Appreciation for Passion

I will admit it. I got hooked on Survivor when it came out. My brother and I watched every episode of Season 1 and Season 2. It was addicting, in an "I wonder who's name is going to be scribbled on that faux-parchment this week?" kind of way. Not to mention the thrill when the host spoke those dreaded words, "The tribe has spoken," and then proceeded to snuff out the unlucky contestants' torch - along with their hopes and dreams. Perhaps the hook was due to a Season 1 competitor, a truck driver from Wisconsin (not my father). But nonetheless, watched we did. And then we didn't. I'm not sure why we didn't watch Season 3, but I have not watched an entire episode of Survivor since May 3, 2001 - the Season 2 finale. I have tuned in a time a two by accident, but I find myself switching off almost immediately. I think the reaction is due to my distaste for reality-TV in general. I mean seriously, there is simply not that much junior-high school drama in the real world. And if there is, I'm glad I don't experience it - and I certainly don't need to watch it.




I will make one exception to my anti-reality-TV crusade. And that exception is Bravo's Top Chef. Danielle and I caught a re-run of it last year, and we have been hooked on it ever since. The format is simple: 16 contestants are pitted against each other in a culinary battle for the title of "Top Chef." The competitions involve difficult scenarios (e.g., cook a meal for 50 in 3 hours; create a high-end entree with 4 ingredients; cater a wedding; develop a meal with themes from your favorite movie), and every week one contestant is forced to pack up his/her knives and go home. It is highly entertaining, and it lacks the non-stop induced drama that most reality-TV shows are infamous for. But perhaps what I like most about the show is the passion these culinary artists have for their craft. These people love what they do, they have dedicated their lives to doing what they do, and it is incredible to listen and watch what they do. I learn a new cooking technique, a new exotic ingredient, a new appreciation for cooking everytime I watch it. That being said, tonight I am going to undertake a highly complex meal - pounding out some ground beef for hamburgers on the grill. OK, its not exactly Seared Ostrich Filet with Heirloom Tomato Risotto and Abalone Reduction (just to give you an idea of what these people can do with an ostrich). But just because I couldn't paint the Mona Lisa doesn't mean I can't admire it.

Here's another example of what I am talking about: We got a flier in the mail a few weeks ago from the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, welcoming us to the neighborhood and offering two free tickets to one of their concerts. We chose to hear them at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall, a night of "All Beethoven." I actually very much enjoy going to the theatre. From an early age my mom instilled in me a respect for classical music. We periodically attended Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concerts, and she often took me to "Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel" - a piano concert with commentary from the pianist. But since my childhood and early teens, I have had relatively little exposure to live classical concerts. But Danielle and I got all dressed up for our night at the symphony, and took in an extraordinary show- for free! And while the music was beautiful, perhaps what impressed me most was reading the liner notes, the program handed out before the show. I'll give you just a sample of the notes on Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major:

"Two fortissimo chords announce immediately that we are to sit up and take notice; this is not background music. Two centuries later, their effect is still electrifying, and sets the tone for the entire work...Just prior to the recapitulation, when we expect the restatement of the main theme, pianissimo violin tremolos making the very air pregnant with anticipation. Perhaps the most famous "wrong note" in all Beethoven then occurs: first horn states the opening triadic figure. Beethoven, however, has fooled us: the horn entrance is intentionally premature...The more we hear this symphony, the more certain we are that Beethoven knew precisely what he was doing. Every note of this symphony is calculated for maximum effect."

I don't understand much of what was is written above, and I'm guessing you may not either. But wasn't it beautiful? I appreciate the fact that some people do understand all the nuances of what the author (Laurie Shulman of the VSO) is writing, and I admire even more the author's ability to paint such a wonderful picture. She has captured on paper the beauty and power of Beethoven's music. Her passion for music can be clearly seen by the excitement in her commentary and her desire for those in attendance to appreciate the intricacies of his symphony. And again, I may not know the difference between a symphony and concerto, but I enjoy listening to them every now and again.

So take the time to appreciate the talented people that surround you, to wonder at the passion they have for what they are gifted at, and to praise the One who blessed them with those abilities.


But please - don't watch Survivor. Life's too short to waste on bad TV.

Feeling Kinda Sunday

So it's Sunday afternoon, which means I'm left scratching my head at how the Packers let another game get away and Danielle is trying to stay awake while reading for class (Update: she's asleep on the couch). So that leaves me here on the ground with the laptop propped up against the coffee table, since the screen doesn't want to stay up on its own anymore. By the way, it's not the only thing that has broken around here recently (See: Taurus, Ford).

It has come to my attention that I haven't blogged here in months. In fact, my last entry centered on the fact that I had only 40 days before the end of graduate school and the beginning of my workin' days. It has now been 181 days since I started at the GAO. But thankfully Danielle has been keeping the masses (hi mom) up to date in my absence. (Update: Danielle's awake)

As I look back at that April entry, I recall how much I wanted school to be over and how much I wanted to be working. Six straight years of higher education had taken its toll, and I was ready to be done. I also recall wondering if I would miss school once it was all over. I am glad to report that six months later, there is no longing to return to the classroom. Rather, I am thankful that I have a steady job in a very unsteady economic climate and that Danielle now has the opportunity to go to school to prepare for her future.

In the coming days and weeks, I hope to return to blogging on a more regular basis. There are several things I would like to write about, and at the top of the list is my reaction to the outcome of the election. I am still mulling that topic over, but hopefully will have my thoughts together soon. Suffice it to say for now, I am glad the campaign season is over - and so is Danielle. She has bore the brunt of my musings for several (many) months now, so I'm sure she's happy for the brief respite. Guess that's what she gets for marrying a political junkie.

But for now, I'm going to get back to enjoying the rest of my favorite day of the week.

just a quick update

- Danielle has made it through 1/2 of her first semester at ODU and is still adjusting, but enjoying being back in school... learning to juggle school, work, and home... trying to decide for sure which track of counseling she wants to pursue.

- Geoff has been traveling a lot for work the past few months but that will be slowing down for the rest of the year, so we are all happy about that :) He has his 6 month review in just a few weeks already! How time flies...

- Our Taurus wagon died recently so we are now the proud owners of a '98 Ford Windstar van... and no, we don't have any big announcements to make! We found a good deal on a good vehicle and hopefully it will last us for several years... or at least until we can afford something else!

- We are anxious to see our family during the holidays and look forward to spending a week in Wisconsin with the Pecks and a week in Pennsylvania with Danielle's family, especially to celebrate Kara's 21st birthday! woohoo!

- There have been several health concerns in Danielle's family but God has been so gracious and allowed problems to be detected and dealt with fairly early, and everyone is doing okay at this point. Praise the Lord!

- We have found a church home after what seemed like months of searching and are settling in at Cornerstone Bible Church, looking forward to building relationships there.

Just Ducky

Thought I would introduce you to a few of our friendly neighbors...
when we moved in our townhouse here in VA Beach, we had a mommy and daddy Muscovy duck nesting under the tree outside our front door, and there were several eggs in the nest. I was excited to think that we would have baby ducklings waddling around our front yard ( as long as the dog did not get out) but 8 weeks passed and the eggs never hatched so alas, we were duckling-less. However, our street seems to be the place to be when you're a duck, so we have been able to see a dozen or more ducklings grow up this summer as they tend to wander pretty freely from front yard to front yard. I have always been surprised at the apparent fearlessness of these ducks as they don't run away or hide from humans (or dogs!), but I was still surprised when the other night I opened my door to see the 9 ducks in my driveway and they started heading straight for my front door! I am convinced that had I not kept my door shut but for a crack, they would have come right inside. See them standing there on our welcome mat? That white one in front is apparently the ring leader and the most curious one... ya have to admit they are still pretty cute... So anyways, we haven't met many of our human neighbors yet but our feathered friends are quite friendly!

Thoughts

There are several things I could write about today, seeing as we just returned from a family vacation in Mexico, and I am beginning classes again in just a week... but instead I just wanted to share something from my heart and will wait for those other conversations to come later...

Something I have always accepted as truth fairly easily is the goodness of God. I believe that God is fully good and fully love. I believe that God desires the best for me in my life and for everyone who calls him Father. Its sometimes hard to grasp but I believe that God is passionate about me, that He loves me with an all consuming, never-changing, unconditional love that is like no other love we can experience. I believe that God desires me, that He seeks me and is full of affection towards me. I am God's treasured bride and He delights in me.

How amazing is that? How utterly humbling and unbelievable is that? Certainly if God's love towards me was based upon my actions or my thoughts or my desiring after Him, I could not believe these things because I am not worthy. I fall so short. I am marred and broken. Yet God looks at me and sees something beautiful, something desirable, something He longs for. How is this possible? It is His nature. The very nature of God is one that desires relationship. And how blessed am I that God desires a relationship with me, despite my inadequacies, my short comings, my weaknesses, my immaturities, my brokenness. What an amazing God we serve.

I began this post with the intention of posing a challenge to myself and to you based upon the above thoughts... but I changed my mind. If you have read this, be encouraged. Be full of joy and amazement. The Lord desires you, whether you are walking in obedience at the moment or not. It is never too late to turn back, to ask for forgiveness, to admit your weaknesses and claim the pureness of Christ. So clap your hands for joy, kneel before the King in humility, sing praises of hallelujah and thankfulness to the Glorious One. He desires to be in relationship with you. Let that truth guide your next step...

Beach livin'

Dear friends it has been far too long since we have posted and for that I apologize. Life has been busy and many changes have occurred since we have last spoken. Let me give you a rapid recap of the past few months for our family.

In April, my sister came to visit on her way back from Mexico where she had been for several months with my family. She watched Jeter for us while Geoff and I flew back to Wisconsin to visit his family before the summer craziness began and Geoff would be beginning his job, making it more difficult to get away. We enjoyed a long weekend with them and were able to see his parent's new apartment!

The first weekend of May we traveled back to Pennsylvania so I could attend a bridal shower for my best friend. We packed a lot into that weekend and came home exhausted but greatly enjoyed the chance to see family and friends. Its been strange and difficult for me living so far from family and friends, so I try and make the most of every opportunity!

May 10th- the big day- my hubby received his Masters! So proud of my man and all his hard work. As much as he struggled to persevere at times, he finished strong. We are both looking forward to a few months of homework-free evenings and weekends! Yay! Then I start classes at Old Dominion in August and begin working towards my Masters in Counseling. Despite Geoff's complaints about school, I'm looking forward to it and anxious to get started.

Geoff began his job at the Government Accountability Office on May 12th as a Defense Analyst (sexy title isn't it) and has traveled several times since then for training, both to D.C. and Atlanta. My little brother made a good observation "why does he need all this training if he already has his Masters?". Smart kid.

Probably the biggest news of the summer is that we moved! June 2nd we signed the lease and June 14th we moved into a townhouse in Virginia Beach! We are getting all settled in, enjoying having more square footage to work with and I am enjoying decorating a new home. Jeter loves his fenced in backyard and we have enjoyed it too, being able to grill out and sit on our deck on those cool summer nights (which we have had maybe 2 of). We even bought a washer&dryer, our biggest purchase yet! And we have a spare room, so if any of you all want to come visit the beach, feel free to crash at our place. Once we get everything all situated, I'll post some pictures so you can see our new place.

Well, thats all for now folks. We hope you all are enjoying your summers!
Take care and stay cool.

40 Days

In 40 days:
I will no longer be a student.
I will be employed full-time.
I will have no more classes.
I will be earning a decent paycheck.
I will not have homework to do over the weekend.
I will be working for the GAO.
I will no longer see some good friends from W&M on a regular basis.
I will start making new friends in a new place.
I will enjoy having my nights free of projects and papers.
I will enjoy more carefree time with my wife.
I will start looking for a new home - with a yard.
I will, for the first time, be a working man.

For as long as Danielle can probably remember now, I have been looking forward to no longer being a graduate student but instead working and earning money for our family. That day is rapidly approaching, and I am not upset in the least. But I have noticed that more and more lately I have been talking about how many days are left until then. I keep looking forward. I keep anticipating what will be. I keep wishing that day was here.

Anticipation can be a good thing. Forward planning can be a good thing. Wishing can be a good thing. But all good things are only good in moderation. I've been thinking lately that perhaps I am dwelling on what will be at the expense of what is now. I still have another month of classes, with several papers/projects to finish up (read: start and finish). Perhaps one of the things I am most excited about is tackling a paper about embryonic stem cell research, which is an incredibly complicated but incredibly important ethical issue in this day of remarkable scientific capabilities. Furthermore, this is my last major piece of worthwhile work I will do as a student, and I wanna go out with a bang!

President Bill Brown of Cedarville University would challenge us with the following: "Today is one more day, but it is also one less day." The idea is that we choose what do with our day - whether to waste it or to squeeze every moment out of it for something that will last beyond the day...indeed, beyond even our lives. My challenge is to stop focusing so much on 40 days from now, but to focus on living the day I have been given today.

Playing catch-up

Hello to all of our faithful blog readers! I know that a post is long overdue, and so at the strong urging of a few of you I have finally sat down to update you all on the latest and greatest with the Pecks! First of all, there has been an addition to the family since I have last written, so please meet Gus, our beautiful beta fish which Geoff bought for me for Valentines Day. He is swimming there above the orange flower in case you can't pick him out too well... the best part of having Gus has been that our dog Jeter is insanely jealous if we pay any attention to the fish. Now of course otherwise, Jeter does not want much to do with us (unless food is involved) but walk over to Gus and start making a fuss, and Jeter is suddenly the most attention-seeking dog you have ever seen!

At the beginning of the month, Geoff's family came down to the visit during his spring break and we enjoyed spending time with them! They had not seen where we were living at yet, so they were able to become familiar with the area, and we also did some touristy things, of course. Geoff and his brother, Jordan, also got to spend some quality time together golfing and playing Playstation :)

Geoff is anxiously counting down the days until graduation and we are both looking forward to him earning a paycheck and not being reliant upon my measley income. At the beginning of this year I was not getting enough client hours with my child therapy job, so I have added a second job with HomeInstead Senior care, working with seniors during the day, serving as companion and doing light household chores such as cleaning and preparing meals, as well as providing transportation. God certaintly has been faithful in providing just what we need. Speaking of school, I just received my acceptance letter to the Counseling program at Old Dominion University for this coming fall! We're both very excited that both my school and Geoff's work will be on one side of the dreaded bridge-tunnel, so we are planning on moving to the other side (aka Virginia Beach area) once our current lease is up this summer.

Well... dinner is on the stove and I've about run out of news so I'll sign off for now... good night!

Politics

(This entry is dedicated to my husband, for without him I would not even know that which I am about to write)

I am sure that anyone who knows me at all can attest to the fact that I have never been interested in political things or current events. I really have to push myself to look at a newspaper (besides the sales flyers) or watch the evening news... I made our local newspaper my homepage so I'd at least have to glance at the daily headlines before redirecting myself to more important things... like email. So, obviously, in God's infinite wisdom He put in my path a man majoring in political science who is now finishing up a Masters degree in public policy. So now what choice do I have, right?

Now sure, I know plenty of married couples who have different interests, who fail to really involve themselves with hobbies or interests of their spouse, and this is of course an option available to me. However, at times like "Super Tuesday" while my husband is absorbing exit pole coverage by CNN and MSNBC, and literally watching the votes be counted in Missouri hoping Mike Huckabee can pull off another big win, I'd be pretty bored. So instead I have seized the opportunity to learn a little more about this great country of ours and its unique political system. I now not only know who is running for President in 2008, but some of the differences between each canditate (I'd hope so after watching 17 debates, right?), what the difference is between a caucus and a primary, the political importance of Iowa, and what "Big Mo" means for campaigns when it comes to finances. Heck, I've even started reading political articles on my own time so when Geoff gets home I can dazzle him with my knowledge! For example, I filled him in on the W.Va caucus "back door scandal" yesterday because he was driving home from D.C. and wasn't in front of a computer. Now typically I get some facts mixed up that he has to help me with, but he's always pleased by my attempts :)

I am glad to know that our children will not be as ignorant about politics or current events as I was growing up, for certaintly our dinner conversations will involve that day's headlines from The Washington Post. My hope is to at least to be able to guard the kids from any emotional or psychological scarring which may occur when they are not able to remember the name of the current Majority Leader (just kidding sweetie).

But anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that we are never done learning and growing and that we often have opportunities during our life to get involved in something new, and we should take it! So it may not be something that gives you goose bumps, or leaves you breathless with excitement, but I'm sure that you will become a better person just for allowing yourself to learn and to be taught. I know that I feel like a much better educated American since meeting Geoff, and have lots to thank him for teaching me, even if I do tease him about it more often than not. So at the dinner table tonight, ask your family or friends a question about something new... who knows where it will lead! For as the greatest conservative once said: "All great change in America begins at the dinner table" (Ronald Reagan).

Virginia: Winter Wonderland?

One thing I don't miss about Wisconsin is the cold. As I type this, my hometown is bearing the brunt of -3 degree weather that feels more like an excruciating 24 below zero because of the wind. Here in Virginia, it's 34 and feels like it. But what I do miss about Wisconsin, besides getting to watch every Packer game, is the snow. I'm talking up to a foot of snow at a time; snow you can build forts out of; snow you can play "King of the Hill" on; snow that on occasion lets you stay home from school; snow that makes you wish you had a bigger shovel or a more powerful snow blower.

Since moving out here to Virginia, I haven't seen any accumulation on the ground. Apparently we had a snow last winter, but I was up in PA for the weekend. So when the news reported a 100% chance of the white stuff this afternoon, Danielle and I were quite excited. A bonus is that Jeter evens loves playing around in the fluffy flakes. And even though we haven't even got an inch on the ground yet, it was still great to experience something this transplanted couple from the North doesn't get to see too much anymore...

Mexico: A Recap in Pictures

Danielle and I spent a week around Christmas with her family in Puebla, Mexico where her parents and brother are serving as full-time missionaries. What follows is a pictorial tour of our trip, with a brief caption under each picture to guide you on our journey. Enjoy!



First off, let me introduce you to the characters in our story. From left to right: Keith and Dawn (D's parents), Danielle, Tyler (D's bro), and Kara (D's sister). Here we're getting settled on the top of double-decker tour bus which took us throughout Puebla...



Here's a shot of Puebla from our tourbus. For you history buffs out there, the Battle of Puebla was fought on May 5, 1862, and was a defining moment for the Mexicans in their battle for independence. The victory is still celebrated today as Cinco de Mayo...



This is the beautiful basilica in Puebla. Every major city in Mexico has a Catholic basilica, as about 90% of the population is Catholic. Major city's also have zocalos, or town squares. In Puebla, on one side of the zocalo is the major government building, and on the other side is the basilica. Interesting church-state relationship they have. One last note - the Puebla basilica was originally supposed to be built in Mexico City, but plans got mixed up so Puebla actually has the "better" basilica than the much larger capital...



There are numerous statues of angels surrounding Puebla's basilica. According to legend, the workers building the basilica left the bells outside overnight and planned to hoist them into the towers the following day. When they arrived at work the following day, the bells had been installed. Sensing a miraculous occurrence, they credited angels for the construction help....



There are stray dogs everywhere...



Alright, another cool (albeit far-fetched) story for y'all. Puebla is surrounded by three volcanoes. Two of them are pictured above - Popo (left) and Ixta (right). Both Popo and Ixta are shortened versions of the real names, but I'm not even gonna attempt to pretend like I know how to spell the unabridged versions!

Popo was a warrior and Princess Ixta was his significant other. Off goes Popo to war, while Ixta pledges she will stay true to him until his return. Well, word gets back to Ixta that Popo has fallen in battle. Ixta than dies from grief. Unfortunately for her, Popo didn't die. But when he returns, he finds his lover dead and grieves himself. Legends vary from this point, but the one we were told is that Popo took Ixta in her arms and walked towards the horizon. The next day, the two volcanoes appeared - one taking the form of woman lying down, and the other a gallant warrior kneeling next to his beloved. I'll leave it to you to decide whether you believe that story or not...



Here's a picture of the third volcano surrounding Puebla. It's still active. Sorry, I don't have any cool stories about how it was formed...



We got to try lots of new food in Mexico, most of which I liked and Danielle didn't. To her credit, she did try most everything. She even tried what I'm holding above. It's called a cemita - basically a huge sandwich with ham, chicken, cheese (lots of cheese!), hot peppers, and onions. It was delicious, and incredibly filling. We got these from a food stand in downtown Puebla, and they must make hundreds of cemitas everyday.

We also got to have some Mexican food that Americans are little more familiar with - you know, tacos and tostadas. But this ain't Taco Bell food, let me tell you. We also got to have a traditional Mexican breakfast, which isn't exactly pancakes and eggs. Try refried beans and tortilla chips instead. Mmmm...



Oh, I almost forgot about the fried grasshoppers. What a delicacy...



We also visited Cholula, a city about 20 minutes from Puebla. Cholula is known for its pyramid with a Catholic basilica on top. Here's a view from the church from afar. As you'll see, this isn't a Egyptian-style pyramid, but it is one of the largest pyramids in the world according to the size of the base...



Here's a cross-section model of the Cholula pyramid. Civilization after civilization continued to build layer upon layer of the pyramid, until finally Cortes conquered the area and capped the pyramid with a Catholic church...



You can even walk through a portion of the pyramid. Just be warned - not for the claustrophobic...



Here we are on the side of the pyramid. Those steps are narrower than they look, and the top is higher than you might think. Not that I was scared or anything...



We showed up to Cholula on the day of the Winter Solstice, and we were treated to a couple of interesting demonstrations. This one is an actual Aztec ceremony with some sort of reverence to the sun followed by a baptism of some sort. The reason we don't think that it was a tourist attraction stems largely from the dirty looks we got after taking pictures...



We also some New Agers doing their thing. Interesting day, to say the least...



Here's a group shot of us at the church on top of the pyramid. It was a great view from the top...



Feliz Navidad! Our first Christmas in Mexico was a real treat. We spent the day with other missionaries and their families, exchanging White Elephant gifts, eating some good ol' American food, and smacking around a pinata. The traditional Mexican pinata has seven spikes, each representing one of the seven deadly sins. The kids have to knock off the spikes before going in for the kill, and the candy that follows...



The day culminated with an acoustic rock concert featuring Tyler and his buddy Daniel. Their rendition of "Carol of the Bells" blew the crowd away...



Our last day in Mexico was spent in Mexico City, touring the grounds of the city's basilica. It is the second-most visited basilica in the world, trailing only the Vatican...



Inside the basilica is what millions of Mexicans pilgrimage to see every year - the "Tilma of Guadalupe." A tilma is basically a robe or cloak, and this one has historical and religious significance. More on that below...



So a few hundred years ago, this guy Juan Diego had a vision of Mary who appeared to him as the Lady of Guadalupe. She told him to build a church in her honor, so Diego went and told the local priest. The priest didn't believe him. So the Lady appeared to Diego again, but this time she walked him to a spot in the mountains where some roses were growing. These weren't your ordinary roses - these were only found in a region in Spain (not Mexico), a region where the priest happened to be from. So Diego gathered the roses in his tilma and walked them back to the priest as proof that he had the supernatural vision. When Diego let his tilma down, the roses fell to the ground and on his tilma was an image of the Lady of Guadalupe (illustrated above)...



When the Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Diego, she was wearing clothing that had Aztec symbolism on it. Many believe the Lady of Guadalupe, with her Aztec wardrobe and basis in Roman Catholicism (i.e. Mary), was concocted by Cortes to gain control over the Aztecs by focusing their worship on one entity - the Lady of Guadalupe. The picture above has two waterfalls, one representing the Aztecs' religion and the other representing Roman Catholicism, with the Lady at the base uniting the two. Her image is located all over Mexico, and she is still considered the mother of Mexico...



Here we have Danielle, Kara, and Tyler showing the world their amazing talent - the ability to bumple their chins. Apparently they believed this was some sort of gift they had that no one else could do, but then I did it too. Oh well, they're good at other stuff...

Our journey ends, fittingly, with this picture. In Puebla, you can't flush your toilet paper because their plumbing system can't handle it. Let me tell you, getting used to pitching your paper in a trash can takes some time. Just one of the many things we grow used to here in the states, and one we should be extremely grateful for. This picture also represents the place where I spent the better part of 3 days following our trip, as I happened to meet Montezuma...and he had his vengeance.