Ben's Tricks

I saw my nephews this past weekend. Ben is 2, and he can do fun things. Ahem. We don't encourage him or anything....

Trusting God with Relationships

I just finished up a series called "Trusting God with Relationships" over at the Boundless Line.

I've recently been thinking a lot about God's participation in my love life. Mostly, I've been wondering to what extent He cares about it. There was a time when I believed that the Lord was carefully preparing and refining my future spouse and orchestrating the exact events that would bring us together. I still want to believe that, but it's a struggle.

If you've been feeling the same way, check out the series. I hope it will be an encouragement. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 and Part 6.

A Day in Seattle

As part of my trip to the Northwest, Sveta and I spent a day in Seattle, Wash., the Emerald City.

Sveta on the observation deck of the Space Needle.

Me on the observation deck of the Space Needle.

We went downtown to Pike's Place Market, where they throw the fish and sell beautiful produce.

I bought a Cinnamon Dolce latte at the original Starbucks in Pike's Place.

The view from outside my friend Sarah's apartment.

Mia

Cat care start-up kit: $36
Airline approved cat carrier: $30
Taking cat on plane: $75
Bringing home baby: priceless.

Odd Impulses

Today at work, I was returning to my cubicle with my lunch and I passed a man I work with named Rodger. He's in a different department, so we only work together occasionally. He was kind enough to update me on the status of a certain project our two teams are working on. After our conversation, I said, "Thanks, Rodger." But I realized what I REALLY wanted to say was, "Roger, Rodger." Sort of glad I refrained.

Fall Cleaning

Today I'm cleaning my room. I mean, REALLY cleaning it. I like things clean but neat is a different story. Yep. I'm a bit of a pack-rat and clutterbug. My findings have been fascinating. Did you know some things multiply? It's true. Dental floss, for instance. I discovered after cleaning out my bathroom drawers that I had quite the collection.

The same was true for chapstick and headbands. (And really, how often do you see me wearing a headband?)

Then there's always the sentimental item that you never use anymore, but you can't bear to part with it for the memories attached to it. Figure A: a small Fiddler on the Roof t-shirt from '93. (I'm sure I'll magically shrink to my 14-year-old size one of these days).

The things you forgot about, such as this awesome Jane Austin gown I found at the thrift store last year. Anyone having a Pride and Prejudice costume party? I think pink is my color.

And the random item award goes to...the moustache. Um, that's all I have to say about that.

I'm still working, so I'm sure more treasures are yet to be unearthed. What's the strangest thing you found while cleaning?

Ben and Aaron

It's been a while since I've posted pictures of my dear nephews. Last weekend they took a trip to the pumpkin patch. Enjoy the cuteness on me!

Friends

They'll drive you the airport,
that's 105 miles away,
on a work day,
for a smile.

They'll call you,
to say, "I was just thinking of you,
Can I pray for something?
Want to go to Dairy Queen?"

They'll make you dinner,
served on the good dishes,
during reality TV,
laughing about life and love.

They'll go to a musical with you,
even when they don't know the plot,
or own a killer bunny puppet,
or whistle.

They'll meet you for breakfast at 7 a.m.,
on the weekend,
when they don't drink coffee,
to listen in on your dreams.

They'll leave you a myspace comment,
to say, "It was nice seeing you,
talking to you,
even for a little bit."

They'll ride the bus for an hour,
to share a bagel,
and get a hug,
just because you're their friend.

Lean Cuisine lasagna...

...makes me miss Mom's! You can't really tell from the picture, but this lasagna has exactly three layers: noodle, cheese, noodle. The whole piece is approximately 1/4 inch thick. Mmm. No wonder it's "lean." I must admit it did not taste as bad as it looked (and usually with freezer food it's the other way around), but I wouldn't call it lasagna. Also, my mom makes the BEST lasagna, and I do have the recipe. It just takes more than eight minutes to prepare.

It's That Simple

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Get Your Veggies

I got coffee at work this morning, and it tastes particularly good. Mmm. Last night I interviewed Mike Nawrocki and his daughter, Ally. You may know Mike better as Larry the Cucumber. VeggieTales has a new movie coming out on January 11: "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything." Nine-year-old Ally got the job of voicing Annie, Lucy and a variety of other little veggies after Phil Vischer's (Bob the Tomato) daughter "retired" from the kid voice biz.


The interview was fun because Mike and Ally obviously have a great relationship. Mike was in Toronto and Ally was in Tennessee. "I miss you, Dad," she said at one point. To her, it's no big deal having Larry the Cucumber in the house, though she obviously adores her dad. When I asked if he gave her any tips in the studio, Ally answered, "A few. But mostly he just really liked what I did."

If you can, go see the movie opening weekend; it will help ensure more quality offerings like this hit the big screen. I've already seen the film and recommend it. Besides hilarious pop culture references and general silliness, there are also some great spiritual parallels in the story. Look for the exclusive interview with Mike and Ally in the January issue of Clubhouse Jr. magazine.

Cause I'm the Mom

This is so funny! And true. I heard this on the radio yesterday and wanted to share it with my friends.

I'm a Cat Lover, but...

This is a little ridiculous.


Then again, for the diehard cat-owner (who probably should have just gotten a dog instead), this is a great option for those daily walks outdoors.


And don't forget about the deluxe model for the cat of privilege. Nothing says, "I belong to Donald Trump," like three zippered openings.

Inspire 2007

Hunter and Lacey with their performance class, "Radioactive Guinea Pigs."
This weekend the Stick Horses and I taught, performed and hip-hopped (Jared!) at the Inspire Drama Conference. We had a great time teaching improv to teens and adults. One of our Facebook friends came to the conference just to hang out with us, and we met cool people from Greeley, Pueblo, Denver, Boulder and Highlands Ranch.


Some superheroes in need of serious therapy. Left to right: Diana (Wonder Woman), Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker and James Bond.
Some of our other duties included putting on a mini-show and performing a couple of skits. The audience particularly enjoyed "Superhero Therapy," in which our favorite heroes (and one misdirected superspy) discuss their "difficult feelings" at Superheroes Anonymous. Clark feels like he's from another planet. Peter is always on the Web and feels stuck. And Bruce has social anxiety disorder and retreats to his "cave." When James Bond arrives and steals the show, things get tense between Diana and the other heroes. "Happy bond-ing!" she says haughtily.

We wore many hats this weekend, but I think the best thing was introducing young people (and older people) to the joys of improv. Our students blew us away with their talent and enthusiasm. It's possible we left more inspired than they.

Can Your Friends Do This?

Sarah knocked on the back door tonight when she arrived at improv practice looking like this. "Would you like to donate anything to the community rummage sale?" she asked.

A Wedding

On Saturday, Sveta and I attended her friend Allie's wedding. Allie goes to my church, so she's my friend, too. The outdoor wedding was beautiful (and windy!).

Here's a picture I took that I'm particularly pleased with. The best man, the groom's brother, escorts the sisters of the bride and groom. (He is also Collin Stoddard from the band 33 Miles.) Let's just say the wedding music was great!