When I'm bord or tired on the bus -

I listen to these:

Pray as You Go ♥♥♥♥

APM Speaking of Faith ♥♥♥

The International Anglican Church sermon podcast ♥♥

TED talks ♥♥♥♥

The Nature Podcast ♥♥♥

The Naked Scientists ♥♥♥ (if you can't handle cheesy humor ♥)

NPR Fresh Air ♥♥♥

NPR All songs Considered ♥♥♥

This Amrican Life ♥♥♥

and, of course The Onion Radio News

Fall Harvest

Several weeks ago friends Daneil and Lorianne Ludeman joined us for some fall harvesting.




"I had to do it because Daneil and Andrew's feet are too hairy" -Lorianne


Alas, we didn't have a carboy in which to ferment the grape juice. It was great as juice, though!

Why our house should have a second story and a flat roof-deck.

Or At least a tree fort....

News from here, nothing too interesting.

But life as usual is more satisfying this year, I think. Mostly because I have a job.

My job continues to go well, and I love it so much. Practically every time I go to the school, someone mentions how much they love music. Apparently parents have been telling the principal that their children like music again. This makes me very happy. It's kind of nice to be following a teacher who didn't work out well with the school (as opposed to say, following a retired teacher whom everyone loved). This gives me a lot of grace for being a first-year teacher. I am busy getting ready for the Christmas program. I gave out parts last week, which went remarkably well. Now I am trying to arrange all my songs with percussion, and some of them with dance and movement. Occasionally I wonder whether my Christmas program plans are too ambitious. But I think everything will work out. And one of the great things about my school is that everyone is so relaxed about everything. It's a nice environment for me to work in. I hate stress and pressure, and I thrive in calmness.

I am also getting to dance a little bit again! Our next-door neighbor teaches jazz and movement classes at the gym on Saturdays and she has asked me to assist her, and to help out with their Christmas program, mostly herding children on and off stage and fixing their costumes. It is incredibly wonderful to dance again. Hopefully, next semester we can work a bit more collaboratively and I can help with putting together a show.

I have one piano student now, a 16-year-old boy who has done a lot of piano playing on his own, but does not have much experience taking lessons. It is new to me to teach someone who has an attention span. It's kind of nice, as a change. He is very interested in counterpoint and theory, and is making me remember everything I learned way back in Theory I and Theory II, sophomore year. I am still hoping for more students; right now, I have a parent at the school who is interested in having me teach her kids. Hopefully that works out.

And, in non-job news, Andrew and I have (pretty much) decided to start attending Northwood Alliance Church here in Blaine. We decided that our church in Canada was too far away, and that it felt very strange crossing the border to go to church. Blaine has a huge amount of churches for being such a tiny community, but it seems like the local body of Christ is very strong and very caring and close. I guess no one church is too big, and people have to get to know each other. It is nice to see so many communities caring so much for each other. Northwood is a really nice place; we like the pastor a lot, and the music is amazing. Apparently lots of young people have left because the music wasn't rock-starry enough, but older guys playing fiddle tunes in E minor makes for a pretty amazing worship band for me. We'll probably write more about our church later, since we haven't been going there for many weeks, but that is where we are with church now.

P.S. Dreaming About What to do Next

You may also be interested in reading an essay regarding my place in the Kingdom, which I wrote three years ago for my internship with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Dreaming About What to do Next

I have been trying to figure out what to do after finishing my current studies (which will hopefully be within a year) and set about to encapsulate my dreams about what I'll do next. I would really appreciate feedback about this piece:

Idea: Natural Science Applied to International Development

Keywords: NGO, Geomorphology, Hydrology, Ecosystem Services, Community, Agriculture, Academia, Agroforestry

Description: I dream of working as a natural scientist is the service of missions/development agencies Looking for ideas on ways to work academically while meeting acute needs felt by the world's poor.

Story: I am currently working towards a MSc in Physical Geography (geomorphology), and have additional expertise in Agroecology and Permaculture (Certificated Permaculture Designer), Geology (BA), and Environmental Science (Teaching Experience).

I am looking for ways to link this passion with the needs of the world's poor. Over 1/2 of the most impoverished people in the world live in rural poverty. The rural poor are nearly completely dependent on ecosystem services for survival. Therefore, it seems natural that natural scientists (experts in ecosystem services) would have something to offer these people (and the agencies who seek to serve them).

Furthermore, as the vast majority of scientific investigation has occurred in the developed world (typically, though not exclusively in Northern temperate regions), it is probable that many interesting and important observations of the biogeosystems in the developing world (typically, and also not exclusively in equatorial regions). By working alongside people and agencies in the developing world, who have local expertise, it is possible that academics may be able to identify significant knowledge holes and frontiers in their disciplines.

Design:

Ideally, research could be done that would:

• be invited by local communities

• involve local education and participatory research; so that with increased understanding of the systems local stakeholders can invest in the solution of practical (engineering) problems

• and result in noticeable standard of living improvement without increased pressure on the local environment.

Furthermore, this research would need to:

• address known or newly uncovered frontiers of global biogeoscientific understanding

• be grounded in established biogeoscientific thought

• and admit progress that has implications outside of the local system.

The keys are:

• finding partners who are aware of specific environmental problems that need solved and who are motivated to assist in the solution of those problems

• finding participatory agencies who will fund the research

• discerning which of these problems will be fertile ground for academic thought

• designing studies that will increase local understanding of the Ecosystem Services system while also providing data with which to explore theoretical scientific ideas

• converting data into publishable material

• and converting local understanding into local solutions

Progress; I am looking for:

• researchers who have experience doing this kind of work (in any field) and are willing to mentor me

• researchers who have expertise in biogoescience that meshes with mine who are willing to mentor me scientifically while I take the risk of working in an applied-theoretical context in the developing world

• people/NGOs who are aware of local environmental problems and who are willing and able to facilitate the presence of an academic researcher

• advice on what else to be looking for

I have a job!

Well, many of you already know this, but the newest development in my life of late is the fact that I finally, finally have a job.

Two days a week, I am now teaching general music to all grades (K-7) at Evergreen Christian School in Bellingham. And I love it. I really love it. I come home every work day tired, but generally with more emotional energy than I went out with. Which I think is a good meter by which to say, I have a good job.

I was pretty nervous starting out, since general music with middle schoolers is notoriously hard (due to the fact that most middle schoolers have decided whether or not they like music), but my kids like me, and I like them, quite a lot. So far we have had lots of fun with rhythm, and I have discovered that a collection of music by the Trans-Siberian orchestra is enough to make me passably cool with middle schoolers, even if I am old and look young. Honestly, I have so much fun with my middle schoolers. I never thought I could have this much fun with them. But they are good kids, and, although they're full of energy, aren't any trouble at all.

And of course my younger kids are great, too, but that goes without saying. They weren't the ones I was worried about.

And my principal is amazing, and the school atmosphere is generally very relaxed, and I'm pretty sure that, come snow fall, the kids will not only be allowed to touch snow, but will be allowed to make and even throw snowballs. Did I mention I love my job?