An Aspiring Native, Day 6

There is a man who sits on the end of the first bench in the Anacostia metro station nearly every morning.  I’ve started calling him Chapstick Man, because he has a large suitcase nearly spilling over with chapstick, and he has two shotgun shell belts slung across each shoulder, classic Rambo-style, filled with “rounds” of chapstick.  He’s a regular there at the station, and people frequently buy from him.

It has rained every day in the morning that I’ve gone to my internship but one or two, prompting me to buy a new umbrella – the pocket-edition just doesn’t cut it, and I end up wearing a darker shade of grey by the time I arrive at the Capitol South stop.  I’ve figured out exactly which metro-car I need to get on to be closest to the escalator at each stop, and I’m getting to where I don’t need to pay attention to where I’m walking on my morning commute.  The routine in that is nice.

Now, a week or two after I wrote those first two paragraphs, Virginia has a job at the Family Research Council.  It hasn’t rained a day on us since she’s gotten a job, making the morning commute that much nicer.  We usually part ways at L’Enfant Plaza, and yesterday, I saw a man get tazed as he tried to graffiti a metro car.  Never a dull moment here in DC.

Today, I literally ran into Marco Rubio and John McCain.  There are “superstars” like them all over the buildings I work in, and I am continually star-struck, regardless of my political affiliation.  The job search is still going for me, but I’ve met tons of interesting people – most of them Chiefs of Staff.  Virginia kids with me all the time that she lounges around look at Facebook on the weekends, while I’m emailing some of the most powerful people in the nation.  But she’s currently the one bringing home the bacon, so I consider this to be a moot point.

During my time here, I have resolved even further that – once I “make it” – I am going to do everything I can to help aspiring “little people.”  Both the people who have been extremely helpful to me and the people who haven’t have shown me the importance of investing in the “up-and-coming.”  And I can’t wait until I’m up high enough on the pecking order to do that.  I’ll start as soon as I can.

Things I’ve been thinking about recently:

1)      I’d love to go to a Nats/DC United game.

2)      Wanna shut down Congress? Start an Interns Union and go on strike. #freelabor

3)      I need to play my trumpet more.

4)      I want to work Senate side.

I’ll write again soon.

J

An Aspiring Native, Day 5

At our new church, Virginia and I have starting noticing that several celebrities, or their stunt-doubles, regularly attend.  So far we have found the following: Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeremy Renner (scary how exactly he matches), Christopher Hemsworth, Aaron Eckhart, and Rowan Atkinson.  We've only really met one of these people (he confirmed he wasn't actually Hemsworth), so we may or may not be attending church with famous people.  Ya never know.

To date, the strangest question I've been asked in an interview is "how do you deal with dogs?"  I was taken aback, stumbled over my words for a few seconds, and finally responded, "Uh, fine I guess?"  Turns out, the Congressman likes to keep two large dogs in his office.

Despite my fumblings, I ended up getting an internship with Rep. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri (NOT MissouRUH, although this probably estranges me from the constituency).  I've been working nonstop (and for no pay) writing letters to Missourians, doing research on advocacy groups for "The Boss," answering phones, etc.  To my great shock one day, I answered the phone, and I heard on the other line a gentleman say, "Yes, this is General Thomas Stafford."  Again, I was taken aback, and stumbled over my words.  I transferred him to the proper line, and sat back astounded at what just happened.

Oh, and this is where I work.

Since pictures are worth a thousands words, I'm just gonna put a few right here to sum up the past few weeks, and add a few interesting facts for your enjoyment.

Being Congressional staff means one of the best views of the city from a private balcony in the Capitol.

We went to an event after work and got to see the legendary Budweiser Clydesdales!  Hundreds of people showed up and filled the whole block.

The city is redoing all the sidewalks in our area with brick instead of concrete.  This is the area just in front of our gate.  Looks pretty great!

Virginia and I have been asked several times recently what our hobbies are outside of work.  Ashamedly, we haven't been able to come up with much interesting, so we tried our hand at miniature gardening!  Cheaper than dinner and a movie, and WAY more cathartic.  So we have one hobby now.  ;)  We also took up teacup herb gardening too.  Oh, and we started a hanging garden in our room.  So...I guess you could say our new hobby is unique-gardening.

Oh, and Virginia is insane crazy about Cocoa Pebbles.  Like, addiction level.  I have deduced this because she says it isn't her favorite cereal, taking Honey Nut Cheerios as her favorite (ew), and yet she talked about having Cocoa pebbles for breakfast constantly...even the night before.

So...there ya go.  Update from the Creasys in DC.  We're doing great, and we're loving our life.  I'm sure Virginia will be wanting to write to you soon.  :D

-J

Whizzing week and a strange Sabbath

Dear Reader,

Another guest post from the other half of J. Creasy. Let me tell you about the adventures we've had this past week.

Monday and Tuesday were our slow days. I had an interview on Monday, which was uneventful enough in its own right (although finding the right building was hilariously difficult). My sweet husband later picked up one tired interviewee at the Anacostia stop. The rest of Monday and Tuesday was spent scouring job banks and looking for connections.

Wednesday the crazy started. In the morning, I drove to Arlington for an interview. As soon as I got to the end of our street, the GPS on my phone started freaking out and blanked out the map while rerouting. I turned in the direction I hoped was correct, and drove up over the 11th St Bridge into town. Praying for Google maps, I got onto 695. Right then, it started working, and thankfully I was headed right where I needed to be. Whew.

Once that adventure was over, Jonathan and I headed out for our weekly grocery shopping date. It's really quite fun. We get a glorious thrill from parking lots that are free, and Costco always provides amusement. This week we saw a short, perfectly balding priest in black robes with a crucifix around his neck. Man does not live on the Word of God alone, but also on the bread from Costco, I guess.

In front of the Library of Congress.

Wednesday evening, we headed to CHBC (Capital Hill Baptist Church, "Cap Bap," etc.) for the weekly Bible study lead by Mark Dever. While everyone is still filing in, he reads from a red leather book that seems to be a collection of letters written to Spurgeon. After that, he pulls out different books and booklets on various topics, free to anyone that promises to read them soon. So far, I've read "God and Politics" and "The Baptist Faith and Message." This week I got a booklet about the nature of Christ, which I might read later today.

Thursday started out by me having a phone interview with a local institute. The minute it was over, Jonathan and I hopped on the metro to Capital South. He headed to the Congressional buildings for a meeting with a fellow Eagle Scout, and I walked to a local lunch spot.

Once Jonathan was done with the meeting, we ate, and parted ways at the metro. I headed to Chinatown for an interview, and he had coffee with Jason, one of our new friends.

When I got out of my 'view, I met up with Jonathan and Jason at Labyrinth Games. Jason is an aficionado of board games, so when I got there, the guys were playing slightly obscure board games at tables in the back of the store. I love it when friends introduce us to new experiences!

Oh, hey. Ever heard of the cherry blossoms in DC? Yeah, they're kinda famous. We finally got to go see them!

Thursday afternoon was deliciously warm with a cool breeze. Jonathan and I wandered down to the Jefferson Memorial along with hundreds of other people. It was my first time seeing the cherry blossoms in person and I loved it.

Friday we met Chad, who first encouraged us to move to DC, and encouraged us again now that we are here. His warm personality and genuine happiness that God had placed us here was evident. After that, Jonathan and I attended an event at AEI, where the former director of the CIA and NSA commented on his most recent book. Geez, we were a little out of our league.

When we got home, Jonathan had a phone interview, and then we prepared for the Good Friday service at CHBC. After such a wild week, it was good to have time for reflection. There was singing, Scripture reading, and a short message. After taking communion, we sung It Is Well, a favorite hymn for both me and Jonathan, and tears rose in our eyes.

Now, we come to today, Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.

Think back about 2000 years ago. Jesus died yesterday. And a strange thing happened - the temple veil to the Most Holy Place was torn in two, from top to bottom. There's nothing separating us from the presence of God anymore, but our Messiah is still buried.

Tomorrow, come quickly.

~VA

An Aspiring Native, Day 4.5

Jonathan asked me to do a guest post on Creasy Capers, since I am capering a Creasy, after all. So here are my impressions of our capitol to date.

DC is unique among large cities because of the strict building height requirements. Instead of the slivers of sky among metal and concrete that is typical of metropolitan areas, DC has a wide open sky, horizons glimmering with aspirations. Often Jonathan and I drive over the 11th St SE bridge at sunset, the Anacostia river a lustrous gold inlaid with battleships and bridges.

Another splendid feature of DC is the plethora of museums and galleries, most of which are free.

The Museum of Natural History is among my favorites so far, especially the gems. The vibrancy of colors and patterns that spring from the dark, lowly mines astounds me. Rocks with natural tree-like etchings, minerals with swirls of grass green, translucent towers of crystal, dazzling yellow formations, mysterious opals. These and more fill my mind to overflowing, flashes of some great unfathomable painting.

Humanity's touch beautifies this city too.

The national mall has street drummers and sax players on sunny days, and the music strokes and pulses above the murmur of voices. Laughter is a flickering solo, foreign intonations the harmony. Closer to our little neighborhood here on Pleasant St SE, the sounds of the city are much different. I hear more helicopters than birds, and the ceaseless pitch of police sirens could be likened to the absent hum of crickets.

There is a dizzying array of lines in the metro escalators that fascinates me. The escalator at our local stop almost seems to pitch forward - the vertical cracks of the walls compete with a dozen other angles; gravity itself seems confused - have I fallen down a rabbit hole?

As a wishful artist, I ache at times to portray the wonders I see here. Yet, instinctively, I know that the visions I see are too intricate to be detailed, too universal to be contained on a canvas.

One last sensation: Jonathan and I have agreed that the metro station is an odd place. The air is a bit dank and stuffy, but there is a constant wind from trains whisking by. I am reminded of a quote from my favorite author, “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” The metro hints at our path to yet unknown adventures.

~VA

An Aspiring Native, Day 4

You wouldn't believe the intersections in DC.  I'm sure many places are worse, but when I think intersection, I generally don't think 14 red lights pointing every angle but straight up and straight down.  Yes, this is, in fact, an intersection Virginia and I encountered trying to find our way around the city.  In just two weeks I have become a pro at crossing six lanes of traffic in 150 feet to exit on the opposite side of the highway, and of parallel parking my massive Dodge Charger into places I would have otherwise thought impossible just 16 days ago.  Dad would be proud of that.  In fact, the stress of driving and of shopping in ridiculous grocery stores downtown have made something as simple as shopping in Walmart intensely relaxing.

Oh, what do you do to relax?

Oh, we shop at Walmart.

...

One thing I have unfairly neglected to tell you about thus far is our wonderful new church, Capitol Hill Baptist Church.  At the recommendation of my former pastor, Chris, I did some research on it before moving, and have started attending since we moved.  After our first Sunday there, Virginia and I have been nearly every time the doors have been open.  We *love* it.  Solid teaching, both Sunday morning and night and Wednesday, like-minded couples (we went out to lunch last Sunday and are planning to go out again tomorrow with couples there), and just an all around warm and welcoming atmosphere have led us to attend the membership classes, with a hope of joining.  We have yet to find work, but reader, we have found a church.  And to us that is just as, if not more, important.  I haven't felt so alive and so happy to be a Christian in many years.

Today, we spent our day finishing up the membership classes at CHBC, and then met our new friends Carla and Jason at Pi (literally, π) Pizzeria - which is our new favorite pizza joint - and then toured Ford's Theatre (saw the actual gun that killed Lincoln), finishing with a stack of 15,000 books all about Lincoln himself:

From there, we headed over to the National Art Gallery, where just inside we got to see the Navy Chorus perform a few songs.  I really wished that my sister Jessica could have seen them - they were immaculate.  To get from one section of the museum from another, you have to go through an underground tunnel, that is really difficult to describe, so I'll just show you another picture:

The lights move in patterns all along the ceiling and down to the left, and we could still hear the haunting lyrics of a song called "Prayer" being sung by the Navy Chorus above as we went through.  It was beautiful and eerie.

Still underground, there is a massive book/art/merch store for the Art Gallery, and there is a coffee shop/food court that, again, I wished my sisters could have seen, as I know they would have enjoyed themselves.  There, we swapped stories with our new friends on how the other met their spouse, got married, etc.  It was so relaxing to have a good and natural conversation with another couple.

I have decided, upon a very brief tour of the Gallery, that it is my favorite museum to date.  The atmosphere is incredible - it is as if I could nearly hear physical manifestations of all my dreams and aspirations as an artist floating about me in the rotundas and corridors that were filled with art.  I fully intend to return soon with a pen, some paper, and perhaps some classical music, and just see where my inspiration takes me.

The weather this entire week has been beautiful.  Virginia and I have been wearing shorts and tshirts, taking walks, enjoying a few of the early cherry blossoms, and making plans to go see outdoor attractions when we can.  Today, however, we awoke to cold temperatures, and discovered that snow is coming - as soon as tomorrow.  Some people are speculating this could have a negative effect on the coming cherry blossoms, but that remains to be seen.

Well, this is where I will leave you.  I had an interview for a position with a congressman last Thursday, but have yet to hear anything.  We have both been applying to many, many jobs, and Virginia has an interview on Monday.  Please be praying that we would get something soon.  I think, despite our many adventures, we are both beginning to get a little stir-crazy.

Here's to hoping your bracket is doing a lot better than mine, and that this post finds you with a smile on your face with the promise of warmer weather soon.

Yours,

J

Something that is completely new to me this week: An ad promoting a tattoo convention April 15th in Baltimore.  No further details were provided.

"Nmmjhm/ ..,.VHN.TYDRM,KERMEKUJMEDMN MN"

Alley would like to inform you that running laps around the room dragging one of Virginia's shoes is his new favorite activity, and that he is considering taking up fashion as a hobby.  I cannot confirm nor deny my endorsement of these activities.

An Aspiring Native, Day 3

If you know anything about the DC area, you would know that the area in which we live, Anacostia, doesn't have the greatest history.  Racial tension, crime, and what have you have been problems, but, in the last 10 years, things have been looking up.  We hadn't had any evidence of these friendlier improvements until recently.

Thursday evening, as Virginia and I were struggling to get the massive amounts of broken down cardboard from our living room to the curbside, up walked a smiling gentleman in a grey suit.  Earl, our neighbor of the brick house on the corner (in my opinion the prettiest house on Pleasant Street), is from Trinidad.  I love his accent, and he loves our house - calling it the Governor's house because of the larger white pillars on our front porch.  Earl has lived in Anacostia for at least 12 years, so he has seen the bad days, and assures us that we picked a lovely street to live on.  He invited us to a big party in June that has apparently gained much acclaim in the area and abroad (he told us he has been invited to a big Caribbean cruise where he will cater food and provide the music).  In June, on a particular night, Earl hosts a party just for native Anacostians where he has steel drum music, everyone wears white, and he provides lots of Caribbean-style food.  I'm pretty excited, as it will be my first "block party" I've ever been to.

When I was in Boy Scouts, one of the many roles I had was to be the troop (and really anyone else's) bugler.  There was a merit badge for bugling where you had to memorize 40 tunes and play them for a Scout Master, and, to my surprise, as sun set on Friday, I heard Retreat being played on a trumpet.  Retreat is the song that is played any time a flag is being lowered - and with the beautiful sunset out our window, the song stirred up feelings of nostalgia and patriotism I haven't felt in quite some time.

On Saturday we continued to check off places from our To See in DC bucket list, with a tour of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.  We brought a packed lunch with us so we could complete our tour of the Museum of Natural History (as we were rushed last week with my family), but I couldn't remember if we were allowed to bring food inside.  We successfully hid our lunch behind a construction barrier near one of the entrances - it was still there when we came back - but we found out shortly after entering the museum that you can indeed keep packed lunches with you, as long as they are securely packed.  Still, we felt pretty cool that no one found our stash.

A hilarious thing I almost forgot to mention: while we were in the Gem and Mineral section of the Natural History Museum, were heard a kid in front of us scream "DAD I FOUND LAPIS."  Apparently he thought the blue gemstone to our left was lapis lazuli - an item found in the gam Minecraft.

Well that's all I have for you so far.  I went to visit Congressman Duncan today for advice for my job hunt, as we have a history together (he came to my Eagle Ceremony, and I've interviewed him before for school) - the meeting was uneventful, but I wasn't super surprised.  I went mostly just to pay my respects now that I'm a "DC native."  I have an interview with a Congressman for a temporary job this Thursday though.  I'll keep you posted.

Until next time!

-J

"Cvgfnsxgbn" - Levi says he's been looking for Alley for his installment of the blog post, but can't find him.  He suspects the puppy/kitty is eluding his chase yet again.

Inspiring quote from a friend: "If ever you look up at the Capitol building lit up at night, and you aren't reminded why you moved to DC, filled with an overwhelming sense of patriotism, and encouraged in your mission, maybe you've stayed here too long."

Despite taking an hour to cover about 17 minutes of driving, our goodwill trip paid off.  I think DC looks pretty good on us.

An Aspiring Native, Day 2

As most of you know if you've read any of this blog, I am a sucker for anything Germany/Austrian.  In fact, I keep an eye out for anything that would remind me of my time there a few summers ago, and as I was compiling my Things to See in DC list, I came across the Biergarten Haus on H Street.  Elated, I decided to pay it a visit that very night, as Virginia and I had done little but unpack and attempt to organize since I wrote you last.  As it turns out, the inside of the building (and the garden in the back) looked just like the Hofbrauhaus Hawkins and I visited in Munich.  While fare there is a bit pricey, I would highly recommend it to anyone fond of German food/drink/culture.  Everything is imported - thus the price.  We also decided we would love to live in that area one day, as the houses all look something like this:

Both Virginia and I have been job hunting the last few days (she has a virtual job, but is virtually exhausted of not seeing people on a daily basis, and that's a downright shame in DC), and one job she stumbled across searching for museum jobs was "cheetah care."  Yes, as it turns out, the Smithsonian is currently looking for someone to handle their cheetah preservation, and, based on the exhibit we visited today, Virginia would only occasionally be targeted for food, based on her height, weight, etc.  Who knew?  (For those of wondering, she was going to begin the application process, if only just to say she's applied for a job so...unique...but as it turns out you have to have worked a particular federal paygrade previously to be considered.  Go figure.) 

That job opening inspired us to take a trip down to the Smithsonian Zoo, as it is free, and we had to move our car off the street in front of our house for the weekly street cleaning (which, as it turns out, didn't happen.  Apparently it's a hit-or-miss type thing with a $200 penalty if you get caught with your car on the street during cleaning time, which is every Wednesday from 9:30-11:30).  We got to see almost every section of the zoo minus the Amazon section and the petting zoo (which was mostly goats...suffice it to say neither Virginia nor I have any desire to pet a goat any time soon), which included giant pandas, giant tortoises, lions, tigers, and (sloth) bears, oh my!, zebras, all kinds of reptiles, monkeys, gorillas, lemurs, *gasp for air* and really every other kind of creature you can think of.  It's a great zoo, and I can't wait to visit again.  I've included some pictures at the end of the post so you can see a few of the highlights.

Life in DC is going pretty well so far.  Job hunting is exhausting, and all I have to speak for up to this point is one job rejection - which I applied for over a month ago when I was still in TN.  Virginia had her first metro experience today, which we loved, but we are still getting used to the walk from our house to the Anacostia station.  Lots of loiters, which we aren't used to.
Any and all prayers would be welcome, as we are doing our best to fit in, be productive, and pursue what is we were meant to.  I really like the sound of that.

I'll write again soon!  I hope you are well.

J

Interesting people in the metro:

1) Catholic cowboy, sighted in the Gallery Place Metro.  Wearing 10 gallon, black cowboy hat, and a matching black priest's collar.
2) Girl with two large buns in her hair with roses peeking out of the tops.
3) Random teen guy who got the number of another random teen girl within 5 minutes flat.  Props, bro.  Hawkins would be proud.

P.S. nbbgv jjhn - Alley says he is attempting to get a tan at the window, but is seeing no progress.  Updates to follow.

Being a panda is rough work.

Caught this vulture pre flight.

Virginia's cheetah.

Green tree snake.

One of my favorite poison frogs.

VA and the Cassowary.

I'm a big fan of flamingos.

An Aspiring Native, Day 1

Well, I am writing to you from our new house in Anacostia, Washington DC.  What a ride it has been getting here.  We got up around 6am on Friday morning and hit the road with our car, the family van, and a Budget moving truck crammed full of our belongings.  The drive was a crazy one - the temperature when we left was around 32 degrees, a few hours later it had risen to around 52, and by the time we arrived it was back down around freezing again.  It took us nearly 12 hours of driving to get here (my dad is a truck driving master though, so nothing was damaged and everyone arrived safely), and once we arrived it took us several more hours to get everything piled in the house.

We spent our Saturday sightseeing with the family, as Jennifer has never been to DC, and Mom hasn't been for quite some time (Dad and the kids having come for youth summer camp).  Our first stop was the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, being one of my favorites.  Due to lack of time we did a quick tour, but Virginia and I have plans to go back soon and take our time with it.  It's still mind-boggling to me that we live so close and can get in for free whenever we want!

From there we started the long trek to the Washington Monument, and then continued even further down to the Lincoln Memorial (I most enjoy the view from the steps).  Completing our giant circuit, we headed back to the van and made a food-stop at District Taco (our housemates Jacob and Alyssa took us there on our last visit and we loved it...think a better version of Chipotle with more food than you can handle), and then a quick stop by the Peregrine Espresso shop.  Upon a little further research (and the Google query "best coffee shops in DC"), I found out that we had stumbled upon one of the best shops the city has to offer: and it's locally owned!

Sunday saw everyone minus me, Virginia, and Jacob (my brother, not to be confused with my new roommate) heading to Capitol Hill Baptist Church.  Virginia was sick that day, but it is the church we intend to attend regularly starting this week.  I'll be sure to update you once we visit.  We said our goodbyes later that afternoon in the parking lot of a Walmart (the parents had to pick Jacob back up, as he had spend both nights with us in our new house.  As a side note, Costco was a mad house when we went...there were more people crammed in the aisles than I thought humanly possible, and the check out line went well over halfway through the store.  Talk about an adventure...), and my family headed back to dear old Tennessee, leaving Virginia and I to open a new chapter of our life.  It wasn't easy to say goodbye to my family (even though they may think otherwise sometimes), because they have been my closest friends since I graduated last May.  And now here we are, in our nation's capitol, hoping to change our little slice of the world in some way or another, not knowing anyone or having any friends waiting to meet us.  It's quite a change!

Yes, we are terrified.  But a new friend of mine told me that if you aren't terrified to begin with, you aren't doing it right.  So...let's just assume we're doing it right.

Currently I am emailing connections for possible job openings, looking online for job openings, writing to you, and compiling a list of places that we would like to see.  Our goal is to use the weekends to explore as much as possible - museums, restaurants, coffeeshops, pubs, whatever.  Speaking of which, if you have any suggestions for places let me know; I would be super interested.

So here I am, an Aspiring Native of Washington DC.  Any tips, hints, or suggestions are welcome.  I'll write to you again soon!

-J

Brand new things this week:
1) A police helicopter shining a search light in your bedroom window.
2) Moving to a new state.
3) Grocery lines half the length of the store.

P.S. lcllcvklixcjvpf;cx - Alley says he misses you.

We Are Moving to DC!

Yes, you read right, Virginia and I are moving to Anacostia, DC.  WHAT?! you say.  So soon?  Let me e'splain.


For quite some time now I have wanted to pursue a career in policy research.  Through many God-sent connections we didn't even know we had, we got lots of solid advice for pursuing a career in Washington, and Virginia and I decided to pursue moving as soon as we found a house.  On Saturday the 6th of this month, we trekked up there to scope out a house, and to meet our new housemates, Jacob and Alyssa (housing is so expensive there that it's most practical to share those expenses if at all possible!).  The trip up was about a 7.5 hour drive, but it's an easy one - straight through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.  The house we picked was built in 1905, is extremely quaint and recently renovated, and is only 3 blocks from a metro-station (and you can see the Capitol Building from our road!).  Once I get up there I'll have a meeting with a Congressman and a gentleman who worked for the FBI during the Clinton and Bush administrations, as well as with a few of our newly met friends who have been giving us advice.  Virginia will be continuing to work a virtual job as a marketing director for a real estate company, which will help us a ton during the moving process.


As I think about where my/our life has gone over the past little while, I am overwhelmed.  The love we have been shown by friends and family has been dearly needed, and the doors that have both opened and closed have led us to a place where we are fairly confident we are doing what we are meant to do.  And that is a very, very good feeling.  All my life I have wanted to write (and I just recently published my first book!) and since highschool I have wanted to influence the political world in any way I can.  And I am finally getting the chance.  Virginia has always had a passion for nonprofit work (her parents guided her and helped grow her in that direction when she was young), and she has a heart for the developing young professional.  What better place to cultivate these loves than in our nation's capitol!

Of course, we are both extremely excited to be around such rich history and art - I am sure you will see many pictures and blog posts from both of us over the next few months in this regard.  I fully intent to update you on our life and travels here, as well as keep you updated on my inspiration from time-to-time on my Scarlequain blog.

If you would, please pray for us.  The closest family we will have once we move will be some cousins of Virginia's, but they will be at least 3 hours away, and we don't really have any solid friends there yet.  Be we are eagerly anticipating making many new friends once we arrive!  Further, pray that the Lord will continue to guide and protect us, particularly with me solidifying the first new steps of my career.  Pray that the people we leave behind here in TN will trust that we are doing the right thing, and that God knows what is best for us.

Thank you so much for your involvement in our life, if only through the reading of this blog.  To all my wonderful friends in Tennessee - you always have my heart.  I will always bleed orange, and I will always be a connection and friend to you in the ways I have been in the past.  Virginia and I love each and every one of you, and we will continue to pray that the Lord directs you like He has directed us.

Keep an eye on this blog!  I'll write again once we are moved in.

All the best,

Jonathan

Nashville with the Nephews

The first road trip that Virginia and I took was the fall break before we were engaged - it was meant to be a short little jaunt to Louisville, KY, to see our good friends Jason and Donna and Virginia's sister Lisa.  That short little 4 hour drive ended up turning into an 8 hour one...and so when we embarked upon our recentest married road trip, the though "please let this not turn out like our last road-trip" was forefront in my mind.

As I mentioned in my last post, we were going to go camping with Kris, Eryn, and their four little boys, but unfortunately nearly all of them got some sort of sinus crud at the last moment.  Not letting that cancel our plans, Endy and I (the boys named her that when they were quite little, and have affectionately named me "Uncle Crease") headed up the road to visit them at their home in Nashville.

It is always an adventure here in Nashville.  All four of my nephews are five years old or younger - yes, Eryn is quite the woman, and I respect her tenacity and fortitude.  One day, she's going to have a squad of courageous young men to take care of her.  For now though, our hours here are spent in laughing, screaming, chasing, hiking, wrestling, "mom-he-did-this-or-that-ing," and so on, and I love it.

I have always wanted to be the fun, super-cool, loving uncle who spoils his nephews, and barring one of my siblings getting married in the next year or so, there was little chance of that happening in my family.  Fortunately, I got to marry into a wonderful family full of nephews and nieces for me to dote on.  In fact, I was Uncle Crease before Endy and I got married.

Each of my nephews are highly unique - their names alone should tell you that.  Madigan is the oldest (and loudest), and perhaps the most protective and philosophical.  Eryn is constantly quoting him, and he is constantly informing me he would like to be a paleontologist when he grows up - specifically to study sauropods.  He's five.

Paugie is the quieter one (when he's not echoing his oldest brother), and is extremely easy to talk to.  I'm quite sure he wants to be a Hobbit when he grows up: he just doesn't know it yet.

Jevy is the loner of the group, if such a thing exists between these four lads, preferring to choose who he loves on, and when he loves on them.  I have learned to give him his space, and occasionally he will approach me for affection of some simple sort.  He is a mystery, and I love it.

And finally, Kelton.  What a sweetheart.  He is a constant flirt, full of laughter, and runs faster than any toddler I've ever seen.  He looks at me with a twinkle in his eye, and I wink back; we share secrets in those glances that no one else will ever know.

This weekend has been so incredibly relaxing for me.  It is so nice to be around people I love - even though I haven't known them for very long - and to start stepping into the role of Uncle Crease I have always wanted.  I can't wait to grow with my nephews, and make marvelous memories with my brother and sister-in-law.  Being here is inspiring - and so, blurring the lines a bit between my travel blog and my poetry blog, I have written a poem for each of my nephews.  Enjoy!  And happy traveling to see your loved ones.

Protector and lover,

Ideal older brother,

Garrulous fun,

Energy never done:

Madigan the Mighty

The hobbit-child,

Observes the wild,

From perch on the couch,

In a studious slouch:

Reflective Paugie

Chewing the shirt,

Gaze divert,

Walk for a mile,

Happy, sideways smile:

Steady Jevy

Helter-skelter,

Little heart shmelter,

Loving and sweet,

Steady on the feet:

Constant Kelty.

Swan's Island, ME

Greetings travel lovers, friends, family, and any other interested readers!  Pardon the clouds of dust as I crack open the pages of the must old blog for the first time in months, but I feel that I requires an update.  I AM MARRIED!  What an adventure; what great travels!  Virginia, now Creasy, will be my life-long travel companion, and so I find it only fitting to write a new post telling you about where we started our trek together: Swan's Island, Maine.

Virginia had always wanted to go to Maine, and had mentioned it to me before in conversation, and so, with much help, I planned a trip up there without telling her.  That's right: our honeymoon was a total surprise to the bride, and it turned out to be one of the greatest trips I've ever taken.

The day of our wedding, right after the reception, we headed out by plane to Charllotte, NC, where my Dad had a wonderful hotel waiting for us.  We had to catch our next flight to Philly the next morning at 6am, so we used Uber for the first time - at 4am - and got through security with plenty of time to spare.  I figured we would be fine to travel standby...the tickets were cheap, and we were on a tight budget, so I just went with.  A very long story short, we arrived in Bangor, ME about 17 hours later, with at least 12 of those spent missing continuous flights out of Philly.  We now have a subtle hatred of Philly; I still call it the City of Brotherly Hate.

The final look I had of Philly before heading to Bangor.

We spent the night at the airport hotel and enjoyed a good breakfast (they were very polite to the honeymooners), and the next day, our now good friend, Jim Stone, picked us up and drove us to Bar Harbor, where we took a ferry 45 minutes off the coast to his small rental cabin.

The front of our little cabin.

My lovely bride posing at the steps of the back porch.

The weather the entire week was amazing, staying right around 65-70, with fog in the mornings, and beautiful sunshine in the afternoons, making hiking around the small island (it was no more than 8 miles across) extremely enjoyable.  Our first day out, we took a rough, hand-drawn map and made our way to Fine Sand Beach.  It ended up being a lot longer hike that we estimated, taking us most of the afternoon, but we had a great time.

*Finally* finding the correct trailhead!

Over the next several days, we hiked all over the majority of the island, except for the westernmost side which was largely uninhabited and wild.  Oddly enough, there are no snakes, no large animals, and very little wildlife at all on the island itself.  The main wildlife, according to our host, is to be found in the water and on the beaches, with whale, seal, dolphins, and other aquatic animals being the main specimen.  We got to see a group of seal on our ferry ride home.

After recovering from our day of hiking, Virginia and I decided to hike all the way across the Swan's Island to the Southeastern-most point, where an old lighthouse stood.  For many years it would guide the fishing ships around the rocky shore-line, and is said to be one of the most beautiful places on the island.  It was certainly our most favorite spot.

A sailboat off the coast.

The Carrying Place, an old portage used by native Americans.

Our first view near the lighthouse, with a schooner in the distance.

Looking over the point together.

Jim drove his old truck across the island to pick us up at the old lighthouse, to spare our poor honeymooning legs the journey back, and on our way, we decided to pick up some fresh and locally caught lobster to cook for ourselves.  It was our first time cooking lobster, but it turned out positively delicious.  Coupled with a few side items and a Jones Cream Soda, our home made meal was spectacular.

Our lobsters, Fred and George!

Gross looking, but delicious!

They say a picture is worth one thousand words, so I'm using that as an excuse to say this post is actually an impressive 10,000 words or so long.  At any rate, our trip home was much less uneventful than the trip there - we only got laid over 3-4 times - and we arrived back home in Maryville late at night, and crashed together at our new apartment.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where the true adventure begins.  The married life is treating us exceptionally well, and we plan on continuing our traveling blog soon - this time in the form of camping with our 4 nephews: all of whom are 5 years old or younger.  We couldn't be more excited.  ;)  Until then, happy travels!

St. Augustine Days 1-2

Hello travel lovers!

I'm back after quite a while, and even though this trip isn't nearly to the scale of my summer antics, I feel the need to chronicle my travels again, if only for my own remembrance.

My oldest younger sister, Jessica, is on tour with the Maryville College Choir, and my fiance Virginia McGary (oh yeah...I'm engaged now!), and the rest of my siblings are all on spring break.  Being the devoted family we are, Mom and Dad decided to be Jessica's "roadies" of sorts, and so we followed them to Simsonville, SC to hear their first concert.  We spent the night with Grandma and Papa there in SC (with amazing southern food, Krispy Kreme Donuts, and some good time just visiting), and got up early this morning on hit the road.

This is our very first trip without Jessica.  I admit that I'm distraught all the time - I quote lines that only she'd know, or go to make a silly face, or take a poochy lips selfie, and she's not there.  That's life, I guess; we're growing up, she's in college, and I'm engaged, and it's bound to happen.  But even though this trip is a first, I'm also expectant: this starts an era of trips taken apart, but also more meaningful trips together.  Perhaps one day I'll be going on a double date with my fantastic sister.  Maybe I'll write to you about a neat roadtrip we take!  But for now, she's not with us, and that's sad.

Our first stop was the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia (Virginia and I had Relient K's song stuck in our head the entire time, which you should listen to right now), where we met Jessica and some of her friends at Spanky's restaurant for some fantastic chicken tenders and fried spuds.

While we were there, we took a quick ferry ride across the river (despite the attitude of our ferryman we had a jolly old time), and strolled down River Road looking at the shops.  Supposedly Savannah houses the second largest St. Patrick's Day celebration in the States, and nearly every shop window was stuffed with my Ginger Heritage memorabilia.  Jennifer found out she's a pigeon whisperer, tantalizing several of the fatter specimen towards her outstretched hand.  I think should could have caught one if she wanted.

Wind blown and a bit tired, we piled back in our grey carriage and took Virginia on a brief, but scenic, tour of of the old town, making sure, at Jen's request, to see Paula Dean's personal restaurant.  We have decided yet again (this being our second visit to Savannah) that this is one of the prettiest cities we've seen.

Threeish hours later, along with several rest-and-stretch stops, we arrived in St. Augustine, Florida, and our very first stop was the seaside.  Virginia hasn't been to the beach in a very long time, and spent most of her time frollicing with Jennifer in the waves.  Don't be fooled - Jacob and I did a good bit of prancing ourselves.

All in all, I'm extremely happy to be back on the road with my family.  I'm happy to be a traveler again, even in this different capacity.  We're hopefully going back to the beach tonight for a little seashell hunting by flashlight.  I'll let you know if we catch anything cool.

Until Tomorrow!

J

AEI Part 2

I feel it fair to be writing on this blog again.  Sure I'm back at school, but I think there are still a few more days of summer technically left, and I'm traveling again, so I find it only fitting.  Once again, I'm 30,000 feet in the air, listening to Cher Baker, and sipping on a Coke, heading for DC.

Last time I went to a conference at AEI (the American Enterprise Institute for those of you who don't remember), I decided to join their Student Executive Council to represent them at Bryan.  I got invited back to a follow up conference for those students who are the heads of their council - being the only member has its benefits at the moment.  My prayer for this trip is making more connections that will lead to more opportunities in DC.  In light of the things I learned in Austria this summer, I feel as if I should be working in our Capitol.

The sessions don't technically start until tomorrow morning...so today is just a relaxed day of flying, metro-ing, and finding my hotel.  I'm rather happy I'll be able to understand the language once I land.  ;)

I'll be taking extensive notes at this conference as Colonel Petitte has me presenting to my class about it when I return (that was my compensation for missing tonight's class), so we'll see how that goes.

I've been to DC enough now that I know my way around, but even still, I manage to pick the one metro kiosk that has the scanner on the side.  Idiot status achieved!

Checked into my hotel, pensively awaiting the arrival of my roommate whom I haven't met before.  Sessions start tomorrow at 9!  We'll see how this goes.

Austrian Internship: Heading Home

Today was another early morning, and we headed to the Frankfurt airport in a steady drizzle.  Being the genius that he is, Mr. Smith got our tickets quickly and we got around an enormous line.  After scortching our tongues on some McDonald's coffee, we sprinted through security and made it to our seats 10 min before the doors closed.  Now here on the airplane, the screens in the seats are showing a slide show of famous American geographies...And let me tell you, I am super happy to be going home.

Two movies, two hours of sleep, a small airline meal, and a very sore rear later, we have begun our descent with less than one hour to go.  Lemme tell you, we say at the station that doing nothing on a shift is tiring...but goodness flying for 9 hours is even more so.  I'm ready to get outta here.

My day ended by being greeted by my family and grandparents with signs, laughs, and hugs all around.  I'm still dealing with jet lag, a day later, but boy...is it good to be home.

Austrian Internship: Day 35

I am writing to you once again on board an ICE train bound for Salzburg,  and eventually, the Smith's house in Frankfurt.  We just said goodbye to our last two Austrian friends Daniel and Sandra, who have done so very much for us.  We have a long day ahead of us: we figure it should take about 8 hours to reach Frankfurt.  I'm amazed that we're already finished with our internship.  I'm amazed at how much we have learned and how many fantastic friends we made here.  I'm very sad to be leaving, but my home country is pulling me back by the heartstrings, and it will be so good to be beneath the red, white, and blue once again.

The train we're on goes direct from Vienna to Frankfurt...meaning we'll be on this train from 11am until about 5pm.  Ironic to me that we're going to spending nearly the same amount of time crossing Austria and Germany as we are crossing the Atlantic.

There is a mother traveling with three of her kids in the same train with us, and her boys are *adorable.*  She just played a game of UNO with the youngest, and after besting her rather badly, he stood up in his seat and did a hilarious victory dance.  She is traveling with luggage nearly as large as she is (she's small, but still).  I don't know how she's managing it.  I had to help her put it in the storage space above her because she couldn't lift it.

I'm such a sap...I've been listening to Michael Buble songs and looking at old pictures of me and my crazy siblings.  I'm so ready to go home and goof off with them again!

I think my Austrian friends would laugh if they could hear the progression from "farmer German" back to the "high German" used near Frankfurt.  I think I like the Austrian German better.  It sounds friendlier.  ;)  it is also MUCH colder in the Germany area than it was it Neusiedl.  I'm really glad I wore my new hoodie.

One thing that I have learned for sure is how to get around a new traveling infrastructure with a language barrier.  That makes DC look tame.  I now feel like a hardened veteran of public transit.

After crashing back at the Smith's house, Mr and Mrs treated Hawkins and me to a *fantastic* steak house.  Talk about an amazing welcome "home" present!

We're getting up early tomorrow, crossing our fingers that our luggage isn't overweight, and flying home!  Next time I write to you will be in the airplane.   I'm SO happy.  Goodnight from Europe, for the last time.  At least for now.  ;)

Austrian Internship: Day 34

Well, our last full day in Austria has been a slow and relaxing one, at least for the beginning of it.  Tonight, we're all puttin on our fancy duds and attending the Summer Gala at the Oranjee at the Esterhazy Palace.  Should be pretty cool!

People have told us we're "exotic" here,  but I didn't realize it until even the bartenders said as I passed by "oh,  you're the American!"  I had never seen them before.  Even the chief of Eisenstadt knew me because of my American breakfast, and introduced herself by saying "you must stay and cook for me!"  I I got a good laugh from that.

There was a polka band at the Gala like Dad has always wanted to see, and the shindig was started by official dancers.  And wouldn't you know it, since we were special guests, we were pulled out into the first dance, but thank goodness it was only a simple waltz.  I missed Jessica something awful tonight...We've always been dancing partners and learned new dances together, and tonight we could have torn up the dance floor.

We tried to explain all the rules at Bryan to Markus (no drinking, smoking, dancing, etc)...And he asked us if Bryan was a convent or a monastery - because it sounds similar to European rules there.  Hawkins and I laughed pretty hard at that.  Wish some people at Bryan could try explaining all of that like we did.  Maybe they'd loosen up a little.

I wish I had the words to thank all the wonderful people I met here in Neusiedl and in Jennersdorf.  You all know who you are, and you will all be missed more than I ever thought I'd miss someone I've only known for 1 month.  You have all made my time in Austria so very special and important for me, and I'll never forget you.  As the Austrians say, you always meet someone twice in your life.  And I greatly look forward to that second meeting.

Austrian Internship: Day 32-33

My Tuesday is uneventful,  but I am so very thankful for the restful downtime.  Today I have accomplished some simple things, like reading, washing and drying my laundry, doing some repacking, etc.  It's been raining steadily all day, and it's so very peaceful here.  I don't feel lazy one bit, but I am, instead, enjoying a slow day of rest.

This morning (on Wednesday) I was presented with a letter of recommendation Bruno, along with several very generous gifts from the Red Cross in honor of my time here.  Markus and I are planning to go to Pandorf later in the afternoon, and Mario might even join us!  Speaking of which, I finally made use of the Station's N64...And I'm beating Bowser before Markus arrives.  ;)

Markus arrived after midday and was the bearer of amazing and fantastic presents from my colleagues at Jennersdorf,  including Austrian chocolate, beautiful handmade cufflinks, and a huge photo collage from my time there.  I am so very overwhelmed with the kindness of my new dear friends.  I hope they get to visit me in TN one day so that I can repay the kindness a little bit.

In Parndorf (I've been misspelling it...), Mario bought us some natural ice cream, and it was fantastic.  I had a great time shopping with Markus, and got a new shirt and a cool yellow hoodie, but I think a shopping trip with Jessica is in order...shopping in Europe is WAY too expensive compared to home.

Markus and I set off to Eisenstadt to meet Sandra for dinner, but got a bit lost on the way.  I think our adventures together weren't quite over.  ;)

We met a friend of Mario's for dinner (Sandra couldn't wait on us for the amount of time we got lost...oops...), and we went to a super cool lounge called the "Mangoo"...A very tropical feeling place that had a small book of a menu for cocktails (which we didn't partake in tonight as I was the only person not driving).

All in all, it was a great day.  I was so very happy to spend time with Markus again, and I greatly look forward to the day when he comes to visit me in TN.

Tomorrow, I sleep in, and relax throughout the day (I'm certainly going to start reading the wonderful new Rilke book my Jennersdorf friends got me), and then we are going to attend a gala at the Oranjee at the Esterhazy Palace!  Super excited.

For now, goodnight!

Austrian Internship: Day 31

Hawkins and I have discovered that a great way to wake up quickly in the mornings is taking an ice cold shower.  As it is, we're not doing it voluntarily,  and we hope that we can get it fixed soon...but I'm considering calling Guinnes World Book of Records to come time us...

Today we head out to Vienna to be presented to the General Secretary of the Austrian Red Cross.  I've been informed that the leadership was originally skeptical of having American students come study here, but Bruno is proud of what we've done, so apparently we're a success.  I guess today is our victory celebration "woohoo we did it" day for our leaders.  ;)

The official building for the Red Cross was the old house of Christoph Willibald Gluck, which I found extremely interesting.  They told me I was the only person to visit there who actually knew who he was.

Meeting the General Secretary was quite the experience.  He was very kind and asked us what was done well and what could be improved, and with every new person we met, we got to retell our Austrian adventure story.

After meeting the General Secretary, we met with the head of International Affairs, which was probably my favorite discussion we had.  After telling us about his job, he randomly asked about Obamacare and what we think about it, which of course led to deeper discussion as we are a conservative minority in the States.  I got to ask him Why he participates in the humanitarian work he does; I was interested to see what he would say.  The answer was chilling to me.  He said he does it to give his life some meaning.  I think I will write a paper sometime soon on the way people in Europe view their lives, as this was a perfect continuation of my thinking from last night.

I was given the entire opera Orfeo on audio as a gift before we left, which I am extremely excited about.  I can't wait to listen to it.

We walked to the opera house in Vienna and to the university, and were given a brief tour of each. Zach came along with us (a friend from Bryan), and I got to speak Southern again.  You wouldn't believe how nice that was.

We spent the rest of the evening in the station in Neusiedl (after fantastic history lessons from Bruno about Vienna), cooking our own dinner of spaghetti and wurst.  Tomorrow we don't have any solid plans, and for that I'm happy.

Goodnight!  I'm going to take a hot shower.  We got the water fixed.  ;)

Austrian Internship: Day 30

Welp, today we go to the blood drive, and we're sposed to be picked up at 1:30 for a shift that lasts until 11pm at least.  Found out the hard way that *nothing* is open on Sunday, so we couldn't go grab a sandwich before our shift.  It's like everything here took a lesson from Chickfila, and that ain't cool.  Speaking of which, I'm now craving a chicken sandwich.  Stupid stomach...

I'll let you know how the blood drive goes later on.  I don't really know what to expect.

Turns out this place is almost exactly like the fall festival at home: rides, food, blood drive, etc.  I was responsible for collecting donations at the entrance for 2 hours and then got 2 hours off, and continued this rotation all day, and we're supposed to be here until 11.  Talk about a loooong day.  I kinda feel like a beggar.  ;)

An Austrian teem walked past me wearing a shirt that said in big white letters on the front: WHO AM I?  I found it extremely insightful into the spiritual climate of the area.  I would be asking the same question if I were from here... is there anything to life outside of living,  working, and dying?  It's worth thinking about.

Anyway, as we weren't actually needed until 11pm tonight, and since most of the crew were wither staying in Gols or leaving at 2am, we were put on a taxi and headed back to Neusiedl for the night.  Hoping we make it, as our driver doesn't speak English.  ;)

Well we made it back safely, and in plenty of time for good sleep tonight.  Tomorrow we head to Vienna to meet with the General Secretary of the Austrian Red Cross!

Austrian Internship: Day 29

My "shift" this morning was a quick one.  I was working with the Team Austria Food Bank, and as I can't speak German, all I could really do is help set up.  I'm so sad to be leaving Jennersdorf today, but I am very thankful for my time here.  The crew at the station is like one big family, and they made me feel like a part of it while I was here.  I couldn't have asked for a better place in Austria to spend my time.

After repacking all of my things (I hate repacking...), I'll be heading back to Neusiedl with David this afternoon, and having lunch with Markus one last time in Güssing. I'm not exactly sure how these last few days will play out, so you'll be knowing just about as much as I do, until I'm actually told what to do.  ;)

I sincerely hope I'll be able to come back to Jennersdorf one day.  I'm leaving a piece of my heart here.

I got to have lunch with Markus one more time before I headed back to Neusiedl via David and the "Sticker Car."  I'm glad I got to see him one more time, and it was good to have more Schnitzel.  ;)
The next few days will most likely be laid back and relaxed.  I think I may try to visit Pandorf,  per Markus' recommendation...maybe do some shopping.  We shall see.

My drive up with David was a good one.  We talked about all sorts of things and had a good time.  But much to my great chagrin, I locked myself out of the building and Sandra had to drive all the way over here to let me in.  I feel awful about it, and she's done so much for me already.  Erg.

The night ended nicely with me and Hawkins catching up on all of our adventures.  Tomorrow we head to a blood-drive the Red Cross is giving in a nearby town to work most of the day.  Looking forward to sleeping in, but not looking forward to working without my dear Jennersdorf friends.

Until tomorrow!