we made it to south africa

hi friends
we're here in jo-burg. we're safe...long plane trip...swollen feet and ankles and two bloody noses later. on our way by bus to the northern region. love you all.

mendy

south africa trip

our trip to South Africa is fast-approaching! here's our itinerary and also a few thoughts/hopes/prayers that I have for this trip.

itinerary:
Wednesday, Nov. 19: Depart KC around 11:00 am
Thursday, Nov. 20: Arrive in Johannesburg (5:30 pm); stay overnight
Friday, Nov. 21: a.m. depart Jo-burg; travel by bus to spend weekend in Mushagka and surrounding villages (northeastern South Africa); connect with a missionary named Nancy and visit several area church services, Mozambique refugee ministry, and a pre-school graduation!
Monday, Nov. 24: Spend day in Kruger National Park - wildlife preserve (and get my National-Geographic-photographer on!) http://www.ecoafrica.com/krugerpark/
Tuesday, Nov. 25: return to Jo-burg; spend a few days with Pastor Isaac in ministry around Jo-burg (including Soweto)
Thursday, Nov. 27: depart for Port St. John's/Port Elizabeth to visit Oceans of Mercy ministry (ministry to orphans affected by AIDS/HIV...Westside Family Church in KC is a local partner with this ministry) http://www.oceansofmercy.com/index.cfm
Saturday, Nov. 29: Return to Jo-burg (except Seth, who is staying an extra day with O of M...due to the fact that he accidentally purchased a ticket on the wrong return flight!) and catch our return flight to the U.S. (Seth will depart for U.S. on Sunday).
Sunday, Nov. 30: Arrive approximately 12:00 noon at KCI

Thoughts/Hopes/Prayers:

• Always, safety and smooth travel (there will be a lot of travel)
• the people we meet are giving us places to stay, food to eat, and transportation, so I hope that we can be a source of encouragement and joy to them!
  
• i am excited to learn from the people we meet about how to love well, how to serve. I
• recently read my friend Tim's blog and he shared some thoughts from a book about Compassion. I found these thoughts to be relevant: "compassion is not primarily making oneself "useful," but it is a kind of "entering in" which is intimately linked to a real presence. The natural result of this presence will be true solidarity. Human competition subverts this impulse and can only be overcome by the "new self" which is created in Christ. Therefore the first movement in compassion isn't achieving but receiving a new identity which is free from greedy competitive impulses. Only then can we enter into solidarity with the poor." From the beginning of planning this trip, I have tried to keep a close check on any attitude of "us" going over "there" to help "them", which has a bitter taste of condescension, but maintain a learner's heart and a servant's heart. More than any other purpose, I feel that our objective is to connect with people, to love, to establish friendships that will survive over time and distance. It is in these long-term relationships that we will be able to know how we might meet each others' needs (a reciprocal relationship).

p.s. note my new "my views" section to the right! i am posting a new photo each week and hoping for feedback from all of my creative friends...heck, at this point, i'll take feedback from my not-so-creative friends too as no one has posted a comment yet! come on people! i comment on all of your blogs! help me out here.

my views

i decided to start a new section in my blog called "my views" that will feature a new photo i've taken each week (or every couple of weeks!). i think that i noticed another one of my blogging friends doing something similar, so i have to put the disclaimer out there that i thought of it a long time ago but just didn't get around to doing it! i actually got the idea from national geographic's "your shot" series (note the link to their site to the right under "sites to see"). NG features photos from amateur photographers and they are just amazing! i really want to work on getting better. so, i decided to give myself a forum for displaying my photos.

here's how it's gonna work: i have several friends that are AWESOME photographers so i want YOUR FEEDBACK! i do very minimal editing/tampering to my photos (mostly due to a lack of knowledge of how to use photoshop or other such programs). so, for the most part, what you see is exactly how i took the photo. i may brighten it so that you can see it better on the blog, or crop it to get a better fit, but that is the extent. so, photographer friends, i want to hear your feedback: what you would do differently? how would you change the settings? what angles would you take, etc.? and, if you happen to like it just as it is i suppose i wouldn't mind hearing that either!

the first photo is from about a month ago when the Two Seconds Away guys rehearsed in our attic (note the link to their site to the right...free publicity, guys!).

p.s. the sites that i post on my blog are some of my FAVORITE sites and my hope is that my friends who read my blog will also find them useful. plus, i'm always updating them as well as my "favorite things" section.

p.p.s. speaking of "favorite things", i have seen two oscar-worthy performances in the last month: angelina joley in Changeling (an unbelievable true story) and anne hathaway in Rachel Getting Married. great movies, incredible acting by those two women.

p.p.p.s. still trying to figure out how to make a link to the full size version of the picture in "my views." if anyone has tips on that let me know.

shots...and disorders

well, our trip to south africa is official...i've gone to get my shots. well, one shot. to my delight i discovered that i could get the typhoid vaccination via capsules, and it lasts longer than the shot! boy howdy! so, all i had to get is the hepatitis A booster...yeah, that's right, the booster. 4 years ago, when i went to china i got the first round of the hep A series, but never went back to get the second round because i'm a huge wimpy baby about shots. so, kirk and i go to the health department last night to get our shots. and i'm a nervous wreck. those of you who know me understand. i didn't even get my ears pierced until i was 19 (and even then it was because i lost a bet to my good friend todd...and i made him go with me for support). anyway, i only have to get ONE shot. just one. i nearly passed out. i was physically shaking. kirk had to come in with me. i made him read sports scores off of his cell phone while i was getting the shot. wow. i am a big baby. does anyone else have this problem?

in other news, i've discovered what has been wrong with me all of these years. as i am studying to get my masters in special ed, i am studying in-depth all of these various disorders and disabilities and it is abundantly clear to me that i have all of them. i'll be reading along in my stack of textbooks and i'll suddenly shout out to kirk: "kirk! listen to this! it says 'inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances' and 'general, pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression'! doesn't that sound like me?! i think i have a emotional or behavioral disorder!" so far, i have ADHD, Tourettes syndrome, anxiety disorders (see aforementioned story about getting shots), BD, and a few phobias. it's bad, folks. by the way, there's also a good chance that i am schizophrenic as the symptoms are very similar to those of BD/ED. i guess that explains a lot.

ksu rant

here is an excerpt from a recent email exchange with a good friend and fellow aspiring football commentator, thomas casper. i wanted to post it because i finally found my voice about what is going on with the cats!

the big difference between Snyder resurrecting a dead program (in the 90's) and Prince in this current era is defense and strength. with Snyder we got better as the game went on, as the season went on, and each year we were a little better than last! we did this on the backs of unknown recruits that he shaped into tough players. he took guys who would have been walk-ons anywhere else and made them great, especially defensively. for several years we didn't have the clout to recruit top QB's and offensive "stars" so we played our butts off on defense. right now, we get worse as the game progresses, we look tired and weak and small. i don't see us growing with each game and each season like we did with Snyder, even if only in small baby steps. to me, going 6-6 isn't really an improvement on last year's 5-7 if we aren't better at the end of the season than we started. i think a new defensive coordinator and a new strength coach is a start, but probably just a band-aid to the bigger problem of head coach. if Prince can't bring in good coaches around him, it doesn't matter if he's actually a football genius (one could argue that you're only as genius as the people you bring around you...hmmm, that applies politically, too!).

i saw that BYU went down to TCU last night! hmmmm (said with pondering voice) [Thomas asserts that coach Patterson of TCU would make a good replacement, should Prince leave KSU]

regarding the students and fans bailing out early in games, i am torn. on the one hand, i hate seeing the students give up so easily. kids these days! they are so entitled! they don't know how exciting it is to see a team go from worst to first. wimps! on the other hand, it really communicates to the administration that change needs to happen. if people would stop going to chiefs' games maybe carl peterson would finally get the well-deserved can!

blogging dilemmas and life update

so, i've been a horrible blogger, just as i predicted. i can't remember the last time that i emptied my camera memory card into the computer so that i would have new pics to post...so, i've just avoided posting new blogs! i tried blogging about ksu football, but it is so depressing i can hardly speak, or i could go on for miles and miles of ranting, but i'm trying to edit myself. i avoided blogging about politics, even though i have a lot to say on the subject, but decided to inject a little political sarcasm directed at cindy mccain's outfit...then realized that even that might be offensive to people. i also have realized that i don't even really enjoy talking about politics with anyone other than kirk because my politics are a reflection of my world view...and to talk about them opens the door to people debating and disputing my world view...which hurts much worse than just an innocent little political discussion. this has left me with little to blog about!

then i realized: part of the reason i haven't been a faithful blogger is because i am just really stinking busy! 1) summer is over, school has started and all my emotional energy is focused on the students and my coworkers. 2) i began working on my masters in special ed last spring and have reinstated my teaching license. i am currently taking classes and looking for teaching jobs simultaneously. 3) we brought home another cat from the hutson farm...named percival! again, great place to post a picture of him, but it's been months since i have added new pics to the computer! 4) our trip to south africa is finally going to happen!! we will be there nov. 19-30...not only have we been busy making plans, but i am running out of days to avoid getting my vaccinations! those who know me know my position on shots! 5) we bought a house in august and have been working on a variety of projects including painting, sanding, cleaning, tearing out, re-wiring, and landscaping! again, great time for pics of the house (see mention of picture dilemma above).

so, yeah. i'm a little busy. all good stuff. all very exciting. but busy.

i love books

i love all my friends' blogs that list the books they are currently reading. i also really love my books! i have to admit that when we moved into the new house before i even unpacked our bathroom necessities and clothing (useful for everyday purposes) i unpacked my books. no kidding. i am usually reading several books at once, but never more than one from the same genre, so as not to get confusing! so here's my "playlist" so to speak:

Octavian Nothing: the first in a young adult series set in 1770's boston. i love a good young adult series, personally, plus i'm always on the lookout for books that might interest my students. i've been enjoying it, but it may be a difficult read for my students because of the old-style language.





Glimpse of Jesus: i always love Brenning Manning. he has a way of speaking grace and truth right to my heart. i chose this book because i am studying the life of Jesus in Luke with our housegroup and felt this would be a good compliment.








The Green Mile: yes it's Stephen King, but, no, it is not your typical horror story. if you saw the movie you understand. i'm reading this along with my sophomores as it's part of the English 10 curriculum. anytime you can read a book with an accent, you're in for a good time, be it southern, british, or any other. yes, i read books out loud in accents. i really mastered my british accent with the Harry Potter series! by the way: you would use a southern accent for the Green Mile.




Ragamuffin Gospel: i am pretty much always reading this book, so don't expect me to list it every time, but it is worthy of mention. i usually get through it and start immediately back at the beginning. each time i highlight with different colors so that i can remember what was significant to me more recently. it has become a veritable rainbow. i always need to hear what brennan has to say to the soul who is battered and beaten up and in need of grace.

and conservatives are concerned about Obama's big-spending, higher taxes government?!?!

if you are a regular reader and you do not want to hear my liberal rant for a few lines, PLEASE DO NOT READ ON! i have refrained from politics so far because it can be so touchy. this is just a little sarcastic humor (but also a bit serious) directed at mccain. i do not want to offend anyone, but this is MY blog which is kind of like an extension of my brain, so there's been fair warning.

thank you tim for alerting me to this! i don't know why some people are concerned about obama's government spending and big liberal government! check out the price tag on cindy mccain's outfit. outfit. not house, not amount donated to help AIDS orphans or Katrina victims, not amount donated in college scholarships for future educators or underprivileged students. outfit. one outfit. one. ok you get it. check it out. was it worth it? does she look like $300,000 bucks to you? not to mention the cost of getting her hair, nails, botox, faux tan, waxing and lipo done for the event. ok. now i'm just getting ugly. i'll stop. it speaks for itself. oh, and also the price for the limo she probably rode in to get to the event and the private jet she took to get to the limo to get to the event....

Cindy McCain
Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000
Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500
Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000
Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000
Shoes, designer unknown: $600
Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100

be thrifty...and green!

i have a vague idea of seasonal produce, but wanted to learn more about local, seasonal fruits and veggies. so i googled and found a very helpful website where you can select the state and the season and it comes up with a list of produce from the area and from surrounding states. did you know that buying local foods (or as local as possible) can help keep the cost of food lower? did you also know that with the recent inflation, fresh produce is the one section of the grocery store to be least affected? according to this article i read from the k-state ag department, the less your food has to travel and the more we encourage the market toward local foods, the cheaper they will be! yay! thrifty AND green! anyway, here's the link to the website i found. by the way, if anyone knows what a salsify and a kohlrabi are, let me know! apparently they are types of produce.
http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles/results.asp?season=18&state=17

KSU football kicks off

Ahh. I just returned home from the first KSU home football game of the 2008 season. K-State had a good outing and looks much improved from the rather discouraging state at the end of last season. Because I could talk/blog about my post-game notes for quite an extensive time, I will restrain myself and limit this blog to only one highlight and one criticism.

Let's start with the not-so-great: tackling. It was a little rough. Not the worst, but should have been much better against the likes of North Texas. It wasn't just that we were missing tackles, it was that we seemed slow of of the line of scrimmage, slow off our blocks. We should be bigger, stronger, and markedly faster than a team like NT and they were definitely beating us around the outside. They didn't even really try to go up the middle and they certainly didn't try to go around Ian Campbell (because he's awesome and back playing his natural DE position...yay!). Still they were beating us to the outsides and we were missing tackles because we were trying to chase them down, instead of staying with them. Now, they do have an incredible QB/receiver combo that teamed up for quite a lot of yards last year...our objective was to keep the receiver in front of us, sacrifice the shorter yardage so as not to give up longer plays. We were successful in that.

Now, the positive: offensively we were much more efficient than I expected us to be. We rarely lost yards in a play. There were even a couple of QB miscues (one bad hand-off for Freeman and a mishandled snap for Kauffman) that could have easily turned into big losses but still resulted in positive yardage. For the most part, we moved forward. We had very few penalties, very few turnovers, we were efficient in 3rd down conversions, and our first team offense scored on 6 out of 7 offensive series. Encouraging. This week's vote for most improved player: LaMarc Brown (#7). Proved he indeed had very good hands and could become a big time play-maker and this due to hard work. He sticks around after practice to catch an extra 40 or 50 passes from any person willing to throw to him. Well done.

Ok. So there was a lot of in-between...but I'm sure that will surface in my blogs as the season continues. For now, this is all I have to say (I know, self-editing...shocker).