http://drewfrancis.wordpress.com/

So many things

First I’ll start with a hug.
Sitting out side the Starbucks at five points with the song of “People need the Lord” running through my head as Damien Rice plays in may ears. Looking through podcasts about Moral failure in the church. Strange morning. Just watched a girl who just went running come back within 5 minutes run to her car and drive away. Listening to the crazy homeless guy walk in and out yelling something about a lady and how she wont’ stand for it. Watching couples walk into that pancake place. White men black women, black men white women, Asian woman white men. Here his comes again. I moved from my previous location because of the noise level. Wow that starbucks plays some loud tunes. Don’t know when shops like that started. I don’t’ live in a big city. No where near it. But I’d only move from downtown for love. That just made me laugh. I still remember what its like to be in love. Seriously real love. Well lets say I didn’t fall out of love it just changed. You never really stop loving people right? Maybe that is another conversation. So I’m sipping my Carmel something working on editing a paper that I just decided to stop. Young girl just came in to get coffee and knows an older guy here. They hugged and walked out. The guy he was sitting with feels cheated. Threw his hands up and is now staring out the window. So I decided to stop. Figured while rice is playing in my ears this is a good time to write. So sipping coffee. Have you heard of this thing about dead people living on because they have a myspace. Saw that the week that, that bus went off the highway in Atlanta.
Realized something the other day. I’m a Christian. Part of a faith that is practiced around the world. One that people have started wars about brought aid in the name of and tried to change the world because. Amazing. He’s back again. I have my headphones on now so I really don’t know what he’s saying. Amazing. I go to church at night now so I don’t feel guilty for sitting in a Starbucks on a Sunday morning thinking about my Christianity. Amazing. The spurt is gone. Fall in love again. I think I could do that.

Still thinking about this

Sitting out side of Starbucks on a Sunday morning. Just finished some homework so I thought it would be a good time to update. I watched the movie Babel over the weekend. I see why it was nominated. No real full stories were told and they were told in their language. No English accents for someone from Egypt. So anyway. Great film. Although I was really depressed at the end. Thinking about world affairs and such. I said to someone the other day that I would like to have a house filled with people from all over the world. I think the one thing that I would make my kids do is travel to different parts of the world. If there is anything that I believe you should spend your money on its that. It changes you. About a year ago I got hooked on being in different cultures. I would say that I had fun every time. What I did have was a story. I have some friends that are in a place where they are unhappy in their jobs and life and feel that they should be doing something else. That they were meant to be doing this or that. That moving will solve that. I think you have to come to a point where life is more than what you do. I used to think about that stuff everyday. Christian soapbox for a second. If Mathew 28:19 is part of your life well you’ve got your job. So if that is so then all you are doing is building places to do that. Its funny when you strip away Southern fried Christianity you know pink hair..gold chairs…holy healing water…and you get to the raw fact that its real. Its all real. The stories that you were told in Bible school…the fact that you are change…the fact that some days it isn’t’ so easy and no one promised you a perfect life….I don’t know what that all means yet other than I try every day sometime struggling with the same thing….tba…getting hot sitting outside. I’ll finish this later….Got some new stuff happening in my life right now….good new…

Today

So today is valentines day and just like other single person out there I feel that I should say something. While this is very cliche. I know this is what everyone does. They expound on how it’s such a sad day like all holidays. I really didn’t think about it until just now. I’m listening to this podcast from This American Life. Stories of failed love. I know what that’s about. It’s funny I’ve been rejected a couple of times. They say that that’s good for the soul. Hmm . Well you can keep that. What do they say you have to get back on the saddle. I thought about that the other making a bold move. Bold moves. You know like that commercial. Then I remembered other bold moves. I was talking with a friend that said bold moves never work out. Then I remembered that none of my bold moves ever worked out so…yeah. Now he last move I made took about three weeks that worked out for the best. But alas it doesn’t always last right. Anyway. Bold moves. Valentines day. It’ s coming to a close. Nope nothing happened. I know I still have time. Booty call maybe. Yes you may laugh out loud or give me a call.

Late night talks and Delta

So school has been kicking my butt lately. I’m just kinda keeping my head above the water. This past week I traveled a whole bunch and that did it for me. Something is happening in my life lately. It’s a good thing. The kind of thing you just happen to notice. Well anyway. I was in San Diego for the first time. Nice place didn’t really stay there that long so I really didn’t get experience it you know. We met with a group called Youth Specialties. And boy are they special. I think many of the people I work with would fit in with them perfectly but I would argue that they are right where they should be. I’ve been having some good late night, well, late night for me chats. Ichats. It’s funny when you can type you seem to talk about different stuff. You can even go back to what you said to see what you had had had said. Kinda fun. Like email with out the email. I could talk to them for a long time I think. Any way good talks. The website is coming along. I need some free time. The summer will be it. So don’t look for anything till after the semester is over. Computer has been working out well. It is so good to see a screen. I need to be in the gym my energy is so low right now and I haven’t been thinking well. Ok I’m going to post the pictures now. These are from my trip to San Diego. I will post some from the tour stuff but I’ll do that another day.

South Africa

Contrast

Woke up to this

I woke up to this
” On December 28, 2006, a citizen of Gambia was stabbed to death in the Solomenskiy District of Kyiv. This incident is the latest in a string of murders of foreigners in Kyiv in 2006 in which the victim’s race and/or skin color appears to have been a primary motivation. Although none of these murders has involved United States citizens, there have been several non-lethal assaults in Ukraine in recent years against U.S. citizens which were determined to be racially motivated. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv would like to remind American citizens resident in Ukraine of the following information contained in the Consular Information Sheet for Ukraine (available on-line at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1053.html):

While most travelers do not encounter problems with crime in Ukraine, there has been an increase in the number of racially-motivated attacks conducted by “skinheads” in Kyiv. These incidents, in which non-Caucasian foreigners are specifically targeted for violence, have occurred without provocation in prominent areas of downtown Kyiv that are commonly frequented by tourists. While the majority of people targeted have been of Asian, African or other non-European descent, all travelers should exercise caution. In addition to incidents of assault, persons of African or Asian heritage may be subject to various types of harassment, such as being stopped on the street by both civilians and law enforcement officials.

U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. For additional information, please refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” found at http://travel.state.gov.

American citizens are encouraged to report any security incidents or problems to the Embassy. American Citizens Services unit can be reached during working hours by calling at (38-044) 490-4445 or 490-4422. The Embassy’s duty officer can be reached after hours at (38-044) 490-4000 or by contacting (38-050) 311-1796.”

Valarie Hall emailed me this statement this morning. While I had read stuff like this before, I found it sad. Reminded me of how I felt sometimes walking the street. Not like something was going to happen to me. Just the stares. Gets to you. Well that is all I have to share.