The Adventures of Kinky Reggae: A Vagabond for Beauty

So I've been trying to do the whole dating thing more.  You know, because I feel like I should. There is one guy who seems promising.  He's a special ed. teacher in CPS.  Works with BD kids at a high school- hardcore.  Went to ASU, so shares my love of Phoenix.  However, I'm just not feeling it with him.  There's nothing wrong with him... I'm just kind of bored; I'm not excited about him.  But I'm going to give him a chance, because my friends are always lecturing me about this.  We'll see how tomorrow night's date goes. Friday night I had an AWFUL date.  This guy was a total snob.  Good for you that you own all these businesses.. I don't care how much money you have.  He just had this attitude of entitlement and was really condescending to me.  We went to one of my favorite neighborhood bars, and he insisted on walking me home because he was appalled that I would walk alone in my neighborhood at night.  (Yes, I know, I need to stop doing thi

There are two things that have kept me Lutheran all these years: their emphasis on grace, and their beliefs about communion. I've tried other churches: Episcopal, Mormon, non-denominational, Mennonite... but I keep coming back to the Lutheran church. Honestly, I'd keep going to a Mennonite church if it was an option.  I didn't agree with them on everything, but it's been the best fit for me so far.  Unfortunately, as far as I know, there aren't really any good options for that in the city. So I'm back at a Lutheran church.  An LCMS church, to be specific. Last week I was talked into going to a single's Bible study.  Doesn't that sound awful?  But Margaret is hard to say no to.  She was all excited for me to meet some ex-Marine, super Christian guy who was leading the study that week.  I was instructed to "Wear something skanky.  Christian skanky." I won't go into all the details, because it wasn't actually that bad.  There wer

My former small group leader was a psychology major and had us all take the Meyers-Briggs Personality Test .  It was actually a really valuable experience.  Reading about my friends' personality types helped me understand how they function and how to relate to them better.   Most of what I read about ENFP's seemed to fit my personality.  The part that stuck out the most was my inability to follow through.  The description warns that I get very excited over new projects, but often don't finish.  Looking around my living room, I see three things that prove this: 15 half-finished Christmas ornaments laying on the coffee table, a half-finished cross-stitch (I got bored with the ornaments and needed a break), and two pictures hanging on the wall with a big gap in the middle because I never got around to ordering the third print.  Oh wait, there are four things... I got curtains for my window, and I had trouble screwing in the thingies that hold them back, but I got frustrated

Had a really beautiful moment at church today.  The choir was supposed to sing the harmony on a hymn during communion, but the hymn came at an awkward time- we started it right when it was the choir's turn to go up to communion.  So we sang it as we went (it's short and simple).  And it just felt beautiful and holy to approach and stand at God's table singing in perfect harmony, "Take, oh, take me as I am, summon out what I shall be, set your seal upon my heart and live in me."

This weekend I was pretty much stuck at home because Riot Fest was happening across the street, and I knew if I moved my car, I'd never find another spot when I got home.  I pretty much hermited on Saturday, but I had to go to church this morning because the choir was singing, and I also promised Margaret I'd help with Sunday School music since she wasn't going to be there.  I had a dilemma. I could: a) Take the bus.  I live on Division, and my church is a block off of Division, so it wouldn't be too complicated.  But I have never taken the bus in the city before, and I am scared to do it by myself for the first time. b) Cab it.  But I hate to spend the money! c) Walk.  It's only 4 miles.  I did 8 mile hikes all summer, and this one wouldn't have any elevation gain. :) I went with C and walked to church, congratulating myself on all the calories I was burning (as I munched on a still-warm blueberry muffin from Letizia's Natural Bakery). I had lun

I started running the day after I got back from my trip. I had no desire to be a runner.  My only thought was staying in shape for Freeze Fest.  I can't afford the gym, but there is a huge park across the street with lots of paths.  Running seemed logical.  Plus I wanted to be able to run with Jason.   I started the Couch to 5k program and kept it quiet, except for Jason and Kristin.  They know all my strengths and weaknesses.  With anyone else, I'd be embarrassed to celebrate 90 seconds of running, but they don't judge, just encourage.  I love getting the "Hell yeah!!!" texts from Jason.   A week or two later, Jen and Paula started the same program.  I was excited to have more non-judgmental friends to talk about this with. Within about the past week, I've started talking to more and more people.  And now this whole running thing is out of control.   The hot triathlete upstairs wants to go running with me.   Nina wants me to go for a 20

Liz and I went rock climbing this morning and out to lunch afterwards.  She asked about the guy I was hanging out with before my trip, and I told her things aren't going to work out there, which makes me sad.  I liked him a lot, for so many reasons, but he's not interested in dating.  (I'm hoping we'll at least end up friends, because he is pretty f-ing awesome.)  We talked about how she and her husband met (on Chemistry.com) and how I've been thinking I should make an effort to date more.  I'm bad about actually trying to meet men.  I've always got 5 million things going on, and I justify it with the "you'll find someone when you're not actually looking" rationale.  But Liz and Tom are so perfect for each other and happy together, she's inspired me to give it a try. When Tom went through his divorce, someone advised him to make a list of traits he wanted in a girlfriend.  Liz said he had something like 30 items on his list, and the o

Jason once said to me and Kristin, "I feel like you can't really know me till you're in a canyon with me.  You guys know me in a way other people don't.  This is where I'm happiest.  This is where I'm most alive." I told Kristin a few months ago that I can't marry someone unless he goes canyoneering with me first.  Part of that is because I wonder how he would do in those circumstances, how he would problem-solve, how much he would complain, how much he'd love it.  But the other half of that is opening myself up to someone, letting him know me completely. What Jason said is true.  In the canyons, there's no opportunity for pretense.  I am stripped down and raw.  I'm just me. You will see me at my very best, so filled with joy that I have to sing about it, grinning, playing, fearlessly lowering myself over 300 feet ledges, gleefully proclaiming that I ain't got time to bleed, letting out war cries that are so filled with emotion th