Triumphant return! with guest writer!! and pictures!!!

So. I am back in Oregon now, after much traveling and many, many long hours spent in airports. Christmas has come and gone, I’ve even managed to unpack my bags and put my clothes away. But now that I’ve returned from the land of Internet cafes, I feel it is soon time for a new website. And when it’s time for a new website, who has time to update an old website? Not me. It would be like eating yesterday’s cake while you think about baking a brand new cake for tomorrow! Totally inefficient. That’s why I will let my sister Elizabeth (who is rad, btw) finish this update and tell you all about our trip to the Dallas Oregon Goodwill Superstore today.

Ode to the Dallas Goodwill Superstore
Since we moved to Dallas in 1987, Aaron and I have watched Dallas enter the modern age with much fanfare. People camped out on the lawn of our first McDonalds. The opening of our Wal*Mart made the headline of our local newspaper. Traffic stopped along Main Street when Dutch Brothers offered free coffee on their first day. It’s understandable, then, that Dallas took such pride when Goodwill came to town. It wasn’t just an ordinary Goodwill, either. It was a SUPERSTORE--the elite of national thrift store chains. We may only have 12,000 people, but we have a Goodwill Superstore.

I don’t remember what happened when it opened in Dallas. Probably some people died. It was that cool.

Today we visited the Goodwill Superstore, and though we actually only bought a sweater (my purchase, for $4.99), I think we were both reminded of just how great it really is. As proof, we present you with four illustrated reasons:

1. Vests. Aaron said this one looked like a potholder.


2. Fun jackets and hats.


3. Awesome ponchos. This one can even double as a tent!


4. The formal dress section.


I’m not a huge fan of hamburgers, Aaron and I both try to avoid Wal*Mart, and neither of us drink coffee. But Goodwill is one step to modernity that I think we can both agree is awesome.

...

And that's my sister, ladies and gentlemen! She's right, too -- I hate Wal*Mart, coffee, and try to avoide beef, but I do not abhore progress! Thrift stores are an advanced, captitalist way of sharing and recycling. Both of which rule. Like my sister. Full of wisdom more advanced than her years, she is. She says she's willing to go freelance on more blog or journal entries if anyone requires her services. E-mail her @ ehumphre@willamette.edu . . . she's sad that I get more mail than her. She wouldn't be if she knew it was mostly just forwards and newsletters I haven't unsubscribed from, but . . . well, I suppose it's quantity and not quality that matters these days. But not when it comes to my sister! No sir! I would rather have one good sister than a ton of mediocre ones. You probably would, too. But Elizabeth already has a family, so you can't have her! But don't let that stop you from e-mailing her. Just don't start stalking her, you punks.

Final Spanish reflections

Last full day in Granada. I´ve got my last final (ha ha, that´s redundant, isn´t it?) in fifteen minutes. Then all I´ve got to do is finish packing my bags, hop a few busses and planes, enjoy a few days in the United Kingdom, and then arrive in Portland four days from today. I spent the morning exploring the city and getting lost with my friends one more time . . . maybe it´s because Granada is the biggest and oldest city I´ve ever lived in, or maybe it´s because I was here for a limited time only, but being here has reminded me that there is so much to explore, not just in Granada, not just in Europe, but everywhere. Just walking to school today I had to take notice of the birds in the street, the construction workers just behind tin fences, the rosy-cheeked girl in the plaza shurgging her shoulders at the wind in her hair. The animated 21 second count-down sign at the cross walk. Familiar graffiti and broken down walks. Mixed languages, students in overcoats. Same signs in the streets, same cobble stones, same department stores, but somehow I feel it all vibrantly, like it´s new and old all at once. Is this premature nostlagia? Or is just a how I´ve feel almost every day in this city, amplified just a little by the tug of departure?
So many times, especially at Chapman, I lived somewhere with my eyes closed and my walking paths pre-determined. There´s so much just waiting to pour in from the borders, from the unexplored edges of our maps, that the realization can come in the same split second you look up from the ground:

"hey. I´ve never been here before."

They keep telling us the world is getting smaller, but I´ve yet to see proof.

been a while . . .

I´m back from Portugal, hooray! Actually I´ve been back since Wednesday night, I think. I can´t really remember. Anyway, my ankle didn´t give me any trouble after I actually got on the busm, although everyone was a bit concerned about me for a while.

I only have a few days left in Granada, so I don´t think I´ll spend my time writing much on the Internet right now, especially since I have to study for finals. But I will say that the "chose my facial hair" contest will be over probably on Tuesday, so if you still want to cast an entry, scroll down a bit and post! Last chance.

This is all for now.
but it is not all.

Hoy y Mañana (todo en Español)

Hoy: Cayé abajo de las escaleras. Y ahora, me duele en el pie.

Mañana: Voy a Portugal si el pie no duela demasiado!

Cause and Effect

Seeing The Incredibles in Español almost made me cry, and that made me mad because there´s no way anyone should get emotional watching an animated superhero movie. But I did like it anyway.

Eatting American fast food for the first time in months made me feel completely gross, even though we had coupons and it was cheap. Ugh. I´m never eatting that stuff again.

All these free emotion popups make me a little >:( but mostly just :¡

Y . . . ya esta.