Book Recommendation

If you're looking for a very thought-provoking book, especially relevant for these turbulent times, may I humbly recommend The Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne. Like many great suggestions I've received, I heard about this book from the Zimels when Adam came to Oregon for our guys weekend on Mt. Adams. It would take a long time for me to completely summarize all of my reactions to this book (some good, some bad), but it has definitely made me think about my priorities and has been especially good for me to read as I jump into a new profession. Here are a few blurbs from the book to whet your appetite. I heartily recommend this book!

(From the back of the book)
In The Irresistable Revolution, Shane Claiborne invites you into a movement of the Spirit that begins in the heart and extends through our hands into a broken world. Using examples from his own unconventional life, Shane Claiborne stirs up questions about the church and the world, challenging you to live out an authentic Christian faith. This book will comfort the disturbed, disturb the comfortable, and invite believers to change the world with Christ's radical love.

...[M}any of us find ourselves estranged from the narrow issues that define conservatives and from the shallow spirituality that marks liberals. We are thirsty for social justice and peace but have a hard time finding a faith community that is consistently pro-life or that recognizes that there are "moral issues" other than homosexuality and abortion, moral issues like war and poverty. So some folks just end up trying to save individual souls from their sins, and others end up trying to save the world from "the system." But rarely do we see that the sickness of the world has infected each of us, and that the healing of our world not only begins within us but does not end with us.

There are many, many more portions of this book that I'd like to post here on the blog, but I simply will encourage others to check out the book from your local library (like I did) or purchase a copy (all profits are going to charity). You can read more about Shane at The Simple Way.

First Week of Work

I've nearly completed my first week here in the Seattle office and things are going really well so far. I'm enjoying the people here and I feel like the firm has done a great job with "easing me" in to the office - i.e., not just throwing me into an office and dumping work on me. This week has primarily been training - computers, phones, benefits, pro bono, etc...

My actual office - on the 26th floor - is fairly spartan right now, but I've got a great view of Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountains. I can also just barely see Qwest Field and Safeco Field.

In the coming weeks and months, I'm sure I'll have more contemplations on working as a practicing lawyer who bills time in 6 minute increments, but for now things are going OK.

Back to conformity...err...reality

As some of you know (and have commented on...ahem, Mr. Evans and Mr. Lavassaur), I started growing my hair out earlier this summer. It wasn't so much that I had the goal of getting a head of long, flowing locks, but it was more of "last fling" - my final jab at conventionalism before I had to enter the straight-laced world of practicing the law. The funny thing is, Missi started out as my biggest opponent, and after about 6 weeks of growth she was actually sort of enjoying it. As you can tell from these before/after pics, however, I was definitely needing to get a trim because it was just starting to look nasty.

A couple of random photos taken by Sam



Self-portrait with the new 'do taken in Washington D.C.

Photos from Washington D.C.

I was in Washington D.C. last week for some training for work and I managed to snap a few photos. As I walked around the various memorials, I thought that it was fitting for me to return to our nation's capital to begin my legal career, as the initial seed for a career practicing the law was planted in me during my trips to Washington D.C. for Boys Nation. It all comes full circle...

Photos from the Elliot Bay Water Taxi

Last weekend, we did some "exploring" around Seattle. This included a stop at a favorite shop of Maggie and Missi's, lunch at Ivar's on the waterfront, a ride across Elliott Bay on the water taxi, and a stop at Pike Place Market. It was a lot of fun!

Phew!!!

I passed the Washington Bar Exam!!!

A Bonus Post on Running the Marathon

Here are a few photos from last Sunday:




A friend sent us this photo that was taken by someone from The Oregonian and posted on one of their blogs. You can see it here. Notice how Missi is totally smiling and it looks like it's all I can do just to keep moving.



A few FAQs:

Did you have fun?
Yes! It was a great experience, albeit a very tough, very challenging one. I'm someone who really enjoys pushing my body and mind to the limits (i.e., mountain climbing), and this marathon certainly pushed me to the limit.

Did you hit the wall?
AB-SO-LUTELY. It's tough to pinpoint exactly where "the wall" was for me, but when I look at my split times from throughout the race, I slowed waaaaaay down from Miles 21-26.

Would you run another marathon?
At this point I'm not sure. It was fun and a great challenge, but it takes a lot of time to properly train for a marathon (see below) and I'll have to see how my work schedule is once I start working in a few weeks. I'd like to try another marathon at some point, but the goal was just to complete one, not become a full-fledged marathoner.

Were you prepared for the marathon?
No! I initially set out to run this marathon to answer the question of whether someone can train for a marathon in two months. I started running around August 1, shortly after I completed the bar exam. I trained sporadically for August and September (late August/early September were my best training weeks). I ran a few hundred miles during the stretch, but I definitely don't think it was enough. If I would've trained for a longer period I have no doubt that I could have avoided hitting "the wall" so hard. So, while I guess the answer to my question is that someone technically can get ready for a marathon in two months, I wouldn't really advise it and I think it would've been nice to have trained for a longer period. The funny thing is, I totally overestimated my "readiness" level and thought I would be just fine, and this marathon totally humbled me.

What was the toughest stretch?
Some say the long, steep, uphill stretch to the St. John's Bridge is the most difficult stretch, and it was tough, but for me I'd say the last 3-4 miles were really tough. My body was just SPENT and my legs were cramping up and it was all I could do just to keep one foot moving in front of another. You'd think that I would've been able to "pick up the pace" a bit as I was coming home, but when my mind was telling my legs to do that, they just wouldn't respond.

What was the best part of the marathon?
Crossing the finish line! But besides that, it was awesome to run the last 5 miles with Missi. She was really encouraging to me at a point when I was really struggling.

What was the best quote of the day?
From my grandfather, after the race was over: "John, I can't wait until you get a haircut. I just can't recognize you with that long hair."

Well, I made it...

I ran the Portland Marathon today and it was quite the experience. I went in just wanting to finish it, and I certainly accomplished that, but my time was quite a bit slower than I thought it might be. From the outset, the whole race experience just seemed a bit "snakebit": the belt that I was planning on wearing to carry water, gatorade, and energy gel somehow stretched out so it was bouncing around like crazy against my back, whereas it should have been really tight against my back (it ended up actually falling off me and I had to stop, retrace my steps, and pick it up and try to put it back on). I ended up giving the belt to Missi around Mile 13 because it was bugging me so much. My trusty Nike sunglasses kept fogging up, almost from the very first mile, and I could never really get them de-fogged despite everything I tried. I think this was primarily because it was raining and my face and hair was soaked. And finally, I inexplicably went through 2 iPod shuffles! After my iPod died somewhere around Mile 14, I switched to MIssi's iPod but it ended up dying around Mile 19 or so. I still haven't figured out what caused the iPods to stop working considering I charged mine up just yesterday. I'm wondering if all the moisture from the rain caused me it to stop. So it was a bit discouraging, to say the least, that my "equipment" didn't work very well for me.

I had come up with a rough race plan that had me basically running 8:00 miles for the first 5 miles, 8:15 miles for the next 5 miles, and 8:30 for the next 7 or 8. I met my first "pacer" - my buddy PQ - at mile 13.5, and I was only one minute off my target pace at that time, so I was feeling alright about my time, but I could feel my legs starting to get a bit tired. When PQ tried to push me a bit during the 2 or 3 miles we ran together, I had to tell him that I just didn't have any "push" in my legs. From about Mile 18 to the finish, my pace slowed waaay down and it was all I could do to just keep running (not to mention the cramps that set in around Mile 23 and continued all the way to the end). I met my dad at Mile 18 and ran with him to Mile 21, where I met Missi, the kids, my mom, and grandpa. It was great that I met Missi at Mile 21 and she was able to run all the way in to the finish line with me. I ended up finishing somewhere around 4:15 or 4:20 (I'm not sure of the exact time because the results website is currently down), which was slower than I would've liked but it feels great just to have accomplished a goal I've had for a long time.

Pics to follow...

What A Wonderful Weekend

This past weekend was the second annual girl's weekend with Amber-Rose, Annie, and Mauria. My only complaint from the weekend is that it wasn't long enough! (And maybe some of the service at the beach, but that's a whole other story!) We started out the weekend with dinner on Friday at Lucy's Table, one of my very favorites. On Saturday we headed to George Fox for the Selah conference. It was a wonderful way to start the weekend. I had a chance to see some of my MSCC church family there as well, which was an added gift. Then it was off to Lincoln City for some shopping at their outlet mall. Girls and shopping. Not sure what it's all about, but a bonding time never the less. We had beautiful weather at Pacific City where we stayed Saturday and Sunday night. Annie has just started a photography business, and she had a session for Amber-Rose and sweet sweet Matea. Both Amber-Rose and Maur brought their newest additions, and that added such a precious touch to the weekend. We had good talks, great laughs, and for me, a great reminder of God's beauty in His creation. These women are clearly chosen by the Lord's hand for me. And though I don't get to see any of them all that often, I know that there is a special bond in Him that is stronger that any distance. I cherish you beautiful ladies! Looking forward to next time!!

Here are some pics from the weekend:

Hopefully by this time next week...

...I will have run an actual marathon. Next Sunday I'm registered to run in the Portland Marathon. Running a 26.2 mile roadrace is one of those "life goals" that I've always had tucked away in the back of my head, but I've never been much of a runner. I would run to stay in shape and get a cardio workout in, but I've only run a few actual roadraces and I didn't ever run track or cross country in high school. But once I finished up the bar exam in July I figured that I had two free months (August and September) leading up to the Portland Marathon and I thought I'd give it a shot.

There has certainly been ups and downs with the training, but it was great to be living in Eugene and being able to take advantage of their great running paths and the entire "culture of running" that saturates that city. My training has taken a bit of a hit since moving to Seattle, as I've had a few nagging injuries and have been preoccupied with other minor responsibilities like setting up our house, but I think I'll be able to finish. I've decided to not have any finish time goal in mind before starting, but rather just try to enjoy the experience and finish while still being able to stand. I'm thankful that I've recruited a team of pace runners who have agreed to run a few miles with me along the course.

Some thoughts on training for a marathon:
-Although running is, by its nature, a solitary endeavor, I think training with a partner or in a group would make things alot easier. I've trained in complete isolation, but if I could've had my druthers I would've trained with someone. There's tremendous moral support to be gained just by running next to someone.

-Rest is just as important as pounding out miles upon miles. I don't have the ideal body type for running (long and lean), so my knees, calves, ankles, and feets all take a big beating when I'm out on the pavement for hours.

-Four pieces of equipment that have made this whole venture a lot more bearable:
1. Nike Haul Sunglasses - besides offering sun protection, keeps the bugs and wind out of my eyes. Sometimes they can get fogged up, which is annoying, but that's only usually when it is raining. They double as "earphone holders" to help keep the music going.
2. Ipod Shuffle - I've got a really diverse mix of music on there and I really notice a difference when I don't run with music.
3. Nike Sportsband - this thing is flat-out great. Nike just came out with it awhile ago and it syncs with a chip in my shoe and gives me a read-out of mileage, pace, chrono (stopwatch), and calories burned, which I don't really use. I bring it home after a run and plug it into my computer and it gives me a mile-by-mile breakdown of the run. It's been awesome.
4. Ultimate Direction belt - allows me to bring some water and energy gel on the longer runs - a necessity when your legs start to feel like they're made of concrete.

Pictures from the last week or so

Loading up the truck outside our house in Eugene

Drew saying goodbye to his great teacher in Eugene, Mrs. Ferry. Note the t-shirt that has been signed by his classmates.

With Brian and Peder at the Duck game against Boise State. Great game, bummer result.

Missi and me at the Duck game.

Drew saying goodbye to his best buddy Griffin. Notice that Drew is packing heat.

Sam saying goodbye to her best friend Chloe.

Three generations at Fuddrucker's: Maggie, Sam, and Missi

Drew outside his school for his first day.

Where are we going to put all this stuff!?

Sam is going to school for the first time!

She'll alway be daddy's little girl!

One very happy mom and one very excited little girl.

I have to admit that I stole this photo idea from my friend Ryan.

Sam was very excited about the huge dollhouse in the classroom.

First Post From Seattle

Whew...So we made it. We're here in Newcastle, a suburb on the eastside of Seattle, and we're slowly settling in to our life here. Here's a satellite view of our house.

Here's a VERY brief update of our week:

Sunday - after a very crazy morning, we managed to leave Eugene only 45 minutes late. It would've been a whole lot later without some great help packing and cleaning from our friends the Wallaces. Thanks Ben and Lisa! With an extremely full trailer and two cars, we headed north. We stopped in Portland to have lunch at Fuddrucker's with some friends and family. After lunch, we visited with grandparents at my parent's house, and then continued north. After a stop in Vancouver to see my sister and brother-in-law, we continued into Washington. We finally made it to the house around 8:30PM. The kid's picked out their rooms while Missi picked up Mexican takeout for dinner.

Monday - Missi got the kids registered in their respective schools while I did a few things around the house and went for a run. There wasn't a lot to do as we didn't have the majority of our things. It was definitely nice to be able to come into a house that was very clean!

Tuesday - the moving truck arrived! As stuff was off-loaded, I kept on thinking to myself, "Where are we going to put all this stuff?" Even though this house is much larger than our Eugene house, it has alot less storage. We're going to need to get creative! Thankfully nothing was broken in transit and the moving crew we had was great. They were finished up by noon. Drew went to school for his first day and he seemed to enjoy it.

Wednesday - Sam got to attend her first day of school! I'll do a separate post on this, but needless to say, it was a big event. Missi and I spent the free afternoon doing some shopping and trying to get acquainted with the area.

Thursday - We all had lunch with Drew at school and continued to unpack the house. Missi, Sam and I all went for a run together and after Drew got home from school we went to the local library and got library cards and checked out a bunch of stuff. After the library, Missi headed out to Portland for her girl's weekend.

Friday - I spent the morning running a few errands with Sam and then got her off to school. I went for a run while she was in school and after Drew got home, they all played with their new neighbor friend. All was well until Sam got "bonked" and we had to come inside for some "downtime." After dinner, we all went to the local grocery store to get stocked up on some of the staples we had been missing.

Some observations from the first week here:

- The weather feels alot different. With the marine air, I almost feel like I'm at the Oregon Coast. It is definitely "sweatshirt" weather.

- Drew's school is going to be great. The school is only 3 years old, so the building is beautiful and has an amazing view of Lake Washington. His teacher seems really nice and he seems to be adjusting well. There is a really involved and committed parent support organization, which I think is a hallmark of a successful school.

- Our neighborhood is incredible. In 5 days here I've met more neighbors than I met in 3 years of living in Eugene and we're all looking forward to the neighborhood "Crime Watch" BBQ that will be Sunday afternoon on the street in front of our house. One neighbor even brought over flowers and everyone has been SO welcoming. Our next-door neighbor knocked on our door this morning around 7:45AM to let us know that Zeke had escaped our yard and then he went to help me find him.

- It's very hilly around here. I was used to running along the river in Eugene, where it was very flat and easy on my legs. Around here, even the flattest sections of roads are "rolling" at best. I ran along Lake Washington today and even that terrain had a lot of hills.

- Either we've been lucky (my hunch) or Seattle's notorious traffic has been taking a "vacation" to welcome us to the city. We haven't had hit any real gridlock during our first week.

- Zeke absolutely loves our new yard. It's fun to see him romp around in the backyard. There are also lots of dogs in the neighborhood and he's been having fun "getting to know them."

Last Blog Post From Eugene?

Well, the day has finally arrived. Tomorrow morning a team of movers will come to pack up our house for the move to Seattle. And with that, the computer will be unplugged and I won't have an internet connection. As I've been packing boxes today, I've been mulling over a bunch of things that I wanted to write in a blog post about leaving Eugene...a farewell of sorts.

But to be honest, there's just so much bouncing around in my head that it would take me a long time to refine it down to a few coherent paragraphs and now, at 11:11pm, I'm feeling pretty exhausted from the day and am ready to collapse into bed.

Perhaps when we get up to the Emerald City I'll have the time and energy to post my thoughts about this move. It's not gonna be easy to leave this great town...

Mt. Adams Recap

I just returned from one of the best weekends I've had in quite awhile.

When I started planning this "guy's weekend" climb up Mt. Adams many months ago, I obviously had high hopes, but they were tempered by the reality that climbing mountains is tough work and anytime you put 6 different guys together out in the woods, things can get a bit "tenuous."

Well, my high hopes and expectations were exceeded this past weekend. Aside from a brushfire that closed the freeway caused us to sit on I-84 for a few hours, I can't really think of anything that went wrong on this trip.

Because I took over 250 photos in 3 days, I'll save my feeble attempts to wax poetic about the beauty of nature or the sense of accomplishment one receives from succeeding at a challenging endeavor, and instead I'll just let the photos describe the incredible time we had.


One of the best parts of the weekend was having my buddy Adam fly in from Austin, TX to join us.


With the trucks all packed, we're ready to go conquer the mountain!


Our trip up to camp was delayed by a few hours because a brushfire in Hood River shut down I-84. Jeff's truck is the red Toyota Tundra with the door open.


Mt. Adams loomed large in the distance as we came in on the road from Trout Lake.


Adam and I were on dinner duty Friday night. The menu included spaghetti, meatballs, and Caesar salad.



It was comforting to know that the rainbow headlamp made another appearance this year.



Nothing says fun like the 'ol "rubber snake and plastic spider in the sleeping bag" trick.



Heading out for the climb at 3:30AM. Why does Jeff (in the red jacket) look so happy and awake?



Adam performs his pre-climbing ritual dance (sort of like a haka)



An alpine sunrise is a site to behold.



Making my way up the first glacier.


Jeff sits in quiet contemplation (either that or he's just catching his breath).



Jesse at "Piker's Peak" - the false summit. Notice Adam laying on the ground behind him.



Craig is heading up the mountain. After struggling up a very tough and very scary route on South Sister last year (for his first climbing experience), Craig owned Mt. Adams this year as he just motored right up to the top. It was very impressive.



Taking a break before the final summit push.



Jeff, Jesse and Sean at the top.



Because of the unbelievably great weather, Mt. Rainier made a nice background for summit photos like this one (perhaps the mountain was beckoning us to try to come climb it?!?).



Adam put in a Texas-sized effort to get up that mountain and he was rewarded by achieving the summit.



Check out the second field to the bottom. That's the elevation the GPS was reading at the top: 12,246 (my guide book lists the official height as 12,252, which is taken from a survey marker on top of a small Forest Service cabin/shelter that has remained on the summit for over 100 years).



WE DID IT!

P.S. To the five other guys who joined me on this trip: Jesse, Jeff, Adam, Craig, and Sean - thanks so much for an incredible weekend and I'm already looking forward to next year!