haley's great blog of fun

the importance of the woods

2008-08-31T06:32:00.001+09:00

I'm back in America and more nationalistic than ever! Pictures later.

But here's the text from an old Okinawan shopping bag I just cleaned out of my closet.

These articles bring the warmly felt quality of European styles custom fit to bring a full life to all who enjoy them. The soft caress of warm spring winds are the essence of our philosophies of quality ingredients, ability and honesty. Dedication to soft sumptuous, and radiant items for the customer is the cornerstone of our foundation. Complete joy is assured retroactively to all who partake in this offering. A feeling of complete freedom and individuality is the reward for zealous pursuit of inspiration. This design means the importance of the woods. It was provided by Japanese Oji&Kuri.

Intense!!

count down begins

2008-05-02T17:49:00.000+09:00

Three weeks and I'm outa here!

With this crazy faced graham cracker.

mac attack

2008-04-26T14:28:00.001+09:00

Climbing with Katie at the boulder fields. I've never seen a girl with painted nails be this hardcore.

I had a two second video (that won't upload) of me climbing the problem that's responsible for my pulled butt. The last move is slinging your leg up and using it to haul the rest of your body weight up and over the mantle. Thus my butt still hurts even though it's been well over a month.

recent fun

2008-04-25T12:28:00.007+09:00

I was ringing up a lady at the Mountain High counter and the phone rang. Hello, I said.
"Shouldn't you be working harder!?" the other voice said.
"What?" Which dork is this, I thought.
"Shouldn't you be working harder!?" the other voice said again. I knew who it was.
"Hooks!!"
"Hey buttface." Yeah, it was definitely Alex Hooks. Our old manager who we love to pieces even though he ditched us for a road trip.

I asked him what he was doing.

"Well that sounds fun. You've just been climbing a lot....You're in where?.......What are you doing in Utah!?....You're in a sand storm!?"
By now the lady trying to buy a spork is looking at me like I'm a fruitcake. I told her sorry but she would have to wait because my old manager needed help with his sand storm.
"Alex, hey, yeah, I'm with a customer so I can't check the weather right now but....three days?! Hah! Dude...Yeah hang in there buddy, I'll get somebody."

So Alex was caught in a sandstorm. In Utah. But I think he's out now and we're happy for him. But we still miss him, especially when Pandora plays Nappy Dreads.

Surprise attack on his last day, doh!

In other news, the mail brought me a new picture of the missionary I support in India. It's been four years since his last one, and he looks the same, except for the beard and a little Indian lady standing next to him all smiley. I'm not surprised he got married because he's very hansom. Anyway, congratulations to Sachin and Ashawini!

friend

2008-04-09T17:27:00.001+09:00

update

2008-04-03T13:54:00.000+09:00

Sorry! There's nothing worse than a lazy updater, so I will take this time to update you with all kinds of fancy details.

Well, as of right now my hand feels like it's on fire. I was helping put together a tricky Camelback display at work. The cool part is that Michael actually hammered one of the components to fit the other. The gnarly part is that the chunky part of my hand got in the way when we put the two pieces together, and there was literally a piece of my hand still between the metal parts. Even after I pulled the rest of my hand away.

Okay, I just made it sound a lot worse than it was. But seriously! It was gross. Blood. I was just like, "Uhhh...", Mike was all, "Oh...my...." and Gray was foraging around for the first aid kit, which he found.

So that's my life. Working, mostly at Mountain High. For instance, tonight we had a clinic for Big Agnes and Granite Gear, which wouldn't have been worth it except for the shwag. There have been a lot of changes at the shop. We lost our fearless leader, Alex With A Unidread, to a knee-jerk trip out West. Bry-con is our new manager, The Duke is assistant managing, and I'm a key holder. As impressed as you may be with me right now, the only difference is that I can lock (and unlock) the door. Honestly this job is the best thing I could've done to prepare for the backpacking trip.

Oh yeah! I'm going backpacking through Europe with Jeanette. We have tickets to Dublin. Leaving in May. Indefinite stay. Will come back when the money runs out. Hopefully will make it through Italy. We will be taking our climbing shoes.

And on that note, The Duke has been taking this gym rat for some outdoor climbing. He helped me do my first lead climb at Sandrock. On the most recent trip I attempted my second lead climb on a 5.10b. I can't lie here, man. It was stokage. Lead climbing is fun. Besides mind over matter, my main motto for outdoor climbing is if you don't try, you'll never know. It's surprising what you can do when you stop thinking about how you can't do it.

phone pass

2008-02-13T16:42:00.000+09:00

One day I was talking to a former dorm baby, Samantha...

who is back at Bible College in Socal, when suddenly another former dorm baby, Cathrin...

walks by, who somehow avoided getting wedgied by me the previous semester. And I talked to her. Then I find myself talking to Longacre...(who, if you've ever seen dance or climb a pole, you'd understand why Sam and I have been calling him Mogli)

And then Alex...

And then Sweet Peaches Zachary...

And then Messy Jessy...

And then back to Bikinis...

And it was shankin awesome. Totally made my week. It made me very much miss California, and all the people in it. And the surf.

Also, I hope it's not creeper that I got these pictures off facebook and now I'm using them for my personal website. Muhhh, I'm a freak.

coworkers

2008-02-06T15:06:00.000+09:00

Some coworkers

which make for such a boring time.

my reaction to tonight's super bowl win

2008-02-04T12:20:00.000+09:00

HECK!!!

FREAKING!!!

YES!!!

I love you, Paxico.

MHO top ten

2008-02-02T10:31:00.000+09:00

Mountain High top ten list, as of last month:

10. Hickyesque.

9. Listening to Legends of Rodeo and Elliot over the speakers, thanks to Bo's vintage Takehold Records collection.

8. Using my Japanese skills with our one Nihonjin customer.

7. The way The Duke thinks I'm a dirty hippie and calls me shortstack.

6. "I'm going to slap you in the faceneck." "...What's masochism?" "I think you're going to have to look that one up on your own buddy."

5. Bryson, half asleep, zoned out, mouth hanging open, stirring his coffee with a coat hanger. "Fo sho, fo sho..."

4. "...Now my stomach hairs are all...conscious of themselves...self conscious..."

3. Any time anyone makes fun of Quiggle, but only out of love.

2. Alex wearing a neon sack liner like a moomoo - Mark deciding he looked like dragon larvae.

1. "I assume those ski pants aren't for the kid in your arms?" "Oh no, he's only six months old!" "Well yeah because I was going to say that's an amazing skiing baby."

Although I am obviously sorely outnumbered in a man's world, it's actually pretty fun despite the ridiculous amounts of testosterone flying around everywhere.

muh

2008-01-16T13:26:00.000+09:00

I'm actually not forgetting to post. I really want to. There's just nothing to take pictures of, or really talk about. It's freaking me out a little bit. My friend's not here.

The new job at Mountain High is great. Definitely still rookie of the year. You've really got to know your stuff. I didn't know there was so much to long underwear and camping stoves. Camping stoves!! Those things are just crazy. They actually hold entire seminars about camping stoves. Meanwhile, I just play with luna sticks and listen to the guys sell their little hearts out. Then sometimes me and The Duke take turns picking on each other. You guys don't know who The Duke is yet, but maybe I can bootleg a picture from my phone. I'm pretty sure he'd never pose for one.

work update

2008-01-10T16:40:00.000+09:00

Update:

* My dad hooked me up with a job at Workplay serving during concerts. I've already seen some good shows - Two Ton Boa and Dresden Dolls just played on Tuesday. You may remember Ruben Studdard from American Idol - he kinda casually walked through at the New Years Eve party. But, most exciting to me is that Ani Difranco is coming. Ani Difranco!! I really like, almost to the point of love, her.

* I got another job. Well, actually I got the OK to start a trial period of 30 days to see how much they like me at this other job. It's at Mountain High Outfitters, a retailer for climbing stuff, camping stuff, kayaking stuff, skiing stuff, backpacking stuff, all kinds of stuff, hardware, softwear, all kinds of wares. I interviewed today with Alex, who looks like he's working on a sweet uni-dread and hasn't changed clothes in five days. Now this is more my speed.

* Some Jehovah's Witnesses came to my door. Yes, I got the Watchtower mag.

rodeo drive

2007-12-28T17:03:00.000+09:00

Yet another California flashback I can cry over. This was the day I drove a caravan of women to Hollywood (yikes).

Sam took that of Kim, Ellie, and Bama Jr.

At this point I was about ready to push the eject button and drive back. The traffic was GNARLY. But when we met up with Alex and Peaches, everything was suddenly great again. I kept them company outside while the girls took glamor shots in gold sequin dresses in the dressing room (not kidding).

This guy totally made my night as well. As well as this incredible massaging chair. I'm pretty sure this was the only store I stayed in for more than 10 seconds.

The only bad part was when the "foot pressurizing massage crammer" started squeezing the living poo out of my already-broken toe, and I couldn't remove it. All I could do was sit there as the bones crumbled under the compressor and tell Zachary how ungood it felt. And my sock had a hole in it. And it didn't match my other one.

Kim, Alex, Sam, Sarah, Ellie, Zack (Peaches [he's from Georgia])

Shoes! Shoes appROVES! [The other half of the inside joke that went along with the BIKINIS sign, that I still won't attempt to explain.]

The girls wanted to window shop down Rodeo (it was midnight).

Peaches trying to make us guess how much this dumb piece of coral was. It was something ridiculous like 3 bajillion million bucks.

Chrithmath!!

graduation pix

2007-12-27T10:18:00.000+09:00

As if I didn't miss California enough aleady, here's some graduation pictures. All in all, it was great. Except I tried to "do" my hair and it ended up looking like a really weird wig, but who cares right. So without further ado...

With Hambone, Green Card, and Houtz.

Parentals.

Vanessa, Douglas, Bradly, someone, Chessa, Yumiko

My Chugokujin

I had to say goodbye to Cart-y...

Then we went to Oceanside

The end.

back home

2007-12-20T15:58:00.000+09:00

Actually I'm still alive. Graduation was a success at least in the sense that I walked. I have to finish this church history class before my diploma comes in the mail (which is pretty much the bane of my existence right now). But regardless! I'm done! Thank You, God. Mean it.

Back in Alabama, had sweet tea with my Subway, now I'm eating grits for a midnight snack. Not even kidding.

The plan is: get a job, so that I, in due course, may raise monies to do what's next. What is next you might ask. Here's a hint:

graduation & life

2007-12-09T05:16:00.000+09:00

Busyness has successfully put my updates on the backburner, but I can spare a moment or two for a quick run down:

I'm graduating in exactly one week. In a skirt. That's about it.

Actually, I need some prayer. Well, actually I could've used it about two weeks ago. By the divine, powerful, great, magnificent, incredible, powerful, great, divine, great grace of God, I managed to get all my junk in a row. I had homework, classes, community service, exams, papers, people, retreat support, and then other minor details like eating and sleeping.

It reminded me a bit of when you take a huge load of laundry out of the dryer, and you keep dropping socks and underwear along the way, and when you bend down to pick up the socks and underwear, other things fall off the top of the pile, and your shirts are stactic clinging to your face, and then your kids start crying and the dog poops on the floor so you throw your laundry angrily across the room.

But I'm good now! No longer do I want to jump off a cliff, but I'm actually excited about the next phase in life. Which will be disclosed later. God bless you guys.

golden gate bridge

2007-12-09T04:22:00.000+09:00

Oh yeah, we drove across this:

t-giving break

2007-12-06T03:41:00.000+09:00

*.* WiNTER REUNiON FEST 2oo7 .*.

Basically, Jeanette came over.

Thanksgiving morning: begin journey in our sweet ride - a red VW bug (alias Clarence).

Lake Elsinor.

I got made fun of for taking this, but I did it for you dad.

Anyhow, on to San Francisco!

The Alcatraz tour was closed...

but there were sealsssssssss!!!!! Real ones!!! In the wild!!!!

Well, believe it or not, there was nothing really to do on Thanksgiving night in San Francisco. So we went back to the hotel and ate our Thanksgiving dinner: nacho chips and a pizza sphere from the gas station next door. Every mother's worst nightmare for their child.

Day two: back to Fisherman's Wharf.

Jeanette's never had crab before, but she downed that sucker faster than a starvin fat kid with a corn pone.

Not gonna share.

...

China town.

As we were farewelling San Francisco, taking one last walk down the crazy strip, we realized it was pretty easy to pick out the locals. 1) Guy flying down the sidewalk in a wheelchair backwards: local. 2) Random yelling lady, yelling at random people at random: local. 3) Middle aged dude in only spandex shorts stretched out in the middle of a fountain reading the paper: definitely local. Peace out, SF.

Day three. Destination: Becca's house (and Yosemite).

Bear count: 0
Baby dear count 1
Tree count: 345,742,656,234,745,002,1532,7567,34pasdf345389

Day four: Leave. And Oceanside for fun.

Back in Murrieta.

See this big dumb ring? Well, we had to pay four bucks for it in China town because it got stuck on my finger. I don't know how I got it on there, but it wouldn't come off.

Then she had to leave, and life was not as great.
I'll go easy on the sap...but, yes, I miss her again already.

dorm pics

2007-11-20T09:35:00.000+09:00

foxe's book of martyrs

2007-11-07T14:28:00.000+09:00

One of the required readings for Church History class is John Foxe's Book of Martyrs.

Albeit mine's a newer edition, it's still got the same intense stories. It basicallly chronicles all these accounts of persecution against the Christian church, especially during Queen Mary's reign. On one hand, it'll make you frustrated with the Roman Catholic church...which is pretty pointless and dumb. And on the other hand, it puts you in awe of the grace that God gives to us to endure literally anything. I mean, these people were getting buried alive, torn apart in lion pits, thrown into the ocean in a burlap filled with snakes and scorpions, burned at the stake, beaten absolutely senseless...

It'll make you seriously rethink your priorities in life. Or at least that's what it did for me. It's a book of examples of people who were given the grace to put God first, above even their lives.

surfing extravaganza numero dos

2007-11-05T07:42:00.000+09:00

Basically, one of my favorite things to do in life is surf, and I got to go yesterday. I don't have any substantial pictures, so this post is pretty much going to be story time with Haley. For the skim readers I'll just highlight the important words. It's record worthy though. Let me start from the beginning.

My roommate Samantha

is definitely my cohort in extreme sports. She's pretty skilled at inviting herself places, so she managed not only to snag an invite to the coast, but also a teaching session with Kai.

He's from Hawaii, so he's nothing short of pro status.
Well, we met up with Kai, Joey

(the body boardin pizza boy), and Chris

(a first timer, but nonetheless a fellow quarter Jap, which automatically gives him major brownie points in coolness.)

So we headed out around 8:45 in the morning. Sam and I followed Kai in his gigantic manly truck (which for some reason has a personalized tag that says CEO WIF) all the way to Oceanside. We stopped by this house (which I will further allude to as the Hippie Bungalow) to pick up some of the guys' stuff. One of the guys from the two families that live there totally blessed Sam and I with two boards and the wetsuits to match!

Then Nino showed up and helped pick out a place to surf.

He actually played a set in our campus coffee shop last semester, but it took me about 2 hours to recognize him. He's a rep for Truth brand and totally hooked us up with some sunglasses (thanks Nino!) I don't know what's weirder...that he knows another girl from Alabama, or that he asked me if I'd ever heard of Wild Sweet Orange and I got to tell him that yes, I actually remember being on drumline with Chip and laughing at the songs he used to freestyle about Coach Newton, and being best friends with Garret's little sister, Loren, and trying to avoid the whole awkward pajamas in the hallway thing with him. Small world, huh?

Well, we finally hit the water. Sam caught some waves...

But I caught some pretty good ones myself. I cranked an ollie then did a fin throw and rode this one all the way in.

All kidding aside, I feel like I actually got better and more comfortable on a board. Can't wait to try some bigger waves. I remember thinking, "Wow, I haven't done anything today except surf...and all I have left to do today...is surf."

No serious injuries. Besides injesting at least three gallons of salt water, the only other slightly not-fun thing that happened was the almost-concussion. Kai's like, "Haley, catch this wave." So I did, only to tumble over the front of the board and totally eat it, which was normal. Except in the mean time my board was flipping 100 feet in the air (not exaggerating), and as I came out of the water completely drilled and still gagging up salt water, it landed straight on my head and knocked me back down into the water, very much like the gopher bash game, where you mallet the rodent back in its hole. You know it's not good when everyone else is giving the "OOooh" face. I later found out from Nino that that move is called "pearl".

Sadly, Sam got her worst owie just putting on her wetsuit. I won't lie, those suits were dang small, especially when your hips are wider than Texas. Plus, you already feel vulnerable because you're having to change commando in a car. With windows. And one small towel. Taking them off was probably worse. I vocalized how I hoped the restaurant didn't mind wetsuits, because I wasn't going to peal mine off. And Kai goes, "Yes you will." Amazing. Can I just say, that I haven't had anyone tell me what to do as many times as that guy did since Jeanette's been gone. After that it was like, I wanted to take my wetsuit off...

Then we went to eat at Mexico Viejo, near where Joey used to serve pizza. Mistake number one - ordering fish and chips. Mistake number two - ordering fish and chips at a Mexican restaurant. Mistake number three - ordering fish and chips at a Mexican restaurant when I already had a fat headache from board bash. Queeziness sets in. Not sure if the fish and chips were worth it. Decided later that they weren't.

Then we headed back to the Hippie Bungalow and pulled up right behind Paul

and Cody

and Eric

who Sam and I have been calling "barefoot Eric" and "same shirt Eric", because we're pretty sure he only brought two shirts to school and wears them interchangably, and was actually the inspiration behind my decision to wear my Chargers shirt five days in a row. The best part is that they thought Sam and I randomly followed them all the way from campus, probably because we were the most random people to show up that day. But anyways.

It was tyte hanging out at the Hippie Bungalow for a spell. Kai found a Sock'em Bopper and was nonchalantly bopping whatever random thing Cody threw at him. Cody and Kai have this special relationship where Kai just makes fun of Cody, and Cody rips out Kai's chest hair, and they both grease their armpits to avoid chaffing. The rest of the guys just skated around, while Roxy the weenie dog stayed occupied with this turtle that apparently sometimes comes over to play.

Well, time came to put the wetsuits back on. Sam and I went in to change...I looked at the wetsuit...looked at Sam...looked back at the wetsuit...had to pee...looked at Sam...looked at the wetsuit again...and just couldn't do it. I knew if I put that thing back on and got back in the water I was going to have a gnarly blow out. Even though Eric said he throws up in the water all the time, I still wasn't convinced that it was a good idea.

So, lamely, we said our farewells and went back home. Thus was the end to one of the sweetest times I've had at Bible college yet. Kid you not, I had such a blast. Like one of the guys said, even though the sessions might not be tops, the fellowship always is.

PCS

2007-11-04T12:27:00.000+09:00

Because of the fires and whatnot I haven't been able to see my middle schoolers for a couple of weeks, which is a bummer. These two are Destiny and John.

I've only got a month or so left with them, so please pray for Kevin, Ashley and myself, that we could just love on the kids. I remember how sucky middle school could be, with all the pressure to be "cool" so you would be accepted. I hope that through us they could see God's unconditional love.

dorm times

2007-11-01T13:39:00.000+09:00

Mysteries of the girls dorm:

# 1: bathroom counters.

I am still amazed at the amount of junk girls use in their daily beautification rituals.

# 2: closets.

Okay, I don't mind confessing that everything on the left...is my stuff. Shoes are necessary. Many shoes are necesarry, i.e. the Jesus sandals, the vans, the chucks, the "nice" shoes, the surfer flips, the dance shoes, the workout tennies, and the climbing shoes...all necessary. As for everything to the right side of the closet...I won't name names (Janece).

Here's my cozy study/sleep/lounge/prayer/talk/office/work space. Those ALOHA sheets...are Jeanette's.

And my baby (slash gat).

fam in cali

2007-10-27T10:56:00.000+09:00

Last weekend...私　の　おかさん　と　おばあさん [mom & grandma] came to visit me in カリフォーニヤ [Cali] !

Here they are. It's weird having a mom that looks young enough to be my sister.

And bachan and myself after I gave them a tour of the campus in my trusty little golf cart. (I'm pretty sure it needs a name, so suggest away.)

Oh yeah. と　いま　私　の　かみ　は　ブロンド　です。 Hah, my Japanese is still laughably pathetic.

socal fires

2007-10-25T05:04:00.000+09:00

Don't worry everyone, I'm not charred to a crisp. The fires stopped just short of Murrieta, so they're actually sending evacuees to the campus! We still caught a gnarly view of the flames yesterday.

From campus.

Down the road.

Today one side of the sky looked like it was going to be perfect weather, and the other side pretty much looked like the apocalypse.

We'll be good for now - but come tomorrow will be the ash rain.

intellectual suicide

2007-10-10T13:33:00.000+09:00

Can I just be honest. I love Skillet. The heavy melodies. The overly exaggerated melodrama. Only with Skillet can you legitimately play airguitar and give the fist. I love them.

=

While I'm being honest, I'll go ahead and spill some more. You know what's a struggle? Sometimes I am so tempted to think that Christianity is intellectual suicide. Some of the stuff that I learn, and some of the stuff that I don't learn because it seems glossed over, is enough to incite all kinds of doubts and whatever. But, you know what else? I'm realizing, slowly but surely, that the problem isn't with Christianity. It's not with God, it's not with Jesus. The problem is me. I choose to make my own judgment the ultimate authority for determining truth. What an imbecile thing to do! How many times have I proved my own self wrong.

Well, if "just believing" is the criteria - then why not be a Mormon, or a Neo-pagan or an Agnostic? Frankly, nothing else I've ever considered has matched up. I'm not "just believing" in the Christian God. At least Christianity corresponds with reality. Belief in Jesus actually makes a lot of good sense. I mean, it "works". Even if it doesn't make sense to anyone else, it's changed my life.

Not every question I've ever had has been answered. Many have been, but not all. And the remaining questions...God's pretty much stilled my qualms. They were stupid qualms to begin with anyway.

So, all that to say...I'm stoked for Bible college! God bless you guys.

one year ago

2007-10-08T07:31:00.000+09:00

One year ago, I was in Japan.

Two years ago, I never ever would've imagined that was where God would send me. と私は日本を愛します！Makes me look forward to the years to come. I was just telling Jeanette earlier today that our understanding is like a little kid's. We're only disappointed when He says "no" to our whims because we haven't yet realized that He's got something better to give.

retreat support

2007-10-08T05:18:00.000+09:00

It seems as if I've moved my way up the M199 ladder. For two semesters I endured landscaping...

...while Jeanette scored some sweet M1's, like security.

Well, now that she's graduated, I snagged her old M1 - retreat support. Also, I even have my own name tag plus a walkie talkie. If that's not a recipe for prestige, I don't know what is.

There are a lot of minor details and whatnot. But the gist of the job is making sure that the weekend retreats run smoothly. The best part about it though, is driving around the ladies in my golf cart and helping them with their luggage. I've gotten all kinds of sweet gifts: Egyptian chocolate, a coaster featuring a bunny in a pile of pears, room and board offer in New York, prayer, etc. I've even had some really cool conversations with them, and I feel encouraged as I'm able to encourage them.

the worm

2007-10-08T05:08:00.000+09:00

Can I reiterate again...that I love Southern California. My dormbaby Sam and I decided to drive toward the coast. We hit up Laguna, watched some surfers shred up some waves, and got fat off icecream.

Then we went to "the worm", aka Newport beach. It basically looks like a hangnail off of Crystal Cove. One time on a late night excursion, Sam and I thought we were going down the coast highway, but we somehow ended up on the worm. We wanted to actually check this thing out in the day light, and the verdict is - it rocks!

And the source of a long running inside joke that I won't even attempt to explain...

mccaleb bros

2007-09-25T06:56:00.000+09:00

You know Doug from Japan?

Well...he and his brother Michael came to visit! And of course a sushi face stuffing session was in order.

door signs

2007-09-25T06:39:00.000+09:00

My girls have it so good, they don't even know. Last semester my door decorations were pretty hideous.

But this semester...

Tell me that's not classy. Look, you can even make it a fantastic close-up b&w shot. See mom, I don't hate art as much as you think I do.

c-bizkit's uncle's

2007-09-25T06:04:00.000+09:00

Yesterday a caravan went to (my dorm child) Courtney's uncle's house. Good times were had.

Cathrin, Laura (a fellow quarter Jap), C-Bizkit, and Maili.

The salt water pool.

The gluttons.

The island, where we watched the NYG-Washington game.

And, the land tortoise.

Basically, Gus (isn't even his name), but he really likes chips & guacamole. I started feeding it to him, and I kid you not, Gus pretty much crawled into my lap and was looking lovingly into my eyes, waiting for mas guac. We're best friends. Sorry Jeanette.

Courney's uncle, holding...

...this gnarly spider.

And Courtney's brobro holding Gus. Nick's actually joining the Navy Seals in a few days, going through the hardcore training process. If anyone needs prayer, it's this guy.

banquet

2007-09-25T05:56:00.000+09:00

We had the banquet many moons ago. Not only am I a slacker, but I am lazy. So I'm only putting up two of the three that I even took that day.

Stephanie and Sam trying to be cute. JK, they are!

Bama Junior and Bama Senior.

Who wouldn't love banquet.

red chili

2007-09-25T05:50:00.000+09:00

Is this showing off? Yes, I'm pretty sure it is.

I finally have my very first chalk bag!! Years overdue, this strapping Red Chili is all mine. Every girl should have her own. Quite a steal at 6 bucks from the latest REI clearance.

princess & poopers

2007-09-23T08:09:00.000+09:00

So, there's these two dudes, Sean and Ross who will also answer to Princess and Poopers. I remember meeting them when I came to visit Jeanette her first semester and Sean did his famous flying fart leap and Ross had a bro truck. They were even the ones who coined me "Bama". Well, to my utter flipping out, they rolled in on Monday all the way from Washington!

They had actually just come from Colorado where they did a multiple pitch climb in 30mph winds, and then they split for home on Wednesday. Since graduation Sean's conducting a home Bible study group, and Ross is furthering his education at a community college (which is a appropriate - he's scholar status). Anyway, they were such a blessing. As much as I adore this first semester group, it was way nice to see some faces from the olden days.

one thing missing

2007-09-17T06:07:00.000+09:00

Can I just say that I love California. Last night I got sushi, messed around on my skateboard, gorged on Dip'N Dots, and then saw Transformers. We found out that Sam ollies knockneed, and that I just shoot the board out to my right whenever I ollie on pavement.

There wasn't a solid point to this post, except to mention the one thing that's missing from California:

margarita middle

2007-09-11T13:54:00.000+09:00

Get this - I have the same community service this semester. I'm working with the Boys & Girls Club at Margarita Middle School. My first day was last Wednesday, so I'll be going back in a couple of days. I snagged a shot with my iphone.

Don't they give you warm fuzzies? They're pretty darn cute. I'm stoked to see what God will do this semester. I've already gotten pwnd at dodgeball.

knee

2007-09-11T13:45:00.000+09:00

P.S. - my "knee of perpetual injury" is back in business. On it you can observe a severe case of sand rash, and some lumpy discolorations due to rock wall collisions. And yes, I still have a massive scar from Brad's birthday party. It's just on the other knee.

My leg looks ridiculous.

dorm trip spring 07!

2007-09-11T13:18:00.000+09:00

Good news. And bad news.

The good news is that my girls and I went on a surfing x-travaganza this Saturday, and it was really really fun. They are my pride and joy, and I love being their dorm mom. :)

The bad news it that Sam lost her camera with her debit card in the case, leaving her with no money and leaving you without any of the wonderful pictures from our big day out. BUMMER.

However, I pulled out my camera to document us shoving our faces with icecream.

Janece had an invisible scoop (she just wanted a cone).

Sam's new line of lip gloss.

Cathrin, Courtney, and Gary.

Janece's minicone. She kept having issues with hers.

Dogs!!!!

Anyway, the surfing was so much fun. I got pretty much thrashed a few times, but it's all good. My arms and my right thigh are toast, and my bum is pretty sore thanks to Sam's board going airborn. Knocked me right off my stick, yo. As lame as this may sound, something about surfing makes me feel a lot closer to God. Maybe because it's so easy to talk to Him when I'm just hanging out in the waves.

Anyhow, my "profound realization" is this - that God really does care about the "dumb things". When I was out there, almost without thinking I asked Him to help me catch a wave. Then I kind of rebuked myself for asking such a picky thing. Then I caught a wave. It's like He was letting me know that, yes, He cares about those small things too. Pretty cool, to me at least.

So with that said, pray for Sam's camera. She already cancelled out her debit card, so that's a thing of the past. But that camera was sweet, and it has all our fun memories on it. She needs it back!

anaheim climbing

2007-09-11T13:02:00.000+09:00

I finally got to hit up a climbing gym! My friend Shane knew of this cool one in his home town of Anaheim. The one at Evolution Fitness is nice for practice, but this was a real deal gym. I guess I'd better start practicing harder if I ever want to make it on an outdoor climbing trip. Although, I'll admit, I'm a gym rat. Outdoor climbing freaks me out.

I would've taken more pictures, but I was too busy falling off the 5.8. Prior to that I was feeling pretty good about almost making it up a 5.10, but after further consideration I realized it was probably mis-rated. Doh! Anyhow, yay for Anaheim!

I & II Kings

2007-09-08T14:56:00.000+09:00

I & II Kings class! I have no real pictures, so this coloring book drawing will have to suffice.

We're on a block schedule, so I've been taking this class every day from 1-3 for the past couple of weeks. It's been a huge blessing going through all the stories of the prophets and kings. I heard the final exam's gonna be a doozy, but I'm shootin for an A triple plus.

oceanside

2007-08-28T02:33:00.000+09:00

Way too many play days. Saturday was supposed to be climbing, but due to thunder storms in the mountains I went to the beach instead. Lunch? Mmmmm....IN-N-OUT.

Biggest gnarliest bite contest. Sam wins!

Poor Jesse was the sixth wheel, so he was stuck getting crammed (pun intended) into every open space of the car. Crazy kid, totally reminds me of Matt from Extreme Days.

After pizza we went to the jetties and had some bonfire worship.

Jesse, Joey, Fin, me, Sam, JaNece, and Joe.

highlights:

* Our football game was interrupted when I got full on body tackled by a half naked grandpa man kicking a soccer ball down the beach. It's one of those things where everybody just stares and nobody comes to my aid because the situation is too bizarre. Thanks guys. There was also a crazy lady named Sunshine who wanted to sing us a song, but ended up harassing everybody instead. Only in Socal.

* Pinched my nose too hard trying to pass through a wave. When I came up my nose pretty much exploded all over my face, down my hand, in the water. And you know how water makes blood look a lot messier than it really even is. It was a horror show.

* Long boards, skateboards, skim boards, hanging out, good times.

first day of school

2007-08-27T09:30:00.000+09:00

So, these are my cute little first semesters on their first big day of school! I made them all line up and wave bye bye.

Cathrin, Courtney, and Samantha. Aren't they adorable??

sloppy joes

2007-08-27T09:16:00.000+09:00

Student "barbeque", which was actually a big juicy sloppy joe.

Me and Faith, probably the nicest girl in the world.

Janece, my third semester roomie. She was actually one of Jeanette's dorm children last semester, so I held and continue to hold the position of Auntie Haley. We were having an ugly face contest...is it wrong that I'm posting everyone's except mine?

This is Brian. He's a brotha. Some people from the college went on a Mexico mission trip last semester, and Brian accepted Jesus, got baptized, and now here he is. He's a great kid, quite unique, with a sweet testimony.

Out with the old, in with the new. The title "Bama" has been successfully handed down to Sarah from Gulf Shores. In all my semesters at college, she is the first fellow Alabamian to grace the campus. I have no idea how I made my neck do that.

steward retreat

2007-08-27T07:38:00.000+09:00

I am a dorm steward again for my final semester. So aaalllllll the stewards came a few days early and went on a retreat to San Onofre. It was so beautiful, I had to take a bunch of scenery shots that everyone else hates. We just hung out at the beach, get sunburned, sang worship, burned mallows and camped out.

Ashdogg surprised me by coming back this semester. She had been in Peru and was planning to stay, but God lead her back here, which is great for my comical needs.

Janene is my wacky belt-blaming ketchup chip-eating Canadian roomie from first semester, and now she's all grown up and being a dorm steward.

meteor shower

2007-08-15T05:50:00.000+09:00

Sunday night my parents and I drove out to the middle of nowhere around midnight to see the Perseid meteor shower.

We caught a couple of really good ones with big colored tails.

the huntsville farm

2007-08-15T03:12:00.000+09:00

Yes, it is time for me to admit and recognize my heritage as a born and raised southerner.

Pictures from Mama Lucas's place. Mama Lucas isn't biologically my mom, but she treats me like I really am her kid. She's awesome.

Picked up an extra four wheeler from Pat's horse farm. Almost flew off the back of this one zippin down the main road.

Sarah.

I was literally eating her dust. The kickback was pretty intense. I'm pretty sure there was dirt embedded in every orifice of my face.

Nicky the dog.

Esther the cat

Faith. We used to be on unfriendly terms, but we've since worked things out and enjoyed a very open and loving relationship.

Sarah is fifteen and has really high energy levels

Unlike myself who is old and almost died doing these things.

Another thing about Mama Lucas and Peter, her son, is that they have a heart and soul passion for Israel and anything Jewish. Peter studied Hebrew in Jerusalem and worked in a kibbutz, and Mama Lucas visited him a couple of times. Now he teaches the Hebrew language and is really involved with their Messianic Jewish church.

Mama Lucas herself.

Mama Lucas and me.

True dialogue of the weekend:
Mama Lucas: Well, I was watching the pretty blue birds out the window when they all just scattered...then I see Sarah crashing through on the four wheeler and Haley right behind her, and I'm going "Oh my gosh, Haley's eyes are closed!"
Me: Hahah!...wait my eyes were open. Dangit I am just Chinese!!

Mama Lucas: Let's take the picture again, your eyes were closed.
Me: ...they were open.

nirupoma

2007-08-09T10:06:00.000+09:00

I just got a letter from "my" little chicana in India. I'm able to correspond with her through Gospel for Asia's Bridge of Hope program, and it's just been the neatest thing.

Anyway, a letter from Nirupoma was definitely special enough to share with everybody else. I remember over two years ago when I was still an intern with GFA, we had sponsorship cards for kids at a local seminary. I saw her face and it literally felt like my heart melted out of my chest (aw, I know).

Say a prayer for her.

two mendozas

2007-07-31T15:44:00.000+09:00

Hey Jeanette look what I found.

Two Mendozas! I'm more fond of the second one though. For three years and running Mendoza's been there for me through thick and thin, so this is my official internet shout-out to the best Mexifriend any Crackerjap could ever ask for.

destin florida

2007-07-31T08:06:00.000+09:00

Just got back from the beach.

Ring around the collar...check out that dorky tan line. I'm assuming everybody already NOSE (huur) about my weird nostril problem.

My little brother Bubba Earl Jr.

I am all about barnacles.

Navarre beach

The miracle of miracles, it's almost too insane to be true: I beat my mom at Scrabble. She has held the champion scrabblers' crown for multiple centuries, so it was excruciatingly difficult for her to pass it down to me, a pea brain.

Take a gander at the...

せきすい　すし

2007-07-15T16:53:00.000+09:00

一昨日　おばあちゃん　と　かちゃん　と　ヘイリー　は　すし　昼食　え　いきました. For the tanjoubi.

It's always fun hanging out with Bachan. Thankfully, she's in good health and great spirits. Please keep praying that she would continue to enjoy perfect health and have enough energy to make our upcoming trip back to the homelands.

かわいい　ママ。しんぱい　して　いる　ですか？　

And yes I know my 日本じん is heinous. butt my inglesh i'snt inny beeter

how to wear saree

2007-07-13T15:08:00.000+09:00

PS - that amazing white shirt I'm wearing in the previous post? Mendoza bought it for me in India. Homegirl's got style.

So while I was going through my Indian clothes and the punjabis, I found two sarees with a top and the petticoate. Well, you can't just stumble across a saree without trying to put it on. Last I remember, getting that saree on in Thiruvalla was more complicated than brain surgery. I tried to do it by myself and it was a wretched disaster.

Found this gem to help me out:

HOW TO WEAR SAREE

indian b'day dinner

2007-07-13T13:40:00.000+09:00

I have good friends in Birmingham who take care of me. Katie and the Three Slattons took me out to Indian food.

Me and my dorky little brother, Seth.

We actually met four years ago on a Mexico missions trip, and I've since felt the wrath. Seth actually just got back from teaching English in Azurbaijan and is looking into becoming a part of YWAM, which sounds a lot more exciting than eatin dirt at construction sites.

Katie made me this cake. Off the hook.

Got pwnd by my big bro, Stephen.

Stephen just got back from Egypt and Turkey, which is exciting because he's had a heart for Muslims since I've known him. He's since been my cohort in Eastern Asia missions, and a huge blessing. Their sister Sarah just finished 24/7 at Church of the Highlands and is pursuing a career in cosmotology. I remember sharing a tent with her at a retreat many moons ago and laughing my butt off all night, that grl be funny.

Seth gave me a piece of gum and a card.

The inevitable souvenir from good Indian food = a raging case of curry fingers.

Katie and I went to Barnes & Noble for a spell to read. It's been really cool watching her to grow in knowledge about her faith. Although she's going to UAB, her heart is really to go to Bible college to learn more about what she believes. But the things you can't learn in school, like love and wisdom, she already has!

Anyway, I had such a fun night. Those four really know how to make ol' "slanty eyes" feel special. By keeping these guys in your prayers, you'll be liftin up some world changers.

bowling

2007-07-12T13:58:00.000+09:00

The other day we took the kiddos bowling in their socks.

My three snaggletooths.

That's Hunter, and that's a coacoa pebble.

God's little people

2007-07-10T15:58:00.000+09:00

I would like to take this time to tell on my children.

Today I made them Native American Indian names. Pretty much I told them to pick an "ing" verb, and then their favorite animal. I think the most absurd names ended up being Flying Dog, Impersonating Pony, and my personal favorite, Spinning Goat. It's just the mental picture...

I have this one boy, Aaron...help me out here. I mean, does "If you're done eating that sandwich throw it away" imply that I wanted him to toss his ham and turkey medley under a chair? Maybe it was the fact that the chocolate cake smear on the floor matched the one across his cheek, yet he still denied ownership of that chocolate cake. Maybe it's his inability to use a broom to sweep up his gummy lego bites and orange cheeto powder.

Or maybe it's that I have to call Hope's name a minimum of four times to get her attention, even if she is two feet away and looking at me. It could be Evan, whose voice has same pitch and decible-count of a smoke alarm. Or maybe it's Jamarius, the height of laziness, who will complain bitterly if your request requires any movement that exceeds eyeball shifting.

How could I demand such back-breaking work from these poor children? Depriving a kid from sixty seconds of dinosaur time to make them pick up the chewed up lunchable leftovers and dirty underwear that some poor leader would've otherwise picked up with their bare exposed hands...what injustice. I mean come on!! You can't be that hopelessly pea-brained, even if you are in elementary school.

But. And it's a big but. I still manage to like these stinkers. I might even venture to say that sometimes I really really like them....OKAY, I love them. They drive me crazy! But they are God's little people. I just had to pick on them, because they pick on me. And jump on me. And assault me with their sticky little ring-worm infested hands. But they're cute. But they drive me crazy. But I love them.

studious

2007-07-10T15:01:00.000+09:00

Had to take a 緑茶 green tea break in the middle of Church History. Came back and Tubby was doing my homework for me. Thanks cat! You're the only furball for me.

Justin Alfred's doing the correspondence recordings for Church History. He really knows his stuff. Maybe it's because he went to Mississippi State, the same college my parents graduated from. Go Dawgz.

Finally got my glasses (hurrah!). The last ones busted last semester when I took that lil spill at Brad's birthday party. These new ones are great. They trick people into thinking I'm studious.

college appreciation

2007-06-28T15:01:00.000+09:00

Mom got me a book called "World History According to College Students". An excerpt:

The history of the Jewish people begins with Abraham, Issac, and their twelve children. Judyism was the first monolithic religion. it had one big God named "Yahoo." Old Testament profits include Moses, Amy, and Confucius, who believed in Fidel Piety. (One of the only reasons Confucius was born was because of a Chinese tradition.)

I am so thankful for Calvary Chapel Bible College.

But now that my final semester is coming up, I'm considering where to continue my education. Ones I'm considering include (but aren't limited to):

and

Biola and Azusa are over the top expensive, but you definitely get your money's worth and you get to be in California. The only competative part about their five nursing program is your initial acceptance. After that you're set to participate in the pre-med and medical curriculum. Relaxing is definitely a plus. But after a five million dollar student loan to pay off, relaxing won't be an option anymore.

Elim is non acredited, but it is specifically for medical missions so its classes target exactly what I'm interested in learning. They're also Pentecostal. And in New York, which would be interesting. It looks legit, but it is non acredited, which means they could legally teach utter and complete chaff.

So right now it looks like Evangel, with it's reasonable tuition and unique four year BSN program, is prime target number one. God, give me grace to live in Missouri if that's the case.

I'm sure that in time, God will make it clear. But do remember me in your prayers.

carnality close-out

2007-06-25T16:19:00.000+09:00

Dear Andrew Murray, thank you for writing Absolute Surrender.

{ I would like to draw a straight line and ask you who believe and confess that God has given you His Spirit and who know the joy of the Holy Spirit, to take your place at the right-hand sie. Then I would ask you who have felt that you are still carnal, to come to the left side and say, "God, I must confess that my Christian life is for the most part carnal, under the power of the flesh." Then I would tell you that you cannot save yourselves from the flesh or get rid of it. You must come to Christ afresh; He can lift you over into the new life. You belong to Christ and He belongs to you; what you need is to cast yourselves upon Him and He will reveal the power of His crucifixion in you, to give you victory over the flesh. Cast yourselves, with the confessin of sin, and utter helplessness, at the feet of the Lamb of God. He will give you deliverance.

That brings me to my final thought: We must take the decisive step in faith that Christ is able to keep us. It is not only a belief; it is not a consecration in any sense of its being in our powers; it is not a surrender by the strength of our will. These aspects may be present, but the principal thing is that we look to Christ to keep us today, tomorrow, the next day, and always; we must receive the life of God within us. We want a life that will last not only until another "revival" but until death takes us home. We want, by the grace of God, to experience the almighty indwelling and saving power of Christ and all that God can do for us.

...

Come to Christ and disregard whether there is any new experience, any feeling, any excitement, any light, or only apparent darkness. Come and stand upon the Word of God. The Father promises His Holy Spirit to every hungry child. Will He not give it to you? }

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

New from the home front: What happens when I'm back home with my weird (but all the more lovable) parents?

Well, my mom calls a 1-800 number and tries to order "Alfonso Rivera's pop-and-lock" after watching an old commercial on YouTube advertising it. Much to our (but mainly her) disappointment, this product has apparently been off the shelves for at least two decades. And I'm sure the lady who answered that call is probably still confused.

short update

2007-06-20T15:21:00.000+09:00

Hello my friends. I realize there's been an unacceptable time lapse between my last post and now. So although I am a letdown without any pictures to show for it, I'll do my best to fill you in.

✌ I'm home from Bible college.
✌ Jeanette came over and we visited a seminary in North Carolina.
✌ I'm working with my sticky little children at the elementary school again.
✌ I'm taking Church History and Leviticus via correspondence to get some credits in.
✌ Had to peace out on the EMT course. Kinda feel like a loser, but time and energy limitations wouldn't allow for it.
✌ Next semester will be my last before graduation.
✌ Life is busy.
☝ God is good.

Stay tuned!

mexico missions

2007-06-04T05:56:00.000+09:00

The weekend before school got out (which was a few weeks ago, which then implies that I'm bad at posting consistently thus my little "week" thing totally fell apart before my eyes...) we went to Mexico for a mission trip! It was at an orphanage about 45 minutes into the border.

Our hotel.

To breakfast...

Jeanette is making two things: her famous scrambled eggs, and the most wacked out face ever.

This little girl got adopted and her new family was going to pick her up that weekend. Neither of us could understand what the other was saying, but we still had some pretty intense conversations. She kept saying "a huego! a huego!" (to the playground! to the playground!) and for some reason I kept answering in Japanese...I dunno.

Mija was trying to jack the bandana that I needed to cover my greasy nap, but instead I gave her my praystrong bracelet. I got that thing in Japan, so it's special!

Pastor Hasan's house.

Tom was our translator, so he ordered all of our tacos. Go Tom!

The capstone of the trip...the five billion ounce Manzana Lift, every true Mexican's favorite drink.

It was a pretty tiring trip, and it helped me get a better understanding of what it means to serve beyond your bodily comfort, even though of all the people I probably served the least. Us girls did a look of cooking and tending to the niños while the guys took care of church construction. I can't believe the people at the orphanage are able to do what they do with so little help sometimes. They are pretty much incredible!

wednesday

2007-05-06T12:15:00.000+09:00

Wednesday.

8:00 am- Morning worship.

It was missions day (explaining about opportunities in India).

9:00 - Ran and worked out with Christina.

3:00 pm - Practical Christian Service at Margarita Middle School.

Pretty much I just go and hang out with preteens for two hours. Please pray for Sarah and I, that we would continue to be lights. These kids are already lost and exposed to so much junk at such a young age.

Me and one of the sweetest kids I know.

Sarah and the twins.

7:00 pm- Wednesday night chapel and communion.

9:00 - It was 31 cent icecream night at Baskin Robins. YES

That's me, one of my dorm children Shanaynayniqua, and Christina. And Jeanette laid out all Mexican style over us.

Ryan was mine and Jeanette's best friend since hers couldn't make it.

The End

Tuesday

2007-05-05T14:18:00.000+09:00

8:00 am - Started the day as a Body in morning chapel.

9:00 am - Landscaping.

This is what I do all day until 5:30 in the evning. Usually I'm whacking the mess out of some dirt with a cultivator, but my foreman had mercy on me and just let me prune roses.

It was overcast. Check out the steam from the hot springs.

My dormbaby Ryan helpted me.

6:45 Ryan, Christina, Best Friend and me went to It's a Grind to look at myspace. I mean, do homework!

9:00 It's a Grind closed. So we went back to our campus coffeshop, The Overflowing Cup. She's sad because I'm making her do homework.

9:30 + The usual. Slugged around in Net's dorm, picked on her roommates, read for a little bit, then retired back to my little bunk for sleep.

monday

2007-05-02T12:09:00.000+09:00

Monday.

8:30am Woke up, got my haggard self in the shower

9:30 - 11:30 Apologetic Evangelism with Joe Holden

This is one of my top favorite classes. It's easy to know what you believe, but it's a whole different study figuring out why. We cover philosophical issues, worldviews, theories of truth, archeology, etc. Joe's an excellent teacher. He was a student of Norman Geisler, so he really knows his stuff!

12:00 Lunch - Fox's Pizza, cheesy bread sticks, as usual. We are pathetic.

2:00 - 4:00 The Book of Job with Joel Wingo. This is thought to be the oldest book of the Bible, and it addresses the age old problem of evil and suffering in the world. It's awesome to see how God's mercy remains even in the middle of trials.

4:15 Dorm Steward Class

All the dorm stewards gather upstairs and Jasmine gives us the heads-up for whatever's going on around campus, and then all the dorm stewards from the same row of rooms pray together.

My row (minus Emily): Rachael, Jasmine our beloved Dean of Women, Lesli Ann, and Lindsay. This is actually Jasmine's last semester as our dean. She's joining her parents in England as a missionary. Pray for her, and for us since we're gonna be missing her bigtime.

5:30 Chillaxed by the lake with my Mexifriend, caught up on some homework

7:00 一盤すし Ichiban sushi from across the street. We are regulars there. I was too busy stuffing my face to take any pictures.

9:00 + Did some "pleasure reading", which actually wasn't fun or relaxing at all since it was J.P. Moreland talking about the concept of infinity. I pretty much live in Jeanette's dorm at night since my girls are grandmas and go to bed early. Plus I love her dorm-children almost as much as I love my own. :)

11:59PM - Hit the sack like a ton of bricks.

a week of college

2007-05-02T12:07:00.000+09:00

A lot of people wonder what Bible College is like. So I decided to chronicle a typical week here for all you anxious little inquierers! Stay tuned.

chinese katherine's

2007-05-02T11:54:00.000+09:00

The other day Jeanette and I were in the computer lab and we started talking to Chinese Katherine. She was telling us about how China's need for solid Bible teachers is surpassing even the need for Bibles.

She told us that in China people will sit in the same stuffy room in the heat of summer all day long just to hear the Word being taught. Here in America, us Bible students are already packed up and anxious to leave class before the teacher's done talking. That is so convicting.

Well, Katherine had some of us over for some Chinese tea. We just hung out, I shared some pics of India, fellowship. That girl definitely has the gift of hospitality. Really cool time.

There's Jeanetty, Anna Borgy, Tahmi the Kodiak, Sheena from Brazil, and Chinese Katherine

EMT

2007-04-27T07:46:00.000+09:00

The semester's coming to a close and The Question that everybody seems to ask is "What are you gonna do over break?"

Basically, this...

Okay, well maybe not quite. I'm actually packing in a summer EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) course to hopefully become certified. It'll be three days a week from 6-10PM. I think it'll be a great start into the medical field. Or even if that's as far as I go, at least it'll be a good way to help people, have something to take onto the mission field and pay for college.

I'm sure this might sound surprising since I usually start gagging whenever I have to get a shot. So keep me in your prayers.

spring break oh seven

2007-04-14T14:08:00.000+09:00

Jeanette and I drove to Joshua Tree for spring break. Pics in order they were taken.

This picture is of a lizard eating the bee that got its butt knocked off by Adam while he was belaying Tyge. Seriously, it's butt did get knocked off.

Man. I couldn't do this again if I tried. Somehow, in the middle of tryin to talk smack to J, I started falling forward but ended up doing a 180 degree flip-slide and landed like this. 100% genuine.

Behold the segment of Jeanette's wondrous photography skills. Look and be amazed.

a crow

somebody forgot to take the zoom off...

This one was actually pretty good:

[Ending Jeanette's photography segment.]

Oh yeah, and my knee of perpetual injury:

(a.) about six feet of air time falling off a pillar onto some pavement
(b.) The Fall
(c.) climbing that hill, I mean 5.12 rock face

So all in all it was a GREAT spring break. Including the smores, and the heavily intoxicated guy who is aparently the next prophet but he's also reading a book on how to become a Presbyterian Elder and whose mom is sovereign in forgiving his sins...please pray for this guy. Last I heard he crashed his car and took off into the desert. Search and rescue's after him.

More later!

airsoft

2007-03-26T07:05:00.000+09:00

So...my confession is this. I like going out into with the woods with a bunch of guys and pretend like I'm in the army and we shoot each other with fake guns. Doh.......BUT DUDE IT'S SO MUCH FUN!!!!!

Jeanette shooting me in the butt. I was trying to gauge how bad it was going to hurt.

stolen from Ryan's airsoft blog:

Airsoft Fellowship Lake Elsinore

It's like paintball. Except with little plastic pellets. And way more fun.

japan prayer

2007-03-23T08:30:00.000+09:00

stolen from Pastor Tommy's blog

So here's the Japanese prayer gathering. Every Thursday nights at 8. Good times.

coffee shop devos

2007-03-23T04:33:00.001+09:00

Most mornings I meet Jeanette in the coffee shop and start the day with my Bible.

I've been going through Ezekiel, and I can't wait to get to this one passage:

That's Ezekiel 11:19 (NASB)
And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

This encourages me because I know it's God who will provide the heart change. I don't have to conjure it up on my own. All I have to do is be willing to let Him do that work. Because it's God who's at work in me, both to will and to work. I can't change my will, but I don't have to. Ahhhhh, it's so good to relax.

banquet + edification

2007-03-22T07:06:00.000+09:00

We recently had our Student Banquet slash Edification Display night. Pretty much everybody tries to look really good and we eat good food. But obviously not everybody takes it seriously...

Amber.

Sam and one of my dorm children, Ryan anata.

Aaron-san. (He won a wicker turkey in the raffle.)

Some weirdo.

Briana, Megan, Robin, and yours truly.

Mexifriend, Sarah, Amber, Kate

Natalie and Emily between two smellies.　

Then Nicky, Doug and I dressed up in our jinbes and played a song that Nicky wrote for the edification display. I was on piano, Doug was on the box, and Nicky played guitar and sang in Japanese. It went well enough to where we'll probably record the song. I'll get a video up soon.

よく　できました　ニーキーさん！

apologetics

2007-03-13T14:33:00.000+09:00

Lately I've been seeing the scores of opportunities to share my faith. Jeanette talked to this guy about God in line at Wal-Mart. We also got to talk to a girl from Enterprise while she gave us a ride back to college. People have all kinds of stories and reasons for what they believe.

California isn't Japan. There isn't a language barrier and people know "church". And more often than not, when people find out you're a Christian, or that you're "religious", they ask questions. They're trying to figure out something.

Apologetics is relevant.

jeanette's birthday weekend

2007-03-13T13:54:00.000+09:00

Disclaimer: if you don't want to see fifty million pictures of just Jeanette and me, you should go look at something else.

Somebody had a little 23rd birthday, so we celebrated by taking a weekend off campus. We drove up to San Clemente and found this camp site:

Then we hit up the freezing cold beach.

Day 2: borrowed a New Zealander's lighter to cook some gnarly flapjacks.

Found out we had to move our tent site, so we did it the lazy ghetto woman's way.

Hit up the beach again.

Then we got on the road and drove around Highway 1 forever.

Found another beach, watched the sun go down, Jeanette and this Irish guy saw some dolphins, ate some pizza. And we must be ninja turtles because all we eat is pizza.

Sunday. How about some unattractive camping pix. (No shame. Are we ever gonna find husbands?)

Spanky's!!!!

...a helmet!!!

Overly crowded Oceanside beach!!!

We smell really really bad right here.

Jeanette likes surfer boys.

I'm sorry for being a turd about the flipflops. (This is genuine)

Walkin the pier.

Then we went home.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday weekend, Oldie. God bless your 23rd year!!!
Love, Wee Wee

gruesome twosome

2007-03-01T07:35:00.000+09:00

I love Bible college.

My best is the friend.

boooo

2007-03-01T07:22:00.000+09:00

Well, bummer news of the semester...I've already lost one of my dorm children. It seems like we just got to know and love Michelle before she had to split back to Washington. She was my only blond quarter-Japanese tomodachi.

The true feelings come out...

If you would, keep praying for her, that God would give her strength and good health, and that she would be a light and a testimony of Jesus to all her friends and loved ones back home. We miss you, Michelle!!

meet the roomies!

2007-02-22T05:27:00.000+09:00

I apologize, I've been a terrible slacker at updating lately. But I finally got some pics of my roomies, and will have more to come. Promise.

As a female dorm steward, I guess I'm expected to garnish the door with name signs worthy of a magazine cover. (Since that's pretty much what all the other female dorm stewards did for their girls.) Well. They were arriving like the next day, and all I had were left over papers and crayons (and little to no artistic ability). Doh!

Jeanette did my name and convinced me to put it in the middle "as a joke". And poor Sarah's blew off the door and flew two stories down into a muddy bush and sat there for three days in the rain before I found it when I was landscaping. What must they think of me.

Well, without further ado...the Monterrey 166 posse :

L-R, bighead, Alysia, Ryan, Sarah, and Michelle.

We went to In-N-Out (もっと　ちょう　おいしい　だよ!!) for our Sunday night dorm meeting and just chilled. They're all super funny and amazing. I got blessed.

Pray for us, that our room would be a place of unity and peace filled with the love of Jesus.

steward retreat

2007-02-02T12:59:00.000+09:00

On Tuesday all the dorm stewards went on a retreat up to the mountains for a time of just gettin in the Word and chillin out. It snowed, and I freaked out, so Mizrak volunteered to play with me because she's from Ethiopia.

We made this snowdude.

Miz killed the first one we tried to make. Poor lil guy.

Jeanette as a lumberjack, which is appropriate since this old lady at a convalescent home used to think her name really was Jack.

It was foggy.

Then I nailed her, and she was mad.

Day two. More snow.

Busy weekend. We were pooped. I've got way too many pics of this girl sleeping.

Please keep praying for us. There've been a lot of sessions and preparations, and now all this learning's going to be implemented come next week. Pray that all the dorm stewards would be faithful with what God's entrusted to us!

we're here

2007-02-02T12:49:00.000+09:00

Well, we're back in Murrieta. Slight delay at the airport, but it's all good. Jeanette was sleepy after her short outburst of latino fire at the check in counter. But she's okay now.

First things first. We went back to the old stomping grounds, as in Fox's Pizza. This stuff is seriously the best.

See?

Mmmmmm.

the hawk

2007-01-29T05:19:00.000+09:00

This new camera is such an upgrade from my last one. It's like the difference between piza-man and raw tako.

We were driving the other day and saw this hawk sitting on a post right by the road, and Jeanette was really excited. So we pulled U-ey and tried to get a picture of it...but when she stopped the car it flew away.

Kuso!! Wildlife photography tip #1: Don't scare away the wildlife.

the photo shoot

2007-01-27T16:55:00.000+09:00

You knew these were coming.

Y'know, I thought I'd seen all of Jeanette's faces...until this...

...and this...wowzerz.

Alright, the following pics were not my idea. Honest. I just always happen to be around when people want to draw mustaches on each other. It's weird how this just always "kinda happens".

I find that people most enjoy giving me the frenchman's handlebars. So I just sit around saying "oui oui" a lot*...

...while Jeanette did this.

Incredible. Mi mejor amigo...est definitely more amazing than anybody else's.

*In my vast experience with the faux mustache, I have repeatedly found its application to be a catalyst for extreme personality alteration. The subject may experience elevated levels of cockyness or obnoxious behavior, suave language, a deeper voice, eyebrow tilting, and chin rubbing. Of course, these are merely ignorant stereotypes and no accurate representation of today's modern mustache-wearer. This behavior is most likely the result of watching far too many cheesy 70's sitcoms.

grassy knoll

2007-01-24T09:28:00.000+09:00

Mexinet and I went out gallivanting around Texas yesterday, which is always good times.

We went to the grassy knoll, where President Kennedy was shot. Supposedly, when JFK rounded that corner right behind Jeanette....

Oswald shot him from inside this hotel through the window on the third floor that's half way open...

...and this X that I'm standing on (and there were cars coming) is where he recieved the bullet.

There are a bunch of guys running around with papers and stories that involve manholes and magic bullets and lots of conspiracy theories. And they look like they've all just gotten out of prison.

Memorial fun.

Reunion tower.

Homeless.

Healthy.

pathetic update

2007-01-22T17:25:00.000+09:00

Well, I could bore you with details from my readings on molecular biology and philosophical investigations into Christianity and the nature of science...but I'll spare you (and spare myself) by just waiting to post pictures which I'll take on tomorrow's grand outing with my Mexifriend. She's the great.

P.S. I'm not sick anymore. Just really gassy, but that's always.

"Guard jealously your relationship to God." (Oswald Chambers' Utmost...)

pain

2007-01-11T13:17:00.000+09:00

I am sick. Boooo.

And Jeanette is perpetually scheduled to work at Academy, so I have a lot of time to read:

The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis

and The Gift of Pain by Dr. Paul Brand

Two attitudes towards pain, one adressing spiritual pain and other adressing physical pain, which go pretty much hand in hand as far as the final point goes. They both prove it a blessed necessity.

hello climbing

2007-01-06T03:36:00.000+09:00

Well I'm finally reunited with the siamese twin.
Aaaaand it's pretty much amazing.

It had been way...way...too long since I've hit up the walls at Exposure. Which became all too evident when I started wheezing after a 5.7 route. Muh.

If you're suspecting that there's no way my lack of muscles are able to hold up my huge bum by that little stub on this inverted wall therefore I'm probably holding on to a huge jug with my left hand which was conveniently left out of the picture because I just wanted look like a cool person who could actually climb...you're wrong...

Check out that crimp action!! (and I'm talkin about her face, not the wall...jk!!)

My parents got me a sweet camera that takes video, so I put together some treats just for you. I had to compress it to post it, so the sound and video quality on the blog are a fat downgrade from the original camera quality.

Here's the Mexican stud goin for the V7. Get em hombre.

And not to be out done, here's me doing what I do best...looking stupid!

Good times at the gym.

edit

2007-01-03T17:24:00.000+09:00

Edit: three amazing things.

I got to see Paw Paw and Bachan before I left, and she made tsukiyaki. I have the best grandparents in the world.

ばちゃん　と　パパー　愛してる！　

two amazing things

2007-01-03T17:12:00.000+09:00

Two amazing things.

Tomorrow (or technically today since it's past midnight) I'm flying to Dallas to stay with this crazyace for about a month.

And two, that there is an official dorm steward acceptance letter. Ooooh yessss...

こわい。And not just the picture.

Well, I'll leave you with this, a reoccuring theme in my life as of late:
You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with your whole heart. [ Jeremiah 29:13 ]

Mmm, to have a heart that wholly seeks after God.

christmas with the fam

2006-12-30T03:58:00.000+09:00

I'm beyond blessed to have extended family in Japan, Texas, Huntsville, California, Italy...pretty much everywhere except Budapest. But it's good to be home with my first family, who all came over for Christmas at our house! My mom's parents, their kids, and their kids' kids.

My obaasan and close family friend Kimi

I had a hecka fun time hangin with the cousins

Paw-paw

It's good to see all the familiar faces again.

Aunt Robin, Bachan, and my mom on Thanksgiving

Old shot of me and my ma

My awesome neighbors

And last but definitely not least, my one and only sugaboo

airport

2006-12-19T15:26:00.000+09:00

We'd been planning since Halloween to dress up like Pastor Tom for the last day of school. So we did. And the results were amazing! Some were accurate and others ridiculous...yet still amazing. He posted the pics. They're pretty funny.

At the airport I had this incredible entourage, and Natsuki was running around taking these pics like paparazzi. And as tempted as you are to comment on how stunning I look with that hyaku-yen beanie and two hours of sleep...please resist the urge.

Kayo!

I am so good with babies, you have no idea. (That's the Velarde's cute lil guy, who also left that morning.)

And, for fun, here's Natsuki and I before the Iie Island trip.

I can't begin to describe all the things that God taught me in Okinawa, and what a huge blessing our Okinawan family was (and still is!) It's my prayer that nothing, not the flesh or the principalities of darkness, would make any of us forget what we've learned! May we stand strong in Jesus Christ always!

sayonara okinawa...or maybe matta ne!

2006-12-18T21:20:00.000+09:00

I am at a lack for pictures, because I was too busy soaking up every last moment with the Oki crew. Our last night all together a few of us stayed up until Joanna had to come down and put us to bed, just hangin out and procrastinating with the goodbyes. Then the next day I was the first to head out, 7:00 in the morning.

JAL told me I didn't have a ticket, which was a slight problem. But Kayo and Natsuki were there, and they pretty much saved my life even though I did miss my original flight. でも、I got to hang out longer with them and take purikura からいいでした！ And I still got to Tokyo on time! I was trying to wait up for Shannon and Michelle in Tokyo so we could ride the bus from Haneda to Narita together, but I looked up the wrong flight (doh). So I went ahead and bought my ticket, pretty bummed out. Then as the bus pulled up I hear a distinctly American voice go "Yo what the!" and to my utter jubliation it was none other than Shannon and Michelle, who had boarded the bus at the previous terminal.

God was totally with me, guiding my steps, so I didn't end up in Africa.

I've since stuffed my face with food, including ocha and homemade unagi sushi from ba-chan. We had fun speaking in Japanese, or more like she had fun laughing at mine and my mom's ridiculous Japanese skills.

More pics later, as I eventually get them from other peeps.

taiko

2006-12-15T09:50:00.000+09:00

This taiko game...

...is flippin sweet.

dinner faces

2006-12-13T15:48:00.000+09:00

Monday night we went to dinner with Brent Long. The katsu curry was amazing...but not as amazing as these guys' faces. They put the eous in hideous.

Group shot, wooo!

aquarium

2006-12-13T14:51:00.000+09:00

Still on Monday here...we also went to Expo Park, which has this sweet aquarium dealio.

Joel, go be a size reference.

Brad, go be a size reference for the gnarliest biggest lobster ever.

Whale sharks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And big rays!!!!!!!

New girlfriend.

There were also these incredible nets...dude...we could've played on these things forever. This group knows how to have fun any time anywhere, and I love them.

kimono palace

2006-12-12T17:38:00.000+09:00

And after the pineapple park we went to this place on a hill where they sell used kimonos. It was like this bizarre fairy tale land or something.

Japanese won't wear a kimono more than three times because it's considered unlucky. They also rarely buy a kimono without knowing the history behind it, "just in case aunt Myrtle died in it or something". So even these wedding kimonos were relatively cheap.

Nicky found her twin.

Cool place, but the main attraction was...the animals.

cliffs

2006-12-12T17:25:00.000+09:00

Oh yeah...we went here before the pineapple park.

Besides the view nothing too great or significant happened here, except maybe when Brad sliced my finger with a piece of grass.

pineapple park

2006-12-12T16:00:00.000+09:00

Monday Pastor Tom took us all out to Nago to the Pineapple Park! Dude, so much fun for a park dedicated to fruit.

Pinapple carts!

Nicky fell out.

This was supposed to be her sitting on her throne, but it looks more like that clam is about to take a chunk out of her oshiri.

The best part of the park = endless free samples of pineapple cake, pineapple chocolate, pineapple cookies, pineapple pies, pineapple pineapples...some of us went through the line more than once. But at the end they had this soba that you had to put oil on. So Aaron and I tried it, and I saw him put some oil on it and decided that, although he put a lot on, it still didn't look like enough, so I doused mine too. But neither of us noticed the two little chili-peppers floating around in it, and the guy standing there didn't even say anything. My mouth almost caught on fire, I kid you not. One side of Aaron's mouth went numb and we're all drooling and running around frantically for the drink machine. Here's a reinactment...

The sandal pimp's Marine Evangelization Program. (You can ask Shannon about that nickname)

Poor Keegerz...

kids and bc street

2006-12-12T11:25:00.000+09:00

On Sunday after church we all went to these apartments and went door to door trying to rally up the kids for a kodomo party.

Kayo's super good at translating for little kids.

Um, the guys did this pirate play...and it didn't really make any sense, even they didn't know what was going on...but if anything else, it was way funny because for some reason Aaron was a hunchback and their accents kept changing with every line. Yokudekimashita, guys!

duck duck goose!

These kids are so cute they'll break your heart. Then here's a picture of us ministering on BC Street...

Juuuust kidding. We went to Daiichi Baptist, played some music and just hung out. There are a lot of Indians that have businesses on that stree, so I went into this one really cool store with all this stuff imported from India. I got to talk to the owner, Victor from Jaipur, and he was so nice. I bought an anklet as a reminder to pray for this him...so if you could join me in praying for Victor, that'd be great.

christmas at barclay

2006-12-12T11:19:00.000+09:00

Saturday night we went to Barclay Court to play some Christmas music and witness. The Japanese are starting to celebrate Christmas on a really small scale although most people don't really understand the reason behind the season. So we were able to use this as an open door and pass out some music.

The young people here are so good at going up to people and making friends off the street. It's amazing.

tako man

2006-12-07T11:31:00.000+09:00

Well, this weekend's gonna be filled with ministry. Goin out with a bang. Sunday night we'll be going to Gate 2 street, or BC Street, as in Bar and Club Street. Without trying to sound stuffy or pious, the word debauchery really does come to mind when i think about the stuff that goes on in that area. But where sin abounds, so does grace all the more, right?

Pray that we'd be able to minister to the people and meet them where they're at. We wanna see people respond to the love of Christ!

ocsi chapel day

2006-12-07T11:04:00.000+09:00

Yesterday we did OCSI's chapel and then played.

Well, I have no way to tie this in with the rest of this post. But, I wish we could all simply love God. That's all. For all He's done for us and for everything He is. God's been trying to show me (for the three millionth time) that to love Him is more important than being compassionate and making good grades and doing Chuck tracks and getting up at the crack of dawn to pray. Dare I say that loving God is more important even than reaching the lost. Of course, all these things are a part of loving God. But if they're pursued without that single motive, it's like picking weeds without pulling out the root. So with that said, I don't think I need to specify the prayer request. He is good.

banquet night

2006-12-06T15:56:00.000+09:00

Yes I put makeup on my face...dohdohdohdoh

Because we had our student banquet on Monday night. Everybody was dressed up and lookin super spiffy.
So there are more group pictures than you can shake a stick at. So just in case you thought you missed my face...you won't after this post.

Icecream heads.

The restaurant.

Tom made up some awards and bought us presents.

I'm not sure what Doug won for...but he got a gnarly sausage, which seemed appropriate.

Bradly got the bling-bling award

Keegan got the bring-your-house-with-you-to-Okinawa award

I got the sleepiest award.

Nicky got the loudest burper award.

Misty got the clean freak award.

Joel got the kicked-out-of-the-van-for-being-negative-the-most award.

Michelle got kindness-to-the-marines award

And not pictured we have Shannon with the daredevil award, Erin with the don't-mess-with-me award, Aaron with the evangelist award, Djudji with the kindness award, Mark with the best smelling award, and Jeremy rightly with the most-amazing-hairstyle award.

They're amazing.

Da Oki Crew!!!

Marky Starr with a tie equals quals prom picture.

Rick and Kristy, these guys have been an awesome blessing to us!

Thankyou Tom and Joanna for an awesome night, we love you!

The party didn't end at the D-house though...which is why I used my pillow award in the tatami room on Tuesday.

haley's great blog of fun

the importance of the woods

count down begins

mac attack

recent fun

friend

update

phone pass

coworkers

my reaction to tonight's super bowl win

MHO top ten

muh

work update

rodeo drive

graduation pix

back home

graduation & life

golden gate bridge

t-giving break

dorm pics

foxe's book of martyrs

surfing extravaganza numero dos

PCS

dorm times

fam in cali

socal fires

intellectual suicide

one year ago

retreat support

the worm

mccaleb bros

door signs

c-bizkit's uncle's

banquet

red chili

princess & poopers

one thing missing

margarita middle

knee

dorm trip spring 07!

anaheim climbing

I & II Kings

oceanside

first day of school

sloppy joes

steward retreat

meteor shower

the huntsville farm

nirupoma

two mendozas

destin florida

せきすい すし

how to wear saree

indian b'day dinner

bowling

God's little people

studious

college appreciation

carnality close-out

short update

mexico missions

wednesday

Tuesday

monday

a week of college

chinese katherine's

EMT

spring break oh seven

airsoft

japan prayer

coffee shop devos

banquet + edification

apologetics

jeanette's birthday weekend

gruesome twosome

boooo

meet the roomies!

steward retreat

we're here

the hawk

せきすい　すし