How to Talk About Jesus Without Freaking Out

So, that last post wasn't a real update...more like me just freaking out when I found out and needed to tell some people.


Last week was amazing. I'm REALLY liking it out here in L.A. The people that are teaching the school are all really great. I think when people say Christians in Hollywood, most people think of them making movies like "Fireproof" and "Facing the Giants", which are fine movies, but that's not what we're working towards. We're aiming to be intertwined into the film industry and share a lifestyle that is completely different than what they're used to.

I feel my eyes being opened and accepting where I used to judge and more importantly I feel a need for me to be out here, which is weird for me.

There was a couple that came and spoke to us the other morning about "How to Talk About Jesus Without Freaking Out". This couple just oozed love and they talked about how so many people in Hollywood latch onto them just because they want someone to care. It's sad. A lot of Hollywood-ians become so bitter against Christians since all they ever hear about them is just another protest to a movie or letters saying they're going to Hell. It's not effective. In fact stuff like that is crushing what Christians out here are working towards.

ANYWAY...what I'm trying to say is that I'm already learning a lot, and I'm liking it a whole lot out here...maybe too much. :)

John Williams

YOU GUYS!!!!

I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I GET TO SEE JOHN WILLIAMS IN CONCERT AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL ON SEPTEMBER 5TH!!!!!!

THAT TOTALLY GETS ME OFF!!!!!

LAFSC

So as you know, I've been in LA for a week but now I'm officially an LAFSC student! (which stands for Los Angeles Film Studies Center). The next two weeks are going to be all orientation stuff, which I feel that I have never needed more than now. It is seriously an adjustment to live out here. There ARE NOT Wal-Marts around every corner, I hear about 3 different languages daily, and everyone always looks completely fabulous.


I'm really loving my roommates and even all the other students in my class for that matter. They're all great and seem like genuinely cool people. It's weird to think that I'll be super close with a lot of these people by the end of the semester and most likely lifelong friends, just makes me wonder who they will be...

I should start a list of new words or phrases that I learn out here. I've actually already picked up one. "Gets me off" yeah...sounds a little weird doesn't it? can't quite help saying it without a giggle, but apparently it means you think something is cool. I.E. --- "This jacket totally gets me off!"

Well I'm going to hop on over to the all salt water pool!! eek!

My Week In California

Alrighty.... so this week.


Sunday - watched "500 Days of Summer" at a small restored theatre down the street

Monday - full day at the Huntington Beach. basically baking ourselves in the sun. watched "Rocky" 's with Greg

Tuesday - went to Hollywood and played tourist for the day! saw the walk of fame, THE sign, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and the Kodak Center. That night, saw my first major league baseball game... the Dodgers!

Wednesday - San Diego Zoo!!! amazing.

Thursday - Huntington Beach Pier at sunset and dinner at a crab shack. perfect.

Friday - Amelia flew home :( sitting at a coffee shop (The Coffee Bean) my new favorite coffee shop! might be going out to a show tonight with my aunt and uncle.

tomorrow - i move in and meet my roommates and classmates for the first time.

basically, things are good. :)

really really quick update!

Amelia is already packed and tapping her foot for me to get up and out of the Holiday Inn in Kingman, AZ. This is our last leg of our trip... we will be in California tonight!!!

But first we must cross the wide and vast Mohave desert.... dun dun dun.... I'm excited though!
Ok! Have to go!!!

Ellen

Quick Update

Ok! Real quick...


I'm sitting in a hotel in Albuquerque, NM. Amelia and I drove over 400 miles yesterday!!!
Made it through Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. It is gorgeous out here! We even saw a monstrous thunderstorm coming at us from miles of open desert!
We just ate breakfast and we need to get packed up and hit the road so that we can make it to Flagstaff and then possibly the Grand Canyon!!! But we will most definitely see the Petrified Forrest!
I'm so stoked! God's creation is breathtaking!

Ellen

On the Road...

Alright! Well Amelia and I are officially on the road!

Yesterday we took off around 5:45 a.m. and headed to Nashville to say a quick goodbye to Emily and Ashley, then went north from there towards St. Louis!
About halfway there my air-conditioning in my new car decided to poop out.... yeah.... I kind of got stressed and then really frazzled where we couldn't find anywhere to stay for under $200 dollars it seemed like. So, we settled on a smaller town outside of St. Louis and stayed at a Hampton Inn with a student discount! cha ching! We hit relax mode at that point. Ate some Olive Garden with the gift-card Barb Hoffberg gave me, watched "The Ugly Truth" in a theatre all to ourselves, and then took a dip in the hot tub and pool at the hotel before hitting the hay.

We were completely exhausted and I'll admit I think we were both surprised by how rocky things had gone, but we were determined to not let the rest of our trip be stressful like that. So, today we started anew with a good rest and breakfast, the ac worked all day, we hit up Route 66 for the first time, saw great things including the World's Largest Totem Pole, and then settled in Norman, OK with Amelia's friend Jacquie who is graciously letting us crash here for the night.

Tomorrow we hit desert!

All My Bags Are Packed I'm Ready to Go...

I admit... I'm getting a little overwhelmed right now.

Mainly because my room is in shambles, I still need to go to wal-mart for what feels like the 6th time today, I'm exhausted, and we're leaving in the morning at 5.
(well... 5-6-ish)
I"m also getting stressed about the possible graduation in December, which I still don't know if that is going to happen yet or not. I hate it when I get stressed out like this... it's not very normal for me.
I need to just pause and look at the present extraordinary big picture.
I'M LEAVING IN THE MORNING TO MOVE TO HOLLYWOOD... wow...
I'm going to be alright :)
Thanks everyone for your support, it seriously means a ton!

Also, sorry to those of you that were following this blog... i accidentally deleted you somehow...oops! Just join once more and I won't do it again!

Home Alone, Harry Potter, and Speedometers

This is it....don't get scared now...(haha home alone)


But seriously it's getting close to go time!
Today was a breakthrough.... it finally kicked in that I was going. Me and mom had a good talk about the future and things. I also had a good conversation with Amelia today at Rock Island, a great place to go and gather your thoughts. We were also fortunate enough to be the first to congratulate a newly engaged couple there on the rocks in front of the falls! So sweet!

So, the pile has begun on the side of my bedroom that will consist of everything I will take to LA. So far I have my bed sheets, blanket, towels, textbooks, slippers, camera, wand, and owl. (haha)


Tomorrow puts a damper on my packing progress since I'll have to spend FOUR hours in driving school for my silly speeding ticket -hmph...

However, tomorrow evening, I get to see my dear friends Ashley, Jordan, and Courtney! It's been so long! It'll be a nice pick me up after relearning how to read a speedometer all day :|