. Emerson, Christian Smith see related

Obviously I have given up writing on xanga often... or at all. But due to popular demand... or kolleen and janna's death threats if I don't update. here I am.

I am no longer in alaska... that was only for July. I am back working in chicago being a mama to eight teenage boys and learning life lessons as if I was in my late thirties or early forties. I'm such an overachiever :)

I'm in a love hate relationship with my job. I've been considering leaving but have found that even though my job is super stressful and taxing, that leaving might be the hardest part of the job. I'm defintely sticking around till June 2008. The question mark is after june. The long awaited question... to move to alaska or not to move to alaska. Basically if I leave my job I will, otherwise more chicago fun for me.

Random highlights from the fall:

Kite Therapy = flying kites at night on the beach

Evanston Bonfire: feeling like I am in the woods even in a city

Poetry Slam at the Green Mill... and marc smith laying into a guy in the audience for being rude while marc was performing. classy

Young Chicago Authors WordPlay open mic: exposing a couple of my scholars to the word of slam poetry and true creative writing talent

Evanston Masters Swim Team - I just joined in December but am loving swimming on a team again and all the fun that goes along with it!

I really love the book I am currently reading and want to discuss it with others who have read it. Apparently I get excited about addressing racial tension....  It also has helped me see the ways my job is a minstry rather than just saying the gospel point by point to the boys. That has helped me want to stick around and continue my work.

I just watched the departed for the first time and saw some issues in the characters that I could relate to.. Is that weird?

You know you are in Alaska...

When people actually start conversations with strangers instead of acting like they are not there...

When they say bus line.. they mean 15 passanger van with trailer and a driver who knows every person along the route...

When you don't know where to stow your luggage in the pickup and the driver tells you to just put in on the hood...

That is all I have so far, but it has been an entertaining first couple days in Alaska. Feels like home.

Currently Reading Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science By Charles Wheelan see related

Sunday I participated in the first 5k I have ever run. I finished in 31:24 which works out to be average pace of 10:07 min per mile. I am so proud. I have never referred to myself as a runner. So this is quite the accomplishment.

In other athletic news: there is a masters swim team in evanston that practices outdoor during the summer and has a lake swim every sunday... man if only I was around all summer...

oh yeah. In case you haven't heard. I will be in Alaska helping out with Shen Bible Camp and Tok vbs july 5th-august 6th. Get ready, not stop talking about alaska is set to commence shortly...

Currently Reading The End of Oil: On the Edge of a Perilous New World By Paul Roberts see related

I went on my last eharmony sponsored date tonight. It was a double date with my friend danielle and my date's roomate. My date ended up being a space cadet and the roomate was real hard to gauge whether he was actually interested or entertained at all. Danielle and I did not have to go into exaggeration mode and make the date as awkward as possible cause it was so horrible.

To start off the date, he gave me no decisive plans for meeting up (7ish in greek town...). Around 7:45 he calls me asking where I am... I was in a greek bakery eating baklava and drinking coffee with danielle. We figured if we were going to get stood up we were going to eat dessert before dinner! When we got the call we met him at the restaurant and began chatting. In order to wrap up dinner, we had sort of a sit off of who would suggest either another location or to end the date. Finally the roomate closed down the date and said the time out loud. At the end of the date Danielle and I had to drive them home cause they missed the last train out to the suburbs. It ended up being a hour and a half drive for us to drop them off and get home. On the way to drop them off the were arguing about directions and when it is okay to put trash outside that will be picked up the following day...

It is amusing how on first dates I don't get a sense of really clicking or liking a guy. But I get a definite sense who won't work for me. I don't like space cadets or guys who seem to know nothing about the world or common sense. Note to self.

It will probably be nothing more than a free dinner in the Greek town of Chicago. But alas that was enough.  

Spring break was good to me. It was very good for my soul to have time off where I wasn't worrying about the well-being of 7 boys and having a heart attack over co-worker issues. It was good to breathe easy. Seeing amazing people also helped.

Being back...

I'm apparently on a rollercoaster of emotions regarding life, my future and relationships. I like my job in some aspects, in other aspects it feels like I am losing pieces of myself. I guess that is changing and growing though.

So I have been sucked into the world of eharmony and online dating. But my conclusion is online dating is a good place to meet therapy clients and not potential relationships. This week has been creepy guy week.

The reasons this week has been declared Creepy Guy Week are as follows:

1) One guy asked me on a date and refused to tell me his last name. Wanted me to let him pick me up late at night and tour chicago... then he also proposed that after dinner on our date, in more or less words, that he would love to have sex with me and that was what he was after not a relationship. Don't worry, I didn't go on the date... creepy.

2) Another guy asked me on a date and when I declined his offer he got extremely defensive and started to say how slutty my profile was and how he hated christian girls and asked if my mentor told me to turn him down on a date. I told him to him to have a nice day and that I was done with the conversation. He said he had been done a long time ago.... creepy.

3) Another guy told me he had a foot fetish... creepy.

4) Another guy screen named heart broken cowboy (yes that is a red flag) had only been talking to me for a minute when he declared his love and desire to start a long distance relationship with me and that he could tell already he loved me for my personality... creepy.

I maintain this event should be limited to one week and should no longer be held in the future. All you older brother types, feel free to beat these punks up for me.

Last night I saw Meet the Robinson's in 3D digital. I recommend it. If nothing else but for the cool shades :)

Church today was amazing. I had been talking with a friend about how I am tired of going to mainly white churches and feeling like a lot of bonding and fellowship in the church is white culture rather than about Christ. So today... My church had a combined service with an african -french speaking church in our area. We sang some songs in french and the sermon was given by the churches pastor. The sermon was about the unity we have in the gospel that cuts across all lines including racial barriers and about how racial diversity in worship and church is not something we should wait till heaven to have, but we should eagerly seek it now. I love it. God has good timing and really does provide answers to questions and frustrations. I just need to remember this in other areas of my life.

After the service we had a potluck. I sat at a table with a woman from the congo who only spoke swahili (janna where are you when i need you), a man who spoke little english and has only been in america for 4 months from the congo, and a teenage boy who only spoke french and has been in america for a month. I spoke with the man for awhile and we had wonderful conversation. Needless to say I will be frequenting this church in the future :)

Oh, I may get to go to Alaska for the month of July to help with Shen Bible Camp. SMP is not doing Shen this summer, they still need counselors, so if you are available... lets go to alaska!