cookie monster not only eat cookie

today's to do list:

1. Have fun!
2. Never loose the child-like wonder.
3. Help others.
4. Meet people and make friends.
5. Never give up.
   
6. Be earnest.
7. Focus on other people.
   
8. Get feedback and listen to it.
9. Be thankful.
10. Don't complain, work harder.

earthquakes & twitter

This is fascinating. The other day I was reading a blog post written by an aid worker in a remote location. They were saying how Twitter (an application they had been avoiding) had become a very useful way of getting information out especially when your internet connection is not very fast. Twitter is a quick way of writing a message and updating your status without having to post a lengthly and sometimes slow update on a blog or even an e-mail.

Today, Global Voices posted a blog from Bangladesh talking about how people had tweeted about the earthquake on July 24th immediately, as it was happening. After I read that post my friend Leah tweeted about an earthquake in Los Angeles that happened this afternoon. Then she wrote about the twitter phenomenon on her blog. I don't exactly know how I feel about the whole Twitter phenomenon, but it is fascinating how we can be connected to something going on in the world, as it is happening through something like Twitter.

Darfur: Twenty Years of War and Genocide in Sudan

Yesterday, I got to hear Leora Kahn talk about the new book Darfur: Twenty Years of War and Genocide in Sudan. It is a collection of photographs re-telling the story of Sudan over the past twenty years. The photography is haunting and beautiful in a terrifying kind of a way. The situation in Sudan is difficult to understand. The cruelty and violence that has been perpetrated against the people of Sudan by their own people is so horrible. At this point, the lack of food, water, shelter, and safety are the things that are taking the most lives but, the government of Sudan is not allowing help to freely enter into their country. It is such a tragedy. [The cover of the book is the picture of a woman who is only 40 years old. She died the day after the picture was taken.]

I thought you were indifferent

I am lucky to have a friend from TWU staying with me this week. She is finishing up an internship at the Children's Defense Fund and needed a place to stay for the last week. I am happy to be able to share my space with her and she is great company! It makes the looking, waiting and frustration a little gentler when someone is around.

The other day someone told me "I thought you were indifferent" in regards to wanting to spend time with people. Indifferent? I don't think I could be further from indifferent. People [and friends!] are in a large part the joy of existence, why would I be indifferent? I didn't know how to respond. I mean, "Of course I'm not indifferent!" couldn't possibly communicate how deeply I am interested.

There might be something to the "I thought you were indifferent" comment that I should try to understand. I am confident that most people are afraid of being rejected, of being alone, of not being accepted when people see them as they really are. I know I have those fears but, what have I done to communicate that I am indifferent? Is it that shell of self-protection against being hurt that sends off the "I don't care" message? Possibly.

Falls Church & Adams Morgan

Yesterday was a good day. I got to meet up with Ann in Falls Church in the morning and talk about my job search and life in general. It was so very encouraging. I hadn't thought of it before but Ann knows the director of PlayPumps International! So, even if I don't get a job there maybe I'll get to meet them!

I had lunch with A.J., Bekah, and Bekah's brother Nathan in Adams Morgan. I loved meeting Nathan and I enjoyed spending some time with them, it was refreshing.

I went to Delafield in the afternoon, chatted with Will, made plans to visit the paper store with Laura (before she returns to Colorado!) and then set out to pick up the others and go to the eastern shore for the weekend.

It never ceases to be lovely out here.

this is crazy

Today, I got to play with one of these iPodtouch and I think I get to keep it. Really?

jam session

I think a lot of people listen to music for encouragement in the midst of life and its craziness. Music is powerful, it can speak truth, it can remind us to celebrate, it can connect us to others in that deep emotional way, it's lovely.

I really like Ben Harper's music. So, with the help of YouTube here goes my job search jam session:
#1. "Fight Outta You" - I guess sometimes you do need a reminder to keep trying.

#2. "She's Only Happy in the Sun" - I've told more than one person how perfectly this song describes me and my need for sun. (If the sun sets you free... interesting.)
#3. "Give a Man a Home" - "Have you ever lost your way? Have you ever, ever feared another day?"
#4. "Take My Hand" - "Take my hand when you are worried. Take my hand when you are alone."
#5. "In the Colors" - It's good to find the space to just celebrate and maybe dance in the midst of it all...

"When your whole world is shaken from all the risks we have taken..."

#6. "Shall Not Walk Alone" - I don't really pray to Mary but, this song is beautiful.
#7. "Better Way" - Here's to the idealist in me that believes that things can be better.
#8. "High Tide or Low Tide" - "God guide and protect us..."

Ok, that was fun. Now I'm going to get back to work.

lost coffee shops, play pumps, and stories

There were all sorts of funny little things that happened to me yesterday. To start with, I was going to go meet someone to talk and I got lost. Well, I wasn't lost, the coffee shop -Ebenezer's- where we were supposed to meet was lost. So, the story is funny because I arrive at Union Station about 20 minutes early (enough time to find it I thought!). When I got there I realized that in the time and distraction of getting there I had completely forgotten the address. I knew it was close but, I had no idea in which direction. I started asking people and I got several strange looks and no help.

I thought I'd call someone I knew who might be able to look it up on the internet. At that moment I remembered that there are "information" phone numbers that you can call. I think Scudder told me about this. Of course, I couldn't remember the number. I tried a number that I had stuck in my memory. It turned out that I called the DC mayor's office! It was funny. I told the guy that answered the phone that I was looking for directions but, that if they didn't do that it was ok. I guess I sounded kind of desperate because he said, "Maybe the people at transportation can help you." Transportation? It was funny, so this guy at transportation answered the phone and I told him that since they didn't really take calls like that I could hang up, it was fine. But, he said that he'd try to help me. We spent ten or fifteen minutes on the phone and he never understood or never figured out how to spell Ebenezer's or something. Finally, I told him that I'd be fine and hung up. It was very kind of him to try to help me.

Sitting on the steps of this old church I realized that all my friends on the West Coast were still sleeping and most of my friends in DC would be at work. So, I finally called Lauren and she saved the day. It was almost an hour late when I walked in. How embarrassing! But, it was a good conversation and worth all the trouble of finding it and wandering around for an hour.

In the evening, Nathan and I went to Kira's house. It was a good refreshing time with these new but still precious friends that we've made in the city. In answering the question "have you found a job?" I found myself talking about this place that recently said that they were looking for an Assistant of sorts called PlayPumps International. I heard about PlayPumps last year and I thought it was a great idea but, I guess the way I described it last night made it sound slightly ridiculous or something. Anyway, it lead to an interesting set of ideas involving pixi-sticks to solve poverty in Africa. It was so silly but laughing really hard can be good for you. Anyway, PlayPumps is really cool and it would be fun to work there! This is their mission:

PlayPumps International’s mission is help improve the lives of children and their families by providing easy access to clean drinking water, enhancing public health, and offering play equipment to millions across Africa.

Anyway, to top it off. Yesterday, I listened to the latest edition of This American Life. I love that show. I love radio. I love sound, music, voices, silent pauses that mean so many things, and just stories. I love them.

This week was kind of a depressing theme "Stories of people haunted by guilt over their role in others' deaths, even when everyone agrees they're blameless." It's fascinating though, the guilt that we often carry with us. Ira said something that I thought was really interesting. Talking about people who hit people with their car, he said that those people who were actually at fault were less likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder than those who were innocent. The reason, he said, is that those who were at fault (sleeping at the wheel or drinking too much alcohol or something) knew how to avoid it in the future but those who were doing everything right and still had an accident (someone swerved in front of them or something) knew that there wasn't anything they could have done to avoid it and there is something slightly more terrifying about that. I could say more about that but, this post is way too long already.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

by Robert Frost

muliple diverging paths

There is something about Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" that captures what I feel right now. I am facing multiple diverging roads and as I stand here looking down each path as far as I can, I realize that some decisions are what is expected and others would be more unusual (and uncharted) ways to get where I think I want to go.

Thinking about it in a different way, my life is constantly defined by the path with the undergrowth. It seems crazy but, what seems absolutely normal to me (things like spending time with the poor, living in a developing country) would be huge steps into the unknown for others. So, what is the road less traveled?

Recently, I've heard quite a bit about the road with "better claim" and have been at times discouraged but more often thrilled by the challenge of coming up with original and creative ways to approach the questions and problems that I see abounding here and around the world.

I hope that "somewhere ages and ages hence" it will be with satisfaction that I will be able to say "I took the one less traveled by/ And that has made all the difference."

stepping it up

So, I've seriously stepped up the job searching. Thanks to a friendly reminder from a friend I've jumped back into the challenging work of searching, networking, and networking. I have had two interviews in the past two weeks. Not bad. I've also been considering graduate school options and talking to people who are doing interesting things. Trying to learn everything that I can.
Since I last wrote, I decided to go volunteer at Ten Thousand Villages. I am a huge fan of what they do. They sell Fair Trade crafts from artisans from all over the world. The goals is to give people a steady income that they wouldn't have any other way. It's lovely. So, it's a good place to go and be reminded that there are always things to do. That was great.

I interviewed with an organization that contracts with USAID helping to implement the Food for Peace program. It would be a good opportunity to learn about USAID and get "in" to the international development world in DC. On Sunday, I went to church and got rained out at the park.

This week I went to an information session at American University and became friends with Bethany. We were both SUPER early so, we got to know each other pretty well. She wants to go into broadcasting, ideally she'd like to host an entertainment show. She'd be great at that. I also looked at a program at Johns Hopkins University. I guess if I didn't go to Spain that could happen, next year even.

In the midst of excitement and uncertainty about The Advocacy Project I got to go to an super interesting information session about Chemonics International. I arrived early to that as well and met some of the other people at the information session. It's always interesting to hear what everyone is doing and where they're from. "If you want to work in the Caribbean or Latin America you MUST be fluent in Spanish."

In the midst of talking to other people and following up on other leads, life is interesting right now. I like that. I was thinking that maybe I should go back to Honduras and create a marketing plan for the ladies who do Tule there. Freelance or something. Who knows?

hanging out with people

I left the apartment today. Which is good. I hadn't left all weekend. I went to church and then to a pick nick at the park but, it rained (I mean it poured!) so I came home a little earlier than I'd expected.

A good friend reminded me today that I shouldn't turn down all invitations to hang out because eventually people will stop calling me. I guess I should makes sure that as long as I still have time I should make sure that I continue to gather together with my friends. I cannot really explain why I enjoy my quietness and aloneness and that even when I want to be with people I cannot always bring myself to go out.

I need one of those people who loves to go out in my life, who will insist that I join in. Usually, when I do join in I have a wonderful time... it's just getting me there that's the problem. Anyway, I'm resolving to work on that... and the job thing. No luck yet. Unfortunately.

unemployment is frustrating

Yesterday, someone pointed out that "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" when it comes to having employment or not. That is only somewhat true. Right now my life has no work related stress but, it has the stress of having no income and that becomes a problem very quickly creating another kind of less productive stress.

Being unemployed is frustrating for me because I like to be independent. Not having any income is a recipe for having to depend on others at least for a while. I am blessed to have very generous and supporting people in my life who are more than willing to help me out. It is also frustrating because I like to be productive. So, in the mean time I've found ways to stay busy so that I'm not going crazy waiting.

I haven't pursued any other job options this week. I wonder if I will regret that next week or if it is good for me to feel a little confident about getting this job. I have felt really good about each and every interview that I've had and yet, they keep saying... "Ok, you're going to have another interview with so and so..." So, I feel really good and then I feel unsure if I should feel good about it. It turns out that I'm looking at a position working with Latin America. It's logical, natural and almost ideal for me. I hope that everything goes well and that they pick me.

I was thinking about the kind of time commitment I'm going to be making if I get this job. It is going to take up most all of my time. It will be interesting to see what that is going to mean for other relationships in my life. People keep saying, "Stay connected" so, I'm going to have to work on that. I have a quiet roommate right now, it is nice to have a peaceful place to live for now.

I hope that I won't have to find a part-time job next week.

updates on the life of a job-seeker

I arrived in D.C. at 2am this morning. Needless to say, it was a long trip. I left Boise at 6:20am the day before! I was excited to be back in D.C. especially because a few of my friends from TWU were visiting! Today, I got to meet up with Miriam, Jamie, Bethany, Jenna, and Antonia for lunch. Miriam, Jamie and I got some extra time to hang out, talk and catch up on each others lives. It was wonderful! It was good to see them.

When I got home, I found that I had received an e-mail from the job in Barcelona that I had applied to the week before I left on my two week WestCoast adventure. I'm incredibly excited. They told me that they want to have an interview with me. So, this is the deal... tomorrow I'm going to have an interview with Ashoka (I would LOVE to work there) but, I have a potential interview with The Social Trends Institute based in Barcelona, Spain later this week or the next.

This development really changes how I feel going into my Ashoka interview. I'm confident that I will do well in the interview but, I don't know what to say if they offer me a job right away. The idea of moving to Barcelona is so exciting. Of course, I don't actually have to worry about deciding until the interviews have happened and I've been offered something. There is still the possibility that neither one of them would work out and I'd be back to the drawing board.

If anyone has any advice for me, I'd love to have it.

remembering the east hasting days

Back when I was a student at TWU in Canada I was a part of this outreach that brought together a group of students who would spend their Friday nights hanging out on East Hastings (probably one of the most ghetto places to be in Vancouver) working with the Union Gospel Mission. We would spend our evenings handing out hot chocolate and just talking to people who usually would get ignored by those who passed by. It was the kind of place where drug addicts and prostitutes would live not my usual hang out.

It was always hard for me to go down there but, the kinds of conversations that we would have and the hope that some of my friends had for the East Side was inspiring and I kept going every week. I made some of my closest friends at college through that outreach. One of the people who inspired me to keep going was Amanda a student who had graduated the year before I arrived and had helped her friend Trisha get off the streets. Everyone knew that wouldn't happen very often, but the idea that it could happen kept a lot of people going back every week hoping the very best for the people who seemed to be trapped down there.

I recently received a link to an update that Amanda wrote and thought it would be cool to share if anyone was interested. If you're interested you can find the article here.

rest and restful conversations

In the past few days I have had the privilege of sitting down and talking to friends who I have seen and had a good conversation with at least once a year for the past six or seven years. It is incredible that we have stayed in contact this long and that our conversation is so open and refreshing in spite of the long distances and the long time.

The truth is that some people are just kindred spirits. Oddly, as well, it seems that our lives have followed similar courses of events, patterns of experience, and spiritual journeys. Sitting down and talking is like breathing fresh-air and being completely relaxed in a way that you usually only feel with people that you've cultivated a strong relationship with.

One thing that I was reminded of this week... is that it is ok and good to just relax sometimes. It is good to just rest. Sometimes, we should work hard and take on a lot of burdens for and with other people but, at other times, it is ok to rest an recover strength enjoying relationships that lead us to rest and places that refresh our spirits. A season of rest will hopefully follow a season of intense relationships and hard work... and hopefully, the seasons of work, productivity, etc. will find ways to be interspersed with rest and reflection without having to cease completely.

late nights talking

Staying up late talking with your cousins is a good thing.

Re-connecting with people who you always wished you could have been friends with is also a good thing.

Asking for help is a good thing.

Happy 4th of July.

two handsome men

A friend of mine just sent me a link to a story written about the most handsome George Clooney by my favorite writer from Africa, Ishmael Beah. I love Ishmael. I think everyone should read his book, A Long Way Gone. I got to see Ishmael last year when I was in Easton. It was one of the first things that happened after I moved to Maryland and it may still be one of my favorite things about the whole year.

I believe that we need to realize that these kinds of things are still going on today. The type of violence and abuse that he experienced was appalling. Even so, there is a kind of resiliency in the human spirit that I find so encouraging and inspiring. I've seen little bits of it in myself and I find it all the time in other people who have experienced terrible things.

talking about a visit to Idaho

Well, this will probably be a chatty post about my visit to Idaho. All has gone well. I arrived Friday night and was ready and there for my friends wedding on Saturday evening. It went perfectly [a little long, heh heh]. No, seriously, it was lovely. You know how weddings are and you never really get to talk to your friend who is getting married so, you end up catching up with everyone else who is there that you haven't seen in ages.

Sunday, a great day to see a lot of people I haven't seen in a while, hang out with my aunts, and pick up my cousins flying in from California. Monday was a quiet day together going out in the evening to visit family friends. Tuesday we decided to drive down to Rupert to visit my great-aunt and uncle. It was a good time. I stayed up late talking with my cousins.

Today, I had a lovely brunch with one of my friends and her mom. We got to talk about life and what we're hoping for and celebrating... it was nice. I spent the afternoon with my other great-uncle. I don't know if other people are as connected to their great-aunts and uncles and we are but, I think it's great to hang out with them and hear their stories.

I have many thoughts on church, politics, military, friendship, hospitality, and faith since I've been here. I may post some of them and I may just wait to talk about them with you in person if you're interested.