My beautiful Friday was met with a mega buzzkill this morning as I remembered something I'd been meaning to check on. AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL. It's only the biggest deal ever for someone who's from Austin. I've wanted to go for years now, but due to traveling and lack of excess cash flow (and now distance), I hadn't been able to go. Luckily, last year Hulu streamed a live feed of the festival and I was able to catch performances from some of my faves . . . but it just wasn't the same—especially knowing that I had friends there that I would have loved to hang out with as we watched the magical wonder of live music unfold in front of us.
I'm pretty sure I'd read a tweet from one of my friends that the early bird tickets were sold out, but I still had hope for other opportunities. So this morning, when I saw this, my heart sank:
As Kris Kross would say, "I missed the bus." :(
At first I was like, "OOOOOH! VIP PASSES!!" Then, flashes of my bank account appeared in my mind and I floated back down to earth. I could probably afford ONE 1-DAY PASS, and I might still, depending on when the upcoming MCA Reunion is. If it's near that time, I'd definitely buy the Saturday pass. However, I don't know how much longer tickets will be available, and I can't really afford it right this moment. As I was looking over the ticket prices and figuring out cost of flying back home, plus hours missed at work, plus ticket pricing, and other festival costs (merch, snacks, etc.) I said out loud to myself, "Man. I'd give one of my kidneys to be able to go!" I then quickly remembered the hell I went through when I almost had my kidney removed and I rethought that statement. I then followed it up with, "Man. I'd give my laptop to be able to go!" and then I thought about it some more and resolved, "Man. I'd give that creepy RV that sometimes hangs out in front of our house to someone if it meant that I could go."
ANYONE IN THE MARKET FOR A CREEPY RV COVERED IN TARP AND DUCT TAPE???
This be yer cap'n speakin'. I wanted ter let ye know what be happening upon mah starboard bow lately. And it be deeeez. I've been fightin' a bit 'o' homesickness lately and these be helpin' me fight that scurvy foe. I commandeered these with me Diana Mini. I hope they be pleasin' to yer eyes, matey!
I know that I generally tend to focus on how much I love Seattle, because well, I do. Plain and simple, I love life in Seattle. However, as I count down the days, there are a bunch of things I'm looking forward to about being home. Here is a short list of things I love about Austin that I can't wait to get back to: 1. Family. Duh. This is a given, right? My family is awesome and crazy and I can't wait to hang with them. I'll definitely get to spend a lot of time with the fam because I'll be going to a family reunion for half the time. BONUS PLUS: my stepsister had her 3rd child a couple of days ago and I get to finally meet the little angel!! :D
2. Friends. My friends are so rad. No really, they're AMAZING!! One thing I'm really grateful for is that when I lived in Austin, I DIDN'T take my friends for granted—i capitalized on every opportunity I had to spend time with them and make that time count. I feel that because of that, I can go home for visits and feel like I didn't skip a beat. Sadly, I'm only going to get to spend a small amount of time with all of them, but again, I'm going to do all I can to make it count. I wish I could have scheduled the friends get together dinner sooner though, because I'm DEFINITELY bringing home a box of Cupcake Royale cupcakes—but they only last for 3 days, and I won't be having dinner with friends until Monday . . . 4 days after I fly in. So they won't be as good.
3. ATX Food. Can't be beat. Seriously. Don't get me wrong, I love being surrounded by all of this fun ethnic food . . . but I need Barbecue and Tex-Mex in my life. I'm hoping to get to eat at some of my favorites: Rudy's BBQ, Chuy's, Freebirds, Dan's Hamburgers (their breakfast tacos are soooo yum!), and Chick-Fil-A!
4. Warm Temperatures. I love Seattle. So do the cold temperatures. I was talking to my mom the other day about my trip home and about things we'd be doing during the family reunion. When she mentioned going to the beach, a giant smile spread across my face! I get to go to the beach . . . and actually GO IN the water because it's not a subzero temperature! Woot! Many a sand castle will be built folks! I really am looking forward to wearing flip flops and summer clothes :D
5. Driving. I'm going to be driving down to Houston for our family reunion with my mom and I'm also going to be renting a car for the few days I'll actually BE in Austin. The good thing about Seattle is that you don't necessarily NEED a car—the public transportation is pretty reliable. But last time I was in Austin sans car, it was a NIGHTMARE. :( So this time I'm going to get to drive, which i LOVE to do.
I know I’m hardly the first one to decide I have had all I can stand. It has always been a myth that people have stopped dying for their freedom in this country, and it isn’t limited to the blacks, and poor immigrants. I know there have been countless before me and there are sure to be as many after. But I also know that by not adding my body to the count, I insure nothing will change. I choose to not keep looking over my shoulder at “big brother” while he strips my carcass, I choose not to ignore what is going on all around me, I choose not to pretend that business as usual won’t continue; I have just had enough.
- Joseph Stack (pilot who crashed his plane into the Austin IRS building this morning)
There are parts of me that wishes I could clone myself. I could clone myself and seek out the most hurt and anguished people and be a friend. Then I realize I am only one person, meant to be that one person, and even though I couldn't help that man this morning, I can help someone each day so that the "needle never breaks the camel's back" for that person.
I think it's safe to say that "life isn't fair" and that "times are tough" but when I think about the pilot who crashed into the Austin IRS building this morning, I think about what it means to "take matters into your own hands." The thing about taking matters into your own hands is that you have to realize that most of the time, the only things you're holding in your own hands are your own bitterness, rage, malice, pain, and bent towards vindication. Your own hands can only hold so much and usually, the things that get left out of your hand include: family, friends, the standard of society, innocent lives, and maybe even that one person that may have helped you out of your situation in a few days time.
After reading the note that Joseph Stack left behind after burning down his own home and crashing his plane into a building, I was left with wonder. So many questions, so many accusations, and so many thoughts about where this leaves our society. I distinctly remember various points in my life when grown-ups would say, "Violence doesn't solve anything," "We don't hit," "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." I don't know if the blame for Joseph's behavior is going to be shifted to the sadness of the daily news, or to the recession, or to MTV, or if they will 'discover' that his parents were 'terrible' parents who never shared those life lessons with their son, and thus will be cast by low-budget actors in an upcoming Lifetime Channel Movie. I personally think it speaks to our ability as human beings to make choices every day—Joseph made or didn't make many choices along the way and ultimately, his choices led to MAJOR damage. And with today's events, I feel pain for that one person who doesn't see this as a tragedy, but as a beacon of hope that one day they can plan out something so that their voice can be heard . . . regardless of who else it affects. I hope that day never comes.
When I was growing up, I did a lot of stupid things. My parents, God bless them, definitely had some issues to work with when it came to me. But I have come leaps and bounds from who I was as a teenager. Through the years, I've learned how to grow past mistakes, how to respond when I am mistreated, how to take a few moments to think my choices through. I'd be lying if I said I made ALL the RIGHT choices ALL the time—but I make an effort. I have a lot of help along the way, of course. I just wish Joseph would have let someone in to help him along the way.
To say, "I wish this never would have happened," is a given. But it's definitely given me (sadly) yet another opportunity to think about how I'm responding to others around me and how I'm dealing with issues in my life, and who I need to let in, and who I need to help when they can't help themselves, and where those lines lay.
What's really interesting is that I learned how to draw that in Elementary School. They actually taught us how to draw our state. Surprisingly enough, I never considered taking any extra time to perfect it, so it looks like an Elementary School kid drew it. :p It does come in real handy when you're trying to explain to someone how far away from Austin other cities, like San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Wichita Falls are.
I'm sure that even if you're not from there, you've heard of it. We Austinites/Texans try to make sure you do. ;)
Today is a BIG day for that great state! It's the BCS National Championship Game Day! Now, although I know how to draw the state of Texas, I kind of always failed more when it came to drawing the Longhorn logo. It's tougher than it looks. See . . .
Now, if it's one thing that you've probably gathered from following my blog, it's that I know next to NOTHING about sports, football in particular. It's not that I've never watched a game. I mean, c'mon, I was in the Colorguard in High School. Games were mandatory. What is Colorguard, you ask? We're the people who wave flags and march with the band. See below:
Yep. I was a flag girl! I actually quite enjoyed it.
So, having been to every football game and still not understanding what the game is all about or how it's played, you might be wondering why I even care so much about the big game tonight. The answer is simple: I'm a downhome Austinite and I'm not dumb. Let's put it this way . . . when I was in Colorguard, we had the opprotunity to march in the parade to celebrate Ricky Williams winning the Heisman Trophy. Because of my grades, I wasn't able to actually go—no pass, no play :( But even then, I KNEW it was a huge deal. I was proud of my city. I was proud of our team and proud of Ricky Williams. I don't really cheer for football teams, but if it's one I feel at least mildly comfortable cheering for, it's the Texas Longhrons :D I mean, c'mon, try being part of my family and NOT being a Longhorn fan:
It just does not work ;)
So I'm really excited for the game. I most likely won't know what in the world is going on, but when Texas makes a touchdown, I'll get really excited :D
Also, Switchfoot is playing the tailgate pre-show and I REALLY hope they show footage of that! :D
Yesterday was my FIRST ever time to ride First Class in an airplane! No. Joke.
It was pretty much amazing! So, for the trip home, my dad worked a deal for me to ride standby and on both my flight from Austin to Dallas & my flight from Dallas to Seattle, I got to ride First Class. It was crazay!
But don't you know that no day is complete without me doing something completely ridiculous?
It's true.
On my flight from Austin to Seattle, I woke up once because I felt movement. Apparently I fell asleep and was leaning my head on the strange guy next to me. I quickly (and groggily) apologized and leaned my head against the window, so that I wouldn't 'land' on my neighbor's shoulder again. ;)
Since I'd never flown standby, I went up to the counter each time (i had to wait through a series of 4 flights) and told the attendant that I was here for the standby list. I figured they prioritized you based on how quickly you 'checked in.' I was wrong. ha! Apparently, they have their own system. I got to the last one, and out of curiosity, I asked the attendant: "Do I need to check in for standby?" She said: "No. We put you on the list and then you just wait to hear if your name is called. You don't need to check in." Almost immediately, the scene from The Wedding Singer popped into my mind where Adam Sandler tells his ex-fiance:
AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION YESTERDAY!
It was quite humorous. :D
Then, on my flight from Dallas to Seattle, I got into my seat and after we stabilized after take-off, the flight attendant offered me some mixed nuts. First of all, you have NO idea how hard it was for me not to throw in a "that's what she said." So I quietly chuckled and said yes please. I was expecting a bag of peanuts. She brought me a warm dish of mixed nuts. So I picked one up, not knowing it was hot and dropped it on the lap of the guy sitting next to me. Embarrassing.
This guy sitting next to me just deserves like, a free ride on another flight where he doesn't have to sit next to anyone. Seriously. I was THAT girl.
I was really excited that the flight attendant kept refilling the snacks and the drinks—the only thing better than my standard in-flight Orange Juice with ice is FREE REFILLS of my standard in-flight Orange Juice with ice!!! :D But on about my 3rd refill, I started chewing the ice and there was this one chunk of 3 cubes melded together, so I decided to try to hold one of the cubes while I bit off one of the others . . . i think you know where this is going . . . I bit off the one and one of the others fell to the ground and the other shot off to the side and pelted the guy next to me on his arm. That ice cube then fell and worked its way to the fabric of his seat. I apologized frantically and he was just like, "It's okay." as he wiped his hands of the splashed orange juice tinged ice cube.
Then, when I decided that I didn't want to chance any more fiascoes, I told the attendant that I was done with the drinks . . . while I had my headphones on. So it was at a louder level.
I think it's safe to say that I'm the most bizarre First Class Passenger ever. But it was WAY fun and totally cool :D I still haven't decided whether or not I'd ever fly Standby again though. We'll see.
Hey everyone! Well, I'm finally here, home in the ATX! I kept a journal while I was on the trip, so that I could share the memories with you! So here they are:
ROAD REPORT ONE: I'm sitting here at the Greyhound Bus Station in Billings, Montana, happy to report that everything went well on the first leg of the trip! I got halfway through reading SLEEPERS and when we get back on the road, I'll read some more. Aside from some random texts to my dad to update him on where I am, I've been 'tech free' for a whole day! :D
It's amazing how freeing a lack of technology can be. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to reconnect . . . see what I did there?!? ;) but in the meantime, I'm enjoying reading, writing, and drawing on the bus.
I'm actually quite proud of my on-the-road eating habits. I've predominantly been snacking on Granola and Clif bars. I slept most of the morning away, but when we stopped for lunch, I had a hot dog and a big container of fruit, and lots of water! It's been really nice enjoying the countryside. Mostly it's been mountains and snow, neither of which I'm a huge fan of. Most people on my bus have been really quiet and have kept to themselves. Even the little baby on board has been seemingly chill. I think she cried once, for 5 minutes 'til she got her bottle . . . of course she could've been fussier and I could've just slept through it. ;)
One funny thing I saw on the ride from Seattle to Billings was a TACO JOHN'S . . . one simple name, SO many jokes! ;) But the slogan was: THE BEST WEST-MEX! I really don't even know what to think. Growing up on Tex-Mex has spoiled me. I cringed and laughed all at the same time. I imagine it tastes really fishy and like it's trying too hard, much like most Mexican food I've had in the Pacific Northwest. But once again, I'm biased and spoiled.
The next leg of the trip leads me to Denver, Colorado. I know it sounds silly, but I can't wait to get back on the bus. Each leg of travel brings me closer to home—to the friends and family I miss and love so dearly.
Well, my hand is cramping up from the writing, and it's almost time to load up for Denver!
. . . UNTIL NEXT STOP . . .
ROAD REPORT TWO: The Denver Greyhound Station is what nightmares are made of. The people working the station are so unaffected and rude. A simple question is seen as insubordination of sorts, as if every passenger should already know the inner-workings of the Greyhound system.
I was sitting at the phone charging counter and there were 2 metal chairs already at the little bar lined with power outlets. After sitting there for about 10 minutes, one of the station guards came by and demanded that we get off the chairs because they weren't to be used at the charging station. So he took them to a nearby table, where no one sat in them.
The good news is that I'm now on the bus, on my way to Dallas to see Chad and Katie . . and then—HOME TO AUSTIN!
Dear Denver Greyhound Station, GET OVER YOURSELF! Love, Amanda
PS: There's a guy on my bus that is originally from Louisiana. His voice reminds me of Remy LeBeau's! It's quite awesome! :D
. . . UNTIL NEXT STOP . . .
ROAD REPORT THREE: I finally finished reading SLEEPERS! I love the book just as much as I love the movie now! Though I DO wish the movie had included the Pizza Parlour scene. This mentally handicapped kid comes into the pizza parlour and, out of habit, puts all this pepper on his pizza, and this tough older guy comes in and picks on him and teases him. Then the guys (Michael, Tommy, John, and Shakes) all gang up on the bully and totally rescue the kid. It's sweet :D
Well, I'm here in Amarillo, TX and I finally caved and got some 'crap food' to eat. I know, I know, sad. But I DID hold out for a while. And although I know I shouldn't have dipped my chicken strips in that nasty thick truck stop gravy, I did. I'm 99.9% sure I'm gonna regret it, but oh well. ;)
The people on my bus have been quite interesting! This one guy on my bus keeps reminding everyone that he's a "JUGGALO" . . . which is a reference to the Insane Clown Posse, for those who don't know. The only thing that sucks is that this one guy who sat next to me on the last leg of the trip totally farted halfway through the ride. It was RANK! :| I mean, even compared to some of the MC van rides with the guys . . . it was nasty! So, he claims the farts, and then proceeds to pull out a medical mask to protect HIMSELF from the stench! Un.real. :( I guess he never heard about bringing enough for everyone. Needless to say, I'm going to search for a new riding buddy for the next leg of the trip. All in all, things are going well. I've been sleeping A LOT! I guess I needed it. ;)
. . . UNTIL NEXT STOP . . .
ROAD REPORT FOUR: I got an early Christmas present, in the form of Chad Sherlock and his girlfriend, Katie, meeting me at the Dallas Greyhound Station dressed up as Santa and an Elf! LOVED IT!! We got to hang out and eat some McDonald's . . . after driving around for a while trying to find this elusive cafe I found on Google Maps—YOU FAIL, GOOGLE MAPS! ;) I was really hoping to get some breakfast, but after ordering a Sausage, Egg and Cheese Meal (the #4), the lady asked if I wanted large fries with that and I was like, uhmmmm. . . then we realized they weren't serving breakfast at 3 a.m.—who knew? ;)
I had SO much fun hanging out with them and hearing all sorts of fun stories and just sharing with them about life in Seattle. They reminded me of just how blessed I am to have amazing friends, with such big hearts and the ability to just warm your heart with a simple smile! I love them! :D
The only thing that sucked is that I thought my bus was leaving at 5:25, so I was like, frantic about being back at the station at 5:00. But in reality, my bus wasn't even scheduled to leave until 6:45. BIG DIFFERENCE. Well, I just waited in the station, and did some reading from my Creative Screenwriting mag. I was really excited cause they did a feature on THE LOVELY BONES, which i want to see SOOOOO bad! It's one of my favorite books and I can't wait to see what Peter Jackson makes of it! Also, they mentioned a blip about how Peter Jackson and his team are joining up with Guillermo Del Toro to make THE HOBBIT. I'm so JAZZED! Man, if I could intern under someone in the film industry, it would DEFINITELY be Guillermo Del Toro. His creativity and style astound me. So yeah, THE HOBBIT is a must!
My dad met me at the station and it was SO good to hug him and to just get re-acquainted with Austin, this city I love :D Now I'm home and just chillaxin, having taken a shower to get that Greyhound stench off of me, and for dinner, we're going to RUDY'S BBQ! Then, tonight I get to go have coffee at Mozart's with Stephanie Bailey Cole, who I haven't seen in years! :D This is gonna be a great vacation!
Man, it's been a long time since my last post. This whole holiday schedule work time configuration has left me with less time to do blog stuff, but I do want to keep this up, so I'm gonna work on scheduling some fun posts this weekend :D Some may be longer than others, so just bear with me. :D
For today, I was just thinking how I wanted to share some random things with you . . . you know, as if I don't do that ALL THE TIME. ;)
So here we go:
1. I've been listening to Christmas songs already! (I know, I know, shame. heap the shame) Most importantly, I've been listening to N*Sync's MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS. This song always reminds me of bringing hot chocolate over to the MC guys house as they decorated their house/s for Christmas. They would decorate it like so, clark griswold style:
Rich Wolter was the mastermind behind it all—He's my christmas lights hero ;) But anyway, they would decorate the house and then put a boombox by the window and would be BLASTING Christmas music into the front yard and anyone else within a 5 mile radius. Strangers would seriously stop by and take pics in front of the house. It was all a part of keeping Austin weird. ;) But part of that mix was this hippy hoppy song that i STILL get stuck in my head. But it's okay cause it always brings back the fun memories :D
2. I'm going to be a LADYBUG for Halloween! Now when I first thought of being a ladybug, all that came to mind was the ladybug man Francis from A Bug's Life. You know, this guy . . . But lest you be deceived, I will NOT be that kind of ladybug. I will also not be dressing up as a "SEXY" Ladybug. Though I have contemplated making a sign that says "SEXY" around my neck just so i can tell people i'm a sexy ladybug. It could work. hmmm. nah. you're right. it wouldn't. Instead, I shall be a beautiful mexican ladybug and I MAY even bust out with a rousing rendition of LA CUCARACHA just to remain true to my roots without the grossness of actually dressing up as a cockroach. 3. Lately I've been debating between which song is sadder . . . ENOUGH FOR NOW by The Fray, which details the strained relationship he had with his grandfather.
or
CAVES by Jack's Mannequin, which gives an account of going through treatment for leukemia during Andrew McMahon's battle with cancer.
They're both sad. But both beautiful songs. There's something so mesmerizing to me when you can take sad, tragic, harsh realities and make them beautiful expressions in art.
Speaking of Andrew McMahon (and let's get real, I could speak about him for a LOOOOONNNG TIME!) I've listened to ONLY ASHES by his original band, Something Corporate on repeat for the past hour. It's so good that I had the rock fist pumping while sitting at my desk. that's good. just sayin' :D
3. Kelley Rowe will be here in Seattle with me in a month! Wheeeee!!! She's amazing and I'm so glad she's going to be here to enjoy the city sights and sounds with me! Copious amounts of coffee and live music will ensue. Rest assured my friends, it's true. We're going to go see Parachute play at the WaMu Theater with Kelly and then we're going to go see Justin Nozuka play live with Sam Bradley at Neumos a couple days before she heads back to Austin! And we'll be sure to catch some live performances at Easy Street Records as well :D
Speaking of Parachute . . . Here's one of their new promo pics taken by Jeremy Cowart.
For those who aren't familiar with the band, that's (from left to right) Kit French, Nate McFarland, Will Anderson, Johnny Stubblefield, and Alex Hargrave
it's STUNNING! Will is gorgeous, and not just cause he's good looking, but his voice, his talent, the glimpses of his personality you see in their Video Fridays and interviews, makes me wish I'd have gone to UVA four years ago to major in music like he did. ;)
I love it!
4. I ABSOLUTELY love fall in Seattle! It's so colorful and so accomodating to my personality. :D You know, sweet, breezy, and the perfect excuse for hot chocolate or coffee :D Just sayin'. I'm going to another pumpkin patch this Saturday with my small group, then I'm going to stop by another friend's house who has a holiday tradition of making homemade doughnuts, and then I'm going out with an ex-co-worker for dinner before she moves back to Reno where she's from. It'll be a busy, but sweet weekend and i can't wait to carve my new pumpkin on Sunday. One of our housemates is moving out :( and we're throwing her a going away party! The mexican food, chocolate, board games, and karaoke will be flowing people!
5. There's no place like home for the holidays! Thus, come hell or high-water, I will be coming home for Christmas! If you're in the ATX, mark your calendars now! I'll be home from December 24th (I fly in the 23rd so I'll probably get settled in that night) through the 1st of January (I fly out the 2nd) and then when I get here, hopefully my new friend, who i could've almost met at the Parachute/The Script concert will be in Seattle and we'll hang out before she & her friend leave back to Canada on the 3rd. One of the vacation days will be devoted JUST to shopping for gifts (probably the 24th) so if anyone wants to join me, please do! I realize I won't get to see everyone, but stay tuned to my twitter (on the right hand side of the blog) to keep up with where I'm at and give me a holla and we can join up quickly or you can join me for lunch, dinner, coffee, etc. :D it's gonna be so fun, especially since I probably won't be home again till next summer!
That's all for now! Stay tuned for more :D
Oh, and if you missed the video link from my tweet yesteday on how I get pumped up at home on Glee nights, here it is for your enjoyment!
No really, Texas kept me warm during my vacation. . . 105+ degrees warm, to be exact. Whew! I gotta admit, it does feel quite awesome to be back in a cooler climate.
I had an AMAZING time in Austin! I got to bring Jessica and Christiaan with me and I loved sharing my life and friends and family with them! :D
It was a very emotional weekend—laughing at all the funny memories, crying because we all knew MCA was coming to an end, frustration because I seem to lose things left and right, warmth from seeing my family and friends, and a wide range of other emotions caused by the combination of lack of sleep + lots of coffee + busy schedule. But I'm so glad I got to experience everything :D
A couple of weeks ago I was talking to my friend Rich about this big bittersweet weekend and I go, "You know, nothing like a funeral to bring the family together again." It really was so awesome to reconnect and to hear about how my fellow alums are doing. They have all played such a special role in my life and I am going to work super hard to keep in contact with them all. They mean so much to me! So to all my MCA Alums, thank you so much for keeping my heart warm all those years—I'm gonna try to get out to see all of you! :D In the meantime, utilize Facebook, Myspace and Twitter :D
Here are some pics from my time in Austin:
This lady was sleeping all the way through the graduation—hilarious! :D
I know that normally one wouldn't post a picture of a baby crying, but I ADORE these two angels (my nieces) and it just reminds me how different they are in all their adorableness! Because Vanessa couldn't be more go with the flow and Annabelle gets kinda finnicky. . . I LOVE their little personalities! :D I heart these little ladies! :D
Leslie, Austin's famous cross-dresser who ran for mayor one year :D
So by now, my home church, GTaustin has announced that as of June 28th, Master's Commission of Austin will shut it's doors and will not be running anymore.
I must admit, I found out about it two Thursdays ago, and I'm still dealing with so many emotions. At first I was ardently angry. Then I was overwhelmingly sad—8 years of history was coming to a halt. I had to come to the realization that I would not be going to any more MCA Graduations, I would not be going to any more Alumni Retreats... I wouldn't be able to talk to students who were having a hard time going through A LONG DAY (see below), sharing stories and encouragement with them. Then I felt like I was misplaced. I felt confusion...why? really? could this really be happening? Then I felt shame...that I was taking this so hard... it's so hard letting go. And then after long talks with a few people, I was able to find some sense of balance and understanding. I still feel like crying sometimes. But it's not in my hands. It never was. Now I realize that from here on out, the connections I've made (and will try with everything I am to maintain) and the memories will help me keep things in perspective. And though I'm sure there will be some growing apart... busy people...busy lives... I know that the memories and more importantly the lifestyle will always be a part of who I am. For those of you who don't much about my history or about Master's Commission, it is a 9 month hands-on ministry training school...so think like bible school mixed in with an internship at a church. There's really a lot more that goes into it, but for now we'll leave it at that. So, I went to school at Master's Commission of Austin as a student for 3 years right after high school graduation (2000) and after my 3rd year, my original director transitioned out and moved to Louisiana to start MC Industries—another Master's Commission program in Broussard, Louisiana. While most of my fellow classmates chose to go to MC Industries as well, I felt in my heart that I needed to stay in Austin and serve the new director and help him and his wife in any capacity I could, in accordance to all the things I learned as a student. I then joined the support staff of Master's Commission of Austin under a new regime as the MCA Media Director. After my year on support staff, I joined the full time staff for 4 years and in the summer of 2008, I stepped out of my position and life there to pursue my dreams here in Seattle, WA. I got the call two weeks ago that there was going to be a transition—after Graduation this June, there will no longer be a Master's Commission of Austin. The director and his wife are moving back to Rockford, Illinois to step into a new passion (not that the old one is less than, it's just time for the transition). Having had to say goodbye to MCA before, I know it's gonna be tough on them, on each and every student, and on the home church that has relied so heavily on MCA in the past. The sad times will come, the confusing times will come, but more importantly, the building times will come. It's bittersweet, really it is. But I pray that they will continue to live in the resolution as well. :D
So to reflect on the good ol' times, I thought I might share a list of 10 of my favorite things/memories from my 8 years in Master's Commission of Austin. And yes, I know that it will make this post crazy long, but since this blog is about my life in my words, and MCA is such a HUGE part of it, I think it's worth it. ;)
1. DISCOVERING MY BEST EVER FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD Sarah (Warner) Noble has been such a major part of my life since day one. The day I stepped into the big dorm and got settled, and met Sarah... my life changed. Here was one person who was able to show on the outside what I felt on the inside. Over the years, our friendship has only blossomed more and more. My first year for Christmas break, she invited me to come home with her and share in her family's holiday traditions...that Christmas I learned so much about TRUE FAMILY, true friendship and how to grow up in so many areas of my life. And ever since, her family has considered me a part of their family...always. :D She was with me through everything... travel trips, holidays, Coram Deos, credentialing, transitioning directors, transitioning to Seattle, and even last week when all this hit... i KNEW who to call. I knew that she would help me work through things. She is one of my biggest gifts ever in life. Had I never been a part of MCA... I would have never met her... and my life would not be full of as much LIFE as it is now. So many of my memories from MCA involve Sarah.
2. SRMC RETREATS the SRMC is the South Regional Master's Commission programs of the US. Since my first year, I've been going to SRMC retreats (except for the 1st year after the director transition) and every year I have been so refreshed and revived. The biggest one for me was my 2nd year when Pastor Greg Phipps spoke on Initiating the Romance...life. changing. And every time I hear the song "THE BIGGEST PART OF ME" I remember the message he spoke and I'm humbled all over again. The retreats were also a time where I could reconnect with my friends along the way. I love that when I first became a part of MCA my director instilled in me the priority of building relationships outside of our little MCA bubble... I made some of the best friends with people from other programs and I still to this day stay in touch with them.
3. MY ORIGINAL CLASS (2000-2003) These people are without a doubt the most amazing, real, and beautiful people I know. These people have helped to shape me so much through the years. We've had our ups and our downs and our everything else's. We've been through A LOT together... and we've been there FOR each other through it. Class hangouts were always so fun... and to any of my class members who are reading this... I just gotta say: - Beer and pizza... all the way - Escuda MC lives on - Spanglios - My head hurt dawg - FireworkStands/FlowerStands... and of course. the cookouts at the Potts' house!
4. DISCOVERING MY PASSIONS to teach, to work with junior high students, to rise up to the challenge to love 'the tough cases,' to be a listening ear, to be different (in a good way), to be a true friend, to help others along the way. Everything I do now, I learned from MCA. From the way I clean to the way I socialize with people. MCA is the place where I first discovered my love for the people of Seattle.
5. MY FIRST EVER MEDIA TEAM Dustin, Grace and Chad...times spent with these guys and gal in MCA will always be a large part of my memories in MCA. From late late late nights in the print room. From brainstorming sessions. From Tracks and from lots of interoffice drama... we've always been an amazing team. They've taught me a lot and they've pioneered a lot of the standards and grace that has developed in all the teams that followed. To you I say: - She's...Catholic - House of Fear...'nuff said - Grace cutting GT20 flyers with Dustin's face on them - Pen wars - Track wars - Thankyousomuchforallthatyou'vegivenandallthatyouare.
6. RICH WOLTER He deserves his own bullet point. This guy is just hilarious. Anytime I've been around him, I've done nothing but laugh so hard. At first we didn't get along (story of my life), but through the time we've known each other, he has been a strong pillar for me. I remember the time he tried to do EVERYTHING imaginable to break a Nalgene bottle...ran over it with a car, beat it with a baseball bat, then finally taking a saw to it... and when he took it back to the store, they asked him what happened to it.. and his response was: "oh. it fell off the counter." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! He's the first one to introduce me to the hilarity that is Dane Cook and taught me that there is such a thing as "the magic touch"...i mean really...getting a laptop fixed for free after taking a baseball bat to it...really?? really?? ;)
7. FAMILY DAYS During my time as a student, family days were a time to have fun without the 'daily grind' and a time to celebrate birthdays. They were always so fun and enjoyable! My favorite family day though, had to be during my first year on support staff... we did this dinner and a murder mystery thing and I was the murderer...and the guy that i was supposed to marry was the character played by my new director... and I felt COMPLETELY awkward...cause I didn't really know him very well...and all night he was like in character being all sly and romantical...and I kept having panic attacks and avoiding him every time he came near me...i must've seemed completely outta my mind! and the whole night he kept calling my character's name: REBECCA! and I kept running away! but at the end of the night, I still got away with murder. ;)
8. ROAD TRIPS My favorite part of MCA was traveling... I've seen so much, been to so many awesome places thanks to MCA. My two favorite trips were the East Coast Tour with my first director and then the MCA Road Rules Trip my 1st year on Support Staff. The East Coast Tour was so much fun and I got to meet some amazing new people, plus hang out with Three Nails Short (a band that toured with us), and got to meet up with my best friend and have some great times hitting up tourist spots along the way. MCA Road Rules was another great time...trying to beat out 2 other teams for a prize..and earning points for going to different landmarks along the way from Austin, TX to Phoenix, AZ. Getting to (A) see the Grand Canyon and (B) convince everyone that we actually got a helicopter ride to the bottom of it...was amazing! 9. A LONG DAY Well, seeing as how it no longer needs to be kept a secret, A LONG DAY is something that was initiated by the new director. It is based off of Navy Seals training, where they go through intense training. They have some weeks of training and then what they call A LONG DAY...because it's a day that spans over many days...but they don't get to sleep so it seems like one long day. It's meant to push limits and build team skills and camaraderie. Being on the staff side was different, but I still got a lot out of each year's A.L.D. as much as the students did. I loved being able to talk with students during A.L.D. because it gave me so many teachable moments with them and it challenged me to see life through different eyes. To every MCA student who has gone through A Long Day...it's over. ;) 10. BEING ON STAFF Being on staff with MCA taught me so much. It taught me how to challenge myself. It taught me grace and wisdom and patience and so many other things. Staff hangouts were so much fun. I loved being part of such an amazing team! One funny memory from staff hangouts was when we were at Carrie Sealy's apartment and we were playing Rock Band and it in the middle of playing, I farted. really loud. And let me just tell you...I had tried SO HARD to keep in all of my farts from the staff...REALLY HARD. So the moment it happened, I partly hoped they would ignore it...but it was so loud...and Pastor Dan (the 2nd director) laughed so hard!! I was completely mortified...but now I can only look back and laugh :D
June 28th, 2009 will mark the end of the MCA Legacy as it's been known. But I know that the legacy will live on in each alumni (for good and bad). So what happens next, after the doors are shut? I dunno. But one things for sure, the memories won't die. In my life, the standards won't die. And to all the alumni—please make an effort to stay connected! This isn't the end of the world by any means, but it is a challenge to stay connected more than ever before. We need each other, whether we're willing to admit it or not. :D
There's really so much more I could say, but I'll leave it here for now. :D Feel free to comment (as always...no censorship) --------------------------------------------
I am a mexican chick, born in Germany, raised in Austin, TX, and now currently living in Seattle, WA. I'm funny, weird, and just plain quirky, but then again, there's a lot of us out there. :) My favorite color is baby blue, I love pop culture trivia, chocolate, decorating, designing stuff and singing off key in public ♥ Among other things, I love family, friends, COFFEE, finding the humor in the silliest things, laughing, talking about old memories & making new ones ♥ I do NOT like cigarette smoke, wearing skirts, anything outdoorsy, the 80's, very loud people in elevators, rapists, certain shades of pink ♥ I am a daddy's girl all the way! ♥ I'm comfortable with being me ♥ I love making a difference in peoples' lives, helping, loving, teaching and watching them get to know Jesus ♥ I love my neice and hope to have kids of my own someday. ♥ I love God and I love living my life for Him and learning along the way!
As Kris Kross would say, "I missed the bus." :(
