When nature attacks.

CAPES [something empowering] A friend of mine has been known to give the following advice: "If you wait until the last minute, it only takes a minute". I love this motto, especially when writing theology papers (am I joking?).

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Milk in glass containers...it just tastes better.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] Imagine this: you're sleeping soundly and suddenly feel a stinging sensation on your foot. You think it might have been a dream, but the stinging doesn't go away. You get up, throw the sheets back only to find a bumblebee. It's 4am, so you kill it and go back to sleep. Normally, nature attacks me when I step into its territory. Now that it has invaded mine, it's on.

Encounters at Dick's Drive-In

CAPES [something empowering] A conversation I had with a random guy at 2am this past weekend at Dick's Drive-In:
Guy: If you show them your ASB card you can get a discount.
Me: I don't have one...I've been out of high school for a while.
[pause]
Guy: Uh, I'm not in high school either.
Me: Oh yea, how old are you?
Guy: Guess.
Me: 22?
Guy: Nope, 26.
[pause]
Guy: How old are you?
Me: Guess.
Guy: 31?
Me: Well that confirms it.
Guy: Confirms what?
Me: That you are what you eat.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Belts as bracelets. You saw it here first.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] I write a lot of draft emails. When I'm frustrated, upset, or hating on someone - I write them an email. However, I never send this email. Instead, I let it hang out in my "drafts" for as long as it takes me to get over whatever is ailing me. Sometimes it gets to the point where I need to either: 1) confront them or 2) delete the email and get over it already. But, knowing that the email is there and ready to send with the click of a button somehow helps me sleep at night. *Important: when drafting these emails, do not type in the "send to" email address. Omitting this will help avoid accidental sends.

Head full of doubt, road full of promise.

CAPES [something empowering] It's Husky season, and I made a new cape to wear to the games. It comes with a matching eye mask. Lucky for me, the guy I attend the games with isn't ashamed to sit with me. Go Dawgs!

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Football season and my life in general have led me to the point of being absolutely and uncontrollably addicted to the song Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise..."and I'm frightened by those that don't see it."

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] I would like to officially file a complaint with the following in regards to football: the two positions "kicker" and "punter". My problem stems from the fact that more often than not, these positions are played by soccer players that put on football uniforms...making them impostors on the football scene. Though punting and kicking are crucial to the game, and special teams plays are totally exciting, I can't get beyond the fact that punters/kickers are scrawny non-football players. Anyone else with me here?

Trust a little, break a little, heal a little more.

CAPES [something empowering] It's much easier to be on the verge of something than to actually do it. Don't give up and just do it.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Guess what's coming to Bellevue? Cupcake Royale. Hello Red Velvet-y goodness, welcome to the neighborhood.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] The only way to heal is to trust. However, trust will most likely involve risk since there are no guarantees in the business of trusting. So, if you break a little, that's okay...consider it a step in the cycle of healing. Trust a little, break a little, heal a little more.

"It's fine that you look like that...it's genuine...you could use genuine."

CAPES [something empowering] She decided to start living the life she'd imagined. (Source)

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Labels are nice, but as soon as you place them on yourself or others, it turns into discrimination. So, say "yes" label-line denim, and "no" to the kind that makes you a judge.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] A "shoulding" mentality is messy and makes me crazy: "I should do this, I should do that..." Either do it or don't do it and stop shoulding all over the place.

A crisis combines danger and opportunity.

CAPES [something empowering] We never figure ourselves out on our own. We need others for that discovery.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] This is the first year since 1994 that I have not attended a Dave Matthews Concert. With the money saved, I will be attending Ray LaMontagne/David Gray, Mumford & Sons, Ben Gibbard, and a few other gems. Yea, I know that doesn't exactly add up budget-wise...I'm no business-woman.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] The Chinese character for "crisis" combines the characters "danger" and "opportunity". Though your crisis might seen traumatic, keep in mind the opportunities that can arise from its danger.

Love is not blind - it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less. (Rabbi Julius Gordon)

CAPES [something empowering] In person-to-person relationships, there is no such thing as perfect love. We all come in with our own agendas. But in setting aside our agendas and seeing the "more" in a person, it is then that love allows us to see "less".

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Victors Coffeehouse in Redmond makes studying a tad more enjoyable: short, 2%, 1 teaspoon chocolate, 1 teaspoon caramel, and topped with their homemade chocolate whipped cream. Yum.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] There's a difference between being cynical and realistic. Learn to master the difference. Because realistically, a cynic is harder to get along with.