wishcasting.

what do i wish?

i would love to feel the complete abandon of being comfortable in my own

skin & find new ways to step out and share my heart with the world & work

with the peeps on my mondo beyondo list &  learn to ‘pace’ myself

(taking time for rest and play) & have healthy boundaries not walls!

that’s what is on my heart for today…

embracing change.

“Every one of us is called upon, probably many

times to start a new life.  A frightening diagnosis,

a marriage, a move, a loss of a job…

And onward full tilt we go, pitched and wrecked and

absurdly resolute, driven in spite of everything to make

good on a new shore.  To be hopeful, to embrace one

possibility after another– that is surely the basic

instinct…Crying out:  High Tide!

Time to move out into the glorious debris.  Time

to take this life for what it is.”

Barbara Kingsolver, High Tide in Tuscan

doing isn’t everything.

i have things to share.

really.

right now though,

it’s time for me to rest & play

& let myself be ok with the

idea that i don’t constantly have to

do in order to prove my worth.

it’s true.

doing is only part of the equation.

*SERIES* “Love & A Photo’: Jodie and David

Jodie and David

Name

jodie & David

Age

jodie:  32

David:   29

Lifes’ Work

jodie : “to truly change 3 people’s lives for the better.” this was my goal when i was in grad school. not to save the world, but make a difference in the lives of a few.

David:  To impact the lives of others in a positive way, by providing support and joining them in their journey to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

What city do you live in?

houston, TX

How long have you been together?

almost exactly 2 years (10-20-07 = first date)

How & where did you meet?

jodie:  (embarrassed laugh) well, it was my friend’s birthday party. did i say 80’s-theme-birthday-party? oh yeah, i had my hair spray-painted pink and was dancing soul-train-style to baby got back (and yes, i realize this is early 90’s, but it was VERY LATE!)

David:  At an 80’s party, I remember her dancing to “lady in red” instead!

What was your first impression?

jodie:  good, i need more guy friends. J he seemed so serious—and passionate—the good kind of intense that makes you want to keep talking. (even though you’re going to lose a bet with your sister about what time you’d be home!)

David:  Nice personality & pretty face.

Describe your first date.

jodie:  he totally took control…called me up and said “meet me at empire café at 7pm.” we had dinner outside and talked about our pasts…moved onto a sexy-dark little bar…and then to a pub. it was like our own 1^st date bar  crawl—and he doesn’t really drink! some other time i’ll talk about the drunken would-be inventor who tried to crash the date…

David:  Empire Café, she was warm and friendly, we discussed life goals and interests. Then my Dating Coach Adam (one of my best friends who was texting me date ideas as the date progressed) recommended what he called “The Makeout Bar”. We sipped on some wine as we were grossed out by some upholders of the name. Then we moved to Sherlock’s Pub where we were harassed by a drunk inventor. At that moment I was able to see Jodie’s Social Worker’s skills as she got rid of him by ignoring him and taking me inside the bar to get another beer.

Tell me about the most funny thing your partner ever did to “impress” you.

jodie:  well, i’m not sure if HE did it, or rather he LET ME do it…but we were heading to hawaii for my sister’s wedding. a week of family & friends at the beach/pool and tons of outdoor activities.  he actually let me nair his back!

David:  Whatever, she dressed up like a dude* and rode a bus with me to Mexico to meet the rest of  my family and show her the world I came from. She was a trooper, by not complaining of the smog, overpopulation or  my grandmas’ cold tamales.

* It is dangerous for a white chick to ride a bus and cross the border to Mexico. So I guess we both did some gender-bending activities.

When did you know it was love?

jodie:  (note: i actually had to think hard about this one…we always talk about when we SAID it, but this question is very different.)  we were in bed one night and there were candles (totally cheesy, new couple stuff) and talking about “our relationship.” and i actually took out my journal and read him an entry i wrote about him. by the end we were both glassy eyed and i felt all fluttery…and i knew he had me.

David:  Everything happened so naturally. I was falling in love with her every day we saw each other. Then she told me that she adored me and I went and looked it up in the dictionary. I knew how I felt but realizing that adoration is greater than love, she made me comfortable to tell her my feelings on Thanksgiving Day a few weeks later.

Are you guys more of “perfect twins” or “opposite attracts”?

jodie:  i would definitely say that on the surface, if you didn’t know us you’d say OPPOSITES. but anyone who takes the time to truly get to know us would be much more likely to say twins. our souls are the same, and when it comes to the things that are important to us—we are very much alike.

David:   Very similar personalities, but expressed in different ways.

Retell the coolest travel adventure that you have taken together.

jodie:  wow, that’s tough. you couldn’t have asked for the top 5? the coolest would have to be our most recent trip…to greece. we had no recommendation for the island we picked, just one night of internet research and we booked the hotel blind. we didn’t do any further planning, not even a guide book until we got off the ferry in milos and walked into the tourist center. every day was an adventure…especially the one with the tiny rental car and not enough cash to pay for the gas we pumped. ah, the memories…

David:  MILOS

How do you share your creativity/gifts with the world?

jodie:  as a social worker, i’d like to think my gift is compassion…every day i meet with patients who just need someone to listen. and most recently, i’ve entered the blogosphere…you can see my art/photos at http://jodiekim.blogspot.com

David:   Making art

What was your first disagreement about?

jodie:  probably the dishes. i was living with my sister when we met and she is VERY particular about cleaning…

David:  How to hold a spoon.

What do you do after a ‘fight’?

jodie:  kiss & make out up. is there any other option?

David:   Fight more

jodie:  okay, he’s right.

Have you faced any adversity? If so, and you care to share- what…

jodie:  the hardest thing i’ve ever had to face was the murder of my sister & brother-in-law. it has been a long journey since that day 5 years ago…and it has shaped every bit of who i am and how i live my life today.

David:  Had to move out of our first house after foreclosure. (Jodie’s addendum: We were renting)  Oh, I thought it was an adversity together.

Describe your love journey in 3 words.

jodie:  natural.passionate.surprising.

David:  Toku (conflict & opportunity), Hessed (loving-kindness), Pachanga (party-time).

For the marrieds, how has life changed since you got hitched?

jodie:  i have doubled tripled the amount of laundry i do in a week.

David:   For the better…

BONUS QUESTION:  What is your favorite beverage?

jodie:  my homemade mojitos, no question.

David:   Mexican coffee from Manuel’s or Blue Moon

here is a painting we created together and ended up as our wedding invitation…

If you want more info about or to sign up for the Love & A Photo Project go here: Love & A Photo: A Glance