One of the sweet things in life: Canyoneering

Shot by my friend Nick on our recent trek through Zero Gravity Canyon.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/28168803

Vitamin Ch

I wish I could eat chocolate cake everyday.  Honestly, I just finished off a perfect brownie that made me smile, but nothing hits the spot like a well done chocolate cake.  I like my breakfast like Bill Cosby’s daughter likes her breakfast.

“Good morn’, Daddy.” And I said, “What do you want for breakfast!?” The four-year-old has the ability to see through and find the wrong thing. The child saw through my body what was behind me. She saw the chocolate cake. She said, “Can I have the chocolate cake?” And I said, “Chocolate cake, where?” She said, “Chocolate cake behind you.” And I looked… and there was chocolate cake! The child wanted chocolate cake for breakfast! How ridiculous! And I said… and someone in my brain looked under chocolate cake and saw the ingredients: eggs! Eggs are in chocolate cake! And milk! Oh goody! And wheat! That’s nutrition! “What do you want?” “Can I have some chocolate cake?” “Chocolate cake coming up.”

I love reading Cosby’s sketch as a parenting lesson.  So much of his comedy relates to his kids, and more precisely to making them happy.  He has gone through his fair share of tragedy, but when it comes right down to it, he’s a great dad who wants the best for his kids.

So in life right now, I see a lot of people struggling.  And I trust that chocolate cake holds the answer.  In contrast to Cosby’s lesson, here’s my chocolate cake story, retold by me from Capital Church.

A little girl was reading her bible and stumbled across Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

She stormed into the kitchen to inquire of her mother how bad things happen to good people in light of this promise.  Coincidentally, her mother was baking a chocolate cake.  Mama asked her sweet baby “Honey, do you like cake?”  “Why, yes.”  Mama pulls a handful of spoons out of the drawer and says “Well, do you like sugar?” as she hands her a spoonful.  The little angel eats it and says “Yep!”  “Well, do you like flour?” with another spoonful.  This spoon she takes less excitedly, but eats it none the less.  “Hmmm, not so good huh?  How about baking soda? Or salt?  Or lard?” She lays a spoon of each ingredient on the counter to see if her daughter will take these less appetizing ingredients.  Of course she leaves them, and looks up confused.  Mama says “Honey, life is like chocolate cake.  There are the sweet things: chocolate, sugar, love, happiness.  But there are also the less sweet things: baking soda, lard, death, pain.  But you can’t make a cake without baking soda, and you can’t make life without suffering.  God mixes it all together and throws it in the oven of his grace.  In the end its a great combination, but if you take the individual ingredients life is anything but beautiful.  Does that make sense?”  She says “Yes ma’am.  May I have some chocolate on my next spoon?”

Tonight, I’m having chocolate cake for dinner.

Ingredients

• Shortening, as needed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pans
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups soy milk

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Lightly grease the bottom of each cake pan, then line it with waxed paper or parchment paper and grease and lightly flour the bottom and sides.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, the cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. Using an electric mixer on medium to high speed, beat the butter in a large bowl for 30 seconds. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating each addition 3 to 4 minutes or until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl; continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes more, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

5. With the mixer on low speed and beating until just combined after each addition, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk. With the mixer on medium to high speed, beat the batter for 20 seconds more.

6. Using a rubber spatula, spread the batter in the prepared pans.  Each cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Transfer the cake in the pan to a wire rack. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack, lift off the pan, and peel off the waxed paper. Let the cake cool completely on the rack.

Adapted from Epicurious

 

Little Red

Once upon a time, there was a hot little biker chick who lived in a village near the mountains.  Whenever she rode her bike, the little stud wore a red riding cloak, so everyone in the village called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One morning, Little Red Riding Hood asked her mother if she could go to visit her grandmother as it had been awhile since they’d seen each other.

“That’s a good idea,” her mother said.  So they packed up some gatorade and sport beans and peddled to see granny.

Well its super handy that my very own grandmother lives just a few miles away from the start of the 2011 Little Red Riding Hood GIRLS Only bike ride!  I’ll be headed up to Logan for the 100 mile ride, and will be joined by 3,000 babes on bikes.  So excited for this adventure!  This years theme is 1950s Rock and Roll!

This fundraising ride supports cancer research at the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, which will be my home away from home while I pursue my graduate degree for the next few years.  If you’d like to support the ride, please click

https://umarket.utah.edu/lrrh/fundraiser.tpl?ID=1300482498557111

Select the bubble next to my name, and click to support.  Pretty simple, even grandma can do it!

The offer is on the table for advertisement space, and its going fast!  Purchase a temporary tattoo on yours truly for the day of the ride.  You choose the message/graphics and I’ll sharpie myself into embarrassment.  This was quite a hit for the MS150
$25 – 8 letter message across knuckles
$35 – Left Calf
$35 – Right Calf
$25 – Left Shin
$25 – Right Shin
$25 – Left quad
$25 – Right quad
$35 – Left forearm – Martha Z TBD
$35 – Right Forearm – James Z Something inappropriate…
$35 – Left Bicep – Danny C Breast Cancer Ribbon (I picked this for him)
$35 – Right Bicep – Kristin B Jeff Bates Melanoma Foundation.com
$50 – Back of neck

Successful Ride

So many thanks to my generous supporters and the TeamLC pit crew for the MS150!  Our team raised over $3000 and had a great time in the process.  The ride was pretty grueling, but having friends there made a huge difference.

The other riders were great, and so complementary of my “tattoos.”  People were very curious and hopefully my donors will see some web traffic from the curious bikers.

Top Ten signs you did the MS 150

10. Your legs hurt.

9. You learn that the connection between rocky road and spare tires is not just about excessive ice cream consumption.

8. You start liking small town cops.

7. You’ve actually heard of Belleville, Fayetteville and Industry.

6. You know that sweaty people in tight clothes are at places other than night clubs.

5. You realize that the effects of gravity, being over the hill, and sagging are not always bad things.

4. You yell “ON YOUR LEFT!!” at the produce aisle in the grocery store.

3. Your family members ask you why you haven’t been flushing the toilet lately.

2. You think motorcycle dudes are pansies.

1. Two words: Tan Lines.

The Race is ON

So after weeks of training for the MS150, I’m feeling ready to rock.  I wrote my packing list of bike gear and camping supplies.  The bike in Texas has been secured and checked out at the bike store.  Now I just have to make sure I can muster up the will to ride 160 miles.

Last night my friend Joe gave a great analogy about running a race.

Is you stand at the starting line of a marathon, its pretty common to imagine finishing the race.  You have 30 miles between you and the finish tape snapping across your chest (this means that you win by the way), which leaves room for any number of trips stumbles and chaotic moments to prevent that finish.  So, it’s wise to imagine the best and envision the success.  He likened this to the race of life, and the biblical promise that Jesus came so that “they may have life, and have it to the full.”  That the finish is already promised, that the race is already completed and won.  Knowing that there will be success makes each step a choice, because its already done.

So for the ride in Texas, we have 844,800 feet to ride.  131,000 revolutions of the wheels.  I hope this weekend I can also imagine the race won.

How do we HELP?

Today I stumbled on this article: http://www.cracked.com/article_19123_6-socially-conscious-actions-that-only-look-like-they-help.html.  And I feel like a yahoo.

I can admit that I am the dork who is guilty of four of the five.  But I totally would have donned rubber gloves and raced to the shores of Galveston with my Dawn soap if they’d let me last year.  Oops.

Trying to be socially/environmentally conscious is hard!  I love the idea that doing simple things really can make a difference, but I’m obviously struggling along with the rest of the urbanites to find the right-little-things.  So my goals to actually be successful:

1. Grow a garden this summer

2. Take my bags into the store

3. Park Neptune for a whole month

4. Vacation without making it harder on those who have it the hardest

Sticks and Stones

I’m listening to a Ecclesia podcast of James 3:1-12, which relates how words impact our reality.  Spoken communication is our basis for how we think of ourselves, how we trust others, and how we remember the past.  Loren remembers the reality of relationships fracturing, people dying, and histories impacted by careless words.  And James defines “poisonous words” as anything that is untrue or unloving.  Wow.  And the lasting impact is obvious; to not expect fresh and salt water from the same spring.

I’m also touched by how we see ourselves as a product of a lifetime 0f words we hear.  I think of the friends who have been built up by their parents all their lives: You are beautiful, you can do anything you want to, I’m so proud of you. Starkly contrasted by people who have been ignored or experienced a litany of negativity: You are worthless, you can’t do it, or the worst yet I wish I’d never had kids. Wow.

For the past few weeks I’ve been reliving a moment of severe criticism.  Although not malicious, the lack of understanding and love in its delivery has wreaked havoc on my emotional state.  I’ve withdrawn harshly, and I don’t know how to repair the relationship.  After feeling the harsh opinion, I don’t know if I can hope for grace to flow from the same person who brought me to my knees.

Loren says “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will kill us.”  Or give us life?

Along with the feelings of wreckage, I pick up my cell phone and listen to the accolades of my friend George.  George was a good friend in Texas, affectionately called my “Houston Dad.”  He calls every few weeks, and if I let him go to voicemail, he leaves a message of encouragement and praise.  Sometimes he goes on for ages, making me blush and calling me a beloved daughter.  Sometimes he sings and reads poetry.  And I save them in my voicemail, knowing that I can go back to his encouragement when I need a reminder.

The end of Loren’s message challenges listeners to spend a day in truth, love, and humility.  His message calls us to not brag about ourselves of defend ourselves, to refuse gossip or cutting words.  This would reveal our pride, our willingness to break people, and the state of our hearts.  How glaring would this be in my day.  I’m torn, as I have interviews for graduate school tomorrow.  The impression I give tomorrow could dictate where my future will go.  I feel like I have to sing my own praises.

But at the same time, if I can’t spend tomorrow in honesty, kindness, and humility, I shouldn’t be in graduate school.

Bumpy Road

So I’ve been hassled repeatedly that I don’t write enough.  Apparently the  readership wants some consistency.  That means I’ll have to write whether I think its interesting or happy.  Without inspiration, you get my inner thoughts, sorry.

I’m in a funk.  I’ve got that serious feeling like all I can do is complain, that the grass REALLY is greener on the other side, that I just want to get out.  I remember the last time this happened.

October of 2007.  Graduation was quickly approaching, and that illusion of grown up life was looming.  I went to Texas for the interview that echoed through my mind.  Next came the job offer that gave me an escape from monotony, from boredom, from all the familiarity that felt so weirdly oppressive.  Hastily, I made the decision to do something that I knew should have required more thought and prayer.

But, interestingly the decision whipped me out of my funk.  Just knowing that change was on the horizon completely changed my attitude.  I didn’t know if it would be better or worse, I just wanted it to be different.

I’ve been warned about my prayer for change – God, please make it different.  It can be worse or better, but please put some bumps in my road.

Life can either be accepted or changed.  If it is not accepted, it must be changed.  If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted.

Please Publicly Praise People

So I’ve always loved to people watch and observe interactions.  Lately I’ve been finding myself cataloging how people build each other up, or tear each other down.  Its interesting, because I note that the people who are closest and most intimate with each other feel the most comfortable publicly sharing their thoughts.

Last week I watched as two married couples sat and joked in a coffee shop.  Husband #1 mocked his wife’s feeble attempts at cooking, while she told the other wife of his propensity to be locked to the TV from the moment he walked in the door.  It was interesting, because everyone had their heads tipped back in laughter.  I guess there is a certain comfort in sharing faults with friends.  But I still wonder if the jokes shared with friends are the little jabs that tear people apart.

More rare, are the instances of public accolade.  A few weeks ago, in a message at church I was floored by my pastor’s words about his wife.  He was discussing Moses’ mother, and compared her heroism to the daily sacrifices his wife makes.  I was seated right behind his wife and 9 year old son; so cool to see the way he looked up at her.  Is this a complement he will remember and one day pay to his own wife?

Really I’m left wondering the impact of our everyday interactions.  The family and close friends that we allow into our vulnerability have such power.  Do they use that as a tool to encourage or destroy?  Do I personally misuse trust and damage?  What are the lasting effects of my words today?  How do we learn to use our privilege wisely?

So in this overly pessimistic, worrisome society, I think we need a little more praise.  I want to be one of those rare people who loves to point out people’s successes and overlook their shortcomings.  I know that I notice it, that Solomon noticed it at church, and that people need to hear it.

 

Moving Billboard

In order to make fund-raising for the MS150 a bit more fun, I’ve borrowed an idea from a friend – not only are you helping a great cause, but you can get ad space! Below is a list of all available body parts for sale on Day 1 of the ride from Houston to Austin. Pick a message – any message! Say hi to mom, advertise your website or twitter name… whatever you want!  Pictures will be posted and tagged, so you will get all the credit due. I reserve the right to up-charge for ridiculousness though, so watch out!

Once the space has been taken, I will update this list with the owner. Make sure to email me at locke.alex@gmail.com after your donation with your desired message!

$25 – 8-letter message across the knuckles – Emily D.

$35 – Side of Left Leg – Kristin – Jeff Bates Melanoma Foundation

$35 – Side of Right Leg – Katie C. – Ballet west

$25 – Left Shin – Lenee- 3for5.org

$25 – Right Shin – Lenee- 3for5 logo

$25 – Left Calf – Jennifer – Two Feet x

$25 – Right Calf – Jennifer – Four Feet Photography

$25 – Above Left Knee -  Rebecca – Clown Hamper Industries

$25 - Above Right Knee -Nelwyn

$35 – Lower Left Arm -  Emily C. – LOCKE it up!

$35 – Lower Right Arm-  MOM – <3 Hug Your Kids <3

$35 – Upper Left Arm – Duc N.

$35 – Upper Right Arm

$50 – Back of neck

$150 – Forehead - ANONYMOUS

A big thank you in advance!

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=3837314&pg=personal&fr_id=15941&et=ELhswbt3V26FuRwEM5MxCg..&s_tafId=191224