so, how'd we all meet each other? our founder caron should certainly be the first to focus on in the history of who cares.
i met caron in something like 1997 when she went to asbury college. i was visiting chris and phileena in their little studio apartment in wilmore. it was a really cool place with brick and rough floors and the 'bedroom' in a loft. caron was at their place when i arrived, i believe. she was with her then boyfriend matt ammerman. i think they were up in the loft area with caron's sister cathy, too.
first thing matt said to me was 'you look like that girl from point of grace'. caron laughed her laugh and said something smart to matt to diffuse it. i liked her right away. we became friends, or as friendly as you can be in an hour or so. i wish i could remember what we talked about -- if we were funny or serious or awkward. at the time i didn't know i was in the presence of one of my all-time favorite people!
a while after i went back to CA she once sent me an email about a rich mullens song she had been listening to in the car with her sister -- kinda out of the blue. i liked that. she also sent me some $$ for my first trip to india. another out of nowhere moment. i hardly knew her! i dont think we kept in touch really. but when i moved to omaha, she recommended the glen arlo and i took the apartment sight unseen. caron had left a can of generic salmon on the window as a welcome gift. and some gummi worms or something. come to think of it, how'd she get in????
the first weekend i was in town i ran into caron and jay and caleb in the parking lot. my friend rebecca had just gone home and i was sad, going up to a lonely apt full of boxes. they were on their way to dinner at the dell with caleb to wish him bon voyage to minneapolis...but that's another story of two proverbial ships, passing in the dying dundee light.
Friday, July 25, 2008
a who cares history: caron
Bye-Bye
Trovato's will be closing shop this week.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
six degrees (or less) of separation
Bad hair day today. I hid it under a 15-year-old bandana that I remember purchasing for a Workcamp (sounds like jail? more like youth group, cross-country Habitat for Humanity) in high school. I remember who was there, and I remember another Workcamp I went on where a hip gal named Caron was a youth leader. Then I started drawing all these connections from the current Whocaresians to past near-encounters. This could be a Craigslist 'missed connections' post; or, as I like to call it:
So Much Past Inside My Present
(My Back-Roads Journey to Whocares)
1. Workcamp, 1995: Lafayette, Louisiana. Going into my freshman year of high school. Among the group going were a couple of hip chicks named Dawn Bailey and Audra Coppock. They wore matching clunky shoes. Probably Doc Martens, but they were sparkly. I thought that was so cutting edge. (I have a photo somewhere of those two in said shoes.)
2. Workcamp, 1997: Rocky Boy, Montana. I was a junior in high school. Caron Smith seranaded the crowd with a duet (accompanied by our youth pastor) of "This World" by Caedmon's Call. She was so hip, quiet and brooding. I don't think I even said a word to her, as evidenced by her not even remembering I was on the trip. We did, however, both have a crush on Doug Chambers. (I may have a photo of her breakout performance.)
3. Terra Nova Retreat, circa 2002. This tall, thin and gorgeous girl named Daphne (who wore a cool hat) bummed a ride from my roommate, Jane, last-minute. Jane thought she was really neat. I think Chris Heuertz was the speaker for that weekend. Everything he said was over my head, becuase I was only half-listening, as I was way too preoccupied with the new ring on my left hand. Oops.
4. Junior High Summer Camp, 1992: L-Bar-C Camp, Kansas. Speaking of Chris, he was one of the youth leaders for this group of awkward adolescents. He wore a hooded poncho thingy that looked like it was made from a Mexican blanket, flip flops before they were back in style and still called 'thongs', and always had a cup of coffee in hand. (I have a great photo of this somewhere too.)
5. Eighth grade, 1993-1994: I remember sometimes carpooling with the Whealy family to school. Andrew was in my math class, and knew all the answers. Everyone thought he would swim in the Olympics. Our class did secret santas that year, and he was mine. I got impostor cologne. (Come to think of it, my mom was in BSF with Brenda. Mom was my age when she did BSF. Wow.)
6. Michael and I have fond memories of listening to Alicia's dad perform the 'special music' in church on Sundays when we were younger. We always thought he had an amazing vibrato. I always wondered if he sang in the opera.
That's all I got, right off the top of my head. Anybody else have a blast from the Whocares past?
kill your tv, seriously
slate.com just published a rather shocking article about new evidence of a connection between babies/toddlers watching tv and autism. i'm not into fear-mongering or alarmist parent-alerts, but this one got my attention.
http://www.slate.com/id/2151538/
and a link to another organization concerned about this:
http://www.whitedot.org/issue/iss_front.asp
home-edumacated
since there are enough of us interested in the idea of home-education, i've decided to start regularly posting with nourishing passages from the books i'm reading on home-schooling.
"Although we should give a child access to varied creative work by other people, how about seeing that he grows up with as much daily access as possible to his Lord's created works? The Bible is a direct verbal word. But we have a place also for other ways of knowing Him, for 'the heavens declare the glory of God.'
Do children know the feel of dew-fresh grass on their bare feet, and lush freshness of the shade of a leafy tree on a hot afternoon? Do they know the fun of autumn leaves, and the fairy-tale beauty of an icy morning? Wherever the child lives, we should consider his contact with nature as part of his life." p85, For the Children's Sake, S. Schaeffer Macaulay
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
our cracking bones make noise
Last night we went to see Dave Matthews (check #2 off my list of 3 arena concerts to see before I die), which is a story in itself...anyway, when we got there we caught the last part of Ingrid Michaelson's opening set - and I recognized her song "Overboard" from the Feist Pandora station I am partial to. She's kind of indie-pop, wears glasses (which reminds me of Lisa Loeb, although less retro), is more pop than Feist (in my opinion), but fun summer music, nonetheless. I also adore the melody to her song "Breakable" - also heard on my Feist station. I was surprised to see her opening for DMB, even more surprised that I recognized a few of her songs (I felt like such an audiophile!) and I really recommend you check her out! (click title for website)
Just another way Feist is saving my musical bacon this summer.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
this can't be.
someone recently told me that polaroid was discontinuing production of instant film, but i guess i thought that was a myth or mistake. sure enough, most instant polaroid film will be out of supply by late 2009. i'm pretty sad about this, as i have 2 polaroid camera that i've used extensively over the past 6 years of ownership. boo. better sell them on ebay while i've got a chance!!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Book Signing: Chris Heuertz
Chris Heuertz, WMF executive director (AND my friend and neighbor), has written his first book -- it's called Simple Spirituality. I read it in one day and loved it -- he did a really great job with it!
Chris will be doing a book signing at Soul Desires bookshop in the Old Market this Wednesday 12-2pm and 4-7pm. Come on out! I'm gonna be there.
Check out the press release or Amazon for more info about the book.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
cheap tricks
i was browsing the domino website, looking for low-cost/diy decorating ideas, and discovered that they have a whole gallery of such ideas submitted by their readers. some were especially good. cheap. easy. my kind of deal.
Friday, July 18, 2008
PEPFAR Victory
Thank you to any and all of you who may have called on this issue ...
From the ONE.org website:
After weeks of ONE Campaign members relentlessly writing and calling their senators, and great work by so many partner organizations, we’ve successfully unstuck billions of dollars in AIDS, TB and malaria funding tonight!
We dodged several potentially devastating amendments over the last 2 days - pieces of legislation that would have put millions of lives at risk. We did lose one amendment-fight, however, so the total funding for PEPFAR for the next five years will now be $48 billion, instead of the original $50 billion.
After tonight’s successful Senate vote, the bill will go back to the House and then onto the president to sign. We are hopeful those processes will be swift.
Given how much we had to fight to reauthorize this bill this year- this is a great victory for us. Thank you to everyone who contacted their members of Congress to pass PEPFAR. Literally, millions of lives will be saved with this funding.
Below, a quote from our Legislative Director Tom Hart:
“Even as Americans face serious concerns at home, the Senate has proved America’s commitment to providing lifesaving medicines to the world’s most vulnerable people. PEPFAR is an investment in people around the world; but it is also an example of America’s generosity and a critical piece of American diplomacy. By treating and preventing disease and saving lives, we can help to create more stable communities and a more secure future for Americans.
Senators Biden, Lugar and Reid are true heroes for their persistence and patience in passing this bill. This legislation received strong support from co-sponsoring Senators on both sides of the aisle, including both Presidential candidates.”
bag lady/vote/sauce/trip/hand off
***i have some reusable grocery sacks. i'd like to use them rather than stash hundreds of plastic kroger sacks under the kitchen sink. but how? if you do this...what's your routine? it already seems like my arms are full of children/list/purse full of snacks/etc.
Love In This Club (Performed by Showbiz Pizza Band)
sort of like the birthday parties of old...but sort of not...
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
another feist fan
hey do you omaha craft mafia ladies know jen altman? i subscribe to her blog nectar and light for the fabulous photo inspiration and saw her featured on a design*sponge 'in the kitchen with' feature a bit ago.
