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Name: Kristen Country: United States State: Arizona Metro: Flagstaff Birthday: 5/25/1982 Gender: Female
Interests: GOD ~ then a bunch of other stuff that is less important. Expertise: I'd like to think I'm an expert in just about everything......but *reality check* I am a jack of all trades and mistress of none. Occupation: Student Industry: Nonprofit
Message: message me AIM: kwhitson525 MSN: kwhitson525 Yahoo: kwhitson525
Member Since:
4/10/2005
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| Activism...organicallySo instead of following what I once thought was a forced path to social activism....I quit the whole damn thing, moved to Flagstaff, hibernated for a while, somehow got magically transported to this spectacular job, and found myself picketing on Heritage Square in downtown Flagstaff last night in support of Second Chance Center for Animals (my employer). Self-centered as it sounds...I think I'm made to do good things in the world, no matter how I get there. That's an insight that settles me down inside. Another contented insight: sometimes, two people are made to be together. Dano joined me in picketing last night (he does care about the cause, but really just wanted to spend time with me...see legal battles below), then came to dinner with the Second Chance crew, stood on a chair and loudly and proudly proclaimed to the whole pizza joint what a great job we were doing. THIS is my kind of man. Facebook followers, you know we hiked the Grand Canyon a few weeks ago. Life-changing experience. The hardest and best thing I've ever done...spiritually and physically and emotionally. I'm still planning a wedding...after Second Chance's battles with Coconino County are over. It's a long, long story, so anyone who wishes to know the details can visit www.secondchancecenter.org. Basically: someone thinks we're too noisy, we think we're not. There's an important hearing next week, after which I intend to take some time off. The rain clouds are gathering over the mountains here and it's gorgeous. My porch has happy little flowers all over it and I feel like I've nurtured something into greatness. | | |
| I know, you just can't believe it. I'm not sure I can either. It's been a while since I visited this blank white box. The new job is better than I ever could have dreamed. I am challenged, focused, motivated, and appreciated ~ daily. I am finding that I truly didn't think I could do this job, and that I really can. These people saw something in me that I didn't believe existed, but it does. I spend my days surrounded by a team of strong, compassionate, assertive, loving women who foster an attitude of respect. They push me to do more and expect the same from me. I will not leave this job until I leave Flagstaff...if THAT ever happens. Wedding planning continues like clockwork. We're enjoying most of it, except the part where we don't have any money. Other than that, though, it's been a blast. BFF LaVina came out to visit last week ~ first visit away from her young son, and it was for me. I'm a lucky gal. We had a good time and a lot of good conversations. It feels really nice to be able to choose a friendship instead of just falling into it...if that makes any sense. A recent visit to an ELCA church in Phoenix brought this fact home with a thud: I love being Lutheran. I never stopped loving being Lutheran. I just didn't groove with the ELCA church I attended in Flagstaff. Little did I know, there's always been another one that I drive by every single day and have never noticed...I suspect God blinded me to it until I was ready. Best fiancee ever Dano came with me on Sunday and I felt I came home. Dano said it was like watching me sway in a warm tropical breeze after a long, hard winter. It was wonderful. I celebrated one year in OA a few months ago. Victory! We have a serious problem cat. Let's just say this: the Valium is no longer working. On the cat. I'd like to be here more often. | | |
| HI TROY.
I posted a similar facebook status and he admonished me to blog about it. So I will. HARUMPH. 
New job starts on December 1. I know, you just can't believe that Flagstaff Kristen exists without the shuttle company and all the accompanying B.S.!!! Well, she does. She is the new Administrative Director at the Second Chance Center for Animals. WOOOOOHOOO!
I'm in charge of a bunch of people, I get to keep animals in my office, I GET an office, and the people I work with are sweet, funny, sharp, committed, and creative. A Yorkie sat in on my interview last night and kept giving me the sweetest pleas for some more kibble in his dish. I would have obliged, if I could.
I start December 1 and I am very, very excited. Welcome to the new chapter in my life.
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| My eyes are grainy this morning, tired of no sleep and many incredulous and joyful tears. I can't believe we elected a young black man to lead this nation; my faith in my country has been restored 100%. I kept thinking it couldn't be real, that after all we've endured and the last two snatched-away elections ~ it would be taken away again. I keep reading the news stories over and over, reading the words of the victory speech, watching the footage of crowds flush with success...and it's still real. It's not going away. I walked into a voting booth yesterday and participated in the blessing of being born in this country; I made my mark and said, "you go, dude. I gave you money, I gave you time, and I give you my vote....now it's up to you."
And I believe in him. Finally, at last, I dare to believe that he's real. | | |
| Well, it's now "363 days and a wake-up" until the wedding ~ October 3, 2009. Yesterday was chilly and cloudy here, go figure ~ but during my visit to the wedding site on Wednesday, it was sunny and 70 and gorgeous. It'll be a lovely wedding no matter what....something I've been considering lately is the tradition we're following, of humankind's history of the search for and celebration of love. Yes, there are lots of politics here about people who are not allowed to marry; there has been many an unhappy or forced marriage. We are blessed to be in a place and time where we chose our partners; our age difference is merely weird, not illegal or unacceptable; and our souls sing when they're together and we get to celebrate that in front of the people who matter most to us. And though our vows may sound a little different than anyone else's since we're writing our own, the promises we're making are the same as words uttered by countless generations before us. That's pretty cool 
It's even chillier here today than yesterday, so I turned on the heat here in the office. It SMELLS like a furnace, you know, that warm sort of acrid smell? I love that smell. When I was a little girl I would sit on the heater vents in the floor in the morning, still in my nightgown, engrossed in a book and traveling away to A Swiftly Tilting Planet with warmth drifting around me. It was a good escape from the chill in the house, both literal and emotional.
We're leaving tonight for a vacation in Colorado. Seems like this summer has been full of travels, both extended and quick. Dano's sister Leana got here last weekend and all is working out well, despite some of my fears. I KNEW that would happen and I would feel like a total boob for my insecurities; Dano has assured me that he loves me despite my boob-ery. Anyway, the three of us are driving to Cortez, CO tonight and then on to the other sister's house in Salida tomorrow. I'm so looking forward to the vacation ~ the three of them haven't been together in years, and while I know I'll get to enjoy their company a lot of the time, there will be just sibling-time too....and I'm bringing lots of books and movies. I get to actually RELAX on a vacation! Naptime here I come. | | |
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