worlds of fun.

Had a fantastic night with Tim and Mandy, and Amy J at Worlds of Fun.  The first ride I rode was the Boomerang which not only goes upside down, but also backwards. That’s right – backwards.

Here it is:

I was feeling brave and I think Amy J and Mandy said something to the effect of ‘Oh, it’s not that bad’.   Upside-down was fun. Backwards, on the other hand… let’s just say that the moment after we had ridden the entire roller coaster forwards and we were suspended up in the air with our faces to the sky and the roller coaster behind us was enough to make anyone get religion.  I’m pretty sure i said a little prayer…or something brave and fearless like –  ‘i don’t want it, i don’t want it, I don’t want it.huh-uh. HUH-uh. no no no no no no no no…’  Do you see the look on my face afterwards? Yeah, it was kinda like that.  I’m pretty sure my eyes stayed like that for about half an hour.

Also notable was Tim and Mandy’s candid mamba pictures.  They got high-fives from not one, but two different strangers for two different pictures.  Tim was giddy. We exchanged a round of high-fives in celebration.

I rode five different roller coasters.  This was actually a pretty big accomplishment for the girl who would only ride the fury of the nile and the viking as a child.  My favorite was the Mamba. With the Patriot coming in a close second.

and i had a pretzel with cheese.

number seven. october 2009. kansas city, ks

the kite runner.

An international film that I have long been wanting to watch is the Kite Runner. I read the book about a year ago for a book club, and really enjoyed it, but as I watched the film, it impacted me in a new way. Seeing the scenes painted vividly before me, grew my understanding of the pain and redemption that this story holds. One scene in particular occurs under the pomegranate tree where the two friends spent much of their time together. The young Amir is ashamed of the ways that his friend, Hassan has taken the fall for him. This shame comes as no surprise, as the things done to Hassan in Amir’s stead were truly terrible. Amir picks up a pomegranate and throws it at Hassan. It bursts and covers the boy in red juice. He demands that Hassan throws one back at him and continues to throw the pomegranates at the boy. Finally, Hassan picks up a pomegranate, and holds it. However, instead of throwing back at Amir, he breaks it on his forehead, looks Amir square in the face, red juice dripping down between his eyes, and walks away.

All of a sudden, all the things I so easily forget, come flooding to my me

mory. Deep within me, reverence, gratitude, and humility converge as I watched this young boy display such sacrificial love for his friend. Even the phrase ‘sacrificial love’ doesn’t seem to merit such acts. I remember how Jesus took the fall for me as I threw my anger and my shame at Him. How at times I wanted Him to justify me through punishment rather than propitiation. My self-determined righteousness so often gets in the way of His pursuit of my heart. My good deeds become sin. It is strange, and had someone told a younger me, I would have no category for this idea. Yet it is often how I make life work on my own and negate my felt need for God. I never guessed that putting ‘watch four international films a year’ on my list would stir so much in me (although the first movie I chose, Wings of Desire, did little more than put me to sleep). But it’s nice to be surprised. The story ends well and I highly suggest this film to any who have not seen it. It’s a fantastic movie and a great picture of the depravity and the beauty we hold and the redemption that is offered to us.

number eighteen. 2 down 2 to go. sept 09.

next on the list : slumdog millionaire

summer fare.

This is the stuff.  home grown. so good.

getting fruity.

I tried my 3 new kinds of fruit when I was in CA with the Hendricks.  They also partook in some of my selections.  The man at the grocery store said “So, did you just try to find all of the weirdest kinds of fruit that you could?”  and the follow-up kicker when he saw my ID “Oh, you’re from Kansas, you probably don’t have much fruit there.”  awesome.

It was fun to experiment with new foods, to try to figure out how to eat them, and to share the experience with friends.  here’s my reviews:

blood oranges.

very enjoyable fruit. a slightly richer taste than a typical orange with a hint of earthiness.

One short day.

I got to see Wicked with Carolyn in Tulsa. It was phenomenal. I absolutely loved the show. I was so drawn in by the story, the music, the actors, and the set. The Emerald city scene and Defying Gravity were definitely highlights of the show. I can’t wait to see it again sometime. Amy Jo took us to the Aquarium and I touched a sting ray and a sandshark – not on my list, but still really cool.

number forty-eight. july 09. tulsa, OK

I love the ocean.

It’s cold, but oh so enjoyable! Gotta love barefoot beach walking. 

number eighty-one. march 09. san francisco, CA

 

 

a list in progress

101 things (or 90….with room to grow…) to do in 1001 days (or so)

1) Scuba Dive or Snorkel (preferably at the Great Barrier Reef)

2) Ride a hot air balloon

3) Ride an elephant

4) try 3 new kinds of fruit √

5) Visit Europe

6) Plant a new kind of flower

7) Ride a rollercoaster that goes upside-down√

8 ) Ski

9) Buy an original piece of artwork√

10) Volunteer at a homeless shelter

11) Ride a Motorcycle

12) Read a classic novel

13) Try a new hobby

14) Wear heels out

15) Donate four times a year to social causes √

16) Learn a Chinese song

17) Try Brussel Sprouts and artichokes

18) Watch 4 international movies a year (wings of desire) (IP)

19) Do a sprint triatholon

20) Speak Spanish only for a whole day

21) Teach a child music

22) Learn to actually play bar chords on my guitar (IP)

23) Parasail

24) take a dance class

25) Meet someone on an airplane

26) try 3 new kinds of seafood

27) find my favorite kind of wine √

28) Celebrate a non-american holiday

29) Skinny dip

30) Write and Record a song

31) Learn to say hello in at least 15 languages

32) Volunteer at a Children’s hospital

33) Wear a yellow dress

34) Look up every word I don’t know for 2 weeks

35) Fly in/a little plane

37) Learn some Greek

38) 3 new ‘green’ lifestyle changes (recycling, biking, grocery bags) (IP)

39) Save a life

40) Gallop on a horse (again)

41)get a mani/pedi
42) get a massage
43) take a first aid class
44) make a life video
45) give blood (every year if it goes ok)
46) take a picture of the same tree each season
47) Go to a concert √
48) Go to Wicked √
49) Go to NY
50) Have a musicals party
51) re-do a piece of furniture
52) buy something at an auction (not the challenge auction)
53) Go geo-caching in another city
54) Send Christmas cards
55) Read Shakespeare
56) Take a floral arranging class
57) Send a postcard for the postcard website
58) Take a pottery class (IP)
59) Get my own car insurance
60) Pay off my car
61) Go to an art museum
62) Go to the Omaha zoo
63) Perform music live (not church)
64) Go media-free for a week (TV, internet, Music)
65) Learn 5 new classical piano pieces
66) Cook dinner for college friends
67) Go on an archaeological dig
68) Grow a house plant √
69) Go to Goodnow House Museum
70) Find a new park√
71) Find something I didn’t know about in Manhattan
72) Go on a day canoing trip

73) Try every restaurant that I haven’t been to in Manhattan (IP)

74) Take a Spanish class

75) Take a music class

76) Finish Emmanuel House

77) Live in a real house and make it an inviting home

78) Clean my room as I go for a month √

79) Return phone calls promptly for at least 2 months

80) Surprise someone with flowers or a kind gesture for no reason √

81) Walk on the beach (again) √

82) Date

83) Make a meal for a family √

84) Hike to the real top of a mountain

85) Experiment with art mediums

86) Give away a painting

87) Take a spontaneous day trip

88) Plan an adventure for someone else

89) Buy more fair trade goods

90) Read books that stir reflection

91) Get to know someone in a different life stage than me

92) Join a community activity√

93) Subscribe to a Magazine

94) Make bread from scratch

95)

So I’ve done some of these already, and they will be posted in ‘flashback’ posts as I become more familiar with the blogging world. So far I’ve really enjoyed thinking and dreaming about the days ahead and having a little extra motivation to do things that I love or could come to love if explored. So here’s to the next 787 days and counting…