pancakes, therapy, ASL, music, homesick

busy. overwhelmed. blessed. present.

I have three research papers due in less than a month. Two of them are near finished. One I haven't begun the research yet.

Today was the Jesus Pancaked day. Because my Bible Study and I feel that our relationship with Gd represents HOME, we thought, "what is home?" ... Pancakes. :) We set up a living room art installation in the quad on SFSU's campus and served free pancakes and gave our free books and Bibles. It was quite radical.

I am still able to have lunch with my friends in the Dining Center. I always make conversation with Deborah, the lunch lady.

I am interpreting in ASL for my friend Michael's documentary for his final project (before he graduates!) about the cochlear implant controversy between the medical and the Deaf community. I am not an interpreter, but I am really good at Sign Language, so Michael asked if I was avail and I was! It was so life giving to interact with the interviewees. I am a visual learner, so asl has always come naturally to me. I haven't used it in a little under a year, but it came back with a vengeance.

I created that folk music playlist and it has really gotten me through this week. I love music. I love sounds. I love words.

Interesting isn't it- this week has been so focused on therapy for me. Jesus was so involved in this week. I recognized Him. I sought Him out. I have not slept, but that's okay. I am helping people. I am helping myself.

hmm...only one more month and then I can go home.

I am most looking forward to playing with the D.R. boys, sitting on the red couch and drinking tea with Kim, making dinner with my mom, listening to my brother play the guitar, driving to my starbucks, driving to my Church. Starting a journey at Forest Home (I got Dean, btw!!!!) and meeting people, learning about them and me. So much to look forward to and so much to do now.

*sigh

the best mix ever...I call it:

Folk Procrastination.

Winter Song...Ingrid Michaelson

Babylon...David Gray

Abram...Jose Gonzales

Square One...Tom Petty

Small Blue Thing...Susanne Vega

Road...Nick Drake

Heaven's Gate...The Smart Brothers

someone that Charlotte put on a mix for me...it's a guy singing

Love and Some Verses...Iron and Wine

Fast Car...Tracy Chapman

Chicago...Sufjan Stevens

Orange Sky...Alexi Murdoch

Hallelujah...Jeff Buckley

Lille...Lisa Hannigan

9 Crimes...Damien Rice

Girlfriend in a Coma...the Smiths

Diamonds and Rust...Joan Baez

Closer to Find...Indigo Girls

Anchorage...Michelle Shocked

Hazy...Rosie Golan

Much Farther to Go...Rosie Thomas

storms and SUNSHINES

A lot of storms, but the sunshines were that much greater!

Storm: fighting over programs with a superior. I was fighting really hard for a co-worker and she will probably never know the extent of my defense for her and our job. Midterm drama. Covered two people's shifts at the DPRC and slept very little. Someone I know has an eating disorder, we think, and I have been designated to do the "intervention" and this person is irritable. A prayer night gone astray and a cancellation of an interpreting (ASL) job that I was really looking forward to.

Sunshine: I got promoted for my summer camp job. This is a serious highlight. Gd really honored a lot of things about this process and I feel really relieved and at peace. Remy took me out for lunch for my birthday. The conversation is always refreshing. The dance last night was amazing. I love dancing. I love dancing to hip hop, with an interpretive edge. I was complimented by a co-worker, who is a believer, who I have thing for.

That's all I can think of for now.

I am tired. In five weeks, I can go to the house I grew up and sleep. Eat healthy food and be surrounded by love.

lazy...

^ on my birthday

it's raining so hard right now. got back from Davis visiting Charlotte- amazing. listening to Coffee Talk with Linda Richmond aka: Mike Meyers. i feel pretty great right now. and very lazy. i have SO much homework to do. and no time. no time at all.

my birthday

It’s interesting, as you get older, perspective shifts.

I took notice today of the people who treated me as if they actually deeply cared that I was born and am a part of their lives. Some old friends remembered that it is not just Easter today. Some new friends realized that MLK (today is his assassination anniversary) is all the consonants in my name. I still haven’t heard from three very important people. I have heard from a ton of acquaintances.

Only one old friend called me to remind me that I am loved.

Only one new friend hugged me.

I have such good people around me. The ones who are far, the ones who are close. I am really blessed.

This morning my sister and her lovely bestest and bestest’s boyfriend took me out to brunch before Church. It was wonderful. They care. And I know it.

I made a pretty big decision about next year. I feel comfortable with it. Not in an unhealthy and under-enthusiastic way. I feel good. I do not feel good about this year. I don’t feel good that I am apathetic towards my current classes. That is so not okay. Dang.

I may or may not be writing this while I am on the can…

On a different note: the world commemorated something pretty huge today. The reconciliation of hope to teachers and students, leaders and followers. This day is when the truth was made clear. It was when the promise made complete. It was when freedom became tangible and eternity became relevant.

This excites me. I hope it excites you!

the san francisco contemporary jewish museum

hello intense.

a french jewish woman was so convicted when she read mein kampf, she began to reconcile through art. she painted and crafted over every single page. the whole book is now an exhibit. it is exceptional. it is beautiful.

a woman who is a scribe is working on writing a torah. she wasn't working because it is pesach, but we watched a video about her. she is incredible. she is strong. she is sensitive and she is passionate.

a collection of records of jewish people. from topal to babs, to dylan to twenty renditions of 'hava nagilla' and more. all on vinyl.

what a museum. something stirred in me to be a museum curator. to tell stories. to be creative with history. to be seen and unseen. to provide an avenue for artists and story-tellers, regular people who are phenomenal people.

pictures to come...