6 Months!

My anniversary card for DJ.... (and first Showit show!)

Dj has been out of town (Chicago now!) previewing his new software, but he sent THE most gorgeous flowers! He found the only two peonies left in Santa Barbara - my favorite :) I can't believe it's been 6 months!

Charging

I just got back from a wonderful Thai dinner with Deyl and Paige! The whole time my computer was plugged in up at DJ's house, but I'd borrowed his cord (being a bit too lazy to dig out my own). Being that he is eons ahead of me in the technological world, he uses a MacBook air... and I use this cantankerous outdated thing called a MacBook. The cord I grabbed wasn't made for my computer, but it was closer to me (I actually stole it from him!) and it fit, so well and good enough.

Sure thing (thanks to my selfless borrow) his Air was nearly dead upon arriving back, and he grabbed the power again while I was typing away. Instantly my laptop went black! All that time charging, and and not a smidgen of battery life to show for it.

I know, quite the random Friday night accolade.....but.....it got me thinking. How often do we grab what's nearest to energize us for the moment, only to be drained the instant that its pulled away. God has hard wired us with the need to be charged. So often I can sustain myself for a time being on whatever is within closest reach, but I never am really charged. Empty, in the end, and so worse off than before. At times it takes those extra strides to reach and apply the thing that will truly charge and sustain us - the power cord, so to speak, that we were made for.

xx

Senioralgia

As much as I've felt "graduated" these past few months, I still can barely believe that the ceremony is almost here! Today I was the object of interview from Westmont's Business Management class. It was the funniest thing to be the "guest," because so many of the guys in the class are my senior buddies. I feel like this time in Santa Barbara has been a "practicum" experience, and the actual graduation ceremony still marks my base jump into the abyss of the real world. Last night we had a senior night in the DC :) After intensive cheerleading at the intramural soccer games, we crowded into the dining commons to complain about the food, throw apples with forks and host chair races. It certainly brought us back!

Also to remind me that graduation time is upon us: speeches, speeches, speeches! Literally. I have three between now and the 3rd, and two yet to write. Thank the Lord that the biggest, Baccalaureate, I already had to submit (not to downplay all the editing and tweaking I'm sure I still have to do!). I just received my letter today from President Beebe, which I guess means that it's the real deal. I couldn't be more excited, what an honor. And I was so stoked to learn that my buddy since Page days freshman year, Ryan Zoradi, will be the other speaker. He's got energy and charisma like I've never seen, so I'm certain it will be a blast!

Tonight I'm going to put something together for the Com department's Lambda Pi Eta ceremony. If anyone is an expert on "excellence in communication," send your thoughts this way!

Alla Prima

Two weeks ago I had the privilege of attending a dinner at Elements hosted by the incredible wedding photography duo, Michael and Anna Costa. Over the course of conversation, Anna and I discovered we shared two similarities: being the daughter of an art-teacher, and our long lost desire to take a painting class in Santa Barbara! It's been a year now that I've been looking into taking an oil class at Portico gallery, and Anna's enthusiasm immediately convinced me the time had come! After a traditional breakfast at Jeannine's, we embarked on out first class this morning. It was so fun! (Out of college for 4 months, and I'm already back in a classroom).

The owner of the gallery teaches these 6 week courses - a wonderful woman who had to continuously and ever so gently inform us that the pieces we wanted to paint were too difficult for us! We finally settled on compromises that we could be excited about (our eyes were bigger than our brushes) and were well on our way. Really I can't believe how much we did! Anna was completely outfitted with every painting tool ever made from her father, who I'm certain is so proud of her beautiful work! The plan is that in 6 weeks, once we are oil painting experts, we will advance to a plein air session with him outdoors in Santa Barbara - I can't wait. And so many thanks to my wonderfully talented mommy for giving me classes as a birthday present. We still need to take a class together too!

Frankie Day

I love Thursdays, especially this Thursday. I was up at 5:45 wide awake and working! DJ and I went for a walk all through his back neighborhood, accompanied by all these darling elderly couples! When we got back, Crystal was making a gorgeous breakfast!! Such an undeservedly lovely morning :)

And another highlight -- pedicures with Frankie! I just adore this little girl and her family, and I have been so blessed to be a part of their lives for the last three and a half years. I started nannying for Frankie my first week of college. She was only three! It was time for us to have a girls date :) We were joined by Brooke and were certainly the object of much amusement from our toe-painters!

Anesthetical wisdom

I'm new at this blog thing, so I don't know what good content etiquette is - BUT I'm dying to immortalize an email from Brooke -- one of her all time best.

She's home from getting her wisdom teeth pulled (with the cutest chubby cheeks!). Before she left for SD last week, she was panicked about some new phenomenon they've discovered called "anesthetical awareness." It literally means that you wake up during surgery - yikes! Armed with medical knowledge, Brooke departed for San Diego with the consternation of knowing that this was a horrific surgical reality she most certainly faced.

In the words of the patient who lived to tell the tale...

As for my surgery: I am healing nicely- I am not too swollen and I never got loopy and drugged. The funniest thing happened though when we sat down in the doctor's office - a segment on Oprah came on right then as my mom and I are filling out paperwork about the anesthesia and medications and allergies, and we hear Oprah's voice say "And now for a horrifying look into the lesser-known dangers of surgery as we meet with four women who suffered a terrible ordeal known as anesthetical awareness..."!!! And then a huge lady with a pirate eye patch came on and started talking about how she still gets nightmares and had all these emotional probIems after having this happen to her......I KNOW! Can you even believe that?! We just looked at each other and my eyes got all big and a little teary and then we cracked up and made the nurse change the channel, but she couldnt figure out how to do it, so I'm sitting there looking at the release form I have to sign saying I won't sue them, while listening to the most awful story of this pirate lady who woke up during surgery... ahhhhhh!

Finally the little nurse changed the channel, so I go into the operating room, and sit and wait for the doctor, and in comes the McDreamy of Poway - no joke he was seriously SMOKIN!! I felt like the girl in That Thing you Do who falls in love with her dentist - then I started realizing I was about to pass out and drool all over him, and say stupid things later, so I got nervous and he asked me some questions about my health and things and I was SO AWKWARD. oh my gosh. Anyways, it's all over now, and I am better, I just have to wear this bandage sling ice-pack around my head which my family dubbed "the whitey-tighty headwrap" because it really does look like I've slung my jaw in undies. Ok this is sooo long.... read it to Alison and tell her I LOVE HER and I LOVE YOU and I will see you Wednesday night!!!

-Brooke

April 1st Rocks.

Not ONLY does a girl find out that she's gone and eloped (with a cutting edge ring, I might add)


..... AND get featured on the Gary Fong blog .....


..... AND get international congratulations through Facebook ......



* * * * *

from a photographer in canada!!!

CONGRATS David Jay and Allison - you may now change your status to engaged!!!!!!!

much happiness!

angela hubbard

* * * * *

BUT I also find out I can have my dream vacay as a VIRGLE pioneer! The adventure of many lifetimes. Who wouldn't want to spend their honeymoon with Richard Branson on Mars??



Seriously. What more could a girl ask for?


ps: Open Source Photo will soon be transitioning to Open Source Planet. Stay tuned.