This Junk is Good!

May 17, 2009

Summer of Splendor 2009

Huzzah! I'm going to UAB med school is fall, thank the Lord. Before I kiss my sweet freedom goodbye on July 27th, I'm going to live my life to the fullest. I'm taking suggestions about how to have a summer of splendor, and making a check list.

Entries so far:
- bike downtown at night
- go to Brewfest
- go to L'Abri in Boston
- go to a Barons game (completed!)
- eat tomatoes from my own garden
- get better at speed scrabble
- watch the first season of LOST
- read Pablo Narula in spanish on my front porch
- volunteer at Jones Valley Urban Garden
- bike to Pepper Place Farmers Market in a skirt
- big meal for all my neighbors
- swim at the lake, sail on pontoon boat at roommate's parents' house
- play Nertz with friends
- Bollywood movie night
- tea party
- get caught in rain while watching fireworks with lovely boy (completed!)
- berry picking
- costume party
- sleep outside
- hiking at Oak Mountain State park
- see Andrew Bird and Calexico
- jumping into waterfall (yipes!)
- explore innercity Birmingham with bikes and cameras
- swim in local quarry
- go to double feature at local drive in theater
- learn to taste fine whiskey and go to a whiskey bar
- start journaling
- see the view from each overlook in Birmingham
- go to the top of a skyscraper
- ride bike over Red Mountain
- dance party at the top of a parking deck
- read and write haikus with my mum
- have a girl's sleepover with my sister and cousins
- stay up all night talking and then get pancakes

Clearly I have my work cut out for me. Leave suggestions!

Finally showered! | By kdeanna | 10:06 PM | Comments (1)

December 28, 2008

2009 is a icumin in

So begins a new year, full of promise!

Every year in the past, being the freakin' over achiever that I am, I would write fierce goals - make a 4.0! - love God the best! - save HIV victims in Africa! - pay off all student loans!

This year, I'm staying away from these, and keeping small and joyful.

- plant spinach in my back yard garden
- walk to work
- take photos
- be nice to my sister and family
- write more poetry
- volunteer at Foundry
- run
- learn to cook with fresh foods
- pray consistently for specific people
- write hand written letters to friends
- memorizing bible verses
- more meals with friends
- more sleep
- more grace
- more time outside
- more making of jewelry and pillows and soap and cds
- more reading of important books and trival ones
- more listening to records ( my new roommate gave me Nick Drake's Bryter Later record fo Christmas - huzzah!)

Finally showered! | By kdeanna | 5:39 PM | Comments (2)

September 8, 2008

A day in the life

This fall, I was supposed to be in medical school, and gave my heart and soul to the achievement of this goal. But God knows our needs, even when we don't. I'm not in school now, due to circumstances out of my control, and I am slowly being healed from several dark clouds that followed me through grad school. My healing is taking several forms. Living in the loveliest apartment in history with hardwood floors and endless light and a front porch and gardens in the back. See below.

I walk to a job I like, past quiet parks and old houses and indie rockers and artists walking their dogs. I sit on my porch with my brother reading books and eating mangos and yogurt before I meet friends for hummus and beer.

Listen to this lovely music: Ignore some of the dumb homemade music videos that I stole from youtube to give you the music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFWeQuCeT7Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j3R2FMfniA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQRS40OKNE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDlEXQaMBpk

making up for being a Biology major | By kdeanna | 10:40 PM | Comments (3)

April 24, 2007

Jambo!

Hello pals,

Just thought I would let ya'll know (for those who don't) that I am heading for the African continent this summer. I'll be hitting up Uganda for three months, doing my Masters research project with a title of "Qualitative Fistula Data Collection Among Ugandan Traditional Birth Attendants." Bada bing, bada boom. Thankfully, I have been blessed by having my trip and stay paid for by a lovely little grant, which makes the trip possible, and enjoyable. I'll be swinging by London (my first trip to Europe!) to visit Laura K. and Heidi K. - any suggestions of what to do in three days?
If ya'll wouldn't mind remembering me in your chats with our Father regarding this trip. Although I'm quite excited, I'm also quite nervous, since I am going by myself, and have never been to Africa before. Uganda is rather safe, compared to other African countries, but...

Love love to all.

In which I request great amounts of prayer | By kdeanna | 9:25 PM | Comments (4)

April 12, 2007

Now Thank We All Our God

Sometimes God's mercy comes quietly and subtly.
- A grad school pal who likes to speak the words of the Bible out loud with me
- Daily delight in my life as a single person (so counter to the secular and Christian culture crazy push to date)
- Lessening of nightly fears of death
- Cough medicine with codene
- Friend suprising me with supper after a rough day
- More money in my account than expected
- The resurrection of my bonsai tree
- Lack of seasonal allergies
- Beautiful cousins to make mockumentaries with
- Gracious and funny parents who let the two dogs sleep in bed with them
- The pear tree outside my apartment
- Singing Easter morning with my whole family
- Insurance for my aunt's radiation treatment
- A job that challenges me to enter into another person's life, and forget myself temporarily
- The silent glee from completely understanding the biostats lecture
- Songs by Stars
- Onesie shirt with giraffe print

I grow in stature and wisdom | By kdeanna | 2:02 PM | Comments (5)

October 28, 2006

Laura's Dream

Greetings all.

I believe that a fellow grad school student lives in our classroom building. He is here every night and even orders pizza to the building. There are showers here, and this has happened in past years, so much so that they started locking all of the classrooms at night. Maybe he's sleeping in the biostatistics classroom, understandably.

Congrats to the Cardinals fanatics in my life. Congrats also to the marriage fanatics in my life.

I must design the t-shirt for my school (foolish foolish people leaving this to me). Any plans/ideas?

Did you know that during Carter's presidency there was no daylight savings time? Or was there daylight savings time ALL the time?? First peanuts, then this craziness. Although I wish someone could sit me down and explain these three things: (1) the stock market (2) the electoral college (3) daylight savings time.

When I was younger, I would hear people talking about trading "shares" on the stock market - I always thought they were talking about "chairs". Not just any chairs, mind you, but the plastic, blue, stackable ones. I envisioned a huge room with stacks and stacks of chairs. I was bewildered about why this strange trading habit made the news, but I just chalked it up to general confusion about the adult world. I hope the real stock market is like that.

My mum and I want to start a coffeehouse in our neighborhood. Any ideas about names? We think it could beat the current hang out spot - the WinnDixie View image
parking lot. Nothing against WinnDixie, of course, it's a great store.

Want to see a funny pic?

Here's my Public Health Student Association (i'm the VP) groupies. Why am I in front again? Tacy Jane, this asian girl in the front is just like you, but asian.

happy time changing day! | By kdeanna | 11:18 PM