a fabulous ballet followed by a fabulous hot fudge sundae

What an incredible week. First Wicked, now the Joffrey Ballet! I just returned from one of my favorite ballet performances. I was offered free box tickets Friday evening & wow were they a treat. The Joffrey premiered Liang's "Age of Innocence" (set to music by Philip Glass--including one of my favorite of his pieces, originally written for The Hours). The choreography was stunning. You can see a clip at The Joffrey's blog, http://jpointe.blogspot.com/ . Charity--you should show it along with the video clip beneath it of their company practice to Kaylynn, our prima ballerina.

I attended the ballet with one of my piano students, her mother & grandmother. Afterwards they introduced me to the best bakery in town, which happened to have an incredible asparagus goat cheese salad & one of the best hot fudge Sundaes I've ever consumed. For you Chicagoans, you must take a trip to Bittersweet (located in Lakeview).


I sign off for now, with a full belly & inspired creativity.

A Wicked Evening

Woo hoo!!!! Drew & I were pumped to get to see Wicked (FINALLY!) Tuesday night. Alongside four other NU grad students, I organize a group called the "Chicago Cultural Club." It's an organization that aims to get grad students out of the labs & exposes them to activities they might not otherwise a) be able to afford or b) have the energy to do themselves. The Grad School paid for our tickets & we were oh so thankful.

Drew insisted we take a photo remniscent of the Mamma Mia shot we have from London, so here it is (yes, I AM wearing stretch pants). The main difference between the two shots is the hot red head behind us here. Thanks Alex!


Due to last minute cancellations I was able to score tickets for some of my friends as well. Jade, Alex & I were able to get a shot together.


And the post wouldn't be complete without a shot of the gorgeous hot pink sign, flaunted by 3 of the club's officers:


See it if you can. Although I found the character development lacking, the music & dancing just cannot be beat. Phenomenal.

An Evening with the Bro

After over a month of trying to set a date, Reid was finally able to spend an evening with us in the city. We were bummed Sam couldn't join him but thrilled to get to celebrate his belated birthday, enjoy pumpkin lasagna & introduce him to some of our closest friends here over a thrilling game of Settlers of Catan. In between activities we were even able to sneak in an episode of The Office... Doesn't get better than that.

Mollie & Tink were especially pleased with Reid's visit. He's something of a pet charmer--every time I turned around one of the two would be snuggled up with him.



Watch out Eric: next time one of us Straits might just beat you at Settlers!!

little dog big dog

wow. Is our little mollie, once small enough to fit in our arms like a tiny baby, now a lady dog?

It's true: she's one big girl! I'm pretty sure she still perceives herself as a small pup because I have yet to see her use her size at the dog park (she submits even to the smallest of dogs), and she still tries to slip under the bed only to realize she's too big.

Oh how we love our pup. She's soft, snuggly & oh so gentle. She gets along much better now with Tink--Tink plays the part of the spoiled older child, pretending that she doesn't want to play but minutes later I'll see her weaving around Mollie's legs... It's true. They're buddies.

I guess someone had it right when they said a dog is a man's best friend...

porn for women

It's true. there's something about your man doing household chores that is HOT. with a clean toilet, shower and floors--all while I get caught up on Gossip Girl episodes (come on--I'm sick... all I can do is watch trash tv...). Other than the sniffles, you could say I'm pretty happy this evening!

Yea. Hot.

And even hotter?


I'm also happy with our new home decor. We've been rearranging, selling things on Craigslist & turning that profit into new furnishings. It's lovely: our living room is opened up, we have a nice study space near the windows & the kitchen has more personality. I'll post photos as soon as things become more organized. (It might be awhile!)

ha!!!

my dad sent this to me this afternoon. this might just beat the Paris Hilton for president YouTube video!

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=357563&altf=Ebob&altl=Tusbju

oh oh oh

oh, oh, oh, in the end it's all about the dough.

It's funny how no matter where you end up, money is the clutch. In high school it was all about getting enough of it to look cool at school. Or to pay for gas to get you around to social events & play chauffeur (albeit, those were the days when gas cost 0.97/gallon at the Plum Street Arco). In college, it was the key to social events: tickets to a show, dessert out with the girls. In ministry we spent great deals of time & effort raising it and fighting for it to help sick, hungry and oppressed children (remember Joselito? Osni?). And now, in academia, it's all about applying for funds--selling yourself on paper and in interviews to secure limited $$ to fund world-changing research. In light of the current "financial crisis," money seems to be weighing even more heavily on our minds than usual.

For two weeks now I've been arranging text and formulating arguments to fight for funds in the world of research. From grants to fellowships, I've been hard at work. This morning I get to take time out to write a few fighting words for funds for an organization I gave two years of my life to serve full time. Children of the Nations is having to cut back programs. They are preparing to let go staff. As they depend on the generosity of people with extra pocket change, they are now experiencing the financial stress alongside their financially strapped donors, with less pocket change than in times past. Please, if you can, send them a check. Their mission is clean and effective: feeding, educating and providing medical care for the poor and destitute in Africa and the Caribbean. See their plea at http://www.cotni.org/news/130.

During church membership group last night (yes, we are in the process of becoming full members) we discussed the meaning of "salvation." That God is continually bringing salvation to our world. Not just to people, but to the environment--to all living creatures. To cultures and theories. To the entirety of life. What's the definition of salvation? Originally, in the greek, it was synonymous with "healing." To save means to heal. Taking part in the healing of the world... this is something we get to join in as people of God. Whatever that means for you. And we, in turn, get to have the confidence that "everything will be all right."

Flashbacks to San Francisco

I had the opportunity to visit my freshman year roommate Amy & her hubby Mat while at a symposium at Stanford last June. It was a BLAST! They hosted me in SanFrancisco for a few days, where we played hard, trolleyed hard & guitar heroed hard. Their community in Berkeley is amazing: they both worked at an extremely socially active church with a heart for world suffering (particularly AIDS and poverty). Being around Christians with a solid conception of the gospel, respect for academic vigor and fervent social activism reminded me that I am part of a world-wide (not just nation-wide) community of like-minded believers. We are not alone. We struggle in the name of Christ--in the name of love--together.

With Amy at the Wharf (yes, meeting one another as freshmen was amusing--we were quickly known as the "odd couple"--Amy being the shortest music major and me being the tallest):


ZOLTAR was at the Wharf!! I had to get a shot with this movie star... if only I could have tracked down Tom Hanks.


Goodbye, SanFrancisco. You are still my favorite U.S. city. Your seals at the Wharf give you bonus points.

mmm-hmm

great weekend. good food, good friends, good conversations & good work completed. classes start Tuesday for the fall quarter. I'm trying to take it easy--meaning I'm taking a full load, but none of those crazy extra science courses that typically keep me up at nights. I'll be taking my quals sometime soon, so I'm writing away! And trying to secure meetings with my evasive advisor.

on another note, I received a disturbing "pro-McCain" email from a conservative Christian friend over the weekend. Not disturbing because it was pro-McCain (hey, we're all free to our views), but disturbing because it was laden with half-truths & evangelical/conservative propaganda. Do people really believe Obama is a Muslim? People, THINK for a minute! The fact that he has raised his children in Christian church and celebrates Christian traditions and makes Christian claims and has been known for decades as a Christian here in Chicago... well... really none of that matters. Because he's black & his middle name is Husain. And in saying the other week "I don't know why people still think I'm Muslim," people have distorted that sentence to say "I'm Muslim & don't get why people care." Watch the interview, people.

More of the email went on to say who cares if Palin has experience--she "loves God" and that's enough. Wow. Since when did we start electing Christians to the white house regardless of qualifications?? Oh, whoops. Sorry. My bad... Bush was elected twice. And that's sure does us a lot of good. Regardless, Palin's theology disturbs me more than her politics. The "de-gayification" rally held at her home church last weekend is just one example.

On another note, an Alaskan friend of mine wrote to share about a rally help by Alaskan women against Palin over the weekend. It was organized over coffee by a few friends and turned into quite the affair!


Happy Monday!

a Newseek reader's comments fave

Brandon Bittner wrote in to Newsweek (current issue):

Despite John McCain's years of honorable service to our country, his recent choice of running mate shows he clearly lacks judgment and is out of touch with the most basic aspects of the job of president. McCain thinks a woman with less than 2 years' experience as a governor and a bachelor's degree in journalism fits the bill for being commander in chief? This after he has spent months telling the nation that a Harvard-educated professor of constitutional law with nearly 2 decades in the service of his state and the Senate is not experienced enough for the job? McCain has run on gimmicks because he is on the wrong side of the issues and of history.

GO BRANDON BITTNER!!

Ode to the Olympia

Growing up my friends & I always knew some dumb gang sign for "the Westside" (pronounced "Wessiiiiide." I know, really cool. There was pride in being from the West Coast, however, & I've found that pride has yet to fade. Returning to Western Washington never disappoints: the air is crisp & the sights lucsious. It's a jungle out here, baby!

After our time in Anacortes (of which we WISH we had photos!!) we had the chance to catch up with my high school friends in Seattle & a close friend from college, Jaime. After wonderful (though short) time with Drew's Uncle Jack, Aunt Sherrill & Cousins Brian & Courtney we headed to O-town. Big Tom's peanut butter chocolate shakes, walks in Boston Harbor, browsing the boutiques & lounging around on the Hamblet deck, surveying the woods, cows & garden... Mmm. Doesn't get much better.


Our first night my dad got the bonfire going in the back pasture. This was no mallow-roasting for weenies! Dennis means business when he builds a fire. Mollie enjoyed trying to help.
See the cool white butterfly bandage on my forehead? yea. Jammed my head into Jaime's car door. Ouch.

Mollie thought she was a cow.

Drew & my Dad thought they were coffee roasters (coffee tasting @ Batdorf & Bronsons they let us in the roasting room...!).


Drew & I thought we were dog groomers (thanks to Julie for teaching us how to groom Mollie!).


And we all lived happily ever after (who doesn't love a dancing goat?).

Thank you, Mom & Dad, for an incredible few days on the Wesssiiiide.

some more lake!

we're slowly making our way through an extended vacation update... Olympia is next, we promise! but as we just received photos from the time we had with friends at the lake we had to post them. thank you again, Troy, Brent, Jesse, Erin, Jenny & Britlese: for all the giggles & catching up!

at the end of the dock, holding Kesley with Brent, Erin & Britlese:

it's true, I couldn't get enough of cuddling Kesley... but I'm fully satisfied cuddling other ppl's babies!! not our time...

but it's the READYS' time! hellooooo, myles!!! can you hear us? soon I will not be able to get enough of cuddling YOU. Myles is the soon to be son of Troy (aka the best Portland Timbers midfielder in history) & Jenny (aka the best nurse in history)... both of whom are preparing to move to Tajikistan. every moment we get with them is precious.


of course, dogs made up the highlight of our trip: all morning these men played with their soggy pups out in the water. we've found that Mollie is most certainly a water dog!


oh lake, how we love you.

palining

WARNING: this post is of political nature & may be offensive to some... if you are a fan of sarah palin maybe just scroll down & check out photos from the lake. They're pretty & shouldn't induce you to rage against the screen.

That's right. I'm "PALINing" this morning... I know I know, photos of Mollie are what you came for... but I'm finally catching up on the Charlie Gibson interviews & need to share my deep sense of satisfaction (and terror regarding this November). I feel validated: it's clear he's just as unimpressed with her unintelligible, lots-of-words-little-content answers & reliance on poor rhetoric as I am (tell me again, Mrs. Palin, how do you propose to cut national spending??? For those of you who missed it, her answer sounded a lot like "blah blah blah de blah"... if you don't know, please just say it?). Thank you, Charlie: for reminding our nation that this woman is not a) sufficiently 'deep thinking' or b) sufficiently experienced to run this country. I'm going to have to disagree with you, McCain: I'd LOVE someone from the "ivory tower" in the office! Please, give me someone who will take the time to step back & THINK about decisions before pushing them! I'm getting awfully sick of shit for brains politicians speaking on the international stage for our country. If the GOP wins again, puh-lease, McCain, stay healthy??? His head seems a bit more tightly screwed on than his dear running mate's.

The comment I logged on to discuss... she stated that ordinances limiting the purchase of semi-automatic guns should not be supported because they will only stop individuals from buying guns who will "use them ethically." um... hmf. Use them ethically. okay. Loaded statement. The absolute only scenario for which I define gun use as "ethical" is hunting by necessity (meaning, shooting our own meat.. the amount we NEED). For which semi-automatic weapons aren't necessary (I thought shotguns were commonly used? Drew has a handsome bow/spear thing he seems to like...). Sport hunting? nope. Any gun use against a human? nope. But then again, I'm just a crazy Mennonite. So tell me, how would you define "ethical" gun use? And what's so bad about making them a bit harder to get?

As she can see Russia from her state, she must be close with Putin. As Jon Stewart put it, Alaska's also close to the North Pole... so maybe she's also tight with Santa? If she's elected this November, let's take that opportunity to ask Santa for a better economy.

For those of you who missed SNL last night: be sure to YouTube "Tina Fey, Palin, SNL"!

Once a Mountain Boy, Always a Mountain Boy

'Tis true: you can take the man from the sticks, but you can't take the sticks out of the man! Above you can see straight into the heart of my dear Drew. During our 5 days at Priest Lake, he 4-wheeled with my dad, swam with the dogs in the lake, took walks to Soldier Creek & read... & read... & read... all with gorgeous views of the Selkirk Mountains.

Our first 3 days a the lake we spent with our Strait 'rents, some of our best friends & (THANK YOU for coming out Brent, Erin, Troy, Jenny, Jesse & Britlese!) & Drew's sister Kinzie. Many magaritas, martinis, chapters read & naps taken. (photos to be inserted here as soon as we get them!)

For the next few days my parents drove over from Olympia with the dogs (yay!!!!). It was my dad who revved Drew us for the 4-wheeler trek. The dogs had a good time: Dodger & Mollie were friends at the lake... while Toby & Mollie... well... Toby's always been a bit of a crank!


Yup. Nothing better than the lake.

Straits: from Priest Lake to Spokane to Anacortes to Seattle

Could we have enjoyed more cities together in just a weeks' time??? Seriously! No one knows "crazy" like us Straits know crazy: although we were frequently in transit, we enjoyed great car time with our parents, got to see Janie & Chris' home for the first time (I'm bummed we didn't get a photo!) and had some short but sweet quality time with McKinzie. Anacortes (Chris & Janie's home) couldn't be more beautiful, and Debbie's lemon drop martinis couldn't have been more satiating.

On our final evening with the family we all attended Kohl & Amy Crecelius' wedding in Seattle. It was gorgeous, and offered incredible food, dancing & company. Thanks to all of you who carved out time to catch up with us during the evening! We miss you already.