Somehow I find myself at the end of what feels like a lengthy week. Nothing too eventful has occurred though. I haven't felt the desire to blog much lately. It means that I'm generally in better spirits. For whatever reason, I tend to write most when I'm feeling down and this has not been so much the case since the beginning of the new year.
When I look to my entries of the last few months I begin to notice the descriptions of a process... Of course, it was difficult for me to recognize at times... but through the clearer lens of hindsight, I see how different ideas and truths entered my life at specific points, be it through conversations with friends, or books read. Now, I find myself in a place where perhaps much of these lessons have begun culminating.
The fact is, I'm not the same person that I was a year ago. I've never been the person that I am today. Of course, this isn't necessarily all a positive thing... I lost bits and pieces of myself along the way... but I feel as though I've grown, really grown in some areas.
The lessons resulted from various situations, different people entering and leaving my life... from trials and failures, costly mistakes and minor successes. But here I am now, just a little wiser and a little closer to being conformed to His image...on the road to becoming the man I so long to be. (At once, also realizing that I have so very much more to learn; a tremendous journey of personal growth awaits.)
So as my first, real New years entry instead of going into a list of resolutions, I'm going to list some of the lessons I've learned this year. Some were more profound than others, most I thought I had learned in the past, but was confronted by them differently this year...and some were more painful to arrive to, but all lessons they remain and lessons I'm sure I will continue to learn and relearn in the days and years ahead. (No, I haven't nailed any of these things, daily I struggle, but I think I've made some progress.)
1) Appreciating my family and what it means to honor my parents.
2) Fearing God. How reverence is essential to worship, you cannot have one w/out the
other.
3) Forgiveness. *Accepting it, granting it to those even when they haven't asked for it. Both are liberating.
4) Surrender. Not only pertaining to my behaviors, but everything I hold so dear to me, even the "good." The life that I have worked so hard to arrange for myself, the future, the dreams... all of it.
5) I am a never ending well of pride. Further, this pride will rise up at every possible opportunity and so I must check my tongue and my motives at every turn.
6) I am severely insecure.
7) A cup of warm coffee each morning promotes Regularity.
8) Guarding my heart. (boundaries).
9) When you're overwhelmed, exhausted, feel like you've got nothing left, serve others. "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:25)
10) The imperative to do relationships God's way. Rules are placed to protect us.
11) Keeping my eye on the prize. (kingdom living). The life of a Christian is the pursuit of the eternal, not the attempt at building heaven here on earth.
12) My value does not depend on a what others think of me. Life is not a political campaign, I don't need to impress anybody and I don't have to be loved by everyone.
13) My choices can have enormous consequences.
14) There is nothing like that sweet hour of prayer.
15) Sometimes, you only get one chance...
16) Life is freakin' hard.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
New years eve/day.
It is officially new years in California now. At the moment, I'm sitting outside alone by the hotel's swimming pool. The lobby of our residence just experienced an influx of airline pilots and what looks like their significant others...for those who have them and people are wishing one another a happy new year. We spent our evening at "downtown disney," which is a neat attraction right next to disneyland and then headed back to our room... I must have been exhausted because I fell asleep on a 30 minute commute...and woke up to Tim telling me happy new year as we neared the hotel. It's strange not being home for new years eve... I feel somewhat dissatisfied at the anticlimactic evening... but it really isn't a big deal.
All around the world people got together with friends, family, strangers, communities for fireworks, champagne, excessive hats and glasses, confetti, parties and heavily populated strips, bars and restaurants to usher in the occasion; others spent quiet evenings at home, or at work, or in foreign countries thousands of miles from home, alone, separated from loved ones...or simply without... stark contrasts, so it is with life.
Nevertheless, another year has gone...
This morning Tim and I went to Santa Monica Beach to read, think and enjoy some quiet time... I read just a few pages of A Severe Mercy again; the particular section about Vanauken's Illumination period of Davy resonated with me. He talks about how there simply is not time enough in this life... not to live it like we truly desire to. We are always on the clock, life is always passing us by...though we try so hard to find "timeless moments." Of course, this speaks of our longing for a timeless reality.
I feel this most of the time...tonight I feel it much deeper.
I'm not sure how i feel about the coming year, which is a bit strange for me since I generally know exactly how I feel about something at any given moment. I feel cold because i'm outside early in the morning during winter. I feel fatigued because it's been an extremely eventful week, half of which was spent on the road... and I feel a mixture of reluctance and invitation at the thought of returning home... but as far as the new year is concerned...I simply don't know right now...
It's been an interesting year...and one I will not soon forget. It's been a year of change, drastic change and this not only for me, but also for so many around me. It's been one of adversity, of brokenness, failure, of love and loss and regrets... and a year of immense growth...learning.
If there's one major thing I'm looking for in the new year, it would be Redemption in 2008.
All around the world people got together with friends, family, strangers, communities for fireworks, champagne, excessive hats and glasses, confetti, parties and heavily populated strips, bars and restaurants to usher in the occasion; others spent quiet evenings at home, or at work, or in foreign countries thousands of miles from home, alone, separated from loved ones...or simply without... stark contrasts, so it is with life.
Nevertheless, another year has gone...
This morning Tim and I went to Santa Monica Beach to read, think and enjoy some quiet time... I read just a few pages of A Severe Mercy again; the particular section about Vanauken's Illumination period of Davy resonated with me. He talks about how there simply is not time enough in this life... not to live it like we truly desire to. We are always on the clock, life is always passing us by...though we try so hard to find "timeless moments." Of course, this speaks of our longing for a timeless reality.
I feel this most of the time...tonight I feel it much deeper.
I'm not sure how i feel about the coming year, which is a bit strange for me since I generally know exactly how I feel about something at any given moment. I feel cold because i'm outside early in the morning during winter. I feel fatigued because it's been an extremely eventful week, half of which was spent on the road... and I feel a mixture of reluctance and invitation at the thought of returning home... but as far as the new year is concerned...I simply don't know right now...
It's been an interesting year...and one I will not soon forget. It's been a year of change, drastic change and this not only for me, but also for so many around me. It's been one of adversity, of brokenness, failure, of love and loss and regrets... and a year of immense growth...learning.
If there's one major thing I'm looking for in the new year, it would be Redemption in 2008.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Hollywood
Being the avid tourists that we are, yesterday we headed over to the ever so famous Hollywood Blvd Strip, home of the "walk of stars." Although it was cold and windy it was heavily populated, which means there was lot's to see.
There were plenty of street performers, impersonators and photo opts. Pictured below are two youngin's who we assumed were a brother/sister duo. To my surprise, the guitarist blared a very familiar riff and the gal who must have been about 7 years of age started singing:
She's got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Of course, I liked her about a million times more than the excessive Axl Rose.
My favorite was probably a quirky magician that was sitting against a wall. I saw he had a black had and a deck of cards, but no people around so I approached him. He had some amazing tricks and soon after, a small crowd developed.
There was the Tree man covered in leaves, standing about 8 feet tall (on stilts), who would stand by tall palm trees and scare unsuspecting pedestrians. He even got Tim. :)
Ripley's Believe it or Not, I have been to this Strip several times now, but never actually made it into the exhibit...i'm too cheap, I think it's like 16 bucks for admission, yesterday was no exception, we just stepped in the foyer for a few pics.
If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be Stefano's Pizza... it's simply amazing. In fact, we stopped in here on a full stomach and shared a couple slices because it's that good.
The original :) 
Elliot outside of the Ron Hubbard, Scientology building. Some interesting marketing, a stress test, a Christmas display and 3 young adults that were all intelligent, articulate, attractive, calm and confident, of course it would take much more to convince E.
Reminded me of home...the Mandarin Theatre... No, i'm not chinese, but close enough. \
More than meets the eye.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Quick update
It's Sunday morning and we're in Los Angeles, we arrived early Saturday Morning after a 19 hour drive from Seattle... We hit severe weather again up in Oregon and into Northern California. We rushed to meet Brad, who had arrived the night before and therefore we did not get to stop in San Francisco, or Fresno to see Steph. I was also planning on calling Louie and Vic since they weren't far from that region...but it didn't work out.
I just watched, literally 75 percent of our hotel empty out. I'm not sure what was going on, but there were hundreds of Latin folks here who just boarded a couple tour buses. At the moment, I'm sitting outside by the pool, alone.
Last night, I took Brad and Elliot to the Santa Monica Pier, but I think the cold weather toned down the commonly busy tourist attraction. There were only about half the normal amount of tourist merchants present and only one performer, an older asian fella who was literally a one man band.
He had a rig made of pvc pipe that had a couple of keyboards and cymbals. He had a harmonica around his neck, a guitar in hand, with drum sticks taped to the headstock..and of course a microphone for vocals. Evidently he had been on t.v. a few times in the past. It brought a smile to my face so I guess he was entertaining. We then headed across the street to the 3rd St. Promenade which is a large strip of shops. We watched several street performers and even listened in on a Christian gentleman who had an area set up with 2 microphones, one for himself the other for whomever might want to ask a question. I didn't agree with a lot of his answers and I found him a bit abrasive, like he was looking for a fight... nevertheless, it was interesting.
There were two spanish guitar players that were pretty amazing, a solo artist from Alabama that we enjoyed, a legless beggar, dancers and a cute blonde gal who seemed to be just getting a start. I wish Phoenix had a place for all the creative at heart...
I do enjoy this city. The coastal air from the pacific has a distinct feel that's so familiar to me though I've only spent a limited amount of my life here. Most people complain about the traffic, but I love driving in LA. The PCH is one of my favorite drives...and of course there's Muholland and Beverly...
I'm not sure what our plans are for today, I think we're gonna hit up Koreatown because Tim seems to really miss the motherland.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Update
Pikes Place Market
As I type this we are back on the highway headed towards Portland, leaving Seattle with a deal of reluctance, next main destination is Los Angeles, CA.
The last 48 hours have felt like one endless day. Fast food, gas station snacks, ice cold weather, driving and more driving…fatigue...sheer joy. I had about a combined 5 hours of sleep between both days…my companions about the same, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
After leaving Boise, ID Thursday morning, we drove into Oregon. It was quite beautiful. Oregon is surrounded by giant hills blanketed by deep amounts of powdery snow… High in elevation, the air was thin, but as pure as one could imagine.
We made a stop when we realized we were traveling the Oregon Trail. Due to it being the end of December we found ourselves completely alone at the “Oregon Trail Interactive Center.” Of course, it was painfully cold. I was the only one with gloves, therefore I amused myself by throwing snowballs at Tim and Big Love, E. 
Upon hitting the roads again, we saw warning signs indicating “Extremely Icy conditions,” and rows of large semi’s were pulled over to the right placing chains over their tires. On certain roads, a thin cloud of snow would float just over the blacktop…and it looked like we were driving on a cloud. We made a food and gas stop… and found that in the state of Oregon you were not allowed to pump your own gas… The poor attendants stood out there explaining this law to all the cars that pulled up. I took over driving duties from there and after a few hours we found ourselves in Washington at about 5:00pm. Much to our dismay we hit pretty severe conditions from this point on. We tuned into a local radio station for a report, the message was concerning severe weather (snow) in the region we’d be driving right through. It was a blizzard, heavy snow fall and strong winds, to make matters worse our windshield would get a thin layer of moisture from the precipitation and then freeze over. Unfortunately, our washer fluid stopped working and so we had to put up with low visibility, did I mention it was really dark,the roads were curvy and slippery and we were in a Chrysler Sebring convertible? ☺ It was probably the scariest drive I’ve ever been a part of, although initially it was exciting after the second hour It started to wear on me.
At about 7:30 pm, we arrived in Seattle exhausted, hungry, and cold, but excited at the sight of the space needle. We checked in to a lovely hotel downtown, compliments of Tim and found ourselves with a gorgeous view of the city skyline from the 27th floor.
Dinner was Seattle’s world famous clam chowder and it was fabulous. We had it in this really neat shopping mall. From outside it doesn’t look like much, but once through the surface you find floor upon floor of shops and eateries. We did just a little walking around, mainly looking for a
Starbucks, I know, it’s Seattle home of Starbucks and there were 2 for every block, but for some reason they were all closed. Despite the cold and rain I just really loved the feel and smell of the City. We were in bed by 10pm. I can’t tell you how thankful I was for a bed.
In the morning, we headed down the street to the famous Pikes Marketplace.
The vendors were just starting to set up so we walked around for a while, until we found a spot that served breakfast food. It was delicious, all you can eat Waffles for $ 6 and a chili omellete. Yum. 
I finished eating first and stepped out for a moment, alone. It was a brisk morning, the air was slightly moist, cold and crisp… I loaded Amos Lee on my ipod, lit a cigarette and walked over to a flower shop and then to a newsstand (standard of larger cities). I picked up a few postcards and I watched…
I watch a restless city pass me by, I watch to trade the sting of emptiness within for the emptiness without…
And I felt something… difficult to describe with words…but profound… I think I fell in love with the City.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Halfway?
We are in Boise, Idaho and it's about 7:44 am, Thursday Morning. I've been sleeping in spurts of an hour here, a half hour there...crammed in a car with Big love and Big tim.
:) Tim has done the majority of driving so far because he got some sleep while Elliot and I did the "Vegas things" respectively. Generally, one person will drive, one person will sleep and the other will keep the driver company...well that was the idea, but it's been more like 2 sleep, 1 drive...our Life is in the pilots hands. We've had some scary moments, foggy freeways in Utah, snow and wind...but so far so good.
We've traveled over 1,000 miles in the last literal 24 hours... and I'm starting to feel it. Neck is stiff, back is stiff, and I'm really tired.
From Vegas we headed through Northern Nevada.
There were unspeakable sights in there...unspeakable :)
Utah was next. It was a beautiful drive through massive mountains scraping the clouds... and we drove through a good amount of snow... at night because of the headlights of the car it looks like you're traveling through a portal or at some sci-fi warp speed... and It was COLD!!! At one point the car thermometer read negative 7 degrees... I think Tim's right when he says I'm meant to live in Arizona all my life...or maybe So. Cal? In Salt Lake City, we pulled over at a truck stop and slept in the car. Elliot disappeared for a while and I woke up to the smell of truck fumes...we were sandwiched between to big rigs... no wonder I was so sleepy :)
Elliot had found a 24 hour diner nearby and so I joined him, while Tim slept in the parking lot. They had a full menu with steak, chicken, pasta what have you... but it was 2 a.m. and no one else in the restaurant but Me, Elliot and the server in a gas station restaurant.... I feared for my stomach and sincerely wondered if she would also be our cook... I opted for French toast because I figured it would be a safe bet.
Boise, ID
We are charging our laptops, blogging and drinking Starbucks. Idahoans are quickly populating the shop, it's business as usual...first impressions, Boise seems like a nice, quaint town... Next, it's back on the road for another 8 hours, continuing on the 84 North... Seattle here we come!
It's icy here... I nearly slipped, I'm such a tourist, look at the shoes i'm wearing...
Highlights so far, crowning Elliot "Big Love," Poker in Vegas, Snow, the scenery, Tim grabbing Big Love inappropriately, and spending all this time with my boys!
:) Tim has done the majority of driving so far because he got some sleep while Elliot and I did the "Vegas things" respectively. Generally, one person will drive, one person will sleep and the other will keep the driver company...well that was the idea, but it's been more like 2 sleep, 1 drive...our Life is in the pilots hands. We've had some scary moments, foggy freeways in Utah, snow and wind...but so far so good.
We've traveled over 1,000 miles in the last literal 24 hours... and I'm starting to feel it. Neck is stiff, back is stiff, and I'm really tired.
From Vegas we headed through Northern Nevada.
There were unspeakable sights in there...unspeakable :)
Utah was next. It was a beautiful drive through massive mountains scraping the clouds... and we drove through a good amount of snow... at night because of the headlights of the car it looks like you're traveling through a portal or at some sci-fi warp speed... and It was COLD!!! At one point the car thermometer read negative 7 degrees... I think Tim's right when he says I'm meant to live in Arizona all my life...or maybe So. Cal? In Salt Lake City, we pulled over at a truck stop and slept in the car. Elliot disappeared for a while and I woke up to the smell of truck fumes...we were sandwiched between to big rigs... no wonder I was so sleepy :)
Elliot had found a 24 hour diner nearby and so I joined him, while Tim slept in the parking lot. They had a full menu with steak, chicken, pasta what have you... but it was 2 a.m. and no one else in the restaurant but Me, Elliot and the server in a gas station restaurant.... I feared for my stomach and sincerely wondered if she would also be our cook... I opted for French toast because I figured it would be a safe bet.
Boise, ID
We are charging our laptops, blogging and drinking Starbucks. Idahoans are quickly populating the shop, it's business as usual...first impressions, Boise seems like a nice, quaint town... Next, it's back on the road for another 8 hours, continuing on the 84 North... Seattle here we come!
It's icy here... I nearly slipped, I'm such a tourist, look at the shoes i'm wearing...
Highlights so far, crowning Elliot "Big Love," Poker in Vegas, Snow, the scenery, Tim grabbing Big Love inappropriately, and spending all this time with my boys!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
And that was vegas...
We started pretty dam early this morning. Tim was too dam late getting up :) so we left phoenix around 7 a.m. And then we went from one dam thing to another.
Ok that was horrible. Here is Hoover Dam in all of it's glory.
Here are Timothy and E in the Chrysler Sebring.
Viva Las Vegas, and we actually listened to Elvis in the Car.
Treasure Island on the Strip.
We had lunch at Caesars Palace upon arrival. Then Elliot went for a walk around the Strip, Tim took a nap in the car and I...well, I found the Poker tables. It was very enjoyable as usual and I left with a good chunk of change :) But of course no camera's aloud in the Poker room so you'll have to take my word for it.
We took a stop at Starbucks for internet access and some coffee...
It's just before 5 pm and the sun is starting to set on the desert...and Vegas will really come to life...but we're off to Idaho I think...which we will just be passing through on our way to Seattle, WA, I'm very excited. So far we're all going on very little sleep, but having a blast. 2 hours of sleep last night and I'm still up because it's mighty difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position, anyway, more to come! Oh and check Tim's blog (freakngenius) for other updates!
Ok that was horrible. Here is Hoover Dam in all of it's glory.
Here are Timothy and E in the Chrysler Sebring.
Viva Las Vegas, and we actually listened to Elvis in the Car.
Treasure Island on the Strip.
We had lunch at Caesars Palace upon arrival. Then Elliot went for a walk around the Strip, Tim took a nap in the car and I...well, I found the Poker tables. It was very enjoyable as usual and I left with a good chunk of change :) But of course no camera's aloud in the Poker room so you'll have to take my word for it.
We took a stop at Starbucks for internet access and some coffee...
It's just before 5 pm and the sun is starting to set on the desert...and Vegas will really come to life...but we're off to Idaho I think...which we will just be passing through on our way to Seattle, WA, I'm very excited. So far we're all going on very little sleep, but having a blast. 2 hours of sleep last night and I'm still up because it's mighty difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position, anyway, more to come! Oh and check Tim's blog (freakngenius) for other updates!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
The day is done...
6 a.m. day after Christmas
I'll throw some clothes on in the dark.
The smell of cold, car seat is freezing
the world is sleeping, I am not... Ben Folds
Advent
I feel strangely numb. This time last year i was a well of emotions... and for the moment I feel "comfortably numb." I never imagined I'd ever have a chance to reference Pink Floyd in any of my blogs :)
It's quiet, and officially Christmas now. Just about half past 1 a.m. and exactly how one would imagine this time of this particular day to be... completely serene...cold, frozen...calm. And yet since i haven't laid my head down on my pillow yet, I'm convinced that it still remains the eve of...
I've been having difficult dreams the last few days so I sort of don't want to sleep... though my eyes grow heavier by the moment i'm fighting it with all I have.
It still doesn't feel like Christmas...everyone I have talked to today and even late this evening can relate. This year has been quite interesting to say the least...and I wonder if there's been just that much change, all around.
I'm not sure what it is I want to feel...what i'm waiting for, what i'm missing... If I did, perhaps I could do something to evoke this apparently mysterious sentiment...or at least something closely resembling it...but I really don't know. I know that I feel empty and I feel quite ambivalent about feeling empty. I know that I miss Christmas last year and that it just couldn't be more different today...
If I'm honest, it feels like just another day, just another late evening...but that just can't be right. Selah.
Over two millenia ago, God came to us in the form of a vulnerable Child, because we, left to ourselves had made such a great mess of everything. He came to us in a way that we might relate to Him...because we could not reach Him otherwise. He came to us. He came to us...
And so, despite my disappointments about how different and hollow this Christmas feels to me... I am confronted by this powerful truth...
He came to us...
"Unto us a Son is given, unto us a child is born."
It's quiet, and officially Christmas now. Just about half past 1 a.m. and exactly how one would imagine this time of this particular day to be... completely serene...cold, frozen...calm. And yet since i haven't laid my head down on my pillow yet, I'm convinced that it still remains the eve of...
I've been having difficult dreams the last few days so I sort of don't want to sleep... though my eyes grow heavier by the moment i'm fighting it with all I have.
It still doesn't feel like Christmas...everyone I have talked to today and even late this evening can relate. This year has been quite interesting to say the least...and I wonder if there's been just that much change, all around.
I'm not sure what it is I want to feel...what i'm waiting for, what i'm missing... If I did, perhaps I could do something to evoke this apparently mysterious sentiment...or at least something closely resembling it...but I really don't know. I know that I feel empty and I feel quite ambivalent about feeling empty. I know that I miss Christmas last year and that it just couldn't be more different today...
If I'm honest, it feels like just another day, just another late evening...but that just can't be right. Selah.
Over two millenia ago, God came to us in the form of a vulnerable Child, because we, left to ourselves had made such a great mess of everything. He came to us in a way that we might relate to Him...because we could not reach Him otherwise. He came to us. He came to us...
And so, despite my disappointments about how different and hollow this Christmas feels to me... I am confronted by this powerful truth...
He came to us...
"Unto us a Son is given, unto us a child is born."
Monday, December 24, 2007
Xmas Eve
It's Christmas eve, day... I must be one of the few people working today... well, I saw the garbage truck this morning in our neighborhood... and then there was the Fed EX guy I ran into in the store parking lot. I asked him how he was doing and he asked me the same...we both smiled with a level of understanding since we're at work when much of the country is not... :) The poor mall people are still working...and of course our soldiers both domestic and overseas... our public servants, like police officers and firefighters, paramedics... and gas station clerks...oh here comes mr. mailman too. So here's to all the people hard at work during the holidays.
I don't really feel "Christmasy" this year. Though I've been in Arizona for over a decade now, it has always struck me as strange to see blue skies, green plants and people wearing short sleeves during this time of year. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful morning... and I'm in good spirits. I've been having some great mornings... the afternoons and evenings are a different story, but the mornings I've been looking forward to :)
Tim (the best friend) is here from Korea, so i've been spending every waking moment with him since he got in on Friday. As evidenced in my blogs this year, I've been feeling more and more estranged here in my home of over a decade... with Tim here it feels a little more like familiar.
So on Wednesday morning, Elliot, Tim and I will begin our journey... Roadtrippin'!
We'll begin with a 5 hour drive to Las Vegas! We'll probably have lunch and spend a few hours at the poker tables (no limit holdem' of course). Then we'll be off, up to the North, seeing more of Nevada than I ever have, through Idaho (i've never been)to our second destination about 18 hours later: Seattle, Washington. The following day we'll head down the Golden state, to Fresno to meet Steph the artist/flight attendant, oh happy day. Then to Frisco maybe for clam chowder in a sourdough breadbowl and beer along fishermans warf? Then we'll drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to the City of Angeles. At LAX we'll meet Bradley. We'll spend a couple days there, including New years eve and then we'll make the 6 hour trek back home. I know, it's quite ambitious to travel 4,000 miles in a week... but we are ambitious people :)
I'm really going to make an effort to blog along the way.
I miss certain people today... I was telling Tim the other day that even knowing God will see us through the toughest valleys of our life, that He has a plan and all still doesn't keep us from sincerely missing those lost along the way. My Christmas won't be complete...it just won't.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all...or more accurately: joyous Advent!
I don't really feel "Christmasy" this year. Though I've been in Arizona for over a decade now, it has always struck me as strange to see blue skies, green plants and people wearing short sleeves during this time of year. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful morning... and I'm in good spirits. I've been having some great mornings... the afternoons and evenings are a different story, but the mornings I've been looking forward to :)
Tim (the best friend) is here from Korea, so i've been spending every waking moment with him since he got in on Friday. As evidenced in my blogs this year, I've been feeling more and more estranged here in my home of over a decade... with Tim here it feels a little more like familiar.
So on Wednesday morning, Elliot, Tim and I will begin our journey... Roadtrippin'!
We'll begin with a 5 hour drive to Las Vegas! We'll probably have lunch and spend a few hours at the poker tables (no limit holdem' of course). Then we'll be off, up to the North, seeing more of Nevada than I ever have, through Idaho (i've never been)to our second destination about 18 hours later: Seattle, Washington. The following day we'll head down the Golden state, to Fresno to meet Steph the artist/flight attendant, oh happy day. Then to Frisco maybe for clam chowder in a sourdough breadbowl and beer along fishermans warf? Then we'll drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to the City of Angeles. At LAX we'll meet Bradley. We'll spend a couple days there, including New years eve and then we'll make the 6 hour trek back home. I know, it's quite ambitious to travel 4,000 miles in a week... but we are ambitious people :)
I'm really going to make an effort to blog along the way.
I miss certain people today... I was telling Tim the other day that even knowing God will see us through the toughest valleys of our life, that He has a plan and all still doesn't keep us from sincerely missing those lost along the way. My Christmas won't be complete...it just won't.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all...or more accurately: joyous Advent!
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