A Katie's-Eye View

The World the Way I See It

Archive for category Creativity

Knowledge is Powerful Stuff

Jul 21

Posted by Katie in Creativity, awesome, learning, life, technology | 1 Comment

One thing that I really regret is not learning more about technology. I’m convinced that we’re never going to go back to the days of my childhood, where the Internet was something that was pretty new as far as general use goes–remember when Jeeves was a part of Ask.com? And remember how you could ask him questions? Yeah, that was THE premier website of my elementary school days. **EDIT: Apparently, Jeeves is still alive and kicking! You can visit him here, if you’re nostalgic.** I know that growing up when I did, I’m pretty basic-level tech savvy, just by experience. Some people not too much older than I am actually have to work at using a lot of technological things that I take for granted–not knocking them, I can’t believe how much they’ve had to adapt (case in point: my parents remember when the VCR came out, while a friend much younger than I am didn’t realize that there was a time before Youtube).

But seriously, I wish that I had spent at least one class out of all my high school classes learning about computer science. You may think that this is a pretty nerdy thing to say, unless you happened to do so, in which case you’re probably thinking that it was an awesome thing to do, as well as a smart choice. Regardless of the real or imagined nerdiness, taking a computer science class in high school would have been really useful right about now. Why, you may ask? Well, aside from the fact that my fiance is seriously in to computers, the real answer is that we’re living in a time of transition, a time where pretty much every job I’m considering for a career would be greatly enhanced by a good dose of computer knowledge. Even books are going digital, and if I want to keep enjoying them, I’ve got to be prepared to do the same! Clearly, this blog is a big step forward, but I need to know more about the tech side of things if I want to be as valuable as I can be in today’s world. As a result of these musings, as well as of my impending graduation, I’ve decided to look into taking some sort of technical know-how class after I get married. I think that this time in my life, between my undergrad and graduate careers, will be best spent investing in the knowledge I ignored in the past. No matter what, it can’t hurt!

So here’s to gaining knowledge after college! I intend to keep learning skills that will be helpful to me, as wel as those around me. I also want to learn things just for fun, so if I come across a community college class that looks awesome, I just might take it! I think I’m becoming more inspired by the moment–so now seems like a good time to get some sleep and dream about coding and making awesome websites (Mark would be so proud!).

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Robot Wanderer and Left Toys

Apr 14

Posted by Katie in Creativity, Dallas, awesome, fun, robot, toy | No Comments

I just read about tweenbots, a New York art student’s thesis project to determine whether busy New Yorkers will help a defenseless robot just trying to make its way across Washington Square Park. Kacie Kinzer designed these adorable little robots and set them free in the park so that strangers can help them get where they’re going.You should definitely check out her site to get the whole story. It is laid out there beautifully, with pictures and a video to boot!

I thought this idea was a great way to test people’s willingness to stop what they are doing and help something out with no reward for themselves. Think it would work here in Dallas? How about where you are?

Wow, only a few hours later from finding out about the above project, and I’ve come across another intereting endeavor. The Toy Society is a project that began in Australia, and has now spread all over the world. People make handcrafted toys and then leave them places so that others can find them and take them home. I love the thought of coming across a special gift randomly, and of leaving one, too! What a way to brighten someone’s day! :)

The neat thing about both of these projects is that they encourage people to think of others, whether they be cute little robots or a person who finds a cool toy you’ve left behind. In tough economic times like these ( I feel like a news announcer when I say that), it is so important not to get caught up in an isolationist attitude. Remember to share a smile with someone. When you do, you will feel better, too!

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Round Two

Feb 2

Posted by Katie in Creativity, God, fun, language, learning, mission, refugee ministry, teaching | 3 Comments

Last time I told you about the beginnings of Ariel and I’s encounter with the Bhutanese refugee ministry that we joined. This time, let me take you in a little deeper…

On Thursday night, Ariel and I went to Target to get some things for the kids we would be teaching. We went through aisle after aisle finding things we thought would be useful to us. We got some cute stickers to pass out, some brand new crayons, paper to draw on, highlighters for prizes, neat pens, Play-Doh, and more. we also got a cool box to put it all in. We’re quite professional, Ariel and I.

When we got home, Ariel began to work on our lesson plan (she is an expert there, after all). we decided to teach about Jesus feeding the 5,000 people with only two fish, five loaves of bread and a major miracle. She created a whole curriculum, including a lesson, questions and appropriate craft. We definitely felt prepared.

Saturday arrives and we pack up our box, our Bibles and our lessons and head of north Dallas. We missed a turn on the way up, so after about a ten minute detour, we got there a few minutes late (but there really is no late here!). We sang some songs with the families all together (one song in Nepali that we knew the chorus to (no idea what we’re saying, though), a couple of songs where all we could do was clap, and a song in English that the missionaries taught the refugees). Now was the time. We took our three children into a separate room and began teaching them. Things didn’t really go as planned, though, because they had already heard our story on TV! We quizzed them on it and then started coloring, allowing them to teach us!  Ariel and I began to ask them how to say different words and phrases in Nepali, ensuring their continual amusement as two white girls tried desperately to wrap their tongues around polysyllabic words in a language where cloud and monkey apparently are said in almost the exact same way. What an adventure! I do remember how to say “black,” and we are definitely going to study some words before we go back so that we can impress them! Haha! we definitely had a wonderful afternoon with the kids. In the end,  few more boys came, giving us a total of five silly boys and a wonderful girl (as well as a very amused mother who sat in, too!) ranging in age from six to fourteen. We were promised that more children would come next time, so we are looking forward to that challenge.

Next weekend, Ariel will be attending a cool conference, so it will be Mark and I attempting to cross cultures and share Jesus with some new found friends. I love this job. :)

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Forward and Back.

Dec 31

Posted by Katie in Creativity, Mission Trip, Passion, Photography, awesome, college, dream, learning, life, list, writing | No Comments

Wow. 2009 is just a matter of mere hours away. How did this happen? How was it just the start of another semester, and now that same semester is long gone? Seriously, these past few months have been the quickest moving period of time I have ever experienced. And boy, were they full! I mean, looking back, there was so much crammed into them that we should really only be in October now.

Here are some major highlights, just so you know what I’m talking about. I went to IL, had a couple of friends get married, started the semester, gotten a new roommate, seen many friends get engaged, had more friends get married, gone to Korea, hung out with friends, written papers, done projects, worked, taken millions of tests and quizzes, gone to the symphony, celebrated holidays, spent time with family, written a letter to the editor, gotten addicted to two shows, seen friends that I hadn’t seen in forever, helped plan/ prepare to be in a wedding, worked out, etc.

You have to admit that that is quite the list, especially since it all took place in a matter of months! There are some things missing from that list, though. Things I should have done, but didn’t. There are people I wish I would have called, books I really wanted to read, days when I should have gone out to take pictures, adventures I didn’t go on, and more. But really, I will do my best to make 2009 a year where I do all the things need to do (well, not all. I would like to have a reason to go on living!).

Here are a few things just off of the top of my head that I really want to do in this new year:

1. Learn how to cook. Not just easy stuff, but medium to hard level stuff.
2. Read a LOT. For fun, not just school.
3. Finally pull off that 4.0 I’ve been wanting. I know, I’m a nerd.
4. Accomplish something in the save the world category. I’m working on this right now, actually. I will write all about it when I have something definite.
5. Write something really good. Something memorable.
6. Go somewhere I’ve never been before.
7. Blog more often.
8. Go to Austin
9. Take more pictures
10. To be determined at a later date!

I guess that’s all for now, I’ve got a few things already on the agenda for 2009…my cousin is getting married, one of my friends is going to Denmark, and I’ve got my first 4000 level class coming up. It should be a good year. :)

Inspiration

Nov 12

Posted by Katie in Creativity, honesty, poems, poetry, writing | 1 Comment

So lately everyone has been writing amazing notes on Facebook, posts on Blogger and anywhere else they can think of. I have to admit, when I see other people writing, it makes me want to write, too. I see songs and poems and short essays popping up all over the place, and I think, “hey, I should write again.” However, there is a problem, and it makes me sort of mad.

I am not really a good creative writer. I so wish I was, but I’m just better at writing down real things in a real way, with a little opinion dashed in here and there. Don’t get me wrong, I love writing a good editorial, and telling it like it is suits me. But there is a part of me that wants to be creative, to write novels that leave people changed, to be able to put my feeling down on paper (or a screen).

In light of this desire, I think I will try to do so. Please bear with me here…I am kind of afraid to put this out there, and it is a big step for me.

Here is a poem.

Old.
I forget the good times;
Were there any, after all?
I remember how it was before,
when we talked about everything
and there was never any pressure.
Those were good times.

Then our relationship changed.
Suddenly it was all pressure.
Was I good enough?
Were you happy?
I tried, but couldn’t tell.

When the end came, my life
changed.
Hurt like that is something
I can’t explain.

Slowly it got better,
I was happy just to say
hello
every now and then.
Peace.

Sometimes I wonder
the truth behind it all.
Not often, though.
I hope you are doing well.

Here is another one.

New.
Thinking of you
brings joy to me.
I’ve never before felt
this way.

We fight, sure.
It makes us stronger, though.
No pressure,
just expression.
Love always wins.

It’s deep, this love.
A connection that makes us
a perfect team.

Honesty is the rule you follow.
I can see it in your eyes.
I treasure that.

I am content.
You bring calm to
all of my storms.

Okay, I think that I got that out of my system. :)

Hopefully I can now move on and write that report that I need to do. I hope my attempt at poetry wasn’t too awful. I’ve never been a good judge of poems. :)

Making use of the kitchen

Jun 13

Posted by Katie in Creativity, learning, life | 1 Comment

Mark recently moved into the townhomes here on campus, which are fully equipped with a stove, fridge, pantry, dishwasher, etc. Simply put, they have kitchens. Because it is summer and the oh, so wonderful dining hall is closed, and because eating out costs way way way too much, we have begun the quest to learn how to survive with limited restaurant interference.

Neither one of us is a spectacular cook, mind you, so our culinary journeys are somewhat limited. The first thing we made was a well-known staple-spaghetti. It tasted great, minus the fact that our noodles stuck together quite nicely. The next attempt at satisfying our hunger was, again spaghetti. This time, the noodles didn’t stick quite as badly, due to the fact that we added a little cooking oil. Next time, I suspect that we’ll be adding a little more.

On our third try, we popped in a frozen pizza for lunch. MMMMM….it was great. :) After that, we decided to go all out. We made a nice dinner of chicken, sweet corn and red potatoes. It was very good, but everything was frozen before we heated it back up…I mean made it from scratch.

Last night we made a pizza with a great crust from Mama Mary (try it!). I also whipped up an amazing and easy summertime fruit salad of my own recipe. It takes blueberries, strawberries and peaches in whatever quantity you like combined with Cool Whip. This is by no means a healthy fruit salad, thanks to the Cool Whip, but it is downright tasty. The pizza was amazing as well, exponentially more so than its frozen cousin. We will soon be seeing a repeat performance of the pizza as the crust came in a two pack.

Next on our list? Tacos…with whatever side we scrounge up. Following that, hamburger helper with green beans, corn and rolls. I’ll be making the fruit salad again, much to my delight.

Soon, I think, we’ll be ready to make really nice meals, all for a fraction of the cost of our previous lifestyle of “Where would you like to go for lunch?” Don’t get me wrong, though, Quizno’s, Panda Express, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bueno haven’t lost our business…they will just be seeing us less frequently. Super Target, on the other hand, will get to know us well.

If anyone has some delicious meal ideas, they should totally tell me because I am not really used to this meal planning thing.