Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Tragedy and other news

Sad news. Two young girls in Louisville were killed in a hit and run. This kind of thing is tragic in and of itself, but the families were both members of the Diocese of Kentucky, and one of the families I know decently well (but I never knew the child). Anyway it's been a really tough week for a lot of people in the Diocese, and for those in the community who knew Riley and Claudia. I didn't know them, but I know it's a tragedy when two young people are taken so needlessly. And the fact that their parents are only a little older than I makes it tough to think about as well.

Here's the news story about the funeral. Normally I wouldn't point this out, but you should look at the photo gallery. Something about seeing so many people, and seeing the priests in Easter white was very moving. But even more moving is the sermon from Ben Maas, rector of St. Andrew's. I cried reading the whole thing, but it is a moving sermon and probably about all you could say in the face of this tragedy. So read it, and look at the pictures, and remember that we are an Easter people.

In other news not much is going on aside from work work and more work. I thought it was getting better but today I was reminded just how much I don't really like my job. Luckily the kids make it worthwhile. Nothing really happened today, it's just some people's general attitudes. But I can't change them and there's only 2.5 weeks left so whatever.

On a happier note, my sister and Blaine are planning a visit for October. YAY!!! I'm super pumped about it, and hope it all works out so that it will happen. it would be so awesome to have them up here!

That's about all for now. I'm going to hop on the exercise bike now to work off the PBJ I just ate and work off the stress from my job. Hope you're having a good summer!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Busy busy.

I realize it has once again been a while since my last blog post, but this summer has been busier than most. So here we go with what's gone on lately...

I just got back from Matt and Emily's wedding. It was wonderful! I officiated, and it went well so I was happy about that, and I got lots of compliments which I took to mean the families were happy (as were the bride and groom, which really is all that matters) so huzzah. We went to Salisbury beach yesterday morning to pass the time and loved it. Way better than Hampton, so I think we're going to make that our new beach. AND it's a state park, so we can support the state park system. I think next summer we'll get an annual pass so we don't have to pay 7.00 every time we go in. We also saw Dan yesterday which was great. Hopefully I'll be getting together with him and also Tricia (though prob a different occasion) sometime soon. I have no money at the moment though, so frivolity will have to wait.

Other than that, I've just been working. The job is going a little better and I've gotten to know a few of the people I work with more, which is nice. The camp director also seems to like me a lot because I actually do my job, so that's good. And the kids I have are really learning their stuff and seem to be excited about it, as much as they hate it sometimes that I won't let them do cannonballs the whole time like some of the other teachers. But whatever. They're learning and that's important. I had two of my littlest kids (4 and 5) learn how to swim on their back when they kept saying they couldn't. That was super exciting. So yeah. Camp is camp, although it's weird sometimes to think about how wealthy these kids are but how they don't even know it. I hope they learn to use their privilege for good when they get older.

The garden is doing well. We have tomatoes, and when I got back from NH today there are tons of cucumber and squash blossoms!!!!!! I think they bloomed while we were away, but I'm so excited! I never thought I would be able to grow anything until a few years ago when I did a garden for my mom. I may not be able to do flowers, but I can do vegetables it seems. Hopefully these will all turn out well. I've never done cucumbers before, but they plants are huge now that we got back from NH! I'll actually have to attach them to the trellis (they haven't gotten big enough yet).

Not much else is going on here. Work. work. Study for the GRE. Still waiting on books to get here. I only need 1 more and then I can start on my history reading. I've also finished David McCullough's John Adams, but I'll review that one in a little while. For now it's time to wash cars and then go to BJs for some shoppin'.

Hope you're having a fun summer!

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Back

Sorry for the delay. Life has been crazy, and now that work has started I feel like I'm either working all of the time or trying to get in at least a little hang out time with Rick. The job is going OK...better this week than last week so far. I work with mostly 19 year olds who don't understand that working at camp means you're there for the kids and not the salary. But yesterday and today have been better, so I'm hoping things will get at least more bearable. It's been quite sunny and hot, and it seems no matter how many times I put on sunscreen I'm still getting slightly burnt, although I'm pretty tan now. But I'm standing on a pool deck with no shade from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM so that's likely to brown the skin. Or bake it. Or both.

Anyway...I've been studying for the GRE. Vocab mostly, but yesterday I started some different stuff. It's boring but necessary. I'm still waiting on two books for my summer reading, and one of them I am about to order from Amazon and cancel the Marketplace order because it's been 17 days and no word on anything, and this particular book is still in print. This is why I don't like Amazon Marketplace. I always end up with the sellers who don't stay in touch very well. LAME. Hopefully I can get something figured out soon.

Rick and I went for a bike ride on Sunday-18 miles (about). It wasn't very long but it felt good. And yesterday we worked out at the house. Don't know if we're riding or using the machines tonight, but I slept so well last night because of the workout! It was great. And I swam yesterday, but I don't really have time the rest of this week. So maybe we'll do a little bit longer workout tonight.

On another note, the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) recently met in Jerusalem and issued this statement about the state of the communion. It was interesting reading, albeit not surprising. In fact, I'm a little surprised something like this hadn't come out sooner, but they timed it to be released soon before the Lambeth Conference starts to meet. Needless to say, I think it may make things a bit...ummm...AWKWARD. Rowan Williams responded with this statement which I thought was pretty decent. While I don't agree with some of the ways he's been handling contentious issues (such as the ordination of women bishops in the CoE), I thought this was a statement that was willing to look at both the positive and negatives, especially considering the fact that his "authority" is being questioned by GAFCON. Very pastoral and I think a very open look at a statement of concerned leaders in the world. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean you should automatically dismiss them, and Williams's statement displays this. Unfortunately, PB Jefferts-Schori was not so gracious. This letter is, to me, at least as damning of the GAFCON folks as they are of the AoC and ECUSA. I was incredibly disappointed to read this statement from our Presiding Bishop. While Williams made the excellent point that getting rid of colonialism doesn't necessarily mean the colonized taken over the former colonizers (although I'm sure there are many who might dispute that point), Jefferts-Schori just seems to write off the GAFCON folks as not even Anglican.

How very un-Anglican of her.

Sheesh.