And Then There Were Fireworks

For the 4th of July, some friends and I went to Gasworks Park to wait for Seattle's big fireworks show. Since we knew the park was going to fill up fast, we went at 2pm to wait for the 10pm show. Getting there that early really paid off with a good view. To pass the time during the day, we played games, soaked in the sun, took turns walking around the park/in the shade, and had a picnic-style supper.
The fireworks show itself was amazing. Definitely worth the eight hour wait. I've posted one of my favorite parts of the show below. I had to edit some of the video to make it fit on here, but I still show the best part.

My Latest Project

So, I was sitting around the house a few weeks ago and was thinking how I could make myself even more hippie...just kidding, sorta...
A few weeks ago I got an invitation from one of my students to learn how to make bread in exchange for teaching him how to make my almost-famous snickerdoodles. It didn't sound like a bad deal so I took him up on it. That Saturday I learned how to make basic wheat bread by hand. Yesterday, I made wheat bread again, but this time I put oats in it. I must say that I'm not half bad at baking bread :) The pictures below are of my bread after it was done rising the first time and the finished product.


I'm hoping to take this skill with me when I move and keep making my own bread. I've found that it's a good stress reducer and it builds strength in the arms.

Top Three Thursday

...Portland Edition. I've been to Portland twice in the last two months. Here's what rocked my socks off:

1. Pine State Biscuits. When I mentioned that I was going to Portland for the weekend, I was told that I had to check this place out. And I'm so glad I did. Being from the South, I have high expectations for my biscuits and Pine State definitely met them. Here's a picture of my scrumptious biscuits and gravy.


2. Powell's City of Books. Yes, you read that right. City of books. Powell's is a multi-level bookstore that takes up an entire block. I could get lost in there all day and not even care. It also helps that there are lots of great deals for people on a budget.


3. Voodoo Doughnuts. I heard about this place on TV a couple years ago and had few recommendations to go since moving to Seattle. Voodoo specializes in unusual donuts that are absolutely amazing. Some examples of their great but slightly off flavors include grape kool-aid, M&M, Captain Crunch, Oreo, and their most famous: the bacon maple bar. Yum!


Toodles!

Times, They Are A-Changin'

Why the slightly washed out picture, you ask. Because it accurately describes how I'm feeling right now. For those that are curious, this picture was taken at a beach party we had a couple weeks ago. The friend standing was about to leave for Israel and my other friend was trying to prevent her from going. She wanted to hang on forever, but had to let go eventually (I think around the time the Caribbean Jerk Chicken was done cooking).

I don't deal with change well. For all the traveling that I do and the life I'm committed to leading, you would think that I would be better at coping. And I do cope relatively well, but there are certain aspects in my life that I like to stay rock solid. Right now, things feel more like sand.

Today, major changes happened at the center of my Seattle universe, the building that is both my home and place of business. I got a new boss-man. One month left working in Seattle and I have a new supervisor. Don't get me wrong. The new guy is great and I think that he's gonna do an amazing job at relating to the students and leading the community. It's just kind weird to go to work and answer to a new person.

I think this change is really significant because it is also the first major change in a long line of changes to come. Change of supervisor, change of address, change of occupation, change of culture. Sometimes I look at what is to come and don't think I have the strength in me to make it. I know that I'll survive what's about to happen, but I don't want to just survive. I want to thrive.

Hmm, there may be something significant to the fact that "You Will Pull Through" by Barcelona is playing on my iTunes right now. Funny how that works :)

June

Welcome to my one and only blog post for June. I semi-intentionally took the month off from writing about my life but hope to jump back in full force in July. Here's what I did in June:

1. I turned 24. Yes, I'm one year away from being able to rent a car without having to hand over an arm or leg. A couple of friends took me to Red Robin for lunch and Trophy Cupcake for dessert. Then, my church got together and enjoyed a meal together at one of those restaurants where they cook for the food on the table for supper. They made me dance (badly) before I could get my cheesecake. Hopefully, the video of that will never surface :)

2. I supported my students through finals and all they did in return was leave me. It really wasn't that bad, but I kind of miss them already. A friend gave me a picture of all of us together at our last meal together and I almost started crying. I think crying is going to be a major theme in my life over the next month.

3. I went to the Olympic Peninsula for the first time. A couple of friends and I took a ferry over the day before my birthday. Our main purpose for going was to see the setting of a certain series of books, but we created a lot of our own fun. I think my favorite part was having a picnic on a deserted beach. It was probably one of the more surreal moments in my life.

4. I tried having a relationship with a guy from Oregon, but it didn't work out. Dating is one of those areas that I've struggled with in the past. Amazingly, I'm not overly bummed about this relationship not working, beyond the fact that the guy is extremely nice and fun and I had to disappoint him. God keeps whispering to me that there's something else great coming soon.

5. I had all four of my wisdom teeth taken out. I've already heard all the jokes about being a little less wise so keep them to yourself. Besides the bad jokes, everything went great. The surgery was fast, I didn't swell up like a chipmunk, and I could eat semi-solid foods fairly early. I'm still feeling some pain, but my diet is fairly normal again.

Of course, other fun things happened in June, but those are the highlights. Stay tuned for some fun posts that have been brewing in my mind over the last month. Until then...

On Memorial Day

On Friday morning, I went to a well-known bookstore in Seattle and was looking around in the bargain section. I came across a Mark Twain anthology and looked at the table of contents. I saw that it had "The War Prayer", which is one of the few essays I vividly remember reading in high school English. With today being Memorial Day, "The War Prayer" popped into my mind again. Maybe because Mark Twain's short, but powerful, essay throws some light onto one of the many tensions I've been feeling lately.

On Memorial Day, we're supposed to remember and honor those that have served in the armed forces. Both of my grandfathers served in the military and I respect and love both of them greatly. But how do I honor them without honoring what they were part of? How do I communicate that I no longer pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America without it being a slap in the face to them?

I want to make it clear that I do not hate the United States. It is my homeland on earth and, like my parents' house, I love coming back to it no matter how far I've traveled. But I don't think it's where my ultimate allegiance belongs.

I'm just trying to figure out if there is middle ground here. How do I put feet to my utopian ideals in this very real world?

Letter to Mom

You're always asking for pictures of what I've been up to in Seattle so I put this album together for you. Enjoy!

Back in February, I went to Discovery Park (near Ballard) with a few friends. We had a picnic and walked along the beach until we found the old lighthouse.

After a long afternoon of walking, we passed out on the beach for a while. One older couple that passed by commented that they had thought that we were seals sunning on the beach when they were walking toward us.

I know that you told me that ice cream is not supper food, but I couldn't resist the ice cream sundaes when we stopped at Molly Moon's on the way home. And yes, I did have a stomach ache later. I know you warned me that would happen.

This is the table in Alabama that you inspired. You were right. Kids loved the candy and, therefore, loved me.

Last month, the sun came out for a few days and the cherry blossoms bloomed on campus. This is my favorite shot that I took.

Earlier this month, four of us went to Vancouver for the weekend. We slept in a (very safe and very clean) hostel, visited the market, and had fun downtown.

After realizing that the suspension bridge cost too much for us, we found a park half a mile up the road. We got to hike around this area for free!

On Saturday, I went to Pike Place Market. They had a lot of flowers there for Mother's Day. Since I couldn't actually buy you any, I took a picture for you.

On Sunday morning, I went to the Fremont Sunday Market. I bought some really pretty earrings that I'll wear when I visit home this month.

Fremont has a statue of Lenin that used to be in the Soviet Union. Don't worry. I've picked up a few ideas in Seattle but I haven't become communist.

This morning I went to the Museum of History and Industry. I learned a lot about Seattle's history and saw a Warner Bro.'s exhibit with original drawings. Still, my favorite item in the museum was the Toe Truck. Get it. Ha ha :)