Currently Reading Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul By John Eldredge, Stasi Eldredge see related

come on over!!!!!!

"Welcome, welcome to my apartment....so glad you could stop by. : )

What's that? Well it's a picture one of our friends took of a cardboard fort in the middle of Harvard Square that we've christened our apartment after. i know, i know...i love that name...it's well...awesome...

The first view you'll get when you step into Fort Awesome is out to our enclosed wooden balcony, built-in wooden book case, wood floors, wooden table....yes...lots of wood....this is also where the pile of shoes under your feet will give you a subtle hint that you too might also want to leave yours at the door...

As you look over the couch back, you'll look into living room area...you'll notice that we are in the habit of lighting far too many candles than is safe and evidence that i like to buy myself flowers on a weekly basis. The couches are comfy even if they are a little to deep and big to give great lumbar support.

Before we venture further, you'll want to turn around and get a view from the other direction. Cozy, eh?

Here's the kitchen.....a little squishy by American standards and we do only technically have a camp stove (that burns everythig to bits instantly) but it's still nice....and as i always say "kitchens are only for making coffee"....i prefer to snack on street food, eat cereal and DINE OUT!!

now, let's go down the hallway...there's the door into the bathroom but. first, let's take a peek into sarah's room, she won't mind....

Here is Sarah's room....don't you LOVE her red curtains (note the delicate but not too overwhelming touch of sparkle)

Here's a view from her bed to her desk. She's from Boston, hence the Red Sox calendar....look at her nalgene bottle, so east coast...if you look into her closet you can get a glimpse of all the scarves and accessories i always steal in the morning as i get ready for work. 'Sarah, i need some flare!' She loves all my clothes and i love all her clothes....perfect...i love it when your roommate has a very different style than yours...and you can experiment with their things it's like dress-up or shopping without the committment. One of the small but very real pleasures of single-lady life is of borrowing your roommates clothes and having a slumber party/sisterhood atmosphere of sorts...(sora, do you remember those days?) i just realized that if/when i get married, the days of gleefully running into my roommates' room and pulling stuff out of her closet will be over....sigh....i think it will be weird to live with a guy...and then to have all your friends get married and have everything split into couples and families that have their own worlds....like 'what happened to all my girl friends?'...hmm...i wonder what that will be like....for the record, i can honestly say that at this point i really can't picture myself ever getting married so maybe i will live in a 'ladies-only' style all my life...we'll see...

now here's where we get to the best part, i didn't include the bathroom but it's cramped and not exciting so we'll keep going : )...here's my room...it's shoe-box shape so it's a little hard to get a decent picture from one angle. here's my desk (more built in wood). my curtains also have sparkles...but all in good taste, not too much...

Here's my bed...note the pig the Zhang Zuo Ping gave me for New Year's. Also that i didn't measure my curtains correctly so they're a tad short...

If you face away from the desk, you'll see my closet with the only full-length mirrors in the house and the beginnings of my built in shelves on the wall...i just might be wearing a scarf i knicked from sarah's closet...

my bookshelf...

My new thing is to write verses on paper and put them up all over my walls. Somehow lately i feel like i can't hang on to truth unless i visually put it up all around me...i need reminders right in front of my face...

well, now that you've seen our apartment, lets' head back out to the balcony and get something toasty to drink before we curl up on the couch and watch an episode of our new favorite mellow canadian tv show, "corner gas" (centered on small-town gas station on the prairie) ......there's nothing like candles, friends, a cozy evening, bailey's in your hot chocolate and a little bit of saskatchewan....i'm so glad you stopped by!! ; )

Currently Reading The Search For Significance: Seeing Your True Worth Through God's Eyes By Robert S. McGee see related

Happy Year of the Pig!

In general my life has been somewhat of a rollercoaster lately. In many ways I feel adrift, tossed about in a proverbial sea of doubts and confusion. My everyday life has a certain rhythm to it but the big picture is very fuzzy. I know that I need to leave my job in the next few months but I have no idea what I want to/should be doing. I don't where my life is going. This is both unsettling and exciting. On one hand I feel overwhelmingly incompetent...not about anything in particular, just incompetent in the business of living life. On the other hand though, I have this beautiful hope from God that whispers to me that I can't do anything without him and that that's not weird and to just stay in his presence and everything will come into alignment.

So that's where I am as I come into the new year...Chinese New Year...

Yesterday, in honor of the New Year, Zhang Zhou Ping invited me over for dumplings in the dormitories where she lives. The dormitory, which is very rustic and cramped, is especially for hotel staff members. I've worked in an office located in the hotel since August and Zhang Zhou Ping and I have become good friends. She made me the most amazing jiaozi. It was fun to do something special and traditional on New Year's Day. I felt really loved and honored that she would invite me over.

One picture is a view to the street. This is the neighborhood where I work so I'm constantly in this section of the city, called XiZhimen. As you can see, the streets are very empty because of New Years'. Underneath the egg-shaped building (top-left corner) is the subway station. I take the subway north, to another area of the city called WuDaoKou where i live.

Aside #1 - Does anyone have sites they recommend for uploading photos/videos? Now that I finally replaced my camera, I'm curious.

Aside #2 - I know the title of the above book sounds super cheesy but, believe me, it is really, really good. 

Here's something crazy for me to think about: my little brobro is in Papua New Guinea. I have a difficult time explaining just exactly what he's doing so, I'm embarassed to say, I'm excerpting a short section from my parents' christmas letter to give you a succint and precise explanation:

". . . Teddy is in Papua New Guinea continuing his research on the effect of acid mine drainage by the Ok Tedi copper mine on the Fly River, with Stronach Prize funds (and with additional grants that he has gotten since then) to set up an information center that will allow Papua New Guineans and people world-wide to have access to true information about the Fly River situation and opportunities to influence future events there..."

So yes, his name is Teddy and his project is centered on the Ok Tedi mine. Slightly confusing.

The fact that my brother treks around the jungles of PNG and has his own body guard and chops off chicken heads with machetes for dinner is something that I can't quite get. It's just weird that your own siblings can be in such completely different worlds from yourself. I mean living in Beijing can be slightly wild at times but I still have a basically normal life. : p

Currently Listening Songs in Red and Gray By Suzanne Vega Penitent see related

Psalm 143 (NLT)

A psalm of David.

1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;
  listen to my plea!
  Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.
2 Don't put your servant on trial,
  for no one is innocent before you.
3 My enemy has chased me.
  He has knocked me to the ground
  and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.
4 I am losing all hope;
  I am paralyzed with fear.
5 I remember the days of old.
  I ponder all your great works
  and think about what you have done.
6 I lift my hands to you in prayer.
  I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.    Interlude

7 Come quickly, LORD, and answer me,
  for my depression deepens.
Don't turn away from me,
  or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
  for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
  for I give myself to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, LORD;
  I run to you to hide me.
10 Teach me to do your will,
  for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
  on a firm footing.
11 For the glory of your name, O LORD, preserve my life.
  Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.
12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies
  and destroy all my foes,
  for I am your servant.

Psalm 147 1 Praise the LORD! How good to sing praises to our God!   How delightful and how fitting! 2 The LORD is rebuilding Jerusalem   and bringing the exiles back to Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted   and bandages their wounds. 4 He counts the stars   and calls them all by name. 5 How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!   His understanding is beyond comprehension! 6 The LORD supports the humble,   but he brings the wicked down into the dust. 7 Sing out your thanks to the LORD;   sing praises to our God with a harp. 8 He covers the heavens with clouds,   provides rain for the earth,   and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures. 9 He gives food to the wild animals   and feeds the young ravens when they cry. 10 He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse   or in human might. 11 No, the LORD's delight is in those who fear him,   those who put their hope in his unfailing love. 12 Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem!   Praise your God, O Zion! 13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates   and blessed your children within your walls. 14 He sends peace across your nation   and satisfies your hunger with the finest wheat. 15 He sends his orders to the world—   how swiftly his word flies! 16 He sends the snow like white wool;   he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes. 17 He hurls the hail like stones.*   Who can stand against his freezing cold? 18 Then, at his command, it all melts.   He sends his winds, and the ice thaws. 19 He has revealed his words to Jacob,   his decrees and regulations to Israel. 20 He has not done this for any other nation;   they do not know his regulations. Praise the LORD!