Fall

“They’ve bottled fall and this is what it tastes like,” said Lori while sipping on Samuel Adams Octoberfest. Oh, Lori.

Marriage Weirdness

Background Information: John and I are co-leaders of a campus group Integrating Non-Violence into Theological Education: Peace and Justice Working Group.

John and I are getting together the beginning of the year email with events and the like for INViTE-PJWG. He asked me to proof the email and one correction/change I had was my name. I still haven’t sent in my Social Security stuff, but I will – soon, so I don’t have to pay. Around Luther I need to have my name changed on a Social Security card before the registrar will make the update. So, for the time being I’m still Christina Wernicke. In my classes when professors read the roster they call Christina Wernicke and I respond, nope, I’m Chris Matson (it has a nice ring to it, not to mention the amazing guy who shares it). It sounds like a whole different person. The whole marriage thing is an amazing transformation and realization. It’s an inquiry and recognition of who am ‘I’ and who are ‘we’. What makes each important and distinct without compromising the other? This is a balance I think will take a lifetime, but that’s okay and even exciting – I don’t have to figure it out tomorrow (unlike Hebrew nouns).

The other weird thing is life with and without bridal jewelry. With it I get adult status, a few years added to my age and a weird, undeserved respect that the title Mrs. brings. Without it I get carded and am treated like a young college student. I’ve only been without it for 24+ hours now, but it’s strange the way I am viewed by society.

Tornados

After a stormy night, I’m at home instead of work. At 7:30 this morning, I received a call from Janet. Through the static on the line she began to tell me that trees are down all around their place and a tree is blocking my parking spot – the one beside her car that was hit by a tree. There were straight-line winds that hit their house with tornados touching down within a few miles. They have no telephone service and no electric. In typical Janet fashion, her cell phone battery is run down and she was on a neighbors cell. As the static got worse she said, “don’t come, can you hear me, don’t come today, unless you hear otherwise don’t come tomorrow!” She stated that they were physically fine, just shaken up. Her husband was out of town; I can’t imagine Janet with terrified Ellen and James without telephone and electric all last night and today. They’ll manage. Compared to the other weather events going on this is extremely minor. That doesn’t take away from what they’re feeling or how I’m worrying about them.

The Luther campus faired pretty well. On my way to class I saw many tree limbs that had fallen as well as a few trees blocking my walk through the alley. I haven't seen or heard of any structural damage yet. Back to the books!

Plans and Soul Food

Yesterday after worship Lori and I decided to attempt to work on assignments while we ate lunch outside at a restaurant that has free wireless access. We found out that one of our favorite places, Old Chicago, meets all requirements. We played on the Internet and chatted through an extended lunch and then went to see March of the Penguins. According to Aaron, I saw the trailer and wanted to see it for the penguins and because Morgan Freeman is the narrator. The film was amazing National Geographic documentary on penguin mating habits. The land itself is beautiful and constantly being reformed with each passing winter. A must-see for a chance to get away from Hollywood Blockbusters and a time to relax and enjoy a part of nature I will probably never see. Nature, that brings me to the plans. While chatting last night Lori and I discovered that seminary students can go to Holden Village free! Holden is a Lutheran camp in the Cascade Mountains. Plans are in the works for a January trip with Lori, Tyler (Lori’s husband to be), Aaron and I. I’ve wanted to go to Holden for some time now, and this seems like the perfect time to go. The only issue is driving through Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and Washington in the end of January. To say the least, it’ll be an adventure we’ll never forget. Life is so incredible when you have wonderful friends to share it with.

Katrina and the uncomfortable truth

This is a recent e-mail article from Sojouners. The powerful message is one that's been weighing on my mind for a few weeks. Richard Sterns writes the hard truth.

"Perhaps the most disturbing comment I have heard over the past few weeks, as I have been glued to the 24/7 Katrina media coverage, came from a man who lost his home in New Orleans and was living in a shelter. It came in response to the controversial use of the word "refugee" to describe the thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. He said: "'Refugee?' I'm not some poor African with flies on his face - we are not refugees, we're American citizens!"

There is a profound and uncomfortable truth captured in this man's angry statement. The truth that all men are not created equal; that the 2.8 billion poor who live on less than $2 a day are not valued with equal importance; that their suffering is less important; that their pain can be tolerated; that their lives are somehow less significant; and that they don't have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the same way the rest of us do.

Hurricane Katrina exposed this uncomfortable double standard to us. It is a double standard that suggests that we don't have a moral responsibility to respond to human suffering if it occurs in a different hemisphere and it is a double standard that showed us that the poor - even in America - are the most vulnerable of our citizens."

James and Ellen

Today is my first day back to work, being a nanny for James and Ellen. This morning I spent 2 hours at the park with James while Ellen was at kindergarten. We spent our hours swinging, climbing, sliding, laughing, reading and relaxing. During our trips we often come across other preschoolers and today was no different. For a half hour I was paid to sit and watch James play with his new friend, Jake. I was free to think about things other than the apartment, Hebrew and online posts for class. I was also able to reflect on the amazing afternoon Aaron and I spent together on Wednesday. In short, I was able to catch a glimpse of life outside of our apartment and Luther. Often I don’t realize how intense situations are until I step back. Work is my step back. Spending a few hours with children brings new perspective. It’s a time to get back to the basics. It’s a time to catch a breath of fresh air and a ray of sunshine. My call committee made one recommendation for me. They want me to focus on self-care. I believe being a nanny is a form of self-care for me. Well, quiet time is over, time to for a snack and a Ms. Frizzle video then it’s back outside to play.

Ethics and 3.2 Beer

Well, I have a ethics post due in 3 hours and 31 minutes. While gearing up for ethics Aaron decided to grab a Leinenkugel's, "A Northwoods favorite brewed in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin by 73 people who care", then Lori grabbed a Miller High Life and brought me one. As I opened it I realized there was writing on the top. The last few High Life's I've had have been purchased at a gas station. Well, in the lovely state of Minnesota you can only buy 3.2 at gas stations. While at the grocery Monday, I picked up a 12-pack of High Life. Back to the writing on the top. It's only 3.2 beer from the grocery too! Lori and Aaron laughed at me and then began to educate me saying that in Minnesota you HAVE to go to the liquor store to get the real stuff. Who knew? Well, wonderful alcohol laws from other states. In Wisconsin, alcohol is legal in parks. In Nebraska, you can buy alcohol until midnight. In South Dakota, you can buy anything at the grocery stores. In Ohio, sales end at 1am and everything's available until at least 10pm. Ohio awesomeness extends to drive through kegs. Yes, you can drive through, pick up a keg and never get out of you car (provided you have a trunk pop). Well, that's the news from Lake Burntvedt- where all the women are clueless and the men are drinking 3.2 beer.

To Blog or Not to Blog

This week I’ve been ask, ‘why haven’t you blogged yet?’ Below is the reason I haven't blogged. I've been in a funky mood.

Lately I’ve found myself stuck in serious mode and it really sucks. Life consists of going to class, learning the Hebrew alphabet, reading a little for class, opening more boxes, shopping/returning apartment items and hearing news. The latest news…my cousins, former residents of Biloxi, Mississippi, are scattering immediate family due to the devastation of their homes. Mary is in a hotel in Florida with her husband and had to send her daughter to live with her dad in Oklahoma City. Mary’s dad will not return to Biloxi and is living in Oklahoma City while his wife, a nurse, is in temporary housing in Biloxi and wants to rebuild. In other news, Katelynn had to wear a heart monitor for 24-hours because of a valve problem. Jack is recovering slowly. These past few days I have had a few short conversations with Mom but just enough to get the necessary updates. I hate feeling blah! I have an amusing online course. We’re in the getting to know you phase, but it’s giving me many laughs. Back to the books.

Humbled by New Orleans

New Orleans

On CNN’s website the Mayor of New Orleans gets real with a reporter. He talks about the lack of resources given to the city. From reports I’ve found the director of FEMA has been running around with his tail between his legs. The Mayor lashes out at the President and others. He asks people to flood offices with letters and calls as well as stop press conferences.

The biggest news from this report is how he gets real about the lawlessness. The real reason people are looting, shooting and stealing is because the poor drug addicts were left behind. Addicts cannot go cold turkey, especially in a situation like the one in New Orleans. The reports of people breaking into drugstores and hospitals are reports of addicts trying to get something to take the edge off.

The report is amazing! True desperation of a Mayor who cares about his city and who is willing to do anything is talking. He is not a polished speaker, he is a powerful, and emotion filled Mayor who knows what his city needs, but can’t get it fast enough.

To listen to the Mayor go to CNN and click on WATCH: Mayor ‘Get Off Your Asses’

Other coverage I’ve been paying attention to is the Times Picayune. The paper is only available online now as the offices are underwater. I first heard about it on NPR. There are tens of thousands of postings of people looking for entire families. Once I began reading these it broke my heart. One posting I read was of a place where there are 300 refugees. They are without food and water. To make matters worse the place is filled with many diabetics.

Right now I am in an odd situation. Aaron and I are unpacking our apartment. We are sorting through wonderful wedding gifts and running to Target to get what we need to finish making the apartment our home as I read and listen to accounts of thousands who have died and many more who are on the verge of death. We are so fortunate. We are so humbled.