[ the brilliant decay ]: August 2010

26 August 2010

From Miserable to Majestic...according to Forbes

kä-lə-ˈra-dō ˈlīf

So, I moved from the hectic metropolis of Chicago to the relaxed town of Castle Rock, Colorado. According to Forbes, this was a wise transition. Forbes ranked Chicago as the 10th most miserable city in America and first in the "Most Stressful City" category. On the other hand, Forbes ranked Castle Rock as the 5th most desirable place to live in all of America. A nice little trade!

I actually love Chicago (besides winter and traffic), and they moved from 3rd most miserable last year to 10th this year. Things are looking up for the Windy City! It's beautiful out here though, so you should stop by.

For the time being I am staying with my good friends from Moody, Kyle and Mandee Lammott (pictured below). I will be working a construction job with their friend Chris.

I have been here for a week now, and it has been a good time of settling in. Mitch and Julianne stopped by on their way from California to Chicago. We had a great time! It'll be even better when they come for their Thanksgiving break! Right?

From L to R: Karis, Mandee, Julianne, Mitch, Kyle, Me

I was able to attend my friend Ben Mercer's wedding last Saturday in Denver. My sister Sarah and brother-in-law Danny came from Wichita to attend the festive occasion as well. We had a good time of catching up with the rest of the Mercer family.

Ben and Tina Mercer

My second night here in Castle Rock, I got pulled over by a policewoman. Apparently one of my headlights was out, but she just gave me a warning. "Welcome to Castle Rock, young man. Now get a new headlight, or I will personally escort you out of the state." She didn't say that.

Odd pic? Sure!

ˈtē ˈdə-bəl-yü ˈär

I've been a little behind on TWR-related activities with the move and all, but that doesn't mean things have been at a standstill. It has been ridiculously encouraging to keep in touch with friends and family who want to be a part of the ministry in Slovakia! Every time I think it isn't going to happen, someone will just bless the socks off of me (not sure if that's an accepted expression...but you catch my drift)! It's humbling and exciting.

I know this two-year ministry is going to happen because God opened the doors and continues to make it evident that this is the right direction to pursue. Do you want to be part of the team that makes it possible for me to work with TWR in Slovakia?

A couple people have asked me to give a clear picture of what it will take for me to get there. At this point, it will take around 40 to 50 more individuals, families, and/or churches investing financially. Hopefully this doesn't come across as impersonal, but here's a simple breakdown of a possible scenario:

Financial Support Needed to Reach 100%:

1 @ $350/month

2 @ $200/month

5 @ $100/month

8 @ $75/month

10 @ $50/month

20 @ $25/month

If you'd like to join me in this way, cruise on over HERE or write me an e-mail at p.a.kitchener@gmail.com.

Regardless, I'm having a blast just keeping in touch with people. Thank you so so much for your prayers and all the encouraging emails, letters, phone calls, texts, and Facebook messages!

Thanks for taking the time to read this update on my life!

Keep in touch:
Email: p.a.kitchener@gmail.com
Phone: 262.951.8672
Mail: 474 Black Feather Loop #415 Castle Rock, CO 80104
Facebook: facebook.com/pkitch
Facebook Group: Paul to Slovakia
Blog: pkitchener.blogspot.com
Website: twr.org/global_staff/kitchener/

Twitter: kitchenerpaul
Skype: p.a.kitchener

16 August 2010

I think I saw you in my sleep...

Here is a pic to get this blog started off right!

Hey, thanks for reading this by the way. I'll be honest, I rarely read other people's blogs, but it meant so much to hear from a bunch of people that took the time to read mine.

ˈtra-vəl

This Wednesday (18th) morning, I'll be driving 1,036 miles from Chicago to Castle Rock with an approximate travel time of 16 hours and 26 minutes according to Google Maps.

If I were to walk instead of drive, it would take approximately 13 days and 20 hours, although carrying luggage such as my 350 lb. harp would add some travel time I'm sure. No, I don't own a harp.

shə-ˈkä-gō

So, the last few days in Chicago have included me trying to squeeze in a few things I've never done in the city. I got to go to the Blue Man Group for free with my roommate Ryan. All you have to do is be an usher before the show and help clean up a little after (takes like 10 minutes).

Besides leading a few people to wrong seats, it went smoothly. Apparently all the tickets have "A" on them for "Adult" tickets, but "A" just so happens to be the front row as well. Ha. I'd show some pics, but they have a strict "No Photo policy."

I also ventured to a couple local sites that have gotten some television/film exposure: the house in the Family Matters intro and the house from the Home Alone movie. It was an uneventful and forgettable experience, but here are a couple pics!

Hmm....

ˈkȯ-fē

A wonderful and terrible thing happened this summer when my roommate, a Starbucks barista for over 3 years, came upon an $800 espresso machine. While I enjoyed the incredible lattes and cappuccinos it produced with its built in coffee bean grinder and steamer, it was very controlling. It forced us to constantly fill up the water, insert more coffee beans, and buy more milk and vanilla sweetener.

I wanted to stop, but I couldn't and wouldn't. In a zombie-like trance, I made espresso after espresso and rarely slept due to the caffeine in my system. Sometimes I'd wake in the night and stare at the green light saying: "Go for it!" The madness will finally end when I leave it behind to plague my roommate, helpless in its clutch. Although I plan on taking a drink for the road. Here is a picture of the monster:

mi-sə-ˈlā-nē-əs

1) So, there's once, twice, thrice, and then....What comes after thrice? I've wondered that a few times, and finally took the time to look it up. Nothing comes after thrice. Unfortunately, now our only option is the time consuming process of saying two words ("four times", "five times", etc.).

2) I had an elderly woman give me advice on relationships the other day while I was at Sunrise assisted living. She said, "Pick a cute one. They're sweeter! The ugly ones are bitter. I should know - I'm a cutie!" All I could do was smile, and assure her that I would!

3) Anyone else notice the new penny design?

kən-ˈklü-zhən

This blog has reached the end. Here is my new address in case you want to come visit me:

474 Black Feather Loop
#415
Castle Rock, CO 80104

Here is the rest of my info. Please stay in touch!

Email: p.a.kitchener@gmail.com
Phone: 262.951.8672
Facebook: facebook.com/pkitch
Facebook Group: Paul to Slovakia
Website: twr.org/global_staff/kitchener/
Twitter: kitchenerpaul
Skype: p.a.kitchener

06 August 2010

Piggy Toes: A Children's Shoe Boutique

I couldn't think of what to title this blog, so I looked out of the coffee shop I'm at and named it after the first sign I saw. If you'd like to visit this boutique, come on down to the corner of Halsted and Webster!

"Paul, what are you up to these days, you loony laddie?" you ask. Let me tell you, you inquisitive individual.

Here's a picture...in case you're bored already.

If you're still with me, I'll briefly highlight some things going on in my life with categorical headings (as a way for you to overlook the ones you have completely zero interest in and slightly loathe me for placing in the blog).

rē-lō-ˈkā-shən:

Chicago has been home for the last couple years, but shan't be much longer. I have enjoyed the city and experiences therein a great deal.

I wasn't sure where I'd live before going to Slovakia, and I had trouble finding a good full-time job in Chicago. My good friend Kyle Lammott came up to Chicago with his friend Chris from Colorado to get all the stuff moved out of his apartment. While skillfully packing Civil War guns and dangerously heavy desks into a U-Haul truck, I found out that Chris needed help with his construction job.

Long story short: after a couple weeks of correspondence and planning, I have a job and place to stay lined up. I'll be headed to Castle Rock (just south of Denver) later this month. If you're in the Chicago area, let's hang out before I leave.

Here's another picture...in case I'm losing you (AKA a deceitful ploy to keep you reading my blog).

ˈtē ˈdə-bəl-yü ˈär:

That's TWR by the way. A lot of my time has been spent in various coffee shops throughout the city writing emails and letters in preparation for the next chapter of my life. It really has been a huge encouragement hearing back from friends and family and being able to get back into touch with them. It means so much and makes me realize that this is actually going to happen.

A lot of people don't know much of what I'll be doing in Slovakia, and I'm learning more as I go as well. Here is the initial job description I was given in case you're interested:

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR (Short-Term)

Department: Marketing and Communications - Europe
Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

Specific Social Media Coordinator duties will include all or part of the following:

- Initiation of TWR Europe social network presence
- Initiation of 1-2 video productions per year
- Coordination with the HR team on our joint PR plans (e.g., recruiting video, use social networking sites to identify and source candidates)
- Possible internship with RTM Portugal (up to 3 months) - Internet Radio
- Development of clearfrequencyradio.com (not started)
- Development of one radio-based fund raising project (production)
- Writing articles for TWR Europe's webpage
- Assisting with the maintenance of TWR Europe's web content

Please don't feel like you need to support me financially in order to keep in touch with me! :) I'm just excited to stay in touch with people who are interested in my life! I also want to get to know you better as well.

However, if you are interested in partnering with me financially, that would be awesome! The easiest way to avoid the hassle of sending in checks would be to go here. I'm currently at 15% of my monthly support and 35% of my outgoing funds. It's so humbling to be able to see the generosity of people firsthand.

How about another picture? Don't worry, this blog is almost done!

ˈmyü-zik:

As most of you know, I enjoy music. I love finding out about new bands. Please tell me about bands you like, so I can check them out.

I've been listening to a lot of La Dispute recently. Also, I've really enjoyed Hammock, an instrumental band that is perfect background while studying, reading, or writing.

My friends Dru and Guy have been throwing some demos together under the name of College Park. Check out their nifty tunes on their Purevolume page. Not to be outdone, The Jonah Swanson Boys have recorded some new material as well. Ha.

Dealing with Cornerstone withdrawals was more difficult than I anticipated, so I had to hit up Van's Warped Tour when it came into town. I was probably in the oldest 5% of the people there which was fairly disturbing. If you're a sucker for catchy dance tunes like I am, check out Breathe Electric.

ˈfən

With my time in Chicago nearly coming to an end, I'm trying to do a few of the things I've always wanted to do in the city, but never got around to. One of those things was visiting Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower).

So, I did just that. The view was incredible. The glass skydeck enabled you to look straight down 103 floors with nothing but a layer of glass separating you from a long, exhilarating fall to your death. Check out some pics: