The Sun giveth and the Sun taketh away

We FINALLY have some sunshine here, for a couple of hours anyway, before more rain & snow comes tonight and the temp drops 40 degrees... :(

For those who were asking, here some photos of my little place all "decked out" for Christmas...please ignore the trash by the door. Sorry these aren't very good, I'll make some adjustments when I get a photo editor...

Question of the Day

I was just remembering some of my favorite books as a kid, the Something Queer is Going On mysteries by Elizabeth Levy, about two friends named Jill & Gwen, and Jill's basset hound, Fletcher, who had markings in the shape of Africa. My very favorite was Something Queer is Going On at the Lemonade Stand.

What were your favorite childhood books?

Life is just a bowl of kitties

The sink bowl is Oreo's favorite spot when I'm getting ready in the morning...and yes, I have turned the water on her :)

Photos

1st snow in Indy

Over the Rhine at the Goshen Theater - if you ever get a chance to see these guys, do not pass it up! Their recordings are outstanding, but they are indescribable live - everyone says Karen sounds like Norah Jones until they hear her live and find out just how much more range she has. And Linford (her husband on the left) is a hoot - I love it when he starts wandering on in his drawly bass voice. Also, the drummer is one of the finest I've ever heard and the bass guy's no slouch either...check them out at http://www.overtherhine.com/ - the contrary-minded and music lovers among you will want to listen to If A Song Could Be President from the Trumpet Child album.

No Photos

I'm currently on a mac & can't figure out how to save my photos from my email to my jump drive (no right click) so my apologies... I'll get new photos up (1st snow & Over the Rhine concert) as soon as I get it figured out.

Well, no job yet, and I confess that I'm really nervous yet perfectly at peace at the same time - not sure how that works, except that the specter of January rent & December bills is looming concurrently with the knowledge that this move was the right decision and in line with God's will for my future. Don't worry, I'm ruling nothing out and at the moment, am willing to try anything legal.

On that note, I substitute taught at Herron High School (no connection to the art school) on Friday (ceramics & drawing) - somewhat intimidating initially, but very fun! I didn't know how much I missed talking to students. It was a great experience since I'm considering teaching art someday. Anyway, nothing occured to make me reconsider...

After school, I got to help set up for a gallery opening at Harrison Art Center (down the street from my apartment) - my first collaboration with a professional artist! I contributed a gate to a winter scene for a dance performance, constructed out of found junk in the gym - rusty mattress springs, clear plastic sheeting, lights, a coat tree, and clear plastic exercise balls - I wish I had gotten a picture of it, but alas, it was kind of a hectic evening! However, the artist in question, who was billed on the performance, was pleased with my work! I then attended the opening as a patron, and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Moved In

It was a long weekend, but we made it! We looked like the Clampetts with Aaron's truck loaded to oblivion, but it was worth the laughs to get almost everything in one trip (thanks Jed & Paul - you are supermen! Thanks to Carl, too, for letting us drive your truck, but it didn't look like this)

This behemoth was at the gas station just south of Grissom Air Force Base - sorry Aaron, this guy got it first :)

The superwomen were Norma who helped load, and Dawn, Miriam, & Amanda who loaded, drove 3 hours, unloaded & carried all my junk up 3 flights of stairs! Also, special thanks to Austin & his friend (whose name I am unable to remember :( who carried the big stuff! This is my neighborhood, tho' gray & rainy - it started sleeting as we started unloading.

So now I'm nearly unpacked and here is the tour so far - note all the boxes of books I don't have shelves for :)Check out that closet, now dubbed my dressing room - I love my place!! 10' ceilings, hardwood floors, crown moldings - why did I ever think I needed anything bigger than this?? I've disposed of everything (well, almost) that isn't absolutely necessary, and I love it! This place has so much character, I just need the time, creativity & IKEA to make it really amazing - ya'll have to come down & visit :)

Still no job - the hunt picks up afresh tomorrow. Please keep praying and I will keep you posted! Special love and thanks for all of your prayers, cards, gifts and kind wishes - I reread them everyday!

Decorating for Christmas

My stuff is (nearly) all packed, so the only thing I could decorate was my blog :) Hope you enjoy the new look...

New Contact Info

Tomorrow is my last day at work and Saturday is moving day!

Here is my new address & email:

1445 N. Delaware, Apt. 303
Indianapolis, IN 46202
jlj5@iupui.edu

my cell stays the same...

1st Snow in Indiana

Thanksgiving brought the first snow of the year and it was beautiful! After a fun mini-Thanksgiving at my place, Dawn & I went to see the movie Enchanted with Amanda - I took this photo in the parking lot at about 6:45pm...

p.s. If you're looking for an anti-fairy tale like we were, do not see this movie! Well done enough for what it was (spot-on Disney casting), but definitely a sweetness & light happily-ever-after ending...a perfect movie for moms, grandmas, & granddaughters :)

Studio Living

For those of you keeping tabs (& since moving day is a week from today) I found an apartment in Indy! Pretty small studio (467 sf.), but oak hardwood floors & crown molding in a gorgeous historic neighborhood, 1 block south of Redeemer Pres. Unfortunately for the great friends who are helping me move, it's a 3rd floor walkup :( But really, the sofa bed isn't that heavy...

Pictures below...

I love the funky aqua tile in the bathroom! (everything in this place except the refrigerator is orginal to the ca. 1920's construction...)

Blessings

Starting to panic a little this week - only 2.5 weeks left before the big day (6 more days of work!) and so much that's yet to be determined! I too easily focus on what I think I don't have, but if I stop for even a little bit, I'm overwhelmed by the abundance of my life (especially as I start to pack it! :)

Especially notable this week are friends - godly women with whom to share music, books, sushi & life :); my family, including many who aren't even related to me except by love & choice; my churches - 1. FBC which lifted my family up & carried us for so many years, 2. Vineyard which continues to be a respite of honesty, humility & joy, & 3. Redeemer which promises to teach me not only as a Christ-follower but as a creative steward as well. All this on top of food, clothing, a warm place to sleep, a job to do, & oodles of stuff which I am now trying to weed through & load into boxes that won't overwhelm the generous people who are helping me to move.

My reflexive views of my own poverty or abundance are radically out of whack. I know this to be true in theory, but lose sight of it when unexpected expenses pop up (like a traffic ticket for plates I ought to have known were expired :P) or plans don't come together in my time frame, or I simply haven't been the steward I ought to have been. Maybe one of the most significant consequences of mis-stewardship is the attention it takes from the blessings poured out on me. I just finished the Treasure Principle and am trying reconcile those truths with the truth of Heaven Is A Place On Earth, which I've been in the middle of for while. How do you balance storing up treasures in heaven with celebrating all that God has created & given us here (not in terms of possessions but experiences & people)?

If you have any thoughts I'd love to hear them! For now I'm starting, but not ending, with shifting my focus back to His gifts, material & not. So in addition to the list of blessings above, I'm adding God's patience & mercy, & His delight in me.

Sushi & Fun

Believe it or not, Elkhart actually has a wonderful little sushi & martini bar called Stirred (next door to, & run by, the Daily Grind). So last Friday, Amanda, Jennie & I decided it was time to get foxy & head out for some fun! :)

This was actually my first experience with sushi, and I have to say I'm hooked, even though this was kind of American fusion. Our veggie roll appetizer was outstanding, as was the martini sampler - black cherry, red velvet, tiramisu, creme brulee - fabulous! The apple saki, not so much - kind of a watered down apple jolly rancher - interesting, but next time I'm going for straight saki. For the uninitiated, the green dots are wasabi (& you thought peppers were hot) and the pink shavings are candied ginger. I had the Stirred rolls (shrimp, avacado, cilantro, red pepper)

Amanda had himachi sushimi (not sure what fish this was, but it was raw - the flavor was nice, but not my favorite texture :)

& Jennie had crab rolls.

The dessert, oh my heavens! Caramel apple bread pudding, by far the best thing - chef-made caramel sauce; tiramisu w/ chef-made kahlua, also a revelation; and pumpkin pecan cheesecake, big enough for 3.

So much fun, I love to try new things! The only thing that would have made it better was 3 more girls and an Over the Rhine concert as a nightcap :)

Indy Trip

Had a great interview yesterday w/ Kindra & Dawn @ the IU Foundation (fundraising arm of the university). It's a part-time job assisting them w/ promoting the library to students & the community - a lot of what I do at the City without the stress, but unfortunately no benefits. I really liked the girls and the sounds of the job, and will probably have a follow-up phone interview next week. In the meantime, I'm still looking! I also checked out 2 apartments that are definite no's - safety & all that - but have more to do there as well. So the hunt continues! Thanks for your prayers!

On another note, while SB retained my mayor, Indy lost theirs in a HUGE upset & there is major concern in the arts & philanthropic community about what it will mean for neighborhood & arts funding - apparently the mayor-elect has very different views about the role of the arts in neighborhood development and the city budget. So that election may have a material effect on what has been described as a very public-accessible, grass-roots arts community. I'll keep you posted!

Luecke Wins!

Yay, my mayor earned 62% of the vote yesterday! The future of South Bend is secure for the next 4 years :) You get a pretty good sense of someone's character when you work 20 yards from his office door, and Mayor Steve is quiet, gracious, humble and honorable, quick to share praise with his team and expecting the same high level of integrity from his staff that expects from himself. In addition, I believe he is a man who seeks to serve God and conducts himself in a manner consistent with his beliefs. There is a lot that needs to be accomplished yet in South Bend, but I think he's the one to do it.

It's really been a blessing to work here these 2.5 years and better understand how gov't works and see up close the commitment and sacrifices of the people who serve in public office. I leave with the firm belief that every resident should be required to job-shadow a gov't employee for 6 months before being allowed to complain (or vote!), to see up close the challenges and daily guff they face! :) Unless you're actually involved and investigating the issues firsthand, I'm convinced you're just armchair quarterbacking. I wasn't really politically aware before I came here, but I have a greater sense now of the blessing we enjoy in this system of gov't and the privilege of having a voice. It's far from perfect, but you can't help it or anyone else until you get educated (about both sides!) and then get involved.

One last thought... generally speaking, I have found both sides of any given argument to be comprised of well-intentioned, dedicated, intelligent people who are doing their best to act on what they believe to be right and true. I have also observed that the exceptions lie (figuratively and literally :) on both sides of the aisle.

OK, I'm done politicking...

Registered!

I'm officially a college student! Drawing I on M,W & 2D Design on T,Th - classes start Jan. 7! Spring Break is Mar. 10-14 so Dawn & I are planning to fly out to San Francisco to see our folks - we wanted to go for Christmas, but ticket prices are nuts :( So Christmas is in Indy this year, come one, come all :)

Job Interview

I'm going back to Indy on Thursday to interview at the IUPUI library - Admin. Asst. for Community Events (fundraising wing of the library). It's only part-time but pays decently for an on-campus job & if I can get a tuition break, it will be worth it! I had a call from FedEx too, but it wouldn't work w/ my class schedule :( I'm still scouting other opportunities too, so if you know someone... :)



This was my Halloween...



I went to Amanda & Glori's to help hand out candy - we fixed dinner, carved pumpkins, and didn't watch Corpse Bride twice :) Mine is on the left...

Indy Trip

(This is the view from my office window in South Bend - I will really miss some things about this place, especially watching fall creep up right behind my back :)

I had a good trip to Indy on Monday & Tuesday - all of my gen ed requirements are satisified except for 2 science classes :(~ and I had several interviews at employment agencies that went very well. The consensus is that I should have no trouble finding a job, even if I have to take 2 part-time jobs to work around classes...but what to do about insurance...

The biggest blessing was stopping by Redeemer Presbyterian, a church I was referred to by the local Intervarsity guy & have been checking out online. Long story short, the pastor introduced me to the director of the community art center they run and they practically adopted me on the spot - they are passing my resume around, offered me work-study (which I can't afford to take :( ) and are checking to see if anyone has an apartment to rent or needs a roommate. Joanna's (the director) comment was "there's no need to start from scratch when you have a community ready to support & help you." Isn't God good? He's good regardless, but isn't He GOOD?! :)

Camera Photos

Finally got my photos from this summer emailed from my camera phone to my computer! Here are some of my favorites:

Rodin's "Thinker", Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids

White Tiger at Zoofari, Potawatomi Zoo, South Bend - I went with my friend Amanda to catch some great Irish music from Kennedy's Kitchen and got this beautiful girl as a bonus! This is the exact same pose my cat Oreo assumes when she's hot - here kitty, kitty, kitty! :)

Sibling Day at the Beach - my sister Dawn & I took our little brother Marshall to Tunnel Beach in Michigan, and he conned Dawn into burying him in the sand - this is his "dead" face :)

Girls' Night Out - one last hurrah for the girlfriends before Megan & Ryan left for Argentina - dinner at NoMA (fabulous!) and dessert at Indulgence. We look pretty hot, don't you think?

Notre Dame vs. Michigan St. - my 1st ND game but I hope not my last. Even though they lost, we had a blast, and it was so fun to go with my sister - we sat next to cute friendly guys & got to see the 1st, tho' thankfully not the last, offensive touchdown of the season :)

Ornamental Dandelions

I don't know if this phrase is new or just new to me, but it popped fully formed into my head one day when I saw a lovely little yard, nicely mowed (mown?), with a lone dandelion at the base of a wooden fencepost - tall and waving its sunshine head in the breeze, much as if it had been purposely planted there.

Normally one sees tulips or other such "proper" flowers arranged this way, and I wondered if it had been missed by the mower or if someone had seen beauty and asymmetry in the weed and left it as a paean to the overlooked wonder & grace of common objects that we take for granted.

Anyway, somethimes I feel like that dandelion - terribly common and not very exceptional - and I was reminded that I was created and am seen by a Father who knows my unique beauties and flaws, even in the midst of a sea of dandelions, and I am never overlooked, even when I feel mown down. (Genesis 16 tells the story of Hagar's banishment because of Sarah's jealousy, and as she has given up hope for her life and her son's, Jehovah comes to her with water and a promise. She declares that "Truly here I have seen him who looks after me" and calls that desert place Beer-lahai-roi, "The well of the Living One who sees me.")

My little corner of the world is full of blessings & beauty that remind me of the care of the Living One, if I have the eyes and mind to see them.