Think.

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Post 101!

And an homage to Jim Henson... I found out this week that Fraggle Rock was actually a microcosm to mimic people and interactions between different people and groups of people! Jim had some big thoughts about the world. I'm so glad to have watched Sesame Street, the Muppets, and Fraggle Rock as a kid...

Ramblin'

That's what I'm doing now that I'm unemployed. Ramblin' along. Glad not to be in Greenland (get it? Unemployed..in Greenland! Yes. A little too much Princess Bride has influenced my life)

Let me tell ya though, it's great to be able to travel and visit some friends again. Yes, I did have to travel hours to get here; and will be going many more hours in 3 weeks (THREE WEEKS, PEOPLE!) to visit dear Amber..

But some dreams are being fulfilled. Seeing places and people I've longed to see. Usually we want to do things that we don't have the time for. Or at least this is my perception...we don't percieve that we have the time. And now, at present, I have the time. I don't have much money with which to do it (thank you non-profit world that met my financial needs adequately- not to diss that in any way shape or form because of money) but as they say, Carpe Diem, my friends.

Not to say that working and waiting for things is bad :)

At present, now is simply the time.

Hope you're enjoying it too!

In Memory

This is a little of what's going on in my life lately - one of our new staff at UW-Whitewater just died after being hit by a car a couple weeks ago. Mike sure could make people laugh and smile. I was only able to have a few meals with him over the past couple summers when he was here at Cedar, but I know there will be a lot of people at his memorial service, and wanting to be there, that have been touched by his love.

See the following links for more details...

Mike's Progress

UW-Whitewater's Royal Purple

InterVarsity

Reach

Mary, originally uploaded by sarah_laughingguts.

The sky was just perfect on this day. And I love this image. Something about the way Mary stands in front of the clouds, not even aware of how ... beautiful a shot she's making!

Thanks Mary :)

--your old roommate

odd.

Just now, as I was updating my blog list, it occurred to me that there are three Lauras in three very different countries! Laura in Niger, Laura in China, and Laura in Indonesia! I met Niger Laura at an intervarsity training event (I think?) and we applied to the peace corps months apart from one another, I spent an amazing crazy summer in China with China Laura, and I spent a summer at Cedar Campus with Indonesia Laura! How cool is that?

It's very interesting to me how we surround ourselves with similar people. And the more you go down one path, the more people you see are right beside you in the same grooves. They've been some of the same places, have similar dreams, and encourage you along the way with stories of how their journey has been crazy too.

I love the way community brings that out of people.

edit: Make that four Lauras. Laura in Costa Rica, who I worked with one summer at Pleasant Vineyard, and see occasionally up here in the UP! And here I thought the name Sarah was common. Laura takes the cake right now :)

I'd like a star

Yesterday I was on the line with customer service for an hour. Tonight is going to exceed that, although I was told yesterday that the problem would be dealt with. The problem? A little flight cancellation with a small airline in Tanzania, that's what. Last week(?) I received an email that my flight had been cancelled. Wrote Expedia to see what had happened, and they wrote me a nice wordy email that said "you need to call us in order to resolve this matter". Apparently my flight is still happening, but my place on it has been taken away?

I'm wondering if it's because my country of origin is the USA. Or perhaps because I'm merely a rich foreigner, maybe I won't notice? Maybe they want to upgrade me to a more direct flight?

In truth, though, it's probably because there was a 'glitch in the system' as we like to say nowadays. Oh how familiar I am with glitches in the system! Currently I haven't returned a book to interlibrary loan that is severely overdue (while I am capable of this, it has indeed been returned!) and I can't tell you how many times I've had to get off CampBrain so that another glitch in that system could be fixed.

One thing I am glad for - even though it's been annoying and I'm currently going on 55 minutes with a few different Expedia personnel, they do seem to have learned the kindness skill. Thanking me for waiting, thanking me for my patience, apologizing for the wait...

Too bad they don't give gold stars when you're 24.

:)