Consider the Lilies.

One year.

emilyjewell — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:05:27 +0000

Last year was January 27, 2011.

This time last year, I found myself having an incredibley hard moment when my car broke down and I pulled into an unknown ally to see what was wrong. Only to have an unfortunate encounter.

Today is January 27, 2012.

Last night, I bowled with some of my dearest friends who surrounded me after that unfortunate encounter. We laughed, drank cocktails, ate pizza, and celebrated life over death.

Thank you, Jesus, for that empty tomb a while back.

Live free, dream far.

Spinning plates.

emilyjewell — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:18:01 +0000

9am. One member down. Abandonment. Death. Baby locked away. Childhood wounds. Repentance. Honor. Remembering. Will you open the drawer? Tears, lots of tissues. Welcoming, loving and joining. Grieving together. Not everyone has 12 sessions. Tick, tock. 11am. I’ve got to go. Turn hallway, enter room. Action items, task lists, logistics, strategy, I’ve worked in development for five years, excel sheets, hospitality, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Self-soothe. Self-talk. 12pm. I’ll do this. You do this. I’ll do this. You do this. Good? Yeah. 12:35pm. Calculate, crunch. Don’t forget tips from the end of December. Hi, CeCe. I’m calling in payroll. According to my calculations. Okay, bye. 12:55pm. Can you get me another cup of coffee when you go down there? So, is Pho preferable for lunch left overs? 1:30pm. 17 talking spreadsheets at once. Type, type. Click. This is a good Pandora station. Favorite. Type, type. Research. Organize. Task lists. Be a part of the Volunteer team! 3:45pm. Wait, you’re going up the hill? Can I catch a ride? Click. Turn. Drop purse. Shit. My computer. Are you okay? Tears. Anger. Sadness. Family Guy? Really? You wouldn’t like it. 5pm. 0 emails. Blah blah brief blah blah blah therapy is blah important blah. Church discipline. Shunned. Abandoned. White male power. Tears. Confusion. Anger. Who can I talk to? Pain. 6:30pm. Let me make you dinner. Read, read. Prepare, prepare. Grease burn. This accidentally turned into friend chicken. Salad. Sorry you had a hard day. 7:35pm. Enter. Am I early? Nope. Enter. Enter. Hi. Hi. Hi. How was your day? Where did y’all go? Did you take ballet? 7:50pm. We should probably start. What do you guys think? … … That’s not really resonating. Swoosh. Swivel. Swish. Glide. Skate. Bing. Bong. Boom. Misses after missed. Times up. Take it easy. 8:35pm. Let’s run over the task list. Sounds good. That goes there. Don’t forget speaker contracts. I’ll own that.Was it weird? He has my car. Click. 9:15pm. 7 emails? How is that possible? Be our family nanny. Does that mean you can quit another job? No. I’ll just cram it in. Should I shower? I need to read. There’s nothing sweet in this house! Meow, meow. It’s almost tomorrow.

It’s almost tomorrow.

#9

emilyjewell — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:31:49 +0000

With our bedroom doors open, we rest in our separate beds.

Her light fills the hallway.

My unpacked suitcase conquers the floor beneath me.

She turns the page.

My stomach grumbles.

Live free. Dream far.

Happy New Year.

emilyjewell — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:52:41 +0000

Happy New Year to me, yourselves, and anything else. May you slow down for as long as able, to remember and soak in the last few hours of this impeccably dark and beautiful year. And, maybe, sprint across the finish line with a grin.

Live free. Dream far.

We Bought a Zoo (2011): The Best Hyperbolic Movie Review Ever In All Time.

emilyjewell — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:59:47 +0000

Tonight I saw We Bought a Zoo with my friend Val. Here’s why it was amazing:

-Jonsi music paired with ~~above average~~ PERFECT cinematography was absolutely incredible.

-Lots of animal amazingness all the time.

-A lion named Solomon, who I now call best heart friends forever and ever. I love him.

-Fighting with loads of screaming.

-A physical transformation with one of those panning scenes where it is a completely, totally different place than when it started.

-An aware 8 year old with amazing, wonderful one liners and a teenager with the best bad, bratty attitude ever ever ever.

-Dreams come true always.

-Scarlett Johansson in one of her least annoying roles ever. Oscar worthy for the next seven years. (this might cross the line…………but! they bought a zoo!)

It was magic. I will see it again and I will buy a zoo. Or maybe just craft wooden boxes. Or make a really delicious sand which for dinner. Or make a new street tag. Regardless, I will buy a zoo.

Live free. Dream far.

London 2012.

emilyjewell — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:25:00 +0000

With lots of concerns around if London would be able to pull it off, it looks like the dust is settling and it’s time to start my countdown, amateur coverage and excitement for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Why you ask?

Because I love the Summer Olympic Games and everything that comes with it: the 144 participating nations, cultures and identities, 302 events, 26 sports (this year including womens’ boxing!), the amazing athletic talent, the controversy, the conversation, the bias, the connection, the sportsmanship, the flags, the art, the food, the painted faces, the drug testing drama, the ~~french~~ judges, everything. Sigh.

We’ll get into this more as we near The Day of Glory that is Opening Ceremony but for now…

211-ish days until Opening Ceremony on July 27, 2012. Stay tuned.

Live free. Dream far.

The Audio.

emilyjewell — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:48:08 +0000

If you weren’t able to hear our installation piece on campus that I previously wrote about, I’ve embedded the link to soundcloud.com below.

Go to here to listen.

It does feel slightly strange posting this on the interwebs; but I think after writing my research paper on the prophetic nature of engaging in dialogue as means of uncovering personhood and God, that it makes sense. For now, at least. Enjoy.

Live free. Dream far.

Reason #223392490 Why I Love My Dad

emilyjewell — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:27:46 +0000

Conversations like this happen over G-chat some what regularly. Honestly, I wish they happened every hour because talking with my Dad is hilarious. He’s a quirky human being that I love so much.

me: yo yoyoyoyoyooy! why did your phone not get my texty the other day?

Gary: yes, not sure

me: I thought I was so brilliant asking you to be my alarm clock

Gary: i may not have heard it….not so brilliant

me: dad!!

would you have called if you did hear it?

Gary: perhaps just buying a simple alarm clock

probably

me: no no, these days it straight up takes human interaction for me to move

Gary: why?

me: because I’m so tired and sleep deprived

Gary: hmmmm

me: anyways, legit question:

[personal trust-me-you-don't-care conversation]

me: welp, i love you!

Gary: love you more. looking forward to seeing you in 10 days

me: i’m going to go eat pizza and watch holiday movies.

i know so soon!

me: quickly… devestating news: i might be lactose in tolerant.

Gary: probably not

that is something you do not develope

me: probably! i can hardly drink milk anymore

Gary: you are born with it or not

me: which is devestating since i drink milk all the time

you totally can develop it!

Gary: ok

me: in other words, more than ever, i need your prayers.

Gary: ok

gotta run.

me: fine bye

He’s too good to me sometimes.

Live free. Dream far.

Fall 2011 Finals: Pt. III, Wednesday.

emilyjewell — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:14:46 +0000

Wednesday (and Thursday) were wild, wild, adventures, full of life changing drama.

Just kidding.

I spent 12 hours studying in the library with Ashley.

Here’s the grand finale:

“I need a g**damn plug right now.” (in the middle of the quiet section of the library, dragging power cord around like a puppy)

“Jinx…1 2 3 you owe me a coke…… no. but seriously….”

“What characters are you writing about for your attachment paper?” “Dan, Serena, Blair, Chuck and Nate.” “Like, from Gossip Girl?” “Yeah.” “Wow. Brilliant.”

“I feel like Frankenstien.” “Yeah, you look like Frankenstein…”

“I’m a put together dresser! I’m a put together person!” “Yeah, externally…yes.” “Yes, true.”

“Jenny, you can’t have that cigarette. I can’t bear to hear you bitch about how you’re dying of lung cancer for 2 months straight after wards.” “THAT WAS ONE TIME!!” “Yeah….that just ended….”

“No, literally. I can’t make plans Thursday. I have to absorb myself into Holiday movies and pizza. I’m truly busy attempting to reintegrate myself.”

Sigh. Thank you God it’s over.

Happy Advent season, all.

Live free. Dream far.

Fall 2011 Finals: Pt. III, Tuesday.

emilyjewell — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:05:43 +0000

Here’s today:

“Facebook is for sure the anti-christ.”

“Stop being dramatic.” “I’m not being dramatic!! I’m being hyperbolicccc!”

“This is the worst academic decision ever made.” “Yeah. But it’s Canlis. You literally have no choice.”

“There’s a tampon on the floor….?” “Yeah. It’s Finn’s new favorite toy.”

“This apartment….is a pit of despair.”

“You just stopped having conversation with me half way through.” “What?” “You checked out and stopped talking mid conversation.” “Oh, okay.”

Say a prayer for our weary souls. I am literally going to be crawling by 9pm tomorrow night.

Live free. Dream far.