Monday, August 31, 2009

Daydreams

I want to live in a city with a lighthouse near the ocean. I want to wake up to seagulls and sailboats. Seattle woke something up inside of me that has been lurching towards the water ever since I watched the sun set over the Puget Sound. The air was just... air. What a concept, right? It was so breathable. Brandon and I drank water straight from the river and it tasted more pure than any bottle I've ever put to my lips. All it takes is an hour's drive to forget about everything but nature. The mountains are silent. There is a kind of stillness up there that feels holy. The water sparkles with a beauty that is infinite. Standing on the pier and night with the skyline on one side of me and the sunset on the other... that was peace. Every part of me felt right with the world in those moments. The city lights didn't keep the stars from twinkling or the moon from dancing on the water. I've never seen anything quite like it. It was perfect.

That's all I've got for now.

Till next time,
D

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

No more blog neglect

Sorry it's been nearly a week since my last post! The past few days have been a whirlwind. It took 2 days for Alex and I to drive home, and I spent the entire weekend away from technology. This week so far has been full of reconnecting with friends, sending off resumes, scheduling interviews, and laundry. Oh, the laundry. I have three massive piles of clothes blocking the path from my door to my bed and the suitcase is still calling to be unpacked. I'll get it all finished just in time to repack for Seattle next week, I'm sure.

Seattle!!!

Brandon and I are headed to the mountains next week for sailing, unimog off-roading, wine, music, and time with an old friend of Brandon's from his touring days, Charlie. A couple of friends have asked recently how we afford to travel. The secret? Know where to find the best deals and be FLEXIBLE. The key is to have an open mind. So you want to take a trip to San Diego? Look for deals every day. Check airline websites (They're all broke and giving incredible discounts on flights. Beware taxes, though. Figure an extra $50 per person in addition to the flight cost for taxes and fees), online booking sites (For vacation packages, I've found that bookit.com has some of the best deals around for flight+hotel. Plus, they don't charge nickel and dime fees), and check your rewards options (You may be collecting points you don't even know about with credit cards, bank reward programs, etc. that you can redeem for a free hotel stay or other discounts). Flexibility means being willing to change your plans. Maybe you discover you can go to San Diego for half the price a week later than you'd planned. Or if your dates are concrete, you might find a better deal somewhere else. Are you willing to put San Diego on the back burner for a week in Chicago that will cost half the price? Popular destinations are going to be on sale for a long time with things the way they are now, so you'll hit the places you want eventually if you're willing to move them around as you find the best deals. B and I go where the deals are. We go to places where we can stay with friends and save on hotel costs, and we only go when the flights are on sale. I put a little money away each time I get paid and only go on a trip when I can pay for it without putting it on credit. I learned that the hard way. There are few trips worth months of paying off that credit card. Some might be, but those are rare. Save your money. It's all about being smart and knowing what you want. If you want to travel badly enough, you'll figure out what you can cut out and save up to make it happen. Be scrappy. Be happy.

Tonight, I'm headed to church to attend youth for the first time in 6 years. Stephanie and I have been talking about it for several months, and I'm going tonight to check it out as a leader now rather than a student. I'm thrilled. This church has become home for me in so many ways, and I'm so ready to invest more time and energy in the people who have become my extended family. I'm excited about the kids. I'm excited to learn from them and love on them. :)

Out for now. Headed to the pool to swim my self back into shape.

Till next time,
D

Thursday, August 13, 2009

J'ai Fini!

Hello, cyber world. I am writing you now as a college grad :). Well, mostly. I'll get my diploma in the mail because my classes in Austin went a week longer than the MTSU classes so I missed the ceremony, but I'm done! Stick a fork in me. Right now the most overwhelming sentiment is just, "I don't have to write a speech tonight. Or a paper. Or read. Or study French." And that's pretty nice.

I wish I had more to write, but after an afternoon in the car and an early morning tomorrow, I'm out. I'll have something better tomorrow or Saturday.

I'm done!!!

-D

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Morning Mercies

Good morning, all!

Cursed alarm brought me to life this morning. I wish I had the gift of waking with the sunrise (although my mother would swear it's a curse), but I'm certain the whole process would be far less agonizing if it could just... happen. My hotel (the 6th place I've come home to in 10 days... whew!) has a full kitchen so I stocked up for my last three days yesterday and am enjoying breakfast and worship music ce matin. Delightful.

Also studying for the French quiz that I will most certainly suffer through this morning. Fortunately the reality that these are my LAST days has not quite sunk in and my head is still, proverbially, in the game.

Life is good. Life is truly very good. Before you think "the lady doth protest too much" let me just remind you that I have a hotel room to myself, a family to come home to this Friday, the love of my life waiting on me, food in my belly, Jesus on my mind, and my favorite old sweatshirt on my me. Heavenly.

Gammy shared the most precious thoughts with me yesterday. "You are not fragmented. Your situation is very fragmented, but your base is strong and firm, your faith is solid, you are taken care of, and the "Daryn" in you is still whole." :) I'm a gypsy this week and last; in and out of hotel rooms, friend's houses, some parts of my life have fallen gloriously to pieces, there is still one more bed waiting for me before I make it home, and much of my worldly possessions are in the trunk of my car. Fragmented, indeed. But I am happy, healthy, and whole. Thank you, Gammy, for the reminder.

Off to throw myself together and hit ACC Riverside.

Over and out!

-D

Monday, August 10, 2009

And So It Begins

Hello, all. (All may be generous. For day one, perhaps I should stick with something more like "both of you.") I have a blog now. As you can see.

This is, in a lot of ways, a new beginning for me. I'm in my last week of college classes, have recently done a massive remodeling of my "emotional home" (Including but not limited to the reevaluation of some relationships, shedding of some baggage, untangling of my heart and mind, rearranging of some priorities, deletion of Facebook *gasp!*, and some serious Jesus lovin time), am looking genuine adulthood dead in the eyeballs, and feel sincerely, utterly, and wholeheartedly at peace about it all. The beginning of the year held it's fair share of panicked moments- my total (happy) lack of a "real" plan is testament to that fact- but here I am, graduating in a week and as perfectly content as I can be.

Disclaimer: I promise that the entire contents of this blog will not consist of ramblings about myself, but it's the first one and I'm operating under the assumption that not every single one (both) of you know precisely who I am. Bear with me. Tomorrow, I promise to write about food or someplace exotic.

Speaking of plans, here's what I've pulled together. It's constantly in flux: Work for 6 months to a year as a nanny, live (rent free!!!) with the gracious parents who keep welcoming me back home, save as much as I possibly can, travel with B with any spare cash and time, find someone who will cast me in a show then throw myself back on stage, kiss the face of the man I love as often as humanly possible, cook every recipe I can get my hands on, spend time with the people who keep me sane (or try), and enjoy the oh-so-abundant life Jesus has spoiled me with. I recognize it's neither the ambitious, post-collegiate career plan nor the studious grad school option but it's exactly right for me, for now.

Then there's the blog. I'll write it all. This is what I love to do. I've distanced myself from my first love, the blank screen, and I have every intention of spoiling him with attention and keystrokes for your reading pleasure in the coming weeks and months. Facebook had become a far too accessible means of cyber networking and, frankly, I want to keep you people at bay. Kidding. Mostly. A blog will allow me to think and communicate with you in more than 150 character bursts, and I'm rather fond of dialogue that exceeds said character limit.

I could go on but that would be downright snooty. That's enough of "me" for tonight.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

-D