radical career shift

A friend who does some work as a sound man/stage hand called and asked if I wanted to work Saturday at the convention center/concert hall place in Grand Rapids.

I can count the non-office-work jobs I've had on one hand, so this should be an experience!

A little extra money will be very handy, but time does seem to drag when I'm doing move-this, set-up-that kind of work.

So a long day anticipated for tomorrow, but maybe there will be some stories to tell afterwards. :)

Exercise-related ...
I only got in a short walk last night. But hopefully more tonight. I'm guessing tomorrow's job will offer plenty in the way of exercise without me having to worry about it.

the weak ones among us

I was reading in 1 Cor. 12 last night, and v. 22 stood out to me

On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;

For some reason, I’d always read this, thinking about the physical body side of the picture, and not the spiritual … but last night, the spiritual stood out …

Those who are bound by depression, and it’s all they can do to get themselves out the door on Sunday morning before retreating to their bedroom … they are necessary.

Those who are easily offended, and have to be handled with kid gloves … necessary.

Those who struggle with the same issue over and over and over … necessary.

Sick, aged, distracted, simple … all necessary.

And what a blessing to be able to be a comfort to these “necessary” ones …

I was glad for the reminder.

Had a nice walk last night before prayer meeting, and hope to get to the gym tonight on the way home from Bible study in Zeeland. However, it will be late-afternoon, when motivation starts to slip ... so it might or might not actually happen. :)

Trinka

I remember when life was always like this ...

The church's internet is with SBC ...

It appears that their service is down for an enormous area right now.

Every time I call, the "hope to be repaired by" time gets farther away.

It's AMAZING how much of my job has moved online ... and how hard it is to do it disconnected!

Got to the gym last night for the first time in ages - and can really feel it. I've been walking and working out in other ways, but those muscles weren't getting stretched! Got a "racquetball for beginners" lesson this past weekend. I think I could really like that. D. and her sister-in-law were teaching at a ladies' retreat, and it was such a blessing to be able to go to Texas and be there for it. The retreat was at a lovely lake-side site, and there was a chance to go kyacking one morning to watch the sun come up - it was just beautiful.

The subject of the retreat was spiritual gifts, and it got me thinking about the subject. It's such a blessing to have my job tie in with the gifts God's given me (administration, encouragement and mercy) - I think that's part of what makes it such a joy. I was reading this morning in Romans 1:11-12, and noticed that Paul wanted to go to Rome to "impart unto them some spiritual gift to the end they be established" (probably paraphrased.)

I'm wondering if that mention of spiritual gift is supposed to tie in with the ones in Romans 12. It doesn't quite seem like it, but I'm not sure. I do find it interesting that it ties in with establishment/stability. Still pondering this one.

Trinka ... at home on her lunch, checking the e-mail

"yes, this bus is going to the Malpensa airport"

The hotel where we stayed was conveniently located only a few blocks from the central Milan train station. (except for the first evening ... when it, somehow, seemed at least 15 miles away.) :)

On the morning we left, we needed to catch a bus at this train station to get to the Malpensa airport. There was one of these buses every 20 minutes.

At 6:30ish the last morning, we toted our luggage to the station, went to the proper spot, and in tourist-fashion, asked the bus driver, "Malpensa?"

"Si, si, Malpensa" Mr. bus driver replies.

Trinka, being suspicious that this seemingly-obvious question might have been misunderstood, asked again before the bus began moving, "Malpensa?"

"Si." Mr. bus driver answers.

OK.

As we leave town, we begin to see signs for the Malpensa airport. Yippeee! All along the opposite lane, traffic is thick and barely moving, but we're sailing along. Our flight doesn't leave until 10:30, so we're going to be very early ... "good little travelers."

Hmmmm ... wasn't that exit labeled "Malpensa?"

Big airport, of course. Must be more than one exit. Yes, that's it.

Hmmmm ... still clipping right along aren't we?

Now, if you're interested in taking a glance at a map of Italy, you'll see the Malpensa airport is to the northwest of Milan. Now, what you may not notice on the map, since it's small, and, well, NOT in Milan at all, is a little town called Bergamo, which ALSO has an airport.

Obviously THIS is where the bus was going. That should have been clear by the driver's response earlier.

Of course, it did take us nearly an hour to get to this (wrong) airport. You may also recall I mentioned all the traffic we passed going in the other direction?

At the Bergamo International (!) Airport, we met an amazingly efficient taxi driver, who apparently had angels paving his way. He zipped through traffic, and somehow managed to get us there, barely, in time.

We went from one security line to another security line to the line getting on the plane, and, praise the Lord, walked ONTO the plane.

At no point since the 6:30 "my we caught a nice early bus" moment did the "getting on the plane" possibility seem particularly likely.

All in all, it was a pleasant adventure (particularly since it was possible to re-arrange schedules at home, and come home a day late, if need-be) ... but it was made all the more pleasant by being able to sink down at the end of it into a seat that was heading towards HOME. :)

Next up ... the lady who was sitting next to me on the plane. Trust me, it's more intersesting than you might think. :)

Accountability stuff ... I've been walking, but not much else. I have the promise of some racquetball lessons this weekend though. :)

Reading - I've been in Joshua at night, and Psalms in the morning.

well, the good news is ...

Today, the story of "yes, I speak English, and can show you the sights of Venice"

On Monday, Dad and I went to Venice for the day. It was just amazing to see how the city was built directly on the water. While I'd done some reading, I had no comprehension of the SIZE of the place.

The fellow above on the left was our tour-guide/gondola paddler. He assured us that, "yes, he could tell us all about the buildings we were seeing in English." Unfortunately, "all about" had a slightly different meaning. :) He was able to tell us the names of the buildings in English. But I'm afraid that was about it.

It was amazing to observe that he was able to paddle the boat, while standing in the stern, and at the same time carry on cell phone conversations. He did it consistently, and didn't make it look at all difficult. :)

It was a beautiful place, and fascinating just because of the logistics of the construction. We wandered around a good bit on foot as well.

Health-related accountability stuff ... While spending 6 days in Italy, consuming heretofore unimaginable quantities of cream, butter, chocolate and cheese, I managed to lose 2 pounds.

I'm not complaining! :)

More soon!
Trinka

home home home ...

'tis a very pleasant place to be. :) (Even if I DID wake up at 3:30 this morning).

Trip stories to follow:

• Translation of the phrase: "yes, this bus is going to the Malpensa airport"
• The interesting story of the baseball-and-apple-pie girl sitting beside me on yesterday's international flight
• Translation of the phrase: "yes, I speak English, and can show you the sights of Venice"
• Flight attendants: battle pay should be offered

And probably others ... but those I want to be sure and remember to write up for you. :)

Had a delightfully uneventful trip once I was aboard the plane home. My flight into Cleveland and Grand Rapids both arrived 20 minutes early. Good friends met me at the airport. And surprise visitors showed up to welcome me home after I popped out of the shower. (who fortunately chose to ignore the ratty bathrobe and luggage-strewn living room, and stayed for a pleasant little visit). Was asleep by 9:30, and enjoying the sound of rain outside the window.

Just one picture, since I can post them now. This is a view on the roof of the Duomo.

Trinka

a little internet cafe

just presented itself. Please be so kind as to ignore punctuation!

I got WAY lost yesterday. It was fun ... no one was waiting for me, and I had a great time with a lady who spoke no English ... she pretty much told me Iàd walked so far that I wasnàt even ON my map anymore.

The hotel is near a big metro station, so I knew no matter where I ended up, I could find a metro stop and get home again, which was very liberating!

Iàve just been to the cathedral, and it was so beautiful. There was a walkway on the roof, going up several levels, so you could see the intricacy of how it was made ... there were even carvings hidden behind other carvings, underneath overhangs, etc. ... all up so high that they never would have thought anyone would see it.

I also stopped at a sidewalk cafe and ordered hot chocolate ...it was amazing stuff ... like warm chocolate pudding, or some-such. I could become a fan.

The traffic is interesting to me ... People seem to cross right in front of cars all the time, and the cars just swerve around them. But itàs not an angry, everyone-get-out-of-my-way attitude like in Detroit. Here it just seems to be expected, and everyone is pretty mellow about it. No yelling, waving fingers, etc. I was riding with an Italian lady yesterday, and she was driving on the wrong side of a double yellow line ... oncoming traffic tooted a horn at her, and she just pleasantly said, "yes, yes, of course you are right" and eventually swerved back. :)

pictures will be coming when I get home!

Iàm off to find an interesting cemetery I read about in a guidebok.

Trinka

hmm... not posting from here after all

The interent at the hotel wasn t exactly free ... it was more like $12.50 for two hours. So Iàll be posting when I get home instead! Iàm using one of the hotels computers now which also cost money ... and has the punctuation keys in different places, so please forgive the goofiness!

Just to let you know Iàm out here ... will be able to get and send some e'mail on dadàs computer occasionally ... and Iàll hope to post when I get home!

Trinka

there should be a special reward in heaven ...

for friends willing to take you to the airport at 5:00 a.m.

TRC ... you are a real blessing! (hope you make it through the day awake!)

Trinka ... sitting in Newark watching children run laps around annoyed businessmen while their parents pretend they don't notice.

pre-trip paranoia ...

Yesterday I brought my passport to work - I like to have a copy of it, as well as all the credit cards I'm bringing.

I also brought a guidebook from the library - I wanted copies of a few pages to bring along.

On the way home from work, I dropped all the books back off at the library.

2:00 this morning ... from a sound sleep ... I begin having this conversation with myself:

"did I leave the passport tucked inside the library book?"

"of course you didn't, you goofy woman."

"but what if I did?"

"you didn't"

"but what if I did?"

... wake up ... shuffle out to living room ... find passport ...

"now go back to sleep"

"OK"

:)