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| Thursday, June 29, 2006 |
| Stealthy New Ride |
 Meet my new car. For a couple days I've been kinda scared driving my "old" car as the tie-rods are not doing well and braking was a bit shady. I was prepared to be stranded at any moment. Enter God taking care of me (stage right).
No seriously. I don't believe in coincidences (for those who didn't know) and the buying of this car just all fell into place. I had been looking very unsuccessfully for 3 weeks. Test drove a hunk of junk and had nearly given up hope of finding something before being forced to commute 17 miles each way by bicycle.
I responded to a shortly worded ad for this car just out of curiosity. It was a "newer" Civic and in my price range (the guy was asking $950). He and I emailed and he told me more about his car and sent photos. It all seemed too good to be true (or the greatest bargain ever). Lined up a test drive for yesterday, and it was everything I'd hoped for. Dad came with and found the car mechanically okay (it's a little bit of a fixer upper, but totally worth working on). He also did the bartering for me. Final dollar amount - $750.
Wow. I had more than this earmarked for a car at this point and I was excited. Set up a time to meet the seller this afternoon in Eden Prairie to transfer the title, etc. Didn't have a ride, but wouldn't you know it, the bus system dropped me right next door (and I had a free bus ride coupon). Oh yeah, and a coworker came in early so I could ditch out for a few hours to get the car too.
To top it all off, the seller said today that he had only responded to me because at the bottom of my email was a link to my photography website, which he visited and knew I was a real person who was really interested in buying his car, not some scam or crazy person. So, out of the piles of emails he received, I was the one he responded to, I was the one who was dilligent about setting up a test drive, and ultimately I'm the one who now has what I think is the greatest car I've ever owned.
So if you see me with a huge smile on my face in the near future, it just might be due to my new wheels and the security of being able to get from point A to point B without a nagging voice in the back of my head wondering if the wheel will fold under the car, if I'll loose control of steering, if the water pump will blow and the timing belt eat the valve heads, if I'll be able to stop for something unexpected, or if I'll hit a big bump and suddenly have two halves of a car. Oh yeah, and cause I'm pretty sure God made it all happen without stress of money or time.
p.s. I'm in the process of coming up with a name for my new car. So far, the contenders are "the stealth bomber" or "darth vader". I'm leaning towards the latter. |
posted by Jen @ 10:43 PM   |
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| Tuesday, June 27, 2006 |
| Cornerstone: 7 days and counting |
 I'm getting so excited for the upcoming Cornerstone festival . Pretty sure it's just the aspect of road trip and camping and time away from regular life and not so much the music. I've been out of the Christian music scene for quite some time and looking at the schedule I don't recognize very many of the bands listed. I'll probably take in a few unknowns while there and just enjoy the whole experience. I don't want to schedule much of anything (except a couple bands: Over the Rhine, The Violent Burning, Project 86, MxPx and Starflyer 59 and maybe Leigh Nash who has gone solo and I'm curious to see how that's going).
I'm mostly excited to camp with the group from Source Ministries and "rough it" and cook over a campstove and sleep hearing nature and use my new tent and hopefully make some new friends. The music is just a nice addition to all that. I do need to figure out how I'll be able to recharge the battery for my digital camera sometime during the week (pretty sure 2 batteries aren't going to last 7 days, though pretty sure 2.5 GB of storage will be sufficient, hopefully). And before leaving still have a few things I need to purchase: rainjacket, camera holster, tarp, and food.
 Lastly, if anyone still wants to come along, tickets are available at the gate and there is room both in the car and in the tent for either gender (it's a large 2 room tent). We'd love to share our camping gear with you if you'll help pay for gas and either bring your own food or pitch in for group meals (let me know by July 1 if you want in on food and I'll be sure to purchase enough). The "bus" (really a saturn) leaves Tuesday evening July 4, with likely a stop somewhere along the way for fireworks enjoyment. The return to Mpls has not yet been decided, but will be midday Monday July 10 at the latest. |
| posted by Jen @ 12:19 PM |
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| Monday, June 26, 2006 |
| Happy Nth Birthday Erik! |
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| posted by Jen @ 1:31 PM |
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| Everything's coming up bloomy. |
Here's a couple photos Amelie and I took of the new blooms in the Porch gardens.
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| posted by Jen @ 1:28 PM |
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| Another Hot Summer Sunday |
Yesterday was hot. So hot I could hardly concentrate. Didn't help that I was tired. To stay awake, I spent a portion of the gathering bouncing Amelie in the sling hoping she would sleep. The motion kept me awake, and entryway to the church was a bit cooler than the gathering space. I still got to hear waht was going on too. I also hung out afterwards with the baby crew on the steps in front, enjoying the breeze.
The babies are growing up so quickly. Amelie has learned how to do "so big" and Jackson has perfected the big toothy grin. Amelie is also becoming quite the budding photographer. She and I were taking photos together with her in the sling. The one below of Chris and Kati, she was mostly holding onto the camera and pointing it, I just held the weight and pushed the shutter. She must have a critical eye like I do, because after viewing her work on the LCD screen for a minute, she firmly pressed her thumb on the delete button. Good thing it takes a confirmation push of a different button to delete or that photo would have been gone forever. Okay, so nearly 10 month olds don't really know how to take photos, but she is fond of my camera, both being in front of and behind it.
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| posted by Jen @ 1:17 PM |
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| Yard Sale |
Saturday was our yard sale day. We got up early and spent an hour and a half setting up all our unused stuff on the yard. We were part of the Wedge neighborhood community garage sale, so we were expecting lots of "customers" and hoping to be rid of a lot of clutter. About 8:30am we were all set.
As you can see, we had quite a lot of stuff. 5 bikes, some electronics, many kitchen items, household stuff, clothing, beanie babies, older camping gear, and don't forget the mini plastic christmas tree. No sooner had we stepped back to admire our work and the sprinkles started, and then the thunder, and you know what comes next.
Yup, rain, and lots of it. We were partially saved by the big tree in the front yard which kept some of the stuff mostly dry and on which my roommates hung a brightly colored sign to let people know we were still open for business.
Anything which would be ruined by water was quickly scurried into our stairwell for protection. We had people shopping up the stairs for about an hour. We were also encouraging bartering just to get rid of some of this stuff. I did have some ladies trying to talk me down on one item from $5 to $1. I did not accept their deal, they were kinda pissed, but I thought I really could get $5 for it. Later in the day, I sure did.
While the rain came down, a couple on bikes stopped and nearly bought Steph's countertop dishwasher. Unfortunately, they had 10 1/2 inch plates and those were too big for the rack.
After the weather cleared, we hauled everything back onto the lawn and periodically spread things out more to fill in holes as our junk disappeared. Before I left for work about 2:45pm, I took this photo of the things that were left in the yard. (the little bike to the right wasn't ours, it was ridden over by one of our customers). One bike, a few clothing items, very few electronics, a bunch of kitchen stuff, most of the beanie babies, some older camping stuff, and some misc odds and ends.
Granted, most of the stuff had been mine (Alyssa's not a saver and Steph had not really had time to sort through her stuff in the basement fully as I had, not to mention the stuff I'd specifically boxed for sale before moving), but let's just say, it was the best garage sale having experience ever for me. I'm looking forward to doing it again sometime. It's a great excuse to purge and you get to make money while doing it. |
| posted by Jen @ 12:33 PM |
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| Wednesday, June 21, 2006 |
| Honda Civic: round 2 |
The first piece to really fall off my car went yesterday as I was driving home from work. I heard a scrape and a sorta clunk and then the scrape got louder. When I pulled over on 35E to see what I'd dropped and if I'd be able to continue driving home, I found my muffler detatched from the cat-back pipe and brushing the roadway. So I yanked it off the rubber hanger, threw it in my trunk (on the odd chance it could be reattached ala McGyver and cause it's just rude to leave your crappy car parts on the side of the road for the adopt-a-highway people), and kept going.
I had been hoping for a quick fix to my dilemma via a cheap car my uncle was trying to sell. Turns out they sold it, so the search continued. Then I spotted the most perfect ad yet, 1992 Honda Civic LX for $950 or best offer. I immediately contacted the seller about going to see it. If it drives good, I'm gonna make an offer. It's not exactly what I wanted (being new body style), but it looks pretty dependable. And it's in my price range. So, cross your fingers and say a little prayer. Sometime early next week I plan to go see it. |
| posted by Jen @ 11:51 AM |
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| Tuesday, June 20, 2006 |
| Coolerfest! |
| For all of you Caribou addicts out there, you'll want to set yourself a reminder that between 2pm and 3pm tomorrow (June 21) you can get a free 12oz Caribou Cooler in the flavor of chocolate, vanilla or caramel. |
| posted by Jen @ 1:03 PM |
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| Sunday |
Sunday was Fathers' Day and the crowd was quite sparse at the Porch. I guess people really buy into this whole greeting card holiday. Shouldn't every day be a day when you acknowledge the specialness of your father? Same with Mothers' Day? Okay, so I did get my dad a really cool vintage, handmade in Malaysia, batik necktie, but that's really it. On Sunday Father's Day (yes I spelled it that way on purpose), I spent time in the family of God I have come to treasure most and some people who have become father kinds of figures in my life (though some of them were spending time with their earthly fathers).
And the "after party". No really, we hang out and talk and socialize and eat food and really get to be part of eachother's lives. It's better than when we would always go out somewhere. We can control if it's noisy or cozy, we can get food from wherever we like for variety in tastes and budgets, and most of all, we have really made this church our home and feel comfortable in that space as though it were such. I've learned a lot about some of my friends since we began this tradition. It's a highlight of my week. Oh yeah, and I get to play with cute babies, though Eliot was out of town this week.
 Mmmmm, rice.
 Displaying mad standing skillz.
 Peek-a-boo, I see you.
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| posted by Jen @ 12:28 AM |
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| Monday, June 19, 2006 |
| Know when to hold 'em, know when to run |
| And run away I did, from the hunk of junk Morrie's in Brooklyn Park was calling a Honda and trying to sell me today. Don't get me wrong, Honda's are good. This particular Honda needed so much repair before it was a useful vehicle that it was worth about $300 of their asking $1500. They of course were not about to sell it to me at that price, so I got in my trusty rusty with all it's terminal illness and drove away. It's a shame, as it's really the car I want, just not in that condition and definately not for that kind of cash. So screw cars. Again, I'm gonna run the one I've got into the ground, or find a suitable solution (such as an Oldsmobile my uncle was trying to give away that I'm hoping he still has). Or even just give up on cars all together and get really buff at riding my bike. I rode in a rain-shower yesterday and it was mighty fun. I'm going to save most of the money I didn't spend today (some of it I'm going to spend on things I'd previously earmarked it for) and save more over the course of the summer and perhaps get something I really like that will last for years to come. We'll see. |
| posted by Jen @ 11:50 PM |
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| Be careful what you tell Chris Gott , he just might try it |
If you haven't yet seen the mad scientists of Eepybird.com do tricks with Diet Coke and Mentos you're living in a cave. I've watched it numerous times and keep telling friends they "gotta see this". I can't ever seem to remember the website right, so here I've encoded the whole thing right into the blog. There are more experiments (including one where a "scientist" gets jet-sprayed in the face with 2 liters of Diet Coke) on their website.
So, last night I told Chris and some others about this particular experiment and how you can make a 20 foot geyser out of Diet Coke when done right. He immediately ran out to the gas station to find supplies. The first station didn't have Mentos, so he hopped in his car and went out to find some. Here are the results from his one bottle of Diet Coke and half a roll of Mentos. I didn't catch it at it's peak, but it's still pretty impressive.
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| posted by Jen @ 3:35 PM |
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| Wednesday, June 14, 2006 |
| the art in my head |
 The past couple of weeks I've felt a little differently about the world and my life. There is art in my head and my heart and my soul. Art that is feeling stiffled by the demands of society. Art that longs to bask in a sunbeam and dream and write and paint. Art that sees things in black & white and in forms. I don't usually write about personal things in my blog, but this won't let me go. It won't let me rest.
Tangled up inside of me is a complex web of emotions. I've felt them very close to the surface for a few weeks. They are like that meniscus bubble atop a very full glass where one more drop from the outside will send them tumbling down over the edge. They can spill out at any time without warning. And though this does have mostly sad connotations, it's been my whole range of emotions that sits so precariously perched.
I found my eyes welling up at the mere thought of sad things and the corners of my mouth stretching with the happy. I've felt a need to spend time with certain friends and to hold close precious children in my life. Increasingly intense are the emotions connected to things I long for in my life, my desires, hopes, dreams. Tugging on me from inside my chest.
I've wanted to fight all of these things. Wanted to continue life as "usual". In trying, I have found myself alone in my house in the middle of the day crying over no immediate situation. It's like I'm on overload and the breaker blows, gets reset and I can go about my day again until it is tripped again. So today I start a new kind of quest, to find the answers to some of my yearnings, to more fully enjoy life, to get out of a rut, to stretch my wings. |
| posted by Jen @ 10:23 PM |
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