lulled by the train

The Lovely Days

2010-04-08T09:43:00.000-04:00

Hello, hello!

Since I left New York, I've more or less been on a blog hiatus. I've posted here or there, but mostly I've just been... stagnant. Part of me needed a breather. Part of me has been running, running nonstop without many moments at a computer. Part of me felt caught in the in-between, no longer in New York but not yet fully in Atlanta.

And still another part of me has been swirling around in fear and doubt. What if you don't think my new life in Georgia is interesting? What if it's not interesting? What if I don't know how to blog about anything besides New York?

But here's the deal. At the end of the day, I love to write. I love to write emails, to write in my journal, to write thank-you notes and birthday cards, to write stories. And I love to write my blog. I am also really excited to be in Atlanta, and I'm excited about what's stirring in my life and where God might be taking me. I am going to march forward with joy and courage and tamborines.

So that brings us here, to the point where I start something new, where I have a fresh start, and I send you to my new blog. So without further adieu...

Head on over to The Lovely Days.

I toyed around with a variety of new titles. Titles with train themes. Home themes. Southern themes. Sweet tea themes. But when it came down to it - when I really thought about what blog 2.0 would be about - it wasn't just one thing. It wasn't trains, or cities, or sugary beverages. It was life. The days of my life. (The days of our lives?) It's faith, and television, and Chick-fil-A, and my family, and Harry Potter, and shoes, and my friends, and trips. It's about the stories that I encounter every day. The stories I'm living, writing, observing and creating. The stories that make life lovely.

I admit - I already miss Lulled by the Train. This is not easy for me to do, to close up shop on the hot pink and black city skyline that has become almost an extension of who I am. Thus, this post you are reading has been sitting waiting to be published for quite awhile now. Even today, I am scared of the unknown. I'm nervous about leaving sweet little Lulled by the Train and venturing into the unchartered territories of The Lovely Days. But even with these apprehensions, I KNOW that God will be faithful, and that I am full of hope, and that there will be many more Ebenezers to come in this next season of life in Atlanta.

As Birdie said, I am daring to imagine that I can have a different life. And even though I don't know exactly what this different life will look like, I am certain it will be lovely.

**NOTE: If you would like to continue following my blog, please update your Google Reader feeds, bookmarks and links with the new address - http://thelovelydays.com/. I will no longer be publishing to Lulled by the Train.**

Lulled by the Train

2009-11-20T10:19:00.005-05:00

I have roughly 24 hours left in New York. I have a slew of plans for the rest of the day, but for now, this morning, I'm sitting in my living room, drinking a big mug of coffee and watching my favorite movie in all the world, You've Got Mail.

I first saw You've Got Mail on my 17th birthday, and I fell in love with it immediately. The movie, like Kathleen Kelly's mother, is simply put - enchanting. The charm, the romance... Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks as their most lovely selves... the soundtrack, the dialogue. I just love it.

But my favorite thing about You've Got Mail has always been New York City itself. It casts the city in the most romantic of lights, from the Upper West Side brownstones to Riverside Park to the bookstores and coffee shops and bakeries that make the city come alive. From the moment I saw this movie, I had a dream. To live in in this magical world that I loved from the jump.

And I did. For 3 1/2 glorious, wonderful, challenging, beautiful years.

Over the last few weeks, I've been reflecting on the Ebenezers in my life - pivotal points God placed in my New York experience that remind me of his faithfulness, sovereignty and love. It has just been so sweet to remember how he got me here, how he prepared the way for a friend, how he placed me in a job that meant more to me than I could have ever imagined, and how he orchestrated minute details of my schedule over the course of 5 years to bring me new roommates and a new apartment when I needed both.

So why? Why do I mention my love for You've Got Mail? Why do I tell you intricate stories of my Ebenezers? And why did I move to New York in the first place?

Because these are all pieces of the story. God's story. And it's a story of hope.

I have tears streaming down my face now, not out of sadness for leaving the city tomorrow (although I am sad), but out of a sense of being... overwhelmed... at the unbelievable love of God. I had a dream, a dream that God started stirring in my heart when I was 12, a dream that he continued stirring and growing and fertilizing for the next 11 years...including when I first saw and fell in love with You've Got Mail.

And now, I am more convinced than ever that God planted the dream and orchestrated the details for a reason. Because he loves me.

Of course, I think there have been other reasons too. He used the city to grow my faith. He used the city to make me brave. And I hope and pray that he used me in the city to make a difference in at least one life. But I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he gave me the dream and planned my steps because he takes great delight in me and loves me more than I could ever comprehend. What a precious truth. What a precious God.

I hope you will be reminded that this God - the God who directed me to a soup kitchen in Atlanta and a particular table at Buckhead Church GroupLink and who closed the door at a job that I wanted desperately and took me to Serendipity for a frozen hot chocolate one summer night - is still determining my steps, your steps, our steps. And regardless of our circumstances, or feelings, or disappointments, his character never changes. He is faithful. He is in control. He works everything out for good. He has a hope and a future in store for each of us. And he loves us. Oh, how he loves us.

So have hope. Have a bold, audacious, qavah hope. Courageously cling to that hope, and remember that no dream is too big, no problem too difficult, no obstacle to challenging for him to overcome. Find hope in his goodness, his kindness, his mercy and his love. Because the God who created heaven and earth, the God who parted the Red Sea and tore down the walls of Jericho, the God who sent his Son to redeem us on a cross, is the same God who gave me a dream to move to New York and then made it happen. And he is alive and at work today in my life and in yours.

In You've Got Mail, when Kathleen decides to close her store, Birdie gives her this advice:

"Closing the store is the brave thing to do...You are daring to imagine that you could have a different life."

I know to some, moving to New York in the first place was the bravest move of all. But not for me. This city is my heart, and I could no more deny God's call to move here than I could choose not to breathe or blink. I don't know what the Lord has next for me. I know that it involves living in Atlanta and working at Chick-fil-A, but beyond that, it's a mystery. But as I dare to imagine a different life beyond this city, I am not afraid. I am not apprehensive. No. I am full of hope. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who was and is and is to come, will continue to be faithful, and I can't wait to see what's in store.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me for the last three and a half years. It has been a joy to be lulled by the train with you.

Ebenezer #4: More Roommates

2009-11-17T23:37:00.002-05:00

I've mentioned that, during the summer of 2004, I interned in New York. That was an important summer for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it showed me that I really did like living in New York, not just visiting and going to monuments and plays. Plus, I discovered my favorite New York restaurant Bianca, which was 20 yards away from our NYU dorm, and I figured out how to read a subway map.

Toward the beginning of the summer, my high school friend Carrie called me to say that she was in town for the weekend. She was staying with her college roommate Keri Anne, and she invited me and Cal out to Serendipity to have dessert with them.

Keri Anne was a summer intern in New York just like Cal and me, and the three of us spent almost every waking moment of the rest of the summer together. We got to be good friends, but, as often happens, once we went back to Auburn and Georgia, respectively, we lost touch a bit.

On September 4, 2007, I got a Facebook message frok Keri Anne. It read:

how are you? i miss you and that amazing city you live in. well, i was writing you (and i think i'll shoot one to cal too) about my friend who just moved there. Her name is Hannah Flora. She is amazing! I'm not positive of where she is living, but i know she was eager to meet people when i told her about you guys. She is on facebook, but if you want to call her, i know she'd love that. Her number is 334-xxx-xxx. She said she came to gallery church one week. can't wait to hear how you are doing! have a great week.

Always eager to make a new friend, I Facebook messaged Hannah:

Hi Hannah! I am a friend of Keri Anne Davis', and she told me that you just moved to NYC! Keri Anne and I became friends the summer we both interned here, and I moved back about a year ago. How are you liking the city? What are you doing, and where are you living? I'd love to meet and hang out some time. Also, I go to a church called Gallery Church. We meet Sunday nights in Chelsea. Let me know if you'd like to join any time! Have a great day! :) jamie

Hannah promptly responded:

Hi Jamie!

So great to hear from you! I did just move to the city and I am friends with cute Keri Anne! I am loving the city, slowly but surely adjusting. I would love to grab dinner or someething! My roomate and I are wanting to get plugged in asap! Let me know if there is a time that is good for you!

Look forward to hearing back! Hope you had a great day!!
Hannah

And a friendship was born. Hannah and I, along with her roommate Shelby and my friend Jay, had a blind friend date at Beyoglu. We got to be friends over the course of the next few months, and eventually, over many cups of coffee at Starbucks, Hannah and I decided to live together.

Hannah knew of a friend of a friend, Emily, who was looking for roommates, so we invited her to join. We thought that 4 might be a better number than 3, though, so we set out to find another roommate. One night, after some unsuccessful apartment hunting on the Upper East Side, I randomly ran into a then acquaintance from Gallery Church, Lindsay Ann. She asked what I was up to, and I told her, "Just looking for a new apartment. Interested in moving in with us?"

And you know what?

She was.

Although Leslie was THE perfect roommate for my first two years in New York, Hannah, Emily and Lindsay Ann were so clearly exactly who God wanted me to live with for the last year and a half. He's blessed us with so many wonderful memories (including trips to DC and the beach, pictured above), and He also provided an unbelievable, spacious apartment that we LOVE for us to live in. Yet another testament to his goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty, and to his great love that surprises and delights.

Ebenezer #3: A job

2009-11-11T14:35:00.002-05:00

Friday is my last day at Horizon, so it only seems fitting to tell you about how I got my first job in New York over 3 years ago.

When I made the official decision to move to the city, job searching was one of the first things I did. I sent out resumes to every advertising agency I had ever heard of. I stalked people. I cold called companies and tried to sweet talk their receptionists into giving me the name of the HR Manager. I also emailed a lot of friends. One friend of mine from college, Mitch, put me in touch with his girlfriend Jenny, who was living in New York and working at Carat. They weren't hiring at the time, but Jenny connected me with her friend Sheyna, who worked at Initiative.

A few weeks before I moved to New York, I came up for a trip and interviewed at five different agencies, including Initiative. I immediately fell in love with a position on the Infiniti account at TBWA\Chiat\Day, one of the swankiest, most creative, brilliant agencies around. I was dying to work there, and they rocketed to the top of my list.

Over the next week, I was blessed to get four job offers. That is an 80% success rate. Guess which company didn't offer me a position? Yep. TBWA\Chiat\Day.

After some deliberation, I decided my second choice was Initiative, where I would be working as a Media Planner on the CBS/Showtime account. I was excited, but still a bit disappointed that the other job hadn't worked out.

This shred of disappointment blows my mind now, because I loved that CBS/Showtime job at Initiative. I worked in Entertainment, which is one of the most fun categories you can work on (I had no idea at the time). Through my job, I got massages and manicures and went to concerts and plays and restaurants and games. I gained amazing career experience. I HAD SO MUCH FUN at this job, and I worked on the exact same team, for the exact same clients, for almost three years.

However, the best part of this job, far and away, was the people. I had amazing bosses who I loved working for, one of whom I still talk to almost once a week. I made great friends who helped acclimate me to the city... people like Megan and Jessica, who are truly outrageous, Joanie, who is the sweetest soul in the world, and Lauren Spina, a dear friend who shares with me a love for John Krasinski that few can match. But most of all, this job led me to these two people, who not only worked as the Assistant Media Planners on my team and sat right next to me for those three years, but also became two of my best friends in the entire world:

Look how adorable they are. They're fun. They have blonde hair (well, Bethany does sometimes). They listen to country music. They say y'all, because they're from Texas. They love reality TV. They write cute blogs. And they love Jesus.

Seriously. In this crazy city, the odds of these things cannot be higher than 1 in a million.

Lauren was one of my very first friends in New York. We go to church together at Gallery and have been in a Bible study together since fall 2006. Bethany arrived a year later, and the three of us were in a Bible study together this past summer.

We have been on trips together. We hang out on the weekend. We go on spy missions. We've had birthday parties together! We make puppets. We go to Kenny Chesney and So You Think You Can Dance concerts. We camped out for SNL. We wear sparkly pumpkin t-shirts. We sit in each others' offices all day, every day...because in God's great provision, when Initiative lost the CBS/Showtime account and we needed new jobs, all three of us were hired at Horizon.

And now, looking back, I'm so thankful that I didn't get the job at TBWA\Chiat\Day that I wanted so badly. If I had, I might never have met Lauren and Bethany (a thought that causes my eyes to well up with tears). But instead, God closed a door, and in his divine providence, opened another one that led me not only to a job I loved, but to people I love, who love me, and remind me of how much God loves me too.

"By yourself you're unprotected.
With a friend you can face the worst.
Can you round up a third?
A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped."
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (MSG)

My UGA crew

2009-11-10T23:03:00.004-05:00

This is my UGA crew. Various iterations of us have been watching Georgia football together for four seasons, mostly at the Village Pourhouse on 3rd Ave, where we have devoured more of their boneless buffalo wings than I could ever count.

These have been my people, when I wished I were in Athens for gameday, or needed a taste of home, or just needed to sit down, kick back and be. All of these people were strangers or, at best, acquaintances when we moved to New York, but now they're an important piece of my New York family.

Saturdays in the fall in New York will always be one of my sweetest memories, and I'm so grateful for them. :)

Only in New York #6: Urban camping

2009-11-10T13:22:00.005-05:00

Back in the day, when I was young and naive and thought New Yorkers were particularly strange, I featured several posts labeled "Only in New York." Come to find out, after living here for a few years, I've turned into kind of a crazy person myself.

On Friday night, Lauren, Bethany, Hannah and I decided to camp out for Saturday Night Live tickets. Our fav Taylor Swift was hosting and performing as the musical guest, so we were dying to go! SNL tickets are virtually impossible to come by, though, making the standby ticket experience... well, quite an experience! Numbers are given out at 7am on Saturday, and we arrived on a sidewalk at 30 Rock around 6pm Friday for a night of urban camping.

Knowing that the low that night was somewhere in the ballpark of 32 degrees, we prepared ourselves for a long night. This included beach chairs, puffy coats, coffee, snacks, books and magazines and earmuffs.

Seriously, we were rockin' and rollin' for the first half of the night. We discussed our favorite candy for at least 45 minutes (chocolate bar, chocolate piece, non-chocolate, with sub-categories for movie theatre and trick-or-treating), and, around 11pm, we ordered a Papa John's pizza to be delivered to us at 30 Rock, a BRILLIANT idea from Lauren.

However, around 3am, it started getting cold. REAL cold. According to our iPhones, at one point around 4am, the windchill was below freezing. We were sleepy but couldn't really conk out (we were on a sidewalk in New York City in beach chairs, after all).

Luckily, we rallied through. I finished Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban around 5am. Bethany and I switched places so I could stretch my legs and she could enjoy the chair. And around 6am, the sun started rising. We stood up, gathered our things and prepared to get our number.

Once at the front of the line at 7am, we were assigned #42-45 for the Dress Rehearsal. This was not ideal, but it was also just enough of a chance that we felt optimistic. We high-tailed it home, crashed in our beds for a few hours, and arrived back at 30 Rock at 7pm to find out if we made it in.

Sadly, we did not make it in to the show (they cut off at #27). We were pretty bummed, but it was such a memorable New York City experience with good friends that none of us minded too much.

To console ourselves, we came home to 9A, put on pajamas, busted out some pita chips and hummus, made puppy chow, poured a few glasses of wine and watched Sex and the City the movie.

And Lauren, Bethany and I - despite running on 4-ish hours of sleep - stayed up to watch T Swizzle on SNL. She was perfect and adorable, as predicted. Love her. Loved her "Monologue Song." Most of all, love my friends.

I'm home, part II

2009-11-10T12:46:00.002-05:00

From Elizabeth's blog today...

A few weeks ago Jamie and I had the idea that we’d do a blog carnival. And, honestly, I’m blown away at the response. 25 absolutely incredible bloggers participated and shared their hearts on home. I gave no boundaries as to what they could write about, but as i read through entry after entry i picked out a line or two that stuck out to me. I copied them all into my blog admin page so that i could quote from every single one, and as read through them all i realized something:

we just wrote a story. collectively. we don’t all know each other; some of us have never even met. however, we are intricately woven together as part of a Bigger story.

so this is what i did with it.

enjoy.

"When you think about it, “Where are you from?” is asking so much more than to simply name a city. Where I am from isn’t as important as where I am going. Home is not defined by geography, and neither am I. It is not a geography of latitudes and longitudes. It is not just a bloodline or a shared surname. Home is where you ache from the violence of separation, however temporary or eternal that separation might be. Home is where I’m good at being [myself]. Growing up i was a participant in the home my parents had built… now i’m leading and defining my own version of home. My roots are there, but my heart is here.

It’s a place where you should always feel loved. there is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS love. and that, right there in the middle of it, that is home. home is spending time in community. home is hope for what is ahead. Home…is where I learned that I could be myself (however crazy that may be) and still be loved just the same (and maybe just a little bit more). I feel like myself here. This is my home. For now. It’s relying on best friends who help keep me sane. it’s typically busy, it’s frequently crazy, it’s where i live. it is everything i love.

So in the meantime, i will fight to find meaning and a sense of belonging in each moment, each place. Home has a different meaning for me now than it did five years ago. It’s sitting around a table and sharing your life with someone. The table is just a device that draws us close. And yet it’s this coming together that makes home.

I’m really excited at the possibility that God could revolutionize my relationships with those people by revolutionizing my relationship with Him. I’m on a mission to know God and make Him known and sometimes that means I have to be a little embarrassed/uncomfortable/faithful/committed. We are all too often blinded to the reality of eternity. In our blindness we seek to construct, create or cultivate the most comfortable earthly homes and wonder when are hearts seem so restless. Isn’t home where we ought to be able to rest? Yet in the most wonderful homes there is a lingering homesickness for another place. It is Christ who remains. That is home. That is what we were made for.

I’ve been to these places and loved the people who live there now, yet not one location has been able to fill the empty spot I have reserved in my heart for a permanent “home.” The place that is so different from what I’ve always known, yet so comfortable and, somehow, familiar. This world is too large to live in one place for forever. whether it’s short- or long-term, i know i have somewhere else to discover someday. My fear is that one day I will meet someone that won’t know this part of me. They will not know that this experience has shaped me into who God is asking me to be. I have been challenged to go beyond so many comfort levels that I would have never thought possible; all the while learning that I can, in fact, appreciate the beauty in differences.

I love to write about home, but I also knew that it would come on the end of me leaving a place that I thought would become my permanent home. And when, in two weeks, I pack up my last suitcase and turn in my keys and hail a cab, I’ll be moving home, and leaving home, and going home, and missing home, all at the same time. "

Check out all of the full blog carnival posts below...

1. lisa far away
2. Rachel
3. Regina
4. Lauren
5. Annie Blogs
6. Bethany Michelle
7. Amy
8. marisa
9. Alison
10. Jamie
11. Hannah
12. Erin
13. Kristen
14. Jessica
15. Sarah
16. holly
17. Big Apple Angie
18. Maria
19. Alyssa
20. April
21. Freddy T.
22. sarakay
23. Ashley
24. Elizabeth
25. Jenelle Rose

I'm home

2009-11-09T11:31:00.007-05:00

When I get off the 1 train at 86th St after work, I'm home. I walk up Broadway and admire the windows of Banana Republic and Club Monaco. I peer into Georgia's and read the chalkboard outside that lists their specials (recently, "Pies Galore! Who doesn't like pie?"). I walk up the steps and get out the middle key on my keyring, which opens the building door. I lean around the corner to see if our mail is on the table in the lobby. I punch the 9 button in the elevator three times... always three times. I walk into our apartment, careful to make sure our very loud, heavy door doesn't slam for the whole building to hear. I call out, "Hello, hello?" to see if any roommates are home. I sift through the mail on the table in our foyer (because it's never in the lobby by the time I get home, and it's always on the table in our foyer). I head back to my room. I set my purse down next to my desk. I put my keys in the green bowl that sits next to my computer. I kick off my shoes. I'm home.

When I fly into Hartsfield, I'm home. After walking what feels like miles and riding the tram, I arrive at the escalator that goes up toward baggage claim. My mom is there waiting for me at the top, always so excited to see me. She asks if I checked luggage (I probably did not). We walk out toward the parking deck. She goes through the line that's longest, but it's the only one that takes cash. She drives, and while we're talking, she gets confused and inevitably thinks we've missed I-75. (This happened once and has thrown us off ever since.) We get off the Interstate an exit early so that we can go to Chick-fil-A; I get a Chick-fil-A sandwich with no pickles and a medium sweet tea. I carry it home. I throw my bags in the bedroom I've slept in since I was 15 years old and immediately turn the radio on to Kicks 101.5. I'm home.

When I walk in the doors of Gallery Church, I'm home.

When I drive over to my grandparents' house in Marietta - the house where I spent every Saturday night for most of my life, where I read Babysitter's Club books and ate Mayfield vanilla ice cream - I'm home.

When I'm in Long Island City and look across the river at the glowing lights Manhattan, the beacons that are the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building, I'm home.

When I travel to Santa Rosa Beach with my best friends from college, and we sit on the beach chatting (and eating), and in the living room chatting (and eating), and at the dining room table chatting (and eating), I'm home.

When I curl up in Starbucks with my iPod in and a New York magazine crossword puzzle, I'm home.

When I drive to Athens and pass my sorority house and business school buildings and the Baptist Student Union and Five Star Day and the stadium and a little yellow house with a front porch on Oakland Ave, I'm home.

When I sit on a bench in Central Park with a friend, gazing at the skyline and trees and the bridge and rowboats, I'm home.

And when, in two weeks, I pack up my last suitcase and turn in my keys and hail a cab to Laguardia, I'll be moving home, and leaving home, and going home, and missing home, all at the same time.

________________________________________

Elizabeth got a group of friends together to write about HOME today. Check out her blog here, along with other posts by dear friends on what home means to them. Really, really lovely.

Doing some recycling

2009-11-06T13:05:00.004-05:00

I just feel like reposting this today. Oddly enough, I didn't realize that I wrote it exactly 3 years ago, to the day, until I had already copied and pasted it over. Guess it was meant to be.

Monday, November 6, 2006
Roots and wings

I'm New York.
I ride public transportation and love the cross-town bus. I eat Sunday brunch. I live in a shoe box-sized apartment where my monthly rent could feed a village and my furniture was bought on Craig's List. I read New York magazine and do the crossword puzzle every week. Central Park is my playground. I have Mallomars in my cabinet. I love Broadway, the Met, the MoMa, and the Metropolitan Opera. I watch the Marathon. I rarely eat dinner before 8:30pm. I shop at Bloomingdale's. I pass the Chrysler Building every day. The New York Times is my hometown paper, Good Morning America is my local news, and Gawker is my very own community gossip website. I love the West Village and hate Times Square. I stand in really long chopped salad lines for lunch. I get my iPod fixed at an Apple store that resembles the Louvre. I love Billy Joel. I have at least 12 different takeout menus in my kitchen drawer. And yes, my kitchen only has one drawer.
I'm New York.

But I'm Georgia.
I drink sweet tea. I say yes ma'am, no ma'am, please and thank you. I love SEC football. I listen to country music. The word "y'all" is a part of my daily vocabulary. I refer to all soft drinks as Coke and cringe if a waitress says, "we have Diet Pepsi instead of Diet Coke, that's okay right?" I'm still awed by snow. I love magnolia trees. I grew up Baptist...and I'm a Republican. I can navigate the winding Peachtree Roads of Atlanta...all 87,302 of them. I cheer for the Dawgs, the Braves and the Falcons, no matter how well (or poorly) they may do. My cell phone number will forever begin with (404). I could eat Chick-fil-A every day of the week; in fact, in college, I think I did. I love "The Vent" in the AJC. I've lived OTP and ITP and can appreciate both. I grew up going to the Stone Mountain laser show and am still a big fan. I know the answer to the question "Whaddya have, whaddya have?" And I think Waffle House is amazing.
I'm Georgia.

So I suppose I'm both...I'm New York, and I'm Georgia.
I say thank you to my bus driver. I order sweet tea and hushpuppies at Brother Jimmy's. I go to Rascal Flatts concerts at Madison Square Garden and Pat Green at Irving Plaza. I am a registered Republican voter in the state of New York. I watch the Georgia football games at the Village Pourhouse every Saturday. I have precious New York friends...95% of whom are from the South as well. I frequent the Chick-fil-A in the NYU dining hall. I feel at home when I fly into LaGuardia, and I feel at home when I fly into Hartsfield. My cell phone number may begin with (404), but my work line kicks off with (212). And I appreciate the banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery.

I'm New York.
I'm Georgia.

I'm both. And I'm blessed.

"I'm happy in New York, Jake. But then I come down here, and this fits, too."
"Since when does it have to be one or the other? You can have roots and wings..."
Sweet Home Alabama

Advice from Bethany

2009-11-04T13:55:00.002-05:00

© Marc Johns

Right now, I'm loving...

2009-11-04T11:46:00.006-05:00

Harry Potter. Roommate Hannah decided to start reading the books from the beginning, and I jumped on board, too. I'm on book 3 right now, and she's on book 4. We've also watched the first two movies, which I had already seen but are SO much better when you can fill in the gaps with the books. I'm completely mesmerized and find myself itching to curl up with a cup of tea and my book. And I can't stop thinking of the world in terms of Muggles and Quidditch and spells.

Starbucks. They hook me in this time of year with Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but what I really love most are the red Christmas cups.

Taylor Swift. The platinum edition of Fearless is rocking my world. I have probably listened to "Forever & Always (Piano Version)" 100x since it came out. And you better believe that friends and I are camping out Friday night in the 40-degree weather for tickets to Saturday Night Live, where Taylor will be both the host and musical guest.

Forever & Always - Taylor Swift

Modern Family. OK, OK... Glee is officially my favorite new show of the season. But if you're not watching this hilarious comedy on ABC, you're missing out... especially if you're a fan of Arrested Development and The Office.

Tiqvah

2009-11-02T15:31:00.001-05:00

As a part of The Year of Hope, I studied QAVAH, a Hebrew word for the act of hope (i.e., a verb) that is tied to waiting expectantly. This led me to CHAKAH, a different Hebrew word for waiting that represents deep longing. But today, I came across a new word for hope: TIQVAH.

Tiqvah literally means "cord." It first appears in Joshua 2 in the story of Rahab. As you may know, Rahab was a prostitute that lived in Jericho who hid Israelite spies who were preparing for an attack on the city. To thank her for her kindness, the spies promised to save Rahab and her family from the impending attack.

"Our lives for your lives!" the men assured her. "If you don't tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land."
Joshua 2:14

To ensure that Rahab and her family would be safe, the Israelite spies instructed her to tie a scarlet cord - a scarlet tiqvah - in her window as a sign to the soldiers. When the attack occured, Joshua and his men kept their word to Rahab:

"Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD's house. But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day."
Joshua 6: 24-25

Can you wrap your brain around what it must have been like to be Rahab? She was a prostitute, working in a profession that's far from upstanding. She had probably come from destitution, hunger, poverty, and abuse. Enemy spies arrived unexpectedly at her door and asked to stay with her. They told her they planned to annihilate the city where she lived. Talk about hopeless! Yet because Rahab trusted the spies and acted boldly, tying her scarlet tiqvah in the window, she was not only rescued, but joined the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Throughout the story of Rahab in Joshua, tiqvah is translated "cord." But in the book of Ruth, the word appears again, this time with a different meaning. In Ruth 1:12, Naomi laments, "If I had tiqvah..." Naomi wasn't longing for a scarlet cord, though. She needed hope.

From this point forward, tiqvah most often appears in scripture as "hope." Whereas qavah is a verb, the act of hoping, tiqvah, is a noun; in Job 6:8, it's even translated as "the thing that I long for."

Tiqvah is translated "hope" in verses throughout the Old Testament, including Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope (tiqvah) and a future. "

as well as Hosea 2:14-15:

"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor [Trouble] a door of hope (tiqvah)."

What a blessed encouragement.

When the walls around you are crashing down, and you're under attack, and the enemy wants to set up camp in your living room, have tiqvah.

When you feel like there is no future, and your plans aren't working out, and you are in harm's way, have tiqvah.

When you find yourself stuck in a dry, weary desert, and trouble is all around, have tiqvah.

God is faithful to his word. Just as Joshua's men honored their promise to Rahab, the Lord will honor his promise to us. And just when you can't hold on any longer, and you're at the end of your rope, relief will arise. You will be rescued. You will be prospered. And your troubles will be the very door that you walk through toward hope.

In the midst of hopelessness, boldly tie a scarlet cord of hope - tiqvah - to your window, and await your delivery.

The symphony of the city

2009-11-01T17:14:00.004-05:00

I stand in my living room, looking out the window. We live on the 9th floor, on 89th St, with a clear view of Broadway.

It's dusk. To my right, it's dark... a byproduct of the end of Daylight Savings Time. To my right, toward the Hudson, the sky is still bright with a rosy glow.

There are sirens and horns in the background, although it takes me a few minutes to even notice them. These noises are members of the symphony of the city - parts of its DNA - without which she would be incomplete.

I watch the people on the sidewalk, the mothers with their strollers, the taxi cabs passing by, the patrons coming in and out of restaurants and bodegas and nail salons.

I look across 89th St and directly into another 9th floor apartment. A woman stands at her sink with headphones on, cleaning dishes, looking out at her window, too. Does she see me?

I look one floor below, to the sprawling apartment with blue and white floral wallpaper. I look three floors up, to the window with the dim light with three flower pots blooming in the window. I wonder if either of these apartments houses the trumpet player who serenades me.

The sounds, the streets, the people. The sunsets. The buildings. New York City is alive, and even though it's completely dark by the time I write these words, I know that I love her more today, more in this moment, than I ever thought possible.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-30T11:39:00.003-04:00

“Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.”

Mason Cooley

(Not sure if sparkly pumpkin Target shirts from moms fall under "clothing" or "costume," but B and I are clearly making a statement and telling a story. A really riveting, childlike story involving Harry Potter, Theta Mix, awkwardness, WeeMees, blogs and pumpkin spice lattes.)

Update

2009-10-27T09:50:00.004-04:00

I am moving home to Atlanta.

(Just had to come right out and say it.)

I've talked to many of you, and if I haven't... well, I think my thinly-veiled blogs might have tipped you off. But as of today, it is official public knowledge.

I feel confident that you could never meet a person who loves New York City more than I do. But all mixed in my heart with love for this city and the people here is love for my family, love for for the South, love for the friends I left behind and love for Chick-fil-A.

Speaking of Chick-fil-A...

That's where I'll be working, in their Advertising & Campaigns group! It truly is my dream job, and I can't believe I get to work there. I feel so unbelievably blessed.

There's a lot more to say, a lot more Ebenezers to reflect upon, and certainly a lot left to do. But I'm a bit overwhelmed with a hodgepodge of emotions, so this will have to suffice for today...

Quote of the day

2009-10-26T16:41:00.000-04:00

“If guys don’t want me to write songs about them, they shouldn’t do bad things! And if they’re afraid, going into the relationship, that they’re going to end up having a bad song written about them… Well, then they don’t have the best of intentions, do they? It’s a nice weeding-out process.”

Taylor Swift

Grown-up Christmas List

2009-10-26T10:50:00.005-04:00

As sad as I am to report to Amy Grant, my Christmas list does not explicitly include no more lives torn apart, or that wars would never start, or that time would heal all hearts.

It does, however, include an ESV Study Bible and cowboy boots. I'm also mulling over a combo Christmas/birthday request for a new MacBook since my baby's dying.

What's on your Christmas list?
:)

p.s. According to the countdown widget I have installed on the blog, Christmas is 60 days away! Woohoo!

Ebenezer #2: A friend

2009-10-23T12:24:00.011-04:00

In August 2005, Erin, Jessica and I started attending Buckhead Church in Atlanta. We all wanted to get plugged into a small group there, so we made plans to attend GroupLink, a Buckhead Church event designed to do just that. Unfortunately, Erin and Jessica ended up not being able to make it, so I ventured out on my own and went.

The scene at GroupLink, as with all North Point events, is kind of overwhelming. It's in the auditorium - which is ginormous - and it's set up as a sea of round tables. On each table, there's a sign for the type of group that will be convening there, e.g., "30's, Men, Dunwoody." Given the fact that my group - "20's, Women, Buckhead" - was by far the most representative slice of the Buckhead Church community, there were a million tables to choose from. So I just sat down at one.

And that table became my small group.

I have to be perfectly honest. I don't keep up with most girls that were in this group. However, they were exactly who I needed to be with during that year in Atlanta. They walked me through each step of my decision process in deciding to move to New York. They cried with me when it wasn't working. And they rejoiced with me when the pieces started falling into place. It was a sweet season.

In this group - this random, Buckhead Church assigned small group - was a girl named Angie. We were merely acquaintances during that small group year in Atlanta, although looking back, I'm not sure why or how that was possible. But a week after I moved to New York, I got a call from her. She had decided to move to New York, too.

(click to enlarge)

Things didn't necessarily plan out the way Angie planned, but either way, she did move up in August. We started hanging out more, and, as Angie once put it, "we made it past the peripheral friend phase pretty much immediately." She joined me at Gallery Church. We started another small group, which truly anchored me during that first year in New York and got me through one of the hardest, saddest seasons of my life.

Angie and I, along with Lauren, have had some of the most random, strangest, bizarre, wonderful adventures in this city. We got stranded in Hoboken together. We went to Atlantic City. We went on a free cruise together. One time, we did herkeys at a party just to see if we still had it. (We did.) We also do normal things like go to movies, eat Chilaquiles at El Centro, sing karaoke and watch terrible movies like "The Women" On Demand at Angie's apartment.

Looking back, it's amazing to see God's providence. He knew I would need friends in New York, especially that first year, so he encouraged me to go to GroupLink alone. He directed me right to that random round "20's, Women, Buckhead" table (which I now know was not random at all). And he used Angie and I in each other's lives to get us to the city exactly when he wanted us here.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "I didn't find my friends; the good Lord gave them to me." Thank you, Lord, for giving me my friends.

Ebenezer #1: A roommate

2009-10-20T12:01:00.007-04:00

I could start the story in a number of places. I could tell you how I first visited New York when I was 12 years old and immediately told my parents that I was going to live here. I could tell you about how I interned here the summer after my junior year and got bit with the bug. I could tell you about how, the year I lived in Atlanta, I visited Cal once a month trying to decide if I wanted to move.

However, I would prefer to start the story on January 10, 2006.

I was living with Erin and Jessica. We had all gotten involved with Fusion at Buckhead Church, and Erin was coordinating a morning of volunteering at St. Francis' Table, a soup kitchen in Atlanta. So, at 7am on January 10, we met at Buckhead Church and ventured downtown to serve the homeless.

I could have not gone. I'm sure when I woke up that morning, it was really cold, and I probably considered bailing. I think it was raining. Nevertheless, for whatever reason (noble or not) I did go.

While there, I struck up a conversation with another volunteer, Christina. We had never met before, but we hit it off from the beginning. Somehow, in the midst of serving lunch, we determined that we both had a heart for New York City and had always thought about moving there. I remember thinking how amazing it was to meet someone who was in the exact same place as me... loving Atlanta, living a good life, but noticing an itch deep inside for an adventure in New York.

Christina and I started getting together almost every week, most of the time at the Starbucks on West Paces Ferry. We talked about the trips we were taking up to New York, the friends we had there, the churches we'd visited, the boys we both had on the radar at the time. And eventually, over numerous Vanilla Skim Lattes, we talked each other in to a move in June. It was all settled. We were going to move up at the same time, and we were going to live together. I could not believe how blessed I was that God had provided me with this friend and roommate.

However, on May 7, at Fusion, Christina shared with me an update: she had had a dream job opportunity come up in Atlanta, and she would not be moving after all. For someone who had been making a lot of choices based on what I thought were signs from God, this was a huge blow to my plan. I remember getting in the car with Erin and having a mini-freak-out, mostly panicking, "Does this mean I'm not supposed to move?! Is it a sign?"

If anyone had motivation to talk me out of the move, it was Erin. We were roommates, and I was moving out of the apartment. We did almost everything together in Atlanta. But Erin, who is one of the wisest friends I have, did not try to talk me out of it. She could have, and I wouldn't have blamed her. But she did the opposite. She affirmed me. She encouraged me. She told me to not let this setback stop me, but to trust that God had something and someone else in store.

So I stayed the course. That Thursday, Christina emailed me the contact information of a friend of a friend of hers, a girl named Leslie who was looking for a new roommate. Leslie and I emailed back and forth, talked on the phone, met once and decided to live together. We lived together in a shoebox on the Upper East Side for two years. She was an amazing roommate, and she is to this day a dear friend. She helped make my move to New York so easy, and we had a blast sharing little 1FW. (We even went to Mexico together in March.)

And that's how God turned a trip to an Atlanta soup kitchen into my first New York roommate.

Leslie, me and Christina (who ended up moving to New York 6 months after I did :))

Here I raise mine Ebenezer

2009-10-19T11:21:00.005-04:00

If you are familiar with the church hymn "Come Thou Fount," you might recognize the line, "Here I raise mine Ebenezer, hither by Thy help I'm come." The term Ebenezer comes from I Samuel 7:12: "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the LORD helped us.'"

Ebenezer literally means "stone of help." Samuel set up his Ebenezer to commemorate the victory that the Lord had given Israel over the Philistines. It was a tangible way to remind himself of what the Lord had done for him and his people, an altar thanking God for remembering and blessing his people.

In my Bible study homework this week, Priscilla Shirer suggested a similar exercise. The assignment was to think back to four major life events and reflect on the ways God was faithful. To set up mental Ebenezers, if you will.

As I reflect on the last 3 1/2 years that I have lived in New York, there are an infinite number of victories that the Lord provided, miracles he worked, doors he opened, blessings he showered. Over the next few weeks, I will be reflecting on these, erecting these New York Ebenezers in my mind. Because I can think of no better way to prepare to move forward than to attribute every step that got me here to my gracious, sovereign heavenly father.

It's not my story.

(It never has been.)

But it is God's story, and in his abounding love, he penned a chapter entitled, "Jamie Goes to NYC." For that, I will be eternally grateful.

Dear John

2009-10-15T16:14:00.001-04:00

Oh. Yes.

The melody is the hope

2009-10-14T12:33:00.003-04:00

NY Mag's Christianna Ablahad interviewed John Mayer about his new album. An excerpt...

Any particular theme or inspiration behind [your new album] that makes it different from previous albums?
Yeah, it's going to be quite melodically bright, but the themes are all about heartbreak.

How is that different? Haven't you written a lot about heartbreak?
I think most artists do, but this is really breaking into the theme of it as a concept.

Is there hope behind the heartbreak?
The melody is the hope. The lyrics are the heartbreak, the melody is the hope.

Southern Caviar

2009-10-14T10:34:00.002-04:00

Last night, our ladies' Bible study started up again! We were together all summer studying Esther (under the tutelage of our beloved Beth Moore), and now we're studying David for the fall. Throughout our Esther study, it was so encouraging to see how God brought 13 women together at just the right time... we were all in different places with different backgrounds, but somehow, the book of Esther was the perfect study for each of us. I am excited to see how the fall comes together, too!

While the study of God's Word is my favorite thing about our group, the fellowship is right behind. And by "fellowship," I mean a) watching reality TV afterwards (seriously? Jake as the next Bachelor?!) and b) eating. We've had Haman cookies - Danielle's unfortunately included Viactiv chews, but we're trying to forget that ;) - and normal fare like brownies, guacamole and hummus. Last night, though, I made a recipe from friend Leslie Davis, and it was quite a hit! Seeing as I only have 4-5 edible recipes to my name, I figure I should share the love when I make a good one:

"Southern Caviar"

1 (16 oz.) can black eyed peas, drained
1 (small) can shoepeg corn, drained
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Bell pepper, finely chopped (JLM: I leave this out, but only because I hate bell peppers)
1 Jar red pepper relish
1 Small bottle zesty Italian dressing

1. Rinse peas and corn after draining.
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Serve with corn chips.

Bon appetit!

It will not be long enough

2009-10-11T21:43:00.004-04:00

I read this tonight. I didn't write it, but oh how I wish I had. Sometimes other people know how to capture the words that are deep inside you - the feelings and emotions that are bubbling in that inner place, just aching to be eloquently and accurately expressed - better than you ever could.

Here is my heart.

"Letter to Manhattan," by Tara Leigh Cobble in Crowded Skies

(page breaks mine)

"Sometimes you seem so alive to me, so much like a moving, breathing organism, that I almost feel like I should have your phone number on speed dial. I've been known to take long walks or go out to dinner alone, under the premise of spending time with you. I say goodbye to you when I leave, and I always feel like you greet me when I return (especially because the Chrysler Building leaves its lights on for me). That's why it doesn't seem so odd that I am writing a letter to you. It's almost as if you are sitting here with me right now, throwing back a cup of coffee on this autumn night...

Before I moved, everyone told me that you would change me. Some of them said it like a warning: "Don't let New York ruin you!" "Don't turn into a Yankee!" It almost seems absurd now when I think about it, mainly because I hope I will always be changing, growing, learning. How terrible life would be if we never evolved into better versions of ourselves. And that's what I believe you've done for me. Or rather, God has done it for me, but you've been His instrument.

You have taught me not to be so afraid, so bitter, so judgmental. And there is an urgency about being around you, a sense that no matter how long I am allowed to stay,

will

not

long

enough.

Even if I live here for five more years, that seems like such a short amount of time to cover so much ground, to see all your places, visit your museums, eat at your restaurants, learn to love so many strangers. And I do love every bit of it...

The diversity of age, race, language - this, I know, is a piece of what heaven will be like: every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And it is nearly

every

dream

have

come

true.

The culmination of so much more than I ever knew to expect.

I may never understand how much you are a blessing to me from God, but what I do know overwhelms me. And no matter where life takes me, you and your people will always have a place in my heart."

Have a great weekend!

2009-10-09T17:19:00.000-04:00

spreadthelove.etsy.com

Forever

2009-10-09T15:10:00.007-04:00

Last night, my favorite couple on my favorite TV show got married. I must say, I wasn't the biggest fan of the episode, but by the last 10 minutes they had me... I was simultaneously bawling and beaming.

(click thru for video)

"The boat was actually Plan C. The church was Plan B, and Plan A was marrying her a long time ago. Pretty much the day I met her."

l-o-v-e

Uno, dos, tres, catorce

2009-10-08T12:50:00.006-04:00

This week, I had a chance to cross something off the life bucket list. Unfortunately, I don't have an actual bucket list to post (probably a good project for me to take on!), but attending a U2 concert is certainly on the one that floats around in my head.

When U2's New York show sold out before I could get my hands on a ticket - which turned out to be a blessing, because we went to SYTYCD that night! - I bought tickets for the Atlanta show instead. I wound up being in town for something else, so it worked out like a dream!

Jessica and I went with Jen and Kevin, and we were giddy the entire night. U2, and, in particular, Bono, put on a show like I have never seen before. When I think through my top concert list of all time (Billy Joel with Paul McCartney at Shea Stadium, Madonna at Madison Square Garden, Coldplay at the Meadowlands, George Strait at Turner Field, Sting and the Police at the Garden, John Mayer at the 40 Watt... that's off the top of my head!), Tuesday's show will absolutely hold rank for all time.

Their stage looked like a spaceship, and it was unreal:

They sang all of the old songs we hoped to hear - With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Mysterious Ways - while some of their newer hits like Vertigo rocked the whole Dome.

I had a few favorite moments. The band sang With or Without You (note: Does everyone else think of Ross and Rachel's break-up when they hear this? If not, you probably think of one of your own break-ups!) during the second encore, and it was magical:

Bono also opened up Where the Streets Have No Name with an acoustic Amazing Grace. I am being completely serious when I say - it felt like heaven.

But my favorite moment was I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Bono backed away and let the crowd sing the verse... over 75,000 people singing the lyrics that proclaim the gospel so boldly, it felt like a worship service...

I believe in the Kingdom Come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
But yes I'm still running

You broke the bonds
You loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Oh my shame
You know I believe it

What a memory! I'm so glad I could share my U2 experience with good friends, and experience a taste of what my feeble, earthly mind imagines heaven to be like.

p.s. Bono is a ROCKSTAR. As is The Edge.

Hook 'em Horns

2009-10-07T16:40:00.004-04:00

Last weekend I went to Texas with Lauren. We had an amazing Texas time! We stayed with her parents in Dallas Friday night and then drove to Austin (Southbound I-35, of course) early Saturday morning. While in Austin we:

Tailgated with her friend Kayla's family - this included Stubb's BBQ, beanbags (Mr Bigham and I won!) and an adorable little niece dressed as a Longhorn cheerleader.

Toured the UT campus and visited the Co-op, their bookstore that is larger than a Macy's. I made my first burnt orange purchase...ever.
Ate authentic, delicious Mexican at Guero's

Strolled downtown Austin and Sixth Street
Ate at Shady Grove Cafe, my favorite Austin spot, just down the street from where they were setting up for ACL

Drove around the hill country - stunning!

Did some major damage at a Nine West outlet

Other than a trip to Chili's with the Johnson family, my Dallas days were not quite as exciting...they were spent in a Sheraton Hotel. That's OK - just means another trip to Dallas will be in order!

Happy Birthday

2009-10-02T10:22:00.009-04:00

A few weeks ago, I went home to Marietta to celebrate my grandparents' birthdays. My grandma had turned 78 the week prior, and my granddad was turning 80. 80!! What a special birthday! The best part of the trip? He didn't know I was coming.

So we had a lovely little birthday party at our house to celebrate the big 8-0. My aunt (Granddad's sister) came over, too, and we ate chicken salad and cake and ice cream. We tied balloons on the mailbox and on the kitchen table. Mom and I got a bunch of 80th birthday cards, too!

As a gift for them, mom and I worked on a Snapfish photo album. We included pictures from the last 25 years... family beach photos, pictures of us on holidays and birthdays, school pictures, and more. It was so fun to look through all the photos and remember such happy childhood family memories!

It was such a special day. I was so blessed to be able to be home and celebrate my wonderful grandparents!

October!

2009-10-01T12:44:00.003-04:00

Today is October 1. Yay October!

October is my favorite month of the year. And the next three months - October, November, December - are my favorite three months of the year! (My favorite quarter, if you will.)

October: crisp, fall, pumpkins and pumpkin spice lattes, scarves, Halloween, 30Rock.

November: cool, more fall, more pumpkins, Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Day Parade, boots.

December: chilly, snow, Christmas decorations, lights, parties, shopping, birthday, New Year's.

I'm happy today because three happy months are coming!

p.s. I recognize that I used the word "October" ~~five~~ six times in this short post. I'm okay with it.

Let Texas fill my soul

2009-09-25T10:26:00.005-04:00

I am going to TEXAS for the next 5 days!

I have work conference in Dallas next week, so I persuaded Lauren to accompany me on my first ever venture to this great state that I have been hearing so much about from my New York friends. We are flying into Dallas tonight, then waking up bright and early tomorrow and driving to Austin, where we will tailgate with Lauren's UT friends for the day and explore Austin for the night. On Sunday, we'll make our way back from Austin to Dallas.

I AM SO EXCITED!

Last night I made a playlist entitled "How I imagine Texas." It's full of country music... George Strait ("Amarillo by Morning," "Blue Clear Sky"), Dixie Chicks ("Cowboy Take Me Away," "Wide Open Spaces,") Little Texas ("God Blessed Texas") and, most importantly, Pat Green...

My state of mind:
I woke up this morning with Texas on my mind...

Where we will be driving:
So we were southbound 35
We were headed down the road
Hit the border by the morning
Let Texas fill my soul

And, most importantly, the song that sums it all up (including where we will be eating Mexican on Saturday night):
Baby's just a little bit tired of the city
Billboards and bull**** got her down
Seem like you need a little hill country
A little back roads driving, little bit of the old top down...

Yeah, everybody gotta get away sometime
Forget about yourself for a while
We'll go down to El Arroyo have some tacos and beer, yeah and let ourselves go
OK, alright, just might try to get it right tonight,
OK, alright, carry on

Carry on! And Hook 'em Horns!

Weekend Update

2009-09-20T18:15:00.004-04:00

First off, on the note of actual Weekend Update - of the SNL variety - please tell me you watched on Thursday night. My favorite, as always, was "Really!?! with Seth and Amy."

"So guys, if you're gonna go after people, maybe pick better targets. No one is impressed when you take your stands against 19-year old girls, tiny Asian ladies or the first black president. Who are you going to go after next, baby koalas?" - Seth and Amy to Kanye West, Serena Williams and Joe Wilson

(click thru for video)

But anyhow, as for my weekend update? Friday night, roommate Hannah and I were exhausted after a loooooooong week. (I know it may sound spoiled, but after two 4-day weeks in a row, 5 days just seemed unbearable, didn't they?) We stayed home, made our favorite salad, along with homemade Arnold Palmers with fresh mint, and watched "Imitation of Life," a 1950's classic that had our mascara streaming down our face.

Yesterday, Saturday, I set my alarm to go off promptly in time for GameDay. I ran down to Dunkin Donuts for a big cup of coffee, and snuggled in my bed with the windows open to watch fall's finest TV show. The weather this weekend was stunning, absolutely stunning, so afterwards I set out on the town. I went to brunch in the East Village at Prune with Mai-Lise and Sarah, and it was one of my favorite places I've been in New York...on adorable downtown block, tiny charming space, and delicious breakfast food to boot. M-L and Sarah got a really fancy Bloody Mary that was quite tasty as well! Afterwards, the three of us wandered through the East Village. There was a block party, featuring sidewalk sales, pick-up dodge ball and a - no lie - "meat pie eating contest." We also perused thrift stores and found some stellar deals! Our day ended with a trip to the Georgia bar to watch the Dawgs play. It was a scary match at times, but between the victory, good friends and, of course, wings, it was a great evening.

And after a lovely morning at Gallery Church, followed by an afternoon in a coffee shop writing a speech (more on that later), I am now settled in at home, anxiously awaiting the Emmy's. Because - yippee!!!! - I LOVE AWARD SHOWS! :)

I hope you had a great weekend, too!

Ready to flip!

2009-09-17T11:23:00.003-04:00

What I'm excited about on this rainy day...

... not to mention SNL Weekend Update Thursday and new show Community!

This is the Church

2009-09-15T23:49:00.008-04:00

on sunday, june 18, 2006, i moved to new york.

on monday, june 19, i started my first job here.

on saturday, june 24, i moved into my apartment.

on sunday, june 25, i first visited the gallery church.

it wasn't my plan. to be perfectly honest, i thought all along i would go to redeemer. but,

on sunday, august 6, 2006, i decided i was in. i emailed todd and asked if i could lead a gallery church growth community. he said yes.

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

what followed was one of the richest times in my new york experience to date. singing on the worship team with brett and cynthia. learning under the teaching of aaron and stan. meeting at rustin high school. falling in love with my small group that met every wednesday night at the starbucks at 81st and 2nd. eating at boston market each week after church. i was new to the city, but gallery church - even in its infancy - made it feel like home.

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

but in may 2008, i got tired. so i quit. it made sense at the time...every other church in new york seemed to have that one thing i thought i was missing. [insert more people. cute boys. tim keller. anonymity.] the thing that i felt God needed me to find.

turns out, God just needed me to find my way back to gallery. to Him. this time, with a clearer focus and renewed energy.

so in september 2008, i came back. started singing on the worship team again, this time with paul. joined a new community group that encouraged my soul every wednesday night once again. got to know new friends and old ones for a second time around. reminded myself why this church had held a special place in my heart from the jump.

and on september 15, 2009, i sat in a church meeting for 4 hours. i took in the gorgeous SALT space that God has provided. i voted on the church's first official bylaws. i ate the most delicious corn casserole i've ever had. and i looked around at the faces of the people who made this city my home.

the people who invited me to watch grey's anatomy with them when i had no other friends.

the people who greeted me with southern accents.

the people who said, 'we've missed you, and we're glad you're here.'

the people who challenged me to display the greatness of God to the world.

the people who were the hands and feet of Jesus to me when i was a stranger in a foreign land.

the people who were my family when my family was very far away.

and now it's all very clear. it was never my plan to begin with. i didn't find my way to gallery church. i didn't pick it. i didn't just wind up there because i had a friend who had a friend. it was God's plan all along. it's where He meant for me to be then, and where he means for me to be today, september 15, 2009.

Andy, you are my love

2009-09-08T09:37:00.004-04:00

This weekend, my mom's aunt and cousin were in town to go to the US Open. On Friday night, the three of us went to dinner. As we ate, they told me about striking up a conversation with a nice man at the Open. The man said that some of the players, including Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova, like to go to a place called Campanella on 71st St during the Open. They asked if I had heard of it, and I had not.

After dinner, we were feeling adventurous, so we decided to check out Campanella. Since we didn't know where on 71st St it was, we employed my iPhone to look it up... but we got no results. Determined to find it, though, Joy suggested, "Maybe it's spelled like champagne?" I tried again with Campagnela, and again got no results. However, I did get a Google "Did you mean Campagnola?" Yes! Yes! And Campagnola was, in fact, on 74th St and 1st Ave, which seemed to make sense given our initial instruction.

So, at 9pm on a Friday night, we hopped in a cab and headed to Campagnola. I'll be honest - my expectations were low. I thought to myself, "There's no way we'll see anyone!" although I was more than willing to go on an adventure to check it out.

We walked in (it's a charming little neighborhood Italian restaurant, by the way) and perched ourselves at the bar, and I decided to do a loop to scope it out. I walked straight back, looking all around, and, lo and behold, who do I see but Andy Roddick! He was seated at a large round table with wife Brooklyn Decker, his coach, and friends. I did a double-take and then a triple-take, and could not believe our luck! I rushed back up front to tell Aunt Nita and Joy. I don't think they believed me at first, but once they both did their loops, they did.

About a half hour later, Andy and his entourage left the restaurant... to cheers, photos, and shouts of "See you in the Finals, Andy!" Joy and I didn't have the nerve to say anything, but my aunt told Brooklyn, "You are a beautiful girl." And to Andy? "Andy, you are my love."

Andy lost the next day, so I suppose our sighting/our love was not good luck. But you better believe I'll be eating dinner at Campagnola every August from now on!

Quote of the day

2009-09-05T10:43:00.001-04:00

“It is the southern part of me which is most quintessentially and fiercely alive.”

Pat Conroy, The Prince of Tides

Fall Fashion

2009-09-02T16:53:00.004-04:00

I am by no means the most fashionable of the fashionable. I do, however, I like to steal from my roommates' closets; I read every fashion magazine - particularly in September; and I live in New York City. I figure that all has to count for something.

So, here is my take on some of the top wearable trends for fall 2009, brought to you courtesy of my noodlings with polyvore.com, a super addicting site...

(click image to enlarge)

Plaid. Think plaid shirts, but with a feminine edge (e.g., ruffles).
Leather. Fitted jackets, skirts, accessories.
Skinny jeans. Dark wash, gray wash...tucked into boots or with heels!
Opaque tights and leggings.
Metallics. Shimmery shoes add pizazz to any outfit!
Neon. Oh yes. The '80's are BACK.
Cozy cardigans and knits. Perfect for layering or with a belt.
Cowboy boots. As with plaid, western chic is in.
Pencil skirts. A great way to venture into the leather frontier!
Gray. Jeans, sweaters, dresses. The new neutral.
Boyfriend blazer. Oversized or shrunken. Even with '80's shoulder pads!
Layers. Start with dress. Add cardigan + belt + scarf + tights + boots. Repeat.

What about you? What are you most excited to wear this fall? Any trends I forgot? If you were to purchase one piece to update your wardrobe, what would it be?

Fall is on the way!

2009-09-02T09:23:00.006-04:00

© Bo Zaunders/Corbis

My calendar is flipped to September.

I'm drinking my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season. Mmmmmmm.

I'm wearing white jeans one last time before Labor Day.

It was 65 degrees when I left my apartment this morning.

September issues are bursting with fashion.

Football starts on Saturday. Go Dawgs!

I slept last night with my window open and no AC.

Fall is on the way!

On waiting

2009-08-31T13:25:00.005-04:00

"But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved,

that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

The Lord is not slow about his promise..."

2 Peter 3:8-9

Makin' it work

2009-08-21T10:35:00.004-04:00

I am not planning to recap Project Runway this season - although there appears to be NO shortage of bizarre characters - but let's just talk real quick about last night.

First off, I miss Bravo. I know that the show is the same, etc, etc, but Bravo is cool and trendy and fabulous, and Lifetime is the home of movies that I watch on the couch when I'm sick. For what it's worth, I also miss New York City and Parsons, although I'm sure FIDM student Lauren Conrad is pleased about the move to LA.

Also, did the challenge seem a bit vanilla? A red carpet look and a $200 budget? Where was the trip to the grocery store? The race across Bryant Park? An insanely small budget or major plot twist? The task at hand was rather boring to me, which made the lack of quality that came out of it even more disappointing.

Heidi and Tim are still my favorites. Michael and Nina Gaarrrcia never disappoint, either. Lindsay Lohan, while looking strung out and spray tanned, actually impressed me with her strong point of views, although i just about DIED when Qristyl (actually her name - I didn't just decide to run my finger down the top row of my keyboard) said that her red carpet dress would be worn by someone like Miley or Lindsay to the VMAs. LiLo's deadpan face was priceless.

This season was cast for the first time by the folks who cast Real World, and oh. my. gosh., can't you tell? Whereas in the past, it takes a good 3-4 weeks to master all of the characters - and they are characters, because there's no way real people like this exist in the world - and remember who they are, I think that every single person last night made a unique impression in some way. I'm concerned about the level of talent, though, because it seems that personality took precedence over skill and/or taste. We'll see how it goes... I have no doubt that it will be plenty entertaining, but will we really get the next Christian Siriano?

Nevertheless, some of the most memorable crazies of the night were...

Johnny, the ex-crystal meth addict. I use "ex" in the loosest of ways. He made me nervous.
Malvin, the creepy androgynous dude (I think he's a dude?) with the out of control hair. He also made me nervous.
Ari, who doesn't sketch and instead does handstands while dreaming of space/soccer ball diaper dresses.

On another note, there are actually two designers from Charleston and one from Savannah - I hope the South represents! Although based on Carol Hannah (now that's a Southern double-name if I've ever heard one)'s ramblings on being blond and Southern and stereotyped and then forgetting what she was saying mid-sentence, my expectations are rather low.

For all my complaining, I'm still super excited about the season, as the bones are the same and it's one of my all-time favorite shows. We'll make it work.

Auf wiedersehen!

Just another day at the office

2009-08-20T14:11:00.012-04:00

Coworker AB welcomed new employee LT to his team by sending a company-wide email. His email ended with the following:

Sadly, her facebook profile is set to secret agent status so I can’t find a picture of her, so here’s what she might look like if that Microsoft Clippy thing drew her:

OK. I know AB is a boy, but this looks nothing like poor LT. Feeling nostalgic for the elementary school days of Microsoft Paint - and curious as to whether it really was much harder than I recalled - I set out with a test. To draw Lauren and Bethany:

Turns out, it was actually no harder than I remembered. AB just wasn't very good at it.

Bethany and Lauren quite enjoyed my drawing, but had a request: to add myself. Done and done.

Bethany, desiring to spur on some friendly inter-office competition, forwarded above picture to AB. The following email chain ensued:

AB: Wow… that’s actually recognizable.
Jamie: I do think that your use of the spray can for freckles was quite genius. I can’t speak to anything else.
AB: I think this means war...

Game on, AB.

But unfortunately, I was quite busy and didn't have the time to craft a Van Gogh-esque portrait. So I did the next best thing. An AB-esque portrait.

To which AB replied,

Yes. That's blood streaming down my face. If you zoom in, you'll see little blue tears, too.

Just another day at the office.

Chakah

2009-08-19T19:32:00.005-04:00

If you've been reading my blog since the beginning of the year, you know that I declared 2009 The Year of Hope. Since January, I've been digging into what biblical hope is. I've learned that hope is a confident expectation. I've learned that hope is knowing relief will arise. I've learned that our hope is found in Christ alone.

I also learned that to hope is to wait. Well, I thought I learned that. In actuality, though, I scratched the surface of the lesson in my brain but was not prepared to learn the lesson in my life.

I have to be honest. I think on a certain level, I thought that by casually studying hope, I might change rather quickly, or that something miraculously hopeful would pop up immediately. Like, in February. Oh me of little faith! I forgot that, most likely, God was going to ask me to wait patiently in hope as I let the truth seep down all the way to the depths of my heart.

And so my study on hope has turned into a study on waiting, although I know the two are one and the same. So I am waiting. And waiting...and waiting. Waiting for God to do a new thing. For him to answer a few very specific prayers. For him to refresh, to heal and restore. I'm waiting.

This brings us to Hebrew lesson #2.

We've already discussed QAVAH, one of the Hebrew words for WAIT that also means "to hope for, to look eagerly, to expect with intensity." But there are two other Hebrew words that are translated as "wait" in English - DANAM, which means "to become silent and still" (found in Psalm 37:7 - "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him"), and CHAKAH, which means "to wait or to long for." Chakah expresses a burning desire, a longing for something you want desperately.

Chakah is found in the following verses:

Isaiah 30:18

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;

he rises to show you compassion.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait for him!"

Note: Both "long" in the first line and "wait" in the last line are the Hebrew word chakah.

Psalm 33:20

"Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield."

Interesting. One type of waiting is leaning forward in anticipation and hope. Another type of waiting is just being quiet before the Lord. And a third type - chakah - is intrinsically tied with longing.

Beth Moore made an interesting note on this in our Esther Bible study two weeks ago. In referencing Isaiah 30:18, she commented, "It's not a wait without a longing; otherwise, it's just a passing of time." I've never thought about it that way, but isn't it true? They say a watched pot never boils, but that's not exactly the case. It eventually boils - it just feels like it takes 2 hours instead of 2 minutes! Such is the case with waiting in our lives.

The hope is found, though, in a key truth in that same verse, Isaiah 30:18. Because not only are we chakah'ing - God himself is chakah'ing too. Let that sink into your soul as you wait, as you long. The Lord above, sovereign over all creation, who "does whatever pleases him" (Ps 135:6), is also longing and waiting. And as Beth Moore said, "If He's waiting, then there's something that the waiting is for."

So, dear friend, as you wait on the Lord... waiting on him to hear your plea, crying out with a burning desire, longing for him to answer your prayer, begging him for that thing you want desperately, chakah'ing... remember that he's longing, too. His heart, in all its sovereign glory, is aching for the day when all will be restored and his plan will be revealed. He longs to comfort you, to show you compassion, to do the very thing you are praying like crazy that he will do. But if today is not the day, then there is a purpose for your waiting. Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt.

Rest in hope... danam.

Lean forward with great, hopeful expectation... qavah.

And have hope that, in your deepest longing, the Lord is longing too. As you wait, remember that he knows the plans he has for you, and that they are plans to prosper you. To give you a hope and a future (Jer 29:11).

Have hope in your longing... chakah.

I Wish I Was in Dixie

2009-08-18T12:47:00.005-04:00

There are exactly four cities in the United States that my heart aches for on rotation: New York, Atlanta, Nashville and Athens. Don't get me wrong, I love to travel to other cities, love to vacation and visit, love to experience their cultures, their restaurants, their beaches, their monuments, their streets, their music. But these four are the ones I love. Some days, I'm in New York and am dying to be in Nashville. Others, I'm homesick for Atlanta. And Lord knows there were plenty of Georgia days when I ached for the Manhattan skyline.

But today, my heart is longing for Athens.

Athens. There are all kinds of T-shirt sayings that are spinning around in my head right now... things about living a good life and going to Athens when you die... things about Athens getting in your blood and never being the same... things about the best five or six years of your life. Athens. The classic city. The promised land. The best college town in America. Home of Sanford Stadium, The Grit and R.E.M. Athens, with her green North Campus, rows of sorority houses, and Arch that stands tall. Mexicali, Son's, Jittery Joe's, The Grill, Snelling. Georgia Theatre and the 40 Watt.

I spent four glorious years in Athens, living everywhere from a tiny dorm room in Brumby to a Southern mansion on Milledge Ave to a little yellow house with glass doorknobs, hardwood floors and a washing machine on the back porch. I walked to class. I went to date nights and sang "Dixieland Delight." I stayed up all night studying at Waffle House. I developed the richest friendships, grew exponentially in my faith, made the happiest memories, and, somewhere in there, even got a degree.

And I went to football games.

I am quite certain that there is nothing like a fall Saturday in Athens. (That's probably on the back of a T-shirt somewhere, too.) Crisp fall air...or blazing heat or freezing rain, depending on who we're playing. Seas of fans in red and black, with the girls in Sunday best and the boys in red pants and bow ties. Tents, grills, big screen TVs, sweet tea. Pick-up trucks blasting country music and old recordings of Larry Munson.

The action between the hedges. Uga trotting around and laying on his bag of ice. Players fighting through blood, sweat and tears in silver britches. The trumpet blasting the Battle Hymn. Munson's iconic voice reading, "Glory, glory to ole Georgia." Clips playing of Dooley winning the National Championship and Richt winning the SEC title. Even spelling "Georgia" at halftime. The Redcoat band playing, with the tuba section bomping to "Tara's Theme." The excitement of the first touchdown. The devastation of losing to your biggest rival. The hopes that this year will finally be the year.

There is nothing like it on the whole planet.

So, with 18 days left until the first game of the season - which I will be watching from a bar in New York with a sea of Georgia fans-turned-New Yorkers - I am aching, yearning, wishing, longing to be in Athens. Home of my alma mater. Best college town in America. Classic city. Promised land.

Summer, sand and salad

2009-08-17T12:11:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was sticky sweet. Crazy humid. A dead of summer heat wave. I went to the beach with friends all day and came back sun-kissed and tired, sandy and salty.

Roommate Hannah recently loaned me Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. It's really one of the most lovely books I've ever read, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Molly has a really charming writing style, but the most magical thing about this book is that it's actually making me want to cook. (Well, that, and Julie & Julia.)

So last night, blazing hot in New York City, Hannah and I decided to be homemade like Molly. We showered off the heat, went to the grocery store, and bought our ingredients. We returned home, cranked the Frank Sinatra and Harry Connick, Jr, and set the oven for 400 degrees.

It was fun, and our finished product was delicious. We gobbled it up in ecstasy while watching the season premiere of Mad Men, and we were devasted when our plates were clean. I think I can confidently say that the dish we prepared is my favorite thing I've ever cooked...but then again, we all know how short that list is.

So without further adieu, please enjoy Molly Wizenberg's recipe for Bread Salad with Cherries, Arugula, and Goat Cheese.

This isn't so much a recipe as a formula. It's the kind of thing you bang together on a summer day when you happen to have some ripe cherries and a hunk of chewy, day-old artisan bread. It's so simple that you don't really need precise quantities, although I will give you some to start with. From there, just taste and tweak to your own palate.

6 ounces rustic white bread, preferably day-old
Olive oil
1/2 pound cherries, preferably Bing, halved and pitted
1/8 teaspoon pressed or crushed garlic
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Arugula
Fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumble
Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, trim the crust from the bread, and discard the crust. Tear the bread into rough bite-sized pieces. You should have about 4 loosely packed cups' worth. Dump the bread out onto a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle it with olive oil. Toss to coat. Don't worry if the pieces aren't evenly oiled; that's okay. Bake until crispy and golden in spots, shaking the pan once, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put about one-third of the cherries in a small bowl, and crush them lightly with a fork, so that they release their juices. You don't want to mash them completely; just smash them a bit.

When the bread is nicely toasted, turn it out into a large bowl. While it is still hot, add the garlic, and toss well. Set aside to cool for a minute or two. Then add the cherries, both the smashed ones and the not-smashed ones, and toss. Add 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar and toss again. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch or two of salt and toss again. Taste, and adjust the vinegar, oil, and salt as needed: if you taste the bread and the cherries separately, they should each taste good alone. When you're satisfied with the flavor, add about 2 handfuls of arugula and toss one last time. Finish with a generous amount of crumbled goat cheese and a few grinds of the pepper mill, and serve.

Southern Charm

2009-08-15T15:53:00.003-04:00

My mom recently mailed me an article from Southern Living entitled, "15 Ways to Charm Her" with subtitle, "Want to impress a Southern girl? Just think, 'What would my grandfather have done?'

(click image to enlarge)

Let me just say, y'all, I love everything about this article. From killing bugs to fixing things to wearing boots to pulling out chairs, Southern Living really hit the nail on the head. But my favorite by far is tip #2...

[TWO] Know that the SEC has the best football teams in the nation. Big 12 fan? Hmm, perhaps you should keep walking.

That's right. Glory glory to ole Georgia!

Traditional

2009-08-14T11:34:00.000-04:00

I love traditions. In fact, love may not be a strong enough word. Am obsessed with seems more appropriate.

So yes, I am obsessed with traditions. Mostly, I like to think of this as a good thing. I like making memories. I like consistency. I like to know what to expect. I think that traditions are special, and homey, and comforting.

However, like with all obsessions, sometimes I'm obnoxious about tradition. I get kind of emotional and freaky if even the smallest, mundane tradition is not adhered to. Like the year when my mom politely suggested that we have Christmas breakfast in the kitchen instead of the dining room, and I replied with a tantrum that went something like, "We're not having Christmas breakfast in the dining room?!?! WE ALWAYS HAVE CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST IN THE DINING ROOM!!!!!!"

Nevertheless, with a smidge of reason and a dash of flexibility, I think my ~~love~~ obsession for tradition is generally well-received and appreciated by my friends and family...I hope.

So here are a list of a few traditions - some old, some new, some that I have just now decided will be traditions - for our annual friends' beach trip, which I suppose has become a tradition in and of itself:

Suzanne's guacamole. The best ever.
A lingerie shower and bachelorette party for at least one person. Seriously.
Eating at the Red Bar in Grayton Beach
Playing movie Pictionary
A late-night trip to Wal-Mart
Breakfast the last morning at Broken Egg Cafe. We always share an "appetizer" of Bananas Foster French Toast.
Taco night, also directed by Suz
Dinner at the Crab Trap
Black Cherry Fresca
Evening hot tub field trip
Massive bowls of Puppy Chow

I recognize that well over half of these traditions are food-related. Perhaps we should add in some traditions like "Daily morning jog on the beach" or "Water aerobics with Jen."

Phrase of the day

2009-08-14T09:35:00.004-04:00

esprit d'escalier

esprit d'escalier (e-SPREE des-kal-i-YE) noun, also l'esprit de l'escalier (les-PREED les-kal-i-YE)

A French phrase that literally means "staircase wit," esprit d'escalier is "the sense of thinking of a clever comeback in an encounter when it is too late. The phrase can be used to describe a riposte to an insult, or any witty, clever remark that comes to mind too late to be useful—when one is on the 'staircase' leaving the scene of the encounter."

Back to reality

2009-08-12T11:38:00.004-04:00

I spent the last five days on vacation with my best friends from college. We lazed on the beach, ate ridiculous amounts of puppy chow and laughed a whole lot, among many other things.

More blogs and pictures to follow, but for now, enjoy a few photos from my new QuadCamera iPhone app.

A story of hope

2009-08-05T10:34:00.004-04:00

This is a story of hope.

This is also a story about two journalists who trespassed and were taken captive. Sentenced to 12 years in a labor prison. Separated from their families for 140 days.

But it's mostly a story of hope.

A story of never giving up. A story about fighting the good fight. A story of being rescued from captivity and restored to a life of freedom. A story of knowing that, against all odds, you belong to a greater story that will, that must, that has to prevail.

This is also story of amnesty, which is what Laura Ling thanked the North Korean goverment for granting her and Euna Lee.

Amnesty. From the Greek word amnestia (the same root as amnesia), amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent persons. It includes more than a pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the offense.

Amnesty. A word bursting with hope.

Never forget. We were once captives, enslaved by sin. We were hopeless. We were in a foreign land. We were separated from the one who loved us most. We deserved death.

But we have been granted amnesty in Christ Jesus. We have been restored. We are guilty no more, and

there

now

condemnation.

(Rom 8:1)

We are pardoned, and as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (Ps 103:12).

Never forget your story of pardon. Your story of rescue. Your story of amnesty. Your story of hope.

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners..."

Isa 61:1

Mad Men Yourself

2009-08-05T09:07:00.005-04:00

Have you MadMen'd yourself yet?

Here I am giving a presentation at Sterling Cooper, presumably to the Playtex client on Jackies and Marilyns. I am armed with blue eyeshadow, a newspaper and a martini, because why not? It's the '60's. And an imaginary cartoon.

p.s. SO EXCITED for the Mad Men premiere next Sunday!

Follow that Chick-fil-A

2009-08-04T12:40:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I had to travel to Philadelphia for work. It's a 2 1/2 drive there, so coworkers and I rented cars and headed out to the City of Brotherly Love. I set out with the intentions of finding Bachelor Reid and somehow striking up a conversation/relationship/marriage with him while there, but for some reason, none of that happened.

Instead, I got a treat that's probably just behind finding my soulmate. As my coworker and I drove up I-95 (in a pick-up truck while listening to country music, mind you), I got the bright idea to find a Chick-fil-A. Fortunately for me, Taylor used to live in Atlanta and got on board IMMEDIATELY. Making good use of our iPhones, we promptly got off at our exit, Google Mapped directions from "Current Location" to the nearest Chick-fil-A, and followed the call of that little red bubble that was emanating from the QuakerBridge Mall in Lawrenceville, NJ.

As we sat in the food court eating our #1 combos with sweet tea (!), Taylor asked what I miss most about living in Atlanta. I said 1) family and friends, 2) Chick-fil-A and 3) going to Athens to football games in the fall. Maybe my excitement caused me to exaggerate where Chick-fil-A falls on that list...but I don't think so.

Summertime is finally here

2009-08-02T22:20:00.003-04:00

This summer has been flying by. Flying. I know everyone says it, and I probably say it every year too, but this one really seems to be stuck on fast forward. How did it get so late so soon? I think for me, it's mostly because it monsooned through all of June, and I had guests in town through all of July. In a way, my regular, routined, hot, humid summer felt like it started when August rolled around. Which was yesterday.

In an effort to grab summer by the horns, I marked August 1 with a lovely mini-vacay. Six great friends and I woke up early Saturday morning and high-tailed it to Penn Station, where we caught a train out to the Jersey Shore. (Note: I have never traveled anywhere via Penn Station when I was not breathlessly sprinting to the track. Something about that chaotic little land practically forces you to be just 30 seconds away from missing your train out of the city. Always.)

But, by the hair of our chinny chin chins, we all seven made it on the same train, in the same car. We sipped our iced coffee and reminisced about sorority and fraternity life - which, by the way, when you recount the tales of rush and cooks and houses and rituals, sounds RIDICULOUS - and got out to the sand by 11am. From there we soaked up the sun, wandered into Pier Village for lunch, and snoozed. We also got attacked by a rising tide, which was, um, refreshing?

After 6 hours on the beach, we took our sun kissed (or sunburned, depending on who you asked) selves back into town for dinner. We ate tacos and guac at a little Hawaiian restaurant, and then perched ourselves on a pier to people watch. A few of us even attempted to sneak into a wedding reception, although we were far from successful. Finally, as the sun began to set, we stopped by Carmella's - no relation to the Soprano - for some gelato. The day ended with us running (what can I say, I like symmetry) to the train station and then crashing on the ride home... delirious from the sun, exhausted, rosy-cheeked, bellies full of ice cream, laughing hysterically.

Now that finally sounds like summer has arrived.

"Summertime is finally here

That old ballpark, man, is back in gear

Out on 49

Man I can see the lights

School's out and the nights roll in

Man, just like a long lost friend

You ain't seen in awhile

And can't help but smile"

Kenny Chesney

(because every summer song is by Kenny Chesney)

The thing about a crossing

2009-07-24T15:40:00.004-04:00

I have been on an unofficial blog hiatus-ish in July. I didn't mean to be, but the fact that I had more days with visitors this month than days without kind of just made it happen on its own. (And was totally worth it, BTW.)

I will return in full-swing in August, but for today, let me leave you with an excerpt from Donald Miller's new book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years," which comes out in September. The full chapter is available here, and I really hope you will read it.

To entice you, a sneak peak...

"The Thing About a Crossing"

Robert McKee put down his coffee cup and leaned onto the podium. He put his hand on his forehead and wiped back his gray hair. He said, “You have to go there. You have to take your character to the place where he just can’t take it anymore.” He looked at us with a tenderness we hadn’t seen in him before. “You’ve been there, haven’t you? You’ve been out on the ledge...the dream is over now; nothing good can come from this.”

He got louder. “Writing a story isn’t about making your peaceful fantasies come true. The whole point of the story is the character arc. You didn’t think joy could change a person, did you? Joy is what you feel when the conflict is over. But it’s conflict that changes a person.”

His voice was like thunder now. “You put your characters through hell. You put them through hell. That’s the only way we change.”

(Thanks to Rachel for the Tweet tip!)

Look up

2009-07-16T14:35:00.007-04:00

Since moving last June, I've taken the same commute route every day. I ride the 2/3 train downtown to Times Square, then transfer to the 7 train to Grand Central. When I exit the train station on 42nd St, I'm in the midst of one of Manhattan's most crowded morning streets. The view looks something like this:

Busy New York street, commuters, cabs, a Citi Bank, a shoe store. An all-around bustling, gray city view...just your run of the mill midtown scene.

But one day, I happened to look up.

And I saw this:

The Chrysler Building. One of the tallest buildings in the city. Arguably the finest, most beautiful piece of New York City architecture in existence, and certainly my favorite building dotting the Manhattan skyline.

From the ground, it looks mundane. Boring. Unexciting. Gray. So much so that I, even knowing exactly where the Chrysler Building is in the city, did not put two and two together that it was the building I passed every single morning for a year.

That is, until I looked up.

Horizontally, it appeared to be nothing worth noticing. In fact, I frequently complain about my commute and the crowds and the people that surround me. I am one of many cattle herding through the subway system and along the sidewalk. There are no trees to be seen at any point in my morning trek. It's long and tiring. It has never seemed to be noteworthy in any way, shape or form.

But once I shifted my view vertically, I saw that I was beholding a masterpiece. I saw that things were not as they originally seemed. I saw that the drab, unimpressive ground-level exterior was the base for the majestic, glittering structure that makes my heart sing.

I needed to be reminded to look up. I needed something to help me remember that, in life, things are not always as they seem. That the very thing I'm complaining about today could turn into something beautiful tomorrow. That, in the midst of the mundane, something new is just waiting to be seen. That the view from down here and the view from up there are never the same.

But we have to look up.

"Then the word of the Lord came to him: 'This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.' He took him outside and said,

Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.

Then he said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness."
Genesis 15:4-6

Happy Friday

2009-07-10T11:23:00.002-04:00

Print courtesy of MadeByGirl

Awkward Turtle

2009-07-02T09:48:00.007-04:00

So I have a problem: I have no regard for the personal space of others. And I'm awkward about it. Particularly on the subway. And even more particularly as it relates to reading their reading materials.

People read other people's reading materials on the subway all the time (I think). It is common practice to sneak a glance at what's happening with Iran or Bloomberg or Miley off of your neighbor's New York Times, Metro or US Weekly. Sometimes, you get lucky and they have it opened as a spread instead of folded... they're practically begging you to read what's spilled into your hula hoop space. Or, if they're holding their paper up and you're sitting across from them, you can read the B Side with ease.

Or at least that's what normal people do.

I, on the other hand, have a problem - the aforementioned issue of disregarding the personal space of others and being awkward about it. See, when I'm reading someone else's paper or magazine (or, I won't lie, book, iPhone, Kindle, Blackberry, t-shirt, or whatever else they may have in their posession that I can get my eyes on), THE WHOLE TRAIN KNOWS IT. I gawk. I lean over. I squint. I nod. I laugh. All of which are totally inappropriate and kind of freaky. And make me a total awkward turtle.

Then, taking it to a whole new level, I will comment. Not to myself, and not (usually) to the reader in question, but to whomever I may be traveling with. Enter second problem: I talk really loudly. Really, awkwardly loudly. I don't mean to, but I just do. So imagine how the scene goes: A friend and I are riding the downtown 1 train, I awkwardly read over someone's shoulder to find out that Kevin Jonas got engaged, an article that the person holding the newspaper is inevitably reading at the exact same time. Then I look to my friend and loudly say, "Did you know Kevin Jonas got engaged?," at which point the person whose personal space I have invaded looks up and realizes that we both read the same thing at the same time, but I am not holding any type of newspaper whatsoever, and they realize that I actually just read it off their page and commented about it. And then they think to themselves, "That girl has no regard for my personal space. And is kind of an awkward turtle."

p.s. Don't even get me started on the other awkward ways I disregard people's personal space, including but not limited to: asking to try on strangers' engagement rings, eating off anyone and everyone's plate if I want to try their food, freely petting someone's purse if I'm curious of the texture, etc, etc etc...

p.p.s. I can't help it, it's just the way I am. :)

They said New York changed us

2009-06-30T09:41:00.005-04:00

They said New York changed us.

They meant it in a bad way.

They said New York made us hard. They said New York made us too independent. They said we became cold. They said the city made us cynical, even jaded.

They said New York caused our southern accents to fade and turned us into Yankees. They said we spent too much money on rent and too much time at work.

They said New York made us impatient. They said New York made us rude and abrasive.

They said we forgot who we were and where we came from.

They said New York changed us.

I say New York changed us.

But I mean it in a good way.

I say New York made us stronger. Made us braver. In fact, made us fearless.

I say New York stretched us. I say New York challenged us. I say New York taught us. I say New York required guts - required heart - that we didn't know we had.

I say New York was the fertilizer that helped us grow faster, greener, more vibrant, more colorful.

I say New York reminded us of home and made us even prouder of our roots.

I say God used this city to bless us. Prosper us. Ignite our passions. Restore our faith. Awaken our souls.

I say New York changed us.

And we will never be the same.

Video of the Day

2009-06-29T12:52:00.003-04:00

T Swift and T Pain rappin' on the same track

Let's Go to the Movies

2009-06-26T12:20:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week, in an effort to return to the Old Hollywood roots of the '30's and '40's, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that there will be ten Best Picture nominees in 2010. Presumably, blockbuster hits like "The Dark Knight" and "Wall-E," snubbed for a Best Picture nomination, might actually have a chance amid critical darlings like "The Reader."

I actually have no strong opinion about this matter aside from the fact that I LOVE MOVIES and I LOVE THE OSCARS. As far as I'm concerned, the more the merrier. But while we're on the subject, I think it appropriate to share my ten favorite movies of all time with you, in quasi-order, along with the highest award each received. (Note: I have never made any claims to like high-caliber movies in lieu of feel-good romantic comedies.)

"When Harry Met Sally." Nora Ephron nominated for Academy Award for Best Screenplay
"You've Got Mail." Meg Ryan nominated for Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy
"Shawshank Redemption." Nominated for Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Morgan Freeman)
"Gone With the Wind." Won Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel), Best Director
"Sweet Home Alabama." Won Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie and Choice Movie Liplock
"Love Actually." Nominated for Golden Globe for Best Picture and Best Screenplay
"The Count of Monte Cristo" (2002). n/a
"Pride and Prejudice" (2005). Nominated for Golden Globe for Best Picture, and Keira Knightley nominated for Academy Award for Best Actress
"How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." Nominated for Teen Choice Award for Choice Actress (Kate Hudson) and Choice Movie Liplock
"Garden State." Won Grammy for Best Soundtrack. Nominated for Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie, Choice Actress (Natalie Portman), Choice Actor (Zach Braff) and Choice Movie Liplock

So there you have it. From one Academy Award for Best Picture to three Teen Choice Award nominations for Choice Movie Liplock, I'm pretty proud of the list. With this discerning taste, Roger Ebert, Gene Shalit and that British woman on the taxi cab TV better watch out.

Mix it up

2009-06-25T11:45:00.005-04:00

Lately I have been dying for a KitchenAid stand mixer.

Yes, you read that correctly. And I'm as surprised as you.

Here's the deal. I hate cooking. I do my best to avoid it, at all costs. I think it's genetic. I do, however, love to bake. And big, fancy, colorful, $399 mixers are perfect for baking.

Still, I have never in my life had a desire to purchase any type of kitchen appliance or utensil, let alone one that costs more than $20 at Wal-Mart. I've always gotten by with whatever was there courtesy of my family or roommates. But a KitchenAid mixer... so pretty, sitting on the counter as a part of the kitchen decor... available in so many adorable colors... just waiting to be used for baking deliciousness... I think I'm in love.

I did a little research (and by research, I mean Googled, because we all know that I am a master Google researcher), and found a press release that KitchenAid issued for the 70th anniversary of their iconic stand mixer. According to Brian Maynard, KitchenAid Brand Marketing Director, "While its core following is among those who love to cook and bake, our research tells us that many less avid cooks simply want one on their countertop, largely because they like its design.”

Ding ding ding!

So, channeling Carrie Bradshaw's single gal registry for a new pair of Manolos, I'm considering making myself a one-item registry at Macy's for a KitchenAid stand mixer in - what other color - red.

Well, it's between that and the Christian Louboutins...

How did it get so late so soon?

2009-06-24T01:12:00.004-04:00

"How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?"

- Dr Seuss

Thursday marked my three year anniversary of living in New York. However, I was globe-trotting (or at least Southeastern United States-trotting), so I was not here in the city to mark the occasion. Even more so, though, June has just flown by before my very eyes. My anniversary date, June 18, snuck up on me, just as today, June 24 has...and next week is 4th of July! In fact, I'm not sure where the summer is going at all.

How did it get so late so soon?

When I first moved to New York, I thought I would live here for a year, maybe two. Now I am five days in to year four. Age 23 has become 24 has become 25 has become 26 has become I-will-be-26-and-a-half-on-Saturday, so I have to ask,

How did it get so late so soon?

My time in this city is slipping through my fingers like grains of sand. One minute it's summer, the next it's fall, and before you know it, it's summer again. The first game of the season turns into last game of the season. The lease gets renewed. "I'm new" is no longer a relevant excuse for not knowing where the mail room is at work.

How did it get so late so soon?

I think it all comes down to the fact that there's just something about being on the downhill part of the journey that is New York, and with every day that passes, I get closer and closer to just somersaulting down that hill head first. My whole life I've dreamed of living in New York, since the day I stepped foot in this fine city when I was twelve years old. Even when I wasn't sure it would ever happen, I knew deep down that it would.

But now this chapter that I prepared for for so long is starting to draw to a close. This thing that I have worked for for so long - dreamed of, sweat for, cried over - is wrapping up. On the dawn of year four, I can see the faint light at the end of the tunnel as my train barrels through. And so I wonder,

How did it get so late so soon?

Because, my goodness, how the time has flewn...

Blame it on the rain

2009-06-23T12:23:00.005-04:00

"I don’t think talking about the weather is a particularly exciting topic of conversation, but holy hades, it has been raining forever. New York City has up and turned itself into Seattle. I’ve practically forgotten what the sun looks like. I think it’s yellow, but I can’t be sure. All this grey weather has turned me into an emo kid. I recently dyed my hair black, cut myself some severe angled bangs, and took self photos in sepia to post to my Myspace account."

- 2 birds, 1 blog

You belong with me

2009-06-23T09:29:00.005-04:00

My favorite Bachelors are dropping like flies, while the total creepsters and guys who may actually still be in high school hold steady. Jillian, my dear, what. are. you. thinking?!

Fortunately, the two winners of my highly scientific poll, Kiptyn and Reid, are going strong.

Kiptyn is by far the best choice for Jillian. He's adorable, they have great chemistry, and they seem to actually have some things in common. Jesse is the dark horse who has popped up since the creation of my poll. For some reason, he is just not my cup of tea, but my roommates and friends like him so I guess that's good. And Reid. Oh Reid, with your over-analyzing and glasses/no glasses debating. You are SO my type, and you belong with me.

I'm still mourning Jake's departure, but the saving grace is that he's just too good for Jilli anyway. And Wes. Wes, Wes, Wes. There are no words for your skeeziness. You belong with Daisy of Love.

iPhone 3.0

2009-06-22T15:24:00.003-04:00

The new iPhone has a lot of cool features, some of which even work on my approaching-ancient original non-3G, really non-3GS version. Seriously... who would have thought that a copy and paste functionality would be so cutting edge?

But alas, it is. So we have cut and paste. And search. And landscape keyboard in mail. But I'd like to focus on the new little app that popped up on my home screen: voice memos.

Voice memos are essentially a way to record audio on the iPhone. The app is super easy to use, and it's also incredibly easy to share the audio file via email. Apparently text messaging the voice memo is on its way, allowing you to send someone a voicemail via SMS.

I just KNOW that voice memos have a million cool, useful, and/or hilarious things you can do with them...but I'm kind of at a loss for what exactly those are. So far I have the following list:

Record a baby talking his/her first words and email to long-distance aunt
Record a grocery list so you don't have to type a memo with fat fingers
Record a funny message for a friend that they can listen to on their iPod
Record an idea for a new song you want to write while riding on the subway

But I am neither an aunt nor a cook nor a comedienne nor a songwriter, so these are kinda lame ideas. What else can I do with the voice memo iPhone feature?!

A New York weekend

2009-06-16T15:23:00.007-04:00

This weekend was a fabulous New York weekend. (Which is really the best kind of weekend of all, don't you think?)

On Friday night, my friend Bradley coordinated a group outing to the rooftop on the Met. I had never been up there before, but I have been missing out! It was one of the most beautiful views of the city I've seen... the weather was perfect... the sunset, majestic. It was quite magical to be laughing with friends, enjoying the views of the city and Central Park, and walking through the museum both on our way in and out. New York, you never cease to charm me.

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, I ventured down to Madison Square Park for the Big Apple BBQ. This weekend is one of my favorites in the entire year! There's something irresistable about bluegrass music, tent after tent of the country's best barbecue, and loads of Southerners descending upon the park for one weekend. I caught up with rooomates, friends from UGA (including the social BBQ hostess extraordinaire Mai-Lise), coworkers, church friends and more. The one thing we all had in common? We're from the South. And were missing the sweet tea. New York, you feel more like home every day.

Saturday night, I went with my friend Cal and his friends on a sunset cruise around Manhattan. One of Cal's friends is leaving the city, and I can't think of a more perfect way to say goodbye to the Big Apple. We departed from a marina at 23rd St and FDR, sailed under the Brooklyn Bridge, by the Statue of Liberty, and up the Hudson. It was really so fun to be out on the water, looking at Manhattan from the outside in, dancing to "I'm on a Boat" (over... and over... and over again). New York, your skyline will always be my favorite sight in the whole world.

Photos courtesy of Steven Samuels' amazing iPhone

Quote of the Day

2009-06-16T11:44:00.001-04:00

“Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering.”

Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

Gonna show this town how to kiss these stars

2009-06-15T11:27:00.006-04:00

My friend Elizabeth posed the question, my friend Regina paid it forward, so, since you asked...

me, lately:

- also listening to Kings of Leon's "Only by the Night" album on repeat

- hopeful

- alternating between a feeling of totally freaking out (in a scared way) and totally freaking out (in an excited way)

- seeing a morning movie almost every weekend

- bored with Facebook, also loving Twitter

- getting iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts everyday, even if I'm running half an hour late to work

- the realization that makeup isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially in 100% humidity

- missing my grandparents a whole lot

- wrestling with performance-based salvation, the abuse of grace, and where the middle ground actually lies

- attempting to resist the urge to buy every sundress that I pass in every store window. (kind of succeeding. mostly failing.)

- obsessed with the Bachelorette

- trying to figure out how it's possible that I could still love this city even more than I did the day before while simultaneously plotting my exodus

you, lately?

Who needs avenues
Who needs reservoirs
Gonna show this town
How to kiss these stars

- Kings of Leon, "Manhattan"

Quote of the Day

2009-06-15T11:09:00.001-04:00

“Be pretty if you can, be witty if you must, but be gracious if it kills you.”

Elsie de Wolfe

The Hard

2009-06-14T19:10:00.001-04:00

Jimmy Dugan: Dottie, if you want to go back to Oregon and make a hundred babies, great, I'm in no position to tell anyone how to live. But sneaking out like this, quitting, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Baseball is what gets inside you. It's what lights you up, you can't deny that.

Dottie Hinson: It just got too hard.

Jimmy Dugan: It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great.

- A League of Their Own

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

The hard.

The hard is, well, hard. It's tough. It challenges you. It's scary. The hard makes you cry. The hard steals your joy. The hard wears you down.

Work is hard. Waking up early every day is hard. Being stuck inside on a beautiful day is hard. Not getting a promotion you deserved is hard. Losing your job is harder.

Relationships are hard. Doing life with other people is hard. Relationships are messy, and making something neat out of the mess is hard. Fights are hard. Misunderstandings are hard. Forgiveness is hard.

Faith is hard. It doesn't always make sense, and being confused is hard. Trusting is hard. Believing in something that you cannot see is hard. Hoping for light in the midst of darkness? That's hard too.

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

Coldplay sings, "Nobody said it was easy / No one ever said it would be this hard." But I'll have to disagree with you on that, Chris Martin. Jimmy Dugan says it's hard. I say it's hard. And most importantly, God says it's hard. We can choose to believe that it's supposed to be easy, but truth be told? It's supposed to be hard.

But the hard is what makes it great. Without the hard, as Jimmy Dugan says, everyone would do it. The most rewarding things in life, without fail, only come with the hard. The hard work gives meaning to the end result. The hard times lead to the happiest ones. The hard decisions reap the greatest rewards. The hard sacrifices teach us the most about our priorities. The hard obedience exponentially grows our faith. The hard leap takes us to a landing place we've only dreamed of. The hard goodbye leads to the most blessed hello. The hard "I'm sorry" yields an invaluable "I forgive you."

In all of these hard times, we're tempted to quit, because quitting? It's easy. Life, though? It's hard.

But it's supposed to be hard. That's just the way it works. We live in a crazy, sinful, messed up world, and, as beautiful and wonderful as it is, it's guaranteed to be hard. We can have hope, though, that in the end, the hard - the blood, sweat and tears, the trials and tribulations - the hard...is what makes it great.

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

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

- John 16:33

(dinner and dancing and eternity to follow)

2009-06-12T12:09:00.003-04:00

Because one of my best friends is getting married soon, I am extra tuned into all things wedding. As such, I have recently come across two UNBELIEVABLE wedding invitations. Seriously, I don't know who these smashing creative couples are, but I would like to be friends with them.

First up, an invitation that I read about on Design Sponge, one of my new favorite blogs that roommate Hannah turned me on to.

(View a crisper, bigger version here.)

Next, a video invite that my friend Kristen shared. Bonus points for the Vampire Weekend soundtrack!

Bachelor Poll

2009-06-11T11:27:00.004-04:00

I would like to call everyone's attention to the very important poll that I have added to the blog: Who is your favorite bachelor?

This is clearly an earth-shattering piece of research, so I hope all of you, including those of you on Google Reader, will weigh in. Your choices are Reid, Jake, Kiptyn and Ed. If your favorite is not one of these four, then comment here and validate your crazy.

As of press time, there are eight votes. However, in the spirit of full disclosure, you should know that three of them are me voting for Jake, Kiptyn and Reid, because I can't decide who is my favorite. So now you know. Yes, my name is Jamie, and I am running my own click farm.

But! I promise not to vote again...so let me know YOUR thoughts on who Jillian should choose!

Blog Design Giveaway

2009-06-10T11:17:00.002-04:00

My fabulous blog designer, Sharon of Redbud Designs, is doing a free blog design givewaway right now. She is AMAZING, and I highly recommend her services to anyone who wants to spruce up their site!

In fact, Sharon has also designed several of my friends' blogs already...

Jessica

April

Amy

How cute are they all?!

So, blog friends, get over to the newly redesigned Redbud site and enter to win!

Zack Attack

2009-06-09T12:47:00.002-04:00

This is the happiest 9 minutes and 31 seconds of my life:

Video of the Day

2009-06-08T16:01:00.002-04:00

I'm late to the game on this one, seeing as it already has 1.4mm views on YouTube. Nevertheless, enjoy what happens when a pianist and a cellist come together and mix Taylor Swift's "Love Story" and Coldplay's "Viva la Vida."

Magical.

Sails up

2009-06-08T10:39:00.003-04:00

Christianity Today has a great profile of Tim Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian here in Manhattan. It's a must-read, particularly for New Yorkers.

How Tim Keller Found Manhattan
by Tim Stafford

The city has changed in a way unimaginable to an older generation, who knew it as a good place to get mugged. Nowadays, Manhattan's crowded streets feel safe and exciting day and night, and New York is a magnet for young people. Crouch says the renewal of cities—not just New York, but cities all over America—is one of the most interesting phenomena of his lifetime. "Where is the cause and effect in this? To what extent has Redeemer been pushed along by the tailwind of demographic change? Probably a lot. At the same time, you have to have a sail. Tim came to New York and put his sails up."

My prayer for today: Lord, as I continue down this path in New York City, unsure of why you have me here, what I'm supposed to be doing, or what's coming down the pike, remind me to keep my sails up!

Summer shopping

2009-06-07T22:17:00.013-04:00

I'm loving this Gap dress ($29.50 this weekend!):

I bought it in two colors, black and the green above. I will probably wear it all summer long, with a tank top underneath while running errands, over my bathing suit to the beach, and with heels and big gold earrings on Saturday night. So versatile!

I am also excited about these yellow peep toe wedges I bought at Payless for $12.99. Maybe I'll wear them with the Gap dress.

Next up? I am incredibly brand loyal to Clinique's Tenderheart lipstick, a "midtone blushing nude brown." However, this summer, I decided I needed to punch up the color a bit. Enter Clinique's Golden Brandy lipstick, a "golden orange with gold pearl." $14.

p.s. How do you get the job where you describe lipstick shades? Because writing phrases like "golden orange with gold pearl" is a job I'd like to have.

And finally, I used to carry a monstrosity of a wallet...bulging in my bag, full of change, a checkbook, dozens of gift cards, credit cards, old student IDs, etc etc. Recently, though, I traded in the 3 lb wallet for a J Crew magic wallet, and it has kind of changed my life. Cash, Metro card, debit/credit cards, and a driver's license. Turns out that's all you actually need.

I need a new one, though - mine is so dirty it doesn't even look like the same pattern that I bought. I'm deciding between these two:

J Crew doesn't currently sell magic wallets in the store, so either head to your nearest outlet or check out eBay, where the above choices are $22.22.

A reminder

2009-06-05T09:51:00.002-04:00

This morning, it was pouring rain. My feet and the bottom of my jeans were soaked within one block out the door. I was tired.

I needed to mail some NetFlix movies in. It was kind of awkward rifling through my bag for them, umbrella in hand, all while I walked down the sidewalk approaching the mailbox.

(Because my building, like most New York apartment buildings, does not have a slot for outgoing mail. Neat, right?)

I finally got the NetFlix DVDs out, got my umbrella situated again, and walked toward the mailbox. As I stood there in the rain, I couldn't figure out how to open the slot...not because I'm an idiot, but because I had no free hands and the handle was kind of stuck.

But then, a man walked up to the mailbox to mail something. Not just something, though. A NetFlix DVD. He looked at me and smiled and said, "Looks like we're doing the same thing." And then he opened the slot for me and let me drop my movies in first. He followed, we smiled at each other again, and we went on our merry way.

__________________________

I think sometimes, God just likes to remind us that we're not alone.

Quote of the Day

2009-06-03T23:20:00.002-04:00

“If a June night could talk, it would probably boast that it invented romance.”

Bern Williams

The Weekend: A Postmortem

2009-06-01T23:15:00.009-04:00

Part I
In which I met Taylor Swift

On Friday, Lauren, Bethany and I attended a Rolling Stone luncheon with Taylor Swift. The job perks are few and far between these days, so this was an extra special treat! We have been to a nice handful of these luncheons over the years (Sheryl Crow, Adam Duritz, Wolf Blitzer, Milo Ventimilgia, Jennifer Hudson, and more), but we were all exceptionally excited about Taylor.

I must say - she was one of the nicest, most down-to-earth people I have ever encountered. Unlike most celebrities at these luncheons who just come in, sit down, and do a pleasant interview, Taylor walked around and shook hands with every single person in the room... and there were at least 75 people there! She even had a lengthy conversation with Lauren about the pitfalls of curly hair in humidity. She was totally delightful, with a contagious personality and an impressive articulateness to match. Loved her!

Part II

In which I was scared by a creepy clown

On Saturday evening, I was down in Little Italy to get my hair cut. (Thanks to the eleven of you who weighed in... I ended up going for a 2-inch trim!) As I left the salon at dusk, I walked right through the most fascinating little street fair/carnival on Mulberry Street.

Now, if you are familiar with the city in the summer, you know the typical street fair that pops up all around - grilled corn, cheap jewelry, bins of socks and sheets, crepes. But this fair was different! Yes, that's right - it had an Adventureland, Coney Island-esque carnival deal going on too. A dunking booth with a heckling clown - ACK! - little games with water guns and balloons, neon lights, and even fried Oreos. It was kitschy and adorable and bizarre and I loved every minute of it. Except for the clown.

Part III

In which I compare a restaurant to Vietnam

"Food & Wine" magazine recently named New York one of the world's best food cities. Within New York, F&W picked a "Hot Food Zone." Where did they pick? Before you assume it's somewhere downtown, think again - that's right, it's the Upper West Side!

One of the hot spots included in the article (and getting lots of buzz all around) is the Fatty Crab, a downtown staple that's opened a second location a few blocks away from where I live. Some friends and I had been dying to try it, but reservations are hard to come by. So, we sucked it up and made plans to go Saturday night at 10pm. Normally, this might not be my style, but it was absolutely worth it.

The Malaysian restaurant had a crazy unique vibe... casual (our waiter was wearing cargo shorts), but still a destination. Big metal fans spinning on the ceiling, retro '90's tunes blaring, beachy cocktails with umbrellas. It reminded us of both South Pacific (the musical) and Vietnam (the country/war), which I suppose makes sense given Malaysia's geographic location. Best of all? It felt like we were eating at a downtown hot spot, but we were right in the middle of our cozy hood. Four stars from me!

Part IV

In which Sacha Baron Cohen made me feel really awkward (but not as awkward as Kristen Stewart did)

Did you watch the MTV Movie Awards? Enough said.

Rapunzel

2009-05-28T14:52:00.009-04:00

I have been growing my hair out for the last year, and it is now at the longest it's been since my freshman year of college. I know for most of you, my hair is quite an average length. But for me, it's just like Rapunzel's.

However, I now have a problem. With summer fast approaching, I am DYING to chop it all off. The long hair is totally annoying, takes forever to dry, and gets in my way. All day long at work, I put it in a ponytail, then braid it, then put it in two braids, then a bun, then back down again. If I'm not careful, I might take the scissors in the mug on my desk and just chop it like a crazy person (a la Drew Barrymore in "Grey Gardens.")

Here is my hair journey.

May 2008:

August 2008:

October 2008:

December 2008:

May 2009:

What do you think?! Should I persevere in growing it out to Blake Lively-esque lengths, or should I just whack it off?

(Also, while we're on the subject, I could always go brunette again...)

December 2007:

(NEVER!)

I got a feeling there's a miracle due

2009-05-27T10:34:00.004-04:00

This Memorial Day weekend, I decided that I needed a stay-cation. I've had a lot going on lately and felt like I had a nice beach trip when I went to Mexico, so a 4-day weekend in the city sounded quite nice.

The weatherman kept threatening rain, but fortunately it was gorgeous the entire time. I slept in most days, went to the Boat Basin twice, saw Star Trek (actually LOVED it!), volunteered at church, got a manicure/pedicure, had a delicious brunch at Good Enough to Eat, planned a picnic in Central Park with friends - frisbee and all, went to see Shrek on Broadway, shopped, read a book, saw improv comedy at UCB Theatre, and had my first Mister Softee of the season. And last night, although not technically part of the Memorial Day weekend, I paid my first visit to the new Citi Field for a Mets game.

All weekend long, I couldn't help but think of how much I love Memorial Day weekend...not so much for what happens during the weekend, but for the feeling of what's to come. The hardest part of the year - the dregs of winter from January to April - is behind you. And the best parts of the year - the fun of summertime, cool, crisp fall and football season, and the holidays - lie in the months ahead.

The anticipation is exciting! I don't know what the time holds, and I have no idea what my life will look like or how it will change... but I'm okay with that. I know that something good is coming, and I can't wait to see what it is. Or, as Tony sings in West Side Story -

Could be! Who knows?
There's something due any day
I will know right away, soon as it shows.
It may come cannonballing down through the sky,
Gleam in its eye, bright as a rose!

Who knows?
It's only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach, under a tree.
I got a feeling there's a miracle due,
Gonna come true, coming to me!

Could it be? Yes, it could.
Something's coming, something good, if I can wait!
Something's coming,
I don't know what it is, but it is gonna be great!

Bliss

2009-05-21T11:05:00.003-04:00

bliss \ˈblis\
noun
1: complete happiness 2: paradise, heaven

Challenge: Write a five-item list of the things that bring you bliss.

When an email reply crosses with a friend's and we are both saying the exact same weird, random or ridiculous thing at the exact same time but don’t realize until we’ve already hit send.
Everything about "You've Got Mail" - Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, the Upper West Side, Christmastime, bouquets of sharpened pencils, "Fight! Fight to the death!"
Strawberry shortcake at Pastis in the summer.
When I'm walking outside in the city, and the weather's just right, and I know that I need the perfect song to be the soundtrack to the moment, so I scroll through my iPod... and I find it.
The sound of the trumpeter playing the Battle Hymn before a Georgia football game.

What's your Bliss List?

On summer

2009-05-20T21:55:00.005-04:00

"Aside from just the seasonal shift, summer brings with it a distinct sense of freedom. We feel that much looser, more open. We have our lunch breaks in the park and sneak out of work early on Fridays if we can swing it. And we figure out some kind of weekend exit strategy, no matter how improvised. When I was living on the ridiculously low salary of a magazine assistant, escape sometimes meant taking the F train to Coney Island on Saturday to ride the Cyclone and have hot dogs at Nathan's. But the best part was sitting on the boardwalk, drinking beer, and looking out over the horizon. The fact that you could get on the New York City subway and wind up on a beach - any beach - was a revelation.

I have gotten myself in much closer proximity to more pristine summer destinations since those days, but there was something about that time - something that came from desperately needing an end-of-week taste of liberty - that was its own version of perfection. Except for the long ride home on the F train."

- Kim France, Editor in Chief of Lucky, June 2009

Happy Friday!

2009-05-15T11:52:00.004-04:00

What I'm loving today: Etsy designer DazeyChic's adorable prints. The "C'est la Vie" illustration is my current desktop backround at work, and I'm thinking of ordering a print or two or three to frame for my apartment!

Have a happier than a bird with a french fry Friday!

Qavah

2009-05-14T09:41:00.001-04:00

"Even youths grow weary, and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not faint."

- Isaiah 40:31, NIV

This verse may or may not be familiar to you. If you grew up in a Christian school with a basketball team, it probably is, as it most likely made its way to the back of a t-shirt at one point or another.

Also, if it is familiar to you, you probably know that the word HOPE is replaced with the word WAIT in the NAS translation, i.e., "those who wait for the Lord." How interesting. "Hope" and "wait" are interchangeable...

This hope/wait word is the Hebrew word QAVAH, and I must say - it is my new favorite Hebrew word. It should be noted, however, that I don't know many others besides Shalom and Mazel Tov.

qavah: to hope, to wait for, to look eagerly, to expect with intensity

Andy Stanley describes it this way -

Qavah is the word used to describe a thief or a robber who is hiding on the side of the road waiting for someone to pass by. It is waiting, but it is eager, leaning forward, anticipatory waiting: "Something's about to happen, and I'm going to be ready. Somebody's about to come, and I am waiting eagerly."

Other commentators compare qavah to children on Christmas morning who are waiting on Mom and Dad to wake up so they can open presents. The children run around, peer out the window, look up the stairs, jump at the slightest noise, knock on the bedroom door, all in eager anticipation of the events to come.

I LOVE these two word pictures... a robber on the side of a road and a child on Christmas morning. This is not passive waiting. This is not leaning back, doing nothing, being ho hum about what may or may not come next. No! This is active! Eager! Anticipatory! Crouched forward, ready to pounce! Full of life!

This is the posture of hope, the posture of qavah. We can't help but notice that hope is intrinsically tied with waiting, and waiting with hope. The hope of the Lord comes from the fact that there is more to this life than we can see, and we are called to patiently wait for the unfathomable things that God has planned for us in the future. We wait patiently for what's ahead because we have hope, and we hope for what's ahead as we wait.

As Isaiah writes, even youths [read: everyone] get weary and fall. You and I both know that this is life - it's hard, it's tiring, it's confusing, it's sad, it's exhausting. But! As we lean forward in hope and wait on the Lord, qavah-ing, our strength will be renewed.

So be encouraged in your weariness, and have hope. Hope that a rescuer is on the way. Hope that something new is just around the bend. Hope that the end is in sight. Hope that good things are coming. Lean into that hope. Get ready. Wait actively.

Because Mom and Dad will be up soon, and there's a bike with a bow on it in the garage.

If I was a Rich Girl

2009-05-13T17:52:00.005-04:00

Whether you admit it or not, everyone is fascinated by the things they can't afford. For some, it's looking at massive houses that are for sale. For others, it's perusing menus of five star restaurants online or watching 'Super Swank' on the Travel Channel. And for most women, it's the mere act of stepping off the elevator on the second floor of Tiffany.

I don't know what men look at - autographed baseballs? huge TVs? watches? - but I do know what I look at: designer shoes. And nothing fills my "I need to Google something frivolous and mindless to help me escape reality" void like a trip to the shoe page of saksfifthavenue.com.

Today, if I was a rich girl (na na na...), I would buy these fabulous shoes - the Christian Louboutin "Carnival d'Orsay" Peep-Toe Pumps.

Some day, as God is my witness, I will own just one pair of red-soled Christian Louboutin shoes, although I'll probably prioritize classic black pumps over the gems above. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill...

OK, OK. I'm getting carried away. Fiddle-dee-dee.

Advertising

2009-05-13T14:56:00.002-04:00

What I learned at jury duty

2009-05-12T20:58:00.003-04:00

Manhattan is New York County, in case you were wondering and/or ever need to craft your own license plate for a getaway car.

There is a land that exists below Chinatown and the Lower East Side, to the east of Tribeca and above the Financial district. I don't know what this land is called. No man's land, it is. Have you ever been there? I'm guessing not, unless you've served jury duty.

Even government employees refer to the courthouse as, "You know, the building with the steps in Law & Order."

I, on the other hand, refer to it as the site of Carrie and Berger's "Hollywood kiss." I also looked vigilantly for someone eating a coconut. And then I realized I was treating Sex and the City as real life, and I stopped.

The courthouse has wireless Internet. Should you ever get called to serve, get thee a laptop, or you might shrivel up and die of boredom. Shriveled, raisin-like boredom.

Overheard in my jury selection panel: [potential juror] "At Yale, most of our crime is related to aggressive panhandling." [attorney] "There's crime in New Haven?"

Annnnnd this: [different potential juror] "I work as a music promoter." [the other attorney]: "So you know Ryan Seacrest?" That's why the lawyers make the big bucks, folks.

If you want to promptly cross your own name off the potential juror list, follow the lead of a guy in my group who interrupted someone to say, "I think most lawsuits are excessive and that it's ridiculous that anyone can just come down to the courthouse and sue the phone company and that major tort reform needs to happen because the majority of lawsuits are frivolous! And my girlfriend is a prosecutor and my best friend is a DA." Done and done.

You might get lucky and make a new friend. Take, for example, the pair that sat next to me the entire day yesterday. They chatted it UP, and I now know that nameless girl is a 27-year old attorney who lives on the Upper West Side. She would love to be an animal rights activist, because she really loves her three cats. (But she's not a crazy cat lady: she first had one, then got another so it would have a friend, and then last month she walked by an animal rescue center who was about to put a cat to sleep so she saved it.) Then there's the nameless gentleman she was chatting with who is the director of a drug/alcohol counseling program in the city. He lives on the Upper West Side with his wife (recently married, she had one child but it's his first) and their dog, Kona, whose picture he carries in his wallet because, after all, Kona is basically his child. And to top it all off, given the nice fellow's profession, nameless girl shared her life story about her ex-boyfriend who was a loser and drank too much and said he only had one beer but then had eight. She was trying to figure out the psychological reasons why she stayed with him so long, but the drug/alcohol counselor did not have any set answers. Fortunately for all parties involved, though, girl has a blind date tonight... which is convenient, because that's how the fellow met his current wife.

And that's what I learned at jury duty.

Quote of the Day

2009-05-07T09:22:00.000-04:00

“If you have five minutes free in New York, you’re a failure. If you have five minutes free in Paris, you’re a success.”

- Marc Jacobs, to NY Mag

Julie & Julia!

2009-05-06T14:55:00.002-04:00

My roommate Emily shared this trailer with me today... "Julie & Julia!" I AM SO EXCITED!

... and here's why:

It's just happy.
"What is the thing you really like to do?" "EAT!" "And you're SO good at it!"
Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci (reunited from "The Devil Wears Prada!") and Amy Adams (who continues to grow on me with every movie she makes, by the way).
It's set in New York City.
"Showtime bought my blog for a miniseries."
Written and directed by Nora Ephron, the creator of my two favorite movies of all time, "When Harry Met Sally" and "You've Got Mail." (And a fellow purse-hater.)
"You should have seen the way those men looked at me... but then they discovered I was fearless."
It actually makes me want to cook...
... even though the sight of Amy Adams laying on the kitchen floor crying is how I feel every time I try.
The movie is a true story that chronicles an adorable New York City girl who writes a blog that turns into a book that is made into a movie by Nora Ephron that changes her life. In other words, MY DREAM.

Summer Sauciness

2009-05-05T16:22:00.009-04:00

Know what I'm loving most about the recent episodes of "Dancing with the Stars" and "American Idol"?

The previews for "The Bachelorette" with Jillian and "So You Think You Can Dance!" Wahooo!

I think that summer TV totally rivals the traditionally more popular fall/spring TV season. If it's on in the summertime, you're guaranteed that it's pure candy for the eyes and ears - no deep thoughts, just light-hearted (sometimes saucy) fun!

So, for your reference, I've put together a simple guide to what I'm most looking forward to watching this summer...

"The Fashion Show." Premieres on Bravo on May 7. Project Run-what?

"The Real Housewives of New Jersey." Premieres on Bravo on May 12. "The hair is big, but the drama is bigger." Thanks, Bravo.

"The Bachelorette." Premieres on ABC on May 18. Five bucks that at least one guy tells Jillian how he likes his hot dog upon stepping out of the limo.

"So You Think You Can Dance." Premieres on FOX on May 21. Not excited, though, about Mary's hot tamale train...woo WOO!

"Southern Belles: Louisville." Premieres on SoapNet on May 21. How can you not watch a show that touts itself as "a real-life "Sex and the City" that takes place in the South, but not the South that stereotypes are made of"?!"

"Entourage." Premieres on HBO on June 28. This falls in the "guilty pleasure" category, along with Chunky Monkey ice cream and Chuck Bass.

"Project Runway." Premieres on Lifetime on August 20. In case that whole Fashion Show thing doesn't work out.

"Mad Men." Premieres on AMC in August. My job is nothing like this show. Just FYI.

Get excited for some sass, train wrecks, laughs, crazy accents, fabulous outfits, ridiculous outfits, tears, crazy twists, and more. These shows are guaranteed to bring the spice to your summer!

What about you? Any shows that you're excited about that I absolutely must watch?

A blonde, a brunette and a redhead

2009-05-04T23:04:00.007-04:00

A lovely Saturday afternoon and evening with the roommates...

On a Hudson River Pier

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que!

At the terrace party

Get a Clue

2009-05-03T21:47:00.004-04:00

I am a procrastinator and am always late. Combine these two TERRIBLE characteristics, and the result is me sending my dear friend Jessica her birthday card and gift well over a month after the actual day. Grrrrr!

Despite my tardiness, though, I was super excited to give Jess her gift. It was somewhat intangible, though, so I had to put my creative thinking cap on. I decided to take her on a virtual scavenger hunt from New York to Atlanta. Can you guess the gift based on the clues??

In the birthday card: "Hint #1: It has to do with your visit to New York." (Intentionally broad... it's only the first clue!)
Via Twitter: "@jessica_holt Welcome to the virtual birthday scavenger hunt! Hint #2: Hudson River, Lincoln Center, Strawberry Fields..." (Jessica's first guess: "@jamieleanne are we going to the ballet after a day cruise on the river with the ghost of john lennon?" Clever, right?! But alas, she was incorrect.)
On my blog Friday, clue #3 - a picture of Julie Andrews in Sound of Music. (Jessica guessed that we were going to see "Sound of Music." Makes sense, but wrong again!)
And finally, yesterday I posted a homemade video on Jessica's Facebook wall... imagine this little gem with shark fin motion across the screen and me humming the "Jaws" theme in the background.

Jess guessed correctly after the fourth clue... can you? I'll help you a bit more:

What's one of the most famous things to do in New York?
In what area of town are each of these locations?
What is Julie Andrews' character's name in "Sound of Music?"
What animal is in the video?

That's right... 2. The West Side 3. Maria 4. Shark... you've got it now! We're going to see West Side Story on Broadway on Saturday! We've both been dying to see it ever since that amazing performance of "America" on "Dancing with the Stars," and I know it will be fantastic!

p.s. T-minus 3 days til both Jess AND Jen arrive in the city for a fun-filled long weekend! I cannot wait to see two of my favorite friends!!

You're Invited

2009-05-01T17:12:00.012-04:00

I have always wanted to have a Kentucky Derby party. I have no idea why, as I don't think I've ever actually watched the race. Nor do I follow horse racing. Nor have I ever stepped foot in the state of Kentucky. But I did see Seabiscuit... so there's that.

Nevertheless, I would very much like to host a Derby party. I even tried to plan one last year to no avail... apparently people would rather go to Rio Grande and celebrate Cinco de Mayo than watch a two-minute horse race (even if it is "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports").

This year is no exception. So, Internet friends, welcome to my virtual blog Kentucky Derby Party. Please don't show up at my apartment during the Derby tomorrow, as I will not be there. But in my book, blog comments are a form of partying - should you agree, feel free to go to town.

First up, suggested attire:

Girls: Lilly Pulitzer dress

Boys: Brooks Brothers seersucker pants

Next, and in my opinion, most importantly, HATS. Here are some of my favorites I've seen (and by seen, I mean "saw on Google Image):

And..then there's this one:

Then there's the invitation design. I like this one from NBC's Kentucky Derby Party site:

Next, at my party, we would have a fun pool to guess who will win. According to Sporting News, "Pioneerof the Nile" is a good pick. Works for me. Meet Pioneerof!

And finally, what's a virtual Kentucky Derby party without a mint julep, photo and recipe courtesy of Southern Living:

Classic Mint Julep

Leftover simple syrup keeps refrigerated about one week and perfectly sweetens iced tea.

3 fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon Mint Simple Syrup
Crushed ice
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) bourbon
1 (4-inch) cocktail straw or coffee stirrer
1 fresh mint sprig
Powdered sugar (optional)

Place mint leaves and Mint Simple Syrup in a chilled julep cup. Gently press leaves against cup with back of spoon to release flavors. Pack cup tightly with crushed ice; pour bourbon over ice. Insert straw, place mint sprig directly next to straw, and serve immediately. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Bourbon.

Yield: Makes 1 (8-ounce) julep

Southern Living, MAY 2003

Happy Derbying, y'all!

Clue #3

2009-05-01T09:49:00.003-04:00

Jessica -

Video of the day, take 2

2009-04-28T15:10:00.004-04:00

Someone (I can only assume Coke) deleted the adorable John Krasinski Coke Rewards video I posted yesterday. People! If you have Internet users who are embedding your commercial on their blogs, it's in your best interest to leave it be. Free media impressions!

Because I'm sad, here's another video... a Tuesday afternoon smile, if you will. Bonus in this one: you get Ellen and Rainn Wilson. Oh, and a DANCE-OFF.

Video of the day

2009-04-27T10:02:00.003-04:00

A Monday morning smile for you...is he not just THE cutest?!

* Dedicated, as always, to my friend Lauren Spina

A million lifetimes

2009-04-24T13:37:00.001-04:00

Do you ever feel like you need a million lifetimes to do everything you want to do?

I want to be a writer. I want to write a magazine column for New York and a newspaper column for the Times. I want to write a novel. And a non-fiction book about living in New York. And perhaps a screenplay.

But I also want to continue to work in advertising. I love working at ad agencies! Maybe I could move to Seattle and work on the Starbucks account. Or I could work in marketing for NBC? Or for the Food Network! Oh and I've been thinking about advertising sales...

But I've always wanted to own a coffee shop. Or a bed and breakfast. Or a tea room. Or a gift shop. Maybe a tea room with a gift shop? Or cupcakes! I'll run a cupcake bakery. Or maybe just a cute cafe that makes chicken salad sandwiches and sweet tea.

Ahhh sweet tea. I want to live in the South again. I love Atlanta. There are the cute houses with front porches in the Highlands...or those amazing lofts in West Atlanta! Oh but I've always wanted to live in Nashville. And there's Athens, the Promised Land! I could definitely live in a house off campus and go to every home football game in the fall and stroll downtown in the spring. I'll have a white picket fence, a husband, three kids and a golden retriever.

And I could be a professor. That's it! I'll get my MBA...at Wharton? Or Vanderbilt? Or NYU? Or Georgia State? And then I'll get my doctorate and teach marketing courses at my alma mater. Or I could do student affairs. Or work in admissions. Or development?

Too many choices. Maybe I'll just stay in New York. I'm finally living in my favorite neighborhood, the Upper West Side. But I have always wanted to live in the East Village. And the West Village. And maybe right off Gramercy Park, just once? And I want a roof deck with Chinese lantern lights! And exposed brick! And a working fireplace!

And I'll frequent JFK. I'll return to the places I love...to Southern California. To Boston. To London. To Paris and Cinque Terre. And I'll travel to the places I've never been, Austin and Portland and Las Vegas and Hawaii. Barcelona and Prague and Budapest and Greece. Thailand and Bora Bora and Australia.

Or maybe I'll go indefinitely and be a waitress at a European cafe. Maybe I'll be a bartender at a beach in the sand. Maybe I'll run a bakery in the South of France and sell chocolat. Maybe I'll move to Italy and learn Italian, or Spain and perfect my Spanish.

Maybe.

I don't know how it all fits together, or if it's even possible to see it all, to be it all, to experience it all, to do it all, to have it all. Actually, I'm certain it's not.

Which is exactly why I need a million lifetimes to do everything I want to do.

On writing

2009-04-22T23:33:00.002-04:00

“You have no idea what you will do with these bits and pieces. All you know is that you want to capture what you see with words, you want to preserve moments and then turn them upside down to see what truth lies beneath.”

- Dan Barry

The sword of the Spirit

2009-04-22T11:14:00.003-04:00

Last night, I was lying in bed and couldn't sleep. My mind was racing and going ten different directions. I'm not really one to worry about things, but at 1am, everything seems bigger and more overwhelming and more upsetting and scarier. In a matter of minutes I went from regular old tossing and turning to anxiety and tears. I could not have been further from sleep as I mentally played through leases and moving and roommates and my job and money and relationships and friendships and faith and beyond.

And then God spoke to me. I prayed aloud,

"Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."

And then I fell asleep.

"Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God...Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

* Lamentations 3:21-23 and Ephesians 6:10-13, 17