Civil Forum: Senator McCain and Senator Obama

Since I won't be updating the Biola website until next week, I will use this as practice as if I was writing for an online newspaper, but will also have some personal elements that I wouldn't normally post for obvious journalistic reasons. Each post will be posted at the time designated and I will republish the blog each time I add something. This will be like a Twitter feed, not an actual article.

*So I did the above spanning the time I arrived on campus (3:00) to when I left the media room to go the "spin" room (7:00). If you saw my blog during that time, it read like a timeline and was awesome. However, it took up the length of a football field. Therefore I will edit and condense my notes in case anyone actually wants to read them and republish this post tomorrow.

ps. Being part of the media at this event was amazing! I loved it and can't wait to write about it. God handed me a gift without me realizing it.

lemon-aide

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade...right? But what about when everyone else has imported mangoes?

I worked the past three or four weeks to get tickets and media credentials for the civil forum tomorrow night with Obama and McCain. I was approved for media credentials and two VIP tickets, however, I will not be in the sanctuary. I will be with media in another venue with a live feed...just like I could watch from the comfort of my own home. Two others will be using the VIP tickets and it is not possible to get a third.

Then ABC eyewitness news wanted to interview me outside the church. I politely said they may not want to interview me because I am part of the media for tomorrow nights event. They smiled and agreed. Who does that? Who suggests they shouldn't be interviewed (besides South Dakotans*)! I was kicking myself for that. I could have been on national television and I said no. Ridiculous. Not to mention, this could have been a publicity tool for the university.

Then to top it off, I got an email from my Mom who said her friend had an extra VIP ticket so she will be attending the civil forum tomorrow.

God, I need some lemon-aide right now, because I am not very happy with my lemons. This is starting to become funny. Or not funny at all. I think God is teaching me to be grateful for what I have. He's still working apparently.

*The South Dakota reference is thanks to Michelle. :)

*updated to add: I saw today as a group of lost chances. However, after thinking a bit more intelligently and a bit less emotionally, I decided today was not a group of lost chances at all. It is simply a group of other opportunities. Therefore, I will take my lemons and find my other opportunities. Who likes mango nectar anyways?

the pink plaid said it all

When I turn 55, I earnestly hope that I do not have a mid-life crisis. I never really thought about this before today, however, that was before I saw the man in pink plaid.

This morning as I drove along the 5 north, a silver 2008 BMW convertible whipped past me going well over the speed limit. The top was down revealing his balding head and pink plaid button down. He looked around 55 and as I continued to watch him skip through lanes cutting a few people off, I had three thoughts.

1. That's interesting to have the top down at 8 in the morning when it's still overcast.
2. Is that pink...and plaid?
3. MIDLIFE CRISIS.

fight or flight?

I wish I said I chose to fight in dangerous situations, rather than flee. However, as much as I try to fight, my instinct to flee kicks in way too fast to even think of holding my fists up and say 'bring it on!'

I'll never forget the church party I was at in seventh grade when the bounce house I was in began to deflate. As I saw my impending doom of suffocation, I dove - literally - head first out of the entrance sliding past my friends. Did I stop and ask them if they were okay? Oh no. I just made sure my flight from the scene was swift. Although I made it out safely (as everyone else did too), I was also laughed at for my fear of the deflating bounce house was a bit exaggerated.

So when the 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit a week and a half ago and I felt the building shake, what did I do? I fled. However, remembering the bounce house incident, I told everyone in my path to 'get out' of the building to safe ground. (Yes. I know they teach you to go under your desk, but I have my own tactics.) I also walked instead of running. I see this as progress.

Although I was quiet enough to not embarrass myself, I did feel slightly bad when one of my co-workers tripped on his way to the door after I told him to leave the building. That is a story that will be retold for quite some time. The next day he was asking people if they had seen me shove him to the ground. I promise I was a full three feet away from him and his shoes had no traction. Unfortunately, I tend to laugh too much in order to defend myself since the idea really isn't that far off.