OCTOBER 2018
#274 Don’t Stop Seeking Justice
01 October 2018 // San Diego, California
I’m probably not doing #inktober but here’s a drawing and a story I’ve been thinking about a lot lately about a woman and a judge:
The judge was, to be honest, not a very good guy. He didn’t care much about doing right or about people, which seem like two important things for judges.
As for the woman, she had been harmed by someone. Mistreated. We don’t know much about the details, just that something happened to her that shouldn’t have.
Anyways, she kept showing up. In front of the cranky judge. She kept demanding justice. She wouldn’t get over it.
The judge wished she would just simmer down and let it go. She wouldn’t. Finally- he gave in. Not because I agree that it’s the right thing to do, he clarified. He didn’t care about that or about her. He just didn’t want to be attacked.
The first time I heard that story, I didn’t get it. It didn’t seem dramatic enough to me. Almost all the details are fuzzy. There was no plot twist where the woman figures a strategy to outsmart the judge into doing right. The judge’s heart doesn’t grow three sizes. She just keeps going at it until finally, it works.
Perhaps it’s not the romantic story I want, but it’s the true story we need. There are lots of stubborn people in places of authority. Sometimes, seeking a more just world looks like showing up every single day, speaking truth, sharing your story to the ones who can change things, each day showing up stronger than the day before. Persistence is a virtue.
#275 Parking at Home
02 October 2018 // San Diego, California
The sun goes down earlier, I get home later. This is October.
#276 Rocketeer Recording
03 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Spent a few hours in the recording studio for a video project. It’s happening!
#277 College Area
04 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Not much parking in the area, but there is good Southeast Asian food.
#278 Working Late
05 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Emma’s keeping me charged while putting in a late night of work.
#279 Planting Hope Gala 2018
06 October 2018 // Carlsbad, California
Gala was a smash hit this year.
#280 Big Breakfast
07 October 2018 // Coronado, California
Dude. I have always been such a big breakfast lover. I feel like my appetite can be twice as large in the morning than at other points in the day.
Last week was a crazy one for both myself and @deanna.suzanna - she left one clinic and started at another. In the in-between, @plantwpurpose held its annual Gala. So many things!
So, on Sunday, Deanna plans the perfect morning for me. BIG breakfast- at the @delcoronado breakfast buffet. Such a brilliant surprise. Such good lox. And such a great nap afterwards.
Here’s to learning to rest. Any good surprises come your way lately? I hope the answer is yes. Stay on the lookout for them.
#281 Cactustown
08 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Took Beignet to the vet and I liked the look of this guy.
#282 Deanna’s 29
09 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Today is National @deanna.suzanna Day. Go greet her everybody!
I’m constantly in awe of how much she uses her gifts of listening, digging deeper, and being available to literally save lives. If everyone who knew her could actually see how much of an impact she makes on our world by showing up for those who struggle, they’d be floored.
I’m so thankful for you Deanna! Every day brings deeper and realer love.
#283 Turtle Pond
10 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Haven’t been out for a visit hear in too long to remember.
#284 The Pink Sky
11 October 2018 // San Diego, California
One of the best parts of one of the best parts of the year.
#285 The War and Treaty
12 October 2018 // San Diego, California
This album. It’s been a long time since I’ve come across a full record this moving, stirring, and well, healing. Healing Tide legitimately lives up to its name.
It only took a couple of listens on Spotify to get me to go out and buy the record, which is saying something, cause I try to limit the record collection to only albums I know will be all-time faves. But from the moment ‘Love Like There’s No Tomorrow’ takes off, I was so energized by heart and vulnerability that I went for it.
I’m so glad I did. Even the liner notes are as motivating as the album itself— “While listening to this record, commit to searching yourself and finding a new love from within. Visit a place you’ve never been before. Meet new people on purpose, not by accident. Open yourself up to the idea that we are all one and the same.”
#286 The Other Happiest Place
13 October 2018 // San Diego, California
We were supposed to do Disneyland this weekend, but started feeling a little under the weather on Friday night. We decided laying low would be the wiser way to use our weekend, and so we turned this into the happiest place on Earth.
I needed that! It turned out to be an amazingly restful weekend. I got to enjoy Friday night’s beautiful lightning storm, a spectacular pink sunset, a half season of The Good Place, and the most exciting Ducks football game I’ve seen since, like, 2015.
#287 Andes Market
14 October 2018 // San Diego, California
I work so close to this South American market, but it took me an unfortunately long time to pay it a proper visit. Happy to change that!
#288 Andean Corn
15 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Choclo. Honestly a very underrated ingredient.
#289 Pastel de Choclo
16 October 2018 // San Diego, California
For #internationalfoodday I took on the challenge of making something from Chile. It’s been a while since I’ve tried making something in the kitchen I’ve never made before so I thought it would be a fun challenge.
I went with pastel de choclo- a beef pie topped with a layer of cooked corn meal. I got to try this in Chile, but that was seven years ago and I haven’t thought about it since.
Turned out pretty good! Now I’m wanting to visit Chile all over again. Swipe around for some recipe notes.
#290 City Heights Future
17 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Spent the workday doing some writing in City Heights. This part of the neighborhood’s got some energy.
#291 Small White Church
18 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Eager to get through the next three weeks.
#292 Kaiserhof
19 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Some days the inspiration just flows and other days it just makes grunting noises while you try to crank the lever harder and harder. I’ve been in a bit of a creative rut lately, and that’s no fun.
These dry spells don’t scare me the way they used to, though. They just run their course. The thing about ruts is that they expire, but they don’t have marked expiration dates. That would be so helpful, but you just have to keep going. Hopefully this week turns some things around. Sooner or later, the groove will be back and it’s so freeing to remember that.
#293 Dog Beach Dynamo
20 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Come here for an instant pick-me-up.
#294 Time For Gear
21 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Here for the gear and to dream up some future adventures.
#295 Stained Glass Cross Plans
22 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Monday night small group and a sneak peek at an upcoming addition to the sanctuary.
#296 PB Outing
23 October 2018 // San Diego, California
How do things get better? One step at a time.
I’ll be honest, this past week was a rough one for me, and it seems like it went that way for a lot of people. I felt unmotivated for the days at hand and impatient to live in better days.
To get to those better days, you sometimes have to fight through the discouragement and lack of motivation. What helps me is remembering that I don’t need to solve everything all at once. I just need to take the next step for making things right that are in front of me.
Here’s to that next step, whatever that might look like for you!
#297 Man Made Pond
24 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Work days made better with a lunch break walk out here.
#298 Casita Mayahuel
25 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Got introduced to Casita Mayahuel this week. I’m loving the old time Oaxaca vibes plus the impressive mezcal collection.
#299 Poverty Uprooted
26 October 2018 // San Diego, California
It’s the heart of production season for me at work. I’ve been able to dig in and start making a number of things. Here’s one work-in-progress that I’m especially excited about.
Poverty Uprooted is a look at what growing out of poverty looks like at a household level. @plantwpurpose is geared to make a widespread impact across entire regions, so it was fun to switch it up and focus on how individual families transform as well. Having met a bunch of these faces made it all the more special.
#300 Dia de los Muertosfest
27 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Squeezing in a little Dia de los Muertos funtimes on an otherwise packed day.
#301 House Preview
28 October 2018 // San Diego, California
A little house inspecting after church.
#302 Not in Montreat
29 October 2018 // San Diego, California
The last time I was in North Carolina, about three years ago, I hiked totally by myself in search of waterfalls and fell in love with what I saw.
I was supposed to be there last weekend, but last week I realized that I needed to be home. So I cancelled the trip, and I’m feeling happy about it being the right move.
It feels totally weird for me to be this happy about a cancelled trip. But, I know where I need to be.
I love to travel. So much. But I’m also learning that it can be a bit of a crutch or an escape for me. I’m working at figuring out when that’s the case. For now, it feels good to have made the right choice this week.
#303 Voter’s Homework
30 October 2018 // San Diego, California
Honestly, I find voting really fun! I took about an hour to hole up in one of my favorite coffee shops and dig into some of the issues going on in this year’s ballots.
This election, like every election, has an impact. On people inside the country and outside of it, on kids and kids yet to be born, on the poor, on struggling families, on the sick and elderly. What we do during an election has an effect, even deciding to stay home. But with all that at stake, why would you want to do that?
We don’t get to choose the moment in history we’ll be born into but we do get to choose how we’ll show up for it. Vote for accountability. Vote for empathy. Vote for others.
#304 Halloween Evening
31 October 2018 // San Diego, California
A pretty quiet halloween this year, but I think that’s what we needed.