A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Donald Miller
Friends warned me to set aside a lot of time when I started this book because I'd read it in two days; they were wrong. I read it in one.

The book is about how Miller gets an offer to turn his bestseller Blue Like Jazz into a movie and the process of writing the screenplay. In writing an autobiographical screenplay, Miller is asked to present a cinema-worthy version of himself and discovers that his "story" is just not that compelling.


Miller realizes that he is being called to "write a better story" for himself. Somewhere between riding his bike across the U.S., hiking Machu Picchu, and starting The Mentoring Project, Miller lets the Author write him into a better character.

"You can call it God or a conscience, or you can dismiss it as that intuitive knowing we all have as human beings, as living storytellers; but there is a knowing I feel that guides me toward better stories, toward being a better character. I believe there is a writer outside ourselves, plotting a better story for us, interacting with us, even, and whispering a better story into our consciousness."

Miller talks about overcoming fear and addresses the problem of having over-elevated expectations about people, possessions, and even God: "When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are. And when you stop expecting material possessions to complete you, you'd be surprised at how much pleasure you get in material possessions. And when you stop expecting God to end all your troubles, you'd be surprised how much you like spending time with God."

Like me (and countless other people), Miller had to unlearn about the God he knew growing up—a god that inspires guilt and fear—in order to trust Him to write a better story. "As a kid, the only sense I got from God was guilt...The real Voice is stiller and smaller and seems to know, without confusion, the difference between right and wrong and the subtle delineation between the beautiful and profane. It's not an agitated Voice, but ever patient as though it approves a million false starts."

Miller doesn't treat God as a fearsome ruler or swing too far the other way, thinking of God as a fairy godfather; he treats God with as much respect as he does familiarity. Miller acknowledges that while God can help write a better story, He does not promise a perfect one: "Growing up in church, we were taught that Jesus was the answer to all our problems. We were taught that there was a circle-shaped hole in our heart and that we had tried to fill it with the square pegs of sex, drugs, and rock and roll; but only the circle peg of Jesus could fill our hole. I became a Christian based, in part, on this promise, but the hole never really went away. To be sure, I like Jesus and I still follow him, but the idea that Jesus will make everything better is a lie. It's basically biblical theology translated into the language of infomercials. The truth is, the apostles never really promise Jesus is going to make everything better here on earth...I think Jesus can make things better but I don't think he's going to make things perfect. Not here, not now."

"It's interesting that in the Bible, in the book of Ecclesiastes, the only practical advice given about living a meaningful life is to find job you like, enjoy your marriage, and obey God. It' as though God is saying, write a good story, take somebody with you, and let me help."

My fear of writing a better story is obvious: I'm worried where God will ask me to go and what He'll ask me to do. Also, I worry proximity to God will mean losing too much of myself. I'm not that great or anything, but at least I know who I am.

I worry that if I get too close to the source of all good that somehow I'll be absorbed; I'll never swear, or drink, or think about sex again. I'll become this Jesus drone—that God will steer me back to the Lutheran bubble, ask me to preach apologetics, and cause me to inexplicably volunteer to bring ambrosia salads for the church potlucks.

But what if it's not like that at all—what if proximity to God meant that I could be more myself than ever? Perhaps closeness to God would mean I could love more and judge less, have confidence to approach my Christian community with my biggest doubts and hardest questions, and read the Bible less for platitudes and more because it's full of stories about people even more messed up than me. What if it meant that, overall, I could live a better story?

I guess there's only one way to find out. I don't have a good conclusion for this post but I think I've at least got an inciting incident for my story.

Three A.M. Resolutions

Happy 2011, all! I am still up on New Year's Day and already breaking would-be resolutions as I sample a couple of the delicious but unhealthy hors d'oeuvres left over from my party and shirk the responsibility of cleaning up and opting, rather, to blog. I was and remain unsure of whether to share a short list of resolutions on the blog because 1) really, who cares other than me and 2) is this really how I wish to start my 2011 blogging—oversharing while overtired?

However, I become most inspired when reading others' New Year's resolutions—even if the resolution is awful or not applicable, it will, more often than not, remind me of something that would be relevant to me and lead me to a new idea. So here's to sharing ideas if for no better reason than inspiring even more impressive ones in the minds of others. Here's only a snapshot of my very long list of resolutions (in absolutely no discernible order):
—I already signed up for a 10k race in June, I know that I could get through it now by walking (possibly crawling at the end) but I resolve to train so I can perform at the race, not just survive it.
—To be more thoughtful of friends and family: go play bridge with my grandpa, write letters to my West coasters, beat deadlines at work to make my colleague's jobs easier, find more ways to show my parents and brother I appreciate them
—To pursue graphic design with more intention and focus this year
—Finally finish the One-Year Bible (I'm still stuck in May)
—To read 40 books this year
—Go to the library more
—Take vitamins every night before I go to bed
—Put more money away in savings, set and adhere to stricter budgets, and tithe faithfully
—Buy one book of stamps every two months and send enough mail so I have to repeat this six times this year
—Make do with less; do a spring clean very early to start the year fresh
—Find and pursue at least one type of volunteerism/charity
—I have a really great guy in my life for the first time so I would like to learn what I can do to make him happy, support him, and be the kind of woman he is proud to have by his side
—Practice things I'm only so-so at: piano, tango, salsa, baking bread, photography, etc.
—Travel more this year
—Try 11 new things in 2011 and do much more exploring in general
—Consider leading or joining a Bible study again
—Become more articulate and stop speaking in hyperbole as often as I do
—Make my incentives at work and put earnings directly into savings
—Practice Spanish much more this year
—Spend less time in front of screens (TV and computer)
—Make my blog more dynamic, beneficial for others, inspirational, and with more original photography

There are many more but for now, these will have to do. Have a wonderful beginning of 2011 and make this your best year ever.

My all-time favorite rendition of Auld Lang Syne (skip the video, I just posted so you can hear the song):

Coming Soon

—Pictures of our new puppy, Daisy
—Pictures of last few weeks in S.D.
—More personal posts as time allows
—New music, movie, and book finds, new products I'm enjoying, recipes worth trying

Home Again

New place of residence: Lincoln, Nebraska
Duration of stay so far: 14 days
Accomplishments:
1) Unloaded 40 boxes of my earthly belongings and settled into my space in the basement of my parent's house (what can I say, no one could compete with the rent)
2) Helped my mother acquire a puppy for my father (name: Daisy)
3) Have worked manically since the day I got back and haven't missed any deadlines yet
4) Have been slowly making my way back into Lincoln society
5) Spent some great quailty time with a couple of friends
6) Have been honored by invitations to join three separate book clubs already, thus, I consider myself a successful fraud in establishing myself as an intellectual reader (I know many greater readers than myself who take far less pride in their literary conquests)
7) Signed up for a 5k and got some friends who have never done one to come with

What I have yet to accomplish (got all day?): Have yet to...
1) Train for said 5k race or acquire gym membership
2) Finish unpacking completely
3) Read books for said book clubs
4) Make comprehensive list of goals and aspirations for my "new season" in Lincoln
5) Secure a permanent position work wise
6) Keep in touch with my S.D. people and remind them how much they mean to me
7) Potty train said puppy

When I got back to NE, I was completely overwrought. I don't know the last time I felt so run down, but between a completely frenetic work schedule, packing and moving, emotional good byes to friends, poor eating habits, and a general lack of sleep spanning three weeks, I was pretty much a grumpy, out-of-control mess. Now, after two weeks of plentiful sleep, good home-cooked food, and (finally) being unpacked, I am prepared to take on this new season with much fervor.
Spring is almost here and I am delighted to be back home for a real, actual change in season. Rain is expected all week and I relish the clouds and the barely perceptible green peaking out from the brown, damp earth. It's going to be a very good year and I am so humbled already by how things have worked out so far.

Happy to be home again, in short.

COMING SOON: new blog look and more regular postings! Thanks for your patience!!

What would you think...

(photo I took of that old house on Greek row in Lincoln, NE)

If I told you that I'm thinking of revising the mission of my blog? If I were to use it to follow my passion for design and things that inspire me more than the day-to-day observances...I think it's time for a change; meg-gem.blogspot is about to get a little more inspiring, me thinks...give me a little time and I'll see what I can do to bump things up a notch.

My Heart Leaps

I owe this post to my friends and loved ones. In the last year, "my people" as I term you all have tirelessly issued encouragement and patient words of wisdom to me during my year-long season of starting from scratch with God. Indefatigable ears have listened to my angry tirades, dejected whining, and tear-filled frustrations. I can't thank you all enough for your support, God speaks through you and I am validated, in part, by the excellent people I know who still accept me in all my messiness.

So in short, I guess I'm saying that I'm back. I am in God's Word and I can't believe how much I missed these stories. My friend Laura Karlin is someone who breathes life into scripture, brings its context to the 21st century, and reminds me how rock awesome God's narrative is. Thank you, friend. It is truly a living Word.

I've been praying more, I still don't hear God like I did when I was young, but I will wait and I will try to be better about listening for him. I have seen small miracles through prayer recently and I am gonna go ask for some more of those, they're amazing!
Be still and know that I am God Psalm 46:10

I've decided to "put both feet down" in San Diego for now. I am going to try to live more presently and accept this as my home for a while. I will be slightly less available to those back at home, but know that my phone is always on (literally) and all of you are in my prayers. I miss you more than I can say.

I am in a growth group training so I might lead a Bible study in the not-so-distant future and I'm asking God what His will would be for that because I know if it were up to me, I'd sit back and be a participant in a Bible study, not a leader.

I think God's been trying to draw me near to Him all this time, I fought His mighty embrace but He just kept hanging on to me! I finally submitted at first, with bitterness, but gradually I'm beginning to receive His closeness.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, encouragement, and example.

These are the women with whom I rang in the new year, WHAT a blessing!

My mother made an observation about our generation the other day; "You know, between the Facebook, blogs, Myspace business, your generation is extremely self-involved." Naturally, I was at first defensive but couldn't muster any response that could prove the contrary. This got me thinking, "What do I get from this blog, but more importantly, what can I possibly say that would make it worth reading and advantageous to others?" I don't have the answer to this yet, but I would love to hear your thoughts. Would you like editing tips? More stories about strangers? Book lists? Recipes? I can only offer what I know, but I'm open to suggestions!

If you're here for an update, I can help with that:

What I'm reading: The Book Thief (it is AMAZING, I can't believe I'm not through it yet, but it is wonderful and I'm at least happy to not be rushing this story)

What I'm cooking: One terribly gone-wrong turkey chili recipe (threw it out), one successful souffle, one "dump cake" which was so good I had to ruin it before I ate the whole pan (so, after eating too much of it, threw it away too), a curry-coconut pumpkin soup that was divine with a few tweaks to the recipe, and a couple dozen pre-made Trader Joe's choc. chip cookies for some friends.

What I've been doing for fun: Watching The Happening with friends (we laughed through the whole thing), basking in the fabulousness of Lindsey, Annie, and Courtny's new home, and trying new coffee shops (wi-fi nomad that I am). Driving with the windows down in our 80-degree weather, I'm completely in awe of this climate. Enjoying restaurant week with a hot date (thanks Jenni!)

Happys: Reading the Bible again, being back in my bed, reading while sipping tea I got for Christmas using water from the tea kettle I was gifted with too, seeing the ocean, the fact that my workplace brews Starbucks coffee everyday, my new vests I got for Christmas, early spring cleaning. Sharing Sarah's excitement as she continues to expand her circle of friends and community, Alison's excitement as she moves to Rochester and actually having the experience to back up my advice to her on moving.

Crappys: Work is really hectic right now and I'm nervously taking on my biggest editing project yet, I miss my people in NE even though I love being here in CA and can't imagine being anywhere else, my resistance to getting into a workout routine--why do I make this so hard?

I'll think of something enlightening and hopefully useful for my next post, but for now this is my update for 2009 and I hope all of you are having a good start to the new year!

I Am the Church, You Are the Church...

Three personal pet peeves of Christian culture:
1) The word "just" as used in public prayer. "Lord I just, I just thank you for just all your goodness and just all the thing's you've made and that you're just always vigilant in caring for our needs and we just..."
AHHHHHHH, I JUST want to scream "You must stop! My ears are bleeding!" Is satan using these syntax faux pas to ruin public prayer for me? Probably. Does that mean we can't all try harder to exercise our right to employ well-thought-out sentences, even in prayer without using "just" to the same effect as one would use the word "duh"? Nay, I say! I hear "Lord I duhhhhh, I duhhhh thank you for duhhhhhh..." I really do know God doesn't care what our prayers sound like on whit, and no, I'm not asking public pray-ers to wax poetic and deliver these "perfect" prayers but I pray of you, just leave out the "justs."

2) The title of this entry refers to the most putrid song I have ever been forced to sing, memorize, and repeat in my life. This song is first on my list of songs I cannot stomach. Second place? "What the World Needs Now...Is Love Sweet Love," "It's a Small World," and "Puppy Love."

3) When people ask for prayer about something and never get back to you on how the whole shebang worked out for them! Which leads me to my point: I practiced my own dang pet peeve. I enlisted almost everyone who reads this blog to pray that I find a good church in San Diego. Well, I found one...about a month ago. And I forgot to tell you. I am so sorry.

It's called "Flood Church" and it is amazing. It was one of the first of 15 I tried here in San Diego during my church shopping and I liked it when I first attended it. It had mixed races, mostly my age attendees and the sermon was rock solid. I'm really embarrassed to say that the most off-putting issue was the music. Even as late as 10 A.M., the band's precussion reverberating through the room so my cheastbone pulsed along was just too much. I couldn't hear myself sing and I didn't like it. Period. So I kept shopping.
Well, a little over a month ago, two new girls entered my life. Lindsey and Annie are from NE too and, like I was, they were all over the church scene right away. Unlike me, they alighted on Flood Church by chance, attended, and loved it. And for reasons of morning-intolerance, they decided that night church would be best so we started attending at 7:00 P.M., now 8:00 P.M. What a difference! I was much more awake, relaxed from having the entire morning and day all to myself to get things done and this way the music wasn't nearly so jarring, the sermon sunk in a little bit more, and it's pretty much church, off to bed, rise Monday morning spiritually charged for my week. I have no doubt in my mind that it wasn't pure coincidence that these girls just happened to choose Flood as their church, I think God wants me there and there are lots of service opportunities, bible studies, and community things for me to get involved in. Thanks Lindsey and Annie for reinvigorating my appreciation for this great church and for being someone I can pal around with.
(Bonus: check out their videos sometime, they're of the church's work in Malawi and some skits done at church, I like The Exorcism by the hip hop group http://diveintoflood.com/videos/)

All it all, it's exactly the answer to prayer I've been looking for. Thank you all for talking to God about this on my behalf and again, I'm sorry that some of you had to ask before I updated you on this.
Also, I'm a TERRIBLE prayer warrior (I am, I usually start praying and then without warning, my thoughts turn into a grocery list) but practice makes perfect, and I would love to try to pray for any of you if you have any sort of prayer request or even a praise. Big or small, seemingly silly or pretty serious. Leave it as a comment to this post or e-mail me at mschude2@bigred.unl.edu God'll take your requests and I'd be happy to be the courier.

La Jolla ~ The Jewel

These are some pictures of my lovely part of town. I'd love to say I took them all, but my mother definitely deserves the credit for some of these too. Thanks Mommy!

First Things First

An updated list of firsts for Meg Schudel:
1) Ate "Pirogi" last night for the first time, it's a Russian potato dumpling--my Argentine/Armenian friend made them for me...it was an ethnic and delicious moment for me (Ha! Thanks Natalia!)

2) My first car wash, no, I'm not kidding. I'd been through a couple before with my grandfather when I was a little girl. Back then, I laughed and clapped my hands like I was on a ride at disneyland. But now that I've grown up, I only laughed and smiled like an idiot when the waves of water, suds, and "rainbow wax" drenched my vehicle. This was during my second visit to the car wash, my first attempt was utterly anticlimactic. I just assumed the machine took plastic, so I sat in a line of five cars for thirty minutes waiting for my turn only to arrive at the inescapable entrance and not have any of the needed currency to obtain a wash! It asked for a code or cash, after frantically checking every nook and cranny of my car for dollar bills, I gave up in futility and (I'm not kidding, I get really anxious in situations where strangers are waiting on me) yelled at the machine , "WHAT IS THIS CODE YOU SPEAK OF AND HOW DO I GET IT?!" Nothing doing, and unable to escape any other way, I simply had to drive right through, in the car wash hut and out the other side, leaving the person behind me to think that I was 10 kinds of crazy...which I suppose I am a little. Once her laughter had subsided, the benevolent Alison Selig gently explained the code thing to me later, I get it now.


3) First horned melon. Yeah, check it out, it's the funnest fruit!! It's slimey, brilliantly colored and WAY too much work to fish the seeds out of the juicy membranes you're supposed to consume. It tastes a little like kiwi, honeydew, and a green grape.

4) Got my first business card ever! Scary. And corporate. But embossed on crosshatched cardstock so I suppose I should be grateful.


5) Tried Pike's Place brew at Starbucks, it's everything. Try it (dedicating this one to Peter).

6) On a sort of sad note, I had to cut two friends out of my life. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I've never done that before. Until recently, I'd always believed that every relationship is salvagable. Then I grew up. I knew these individuals would continue to unapologetically break my heart, and that I had nothing else to offer them either. They already took what I could give them and, let's face it, left me a bit empty handed. In the end, they know I still love and pray for them. To those who've supported me through this, I can't thank you enough.

7) I have my first California library card, I'm feeling more and more like I actually live here! Tip to the poor: rent movies from the library, it's free! I dropped Netflix like a bad habit and hit the library's DVD collection. Libraries tend to have the more obscure books-made-into-movies pieces you can't find other places. No time for movies? Do the books on CD, my mother's discovered them and finds excuses to hang around the house to catch up on her "reading," if you can't get to the library, do librivox for free literature downloads.

8) I left my number for a stranger. I've given it out before, just not in a "call me" scrap of paper way, always verbally. Sarah and I were at a restaurant in Little Italy and the waiter was the sweetest guy, we talked Argentina while other tables seethed at him for his inattentiveness to their appetites (I know b/c the table next to ours teasingly called me out on it when waiter was absent and Sarah had gone to the loo, "thanks for distracting the waiter, we'd like to get our tirimisu sometime today".) Andrew, the waiter, seemed enthusiastic to have someone relate to his Buenos Aires experiences, so I left my number with the tip before I left in case he wished to continue the convo. No, he hasn't called yet, I really don't mind. I was more curious to hear his stories than to date him, promise.
9) Found sand dollars on the beach! I've only ever found seashells! They were sort of dirty looking and cracked around the edges, not like the bleached white ones you see in stores, but I like them anyway.

9) Had to shake sand off of my car mats.

10) Made what I consider to be my first major purchase, a piano. The most I've ever spent on any one thing and I love all 88 out-of-tune keys of it.

Failure to Launch No Longer

Having spent a long weekend with my dearest friend Sarah, I'm inspiried to take full advantage of my situation. Therefore, I resolve to:
1) Meet my upstairs neighbor and establish what hours it would be polite to engage in piano playing
2) Once a week, find a new coffee shop to do my leisure reading in the evenings
3) Discover new walk/jogging paths
4) Sign up for a 5k race
5) Cook/bake something new every week (probably based on Linda's recipes which she so diligently posts)
6) Watch at least one sunset on the beach every week
7) Go to a Museum every two weeks
8) Attend one event in the city every month (this weekend, Art Walk in Little Italy!)
9) Continue to pursue finding a church where I can comfortably and enthusiastically worship
10) Pursue mission work with Melissa in Tijuana, para practicar mi espanol y ayudar la gente de bajos recursos

This list stems from a constructive planning/advisory session with the wiser-than-she-thinks Sarah Knudsen. I already miss her sunny-side-up outlook, her effervescent personality, and bubbly laugh so much--but having spent this stolen time with her, I'm left refreshed and empowered. Thanks Kiddo.

How am I? How I am.

After a dreary weekend of rain, disappointing company and poorly prepared calamari (tasted like fried rubberbands), I am resolved to be better. I had said before that loneliness is a state of mind and not a state of being. This weekend it seems I had a lapse in memory. However, my old boss from Lincoln, NE came into the office a couple of days ago (the San Diego office, that is) and left today after a grueling 48 hours of meetings. On his way out, he asked me how I was doing in my new position in life. I thought it was an odd sort of way to put it, but I did a split second analysis and responded "I'm doing great. I love it here.", and I was a little shocked to hear myself saying it. But as he smiled, gave me my first hug in weeks, and walked away, rolling suitcase following behind, I realized that only a small part of me wanted to follow him back to Lincoln. I wasn't ready to leave. I'm not ready to leave. I won't be ready to leave here for quite some time. And guess what? I don't have to.
Between finishing my first book since October, letting my nails grow long, watching movies I didn't have time or money to see in the theaters and feeling the exhilaration of being somewhere new every single morning as I drive to work -- I knew that this place is good for me. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's good for my soul, but I'd go farther than saying it is good for my mind...my spirit. This place is good for my spirit.


P.S. So no one sues the pants off me, this photo is courtesy of Getty images

Personal goals, Personal best:

1) Read one book every two weeks, at least two of them in Spanish (26 books in 2008)
2) Develop some kind of regular schedule for doing devotions/having quiet time with God
3) Keep track of my "firsts", currently on the list: Making an omelette, negotiating 6 lanes of traffic, going to a movie by myself, learning how to spell croissant, working a 40+ hour week, drinking black coffee for a whole week
4) Learn yoga
5) By the end of this year, cook half the recipes from the NY bakery cookbook, Magnolia and perfect at least three of them
6) Walk/jog a 5k this Spring, jog a 5k this Summer, run a 5k end of Fall
7) Create at least one painting I can be proud of by the end of the year
8) Listen to Spanish radio stations to and from work every day
9) Make it through my "French for Dummies" CDs, master one of them
10) Save some money and buy a piano by Spring (finish mastering music from "Amelie")
11) Go to Mexico this summer
12) Write letters to loved ones once a month
13) MUST start drinking six glasses of water a day
14) Stop using cream in my coffee
15) Take a surfing lesson (one from my Great-Aunt counts, even if it is just boogie boarding...)
16) Draw
17) Find a fantastic church (pray about it)
18) Become a prayer warrior
19) Wear my hair down more often
20) Find new ways to introduce creativity into my life: take a different route to work, fill whole grocery basket with foods I've never tried before, doodle in the margins of books, ask others about who their favorite musicians are and find new artists to listen to.

Sweet Anonymity

I am in the seventh largest city in the U.S. where 1.3 million San Diegans crowd 6-lane freeway lanes, dine in posh restaurants along the boardwalk and flood the beach when the surf is high. Only about 13 of them know I'm even here, probably fewer than that remember my name; my supervisors, my landlady, my great-aunt who is probably landscaping her backyard with a swimming pool in her new hilltop abode overlooking the city as we speak, and a handful of coworkers who barely caught my name today between sips of corporate coffee and retrieving faxes.
I make a point of smiling at cashiers, produce vendors, and fellow residents in my apartment area and try hard not to convey the sentiment, "will you be my friend?" behind the grin that comes easily and, so far, is somewhat effective. I chat pleasantly with the check-out guy at Trader Joes, ask the farmer selling produce on the corner, "¿como se puede saber si un mango es maduro o no?" (how can you tell if a mango is ripe or not?) and he responds warmly in Spanish and smiles back. I met a woman in the apartment a few away from mine who works in the cancer clinic on the UCSD campus. She was dressed in a pretty sundress but looked a bit tired and told me her name was Katie. I hope I'm spelling it right and that her day wasn't too hard.
Coming home to an empty apartment isn't all bad. I no sooner do I latch and chain the door behind me, and I wriggle out of my stuffy work clothes and leave them in a heap in front of the door. I proceed to the kitchen, wearing what's left and assemble a salad made with the produce pictured here, some baby mixed greens and thai peanut dressing I concocted last night.
I know I will go to bed without having anyone to whom I may say 'goodnight' to and wake up with no one to whom I may greet with 'good morning'. That is the strangest part.
But I have no one telling me when to do something or how best I might proceed, no one to interrupt my thoughts in the coffee shop as I write letters or read (presently, am enthralled by Jane Eyre) except to ask me, "are you going to use this chair?". "No, please feel free", I reply, mentally adding, "who would I know that could occupy it?".
Perhaps some sadness will creep in later, but for the moment, all this I take in with a sort of wide-eyed consideration and am fascinated to learn what it is to be on one's own. I feel very calm and content. I feel that if that peace were disturbed, I can drive all of six minutes to the beach and watch the ocean's undulating waves licking the sand, inhale the sea scent that no man will ever succeed in bottling: the sweetness of the flowers that bloom here even in mid January, a hint of salty fishiness, of wet sand (it sort of smells like dirt but different), and that unnamable agent that distinguishes it from all other perfumes.
I miss you all, dear loved ones. Your phone calls, emails, messages, posts, and letters mean more than I can say. I don't have to be there to be "here for you", and thank you for returning the sentiment.

Being more pacific...

Hello from sunny San Diego! I've been in San Diego for almost a week now and will start my job tomorrow. I confess, I'm pretty nervous to go to work, my editing skills are well below par as I've had a summer and a semester away from my training in that field but I'm prepared for a real challenge (finally, since last semester proved arduous though not stimulating).
I hope this entry finds you all well and off to a great new year so far. Know that I miss you all very much.
Posted are some shots of my apartment as taken with my webcam on my mac, so you'll have to excuse the quality. I left my camera cord in NE so once retrieved, I can post some quality photographs.
Today I'm going to make my way down my lengthy to-do list, catch some sun (it is SO beautiful here, it feels like the very best pre-summer day at 68 degrees and breezy) and settle into a cozy seat at the Starbucks located about 100 yards from my doorstep and write some long overdue thank you notes to family and friends for all their support and generosity this winter season.