Month in Review

My 5D has been in repair for well over a month now. I am reduced to a holga and supersampler as my primary image capturing materials, but the holga is a new one and I haven't developed any of my test rolls to see if it's turning out ok or not so I'm feeling hesitant at shooting as of late, especially indoors. It makes me extremely sad. But all the more motivated to find a way to develop my film in this city for cheap.

I moved to Seattle a month ago. I stepped off the plane into sunshine, which was nice to be greeted with in the city of rain. Tommy took me to an amazing pho place (vietnamese soup) and it was SO good, but I started crying because I was homesick already.

The first weeks were so good, but so unreal. I felt like everything I did was in a daze because it was all so new and so much to take in. The very first day I was here I came to my house and met my roommates (I already knew sarah from michigan, but Johnny was new: amazing boy/fabulous musician) and then we headed out to catch the 'cold war kids' show at the showbox downtown. It was so strange to be driving around Seattle. Nothing looked familiar. The show was amazing of course.

The next day I walked to discovery park right by my house, which is huge! Once you are inside the park you are surrounded by forest and trails which then opens up to meadows and then you see the puget sound. You can no longer see the city anywhere around you. All you see is trees and mountains and water. It's beautiful.

Thursday I went to a show with Karli Fairbanks and Horse Feathers. It was a fantastic show in a little bar called the sunset tavern in ballard which is the neigborhood right next to mine (magnolia). The show was really excellent. I really enjoyed it. I even bought a record, which needless to say, my house is fully equipped with a most amazing player for said records and really the most desirable object in our home at any given time. It was a pleasure to meet karli and friends finally as well!

The first weekend I drove to walla walla with the GV boys and Tony Kevin. First time ever to go there. I had always imagined it to be 3 hour drive, but no, it is definitely a 4.5-5 hour drive from seattle. My uncle and aunt live/work there and it was a great weekend getting to spend some time with family and checking out a different adventist school. It was a very nice campus and there is some good things going on there. Tommy loves it there. I still like andrews better, but of course I wasn't there very long. But it really made me miss the photo department days and all my photo people. We are all so spread out now it seems, except a few that are still around those berrien parts.

The next few weeks were ones of discovering the bus system, different neighborhoods, and finding ways to get groceries. I don't have a car out here and Sarah works most all the time, so the bus is my main mode of transportation, which is fine, but took some getting used to. It's definitely cheaper than gas, but takes a little longer to get around.

I found a little cafe in capital hill that showed project runway on wednesday nights on a big screen tv. the place was amazing and it is so much better to watch a show like that with other people who are just as in to it. It was amazing. And my girl, Leanne won! So I was very excited.
The cafe also has art and music happenings a lot and they make nutella latte's. i'm sold.

I started to research photographers around here that I like, and to call them, but at first no one answered their phone or responded to my emails. I tried again the next week and my favorite photographer in this area so far, Davis Freeman, agreed to meet with me. I met him at his home/studio and brought my portfolio. We talked for a little over an hour and it was so good! He gave me really good advice and it was really really helpful. But unfortunately he didn't have any work for me yet, so I haven't gotten much yet.

By this point I broke down and decided I just needed to get a job to have some money and the diner Sarah works at was in desperate need of a server assistant, so I tried out and got hired parttime doing that. The diner is pretty neat and the people there are awesome. But even before I took the job, I wondered whether it was a bad idea to take it, instead of focusing on photo work exclusively. I know it can be slow to get photo work at first, but that's just a period you need to get through and then you're fine. So I don't know. This is my second week working there and I feel already like I'm not pushing as hard as I need to for photo stuff because I feel like my time is much more limited.

So that's where I'm at. Besides that. I've been cooking, shooting, chillin with new people, discovering new places in all the neighborhoods seattle has to offer. I love it. I also went to see Call + Response. It was pretty well done. A good balance of music and facts so as not to be too heavy, but still be informed and feel the need.

I miss my friends (a lot!), but I treasure the opportunity to make new ones. I miss Chicago and the good things it has and Michigan and the good things it has. I miss my sisters. I sometimes miss the simplicity of small-town life and the beach. But each day is new here. And it is stretching me in new ways which is exactly what I need right now. And I love it.

God is doing good things in my life and I am so grateful. A lot is going on right now in our world and it is so important to remember that He has the ultimate control of what is going on. We just need to stay in tune to what He is doing.

I have much film to develop and as always...someday you'll see the results of these adventures! I promise the wait will be worth it!

I just found out about this today and I'm really excited. It's a 'rockumentary' film about slave trafficking across our world, today. Yes, even in the US. It's showing this week in Seattle so if you're in the area, you should go. And if you want to go with me, that's even better! Give me a call :D If you're not in Seattle, it is playing in other cities across the country, check the website below.

It's so easy sometimes to blind ourselves to the bad things that are going on. It's time to stop pretending that everything is ok and fight for those with no voice. We CAN do something about it.

For more information about this go here: callandresponse.com

TIP TOPS!

This was weird. I haven't listened to my iTunes in a long time because I usually listen to my iPod. And when I do, it's usually on shuffle because I have a lot of music I don't know on it, so it's easier to figure out if I like it or not if it comes up randomly for some reason. ANYHOW....here's my top played songs apparently in response to tommy's blog (NO THEFT).

1. The Way I Feel Inside: ZOMBIES
2. O, For A Thousand Tongues To Sing: DAVID CROWDER BAND
3. Equally Skilled: JON FOREMAN
4. Everyday: ROGUE WAVE
5. Never Let Go: DAVID CROWDER BAND
6. Surely We Can Change: DAVID CROWDER BAND
7. August 30th: DELIRIOUS?
8. We Will Be Disappointed Together: THE MYRIAD
9. One Last "Whoo-hoo!" For The Pullman: SUFJAN STEVENS
10.Jesus Freak (Reprise): DC TALK (best song ever btw, if you haven't heard it go find it now...and no, not just Jesus Freak, but the reprise....that's key)

i wonder now how this compares to my ipod?

'Tis So Sweet

Jesus Jesus Precious Jesus
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er

This song has been stuck in my head the last week or so. It's beautiful.
Lately it has been more of a rebuke to me than anything else. Most of the time I don't think that I ever give God the chance to prove Himself. If something comes at me, I just cave in without thinking of the opportunity for something amazing to happen because of trust. I try to take care of my problems myself. Or worse, I don't try and become apathetic to the results.

I'm done living on the side of defeat looking for forgiveness. Not that I am good enough to not need it. I will. But I'm ready to live on the side of victory. And the stories of biblical proportions that result out of trust. I want that to be me.

Oh for grace to trust Thee more