...learning to walk by faith & to TRUST beyond what my mind understands and beyond what my eyes see...

"I'm learning to walk by faith & to TRUST beyond what my mind understands and my eyes see." That's what I wrote to a friend earlier today and what I was talking through with the Lord this morning. It was a lot more specific than what I just wrote, about specific circumstances in my life now and in the future, but that was the jist of it. I asked the Lord what he wanted me to do and felt like he said, "I want you to TRUST me and to walk by FAITH not by sight." I then thought, "But couldn't this still be a little easier!" Hmm... from there I asked the Lord for strength, peace, quiet trust, and to be still before him, seeing HIS power and strength. I guess if Jesus learned "by suffering," something which I still don't comprehend, but know that's what the Bible says, then I guess it makes sense that I would as well. I can't say that I'd choose this path, but if this is what the Lord, the One I love and trust and know is GOOD and has my best at mind, then I guess this is the way I'll walk.

"In Christ Alone"

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my life, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest droughts and storms

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are still, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground his body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave he rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final death
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from his hand
Till he returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

the Lord's sweetness

Over the past few weeks I have been BLOWN away by the Lord's sweetness and tenderness to me. It may sound odd to say, but he is most definitely the kindest, sweetest, nearest, faithful lover one could ever known. He has held me near and reminded me of what is true about HIM and about ME in the midst of a plenitude of emotional ups and downs...

So... what exactly does that look like? Some of it is probably too personal to post here. And some of it seems inappropriate to share because it is too specific to the situation. So, I'll probably have to think and post more later. But... here is just some of HIS sweetness...

Oh, how I love him. And yet as I say that I must say it has soooo very little to do with me and so much more to do with Him and His pursuit and consistency and oh so present love and tenderness.

It may be cheesy, but here's a song that just came to mind in respect to all of this:

"//He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane.
I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy

When all of a sudden
I am aware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful you are
And how great your affections are for me.

Oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us
How he loves us, oh//

//Yeah he loves us,
Whoa, how He loves us
Whoa, how he loves us
Whoa, how he loves.//

We are his portion
And he is our prize
Drawn to redemption
By the grace in his eyes
And if grace is an ocean
We're all sinking

So heaven meets earth
Like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart turns violently
Inside of my chest

And I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about how he loves us
Whoa, how He loves us
Whoa, how he loves us
Whoa, how he loves.

He loves us,
Whoa, how He loves us
Whoa, how he loves us
Whoa, how he loves."

Lists

So, somehow I hate just pitching the lists of movies I've watched, music I was listening to, books I've read,... So I just went back through the sidebar and while I did delete the books without thinking here are some bands I was listening to more before (not to say now i dislike them, i just haven't listened to them much as of late), or had discovered and thought were cool, and films I've watch probably the first half of the year. The lists are updated as of the past couple months (ie summer).

Music Finds & List
- Tune Yards
- Alabanza Misión Posible
- Assemble - my brother
- Marta Gomez
- Waterdeep
- Village Thrift
- Chris Tomlin
- Innocence Mission
- Ray LaMontagne
- Corinne Bailey Rae

Films
- Pollock
- Hurt Locker (En Tierra Hostíl)
- Okuribito (Despedidas) - Japanese
- Contact
- Big Fish
- A River Runs Through It
- Dead Poets' Society
- Invictus
- The Hedgehog (El Erizo) - French
- Bride & Prejudice
- Water
- The Namesake
- The Reader
- Avatar
- The Boys Are Back
- Whip It!
- Paper Heart
- In America
- Cold Souls
- The Class (french)
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le Papillon - French)
- The Orphanage (El Orfanato - Spanish)
- Doubt
- Dancer in the Dark
- Into the Wild
- Elephant
- The Mission
- Sunshine Cleaning
- Sin Nombre
- The Journey of the Red Ballon (Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge - French)
- American History X
- Julia & Julia
- Thin Red Line
- Pleasantville
- No Country For Old Men
- I Love You, New York
- The Secret Life of Bees
- District 9
- Where The Wild Things Are
- Almost Famous
- Dogville
- Up
- High Fidelity
- There Will Be Blood
- The Squid and the Whale
- Smart People
- Precious
- Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

a day in NYC

It's been a few weeks now, but on the way back from the US I had a day in NYC, a place I will always love since I spent the summer there back in 1996 with "Summer In the City." Wow, that makes me feel old.

So, anyway, I have some of the greatest friends in the world in NYC and as always they showed me a great time. I met a dear friend, K, saw her new digs in the Upper West Side. Very swanky. We had a delightfully delicious lunch at a Mediterranean place, I can't remember the specific type of fare, but anyway. It was good and it was actually more about the conversation than the food. We talked about men, specifically the men that have been in our lives romantically lately and our unfortunate disappointments as of late. We both were hopeful it would work out this time and, at least for now, it hasn't. Sad. Frustrating. Disappointing. Illogical.... And a million other emotions and adjectives.

From there we went to meet up with another fun friend J to hear about his life, his possible job changes, or more exactly inevitable job change with an open door to a plethora of fun options for the future. It was fun to dream with him and to hear about the exciting-ness of having to make a change. And to hear about his lady friend, or more exactly girlfriend of about a year. We had yummy coffee and then headed through Italy-town, into Chinatown, while still talking about life and my desire to escape (with all the sadness of a recent breakup, about which I didn't really want to talk). So, j being the great friend that he is and the definite culturally ept soho resident, we went to the most incredible cocktail bar, Apotheke. It was amazing! I had a gingery jasmine sour, j had a sidecar (but the best sidecar i've ever had), k had something fresh called "seal the deal" with cucumber, vodka and also was pure yumminess. All very different, but all delicious! Definitely made the day & brightened my spirits. From there we went to a fun asian diner and had more yumminess - I had some kind of spicey green salad with shrimp and a delicious asian sauce of sorts, j had a yummy soup with asian dumplings or something and i don't remember what k had. From there k and i were beat, so we headed back to her place, talked more and crashed. Oh no, actually we went to the corner store (think NYC). I LOVED IT! I felt almost home (ie almost back to europe). It was a gourmet-esce store, but with everything crammed from floor to ceiling of a small corner store. The men working there were from somewhere else, but it didn't seem appropriate to ask where from exactly. Oh, and K is amazing. She bought Illy coffee which is by far my favorite (okay, maybe Kaldi's is up there too) in the whole world. YUM! And pb and soymilk and some yummy whole grain bread. Okay, she gets the amazing friend award (particularly after listening to my moping and pining). We then went to another place for tp because we had forgotten it and as I heard the clerks speaking Spanish, but from the States just from Latino families. I asked where they were from (in spanish) and either they weren't expecting me to ask in Spanish or something bc they acted like i was nuts. I said, "Nevermind." And we went home.

The next day we walked through Riverside Park (in You've Got Mail), took some pictures, met up with J and his girlfriend, walked around a bunch, went to an appointment she had, and eventually I made my way to the airport. I was happy to leave the US and return to normality. But I was also thankful to have some great friends care for me. :-)

quinoa!

Recently on fb I mentioned that I recently re-discovered Quinoa, a grain-like seed that you can make into a pilaf or incorporate in a variety of dishes. It acts kind of like rice, but is much higher in protein, actually it's one of the most complete proteins in one food, particularly a non-animal product. So, recently my roommate has been eating quinoa and I decided to get some too to eat instead of more carby grains or bread and it's working. I love it and it's more nutritious and delicious. So, here are some of the quinoa ideas friends mentioned. I know I have some good recipes around here from my sister too, but I'll have to find them and post them later.

Another new find, or re-find, is almond butter. Better for you and actually much more tasty than pb. It's more pricey, but delicious in smoothies, on toast, in oatmeal,... a nice way to add protein and yumminess to a million things. And apparently it's not too hard to make. I'll write if I find an easy way to do that. I'm just a bit weary of what machine I have that I could use to ground almonds & where to find a good, fresh source that's not too pricey of almonds. But I'm on it... we'll see...

Quinoa Ideas from friends:
I've just recently discovered quinoa, too, and love it. I've been cooking it in finas hierbas bullion along with corn, onion, and sometimes garlic. Then add some feta cheese and use to stuff tomatoes (I incorporate the tomato pulp that I scoop out into the mixed quinoa, so as to not waste it). Adjust seasoning to taste. Top stuffed tomatoes with a bit of mozzarella, and into the oven at 175 C for 25 minutes or so. Yum!

One of our summer favorites is a cold salad of quinoa, black beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, cilantro and maybe feta, with a cumin and chile powder enhanced red wine vinaigrette (avocado is also good but then it sort of loses its stash in the fridge for leftovers all week status).

Oh in the winter quinoa topped with kale or chard (cooked with lots of garlic in a sort of saute/stem/braise method on the stovetop). Or just used as a faster cooking sub for brown rice.

You can also make tabbouleh with it. It's way yummy and better protein than couscous

"Jesus cast a look on me,
Give me sweet simplicity.
Make me poor and keep me low,
Seeking only Thee to know.

Please defeat my busy pride
Cast it ever more aside
Bid my will to Thine submit,
Lay thee humbly at Thy feet.

Make me like a little child,
Of my strength and wisdom spoil,
Seeing only in Thy light,
Walking only in Thy might.

Leaning on Thy loving breast,
Where a weary soul can rest.
Feeling well the peace of God,
Flowing from His precious blood.

In this posture let me live,
And Hosanna's daily gift
In this temper let me die
And hosannas ever cry."

"Someday You Will Be Loved"

I once knew a girl
In the years of my youth
With eyes like the summer
All beauty and truth
In the morning I fled
Left a note and it read
Someday you will be loved.

I cannot pretend that I felt any regret
Cause each broken heart will eventually mend
As the blood runs red down the needle and thread
Someday you will be loved

You'll be loved you'll be loved
Like you never have known
The memories of me
Will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs
Like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved

You may feel alone when you're falling asleep
And every time tears roll down your cheeks
But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet
Someday you will be loved

You'll be loved you'll be loved
Like you never have known
The memories of me
Will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs
Like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved

You'll be loved you'll be loved
Like you never have known
The memories of me
Will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs
Like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved
Someday you will be loved

a plethera of emotions

so... over the past few days i've gone through euphoric denial where everything is horrible but was "for the best," "actually a blessing in disguise," "not really as bad as i thought," etc.,... all that may actually be true, but i was not at all in reality, it was pure denial. then came the sadness & tears, many tears, and the feeling that it wasn't fair, AT ALL. that i didn't understand, i was completely confused, taken by surprise, side-swiped, frustrated, sad, not sure what to do, unable to sleep or eat and almost unable to stop thinking about it other than the fact that that drove me nuts. so my only option, and a good one at that, was to go to the arms of the One who truly love me, fully without limit, the One who rescues me, is oh so tender, oh so kind, oh so gentle, and yet awesome and powerful. and He blew me away. while the past few days have been filled with many tears, the Lord has met me right where I am and is teaching me to trust him even in this.

cuteness

i am sad today, but that is for another post. in my teary-eyed-ness i just called my best friend ruth and her 6 year old daughter elia just picked up. we talked briefly and then she asked if i wanted her to tell her mom that i was coming over. i said that i couldn't come over and she asked, "why not?" to which i replied, "i'm in the US at my parents' house." "what?" "well, i'll have my mom call you." "when is she going to be back, half an hour?" "i don't know, but don't worry, we'll call you." if only she knew that it's not that simple. anyway, elia's cuteness made me smile in the midst of my sadness.

i hate milk!

okay, so it's not entirely true that i hate milk, but milk does seem to dislike me or tries to reap havoc on my life at times. last night we went out for mexican food and unbeknownst to me there was cheese or some milk substance on my yummy tacos al pastor. not normal and not nice! so today i am STILL reaping the conse-quences of my unwelcome visitor. milk, i don't like you!!! (or at least when i don't choose you to be around! yes you taste good, but why must you make me feel so sick!!! it's my fault if i eat you knowingly, but why must people think it's a good idea to add you to things where milk just shouldn't be!!!) yuck!

happy new music

so, yesterday... ok technically now 2 days ago, was my bday. and one of the fun gifts i got was a mixed cd from a friend who has similar taste in music. and let me just say that i LOVE it! i actually love homemade gifts and mixed cds (if i like the music). so, the people i'm loving on the cd are of course feist, bon iver, over the rhine, sufjan stevens, and then surprisingly (only bc i don't really know them well) josh ritter, ohio, ryan adams, ray la montagne, and avett brothers (although they're still growing on me a bit). fun times! i should get mixed cds more often. :-) i love fun bday presents!

out of control

so, i just spent entirely WAY too much time on my computer and connected to internet world tonight. i actually was working most of the time sending e-mails and messages for some upcoming stuff that i need to nail down, but out of control. i'm just not wired to do non-stop admin stuff for hours on end. and having to send fb messages and e-mails has way too many distractions. and i only can stay focused on that kind of stuff for so long, which is why a few other msgs were sent and now this little post. so, now it's way later than i planned, i do have to get up early, or madrugar as they'd say here, so that's it for now. just a mindless, random rant. although i'm actually thankful to have a few more things checked off the invisible to-do-list.

sufjan!!!

i heart sufjan. i think i've said it before, but i've been loving his album seven swans. i've had it awhile, but have been listening it quite frequently lately. :-)

la cucaracha

i am not by nature one who is afraid of bugs. in fact, generally i set them free to the outside. there are a few exceptions, cockroaches being one particularly as of late. yuck! it's summer and it seems like they are everywhere. granted i'm rearranging some stuff, but i did actually just put out stuff to get rid of them. and the past few nights they've been terrorizing me.

the cockroach a few months back that FLEW out of the toilet paper thing when i went to get some tp was funny. it was just so weird. then the occasional one in the kitchen or bathroom isn't that big of a deal. i don't mind cohabitating to some degree. i would just prefer to not see them. but last night was the last straw. i went from my room to the kitchen and had three jet out a various places, one in the hall, one out of the poison trap thing, and then one from by the trash. i trapped one under the clear trashcan and then felt like that was inhumane, so i smashed him. then there is the one that ran over my barefoot the other day. there is something wrong with these bugs. they are neither rational nor good sensed.

this morning when i woke up, it occurred to me that i was afraid to turn on the light in the kitchen, expecting something to scurry away. and the same in the bathroom. then i thought, dawn, you're not actually afraid of cockroaches, they just gross you out. yuck!!! please mr. cucaracha would you leave and take your friends with you. i'm sure it's much cooler and darker a few floors down, or even better go to a park or something. i think you and i would be much happier parting ways. thank you.

summer summertime in the city

Summer has arrived. It was 38ºC, or 100ºF today. I would say that makes it now fully summer. So here is a list of what makes me think of summer, or that summer is just around the corner... Oh and I'll check those that have happened already...

_ Café con hielo, Iced coffee
x Iced Latté
x Washing my feet at night, bc it feels good but also bc they're dirty (and in the bidet, in my opinion it's what it was made for!)
x It's hot enough that I have to wear shorts to run (and don't get as many strange looks)
x I get the fan out
_ Lightening bugs (i'll have to wait 'til i'm back in stl for that one)
x Ice cream!
x Terrazas, or outdoor seating
x LOTS of people outside at night and late
_ Putting a fan or two in my purse
x Sandals
x Dresses & skirts without tights
x Seeing American tourists in shorts (and this year it looks like it might be "in" to wear shorts, although they are definitely "hip" shorts, not just your run of the mill shorts)
x Closing the windows in the day because it's TOOO hot to let the air in
x Loving the cool night breeze
x Noticing all the green!!! (even here)
x Making all kinds of iced drinks
_ Smoothies
_ Frozen Juice Popsicles
_ the pool
_ the beach
_ swimming
_ Galicia
_ Realizing it would make a ton more sense to wake up early to go running in a bit cooler weather
x Dying running in the heat
x Enjoying air conditioning on occasion
x Cold showers
_ barbecues! grilling!
x fresh veggies & fruits
x strawberries
x ice
x blue skies (although we almost always have blue skies in madrid)
x cottony clouds
_ outdoor films
x picnics
x parks
x late night walks

lavender tea... pure joy

one of the things my sister got me for christmas was lavender tea. when i went to visit last year to columbus, we went to the coolest tea shop ever and had the most incredible tea. she got a lavender latté and then later bought me the tea. it's one of the things that makes me happy, just smelling it and having it. part of it is the memory and that it's from my sister, who i love. but part of it really is the tea and the lavender. it just smells and tastes SOOOOO good. and it also is calming, since it's lavender. :-) happiness! and so nice in the midst of change and transition.

the unknowns of life

be forewarned, this is definitely processing at its finest, or not so finest nor thought through. it's just pure thoughts as they come out. just to forewarn you:

some dear friends of mine left this morning for the states. they've been here the past 2.5 yrs and have become dear friends and trusted colleagues. they have a one and a half year old who was born here and they're going home to go back to seminary (for a phd) and to figure out what is next.

i'm so grateful to have gotten to know them and also grateful to have been blessed by them in countless ways. yet as i sit here, granted exhausted (which is why i'm taking a little "siesta" of sorts) and granted emotional, i'm a little introspective. in two weeks i'll turn 34, which somehow seems to be a big year. i mean, it's a year before 35 and 35 seems way too old for me to be. ever. particularly being kid-less and husband-less. i mean, 90+ percent of my life i'm next to fully content with being single and i actually LOVE my life, just the way it is. and i'm not by any means just enduring it. in many, many ways i'm thankful that i've had time to be here and to do a lot of things that i probably wouldn't have had time to do nor freedom and flexibility to do if i were married with kids. that said, 34? i mean, if i want kids, now is the time, no? and right now i think i could be ready. and i think i'm willing and desirous of that life. it's kind of a hard thing, and i guess in some ways good that you don't have it all just planned out ahead of time. i mean, i want to get married and i want to have kids, if the right guy comes along and really is THAT guy. if he doesn't, i still desire that life, but i'd rather never marry than to settle or to choose something lesser, even if that means never having kids of my own. and yet at the same time, now more than ever, i can see that that life means exchanging some of my flexibility and "freedom" for giving to others and little people, which at least today i want, the little people that is. and all this connects with my friends leaving in that they have a little person and my other friends leaving soon have two little people. and i DON'T feel like i'm wasting my life by any means, but in some ways, some little ways, i'm not sure my life has fully begun. i mean, i was thinking at the gym last night that i have probably NOT lived half of my life yet. i could get married in a year or two from now and have kids and have a whole different life than i've yet to know. crazy. or something else i have no idea about could happen. who knows... definitely not me.

so... what i actually meant to be writing about are the unknowns of life, which right now seem like a lot. the fall is a huge unknown - who will i be working with? what will my fall look like? the summer is a little unknown, but for the most part figured out, just some of the "who's" and "when's" are a bit unknown. and then the between the summer and fall is a little unknown, or at least what may or may not happen. then there are the next couple years. there is the boy situation. there is how that will play out, or not. there are the boy situations of some very very close friends... all of it unknown and way way way out of my control. i honestly don't know even how to think about it. and, thank God, that He actually remains a true constant. He doesn't shift nor change nor change his mind nor move nor step away for a time. He is FULLY and COMPLETELY present and active. no, i can't control him. no, i can't always figure him out nor understand WHY. but He's Good, really GOOD. and He love me and knows what's best for me and others. and he has a plan and a will. and He listens to me and cares and hears me. He holds me. He works in me, around me. He goes before and behind me. HE DOES know the plans ahead, whether it be the fall or the summer, or next year, or twenty or eighty or a hundred or a thousand or billion years from now. He KNOWS. and he cares. and as i've been reading a ton lately in psalm 106 & 107, he is gracious and merciful and faithful even when I am not (not that that justifies my wrong-doing, but it does give me confidence and peace that it's not all about me). i can't mess it all up. i'm not that powerful. and thank God that i'm not.

so, i've been reading about prayer recently, specifically i've been reading A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller (no relation). it's good, by no means rocket science but just real life wisdom. good stuff.

i think i had some other thoughts, that were probably much more profound than what i actually wrote. but this is me right now, just processing life, seeking to trust God and to walk by faith, taking Him at his word, trying to allow the Gospel to define my life, trying to allow God to lead me, and taking one day at a time.

sufjan stevens

i heart sufjan! his music hoy hits the spot. it's the right mix of melancholia, but hopeful, happy, mad, real, witty lyrics, good music, variety,.... i love it and it is one of the things that is helping this day turn from totally sad to somewhat happy & productive. (see the post below.)

happy thoughts

I am in a horrible mood. Some of my best friends here leave tomorrow. They've been good friends, great workmates,... They are not the only really good friends leaving... I keep on thinking, "There are people dying in the world. There are kids in horrible situations. There are natural disasters. There are things way worse going on in the world. This is NOT that big. Just get over it." And yet I still feel like poop. So, I'm making a list of happy things. (And also a list of poopy things.)

Poopy things
(1) my back, or to be precise my right shoulder blade/shoulder/upper back is killing me. it really hurts & i've already taken one 600 mg ibuprofen.
(2) i hate people leaving. i hate it. i know i tend to be the one leaving and that's not fun either, but it's way worse when you're the one staying.
(3) i have little to motivation to get things done and yet my to do list keeps growing.

Happy things
(1) lavender tea. i love lavender tea and just brewed some to help me be in a chipper mood.
(2) sufjan stevens. what i'm listening to also in the hopes of cheering up.
(3) what i see of the world isn't all that there is. The Lord IS making all things new and he WILL make all things FULLY new. This really is hopeful and DOES actually help me put things into perspective. It's the only thing that really helps.
(4) good friends who care and who are kind and who think of me and let me complain without telling me to just get over it (but then do that too, if i'm just sulking).
(5) i actually do love where i live. AND we just got a new hot water heater! for the first time in 5 years we actually have water pressure in the shower AND it's actually the right temperature. i no longer have to put a clothespin to keep the water coming out of the shower head. and i no longer have to endure scalding hot water or tepid water. this is AMAZING.
(6) the weather is beautiful! it's perfect for just about anything. the windows are open, the birds are flying and singing,... it is happy weather.
(7) i actually have time to get things done and despite my poopy list item #3, i am for the most part motivated. i just have spurts of unproductivity.
(8) lavender tea
(9) God's grace, Psalms 106 & 107 - it's not dependent on ME and God is so sweet to me and gracious to act in love when that's not what i deserve. he cares for me and loves me!
(10) the little people, aka my friends' kids. they make me happy.
(11) okay, this list is actually WAY longer than the other one!

once

I love the music from "Once" and the film itself. :-) Right now I'm listening to it in my meloncholy state of missing people who are leaving or who have already left.

grey's anatomy

i just watched this week's grey's anatomy. i love love love that show. okay, sometimes the drama is probably a bit over the top, but i love that the people are real and flawed and alive and a mess, but real. and i love the emotion of it. they're trying to figure out their way through live, how to live, how to work through their stuff, how to live, how to fill their longing for more,... and the show actually shows their dysfunction in trying to escape and such. anyway... random stuff.

nickel creek

:-)

edges lopped off

They say that when you live in another culture for awhile that you go from being a square head (the previous culture) to looking more like a rounded head (that of the new culture), but since you never are truly native, having not grown up there you look more like a stop-sign head, with edges little by little being lopped off. Some of those changes are gentle, like greetings (for instance in Spain I greet everyone with two air kisses, one on each side; it's not a hard change, just different). Other changes are felt a bit more, for instance getting used to not being so "polite." It's not that we're not polite here, but saying "please" and "thank you" and "would you..." just doesn't always translate the same way. I still say thank you, but there are other more culturally "genuine" ways. This might not be the best example, but anyway... you get my point.

This has to do with one of those easy, but for me farther down the road changes. And right now I would say that I'm past just the "trying out" phase of it, although I don't know if it's something I'll permanently incorporate into my life. Quite honestly, it will probably depend where I live. If I stay here, yes, I'll continue to do as the Spanish do, but if I move somewhere else where it's not so common, it's unlikely that I'll be able to afford it nor do I value it quite that much. What I'm talking about is waxing. Maybe a bit too much information, but it occurred to me last year that the reason that Americans tend to think that Europeans don't shave has to do with the fact that most of them don't, but they do wax. And to wax you have to let your hair grow a little bit before it can be ripped out. So, no, Spanish women don't tend to shave, but their legs and armpits are probably more hair free and smoother than most American women, at least most of the time.

So, about a year ago I made the plunge. I'd been putting it off for years, primarily because I thought it had to be horribly painful and I couldn't seem to let the hair grow out. (It grossed me out.) So last summer, I thought, I could go get waxed once and it would last the rest of the month. No more shaving. Pain is momentary and everyone I know here does it. It can't be that bad. And it costs about 10 Euros for everything I'd want. (Sorry if it's tmi.) And, yes, the first time it hurt, but not that bad. And your hair doesn't actually grow back much and it's weaker. All the stuff they told me before. And this weekend I even took it a step further. I did it myself. Now for the time, ease, and cost difference, I probably won't do it myself again until I'm visiting the States, but I've got it down. I figured out the way to rip and the way not to. And I must say that I'm pretty impressed with myself. And since in the states, what costs me 10 Euros would cost over 100, and while I'd spend less shaving, for the time being I'll probably continue to visit my local salon.

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." Psalm 90:2

sooooo good

So, here's the playlist for the Dark Was the Night: Red Hot Compilation. It is SOOO good, as the teen girl squad would say. And it really is. It's what I'm loving to listen to these days. And it somehow always cheers me up. Nice.

DARK WAS THE NIGHT

THIS DISC
1 Knotty Pine – Dirty Projectors + David Byrne
2 Cello Song (Nick Drake) – The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
3 Train Song (Vashti Bunyan recorded, written by Alasdair Clayre) – Feist + Ben Gibbard
4 Brackett, WI – Bon Iver
5 Deep Blue Sea – Grizzly Bear
6 So Far Around the Bend – The National (arrangement by Nico Muhly)
7 Tightrope – Yeasayer
8 Feeling Good (popularized by Nina Simone) – My Brightest Diamond
9 Dark Was the Night (Blind Willie Johnson) – Kronos Quartet
10 I Was Young When I Left Home (Bob Dylan) – Antony + Bryce Dessner
11 Big Red Machine – Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner
12 Sleepless – The Decemberists
13 Stolen Houses (Die) – Iron and Wine
14 Service Bell – Grizzly Bear + Feist
15 You Are The Blood – Sufjan Stevens

THAT DISC
1 Well-Alright – Spoon
2 Lenin – Arcade Fire
3 Mimizan – Beirut
4 El Caporal – My Morning Jacket
5 Inspiration Information (Shuggie Otis) – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
6 With A Girl Like You (The Troggs) – Dave Sitek
7 Blood Pt 2 (based on original song “You are the Blood” by the Castanets) – Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
8 Hey, Snow White (Destroyer) – The New Pornographers
9 Gentle Hour (Snapper) – Yo La Tengo
10 Another Saturday (traditional song) – Stuart Murdoch
11 Happiness – Riceboy Sleeps
12 Amazing Grace (traditional song) – Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues
13 The Giant Of Illinois (Handsome Family) – Andrew Bird
14 Lua – Conor Oberst + Gillian Welch
15 When the Road Runs Out – Blonde Redhead + Devastations
16 Love vs. Porn – Kevin Drew

change, transition, sadness, yuck,...

So... I went running tonight after going to the gym and thought about several things, but one being that I am a bit down today. I'm primarily sad because everyone around me is sad, or so it seems, and that lately I've been seeing the cup as a little less full. One of my best friends here is moving next week, for good reasons (she's getting married soon), but I'm sad to see her go and also sad to see her in the midst of all the emotion of major life changes. I don't want her to go because I want to be there for her in the midst of these changes, not just there on the phone but PHYSICALLY there so she can come over or I can go over. And I want her to be there for me, to listen to me process, to listen to my griping, and to speak truth and wisdom to me, and to just be around. So, I'm sad. And because I'm sad I'm irritated with life and all the things that do normally do irritate me, but that I don't even hardly actually notice, they're more minor things.

The other thing I thought about is that I feel like I've been so negative and so half cup almost empty (or at least not just almost full). I like being a positive, generally happy, cheerful person who cheers others up. I like being that person. I don't like being one who tells you all the bad going on in life first. But right now with the people closest to me, the people by whom I feel listened to, really, and feel free to be a mess, I've been tending to tell all the negative of my day and all the negative of life first. I have a million and one great things happening and going on, so why do I spew the grossness out. I guess I want to be known. I guess I need people to "carry my burdens" right now, or just there to let me get things out and then somehow it's a whole lot better. Hmm... I guess it's just humanness. And I guess it's just where I am right now. Not to say that I'm really in a dark, dark cloud, just in a lightly grey one. I mean, I'm totally justifying myself unnecessarily, but I am there for those around me, I'm just not quite the cup almost full girl, I'm more the half full person. And I guess it doesn't help that I've been a little under the weather too.

Somehow it's Friday night and while part of me really wanted to go hang out with people, the other part of me wanted to just be alone, to watch Grey's Anatomy, listen to some good music, maybe journal or not think at all, to talk to some friends, but to be alone and to let myself be sad or confused or whatever it is that I'm feeling right now. So yeah, that's what I'm doing. It's so weird. Fortunate for me there were some incredible leftovers in the fridge from lunch - my roommate made some rice stuffed sea bass for a meeting we had here at lunchtime. Incredible doesn't fully do it justice. And some nice red wine goes alone quite nicely. And, yeah, somehow getting all this out helps. And somehow being alone in the midst of this to process, and yet not actually feeling alone at all, and having talked to some good friends but not about all this but that love me and somehow are also feeling a bit down, makes me feel a bit more happy. hmm... oh, and by the way, you've gotta love the Dark Was The Night: Red Hot Compilation. sooooo soooo soooo good.

the reader

I just saw the Reader again tonight and discussed it with some friends. EXCELLENT film. I've hesitated to recommend it because of the nudity at the beginning of the film, but the way it treats the subject of guilt and forgiveness, or the lack there of, is EXCELLENT. It is craftfully written, taking twists that you wouldn't expect from the beginning. It is definitely a drama and one of the best films I've seen this year. I know that's pretty brief, but I'm still thinking about it.

dark was the night

I have said it before, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Dark Was The Night Compilation. It's an excellent mix of incredible musicians, pretty much all indie stuff and oh so good!

A mighty Fortress is our God,
A Bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing;
For still our ancient Foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing;
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His Name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us;
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us;
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth;
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still,
His Kingdom is forever. Amen.

Martin Luther, 1529

mindy smith

Mindy Smith is quickly becoming someone I listen to now and again. I love her voice. It somewhat reminds me of Alison Krauss and Nickel Creek. Good stuff. But a little too depressing for me to listen to more than de vez y cuando.

lentejas & neighborliness

I've written before about my neighbor "joseph." He's an older widower who likes to cook and hunt and likes to blare his classical music and movie selections through the wall late at night. He also seems fairly intrigued by us, his "young," "cute," american neighbors. He's offered me his freshly killed pheasant, his maple syrup, and various culinary inventions. A few weeks ago he gave me some paella, sometime before he gave me some homemade paté and boquerones (I'm not sure of the english word, they're like anchovies, but a different little fish and with vinager, very yummy). Today it was lentejas, which I love. And somehow I love being cooked for. It's very neighborly. I just need to make some time to cook something that is worth sharing. I mean don't get me wrong, I do love to cook but recently I've neither had time nor been very hungry, so I have lived primarily on coffee, salads, apples & peanut butter, soy yogurt, pasta,... you know the easy to grab, semi-healthy food for one. I'm not much for baking, but I did make some mean scones not too long ago, so maybe I can whip some of those up for joseph this weekend.

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolation on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" -- Psalm 46

---
(from the Daily Office)
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Who is it that you seek? We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek Him with all your heart? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your soul? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your mind? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your strength? Amen. Christ, have mercy.

To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.


Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen

Declaration of faith - Apostle's Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell.
On the third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.


Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days; that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.

Let nothing disturb thee,
nothing affright thee;
all things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance
attaineth to all things;
who God possesseth
in nothing is wanting;
alone God sufficeth.


Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice.
With my whole heart I want to praise You. O Lord, hear my voice.
If you, Lord, should mark iniquities: Who could stand? who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word I hope, in his word I trust;
my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (from Psalm 130)


Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart, today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am, today I believe.

Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden, today I believe.

Lord, You have always lightened this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here, today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now, today I believe.


In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

The Lord is my light, my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

One thing I ask of the Lord, one thing I seek;
to dwell in the presence of my God, to gaze on Your holy place.

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. O wait for the Lord! Have courage and wait, wait for the Lord.

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

bats & the bat bridge in austin

Somehow i think bats are nifty creatures. They're like birds, but cooler and they come out at night, which somehow I also think is cool.

I think I began my fascination with bats in college at Mizzou where bats come out at night and fly around the quad and Jesse Hall (the admin building). Then when I lived in Sevilla, there was a cool bridge (I think the puente de triana) that has an area where people boulder and it's the same bridge where a flock of bats can be seen at night. Macy and I would wander over there at night to pray and admire our flying friends. In Madrid too there are some bats, just a few, who fly around the park where I like to run.

So, today when my dad was talking about his recent work trip to Austin I was THRILLED to hear about the bat bridge, which someday I will have to visit.

"Every summer, a million and a half bats in Austin, Texas make themselves at home.

The Congress Avenue Bridge has become, quite accidentally, the largest urban bat colony in the world. When engineers finished its reconstruction in 1980, it turned out that the crevices underneath the bridge doubled as perfect bat housing. When Mexican free-tail bats began their yearly migration north the next spring, they moved in by the thousands.

Austin freaked. Bats have a very bad reputation, thanks in equal part to both rabies and Béla Lugosi, and people demanded that the housing be demolished. Luckily, a group by the name of Bat Conservation International made an appearance, and explained to Austinites that, minus a nasty guano habit, bats are actually both brilliant and adorable. And the ones now living in their midst eat anywhere from ten to twenty thousand pounds of insects per night.

Nowadays, the Congress Avenue Bridge brings in 100,000 tourists annually. The mostly female colony starts moving in around March, and each female gives birth to a single pup by early June. The pups mature over the next five weeks, until eventually they can leave the roost with their mothers en masse, and take Austin’s insect population by storm."

Fun, huh! And apparently my parents joined the hundreds of people there to walk the stream of bats fly out at dusk, not once but twice. I love my dad. I'm sure it was his idea. So, if you're ever in Austin, remember to check out the bat bridge, or the Congress Avenue Bridge as it's properly known.

"Uncivilized we call him, but I just saw him eat off the food we waste"

"Uncivilized we call him, but I just saw him eat off the food we waste." - "Mister Wendel," Arrested Development

So yesterday for the second day in a row I saw some people going through the trash after the grocery store had closed picking out food that was still good to take with them - lettuce, strawberries,... It's not the first time I've seen people do this but it's been a little while. Somehow their actions beg my respect. I mean I would have a hard time going through the trash looking for food unless I was really in need. But the thing that strikes me is that they're not begging for food, they're going out and finding it and using what we waste. It made me think of the Arrested Development song, "Mr. Wendel," which I've always liked although it's been years since I last heard it.

Then today as Bekah helped me take out an extra, unwanted, less than perfect bed frame for which I have no room in my city apartment, I was greeted below by some gypsies who asked if I had any metal I was throwing out. I didn't, but I LOVE that most of the time that I pitch something that could actually be of use to someone else, it often is picked up and taken home (or resold) by someone else. And again it made me think about these people who reuse what we see as waste, or unwanted.

I've always been a fan of trying to live fairly simply, not making much waste, recycling, reusing,... but I AM completely thankful that some of the waste that is fully reusable doesn't go to waste and I have a huge respect for these people who humble themselves to go through the waste of the grocery store in hope of finding perfectly good food.

Interestingly (from a anthropological perspective) in my neighborhood the only people I've seen fishing through the trash for food are South or Latin Americans. It is curious to me since there are plenty of people who beg on the street, many who are Spanish or European of some sort. And then there are the people that sell illegal stuff and bootlegged cds and dvds, who tend to be African and once in awhile South American. Most South American immigrants, however tend to work the menial jobs of caring for the elderly or children, or more blue collared work. Asians tend to set up their own dollar stores or quick shops. I know these are completely broad stereotypes, but since Spain is still fairly homogeneous, unfortunately race stereotypes tend to be generally correct (including those about Americans). As I rode the metro home the past couple days, however, I have been pleasantly surprised that these generalities were being challenged and seemingly seem to be changing. So, just to rest calmly, while these generalities are easy to make, I don't like that that is true nor do I like the fact that there is still very much a hierarchy of races in Spain. So, don't get me wrong, these are just observations.
---

















"Mister Wendel" Arrested Development

Go ahead, man

Here, have a dollar
In fact no, brother man, here, have two
Two dollars means a snack for me
But it means a big deal to you
Be strong, serve God only
Know that if you do, beautiful heaven awaits
That's the poem I wrote for the first time
I saw a man with no clothes, no money, no plate
Mister Wendal, that's his name
No one ever knew his name 'cause he's a no one
Never thought twice about spending on an old bum
Until I had the chance to really get to know one
Now that I know him, to give him money isn't charity
He gives me some knowledge, I buy him some shoes
And to think blacks spend all that money on big colleges
Still most of y'all come out confused

Go ahead, Mister Wendal
Go ahead, Mister Wendal

Mister Wendal has freedom
A free that you and I think is dumb
Free to be without the worries of a quick to diss society
For Mister Wendal's a bum
His only worries are sickness and an occasional harassment
By the police and their chase
Uncivilized we call him
But I just saw him eat off the food we waste
Civilization, are we really civilized
Yes or no, who are we to judge
When thousands of innocent men could be brutally enslaved
And killed over a racist grudge
Mister Wendal has tried to warn us about our ways
But we don't hear him talk
Is it his fault when we've gone too far
And we got too far 'cause on him we walk
Mister Wendal, a man, a human in flesh
But not by law
I feed you dignity to stand with pride
Realize that all in all you stand tall

Go ahead, Mister Wendal
Mister Wendal, yeah
Yeah, Mister Wendal
Mister Wendal, yeah, Lord

Mister Wendal

Mister Wendal
Mister

"What is thy only comfort in life and death?

That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him." (from the Heidelberg Catechism)

Transition / Change Cycle

So, way back when I heard about the change cycle, what everyone normal goes through when there is big transition. My team here is all leaving over the next few months and most of them leave in 3-4 weeks. Crazy.

So today I was talking to Bekah, who is one of those leaving and also a good good friend (who is leaving because she's getting married). Anyway, she was looking through a copy of the change cycle and rightly diagnosed me in the second phase, where I am no longer avoiding the inevitable but where my emotions are a bit exaggerated and all I want is structure (something I generally don't need much of). There is more, but all that to say that I'm normal. Thank God. Recently I've noticed I feel like my emotions can be all over the place. Yes, the Lord reminds me of what is true and I eventually get back to normal, but in the meantime I freak out a bit, probably replaying and over-evaluating everything. I love understanding things, which doesn't justify my psycho behavior or mood swings, but puts things back into perspective and helps me to know what to expect and helps me to respond better. I'll have to find a copy of it and put it up for any others going through the craziness that is BIG change and transition.

Rey de Justicia

"Rey de Justicia" - En Espiritu y Verdad

Rey de Justicia, Rey de Verdad
Rey de Salvación, Rey de Salvación

Yo quiero subir al monte del sol
Contigo habitar por la eternidad
Tu abriste camino que llevas al Padre
Entregaste tu vida, derramaste tu sangre

Rey de Justicia, Rey de Verdad
Rey de Salvación, Rey de Salvación

Marcaste la historia con tu salvación
Quitando el pecado que no se parro
Abriste camino y llevaste al Padre
Entregaste tu vida, derramaste tu sangre

Rey de Justicia, Rey de Verdad
Rey de Salvación, Rey de Salvación

Extienda tu reina en nuestras vidas
Ascienta tu trono en nuestros corazones
Extienda tu reina en nuestras vidas
Ascienta tu trono en nuestros corazones

Abriste camino que llevas al Padre
Entregaste tu vida, derramaste tu sangre
Abriste camino que llevas al Padre
Entregaste tu vida, derramaste tu sangre

Rey de Justicia, Rey de Verdad
Rey de Salvación, Rey de Salvación

I love this song. I think it's probably originally by Hillsong, but En Espíritu y Verdad sings it in Spanish. I love it because it reminds me of God's greatness and the security found in him alone. :-)

the black eyed peas

Somehow all day I've had "I've Got A Feeling" in my head, which is one of the great songs of the year, in my book. And you've gotta love the Black Eyed Peas. Somehow I love the mix of rap and dance music. I love the beat and the evolution of their music.

Harps / el Arpa

Harps. Lately they seem to be popping up all over the place. Joanna Newsom plays one (although someone recently told me that her new album doesn't have much harp). When my dear friend Karen was here, we saw a man playing one in Plaza Mayor here in Madrid. And he was not a harp-playing type. He looked more likely to be in some sort of death metal band. Although with the celtic influence from NW Spain / Galicia, it made a bit more sense. As he fixed a broken string a three year old little boy stood by extremely attentive. It was the event of the year. He watched every move and despite the kids playing around him, he stood glued to the harpsist. Soon after a small following of little kids joined him in awe of this man in his twenties playing this celestial sounding instrument. If it weren't for the fact that Karen was exhausted with jetlag we would have probably stayed around even longer.

my amiable mechanic

Unfortunately I've had to take my car into the shop WAY too frequently in the past couple weeks. Probably because I feel a bit ignorant about cars and have heard too many stories of shady mechanics AND because it tends to cost money that I'd rather spend on other things, I'm not the hugest fan of going to the mechanic. First it was for the water pump (every time I drove it I had to fill up the antifreeze thing with water at least once or this light that said STOP would come on) and the timing belt. Then I got the car back and it was making a weird noise, which I assumed was the engine, since they had just changed the timing belt inside, but no. It was the bearings in one of the wheels. (My spanish mechanical vocabulary is quickly growing.) Way too much money, but what can you do.

I found this mechanic from my portera (the lady that cleans the apt building, gets our packages, takes care of our apt building stuff, and who also happens to be a friend) who said he was honest and such. And it just happens that his last name is AMABLE, similar to amiable or nice. And he is just that. After getting my oil changed the first time I wasn't so sure, but after the fiasco with the water pump I started to like the guy who showed me the pieces he took out and explained what had happened and why and such. Big points. And since I was going to have to replace the timing belt soon anyway, kept trying to reassure me that I had actually SAVED a ton of money in labor by doing both things together. Then I went back because of the weird noise and he went with me in the car to hear it. I loved that he actually treated me not like I was completely ignorant about car stuff.

So today I went to pick up my car and got talking to Mr. Amable. I mentioned that it seemed a lot quieter today in the shop (since i was just there yesterday when it was packed). He said that it had been a bit too quiet, in terms of work, and that it was a shame that he couldn't just leave and go to the countryside instead of waiting 'til tomorrow. I asked him where usually went and he said anywhere but then told me about this beautiful valley between Avila and Cáceres (NW from here, Madrid, i think) that is fully in bloom right now - poppies, tons of cherry trees, almond trees, other flowers,... and he described how beautiful it is and that i should check it out sometime. And it did sound amazing! Plus the fact that I love the spring and nature and pretty things. But it also made me smile because who would have thought that my mechanic would be telling me about the beauty of the pink, purple, red and white cherry trees. Only in spain. :-)

feliz pascua!!!

"El ángel dijo a las mujeres: 'No os asustéis. Sé que estáis buscando a Jesús, el crucificado, pero no está aquí; ha resucitado, como dijo.'" Mateo 28.5 Jesús ha resucitado! Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! Happy Easter!