meghan's favorite things 2010

Oprah may know a little about the best cashmere sweater or panini maker, but I've been learning and appreciating a few things, experiences, and ideas myself this past year. And here you are:

1. Americorps and Habitat for Humanity - even though it's been months since my Americorps term, it still was the majority of this past year. Especially after recently looking at an album of the work, with everyone in full rain gear and using power saws at tall heights, I don't necessarily miss the work, but I appreciate it for what it has taught me and the friendships I have gained from that time.

I've learned to value my education and privileged upbringing, appreciate familiarity and

the value of time in relationships, as while I was there I remenisced on knowing people longer than a matter of months.

Generosity was displayed in many ways by many people to us 'poor' Americorps folk (though it can be argued I am still certain, we were richer at that point than many others who would think otherwise). This is most clearly seen in our wonderful trip to Whistler provided by a major volunteer and board member of Habitat. We were extremely blessed through provision provided from his abundance.

2. The west coast - Highway 101 and Highway -1. There is a beauty in the views, space, and time spent on this route that cannot be captured in words or photos. I think everyone who has traveled these can agree. Perhaps national parks really were America's best idea?

3. Limits - after spending a month in California away from civilization as I knew it, I realized there are limits to my adventures. I cannot spend a month away from civilization and fully enjoy myself. Valuable experience, yet not to be replicated.

4. Seasons - I've learned that not everything in life can be exciting. Take grad school for example... instead of hanging out in coffee shops, going hiking, and hanging out at Pike Place Market, I was designing an outdoor classroom, drawing a diagrammatical representation of my developing project, and developing a thesis.

I find these seasons to exist on multiple scales, as in yearly, quarterly, even throughout a week or day's time. Being busy helps me appreciate the extra half hour I have to spend on a good phone conversation, and being in a lull makes busy-ness a much needed change to feel productive.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot...

a time to tear down and a time to build...

a time to weep and a time to laugh..."

Ecc. 3:1-8

5. Sophie - she's pretty okay afterall, even if she wakes me up with her face in the morning.

6. 5ks - I had the opportunity to run the Jingle Bell Run in Cincinnati this year. A bit different and smaller than the one in Seattle, but uniquely exciting. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, cold and snowy, but still good weather for running. It ends up you cannot will yourself in shape, nor does a marathon of studio work count as physical conditioning. Nevertheless, it was a great experience running in the snow in downtown Cincinnati. Thankfully a friend helped spur me on. I realized that I do indeed value physical fitness, but what I like most about the races is the community involved, everyone gets excited together in anticipation, and has a shared sense of accomplishment at the end. I was able to cheer people on after finishing, and it was so fun to support people with a physical, visible goal, and see them complete this.

7. Aruvedic tea lattes at Sitwells - fun place, super close, and ancient medicine-inspired tea turned into a hipster's liking. Thumbs up.

8. Sasquatch Music Festival - May is just around the corner for 2011.

9. Christian roots + continued growth - I could go into depth about this, but in several ways I've realized the value of being raised with the moral qualities of Christianity instilled in my life, finding value in the daily discipline of seeking God and surrendering to Him, and by God's grace, understanding my utter need for forgiveness in Christ.

Somehow through being in California I've been able to step back from my Christian viewpoint and understand the value of Jesus as a human being and not just a spiritual being. For example, many people revere Ghandi and his teachings and see this as inspiration to live. And yet, Jesus had good teaching and "quotable lessons and commands," yet he is a man set apart because what he taught is the nature of being, not a guess as to what we should do, but a way of thinking from the One who enabled us to think. There's weight with what he said, his teachings, and how these command us to live a radically different way than our sinful nature naturally errs.

10. MGMT and Vampire Weekend - yes, still. "In December drinkin' horchata..."

11. More music - Mumford & Sons, tUnE-yArDs, Sufjan Stevens, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, the Pinstripes

12. Voting in an online contest for Habitat for Humanity South King County with my three e-mail addresses everyday - I feel emotionally involved now and want them to win. You should vote too.

13. Snow - I missed it in Seattle, but I have it in Cincinnati :)

14. Old buildings - like this beautiful church across the street.

15. Movies - The Book of Eli, The Young Victoria, 180 Degrees

16. Making French toast for people - We had a brunch at our apartment today. It was a wonderful success as people ate and mingled for hours and I very much enjoyed facilitating this. I've been itching to use our rosemary tree I got over a month ago, but until today had not. And thanks to my good friend Liz from Seattle, I have forever changed the way I make french toast. And I enjoy sharing this new way! It includes rosemary in the bread or in the egg mixture, as well as ginger in the egg, and sprinkled with brown sugar which then carmelizes. Mmhmm yum yum.

17. Inside jokes - I became sympathetic for any individual outnumbered by our Americorps group in a social setting, as, by the end of the term, we tended to speak in inside jokes to each other rather than English. Especially at the cah-bahn, you know, the cah-bahn.

18. Waving at people through the glass on Ludlow during the special holiday evening, while sitting in an Italian Bistro with bruchetta, tiramisu, and wine, with my friend, as exemplified here.

19. Rumi - thanks, Andrew.

Love whispers in my ear,

"Better to be a prey than a hunter.

Make yourself My fool.

Stop trying to be the sun and become a speck!

Dwell at My door and be homeless.

Don't pretend to be a candle, be a moth,

so you may taste the savor of Life

and know the power hidden in serving."

("Whispers of Love," Jelaluddin Rumi)

20. Classical Revolution - I've recently been to two of these shows in Cincinnati, but it seems to be a nationwide thing - classical musicians playing small, casual venues such as bars and coffee shops. It is the best of both worlds, as you can sip tea, have good conversation, and have lovely music throughout.

Please allow me to think of more, surely more good thoughts will flood in as I think about this.

Good day.