it's a small world...

yes, i realize it has been a long time since i've posted. life has been incredibly busy, and so i have a lot of writing to catch up on...so much has happened in the last few weeks! so the small world post: so two and a half weeks ago, i woke up sunday morning to get ready for church. as is usually the case with me, i spent way too much time trying to figure out what to wear. i finally settled on a shirt i bought in Florence last year when i was in Italy with my friend david. it's really cool; it's olive green and says "love life" in cool big font on the front. anyway, i put the shirt on and walked to church. i knew my friend mark scandrette was preaching that morning, and that a guest band was joining as well. so i go about my business of setting up my keyboards and in walks ryan sharp. i used to work with his wife holly at youth specialties, and ryan and i collaborated on the theme song for the emergent convention 2 years ago. the last time i had seen ryan and holly was when i ran into them in Vernazza, Italy. it was the same trip when i had bought the shirt that i had chosen to wear that morning...in fact it was the same shirt i was wearing that day in Vernazza!!! {{ flashback...david and i were killing time waiting for the train in Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy to go to Milan. i had just ordered lunch in this little cafe, walked outside and heard, "alex roller?!" i turned to look up the street and there were holly and ryan! i knew they were gallivanting about Europe, but what were the chances that they would be in the same town?! we smiled and laughed in stunned excitement, had someone take our picture, then went our separate ways - david and i to the pastry shop holly and ryan recommended, they to the internet cafe to upload files. we couldn't believe it...how fun! }} it was so great to see holly, ryan and their new baby...what a small world! it was great to see you too, mark. ;-) ~aroll

a great loss...

i think i am still in shock. i received an email last night that a friend and partner in ministry took his life thursday. Lee Eshleman lost a battle with depression and ended his life today. Lee was one of the most talented men I have ever known. his ability to make you laugh one minute and cry the next with poignant insight was inspiring and moving. Lee had the one of the most amazing hearts of any man i have ever met. i am in utter shock at the loss i am experiencing tonight, and the loss that the art world is experiencing as well. Lee was a true actor and artist with an amazing ability to bring scripture to life with a perspective that cut right to the heart. Lee, you will be missed....more than i will ever truly know. i pray that you have found peace, love, and rest in your Creator, and i pray that your family will know the hope and comfort of the Spirit in this time. i look forward to the day when i will see you again.

my new home

so in just a couple of hours i will be on my way to sign the lease for my new home! while i certainly wish i were in a place to actually buy my residence, alas that may never happen in san diego. but in the mean time, my friend anthony and i will be moving into a 3 bedroom, 2 bath townhouse in north park. we're really excited about the place...washer/dryer hook-ups, small patio, granite countertops, gas stove (woo hoo!), and a 3rd bedroom for the guest bed and my office. i'm also stoked about being able to walk or ride my bike or skateboard (yes i have a skateboard) to church, band practice, and sanctuary (mid-week home group)...oh and walk to the grocery store. can you tell i'm excited about living in a more urban setting?! i'll get pictures up as soon as we get into the place on the 15th. house warming party will be sometime in june...details to come. a_roll

the search for a new dwelling

in the process of looking for a place to live, one's priorities and proclivities become readily apparent. i certainly have figured out what parts of town i don't want to live in, but i feel my last two years in my current condo have spoiled me. it's hard to find 2 bed/2 bath places with all the amenities that i can afford!! as i prepare to make the move, i have also begun to realize how much crap i have. i'm starting to clean things out so that i don't have so much crap to move, but i am also very much realizing that i need to simplify my life. i have things i haven't used in years, clothes i haven't worn in years, and things i don't really need. the part that will be hardest for me, i think, is figuring out how many things i really need to save in the "memerabilia" category - cards, ticket stubs, etc. i'm a sentimental guy...i still have everything from my 2-year relationship with my ex-fiancee...and that ended 1.5 years ago. i also have the frugal/savings tape playing in my head, "i might use that someday..." at some point i just need to get rid of it, i suppose. who would have thought that the search for a new dwelling would bring a pretty significant shift in perspective...

maybe i am a salesman...

so today was my 3rd day working at West Elm (furniture store owned by williams-sonoma/pottery barn). i love the furniture and decor there, which will make my 40% discount either very wonderful or very dangerous...or both. my first two days i was training on the product information, touring the store, learning GUEST (their sales approach), and minimal time on the register. today i went in expecting more register training, some time in the stock room, and shadowing a sales associate. nope...right to the sales floor! with the exception of needing to learn more about our products so that i can just answer questions instead of looking it up in my handy-dandy reference materials tucked neatly in my chocolate-brown apron, i was pretty confident on the floor. so much of it is simply being able to talk to people and find out what they are looking for. so with a grand total of 1 hour shadowing someone prior to today, i went to work. i met some fun customers and helped redecorate 1 condo, 3 bedroomsm, 1 living room, and sold $2600+ my first day! i was pretty excited. we shall see what the future holds....so if you're in san diego, stop by and see me!

the retail life

so i figured it was about time i posted again, seeing as it has been almost a month. sheesh. on monday i started a part time job working at discover nature, a gift store in seaport village in downtown san diego. two friends of mine - beth & joe - own the store and offered me a job. so i am now a "sales associate." i haven't worked a retail job since the summer after i graduated high school...and even then i was in the office, not on the sales floor. it's a totally different world than what i'm used to. it's fun to meet people who are visiting from all over the place, though. i'm a people person and love to hear their stories, so maybe it will be a good fit. at least it's money coming in...which is greatly needed at this point. it's long hours on my feet, though, which isn't great for my back...maybe new shoes are in order...hmmmm....

my suitcase in a coffee house

this is one to tell the grandkids...so i'm in seattle right now. for the last two days i've been working an event up here, and this morning i was picked up by my friend colin who lives here in seattle. he and i met in romania last easter when i was there doing music for an outreach/work project with project compassion. anyway, we went to church then headed to the famous pike's place market. i had incredible little donuts and watched the vendors throw fish. we then went by the big troll under the bridge in fremont and had dinner at a great thai restaurant. then it was time for my friends to go back home, but I couldn't get a hold of the other friend i was going to stay with tonight. so colin and dawn dropped me off at this great coffee house called zoka...so here i am with my suitcase, doggie bag, and the sunday paper waiting for someone, anyone, to come pick me up at the coffee house. i wonder what people are thinking...i started off outside, but now i'm at an inside table. oh well, i've certainly seen stranger things.