reunion plans dashed

Lisa and I have been talking about meeting up with Sarah and Carolyn while she's in Toronto and I'm in Philly later this summer. I was ready for some rolicking good times and general revelry, but it seems grown-up schedules and budgetary constraints are making it difficult for everything to fall into place. Translation: I'm a cheap ass and don't wanna spend $450-$500 for a plane ticket from Philly to Montreal with silly stopovers in between for just a weekend. Okay, so it's not just the money, the travel time is stupidly long, and stopovers that extend the travel time even further just mean that I'll only get to spend a day with the girls, if I'm lucky. I'd rather spend twice the amount and enjoy more time with them.

In one of her reunion-planning e-mails, Lisa mentioned that she just realized we're all in different cities. How 'bout this? i just realized that I'm the only one still living at home with my parents (in the good old hick-town of Surrey, no less!). Gawd, now I'm depressed... Gah! Hurry up and get your ass back over here so you can save me from my misery!

On a brighter note, my friend Genny is planning a Habitat for Humanity trip to South Africa in October or March.

Explore a lush, pristine forested coastline with deep gorges and rivers, lagoons and lakes. Walk under towering trees amidst beautiful bird and amazing animal life. Go on a kayaking trip, paddling to a colony of over 2,000 African penguins. Swim in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Go through winelands and famous estates. Build a house for a family. Meet local folks on the other side of the globe and be exposed to life in their community. Explore parks and game reserves - home to elephants and other wildlife. Visit the Cape of Good Hope, one of the most significant geographic points in the history of explorers and traders....

I'm there! Now I've just got to rustle up some funds. Watch for my lemonade stand and bake sale - coming soon to a corner near you!

arigato, we love you

terry brought in a present for me this morning - a cd from pizzicato five, a band from japan. i didn't understand a word of it, but the sound was delicious and the beat infectious. music was blaring from my office like a swinging discotheque in the heat of action, but nobody complained. all i was missing was the mirror ball and strobe lights. it's fun having my very own music pusher who deals in good times!

saved?

After seeing the preview for Saved! several weeks ago, I was determined to catch it as soon as it came out. Finally went to see it with my sister this afternoon. Having grown up in the evangelical youth culture, much of the film rung true. Though my experience was not quite as dramatic, or perhaps entertaining, I can see much of what was portrayed in the movie as being somewhat accurate.

While I enjoyed it (laughing aloud a few too many times in the otherwise quiet theatre...I don't think the other folks there got the jokes and sarcasm), the movie will undoubtedly push the buttons of some fundementalist Christian groups who do not recognize it as a satirical look at Christianity and youth culture. (A prime example being the youth pastor shouting juvenile sounding catchphrases to a packed assembly hall in an earnest attempt to make Christianity relevant to kids: "Jesus is in the houuuse!") After we left the theatre, my sister, while recognizing that it was funny at some points, admitted that she was a little uncomfortable watching it. Not that she's a Hilary Faye Christian in any way - just that she's more conservative minded, as opposed to my more liberal leanings.

The film was great on so many levels (I'd watch it several times over), but fails to reach any conclusions at the end. Which, while it may be disappointing to some who would have preferred a more definitive ending, seems to speak to Dannelly's own struggles and confusion regarding his own faith.

I feel like I've already been born again - once you get saved, you're saved - but I just think that we're on a journey, and I would never want to say that I'm one way, because you never know where you'll be tomorrow. When I'm thinking about God, I think God totally gets that I'm confused or not sure right now, but I never thought that that was a bad thing as long as you continue on the journey.
-Brian Dannelly (in an interview)

The great thing about the frayed ending is that it leaves each person to question his or her own belief system. Rather than unquestioningly taking on an entire belief system because "it's right" and it's Christian," I'd like to think that it challenges us to evaluate what our personal values are based on. I hope it opens up dialogue about how we, as a society, and we, as individuals, view differences - whether with acceptance, tolerance, or outright rejection.

A few tidbits worth noting about the film: it was produced by Michael Stipe of R.E.M fame and filmmaker Brian Dannelly himself attended a Catholic elementary school, a Baptist high school, and spent summers at a Jewish camp.

code orange: pepperoni alert

Went across the border to Blaine, a not-so-little town just south of the border today to visit my friend Joanne, who was there at a conference, and celebrate her birthday. What I thought was going to be a simple and pleasant evening turned out to be an adventure-and-a-half.

please step out of the car...
Got to the border with no problems. Traffic was easy and there was a very short line-up once I got there. I drove up to the border patrol, rolled down my window and that's when the trouble started.

Cast of characters:
Border Patrol Guy
Border Official
Border Patrol Lady
Pizza Lady
Me

Border Patrol Guy: (after asking all the basic 'where you from? what do you do?' sort of questions) Where you heading?

Me: Blaine.

Border Patrol Guy: What for?

Me: To visit a friend.

Border Patrol Guy (with raised eyebrows): A friend? In Blaine?

Me: Yeah.

Border Patrol Guy: She lives in Blaine?

Me: No, she lives in Seattle, she's staying at a hotel in Blaine.

Border Patrol Guy: Hmmm... (hands me a yellow ticket) You best go inside and see one of the Customs Officials inside. They'll need to inspect your car.

What?!? Do I look sketchy or something?!? Is he suspicious of me visiting my friend at a hotel? Does he think my friend is a "friend" of the variety?

Inside the Customs Office, while I'm waiting for my turn, I witness the follwing encounter. Turns out the folks at US Customs are bored or something and are making everyone come in. Just for kicks? You decide...

Border Official: Could you open those boxes so I can see what's inside?

Pizza Lady: (opening her two boxes of pizza) One's pepperoni and the other's a vegetarian. Is there a problem?

Border Official: Why are you brining pizzas across the border ma'am? Haven't you read the rules? You're only allowed to bring a light lunch across the border. Two pizzas does not consitute a 'light lunch.'

Pizza Lady: My daughter's flying out tonight and she wanted to have some Canadian pizza for her farewell meal...

Border Official: Well, I can let the vegetarian go, but we're going to have to conficate the pepperoni. Pepperoni has been historically known to contain traces of beef and beef by-products, and with the current state of Canadian meat, we cannot allow it to cross the border. We'll also have to fine you for attempting to bring it across the border.

Pizza Lady: (visibly stunned and a little annoyed) Ummm...okay?

Border Official: Ahem. Yes, would you like to take the pizza back with you into Canada and try to sell it or drop it off with relatives before returning to the United States?

Pizza Lady: No, that's fine.

Border Official: Okay. I just wanted to give you that option - otherwise, we will just destroy the pizza.

I thought to myself, "Yeah right, they're going to destroy it! They're so going to scarf down that pizza once the lady leaves! That's their dinner, right there!"

I also witnessed an encounter with Grocery Man, Chinese Mafia Man, and Construction Guy, but the one with Pizza Lady was the stupidest, so that's the one I chose to relate. Now for my stupid encounter...

Border Patrol Lady: So, what is the purpose of your trip?

Me: I'm visiting a friend in Blaine.

Border Patrol Lady: What's her name?

Me: Joanne. (In my head, I added, "Why, do you know her?")

Border Patrol Lady: And how do you know this friend of yours?

Me: She's my sister's godmother's daughter. (Really! No joke.)

Border Patrol Lady: (confused) Ummm...okay...

Then she asked a whole bunch of questions about drugs and alcohol, etc, etc...

Border Patrol Lady: Is the car you're driving licenced to you?

Me: No. It's in my mom's name. (I pay for it, but it's in her name for insurance purposes - it's cheaper that way. Trust me.)

Border Patrol Lady: Does she know you're driving it?

Me: Yep. (Sarcastically in my head, "No, you goofball! I'm joyriding with my mom's car and driving it across the border!")

Border Patrol Lady: Are you carrying $10,000 or more on your persons?

Me: (jokingly) Don't I wish!

Border Patrol Lady: (straight-faeced) Don't joke. This is serious.

Ahhh! The joys of hanging out with US government officials. Perhaps they had a Code Orange Alert or something. They were so self-important and serious while the bunch of us called in for questioning were trying to contain our laughter.

Anyway, I finally made it out of there and to Joanne's hotel. Turns out it was both her and her roomate's birthday, so we all went to bellingham for dinner. Had a great antipasto plate and a woodfired shrimp and artichoke pizza, fun conversation and lots of laughs. I always enjoy hanging out with Jo. Wish I could do it more often...but if I have to face encounters like that at the US border everytime I decide to visit, maybe I'll have to pass.

by mere pennies!
On another note, I finally placed the purchase order for my snazzy new computer system at work. After some fancy negotiation skills, I managed to get a top-of-the-line G5, Apple Cinema display, external hard drive, extra RAM, lots of fun software, plus a long-awaited desktop laser printer. The grand total came to 82 cents above my allowable budget of $11,300, including installation and taxes. So I brought the purchase order form over to our Controller for approval, along with 82 cents in coins. It made her laugh, and it made me happy. Now I wait for my baby to arrive...

"that's a little something called crooning...i think."

Lined up at Dick's today to catch my favorite new crooner in concert. It's a small venue and tickets were cheap, so I thought "eh, it couldn't hurt to go..." Well, the intimate setting was perfect for such a performance and made for a more down-to-earth experience - and Jaime was amazing! I'd certainly pay three times the price to see him in concert again.

From the minute he hit the stage, to the last encore, he had the crowd in awe. Not only were we fixated by the dexterous fingers gliding across the ivory and ebony, but his boisterous charm and contagious energy is what kept us begging for more. He bounced around on stage, on the piano, on top of the bar, under the piano, played the piano like a drum kit, played the piano like a guitar, ska'ed, drank, danced, and basically had a rockin' good time both during and between his songs.

Jamie was a hyperactive ball of energy one second, and a soulful, introspective performer the next - never shedding his credibility or likeability in between. His storytelling sessions were also a hit. Anyone with an English accent can tell me a story and I'll be a captive audience simply because I have a thing for accents, but this guy was actually funny in a genuine, 'aw shucks' kind of way.

Mad talent, enchanting voice, unending imagination and creativity, charming wittiness, scruffy handsomeness, and absolutely likeable too. Jamie Cullum, I'm, like, totally in love with you. (I'm allowed to say that, aren't I?)

Katija and I were singing (and attempting to dance on the streets) Jamie's jazz-ma-taz version of "I Could Have Danced All Night" the whole way home.