This might be another short post...

Okay seriously...

I tell you no joke...

Every single person that shares this computer with me never, ever speaks english.

Ever.

And I always find this out because said person always recieves a phone call and they answer with a noise that must mean "hello?" in their language. And then proceed to have a loud, foreign conversation.

Everytime.

I came in here tonight and no one was here. About 20 minutes later, a guy walked in, sat down at the other computer, turned on some interesting sounding celtic music. About 10 minutes after that, his phone rang...

"kjdfghj?"

Right now, in life...

I am bored.

Which is probably a very dangerous thing to say. I don't necessarily want things to be stirred up and become hectic.

But, oh man, I am bored.

Randomness

I love Rudy's. Which is good. I am there all the time. But, really, I love it. I've come and go- tried other jobs, but nothing compares to the fast paced, friend-filled, BBQ atmosphere of Rudy's. Maybe I'm just a nerd... but, seriously, I have worked other places and there is no place like Rudy's. Okay I'm really starting to feel like a loser going on like this. They really do work us hard though. Closing is so tough! One of the things we do is we have to put every single chair up on the tables, sweep, scrub, squeegy, mop, and then put every chair back down. Talk about a work out for the no-upper-body-strength girl.



That's a lot of chairs! Okay, it doesn't look like that many there, so just take my word for it. We also have to do things liek restock the trough of soda. Here's a picture of the beer trough. I dunno why I'm showing y'all these things. Oh well.



Lots of bottles. Lots of ripping plastic open and breaking down cardboard boxes and filling it with ice. Maybe I'm just a wimp.

Also, when we do have down time, we get bored and we chop our hands off.



Just kidding. But I do fall victim to the bored boy during down town and end up with my hand wrapped up in plastic wrap becuase it looks funny to the other bored boys. Haha. It really does look like I have a nub, though. My weird, flexible hands.

Okay, onto the next random subject. Even though I might rant every once in a while about how my cat, Sydney, is psycho (she is), she does have her cute, cuddly moments. They usually happen because she's meowing outside my door at 7 in the morning wanting to come in and I finally let her and this happens:



Aww. Kitty. :)

On a little more serious note, a lot of my time lately has been filled with me thinkign about my old friend, Jon Chatham. I was looking through my junior year yearbook and stumbled across his entry that he wrote. It ended with this, and I will hold onto it forever. Make sme so happy:



"I love you forever, -Jon-" was how he ended what he wrote. He probably wrote that in everyones, but still touches my heart:) I miss him. I miss the simple days.

Okay, well it is time for me to depart. I must tend to my bladder before it explodes, and tend to the little person named Brittany before she explodes because I've been on the computer for so long:)

I leave you with a kiss. Pretty intense one, if I do say so myself. I shared it with Craig via text message last night, and now I share it with you haha.



I really hope no one actually kisses like this.
Christi

Oh, snap

I took a small sabatical from blogging due to recent events which have kept me extremely occupied and busy. But, alas, I return.

Despite everything that has been going on, I've still managed to have some very good times with old friends. I wish we hadn't been reunited under the circumstances that were... but, nevertheless, I found so much comfort in seeing a bunch of guys from my highschool days. I can honestly say I love them! There is just something about sitting around out on the concrete laughing with those people that makes everything feel right. We miss Jon... we miss him with our whole selves... but we know he'd be ecstatic to look down and see us laughing and gathered together and to know that it was in his honor. I plan on making those guys a part of my life in the PRESENT and not just in the past.

I was recently in Houston at one of my favorite stores Urban Outfitters and I purchased a camera called a Lomography Fisheye and I am so excited to use it. It's film, not digital- so it will be a little more challenging, but I am about to take it downtown with me and snap a bunch of pictures and get them developed. I was tired of taking normal pictures so I thought it would be a cool adventure to try something new. Hopefully I'll get the pictures on a cd as well and I can share them with the internet world.

Alright, this was short, but I must depart. I will be back soon, maybe with some sweet fish eye pictures!
Christi

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.


It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!


It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.


It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

5 months and counting...

The guy I'm sharing this computer room with is doing all of the following:
Sneezing.
Coughing.
Tapping his foot to some unheard beat.
Biting his fingernails so loudly I can HEAR it.
Eating an ice cream cone smack by smack.
Watching a japanese movie.
Saying, what I'm assuming is "hello?" in japanese over and over and over on his phone to someone who is obviously just not on the line.

I, Christi Rabb, desperately need my own internet connection in my own house for my own computer.

Anywho.

Today's been a good day. I slept in til ten, and was woken up by Sydney meowing outside my door. Oh well, I don't like sleeping in past ten anyways. Let me share with you a cute picture I took of Syd as she made herself at home on my knee the other day. (SWEET. Frustrating noise maker computer room roomie just left. Insert sigh of serenity here.)



Yep, that's her, in all her glory. Don't let the cute face fool you, if she ever looks at you like that, she's probably thinking about how scrumptious your wrist looks.

So, guess what? The 2008 ACL lineup is here. Oh yes. Let me tell you a little about my ACL insane blessings this year. I have attended the Austin City Limits festival for what will be my third year in a row. My first year, I worked at one of the bars and got paid 20 bucks an hour to handle all the cash and listen to the music at the stages that were near my bar. I fell in love with all things ACL and set out to buy my own ticket the following year (last year) so I could be free of having a job to do, and just soak up all the ACLness. After recovering from the smoltering sun, sweat and singers and swearing I'd never go back again... I definitely plan on going again this year. Yes, it will be mind blowingly hot again- but I do not care! I might actually have the chance to obtain a VIP pass this year (working at Rudys over the past three years has definitely added some perks) which means free everything. Yes please!

So, back to the line up. I'm searching through it (it was just added today, I believe) and here are a few that I'm super stoked to be able to see this year:
Alison Krauss
Beck
The Swell Season (<---the singers from "Once"!!!!)
Gnarles Barkley
Iron and Wine
Patty Griffin
Flyleaf
Those are just a few from the huge lineup that has been emailed to me. If you are interested go to the ACL Websiteand check out all the bands yourself. I'm pumped. I even love listening to the bands I've never heard of.

If you have never been and don't really know what ACL looks like, let me just give you this little shot to give you an idea how many people are there...



Whew.

My favorite moment of ACL last year was definitely when the band Ghostland Observatory took the stage. I had first heard them the year I was working at the bar, and they happened to be on the stage right next to me. I hadn't really discovered electronica type music yet, but I definitely fell IN LOVE with them. Everyone working at the bar I was at was like "who is that?? what are they playing?? that's freakin awesome!" to say the least. I later discovered it was Ghostland, and they definitely took the entire festival by storm. The next year (last year) they were on one of the smaller stages (really, what were the organizers thinking??) and I got there kind of early because I was so excited to see them, but I turned around after about 20 minutes of sitting in the grass waiting for them to start, and I literally could not see the end of the masses of people. I doubt anyone else was at any other stage. It was the hugest crowd I'd ever seen. I THINK the picture I have up there is from the beginning of the masses coming to see them perform, but I'm not sure. It doesn't look like enough people to me. But wow, it was an amazing show. It's definitely insanely unique music topped off with even more insane dance moves. The band is composed of two guys. Yep, just two guys. And they're awesome.

I'm also extremely excited about The Swell Season which is definitely on the other end of the spectrum of music from Ghostland. These are the singers from one of my favorite movies I've ever seen called Once. He (GLEN HANSARD)captivated me with his raw, acoustic feel from the very first scene of the movie. I got to see him at Stubbs this past year and loved him and his costar (MARKETA IRGLOVA) even more than I had before. He is from Ireland and I believe she is from Poland or something like that, I can't remember. His music is very indie sounding and that fits itself easily into the heart of the music I love.

5 months til it all happens:)

Alright, well I hope that appealed to your musical side a little but. I must be off now-- work in an hour and a half. Come visit me if you are near Rudy's on 620 sometime this evening! I will be working in the Country Store so it's much easier to say hello and chat a little versus when I'm over working BBQ.

Ta ta
Christi

20 minutes.

That is how long I have until this computer shuts down without my consent because stinky internet land has a time limit. Oh well.

Today was a good day. I feel like the crazy busy life I have been leading (which has not reflected well on my duty as a good employee) is finally settling down. So, I went to work today with the attitude of ***super employee!*** and tried my hardest to be very alert, on time and ready to work. I even picked up a shift tomorrow on my day off to work in the Country Store from 3 to close. How superemployeeish of me. I really do love my job and everyone there, and I feel bad because I'd been slacking in the form of requesting days off a few weeks in a row, or being the one to volunteer to go home early if they need to cut someone. I do not like feeling lazy or slackerish and so it's time to whip my rep back into shape- starting this week. By the way, if you are looking for a good paying job that is fun, you should definitely consider Rudy's. The four in Austin are all owned by the same two guys, and they treat their employees amazingly. It really turns you into a superb employee for jobs to come, and raises your standards on the kind of job you think you deserve. Really, it is an amazing job.

I had dinner tonight with the lovely Karen and it was fabulous, as usual. I do quite enjoy our outings. It always starts out as a dinner and then continues on into the evening with errands which might be a quick Target run, or something less necessary like a dash to the tanning booth we both tan at. Whatever it is, I always enjoy myself completely. I love my Karen.

This past weekend was a blast. It was the end of Brittany's birthday bash week and it was all topped off with two leisurely days off in a row, Saturday and Sunday, where we shopped and basically hung out and did whatever we went. On Sunday night we attending what I like to think of as my church home now- Austin Stone. I am simply blown away every single week at everything God is doing with that church. Words definitely will not do it justice, so maybe you should just come visit and be floored right along with me. I also made a new friend that I am just thrilled about-- her name is Amy! She is the fiance of a guy that I've known for a while (used to go to my old church with me) and it's just so nice to finally know someone in the church. I've been attending for about two years now, but have had trouble forcing myself to meet people, so she has definitely been an answer to prayer. Literally.

I need to recolor my hair. Bad.

I want to see the move Baby Mama but it doesn't come out for another 10 days.

I kinda want to go to any movie right now by myself for free courtesy of Zack who works at Gateway, but I can't think of anything out that is worth going to. Any suggestions?

I miss my sister. And Craig. Even though I just saw Craig this weekend and Becky the weekend before. They both live in different cities than me and that is just no bueno.

I almost killed my fish today. I'll find out if it survived the trauma when I get home and take a looksie into its container.

My cat Sydney is insane but I love her with all of me.

Okay, enough random comments. Sorry this blog wasn't so interesting- I promise I'll have goodies for y'all to look at next time I get to blog. Which could be tommorrow before work.

The computer is counting down the minutes I have left and I'm tired of closing the alerts that pop up every minute, so time to peace this place.

PEACE.
Christi

Quickie.

I'm sorry I have not been able to blog! I have been incredibly busy and have not once traveled to internet land. Brittany turned 18 this week and it's pretty much taken over my life for the entirety of the week every moment I'm not at work.

I promise I'll be back soon to update, maybe even with some pictures.

Until then, check out the cool fashion, art and music of Metropark. I bought a necklace and a top there today and I'm pretty ballin because of it. They're having a fashion show/party this next Saturday I plan on attending. Click to visit.

Until later!
Christi

this n that

Thank you for the encouraging responses to my post from last night.

It is absolutely amazing... mind blowing, in fact... what God will tell you if you are truly just listening. Words, visions, feelings have been overflowing my mind and my spirit for the past twenty four hours thatI never would have hard if that bone didn't have to rebreak yesterday. I'm still aching, and every once in a while a wave of frantic feelings comes over me, but I have to push through it and soak up the fire that is burning my being as I am starting to become the woman He's designed me for. "Unto You be all the glory."

It's so true what the pastor at Austin Stone said one sunday- that the most miserable people on the face of the planet are the christians who are saved, who have God in them and working in them, but try to keep one foot in the world. It's almost like when God said He spits the lukewarm believers out of His mouth, He was doing it for our own good. It is physically impossible to be a follower of Christ while still letting your flesh guide your steps. Impossible.

Alright, those are my thoughts on that for the day.

My night last night was good. I got to spend time with Brittany, fill her in on a few of the goings-on with Christi Rabb, and draw a little. I don't know why, but for some reason, the urge to draw has been taking me over lately! So, I went and bought a little cute tin container of colored pencils, and sat down and drew as I spilled my freaking soul to Brittany. Haha. The outcome wasn't THAT impressive, but I'll share it with you anyway.



Eh, whatever. It was fun. I started something else a little past midnight last night, but I don't know what else I can do with it. I'm having a creative block in my mind, I guess.

Well, I've been sitting here in this room for a while and I think it's time for me and my juicy fruit chewin self to go home.
Christi

i'm listening.

(Note: This is not a lighthearted post. This shows the vulnerability of myself at the moment, and the intensity of what is being revealed to me.)


All day I've been thinking about what I'd be blogging about. That kind of makes me a loser, but oh well- I accept that. Anyways, I had even taken a picture of a cool book I'd read yesterday while at Border's with Zack, and jotted down a few notes of interesting fashion I might share with y'all, and even texted myself with a clever quote that applies to me so that I could save it and post it on my next blog. But, I am a vessel. My God is not just whispering in my ear anymore. I could no longer plug my fingers into my ears and scream "la la la!" It is hard to ignore the word of the Lord when He switches from whispering into your ear, and instead- stands in front of your face and opens His mouth, pouring out lightening and thunder.

Sometimes, when a bone is broken in the human body, it starts to grow back before surgery can be performed, or a cast can be set. Sometimes people don't even realize that they do have a broken bone, and it aches for a little while, but then it grows back together (however, flawed) and they use it perfectly fine, so they think. Then a problem with that part of the body comes up down the road, and the bone has to be re-broken since it was neglected and not fixed. The doctor has to actualy go back to the site of the break, and break it all over again. It's painful, it's agonizing, it's not fun whatsoever- but it's the RIGHT thing to do. It takes pain and being broken so that the bone can grow back to how it should have been growing all along.

You probably know where I'm taking this.

I am the warped bone. I am the arm that is still functioning and able to go day to day just fine, but underneathe the skin- I am angled and fractured and growing back the way I shouldn't. I cannot fix myself, just like the bone can't. I've let it go on so long, that today I had to be rebroken. My heart broke along with everything else. Some of you might be kind of confused because you had no idea anything was going on. I might have even chatted with a few of you via phone or via text, and I mentioned nothing. I basically don't know what to say. I got in bed about thirty minutes ago, and started crying in my brokenness, and instantly bolted out of bed so that I could get to the internet before they shut these computers down at 10:00. I feel so strongly that people (girls, specifically) go through exactly what I am going through right this very moment. I know that it is so encouraging and comforting to read about someone crawling through the depths of desperation but STILL clinging on to the only Thing worth clinging onto: my Savior.

Despite that I am broken, and my flesh hates it- there is a bigger part of me, my Spirit, that wants to be no where but absolutely desperate for Christ. Physically aching because a piece of me is missing, but rejoicing and passionately loving the pieces that are coming to fill in the void.

I am moving into a chapter of my life, or a season as some may call it, where I feel called to purity, patience and perseverance. As Elizabeth Elliot says, "Lord, I have said the eternal Yes. Let me never, having put my hand to the plough, look back. Make straight the way of the Cross before me. Give me love, that there may be no room for a wayward thought or step."

The eternal Yes. The eternal, never changing, never faltering, never doubting, YES. I say Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes a thousand times over. If what I have right now that I love so passionately is NOT for me yet, then YES Lord take it away. You give and take away, and I wait ernestly to see what You are doing next.

He has stripped me from parents living within 1,000 miles of me. He has stripped me from my dear sister who lives four hours away from me. I have no TV, I have no cable, I live by myself. He wants me alone. How amazing. He wants me all by myself, in every form of the word, desperate and crying outfor His powerful presence.

I am here Lord, with nothing in sight except for the Cross. I will not look side to side, I will not look behind, I will not try to peer around the Cross to see the future- I will look AT the Cross, NO where else. I am Yours. Break me, break me again, and break me again. I want to be on my face every night. You died for me. I want to die every single day to You. Every single moment.

the days go by and i just stay weird :)

Life is just so neat right now. Which proves to me that despite my human eyes seeing completely and utter chaos, my Creator's eyes see beauty in the making. How blessed I am to be taken through fire, which burns and hurts and takes great patience, only to come out the other side refined and pressed into a more flawless creation. Of course I am far from flawless (far, far, far)- but I think you understand what I mean. He so knows what He's doing.

So this week so far has been pretty splendid! On Sunday I was on my own all day, and I loved it. I drove around Austin with different destinations in mind, only to change my mind when I arrived to them. Then, I'd just pick up and drive somewhere else. I didn't mind at all. My gas bill will, I'm sure, but oh well. I never drive anywhere but to and from work, it seems. So, it was quite nice to get out and about in the city I love.

Yesterday, I didn't have to go into work until 4, so I got to have lunch with the lovely Ashleigh Montoya! Beautiful friends inspire such a beautiful happiness in me. After some scrumptious Chipotle burrito "bol", we headed over to DSW Shoe Warehouse to do a quick looksie before she had to go back to work. There were several cute shoes here and there, but then I stumbled upon possibly one of the most hideous pairs of shoes I've ever laid eyes on. Let me share them with you.



Yep, there they are. I mean... really? Why did this happen? Who created this? Heals are cute. Sneakers are cute. Shoe laces are cure. Shiney sneakers might be even cute. But all thrown together? Absolutely sick.

So, anyways, we had a chuckle about that, debated on the outcome of a price if it was 30% off and both ended up being wrong, and then parted ways. Work came at 4 and I went even though I very obviously have tonsilitis again. Yep, for the fourth time in approximately 5 months. I know, I know. Get your tonsils out, Christi, you crazy person who is afraid of surgery even though she witnessed her sister have brain surgery and survived- I KNOW. I don't wanna. I just don't wanna. Lemme lone.

After working several hours, I had my much desired 15 minute break where I ate this for dinner:



Yep. A nutter butter, and a Dr. Pepper. Sue me. I'm poor, okay? Very poor.

I also wanted to snap a shot of me in my sweet Rudy's hat, apron, and bright yellow shirt, but right as I was pushing the "capture" button on my phone, a family of 6 turned the corner and caught me. I didn't feel like being obvious and taking a picture of myself, so you are left with this, a picture of me turning my head and looking at the family happily walking to a table with their BBQ.



Haha. Oh well. You get the idea: basically I transform into a boy when I'm in my Rudy's gear. Blah.

Today is my day off. So nice. I feel like I've been working a lot lately. Picking up extra horus, staying late when they need me-- so my two days off a week are always so nice to have.

Dangit, I need to go to the post office.

Ok apparently I type out my mental interuptions.

ANYWAYS. I've had a good and easy day so far. Had some lunch while reading C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity" and then bolted my comfy reading place when I spotted a potentially awkward conversation with a mom of a friend that I haven't seen in FOREVER (it might not be who some of you think it is). I always do that though. I'm completely and entirely anti awkward-conversations. Or anything that could come close to being an awkward conversation. I am a hermit. Oh well. Embrace me:) As long as you stay out of my personal space. I'm a big personal space person! (wow, talk about a rabbit trail) If I let you into my personal space... feel special. Very special. I have a BIG bubble around me that I think I like to be alone in.

So, I left and headed out to where I am now- internet land. AKA, my old apartment complex. (Here's something kinda funny- the exact same guy always ends up in here with me. There are two computers, and we always always ALWAYS run into each other here. We even say hi now and chat a bit while we're both doing our own computer stuff. Its funny. He just walked in.) And as I was on my way to internet land, I drove behind a truck that had something in the back of it that startled me- a little miniature horse.



Then I realized it was stuffed.

Alright, time to sign off of my bloggy. I'm about to leave to go meet up with Zack at Borders to have a latte from Seattle's Best, some chatting, and book gawking (I'm poor. Can't buy any). Then I will leave one Ritchie and go to the other, Brittany, where I will proceed to have a fabulous evening in the company of Brittany and parents in Lakeway, Texas. Mmm sounds marvelous.

Over and out.
Christi