Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Oh Uncle C


In case you were unaware, my Uncle Chauncey will be STAYING in D-Town... Like it was ever an OPTION to leave :)

Here is one of the more recent articles:

"This is our captain, our point guard and our leader," Dumars said. "Making this happen was a no-brainer."

Billups had said all season that he hoped to stay in Detroit, and he acknowledged Monday that he might have hurt his own bargaining power in the process.

"A lot of teams probably didn't even bother, because they knew my heart was in Detroit," he said. "This is where my family wants to be, because this is where we've made our home."

While Billups did say there were "plenty" of teams that were making offers, he never took them seriously.

"I told my agent that Detroit got the first chance to sign me, and they also got the second, third and fourth chances," he said.


The rest is here.

UofM vs. Fighting Irish


Michigan and Notre Dame will be knocking helmets on the football field for another two decades. The two storied programs agreed to a 20-year contract extension Monday that will have them playing annually through 2031.

The schools are 1-2 in wins and winning percentage in college football. Michigan is 860-282-36 with a .745 winning percentage, while Notre Dame is 821-269-42 with a .744 winning percentage. Michigan leads the all-time series 19-14-1. The Fighting Irish and Wolverines played which only twice from 1909-77, but their early season meeting has become a staple of the college football season over the last two decades.


Here's the scoop.

Police Response


Joke -
One night last week I was going to bed when my wife pointed out that I'd stupidly left the light on in the garden shed. As I looked out of the window I noticed that there were several people in the shed, stealing our belongings. I immediately phoned the police who told me that there was nobody in that vicinity and that they'd send somebody over as soon as they were available.
I said “Fine” then hung up. A minute later I rang back and said "Hi, I just called a minute ago regarding a burglary taking place in my shed. Well, I thought I'd let you know that there is no need to worry because I've just shot them all."

Three minutes later a dozen police vehicles and armed response personnel were on my premises and naturally they caught the burglars red-handed. One of the officers said - "Hey, I thought you said you'd shot them all?"

I responded - "I thought you said nobody was available."

Grunion Run


So Ryan and I might try this GRUNION RUN thing out!! I think it would be really cool to see... What am I talking about you ask? Check it out:

Grunion leave the water at night to spawn on the beach in the spring and summer months for four consecutive nights starting the nights of the full and new moons. Spawning begins after high tide and continues for several hours. As a wave breaks on the beach, grunion swim as far up the slope as possible. The female arches her body and excavates the semifluid sand with her tail to create a nest. She twists her body and digs until she is half buried in the sand with her head sticking up. She then deposits her eggs in the nest. Males curve around the female and release milt. The milt flows down the female’s body until it reaches and fertilizes the eggs. As many as eight males may fertilize the eggs in a nest. After spawning, the males immediately retreat toward the water while the female twists free and returns with the next wave. While spawning may take only 30 seconds, some fish remain stranded on the beach for several minutes.

Spawning occurs from March through August, and occasionally in February and September. Peak spawning is late March to early June. Mature individuals may spawn during successive runs at about 15-day intervals. Females can spawn up to six times each season. Females lay between 1,600 and 3,600 eggs during one spawn, with larger females producing more eggs.

The eggs are deposited during the highest tides of the month and incubate in the sand during the lower tide levels, safe from the disturbance of wave action. The eggs are kept moist by residual water in the sand. The eggs hatch during the next high tide series when they are inundated with sea water and agitated by rising surf. This occurs after about 10 days.



I know, it sounds weird, right?! THAT'S WHY I WANT TO CHECK 'EM OUT!! On the schedule it says : The times given for each date reflect the probable two-hour interval during which a spawning run may occur. The second hour is usually better. The best runs normally occur on the second and third nights of the four-night period. And guess what... TOMORROW IS ONE OF THOSE THIRD NIGHTS - August 1 We 11:30 PM - 1:30 AM.

Check out more info at the GRUNION SITE!! Hopefully we will be able to see some of them!! Wish us some grunion luck :)

Alliteration - LOVE IT!

Have a TERRIFIC Tuesday!!

Monday, July 30, 2007

The Science of Sleep


Saturday Ryan and I rented a couple movies, The Science of Sleep and Black Snake Moan. Both were quite strange, but I walked away really liking them both. The Science of Sleep may be one of my new favorite movies (I mean behind all my other favorites, of course, like Hook, Charlie and the Cholocate Factory, Love Me if You Dare, etc). Here is a synopsis:

Life seems to be looking up for shy and withdrawn Stephane when he is coaxed to return to his childhood home with the promise of a job, in the mundane world of copy setting. Wildly creative, his fanciful and sometimes disturbing dream life constantly threatens to usurp his waking world. Stephane is quickly drawn to his neighbor, Stephanie whose imagination easily matches his own. As their relationship blossoms, the confidence Stephane exudes in his dreams begins bleeding over into his real life. Unable to bear the prospect of a waking world without Stephanie's love, and with no satisfying solutions coming out of his dream world, Stephane faces a dilemma he may not be able to depend on the science of sleep to help him solve.

It reminds me of Love Me if You Dare. It is mostly in English, but some of it is French and Spanish. If you are up for it, I would definitely recomend it!

Japan

Ryan is going to Japan this weekend. I wanted to let everyone know what the trip is about (since I doubt he will put it up on his blog for at least a month or two, hehe, just kiddin' Ry). Check out Walking on Water here to see what else they are up to.

Trip Destination:
Kyushu, Japan | August 5-20

Goals & Destination Info:
Imagine a country where the vast majority of people walk around in hopelessness; where people do not know the love and forgiveness of Jesus; where the suicide rate is amongst the world’s highest--about one hundred suicides per day. The place that you have imagined is Japan.

If your desire is to reach the Japanese for Christ, there is no better time to be a Christian surfer in Japan. Approximately 99.5% of the Japanese have never heard the truth about Jesus and there are more surfers in Japan then there are believers in Jesus! A recent Gallup Poll showed that traditionally dominant religions Buddhism and Shintoism are declining among teenagers, and that the Japanese youth are more open to the gospel then they have been in a very long time.

We will be staying on Kyushu Island, which is one of Japan’s best surfing destinations, during one of Japan’s biggest holidays: Obone. Obone is an annual event, commemorating ancestors. Traditionally, it is believed that ancestors return to earth on this day to visit their living family members. Surfers take advantage of this holiday to travel to their favorite beaches and surf as much as they can. This holiday affords us the opportunity to spend quality time with the surfers of Kyushu Island.

Ministry Strategies:
We will be working closely with our good friends from Christian Surfers Japan assisting them in reaching the surfers of their nation.
We will be putting on free surf clinics for the Japanese people who want to learn how to surf. By doing this we will be able to develop those crucial relationships that effective ministry so often depends upon.
We will also be giving out free Noah’s Arc DVD’s in parking lots to surfers.
You will have the opportunity to be involved in showing the Noah’s Arc film, which is subtitled in Japanese.
You will be eating, surfing and hanging out with the new Japanese friends that you meet. This type of ministry is really relational, natural, and fun.

Who Can Come:
We are looking for surfers who want to share their faith with those who are in desperate need to hear it. If you are a Japanese American and you would like to go minister to your people, then this is a great opportunity. This trip is open to just about all! You must be at least 18 years old, or accompanied by an adult.

Rainbow


The most beautiful rainbow.

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend.. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

NEW PICS

Check out the pictures from this past weekend. Ryan and I went to an art show, he worked on a surf board, we went to the beach, tried to catch the sunset, got yummy ice cream, and many more things! CHECK 'EM ALL OUT!

Some of the vinyl toys:


Ryan using a breadstick as a 'tongue warmer':


My tongue was blue from ICE CREAM:


The board:

Friday, July 27, 2007

Reading


So when I decide to read, I read a lot. When I get hit by the reading bug, I will plow through a book in a couple hours. The last time I was in a reading mood was last summer, when I first got to USD. I was able to use their University library and get as many books as I wanted. I read about 7 in the first week and a half I was there. After that, I sort of hit a wall. I got busy, I had people I could hang out with, work that needed to be done, sun that needed to be laid in, you get the point. I read Velvet Elvis a couple months ago (and didn't really like it, sorry to all you fans out there). Yesterday I thought I would pick up one of the books I ordered around Christmas, Fun House. I only have a chapter left to go, so I think I will finish it after work while I wait for Ryan to get off the train (he's riding it down to go to the gallery tonight). Anyway, I was wondering, any suggestions for the next book? I was going to go to the Public Library and get another one. Leave your suggestions... I'm up for most any type of reading.

450


This is my 450th post... WOWSER!! That calls for some sort of celebration, right?!

Potties


I was checking out the AOL news and came across this article. Check out the best and worst bathrooms. :)

Love Hate


Ryan and I will be hitting up Subtext tonight. It is a small art gallery in Little Italy/ Downtown. They are having a cool, custom vinyl show and silent auction featuring over 50 artists. Ryan really loves this place, we just went this past weekend as well. They have really cool books, toys, and paintings. Maybe we'll win something in the silent auction (but I'm assuming much of the stuff will go for HIGHER prices than we can bid :) ). Maybe we'll just take some pictures. Hopefully we will miss the Comic Con traffic - I don't know how well the nerds can drive when their tunnel vision is focused on the new comic news.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Movie Locations


I found this site and thought I would pass it along.

This website aims to provide you with Maps and Directions of famous filming locations, giving you the ability to go and see these locations for yourself. The website has been around now for just over a year, we currently have 130 Movies/TV Shows in our database with a combined total of 275 filming locations for you to visit. Each location includes a map, an address and a link to see the filming location in Google Earth if you have it installed on your Computer.

Have a favorite movie and want to go see the actual place it was filmed? Check out the site here.

UofM vs. UT


No way. I just saw this article and thought I would pass it along. I doubt UT will put up much of a fight, but I'm stoked for two home teams :)

U-M Adds Home Game With Toledo to 2008 Schedule



ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan Athletic Department announced today (Tuesday, May 22) that the University of Toledo will fill of one of the open dates for the 2008 football season. The Wolverine and Rockets reached a single-game agreement to play during U-M's open week of the Big Ten schedule, Oct. 11, 2008, at Michigan Stadium.

"Toledo athletic director Mike O'Brien and I talked at a recent gathering of athletic directors in Phoenix about the prospect of playing a football game, and today we are pleased to have reached a one-game agreement," said U-M director of athletics Bill Martin. "We look forward to hosting Toledo next year and hope to have our final opening for 2008 filled by the fall."

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools separated by just 50 miles. U-M has compiled a 22-0 record all-time against eight different Mid-American Conference schools, with all 22 previous match-ups coming at Michigan Stadium.

The Wolverines could schedule the 12th game on either Aug. 30 or Sept. 20 next season.

Following is the Wolverines 2008 schedule:


DATE OPPONENT
Aug. 30 Open
Sept. 6 Miami (Ohio)
Sept. 13 at Notre Dame
Sept. 20 Open
Sept. 27 Wisconsin
Oct. 4 Illinois
Oct. 11 Toledo
Oct. 18 at Penn State
Oct. 25 Michigan State
Nov. 1 at Purdue
Nov. 8 at Minnesota
Nov. 15 Northwestern
Nov. 22 at Ohio State

Cow-abunga!


Hehe. I wish I would have been able to see all the cows on the beach :)

This morning, Surf City was transformed into Cow Town, if only for an hour.

Forty cowboys and nine cattle dogs led 100 steers down a 1 1/2-mile stretch of sand in Huntington Beach at 7 a.m.

The publicity stunt was meant to drum up interest in the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa and the U.S. Open of Surfing, Huntington Beach's annual festival taking place just south of the city's historic pier.


Check out the whole story here.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Pick your Candidate


I heard about this on the radio this morning and thought I would pass it on. At this website: http://dehp.net/candidate/ you are asked your opinion on different issues facing us politically. You can put support, oppose, or unknown/other. You are then asked how important the issue is: meh, important or key. Once you are done it calculates the candidate that aligns the candidates with you (telling you on how many issues you match and which ones you disagree with). I thought it was interesting. Check it out if you are interested.

Quixotic Clothing Co.

I found this cool clothing company. There designs are nice and all of their stuff is done in sweat shop free places. The shirts are super cheap (well $10). If you use the coupon: indie-threads then you get an additional 15% off (and there is no shipping costs). Check 'em out here if you get a sec.

Quixotic Clothing Co. was launched in the Winter of 2006 by Brad Tennant and Cody Clark. It is the evolution of Brad's previous venture, Heart on Sleeve Clothing. Started in 2003 and Cody started helping out in late 2004. Heart on Sleeve wasn't super professional, just kind of a little project of sorts. This time, we're trying to take a more serious approach to the t-shirt business. Quixotic's products are designed with not only comfort and fashion in mind, but also ethics. That's why you won't find a single item in our store that is made in a sweat shop. Our t-shirts are super soft and comfy and made in a sweat shop free environment.

Ronald McDonald House Charities


Tonight I go to the Ronald McDonald House in San Diego for my tour. In case you are unfamiliar with what the Ronald McDonald House is about I put some of their info below. I am excited to finally be able to go in and check it out. I turned in my application back in May but they have had different things come up and have had to reschedule with me the last couple of times. Check out their website and see if there is somewhere around you that you could volunteer your time (I know there is one in Ann Arbor for all you Michigan folk).

A strong mind. A strong body. And a safe, supportive place to grow. These are things that every child needs - and deserves.

Helping to provide these things is what we do.

By creating, finding and supporting programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is working to better the lives of children and their families around the world.

The three core programs of RMHC - the Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile - are focused on helping families in need. Our cornerstone Ronald McDonald House program began in 1974 based on a simple idea: Provide a "home away from home" for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Since that time, more than 10 million families around the world have benefited from the comfort provided by a Ronald McDonald House.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room program extends the comfort of a Ronald McDonald House to a hospital setting. Typically located just steps from neonatal or pediatric intensive care units, the Family Room provides a place to escape the stress and tension of the hospital.

Through relationships with local health care providers, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program brings cost-effective medical, dental and health education services directly to underserved children in both rural and urban areas around the world.

In addition to supporting the core programs, RMHC and our global network of local Chapters in 49 countries have awarded more than $440 million dollars in grants and program services worldwide to make an immediate, positive impact on as many children as possible. Together with support from hundreds of thousands of passionate and caring volunteers, donors and RMHC staff, we've had plenty of success.

Puzzles


So, both of my Grandma's belong to the Frenchtown Senior Center in Monroe, MI. They go on day trips, hold rummage sales, etc. My Grandma Padot has recently been elected onto the board (something she has been enjoying, being able to help run meetings, give ideas of her own for fundraising, etc). Anyway, recently they decided to try to complete the WORLDS LARGEST PUZZLE. They are actually in talks with Guinness to have it entered into the World Records Book. If you put a piece into the puzzle, you are able to write your name on the back of the piece, and hopefully have your name entered into the WORLD RECORD. My grandma has placed a piece, HOW COOL! Anyway, I was checking the Monroe Evening News this morning (gotta keep it old school, right) and saw an article about it, so thought I would post it. Check out the article. My grandmas weren't mentioned, but it's an interesting story nonetheless.

Squids

Eeeeks!! I guess this is one more reason that I will stay out of the water :)

MONTEREY, Calif. (July 25) - Jumbo squid that can grow up to 7 feet long and weigh more than 110 pounds are invading central California waters and preying on local anchovy, hake and other commercial fish populations, according to a study published Tuesday.



Check out the story here.

Knee Update


I wanted to update everyone on my status of my knee. It is on its way back to 100% health, I think. I still have not gone to the doctor, but I am able to walk without limping so I think I will stay away from the doc's for a while at least. I was chatting with my mom yesterday and she asked when I was planning on starting to run again. I think I will wait until next week, to make sure everything is back to normal, before I hurt it again or something. This week I plan on going out to look for some good running shoes so that hopefully the shoes will prevent any more aches. My mom also made a good suggestion, she mentioned that I should start riding my bike before I start running again. I think next week I will start riding every day and then the following week I will begin my running regimen again. I will keep you all updated once I start it up again.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Shirts

I was looking at some veggie resources and found a bunch of shirts at this website. Check 'em out if you get a chance. There are some really fun ones. :) Enjoy! (And go veggie while you are at it :) ).

Velma's Kettle Corn


If you post their site, they will send you free KETTLE CORN... Check it out!!

Velma's Wicked Delicious Kettle Corn

Extreme


Who knew unicycles would go so extreme. Check out the article here.

In mountain unicycling, there are no gears, shocks and often no brakes. No matter. For enthusiasts, two wheels is overkill. Tip: Stay away from cactus.

Never ending


The drama of young Hollywood is never ending... Maybe it is because I'm in California now, but whatever the reason the news is full of the young and rich. Here is the newest news:

Lindsay Lohan was arrested for a DUI again!!! She was arrested in Santa Monica on early this morning (at approximately 2:00 AM) for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. Making things much much worse, cocaine was found on Lindsay. In addition to driving under the influence of alcohol and having narcotics Lindsay was also booked on driving on a suspended license. According to our friends Cops Online: Law enforcement now says Lohan was stopped after cops got a call of a vehicle being chased by another vehicle. The chasing vehicle was being driven by Lindsay. Lindsay was driving a white Denali. She was chasing a Cadillac Escalade. She was initially suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. A field sobriety test was conducted and she was subsequently arrested for DUI. At the station, a search was conducted, and cocaine was found in her pants pocket. A breath test was conducted and her blood alcohol was between .12 and .13. She was released from jail on $25,000 bail. When Lindsay Lohan was arrested a few months ago, she was charged with a misdemeanor. This time, her arrest this morning brings with it FELONY charges. They are saying that Lindsay had thrown a friend a surprise birthday party in Venice earlier in the night. Lohan was driving a white Denali and she had two female passengers in her car. She was chasing a black Cadillac Escalade. The latest reports are that black Caddy was being driven by the mother of Lindsay’s personal assistant Jennie Muro. Police are not yet revealing the moms name. Lindsay was arrested only one block from police station where the car she was chasing was driving to in fear. She was supposed to be on the Jay Leno show tonight and was supposed to attend her film premiere tomorrow night for I know Who Killed Me!

A new Bob


Drew Carey was on David Letterman yesterday and he confirmed that he will be the new host of the Price is Right.

Things to do in SD


BEST OF SAN DIEGO FOR 7/19/07
Top 10 Things (That You Should Have Already Done) This Summer in San Diego. (don’t worry, there are still 2 months left if you’ve been lazy!)



1. Grunion Run

Torrey Pines State Reserve / Mission Beach / Black's Beach
Get into the Southern California tradition of catching these sprawling anchovy-like fish as they spawn on the sand after midnight.

2. San Diego Water Taxi

891 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA
For Padres games, ditch the downtown parking drama and park in Coronado. Grab drinks at one of the great waterfront restaurants, and then catch the water taxi (just $7!) which will drop you off just outside Petco Park. Talk about arriving in style!

3. Cinema Under the Stars

4040 Goldfinch St, San Diego, CA
Watch classic movies in the moonlight at Mission Hills' outdoor theater with several seating options and low ticket prices.

4. Mission Bay Aquatic Center

1001 Santa Clara Pl, San Diego, CA
From Catamarans and sabots to kayaks and canoes, it's the one-stop shop for watercraft rentals and instruction.

5. Humphrey's Concerts By the Bay

2241 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA
Shelter Island waterfront hotel hosts legendary outdoor concert series in the summer months. Can't afford the at-least $75 ticket price? Pull up your boat, kayak or dinghy to the adjacent marina and listen for free.

6. TNT: Thursday Night Thing

Multiple dates Museum Of Contemporary Art-Downtown San
MCASD's Downtown gallery hosts everything from slide jams, DJ lessons, and poetry readings to live bands, artists' talks, and video projections on the first Thursday of every month.

7. ACURA CLASSIC TENNIS

Aug 5, 2007 1:30 pm La Costa Resort and Spa
Catch the top female tennis stars like Venus and Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and more duke it out La Costa Resort's center court tournament.

8. Lawn Programs--International Cottages

Multiple dates Balboa Park
Afternoon lawn programs begin at 2pm every Sunday from March through October, featuring music, dance, traditional costumes, arts, crafts, and ethnic foods.

9. San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park

15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd, Escondido, CA
This summer they debuted a new Journey Into Africa tour that brings you closer than ever to the animals in smaller, more intimate vehicles. The Park and the Zoo are also open at night all summer.

10. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA
Spend a day at the races. Bleacher seats are just $5.

What about me...

Saw this on Tami's blog and thought I'd try it out...

I WANT...
my family members to be happy

I HAVE...
an amazing life that I take for granted way too often

I WISH....
everyone sees how much they mean to me

I HATE....
ignorance, prejudice, low self esteem, lack of compassion

I HEAR...
arguing too often

I WONDER.....
if I will ever feel fulfilled

I REGRET....
not telling people how I'm feeling more often

I AM NOT....
as happy as I may portray

I DANCE....
a lot and probably not very well

I SING....
all the time, if only I had a decent voice :) maybe those around me would enjoy all of my songs

I CRY....
more than I let on

I AM NOT ALWAYS....
patient

I MAKE ... WITH MY HANDS.
cards, colleagues, food

I WRITE....
not as often as I used to (seeing as I no longer have homework assignments)

I CONFUSE....
lack of commitment with lack of love

I NEED ONLY...
remember the sacrifice of Jesus to remind me how much I am loved

I START...
things that I really believe I can finish

I FINISH...
most things before they are due (I hate procrastinating)

Can you fill this out for yourself?

Monday, July 23, 2007

Honeymoon


I decided last night while watching Extreme Makeover - Home Edition (when I do most of my best thinking) that if I ever get married I think I would go on a non-traditional honeymoon. I don't want to come off like I am saying the romantic couple honeymoons are bad, I just think I would like to do something a little different. I was thinking last night that I would want to go on a mission trip of some sort for a honeymoon. I was just thinking how great it would be if the first act you and your partner do is a selfless act, an act to help others, to show love to those around you. Just a thought, but a thought I wanted to pass along.

Ketchup


For other Heinz Ketchup Lovers, I just wanted to let you know that you can go to their website and actually have a message printed on a bottle... PERSONALIZE YOUR KETCHUP!! How great. Check it out.

http://www.myheinz.com/home.asp

Weekend Photos

There are new photos up in my photos. Ryan and I went to try to geo cache, won a couple free lotto tickets, hung out at the pool, went down to Little Italy, rented some movies, and some other random stuff... Enjoy the pictures :)

PS Check out the shirt he had made for me when he was up in Cheboygan, MI... What a sweetie :)



Friday, July 20, 2007

To Write Love On Her Arms

Kevin had mentioned this group, so I went to check out their website and was amazed. I have pasted the story from their website below. I know it seems long, but I would love it if you would take the time to read it. This group seems like the have the right idea!! I have placed an order for a tshirt and some buttons already. Even if you feel lead to support them, the next best thing is education.

Check out their site here.

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS by Jamie Tworkowski

Pedro the Lion is loud in the speakers, and the city waits just outside our open windows. She sits and sings, legs crossed in the passenger seat, her pretty voice hiding in the volume. Music is a safe place and Pedro is her favorite. It hits me that she won't see this skyline for several weeks, and we will be without her. I lean forward, knowing this will be written, and I ask what she'd say if her story had an audience. She smiles. "Tell them to look up. Tell them to remember the stars."

I would rather write her a song, because songs don't wait to resolve, and because songs mean so much to her. Stories wait for endings, but songs are brave things bold enough to sing when all they know is darkness. These words, like most words, will be written next to midnight, between hurricane and harbor, as both claim to save her.

Renee is 19. When I meet her, cocaine is fresh in her system. She hasn't slept in 36 hours and she won't for another 24. It is a familiar blur of coke, pot, pills and alcohol. She has agreed to meet us, to listen and to let us pray. We ask Renee to come with us, to leave this broken night. She says she'll go to rehab tomorrow, but she isn't ready now. It is too great a change. We pray and say goodbye and it is hard to leave without her.

She has known such great pain; haunted dreams as a child, the near-constant presence of evil ever since. She has felt the touch of awful naked men, battled depression and addiction, and attempted suicide. Her arms remember razor blades, fifty scars that speak of self-inflicted wounds. Six hours after I meet her, she is feeling trapped, two groups of "friends" offering opposite ideas. Everyone is asleep. The sun is rising. She drinks long from a bottle of liquor, takes a razor blade from the table and locks herself in the bathroom. She cuts herself, using the blade to write "FUCK UP" large across her left forearm.

The nurse at the treatment center finds the wound several hours later. The center has no detox, names her too great a risk, and does not accept her. For the next five days, she is ours to love. We become her hospital and the possibility of healing fills our living room with life. It is unspoken and there are only a few of us, but we will be her church, the body of Christ coming alive to meet her needs, to write love on her arms.

She is full of contrast, more alive and closer to death than anyone I've known, like a Johnny Cash song or some theatre star. She owns attitude and humor beyond her 19 years, and when she tells me her story, she is humble and quiet and kind, shaped by the pain of a hundred lifetimes. I sit privileged but breaking as she shares. Her life has been so dark yet there is some soft hope in her words, and on consecutive evenings, I watch the prettiest girls in the room tell her that she's beautiful. I think it's God reminding her.

I've never walked this road, but I decide that if we're going to run a five-day rehab, it is going to be the coolest in the country. It is going to be rock and roll. We start with the basics; lots of fun, too much Starbucks and way too many cigarettes.

Thursday night she is in the balcony for Band Marino, Orlando's finest. They are indie-folk-fabulous, a movement disguised as a circus. She loves them and she smiles when I point out the A&R man from Atlantic Europe, in town from London just to catch this show.

She is in good seats when the Magic beat the Sonics the next night, screaming like a lifelong fan with every Dwight Howard dunk. On the way home, we stop for more coffee and books, Blue Like Jazz and (Anne Lamott's) Travelling Mercies.

On Saturday, the Taste of Chaos tour is in town and I'm not even sure we can get in, but doors do open and minutes after parking, we are on stage for Thrice, one of her favorite bands. She stands ten feet from the drummer, smiling constantly. It is a bright moment there in the music, as light and rain collide above the stage. It feels like healing. It is certainly hope.

Sunday night is church and many gather after the service to pray for Renee, this her last night before entering rehab. Some are strangers but all are friends tonight. The prayers move from broken to bold, all encouraging. We're talking to God but I think as much, we're talking to her, telling her she's loved, saying she does not go alone. One among us knows her best. Ryan sits in the corner strumming an acoustic guitar, singing songs she's inspired.

After church our house fills with friends, there for a few more moments before goodbye. Everyone has some gift for her, some note or hug or piece of encouragement. She pulls me aside and tells me she would like to give me something. I smile surprised, wondering what it could be. We walk through the crowded living room, to the garage and her stuff.

She hands me her last razor blade, tells me it is the one she used to cut her arm and her last lines of cocaine five nights before. She's had it with her ever since, shares that tonight will be the hardest night and she shouldn't have it. I hold it carefully, thank her and know instantly that this moment, this gift, will stay with me. It hits me to wonder if this great feeling is what Christ knows when we surrender our broken hearts, when we trade death for life.

As we arrive at the treatment center, she finishes: "The stars are always there but we miss them in the dirt and clouds. We miss them in the storms. Tell them to remember hope. We have hope."

I have watched life come back to her, and it has been a privilege. When our time with her began, someone suggested shifts but that is the language of business. Love is something better. I have been challenged and changed, reminded that love is that simple answer to so many of our hardest questions. Don Miller says we're called to hold our hands against the wounds of a broken world, to stop the bleeding. I agree so greatly.

We often ask God to show up. We pray prayers of rescue. Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive. I might be simple but more and more, I believe God works in love, speaks in love, is revealed in our love. I have seen that this week and honestly, it has been simple: Take a broken girl, treat her like a famous princess, give her the best seats in the house. Buy her coffee and cigarettes for the coming down, books and bathroom things for the days ahead. Tell her something true when all she's known are lies. Tell her God loves her. Tell her about forgiveness, the possibility of freedom, tell her she was made to dance in white dresses. All these things are true.

We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home.

I have learned so much in one week with one brave girl. She is alive now, in the patience and safety of rehab, covered in marks of madness but choosing to believe that God makes things new, that He meant hope and healing in the stars. She would ask you to remember.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Michigan

There are some really awesome Ann Arbor shirts here. The company is located on the U of M campus, but I think you can order them and have the shirts sent to you if you don't live close. I love this one:



The company is called Made in AA.

Changes

Thought I would change up the layout of the blog... What are your thoughts?

Not in my head

I am glad that some of the health problems that I am 'blessed' with are now getting some recognition. There is an article in the recent Time about Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). Check it out if you get a chance...

Some short parts:

Often disregarded as a fake illness, RLS gained new ground in the scientific community this week after researchers at Emory University in Atlanta and the Iceland-based company DeCODE Genetics identified a gene variant that increases risk for the condition. The team reported their findings in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Those findings, along with a separate study published simultaneously in Nature Genetics, which found variants in three genes linked with RLS, suggest that RLS is a both a genuine syndrome and one that can be treated more effectively.

To make matters worse, RLS is not discussed in most medical schools, so the condition is commonly overlooked or mistreated; many doctors question the condition's seriousness. Often, says Jones, RLS patients develop their own coping devices, including alcohol abuse and social isolation. Four years ago, Jones started a support group for other RLS sufferers in her hometown of Champaign, Ill., realizing that you can't understand RLS unless you suffer from it yourself.

"Everyone thought I was not quite right," Jones says of the reaction she got when describing her symptoms. "It's not something visible like a wound."




Article here.

Close one


The Tigers were on ESPN last night, so I was able to catch the game (whoo hoo!). I have to say, it was unfortunately a little too close for comfort. Thank goodness for Magglio pulling through for us. I am getting slightly nervous about our pitching, but hopefully we can step up the game and get the balls down the middle again.

Also, the Pads pulled through and beat the Mets last night. Let's get ready for Phillie!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Thanksgiving Trip?


So I had this fun idea a couple weeks ago that since there are quite a few of us friends that live out in California (just different areas) that for Thanksgiving we could all get together at a central place (I suggested San Francisco since I have never been). Unfortunately everyone I have talked to is actually heading back to Michigan, so it looks like it is down to Ryan and I. I have been trying to come up with ideas of places we could travel to for that long weekend. I looked into flights (even just up to San Fran) and they are pretty pricey already. I was thinking about a road trip and I was trying to come up with ideas. I thought of San Fran (yes, it would be an 8 hour drive, but maybe worth it), Santa Monica, Channel Islands, Baja California, and Santa Barbara. Now I haven't been to any of these places (I just looked on a map and picked them out, hehe), so I wanted to see if anyone had suggestions? Remember, we are low in cash flow (and may end up camping along on the road trip), but I would LOVE ideas... Where should we go?

Off to the races


Okay, I'm not off to the races, but today is the opening day of the Del Mar Pony Races (yes, I know that is not the name and the horses are FAR from being ponies, but I think we'll just consider them ponies). Today all the big wigs will be heading to Del Mar with their ginormous hats and boat loads of money. I don't really have any feelings toward the races (I was going to go to the opening day last year with a friend but at the last minute his girl friend was able to go so they went together instead), but I am not looking forward to the traffic. Del Mar is a pretty well smack dab in the middle of Ryan and I, which means whenever we want to see each other we have to drive right by the Race Track. The traffic is always horrible through there, seeing that we go from 6 lanes to 3 and have about 4 expressways dump into the 5 right there anyway, but with the Fair (thank goodness it closed on the 4th of July) and the Races the traffic gets 100 times worse.

Anywho, go ponies go!!

Christians

Christians - By Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Generosity


I am extremely surprised at people's generosity right now. I sent out a couple emails about raising funds for the walk I will be participating in during September and have received an amazing response thus far (and it has only been about 24 hours since I signed up for the walk). I have received emails of support from coworkers and friends alike. I actually had an individual come up to me and hand me 2 one hundred dollar bills. This person wanted to give but stay anonymous. I also have heard that at least 3 other co-workers have signed up to walk (and thus I have supported them in turn). My original amount that I wanted to raise has already been exceeded, so I increased it from $150 to $500. I think I can do it, especially with two months left. Will you consider joining me in this cause?

Art Rock

I got this in an email from my Daddy-O, and thought the art was AMAZING so I would post it:


I'm told that there is a huge rock near a gravel pit on Hwy 25 in rural Iowa. For generations, kids have painted slogans, names and obscenities on this rock changing its character many times.

A few months back, the rock received its latest paint job and since then it has been left completely undisturbed.
















Monday, July 16, 2007

Donation Station

On September 15th, I'll be taking part in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness Community Walk in San Diego, CA. I am joining thousands of other walkers nationwide to raise the funds for the awareness and prevention of suicide.

Every 16 minutes in the United States, someone dies by suicide. This year thousands of men and women will walk in over 100 communities across the United States, each contributing their voices to break the silence surrounding suicide.

By walking in the 2007 Out of the Darkness Community Walks to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), I will be walking with thousands of people nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide, and assist survivors of suicide loss.

Now, more than ever, YOU CAN MAKE A CRUCIAL DIFFERENCE. Won't you please give generously to this great cause? Together, we can make a difference!

To visit my personal walker page, please click here. I would ask each and every one of you to consider donating (even if it is a dollar). Thanks in advance!!

Big Dog

Today's quote on my wiener dog calendar says:

The biggest dog on record was both the longest and the heaviest, an Old English Mastiff named Zorba. In 1989, Zorba weighed 343 pounds and was 8 feet 3 inches long from noce to tail.

WOWSER!

Picture

Ryan bought a fisheye camera a couple of weeks ago and we have been playing around with it lately. He got two rolls of film developed while he was in Michigan. I haven't seen all of the pictures but he posted a couple that I took on his blog. Here are two of them.

The camera is bright orange... The shot is in the side mirror on Ryan's Element:



This is Ryan on the beach on the 4th of July, it was pretty hazy out:

Nothing

Nothing really to blog about today. Had a pretty slow weekend. Knee still painful (praying it gets better SOON). Bought a couple of dresses (for upcoming weddings and all that). Ryan is still in Cheboygan, MI, but will be heading back out west Wednesday (after 2 weeks of Michigan). Bought more Tapioca pudding this weekend. That's about all for now. :)

Friday, July 13, 2007

Pizza Hut Tip

Check out this amazing story. A waitress from Pizza Hut got a surprising tip she wasn't expecting.

Acts

Acts 17:26-28a

From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have being.

I read these words last night and felt comfort. I don't know how to explain this, but I will try. I don't 'feel' God. I have never really been able to pray for something and feel that God is leading me in one way or another. I have never heard God. I have often described my relationship with God as me chasing someone that doesn't want to be caught. It is probably that I have a perverted idea of what a relationship with God should look like, I dunno. I was asked in college, Even if you never 'feel' God, will you still follow Him? My answer is the same now as it was then. I have to. There is nothing else that I have found that is worth devoting my life to other than Him and His calling. Still, I find it hard seeing that we are taught as Christians it is about a relationship, and yet I can feel like I am giving and giving but getting nothing in return (not like physically getting something, but I don't even feel like there is a reciprocation of feelings... I know it is hard to explain unless you have been there). Last night before going to bed I picked up my Bible to read my chapter a day. I had been in Acts for the last couple weeks and wasn't really expecting to get much out of it (I know what you're thinking, maybe that's why I don't feel like I have a relationship because I go in defeated, but that was my honest emotions last night). I stopped after the first verse or so and prayed "God, please let me focus on you and nothing else" (I didn't want to be thinking about if I was going to quit running, or what I was missing on TV or any of that crap that pales in comparison). I hit verse 26 and was taken back. I felt like it was written for me. I felt like it was God saying, Carlee, this is why you are in San Diego. I am not saying that God wants me to not have friends or enjoy my work, but what I took away from it was that I am in SD for a reason. The reason may not be to further my career, but it is more likely to become more reliant on him. I must keep my chin up and PRESERVERE (said best by Uhrman a few minutes ago). I know this post was all over the board, but my head always has a few too many thoughts swirling around in it, so I figure if I get a few of them out things will be a little clearer.

What verse are you leaning on this week?

Buble

I have a new favorite Michael Buble song... If you don't know him, check him out. I really like his new song that is out (my old favorite was titled "Home"). The new jam is called "Everything".

Here's his website: http://michaelbuble.com/

If you go to his site, it will play some of his songs (and Everything is the first one that comes up).

FibroHOPE

Check out this link! My mom sent it to me and now that I have the internet I was able to check it out. The NFA and Pfizer have partnered on an educational campaign to help raise awareness of fibromyalgia. This campaign is supported through a sponsorship from Pfizer. It is a great initiative to help educate and get the info out there. Really, I would recommend taking a minute to check it out!!

http://fibrohope.org/

Dads & Daughters - Math

Interesting study... I love math by the way :) Well, maybe not love, but I do seem to be good at it.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—It figures: Dads have a major impact on the degree of interest their daughters develop in math. That's one of the findings of a long-term University of Michigan study that has traced the sources of the continuing gender gap in math and science performance.

They found that parents provided more math-supportive environments for their sons than for their daughters, including buying more math and science toys for the boys. They also spent more time on math and science activities with their sons than with their daughters.

The rest of the study is here.

Go Organic

Go UofM and Go Organic!!

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Organic farming can yield up to three times as much food on individual farms in developing countries, as low-intensive methods on the same land—according to new findings which refute the long-standing claim that organic farming methods cannot produce enough food to feed the global population.

Researchers from the University of Michigan found that in developed countries, yields were almost equal on organic and conventional farms. In developing countries, food production could double or triple using organic methods, said Ivette Perfecto, professor at U-M's School of Natural Resources and Environment, and one the study's principal investigators.

Check out the rest of the article here.

A Turning Point

Running. Grrrr. I have to say I am slightly, okay, more than slightly, FRUSTRATED with my knee. Last night I tried running and I think by the end of it I was walking with a hop (like looking like I was ‘running’ but actually going the pace of a walk). I had to come to a decision last night, whether or not I would keep running on my knee or not. It was a hard decision to come to, but I had to decide to take time off until my knee gets better. I realized that this is why I started so early, in case I got hurt or sick and needed to take some time off. What I am worried about is if I take time off, will I be able to start back up. I sure hope so. I also felt like I was letting myself and everyone else down. The reason I wanted to blog about my running goal in the first place was so that I would be kept accountable, and now it seems to have worked against me. I have this sort of guilt that I have to keep going because I have these people counting on me (I know, it is all in my head, I don’t think it really matters in the grand scheme of things if I can run in a half marathon or not, even though I was hoping to raise money and donate it to aids relief in Africa). I had so many thoughts running through my mind last night. I want to run. I want to have something of my own. I felt like this would be something I could do, to keep me busy, to keep me healthy, and now I can’t even do it. While I was going through my mini break down, I kept praying that I wanted to be like the many individuals in the Bible that Jesus said ‘Pick up your mat and walk, your faith has healed you.’ I thought of how cool it would be, to be able to tell that story and have it be my own story. I have never really prayed like that before. I don’t like ‘testing’ God. I have never prayed for God to take away my Fibromyalgia, even though I may pray in the moment to ease some of the pain. I got to thinking, why haven’t I ever prayed for that before? Maybe it is because I feel as though it is my cross to bear, maybe I really don’t have the faith to ask for it in confidence, maybe it is because I wouldn’t be able to use it as an excuse, I don’t know. I just really wanted to wake up this morning and be able to walk on my knee (right now it feels like there is no cartilage between my knee cap and my knee and it is just bone rubbing on bone, which makes me limp around for a couple days now). I wish I could say that this morning I woke up and ‘my faith had healed me’, but I can’t. I am still struggling to walk (and even icing my knee at work to try to alleviate the pain), but I have decided that not being able to run can’t consume me. I am not defined by what I can’t do, I want to be defined by what I can do, what I can bring to this broken world. So in conclusion (haha, that sounds like I am writing a piece for school), I am taking time off, time until my knee is back to 100%. I am also going to go out and get running shoes (I have some tennis shoes right now, but my dad reminded me that I need good running shoes, especially if I am serious about it). I will keep you updated and hopefully I will be back to running before I know it, but even if I am not, I will go on in life with a SMILE on my face and praising God.