Feeling insecure

So, if Wonderwall comes up on my Pandora, how should I feel about my taste in music/value as a person?

terms of the 2008 olympics boycott

this is my first post here, and i had grand dreams of coming onto the scene with a big splash. this will have to do.

firstly, regarding katie's post on tv and our lack thereof, our whiteness must unfortunately be acknowledged. it is what it is, i guess. i will echo her sentiments and add that it has been quite liberating. and you can still watch tv on the interwebs if you really "need" to.

secondly, as katie half-heartedly declared, we are boycotting the 2008 olympics. there are lots of reasons why, and i won't take the time to enumerate them here. i will refer you to a page that has a decent summary of some commonly cited reasons why boycotting the olympics this year is a necessary stand to take.

i'll acknowledge that i heard a compelling story on npr a few months ago arguing that just because china has done some bad stuff lately is no reason to punish the athletes that have worked hard to get there and that sports is not a good arena for geopolitics. decent point, but on balance, the olympics are still getting boycotted in the wussow household.

thirdly, the terms of our boycott:
1. the olympics must never be voluntarily watched by tuning a tv to the olympics coverage.
2. if you are in a place where the olympics are on, you must turn your eyes away and select a seat that makes it difficult or impossible to see the tv screen.
3. watching news coverage of the olympics is strictly prohibited, unless it is coverage about boycotting the olympics or how awesome it is to boycott the olympics.
4. reading internet news about the olympics, with the aforementioned exception.
5. discussing the olympics with friends, unless it is to loudly and obnoxiously discuss your boycott and attempt to impose it on others. participating in conversations about the olympics with clandestine intent to aggressively subject-change is also permissible.

join us (me).

Reflections on No TV: Part 1

Many of you are probably aware of the newest "lifestyle choice" in the Wussow household: no TV. That's right, we are tv-less for going on 2 months now, and overall it has gone really well and we haven't missed it. And I have read about 3 or 4 books and 6 magazines since then, so I guess that tells you something. But, there is one, pretty major issue that I have not considered until recently.

The Olympics.

The Olympics.

Without a tv, I am undoubtedly going to miss most, if not all, of my beloved olympics. No Dream Team. No gymnastics. No soccer. No table tennis. None of the things that I love. Ok, maybe not table tennis, but the other things.

I am, admittedly, an olympics super nerd. I get warm fuzzies thinking about the olympics memories of my childhood. Kerri Strug sticking her landing in spite of her ankle injury and sealing the team gold medal for the U.S.A. (aka the Magnificent 7) Or when Michael Johnson won the 200 m and 400 m sprints in the SAME olympics in Atlanta. Come on, people. This is good stuff!

Travis is not worried about this. He is trying to require me to boycott the games because of the human rights and environmental failures of China. Very principled. Very not happening.

Is it nerdy to watch the olympics in a sports bar?


Kerri Strug, 1996 Olympics

On my heart today

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Praise God for filling every moment with joy and purpose, that He has set before us a race that He strengthens us to run, and that the finish line is Jesus Himself.

07.07.08

(A few) Things I have learned in one year of marriage.

1. How Travis can eat 3x more than me and not gain weight.
2. That if two people alternate at hitting snooze, you can snooze for a looong time.
3. How to make cookies in 30 minutes flat.
4. More about beer than I ever thought I would know.
5. That marriage is just another way that we can know Jesus and understand his gospel.

I love you Travis! Happy first anniversary!

Store up His Word in your heart

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion says my soul,
Therefore, I will hope in Him.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him;
To the soul who seeks Him;
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:22-26

People who should move to Austin

A lot of exciting happenings!

On May 23, I made a last minute drive to Dallas to attend the (surprise) engagement party for one of my dearest friends from Rockwall, Kim. It was a fun time to see my friends and celebrate two lives that God is joining together. Below are some photos of the crew from Rockwall (plus Jennifer!) with the bride-to-be.

The very next weekend we had the incredible opportunity to visit our friends Jeremy and Michelle Utley in California. Jeremy is a student at Stanford and Michelle is studying fashion at the super-hip Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Fransisco. We had a blast exploring Palo Alto and San Fran and catching up with our amazing friends. We even sat in on a Stanford Graduate School of Business class...a bit awkward, but interesting nonetheless. Here are some photos from the trip.
View of the Stanford tower from Jeremy and Michelle's patio.

Golden Gate Bridge in black and white. Spooky. It was really foggy the entire time except for Sunday, the last day we were there.

This is one of us on a hike. Notice Travis's shaved head. He decided to do it while we were there...What do you think?