Everyday together...

My sweet, wonderful, loving, kind, gentle, and fun puppy (mas o menos) died a few days before I left for London.  This was a very, very sad day for the Holt (and extended) family.  He was a month shy of his 16th birthday, so of course it wasn't unexpected.  He died with my mom petting him (getting pets was his goal in life) on the patio of the house on the Oregon Coast and I was on the phone.  I'm thankful that it was before I left for my trip, that I was able to be on the phone and a part of it, and that we didn't have to make a decision for him.

Here is our announcement:

He was a birthday present for me when I turned 11, but he quickly became a full fledged member of the Holt family loved by all, often acting like a little brother to her.  After I left home, he was a great companion for my empty nester parents.  Mom never really wanted a dog, but they shared a love of spending time outside dinking around so she became his favorite and he followed her everywhere!  Dad loved that we could take him on hikes- even carrying his own overnight bag!  I had the opportunity to have him with her for a summer in Chicago that she is very thankful for.

Casper really was the best dog.  He was quiet and relaxed in the home, enjoying our company.  When he was outside, he would love to run around and have fun (although he couldn't care less about a ball being thrown, which we didn't mind).  He had his quirks, but we loved him for it!  In the last couple of years, he has become a world traveler- going to Canada, Mexico, and almost all over the US.

Some favorite memories:

- Mom: "You got a dog that can't walk?!"  Casper was neutered right before we picked him up and he couldn't walk from the anesthesia, Mom was not impressed.

- Random guy on Bainbridge:"Well, hello Casper.  You always know it's spring when Casper gets his haircut."  Casper was such a good dog that he was able to run around the neighborhood and greet walkers.

- On hikes he would run ahead of us, then run back down to make sure we were still there, then run ahead again.

- I would be outside "shooting hoops" or whatever and Mom would let Casper out to be with her, but she would sometimes protest and Mom would say "Just let your little brother play with you for a bit."

- Casper will never waste an opportunity for a pet.  You could be standing there minding your own business and Casper would see your free hand and come nudge his nose under it and before you knew it, he was getting his pets!

- Mom and me: "Some people say their dogs can tell if you're not a good person, well we think if you don't like Casper, you're probably not a very good person."

- Cousin pictures around Casper with Mom's family at Christmas 2010.

We are thankful that he was a part of our family for so long and we hope he has been a blessing to you as well.

He was always Casper the friendly dog, now he can be Casper the friendly ghost!

As much as I love collages, Casper deserves his own VIDEO!  These are only the digital photos we have, none of the old film photos.

My (friend's) fancy house in London Town

Wow, what a week!!  I was sad to see the week that I thought would never end come to a close.  I like to sum up my week in England for Betsy's wedding by saying it was crazy- the majority being amazing crazy, but a few moments of crazy crazy.  I'm beyond happy that I was fortunate enough to be a part of this experience and don't regret one penny spent.  You know, money comes and goes, but friendships are forever for me.
I got to Betsy's "flat" (apartment) on Saturday afternoon, just over 24 hours after leaving my house in Alamosa.  Luckily I was able to sleep a bit on the plane as we had our first night of fun right away!  Oh man, it was so good to be back with my go-to girls for having fun in the city!  We really know how to have a good time no matter where we are or what we're doing.
We spent a lot of time with Betsy and Patrick's parents, who are all amazing people and became our parents for the week.  As for friends, it was mainly me and Cora (the maid of honor) and Patrick's 2 best friends, Andrey and Jim, for the week.  In between tourist activities, there was eating, drinking, dancing, and general merriment for all!  Destination weddings can be a little intense and crazy, but it was so great to really get to know the important people in the lives of the bride and groom.  All the wedding guests (about 25 people) spent the weekend together in a house in the countryside (you can be jealous here), we were one big happy family!  When we all said our good-byes on Sunday night, people were tearing up.  It really was a special time with only people who are important to the bride and groom (no random coworker you feel obligated to invite!).

I'm grateful to Betsy and Patrick for allowing me to crash at their place all week.  I'm grateful for their families' generosity and hospitality.  I'm grateful to my parents for helping me out.  I'm grateful for time spent getting to know friends better.  I'm grateful to know people that truly love.

Now, I have about 1,200 photos from the weekend, so I've made a few collages of various things....

I'm a tourist again!

Nights out with the girls!!

Nights in with the family!

The grounds of one of the most beautiful houses

The inside of the house

Having fun with the old house

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding Day!!

Here are 2 special photos I want to share:

We made up a game on the Billiard table called Skuddle... um, best. game. EVER!!

Patrick's dad, Tata... maybe the best dance of my life?  Sooo fun!!

By the Way

Ahhh... it's been so long!  I'm sorry!

This week I'll be working on a few blogs, I promise!  There is a lot to share from the past month (especially the last week I spent in London) and you will be kept in the loop.

Thanks for checking in and please come back soon for some fun photos and deep thoughts!

Out on the open water

It's been one year since I've arrived in the valley.  wow.  I realized, through my great recordkeeping on my iCal, that it was almost exactly 2 years ago that I decided I need to leave Chicago.  I remember going out to brunch with a large group after church and I sat there thinking "Oh my goodness, I am bored out of my mind... if I don't leave soon, will I ever be able to??"  I can't remember what we were talking about or even where we were, but it gave me the revelation that this is not the place or life for me.

While I'm not changing the world, it's good to know that I'm doing some good for at least one community.  And, that even my free time isn't so selfish.  It's all about community.  It has been a good year, hard, but good.  The San Luis Valley really is a beautiful place (even if it doesn't look like it!) that is filled with people who are often ignored by others, but supported in this community.  I love that I already know about half the people out here and work often bumps into personal life.

Since it's the end of one year for me, that means it's the end and beginning of another term!  Ben left last week, he was a great member of the house, he will be missed!  We have two new volunteers with us now: Asha and Sarah.  Asha came in the beginning of July, she's from Indiana and went to Grinnel College in Iowa, and she's working at Tu Casa (support for women in abusive relationships).  Sarah came at the end of July, she's from Fresno, CA, and went to UC Berkley, she's working at PALS (a program for at risk youth, where Chloe worked).  I think it's going to be a good year.

That also means... a year till I try to move back to Seattle!!

Photos from the last few weeks...

Like a bee rushing to a bowl of honey

Last week was World Breastfeeding Week!  I don't know if you know, but breastfeeding support, education, and advocacy are some of my passions.  We here in the valley participated in "The Big Latch On" on Saturday Aug 6 at 10:30am, joining women around the world.  We had a decent turnout for the valley- 9 people latching on and others standing in support!  I'm part of the breastfeeding coalition that put the even together.

As someone who doesn't have kids, I'm a big fan of the surgeon general's report about how much of the discontinuation of breastfeeding is from lack of support outside the home.  While I can't relate personally to the trails and struggles (or the joys and connection), I know the benefits and have seen enough barriers to want to speak out we should tear down these walls and support women who breastfeed.  My ultimate goal is to see breastfeeding as normal.  I wrote this article for the "Valley Courier" last week and I was a little annoyed by the headline that they gave "Breastfeeding is natural," while this is true, it also puts it into the hippy category that it shouldn't be.  So, here are my thoughts that I shared with the entire valley...

Breastfeeding happens. Breastfeeding is normal. We are all part of the breastfeeding community, directly or indirectly. We all need to support each other to make breastfeeding the norm for all babies. While mom to mom and provider to mom support is so important, the support that women get outside the home and clinic can have just as much of an impact. It is not mothers alone that make breastfeeding possible, but the community (friends, family, work, neighbors) that can sustain the continuation of breastfeeding.

I’m not the typical breastfeeding advocate and that’s a good thing. I don’t have kids and I don’t even remember my experience as a breastfed baby (although I am proud that I was breastfed). However, I believe people have the right to all the information regarding health and to carry out the decisions that they make based on this information.

If we make women uncomfortable and add extra barriers to breastfeeding in public, the woman has a lower chance of continuing to feed her baby the nutrients it needs to grow and be healthy. This can look different for everyone. Just as you might need to pick up a snack when you’re unexpectedly hungry in the afternoon, a baby might need to eat randomly during the day. Every mom will have different levels of comfort with what they want to do in public, but every mom should have the opportunity to feed her child as needed.

Ultimately, it is my goal to see breastfeeding as so normal in everyday life that no one makes it a big deal when breastfeeding happens. I don’t mean to downplay the significance and beauty of breastfeeding, but I want to celebrate the normalcy of the breastfeeding mom. She’s not alone, she’s not trying something new and different, but she’s in a community that supports babies and a healthy start to life for everyone.

And, wherever you see this sign, you know that breastfeeding is supported!

World Go Round

15 years ago today, my life became a whole lot better. On Aug 3, 1996, I saw the band No Doubt for the first time ever. It was at EndFest '96 (is that still going on??). On July 19, 2009, my life was basically completed when I had the chance to meet them at my 13th concert in 13 years (5 states and 2 countries)!

It's hard to describe my love of ND to people who don't have a favorite band, or a band that has influenced them in such a way (although it’s so great to meet people who can relate). I fell in love with them when I was 10 years old in 5th grade. I actually remember the first time I heard "Just a Girl". Now, my dad can’t remember a lot about last week, but he always reminds me that when we heard “Just a Girl” on the radio for the first time, he turned it up and I was indifferent. This is not to say that I didn’t like it, I remember thinking I did, but I have to admit I didn’t go crazy the first time I heard it. However, I finally got the “Tragic Kingdom” CD and have never been the same.  There have been few bigger influences in my life than this band, and yes there have been bigger influences. I'm not saying they are some great band (although I do love their music), but my love comes more from what they have meant to me over the years.

Now, I know that some of you may think that this band is just some dumb pop group, but I see otherwise. Their lyrics are truly from the heart. That is probably my favorite thing about them- I can totally relate to what they sing about, it's like therapy. Their music is fun and charged. They are great live- so full of energy. The video “Live From the Tragic Kingdom” and "Rock Steady Live" really capture their live sets, I recommend checking them out. Their style has changed since they started it, but that's another thing about them- they mix so much together.  I like to think that it's them evolving as a band. In the end, I don’t think that you have to like their music, just please don’t think they are just another pop group. Also, while I like Gwen Stefani, I’m a No Doubt fan first and foremost.

Meeting No Doubt was definitely one of the biggest moments in my life. It’s just crazy to think that something I wanted soooo badly, but thought was sooooo out of reach, actually happened. It was just great to be able to say my two cents about what they mean to me and to tell it to them personally- ah, I still can’t believe it happened.....

Wanna realize something crazy? They haven’t released a new album in almost 10 years! I get nervous, but excited, every time I hear new music from them.

Now, for the LIST... my top 15 favorite No Doubt songs. This was hard, like really hard. They aren't in an order, except for "Just a Girl" is #1.

1. Just a Girl- Tragic Kingdom
2. Total Hate '95- Beacon Street Collection
3. Let's Get Back- No Doubt
4. Staring Problem- Return of Saturn
5. Rock Steady- Rock Steday
6. Bathwater- Return of Saturn
7. Panic- Everything in Time  (not on YouTube, but such a good song!)
8. Don't Speak- Tragic Kingdom
9. Don't Let me down- Rock Steady
10. Simple Kind of Life- Return of Saturn
11. Leftovers- Everything in Time
12. You Can Do It- Tragic Kingdom
13. Running- Rock Steady
14. Sometimes- No Doubt
15. Open the Gate- Beacon Street Collection

Honorable mentions: Move On, It's My Life, In My Head, Artificial Sweetner... ok, I'll stop.

My top favorite ND shows were
1.  July 19, 2009: with Brenna, Lisa, and my mom... meeting them!!
2.  November 9, 2002: Portland on my ND weekend senior year of high school- so fun!
3.  August 3, 1996: Kitsap Fairgrounds, first time!
4. May 24, 1997: first show at the Gorge!

Lastly, I do want to show my objectivity: While “Just a Girl” is my favorite song of all time, I think their song “World Go Round” is one of the worst songs of all time.

P.S. Most of this post was taken from an "entertaining" speech I did my senior year of high school for a class!  Not much has changed, I'm a pretty loyal person.

Return of Saturn

I spent a few days in Chicago, my second home, this last weekend.  What a trip!  Seriously, it was pretty surreal.  It seems like a lifetime ago or a whole other life that was home.  It made me realize how much I've changed- although, I did get reminded that I haven't changed too much as I walked around Anthropologie, just didn't bring out my wallet.  It was confirmation that I'm not supposed to live there, but I'm thankful that I had the chance to live there.  Chicago is where I "grew up" and basically became an adult.  I'm glad I had my big city experience and know that I can do it!

Through some crazy times, I had some great chats with friends out there!  It was good to talk with people who have known me longer than a year and are at a similar stage in life (AKA didn't just graduate college or retire!).  

Of course, the real reason I went out there was to celebrate the wedding of probably 2 of the nicest people: Stephanie Thies and Brian Geier!  Oh, it was lovely.  I'm so glad I was able to join in the fun!  Here are some highlights...

Here are 2 pictures that sum up three of my favorite things in Chicago:  Friends, brunch, and crazy nights out!  Good times were most definitely had!

Please note: this is a joke, I found this bottle on the floor and
thought it would be funny to use in a picture... I was right!

Everybody cheer!!

One thing that I feel like sums up my life out here is "I'm head cheerleader for the volunteer's softball team that has never won a game."  I actually love that we never win, but we probably have more fun than any other team out there- we definitely have the loudest cheerleaders!  I love cheering things like "Yeah, you got out, it's cool."  What's interesting is that you see small town life in it's prime.  Some of these teams are made up of guys who were pretty good by Valley standards in high school and softball season is kind of what they live for.  Most people are nice enough, but some are kind of jerks.  I try to remember what this means to them and not yell about how everyone on our team has a college degree.  But, that's a whole other topic...  Otherwise, people we play can be pretty cool.  Baseball and softball are not my favorite sports, definitely to play and really I don't love watching it, but I love cheering and yelling random things.  Honestly, they play twice a week, but I usually only go to one (and I avoid the 9:30 games, it's too late for me and I'm so wound up after games that it's hard to get to sleep).  I wish I was ok with team sports, but I hate the pressure (even though no one cares at all on this team).  Also, I hate that everyone is watching you as you bat, ugh...

To honor our friend, Chloe, we are the DreamWeavers.  Chloe's last name is Weaver and her favorite quote is "Dream Big."  We have crazy bright orange t-shirts, her favorite color.  I like to yell "Weave me a dream... or a basket!"

Here are some highlights of my nights at the ball game

Our trademark?  A team tunnel at the end of the game!  It is so fun to yell for everyone as they go through.  They add on the end and we end up with a big tunnel, so fun!

Join our insect nation!

Oh 4th of July, I always have mixed feelings... but maybe that will be another post at another time.

It was a busy weekend, so I didn't have to think about it too much.  (I did miss yelling "America, F*ck  YEAH!").  Lots of movement happened: a friend moved in down the street (yay!), two friends left the Valley (sad), and a new volunteer moved in with us (so far, so good...).  This meant for lots of community meals!  Oh, I ate soooo much, but a lot of it was from our garden- so fun!  We served a Taco Salad as a main dish for 10 people with lettuce and spinach from the garden.  I made a great Chard Cheese Bake with a lb of rainbow chard and some onions from the garden.  We spent one evening out at a friend's house in Alamosa Canyon, AKA middle of nowhere, it was great!  Of course, no small town celebration of America is complete without a holiday parade.  This one has nothing on Bainbridge, but this also pretty much the same one for the many parades in town.

Ok, I do need to say a few, just a few, things about patriotism...  Another thing I love about the Mennonites?  They don't say the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the National Anthem, because they can't "pledge allegiance" to anything but God and our nation isn't just the US, it's the world.  I love it.  And really what does it mean to be patriotic anyway?

I was all weird again

Ok, there's been way too many pictures here...

It is interesting to not have alcohol a part of my life, really at all, down here. I would say my biggest reason for not drinking much here is finances- it's just not that important to me to spend what little money I have on it (which is a good sign). There is also the fact that my housemates don't drink (and are a bit more anti than I think I would care for), but I could if I wanted to.

I think it's been a good change. Not that alcohol has ever been a focal point in my life, but it has held a certain place along the way. It's funny to look back at views and fears of it over the years. In high school and some college, I was scared of it really. It was this pretty unknown thing to me. Not that I didn't know what it was- good and bad- but I didn't have any personal connection to it (besides seeing some it's more unfortunate effects). One thing I didn't like was that it kept me from seeing bands who played at bars- even though I didn't even want to drink! I had always steered clear of it because I didn't like the idea of not being control over my own emotions or alcohol's potential hold over me. Another thing was that I honestly just didn't like the taste.

The church's stance on alcohol also made me a bit confused. There are some fairly vague verses about not letting yourself be under an influence and that your body is a temple (if there are others, please let me know). Then there many cultural things that make the church weary of alcohol- it's not what you're "supposed to do" and, yes, it does come with some consequences. I started getting pretty confused when I saw people I looked up to not only drinking, but making it. This did open me up to the art of beer.. and alcohol in general.

Then something changed when I turned 21. I found a beer that I liked- Hoegarden. Oh man, I was excited. I was also scared and nervous. I started slowly, enjoying this new thing in my life. I spent nights out enjoying myself and friends. I never drank something I didn't like the taste of just to drink, I've always appreciated what I'm drinking. Honestly, I'm happy with my decisions regarding alcohol, even if some of them weren't the best (including not drinking and being a little judgmental, I know where you're coming from if you're there). A few times through the years, I have made a point of going out and not drinking just to be in control of my relationship with alcohol. It wasn't that I felt there was a problem, just didn't want a problem to begin.

Now that things are toned way down for me, it's interesting to think about what I like and don't like about drinking. Honestly, I miss being tipsy and letting loose. I think this can be and has been a really good thing. I love seeing the effects of just one drink on people at dinner and really start talking. I miss buying and trying different kinds of beer. I don't miss a hangover (although now my body does let me know when I've had even 1 or 2). I don't miss that feeling of “Oops, maybe I shouldn't have had that last one.” 

What does it mean for a Christian to drink and even enjoy being tipsy? I'm not sure, but I'm also not sure there is anything wrong with it by itself. It doesn't control me, I don't NEED it. I don't mean to downplay the darker side of drinking, that it can be a problem. There is a thin line between enjoying and having a problem... and when to say something. It's hard to judge alcohol from the outside as when people when people don't understand ENJOYING alcohol, not abusing. I really relate it to having a problem with food, because you can have too much, become addicted, and it can have serious health and psychological effects, but that doesn't mean food in and of itself is bad.

Objections?  Concerns?  I'd love to hear it, because if we don't talk about it, nothing gets done.  We will continue to be "those people" to each other.

Open the gate pt 2

A little garden update, with some older pictures...

Found the official before picture... we hadn't touched it all

This was a couple of weeks after we planted!

Here it is today in all it's glory!!

Onions galore!

Beautiful greens!

Peas and carrots are coming!

And, I've finally figured out how to compost... basically

Our broccoli and chard are so big, I could really capture them on my camera.  This week I'm going to make a chard cheese bake!  Let me know if you have any good chard recipes.

I'm in the waiting room

Ah, a few (semi) sunny days in Seattle... it was lovely!

I miss Seattle.  I miss my friends and family out there.  I really do.  This trip made me excited about moving back to this city.

If you've been bored with desert scenes on this blog, you'll be happy to see some water and trees... but still enjoy the sun!

It's weird to have my parents living in a town that I don't really know or have connections to.  It is a nice place, but I wasn't there that much as we had been spending enough time together...

Rocking out to Led Zepplin!

Where all the parties happen!

Playing with my new camera

I enjoyed a lovely ferry ride to the ever changing Bainbridge Island

My cousin Audrey and I realized our thing is going kayaking in Eagle Harbor, it's so fun!

On top of that, I got to see a lot of family

Geochaching! Sooo cool!

2 generations of cousins!

Here's a good picture of my favorite things in Seattle: old friends and good coffee!  'The Stranger' is on that table as well, just FYI.

I was able to spend a few days with my good friend Brenna and her little family!  OMG, her baby girl Flannery is so special.  She's super cute, smiley, and sweet!  We had a lovely time...

A walk around Greenlake on an overcast day... classic.

Uncle Jesse's band
(literally, Flannery's uncle is Jesse and he's in a band!)
Baby's first concert!

Oh, miss you already, little miss Flannery!

All in all, it was a good, busy but not crazy, trip to the hometown.  Can't wait to go back... wait, when's my next trip??

Big City Train

I was blessed to have my parents coming in and out of the valley for a few months.  Not only was it good to show them around this place I love, but it was great to have a few weekends here and there where I didn't have to spend much of my own money!  Hehe...

First, we met in Denver for the Nightingale Gala.  This was a wonderful night, at times a little times a little overwhelming.

Watch out for my medallions, my diamonds are reckless,
feels like a midget is hanging from my necklace
- Ludacris 'Stand Up' 

After this, they travelled around New Mexico for a bit.  For a few weekends, they came up to Alamosa to spend time here.  We did a few hikes, went some small town festivals, making family dinners, camping, and eating out!  I'm glad I enjoy my parents!

Being a volunteer makes it difficult to get home.  I don't know if you know, but I'm pretty good at working with what I've got.  Since my parents were coming down, I asked kindly if they could give me a ride home and they said yes!  While it sounded fine at the beginning, we were starting to get nervous about how much time we've been spending together.  Luckily, all went well and we actually had a nice time!

A fun part was that we were able to stop in Moab to visit my friends Sarah and Silas.  And, we stayed a night in the Willamette Valley with my friend Mari.  It was sooooo wonderful to see such special people in my life!  We also stayed a night in Durango and Boise.  These were two pretty cool places- I think Boise is going to be the next Portland!  

Not only am I thankful for the help in getting home, but thankful for the actual getting there along the way!

Casper... International Dog of Mystery!

You're different from the former

Honestly, I'm pretty speechless, I've never seen anything like what I saw on Tuesday (something so terrible be quite beautiful), but I'll do my best to put into words how I feel and what happened...

Mennonites and other people talk a lot about peace and justice (or, more appropriately, restorative justice) and you hear about it from time to time in the news, but it is something totally different to see people living it out in difficult circumstances.

Well, this restorative justice was on display at the Alamosa courthouse today by Chloe Weaver's family.  It was the sentencing hearing for the 16 year old boy that hit Chloe while she was biking and then drove off because he's a 16 year old boy and scared.  Chloe's mom, dad, and sister all said a few things at the beginning.  I wish I had these written down so you could experience the power of the combination of forgiveness and justice.  Some things I remember are Hope talking about how Chloe's spirit will always be with him and support him, Herm (Chloe's dad) saying that Chloe would want him to help others and improve the world.  The District Attorney spoke about a meeting with Herm, Hope, the kid and his mom.  He said, "You would not believe the.... the only word for it is love.... in that room.  It was one of the most incredible things I have seen in 20 years of being in the DA."

As for the actual sentencing (I hope I get this right), the Weaver's didn't really want him to serve time in detention because they want him to do more with his time than just sit there.  They wanted him to do more public service and contribute.  That's what Chloe would have wanted.  However, the judge said he couldn't let someone who killed someone not serve time, so he will be serving 45 days with community service for 2 years.  I spoke with Cindy, Chloe's mom, afterward and she said that they were asked about what they wanted for a sentencing and they said something to the effect of "We don't know who he is, what does he need?"  And that is the question that should be asked of everyone- what do you need to learn in order to be a productive member of society?  After living with my cousin who is a cop this last summer, I just realized how much this system isn't working.  I'm sorry, but it's broken.  I'm not sure what to do about it, but it needs to fundamentally change.

Through all this, I thank God.  I'm thankful for the strength and mercy of the Weaver family.  I'm thankful for the example and inspiration and encouragement they were to everyone in that room and will be to all they meet through this.  I'm thankful for the gift of eternal life, that Chloe's life is not over, she is still affecting people, God is still using her- you can feel it.  God works in mysterious ways, let's thank Him for that.

As the worst part about death is the people it leaves behind, I'm thankful Chloe is still with us in one way or another....

Trapped in a Box

Community living.  Yes, this is what I signed up for.  Yes, I knew it would be hard for me.  Yes, this is what I wanted.  Or, so I thought.
I'll be honest, I don't love it.  It's not the people (I like them), it's me.  I'm realizing I love control.  I'm know I can't (and don't want to) control my housemates.  My philosophy on living with people is: you affect me, good or bad, you affect me; and I affect you, good or bad.  Sometimes we affect each other too much.
However, that being said, I do like WHY I'm living in community.  For me, I'm doing this so that I can relieve a bit of financial pressure from the public health department of this rural county (have you heard?  there's no money in public health) and only receive a small stipend each month for full time work.  Then, that money goes into the house fund and we all pool our stipends together and live simply to support each other to volunteer in the community.  I think this is a great way to do it.  I like that I'm not getting money from other people, so I have more freedom- don't get me wrong, I think that can be a beautiful thing and I've supported people... I would just have to be 100% sure about the work and the organization (which I wasn't going into this).
With that, it does make me feel weird to think about living by myself again.  I loooooove living by myself and I am sure that I will do it again.  I miss the ownership and independence of it all.  However, it will be different for me to spend that much money on just housing when (in all honesty) I could be sharing with someone and using that money for more worthwhile purposes.  I'll have to see how I can justify to myself... I'm sure I'll figure out something!

But I do enjoy this...

...although hopefully people will come over for dinner, right?!?