Friendship

December 16 – Friendship How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst? (Author: Martha Mihalick)

I don't think that my perspective has been changed by just a single friend this year; I have learned lessons from all of them. The most poignant perspective change has been learning to have a little bit more faith. This year especially I feel like I was surrounded by friends who weren't always in the seemingly greatest circumstances, financially or otherwise. The common denominator amongst these friends was the faith they had that God is bigger than their circumstances and a trust that He will pull them through the other side.

I've always been a thinker and planner (over-planner?). I like to have all my ducks in a row before I make a decision of consequence and I like to have control of the situation. One thing that Daryll and I have been talking about a lot lately is just having a little bit more faith that everything is going to work out okay. In large part this is because of our friends who have displayed that level of faith to us.

5 Minutes

December 15 – 5 Minutes Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh)

Ok, I already mentioned that I have a terrible memory so thankfully this isn't a real scenario. So here it goes...
-Wine tasting with the Dormans in Napa
-Weddings galore: Brandon & Meagan, Natasha & John, Crystal & Adam, Rock & Ashley
-Sip, Savor, and Stomp with Daryll and Megan in Temecula
-Spring Training in AZ with Dad and Daryll
-Epic Superbowl Chili Cook-Off Party
-Daryll & Don taking first in the splash and dash
-Awesome leadership camping trip with KA
-Building an entertainment center and bookshelves from scratch
-Easter outreach with CBC
-Teaching sewing for the first time
-Big Bear trip with Jeff & Lindsay, and Greg & Jen
-Natasha's Bachelorette weekend in Palm Springs; lounging and laughter
-Apple picking with Don and Andrea in Julian
-The tastiest Poblano and Cilantro Roasted Turkey for Thanksgiving with
-St Patty's Day and Halloween at George's
-Stagecoach festival!
-Palm Springs for p-club and 4th of july
-Del Mar Mud run!
-Visit with Dave, Claire, Rose, Fiona, and Ricky in Santa Barbara
-2nd place in the Refugio v-ball tourney
-Megan living with us for 6 weeks
-Trips to the Shout House
-USC losing to Washington and wearing purple! Woof!
-A week antiquing and getting lost with my mom

Ahh, I'm out of time! And I admit that I cheated and looked at some pictures to refresh my memory before doing this ;-)

*Oh, and I spent some extra time making this collage of my memories ;-)

Appreciate

December 14 – Appreciate What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)

There are a lot of things that I have really learned to appreciate this year: good health, the lessons of budgeting, a husband who loves me, the joy of spontaneity... to name a few. But one thing that really stands out:

I have really come to appreciate the friendship I have with my sister Amy.

At just 19 months apart, I can't remember a time when I didn't have a younger sister. When we were young Amy and I fought like cats and dogs, and our personalities were as different as our physical features. Throughout high school we had softball as our common denominator, but even then I can remember a specific incident my senior year where I broke a pre-game superstition and had Amy's wrath to pay. One of my favorite things to think about are the times when we have stood up for one another. It's one thing for me to say something about my sister, but it's totally another when someone else says something about my sister!

I am so thankful that as adults Amy and I have had a chance to get closer. We share many common interests now and a lifetime of secrets that only sisters can share. We still drive each other nuts from time to time, but it makes my day when I get a text like she sent me yesterday saying, "Sister I CAN'T WAIT for you to come in next week!"

I don't think I say it enough, but I am so thankful to have a sister and especially one as funny, unique, and beautiful as Amy Leigh. I love you Sister!

Action

December 13 – Action When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? (Author: Scott Belsky)

Did anybody else just shudder, because I did. Ideas? I've got plenty. Actions? There I go shuddering again.

Taking actions requires you to consider that failure is an option. Maybe not complete and utter failure, maybe just a tiny setback failure along the way. It doesn't make any difference to me. I'm terrified of it. Failure. It is precisely for this fear of failure that my potential has not been reached. I often feel a greater longing, a sense that there should be a deeper meaning for my life. I must have a greater purpose than this. Seriously.

About 2 months ago I sent out an status update on facebook. One line, a feeler if you will. One line that made me vulnerable. One line that pushed me forward one step. One line that could lead to failure. "I want to shoot some portfolio building family portraits... anybody interested in getting some free pictures?" The response was overwhelming and I have since shot and edited 6 different families pictures. I am delighted by the pictures. Every set I take becomes my new favorite. But I'm also my own greatest critic. Yes, I love them. They could be better. I'm still learning. I need more knowledge before I can launch myself into a business. I am hungry for knowledge. Knowledge is safety. Why would I leave the learning stage when it's so safe.

But I don't know if I even want to become a photographer. Or what else I want to do. I have a commitment problem. And a self-depreciating complex.

 So my next step? Make a decision! Are you going to spend your life thinking "what if", or are you going to live it the way you want? In the words of Switchfoot: This is your life, are you who you want to be?


p.s. I'd love to know who's reading these blog posts. I've been writing about some pretty personal stuff for a public blog... If you're reading this can you drop me a comment and let me know? Thanks!

Body Integration

December 12 – Body Integration This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present? (Author: Patrick Reynolds)

Two words: Mud Run! (It's the best I could think of... and it was a lot of fun... and it has some good pictures.)

December 11 – 11 Things What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? (Author: Sam Davidson)

1. Clutter
2. Decorations I don't love
3. Self-Criticism
4. The extra couch in the living room
5. Wasted time watching mindless tv
6. Excessive multi-tasking
7. Jealousy/Resentment
8. Bad sandwiches/lunches

Well, I got 8... that's not too shabby.

Wisdom

December 10 –  Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out? (Author: Susannah Conway)

My wisest decision of the year might have been the first one I made. I didn't know it at the time and never really grasped the power of it until this very moment, but my wisest decision in 2010 was to document my life. This #reverb10 project has really forced me to think hard and reflect on my year. As you may know, I don't have the greatest long-term memory and things begin to slip if they're not on the forefront of my mind. As one of my new years resolutions this year, I took on project life: a picture a day in 2010. I am most grateful for this project and the ability to look back at our year and marvel at all that has happened.

At the start of 2010:
-We didn't have a church to call home
-We were still fighting with the dogs to keep them securely in the kitchen everyday
-I didn't know a darn thing about photoshop
-We had never made a piece of furniture before
-I didn't know that I was going to have the chance to have a good friend live with us for 6 weeks
-Our home had never been broken into and our privacy violated
-I never thought I'd take on texturizing the bathroom walls alone 

In 2010:
-We started going to CBC and love calling it our home church
-The dogs haven't escaped in months. Such an easy fix with a sheet of plywood too...
-Now I know photoshop, illustrator, some blog design, and how to shoot pictures in manual mode!
-We made an entertainment center and two bookcases
-Megan lived with us for 6 weeks and we shared some experiences that I will never forget
-Our home got broken into and some possessions were stolen
-I texturized and repainted the bathrooms...while Daryll was gone one night ;-)

It is a gift to have my pictures and blog to look back upon. It was unforeseen wisdom at its finest. 

Party

December 9 – Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. (Author: Shauna Reid)

Twenty-Ten was a year full of social gatherings for us! How can I pick just one day when we had so many fun ones? (New Years, Geoff's Birthday, Max's 80's, Natasha's Bachelorette Party, KA craziness, shall I go on...) But if I had to pick just one gathering that was my absolute favorite this year, I'd go with our 2nd annual Superbowl Chili Cook-Off!

I love this event every year, but this year was especially successful and amazingly fun! We had friends from all different social circles join us at our house for the game and festivities! This year our house was literally overflowing with people and chili goodness! The chili contenders really stepped up their game from last year, making it difficult to choose a winner in each category. Outside games of corn hole were going at regular intervals. Inside, the chatter almost overpowered the sound of the superbowl commercials. It was thrilling! Since the Saints were in the game, we decided to get mardi gras beads in team colors so that everybody could declare their allegiance when the walked in the door. Just writing about this is making me so excited for next year already!

Beautifully Different

December 8 – Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. (Author: Karen Walrond)

After completing the Del Mar Mud Run 2010

Oh man, everyday these prompts just get harder and harder. It's hard to be humble with a prompt like this...

I think that there are several things about me that make me different. Of course there's the obvious: I'm a red head with brown eyes! (And we make up less than 1% of the entire human population!) I should just stop there! :-) I'm very athletic and competitive as well, and rarely turn down an opportunity to jump in a game or get dirty when it's call for. I am a learner and love to learn just for the sake of learning. Along that same line, I love "fun facts" (see redhead, above). I like to make people feel included and I am always willing to expand the group so that more people can join. I'm not afraid to just jump into a project without having the slightest clue what I'm doing - yet, I'm a perfectionist and often look at my completed projects and can only see flaws! I'm a creative person and like working with my hands (especially when those hands are creating something pretty for my home, or for me to wear, or for your home, or for you to wear!) I'm a homemaker and a bit of a domestic goddess. I love to cook, bake, and entertain. I take great pride in my work and I think it's a high form of compliment when people tell me that things I make (or bake, or photograph, or whatever...) look professional!

Here is what I hope lights people up: I'm a little bit witty, especially when I'm engaged with a group. I really love laughing along with people and I crack myself up sometimes. I can't help but tell people when I'm excited about something and I think that my excitement is magnetic and draws others into the excitement as well. As I spoke about yesterday, relationships are important to me and I try to make time on a regular basis to call old friends just to let them know I was thinking about them and care about our friendship.

I don't know what else to write, so you tell me... What do I do that lights you up?

Community - Daryll's Take

Community

When I think about community, I think back to the old Costa Verde/ La Jolla Tennis Club times living with Jared, Greg, Jeff, and Frank/Mike!   Sure, we liked to make fun of each other and pull some practical jokes, but we were also there in the tough times too.  Pouring cold water on Greg in the shower, the famous “Tickle Time” where usually Frank would look around the room, ask what time it was, then I would scramble for anything to try and beat back the rest as they tackled me to the floor and tickled me until I screamed like a girl.  And of course the one and only time we played Smashed Bros..

Lots of just sitting around with our shirts off enjoying being men.

We early on established nicknames like “Ladies Man”, “Rock Star”, “Frank the Tank”, “Frat Boy” and “El Jefe” which we had a lot of fun with.  A few other highlights from our years together include many nights hanging out in the spa just outside our apartment, Frank cooking for all of us (even if his mom didn’t like me), and lots of Mario Kart and Smash Bros.

A perfect community?  No.  Memories to last a lifetime – friendships forged forever?  Absolutely.

Community

December 7 – Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

Building better friendships was one of my new years resolutions this year. In high school and college I had an abundance of friends surrounding me. I love social situations and I love building relationships, but since a lot of our friends have moved away in recent years since college it has really been a struggle to feel like we are a part of a community.

In January we made the decision to leave Flood, where we'd gone to church for the last 5-7 years. Throughout 2009 we had been looking for a new church, but we had a really hard time finding one where we felt like we fit in. The first weekend of January Daryll saw an ad on facebook (of all places) for a brand new church in San Diego. So new, in fact, that it's first official service was happening that Sunday. City Bible Church has become our new home and our lives have been so greatly blessed and enhanced by the community that we've come to be a part of there. It is so nice to be a part of a church where the Pastor actually knows who you are (and plays in our fantasy football league!).

My thinking about community and building relationships has shifted in this past year as well. Ever since studying abroad my junior year of college, I've had a slight tugging of resentment inside of me that my friends had moved on without me here. I felt forgotten and excluded both while I was abroad and upon my return. In reality, I have many more great friends from high school than college and it is probably for that exact reason. This last year, with my new years resolution in tact, I set out to change my attitude and build better relationships. I just read a great article yesterday that sums up how I've been feeling. You can read it on the (In)Courage blog here. Basically, I need to stop wallowing in self-pity and put myself out there! Opening up our home has been a big part of that. Daryll and I have always loved entertaining and I absolutely love having a full (OVERFLOWING!) home! It's the best way I can show people that I care about them and care about our friendship. Another blog that I have been reading that has really been encouraging me in this matter is the Reluctant Entertainer. What a phenomenal attitude she has about being a blessing to others and building connections through entertaining!

I hope to continue building connections at CBC in the next year. I would love to develop some lasting and most importantly, real and raw relationships. What's the best way to do that? To be real with myself. And vulnerable.

On another note, I'd also like to find a creative community to become a part of, whether through photography, scrapbooking, or other crafts! I want to be inspired by and be an inspiration to others in 2011!

Thanks for being our friend! 

Make

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? (Author: Gretchen Rubin)

I believe that the last thing that I made was the "joy" sheet music window that I'm trying to sell. I love the window projects and thanks to Conor I have a continual influx of supplies!

It seems like I am always in the throes of a project.  I like to keep my hands and my mind busy and I do that by trying out new techniques and projects. This year has been particularly project-heavy. Daryll and I tried our hand at woodworking for the first time, completing an entertainment center and bookcases for the sides of it. I also tried my hand at jewelry-making and pulled off several successful designs. I made some movie posters for my boss's wedding in photoshop (also a first and also a great success!). I made several scrapbook pages and have almost completed my 365 project!

As far as projects I need to make time for... the biggest one I can think of is reuphostering my couch. I purchased and cut the fabric already, but I've been reluctant to get out the machine and start sewing when I'm not sure that I'll have enough time to finish the project. Our garage is also full of a bunch of half painted objects. Frames and mirrors that I want to add to the walls, a curio cabinet for the landing on the stairs, a wreath for Christmas (hmmm, I should probably get on that one!). Jen and I have also slowly and surely been working on our first quilts. Eventually we will finish... haha. Love this prompt and love to create!

Let Go

December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)

This year, I think I've let go of a need for excess. I have already been blessed with way more than I need and I just don't see the need to have excessive amounts of stuff in my life. I've gotten to the point where I am much happier sharing experiences with people and building relationships than buying gifts. Maybe it's a disillusionment with stuff. I'm sick of having my own life cluttered with stuff. Of course, I have the occasional purchase (ahem, grey boots I'm talking to you) that just makes me happy, but overall I'm disinterested in excess. Moving on from excess to experience. 

Wonder

December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)

I read this prompt and thought, huh? How did I cultivate a sense of wonder? More like did I cultivate a sense of wonder? I didn't stare up at majestic mountains and wonder at their beauty like the great artists. I did not marvel at the twinkling stars in the universe. A sense of wonder, really?

I, once again, am selling myself short.

I did wonder. I wondered what it would be like to learn how to make my pictures look their greatest, so I took a photoshop class. I wondered what it would feel like to have a picture of every single day of my life in 2010 to look back on, so I took on Project Life. I wondered if I could learn to draw in Illustrator, so I signed up for an online class and practiced like crazy. I wondered about my family history, so I peppered my family with questions and searched for answers. I wondered about a lot of things this year, and I wasn't afraid to try things out and seek an answer.

And it was wonderful.

Moment

December 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)

I love this prompt. I don't know why I don't take more time to think about significant moments and take a little bit of time to journal them. In fact, I liked this prompt so much that I made Daryll write about it too. His response surprised me, we'll see if it does the same for you...

Trish's Response:

The warm air of sunset hit our backs as we wound through the vineyard perched on bails of hay in the back of a tractor. Mere hours before Daryll, Megan, and I had no idea that Sip, Savor, and Stomp even existed, yet here we were at Wilson Creek Winery with the taste of almond champagne on our lips and the scent of early Autumn in the air. We reached a clearing at the top of the vineyard where we were greeted with an acoustic guitar melody and a breathtaking view of miles of grapevine. We sampled many wines, light and aromatic whites, smooth and bold reds, but always coming back to the defining unique flavor of the almond champagne. It seemed only fitting that we would be drawn to such an unusual champagne, when after all we were there under unusual circumstances. After an already euphoric weekend of visiting with our other friend Meg and cheering against USC in its loss to Washington, Megan suggested that we travel up to wine country for some tasting. A quick google search and an RSVP phone call later, we were on our way. The fact that this was so uncharacteristic of me made it all the more exciting. Photography and capturing moments is so important to me and this occasion proved not to be an exception. The warm afternoon glow was the perfect lighting for our many pictures frolicking in the vineyard. 

After appetizers, we meandered back down to the main ballroom where a tantalizing buffet of savory dishes awaited us. The singer's thick heavy voice boomed through the room, now with a little more fervor with the addition of a band, and many people rose to feet and glided across the dance floor. Finally, it was time for the moment we had been anticipating. 

We walked out into the crisp evening air, each with a glass of wine in hand, and waited in line for our turn. Megan and I timidly stepped into the barrel and the cold and moist explosion of grapes massaged the bottoms of our feet. Now, loosening up we pulled up our skirts and started our stomp around the barrel. We couldn't help but smile and laugh at how surreal this moment in time was. Next, Daryll climbed in and I could tell his surprise at the slimy crushed grapes beneath his feet. A smile spread across his face as well as we looked at each other in the barrel of grapes. As I sit here tonight, sipping on almond champagne, I can't help but be transported back into that moment. For once, I had put all stress and worries aside and I was living. 

Daryll's Response:

Feeling alive.  Alive as in breathing, eating, and sleeping, or something more?  I hate applying tags like “most”, “lease”, “best”, “worst”, “always”, “never” because it feels like that is trapping yourself into something that you can’t “ever” change.  So I’ll just think of it as a time I felt alive this year.

One moment that really came to mind was the Sugarland concert at the country music Stagecoach festival this year.  The whole weekend was a lot of fun and aliveness, meeting new people, getting to know acquaintances better, and having a great time with my wife in her element too! (Like Stampede, where you feel like an idiot for not wearing a cowboy hat, plaid, or actually liking the taste of Coors Light)

But for me, I’m a pretty big music guy.  A lot of times I like to feel like I’ve “discovered” bands along the way.  For example, I always tell the story about first listening to Switchfoot in junior high church and the first time I saw them in concert they were horrible.  Or the time in 1999 I first saw Tyrone Wells as lead singer of Skypark.  Other finds include Mat Kearney, Anberlin, Mae, Needtobreathe and *John Mark McMillan.  When I first started dating Trish, it was hard for me to listen to so much country music because I originally assumed it was all horrible music.  Turns out this isn’t the case at all.  Just the country I had been exposed to previously.  But really all music has good ones and bad ones.  Would the Beatles (as the Rock n Roll band representative) be proud of Nickelback?  I don’t think so.

So here I was about to listen to Sugarland, a female-fronted country band I had heard on the radio and had a few good songs I liked.  But certainly no chance for me to be their discoverer.  What I didn’t know is that I was just already missing out!  The lights went out, then came up again to start the concert.  I’ve long been a fan of outdoor music festivals, and though I prefer intimate settings where everyone crowds together and gets all sweaty, there is something for being on blankets and chairs with a couple thousand other people.  From the first song, it was clear this band knew how to perform.  Especially considering I was a few football fields back from the stage and only vaguely knew a few of the songs, this band really put on a great show.  I think the whole place got quiet when the lead singer Jennifer Nettles was singing “Stay” with her incredibly powerful voice.  With a great concert like this, you automatically become friends with those around you as you belt out the words and hope the chorus doesn’t change too soon.  It was a neat time looking around at all of these strangers captivated by this band – with only the occasional person too drunk to know what was going on.

After we came back from Stagecoach, I even downloaded the CD and blared it out of my car while driving with the windows down for several days. 

So, that’s my alive moment that comes to mind when thinking about 2010.  Life-changing?  Certainly not.  But the older I get the more I come to appreciate simple moments like discovering a new band or a truly great concert.

*Probably my favorite new CD of the year was John Mark McMillan’s The Medicine.  An amazing musician and artist, his songs also really make me feel alive when listening and turning up really loud even on the slow songs.

p.s. for your enjoyment, here's Tyrone Wells's song "More". I think that it sums up this prompt quite nicely.

Writing

December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)

I'm not sure how applicable the "writing" part of this prompt is to me, so I'm changing it to "What do you do each day that doesn't contribute to your creativity?". And perhaps I should be asking myself why do I do those things?

I love being creative. I love creating with my hands, with my computer, with my camera. So why don't I spend more time doing that? Why do I allow things to distract me from my creativity? Honestly, some of it is laziness. It was a lot easier to sit down and watch Grey's Anatomy tonight than finish the Christmas banner that's sitting desolately in the scrap room. (Does it count if I was multitasking and editing pictures while the show was on?) Another aspect of it is perfectionism. I can't stand it when things don't turn out perfect and I have to be in the right frame of mind to even attempt to achieve that unattainable standard that my brain has set for itself. Finally, another portion is a fear of failure. I know I'm creative and talented. And I know other people have noticed. The question is now, what am I going to do with all that talent? Surely it's wasted being spread around from one creative medium to another, but how can I reign in and focus on just one aspect when there's so much more to learn? So much more to do... 

I want to create just because I love creating. Not for anyone else's sake. Not for a potential future business idea. Not because of any expectations that I have placed on myself. Just for the love of creativity. 

One Word

Abundance