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quote of the day

"Jens! I got health insurance! I celebrated by running with scissors." -Laurs

awesome.

The Lesser-Known Slogans of Political Moderates.

by Anna's friends Kate Johanson & Katie Bukowski
as found on McSweeney's(!)
read here.

An aside, I want peanuts.

where it's at

It's still strange to wake up and be in southeastern Arizona.  Regardless, all strangeness disappears when I step out of my front door and am greeted by the beautiful embrace of weather.   Sierra Vista is located in such an ecological bivouac that there is really no other place like it.  Here we are, situated at 4,ooo+ feet elevation, close enough to bodies of water to receive some rain, and surrounded by hills and mountains.  It's not a bad place to call home, and it's becoming my home. 

I left home on Friday to drive up to Phoenix to visit family and eat In & Out (my new favorite), and to see a friend and attend the Brandi Carlile concert.  This was the fifth time I've seen Brandi, and, as always, she did not disappoint.  This was her first headlining gig in Phoenix and surprisingly, the venue did not sell out.  There were very few people there.  Brandi offered new covers as well as old ones: in the past she's done Elton John's 60 Years On, but on Friday she did Madman Across the Water.  She also covered Folsom Prison Blues and Hallelujah.  She started the show on the piano.  She sang new songs.  She told new stories.  Apparently, she used to be Baptist.  She still creates a jaw-dropping amazement that confounds and inspires me.

I visited Phoenix on what was my first real day off.  I've enjoyed staying busy at the church and at the hospital.  Working has been a coping strategy as well as a reaching out strategy as I find myself in a new place.  It was a little hard to leave Sierra Vista, but the car ride up proved valuable; I pondered different writing projects that interest me, possible ways to effectively fulfill my internship project and the joy of life at the point in time.  It was good to take a break, but it was even better to come back and get back to it.  At this point I have a lot of excitement and am getting more and more ready to hit the ground running. 

For now, I've received a package from Sara, Alex's really neat girlfriend, full of past issues of Relevant Magazine, a magazine which examines God, life and progressive culture.  This will help me in my endeavors as I seek to engage the tension between pop culture and traditional culture. 

I'm feeling more and more like myself everyday and learning who I am when all of life's familiarities are far away.   It's definitely different, but I think it's definitely good. 

As far as music goes, I've had quite the eclectic weekend: Kanye West, Brandi Carlile, The New Pornographers in the car and in concert topped off with the local symphony on Saturday night and the church choir's sweet rendition of the old favorite "I'll Fly Away."  I'm excited to do some writing around the new Kanye West album "Graduation" and have been enjoying his new album which features samples from Elton John, Steely Dan and Daft Punk and also features the likes of Chris Martin of Coldplay on one track.  More to come.  I can't help but love the New Pornographers.  They have been my happy music for the past month.  I wish they had a different name for the band so that I could talk about them around the office.  Power pop at its finest, the New Pornographers offer great lyrics and melodies for the mature (read intelligent) mind.  Challengers is their newest and is quite rapidly becoming my album of the year.  I've just hooked up my computer and am now able to hear and listen to more new music.  Keep watch on this space!

Harry Potter + Ann Arbor = Awesomeness

Last weekend I picke dup a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, read it, and took a day trip to Ann Arbor. It quite possibly was one of my favorite weekends of the summer. Colin was off in Vegas, learning more about his new internship congregation and getting to know the great people there, and I was in Tiffin with my new best friend, Kirby, and Colin's high school best friend, Mr. Gillig. Ben and I stood in line to get our copy of the book, went to get milkshakes at McDonalds, and sat for a cople of hours reading. I pooped out after a couple of hours, but Ben managed to stay up and read, and read, and read.

The next day came too early as I found myself rushing out the door in order to meet my friends Emily and Jim in Ann Arbor by 11 a.m. Emily & Jim are in my small group for CPE. Have I mentioned that my small group is great?! Jim and I butt heads a lot, but there is a lot of respect on both ends. Emily and I are like sisters from another mister, and though we do not look a like (as Natalie and I do) we have a very simillar trajectory in life. She goes to PLTS, Luther's partner school in the Western Mission Cluster. Anyway, we gt together to grab Indian food and to attend the Ann Arbor Art Fair. It is the largest in the country, I believe.

Some highlights:

(l-r) Steven Daniel, Audrey Heller, Marie Gruber

Though the fair offered much more than photographs, it was mostly photographs that caught my eye. I am really excited to take some photos next year on internship!

Later, I made my way to Zingerman's Deli, where I picked up some challa bread, kalamata olives and gorgonzola cheese. It was hectic; full of people and full of life! It is a must see, eat, experience in Ann Arbor.

I also made my way to Trader Joe's!

After all of this I even managed to see an old friend, Stephanie. I haven't seen her since we were in Freiburg together. She is pictured here, the one on the left, laughing.

On my way back from Ann Arbor I received a text message from Ben: what page are you on...I'm finished. He read the book in less than one full day! He won that round! It took me another day and a half to finish.

I've never had as much fun reading as I have with the Harry Potter series. I think I might start over from the beginning. Nothing has captured my imagination and focus more than this series. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has not yet read the book, but I do want to say that I heart Neville Longbottom!

I have to say that I wasn't expecting a lot out of a weekend in which Colin was gone and I was left to Tiffin Ohio all by my lonesome, but with the help of a few friends, a great dog, and an incredible story, I did get by!

Three weeks to go before heading back to Minnesota and about four weeks until internship. It's hard not to look ahead, but here's to enjoying today!

Seasonal Feasting :: A Wedding, A Funeral

For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.

My friends Erin & Mitch were married today, Friday the 13th, a day that black cats and broken mirrors cannot touch superstitiuosly. But this particular Friday the 13th holds particular significance; Erin's grandparents were married 50 years prior on that same Friday the 13th. What a celebration: a new marriage, a golden anniversary!

I am sad that I couldn't be there. Being in Ohio doesn't afford for that. Nevertheless, through pictures and conversations with friends in attendance, the day was as beautiful as the bride.

Friday the 13th for me involved a funeral.

Last Sunday, one day after the flood, one day after musing about the ubiquitous page, call, tolling bell that seems to surround Colin's internship and my experience thereof, I received my first page, my first call. The bell was tolling for one of my patients.

The call came when I was as scrubby looking, hungry and active as possible. I was surprised to hear the phone ring, it never had before. In the car on my way to the grocery store, I fumbled toward my holster, flipped it open and sheepishly said, "This is Jeni." It was the nurse on call who asked if I could assist with a patient who was actively dying. A decision needed to be made and the family needed help in making it. I arrived 45 minutes later, cleaner, better looking, but still hungry for lunch. One hour and thirty minutes later, the patient breathed his last, surrounded by some family and one awkward yet calm chaplain.

They say you never forget your last death. I wonder if that is true. I guess time will tell.

I attended the funeral on Friday, a great service and a surprisingly good eulogy. The text was from Ecclesiastes 3, the same text used at my grandfather's funeral. The preacher talked about the different seasons in this man's life; a person's life is made up of seasons and seasons change. Nevertheless, God's promises don't change. God gives us our seasons, God is with us in our seasons, God brings us through our seasons, especially the season of death, and gives us life.

I find it pleasing to have had a funeral on this Friday the 13th, this same day as my friends' wedding, this same day as the 50th wedding anniversary, for these seasonal feastings are enveloped in God's great love which calls us all to the great feast, now and forever. While our seasons may be different, our lives woven at different times, at different places and with different materials, the promise remains: in Christ Jesus, God is with and for us and nothing can separate us from that.

finishing up, moving on, moving out

Friday was my last day of work.  I cleaned out my offices (yes, I seem to have accumulated more than one--though one is an office and one a desk), was treated to lunch by Alice and Victoria, and gladly put my feet up and cherished the thought of being done with something.  Colin and I met Matt and went to an old speak easy: the 5-8 Club.  My Grandma and I used to eat there when there was more time and better health.

Then came Saturday.  Saturday brought the beginning of the madness that is moving.  I was up until 1 a.m. packing and moving and shifting and sorting.  I think there is something to be said about the ascetic lifestyle.  I have too much stuff.  It was Jesse's birthday and so Erin and Mitch invited us over for dinner: Chicken Pot Pie and Mitch's favorite, Pumpkin Parfait.  Yum.  We missed Anna who is in Boston for the weekend.

Sunday wasn't so bad.  Sunday included a misfire on the church attending.  I woke up 9 minutes before church was to start and arrived only10 minutes late.  Then I realized that yesterday was Pentecost and after Pentecost we have only one service, at 9:30 and not 8.  I had planned on attending Mt. Olive at 8 and then Our Saviour's (Colin's church) afterwards.    I was sad to have missed the many goodbyesand well-wishes at Mt. O.  Thankfully I ran into Kate, who quite frankly is awesome.  Last week I had said goodbye to Redeemer.  What great churches.

Even with this disappointment, I was able to enjoy a nice leisurely breakfast before heading out to Colin's church they sang his praises on what was his last day of Youth Ministry.  While Colin was still on youth duty, Jesse and I grabbed lunch at the Town Hall Brewery on seven corners.  After we all hit a long nap, Jesse, Colin and I ventured to a Graduation BBQ for a couple of Sem friends and spent most of the night chatting with very beloved professors and very witty friends.  I missed Laura's party, which makes me a little sad.

At 4 a.m. tomorrow Jesse heads out to Denver for CPE.  At 6 a.m. Wednesday, Colin and I head out for Ohio.  I start CPE in a hospice center on Friday.

Life is hectic, life is beautiful.

I heart Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile played the Varsity Theatre this weekend.  Two sold out shows, of which I got to see the second.

Brandi Carlile is one of the most exhilaratingly beautiful performers today.  There is no one I've seen more and there is no one I'd want to see more.  This was my fourth Brandi Carlile concert and yet again (here and here) I was blown away.  There aren't many words to describe and there are no words that can contain the power of her voice, her presence and her music. 

On stage she had the twins, per usual: Tim and Phil Hanseroth.  Their harmonies are so beautiful.  They are more than Bud Scoppa, all due respect, painted them to be in his recent Paste Magazine article on Brandi – er the drummer Matt Chamberlain.  Because of a finger injury, Brandi had Gibb Droll play guitar.  He was incredible. 

We had a large group of folks from the Sem.  From left to right: (back row): Amber and Kevin, Kris, Colin, me, Laura and Jesse.  (front row): Anna, Julie and Audrey.  Laura's sister Lizzie took the photo. 

All good things.

best.weekend.ever! no. 2

The short of the long of it is that Friday night the sem folk et. al. had a great bbq at my house, read the shout out here, from the "Life at Luther" blog.  On Saturday night, Colin, Alex (Colin's bro) and I went to A Prairie Home Companion at the State Theatre.  Garrison Keillor's guest was none other than Wilco.  Last night Colin, Jesse, Sean (Jesse's bro), Laura and I met up with Dane, Dawn and Justin to see the Twins pummel the Tigres, 16-4.

To read about this first best.weekend.ever! read here.

I'll fill in the pieces and load pics later, but for now, it's finals week and I don't have time to breathe.

Justin's Mixed Tape, no. 2 :: A Snapshot

Justin, a Colorado native and Minnesota transplant offers this his Mpls/St.P Snapshot:

1. South Town Girls — The Hold Steady
2. Whole Wide World — Wreckless Eric
   
3. Fade Away — Oasis
4. Penny on a Train Track — Ben Kweller
5. Radio King — Golden Smog
   
6. Lua — Bright Eyes
7. Devil's Waitin' — Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
8. Angel from Montgomery —John Prine
9. After the Goldrush — Thom Yorke (originally Neil Young)
   
10. I Summon You — Spoon
    
11. Photobooth — Death Cab for Cutie (Acoustic)
    
12. Province — TV on the Radio
13. Ooh Child — [I'll have to check who does this cover]
    
14. Shine a Light — The Rolling Stones
    
15. I'll Believe Anything — Wolf Parade
    
16. Sons and Daughters — The Decemberists
    
17. Dance Dance Dance — Neil Young
    

A snapshot of Justin and me forthcoming.

Marc's mixed tape :: The Decalogue

The sign of life I referred to in this post:

But then again, there are signs of life, not all of which come from off campus.  There are folks who are just living.  Doing their seminary bit, being involved in the community, being parents, being friends, being whatever they are fully.  And I'm just going through the motions, baby.  Or so it seems.  There is not a lot of excitement on the horizon; no trips, no projects, no great endeavors.  Just life in front of me.  Life, love, friends...I forget that the greatest excitement in life is that which is ordinary, for it is what you get to do everyday.

Marc, or Marc Double O, as we call him, made this playlist:

Decalogue:
The Simple Way a Father Should Present Them to His Household

1. God's Top Ten
2. Don't You Want Somebody to Love? — Jefferson Airplane
3. President Bush sacrifices the  national lamb — Onion Radio News
4. Take a Chance on Me — Abba
5. Shout the Name of Jesus
6. God Damn Job — The Replacements
7. Some Days Are Better than Others— U2
8. Sunday Morning Coming Down — Kris Kristofferson
9. Parent's Just Don't Understand — DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
10. Sobashiya Abazali — Amandla
11. An area dad swaggers proudly around the house after killing an intruder — Onion Radio News
12. ?
13. Hey Ladies — Beastie Boys
14. Soft Picasso — Vic Chestnutt
15. The Married Men — The Roches
16. White Collar Boy — Belle & Sebastian
17. Slow Justice — Paul Metsa
18. ?
19. Asking Me Lies — The Replacements
20. I Always Get What I Want — Avril Lavigne
21. An area man is just one Camaro away from having it all — Onion Radio News
22. Naked & Famous — Presidents of the United States of America
    
23. Jesse's Girl — Rick Springfield (Acoustic)
24. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing — Sufjan Stevens

**Of course, the simple way a father should present them...is a reference to the introduction of the Small Catechism of the Lutheran Church.  In this case it's humorous rather then normative.