Another list of things...

Some more things I miss:

• text messaging
• Thai food
• Hi-Def sports
• Cool autumn temps
• NPR, specifically, Chicago Public Radio
• community of friends & family in U.S. (visits are most welcome!)
• good public transportation
• dry, facetious humor
• coffeehouse atmosphere

New things I like about the DR:

• Dominican family life
• learning creole
• cheap taxi rides
• rice & beans
• fresh, natural juices
• learning Dominicanisms
• wearing short sleeves everyday
• helping a 7-year-old girl with her English homework
• Santo Domingo (la capital)
• hielo fino (fresh fruit with honey syrup over shaved ice--don't knock this until you try it! Irv would probably classify this as a Dominican delicacy, haha.)

List of things...

(Saturday, 8 November 2008)

Things I miss so far:

(Disclaimer: These are not things that I cannot live without, nor are they things that I am requesting. They ARE things that I honestly am missing at this point in my time in the DR. I repeat, this is NOT a wish list, nor is it an expression of discontentment. I am openly discussing those things that I do not have here or am not exposed to in the DR.)

• West Wing
• Wi-Fi
• Daily Show/Colbert Report
• beautiful Autumn foliage
• watching Philadelphia sports
• cell phone
• family/friends
• relaxed, care-free attitude toward life
• luxury of recylcling & filling water bottle from tap
• U.S. politics
• Sweet Tea

New things I like about the DR:

(These are things that I am overjoyed to have/be exposed to since moving to my new home in the DR. Nearly all are new to me, even coffee which is quite different here but I am loving nevertheless! It is my hope that this list will soon outgrow the list above, as I adapt and acclimate myself to life here.)

• brilliant sunshine
• speaking/re-learning Spanish
• warm weather
• new trees - palm, banana, mango, avocado, etc.
• green scenery - absolutely lush
• CoB community in the DR
• San Juan de la Maguana
• coffee!
• orange juice drink with evaporated milk
• pamelos - a fruit that resembles a grapefruit in size and texture but with a sweeter taste

So begins a new part of my journey... life in the Dominican Republic

(Saturday, 8 November 2008)

No matter how hard I try, I just can’t stop thinking about tomorrow. Now, normally, this is a good thing. Well, at least according to the popular song of the 70’s, it is. “Don’t… stop… thinkin’ about tomorrow…” etc. But as I sit here in the meeting of the national church board of the Dominican Republic, I find my mind wandering to all that which wis not around me in the church in Las Yayas.

Now, I’ m not merely suggesting that I am wishing away my time here in the DR. By no means do I think that I am doing such a thing. What may be the cause of my wandering mind is the sheer boredom I feel when church leaders gather to bicker over the most mundane of details.

After all, I arrived just two days ago—my head continues to spin. I spent my first full day in the DR, immersed in the drama of the Iglesia de los Hermanos (Church of the Brethren). I sat at the table of the Comité Ejecutivo (Executive Committee) of the church for more than eight hours. And, of course, this being the DR, we did not start the meeting on time. So we wound up creating, revising, amending, and probably beating to death the agenda for the board meeting tomorrow.

When Irv, Nancy, and I finally arrived at our motel in San Juan de la Maguana, I think it was around 10 pm. They asked me if I had any questions about what I experienced that day. All I could muster was that I had lots of questions, but that it would take many more days and meetings to find answers. And so as to not belabor my much-needed rest, I bit them goodnight. This was my first full day in the DR. It involved traveling by truck around 2 ½ hours, waiting an hour or two for the meeting to commence, eating some typical foods of that region for both lunch and dinner, trying to comprehend what was being said in the meetings until ultimately zoning out due to lack of interest, and traveling another hour to our motel in San Juan for some peace and quiet and rest.

Today, it feels like we’re recapping what we (the Executive Committee) talked about yesterday. The only difference is, there are more people here today. In addition to the ten of us at the meeting yesterday, there are seven more gathered today. These representatives make up the National Board. Today, same result: more drama and more bickering.

One thing that I am constantly reminding myself is that these people have recently gone through some tough times filled with anguish and frustration. This committee and board is trying to earnestly cleanse the church of the corruption that has been plaguing it for far too long, as well as stunting its growth. I cannot possibly empathize with my brothers and sisters here in regards to these troubles. Never have I, in my life-long career of church-going, run into any difficulties like those of my fellow Brethren here.

So what am I really saying? I don’t think it’s that I will, or even necessarily want to stop thinking ahead. In reality, what I’m doing right now is praying. My prayer is probably about ten-fold. I’d like to pray, first and foremost, for my brothers and sisters in the DR. I also pray for Irv, Nancy, and myself, that we may be sources of comfort, counsel, and positive energy. I’m praying that I may never stop thinking about tomorrow, but that I may keep my mind and heart here in the now, in my daily living. As always, I pray that God would use me and fill me with love so that I may, each day, spread this love to all. Dios te bendiga!

Paz y bendiciones,

Jerry

Truly a night for the record books!!!

PHILS WIN! PHILS WIN!! The Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series since 1980 (first in my lifetime, for sure). It's also only their second championship EVER! My home city, the City of Brotherly Love, is alive tonight!

This is truly a night that I will never forget. I left Elgin, IL this afternoon after bidding many of my close friends and former co-workers/fellow Brethren farewell. As we made our final descent into Philadelphia, I was thinking just how great it would be to fly into PHL right by Citizens Bank Park. Well, I was fortunate to have the window seat on the right side of the plane (16F). I looked out my small airplane window and saw the stadium, all lit-up, with fans ready to explode! Sure enough, less than 3 hours later, we now have our chance!

The irony of it all is that I, a die-hard Phillies Phanatic and lover of all Philadelphia sports, have been silent through it all. I lost my voice earlier today after talking to everyone during my whirlwind trip to Chicagoland. It was quite an experience. I wrote notes and cheers and disappointments down on a legal pad that my mom read aloud to my dad so that he knew what I was trying to express. I'll admit, at times it was a little frustrating. My parents didn't quite always understand my short-hand. Nevertheless, this is definitely one baseball game that I will never forget.

All of my grandparents were Phillies fans. Both of my parents have always told me about how their parents would listen to Phillies games on the radio. I know they'd all be happy and celebrating here with us right now. The last time the Phillies won the World Series was 1980, the year my parents got married. Tug McGraw was on the mound. He struck out Willie Wilson to phinish the Kansas City Royals. 28 years later... same result. The most dominant closer in the league, Brad Lidge, struck out Eric Hinske and the Fightin' Phils ended the Tampa Bay Rays World Series historic run.

103. This is the number of games that the Phillies won this year. Incredible. So much excitement! So much phun. This is Phantastic! This is good-night for me but certainly not for the city that gave birth to our country--Philadelphia.

CONGRATS PHILLIES AND ALL MY FELLOW PHILLY PHANATICS!!

Day 18... last night in a motel!

I never knew how beautiful eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina are until today. Dad and I split the less than five hour journey from Nashville over the Appalachians (pronounced "ap a lay shin" or "ap a latch in", depending on where you were brought up) and through the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains to Asheville. Asheville by the way is a pretty "cook" city as a friend of mine accurately portrayed it to me a while back! Upon our arrival, we ate Sunday dinner at Shoney's. I was my first time at a Shoney's since the last time I was in North Carolina--1995.

The rest of the day was pretty much spent watching football. The Eagles weren't on the local Fox station, so we were stuck watching the Cowgirls, as I used to call them when I was 8. Well, it turned out to be okay. The Eagles beat the 49ers, and the Cardinals stunned the Cowboys! It's always a good day when the Eagles win and the Cowboys lose. Unfortunately, our string of good luck ran out tonight: the Phillies lost pretty badly to the Dodgers. The series is now 2-1, Phils.

Highlights from today:

• Autumn foliage all around in the Blue Ridge Mountains
• Pumpkin pie blizzard for supper tonight
• 5, count 'em, 5 servings of Sweet Tea today

Tomorrow, I'll be driving the first 5 1/2 hours of our journey. We're headed up I-81 to the Shenendoah Valley! I'll be disembarking in Bridgewater, while my parents are continuing on to South Jersey. I'm pretty jazzed. This will be my first time in that area.

What a great trip it has been! I am thankful for lifetime memories and safe travels.

Day 17... Nashville Skyline

I felt it fitting to listen to one of Bob Dylan's most country-sounding albums, Nashville Skyline, today as we drove through the "Athens of the South". I love the sound of Bob's music on that album. It's so carefree and relaxing; soothing to the ears. I love Bob Dylan.

Unfortunately, we never made it to any of the hotspots in downtown Nashville. Exhausted, not from today's travel but the previous two days' travel, we arrived at our motel and relaxed. Dad and I watched some big college football games. Penn State won big tonight over Wisconsin. They remain undefeated! For dinner, we walked across the street to Cracker Barrel for the second straight night and the fourth time this trip. We hurried through the meal to get back to watch Penn State dominate the Badgers.

Tomorrow night will be our last night staying in a motel for a while. How will I ever live? Subtract the "N" from Nashville and add an "e", and that's where we're headed tomorrow: Asheville, NC.

Day 16... looooong travel day

After about 11 1/2 hours on the road, we arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas. Our trip, for the most part, was uneventful. It did, however, take us a little while to get out of Odessa this morning due to some confounding construction. The highlights of our journey:

• low price of gas was $2.79 a gallon just outside of Dallas
• Waffle House hit the spot and gave me Alice's Sweet Tea to-go
• We picked up the Phillies/Dodgers game on Espn Radio and were able to listen to the game for most of the ride
• Phils won, 8-5 and now lead the series, 2-0!!

Tomorrow we're only going as far as Nashville, TN. The 350 miles we have to travel tomorrow will seem like nothing following the 670 we did today. I am grateful for this time with my parents, no matter how interminable the car-rides have seemed.

Day 15... back on the road

After a final breakfast with Katie at Paradise Cafe, we left Tucson and headed for Texas. The drive was a little somber as we had to say hasta luego to Katie. It wasn't quite as sad for me because I will see Katie in ten days in Boston!

Our travels from Tucson to Odessa, Texas were very uneventful. Dad, Mom, and I had periods of good discussion about all kinds of topics. I drove two shifts and dad drove two. One of mine was 3 hours and 20 minutes. I hadn't drove that long straight through since going out to Juniata a few years ago. We covered around 620 miles today. The bad news, tomorrow we are hoping to go 640.

When we arrived in Odessa, the Phillies were trailing 2-0 to the Dodgers in the first game of the NL championship series. Within a few minutes of turning on the game in our motel room, Chase Utley hit a 2-run home run to tie the game. Two batters later, Pat Burrell hit a solo shot to take the lead! Brad Lidge came in to save the game in the 9th. The Phils won the first game of this series! It was a good way to relax after a long trip. Let's hope for the same result tomorrow, when the Phils play the Dodgers in Game 2.

Day 14 - Katie's birthday!!... day 8 in Tucson

Today it is Katie's birthday. We met her for breakfast at the usual time. We went to Breugger's Bagels. It was very good. We split a bagel bundle and shared some cream cheese. The best part is they had pumpkin spice coffee. I love when autumn rolls around and I can get pumpkin almost anything. After a great birthday breakfast with Katie, Mom, Dad, and I headed down to Tombstone. Upon our arrival, I felt as though we had stepped back a century. The first thing we saw in Tombstone was an historama on 19th century, Tombstone, AZ. The rest of the time there we walked around the small wild west town. We also got to see the building where the newspaper, the Tombstone Epitaph, was printed.

One of the coolest things about Tombstone was the O.K. Corral Museum. The Corral was the site of the infamous gunfight which took place between Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and company and the Clanton brothers and some friends. They had life-size representations of the eight men involved at the scene of where the gunfight occurred. There was an audio commentary that gave an account of what really took place on October 26, 1881.

Once we got back to Tucson, we cleaned out a lot of papers from the car and began to pack up our things in the motel room. Tomorrow we hit the road again. Our first stop on our trip back is in Odessa, Texas.

After Katie finished her classes, we went to Sweet Tomatoes for the second straight Wednesday. This time, we went to celebrate Katie's 26th birthday. We had a great time. In addition to the food being plentiful, fresh, and savory, the atmosphere was wonderful. I think it was one of the best meals that we've had together.

After the meal, we came back to the motel so that Katie could open up some presents. We all relaxed and enjoyed watching some of Mr. Deeds and the Daily Show and Colbert Report. This time together as a family has been very special. I look forward to when we will have time like this again. I love my family very much.

Day 13 - day 7 in Tucson

After a full night's rest, I was ready to start another day in Tucson. We picked up Katie at a local farmer's market where she volunteers each Tuesday morning. It was a pretty cool market, located in South Tucson a.k.a. "Little Mexico". I walked over to where Katie was vending some local produce and heard almost exclusively, Spanish conversations. It's great that Katie is able to do some good volunteer work while using her Spanish skills.

After dropping off Katie at her apartment, Mom, Dad, and I went to the Arizona State Museum. This place was great. It's located right in the middle of the U of A campus. In addition to its stellar location, it does a tremendous job covering the history of the American Indians of the Southwest. As Dad commented, "it's a half-day museum". We only spent 2 hours there. Needless to say, we didn't see everything or spend as much time as we should have on some exhibits.

Then we had a nice lunch at Marie Callender's. Since we knew we would be eating relatively early in the evening, we just had the soup and salad bar. Later for dinner, for the second straight day we arrived at a restaurant only to find that it was closed. Yesterday we tried to eat at Caruso's, an Italian restaurant in the downtown of Tucson. Caruso's is open every day except Monday. Today, it was Mi Nidito, a Mexican restaurant in South Tucson. We got there after much debate (we were warming up for tonight's event) over where to go to dinner, only to find that Mi Nidito is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. What are the odds that two days in a row we would go to two different restaurants and be turned away from both on account of them being closed during the week. I guess, being from the East coast, we just aren't accustomed to things being closed at all. We wound up going to Lovin' Spoonfulls, an entirely vegan restaurant in Tucson. It was delicious. They had the most amazing spiced iced tea. I had around 3 glasses of it since it was so good. I think we all enjoyed our meals. Dad and I got the special: sweet 'n sour "chicken". Katie got some stuffed pasta dish. Mom got tomato basil soup and spring rolls. I really enjoyed the ambience of that restaurant.

After dinner, I went to La Aldea (name of her apartment community) to watch the 2nd Presidential debate. They had sugar cookies and punch for those in attendance: blue icing(Obama), red icing (McCain), and no icing (undecided). I thought it was a unique idea. At the end of the debate, there were a lot of McCain cookies left. Judging by that "cookie poll" I'd say that Obama has a commanding lead among likely voters in La Aldea of the University of Arizona (located in McCain's state!). After the debate, Katie and I hurried over to where her Tuesday night bible study meets. It was nice to meet some new people and see some familiar faces that I had just met, again. Katie baked banana bread WITH sugar since she knew I was coming to Arizona and knows how much I love her banana bread. It was stupendous. We all enjoyed some at the conclusion of bible study.

I can't believe that we only have one more full day left in Tucson. It's a big day, though. It's Katie's birthday!

On the 12th day of our trip - day 6 in Tucson

Today started off great. This is probably because I had a nice balanced breakfast. We picked up Katie and went to the Paradise Cafe for the second time since coming to Tucson. It's a nice little place with fair trade coffee. After a laid-back breakfast, we dropped Katie off right in front the building where her office is located.

Mom, Dad, and I continued on to Grease Monkey to get an oil change for the Cherokee. While there, Jon called me. I filled him in on what's been happening, and we talked politics for a little while. Then we ran some other errands. We went to CVS for a few things. We went to the public library to return some books. Then Mom went to Bath and Body Works while Dad and I looked for a place to eat lunch. Afterward, Mom and I went into Michael's. I got something for the birthday gift that I got Katie. I won't say what it is right now in the off chance that Katie will somehow read this before I give her the gift.

We ate lunch at a diner located right across the street from our motel. Then Mom, Dad, and I spent the afternoon in the motel. I called Elgin to talk to Jan Thompson about some DR stuff. Once Katie had finished class, we picked her up and went to Beyond Bread for dinner. This place is a lot like Panera Bread. I really enjoyed the sandwich that I had.

The four of us spent the rest of the night in the motel room. We watched August Rush and marveled at the feel-goodness of Hollywood. Today was another good day. We have two full days in Tucson left. I know we will make them count.

Day 11 - day 5 in Tucson

So I'm really starting to get a feel for Tucson now. I know this because I no longer need our GPS when getting around this town. I've been doing a fair amount of navigating this trip, and for the most part, I've had pretty much success.

Today is Worldwide Communion Sunday. The four of us went to Shalom Mennonite Fellowship, where Katie has been attending since moving out here. It was really nice; so many nice people in the congregation. We had met some of them at Katie's party on Friday night. Dad and I attended the men's Sunday school class. I was the youngest by at least 30 years. Mom and Katie went to the women's Sunday school class. The church service was nice and reminded me very much of a typical Brethren service. We had communion since it is one of the two times a year that we take communion.

After the service, we went to Sushi Garden for lunch. It was very good. That was only my third time ever having sushi. Then we took a drive down to the old Spanish presidio (fort) of Tubac. This was quite a fascinating place. I learned a whole lot about the history of the area in the 1700s. There was a neat walking tour around the remains of the fort. We also got a good education in herbology and gastronomy of the time period. On the way back from Tubac, we were stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Control. We never left Arizona and entered Mexico. We didn't even come within 30 miles of Mexico, yet for some reason they had us stop and a security guard took one look at the four of us and said, "have a nice weekend." Now that was a little unsettling for me. This officer let us go after simply seeing that we were white, while he himself, looked Hispanic. I was tempted to say "Gracias, Dios te bendiga" just to see what he would do. I have personal qualms about this border protection. I don't like the message we are sending our neighbors to the south.

Later that evening, Katie and I went to a bluegrass jam session. This was really cool. It was totally informal and free, yet top-notch as far as live bluegrass music goes. I especially loved the mandolinist and steel guitarist. Afterward, we went to Coldstone to get some ice cream and chat. Katie got pumpkin and cake batter, while I got pumpkin and marshmallow. It was de-lish.

Another good, full day in Tucson. My hope is that we all really enjoy and treasure the last few days we have here together.

10th day of trip - 4th day in Tucson

Saturday morning came awfully early after a short night's sleep. We had a pretty busy morning. Our first stop was the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, located just outside of Tucson. It was really cool. Our tour guide, Howard, was extremely knowledgeable (as most tour guides should be) about all of the Sonoran flora and fauna. We got to see wildlife ranging from the Mexican wolf to the western screech owl. The area was filled with native vegetation. We couldn't walk more than a few feet without seeing the giant Saguaro (pronounced suh w-are-o) cacti and many kinds of yuccas and agaves. It was a great museum. I think we all enjoyed our time there and learned quite a bit, too.

Our next stop was the Saguara National Park. We didn't spend a whole lot of time there since it was around lunchtime. But we did get to see the presentation, Voices in the Desert. It was a nice, short visit to a park where I'm sure we could have spent all day. The views were fantastic.

Later on, we took naps and reconvened for dinner. We went to a Mexican place where Katie's advisor plays in a mariachi band. The food and music were great. They played "Las Mananitas" for Katie's birthday, as well as "De Colores" and "Cielito Lindo". The name of the restaurant is Las Cazuelitas. They also served some of the best 'agua de horchata' that I've had in my life. It was a nice meal, and we all had a nice time together.

The low points of the day: The Phils lost to the Brewers. Still though, they lead 2-1 in the series; Katie fell while running this afternoon and scraped knee; The Cubbies got knocked out of the playoffs today as the Dodgers completed the sweep.

A few more days in Tucson left. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to spend some more time with Katie so that she and I can talk and catch up.

Day 9 - Tucson day 3

This morning we met up with Katie and went to the Gallery in the Sun. This collection of the life works of Ted de Grazia is located just off of the U of A campus. It was really neat. De Grazia's works looked oddly familiar. His style, although simplistic, evokes a lot of emotion and thought from the person appreciating his art. I was particularly impressed by his oil on canvas paintings. It really makes me want to learn how to paint. I have a great appreciation for art and yearn to find more avenues by which I can express myself artistically.

In the afternoon, Dad and I sat in on Katie's class. Her class was optional due to it being Friday afternoon at the start of Parents' Weekend. Therefore, it was more like a small seminar than a freshman composition class. Only three of her students attended the class. It was really good though. It reminded me how much I enjoy the stimulation of analyzing and discussing literature. I can definitely see myself back in the classroom sometime in the future. I feel like I'd be a much different student with a much changed perspective on learning. It was also great to see Katie in action. She's got such a gift for teaching. It's really quite a remarkable thing to see.

Later, Dad and I picked up Mom at the motel and brought her back to campus. We met up with Katie watched one of her suitemates perform a dance routine on the mall in the center of campus. There were lots of booths set up, selling food and beverages, and promoting their organizations. Then Mom, Dad, and I had some time to kill, so we went to the University bookstore and sat around and talked.Before too long, it was time to head over to La Aldea (Katie's apartment community) to set up for Katie's coffeehouse/party. It was a lot of fun. I think at one point, there were about 40 people there. The birthday soiree was held in the community room (or lounge) of La Aldea. So many people of so many different backgrounds, ages, and walks of life converged at Katie's party. It really speaks volumes about my sister that so many people from different social circles who know her came to celebrate and have a cup of Joe and some cookies. There were people there from Shalom Menonnite Church, her department at the U of A (Linguistics), GCF (Graduate Christian Fellowship), and some Iraqi refugees that the GCF is sponsoring. The coffeehouse was a huge success. Mom, Dad, and I felt really good about it as we were coming back to the motel tonight. I only hope that Katie feels the same way. She's got a lot of people around her here who care deeply for her. It's reassuring to meet a handful of these great people and know that there is plenty of support for her in Tucson.

8th day - Tucson day 2

When we woke up this morning, it was a cool 85 degrees. That temperature didn't hold for long. It was in the mid-90s before lunchtime. We met Katie in front of her apartment complex and went to breakfast at Paradise Cafe. It's a pretty cool place. It's a lot like a Panera Bread. Then we went to Mission San Xavier del Bac just south of Tucson. It really reminded me of the dozens of cathedrals I visited in Mexico. After that we ran a few errands. Then Katie had class. Mom, Dad, and I grabbed some lunch at Johnny Rocket's. Dad and I had specialty cokes; he had cherry and I had vanilla, respectively. The big story of the afternoon happened some 2500 miles from here in South Philly. Citizens Bank Park erupted today as the Fightins (Phillies) went ahead 2-0 in the series against the Brew Crew. Shane Victorino hit a grand slam off the reigning Cy Young winner, C.C. Sabathia, in the bottom of the 2nd inning. The Phils won 5-2. Unfortunately, my other national league team, the Cubbies, lost their second straight. They now trail the Dodgers, 0-2 in the series.

After Katie's class ended, Dad and I went to pick her up. We went to a local farmers' market where Katie purchased some fruit. It was really nice to go there and see it. I think buying local is a conscious decision that a lot of people make but a lot more really should make. We picked up some pizzas at Magpies, voted best pizza of Tucson! The idea was to bring home the pizzas and watch the VP debate. Well, we only made it back in time to see the last 15 minutes.

Afterward, we had some important family time. If there's one thing that I'm realizing, it's that it's critical to be open and honest with family. No matter what may be happening, we should always know that we can talk to each other. I'm so fortunate to have the family that I do. Even though we are quite often far apart, geographically, we are always near in each other's hearts. I'm excited about the remaining time we have together here in Tucson, heat and all.

Day 7 - Three's company... four's family.

Reunited and it feels so good. Mom, Dad, and I arrived in Tucson this afternoon to see Katie just before her classes. Mom attended both of her classes that she taught today. Then Katie had a class of her own. After that, the FOUR of us went to Sweet Tomatoes for our first meal together as a family since Annual Conference. It was really great. After all, that is the whole reason we made the long journey out here. It hit 101 degrees Farenheit today in Tucson. Fortunately there is no humidity here.

Earlier today, we left beautiful Sedona and started down toward Tucson. We stopped in Black Canyon City at Rock Springs Cafe for breakfast. We had a nice time with a classmate of my mom's from high school. It was good meeting him and his wife. Breakfast was also good.

So great being here with my whole family!

Day 6 - day 2 in Sedona

So I think some people stumbled across a goldmine here in Northern Arizona, some years back. Walt Disney lived here and got the inspiration for Mickey Mouse from a prickly pear cactus. I can see how it's easy to be inspired in Sedona. Just take one look at those radiant red rocks and you are hooked. This morning started with a nice, reflective hike on one of the hundreds of trails in the Sedona area. It was a pretty easy hike--only about 2 1/2 hours. The best thing about it was the flora. I saw so much vegetation that I had never seen before. Plus, there were some pretty awesome views at the top of the hill. Later on, we took a ride on a scenic loop road just outside of Sedona. Then we went downtown to walk around and shop a little. When we got back, Dad and I went swimming in the pool and jacuzzi. It felt refreshing and relaxing. Our day was capped off by a dinner at a nice restaurant with spectacular views. I am certainly going to miss Sedona.

Tomorrow... Tucson... and Katie!!

5th day of trip - arrival in Arizona!

It was a relatively short drive from Albuquerque to Northern Arizona. Before I knew it, we were pulling into a Cracker Barrel in Flagstaff. After lunch, we made our way down to Sedona. We stopped to check out some pretty awesome vistas on the way. Our string of good luck continued when we were able to check into our room early. Dad and I went on a Pink Jeep Tour of the red rocks of Sedona. The specific tour we did was the Scenic Rim tour. It took about 2 hours. It was so much fun and offered spectacular views of the landscape around Sedona. This is seriously one of the most beautiful places I've seen. Dad and I both really enjoyed the Jeep tour. Tomorrow morning I'm going on a hike, first thing. It's a more advanced hike, so hopefully I'll be okay. I'm looking forward to that and doing some swimming and relaxing tomorrow.

It feels good to finally be in Arizona. 5 days ago, we left Pennsylvania. Somehow, 2400 or so miles later, we find ourselves in Arizona. The trip out here went really well. I hope the trip home will be the same if not better.

4th day of trip - Albuquerque, NM

I think I finally spelled Albuquerque correctly. It only took me about three tries and two days, but I think I got it. Anyway, Albuquerque is where we're spending our last night before arriving in Arizona. We drove slightly more miles than yesterday; so over 500. Fortunately, the speed limits were high again, so we made great time. For lunch we stopped at an A&W Root Beer/Long John Silver's. It was an interesting combination. I was glad that we stopped at those chain restaurants instead of going to McDonald's which was located right at the end of the ramp of the exit off the interstate. We had to drive a little further down the road to find an alternative to the king of fast food. For dinner on the other hand, fast food was simply not a viable option. We found a great Thai restaurant. I really love Thai food. It's probably my favorite cuisine; right up there with Mexican. We made it back to the motel to watch the Eagles game. They lost to the Bears. It was a close game, but the Bears wanted it more. Oh well. I can't really complain that much. The Phillies clinched the NL East yesterday for the second straight year. Penn State won defeated Illinois last night to remain undefeated.

Tomorrow, we have a short drive--350 miles--to Sedona, AZ. Finally, we'll be staying in a place for more than one night. I'm looking forward to that as well as picturesque scenery, laundry, a swimming pool, and maybe even a jacuzzi.

Day 3 - Oklahoma City, (I'm not gonna tell you which state)

Once again, nothing to eventful on the road today. Probably the most exciting thing was the 75 mph speed limit we encountered in Oklahoma. It was 70 most of the time in Mizzou and Oklahoma, but then we got a real treat. We drove about 500 miles total. These car rides are beginning to go more quickly. Maybe I'm just insane now, but 200 miles to drive before stopping for lunch, no longer seems that far. I think it's all relative. I remember when 100 miles seemed like a lot. And 3 hours in the car seemed like a full day. Well, those days are gone.

We have one more big day of travel followed a single night stay in Albuerquerque before heading to Sedona, AZ where we will spend two nights. It's really is neat to see so much of the U.S. I definitely recommend crossing the country by car or train or bus, when possible. Not that the troposphere isn't absolutely enthralling, 'cause it is. You just get a much better view of the landscape from ground level. We're all pretty tired tonight after a short night's sleep last night. Time to make up for missed sleep and prepare for one more big travel day before a break.

Day 2 - Meet me in St. Louis

After 420 uneventful miles driving across Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, we arrived in Collinsville, IL. Collinsville is located about 10 miles from St. Louis. Once we arrived, we had a few hours of time to rest before the ball game. We saw the Cardinals defeat the Reds. It was a pretty exciting game. Albert Pujols, a native of Santo Domingo (my future home), hit a 2-run home run. It was a good night all around in baseball. The Fish defeated the Mets and my Phillies swatted the Nats. We changed time zones today. Back in good old Central Time. So it feels kind of late now, but I'm still going to watch some of the replay of the Presidential debate tonight. We're off tomorrow morning around the same time as today after a complimentary breakfast from Days Inn. We're Oklahoma City bound!

First stop--Columbus, Ohio

Today my parents and I left Southeastern PA quite early in the morning, thus kicking off our westwardly trek across the country. We arrived in Columbus at around 3:30 pm after driving around 450 miles. We visited with my cousin Josh and ate at Don Pablo's. It was great seeing him and catching up with my cuz. Josh has just started graduate school, both his own studies and teaching a freshman writing course. We're only here in Columbus for one night. Tomorrow, we're on our way to St. Louis. I'm excited to have this opportunity to travel with my parents and see new places. Our ultimate destination is Tucson, AZ to visit my sister, Katie. She is a first-year grad student at the University of Arizona. I can't wait to see her and spend about a week in Tucson.

Community, part 2

I absolutely love the community that I have this year in Elgin. I live in a house with five other people. So, my immediate community is composed of five others, committed to the same type of work as me--volunteering. However, I don't think it is necessarily due to us working at the same place from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., that makes our community so closeknit. I think it is deeper than that.

We all look out for each other. We are all genuinely interested in what each and every one of us is doing. Yes, perhaps in sharing groceries and household responsibilities, we are made closer to one another, but I would argue this is not automatic. I don't think you can just plant six young adults in a communal living environment, for whatever reasons, and expect them to form and grow a successful community. I think it has taken willingness from each of us.

However, I also do not think that in order for people to live communally, they all need to be sharing the same income and food. I think these things help. But I think that people are connected by more than how much they earn and sharing food. It is conceivable, in my mind, to have people living together for the soul purpose of living together; people strongly committed to struggling and growing together. I feel like that is the essence of communities.

Why is living in community so darn appealing!?

Okay, seriously, I had no intention of this once-a-month blogging. I really was being facetious. But in my defense, I have been extremely tied up as of late.

I spent the first week in March in the Caribbean. I had two onsite visits; one in Castaner, Puerto Rico and one in St. Croix. Then once I got back, I had a ton of work waiting for me. Then last Sunday, all of us in BVS , stateside, began our mid-year retreat. Actually, the retreat unofficially started on Saturday afternoon when volunteers from all over began streaming into our house in Elgin. So we did the only logical thing... host a massive ice cream party.

On Sunday, after attending church at Highland Avenue CoB, we went to Dickson Valley Camp, for an absolutely wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable retreat. It was so nice to be detached from my e-mail, cell phone, and work. It really made me want, more than ever, to look into viable options for living in community with whomever shares the same value of communal living.

So the proverbial question is, why is living in community so darn appealing? I think the simple answer to this incredibly complex question was answered by my fellow BVSers who live in the BVS house in our nation's capital: "Together we make a stronger whole." I truly feel that this is why living in community is attractive to me. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama put it: "... Living in a community is rather like living in an enormous family that meets our needs." But is this style of living really practical in today's society? What does this really look like in practice?

Sort of related, are the other big things on my mind currently: (1) What is that which without, I couldn't possibly live? (2) When am I happiest in life?

So long, February

You know, if I wake up early enough, I have easily enough time to write before heading to work. I don't know if I can manage this everyday, but it is nice every once in a while.

Time not only flies when you're having fun, it flies when you're super busy at work. For the life of me I cannot figure out where February has gone. Granted, I did have a couple of short trips this month: one for work and one for play. But it really doesn't seem that long ago since Katie was here visiting Elgin and Chicago before going back to Brazil to finish her volunteer work in Campo Limpo, Sao Paulo.

Two weeks ago I went out to the Pacific Northwest for a Men's Retreat at Camp Myrtlewood. Even that doesn't seem like it happened two weeks ago. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience. I met people from so many walks of life and allowed the retreat to serve its purpose: relax and renew me. Camp director, John Jones, told me that the only thing we all have is time. He added that the most important thing concerning time is how we spend it. Throughout the weekend I spoke with lots of people on a variety of topics--each assisting me with discerning my vocation. I still have a long way to go, but I'm beginning to feel myself being drawn toward certain life choices and career paths.

As you saw in my last post, I've just reached the halfway point in my year of service. I've got just under six months until I move out of this house in Elgin and embark on another transition. Roughly half of a year left in Illinois, and the biggest thing about which I will be thinking is how I'm spending this time. I am very fortunate to work with and live with people who foster quality time alone and in community.

Just because it is almost March, it doesn't mean that Spring will be arriving anytime soon... at least not here in Chicagoland.

Morning Edition

I'm trying something new. I'm trying to squeeze in a post before leaving for work. I've never done this before, mainly because I rarely have the time to sit down and write on my computer in the morning. But today I had plenty of time. After I got dressed, I had so much time that I was able to watch the second half of an episode of The West Wing to which I fell asleep last night. I've suddenly begun weaning myself from that show--well not entirely. But yesterday was the first day in a while that I went without watching any entire episodes. I had every intention on watching that episode last night and then going to bed, but I was just too tired.

The big thing on my mind lately is this notion of following one's heart. I think I will be thinking about this for quite some time. I have been in Elgin exactly six months to the day. I got here August 27, just before my birthday. I have roughly six months left, with lots more to do before I move out of this house and transition to where my heart is leading me. I've gotten a whole lot better at enjoying the moment and not worrying too much about the future but that doesn't preclude thinking about the future and dreaming a little. I can think about what I'd like to do after my year of service ends, but I won't decide until that time comes. 'Cause if there is one hard lesson that I've learned about plans (which is probably also a fact of life), it's that they change. What I'm thinking and dreaming and aspiring to be today may be completely different a few weeks or months from now--perhaps even a few days from now. I guess this is the time when I really need to dig deep. I need to look beneath the surface and get down to the root of myself. I need to concentrate on those things that have been with me for a long time, through thick and thin. I know they are there, somewhere in my heart. Now, I just need to be patient, listen, and learn to follow my heart.

Down to one post a month, I guess

It's been quite some time since the last time I blogged. I vowed I would not let this happen, but I guess I underestimated the power of Aaron Sorkin's television prowess. Shortly after seeing Charlie Wilson's War, a new movie for which Sorkin did the screenplay, I had to continue to satisfy my need to see more of his works. The West Wing, of course, is the reason why I have been distracted from my blog.

So besides the Bartlet Administration, lots of other things have been on my mind. I plan on dedicating the next several posts to discuss some of these hot topics.

Integrity NOW!

I realize it's now been four days since my last post, but a lot has happened since then. Just when I thought I was going to try to be a Pennsylvania delegate for Dennis Kucinich, I received word on Thursday that he planned to announce his official withdrawal from the Presidential race on Friday. This news crushed me. I felt as though it crushed me more than anyone else. I really had no reason to take it so personally. I've never actually met Dennis. I did have the privilege of visiting his office in the Rayburn House Building this past December. He was not present, but I did get to meet some of the people who work for him. I've been supporting Dennis all the way. I have believed in him since I knew he was running again for President of the United States. That conviction had convinced me to tell everyone that I know about Dennis and why he would be the best choice for the next President. In his concession speech on Friday, Dennis explained that he was dropping out of the race, not because of funds or disinterest in running for President, but because his re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives is in jeopardy because he is being attacked by corporate interests in Cleveland.

I have been called the Conscience of the Democratic Party. Our
efforts will involve a call to conscience. A call to integrity.

To those who supported this campaign with their energies and with their hearts, I want you to know that we are transitioning the Presidential campaign into a national movement based on integrity and based on practical ways in which we can affect policies at local and national levels. I am no longer running for President, but I am intent on saving our nation from the destruction of our economic hopes and from the destruction of our Constitution.

And all of the energies of all of the people who have been involved in this campaign will be transitioned into a new, national effort to regain control of our government, which seems more and more inaccessible. We are calling that effort “Integrity Now”, and there is a website – http://www.integritynow.org/ -- where we can begin to channel all of that enthusiasm and that commitment from people just like you, and just like me, so we can take positive steps to do what we know is right and in the best interests of this nation.

So let us begin again, here, today, in Cleveland, Ohio, with a renewed effort to be of service to our community and to our nation. Let us re-focus on what we can do and what we must do, here at home, in Washington, and all across this country to end the war, rebuild this nation, restore truth and justice and integrity to our government. Let’s make the American dream more than a dream. Let’s make it a reality.

~ Dennis J. Kucinich 1/25/08

I was extremely moved by these excerpts from his speech. I especially love the way he talks about the American Dream which consists of ending the war, rebuilding the nation, and restoring truth and justice and integrity to our government. I honestly can't understand why more people don't want this. For some time now, I have thought a great deal about redefining the American Dream to one that does not include self-prosperity and wealth, but individual liberties and the true pursuit of happiness. I guess there are a lot of things that I don't understand about my fellow Americans. But I think that's a fact of life. We aren't always going to understand things. So I think the important thing is to make efforts to understand--by working together, listening to differing opinions, and striving to coexist.

The invaluableness in watching quality television communally

Well tonight is a bit bittersweet. My housemates and I just finished our whirlwind viewing of the entire series of NBC's most controversial prime-time television drama, Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip. I bought the series, consisting of only one season, with some Christmas money without ever having seen it in its entirety. My roommate and best friend, Jon, and I watched the first 5 or 6 episodes as they aired in the fall of 2006. We tried to spread the buzz about the show, but none of our friends really cared for it when we tried to watch the pilot episode with them. I guess, Studio 60 couldn't compete with the likes of House, M.D., The Office, or Grey's Anatomy, even though Jon and I regarded it as the best show on television last year (and we didn't even watch it all the way through). I'm not exactly sure as to why we lost interest in the show. I think we just started to get lazy. We were taping each episode and watching them later that same night. Then we stopped taping it all together. So I started watching the show again this past fall, from the beginning when my housemate Monica told me that she was borrowing it from the library. She was so eager to see what the show was about, she watched the first 8 or so episodes. But, she didn't mind going back to the beginning when I had requested to start them over again. We asked around and invited others with whom we live, if they wanted to watch--no takers at the time. Well, I was just as hooked as before, if not more. We watched the first 3, then called it a night. I asked if I could borrow the series to catch up to her. So, I didn't call it a night. I watched 3 more episodes that night. I never got a chance to watch any more before it had to be returned to the library... until, I bought the show on DVD just before Christmas. I decided to wait. I really showed some restraint. I have no clue why I didn't just throw the second disc in where I had left off and breezed through the series. Nevertheless, I waited until after Christmas break when I was back in Elgin. I watched 5 more episodes on my own, since Monica couldn't wait for me to return to watch the rest of the season. I got to episode 12, and felt like watching it out in our living room. Well, two of my housemates, Beth and Bekah expressed interest in watching it. We got a few minutes into that episode, and I decided I can't let them come into the season over halfway through. I popped in the first disc... thus began our one week viewing of Studio 60.

It ended tonight, as we watched the final four episodes. No, I'm not going to tell you what happened. Go buy the series! Or, if you are economically disadvantaged like me, try to borrow it from a public library, rent it at a video store, or borrow it from me sometime. The culmination of this week is bittersweet. The bitter aspect is because it's over. There are no more episodes. This is sad for me because I will no longer be able to experience something that I have loved. It is as if they discontinued your favorite ice cream flavor or flavor of soda. Yeah, sure there will always be more flavors from which you can choose, but none will ever quite be the same as your favorite which you will never taste again. The anticipated cancellation of Studio 60 is hitting me 8 months after it occurred.

But the sweet taste that lingers in my being has to do with the whole experience of watching the series. Some questions come to mind: WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE CANCELLED?, What was different this time when I asked people if they'd be interested in watching it? Would I have enjoyed it so much if I had just watched it by myself?

The first question is for NBC to answer. I can speculate, but only they truly have an answer to that question. I'm not sure why this time was different. Bekah, Beth, and I watched the first four episodes the first night we started watching. I was already hooked, but then I got the two of them in one swipe. Dana, another housemate of mine, also joined us on several occasions. She had already seen the series, as she watched them as they were aired the previous year. Even Sharon, another housemate, joined us for a few including the final episode. There's no way I would have enjoyed the series had I been content with watching the episodes by myself. I love doing certain things on my own: reading, playing the guitar/piano, sleeping, bike riding, blogging, etc. But so much of the allure in watching a few episodes nightly had to do with the company. It brought back memories of when Jon and I watched the early episodes together in our apartment on the campus of Juniata last year.

The whole experience, even though it lasted only a week, was quite invaluable. It will be difficult to emulate the connection and greater sense of community that was felt when we would all come together at the dinner table and have the same thing on our minds: "let's eat quickly, then watch Studio 60". This message of community speaks much louder to me than the content of any television program. It is yet another example, in my contemporary life, of why living in community with others is a great way to live. I understand that it is easier to live in community with others when I am actually sharing the same house as several other people, but I hope I don't lose sight of the significance of spending some quality time and sharing my life with other well-intentioned people.

Next item of business: find some other evening activity that will bring us together again, that we may continue to grow in this community of love.

Well, I couldn't hold out any longer. They've got me. I guess I could only read so many blogs of my friends and family before it was high time that I started one of my own--but for real this time. Technically this is my second attempt at a blog. The first was for my Nonviolence: Theory and Practice class in my last semester at Juniata College in the Spring of 2007. I know judging by this blog title, you may think you have entered the wrong blog, but I assure you, this is one is the real deal. I am keeping my other blog as a reference in case anyone who might read this would care to discuss the efficacy of nonviolence.

So, about the title. Surprisingly, it didn't take me all that long to come up with a fitting title for this new blog (surprising indeed, because all of you who know me, know just how bad of a decision-maker I am). All you movie buffs, especially of the 1990s 2-star Disney movie variety, immediately recognized the reference to Cool Runnings. I found this to be an appropriate title of my blog for two reasons: 1) I am a big fan of the movie and loved the Jamaican bobsled team under the tutelage of their sled-god, immortalized by John Candy and 2) These four words speak deeply to many aspects of my life...

So according to my high school basketball coach and I'm sure some other famous person, "life is a journey, not a destination". Lately, I've been entertaining this notion that life truly is a journey. So if life is a journey, and "Peace be the Journey", ergo peace be the life... or perhaps, peace be life... life of peace... peaceful living... am I close!? I guess it really all comes down to semantics at this point. It doesn't matter how you say it. The two cannot be separated. It is my hope that we will all start to live how we truly ought to live... peacefully.

A lot of things have influenced my feelings about this way of living. However, right now I would like to pay homage to one person who has very greatly had an impact on the way I, as well as countless others view the world--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I am dedicating this entry to the the great pioneer of Civil Rights through nonviolence in the United States, during the tumultuous years of the 1950s and 1960s. When I hear the words "peace be the journey", after my thoughts go immediately to Cool Runnings with Derice and Sanka, they arrive at Martin Luther King. For MLK, truly embodied the concept, "peace be the journey".