don't stoop

This past weekend was another whirlwind trip to New York, the concrete jungle where dreams are made of. (JayZ anyone? That performance was so great).

Some highlights:
1. Christopher got us tickets to a screening of the fantastic documentary, Reporter, featuring Nicholas Kristof. Afterwards, Kristof appeared (like magic!) and answered questions from the audience. His method of reporting was an inspiring thing to watch in action--it made me want to be a better editor, interviewer, advocate. Definitely recommend watching the documentary if there is a screening near you, and reading the book Kristof co-authored with his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, about empowered women around the world. Sojourners has an interview with them in our next issue.

2. Riding my new bike! I didn't realize how long it'd been since I rode a bike, but I was definitely a little rusty. Regardless, it was a great feeling, wheeling down Carlton Avenue on my sweet little Schwinn in the rain with Chris jogging next to me. Haha. We must've looked weird.

3. Meeting Sufjan! Well ... not really, and that is regrettable, because he was literally two feet away from me and I just chickened out and left. The problem is, it was not the ideal way to introduce myself, considering he was surrounded by very hipster chicks all volleying for a piece of him. I just could not stoop to that level. So ... whatever! He will just have to wait to have the pleasure of meeting me. Yes. That's right.

But I did have the opportunity to watch the BQE film which was a lot of fun, and see DM Stith perform, which will probably go down in my personal history as the best performance of 2009.

And that's all folks!

(How cute is this pig? Via A Cup of Jo, by Sharon Montrose.)

absolutely mad

(all photos AMC's mad men Web site)

What a marvelous show. This past week's episode had my stomach in knots.

try again

black boots attempt #2
not sure though ... 3.5 inch heel?? yikes.
good things: real leather, real classic, really on sale. wahoo.

we'll see!

Off to NYC tonight to do an interview, hang with Topher, and go to the Sufjan Stevens' BQE CD release party. Yay!

Lorrie & Geraldine

I bought two new books this weekend. Lorrie Moore is one of my favorite writers for many reasons, one being that she is hands-down the most irreverent female writer out there. She makes me want to be brave.


Here's the first line from her book, Anagrams, which I picked up this weekend.

Gerard Maines lived across the hall from a woman named Benna, who four minutes into any conversation always managed to say the word penis.

How can you walk away from a book with a first line like that? I certainly couldn't.

I also bought Geraldine Brooks' People of the Book. The cover alone is worth paying for. I read her pulitzer-prize winner, March, a while back and it was very moving. I have high hopes for this next one!


What are you reading?

New Haircut

here it is!

Also:
1. Chris got the bike! (below) So exciting. For now, we will keep it in Fort Greene since my 'hood is not as bike friendly as his. Once I get more brave, we'll bring it down to the mean streets of DC. I better figure out where I can store this baby!

2. I get to interview David Bazan (of Pedro the Lion) this Friday! I'm so excited.

3. I went running this morning. It was cold, but I felt good!

prayer

is important.




Peter, Paul, and Mary, "Early in the Morning."

excitements/disappointments

Things I am excited about:

1. Hopefully getting a new bike, hand-delivered by boyfriend extraordinaire, purchased via nyc's incredibly active bike community on craigslist. Listings disappear within minutes people! But one listing spoke to me, literally SPOKE to me. Vintage Schwinn collegiate. Oh please, be mine! Chris is going to check it out tonight. If not this one though, another lovely machine will come along, I'm sure.


2. Running more. I am over my fear of running and it is grand! Winter running should be a good experience. I'm hoping to do another ten miler in the next year.

3. Baking more. My roomie is a hardcore baker and she is influencing me in ways I didn't even realize. Next up, the perfect zucchini chocolate cake, a recipe passed down from generations of Sojourners interns.

4. Immigration reform. (Did you hear that Sheriff Joe Arpaio is being investigated by Homeland Security? Very exciting.)

5. My birthday. I am actually having a party this year, thrown by my roommate. Last year was a quiet affair (though it was lovely to see susan!), but I figure I should ring in 27 with some fun. We are having a mulled wine party with cookies, breads, cheese.

6. Books: Lorrie Moore and Geraldine Brooks' new(ish) books. Must order right away. I tried really hard to read "The Help," but if a book hasn't grabbed me by chapter 4, it's done. I can't read no mo'.

Disappointments:

1. Rahm Emanuel at a private party catered by a Sojo staffer's son said the public option for health care was dead. Incredibly disappointing.

2. The boots from previous post turned out to be really ugly on me and my short Korean legs. Oh well.

3. The high price for good boots. It becomes the never ending search all fall and winter.

discoveries

I hope I am always learning something new, well into my old age. This morning I asked Chris to tell me a story from his childhood. We've gotten to that point where we can pretty much read each other like a wide open book--I miss learning about him. So he told me about baseball camp.

Anyway, here are some new discoveries I've made in the last few weeks.

1. Running is ... fun?
Yes, 'tis true. Running can be really fun. And running outdoors is even more fun because you can go on web sites like this, map out a course, and tell yourself all day, "This is the path I will run." You psych yourself into it all day long, looking at the course, memorizing the streets. And when you're finally running the course, you surprise yourself (wow I'm already at this point of the course!?), and you keep pushing yourself by saying, "I said I would do this, and I'm going to do it." And then when you finish, you look back and say, look at all that distance I ran! And every day you make the course a little bit longer. It's fun!

(photo chris took of the Army Ten Miler starting line. I'm somewhere in there, listening to JayZ's The Ruler's Back, getting amped up to run 10 miles!)

2. Friday Night Lights is ... fun!
Have you all seen this fantastic show? I'm seriously hooked. When it first came out I was kind of like ... eh, not that interested. But my good friend Gillian kept telling me to start watching it and so I did and now I'm well into season one and am such a huge fan. Also, I went to school with Gaius Charles (the black player named "smash"). Highly recommend!


3. If you go out, you spend money. Not so fun.
I've been spending way too much money. Wowzers. And it's mostly on food! How ridiculous is that? I am vowing to stay in more, cook for myself more, and do fun indoor things like read my gazillion magazines that I subscribe to. Geez Jeans. You spend the money on them and everything. Least you can do is give them a gander.

4. Handmade soap is fun.
I found this soap maker at DC's annual Crafty Bastards Art Fair (another occasion where going out=spending money). Her soap smelled so good I couldn't resist buying two bars. At $6 a pop, that's a lot to spend on soap! But every night when I lather up with the "fluffy pajamas" bar, I can't help but think ... sooooooo worth it. Here's her etsy shop, 8th Street Soap.

(the scent of this soap is seriously like "comfort food" for the nostrils)

5. Hanging out with people unlike you is really fun.
There are times when I feel out of place. Like when I hang out with my college friends and suddenly realize I'm the only minority. Or when I go to a work meeting and also realize I'm the only minority. Or when I go to a church and it's mostly wealthy white people. BUT I think putting yourself in those kinds of situations is good for you, and really fun. Last week I went on retreat with the other editors and we sat around telling stories. Their life experiences are so unlike mine. If I let it get to me, it could really bug me how different I am from them. But I learn so much that the time spent becomes this great cultural exchange. It's fun!

6. New boots. Really fun.
I've been looking for new black boots because my old ones leak when it rains. I decided to get these lovely babies. They were a pretty penny (there goes the whole saving money thing), more than I'd ever spend on shoes, but when I think about them coming in the mail, I get rather excited. FUN!

We are Family!

It's been a busy few weeks here. I was on a business trip to Minneapolis, also visited my good friend Heather who lives in the area, then my sister and cousins came to DC for a visit, and this weekend I am running a 10-mile race. I'm excited! I've been doing great with 7 miles, so I think I'll at least be able to finish. We shall see. I'll keep you all posted.

Meanwhile, I dragged my disposable camera around to all of these activities. Here are the best of the best.

HJ and me in St. Paul, MN at her favorite cafe.

Uno in front of Malcolm X Park, near my house.

Uno sipping on a white wine sangria. She's so cute!

Uno and I before going Kayaking!

Helen (my lovely cousin) and Uno

I am so happy while kayaking.