Sunday, September 30, 2007

OMG

Shane Claiborne is coming to speak at my church.

Saturday October 13, 2007. 7pm.

Come!!!

la di da

Happy birthday to Matt! He's 24... quite the old man.

Work is exploding again... ay yi yi. I'm already behind for the first day of the month on Monday. I'll just push through and work strong and steady. For 12 hours. Wait. Can't do that. I have class Monday night at 6pm. :-/

I hope my friend, Beth, gets called back for another interview with my company. That'd be so swell!

Friday night I worked till about 7pm and met up with my roommie, Jen, at her high school alma mater's homecoming game. I love fall and football!!! High school - what a strange time and place.

I love Saturdays. I love the freedom of them. They are my day. I don't usually have many, if any, commitments, so as long as I am in town, I have a whole day to CHOOSE! The what, the where, the with whom! And when a Saturday is a gorgeous fall one like today... MMMMM! I eat it up. Savor it. Even doing dishes, taking Darla for a walk, reading for class, running errands...... don't mind it. There is something about have a day to choose. There is freedom.

I think fall may be turning into my favorite. I like to call it autumn. Poetic, you know.

Tonight I went to a women's game night with the Journey ladies. It was great! You know, showing up at a random person's house, playing games, trying to form a small circle of acquaintances in a huge church of faces. My community group starts up next week. Yay! And I'm helping out with that block party next Friday in the city.

Sometimes Matt & I go for a while without communicating. Sometimes logistically we just miss each other for a day or two with schedules and timing and exhaustion. And then sometimes we are on the phone for a while only to hang up frustrated or exasperated. I know he is under stress and transition and dealing with change. I know on the phone I can tend to wander and get so sleepy. The simplest things get so wearing when you're so far apart. Sometimes the distance is more than just 1500 miles- we are so separate. Our lives don't cross naturally day in and day out like "normal" relationships. It's disconcerting. Wanting to know and share everything -- it's overwhelming to rely on a phone call once every night (if we're lucky) to get it all done. Sometimes looking back on old pictures and journal entries, reminiscing, I just miss him. I miss us.

Monday, September 24, 2007

You are a Considerate Leader.

personalDNA.com
. . .
about you

. . .
You are a Leader

  • Your solid grounding in the practicalities of life, along with your self-assuredness and your willingness to appreciate new things make you a LEADER.
  • You're in touch with what is going on around you and adept at remaining down-to-earth and logical.
  • Although you're detail-oriented, this doesn't mean that you lose the big picture.
  • You tend to find beauty in form and efficiency, as opposed to finding it in broad-based, abstract concepts.
  • Never one to pass on an adventure, you're consistently seeking and finding new things, even in your immediate surroundings.
  • Because of this eagerness to pursue new experiences, you've learned a lot; your attention to detail means that you gain a great deal from your adventures.
  • The intellectual curiosity that drives you leads you to seek out causes of and reasons behind things.
  • Your confidence gives you the potential to take your general awareness and channel it into leadership.
  • You're not set on one way of doing things, and you often have the skills and persistence to find innovative ways of facing challenges.
  • You are well-attuned to your talents, and can deal with most problems that you face.
  • You do your own thing when it comes to clothing, guided more by practical concerns than by other people's notions of style.
  • Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.

If you want to be different:
There's more to life than the practical - take some time to daydream and explore the aesthetic sides of things.

You are Considerate

  • You trust others, care about them, and are slow to judge them, making you CONSIDERATE.
  • You value your close relationships very much, and are more likely to spend time in small, tightly-knit groups of friends than in large crowds.
  • You enjoy exploring the world through observation, quietly watching others.
  • Relating to others so well, and understanding their emotions, leads you to trust people in general, even though you're somewhat shy and reserved at times.
  • Your belief that people are generally well-intentioned contributes to your sympathy regarding their problems.
  • Although you may not vocalize it often, you have an awareness of how society affects individuals, and you understand complex causes of people's behavior.
  • You like to look at all sides of a situation before making a judgment, particularly when that situation involves important things in other people's lives.
  • Your close friends know you as a good listener.


If you want to be different:
Because other people would benefit immensely from your understanding and insight, you should try to be more outgoing in social situations, even when they make you uncomfortable. Others will want to hear what you have to say!

Osceola/Memphis

After work Friday Charity & I drove about four hours to Osceola, Arkansas. My old buddy from college, Corky, has been working there as a Main Street town planner. I think it sounds really interesting-- planning, organizing, revitalizing, developing a community. Good in theory, I think, but Corky ran into small town politics and all that jazz... blech.

Saturday we drove to Memphis and spent the day walking and touring around. Saw "3:10 to Yuma" - pretty good. The Western is back! We walked Beale Street. We saw the famous ducks at the Peabody and even returned at 5pm to watch them march on the red carpet and up the elevator to their penthouse sweet to retire until the next morning... but there were a few hundred people there before us, so we were not able to actually see the ducks waddle off.

At Corky's bachelor pad (a newly renovated and cozy servant quarter/guest house behind a farm house) we watched a lot of Arrested Development. On our way home Sunday, Charity & I stopped at Lamberts' -- Home of the Throwed Rolls!! I love that place. Glutton's delight :)

I've enjoyed these past two weekends traveling and visiting old friends. Don't worry, Linny, I'm trying to decide on a weekend to hit McDonough Co.!

I found $208 roundtrip tickets to Boston in about a month for a long weekend with Mattie... but I just checked and my midterm is over that time. BOO! We were thinking about catching a bus to New York City for the weekend. Sigh. Maybe I can find cheap tickets for him to fly to Missouri for his Thanksgiving break. Being alone in a big city when all the students fly home isn't ideal.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Dr. Hipps - so hip!

I had my first visit to the girlie doctor yesterday. Yes, that one. My doctor didn't make a big deal that I was 23 and just now having my first checkup. That made me feel better since I had heard on NPR that all women should go annually once they turn 21 and some places online said by age 18 (and of course immediately if you are sexually active). I was also concerned that she wouldn't believe me that I was not sexually active, and more than that, had never had sex... but she took me at my word. Some of my friends felt like their doctors thought they were trying to cover it up. No, it's weird, but true.

At least for me, my experience wasn't bad at all. Supposedly it helps if you wear tampons. It was uncomfortable and, well, weird, but it wasn't painful. But still it's like, your hand is where?!

Plus my doctor was so sweet and nice (and on time!?!?)-- I recommend her to everyone! She explained everything and was so sweet and very supportive. Plus her name is Dr. Hipps -- what a great name for ob-gyn! Like my old dentist's name: Dr. Gentles :-)

I got in there right in time because today my little red friend came to visit.... and I feel horrible. Maybe I should have tried to explain more indepth about how bad my cramps are every month. She suggested calcium suppliments - has anyone else heard that?

What everyone wanted to hear about, I'm sure! Does anyone have any good stories or horror stories of their womanly visits?

Monday, September 17, 2007

girls weekend

Yes, it was a great weekend. I had not hung out with Margaret much, but we just cannot figure out why! She's such an upbeat, talkative, zany person. It was a great group, the four of us. We spent a majority of our time just talking and catching up and one evening we spent hanging onto Alexis' honest words about marriage... the real, honest, painful and yet beautiful parts of marriage we all agreed for some reason aren't discussed. Alexis has vowed that her life is open for the sharing; if anyone wants to know anything about her faith or marriage or anything, albeit personal, she will try as hard as she can to do so- her vulnerability shows such strength.

It was SO good to just talk! We had some of the best conversation. Alexis, Margo & I all said how much this weekend of girl-talk did for us since we don't have much of it usually (Laurie does girltalk for a living as an intern with Cru). It's so uplifting and cleansing to be honest, ask tough questions, share your insides, and integrate God into it for real. I'm not good at opening up, but spurred on by Margaret & Alexis' vulnerability and openness, I felt no pressure and thus shared myself as well. I am always impressed and jealous of some people's ability to share and open themselves up and invite people in.

Things have changed... but indeed somethings stay the same. We are our good old crazy selves, launching into song or dance or quotage or just ridiculous comments.

But other things seem strange, disconcerting. In my mind Alexis hasn't aged; she's still the off-the-wall, crazy, fiery freshman I danced around a dorm room to "76 Trombones" with five years ago. Alexis and Justin own a beautiful, unique house! They put aside money every month for their children's education to pass on the best gift their parents gave to them. The foresight and responsibility used there is just impressive! Justin and Alexis are such opposites, personality-wise. They are such an interesting, strange, amazing balance of passion and practicality, left and right brains, emotional charge and thought-out patience. It really works well. She is maturing and being shaped, as hard and painful as that can be, especially for someone as fiery and passionate as her.

Margaret has been dating Warren for almost a year now, but already have spectacular communication and just seem to mesh. And they know it, too. Alexis eerily prophesied a couple years ago to Margaret: "Margaret, you and Natalie are the same in that you are beautiful and are a little different and the boys here in Missouri just don't get your kinds. You are both beautiful and intelligent and strong women, but I know you guys are going to end up with someone outside of Missouri after college. You all are going to just have to wait to meet the right one." We both ended up finding guys at Mizzou but they are a different kind and are both on the East coast now. As Margaret said, that Alexis is a sage beyond her years.

Also, I tended to lust after Alexis' job. She works in nonprofit for Nazarene Compassion Ministries International doing PR and media/advertising and communications for this humanitarian organization. Friday she leaves for a week in Africa covering the AIDS/HIV relief the organization is doing there. Sigh! Wowzers! Sigh...

Friday, September 14, 2007

Kansas City

This afternoon I will be driving to Columbia, picking up two lovely ladies by the names of Laurie & Margaret, and then will head a couple more hours west to Oleathe, KS. My old college roommate, Alexis, and her husband, Justin, just bought a beautiful house. Justin is going to Chicago tomorrow for the Chiefs - Bears football game (that sounds so awesome!) so it is officially a GIRLS WEEKEND!

Alexis & I, random roommates freshmen year, were perfect. Personality-wise we were different, but we were absolutely ridiculously crazy together. Random was our middle name. I don't know how many bizarre inside jokes we have. We even started a book to keep track of things we did/things that happened to us: "Alexis & Natalie's Book of Randomness." We found Laurie and were the three muskateers in college... us going to Eva J's for dinner every night in the dorms, us vs. the other roommates at the TGS house, making horrible creations at craft nights, us and our crazy sorority.

Well, then I went to Chile and when I came back Alexis & Justin were inseparable. Laurie & I became pretty inseparable. And now we're all separated.

I miss my girls. Nothing will be the same again. We've grown apart, chosen different paths, don't always understand each other.... but I can assure you that sometime this weekend we will get a short feeling of "man, some things never change."

Thursday, September 13, 2007

A new school year

Fine! Adoring public... here I am!

First, I am really looking forward to the coziness of fall. There's something in the air... the crisp air is getting me excited. Not sure why. Usually fall makes me sad because warmness is leaving.

I have continued attending the Journey. Some weeks I will go and not see anyone, some weeks I am overwhelmed by the amount of people, mostly if not all from Mizzou, that I see and want to reconnect with. But every week I learn and worship and gather some strength and perspective to keep going. It's a beautiful church. Supposedly our pastor and Donald Miller are BFFs.

"Love God. Connect People. Transform the World." We're taking St. Louis first!

I'm getting my first chances to get involved. Like a lot of things, everything kind of starts again in fall. I emailed a random guy and will be helping & cleaning up a block party October 5th in downtown STL near Forest Park to meet and reach a new neighborhood. I just signed up yesterday for a small group which will meet Thursdays at 7pm in UCity (where I would love to move after this lease is up). I'm so pumped to know a core group of people and discuss and challenge each other about the sermons. With a church this big, the leaders emphasize small groups as how you will connect and build your family in Christ. I hope I find some wonderful, godly, fun people -- I'm pumped to widen my circle. It's so freaking hard to meet people in "the real world."

I went to an info meeting for St. Louis Young Life... that's a big commitment. You're going after, hunting down, and befriending disinterested high schoolers. I like Young Life in that it's not just another youth group or clique for already churched-to-death teens. The only schools that they're at are in the wealthiest high schools in St. Louis county... I wondered how this happened. I had never even heard of YL until I went to college. They are beginning at one "urban" (that's what they call it!) high school this fall. It'd be good experience, a taste of what I'd be getting into with Teach for America. I wish the the eight weeks of info meetings were at a better time --I'm out of town and will have to miss at least 2/8 of the info meetings, plus I would have to skip Iglesia for the rest... sheesh...

Jen and I want to volunteer at a foster home where we would hang out with a room of foster care girls once a week, help with homework, provide some guidance and fun... While reading the Bible with God's command to especially take care of the orphan and the widow, I realized I didn't think I knew an orphan and went in search. Hopefully the lady will call me back soon...

I'm trying to think and pray this through. I don't want to overcommit but it's so hard when I'm like "so much to do! so much needs to be done!" Doing lots excites me. I feel best when I'm busy and on the go!

After I had started my job, I realized how on-the-go I had been for eight years. Literally like commitments all day, living by my planner to tell me where I was going....ALL through high school and college. Post-college I realized how much I had been doing and wondered if I was fulfilled... after being out of it for so long, I know I do need to make room for more rest than I was aloting myself in the old days, but I think I have come to the conclusion that it's how I'm wired.

Also.... grad school starts next week! Mondays 6-9pm this semester. Gotta love those 14-hour days. This semester: Equity Markets. I will have to actively "manage" a $500,00 portfolio. It's going to be challenging but interesting, I think.


Usually I have time at work to update everyday. I think I will try to. This one got a little out of control.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World

I just got an email that "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is now available for me at the library! Woo! I have heard some people say that this one is better than "The Kite Runner" but I can't imagine how that could be.

I am reading "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: an Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children". It is very inspiring. A guy left a high-status, glamorous, expatriate lifestyle as an executive in Microsoft to work full-time bringing schools and libraries and books to developing countries. !!!!!!!

He used the same reasoning that I roll around in my head... sure, there would be a hole for a few months and I'd let down my team and bosses and my friends and family wouldn't understand but I would be replaced in a few months and forgotten. People will always line up to do my job. Not everyone will line up to do this*. What is the point of having an education and so many privileges if you keep them to yourself to become fatter and richer and smarter? How distressingly selfish. Can you imagine being so thirsty to learn and read as those in the stories he shares? The developing world values such crazy things that we over here in the west have forgotten still have innumerable worth. How can everything, everything be taken for granted as the US has learned so well?

*what my this is, I am still trying to figure out....

Quick Update

I just got an email that "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is now available for me at the library! Woo! I have heard some people say that this one is better than "The Kite Runner" but I can't imagine how that could be.

I am reading "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: an Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children". It is very inspiring. A guy left a high-status, glamorous, expatriate lifestyle as an executive in Microsoft to work full-time bringing schools and libraries and books to developing countries. !!!!!!!

He used the same reasoning that I roll around in my head... sure, there would be a hole for a few months and I'd let down my team and bosses and my friends and family wouldn't understand but I would be replaced in a few months and forgotten. People will always line up to do my job. Not everyone will line up to do this*. What is the point of having an education and so many privileges if you keep them to yourself to become fatter and richer and smarter? How distressingly selfish. Can you imagine being so thirsty to learn and read as those in the stories he shares? The developing world values such crazy things that we over here in the west have forgotten still have innumberable worth. How can everything, everything be taken for granted as the US has learned so well?

*what my this is, I am still trying to figure out....




//I decided to integrate my two blogs but I can't copy over the comments//


2 comments:
lindsay corinn said...
love it! more! dream God's dreams!

September 13, 2007 8:22 PM
T. Brandon Lane said...
When are you going to tell us about more books!?

December 3, 2007 11:44 AM