Lola Alapo

Say it!

2012-02-23T08:08:00.001-05:00

"If something inside you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and it will probably be universal. So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work. Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write towards vulnerability. Don’t worry about appearing sentimental. Worry about being unavailable; worry about being absent or fraudulent. Risk being unliked. Tell the truth as you understand it. If you’re a writer, you have a moral obligation to do this. And it is a revolutionary act — truth is always subversive."
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

I liked this so much I stole it from fellow blogger Mallory Brooks. I'm shameless!

Baby Andy is going home!!!

2012-02-21T22:59:00.007-05:00

Baby Andy is going home!! Yahoo!!

My friends and I have been doing some serious rejoicing all evening :)

Andy's mama, my dear friend Caroline, texted me tonight to share the wonderful news. This fighter of a boy will be released Monday from the University of Tennessee Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after more than three months there.

Andy was born at 26 weeks and given a 36 percent chance of survival.

Now, look at him! He still has some challenges like learning to swallow but I'm confident he'll get that, too.

Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

You have led in Your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode. - Exodus 15:11, 13.

YAY, God!!

Food adventure: Japan

2012-02-21T19:09:00.003-05:00

I had a culinary adventure today, thanks to the University of Tennessee.

Japanese cuisine was the fare of the afternoon. Today was the second week of the Ready for the World Cafe, a 10-week international lunch series presented by the UT Culinary Institute and a class that focuses on food production and service management. It is open to the public.

It's basically a lab and we, the participants, are the lab rats. This is one experiment I didn't mind. It was tasty. (I did Ireland last week, which was fabulous!)

For $12 (or $10.20 if you're a UT employee with a discount card), you get a four-course meal that consists of an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert. You also get to rate the experience, which helps students in their quest for learning and improvement.

There are eight more luncheons this spring semester: Brazil (Feb. 28), India (March 6), Korea (March 15), Italy (March 27), France (April 3), Liberia (April 10), Persia (April 17), Germany (April 26).

Here's a pictorial tour of today's experience:
Appetizer: skewered chicken in yakitori sauce, which tasted like teriyaki sauce.

Second course: seaweed cucumber salad marinated in soy sauce & rice vinegar.

Entree: fried pork with rice and cabbage.

Dessert: green tea gelato with candied sweet potato.

We had an extra treat today. We learned how to make origami cranes.

Letters to Bolivia

2012-02-21T08:30:00.003-05:00

It's been almost 10 years since Jhonny and I entered one another's lives.
He'll be 19 in a few weeks and has begun the trek into adulthood. I'm knocking on thirty's door and excited to see what's on the other side.

Jhonny is the young man from Bolivia that I sponsor through Compassion International. We've never met face to face. I hope to change that this year.

How neat to have been a part of his life through his letters. How cool to have let him into mine through my letters. I sat down to write him last night, which is what got me reminiscing.

It was late summer to early fall 2002, my final semester in college, when I embarked on a life journey with this 9-year-old kid. I was 19. I wanted to do something that was bigger than myself. Compassion is an organization I'd heard about and respected for a long time. Thanks to my babysitting job, I finally had money to sponsor a child. I especially loved the letter-writing and the idea of having a pen pal in another part of the world.

I didn't know where to start. Since I like surprises, I let the organization pick the child for me. I was thrilled when the packet arrived at my parents' Brooklyn home. I opened it and found a picture of this dark-haired, brown-eyed boy staring back at me.

Through the years, I've heard about Jhonny's progress in school, his father's illnesses and recoveries, his resilient mom who works hard in the market to provide for the family. In between chores, helping with siblings and academics, Jhonny enjoys soccer and running.

Life has been hard at times but his letters always contain hope-filled updates and colorful pictures, particularly around the edges. One time, though, he sent me this full drawing, which I've kept it on my fridge for years.

I've started setting aside "Bolivia money." I'm excited about the possibility of taking a trip to the South American country someday to meet Jhonny.

One man's pet = another man's food?

2012-02-20T17:18:00.000-05:00

I read a story today about a California man who admitted to and was sentenced for killing and cooking cats.
My first reaction was an "eww" and a shudder. I mean, how disgusting is that?

But then, a very random thought occurred to me and it's this: wow, what a culturally diverse world in which we live.

We, as Americans, eat things that are considered pets in other parts of the world. Take cow, for example. To millions of Hindus in India, it is a sacred animal. I wonder if they're not mortified when they read or hear about its consumption in other areas of the globe. In my mind, that doesn't make sense because I enjoy a good burger.

In parts of Asia, cats and dogs are food. This boggles my mind because to me, they're family members. I can't imagine my Plucky dog on a platter. That makes me sad.

But then, I eat goat and have done so since my childhood in Nigeria. I have friends who keep them as pets and are incredulous when I tell them.

I don't condone the California man's actions. But several questions came to my journalist mind: Where is he from? Is he a recent immigrant? Was this a money-saving move? Was it culturally acceptable in his eyes? Was he truly crazy? The article doesn't provide the answers.

I found interesting the reactions of people interviewed for the story. Some called for the man to be put in a mental institution. Others were petitioning to have him removed from the community.

I don't have any answers. Just some random Monday observations.

Chewing on hope.

2012-02-19T17:00:00.001-05:00

I did something sneaky, sneaky in church today.
I starting tweeting during the sermon.
Pastor John Wood offered nugget after nugget as he spoke about A Call to Hope. They were like zingers hitting me exactly where I needed them.

I thought, perhaps they might give others "aha" moments as they did for me so I took to social media.

Some of John's thoughts that hit home this morning:

"Hope is as necessary to a healthy mind and spirit as food is to our bodies. Without hope, we die."

"Hope is not a wistful expecting. It is a forward direction of faith; a confidence that God will continue to fulfill his promises. Those who have that hope live differently."

"It's not putting smiley faces on painful things. It's knowing who our Redeemer is and that he's working everything out for our good."

More here.

Interruptions are not my enemies

2012-02-15T19:29:00.001-05:00

My big lesson of the day: Interruptions are not my enemies. They're my friends.
How do I know this? I got ice cream out of them. And a fun walk with that guy to the left. And new eyes.

What a frustrating...and wonderful day it's been.

First, there was the blackout at work. I was away from the office when the lights went out, which left me wondering what files I had open and if I would be able to recover the work. Then I realized, "wait, it's 3 p.m. We can't get anything done."

We went home early...which meant I got to take Plucky for a long-overdue walk. Gorgeous weather for it, too.

We got back and I realized I had time for a fitness class. I decided on Pilates. You know, keep it low-key.

But as I walked out of the house, a City of Knoxville guy dropped off a recycle bin. I tried to explain that I already had one but he was like, "no, I don't think so." So, I had to show him and explain all over again why I didn't want two...but he left the second one anyway....which meant I had to find a place for it...which made me leave late.

As I drove down Cecil Avenue in North Knoxville, I glanced to my left and caught sight of the Smoky Mountain range. Breathtaking. I actually had time to look. It made me wonder how many times I've driven down Cecil and never noticed them because I'd been in a rush.

I was feeling pretty good as I got to the University of Tennessee campus. I knew there was a basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena tonight but I wasn't worried. Parking on that side of campus doesn't affect the recreation center, which is on the other end. What I didn't bank on was a swim meet in the building right across from the fitness facility.

Every. lot. was. full. Every. space. taken.

I drove around for 15 minutes looking for a spot, all the while grumbling and muttering bad words. I'd had enough. I was going back home. As I sat at the light near Cumberland Avenue, it was as if a thought from heaven slipped into my mind: "hey, ice cream's on sale at Kroger."

Off to Kroger I went. I looked through the ice cream cases with glee. I finally settled on black raspberry dark chocolate chunk. A fair substitute for Pilates, I think.

Another thing about the interruptions: they've given me time to write tonight's ramblings. It's been a while and I've missed writing posts.

Today was a shift in perspective. I hope to continue to see frustrating events with new eyes. Thankful eyes.

I'm off to study for my statistics exam. But first, ice cream.

Jamaica, mon!

2012-02-04T23:31:00.000-05:00

God painting a sunset over Montego Bay; seen from CCCD's campus

I spent eight days in January in one of the most beautiful spots on earth.
I was at the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Jan. 21-28 as part of a six-person work team from my church.

We painted students' dorms and the missionary family's house, moved furniture and did other needed maintenance.
Above all, we got to hang out with and love on the kids. CCCD is a boarding school that serves deaf children in kindergarten through high school.

I'm fluent in American Sign Language but I haven't used it much since I moved to Knoxville nine years ago. It was neat to be able to put those skills into service again.

We also had a couple of afternoons to enjoy the beach.

The trip was amazing. But don't take my word for it. See for yourself here. (Captions are to the right of the photos.)

Disappointment = character builder

2012-02-03T22:24:00.002-05:00

I tested for my first-degree black belt in Taekwondo tonight and I didn't pass. I didn't break one of my boards.

I stepped up to the board and I pulled off a clean break with the right foot. It was the left foot's turn and the last thing between me and the belt. And it just didn't happen. I can't tell you exactly what went wrong (maybe I didn't pivot enough?)

Oh, the disappointment stung -- still does. I confess that I didn't want to write this post. I feel embarrassed when it comes to admitting failure. It was especially tough because three friends came out to cheer me on.

But I realized something tonight: although the failure hurt, it was not devastating. Then I realized something else: that's huge growth for me, character-wise. Disappointments don't bowl me over like they used to and for that, I am so thankful.

In the three years I've been studying Taekwondo, this is the second test I've failed. (I've passed 15 so far. Not bad.) I failed the first test in December 2010 when I was trying to move from blue belt to brown belt, the first level of advanced. I boo-hoo'ed inconsolably.

Maybe that first test fail took the edge off this second one. I dunno. But I do know that I overcame that first fail. When I finally got that brown belt, it felt so good. Likewise, I know it'll be doubly sweet when I finally get the first-degree black belt. I try again in a few months.

One of my sisters often says to me, "every disappointment is a blessing." I didn't always like hearing that but now I don't mind because it's so true.

I had a few friends and another sister praying for me tonight (I get so nervous when it comes to tests!) Their prayers weren't in vain. I felt the strength of them. I wasn't as nervous as I could have been and I thoroughly enjoyed the test, from demonstrating my pattern to the sparring (especially the sparring!) to the board breaks. I loved being with my Taekwondo family and cheering on fellow students.
It meant so much to me that I had the support of my three friends on this big night.

Yes, the first-degree black belt eluded me tonight. But it won't be for long.

Oh, are you wondering why there's a picture of a tasty loaf of bread in this post? My dear friend Sarah brought it to testing tonight as a surprise. It's made from scratch. (She even milled her own wheat.)

Call it my consolation prize. My night is already looking up :)

Celebrating a double chin.

2012-01-13T08:22:00.000-05:00

I'm celebrating a double chin and chubby cheeks today.

My little buddy Andy has tripled his birth weight. He's now 3 lbs, 9 oz. He turned two months old this week.
I first wrote about Andy in November shortly after his premature birth.
He's still at the University of Tennessee Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit but he's fighting on.

He's blasted through milestone after milestone. He's exceeded doctors' expectations and they use the word "REMARKABLE" to describe his progress.

He's not out of the woods yet. But hope is growing within us because of this precious child. (His mama and daddy are my dearest friends Lawrence and Caroline. Follow their story here.)

All props go to God for this miracle that is Andy's life. Happy Friday, y'all!

Officially a student again.

2012-01-12T21:12:00.000-05:00

I haven't bought one of these in years. -->
I felt kinda odd the other night as I stood in the school supplies aisle at Kroger. But I was also strangely giddy.

I am officially a student again. I had my first class today -- Statistics. It was surprisingly enjoyable and the stuff actually made sense.

One of the reasons I was excited about my new job at the University of Tennessee was the benefit of going back to school to earn a master's degree. For free. I'll have to pay for books and all, but that's it.

I began thinking: what do I love to do and what do I want to do?

I already have an undergrad degree in journalism and I lived the dream of being a newspaper reporter for nine and a half years.

Then I thought food. I like to eat. So, maybe a degree in something culinary? But I realized I would eat everything in class rather than pay attention, so a degree in that area probably wasn't a good idea.

Then I thought exercise. I love working out and I love helping people in their quest to eat well and stay healthy. The more I looked into the UT kinesiology graduate program -- particularly the exercise physiology concentration (it's basically exercise science) -- the more intrigued I became. I met with the department head, spoke to some professors and attended a club meeting. I think it might be a good fit.

I've got a bunch of prerequisites to do before I start the graduate program -- largely math and science. Those two subjects were never my favorite.

I'm hoping I've developed a secret love for them in the almost 10 years I've been away from undergrad. We'll see.

9 years in Knoxville.

2012-01-10T17:15:00.000-05:00

Nine years ago today, I drove into Knoxville to start my new life, post college.
I remember it was sunny that Friday afternoon and gas was $1.34/gallon.

I had no expectations but I had a deep sense of adventure. I had a new gig in a place I'd never heard of until I started job searching. (I did know where Tennessee was on the map, at least.)

Frankly, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about Knoxville. It was so different from New York City, where I grew up. Maybe that's part of what made me like it. Before I knew it, I started making friends, I bought a house and I adopted two dogs. I'm discovering that my roots have sunk in deep.

Who knows what next year looks like? Three years from now? Five years from now? Maybe I'll still be in Knoxville and maybe I'll be somewhere totally unexpected. But for now, this is home.

I mark today's anniversary with these words: what a ride!

Peter.

2012-01-09T23:20:00.000-05:00

My heart is a little sad tonight over my friend Peter.
Oh, he's alive and well, in good health and about seven weeks from his 87th birthday. We spent about 45 minutes on the phone tonight.

It's what Peter has been doing that makes my heart a bit heavy. He's been giving away his books.

He's a practical sort of fellow. (He's a South African-born British-American, if that tells you anything.) His thinking is, when he dies he wants his prized possessions to go to people he loves and who will treasure them and take care of them. So, he's giving them away now.

When I last saw Peter -- 10 days ago -- he asked me to go through his bookshelves and pick out whatever I wanted.That was like winning the lottery. Reading is a love of mine.
I took Peter's books with mixed feelings and I told him so. He just laughed.

I came back to Knoxville with Peter's books three times last year: in June, after Thanksgiving and after Christmas.

Peter is actually doing something brave and wise -- and full of hope. He is preparing to meet God and is getting his affairs in order. "When I go to heaven, I can't take my books with me," he told me tonight.

None of us know the day of our death but it behooves us to count our days so we may gain a heart of wisdom, as the psalmist said. I'm learning through all this that we should always be living with an eye toward eternity.

But still. The selfish part of me wants Peter around for a long, long time.

I met Peter in the fall of 1999 while at college. We connected through a community church in Stonybrook, NY. I forget exactly how it happened but we became friends immediately. Once a week or so, Peter would meet me and the guy I was dating at Friendly's, the Northeast's version of IHOP. We would talk life, love, sacrifice and what it meant to live them out in a cross-cultural context.

My friendship with Peter has deepened through the years. After I moved to Knoxville in 2003, we stayed in touch through letters, emails and phone calls. Trips to see my family in New York City always include a visit with Peter.

These days, Peter and I talk about politics, books, current events, my future husband, life lessons we're learning, adventures, and his beloved wife Jane who died in the 1990s. We also talk about the goodness, faithfulness and sovereignty of our great God, especially in the midst of uncertainties.

And we like to eat together -- definitely the mark of a good friendship :)
We usually end up at the Red Barn, one of his favorite restaurants in Connecticut. That's where the above picture was taken in December.

Tonight, Proverbs 27:17 comes to mind: "As iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another."

Peter has been this for me. I pray I have done the same for him.

Only in New York City...

2012-01-04T16:21:00.000-05:00

The funny, strange and beautiful I saw during my recent trip to the Big Apple:

On the Brooklyn-bound C train

On the Manhattan-bound A train

Lafayette Avenue station

Manhattan Island from the Staten Island ferry

Happy 125th birthday, News Sentinel!

2011-12-23T08:48:00.000-05:00

An open letter to the News Sentinel:

Dearest Knoxville News Sentinel,
Happy 125th birthday! I'm so glad to have been a part of you.
It thrills me that you still survive despite setbacks and uncertainties in the newspaper industry.
I have you to thank for my love of East Tennessee, you know. After all, you gave a New York City girl reason to come South.

I wasn't planning to stay in East Tennessee any longer than three years but somehow, you sucked me in with decent pay, wonderful friends and a fantastic newspaper career. Nine years later, I'm still here and it's looking like I'll be sticking around these parts for a while longer.

I pray that you would thrive and continue to be a blessing to others as you have been to me.

Sincerely and with gratitude,
Lola Alapo
(News Sentinel employee from January 2003-July 2011.)

Celebrating Sara

2011-12-17T23:50:00.000-05:00

A hat tip to my friend Sara for trying something new today -- she ice skated for the first time.
What a way to kick off another year of life! YAY for new experiences :)

Sara had a birthday this week and I wanted to celebrate with her. I asked what she wanted to do in addition to eating a meal together. I also threw out a few suggestions, ice skating being one of them. Her eyes lit up and she told me it was something she had never done but it was on her list.

Well, my own eyes lit up because it's one of my favorite things and I would get to experience it with her.

I knew just the place, too. Every year between Thanksgiving and New Year, Knoxville's Holidays on Ice comes to Market Square downtown. A covered ice skating rink decked in Christmas lights is set up right in the middle of the square.

I was so proud of Sara. She was determined and she did a great job of maintaining her balance. She did not fall once.

She enjoyed herself ... or at least that's what she told me. She could have just been saying that to make me feel better about making her do this ;)

Unicorn meat, anyone?

2011-12-16T22:40:00.001-05:00

My thanks to the University of Tennessee for providing the fodder for tonight's blog post. I saw many things on campus this week that made me laugh.

The unicorn meat (excellent source of sparkles!) was one of the Dirty Santa gifts exchanged during my office's holiday party. Opening the can revealed this:

During the same party, another colleague unwrapped this bacon tuxedo puzzle. Everyone definitely needs one of these :)

The best thing, however, was this sign I saw at the College of Architecture.

Surprise at my door

2011-12-15T08:27:00.000-05:00

I came home from Taekwondo last night and found this on my doorstep.

I confess that I was suspicious and my guard was up when I saw it as I pulled into the driveway.
I couldn't quite tell what it was. The reporter in me was imagining all sorts of craziness. (Bomb?)
But as I approached it, I quickly relaxed and a grin replaced the frown on my face.

My friend Julia had driven way across town to give me this. It was such a kiss from God and an invitation into more of Him.

The surprise left me quite speechless (a rarity, I assure you). For a good five minutes, all I could say was "wow." And then I would laugh and try to formulate words and all that came out was "wow."

What's inside, you ask? Something for me ;)

Officially a voter. Woo hoo!

2011-12-14T22:24:00.002-05:00

My voter registration card arrived in the mail today. Woo hoo! Finally!
Yet another bonus of my U.S. citizenship.

I registered to vote at the drivers license place the day after my October naturalization ceremony. The clerk told me the card would arrive within three weeks. I waited and waited ... and waited.
I had hoped it would come in time for the Nov. 8 elections that swept Madeline Rogero into the history books as Knoxville's first woman mayor.

December came and I got impatient. So I called the Knox County Election Commission to inquire about my card. In doing so, I learned something new. Tennessee law mandates that all election commissions in the state must stop processing voter registrations about a month before an election. This gives them time to get ready for early voting and election day. Who knew!

Well, no worries. There's next year and the presidential elections.
Come on, November 2012!

Together again!

2011-12-13T21:49:00.001-05:00

I got a sweet treat tonight.

I had the wonderful pleasure of hanging out with Caroline and Rachel, the girls in my small group.
We three haven't met as a group since early November when Caroline was hospitalized due to preeclampsia. Andy, her little one, was delivered Nov. 11 at roughly 26 weeks. He just celebrated his one month birthday
(Oh, Caroline is one sandwiched between Rachel and me.)

What an honor it's been to walk this crazy journey with Caroline and her husband Lawrence.

The cool thing was, although we three didn't meet, we were constantly praying for one another and still doing life together. (YAY for the technology that is email and text. By the way, there was a day I was missing Caroline so much that I snuck over to her house for a hug.)
Rachel and I got together a handful of times without Caroline. Each time, we were hopeful that Caroline would be able to join us. Tonight, she did.

I'm thankful for community.
I'm thankful for the back booth at Panera.
And I'm thankful for fuzzy iPhone pictures that capture the moment's joy!

Bacon art

2011-12-09T16:22:00.000-05:00

This definitely take the prize for the most impressive thing I've seen today.

I stared at this for a few minutes when Facebook friend Christie posted the first pic. I finally figured out what it was.

Then, I smiled and I smiled and I smiled.

Vincent Van Gogh would be proud that his masterpiece "Starry Night" has inspired such creativity.

Drooling yet?

Pearl Harbor Day and a birthday

2011-12-07T16:00:00.000-05:00

My friend Josephine is 95 years old today.

She was celebrating her 25th birthday when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on this day, 70 years ago. It signaled America's entrance into World War II.

I was curious about Josephine's experience and what she was feeling on what should have been a day of joy. So, I interviewed her.

Josephine was a housewife and mother of three in Berkeley, Calif., on Dec. 7, 1941. She was in shock as she heard the news of the attack on the radio.
"It was incredible that this would happen," she said. "It was such an impractical thing...and it seemed like such a foolish thing for the Japanese to do. They were taking on something that they couldn't finish."

She added: "None of us doubted what the outcome would be: a very disastrous encounter."

I'm thrilled that Josephine lived through World War II and subsequent conflicts. How neat that we were able to become friends decades later.

To celebrate her birthday, Josephine and I went on a date to Panera on Sunday afternoon.

I love people like Josephine because I can touch history through them. She reminds me of my grandmother. I want to record their stories.

After our chat, Josephine thanked me for interviewing her.
She said with a chuckle: "I can see that your newspaper days are still with you."

Ve vant your blood. Muahaha.

2011-12-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

Last month, I wrote about Andrew, the precious babe of my dear friends, Lawrence and Caroline.
The little guy is now 3 weeks old. He's had his ups and downs but he's still fighting the good fight in the University of Tennessee Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

A blood drive is being organized Saturday, Dec. 17, at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, 9132 Kingston Pike, to help defray the cost of the blood Andrew is receiving.

My precious friends in East Tennessee, won't you participate in giving this gift to my little buddy this Christmas?

The event will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You may sign up for a time slot here. If you're having problems logging in or signing up online, please contact Katie Smith at katiesmith@cspc.net.

If you can't come on Dec. 17, you may go to the Medic Downtown or the Medic in Farragut. You may also check for a different blood drive at the Medic website. Please be sure to give in Andrew Chermely's name.

Medic Downtown, 1601 Ailor Ave.; 865-524-3074
Medic Farragut, 11000 Kingston Pike., 865-671-0836

Thank you for being a part of this dear family's journey!

Black ninja ... santa

2011-12-04T18:04:00.000-05:00

Yep. You read and saw that correctly.

I've been eyeing these Christmas ornaments for some years now. I liked them immediately when I saw them in the display case at my Taekwondo school.
I decided to make them my Christmas gift to myself this year.

You're shaking your head, aren't you? You never know what you'll find on this blog ;)

Visit to an old love

2011-11-29T17:46:00.000-05:00

My trips to New York City are never complete without a visit to the Brooklyn Bridge, my favorite landmark. It's hard to resist its allure.

I've walked this bridge countless times - always starting on the Brooklyn side and crossing into Manhattan and back - and it's a new experience every time.

(Trivia: did you know the bridge was completely built by hand?)

I found myself on the bridge Saturday afternoon with a throng of people. The crowd was a bit annoying and I should have known better than to go on a weekend day but nonetheless, I enjoyed the 2.26-mile round trip.

The Brooklyn Bridge is undergoing a face lift so some of its magnificent views were blocked. Here's to hoping the rehabilitation doesn't take too long.

This trip to New York City was yet one more reason to be thankful this Thanksgiving. It was so fun to spend the holiday with my family in Brooklyn. I got to hang out with my parents and siblings and squeeze my nephews and niece. I also got some driving experience in the city. (Puts hair on your chest.)

In the almost nine years I've lived in Knoxville, I've only come home for Thanksgiving maybe two or three times. I typically worked the holiday while I was at the Knoxville News Sentinel and saved the day so I could have a longer vacation over Christmas. But thanks to the new gig at the University of Tennessee, I have more vacation time that I could ever want.
YAY for small blessings!

I had a chance to reconnect with old friends and the children I babysat while in college. (The oldest boy will be 16 in March. He's already thinking of college choices!!)

A special treat this holiday was meeting up with my friend Laura from Wisconsin. It was fortuitous. When we made our individual plans, neither of us knew the other would be in New York City for Thanksgiving. I happened to read one of her blog posts earlier this month where she mentioned her impending trip. I fired off an email to her and the rest is history.

We went to see the Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, walked around the city a bit, grabbed lunch and then went to service at my former church, Times Square Church.

What a blessing that I can call New York City my other home.

A tribute to my Jedi Master.

2011-11-19T16:34:00.001-05:00

My Taekwondo master instructor James Rich was featured in the November issue of Taekwondo America Connection, our organization's magazine.

I am so proud of him! You know, it's kind of like that excitement you feel when you see someone you know on television.

I began my Taekwondo journey with Mr. Rich in April 2009 and under his tutelage, I've learned and performed martial arts skills I never dreamed I could.

Starting next year, I'll be joining his storm troopers, er, team and begin training as an instructor. Stoked!!

I want to be like him when I grow up -- the deadly ninja part, not the white man part :)

Gooey on the inside.

2011-11-17T22:05:00.001-05:00

I've been chewing on this all day and it makes me all gooey on the inside:

"You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you ... Fear not, for I am with you," says the Lord. -Isaiah 43:4,5

Grateful for hope.

2011-11-14T23:47:00.000-05:00

This is Andrew.
Because of this courageous little guy, I'm learning to pray like I never have before. I'm also learning through Andrew that God is still good and can still be trusted even when life is hard and doesn't make sense.

Andrew (which means "courageous" and "enduring") was born on 11-11-11 to my dear friends Lawrence and Caroline. He was delivered at 26 and a half weeks and weighed 1 lb, 3 oz.

It's been a rough road for my friends. Caroline was hospitalized Nov. 3 because of preeclampsia. I don't know enough to explain exactly what it is but I know it's a condition that was potentially fatal to Caroline and Andrew. The main cure would be to deliver the baby -- a major issue since Andrew was not yet full term.

So, friends and family began praying every day for Andrew to remain inside Caroline for just ONE MORE DAY of growth. Every extra day in the womb was gold for Andrew. God gave eight extra days.

It's made me cry every time Andrew and Caroline have passed a milestone. It's deepened my faith because it's a constant reminder that God sees and God hears.

It's also been so neat to see how community have surrounded my friends and their family and are caring for them -- whether it's doing yard work, bringing them meals, or showing up at the University of Tennessee Medical Center on random evenings to pray in the lobby of the delivery wing.

Above all, we hope with them. As Andrew goes through ups and downs in the UT Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, we hope with them. As Caroline and Lawrence face a future of uncertainty, we hope with them. We hope because our confidence is in God who delights in his children and delights to show himself faithful over and over again.

"We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." - Romans 5:3-5

Read more about Caroline, Lawrence and Andrew here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/carolinechermely.

Taekwondo winter camp.

2011-11-13T22:30:00.001-05:00

I'm sore all over. And I love it.
I'm also exhausted, which means I'll keep this post short :)

I and about 220 people from a dozen Taekwondo America schools in the Southeast spent this weekend sharpening our martial arts skills in the hills of North Carolina.

The Regional Taekwondo Winter Camp took place in King, N.C. Sessions included free sparring strategies, board breaking, target pad training, perfecting our forms/patterns and self defense (Twelve o'clock roll, anyone?)
Two full days of workouts.

The big lesson for me this weekend: it's not just memorizing or performing moves. It's also making them sharp and hitting accurate targets. This is especially important as I move up through the ranks. Although I'm a probationary black belt and I'm learning advanced skills, I'm realizing that I can't slack off on the basic skills, which are the building blocks. Otherwise, everything will look sloppy.

I want to be a good technician.

I also came away this weekend with a deeper love of Taekwondo. I see myself becoming a lifelong practitioner of the Korean martial art.

My schoolmate Sarah and I right before sparring on Friday

Can I redeem this today?

2011-11-10T08:37:00.001-05:00

I wonder if the boss will let me use this today.
After all, it did come in the birthday card she and my co-workers gave me this week. Since it's birthday celebration month, maybe she'll let it slide.

On a second thought, maybe not.

Ok, back to work. *whip cracking*

Perfect day!

2011-11-07T23:18:00.000-05:00

I might have to wear stretchy pants the rest of November.
Today's birthday celebration (No. 3) found me at the Crown and Goose in downtown Knoxville with three wonderful friends, Sara, Erik and Sonya.
(I popped out of the womb on this day almost three decades ago.)

I am a rich woman because I have amazing heart friends. Yes, the food at the Crown and Goose was excellent. But I walked out of there with something better than a full tummy. I walked out of there with a fuller heart, thanks to my friends. They added such joy and laughter (oh, goodness!) to my evening.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the awesomeness that was this cake at the Crown and Goose.

I must say, birthdays are a little bad though because they give you somewhat of a big head because of all the things people say about you. Some would call that affirmation. I received lots of it today via phone calls, text messages, emails and Facebook posts. I'm grateful for it.

Today was a near perfect day. Even the weather was agreeable!

Glad you were born so we can eat cake

2011-11-06T21:25:00.000-05:00

"I'm glad you were born so we can eat cake."
So said 10-year-old Michael today when his parents asked each of the eight children to give a reason why they were thankful for me.
Boy after my own heart.

Arnie, Sarah and the children have been my adopted Knoxville family over the last seven or so years. If you're looking for me on a Sunday afternoon, chances are I'm at their home. I spend just about every holiday with them when I'm not out of town. Birthdays, too. I've even been known to nap in their guest bed.

I'm grateful that I was able to celebrate my birthday with them today (a day early.)
During lunch, I got the special birthday plate. Woo hoo!

One of my gifts was this lovey from 4-year-old Mary Kate.

My family made a happy day happier with this gorgeous bouquet of flowers.

Birthday celebration month begins

2011-11-04T23:20:00.000-04:00

I kicked off my birthday celebration month in proper style this evening with good friends, good food, good wine and good conversation.

Jim and Kim took me to the Melting Pot in the Old City for a two-fer: celebration of my U.S. citizenship and commemoration of the day I slipped into the world. Two and a half hours and a four-course meal later, I walked out of there with a warmed heart, a full tummy and a slightly snug jacket (particularly around the mid-midsection.)

Some highlights of the evening:
The Melting Pot staff had a birthday card waiting for me. They'd all signed it.

The food was excellent! We were so caught up in dipping and cooking that I forgot to take pictures. I remembered toward the end when the desserts arrived. The first course was a cheese fondue with all manner of veggies, fruits and bread. The second was a tasty salad. The third was an entree that included chicken, sirloin, pork, shrimp and mushroom-stuffed pasta. And the last was what I believe is the restaurant's crowning glory: the desserts.

For dessert, we chose the dark chocolate fondue with hazelnut liqueur for dipping. Mercy! One of the fun parts was watching our waitress prepare the chocolate fondue:

I got to pick our wine so I paid homage to my mother continent.

Our stuffed, happy selves.

Fighting for joy.

2011-11-01T23:07:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe we're a mere eight weeks from the end of 2011.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are pressing upon us.
My friend Jake made this observation in a recent blog post: "Now we creep toward the holidays, which, sadly, have become anxiety-ridden endurance contests."

How true.

How is it that the days that were meant for giving thanks, enjoying friends and family and marveling anew at the wonder of a great God have turned into a time of stress? How is it that I lose my focus?

I've been thinking a lot about joy lately.
One of Webster's definitions is "a source or cause of delight."
I've heard that happiness is a momentary feeling or emotion that comes and goes based on external factors. But joy is much deeper. Yes, it is exuberant at times. But it also refers to a calmness, a peace that remains even in the midst of craziness.

A contentedness.

One definition of "contented" is to "accept one's situation or life with equanimity (calmness, confidence, assurance) and satisfaction."

My friend Rachel and I were talking tonight about how, oftentimes, we live for Dec. 26 -- a signal to the end of the holiday madness, if you will.
This year, I don't want to coast through the holidays. I don't just want to endure.
I want to live purposefully during it.

For some, the holidays can be a time of sadness, loneliness, a reminder of pain and loss.
Rachel and I talked about how we have these expectations that the holidays are going to be that Christmasy card fake idea. You know, the stuff you see on TV and hear on the commercials. The perfect family wearing the perfect clothes and eating the perfect meal. And when it doesn't turn out the way we imagine it in our minds, there's that disappointment, disillusionment, frustration, whatever.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the holidays and the gift of spending it with the ones I love. But if/when the drama and the stress come, what will they do to me, to us, this year? It's so easy to let the busyness and anxiety creep in.

This holiday season, I've resolved to fight for joy.

Halloween creativity

2011-10-31T15:18:00.000-04:00

I am constantly awed by people's creativity.
I was at a Halloween party Friday evening and saw the coolest (and tastiest) treats. Above are chocolate mummy cupcakes. Below is a grisly face made of proscuitto and cheese. The hostess used her son's face mask as the mold.

I got to work this morning and my colleagues had gone all out with their costumes. (Me? I came as "Lola Alapo." Quite the classic look.)
This was my favorite costume:

Other scenes from work:

The mail brings amazing things.

2011-10-27T21:07:00.002-04:00

Travel is one of my passions -- after loving Jesus and food.
That's why I was thrilled this evening when I opened my mailbox and saw a packet that I instinctively knew contained my brand new U.S. passport.

It arrived 12 days after I applied for it, well ahead of the expected mid-November date. Yay for the travel off-season, our good friends at the U.S. Department of State and quick delivery by the U.S. Postal Service.

For years, I traveled on a Nigerian passport to Kenya, Poland and other countries in between. As a U.S. permanent resident, I had no trouble leaving or entering America. I also had no problems getting into most places. The issue sometimes came if it was a country that didn't have friendly relations with Nigeria. Boy, did they like to give Nigerians a hard time.

As a result, when I took overseas trips, I dressed in such a way that I could pass for a teenager in hopes that I would be left in peace as I came through that country's passport control.

A perk of becoming a naturalized American is getting the U.S. passport. Native-born Americans may not understand the gravity of this. Until now, I had to apply for expensive visas and fill out **ridiculous** amounts of paperwork (which I did gladly). I also had to get friends in those countries to vouch for me that I was not a terrorist, crazy, etc.

An American passport is like gold. You can literally walk into just about anywhere on the globe. No hassles.

I can't wait to use my passport on my next overseas trip. Who knows? I may just do a happy dance through that country's passport control.

World, here I come!

Because my co-workers are awesome

2011-10-14T21:57:00.001-04:00

My U.S. citizenship celebration continued into today, thanks to my University of Tennessee colleagues.
I got to work this morning and found this on my office door:

hehe

How very cool!
I've been at the university only two months but my co-workers are already figuring me out. They gave me a citizenship gift ... and it was edible :)

Notice anything , uh, interesting about it? I think the Food City lady was having a bad day but her cookie cake was still delicious.
I have now been properly "Amurikanized" ;)

I am officially an American!!

2011-10-13T23:20:00.001-04:00

I am officially a daughter of America.
My 20-year odyssey to this moment ended today when I took the Oath of Allegiance in Chattanooga and became a naturalized United States citizen.

My naturalization certificate

Why it took that long is a story I'll have to tell you another time (preferably over a meal). Suffice it to say that I am overwhelmed.

At one point during the ceremony at the National Guard Armory, we each had to stand up and say our full name and our country of origin. I started crying as I listened to those around me. Netherlands, Peru, Iran, Canada, Vietnam, Nigeria and countries in between.
101 people. 45 nationalities. What a sacred moment.

I'm thrilled that a year from now, I'll be able to vote in my first federal election. Not only will I have a choice, I will also have a voice.

One of the pamphlets in my naturalization packet

Today was extra special because of the friends who were there to cheer me on. Thank you, Ansley, Bill and Angela, Patty and Tom, Nancy and Vern.
You honored me with your presence.

The dinner party crew

I especially want to thank the people who prayed me through the many tough parts of this journey. You know who you are and you know what I mean. This is like the biggest "ebenezer" of all, isn't it? :)

I am not just Nigerian anymore. I am now Nigerian-American. I have fully come into the two parts of who I am.

Everything in me wants to stand on top of a mountain somewhere (or at the very least, a table in a public place) and scream: "MY IMMIGRATION JOURNEY IS OVER!!!"

It's on to the next chapter of my life.

The first day of the rest of my (American) life

Finding a soldier, meeting a president

2011-10-09T20:50:00.002-04:00

I found me a soldier today!
He's from 1863 but that's of little consequence.

That's Matt Lakin, my friend and former News Sentinel colleague, who is a Civil War reenactor. He fights on the Union side.
Matt this weekend participated in the Battle of Fort Sanders, a re-enactment of two poignant East Tennessee fights between the Confederate and Union forces at the height of the Civil War.
The Battle of Campbell's Station and the Battle of Fort Sanders both took place in November 1863.

As a lover of history and to support my friend, I went to the East Knox County event this afternoon.
My superhero friend Lydia X. came along for the adventure.
We arrived just in time for the first battle.
As the soldiers shifted locations for the second fight, we had enough time to check out vendors' tents and their authentic historical ware.
We also grabbed a funnel cake and then positioned ourselves to watch the second battle.

A neat part of the reenactment was the chance for spectators to explore an exact replica of an earthen Civil War fort.

I also got to meet Abraham Lincoln ;)

Probationary black belt & other big events

2011-10-07T22:23:00.002-04:00

I am now a probationary black belt in Taekwondo!
I passed my test tonight, which included patterns, sparring (five rounds!) and board-breaking.
I'm still reeling from the fact that this is a major step toward my first-degree black belt. I'm now just two belts away from first-degree.

What a week this has been!

By the way, 7 is my favorite number. How cool that it's Oct. 7. I'm also celebrating 7 years of home ownership today.

There was some sadness this week because I had to put down Elmo, my beloved scruffy little poodle.

I'm reflecting on the good and hard things that have come my way these last few days. I'm thankful for the encouragement the good things have brought me.
I'm also grateful for the way I've grown (and I'm still growing) through the hard things.

Saying goodbye to Elmo the poodle

2011-10-04T17:59:00.000-04:00

Elmo on one of his last car rides

Elmo the geriatric poodle is no more.
Today, I made one of the hardest decisions ever. I put him down.
At about 5:15 p.m., our vet Dr. Benny Ferrell told me he'd entered the Great Doggie Beyond.

Elmo, who was 11+ years old, had been coughing up blood. He wasn't really eating much and was losing weight. We'd gone back and forth to the vet over the last several weeks for numerous tests.
The three rounds of strong drugs Elmo had taken didn't produce any results.
Dr. Ferrell suspected he had some kind of cancer or leukemia.
But we wouldn't really know unless Elmo went through an invasive procedure like a biopsy.
I drew the line there.

Elmo had lived a good life. But he was going blind and deaf. Plus the coughing blood and not really eating.
I wondered about his quality of life.

How ironic that I wrote this post just five weeks ago about doggie healthcare.

It's strange what the goodbye process has been like:
I bathed him on Sunday night one final time.
I let him ride in the passenger seat on Monday and today. (He usually had to lay on the floor board.)
He got lots of rubs and scratches.
We had an evening with our wonderful dog sitter Nicole so she, too, could say goodbye.
And I've cried more tears than I thought I would.

I adopted Elmo from the humane society in 2005 as a buddy for Plucky, who was still a puppy. He came with a silly name: Willie. I promptly changed it and gave him a respectable name: Elmo.
He was about five years old and was set in his ways. We had a battle of the wills for some time but after obedience school and much breaking, we finally saw eye to eye.

My oldest sister described Elmo best in her email to me:
"He's been such a good gentle dog, and I'm sorry that he's ill. He's actually my favorite; back when I used to visit he WOULDN'T try to BITE me like Plucky. (:"

She added: "God bless Elmo...may his gentle soul rest in peace. Amen."

Autumn!

2011-10-01T18:15:00.001-04:00

I went to my first-ever corn maze today.
That it was with my friend Sara meant serious adventure.
That it was at Cruze Farm meant serious ice cream.

We arrived at the East Knox County farm to a crisp breeze and gorgeous blue skies.
Our task as we went through the maze was to find five country music legends that were lost in it. If successful, we would each earn a *free* Cruze Farm ice cream cone.
Were we successful? You decide:

Minnie Pearl

Johnny Cash

Dolly Parton

Willie Nelson

Kenny Chesney

You can imagine our joy when Sara and I claimed our prize. Jersey Girl Chocolate and French Broad Vanilla.

Sara the lovely hand model

We also ran into a celebrity at Cruze Farm :)

News Sentinel food writer Mary "Dee Dee" Constantine and grandson Logan

More scenes from Cruze Farm:

Pumpkin painter Melissa

Happy birthday, Nigeria!

2011-10-01T08:47:00.000-04:00

My birth country turns 51 years old today.
Nigeria, in West Africa, gained independence from Great Britain on this day in 1960.
I'm thankful for my heritage.
Today, I also take a moment to remember my favorite Nigerian: my grandmother Comfort Alapo.

Kick butt? Why, yes, I do!

2011-09-18T16:54:00.000-04:00

You may call today's entry the Happy Dance blog post.
I got second place in sparring this weekend at the Taekwondo America National Tournament.
My final match went into overtime twice before my opponent eked out a couple of extra points over me to win.
I'm pretty stoked that I got the silver medal although I had hoped for gold in my division. The girl who took first earned it. But I made her work for it :)

I didn't place in forms/patterns, the other portion of the competition, but I'm most proud of this.
Sounds strange, eh? Let me explain.
(By the way, martial arts forms or patterns are a set of movements one has to perform to demonstrate skills in kicking, punching, jumps and stances.)

Saturday's competition, which took place in Winston-Salem, N.C., was my third national tournament.
I did terribly in patterns my first two tourneys because of stage fright. Even though I knew my forms, I forgot them as I performed because I was so nervous and just froze halfway through them.
(The only redeeming part of last year's tournament was that I placed in sparring. 2009's tournament? Don't event ask.)

I went to this year's nationals as an act of faith.
I didn't want the fear of performing in front of people to have mastery over me.
So, as I prepared for the competition, I prayed. I also asked three dear lady friends, Caroline, Rachel and Melanie, to pray for me regarding my fear.

Specifically, I wanted to not only do my pattern correctly and in the right direction (you can get turned around easily!), I also wanted to enjoy it while I was at it.

I felt kind of silly asking them to pray about this small thing. But I know that God cares about the big and the little things in our lives.

On Saturday, during the competition, I performed my pattern from beginning to end before dozens of eyes. No hiccups.

I didn't come home with a medal in forms (I got a respectable score but not high enough to place) but I scored a major victory over fear.

Reliving the memories 10 years later

2011-09-10T15:55:00.001-04:00

As a writer there are times when experiences are hard to put into words.
This is one of those times.
To jog my memory, I pulled these out today for the first time in 10 years.

I confess that I hate even having to relive this.
I've never written down my memories until now.

When the Sept. 12 and Sept. 14 issues of the New York Times arrived at my Brooklyn doorstep in 2001, I didn't bother to take them out of the plastic. (Not sure what happened to Sept. 13.)

The emotions were still too raw.

I had just arrived at my college campus in Brooklyn the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 when I learned that two planes had slammed into and eventually felled the Twin Towers in Manhattan. I thought of my dad right away who worked a few blocks from the towers. I repeatedly called his cellphone but couldn't get through to him. I tried to choke down this feeling of dread rising inside me.

My best friend Joanna, a few other friends and I spotted each other and prayed together briefly right on the lawn as other students hurried by and buzzed with the news.

The college president dismissed school and we all attempted to make our way home. All subway service had been suspended and as a result, all the buses were packed.

Neither Joanna nor I wanted to be alone. So we first went to my apartment, about 15 minutes from campus, to drop off some things. Then we went to hers for a little while.

I still couldn't get a hold of dad. I left Joanna's and decided to head to my parents' house. I felt like I spent half the day riding the buses and walking just to get there. In reality, it was maybe three to four hours.

I finally made it home and there my dad was, sitting on the leather sofa with his shirt off and feet propped up on the coffee table. I rushed into his arms.

He was one of the thousands of New Yorkers who walked from Manhattan across the Brooklyn Bridge to get home.

Every other family member was eventually accounted for by that evening. All day and that week, we got calls from relatives and friends from all over the country and the world making sure we were OK.

The days and weeks following the attacks were among the most sobering in my life. There was this subdued silence on the subways -- which was odd because there is always noise on a New York City train.

One time, I was on a train and as it came overhead, you got a view of the Manhattan skyline. The only thing was, there was smoke still rising from where the Twin Towers used to be.

I got this sinking feeling in my stomach. I looked at the other passengers and saw the same feeling reflected in their faces.

In the decade since the attacks, I have not allowed myself to watch any television specials or movies or read books or articles immortalizing and analyzing that tragic day. I was there. That's enough for me.

Until today.

I read a special section in the Knoxville News Sentinel. (The insert was actually from Friday's paper but I finally got the nerve to read it this morning.)

These last 10 years, however, I have asked questions countless times:

What does it look like to forgive?

What does it look like to move on?

What does it look like to live life fully?

What does it look like to hope?

I've memorized two Bible scriptures that I recall often whenever bad things happen or when life is hard.

The first is Psalm 90:12 - "Lord, teach us to number our days so we may gain a heart of wisdom."

The second is Romans 5:3-5 - "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

My "kids" are getting expensive.

2011-08-31T22:08:00.002-04:00

$416.72.
That's how much the bill was (after a discount) when I picked up the pooches this evening after their dental cleaning at the vet.
But it was hard to be mad at Plucky and Elmo. They looked so pathetically cute and loopy as they walked. They had been sedated for the procedure. (You think you don't like going to the dentist? Imagine trying to probe a dog's teeth and gums while getting it to stand still.)

I was partially mad at myself for waiting so long to take them in. I kept thinking, surely everything I was doing at home was delaying the inevitable. I gave them dry food, dental treats, etc.

But the tartar was winning. So I sucked it up and took them in. Plucky came through like a champion. Elmo my geriatric poodle left the vet with five fewer teeth than he went in with this morning. And of course, each tooth extraction came with a price. Then there were the antibiotics to fight any potential infections and pain meds to keep them comfy. (Oh, and don't forget the price of the sedation and the cleaning.)

To keep myself from grumbling (which I did a lot of after I paid the bill and left the vet's office), I started counting my blessings:
-- I got paid today (Thanks for the very first paycheck, University of Tennessee!)
-- My animals are in better health
-- They are such amazing companions. (They don't complain. They still like me even though I don't give them human food when they beg ... and even when I lose my temper and yell at them.)
-- They follow me around everywhere. I'm thankful for their faithfulness. Elmo would go into the bathroom with me if I left him. Sometimes I hear him sniffing under the bathroom door. Not always a good idea ;)
-- They're great with kids and adults and they bark at those who need barking at.

Doggie health care is something I've been seriously thinking about lately.
Plucky, who celebrated his 7th birthday this month, is still chugging along and being his ever spunky self.
Elmo, my little old man (he's 11ish in dog years) is slowly going blind and deaf. It's been a bit sad to watch him look for me and Plucky and we're in the same room. His vision is worse at night than daytime.
At first, when I would call his name and he would not respond, I thought he was being disobedient. Then I would gently touch him and he would be startled and turn around.

Frankly, I sometimes wonder how many more years I have left with them, especially Elmo. Both pooches are in overall good health -- for now.
As age takes its toll, I wonder what decisions I will have to make. If they developed a serious illness, would I pay for treatment, for surgery? How far would I go to prolong their lives? Or would I make the ultimate decision to put them down?

I decided a long time ago that as much as I loved them, I would not go into debt for them because ... they are dogs.

Of course, I say that now but who knows?

A university ribbon-cutting is no joke

2011-08-26T08:16:00.000-04:00

I can now add event planning to my repertoire of skills.
Actually, it's more like day-of setup and execution.

Yesterday afternoon I helped with a ribbon-cutting for the New Norris House in Anderson County. It's a neat project by University of Tennessee architecture students to study sustainable living. It's a living lab of sorts.

UT's Media + Internal Relations department where I work was in charge of organizing the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (We're part of the Office of Communications and Marketing.)
It was amazing to have a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into making an event successful.
As a reporter, I would just show up to cover an affair and expected everything to go well. (And if they didn't, well...)
I now have a new respect for the folks who handle the logistics behind them.

I was like a little grasshopper following Beth, the master event planner in our office.
From chair arrangements and parking to caterer setup and crowd control, every detail was thought out.
(To be honest, when we arrived a couple of hours ahead of the ribbon-cutting, I wondered how and where we would fit the roughly 250 people who eventually showed up to see a 750-square-foot house. The home is on maybe a quarter of an acre, if that, on a narrow city street. Somehow it worked out. Everyone got enough to eat with some left over. Nobody got hurt or collapsed in the hot sun.)
Whew!

I'm three weeks into this new job at the university and every day has been different. There's something new to learn, someone new to meet. Almost like when I was a newspaper reporter.

The gig is similar to what I did before: writing, interviewing people, using my multimedia skills (I completed my second video for the university this morning before I left for Norris.)
But I'm also picking up new skills and dabbling in many different things.

Challenge definitely keeps you sharp.

Some races you run for the t-shirt

2011-08-13T10:56:00.003-04:00

This was a fun one.
When I saw the design for the shirt, I wanted one right away.
That and the fact that the Hotter 'n Hell 5K race director Michael Holtz was a friend. The event also was for a fantastic cause: the American Cancer Society.
So when my friend Trillia challenged me to run it with her, it didn't take much convincing for me to say yes.

I was so grateful the sun wasn't at its full blast for most of the course. The weather was tolerable. It got a bit toasty toward the end.

Some highlights:
- Seeing old friends on the course, including church friend Bryan and my former Knoxville News Sentinel editor Eric.
- The old gentleman who did the race with his walker. As he approached the finish line, everyone cheered until he crossed it. This made me teary-eyed.
- The young boy (maybe 10 or 11 years old) who was the last to finish the race. I had seen him on the course and he was just chugging along with a determined look on his face. As he ran toward the finish line, everyone applauded for him as well. Many of the runners waited until the last person finished.

The camaraderie of the running community is one of the things that fuels my desire to keep hitting the pavement. (that and my love of food.)

Trillia and I all sweaty after the race :)

Lola-Palooza! (send-off #2)

2011-08-07T15:21:00.001-04:00

When Knoxville News Sentinel humor columnist Sam Venable throws a party, you'd better be there or be talked about.
The shindig just so happened to be for me.

After I announced my resignation from the paper, Sam decided he wanted to have a send-off at his log home and concocted this invite:

Last night's gathering was again a reminder of what tremendous family and friends the newspaper folks are to me.
They sent me off in true East Tennessee style. The menu included fried fish and fowl that Sam had caught and hunted himself.
Then there was Matt's Sexxy Salad (he threw in an extra X just for me, he said), Donna's apple cheese delight (the true name of the dish is unmentionable in this blog) and a host of other yummies.

Sam by default was the entertainment headliner after it got dark. He told numerous stories about the antics of News Sentinel staffers of yore that had us laughing so hard. (My abs were sore this morning when I woke up.)

These last few weeks have been very affirming for me as co-workers have said their good-byes.
It's been so sweet to hear all the neat things people have said to me and about me. They're the kinds of things you hear at a funeral but by then it's too late for the person to enjoy it.

I'm glad I got to hear it on this side.

Operation "Remove Paper Vomit": Activated!

2011-08-03T22:14:00.001-04:00

Confession: I am a paper hoarder.
Need: I want to be set free.

I initially scheduled this week off before starting the new job so I could loaf around and relax.
And I have been doing just that. (A nap every afternoon has been glorious.)
But I've had a desire to clean. I don't mean vacuum-and-dust type of cleaning.

I'm talking about giving the heave-ho to newspapers, magazines, documents and all manner of paper clutter that's invaded my life. (Paper vomit, as I like to call it.)

I figure since I'm starting a new chapter in my life, I might as well give my house a clean start, too.

I had this brilliant idea that I would be able to finish my paper removal project by week's end. Then as I started cleaning, I quickly revised my objective. The more I tossed, the more the piles seemed to grow.
I've been very adept at hiding all this paper junk. Not only did they litter my office/library floor, I had stacked some in the closet (probably a quick hide because of a last-minute guest.)
I even had them under my bed. (Don't judge me!)

I've decided that I'm going to attack it a bit at a time. Do some this week. More another time. Besides, my poor paper shredder was protesting.

The fun part of paper cleaning: I've found the most interesting things hidden underneath (and not just my car title. Although I'm grateful I located that, too.)

I got this at a garage sale while visiting a friend in Johnson City a few years ago

I started reading this on one of my overseas trips and got halfway. I think it's time I pick it back up.

I got these postcards on my 2009 Ethiopia trip. I'd written them but never mailed them. They were meant for young friends in Bolivia and Rwanda. I had planned to include them in letter packages. Me thinks I'll add more current Tennessee postcards and send them off.

Surprise breakfast send-off

2011-07-28T21:49:00.004-04:00

You know it's going to be a good day when you start the morning with loads of pancakes, bacon, eggs and sausage.

And it was.

The Knoxville News Sentinel machine shop guys wanted to make me feel special and give me a nice send-off on this my next-to-last day at the paper.
So they spoke my love language to me: they cooked me breakfast.

Thing is, it seems just about everyone in the building knew about this surprise but me. I got to the workout room at my usual 6:30 a.m. Half an hour later, machine shop guy Don pops his head into the room and says, "Can you come downstairs in 30 minutes? We thought we would cook for you."

Short. Simple. Sweet.

I was so honored that they would do this for me. (Don and his sidekick Jim spearheaded this.)
It was such a fun way to say goodbye to the pressmen, machinists, mailers and electricians I've come to know over the last few years.

We stunk up the entire building with 12 pounds of cooked bacon - courtesy of my friend Mark - but no one was complaining.

I would have taken pictures but I was too busy stuffing my face.

I got home after breakfast and my dogs could not stop sniffing my clothes.
The look in their big, brown eyes seemed to say: "You smell like bacon but you didn't bring us any. You, tease!"

A lady with a gun has more fun

2011-07-25T12:29:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I found a theme song for the rest of the year. Today, a motto?

I got this gift today from the Knoxville News Sentinel colleague who taught me how to shoot.

A going-away gift of sorts.

It goes quite nicely with the "Got Ammo?" sticker he gave me last year, don't you think? :)

From the inside out

2011-07-24T22:17:00.000-04:00

Me thinks I've just stumbled upon what might be my theme song for 2011.
I heard this again today and I can't get it out of my head.

Simply put: I desire to live from the inside out -- always.

A thousand times I've failed

Still Your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
I'm caught in Your grace
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending Your glory goes beyond all fame

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out,
Lord, let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out.

Everlasting

Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out

Learning to say g...g...go Vols!

2011-07-20T09:22:00.002-04:00

It's been exactly a week since I decided to switch loyalties professionally.
It's starting to sink in.
The University of Tennessee acceptance letter. The Knoxville News Sentinel resignation letter.
Orientation scheduled. Exit interview set.

It's been quite the whirlwind.

There have been tears, hugs and whispers of "short-timer" and "traitor" as News Sentinel colleagues pass my cubicle. Totally warms my heart.

Over the last few days I've been writing stories, going through old emails and creating a lengthy list of to-do's for the gal who will take over my education beat.
I've also been cleaning eight-plus years' worth of paper vomit off my desk and out of my drawers.
It's amazing how quickly that stuff piles up. (Note to self: when in doubt, throw it out!!)

I haven't been this excited and stressed at the same time since can't-remember-when. But I love it.

I feel quite giddy, particularly when I'm corresponding with my soon-to-be new boss.
It makes me smile when she refers to the department where I'll be working as "our staff."
She's already included me - even though I'm still a few weeks from starting the job.
I've been peppering her with inquiries. But there is one burning question I have yet to ask about this new gig:

Does this mean I have to wear orange now?

Crossing over to the dark side

2011-07-13T20:36:00.001-04:00

I've done it now.
Gleefully, I might add.

After more than eight years at the Knoxville News Sentinel as a reporter, I'm going into public relations.

I've accepted a job at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in the media relations department.

The offer came this morning, actually. I start the new gig in August.

Funny enough, today is my eight-and-a-half-year anniversary at the newspaper.

Journalists often refer to public relations as "the dark side." (I've done it, too. Many times.)

But hey, maybe I can shed some light over there :)

Site-specific restroom signs. hehe.

2011-07-10T19:35:00.001-04:00

There are some days I open the newspaper and what I see makes me guffaw.
This is what did it to me today.
(Click on the photo to enlarge for a closer look.)

I admire clever cartoonists who sometimes can say more with pictures than I can with words.
(By the way, take special note of the, uh, enhancement on the lady in the Hollywood sign.)

A trip into the past

2011-06-27T13:48:00.001-04:00

I'm loving this blogging thing.
But sometimes, I get the feeling I'm writing for like two people - myself and the unfortunate person who accidentally stumbles across this site during some random Internet search.

I find it's important to document moments in my life so I have something to look back on when the memories fade.

So here goes:

I went back to my Brooklyn high school last Monday, the first time in more than 10 years. I'd been corresponding with my 10th grade English teacher Mr. Milkman and decided it would be a treat to see him again.
So during my recent vacation to New York, I stopped in to say hello.
In the time I'd been gone, a fancy science wing had been added and the library relocated.

But most everything else was the same.
The building smelled the same.
The teachers looked the same.

The memories came rushing back:

- writing for my high school newspaper, Argus.

- teachers who fed my hunger for learning, like physics teacher Mr. Langan. I disliked science but with him, physics made sense ... and I actually enjoyed it.

- the gym class that gave me my first taste and eventual love of weight-lifting (I once challenged a boy to a sit-ups competition. I won with 832 in one sitting. Couldn't laugh for days but the victory was sweet.)

I got goosebumps as I walked the halls.

Then there was Mr. Milkman - my favorite teacher - who welcomed me last week with a bear hug.
Books sprang to life in his class. I think it's imperative that we let the people who have touched our lives know they've done so. It was nice to tell him.
Ok, so it was more than 10 years later. But hey, better late than never, right?

As we chatted, I heard someone say my name. I turned around and there was another English teacher Ms. Pumelia.
Another hug.
I never had her in class but I hung out often in her office with a friend of mine, Cathy. (One of the marks of a great teacher is when they take interest in all kids in the building - their students or not.)
"One second," she said and scurried out of the room.
She returned with a framed picture of me, Cathy and her - taken on the last day of senior year.

It had been displayed in her office all these years.

I spoke with a few other teachers and then left them to finish grading English Regents exams.

<---- But not before a picture with Mr. Milkman and Ms. Pumelia.

More hugs and then it was time to go.

So, here's a question for you: ever think about the folks in your life who have made it extraordinary? Or maybe someone who said something that changed the way you see everything? Have you told them?

I know it sounds a little hokey but try it.

It's sure to make their day. Might make yours, too.

Chinese-West Indian food? Wha??

2011-06-23T09:34:00.001-04:00

File this one under "Only in New York City."

I was in the Prospect Heights area of Brooklyn on Monday on my way to visit some friends when I stumbled upon this sign.

It made me smile.

Sounds like an odd combination, right? But in a place like New York, it makes total sense.
(FYI: West Indian as in Carribean.)
New York City is one of the few places where you can get this kind of diversity.

A day at the museums

2011-06-22T08:56:00.002-04:00

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I gained a new appreciation for New York City and decided I would do at least one touristy thing each time I visited.
That's how I ended up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last Thursday.

The nerd in me was thrilled when I saw this on its calendar of events: "Gallery Talk: On the Trail of the Aeneid in the Museum."
But this nerd was on vacation and took my time getting there. I arrived 15 minutes late. I wormed my way into the group and soon inched up to the front :)
I got a wonderful tour of artifacts that highlighted the content and context of Virgil's epic poem.

The Met is one of those places you've got to keep going back to because you just can't see everything, no matter how many times you've been. It has 18 large collections plus numerous seasonal exhibits.
In addition to the art of Augustan Rome, I stopped by a more modern exhibit, "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty."
He was a fashion designer (died in 2010) who pushed the envelope and the imagination.
Fascinating stuff but not exactly functional.

No trip to the Met is complete without a visit to the roof. There, you can walk around quirky art while enjoying a fabulous view of the city's skyline.

Notice the greenery? You're looking at the top of Central Park's trees. Cool, huh?

I downed a bottle of water and scurried back to the ground floor.
It was time to make my way to the Cloisters Museum and Gardens. It's a branch of the Met that houses art and architecture of medieval Europe.
I hopped on the M4 bus, took a ride to upper Manhattan and an hour later, I got to explore this:

The Cloisters' gardens are designed after courtyards found in medieval monastaries. Many of the plants and trees are period-accurate.

Most of the museum's art and structures date from about A.D. 1000 to 1500.

The Cloisters has many rare items, perhaps the most notable being the Unicorn Tapestries. The set of seven depict the hunt and capture of a unicorn. They were woven between 1495 and 1505 in Brussels. (Sorry the pics are a little dark. No flash photography was allowed.)

Turns out that these tapestries contain rather, er, naughty symbolism, particularly the one below. Tons of flowers and plants are woven into the wall hangings. Many were thought to have erotic qualities, spur fertility and help in the begetting of children. (Modern day translation: sex, sex and sex.)

A wild orchid, included in the last tapestry, was supposed to be an aphrodisiac.

The art historian at the museum called it "the viagra of the 15th century."

An ode to home

2011-06-21T11:23:00.001-04:00

(Aerial view of NYC from my Delta flight.
We're coming in from the Brooklyn side.)

I'm not the homesick type but lately I've been missing my family very much.
I decided to do something about it.
A red-eye flight and a yellow cab ride later, I ended up at my parents' Brooklyn, NY, home last Wednesday.
Some thoughts on why I love my stomping grounds of New York City:

Home is...
-- An everything bagel with plain cream cheese
-- When your parents let you keep your keys even though you haven't lived there in eight years
-- Squeezing my nephews and niece

My 2-year-old niece. Isn't she a cutie? :)

-- Finding your bedroom as it was in high school and college
-- Watching your dad loop a tie for your not-so-little baby brother as he readied for a job interview
-- Seeing your alma mater get a shout out on the subway

-- Getting a professional pedicure and manicure for $18 including tax
-- Finding your favorite landmark, the Brooklyn Bridge, where you left it
-- Eating at authentic ethnic restaurants

(Miriam in Park Slope has amazing food. Brunch was excellent.)

The gift of a spontaneous afternoon

2011-06-10T20:11:00.001-04:00

Her text beeped in at 12:18 p.m. as I stared at a blank computer screen, trying to write a story about social promotion.
"You around today? Want to do a quick lunch?"
My friend Ansley was in town. That's all I needed to get the creative juices flowing.

Three and a half hours after getting the text message, Ansley and I were sitting on the patio at Cafe 4 on Market Square. As we chowed on grilled chicken club and pulled pork sandwiches, we caught up on life.

(You see, Ansley is no ordinary friend. She's the one who challenged me to start running in 2007. Our early morning runs became a time when we deepened our friendship. Her life is a picture of the beauty, pain and reward of endurance lived out well. Even under great stress, she has a genuine smile on her face. She's tackled wifeyhood, mommyhood and the stress of law school with such energy and passion. This woman is my kind of superhero.)

Coming into today, I knew I would leave work a bit early and have a few extra hours to play with. Typically, I would have something planned but I decided to leave it free and see what happened. I'm glad I did.

As Ansley and I finished eating, another friend named Donna walked by and we chatted for a few minutes.
We three decided to walk over to Rita's for Italian Ices.

(Ansley in the middle and Donna to the right.)

As I listened to these two women talk, it hit me: they were responsible for bringing two of my loves into my life.
Ansley introduced me to running. Donna, to Taekwondo (she's a second-degree black belt at my school.)
These two sports have become more than physical activity for me. They're different avenues in which I do life and community with people.

Today, I was reminded through Ansley and Donna about the blessing of not planning every moment. It's good to leave room for little miracles that spontaneously pop into your life.

What a perfect ending to a long week.

Why are Nigerians always the bad guys?!?

2011-06-01T18:23:00.002-04:00

Ok, so maybe "always" is a bit strong.

BUT:

I watched District 9, a compelling sci-fi flick, over the weekend. I was enjoying the movie until they got to a scene about gangs running scams in a Johannesburg (South Africa) slum. Turns out they were Nigerians. I tucked this nugget of info away and proceeded to finish the movie. (It was pretty awesome and has a lot of parallels to today's world.)

For some reason, the scene with the Nigerians kept gnawing at me. The more I thought about it, the more indignant I became.
I thought about another one of my favorite films, the Bourne Identity. The deposed African dictator Jason Bourne is sent to kill is also Nigerian. How do I know this? He spoke Yoruba (my other language) in the film.

Granted, the fact that you've received emails from some supposed Nigerian prince or businessman who wants to share $5 million with you hasn't helped our case.
(That people still fall for those scams baffles me. Sometimes, you just can't fix stupid. But I digress.)

To make myself feel better, I did a quick Internet search for native-born Nigerians or folks of Nigerian descent who have not only brought a good name to the West African country and its people but have also contributed something good to the world.

Here's what I found (an incomplete list, of course):
-- Bobby Ologun (TV personality in Japan and mixed martial artist)
-- Chinua Achebe (writer. Did you read Things Fall Apart in school?)
-- Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy (Royal portrait artist)
-- Chiwetel Ejiofor (actor)
-- Hakeem Olajuwon (basketball player)
-- Sade Baderinwa (TV news anchor)
-- Seal (musician)
-- Wole Soyinka (poet, playwright, novelist)

Take that, Hollywood!

Love your children. "It's illegal to kill them."

2011-05-28T22:03:00.005-04:00

Love your children "because it's illegal to kill them."

That's the best commencement speech I've ever heard!

This evening I attended the high school graduation of my pal Micah. (He's a 3rd degree black belt in my Taekwondo school. I want to be like him when I grow up.)
The ceremony was unlike any I've ever been to in that the parents were the ones to hand diplomas to their kids. They also had the chance to say a few words.

Some parents had the crowd laughing. (See opening sentence of this post.)
Others had us dabbing our eyes with tissues as they recounted what they had learned from their children even as they taught them.
I liked that several of the fathers were not afraid to show their hearts as they exhorted their children.
"Your mom in her great wisdom told me to bring Kleenex just in case I need it," a dad of a grad said.
It came in handy.
"I've been told that real men cry," said another father to his daughter.

I especially loved when one of the dads bestowed upon his daughter the words written long ago by a king named Lemuel:
"You are clothed with strength and dignity; You can laugh at the days to come."

Congrats to all 2011 grads!!

Saturday strawberry adventures

2011-05-14T20:20:00.001-04:00

Ever plucked your own strawberries and popped them in your mouth while standing among acres of fields under wide, open skies?
It will change your life.

I grabbed my friend Sara and we headed over to the Fruit and Berry Patch in Halls today.
It's strawberry season, baby, and they were loaded!

The best part is you get to pick your own goodies. And you get to sample :)

I learned of the Fruit and Berry Patch last year after meeting its proprietors, Jeff and Sandy Fox, at the Market Square Farmers Market. Every visit to their farm has included a bear hug from them.

From May through October, I rarely buy fruit at the grocery store except for bananas, thanks to the dirt cheap prices at the Fruit and Berry Patch. (Think buckets of blueberries, blackberries, apples, peaches, and grapes. I saw cherry trees budding today, something I didn't notice last year.)

The farm sells other good things to eat, from fruit pies and veggies to a variety of butters and cider.

During our hour-long visit there, Sara and I got reacquainted with other friends:

Here are more scenes from the Fruit and Berry Patch:

I'm getting my farmer girl on.

Journalism = habitat for insanity

2011-05-13T21:27:00.003-04:00

(Hehe. One of the fun signs I saw at the Poynter Institute)

I spent last week at the Poynter Institute, a world-renowned school for journalists.
For five days, I enjoyed the Florida sun and also learned how to tell better stories using digital tools.
I tried my hand at editing video, capturing audio, taking better photos and got tips on how to do this blogging thing better.

There's no room for the single-skilled journalist anymore, they say. (You know, "they." Those people.)

Some of the most incredible people were part of my cohort. They hailed from places like Canada and Nigeria and Wisconsin and New York.
Rest assured, Knoxville, Tenn., was well-represented :-)

I needed last week. For a while now, I've been feeling like I'm stuck in a rut. The seminar lit a fire under me.

Sometimes, I've wondered why I'm still in the business. (It's been over nine years). Then I remember. Oh, yeah. The power of words still has a place in the world.

Here's my ode to it:

(Giving the word globe at Poynter some love)

An aside: I'm always on the lookout for chuckles. This shirt at the Poynter store did the job ... because it's true.

10 musings about my mummy

2011-05-08T08:18:00.000-04:00

My mummy is simply awesome.
There are hundreds of reasons why I'm thankful for her but here are 10.

10. She and my dad gave me the coolest melodic name. Makes a fantastic byline.

9. She rarely calls me Lola. I almost always hear my pet name, Adunni, from her lips. It warms me on the inside.

8. My first few years in Knoxville, my mum often mailed me clothes, particularly suits and skirts, and ordered that I send her photos of me wearing them AT WORK. (I was a tomboy in my teens and she wanted to ensure I made the transition into adulthood and the professional world successfully).

7. She's not a fan of flying. But she's made several plane trips to Knoxville over the years to see me.

6. As a school teacher, she fostered my love of reading and learning when I was a tot. I've enjoyed school - kindergarten through college - because of her.

5. She gave me five brothers and sisters. They are among my dearest friends.

4. Seeing how she cares for us makes me want to have tons of kids. A large family means multiple times the fun. (Perhaps I'll start with four and work my way up).

3. She's demonstrated sacrifical love to her kids over and over again. It's shown me I can do the same for my husband and children, if/when the time comes.

2. In Jeremiah 1:5, God says, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." I'm thankful He chose to knit me inside my mum. I couldn't have been in a safer place or been more treasured. He knew I needed her.

1. She likes me. She really likes me.

Holy goose egg, Batman!

2011-05-07T17:30:00.003-04:00

I've got a goose egg in my fridge and I ain't skeered to eat it!!

The Market Square Farmers Market kicked off the 2011 season today in downtown Knoxville. It is one of the reasons I love doing life in this city. It's a feast for the eyes, ears and the mouth. I also get to run into friends/acquaintances and meet people I never would have otherwise.
Here are some shots I took this morning as I sampled my way through the market :)

I stopped by a table with funny-looking eggs and found out they were goose eggs. Supposedly, one goose egg equals four chicken eggs, according to the seller dude. (It looks more like a 1:3 ratio to me, but hey, what do I know).

My friend Sara and I were smart and arrived right when the market opened at 9 a.m. Parking was still good and we got first dibs on a lot of stuff.

Within an hour of our arrival, it got super busy.

I got some yummy bread from this lady and her hubby.

Musicians were everywhere. He was one of my favorites.

I got to people-watch...

I also got to know a new vendor. Charity teaches hoop dance classes/workshops. (hoopbug.com). Who knows? This may be part of my summer adventures....

When Sara and I got done shopping we headed over to the Cruze Farm people.

Coincidentally, today is my half birthday. So we decided to celebrate with a sausage egg biscuit.

We came back for some ice cream. (What a lovely hand model Sara is.) That's blackberry to the left and honey lavender to the right.

We were two full, happy campers :)

Be amazed.

2011-05-01T13:21:00.003-04:00

My friends Cathy and Adrian were helping me trim my hedges this weekend when we found this in one of my holly bushes.
And to think this surprise had been hiding there for days (maybe weeks?) and I had no idea.
I examined the nest in my hands, careful not to disturb the little guy.

I had lots of questions for the mama bird:
How did she know the number of twigs to use so the nest would be thick enough?
Did she wonder what the baby would look like?
Did she check on the egg everyday?
Did she worry that humans or other ruffians would find and hurt her baby-to-be?
Was the daddy a good he-bird?

We put the nest back inside a different bush. A few moments later, we moved it to where we first found it. Afterall, we didn't want to cause the mama bird anxiety when she came looking and couldn't find the egg where she left it.

I checked on the egg this morning. Yep, still there.
Mama bird, don't you worry, I'll keep an eye on your little one, too.

I hope we never lose our wonder at the "small" miracles happening all around us.

Will run for food (and friends)

2011-04-30T10:40:00.006-04:00

This picture pretty much sums me up:

This morning I ran a 5K race (3.1 miles) through Sequoyah Hills, a storied Knoxville neighborhood with beautiful homes and majestic trees.
The fun part was I got to do it with five other co-workers, Don, John, Eric, Hayes and Phil. There's something to be said for the camaraderie of friends. Somehow, I seemed to run faster and better than I did during my training.

We all finished at different times but it was cool to have a post mortem of the race: the beautiful spring day, the hills on the course, and the dude you saw sprinting past the 3-mile marker on the loop before you completed mile 1. (He ain't normal!)

During a short pause in the conversation I interjected, "where's the food?"
We headed for the snack tent. I downed a chocolate-covered granola bar, a banana, Chex mix and a bottle of water within a few minutes.
Since I've been home, I've had chocolate milk to help with recovery. I now have visions of eggs and some serious carbs.

I started running in fall 2007, thanks to the encouragement of my friend and former colleague, Ansley. She challenged me to try something new and promised to run with me. I remember training with her during the frigid winter months. Meeting at 6:30 a.m. in 20-degree weather didn't seem so bad because a buddy was waiting for me.
I also saw the City of Knoxville with new eyes because I covered a lot of it on foot.
Many mornings I wanted to stay in bed but I couldn't bear the shame of standing Ansley up. So I went ... grudgingly.
Our time together was precious because it grew our friendship in addition to increasing my physical endurance.

Since then, I've run three half marathons (13.1 miles), several 10Ks (6.2 miles) and tons of 5Ks.
(One of my favorite things about races is the yummy stuff you get to eat at the end.)

Running is one addiction I don't mind having.

I think God cried, too.

2011-04-28T08:17:00.001-04:00

It's been storming and raining in Knoxville for the last several days.
It's exactly how I've been feeling on the inside.
As I drove through the downpour Wednesday, I said out loud: "God, these are like your tears. Thanks for commiserating with me."

My uncle, my dad's younger brother, died in Nigeria on Tuesday. My heart especially hurts for my 88-year-old grandma. It seems so wrong when parents have to bury their children.
Then on Wednesday, my old New York City pastor David Wilkerson died in a car crash. Interestingly enough, he wrote one final blog post Wednesday.

I love that the Bible reminds us that God is very near and present in the midst of our experiences and mess.
I love that He's not caught off guard as we are.
And I love Psalm 56:8, which reminds me that God sees. "You have kept count of my tossings;put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?"

This week has been such a sobering reminder about the brevity of life and the importance of living purposefully.

By the way, to add what seems like insult to injury, I finally checked out my car this morning and saw that last night's hail had left me little dent surprises.

*Shoulder shrug.*

God is STILL good.

Hi, I'm Lola. I'm a book nerd.

2011-04-25T18:12:00.006-04:00

I told my friend Mark recently that reading is like watching TV except the scenes are in your head.
I don't think he bought it.
This weekend I saw the most recent movie adaptation of Jane Eyre at the Regal Cinemas Downtown West theater.
(Here's a great synopsis of the book and a review of the recent movie.)

To understand how truly enjoyable this was for me, you have to know that Jane Eyre is my favorite piece of English literature. I've read it half a dozen times.
After watching the movie, I pulled the book off my shelf. It's up next after I'm done with Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (I might sneak in The Silver Chair before it, though.)

Jane Eyre, written in 1847 by Charlotte Bronte, has suspense, cruelty, agony, a mysterious love interest, a (literally) crazy lady who likes to set things on fire, and blood. (dun, dun, duuuuun!)

It's the story of an orphan girl who, despite the hand dealt her, triumphs over hardship after hardship. She has a quick and sharp wit, which is especially delightful to see (and read) when she puts Mr. Rochester in his place.

I fell in love with the book in 10th grade in Mr. Milkman's English class.
I liked it because even though constant disappointments come Jane's way (and there seems to be waaaaay too many for a petite girl), she struggles to find joy in the midst of it.
I also connected with its theme of forgiveness particularly when the person who wronged you has not sought it -- a huge lesson I was learning at the time.
(By the way, forgiveness doesn't necessarily mean you forget the wrong done to you. But it does take away some, if not all, the sting.)

A quick Internet search shows there are at least 20 film and television adaptations of Jane Eyre.
Thank goodness for Netflix.

Living my own story

2011-04-24T19:19:00.003-04:00

"The Biblical view of things is resurrection: not a future that is just a consolation for the life you never had, but a restoration of the life you always wanted." -- Tim Keller, The Reason for God

I paid a quick visit to my 94-year-old friend Josephine today.
During the course of our conversation, she noted that she married at 20 and if she hadn't birthed four children in five years, she would have liked to become a journalist.
My response was something like this: "But being a journalist is not the story God gave you."
Her life took a different turn that included being the mother of six, a short story writer (some pieces which were bought by BBC radio) and a world traveler.
I said what I said, not because I was trying to be flippant, but because I find that I often compare my life to others' and wish for things they have in theirs. That's when discontent creeps in.

Josephine, after my response, paused for a few seconds and then kissed my cheek.
"Good point," she said.

The challenge to embrace my own story and the life God has given me was brought home again today, Easter, the celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead.
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full," Jesus said. (John 10:10)
I pray for courage to live my story with its twists and turns, heartaches and joys. I desire that the way I do life would encourage others to embrace theirs and live it well.

Bonus: After the sunrise service at church this morning, I walked out to the parking lot and saw the sun rise :)

Here's one of the songs I heard today that's still running around in my head. Enjoy!

Around the world in 90 minutes

2011-04-23T14:41:00.006-04:00

I love traveling the globe and connecting with dear friends and family. It's especially thrilling when I can do it right from my little house in North Knoxville.
Today, I Skyped with my best friend Joanna in Poland. I continue to be amazed at the clarity of such technology. We're half a world apart and yet sitting across from one another.
(And it was free. I can afford free!)
We talk every few weeks. Yet, we picked up the mundane, funny and deep things right where we left off. No back story needed.
Do you have friends like that? I hope you do because they add such depth to your life.

I left Europe and jumped over to the African continent by calling my 88-year-old grandmother in Nigeria. It made me smile that she'd upgraded her ring tone from your basic "ring, ring" to a song from a Yoruba music group since the last time we spoke.
As always, she chided me for taking so long to call her. She spoke blessings over me.
I told her about the goings on in my family including my older sister's recent birthday. When she asked me how old she was, I couldn't remember how to say the number in Yoruba. She laughed. (She doesn't speak English).

I came back to America and stopped by Washington DC to holler at my friend Ansley and then in Alabama to chat with my beautiful, red-headed little sister Kristen. Neither of them were home.

I brought it home to Knoxville where I ended my phone time with my 94-year-old friend Josephine. The best part of this conversation is that it'll result in face time with her tomorrow.

Are you bitter or better?

2011-04-22T22:28:00.004-04:00

Happy Friday, y'all!
My friend Sarah and I decided to celebrate by taking in a movie and dinner.

She suggested Soul Surfer, which is based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, the Hawaiian-born surfer who loses her left arm as a result of a shark attack on Halloween Day 2003. She was 13.

**Minor movie spoiler alert here**

After the incident, Bethany struggles to make sense of why such a terrible thing would happen and what it means for her dream of becoming a pro surfer.
One of the best scenes is when she takes a trip to Thailand following the tsunami of 2004. There, she meets a woman who lost her family, her home, her livelihood, her everything, when the waters swept into her hometown.

Bethany, overcome, bursts into tears.

"Don't be sorry for compassion, Bethany," her trip leader tells her. "It can move us to do amazing things and it can help us gain new perspective."

Shortly after, she sees a little girl who's afraid of the ocean because it's destroyed so much in her life, too.

Bethany, who had pretty much given up on her dream, gets into the water and helps the little girl overcome her fear.

It was such a beautiful picture of using one's loss and pain to help others through theirs.

That scene reminded me of what a mentor told me in high school: I could let the hard things that come into my life make me bitter or better.

I've desired since then to see the closed doors and broken dreams in my life through that lens.

Tons of good life lessons in the movie as well as breathtaking scenery (and some eye candy, too).

By the way, I'm always on the lookout for random things I can file under the "you can't make this stuff up" category. After the movie, I made a pit stop in the ladies room and this caught my eye.

Perhaps the most fun part of the theater experience was the guy who took our tickets. His name was ... Jedi.

Recently finished: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
Currently reading: Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

An uncomfortable poem. eek.

2011-04-16T19:31:00.001-04:00

I've heard tell that bad reporters plagiarize and good reporters steal.
I stole this poem from Jana Spicka's blog.

It's so uncomfortable in many ways and somewhat dangerous. But I want it to get deep down inside of me.

Disturb Us, Lord

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,

To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ.

-- Sir Francis Drake, 1577

An unexpected lovey

2011-04-15T22:54:00.002-04:00

You know how some days you just need a little something to make it through? Today was one of those for me.
I went back to work Thursday after a wonderful vacation in Denver and Chattanooga. I even made it a two-day work week to soften the blow.
Yet, by mid afternoon today, I was losing steam.
Around 2 p.m., a co-worker named Chuck came by my desk and gave me this from his garden.

Totally unexpected. So totally needed. The peony did something to my heart and my outlook. Suddenly, the story I was working on seemed to write itself. The clock raced a little faster and soon enough, it was 5:45 p.m. and time to start the weekend.

I thought over my week and realized many loveys had come my way. I just didn't recognize them:
The Dove dark chocolates my Chattanooga friend Angela left for me in her guest room on Tuesday.
The herd of Great Danes I saw Wednesday at Victor Ashe Park while walking with my friend Caroline.
The waffle, egg and bacon breakfast my machine shop friends at work put together Thursday.
The peony today.
The Oreo cookies my editor bought for our department today. (Food is one of my love languages if you hadn't already noticed.)
The glass of White Zinfandel my friend Julie had waiting for me when I met her for dinner tonight.

What unexpected loveys have come into your world today? This week? Were they so ordinary that you didn't see them? Think again. Go back and look. And keep your eyes open.

Scars are sexy.

2011-04-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

I saw a sticker on a car recently that said "scars are tattoos with better stories."
I got to thinking about my scars -- like the one from a surgery on my belly button to fix a hernia when I was 14.
Others are not as sexy -- like the one on my left ankle when I nicked myself while shaving a couple of weeks ago. I'm not so proud of that one.
I think of my friend who bears a long gash where her left breast used to be. That gash proclaims her victorious over a mass of cells that tried to claim her life.
My favorite scar story, though, is that of a Jewish Carpenter who more than 2,000 years ago bore nail wounds on His hands and feet while hanging naked on a cross in the Middle East. For hundreds of years, those scars have been making people whole -- emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically.
Kinda gives me a new perspective on what I think are the unsightly things on my bod.
My fellow scar-bearers, let's rock 'em.

Bitten by the "single bug"?

2011-04-13T13:38:00.002-04:00

I don't mind being single.
But sometimes, it chafes me.
This video came my way through my precious friend Caroline. It made me laugh and was a solid reminder that I'm exactly where I need to be in my life at this moment.
Enjoy!

Eyes to see ... really see.

2011-04-13T12:52:00.002-04:00

I sat next to a guy with the bluest eyes on a flight from Denver to Atlanta earlier this week. During the three-hour trip, we said maybe 10 words to each other. ("Hi." "Thanks for passing my cup." "Whew, bumpy flight.")
When the plane landed, he whipped out his cellphone and this is what I heard:
"My uncle died. Well, he's about to. He had a brain aneurysm. I'm not sure when I'll be back to work but I'll call you."
I was floored.
We just never know what the people around us are going through and we're oblivious to it.
As we waited for the cabin doors to open, we chatted for a few minutes. His name is Andrew. It's his mother's brother who's dying. He came to Atlanta to say goodbye to his 59-year-old uncle before life support is pulled. He's there to be with his mom who's taking her brother's imminent death pretty hard.
Wow.

God, give me Your eyes to see people as You see them.

Just finished "The Wisdom of Tenderness" by Brennan Manning
Currently reading "Prince Caspian" by C.S. Lewis

The girl with a funny name

2011-04-12T23:46:00.001-04:00

I'm a girl with a funny name. And this is my blog.
For about two years I've toyed with the idea of starting this. Not sure why it's taken me this long but I'm glad I've taken the plunge.
You should know that I write for a living ... which is why having a blog seems so daunting. No editors to look over my shoulder. Just me.
I threw around a few titles ("Lola's Travails" and "Write, Lola, Write" are two of my favorites) before I finally settled on just using my name. Afterall, where else can you find so many Os and As and Ls?
So, here I am.