I'm back

I'm back from an unintentional blogging hiatus. I am making no excuses however because the lack of a computer can make it pretty difficult to blog! I sold my laptop right before I left Haiti. It was about 7 years old and had been smeared with avocado after sharing a backpack with avocados. Even though I worked very hard to clean it, it never smelled very pretty after that. And so I sold it to a Haitian engineer who was very happy to have it, avocado smells and all. I got about $250 for it which I then used to buy a bike when I got home. Unfortunately that bike has just lived on my back porch ever since I got it. Living in Renton has made it hard to use it for any sort of real transportation or commuting purposes and the weather has not been good enough for fun rides. Yes, it is June and the weather still sucks in Seattle.

So now for some updates:

1) I am a new Mac owner! My first and I am happy I made the switch. Apple just released their brand new Macbook Pro version and so UW was selling the 'old' model at a huge discount. I have been working hard to download all my music (priorities!) and even got a great deal for a new ipod thanks to Craigs list. I have been excited to subscribe to podcasts and do lots of things that old Mac users take for granted.

2) I will be attending grad school in the fall. I only applied to two schools and I got into both! I was debating between Columbia and UW but ultimately chose UW due to the costs. Columbia is outrageously expensive and both schools are ranked the same for my program. UW also offered me a scholarship for the first year. I will be pursuing a Masters of Public Affairs in the Evans School and a Masters of International Studies in the Jackson School. It is a three year program. I start in September

3) I am going to Africa. For about a month. With a group from my church, Crosspoint Church. I will post my letter in the near future with all the details.

4) Nearing the end of my job. I finish up in August. I have really loved my job but I am really sick of being Americorps. I don't really respect the program at all and am tired of the pittance pay--and yes, I am still bitter that I was never granted food stamps! I really enjoy working with refugees but it is a pretty frantic pace and it is only going to get busier with new arrivals. I am starting to get to the burned out point and while I don't want to think that I am motivated by money, I think it is a lot easier to get burned out earlier when you make the stupidly low pay that I do! To work that hard and still not have enough money to buy food?? Not cool.

5) Looking to move again. Lindsey (current roommate) and I will likely be moving back up to the Seattle city limits in August. We are both day dreaming about living in Capitol Hill. I obsessively check Craigs list. Probably won't really start seriously looking though for another month.

6) I am having a church affair. I like my church, Greenlake Crosspoint, and I love being involved with music there, but I really like Grace Seattle. They also have a lot more options for Community Groups and I really need that right now. It still has been hard to really become involved and transition because living in Renton again makes things difficult. Gas prices right now make it even harder! So now I just feel like I am on the fringe in two different places. Not cool, but that will change soon enough.

Some things I have been pondering lately:

--I can't believe I am almost 25
--God is so good and yet I still fail to trust Him
--how to withdraw from Iraq responsibly?
--how light can I go with my hair and not look stupid?
--God has a unique plan for ME and I can't compare myself with others
--Is Narrow Stairs better than Plans?