Wishing I was here for New Year's...

Food and home.

Isn't it interesting how we associate certain foods and tastes with different locations and/or memories? One food dish that always makes me think of home is stir-fried pea sprouts. We don't have it that often anymore. In fact, usually we have spinach. However, tonight we had pea sprouts and it was delicious.

Stir-fry Pea Sprouts

Ingredients 
1 lb of pea sprout
1-2 cloves of garlic crushed
Splash of oil (vegetable, olive or peanut)
Salt to taste

1. Add oil to bottom of wok (or giant pan) and put on medium-high heat on stove.
2.  Add crushed garlic to wok
3. When hot, add pea sprouts and stir-fry!
4. Add salt to taste while cooking.
5. Serve while it's steaming hot with some white rice. Mmmmmm.

Enjoy!

In the places you find love...

"It Feels Like Christmas" from The Muppet Christmas Carol

It's in the singing of a street corner choir

It's going home and getting warm by the fire

It's true, wherever you find love it feels like Christmas

A cup of kindness that we share with another

A sweet reunion with a friend or a brother

In all the places you find love it feels like Christmas

It is the season of the heart

A special time of caring

The ways of love made clear.

It is the season of the spirit

The message if we hear it-

Is make it last all year!

It's in the giving of a gift to another

A pair of mittens that were made by your mother

It's all the ways that we show love that feel like Christmas...

A part of childhood we'll always remember

It is the summer of the soul in December

Yes, when you do your best for love it feels like Christmas...

It is the season of the heart

A special time of caring

The ways of love made clear

It is the season of the spirit

The message if we hear it-

Is make it last all year!

It's in the singing of a street corner choir
It's going home and getting warm by the fire
It's true, wherever you find love it feels like Christmas...

Merry Christmas to all of you that are close to my heart, even if you are far away...

peace&love,

k. fank

Snuggie

Every time I see this:

I really want to be doing this:

Except not with cats (or as a cat for that matter). And possibly with good friends on a cold, rainy day while watching a movie. Possibly. Or a nice young man would work too. ;)

Break Highlights

I arrived safely in Orange County on Saturday evening and the break from Seattle has been great. I mean, I already miss Seattle terribly... Friends, roomies, and basically everything about that wonderful city, but it was time for a little getaway and this has been perfect.

Some highlights of the week so far:
-the car salesman thinking I was 16 years old
-catching up with old friends
-telling my brother he was going to be driving our car up to Seattle with our mom
-having breakfast at Breaking Dawn in Laguna Hills with Christina
-telling my dad that Wizard's middle name should be "Lizard" so that him and Wizard would have the same initials: WLF
-delicious Chinese food
-2 hour naps
-Golden Spoon with Wizard

Things to look forward to:
-more food
-more drinks
-Christmas
-more family laughter
-SPU Women's basketball games
-New Year's plans

The Young and the Restless

Yesterday one of my students asked me to read this short story he had to read for class and explain it to him. So I start to read it.

Basically this young high school couple gets swept up in the high of having running away to have sex. However, soon the high wears off when they realize no one really cares what they're doing, especially the young girl's mom. Throughout the story as the girl is describing herself you also realize that she is pregnant. Again no one really notices, not even the boyfriend. She eventually births the baby herself in another room, disposes of it in a trash can somewhere, and is eventually found out and arrested.

So I'm sitting there reading this thinking: "Here is one of my high school students who is a more recent arrival to America and I have to explain this very.... something story to him. blah."

When I finish, I turn to ask him if he's even read it yet. Luckily, he hasn't even read it so I respond that I'm not telling him what it's about until he reads it! hah! Throwing it back on him! (that's my tactic.)

Meanwhile, he's reading and he gets to a section which basically goes like this, "And we turn on 'The Young and the Restless' and the room starts shaking and meanwhile mom is walking downstairs- clickity-clack clickity-clack."

Student: "What is "The Young and the Restless?"
Me: "It's a soap opera..."
Student: *blank stare*
Me: "Well, here it's supposed to mean... you know... well...."
Student: "Oh. O.K."

I'm starting to feel like a protective mother hen with these young people. I want them to learn about this stuff, but at the same time I look at their youthful faces and think- not yet! (or maybe not in this form).

So ready for this...

Bus Conversations #2

On route 13 late at night with a father (an SPU professor oddly enough) and his young child:

Me: "So how old are you?"
Young Child: "I am FOUR. I had my birfday in Octember [August according to his father] TWICE."
Me: "Whoa! I'm so jealous. I only had one birthday. You're so lucky!"
Young Child: *big smile* "How many years old are you?"
Me: "Me? I'm 23 years old."
Young Child: "Wow. 23? That's a big number."


I was feeling young and hip... not so much anymore.

Bus Conversations #1

Seeing that I spend about 2-3 hours of my day on public transportation, I am bound to have or overhear plenty of interesting converstations. I have decided to start recording those here. :)

Two weeks ago, 2 young gentlemen were speaking of a young woman they knew who apparently was doing something crazy:

"She's nuts! She ain't goin' peanuts. She's goin' freakin' WALNUTS. Off. the. WALL. NUTS."

Letter to Sickness

Dear Sickness,

Thank you for your most recent visit. You were actually quite welcome this weekend as an excuse to lay around all day watching old movies and drinking delicious soups. However, it is now almost Wednesday and I still must survive the rest of the work week! You are now making it slightly difficult to show kindness towards my co-workers, roommates, and most importantly to exhibit patience to the kids in my after-school program. Think of the children, dear Sickness! They do not respond so well to crabby Miss Klarrisa. I am giving you some drugs and a full night of rest. In the morning I expect you to be gone. Thank you again. Please allow your acquaintances Health and Happiness to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
K. Frank

Keyword: Someday

Last night I got into a conversation with a dear friend about this "problem" she seems to think I have. The problem being: my singleness. I'd like to start off this blog by saying that I dearly love this friend, and that I truly support relationships and would indeed like to be in one someday. Keyword: someday.

This holiday season amidst old friends and family, I'm anticipating the questions... "So are you seeing anybody right now?"... "Do you have a boyfriend?"... "Why not?" Now, there's nothing wrong with those questions. However, (correct me if I'm wrong) there often seems to be this idea behind them that because I don't have a significant other that I'm missing something terribly or that I'm not completely "whole" without someone else. I have no problem answering the question truthfully and with dignity, but I do have problems with the pity party that follows my answer. If I felt fine about my life before their question, my life will often seem null and void along with a dropping self-esteem after our conversation.

Me: "No, I'm not really seeing anybody right now."

Inquisitor: "Oh really? Why not? You're so [insert 'compliment' here]!"

Me: "Thanks, I just haven't really found someone.... I guess."

[Thoughts of why if I'm so ____... why don't I have someone? start to appear]

Inquisitor: "There weren't any guys at school? Work?"

Me: "Nope..." [Do I just suck at meeting people? Hope this ends soon...]

Inquisitor: "Oh... [begins hosting pity party]... well you'll find someone soon!"

Me: "Thanks..." [becomes reluctant guest at pity party for 'pathetic' love life]

Oh life...and people. It takes so much patience, don't you think?

Anyways, the point is that I understand your concern for my life in general, but I am happy and fulfilled with a lot of the relationships around me. If I were to meet someone right now, that would just be an added plus to the people that I already have in my life. For now, I plan on living my life day to day with people... in this beautiful city:

And you know... if someday I meet someone that doesn't mind the craziness that is my life, then great!

Keyword: someday

In One Act

Last night I went to see my lovely roommate's one act, along with about 7 others' one acts. I feel that SPU's Theatre Department is slightly under-appreciated. I wish everyone could have seen the talent that was presented last night. So here's to you SPU Theatre!

PHX

Sometimes it's weird to miss a place that I hated for so long.

While Arizona is not a place I see myself living in ever again, there are certain aspects of it I miss sometimes.

1. On cold, rainy Seattle days, I often think of the August monsoon season in Arizona. There's this hot, dry wind that starts it off. Then as the clouds roll in, you hear the sound of thunder cracking in the distance. Shortly after, the clouds open up and dump buckets and buckets of water. Then just as suddenly it all stops. It's truly amazing.

2. Something I miss terribly when I'm feeling stressed is taking a long drive out on the windy roads that lead to no where. It's freeing to be able to just drive for miles and miles... *sigh* Mix that with some monsoon or #3 and you have happiness.

3. Lastly, Arizona sunsets are hard to beat. There's not even a photo that can possibly do it justice. A photo just can't capture the colors and vibrancy... This one tries, but still fails even though it's beautiful.

"Well I made my way back down to the valley,

Right on past 83rd Street,

That's where we once belonged

But I'm gone,

I swear I'm long gone...

God, I miss those songs we used to sing

Talking like getting away would be the greatest thing

Well me, I got out,

And you, you kept singing to me

Like that's really going to set this free..."

-"Give it Up" by The Format

Joyful Experiences.

It's been a long time since I've written. Anything.

Lately as I think about my future options, I have tried recalling experiences in my life that have truly brought me joy. Most of those joyful experiences involve being in relationship and community with amazing people. However, there are a few other things that stick out as well:

1. Writing. Throughout high school I would write poems, articles for the school paper, and general blogs. I continued writing somewhat through college, but never really past the pages of my journal. Which is totally fine, but there's something about posting your thoughts out there in cyberspace in the hopes that someone will read them that is really exhilarating. :)

2. Art and music. When I was younger, I really enjoyed using creative outlets (such as art and music) to express myself. As I've been reflecting on why I've stopped doing these things, the word "fear" continually sticks out. Fear of what... I'm still not quite sure.

3. It's kind of nerdy, but one event that continually sticks out in my mind is this end of the year celebration I planned for my newspaper senior year of high school. I had so much fun just planning out all the details and getting it ready. The best part was being able to appreciate my staff and reflect on the experiences they had during the year.

4. Hospitality and International travels/missions. Since high school when my family would host Japanese exchange students to last year with SPRINT, hospitality and missions have been a huge part of my life. Even before that, my life has always been about helping the people I love and care about through.... life. That's a little vague, huh? Whether that's helping my Chinese grandmother at the grocery store or helping a random hotel guest find a nearby restaurant, there's something about helping others feel at home when they may feel out of place that really brings me joy.

These are just a few and hopefully as I continue to reflect... more will come.

Meet Daniel Timti

Daniel Timti is an amazing man. He is a Christian, nurse, husband, father, son, and community leader. He was my homestay father when my team stayed in Njinikom, Cameroon. I learned so much about the people in the Northwest Province of Cameroon from Daniel. I also learned how powerful the use of hope is by the people within a community. Daniel had so much passion for health and for the people of Njinikom. One night he told us about how he wanted to start his own NGO and was processing the papers that week. We asked him what his NGO was going to do and he told us how he wanted to create a place for senior citizens. He went on to basically describe what we consider a senior center in America. When I told him that we had those in America too, he was overjoyed and pressed me for details of what our senior centers look like. He wants to see his plans for a senior center in Cameroon through so that the senior citizens in his community have a place to gather and improve their health. By playing games, doing crafts and gathering together, they will hopefully improve their health by lowering their blood pressure. I once learned that your vocation is when you find the place where your passions and the world's greatest needs meet. Daniel has found that in his community. I am truly thankful to have met Daniel and seen the work God is doing through him for Cameroon.