My Summer of Simplicity.

I have never been super addicted to technology (internet, television, phones), but there are times in my life I seem more dependent on it than others, and since I have been not feeling well, this would be one such time. However, now that I am feeling much better, being more active, and creating a longer list of things that I need or want to do, I have decided this would be a perfect time for my plan.

The plan of living a technology-free summer. Simplicity as I would like to call it.

I feel like just because I am no longer small enough to be able to “play outside” quite like I used to before screens of all shapes and sizes infiltrated my life, doesn’t mean that I cannot find things to fill my day.

I know it will not be fun at first. I will have to resist the urge to cave into checking my facebook just that once, or watching a show when I’m feeling ill. But I am determined, it is happening. I’m kind of excited- books, art, languages, crafts, cooking, baking, outdoor trips, friends and family all at my disposal in the internet interim.

The dates: June 1 – September 1.
The rules:
- no smart phone (switching with Mom for the summer, since safety sense would say that driving or going anywhere by myself is just better with some kind of emergency communication device. I will have phone calls and extremely limited texting- self-inflicted- if someone must get ahold of me or I of them, but no easy access to apps, games, facebook, twitter, and the works.)
- no internet (allowed = email for school, my school’s homepage for planning for school next year, and blog posts everyonce in a while to document this journey)
- no television (going to movies is the exception, or if I am at someone else’s house, but no more 4 hour show marathons…)

I think that’s pretty much it… I mean, coupled with this, the summer of simplicity will include good sleep hours (no netflix to keep me up will help), good food (limited meat and as many veggies and true-to-form food as possible), exercise (thank you gym membership and nature), educational activies such as tackling classical literature and philosophical reading I’ve been itching to attack, as well as a summer class or two at the community college, and hopefully lots of social time and game nights.

Also, more Jesus time, since sometimes it’s easy to skip over that to visit Hulu, the god of internet-television, instead.

Wish me luck and if you want to, check back every week or so for more posts. I’m going to purposely try to tackle various projects during the week and then it will give me something to write about on here (since I’ve been pretty non-existent these past few months), and etc. etc.

(Fortunately I still have a week or so to get it all out of my system…)

Kate 

My friends are hoola dancers.

Maybe not, but they are still awesome.

And fortunate for me, I got to hang out with some of my best friends this past weekend.

It all started out with a fabulous Friday evening with my friend Jake from high school years. Although we lived in two towns an hour apart, being very involved in Key Club at various levels meant we saw enough of each other to warrant staying in touch after graduation — more so than some of my school friends.

Jake is a peer adviser at Seattle Pacific University, so I first headed up to his floor in one of the dorms, which smelled of men and hosted a large skeletal Michael Jackson Pharaoh, which is a little hard to describe. After the initial small talk, we headed to the cafeteria on campus for a solid college meal. Then came the traditional Seattle tourist spots; I’d already been to Pike’s Place and other such locations, but Jake took me to the Fremont Bridge Troll and a few parks that boasted spectacular views overlooking the city skyline and the Sound. Finish that with an oversized chocolate cake (which was absurdly delicious, I almost cried), and then The Secret Life of Bees and yes, just yes.

On Saturday I headed north and met up with my old roomie and great friend from the first few years of college, Jennifer (who for the record, hates the name Jenn.) It was fun to see her home and her family, but mostly just good to see each other. After her spending her last semester of undergrad in Oxford and then graduating last December, I hadn’t seen her since last April. It was really soul-nourishing to reconnect.

A few hours later we picked up the last of the trio when Marissa flew in from Spokane. While I had seen her more recently (we’re both students together down in California), she’s a crazy awesome nursing student, and therefore alot of her free time gets devoted to memorizing parts of the body or spending some time in the hospital, working.

Finally reunited, we tried to pry our eyes awake enough to host the first of many solid conversations throughout the weekend until Marissa finally passed out around 1 and Jennifer and I decided to call it quits as well.

Church Sunday morning with the K family was refreshing and lunch at Grand Central Bakery was yummy (shout out to the melted provolone sandwich with caramelized onions and the bacon turkey sandwich… both of which I went halfsies with Marissa). Then was the mandatory Sunday afternoon nap, squeezing all three of us into one bed, and ensuring the most-attractive sweat-plastered bangs within an hour. Topping off the afternoon was a walk down down down the hill from the K family home to the Puget Sound and cute Three Tree Point. It was a bright and breezy time, and while Jennifer’s mom’s shape-ups shoes gave me calf-aches and a blister, (and while I’m hesitant to admit it), it wasn’t a horrible experience. And knowing that Jennifer’s brother was coming to get us in a motorized vehicle so we wouldn’t have to hike back up up up the hill made the moment on the sound’s edge that much sweeter.

Following Dick’s burgers in Seattle for the classic cheeseburger and fries, was Jennifer’s grandparents house on Lake Washington. Her Pops built it in the 60′s and it has everything to love about a grandparents residence: pictures of the grandbabies, outdated wallpaper reminiscent of Wonka-land and mod culture, fiesta-ware, and a sauna. Yes, a sauna… it was fantastic.

Before jumping in the heat machine, we went to see Mirror Mirror with Julia Roberts and what’s-her-face. It was, unremarkable I suppose, except to say that it was a very pretty picture and otherwise not breath-taking. Cute and clever in parts, it lacked the extra oomph to make it into the must-haves of permanent collections.

Now cue the sauna- 150 degrees Fahrenheit and fantabulous. It is built of cedar and smells of a summers day camping in central Oregon (probably from the wet rocks cooking on top of the oven.) After almost 30 minutes, we made a daring dash into Lake Washington at approximately midnight in celebration of Marissa’s 21 birthday (although I’m sure a round of shots may seem more fitting, it just sounded so much lamer than the boosting of adrenaline and summoning the fight-or-flight response that freezing water in the cool night’s air seems to bring.) As soon as my body hit the water and submerged (much deeper than I was expecting), the water stole the air in my lungs and replaced it with a mouthful of horrid fish-poo water. It think that might have been as shocking as the water temperature, and I fought to resurface and find the ladder in as little time as possible with two shivering friends behind me.

Actually, it was no where near life-threatening and because we were sauna-steamed, our thermo sensors in our skin were delusional and deceived into thinking it was not as bad as it could have been. Still, we rushed, soaking wet, back through the house and into the sauna, slamming the door quickly to protect any precious heat from escaping. (This might not have been the best idea because I immediately felt dizzy and later pretty nauseous, but you have to sacrifice for adventure, even small ones like jumping in lakes at midnight with friends.) The only thing that would have made this more spectacular would have been if we had skinny-dipped (just to say we had), but considering the home owners and neighbors were probable retirees, I thought it better that we not shock them with our generations lack of reserve and propriety.

Monday we awoke to birthday waffles made by the dear Nana and complete with a single candle in Marissa’s. Then we ate a slice of pie from the previous night… yum.

After taking luxuriously lengthy showers and getting ready, we hit the town. And by hit the town I mean drove all the way into downtown in search of a Nordstrom Rack only to find a closed shop with no clothes, and had to drive back out to Jennifer’s home-suburb for shopping. I must say, with the lovely weather the purposeless driving was still pleasant, albeit car-sickening. Finally at “The Rack”, our goal was simple: sexy jeans for Jennifer and a fantastic outfit for Marissa’s birthday night. Both were accomplished and then some.

The only thing to do to celebrate? Red Robin and Marissa’s first birthday drink. Check and check. We were served by a bearded ginger named Travis and I got a serious look down from another waiter, whom I shall call Franklin since I did not get his name.

A train ride from Seattle down to my home-area in Oregon was the final leg of my journey through the weekend. On it, my assigned seats placed me at a table with a couple of teenagers who found the world ridiculous and over-the-fact that they were riding the train alone, and a young woman from Spain. I didn’t talk to either, since one group just sent quiet eye signals to each other and sighed alot, and the other played her music much too loudly through her apple headphones. However, I finally reached my own bed, sans friends.

It was a phenomenal weekend.

(Look at these pictures. Yes, look look.)

Baby animals.

Had a baby chick hatch today at school with overly-enthusiastic 2nd graders. Pure joy.

And as it was a color experiment, it is green. And has been dubbed “Patty Clover” by said 2nd graders. Splendidness.

Anyway, baby animals are simply marvelous and sometimes cuter than our baby humans, so I would recommend some time on YouTube destressing and enjoying the love of little creatures.

Start here: baby duck

Then just keep clicking more videos until you have a solid hours worth of miniature animals vids under your belt.

You’ll thank me.

AGNK

Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Happiness

It is unfortunate that my computer is out of commission, but it’s hard to find motivation to fix it when my phone does almost all of the same things minus the handy life-sized keyboard.

But alas, I need to write something, *anything* to fix this crazy craving I have deep in the pit of my chest, and somewhere tucked between my lungs and behind my heart. Otherwise, it might explode and take all remaining organs with it. You know the feeling?

First, life- the approximately 90 year journey between first and final breath, it unfolds and unveils more choices and surprises than the average mind can deliberate. And call it fate, destiny, or coincidence, life is both what you’re given and then what you choose to do with it. Sometimes that leads to inexplicable ecstasy or inconsolable regret. Pain and happiness weaving in and out at opposite sides of a spinning door.

My life for the past year, and in fact much longer than that, has been row after row of frustrations. Not heartbreak as much as closed doors, broken nails, and a mixture of stress and sometimes loneliness as I face what seemed like insurmountable challenges, albeit relative to my experience.

This most recent hiccup has sent me home from my pilgrimage to higher education, seemingly halting my pursuit to helping make the world a better place and away from the comfortable nest of close friends, advisors, academia, and the mind-numbing challenge of to-do lists. What I’ve come home to is a shallow, self-serving, and hollow existence when compared to my life at school. Or so it seems.

HOWEVER… before you all assume I’ve gone simply mad and on a complaining and perhaps self-loathing rant, please reconsider, for here in fact lies my turn in perspective… It is what I make of it as much as what would coincidentally or otherwise, be set before me.

So with a somewhat sharp change of heart, I have to realign my thinking with the purpose of life, which brings me to point two: love.

Not the romantic, mushy-faced love of pimple-face teenagers and music videos, but the love that Jesus lived and encouraged us to live with each other. And not just the handful of people we are surrounded with in each day, but the strangers and foreigners, the diseased and labeled sinners. The struggling, the alien, the broken. Because when you think about it, we are also broken. And to others, we contain some of the same faults we pelt them with in our mental judging- we are annoying and rude, quick to judge, ignorant, and so many other things. And maybe let me dis-include you from this, but I can assure you my time off has given me more than enough time to ponder my own short-comings.

But to love another is to look above all faults and weaknesses, to commit ourselves in a moment to needs and desires of others for worth, beauty, and joy. To love God is to grasp your own inabilities as being not equivalent and inferior to his grace. To love another is to extend that grace and hope to them.

Now, at this point understand that regardless of your own religious opinions or beliefs, my point is first person. This is my experience. This is my conviction- that I have failed to be love in all situations, and for that I daily struggle to improve myself and allow God’s love to work in areas of my life and being that are otherwise unchangeable.

Seeing my headaches as a reason to be among family and friends, and improve those relationships, as one such project. To look around me and identify opportunities to be sometimes the only source of love in another’s life- the store clerk, the random stranger in aisle three. No crazy outrageous acts besides human decency, kindness, and patience. This has been my conviction- what more can I do, what more can I be in the lives of other people. I want to make my life an act of love, and that is my declaration.

Which brings me to point three: if I love the way I am supposed to, including bummer circumstances and the world I live in, changing my perspective to improve my outlook, then my happiness can only improve as well. And perhaps the happiness of others.

I am so blessed, beyond belief, and not even in comparison to anyone. I just am. Because I choose to be. Just be.

I choose to live whatever life I’m given with such a fervor and passion, that no matter how big or small, every person, project, and otherwise will get the love and attention that deserve. I choose to notice the small details and appreciate every part of my journey, embracing pain as a guide and pursuing the happiness of intertwining myself with the people I love. I choose to relic the joy in all things, believing in all things, no matter what.

In this, may I live life to the fullest, let love be the greatest (along with the author of love), and find happiness without even trying.

And maybe when I really grasp all of that, I’ll figure out that these challenges I face aren’t worth any fuss. Maybe they’ll disappear altogether. But regardless, I have a responsibility to put other’s needs above my own.

Thanks for following along, that spot in my chest feels much better now.
A Girl Named Kate

Matter and Ice Cream

Yesterday I had the privilege of hanging out with 30ish 1st and 2nd graders at my old school to do some science. The 1st graders had been studying matter, so I continued with that theme.

Of course, beyond the definition of matter (that it takes up space- nevermind that it has mass- and that it makes up our whole world), I thought it’d be simplest and most pertinent to discuss the states of matter… Oregon, New York, Georgia… Just kidding.

But really- sometimes we don’t think about what melting, boiling, freezing, etc. are- phase changes. Of course I didn’t sling that term around the kiddies, but we did discuss our solids, liquids, and gases.

I did the mandatory baking soda + vinegar into a balloon experiment and the catching of co2 into another balloon from carbonated pop, but then we got to the real hands on fun stuff: ice cream. The cold hard stuff.

It was super fun. Granted as hectic as I thought, but self-five for at least enough planning to keep all those energized 4 foot machines from taking over the school. Powered with baggies, sugar, ice, and a few more tools- we were off.

Everyone got to make their own, which they would get to eat later, which was a great motivator- except for Miss Lactose-Intolerant girl… Bummer. But still… Kept those busy bees working.

I’ve included the recipe below. Super easy. Super fun for kids. And super yummy if you do it right- which I can’t say was true for all my minion-scientists.

My favorite part was the shaking-of-the-baggie part while you are spending 5 minutes waiting for the ice cream to freeze. Those kiddies have some mean boogies and we turned it into a pretty decent dance party.

I wish I could have taken pictures the whole time, but my hands were literally full the whole time. Bummer. But these polaroids in my head pretty much rock.

Recipe:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup half and half or milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup rock or ice cream salt
Ice
Baggies (1 sandwich and 1 gallon)

Mix sugar, milk (or half and half), and vanilla in small baggie.
Add a few scoops of ice to big baggie till about 1/3 to 1/2 full and add salt.
Add small baggie to big baggie. Seal both well.
Shake for about 5 minutes until frozen.
Enjoy!! (you might need to wipe off small baggie first and “smoosh” down ice cream from top before you open it… Remember you don’t want salty ice cream.)

- AGNK