Baby B

Here's Ascher! He's beautiful (but all tube-d up...pray for his little self).

Babes!

(This is a picture of a picture of Ang and Aaron)

This JUST in:

My gorgeous, incredible SSF, Angela Ann just had her baby!!!!! Her ever-calm husband, Aaron, called and very matter-of-factly said, "Hi. It's a boy. 8 lbs..."

Welcome to the intriguing, challenging, lovely, complex world little Ascher (no middle name yet) Bucholz!!!

Baby Ascher isn't doing as well as they'd like (in fact, he's in the NICU), but mom Ang is great. And they think Ascher'll be fine, but they're checking out his baby lungs right now. So, pray about that, please.

I cannot wait for pictures of his little face/body/hands/feet. Baby feet are my FAVORITE. They (and all their accessories) complete me. Really, what could compare to booties?

Additionally, I am sooooooo excited to watch little Ascher grow and to see their family in action. Angelynn, I love you so much.



And Baby B arrived RIGHT after Lane's baby shower. Here are the (in attendance) Jihada girls & in-the-womb Baby Vega:

Through the paces

This is the Opera:
Tales of Hoffman. It's about a guy and what happens to three of his lovers. This is going to seem biased, but Hoffman is the most entertaining opera I've seen the Minnesota Opera put on. The three lovers are characterized in three completely different ways... More deets later.

This is what I do:
Stand around a "bar" with the men's chorus and 5 other lady "supers" (short for "supernumerary," which is long for "extra"). We dance a little, we laugh & fake drink a lot. We walk here. We lean on the bar there. We scurry away from it. Then we move side-to-side in rythmn. We hide in the arms of our fellow bar-goers. We watch a fight. We cheer for the diva. All the while, I have the absolute BEST seat in the house. The principals (lead performers) are singing (and spitting) in their tough, yet smooth, voices.

AND the gorgeous men's chorus surround me. I mean, their gorgeous voices. And selves. They're great. And at any given time, when I look to my right, my friend Angie is there being IN CHARGE of the seemingly endless amount of props and transitions and people and costumes and entrances and actors and stage-hands.

Tomorrow is our first performance. Yipps!

(I am missing my regular life/work/people, though...)

Studly

By 10:30 I had already:

~ Slept in
~ Locked my keys in my (running) car
~ Been late for a fairly contentious meeting

Just some script

I thought you should know that I ate bear meat this weekend. I'm not kidding. For a girl who doesn't eat much animal flesh, I found it to be dee-lish.

Also, I saw two separate arrests go down last night - one at Caffetto and one at Rainbow. (Who gets arrested at a coffee shop? And while we're on the topic, who gets arrested at a grocery store??)

Supplications & Knee-Slappers

One serious thing & a some not-too-serious, but fun(ny), things:

I'm still reading Merton's Inner Experience, about contemplative life. I'm not sure if I'm any nicer or less selfish...or less demanding or eaiser to be with now than I ever was, but that's certainly my goal. He is great, though. The hoodie four (which would've been 5 and 1/2, but Laney was feelin' the pregnance effects) met at Sebastian Joe's Thursday night. (Emily, you look fake-tan in that pic. What's up?) We talked about bits of Merton's other writings and talked about prayer: about whether or not we do it, about whether or not we should worry about how to do it. It was a fab disco.

Things Merton says:
"The contemplative does not seek to know external things. He ceases to be guided by them. He or she seeks no human and earthly satisfaction, except what is willed by God or connected with His will."

"If we pass 'beyond' the inner 'I' (our identity as we want to hold onto it), we sail forth into the immense darkness in which we confront the 'I am' of the Almighty."

OK, for fun I want to point out what is probably the best blog entry written by man. My friend Ben (whose picture Sarah is posed with, below) wrote an entry a few days ago that I CANNOT get over. It's entitled 'Understanding My Readers.' His blog is linked right over there --> (Ben Bella). I'm too lazy to link it here. But I've been reading it repeatedly.

Also, we have a mouse. I SWEAR I saw him scurry across our floor. I am literally mad about it.

And FINALLY, I saw my old friends (and roommmates) Josh, Dusty and John at their maze of a huge house in Uptown last night. Those boys sure can throw a dinner party. Hot Apple Cider? Yes, I'll take some.

That was after opera rehearsal. It was the first time I've seen the whole show and I was blown away by the talent. P.S. I feel pretty non-sophisticated next to the opera crowd. Cest la vie. (The Opera's in French!)

And that was after shopping for multiple babies. I know a bunch of little humans that are about to become un-contained by wombs. Tiny baby clothes! Tiny baby shoes (pink) and scarves (pastel yellow) and mittens (with baby animal pictures)! I could hardly stand it. The shoes and slippers are so tiny, not even our (hated) mouse could fit in them.

Something's out of place right now....I'm just feeling this absence. Perhaps someone's in Chicago.

Oh, look! It's us at Sebastian Joe's.

Fax

To think about:

The war in Iraq costs $2 billion dollars per week.

Americans eat 18 acres of pizza a day.

The Hundred Years' war lasted 116 years.

If at Thanksgiving-time we are still in Iraq, this war will have lasted longer than World War II.

You should move to the Middle East with me.

The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."

The symbol on the "pound" key (#) is called an octothorpe.

Balkan Beat Box embodies some of the best modern music.

The longest place-name still in use is Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwh
enuakita natahu, a New Zealand hill.

(I can't guarantee the validity of these facts.)

My new love

I had the best Friday the 13th ever! First, my doll-face Emily brought me two great gifts: a banana and



what is apparently the best deodorant on the planet (front and right-center in the photo of stuff on my desk). I'm testing it out right now. I'll let you know. Another GREAT office visit. Keep 'em coming.

THEN, my NEW digital camera arrived in the mail. I've been pining for a good dig cam for awhile, and finally, I purchased one. As a result, you can look forward to multiple pictures of random items. It's my new favorite thing.

My life is so freaking good! (because of material things. That's a joke.)

Last night, while killing time, Ben & Sarah Anne & I (and then Christine) were answering 'If' questions....like, "If you were naked in front of all your coworkers, what would you say?" or "If you could only have one thing from your bathroom in your bathroom forever, what would you choose?" My favorite one was: "If you could switch brains with anyone (past or present), whose would you take?" I still can't stop thinking about the pros and cons of each person whose brain I want. Feel free to answer! In the meantime, have a great, not-too-cold weekend.

Juvenescence

Two kid-ish things happened this week.

1) I just went swimming. My vigorously athletic friend Emily and I swam laps. Swimming always makes me feel about ten years younger. No. Maybe more. Maybe 15 years. Wow. That really makes me feel not-young.

2) I got my first cavity filled. Yes, my days of having youthful teeth are over. It's only decay from here on out. I talked to my brother, Will, about getting my cavity filled. I told him I was nervous. He said not to be. (He's 11.) I asked him if it would hurt. He said a little. I asked him if I would cry and he scoffed, "Noooo! (think: long, "that's stupid," middle-school 'no') You're a young adult!"

He might as well have said: "Nooo! You're in the 21-25 age bracket." or "Noooo! You should be thinking about retirement." His choice of "young adult" just made me love him even more!

Here's something else you should know about Will. He's moved on to techno music. For awhile, he was dropping mad rhymes and was working the pre-teen rap circuit. Now, he's building techno beats on Garage Band. I was genuinely impressed! Mad skillz, Will.

OH! Also, I got a GREAT gift from Angie-france-pants-banjo, to be unveiled in picture form at a later date.


OK. Get ready. I have a prize for the person who has the most cavities. I'll be excepting entries for this competition until Friday. How many do you have??

Set. Go.

Can you believe there's more?

Seriously, Thursday through Sunday were altogether marvelous, with two Sunday events icing the goodness-cake.

1) Aamodt's Apple Orchard

Are you kidding? This place is fabulous! It sprinkled and was autumnly cool out. Lane & Luis, Justin & Angie, and Christine and I and Monster spent three hours purusing the (surprisingly few) apple trees, the "country store" (a giant wood warehouse of apple goods), and the winery. Great moments (thanks to Monster):

We were "playing" on the hay and this older woman who was watching a couple kids kept saying, "Don't knock over the adults! Don't knock over the adults." I wanted to say "If anybody's gonna fall off this bale of hay, it's gonna be your gigantic-glasses child."

Also, Justin says that a little girl came up to him and Monster and they had this conversation:

Girl: What's his name? (In the name of getting our facts straight, it should be said that Monster's a girl).
Justin: This is Monster the puppy.
Girl: Why is he a puppy?
Justin: (speechless)

Apples & Angie running after Monster:





2) THEN, Angie & Christine & I saw 'The Miser' at Jeune Lune. It was THE BEST live theater I've seen (besides 'The Tempest' at the Globe). It was disgusting and vulgar and miserly and lovely. The actors all managed to reach the limit of over-the-top, without actually going over.

I officially loved Minneapolis after the Orchard & Jeune Lune were said and done.


Here are some photos of former FTA females at the Shogren Wedding. Congrats, you crazy kids!

Welcome, busy-ness

Today was GREAT! Let me tell you:

read for me (for the good of my soul), did spanish, ran errands w/Anna dubs & JAM out to gospel choir stuff, student leaders, lunch (lots of talking), finally at my office (desk brimming with papers, mail, email, phone calls, questions, meetings, planning, anger, joy, frustration, happiness, etc.), run, shower, make caramel apples, leave my house, arabic class, book club (a highlight, fer sher), my first opera rehearsal (this also gets a star), now: blogging. homework. being in sweatpants.

About work. I must've had a bad attitude about my job before. No. I think it simply overwhelmed me a little at first. I'm so, enduringly, unbelievably thankful for it. I work with INCREDIBLE people - each of whom is motivated and intelligent and thoughtful and just generally interesting and funny. Not only that, but when so many different obstacles and triumphs come at you every day, you have no choice but to take both with a grain of salt - to take life with a grain of salt.

Adendum:

Friday and Saturday have both also been great. I am LOVING every second of opera rehearsal and am trying not to be jealous of the divas. Today, one of the tenors sang some of the women's parts (to fill in) and I almost bawled it was so delicious. Plus, I get to see Angie-france-pants-banjo!

Last night I went Salsa dancing. No, mostly I went Salsa watching. It just has to be said that strangers make me feel sooo awkward and uncomfortable. And the possibility of being touched by strangers maxed out my ability to be peaceful. But, being with Sarah Anne & Ann - who could ask for anything more?

Today was my first day tutoring english as a second language. I'm working with a Karen family. They were at a refugee camp in Thailand and moved to the TCs in July. I LOVE them. The 11 yr-old son, Ay-ay, is such a good translator (I'll be working especially with the mom). I was floored by how quickly he's learned English. Being with them was possibly the best experience I've had this semester.

That's it. Sorry this entry is so me-centered (gross). How are you?

Group Work

So I've been thinking it would be easy to fit everyone and everything into a few simple categories. I can't really imagine an instance in which a thing/circumstance/mammal would not fit into one of these classifications:

Experimental
Not Funny
Short

This week, I've been questioning life (not in a sad way; in a contemplative way), its the nature and purpose. (Any thoughts?) I am aware of the canned answers of religious, non-religious, and anti-religious groups, of philosphers, of my family and friends, of the media, of society, of myself. (And by canned, I mean quick and sometimes very correct answers.) But what's beneath that? What am I believing that is governing me? Not "What do I wish I believed?" or "What am I trying to believe?," but "What's really moving me?" After all, everyone's got their drug of choice. (I think Gospel Choir is becoming mine. Or maybe GoldenEye on Nintendo 64.)

7.5/10 ain't bad

It's the girls who ran the Twin Cities 10 Mile race (or most of it). Well, most of them, anyway...minus Rach and plus Ann R.


First of all, next time you see Christine or Sarah Anne or Ann R., make sure you congratulatory-screech at them. They completed their first 10 mile race today!

Up to the race date (um, today), I was feeling a little left out - like the last kid chosen for the kickball team. I wasn't "picked" to run this race (it's lottery registration and I didn't get in. Boo). Thankfully, I have a friend named Emily. She struck revenge against the race with me this morning; we jumped on the course a few miles into the event, when the aforementioned women ran by. This reminded me of that classic tune 'Bad Girls' by Donna Summer:

"Bad girls,
talking about the sad girls (sad girls)
talking about the bad girls, yeah.
Toot toot hey beep beep."

Notable portions of the experience:

Emily and I confessed we had each wanted to call the other at 6:30 a.m., rather than meet and follow-through with our evil scheme.

Emily and I parked one car in St. Paul and drove back to the near-beginning of the course. It was a long drive...and it was the distance we would be running...which furthered my desire to not run it.

Emily and I joked about how embarrassing it would be to get kicked off the course. Then, we got kicked off the course.

Sarah Anne & Christine got the most resounding applause I've ever heard thanks to the Target cheer crew.

Everyone's attitude was great - except for mine. Whenever I'm running, I'm so excited to be done running...and I get impatient.

All in all, it went really quickly.

People yelled "Powerade!!" to us, while extending little Powerade cups. (As if the cup wasn't explanation enough. Water was handed out in different cups.)


Also this weekend, I...

watched La Petite Jerusalem, a subtle, sad, French (of course) film.
shopped with Jana Lynn (who teaches Middle School)
studied my Spanish and Arabic (again, con Emily and Christine).
went to small group.
worked.
ate cookies and sat on the floor and talked with Beth (SO GOOD!).
did not find out who my mentor is/will be.
went to the Taco Bell/Pizza Hut combo (classy, I know).


Hey! Apparently somebody stopped by my office on Friday, but I just missed 'em. If it was you, 'fess up - or just stop by again. Please, porque I heart visitors.