Love these California winters

Nothing beats this sunset

My past few days

have consisted of this:







and lots of this:

For those who wonder why

I don't eat meat. I try not to be pretentious about it, or preachy or ungracious. I love food and am very lucky to have an abundance of it but last June I decided things needed to change. Here's why:

Jonathan Safran Foer, from Eating Animals

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/magazine/11foer-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

and


The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

You're invited...

To Kids Helping Kids 2010 featuring Five for Fighting!




My Econ classmates and I have transformed into junior entrepreneur/nonprofit managers slash child laborers these past few weeks in preparation for this amazing event. My brain is full to bursting with business names, advertising possibilities, event information, ideas and more ideas and aggregate demand and supply, GDP and other macro goodies. I am the Technical Writer, which is so fun because I get to use something that I like and am good at to help out the team, although I will say it's not quite as glamorous as the big-titles of some of my peers. However, I have been learning so much from this experience, all invaluable things that I am so thankful to know, and it has further affirmed what I already knew: that I love helping people.

So, here's the skinny on the event:
When: Friday, January 8, 2010. Doors open at 6 pm
Where: The beautifully renovated Granada Theater in downtown Santa Barbara
What: Live and Silent Auctions, Vespa Raffle and musical performance by Five for Fighting
Who: Everyone interested in hearing great music, bidding on fantastic items, eating good food and helping out an amazing cause, the Santa Barbara Unity Shoppe

If anyone is interested in donating we would be more than appreciative of whatever you can offer! I still have to sell Vespa Raffle tickets (only $1!) and auction items :)
For more info go to www.studentswithpurpose.com

Bike speed

"Bike Speed" is the term I just made up and coined for the pace of life I would like to lead.
Quick background: I love biking. It is one of the many simple joys in life that truly makes me happy. This is ma bike:

"Turbo," I call it, you can imagine why.
I got my bike for my birthday this year, and it indeed it was the best present a girl could ask for. I had been looking for a road bike since February 2009 and when, 6 months later, I found this gem on Craigslist in San Luis I decided to make it a road trip and go up and get it. It was a very serendipitous moment, when Turbo and I first locked eyes...and I knew my life would be changed forever. It didn't hurt that the lovely boy selling it (Brandon, 5th year Graphic Design/Communications major at Cal Poly, tall dark and handsome...and probs married but that's a minor technicality)was probably my soul-mate. And the rest is history.

But back to "bike speed." Why I love biking: everything, all the sights, sounds, smells and interactions are magnified by the wind in your face and the numbness of your cheeks and hands. Everything is fleeting and thus everything is beautiful; there is no time to read into the pain of the leaves crunching beneath the tires or mourn the sight of the gray-orange clouds blanketing the setting sun. This ephemeral beauty dances in front of my eyes and across my heart, makes me catch my breath, and then I pedal faster and it's all gone.

I know this is not quite rational thinking, but I delight in the whatever satisfaction I get. There are substantial and long lasting things that I delight in as well, but in this moment I am happy.

Fellowship

When I was a sophomore at San Marcos, a club was started at school called Fellowship. Since it's start it has evolved into such an amazing part of my life as a student, it is an ever-welcome spiritual respite every Monday and Friday.
This year however, responsibility for the club has been passed down to myself and four other Christians at San Marcos and it has taken on a whole new role in my life. I hate to say it but it has become just like all of my other obligations, just another thing on my too-full plate. I groan when I think of having to plan out the two meetings a week, when I think of feigning composure in front of an ever-dwindling group of believers, of the people I may be letting down if I don't deliver a powerful message.
In admitting and recognizing this, I now realize how much I need a perspective change for the Fellowship. How many Christians in a public high school have a place where they can meet and worship twice a week, fellowship and learn with each other? I would be learning, if I weren't so thick-headed, of what an honor it is to be an example to fellow believers and non-believers..that I have the potential to be someone's impression of this joyful enigma that is our faith...how have I overlooked this?
So, as I write this I have no plan for Fellowship tomorrow. I am not planning out a message or writing down a plan. I am giving up my anxieties and my micro-managing tendencies to God with faith that only He knows what needs to be said tomorrow.

Pray that I don't loose sight of the hope and encouragement which this season of Advent brings. Our God is so good and I am trying to live as though He truly were coming this December 24: with intention, compassion, and anticipation for the promises He will fulfill.

Lactose intollie

This makes me laugh a lot:

Today I...

Was on T.V. (Unity Telethon!), was drenched in the rain, worked out, finished Econ homework, thought about finishing college apps, and watched SNL clips!

I would say I've been pretty productive today.
In store for later: more SNL and potensh baking :)
I love rainy Saturdays

Busy!

What a busy season of life! I hesitate to say that because as soon as I admit it, I can't avoid that truth that it holds. But instead of focusing on the things that have me stressed out, I've decided to list things that I am grateful for that distract me from my anxieties.
1. Working out- I just read somewhere that in a poll, 80% of people said that if a magic pill could keep them thin, they would still exercise to feel healthy. I would have to agree.
2. Reading- I've been reading Love in the Time of Cholera for the past two months now and I'm determined to finish it soon! But I'm loving it nonetheless, it offers such a welcome respite in my day.
3. Verses to think about throughout the day (or week/month/etc.)- I've been trying to read Romans this month and there is just so much hope in Paul's writing, I love it.
4. Belly laughs- For small group we went caroling with some of the other senior girls and I always forget how much fun I have with them. Thank goodness retirement home residents don't care if we're terrible singers.
5. Daydreaming-

J.Crew


Love letters


Oh how I love lights this time of year!

Oh! (By the way)

I thought I'd post the inspiration for my blog title, "Pioneers! O Pioneers!", a poem by the great Walt Whitman, but it is rather long and I didn't want to confine it to this post so I'm just going to put up a link for those who are interested.

http://www.princeton.edu/~batke/logr/log_094.html

Recently it has also been used in a Levi's commercial which I'm quite fond of, so I'll post that instead (although it doesn't do it justice).

Rain

I've been contemplating starting a blog for the past few months now so I've finally decided to take the plunge! I'm hoping this is an avenue for me to "find my voice" as a writer and commit to self-reflection. Here's hoping I let my thoughts and emotions catch up with me :)

A few things I'm excited about at the moment:
1. CD's from the library- like having a generous friend with a very expansive music collection. Who knew? I plan to fully take advantage of this from now on. (Currently: Duffy [love!], Andrew Bird [love!], Clap Your Hands Say Yeah [eh.], and Neko Case [undecided])
2. A good weekend coming to a close- a birthday celebration at Via Vai, a lovely work-out followed by library run, Space, friends, and spending basically all day at church today. Not too shabby.
3. Rain storm- I love the sky before big rain. Nothing compares to the smell, the static in the air, the gray undertones of everything, and of course the rain itself!
4. Lights- Christmas lights are one of the best parts of this season.
5. Fun events next week- Royals Got Talent Tuesday night, Caroling with small group Wednesday night, Kid's Club Thursday night, busy busy!

And with that I say goodnight