Frogress

I thought that this was funny: http://obamiconme.pastemagazine.com/

Ice days and other things

This week has been strange in some ways but, at the same time my life has had very little consistent routine all month so, it has been normal in other ways. We missed school for three days this week because of snow, ice, and... I don't know why we missed school yesterday. I've been able to use my time in other ways this week.

I had time to recover from being sick and I've had fun writing letters to friends, reading a book, looking for another job, and getting the details of my move figured out. I'm excited about all of these things. I like the things that make up my life right now. I'm a little bit nervous about the job interview part of my life but, other than that...

Changes can wear me out a little bit at times but, the good in int all makes up for the awkwardness of change. I'll have to post some pictures of my new house soon.

How to portray poverty without offending the poor...

Not too long ago I went to see the movie Slumdog Millionaire with some friends. The movie is a strange mix of a fairy-tale like romance and a horrible portrayal of what seems like a brutally cruel life in the slums of Mumbai. I left the movie with mixed feelings. It was happy? It was terribly sad? I don't know...

I was just reading about the very negative reaction that many people in India had towards the movie. There were protests about the use of the word "dog" in the title. Many people considered it offensive. At the same time, others have said that it is just that most people wouldn't be willing to be so brutally honest about the conditions that many people do live in. It's complicated, that's for sure.

First snow day ramble...

I woke up today to see that it was snowing!! There is something so lovely and peaceful about snow. (As long as it doesn't stick around for 8 months like it does in northern Canada!) Anyway, it's cold out and I've been very sick for the past few days so, I wasn't up to go out and take some gorgeous snow pictures. I just got some really dull snow pictures just to show that there is snow. Not that you wouldn't believe me if I just told you there was snow, but it isn't the same. You know.

This also means that there is no school this afternoon because of a "snow-day". It's funny because different parts of the country have different levels of expectation for snow and what merits canceling school or work. I think that in Idaho they expect a little more than here. I remember people from other parts of Canada mocking the snow-days in Vancouver and yet, a snow day in Vancouver would be just an serious or more than a snow day in Idaho so, I think that the snow-day situation is relative to the amount of snow that you are used to seeing on a regular basis.

Panama is the most wonderful place in the world...

I just saw the cutest little cartoon about a trip to Panama. I think that you could take a lot of lessons from it, about what home really means etc. But, my favorite part is that Panama is the "most wonderful place in the world."

Obama Inauguration 2009

It was great to get to be on the Mall during the Inauguration. It was freezing cold but, in the crowd you couldn't feel it as much. It was fantastic to get to be part of that historical crowd. I have to admit that being part of such a huge and such a peaceful crowd was one of the most usual experiences I've ever had. I have to admit that I'm cynical about all the expectations that are being thrust upon Obama but, I am truly impressed with the way that this country peacefully passes on leadership. That is an example worth following.

Pre-inauguration DC

With the freezing cold weather around here I've been somewhat of a hermit. I've enjoyed staying at home going through old pictures and things that remind me of the places that I've been and the things I've done in the past year or so.

Even so, Nathan was able to get me out of the house tonight. We went into the city to get a feel for the pre-inauguration buzz. I took some pictures and thought I'd share some of them with you. I've been very pensive recently... but, maybe we should just chat sometime and that would be better. Enjoy!

Alumni...

Recently, TWU came out with its latest Alumni Magazine. The best part was seeing some the work of some of my friends featured in the Magazine. Many of you might find this article interesting, Shakespeare's North American Tragedy. Sometimes, it is odd to think about being an Alumni of several different things. I mean, I'm an alum of my University, of Capernwray Quebec, of TFA, and recently I've added The Advocacy Project to my list of things that I'm am an alum of. I could mention a couple others but, all in all it's strange. I remember being at TWU and thinking to myself, "What's the big deal about being an alum anyway?"

It's funny, I've started to understand that the point is that the strong relationships formed in those types of communities help us dream and make dreams happen. It's really amazing actually, to be in the same networks with some of the people I got to go to school with. I admire so many of them and look forward to working together with them on many projects throughout the rest of our lives.

life is wonderful

It is so, so cold here right now! Oh my word, it is cold, about 12F! I am looking for work... I hope to find something sooner than later. I think of everyone out there who is in the same or worse position as I am, looking for work and not finding something. I hear people say, "Do you what you love" and yet, sometimes what you love doesn't really pay much. . . how do we do what we love and still live?

Coincidence...

I just want you to meet my brother's creative side...

He made this last year while he was living in Costa Rica. Making these kinds of shorts is what he likes to do in his free time... it's fun.

More About Extended-Day...

One thing that is super interesting about working at Hope is how many people I see there from my Church. I love it. Let me see, there are at least 6 people other than myself and probably a couple more that I haven't remembered just now. It is really great. Today, as I was waiting to pick up my kids Brian, super cheerful Brian, from Church came out of the classroom. "Brian?!" I said. It turns out that he was volunteering for the day. What a joy to see familiar and friendly faces at work!

Yesterday, I got to go with the kids on a field trip to see a play called Freedom Train about Harriet Tubman at GW. It was unbelievable taking all those kids on the Metro half way across the city. So, the classroom... ok, well, it's better than it was last week but... I will not lie. It is hard and we have a lot of improving to do. I think it will get better. I was exhausted today when I walked out of school. I can only imagine how tired those kids must be, they have a LONG day at school.

I still feel a little bit unsettled but, I am enjoying all these things that I'm doing. Looking for a house, for another friend to live with us, for another job, for other opportunities... what a blessing to have such a full life! Oh! The best thing that happened to me this week was that I made a new friend. Well, I hope that we'll be friends. At small group from Church last night, I met a Argentinean-Chilean couple. They were super friendly and I am going to hang out with them during the inauguration. I'm excited about that.

Hierroglyphic

"Frank Plant is a Barcelona based American sculptor." He has some interesting stuff!

What do Salvadorans Eat?

This is a little bit of photojournalism that makes me feel "homesick" for El Salvador...

Lo que comen los Salvadoreños.

Notice the range in cost and quantity... it hurts a when you learn about the little 10 year old girl who eats one tortilla and a piece of cheese for lunch. She gets paid 6 tortillas a day for helping prepare the 'masa'.

Panama Jazz Festival

Si yo estuviera en Panamá ahora mismo aprovecharía para ir al Panamá Jazz Festival.

"Leyendas vivas del jazz como el músico estadounidense Wayne Shorter y el cubano Chucho Valdés son dos de las atracciones confirmadas del Panamá Jazz Festival 2009, anunció hoy el organizador del evento, el pianista panameño Danilo Pérez."

How Can the Body Die?

First Aid Kit

Wanderers this morning came by
Where did they go
Graceful in the morning light
To banner fair
To follow you softly
In the cold mountain air

Through the forest
Down to your grave
Where the birds wait
And the tall grasses wave
They do not
know you anymore

Dear shadow alive and well
How can the body die
You tell me everything
Anything true

In the town one morning I went
Staggering through premonitions of my death
I don't see anybody that dear to me

Dear shadow alive and well
How can the body die
You tell me everything
Anything true

Tiger Mountain Peasant by Fleet Foxes

Mourning Separation

We see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.
Now we know in part; then we shall understand fully,
even as we have been fully understood.
I Corinthians 13

This morning as I was wandering around the internet, I realized that Richard John Neuhaus the long-time editor of First Things --a religious journal on theology, culture, and politics-- just died. I have from time to time been deeply grateful for the articles and essays published in the journal and on their website. At times it is a bit over my head but, most of the time it is very helpful to see excellent theological-political thinking.

Anyway, I just was touched by the thought of death and these words, "My tears are not for him—for he knew, all his life, that his Redeemer lives, and he has now been gathered by the Lord in whom he trusted." I read the news of his death after I was thinking about the song "O Come and Mourn with Me a While" ...

A broken heart, a fount of tears,
Ask, and they will not be denied;
A broken heart love’s cradle is:
Jesus our Lord is crucified.

And victory remains with love,
Jesus our Lord is crucified!

Love's victory doesn't tell us to not mourn or shed tears even though they are found deeply rooted in hope that one day all things will be made right.

Neuhaus was a Lutheran who became Roman Catholic. In this essay he tells the story of that journey towards converting to Roman Catholicism. It is interesting to come across this today since the question of Catholicism vs Evangelicalism has been very present in my heart in the past months.

I will probably sit down to read his story once again soon but, a couple little things stood out to me: "The great confessional Lutheran theologian Peter Brunner regularly said that a Lutheran who does not daily ask himself why he is not a Roman Catholic cannot know why he is a Lutheran." I loved how he ended his story, I love the spirit with which Neuhaus wrote:

As for now, I end where I began—as in my life’s course I began where I have ended by saying again: “To those of you with whom I have traveled in the past, know that we travel together still. In the mystery of Christ and his Church nothing is lost, and the broken will be mended. If, as I am persuaded, my communion with Christ’s Church is now the fuller, then it follows that my unity with all who are in Christ is now the stronger. We travel together still.”

Doubt & Paradox

"Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith." - Paul Tillich

I think that the world is pretty paradoxical. The fact that God decided to become human in the person of Jesus is paradoxical. Being in relationship with God is the foundation for morality and that is often paradoxical and in direct contrast with established social norms.

Like a Foreigner

Right now I feel like a foreigner here in this country. Starting a job in an environment very different than I'm used to or ever have been in really, looking for a house, going to the Metropolitan Police Department, the Department of Motor Vehicles, walking around in the cold, and well, to be honest I feel like I'm just fumbling a little.

Today, I was trying to get something done at the DMV and they said that I couldn't do it without my father's signature. I don't know about most people, but for most people that might not be that complicated. You can call him up and ask him for some advice and get some pretty quick overnight mail delivery. It made me feel like a foreigner because my father doesn't live in this country and right now he's off in some remote place where I cannot just pick up the phone and say, "Hey dad, what should I do?"

Anyway, it's really cold here and grey. I know I shouldn't be complaining, I'm happy to be here, I have really great friends here, but the transition is getting to me and I'm not a big fan of the cold. You wouldn't believe how bundled up I am and I'm sitting inside! It's just that when you are trying to get things done and stuff that is out of your control impedes you from doing it, plus difficulties getting around ... it is really frustrating. Last night it hit me, I feel strange.

Frist Day of School

I have to confess that I'm glad that this was not literally my first day of school ever because I would have really freaked out. I have a lot of planning to do and boy! I hope that we can recover and gain some respect. We lost it the second we walked into the room or something... some of the kids are super adorable but, so many of them are pretty challenging.

I'm going to need some sort of supernatural way of inspiring respect and order in the classroom. It's going to be crazy...

Back at Advent

I was really happy to be back at Advent on Sunday. It was a good day really. I had lunch with Will, met with Bekah and Courtney about living together, met with Emily about the Extended-Day Program that I'm starting working at today, and then went to Church! It was fantastic to see familiar, smiling faces again. Such great people, it makes me very joyful to be back.

At the same time, all the random details that I have to figure out in the next week or so are a bit overwhelming. I am still realizing how much I'm going to miss El Salvador... this morning I realized that I'm going to miss the bright sunny mornings and the quick yet meaningful prayers said before we started the day. It was calming in it's own way.

Today was a good day. I had a new year's brunch with good friends from Church. We had so much yummy food. French toast, waffles, bacon, fruit tarts, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, oatmeal, yogurt, and more! It was so yummy.

After the brunch, I went to see the art of another friend at Touchstone Gallery. It was nice, I like how many galleries there are in DC. I came home and took a nap after that.

Later on in the evening, another friend called and invited me to go to Comet Ping-Pong. It's a Pizza restaurant that has ping-pong tables in it! Kind of unusual. I had already eaten dinner (a yummy 15 bean soup that I had made earlier) but, I went to see people. I got to see a couple friends that I hadn't seen since I'd come back to DC so that was nice.

When I got home I chatted a bit with my Venezuelan brothers in El Salvador and it made me feel very nostalgic for my friends and adopted family there. I am happy to be here but, I will miss a lot of things about being there...

hmmmm

• write letters
• listen to live music
• read out loud with friends
• learn a new language
• go for long walks outside
  

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

I just finished reading Me Talk Pretty One Day and enjoyed it very much. I am a This American Life (the radio show from NPR) fan and David Sedaris is a regular contributor to that show. Therefore, I really like his somewhat dry, slightly sarcastic, yet surprisingly insightful humor.

I really enjoyed the second half of the book which includes essays about living in France. I really enjoyed the essay "Remembering My Childhood on the Continent of Africa" about stealing other people's stories and adopting them as your own. I'm sure that I've done that and that it has been done to me. There have been many times when someone will say "Hannah, tell the story about the time that..." as if it was something that had actually happened to them.

Anyway, it was a good, fast read. There are some parts of the book that causes the conservative in me to hesitate recommending it to the more conservative people in my life but, all in all it is brilliantly written. He's such a good storyteller.

View all my reviews.

New Year

Happy New Year friends... I'm excited about this new year full of new challenges, opportunities, joys, friends, and dreams. I am learning how to live the questions a little better this year that I did last year...