A Letter From Chloe

Chloe is summering up in Colorado because it is too hot here and I'm in my apartment about 1 hour each day. So to make sure she isn't neglected, she is spending time with my parents. I got a letter from her this weekend and it sounds like she is doing well.



Dear mom,
Camp is fun. They let me out any time I want to go out and sometimes they forget I'm outside and let me stay there while they run errands. I don't mind. It feels good on the patio.
Today I went on another field trip. Grandpa took me to his work. I captured and killed a squirrel and brought it to him for a trophy! I also rolled in something that smelled really, really good so when I got back, Grandma had a surprise for me - oatmeal bath soap! I was pretty good to take a bath - I know I needed one before I arrived, but this made them give me one. I only shook twice. And then, after it was all over, I got a new chew bone! Of course the first think I wanted to do was hide it in the garden, but Grandma wouldn't let me so I brought it inside so I can stare at it. I do feel better now that I am clean. The things I have to do around here to get attention!

I miss you and I still go up to your bedroom to wait for you. But then I get bored and so I go and sleep with Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma moves my bed into their room every night! Boy, you can't beat the service at this camp!

Love and kisses forever,
Chloe

Awkward "What are you going to school for?" conversation #32

At my favorite deli ordering a gallon of sweet tea:

Cute manager of deli: "Is that a Left Hand Brewery sticker on your car?"
Me: "Yes! You're familiar with Left Hand?"
Cute manager: "Yeah, it's pretty much my favorite brewery"
Me: "Right on! I'm from Longmont and Left Hand was my first micro brew, so of course it is one of my favorites."
Cute manager: "Oh yeah? What are you doing here in Austin?"
Me: "Going to school."
Nerdy high school kid at the register: "What are you going to school for?"
Me: "Seminary"
Nerdy kid: "Oh. (pause) What religion are you?"
Me: "Presbyterian"
Nerdy kid: "Oh. (pause) Congratulations"
Me: "Thanks?"
Cute manager who has clearly lost interest: "here's your tea, have a good one."


Remember BCGs?




Seminary: Natural birth control for single women since 1978.

Austin Bucket List

It has recently occurred to me that I only have two years left in Austin and a whole lot more to experience, particularly in the food department. Before moving here, people told me Austin is a lot like Boulder. I can see some truth to that, but after living here I don't even associate the two anymore. One reason is because of the food. Austin knows food. I feel like Boulderites are too concerned with the latest detox fad (maple syrup and cayenne pepper anyone?) to really do food well. Here in Austin it is a totally different story. My Austin Bucket List now includes stopping at all of the restaurants on the Urban Spoon top 100 list. Here are the ones I've gotten around to so far...


1 The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que (Barbecue) - Delicious if you’re a meat eater, but I'll partake if visitors are in town :)

2 Home Slice Pizza (Pizza) - tasty pizza, very thin crust, great atmosphere

3 Hut's Hamburgers (Burgers) - yum! Love that they give the veggie burger option for everything on their menu!

9 Mandola's Italian Market (Italian) - birthday dinner! Gonna check it out tonight...

10 Trudy's (Southwestern) - Mexican martinis are potent, awesome migas, a frequent spot for seminarians since it is right down the street

12 Clay Pit (Indian) - lunch buffet is amazing

14 Hyde Park Bar & Grill (American) - fries are to die for!

30 Amy's Ice Cream (Desserts/Ice Cream) - awesome ice cream, very fun environment

49 Kerbey Lane Cafe (South Lamar) (American) - an Austin staple, great prices

53 Vivo Cocina Mexicana (Tex-Mex) - Awesome atmosphere, good food, rose at the end of the meal for all women is a sweet touch.

57 Mother's Cafe & Garden (Vegetarian) - very eclectic but fun! It’s nice that it is all vegetarian.

59 Titaya's Thai Cuisine (Thai) - best Thai in town! Awesome service too

86 Kerbey Lane Cafe (Allandale/Brentwood) (American) - best location, love the original but always packed!

97 Kerbey Lane Cafe (University) (American) - good migas, great location (walking distance from our campus)

The Oil Spill

BP has launched a $50 million PR campaign to try and restore their image in the eyes of the public. My reaction? What a sad waste of money. Why is it that they dump millions of dollars into a shallow attempt at making us like them again, when really they should be pouring that money into fixing the problem. A lovely commercial starring Tony Hayward doesn't fix things for the fisher put out of work desperate to pay the mortgage and the bird slathered in crude oil desperate for a breath of fresh air.

But then, is it fair to point all the blame at BP? Sure, they're the ones at fault for this particular situation, but aren't we all enablers? Our oil addiction has caused this mess and perhaps it is time for us to reevaluate our habits. Jim Wallis has some pretty potent words to say about the matter, calling us (the community of faith in particular) to take a stand.

There have been a lot of interesting reactions to this situation, from Spike Lee's typical anger, to Sarah Palin blaming the environmentalists. Amidst all this anger and simplistic arguments, I appreciate Obama's response to this issue. The media wants a sensational reaction of emotion from him, reminiscent of Jesus overthrowing the tables in anger. But Obama isn't yelling. He isn't letting emotion hinder his quest for a solution. I just hope he is doing something to solve this problem. I think we would be wise to follow his lead by avoiding bouts of rage and instead maintain level heads. Yes, this catastrophe is unfortunate. Yes, we're in a heap of trouble. So what are we going to do about it?

The day in numbers

Once I have visual aids in the form of pictures and video, I'll share all about the epic road trip with Kristin. For now, here is a glimpse at my day:


1000: miles driven
15.5: hours behind the wheel
2: bathroom/gas stops
80: percentage of my windshield that is currently covered in bugs
7.5: number of times I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and savior, thanks to the dozens of Christian radio stations, billboards and bumper stickers I saw today
4: number of people I probably annoyed by following them and using them for cruise control
1: drunk guy who stumbled into the gas station in Sweetwater, TX. He rode his horse there (not even kidding) and came to buy a case of beer. Oh Texas.
3: Toby Keith songs I listened to in their entirety.
1.5: minutes I stood staring at the mail on my table, wondering how it got there until I realized I grabbed it from my mailbox 10 minutes ago. Time to go to bed.

Epic road trip

I'm about to head to the airport to pick up Kristin, former college roommate and BFF. We plan to conquer Austin tomorrow, scoping out the beautiful and weird parts of the city.

Then, an epic journey across the country.


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We haven't spent more than a few hours together since college and I think this adventure is long overdue.

The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I heard the premise of this book I was hesitant: a white woman writing in the voices of black housekeepers in Mississippi in 1963? This could be terrible. But it didn't take long before I realized how genuine and heartfelt the story is. It is clear that Stockett has approached this book with great caution and has created a beautiful portrayal of the reality that 1960s Mississippi faced but also issues that remain problematic today. I had to pace myself during this busy semester, but once finals were over I plunged in full force and finished it in two sittings, crying through the last 100 pages. I can't say enough about character development - there were times when I felt so connected to the characters, they may have well been acquaintances in real life. I get the sense that Mae Mobley and Skeeter are partly autobiographical because their relationships with their housekeepers are too full of emotion not to be based on the author's experience. What a joy to realize how far our society has come since 1962, but how heartbreaking to realize how far we still have to go. The struggle between races is still overwhelming, as shown in the recent immigration battle in Arizona. I imagine a real book called "The Help" documenting the experiences and stories of undocumented people living here in the states. What an uproar that would cause!I have so many favorite quotes from this book, but one in particular sticks out in my mind: in response to one of the housekeepers giving input to the book, her pastor tells her "There may be some hard times ahead...If it comes to that, the Church will help you in every way." What a poignant reminder of how the Church was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement and what a challenge to the Church today as it seems to fall short of it's purpose.

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