light bulb

much like new years resolutions, the blogging has fallen by the wayside. the running has been semi-consistent at least. race day in 27 days.

spent dead prez weekend in lake tahoe with a bunch of high schoolers. i haven't seen that much snow in a long time. maybe when i was in college and had to climb over a snow bank to get to my dorm when i got back from winter break. out of the 4 years in dc, i never had a stinkin' snow day to get out of class. i still feel gypped. anyway, the snow was pretty sweet. wait, after about 20 minutes of floundering around in thigh-high powder, i realized that i'm not all that hot on snow.

other than that, there was a lot of good lounging and laughing. this is the first time i've really done youth ministry while actually having another job. yeah, it took long enough. i'm still adjusting and figuring out what my life looks like with a 9-5 gig. because i've managed to avoid a job with that schedule, well, pretty much my entire post-college life. i'm thinking that's why i felt like such a geezer on the trip. or maybe i actually am getting closer to being a geezer. seriously, like next week, i'll be shaking my fist telling those damn kids to get off my lawn.
actual conversation:
kids are getting ready to head down to the beach for the annual jump into lake tahoe.
in february. (yeah, it's cold. lots of screaming involved).
me: is that what you guys are wearing down there? you need to wear jackets.
2 girls are dressed in shorts flip flops and t-shirts. one is wearing a hoodie. she gestures at her hoodie, while the other one stares at me blankly.
me: you guys it's really windy out there. you guys need to wear a windproof jacket. the hoodie won't help you after you get out.
more blank looks.awkward silence
me: why are you still standing in front of me? go get your jackets.
3-5 more seconds of blank looks. more awkward silence
girl 1: .... i think i'll go put my jacket on...
girl 2: yeah that sounds good, i'll go with you.

me, as they walk away: yeah, way to come up with that idea on your own guys.
other kids laugh.

this might have been the trip where i've sounded most like a mom. sigh.

there's always room for jello

the other day a friend commented that she enjoyed it when i tagged along at various youth group meetings and trips. she said that i added "zest" to those times. to which i responded, "so I'm like mrs. dash?" and the answers is yes, folks. i am a social mrs. dash. this may be an actual personal characteristic, but there have been times in my life when i have felt less than zesty - so it is nice to actually feel and be this way. i'm not sure that sentence made any sense, but i have a regular job now that makes me lose brain power when i get home in the evening.

anyway, this past wednesday i was left largely alone at the office. people had class, or worked from home, what have you. which was kind of demotivating, but fortunately, i can be creative when left to my own devices. see, this here is my friend's favorite mug for tea. she drinks about 359 cups of tea per day out of it. i had to bide my time until i could get my hands on the mug, and had the box of jello mix in my backpack for a few weeks.

i think my friend herself gave me the idea, when she told me how jim encased dwight's phone in jello in an episode of the office. i suppose you could say that i harass her a bit because i regularly throw wads of paper at her, and once also hid this same mug in my desk one morning before she made her tea. it's all in good fun. well, for me, anyway. i have an impeccable sense of professionalism and decor. actually you should just never turn your back on me.

the jello set over night, and i missed the whole reaction in the morning since i got to the office a little late. that's okay though, it was totally worth it. as you can see, i was quite pleased with myself. wouldn't you like me for a colleague? waiting for retaliation.

hm.

It’s hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness.

Chuck Palahnuik