Andre Cabrales

Looking forward to a lot of snow... got the first of it today.



Craziness!

Had to put on the Carhartts and strap on the waterproof boots (wasn’t about to get my feet wet and cold).

Living at the Lodge is interesting... I don’t necessarily leave a lot (mostly because driving up and down a mountain isn’t exactly cheap... even in a civic). Been getting a LOT of stuff done... the weather definitely put a halt on some outdoor projects though.

I’ve been a HUGE fan of planning.... both financially and for my to-do list. I’m gonna plug this app called THINGS... It’s excellent and has helped a ton in planning and scheduling to-dos.

Excel and this other app called iBank have been good for my finances. I’ve never really put what I spend on paper... it’s crazy how stupid I am with my money. I am now announcing the DEATH of my bad financial habits. There’s also a great book called “Your Money: The Missing Manual”. A very easy read. Once I can figure out some financial stuff... definitely gonna be utilizing some saving accounts.

If I take anything away from this new episode in life... this should be it. Lot less stressful doing stuff this way.

NOW... for the best cover of all time of any song... Johnny Cash-Hurt



PS... If you blog... you will LOVE MacJournal. Super easy to add pics, videos, and music (i have a MobileMe account... music is stored on that account)

Take it easy!

For the past 8 years of my life i’ve been involved (In many different ways) with this youth ministry called Young Life. It’s been a good ride...

Started going when I was about 15... A couple of my older cousins had gone to camp (Woodleaf) and I started noticing this dude Anthony (definitely not of high school age).

SIDENOTE:
This is how awesome this ministry is...

Anthony used to come on campus with a back and when students asked him what he was doing... he would tell them “I never finished high school so I’m here taking classes”. This was genius because some people actually believed that and would talk about it... he created a sort of rumor about himself and piqued some interest. He would just show up... wherever kids were he was down to go.

I also remember him telling me that “It’s a party bro! Come check it out!” when I asked what Young Life was.... And then I was hooked. Me and my homies went every week... we loved it. Even though we were doing stupid things and making bad/wrong decisions... we still loved going.

I remember this going to Woodleaf for summer camp and giving my heart and my life to Jesus Christ... and I was never the same... neither was my life.

I’ve been sent on a journey and it’s taken me to crazy, fun places and I’m doing things I never would have ever thought of doing. I left my family and some of the best friends a person could ever have... for HIM.

I’m definitely out of my comfort zone... but I’m loving it!

here are some pics from Young Life in Truckee...








Still loving this stuff... 8 years later.


Been bumpin this for the past couple of days... RJD2-The Perfect Occasion

There’s this place called Wild Cherries in Truckee... pretty cool spot. Large drip coffee... 2 bones.... yes please.



Not the “coolest” place I’ve ever been. But decent food, good drinks... I’m ‘bout it.



That’s Jen over then on the left in the blue shirt. Truckee YL leader... and also concierge. She’s been great helping me get plugged in to the area.

This is usually where I come to hang out to get out of the lodge. I was itching to get out today!

This is also an excellent place to come meet some interesting people. Yesterday I came in around noon. It was packed out! I was just hanging out reading articles with my headphones in and this woman named Linda decides to start talking to me... while my headphones are in. I engaged her and then we talked about what we were doing in Truckee... She was stopping here to visit a friend (Rick... who was a cool older dude) on her way to see her sick sister in Sacramento.

I told her about how I was doing ministry and she got super excited about Christ... always a cool thing when people do that! She proceeded to tell me she was a prophetess. Which sounds crazy... but I really can’t disprove that. It was an interesting encounter.

IN OTHER NEWS...

Touched a snowblower for the first time today....


These things are freakin heavy! I will appreciate this contraption more when it snows.

Snapped this pic real quick today....





It was a good, productive day. Set down mouse traps, washed some bed covers, installed a motion sensor light, learned how to use a snowblower, organized the tool bench a bit.... I’m kinda proud of myself.

I bid you adieu.... here’s a little tune from Margot and the Nuclear So So’s- Broad Ripple is Burning.

Okay... I’m so down with this blogging stuff. Gonna try to keep it up to date as much as possible...

Dropneck polo-Brainwash Project (old pigeon john stuff)




TO BUSINESS....

Woke up this morning about 6:45am to go to Sacramento with Ryan Hunter (Area Director for Young Life in Truckee, CA.). Walked out of the door and low and behold....




If you can’t make it out... that’s freakin’ snow on my windshield (mostly on the wipers). I’m not ready for this crap!

Anyways... went to Sacramento for this Wednesday get together/biblestudy thing that the Northern California YL people do. It was pretty good. Had it at this church...




A lot of hard questions were posed. One nugget I left with: Are kids learning from you?

Dang... are they?

What about you? Food for thought!

SOOOO! I freakin' live in Northern California now!

It's a trip. Never thought I would move to this state. Now that I'm here, I know that this is really the only part of the state I would ever be in.

I'm living in a little spot named Soda Springs. Population 92... seriously... that's what the sign says. BUT I'm 15 minutes away from Truckee, Ca... Population... more than 92.




I live on the summit of the mountain range very close to Donner Lake. This is a 3 minute drive down the road....

This is a memorial statue of the infamous Donner Party. The base of the statue (15 feet high!) is the depth of the snow when they were stuck in the area.

Donner Lake... about 10 minute drive.

I was able to hang out with some Bay Area Young Life people. They rented a pontoon boat and a ridiculous house boat for one of the days.


This passed weekend I got the opportunity to do sound at Woodleaf for the Bay area's leadership weekend.... It was freaking stressful.

I'm glad to be where I'm at. It's an awesome place with awesome people. I'm looking forward to what's in store for the next few years. Let's see what happens! I'll be updating this thing more frequently... stay tuned!