I'm a Lutheran pastor in a small town in Northeastern Ohio. I've been in my parish for over three years and most of the time I love it. Will I be here forever? Maybe, maybe not. Will I even be a pastor forever? Who knows! I've played around with the idea of getting my PhD, but only time will tell if I ever get around to it. But for right now I am happy and content where I am and willing to leave the future a mystery. And, before you think to yourself "moving on now, don't want to date a pastor," trust me, I don't meet many of the "pastor" stereotypes (aside from the whole "loving Jesus" thing).
I'm also raising my dogs Anna and Adelaide (Addie for short). Anna is three and Addie is still just a baby - only a few months old. And, well, "raising" might not be as accurate as "spoiling and not training properly," but they're just so darn cute, how can I resist those faces? Anyway, I love them to death and I don't know what I'd do without them! They're the best!
Here are some of the things in life that I love (in no particular order):
Serving God;
Learning new things and growing;
Traveling (went to Ireland, the UK, and Paris this past summer with my BFF to celebrate turning 30);
Music (both creating and consuming/appreciating);
Social Justice;
Adventures, small and large;
Good Food;
Finding joy in the small things;
Decorating my house (a creative outlet for me) and along the same lines, creating various "crafty" projects for my house, such as designing and building lamps and light fixtures;
Preaching;
Sharing the gospel;
Ohio State Football;
Kids (especially the ones that belong to my good friends);
Books (especially fiction);
Movies and television (particularly the ones that are funny or tell a compelling story);
Mid-afternoon naps;
Rainy Days;
My family, with whom I happen to be friends, and my friends, whom I happen to regard as family;
Photography (though I am very much an amateur);
Good conversation;
The moment I finish a run (I try to stay in shape for health purposes and because it makes me feel better, but nothing beats completing it!);
Peppermint tea;
Being outside;
Art;
Closing all the curtains in my living room and having a dance party with my dog;
Self-reflection;
Writing;
Good beer;
And much, much more...
There isn't enough room down below, so here are some of my favorites:
Books: An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith, Evensong, Girl Meets God, Harry Potter, The Kite Runner, The Life of Pi, Mudhouse Sabbath, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Pride and Prejudice (and anything Jane Austen), Radical Compassion, The Red Tent
Movies: Amelie, Away We Go, Bridesmaids, Children of Men, High Fidelity, Invisible Children, The Joy Luck Club, Lars and the Real Girl, Little Miss Sunshine, Lord of the Rings, Pride and Prejudice (BBC & most recent version), The Princess Bride, Sense and Sensibility, Shawshank Redemption, Singin' in the Rain, Sweet Land, The War Room, When Harry Met Sally
Music: Bon Iver, Brett Dennen, The Civil Wars, Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists, Florence and the Machine, Gillian Welch, Glen Hansard, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Heartless Bastards, James Vincent McMorrow, Jennifer Knapp, Jon Foreman, Lucinda Williams, Miles Davis, Mumford and Sons, Nickle Creek, Ollabelle, Over the Rhine, Patty Griffin, Ryan Adams, Sufjan Stevens, The White Stripes, Yo-Yo Ma
Television: 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Community, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Firefly, Flight of the Conchords, Friday Night Lights, Happy Endings, How I Met Your Mother, Mad Men, The Office, Parks and Recreation, The Vicar of Dibley, The West Wing
Food: I love ethnic food - Indian, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Chinese (the fake American kind and the authentic kind), etc., etc. I've recently been trying to cut preservatives and processed foods out of my diet - a challenge to be sure, but a fun one! I've been learning to cook because of it.
