Forgive me for not writing or updating this blog for a long while now (or at least a long while for me). There's been a whirlwind of change and decisions with work, school, and people that have kept me on my toes. It's great to know that the Father is in control and knows what's going on, even when I don't!
Academic Status
Last week all my grad school classes wrapped up. Thankfully and mercifully I somehow don't have any finals, although I did have huge projects and papers to work on--like editing and formatting a 187 page group report... So my academic career has come to a close, but I'm not too sad. I've learned tons, met great people, and accomplished my life-long dream of getting a master's, but there's still a lot to look forward to. Oh, and this Saturday I'll graduate!
Job Status
Last Friday I wrapped up my 2 years of work at city hall! I do officially officially have a job starting in July doing the AmeriCorps Vista progam at United Way here in Bloomington. I will be getting paid less than minimum wage, but I'll have a steady 40 hours of work a week and will be working with a wonderful group of people. I was definitely frustrated that doors weren't budging even a tiny bit in D.C. or with amazing companies. However, when I interviewed for the United Way position, I knew it was the perfect fit, especially with the meaningful and challenging projects I'll be working on. I'm so thankful that the Father's timing and plans are way better than my own!
Travel Status
I talked with dear Reborn last week on Skype. Upon hearing that I have a job in the States, she commenced sobbing, and I joined in. She said that meant we'd probably never see each other again, especially once she forgets her English and I forget my already minimal Chinese. So... it looks like I'll be heading over there in mid-May for a visit! I'll also get to hang out with Jodi in Harbin and a Chinese friend from Bloomington in southern Jiangsu province.
That's all for now folks! Happy May!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Homeward Bounding
The big event I've been involved with for the past 2 years as the PR spokesperson and assistant is Bloomington's annual Homeward Bound 5K Walk, which benefits 12 local nonprofit agencies working to end homelessness. This year's walk that we've been planning months and months for kicked off yesterday. It's a great feeling to see everything and everyone come together. Although we didn't raise as much money as last year, over 800 walkers came and we raised about $40,000, which isn't too shabby at all. It was also a really warm, sunny day, and I felt blessed to be a part of the event! It also made me fall in love with Bloomington again. I'm excited I get to stay in this special town next year!
Here are some pictures, although they definitely don't quite capture the spirit of the event.
Some of the walkers returning from the walk route for food and live music at the park.
The Vallures--a cool girl band which plays 1960s music entertaining the crowd.
5 of the 8 walkers on our IU Graduate Faculty Ministry Team. Forgive me for the awkward look.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Eastering
Last week was a blur--a blur I don't really want to relive and am happy to leave behind. Having a pretty intense course load as a final semester graduate student, combined with a fairly intense job and looking for another job once I graduate makes for a challenging season of life. Last week everything seemed compounded and even busier.
I had to consciously stop myself, breathe deeply, and ask God to help me get through the next moment and hour so I wouldn't literally break down and disintegrate in the middle of class or on the side of the street. One vivid example was in my capstone class, which is the largest, longest project I've ever worked on. I had just been singled out to lead a specific component of the project that really seemed impossible. After a few minutes, I quietly walked out of class and slipped into the bathroom just so I could pray.
I've had difficult papers and projects every moment of the past 2 years, but everything seemed piled on at once. All I could ask for was Jesus' help to get through the next hour, the next day, the next weeks. The task/s before me still seem rather formidable, but I know that they are not impossible, and I will get through this with His help.
By the time I got to the end of the week, I felt like I had run a marathon! Thankfully there wasn't any work Friday because of Good Friday, so a friend and I got to hike around one of the many state forests/parks around here. It was quite pleasant and no animals ate us.
Good Friday turned into a Good Weekend. My good friend Jennifer picked me up for an event at her church called "A Night of Remembrance." I'm not sure why I said yes to going, but Jenn is always supportive of me, so I wanted to support her. I didn't know anyone, but all 80 of us had a wonderful time eating dinner and reflecting on God's faithfulness. I even met a born and raised Topekan! It is indeed a rare find, and we were thrilled to meet each other and compare notes about our unique hometown.
On Saturday I played tennis with my friend, and managed to get a sunburn on a perfectly sunny, 60 degree day. Then Easter Sunday I went to church with my friends to celebrate Christ's resurrection. The weather that day was also perfectly beautiful, and I just about melted from sheer happiness singing amazing hymns to God in the light-filled sanctuary with hundreds of other believers. After the service, I took my rather lopsided deviled eggs (they really should be called something else on Easter), and went to my friend's little house from GFM. She invited about 10 of us orphans over to her house for an awesome lunch. We ended up just sitting around the table for a good 5 or 6 hours, laughing heartily and enjoying each other's company. That same day my 30 minute radio interview aired twice in Bloomington.
Today started a new week, and although it seems a little crazy already, there have definitely been some highlights. I was in the city newspaper today, identified as the "spokeswoman" for the big event I'm working on for my job. Another highlight was walking over to a radio station for yet another interview. The guy who interviewed me was way too cute for his own good. It wasn't very fair. Our interaction was so funny and entertaining now that I look back. We chatted a while before the interview, as he told me about what he would ask me, etc. He seemed nervous, and I also started feeling nervous. When he switched the mics on and started talking, I just started getting tongue-tied and then he got really tongue-tied. I really hope nobody in Bloomington listens to the radio this week, because they might just hear a really nonsensical, awkward conversation.
Another highlight was going to ballet class, and then finding out that I will be able to stay in Bloomington next year! It looks like I'll be doing AmeriCorps with a really high-quality organization once summer rolls around. Although I wanted to end up in D.C., the doors were definitely not opening, and this seems like a way better fit than I could have imagined or planned on my own. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers over the past several months! Enjoy your week!
I had to consciously stop myself, breathe deeply, and ask God to help me get through the next moment and hour so I wouldn't literally break down and disintegrate in the middle of class or on the side of the street. One vivid example was in my capstone class, which is the largest, longest project I've ever worked on. I had just been singled out to lead a specific component of the project that really seemed impossible. After a few minutes, I quietly walked out of class and slipped into the bathroom just so I could pray.
I've had difficult papers and projects every moment of the past 2 years, but everything seemed piled on at once. All I could ask for was Jesus' help to get through the next hour, the next day, the next weeks. The task/s before me still seem rather formidable, but I know that they are not impossible, and I will get through this with His help.
By the time I got to the end of the week, I felt like I had run a marathon! Thankfully there wasn't any work Friday because of Good Friday, so a friend and I got to hike around one of the many state forests/parks around here. It was quite pleasant and no animals ate us.
Good Friday turned into a Good Weekend. My good friend Jennifer picked me up for an event at her church called "A Night of Remembrance." I'm not sure why I said yes to going, but Jenn is always supportive of me, so I wanted to support her. I didn't know anyone, but all 80 of us had a wonderful time eating dinner and reflecting on God's faithfulness. I even met a born and raised Topekan! It is indeed a rare find, and we were thrilled to meet each other and compare notes about our unique hometown.
On Saturday I played tennis with my friend, and managed to get a sunburn on a perfectly sunny, 60 degree day. Then Easter Sunday I went to church with my friends to celebrate Christ's resurrection. The weather that day was also perfectly beautiful, and I just about melted from sheer happiness singing amazing hymns to God in the light-filled sanctuary with hundreds of other believers. After the service, I took my rather lopsided deviled eggs (they really should be called something else on Easter), and went to my friend's little house from GFM. She invited about 10 of us orphans over to her house for an awesome lunch. We ended up just sitting around the table for a good 5 or 6 hours, laughing heartily and enjoying each other's company. That same day my 30 minute radio interview aired twice in Bloomington.
Today started a new week, and although it seems a little crazy already, there have definitely been some highlights. I was in the city newspaper today, identified as the "spokeswoman" for the big event I'm working on for my job. Another highlight was walking over to a radio station for yet another interview. The guy who interviewed me was way too cute for his own good. It wasn't very fair. Our interaction was so funny and entertaining now that I look back. We chatted a while before the interview, as he told me about what he would ask me, etc. He seemed nervous, and I also started feeling nervous. When he switched the mics on and started talking, I just started getting tongue-tied and then he got really tongue-tied. I really hope nobody in Bloomington listens to the radio this week, because they might just hear a really nonsensical, awkward conversation.
Another highlight was going to ballet class, and then finding out that I will be able to stay in Bloomington next year! It looks like I'll be doing AmeriCorps with a really high-quality organization once summer rolls around. Although I wanted to end up in D.C., the doors were definitely not opening, and this seems like a way better fit than I could have imagined or planned on my own. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers over the past several months! Enjoy your week!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Thrust in the spotlight
Where to begin? It's a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. I woke up to thunderstorms and 40 degree weather. By afternoon it was 80 and perfectly sunny. Sometimes it seems like you could just faint with the beauty of God's creation.
Other times I feel like I could faint for other reasons--like appearing live on Indianapolis television. That's what I got to do yesterday morning. I woke up at the nice hour of 5:15 a.m., drove with another girl to Indy, and appeared on television to discuss an event I'm involved with in Bloomington.
The interview was a blur--I don't really remember what I said or did. All I remember were the incredibly bright lights, the cameras surrounding us, how my mouth felt like it was rubber, the anchorwoman's waxy face and expression, and how they introduced me as "Lauren."
It was an interesting, if not rather bizarre experience. American television is certainly nothing like Chinese television. Where's my fancy dress? Why don't I get to dance? Why are there probably only a few thousand people watching and not literally 100 million?
I was pretty glad when it was over! I just have another radio interview tomorrow here in Bloomington. I'm leaving you with a picture of my 3 minutes of Indy fame.
Reporting live from downtown Indianapolis...
Other times I feel like I could faint for other reasons--like appearing live on Indianapolis television. That's what I got to do yesterday morning. I woke up at the nice hour of 5:15 a.m., drove with another girl to Indy, and appeared on television to discuss an event I'm involved with in Bloomington.
The interview was a blur--I don't really remember what I said or did. All I remember were the incredibly bright lights, the cameras surrounding us, how my mouth felt like it was rubber, the anchorwoman's waxy face and expression, and how they introduced me as "Lauren."
It was an interesting, if not rather bizarre experience. American television is certainly nothing like Chinese television. Where's my fancy dress? Why don't I get to dance? Why are there probably only a few thousand people watching and not literally 100 million?
I was pretty glad when it was over! I just have another radio interview tomorrow here in Bloomington. I'm leaving you with a picture of my 3 minutes of Indy fame.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Change
This afternoon I was walking in the gorgeous sunshine down Kirkwood, which is the most interesting street in the city, where the campus merges into downtown. On this street you can see every type of person under the sun: rich, poor, black, white, hippie, hipster...
I walked deliberately, focusing on all the unique people, the myriad colors of spring, and the textured limestone of old, stately buildings. I slowed when I saw an older man with a cardboard sign that said he and his family needed help. He was sitting silently until I approached and asked if I had anything for him. I looked at him and asked where he was from, how he got there. I could only find a dollar in my purse, gave it to him, and told him earnestly, "God bless you." He looked me in the eyes and told me in an even stronger, richer voice, "God bless YOU."
My short interaction with the poor and homeless isn't rare. I interact with many individuals and families who find themselves in poverty or on the verge of losing everything on nearly a daily basis, especially through my job. However, what was interesting about this one moment was that I paused to really think and care about that person. I wasn't thinking about how to solve his problem or how he was keeping me from getting to work. After smiling and continuing my slow walk up Kirkwood, I nearly reflected aloud, "God--you've changed me!" Slowly, but surely it seems like I'm to be more thankful, alive, and engaged.
Not being fully present in the moment or situation God has placed me in has meant I've missed out on possible conversations or relationships. Someone told me, "When we're always thinking about the future and not looking to see how God wants us to love at that moment, we're closing ourselves off to ministry opportunities, blessing others, and being blessed." Someday I might get to the end of my life, realizing I never lived it, because I wasn't present in the present.
I was reminded of a similar concept in the book about practicing gratitude in our faith, One Thousand Gifts:
"Time is a relentless river. It rages on, a respecter of no one. And this, this is the only way to slow time: When I fully enter time's swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here. I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment."
I walked deliberately, focusing on all the unique people, the myriad colors of spring, and the textured limestone of old, stately buildings. I slowed when I saw an older man with a cardboard sign that said he and his family needed help. He was sitting silently until I approached and asked if I had anything for him. I looked at him and asked where he was from, how he got there. I could only find a dollar in my purse, gave it to him, and told him earnestly, "God bless you." He looked me in the eyes and told me in an even stronger, richer voice, "God bless YOU."
My short interaction with the poor and homeless isn't rare. I interact with many individuals and families who find themselves in poverty or on the verge of losing everything on nearly a daily basis, especially through my job. However, what was interesting about this one moment was that I paused to really think and care about that person. I wasn't thinking about how to solve his problem or how he was keeping me from getting to work. After smiling and continuing my slow walk up Kirkwood, I nearly reflected aloud, "God--you've changed me!" Slowly, but surely it seems like I'm to be more thankful, alive, and engaged.
Not being fully present in the moment or situation God has placed me in has meant I've missed out on possible conversations or relationships. Someone told me, "When we're always thinking about the future and not looking to see how God wants us to love at that moment, we're closing ourselves off to ministry opportunities, blessing others, and being blessed." Someday I might get to the end of my life, realizing I never lived it, because I wasn't present in the present.
I was reminded of a similar concept in the book about practicing gratitude in our faith, One Thousand Gifts:
"Time is a relentless river. It rages on, a respecter of no one. And this, this is the only way to slow time: When I fully enter time's swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here. I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment."
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Blossoming
Lately the weather's so gorgeous, I just want to faint. The campus and whole town is awash in beautiful pinks, whites, and pastels. Spring seemed to arrive about a whole month or six weeks early this year. I'm pretty sure it probably might have still been snowing late March last year.
With the arrival of spring, I've been able to run around outside and play tennis. This afternoon I played tennis for a good 2 hours with a friend. Suddenly it seemed like everyone in the whole city knew how to play tennis. First we went to Bryan Park, where they have 5 courts, but they were all full. So we walked several blocks to campus, where there are least 10 courts, and finally managed to play. It was exhilarating and sweaty.
The weather has also been rather exciting. On Friday after work I jumped on the city bus and rode to the gym on campus. It was perfectly sunny and beautiful. After about an hour there, the tornado sirens went off and everyone had to head to the locker rooms in the basement of the massive building. I was very thankful my good friend Clare was also there so we could keep each other sane in the midst of being locked underground with countless undergraduates.
A slow moving storm with a history of producing tornadoes was passing through town, so there was a tornado warning for an hour and a half! It wasn't very fun not being able to know or see what was going on. I just heard all the stories later. Apparently it poured and hailed buckets. A huge wall cloud and funnel formed, and passed directly over our apartment complex. Many of my fellow hearty Midwestern friends at our complex were so concerned by the crazy sky, that they went to other people's apartments on the ground level. Thankfully nothing touched down. All I learned is that every undergrad has a smart phone and the latest gossip among sororities on campus...
Lastly, I had a marvelous, restful, energizing trip to see Andrea in Daytona. Here's a few pictures to highlight. I'm thankful for such an encouraging, amazing, and thoughtful sister!
Enjoying the plentiful sunshine!
Hiking around Hontoon Island State Park.
With Erin and Andrea at "Gospel in Life"
Making all-you-can eat sushi!
With the arrival of spring, I've been able to run around outside and play tennis. This afternoon I played tennis for a good 2 hours with a friend. Suddenly it seemed like everyone in the whole city knew how to play tennis. First we went to Bryan Park, where they have 5 courts, but they were all full. So we walked several blocks to campus, where there are least 10 courts, and finally managed to play. It was exhilarating and sweaty.
The weather has also been rather exciting. On Friday after work I jumped on the city bus and rode to the gym on campus. It was perfectly sunny and beautiful. After about an hour there, the tornado sirens went off and everyone had to head to the locker rooms in the basement of the massive building. I was very thankful my good friend Clare was also there so we could keep each other sane in the midst of being locked underground with countless undergraduates.
A slow moving storm with a history of producing tornadoes was passing through town, so there was a tornado warning for an hour and a half! It wasn't very fun not being able to know or see what was going on. I just heard all the stories later. Apparently it poured and hailed buckets. A huge wall cloud and funnel formed, and passed directly over our apartment complex. Many of my fellow hearty Midwestern friends at our complex were so concerned by the crazy sky, that they went to other people's apartments on the ground level. Thankfully nothing touched down. All I learned is that every undergrad has a smart phone and the latest gossip among sororities on campus...
Lastly, I had a marvelous, restful, energizing trip to see Andrea in Daytona. Here's a few pictures to highlight. I'm thankful for such an encouraging, amazing, and thoughtful sister!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Ides of March
Happy Ides of March!
I'm still in Daytona Beach spending a restful week with my baby sister who has become quite grown up. She works most of the time, which means I get to borrow her car and get into lots of trouble on my own. Yesterday, however, she took a day off, so we went on some little adventures together and met some interesting people. Hopefully one of these days I'll be able to add pictures.
Andrea drove us about 20 miles inland to a gem of a place: Hontoon Island State Park. It's an amazing park that reminded me of a mix of Thailand, Jurassic Park, and the Amazon. The place is an island, like the name suggests. You can't swim through the alligator-y waters, but there is a little ferry that will take you for free across the water. There weren't many or really any people at all.
The island was about 6 square miles probably, and it is really quite exotic. The whole place is covered in palm trees and huge, elegant Spanish moss trees. The water matched the sky, which was nearly royal blue, it seemed. We ate our little lunches under the huge mossy trees and watched some locals fishing. Then it was time to go on a little hike without any maps or anything. We found a trail that ended at an ancient Native American burial ground. At the trail head, signs told us how to speak calmly to black bears and how to avoid black widow spiders and other fun creatures.
Andrea and I tramped through the jungle, with nearly a full canopy of trees arching over our heads. At one point we saw other humans, and stopped to chat. The woman wore a "Kansas" sweatshirt, and the man wore an Indiana University ballcap. After trekking through sand and marsh and grass, we ended up at the burial grounds, which were covered in billions of tiny white seashells. Then we turned around to head the mile and a half back. No black bears or animals in sight.
We reached the little ranger station and "visitor store." And older couple sat in front eating ice-cream. Andrea and I walked by and the woman told us, "All the cute guys went to the left." I was confused, and Andrea just smiled. Random people seem to always be saying random things here. Andrea tried the door handle to the ranger station, but it was locked. An older park ranger man burst through the door asking what we wanted. We said we wanted to look in the little visitor store. He said, "I'll tell my twin brother and he'll meet you over there." We walked the five steps over to the store, and old park ranger man opened the door for us. His twin brother was himself. We walked inside the store, which was about the size of a closet, filled with faded postcards and fishing bait.
Andrea and I decided to call it a day, so we went to sit by the docked ferry and hope someone would eventually take us back to normal land. A younger park ranger man appeared, carrying wheelbarrows of trash. He told us rather excitedly that he could take us back across. So we climbed onto the ferry, and young ranger man seemed to drive us as slowly as possible. We had the opportunity to hear all about his life--he's probably my age and was in the army for five years, where he spent time in places like Somalia and Iraq. It was his dream to be a park ranger. I asked if it's what he expected (like wheelbarrowing trash and working with the old ranger man). He said he's having the greatest time. I was a little skeptical, but working on a nice island in Florida probably beats Iraq any day.
Last night after our Gilligan's Island adventure, I went with Andrea to her Campus Outreach meeting on campus. There were probably at least 40 students there and all kinds of people--white, black, Indian, athletes, ROTC... The meeting is called, "Gospel in Life," and it was encouraging to see how God is moving on the campus of Embry-Riddle and using people like Andrea to reach them.
Now it's Thursday and I just spent the morning at the beach. I purposefully went there earlier in the morning, so I could try to spend some time reading my Bible and reflecting. I found a nice little spot on the beach, but foot and vehicle traffic picked up pretty quickly. You can drive on the beach in Daytona, and it happens to be "bike week" here, where everyone in America who owns a motorcycle descends like a locust on the area. I couldn't really hear the waves--just the choppy noises from the bikes. There were also ancient ice-cream trucks driving by and a couple of older men using little radar devices to try to find metal in the sand. One of them walked right up to me, scanning the ground, and then asked me if I was okay. Maybe I didn't look okay to him, because I was hunched over my journal, trying to write out thoughts that couldn't come because I was a wee bit distracted. I assured him I was okay, and then decided to take a long walk on the beach instead.
I walked along the water for a while, soaking in all beauty of the ocean. Then I heard an older, cultured-looking guy sitting on a chair say to me, "Excuse me, miss!" I was thinking, "What on earth now?" I said, "Yes??" He replied, "I wanted tell you you have EXCELLENT posture. The way you walk is EXCELLENT." I had no idea what to say or do. I just told him, "Thank you. I was a dancer," and kept walking. Again, random things random people say.
Tonight I'm helping Andrea babysit some kids, so that's all for now! I just wanted to share some of the sights, sounds, and conversations of late.
I'm still in Daytona Beach spending a restful week with my baby sister who has become quite grown up. She works most of the time, which means I get to borrow her car and get into lots of trouble on my own. Yesterday, however, she took a day off, so we went on some little adventures together and met some interesting people. Hopefully one of these days I'll be able to add pictures.
Andrea drove us about 20 miles inland to a gem of a place: Hontoon Island State Park. It's an amazing park that reminded me of a mix of Thailand, Jurassic Park, and the Amazon. The place is an island, like the name suggests. You can't swim through the alligator-y waters, but there is a little ferry that will take you for free across the water. There weren't many or really any people at all.
The island was about 6 square miles probably, and it is really quite exotic. The whole place is covered in palm trees and huge, elegant Spanish moss trees. The water matched the sky, which was nearly royal blue, it seemed. We ate our little lunches under the huge mossy trees and watched some locals fishing. Then it was time to go on a little hike without any maps or anything. We found a trail that ended at an ancient Native American burial ground. At the trail head, signs told us how to speak calmly to black bears and how to avoid black widow spiders and other fun creatures.
Andrea and I tramped through the jungle, with nearly a full canopy of trees arching over our heads. At one point we saw other humans, and stopped to chat. The woman wore a "Kansas" sweatshirt, and the man wore an Indiana University ballcap. After trekking through sand and marsh and grass, we ended up at the burial grounds, which were covered in billions of tiny white seashells. Then we turned around to head the mile and a half back. No black bears or animals in sight.
We reached the little ranger station and "visitor store." And older couple sat in front eating ice-cream. Andrea and I walked by and the woman told us, "All the cute guys went to the left." I was confused, and Andrea just smiled. Random people seem to always be saying random things here. Andrea tried the door handle to the ranger station, but it was locked. An older park ranger man burst through the door asking what we wanted. We said we wanted to look in the little visitor store. He said, "I'll tell my twin brother and he'll meet you over there." We walked the five steps over to the store, and old park ranger man opened the door for us. His twin brother was himself. We walked inside the store, which was about the size of a closet, filled with faded postcards and fishing bait.
Andrea and I decided to call it a day, so we went to sit by the docked ferry and hope someone would eventually take us back to normal land. A younger park ranger man appeared, carrying wheelbarrows of trash. He told us rather excitedly that he could take us back across. So we climbed onto the ferry, and young ranger man seemed to drive us as slowly as possible. We had the opportunity to hear all about his life--he's probably my age and was in the army for five years, where he spent time in places like Somalia and Iraq. It was his dream to be a park ranger. I asked if it's what he expected (like wheelbarrowing trash and working with the old ranger man). He said he's having the greatest time. I was a little skeptical, but working on a nice island in Florida probably beats Iraq any day.
Last night after our Gilligan's Island adventure, I went with Andrea to her Campus Outreach meeting on campus. There were probably at least 40 students there and all kinds of people--white, black, Indian, athletes, ROTC... The meeting is called, "Gospel in Life," and it was encouraging to see how God is moving on the campus of Embry-Riddle and using people like Andrea to reach them.
Now it's Thursday and I just spent the morning at the beach. I purposefully went there earlier in the morning, so I could try to spend some time reading my Bible and reflecting. I found a nice little spot on the beach, but foot and vehicle traffic picked up pretty quickly. You can drive on the beach in Daytona, and it happens to be "bike week" here, where everyone in America who owns a motorcycle descends like a locust on the area. I couldn't really hear the waves--just the choppy noises from the bikes. There were also ancient ice-cream trucks driving by and a couple of older men using little radar devices to try to find metal in the sand. One of them walked right up to me, scanning the ground, and then asked me if I was okay. Maybe I didn't look okay to him, because I was hunched over my journal, trying to write out thoughts that couldn't come because I was a wee bit distracted. I assured him I was okay, and then decided to take a long walk on the beach instead.
I walked along the water for a while, soaking in all beauty of the ocean. Then I heard an older, cultured-looking guy sitting on a chair say to me, "Excuse me, miss!" I was thinking, "What on earth now?" I said, "Yes??" He replied, "I wanted tell you you have EXCELLENT posture. The way you walk is EXCELLENT." I had no idea what to say or do. I just told him, "Thank you. I was a dancer," and kept walking. Again, random things random people say.
Tonight I'm helping Andrea babysit some kids, so that's all for now! I just wanted to share some of the sights, sounds, and conversations of late.
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