Yosemite, Conference, and BEFORE

These last couple of weeks have been busy.

The InnerCHANGE conference was held June 15-19, 2005. The focus was on the prophetic Current. For those of you who don't know, InnerCHANGE is made up of 3 Currents that we attempt to live out equally: The Missional Current, the Contemplative Current and the Prophetic Current. The Prophetic current asks the question: How are we fighting for justice? Where are we standing in the gap for the oppressed...being a voice in the midst of darkness or betrayal? This conference challenged us to think of what it means to be prophetic in our communities and it really means to live our lives prophetically. Another highlight was meeting others from teams overseas and catching up with those I already knew.

Our Team decided to take a retreat the two days before conference in Yosemite. Since the conference was less than an hour away from Yosemite, it seemed like the perfect time to go. I never knew how beautiful Yosemite is. Our rented a place in the Park and spent the days laughing, exploring, and enjoying one another's company. On Tuesday, we climbed up along Vernon Falls. I tell you...if every trail had huge amount of water spraying on you all the way up...I think I would hike more. ;-) It was so refreshing...

The week before I left for conference, I helped host a baby shower, went to a wedding shower, took my friend shopping for baby stuff with the money she got from the baby shower, and saw some of my family that was out, on business, in LA. ..okay take a breath.

Do I tell you all this because I am proud to say I did some much in so little time.....I think not. In fact, I probably would have enjoyed spreading out all those things over the coarse of 2-3 weeks. I tell you this, because though so many things have happened....each one touched me in some way. Through the baby shower, I learned that when I am not in control of every detail, the party can still end up being a hit and more often than not - better than if I did it myself. Through both showers, I enjoyed fellowship and opportunities of being with people that I do not see every day. Through my IKEA shopping experience with Karina, I was able to share my Swedish experiences and memories (IKEA is a Swedish Store). Not to mention, it was Karina's first time there...she had quite the time there as well. We sat on the furniture and were tempted by all the deals.

And I think what touched me most was seeing my family and sharing with them the people I care for deeply...my neighbors. My cousin, Jamie and her friend, Melissa, are opening a high end women's clothing store in Steven's Point (Near where I grew up). It is called the Pink Boutique. They were in LA to buy clothes for the store. When they came to pick me up, they were able to meet various people in my community. They met my friend Karina and her kids and they met Karmela and her daughter Cynthia. They even had the opportunity of meeting Jorge, a single father in our community who wants to start a youth center for kids. For me, seeing these two worlds converge, is always something beautiful to me. When you care about someone you want to share your life with them. My family and my friend's in Westlake are both deeply rooted in my life...I care about both very much. And that day...each were able to share in the other.

This was Written by a Friend of mine....Funny!

Acting has been a little slow, so I started temping today. What can I say?

Ever notice how staplers and staple removers always look like they are ready to eat something? It's weird... how come they always look hungry? And mean?

Ever notice how scotch tape dispensers, no matter if it's a public school or a huge corporation, are always the same? Those big tan or black things that weigh way more than what is required to keep a little roll of tape from moving around the desk? Is there only ONE company in the world that makes tape dispensers, and therefore all tape dispensers look alike?

I had a lovely desk with tons of space to use, which was nice, a lovely computer, (that I wasn't supposed to use for some reason) and a phone that had more buttons on it than a NASA space shuttle, all blinking inexplicably.

Ever wonder why they like to use a screen saver on the computer that looks like tropical fish swimming in a fish tank just to look up at the ACTUAL fish tank with the same tropical fish that is in the office? Maybe it's just me.

I was introduced to the shredder, which I have to say is the most ridiculously fun piece of equipment in an office! I had so much fun shredding documents that I even shredded the only proof of two transactions that totaled $110,000! Wow! That shredder is F-U-N. The chewing out I got for being so good at using it wasn't fun at all.

When in the world did they start making post-its that pulled out in an accordion shape?

In the bathroom, there was a funny picture of a toilet that had a leather seat, a laptop computer with phone and DSL linkups jacked in the wall, and a fax machine. The caption said, "Going On-line."

Ever wonder why there is an unexplainable banging sound like pipes being smashed together over and over again at your workplace? It made me DOUBLY curious that it was a Security Agency I was working for, with high tech sensitive equipment. What? You DON'T hear the sound of banging pipes at your office?!

Somebody sneezed, and I said, "God bless you!" Afterwards the manager pulled me aside and told me that we aren't supposed to talk about God in the workplace.

I must say, I am proud of the way I made the transfer of calls within the office much more expedient... I found it much easier to yell out to a person in the next office rather than taking all that time to figure out the NASA phone. I mean, c'mon... isn't it kinda goofy to call a guy on the phone to ask him if he can take a call when you can just yell out to him from 7 feet away?

Lunch was FABULOUS! I love Trader Joe's Chocolate Covered Blueberries! And the ten minutes I had to eat them was more than enough! I had ~FIVE WHOLE MINUTES~ to check my email, (on my phone, I wasn't allowed to use the computer) use the toilet, (the one with the funny picture) and practice on the phone from NASA. That was, of course, after I had finished filing (in triplicate!) all the work orders for the last three.... MONTHS.

My name somehow changed from Kevin, to Kyle, to Ken, and finally, to "What did you do THIS time!?"

My rep from the Temp Agency actually poked his head in to check out the business. Conveniently, this was at the same time I was doing my best work on the shredder! F-U-N!

Never in my life have I wanted to smoke so badly. And I don't smoke!

People ask me sometimes why I want to be an actor. Now I know what to tell them.

Kevin.