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jippy_jig
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read my profile
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Interests: learning about humanity CREATIVITY AND THE ARTS a good crunchy chord progression FOOD FROM THIS WORLD AND BEYOND adventure and exploring GLORIOUS MOUNTAINS knowing my family DISCOVERING MY PASSIONS making food RUNNING socks EARLY MORNINGS raisins SOCIAL JUSTICE exploring art and freedom SEEING THE WORLD...knowing this Saviour who is JESUS and knowing his love for me and for the world
Expertise: getting ready for bed marathons...writing entirely non-sensical songs...giving a good hearty hug...seeing the beautiful...hopefully there's more
Message: message me
Member Since:
3/25/2005
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| For Taars - A reprise
I came across an old something I wrote for a best friend on her wedding day. It's good to remember that stuff - reminisce. It's good not to let yourself forget the good things you've been given in life - the good things you were given for no other reason than, you've been blessed. And it's good to let those people know, and to let others know too.
This is for Taars:
"You know, I haven't known Taara for but a year longer than David has known Taara, but all the same I've enjoyed having the extra insight into some skills and talents that you might not know about Taara:
- Picking the door lock of an old Camaro with a coathanger.
- Staying up through a whole night dreading hair.
- Actually holding her word in a two-week V8 drinking competition.
- Managing to find a job anywhere and everywhere.
- Having one-night 10-page papers down to a science.
- Always having a good store of chai and cookies in the cupboards (and lots of cups of chai around the house - like marking her territory).
- Being able to do a 5 minute sprint across campus when she over-slept on the day of her theory exam.
- Calling and waking up her roomate who also slept in on her theory exam. (Thanks, Taars).
- Someone who will actually drool over a good "crunchy" chord progression.
- Patient enough to handle two best friends incessantly raiding her jewelry case...and to handle another crazy 5-foot roomate who plays violin with no pants on.
- Me waking up one day and finding our whole house re-arranged by Taara in the middle of the night (to the delight of a sufficiently pleased Taara).
- Sneaking into the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Vancouver to give our personal performance on stage.
- Incredible patience beyond anyone I've ever known - loving me beyond what my actions deserved.
- Someone who makes you feel like the most special person in the world, just by being with her.
- Finding you can be awe-struck and amazed at how much beauty can radiate from one person - not just from her being ridiculously good-looking, but from so many little essences that can only be described as...Taara.
One thing that makes me so happy is that I've only seen this grow and grow up to now, and I know there is more to come.
You know, it is exciting to see you both (Taara and David) are set up for success - best friends; two incredible families that support you, teach you, and comfort you; great friendships that you have made and poured yourselves into; an incredible woman and an incredible guy who fit each other down to a "t"...and still, life is not measured by success, but by faithfulness. And marriage, is not an achievement but an adventure. I can see it in your eyes - you're ready. Whether it is Brazil, or Bangladesh, or Langley, BC you two are a team, set and ready to explore, to bend, to be bent, to grow, and to love each other extravagently."
Love you.
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| *sidetrack - marker
Take it easy, Hayley.
Infatuation - let's call it what
it is.
You don't even know him.
Feeling frustrated now
that my heart is at stake.
Bursting out the backdoor
when Dad said I could go play;
racing through grass high
to my knees;
Not racing because I must
but because I almost forgot this smell
of wonder -
the joy of running so hard
I run out of breath.
Hold on.
My Dad trails behind
still coming off the
backporch.
He knows this field -
tilled it with his own hands.
He knows me -
holding me, watching over me
until my smile came back at first light.
Hold on.
His stride is slow
and steady;
something in my heart tells me to
stay close.
Hold on.
Go on.
I can hardly see the backporch now.
I run back to hug my dad - my excitement
is going to spill out everywhere!
"Go along."
We go on.
Running around, grass whipping at my knees.
[sigh] I missed this.
Don't miss it now - breath deep.
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| Way to go Wales
Check out this recent photo journal on the BBC about a commissioned art project in Cardiff, Wales. The coastal capital asked Swiss artist, Felice Varini, to create a piece of public art at the Cardiff Bay Barrage. He ended up creating this piece called 3 Ellipses for 3 Locks. It is amazing...not only the piece of art (which is thrilling when you finally uncover it), but amazing that a public harbour authority would see it important to include the visual arts in their public daily life. Love it!
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| Trading the Texas boots for some sandy flip-flops
People who know me have learned to find out about me in other ways. This also means: I'm horrible at updating this blog. And now, it is time for this little blog to change - for good reasons.
I've spent the last incredible year in Austin, Texas
and I've loved it! Austin has become quite a home for me now and will always be that way. Although,
I'm soon to leave Austin, in about 3 weeks, and head on to a new (but
equally as hot) place in my life.
I'm moving to Mauritania!
(Not to worry, we'll all need
an atlas on this one.) Mauritania (the Republique Islamique de
Mauritanie) is on the West Coast of Africa, just south of the Sahara.
Actually, most of it is the Sahara desert. After a year-long
application process, I've decided to accept a position with the Peace
Corps. I will be working with the Girls' Empowerment and Education
agency (GEE) and, more specifically, running a Girl's Mentoring Centre
(GMC) in one of the regional capitals. The GEE started these Mentoring
Centres 4 years ago as a pilot project to encourage female education.
The education retention rate is quite low, with most girls dropping out
at around the age of 10-12. Running the GMC, I will be doing some basic
schooling, language classes, computer classes, vocational skills, and
hopefully (over time) getting the community involved and interested in
educating their girls. I also get the freedom to develop programs as I see fit to encourage the girls to be involved. I am thrilled about my job!!! While it will be entirely
different in Africa, with little resources, and speaking French and
Arabic, it is a perfect fit for me.
So, while I'm sure you
all will be jumping on google to find out about this "Mauritania"
place, I'll give you a general idea. It is a religious republic and
also (courtesy of elections in March) a democratic nation. The country
is four-fifths desert, and because of this, it is one of the least
developed nations in Africa. The major languages are Arabic (official)
and French, along with a smattering of Arabic dialects and tribal
languages. I am really excited about getting my French back (it has
been a while) and most likely to pick up some other languages as well -
out of sheer necessity. The people are Arab and Black African, but the
actual ethnic divisions I don't yet entirely understand.
I never thought of myself as the "Peace Corps type", and I'm certain not to be one of those girls that doesn't look after herself and ends up looking all scraggly and manly. A year ago I didn't even know what the Peace Corps was until my oldest sister mentioned it as "something I'd really like." Now I find myself about to move to the Sahara desert and I couldn't be more excited. (Remind me of this 8 months from now when I'm tired, smelly, and craving a hamburger). Up to this point, everything in my life has lined up perfectly one before the other; strangely prepared with just what I needed; never knowing what is ahead; and seeing the beauty of the whole picture only after I've passed through. Strangely enough the next check point is Mauritania, and when I step back at the end of it all, I can't wait to see that picture.
**Check back for links to a new blog
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I reached a life marker this week. It was stressful. In fact, the thought of it still kind of stresses me out, but I liked it. I think I will do it again.
I took the plunge, for the first time in my life (willfully that is), I ate a whole bowl of cereal - with milk.
All my life my system has been:
1) Select cereal of choice
2) Pour in pile on table (or with mom watching, in a bowl)
3) Pour glass of milk to accompany pile
4) Take bite of cereal
5) Take a drink of milk
6) Repeat at will.
Now, I have made it to the other side. Here's my take on the whole experience. I had it with O's; which I think is okay - a good starter cereal. It helped the whole fear of soggy mush in my milk.
Difficulty: I often felt I had to rush, like it was a race against time (or against sogginess). It was like saving these poor O's from being milk-logged, bloated, and then drowning. I know, it's all very drammatic, but very realistic.
De-lish: Cereal-flavored milk and drinking it from the bowl.
Future goal: Work towards milk with flakes.
**Going down to Houston for Thanksgiving. Woot woot!
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