new home.

We're in.

The Event of Four Months Ago

When I was taking care of some financial matters this morning, I realized it was 22 November. Four months ago was my 22nd Birthday. It was by far the most random celebration ever, and it was awesome. I celebrated it at a Chinese restaurant with about 7 Columbian Children, and a handful of other counselors.

Most eating establishments have a complimentary special birthday dessert on hand. What did the Pecking Duck pull off, yes oh yes, Pineapple Chunks with a candle in them.

The "Happy Birthday" song went something like this:

Happy Birthday(feliz cumpleanos) to you, Happy Birthday(feliz cumpleanos) to you
Happy Birthday(feliz cumpleanos)dear Photographer! Happy Birthday(feliz cumpleanos) to you!

Packing Day (Number 2)

I am tired of boxes, tired of the packers, and definitely tired of the sound of strapping tape.
The icing on the cake-* the packer in my room listens to country music, (one could argue, who doesn't in Somerset County?) Well I don't. And I don't like it. When I go in my room, I hear....

"she's gone country"

"no shirt no shoes no problem"

"I like my women a little on the trashy side"

Could it get much better?

He's the prince of Montenegro.

(ironic) quote of the evening

"Jon, I don't want to go on a date with your litte brother, he has a girlfriend"

"Maybe he's just playing the field"



maybe this sheds light on a situation, or not, or not, I don't know

all I wanted was his email address

Rewind one week, I met this man named John who works for a Coffee Co. in Uganda. He's the marketing rep for them. Well chit chatting turned to talking which turned into networking. (the coveted experience for any recent college grad)

He mentioned he has a friend who, "wants to begin a company that does graphics and web design for missions and non profit organizations" short of photography, did he cut and paste that from my resume?

I tried to send John a follow up email earlier this week, and get the contact info of the guy he mentioned. Well, the email bounced back to me, so I called and left him a voice mail.

He got back to me today, definitely giving me his email, and also wondering if I could do a branding and poster campaign for a Messianic Jewish Church (would that be 'church'?) Cha Ching. I talked it over with him, and due to the fact it was needed before Turkey Day, and the movers are coming monday....I felt like I couldn't devote enough time and enough quality time at that.

Dont Fear: He said he would be willing to take me on as a freelance designer. They have new clients and projects all the time. And the best part, never seen my resume, or uh, yes- any of my work! (excuse me: do you know what you are getting yourself into?)

After showering, ('cause all revelations come in there) I realized I messed up, what was I thinking? J. Schaller and I could have made the messianic Jewish Church a smash hit collaborative effort:

Sarah Dignal may get her eyeshadow from Mary Kate and Ashley, however I prefer to draw my life motto from them.

Specifically Ashley in "When in Rome": (she plays a photographer and her boss just commented on how serious she is)

"Well, to capture an image, freeze time, make a moment last forever....it's all good"

Meeting A Celebrity

bumper kiss: Effective when following your lover in a separate car. Wait till he stops his vehicle at a traffic light, then gently ease your car up to his and nudge his bumper. The jolt will jump-start his heart and suggest more intimate nuzzlings to come. (Warning: Do not use the Bumper Kiss on the vehicle of an unknown driver.)

in the event you do not have someone to bumper kiss, pull a Meredith and have a bumper make out session with a stranger.

now that i have your attention i'll explain:
at the intersection in Somerset close to the turnpike on saturday
i was going straight, there was a lane next to me that was waiting for a green arrow.
we were both stopped for a while
green arrow.
cars to the left of me move forward and turn.
i see cars moving and release my foot from the brake
car in front of me did not move, and rightfully so, as she had a red light
..........
it was more than a kiss, i had a bumper make out session with a stranger.

no damage was done, no one was hurt (praise God)

can't shake the reefs

Long Sleeve Tshirt
Wool Sweater
Cords
Reefs
39 degrees, feels like 32.

Mr.MichaelAudette

This morning was a tough Sunday.

It was the music's fault.

Awesome God, and Day by Day-
In the same service, I could hardly contain myself!

I truly missed the "James rendition",
And Jenn's trademark hand motions to Awesome God,
And Mike getting SO giddy for Day by Day..and everyone looking at him,
And the rustic chapel
And camp
And VT
And even little CJ!
...and the collection of Columbians!

Mr.MichaelAudette tries his hand at the Thursday nite Fire, beating Colin with flying colours!
*Note the bucket of water near the fire, Timmy, you're the best!


The other day I tried to make a fire, it wasn't too successful, I convinced myself it was because of the wind and wet wood. I should have remembered the time Jon and I tried our hand at a fire, and Mr.Schaller's comment: "Two camp counselors, and you can't start a fire?!"
Shameful, I know, I know.

Inspired by tonight's weather

A Thunderstorm
by Emily Dickinson

The wind begun to rock the grass
With threatening tunes and low, -
He flung a menace at the earth,
A menace at the sky.

The leaves unhooked themselves from trees
And started all abroad;
The dust did scoop itself like hands
And throw away the road.

The wagons quickened on the streets,
The thunder hurried slow;
The lightning showed a yellow beak,
And then a livid claw.

The birds put up the bars to nests,
The cattle fled to barns;
There came one drop of giant rain,
And then, as if the hands

That held the dams had parted hold,
The waters wrecked the sky,
But overlooked my father's house,
Just quartering a tree.

A Petite British History Lesson

After Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, English Catholics who had been persecuted under her rule had hoped that her successor, James I, would be more tolerant of their religion. James I had, after all, had a Catholic mother. Unfortunately, James did not turn out to be more tolerant than Elizabeth and a number of young men, 13 to be exact, decided that violent action was the answer.

A small group took shape, under the leadership of Robert Catesby. Catesby felt that violent action was warranted. Indeed, the thing to do was to blow up the Houses of Parliament. In doing so, they would kill the King, maybe even the Prince of Wales, and the Members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the Catholics. Today these conspirators would be known as extremists, or terrorists.

To carry out their plan, the conspirators got hold of 36 barrels of gunpowder - and stored them in a cellar, just under the House of Lords.

But as the group worked on the plot, it became clear that innocent people would be hurt or killed in the attack, including some people who even fought for more rights for Catholics. Some of the plotters started having second thoughts. One of the group members even sent an anonymous letter warning his friend, Lord Monteagle, to stay away from the Parliament on November 5th. Was the letter real?

The warning letter reached the King, and the King's forces made plans to stop the conspirators.

Guy Fawkes, who was in the cellar of the parliament with the 36 barrels of gunpowder when the authorities stormed it in the early hours of November 5th, was caught, tortured and executed.

It's unclear if the conspirators would ever have been able to pull off their plan to blow up the Parliament even if they had not been betrayed. Some have suggested that the gunpowder itself was so old as to be useless. Since Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators got caught before trying to ignite the powder, we'll never know for certain.

Even for the period which was notoriously unstable, the Gunpowder Plot struck a very profound chord for the people of England. In fact, even today, the reigning monarch only enters the Parliament once a year, on what is called "the State Opening of Parliament". Prior to the Opening, and according to custom, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster. Nowadays, the Queen and Parliament still observe this tradition.

On the very night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, on November 5th, 1605, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. Since then, November 5th has become known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.

Some of the English have been known to wonder, in a tongue in cheek kind of way, whether they are celebrating Fawkes' execution or honoring his attempt to do away with the government.

For almost 400 years, bonfires have burned on November 5th to mark the failed Gunpowder Plot.

The tradition of Guy Fawkes-related bonfires actually began the very same year as the failed coup. The Plot was foiled in the night between the 4th and 5th of November 1605. Already on the 5th, agitated Londoners who knew little more than that their King had been saved, joyfully lit bonfires in thanksgiving. As years progressed, however, the ritual became more elaborate.

Soon, people began placing effigies onto bonfires, and fireworks were added to the celebrations. Effigies of Guy Fawkes, and sometimes those of the Pope, graced the pyres. Still today, some communities throw dummies of both Guy Fawkes and the Pope on the bonfire (and even those of a contemporary politician or two), although the gesture is seen by most as a quirky tradition, rather than an expression of hostility towards the Pope.

Preparations for Bonfire Night celebrations include making a dummy of Guy Fawkes, which is called "the Guy". Some children even keep up an old tradition of walking in the streets, carrying "the Guy" they have just made, and beg passersby for "a penny for the Guy." The kids use the money to buy fireworks for the evening festivities.

On the night itself, Guy is placed on top of the bonfire, which is then set alight; and fireworks displays fill the sky.

The extent of the celebrations and the size of the bonfire varies from one community to the next. Lewes, in the South East of England, is famous for its Bonfire Night festivities and consistently attracts thousands of people each year to participate.

Bonfire Night is not only celebrated in Britain. The tradition crossed the oceans and established itself in the British colonies during the centuries. It was actively celebrated in New England as "Pope Day" as late as the 18th century. Today, November 5th bonfires still light up in far out places like New Zealand and Newfoundland in Canada.

Farewell 153 Oxford Heights.

You've been good to us.

Yesterday we became homeless in a technical sort of way. Closing is after Thanksgiving. I'll post a pic of our new house in Mentor, after everything goes through. I don't want to jinx a good thing!


*MattArnold probably has a better photo of this house.

What I came home to on Halloween

After being away for a week and a half, I was anxious to get home. It was nearly 11pm, by the time I got home. While I was gone there was a snowstorm, and because the leaves were still on the trees, tons of trees fell, here's our share.