Resolved,

While catching up on my reading lately, I followed a citation to an interesting document written by Jonathan Edwards over the course of his life. While he was a teenager, he composed a list of resolutions, the preamble of which was to review them weekly. He continued to add items to the list over the course of his life. The first one in the list struck me:

Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

Edwards, appropriately, begins with a reminder to live to God's glory first, not (merely) to his own. This first personal imperative inspires the next: do his duty and act for the good of mankind in general.

I am one who really hates confrontation. I became thoroughly disgusted with my options in the presidential race a LONG time ago and have brandished my "undecided" flag proudly. But Edwards' comment drove me into my Bible and onto the Internet doing my own research and fact checking. Being undecided is nothing to be proud of. America is my country, this is my duty, and I have adopted Edwards' first resolution.

link of the day ...

So I read tech news religiously - several times a day. I'm far more interested in the new Google phone than the latest bank collapse or which celebrity gained 20 pounds.
By the way, I don't live in a digital box. The less interesting questions above were brought to my attention by NPR and supermarket tabloids, respectively. WAMU and Demi Moore.
Anyway, this blurb about music showed up on Wired 's feed this afternoon. Honestly, I think this post should be filed under stuff white people like in my Google Reader.

pastime

This is so much more civilized than just yelling "shotgun!"

clarification

Last week I believe I made the mistake of blogging before I sorted out all my emotions. Sorry to confuse anybody, I am NOT leaving Oklahoma City. However, one of my very dear friends is following in the footsteps of Heather and Mary and heading toward a US coast.
There's a little bit of jealousy behind that post. I don't get to travel as much as I would like. There's disappointment of course, at lunches and "girls nights" lost. There's excitement for their opportunity. And, as I said before, there's hope in meeting again.
It's just a big change, that's all.

era passing

Starting in 1997 (when I left WV for college), I was relocating all my worldly belongings at least twice a year. After graduation, the frequency increased to a whopping four times between June & August of 2002. Finally in late summer of 2003 I finally settled in my own apartment. I loved living alone. I enjoyed my job, the nature of which actually encouraged me to keep reasonable hours so I could develop a social life. Oklahoma City was growing & changing, for the better! Yet I had a strange feeling in my stomach as I walked down to the office to renew my lease on the apartment. Restless? Extraordinarily so. Was it time to find a new apartment?
Rationality prevailed over romanticism ... month to month rent would have increased my living expenses 5%.
As I pride myself in my self-attributed ability (or perhaps propensity) for adaptation it does not protect me from the emotions pouring out of me today. The ordinary movement of life requires a cycle of "hello, nice to meet you" through "goodbye my friend, I will miss you." It is what it is - the time between is what varies. The tragedy is in lost company but there is joy in the prospect of reunion in another state.
So, goodbye my friends. I will miss you.

the black tie affair

Today I experienced a slightly different side to NW 23rd Street of Oklahoma City. The street is one of the major arteries between the state capitol and the suburb of middle-class Bethany. Along those five miles are 1 or 2 locations of every major fast food chain, a cluster of Vietnamese culture, several tattoo & piercing shops, and the subject of this blog.

Chris & I picked up Caleb and headed north to waste the Saturday afternoon on the thrift store scene. We managed to root through all shades of green blazers and flower skirts and find some inexpensive gems. Inside a pile of a tie rack I found a skinny black tie. Instead of handing it over to Caleb, I kept it to myself. The subtle red sheen of stripes in the fabric will accent a pencil skirt extraordinarily well.
Now to find the pencil skirt ... I think there's a thrift store a little north on May?

Scribbled in a black notebook at 7:30am at the Hilltop Hostel in Takoma Park

As Chris keeps pointing out - East Coast America resembles European architecture & culture far closer than the Midwest. Here in D.C. that feels most unfamiliar & most true. Having not been to Europe I just take his word for it. I am basking in the tall, thin row-houses and tall green foliage. The flashbacks to urban Philadelphia every minute in the residential neighborhoods.
Chris is in his element here: he's been navigating strange cities on foot for 3 years now. We hit all the outdoor sites yesterday, starting with the zoo. Everything but Elephants, as the entire zoo was breathing sounds of the construction of the new Asian Elephant habitat. We saw my favorites: otters (also from Asia) seals, sea lions, & big cats.
The cats, which were all sleeping this time of day when I visited the OKC Zoo, were comparatively active. Even the cheetah paced in the shade of his pen. Chris & I left discussing dropping a giant white ribbon into the habitat.
Next up: walking. And walking some more. All afternoon we were shadowed by Asian tourists flocking to a tall man holding a yellow triangular flag. Reminded me of the "Anne" tours in Prince Edward Island - L.M. Montgomery apparently sells quite well in Japan.
Exhausted from walking (and posing for about 200 pictures between the two of us), we headed back to the hostel to retrieve our car and some directions toward Chris' planned crab meat feast. All you can eat baby.
Lets just say the Internet failed us. We ended up confuddled in downtown D.C. and then plain lost in residential Alexandria before we got to my Windows Mobile "live search" to successfully navigate to Ernie's Crabs. We were 15 minutes late for the all you can eat deal. We ordered 12 jumbo instead - same price, bigger crabs.
After dinner, back here at our $22.50 per night hostel, Chris & I stayed up late to discuss local tragedy and joys with Washa (sp?) an Iraqi-Lebanese ex-UN worker.

research

The fabled "intuition" of women completely skipped my DNA. When I take on a new activity, responsibility, or have a major life decision in front of me extensive research always becomes a part of my days. Pairing B&N with coffee or the Internet with Orvieto makes the research nearly as enjoyable as the activity itself.
My last blog introduced you to Chris - a major life decision in waiting. Friends with the intent of dating with the intent of ... well, dating has only one intent in my life. So here's some notes from my research so far:

Has his priorities straight ... Chris has a definite sense of calling (in the biblical sense) about what he should do with his life. He wants to make sure that the decisions he makes are in support of God's plan for him, not merely what he may want to do in this moment.

Prefers liturgical worship. For me, who was raised in a church with obvious puritan influences this is a difficult thing for me to wrap my head around. But I've been to his church a couple times and I'm beginning to grasp the weight & beauty of the traditions of the liturgy. I can see how, if the soul is in the right place, liturgy can be a great help in worship.

Wants to share everything with me, including his love of cheese. He's determined to find a cheese I like. Or maybe hypnosis? He asked the other day.

Always goes for the joke. This has been a hilarious couple of months. Even when the joke fails (rarely) I have to admire him for trying.

Has a dog, named Homer, a 60 lb mutt. He also has useful opinions on how to raise dogs. I got to meet Homer and he's really mellow - doesn't have a lot of tricks, but he LOVES Chris and is very obedient. I want that for Cady.

Likes to travel. Well, you may say, who doesn't? I guess what I like is how he really goes way off the path. Currently he's gallivanting around Eastern Europe. (Not Paris or Rome or London ... he's in Budapest) That passport I've been jabbering about is back in the budget. Not just international though ... we're eager to explore our native country too.

Socially, he's a total extrovert. He enjoys dinner parties, pizza with a few friends, & long nights with any number of people! He fits easily with my friends here in Oklahoma - honestly he's known some of them a lot longer than I have!

Super intelligent. One more proof that home-schooled kids turn out better than okay.

start

New house, new year, new dog, new man ...

WHAT!?!

I've been getting that question a lot lately - facebook proves once again to be the great disseminator of information.  I haven't gotten this many comments since my birthday!  It leaves out the details though.

A couple weeks ago I got a text message from my friend who was leaving for Europe within 72 hours.  Nancy's at 8 for my going away! Come!  I do enjoying partying with Rebekah but had tentatively committed to going out with a couple buddies from work.  Somehow I ended up in a smokey karaoke lounge meeting more of Bek's friends.

The man was one of those friends.

However, it took Bek and J and Craig from work to bang it over my head that the blond guy in the gotee with glasses was very interested.  In me.  Was going to ask me for my number.  Was going to ask me out.  Wednesday was set for dinner.

And Wednesday was my absolute WORST day I've had since I was promoted last summer.  I dragged myself away from my computer reluctantly recalling I'd committed to a date that night.  I yawned as I called my date, where should I meet you?

Rococo, he says, 7pm.

Good start, I'm thinking.  He didn't know this, but one of my favorite restaurants in the city.  It's the crab cakes.

The conversation which started over dinner hasn't stopped over a week later.  We just can't learn each other fast enough ... I think I've spent more time talking than sleeping since that Wednesday.  On those few topics we don't speak each other's language (example: I'm visual art, he's all music) the one relaxes, basking in the excitement of the other to share.

I could get to like this.  It's an excellent start.