the armpit of oregon

i have spending a lot of time recently in the armpit of oregon, aka salem. it is the biggest, ugliest city! however, the corporate headquarters of roth's are in salem, and on friday they offered me a job as the chalk artist for the mcminnville store! i'll actually be making money for doing art! yippee! it'll be three days a week and then the other two i'll work in the good ol' deli. this next week, however, i'll be spending the whole week in salem pumping out signs with this cool guy, will, the main chalk dude. will's work is pretty intimidating if i do say so myself, so i am a little nervous. this is going to be challenging, but that is good! atleast i wont be bored. i feel super blessed to have gotten this job through getting a job in the deli...kind of a low point for me, i admit. but it turned into something rad.

i absolutely love living with david, shanna, and geneva. it is so much fun, so laidback, and so...just perfect for me right now. a little lonely at times when i am in my room after they go to bed, but mostly wonderful, especially with geneves around all the time. dang, that kid loves me and it feels so good! she's so happy that i am there and i love seeing the surprised and overjoyed smile on her face whenever i walk down the stairs in the morning. i'm watching her 1-2 days a week to pay for my room and board, and it's super fun spending the day with her. man, a 2 year old can brighten your life...not all two year olds, but definitely geneves. shanna and i get along so well, we're always chatting and swapping stories and laughing. yes, it is good.

lately i've been feeling that i am way too in love with this world and trends and all that. i've been reading the journey of desire by john eldredge and a recent chapter brought me to that realization. i'm trying to watch less tv, read less magazines, and ignore the "ten trends for fall" that bombard me everywhere i go. it disturbs me that all i have to see is a few pictures of beautiful people in tweed jackets (one of the IT items for fall) and i really want one. i'm tired of feeling brainwashed by advertising.

this song chorus desribes how i've been feeling lately...at first i was looking at in an earthly love sort of way, but then i realized i could look at it in a God way, too.

lately i need to see the daylight lead beyond this half life without you i am breaking down oh maybe something here dont feel right this is just a half life is there really no escape no escape from time of any kind? come on let's fall in love come on let's fall in love come on let's fall in love again -- duncan sheik