There is only one way to eat an elephant

Tonight, Katrina introduced us all to a documentary called Nobelity.  I can think of no movie that has presented the power of our actions and opportunity for change so effectively.  My heart is still racing, still filled with a new passion... PLEASE SEE THIS FILM.  Here is the trailer... while the trailer is good, it doesn't do the film justice, you'll just have to trust me.  

A lot of you probably watched the Oscars last night and have made new promises to yourselves to go see the award-winning movies you didn't see.  Please, go rent/buy this movie.  It is available at Blockbuster and on Netflix (just checked to make sure).   

Regardless if you look at Jesus as God or a man or whatever, I have never, ever, heard someone (Desmond Tutu at the end of the film) communicate his gospel so simply and eloquently.  

** this film is not religiously affiliated at all, that was just my (Kelley's) reaction to Tutu's interview in the movie.

People, I wish I had some way of effectively relaying the urgency I feel that you see this movie.  Just see it.  It, in many ways, communicates the goal of this house.

House Update:

We're all starting to look pretty seriously about what we will each be doing next year.  A lot is changing, but there is very serious talk about continuing the house for at least another year with a few new roomies as some will move on. 

Katrina is moving to Madison, Wisconsin to be with her then new hubby Alan.  Jeff and Katie will be living somewhere in Denver (hopefully near by the house if it continues on) to also start married life.   Lindsey is weighing her options still, thinking this may be the time of her life to go on an adventure.  But she may be moving with Caitlin (part of the tripod - mentioned in a previous blog with the story of three girls) to Madison to live by Katrina.  Each of them will still be very connected with everything we do here (Lindsey will be asked to come visit and cook many times I'm sure) and hopefully will visit often.   

Tonight was the first time we've brought this up as a group, so we will be taking the next couple weeks to process everything, but I will keep you updated.

Come visit... get a good meal... have a few laughs... maybe see me in a thong... no promises.

The dichotomy between media conglomerates is experiencial in its own commonsensical narratives

No one thinks that title is funny but me, but that's what I like about my humor... it's funny to me.


(At Jeff and Katie's engagement party, Lindsey had that cazoo-trumpet-thing the whole night. And Chaz had that beard and man-look about him since puberty. None of this has any significance to the blog, I just like the picture.)


Have you noticed that people don't look at each other... on the street or whatever when you walk by? Or smile at each other? It is so awkward. You're both thinking, "Well this is awkward... do I say hi? Why would I say hi? Do I look at them? Are they looking at me? Do I nod? Oh my gosh this is so awkward, we're about to pass... What do I do, what do I do?! Fiddle with something, Kelley, look at your cell phone! Something, ANYTHING!!! AGH! We passed each other... Finally. It's over. That was rough. I hope I never have to do that again." Anyway, I've noticed it and its so awkward... of course, I've been told many times its me who is awkward, but I think I just feel the awkwardness to a higher degree and I'm not afraid to talk about it. So, I think either we should put a wall along every sidewalk and street dividing the right and left sides or... start saying hi or just smiling at each other... you know, acknowledge the other awkward person's existence.

What's going on in heeeeer, you ask. Well, let's see...

First and foremost, the most amazing two men to ever live miraculously saved my pour little computer charger. A mouse, allegedly (I can probably get sued for libel on this thing so I should be careful), ate through my power chord which I just replaced. It was dead, done, a la muerte (whatever that means). But last night, Jeff messed around with it and decided he was going to try and fix it. So, he and Pete did a little surgery and a little metal work and it's all better. Works perfectly. They are amazing. Also, Pete is 5-0 in his Fifa season. I watched all the Planet Earth's... I love earth. Jeff and I were having a really hard time convincing Pete to come play Halo with us the other night, so after about 10 minutes of unsuccessful convincing, I grabbed his legs, jeff grabbed his shoulder, and we carried him downstairs... it was funny. Let's see, let's see... Katrina, Linds and Brit just got back from a road trip to California. They were going to come back through Las Vegas but tried to miss a storm by going through Pheonix and you know what happened? (If you guess, it will be more fun). (No, seriously just pause for a minute and guess). The storm went through Pheonix, not Las Vegas, and they got delayed. Also there was this guy at a bar'n'grill that looked like Santana, but played a wood thing and covered that song that goes "a little bit of monica na na blah, a little bit of..." You should really ask Brit to tell you that story cause it's funny. Lindsey has two more weeks of employment, then she and Katie are going to London to visit our friend Maggie. After she gets back, Linds will be one of those percentages you see on the front page of the newspaper telling you how wonderfully humble our economy is... If you work for an organization doing cool things, give her a call. I can be a reference. Chaz's beard is epic. Mel is now in Sao Paulo Brazil. She is doing well and is having lots of adventures... Check out her every one of her 906,839,411 pictures on facebook. I watched Planet Earth so I'm pretty much an expert on animals now... speaking of Planet Earth for the second time, there is a part in either the mountains one or the plains one where it's talking about wild ass (donkeys) - I'm in class and I just laughed out loud thinking about this part - and they just word things weird... check it out. Last night, Kiley chewed on a tennis ball for over an hour. It was really gross. She squeezes it repeatedly and it makes this squishy noise... Pete and Lindsey loved it the most (I am lying).

Oh I do have a personal accomplishment I want to brag about... So there's a joke around the house about my guitar skills being less than... umm... I guess "musician" status. So I always tell Pete that if Speakeasy Tiger needs a little help or someone to tour with, I could work it out in my schedule... you know jokes like that. Anyway, Jeff leads worship at First Pres in Boulder sometimes and about two weeks ago he was heading that whole deal up. He asked me if I wanted to give it a shot. I did and so I played guitar in front of probably 700 people. It was super. Just super. Thanks so much Jeff. Brandon (Jeff's bro), Carter (Brando's friend - he plays percussion with Brandon in HelloPanda), Stephanie Ault (Pete's friend and Piano/Singer/Songwriter master), Pete (roommate and piano extraordinaire), Jeff (guitar maestro) and I performed some diddies. It was so much fun.

Tonight we celebrated Pete's birthday (real one was Sunday and for those of you who were scammed on Facebook, Feb 8th is his actual birthday). 20-something people came over for dinner and games. It was a blast. Thanks to everyone that came, we enjoyed (and always do) having you in our home. Come back soon.

I'm so glad Pete is my friend.

Hey Britt-fu writes a blog. It's sick (thats slang for dope which is slang for marijuana). All that serious stuff I can't express in writing, she can. And, she is pretty much the cutest th... most rugged thing I've ever seen. All I'm saying is Brit, you're wonderful.

Duke Wellington.

Ahhh... it's good to be back.

Jeff & Katie Rock... Dot Com

Jeff & Katie Rock Dot Com!  Jeff & Katie Rock Dot Com!  JEFF AND KATIE ROCK DOT COM!!!!

You can see Jeff & Katie Rocking right now!  Jeff & Katie Dot Com!  Jeff & Katie Dot Com!  

(if you read that in any way relating to the "you could be a dj for a day" commercial, our minds were tapped into the collective consciousness of the universe... way to be)

Jeff and Katie are writing a blog about their adventures in newly engaged/engaged/and eventually newly married life.  Read about Jeff's incredibly elaborate timeline for Katie's surprise engagement party, watch video of Pete imitating Jeff's mom, or just look at the pictures of Jeff and Katie from four years ago.  Ready?  Go.

A Tiger to Speak About

Pete is in a band called Speakeasy, Tiger... go to www.speakeasytiger.com to download (for free) their EP album.  They are releasing a new album in June.  

They practice here 12 hours every week and we love having them around.  They are really talented.  Check 'em out... the music speaks for itself. 

... or you can go to their myspace page.

Lois Lane Says Yes to Superman

This past weekend, another couple committed to getting hitched someday.  Katie and Jeff ("Lois Lane" and "Superman") are engaged to be married!  

Jeff asked Katie in a parking lot (a very special parking lot -- "you don't know me" - Jeff [jeff didn't actually say that, I did for him and then quoted him... don't sue me Jeff, you know I don't have any money anyway... of course if you do, I'll have a better excuse for living in your basement next year, so do whatever seems best])  ANYWAY, Katie said yes.  There was a large gathering of friends and family on Saturday night to celebrate their commitment to life together.

Congratulations lovers.  You only have to be celibate for a few more months... then it's... well, you know.  

It's Not the Same

When ten of us first starting meeting to develop this vision of communal living, we decided to be each other's family.  In the house, that is exactly what we have become.  Each of us in a way belongs to the other nine.  Each day, our special bond grows deeper.  I don't think this bond will ever go away, regardless of what happens.  

In November, Mel told us she would be moving out after the holidays.  Two weeks ago... she did.  A situation in the house had grown too painful and living there was no longer the best thing for her.  There is no fault to hand out... it is what it is.

This past Monday, the other nine of us sat down for our house dinner and the room felt so empty.  Mel was missing.  Her smile (smirk really) was missing... her laugh.  None of this is fair.  I miss my friend.  

Mel is now traveling in South America for a couple months.  She is missed and loved and will forever be part of my family.

conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional

max lucade

Before you read this and judge the entire casa thing we have established here, just know that we are not a bunch of hippies - although they seriously have the important parts of life more figured out than most people (other than the excessive drug use). There are, however, a few people who never take showers and a couple who have a past with Mary Jane and one who really really dances like a hippie, but other than that, we are not hippies... just some who think redemptive violence is an oxymoron.

So, unfortunately I am not intelligent enough to write some inspiring, heart-changing thing about the iniquity of violence and the healing of grace. But, what I can do is copy what smarter and wiser, (got most of their lives together) people have said and give you the opportunity to see the lives and hear the voices of a few crushed by the guns and bombs we so easily pass as a just means of creating peace.

force is all-conquering, but its victories are short-lived
abraham lincoln

the true democrat is he who with purely nonviolent means defends his liberty and, therefore, his country's and ultimately that of the whole of mankind
mahatma ghandi

God would rather absord the violence and the evil of the world than reflect it
dave polly

too often the patriotic values of pride and strength triumph over the spiritual values of humility, gentleness and sacrificial love. it's easy to have political views - that's what politicians do. but it's much harder to embody a political alternative - that's what saints do.
shane claiborne

you become a monster
so the monster will not break you
u2

the nations do not lead people to peace; rather, people lead the nations to peace
shane claiborne

they argue the scriptures, argue the laws
argue the signs, argue the gods
argue for hatred, argue for fun
argue their side is the only one
but the one argument no of us can hide
is the one that's raging down deep inside
it ended in a great big fight and when its done
nobody right, nobody wrong
michael franti

i destroy my enemies when I make them my friends
abraham lincoln

darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that
martin luther king, jr.

we can bomb the world to pieces
but we can’t bomb it into peace
michael franti

Recently, some of us in the house watched a video made by Michael Franti of his trips to warring countries in the Middle East.

"This film came out of my frustration with watching the nightly news and hearing generals, politicians and pundits, explaining the political and economic cost of the war in the Middle East, without ever mentioning the human cost. I wanted to hear about the war by the people affected by it most: doctors, nurses, poets, artists, soldiers and my personal favorite, musicians. So I bought some plane tickets and headed to Iraq, Isreal and the occupied territories of Palestine."

To see a movie trailor and learn more about the video, go to: iknowimnotalone.com. You can also buy it there... or you can just come over here and watch it... or you can borrow it!