Things

Today I thought I'd post about life the past few days. Sorry it's not terribly insightful but sometimes life really isn't that insightful.

1. Our homegroup from Evergreen Community (our church) put on a 'FEAST' for the Bridge, a ministry downtown for homeless teens and the disenfranchised of Portland last Sunday. We decided to have thanksgiving-in-april. It was a weird, rewarding, safe, chaotic, and undefinable experience. Trying to provide great amounts of food for people who might have not eaten that well in sometime, gave one both a feeling of gratefulness and intense humility. All the same, we plan to do it again in a month.
2. Since last year when our diet consisted of great white (with rye) bread, lots and lots of amazing beer, and thick amounts of meat and potatoes, Michael and I have been trying to eat better, lose those pounds that we accumulated, and exercise more. (Months and months on end of packed feet of snow didn't really provide the tools for running) It's been really nice to make that a lifestyle change and enjoy the new foods and exercise.
3. We spent last night with Dan and Molly eating pasta and going to a local pub for 'dessert'. So much fun. We really like those kids.
4. I'm almost done with the "space trilogy". Totally, totally amazing.
5. Mike and I are finishing "Zelary" tonight. A czech-film nominated for best picture here in the states. It's been amazing so far, but long. It really made us miss Prague and the country. But if you are up for subtitles, it's a great film. It was also really cool to be able to understand parts of it, see the trams of the city, local street signs, and remember our home there. Great memories.

See, I told you, nothing too insightful. But, if i think of something, i'll blog it. love to friends and family, katie

Mexican Feast for Two

Last night Kate prepared a sizeable Mexican buffet for a friend from her work. I walked in and saw mass-amounts of queso, spicy beef, vegies, and various types of frijoles. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, Tex-Mex style. I love my wife because hospitality is ingrained in her in such a way that some things are simply instinctual. I also love the fact that I benefit indirectly from this instinct. Last night is a perfect example. She overwhelms people with portions, or at least wants to make putting on ten pounds in one sitting an option for whoever may be stopping by. Unfortunately, her friend had to cancel at the last minute. We were both bummed, but looked at the counter full of food and looked at each other and thought, "Well, we better get busy." As painful as it was, I forced myself to indulge...and come back for seconds.

We ended up polishing off a good amount of the bounty and still tupperwared enough for a few days worth of leftovers. Not bad. The only other downside is that we could've gone and heard Philip Yancey speak last night with some friends. Bit of a bummer but it was a good night nonetheless.

For the love of beef

Pretty good weekend. Thanks to Brynn and Stephen for changing the dinner menu from chicken to beef in light of my freakishly weird allergies. We also had the pleasure of Seth and Laci's company. I like them. I'm digging the triple dinner-date thing. Great stories shared by all.

Tomorrow marks my three month anniversary at the credit union which means, that's right, health insurance! I feel like I need to go in for a general tune-up. It's been quite a while since I've had a once over. I'm sure everything's groovy, but you never know. I've got a gnarly in-grown toe-nail that Katie had to yank out last week with some tweezers. She's quite a nurse, but I'm looking forward to seeing someone with a degree hanging on their wall that says they're certified in the infliction of unnecessary pain.

Anywho, gotta hit the sack, work beckons on the morrow.

'tis Thursday and my thoughts are set to "random"
I usually wake up every weekday, whether a Monday, Tuesday or whatever, and think, "Why isn't Friday here yet?" Not this week. Each day so far has seemed like an extended Monday. Not bad, not great, just long and arduous. I don't know why I'm surprised that it's Thursday. It just seems like it should actually be Tuesday or something. Wow, this is deep.

And now for something completely different.

Good times last night. Had a few smokes and some wine with the Leonardo's. Good people. That's actually an understatement.

I've got a staff appreciation lunch today, at which I'll be fed free Pizzicato.

My wife is funny, beautiful and smart. For some reason, guys always throw out those three adjectives together, making them sound kind of trite. In my wife's case, however, it just happens to be true (I swear I'm not just unoriginal). This week her intelligence has been recognized via her latest grad school test scores. She killed the first of a few entrance exams. We celebrated with Fudruckers and ice cream.

This weekend holds no big or definite plans. I'm thrilled. I plan on bumming around in my pajamas and watching the Wilco documentary again. Anyone else get excited about another viewing of a documentary you've already seen?

That is all.

BOOKS!

So, i am about at chapter 8 of 'that invisible strength' from CS Lewis' The Space Trilogy. It's getting really good. It's been going really slow, so i've been in chapters 5-7 for months now. But now i'm out of control. Does anyone else thoroughly enjoy and crave retreating to those times in books? Goodness, i wonder how i ever survived before, not reading regularly.

What is the last book you loved that your pages couldn't stop flipping?

katie