one goal achieved [twice]

Remember my list of goals for the quarter? I'm checking one off my list!

-Find a new coffee shop-

I've actually completed this one twice, as I've now gone to both Bustle on Queen Anne and Star Life on the Oasis in the University district.

Bustle was a very fresh feeling cafe and stocked the wonderful Harney and Sons tea! I love how they package their tea in silk sachets, which allows for the tea to fully unfurl when it is steeping and there is no paper-y taste in your drink. They also have sweet flavors like pomegranate oolong, which will always remind me of Christmas. (Christmas break my freshman year, my dad bought me like 48 bags of that tea which I subsequently drank before Winter Quarter was done and I'll forever associate with that time of year). They also have sweet mosaic tile tables and other ginormous wooden tables - excellent for studying.

Delicious Harney and Sons Tea

The other new shop I traveled to was the Star Life on the Oasis - thanks Nate for prompting me to go there! I actually biked there from SPU, it was only about 4 miles each way, but the going there had a decent hill up through the university district. As much as I love biking, I hate hills!

This is a picture from Star Life - forgive the yellow-ness of the photo, the lighting was really warm in there! But the tea was really good and the atmosphere very cosy with a few wing back chairs and converted-seattle-home feel!

The interior of the cafe. Apparently, they have the best vegan chocolate chip cookies. The bite I had was pretty good!

I wonder - are they many cities in the US that have as many coffee shops (and shops in general) in converted homes as Seattle does? I love the character that each home gives to a shop!

Off to visit graduate schools!

Over the course of the next month I will be visiting four different graduate schools:

Georgia Tech
UW
Rice
U Maryland

While I'm not sure how I feel about spending that much time in a plane, I am excited to meet potential graduate school advisors and fellow students. This whole process has been one complicated and generally unguided process and I'm just glad to have been accepted to some schools. I don't have a top choice, or even a top three at this point, so don't ask, but I plan on having a sorted list by April 1st!

And then I shall determine where I will spend the next 5-6 years of my life. Wow. This PhD business is actually starting to feel real!!

On a related note, the jacket picture below is one that I had hoped to have completed by the time I left for GA. That is not going to happen - it's not even cut out yet. And, apparently, people don't usually wear suits to these interview shindigs, at least according to my friend James, who had been to three so far. I'll still start with wearing my jacket from H&M, but that gray sateen cotton garment can't even begin to compare to the beautiful green wool-cashmere blend material from England that I bought in the Philippines!

The last videos!

Here are the last two videos from our Camden trip last month (that makes 14 total!)

And with that, I'm done editing videos for a while!

goals.

I wanted to make a list of things I wish to do this quarter and put them somewhere where'd I remember them. If you didn't know, I only have 12 credits this quarter and have more than enough time on my hands. And sticky notes on my computer only hold so many words...

-Visit the Asian Art Museum

- Vist the museum of industry's exhibit on the 'clutch' (aka handbag, aka purse)

-Watch at least the Star Wars # 4 & 5 (apparently they're the best ones?)

-Make a few more dresses (and quit buying more fabric!!)

-Watch Tron (old and new ones)

-Use my bread machine at least once a week (Yum!)

-Find one new coffee shop (that sells decent tea)

Inspiration for the quarter:

Anybody want to join?

Fun Moments in Camden

Here is one more video of our Camden trip! (It will mostly make sense to those of us on the trip - as these were all the fun moments that didn't really fit with the other videos)

Home Again

Our team arrived safely back to the west coast last Wednesday evening, and now after catching up with friends and family, I have a few more videos to post. Here are two of them, at least one more is still to come!

Circle up the wagons of thankfulness

Today, the second 6th grade class was not cooperating and some people were saying some ungrateful things, so Ms. Parker decided to turn it into a teachable moment, telling the class to circle up and be prepared for a class discussion. The students quickly moved their desk and after getting an explaination of the 'cube of respect' (as I named it) - they could only speak when the cube was in their hand - they began to talk about what they were thankful for. Some were a slow to come up with something, but all did find something in the end.

Here is a sample:

They are thankful for

a class discussion (aka no book and board learning :) )

funny friends

food on the table and clothes on my back

learning about the periodic table

great teachers and good education

parents and clothing

family and friends

opportunity to sing at the school's talent show

This discussion made me think - what am I thankful for?

a loving, supportive family

friends to laugh and cry with

God's grace

people willing to invest in my life

a warm house

healthy body, happy soul

under armor

an opportunity to go to grad school

kids who are searching to do the right thing, even though their days are full of drama :)