March 2010! March 2010! March 2010!

Hello. I forgot I author a blog. No really, I did. March, who?

March arrived quietly. My roommate, Amy, and I were relieved no apocalypse occurred. When Amy and I moved into Fort Knox two years ago, we assumed our house (and our lives as we then knew) would self-destruct, kind of like the messages sent to Inspector Gadget by Chief Quimby. Poof! It didn't happen, and we're still here, although I can't count how many times the phrase "March 2010!" has been shouted in my house in the past two years.

My cheapo straightening iron died a couple of weeks ago. In the meantime, I ordered a CHI off eBay for the bargain price of $53 bucks. It arrived from China in a brown paper wrapper, and broke as soon as I plugged it in. The cord came entirely out of the base of the unit. Pretty sure that's not supposed to happen. And, I stupidly touched the metal end that fits inside the unit, while it was still plugged in, curious to see if I could somehow fix the appliance. I got shocked. Cheap thrill, I guess. Meanwhile, I got an email from eBay saying that I'd purchased a fake, and to make sure I don't send any money to the seller. A little late for that...

In mid-March, I traveled to a foreign land to be with a handsome man, and fell a bit further down the rabbit hole. My adventure created more questions than answers, but the uncertainty is worth it because he makes me smile.

Two weekends ago, my college sorority girlfriends (a.k.a. The Menagerie) and I celebrated a little over ten years of friendship with our sixth annual Spring Menagerie Weekend. As eight of us (we were down two) piled in the living room of our hotel suite, I was reminded again of our precious friendship. These girls have seen me at my best, and they've also seen my ugly. Their wealth of collective wisdom sure does bless me.

I have good friends in my life that like to ask, "what is God teaching you right now?" This month, it's a few things:

a) He's using a friend of mine to impress mercy upon my heart. Ya'll know...mercy is not exactly my forte. But, He's deliberately putting me in situations that require an outpouring of grace, and while my obedience in this area is fitful, I do see Him changing my heart.

b) I've always known God cares about the details (2 Kings 6:1-7), and I saw this in action a couple of times this month. A dear friend lost something very special, and after some faith in action, the something special returned. I experienced a major inconvenience in the 11th hour, but a presumed impossible solution was provided to me. He's a God that numbers the stars in the sky (Psalm 147:4), the hairs on my head (Luke 12:7), and every care in my heart.

c) Paul asks in Romans 6:2, "we died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" My Bible study and I pondered this exact question last night. Sure, we can supply an endless string of churchy answers, but ultimately, our own personal desires drive our choices. So, will I harness the power of Christ within me to avoid sin when temptation arises, or will I rest on my laurels and accept that it's just "human nature"? And, by sin, I mean the big ones and the little ones...like stealing a 39 cent peanut butter packet from the cafeteria because I wanted it for my english muffin.

Today at two, I begin a series of travel that will place me in Amsterdam for four days, then Paris for eight days. I will be in Amsterdam for two days solo, and then my old roommate, Emily, will arrive from her home in Paris for the remainder of my stay in Amsterdam. We'll then take an overnight bus to Paris, so I can experience some authentic Parisian life.

So, for the next fourteen days, I plan to do the following:

--People watch at "Brown Cafes."
--Bounce from the corner bar that serves Heineken exclusively, to the opposite corner bar that serves Amstel exclusively, and discuss which is the better Dutch beer.
--Scavenge for cheap souvenirs, knock-off sunglasses, silk pashminas, and delightfully-unique junk at large outdoor flea markets and antique stores.
--Build a rijsttafel and eat Turkish kebab at my favorite Amsterdam restaurant.
--Dance through the tulip gardens at Keukenhof on Easter Sunday.
--Admire ancient churches with a new perspective, thank you Ken Follett.
--Fall in love with the city of lights...again.
--Tote a baguette, a wheel of brie, and a bottle of Burgandy to picnic on the lawn of the Tour Eiffel.

--Pretend I am Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, and the Chateau de Versailles is my home.
--Walk through the valley of death amidst the plague-stacked bones of the Catacombs, and cemeteries full of dead authors and artists.
--Savor falafel in La Marais, the Jewish Quarter of Paris.
--Ring the bell of the Notre Dame, a la Quasimodo-style.
--Spend some precious time with my precious friend, Emily.
--Eat pain au chocolat everyday and drink copious amounts french wine.
--Admire the haute couture of the Yves St Laurent exhibit at the Petit Palais.
--Buy an oil painting from a Parisian street artist.
--Worship at Hillsong Paris.
--Celebrate my 29th birthday my last night in Paris.

Also...

--Take my cues from Bret & Jemaine.



I've already scheduled a good cry for when I come back into work on April 14. When I got back from Paris in May of 2008, I burst into tears at work the next day. Sure, I might blame some of it on residual jet lag, but I've got to figure out a way to live like a Parisian everyday.

Until then, au revoir!