Happy Birthday Brother!
My hope for you in the next year(s) would be that you learn to be more flexible with the little challenges that life can bring. People are complex and each life has it’s own story. I hope that you are able to bend and move with the flow of life and not be too hard on yourself or others when they fall short. Humans are flawed creature, but the best you can do is support those you love and constantly encourage them to be better to the best of their abilities.
I often tell people that I didn’t grow up with a best friend or having someone close to confide in, but now I realize that just is’t true. I had you. Sure, you were a built-in best friend and basically had no choice in the matter, but damn we had fun…right? I am grateful for your friendship and showing me how to care for another person. Thanks for walking with me to Burger King in the summer for lunch, swimming in the community pool, dancing to ‘Nsync, and then quickly doing our “chores” before mom came home from work. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend than the one God gave me in you. I’m so glad I had you when we would go between mom and dad’s house because I would have been so lonely without someone to watch movies or play Mario Kart with me!
Today we celebrate you and the joy you’ve brought to the lives of everyone you meet. Never lose your sense of humor because it’ll help you get through the not-so-funny moments life throws at you.
I love you very much.
Celebrate and know that you are loved today and the rest of your days.
Tiny Little Update
I was… thinking about writing a lengthy and in-depth blog about how things have been going, but I got lazy and lost motivation so I have this list for you instead 😉
I am… experiencing something new in life. Taking more risks and seeing some of them payoff. Time will tell if this lasts long, but I’m happy and excited for what’s happening right now. I know that’s vague, but for now that’s how it’ll remain.
I think… that I need to get a better handle on my room/car organization. It accurately reflects my current feeling: chaotic.
I wonder… what life will look like in a year. So many possibilities and things up in the air. I’m excited to see what God has in store for me though.
I wish… I could pause time and complete all the chores/annoying things and then push play and do all the fun stuff!
I save… way too many pictures of my boys on my phone. Seriously. Those Winchester brothers, Darren Criss, Mr. Styles….and various others take up way too much of my photo storage on my phone.
I can’t imagine… being in the public eye and getting so scrutinized over every little (and big) thing. Not sure I could handle the pressure.
I believe… the Jesus I love would love Caitlyn Jenner as she is, as she was, and as she will continue to be in her life. I can only hope that we can love her and others better than we have.
I love… the Santa Monica Pier.
Glee: The End
It’s been an interesting experience being a fan of glee since the very beginning. I rarely can say I’ve been a fan of something since it began, so glee is in a rare category of TV for me. It’s been ups and downs being a fan of this show but now that the finale is airing tonight, I seem to only be able to remember the good things Glee has brought to my life. I may not be the hardcore glee fan I once was (more on that later) but I’m still a fan to the bitter end. This show was always changing its tone and trying to be something meaningful, impactful, and yet silly and ridiculous most of the time. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely episodes that had me crying (Choke; Goodbye) and others that were some of my all-time favorite TV episodes ever (Original Song). The problem I had with glee were the plotline inconsistencies and (in my opinion) character development mistakes. What always brought me back were the musical numbers. Those freaking musical numbers! They will always be my absolute favorite part of the show.
But this isn’t a review of glee, I wanted to write this post because glee really did affect my life. No matter how much I’d like to think otherwise, it changed me.
Glee got me to love singing again and was part of my decision to take singing lessons once again. I sang in my high school choir and loved performing and learning new songs but after high school I didn’t look for choirs in college. I didn’t have any outlet for performing or singing acapella until glee came along. I’ll never forget the moment I saw the pilot’s closing scene (Don’t Stop Believin’). I was sitting downstairs in our TV room and got chills when Mr. Shue hears the kids singing. Instead of quitting his job at the school, he decides to work with the misfit group of kids. *tear*
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| Paramount Lot Tour where Glee filmed! |
Glee brought me friends that I never would have met otherwise. Glee was my first “fandom” experience and I’ll never forget it. I met friends through twitter and various other social media platforms all because I found people who also loved Glee. It introduced me to things like Starkid and Darren Criss who took me all the way to NYC to see him perform on Broadway and Chicago to see a Starkid fundraiser. I went to places and events that I wouldn’t have known about if glee hadn’t introduced them to me. Even the friends I made through my new fandom (supernatural) are truly because I learned how to communicate with fellow fans online and develop friendships through the glee fans first. While most of my glee friends and I aren’t friends anymore, I did meet some cool people and discovered things about myself that I might not have without meeting them.
One day I’ll write a thank you letter to Rachel Berry, who I have always loved and continue to love to this day. She was a bitch, yes, but she inspired me to be stronger and fight for what I want in life. Lea Michele’s voice remains the voice I dream to have one day. You can’t tell me that she didn’t break your heart once or twice. No one cry-sings like Rachel.
The show failed in many ways to truly address/represent lots of groups of people, but you can’t say it didn’t at least try to broaden your horizons and provide a new view of people you may not have thought much of before watching the show.
Glee will always hold a special place in my heart for all the reasons above and about a million more that I couldn’t fit onto one blog post. Glee will always remind me of a time in my life when I was discovering who I was and challenging old ways of thinking about not only my own self-worth but also how I interact with the world around me.
Someday I’ll write out a proper essay on glee (yes, I am THAT nerd that misses writing pop culture papers for class) but for now this is what I have. A look back on the show that I love/hated and will never forget.
Thank you glee.
IF: Gathering
I have so many thoughts about the IF: Gathering women’s conference I attended this weekend that I’m having a hard time collecting all my thoughts and the sermons/speakers associated with each breakthrough I had. The conference was so much better and more powerful than I had ever imagined, which shows you just how little I expect of God…silly me.
I want to share all of the scriptures and thoughts that speakers like Christine Caine, Jo Saxton, Jen Hatmaker, and others gave on trusting in God’s goodness, taking that step of faith into the unknown, and being bold and courageous to follow the path God has made for you. But they were so rich in depth that I’ll have to wait until some videos are placed online to share the power/impact of their words with you. I even purchased a pre-ordered DVD of the entire conference because I knew God had more for me in those sermons and I wasn’t even taking notes (…again silly me!).
What I can share with you are my thoughts and action plans in response to what I heard and felt God leading me into for the next chapter of my life. While there isn’t ONE clear path for me, I feel stronger in my desire to be a bridge builder between Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender + community and Jesus than ever before. The entire conference was about empowering women in our communities and freeing women to take bold steps of faith in things that others might fear walking into. Maybe it’s because I’ve had difficult personal conversations about my own sexuality with close friends or maybe it’s because God truly is laying a foundation for me to follow Him into, but I couldn’t help but think about my LGBT+ brothers and sisters the entire weekend. I cried for a lot of reasons at the conference, but none more than thinking about how deeply I desire for Jesus to break through the walls our culture and society have built between these two groups. I want to walk around the walls, for days and days, and then YELL with a mighty ROAR to have those walls crumble to the ground like in Joshua 6 with the walls of Jericho.
I’ll tell you right now… I’m scared. I have no idea what response I’ll get or what success I’ll have in starting something that I haven’t seen done before. But I feel a movement in my spirit to take bolder steps and see how God comes through for me. Honestly, I might sound like I have some grand plan or blueprint that I’m looking at but there’s nothing except the dark unknown. All I have is a leading in my heart and faith that if I act I will see God do mighty things. I’m tired of just waiting. I’m tired of just hoping but doing nothing to see change. So here I am God. Shaking and trembling, but faithful. Let’s see what you have for me and for this broken world.
As is typical at conferences like this, they usually have some response/action to solidify what God placed in our hearts and this conference was no exception. They had us write on rocks (and thankfully we got to keep ours) to represent the building blocks of faith for what God stirred in our hearts. Below is my rock along with the necklace they gave us.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9
There are more discoveries I had this weekend, but I’ll save those for another post. This feels like a good place to instead turn the tables and ask you..What is God calling you to step into? What holds you back from following Him into what He’s calling you towards?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below OR through email at: engannon@gmail.com
Blessings my friends.
February Hopes and Dreams
At the end of each month you’ll see a lot of posts reflecting on the month that is ending, but this month I want to instead offer some of my hopes for what the month ahead could include!
February:
I hope that you are a month filled with rejuvenation and renewal. I’m not sure if any co-workers read this blog, but it’s kinda funny because at work the word “renewal” isn’t always a good thing. I’ll explain if anyone wants details on that, BUT! On this blog it is always a welcomed and often requested occurrence. I pray that I find new ways to experience joy and find little things that make me happy each day.
I hope to grow deeper in my current friendships as well as learn how to get rid of toxic relationships in my life (personally and professionally). There have been a few new friends that I am hoping to spend more time with and grow deeper in our trust and friendship this month!
I hope to begin a more regular and constant exercise routine that is realistic as well as challenging! During my time in an urban internship back in 2008-2010 I kept a routine with morning workouts and I experienced an intense feeling of accomplishment as I continued to meet my goals and even saw some weight loss! Let’s begin this pattern again in February!
I hope to gain more control over my spending by continuing to budget, as I mentioned in my previous post, and begin a savings plan for the long-term. I just had a conversation with one of my dearest friends about possible future plans and travels so I really need to get my shit together so these plans actually have a chance to happen! This doesn’t even include the planned trips to Vegas in March and Dallas, TX in September of this year. When did I become such a traveler?
And lastly, I hope to grow in my relationship with God and practice more spiritual disciplines so that I can feel closer to God. It’s perfect timing too because my small group study is learning about spiritual disciplines, so I already have an easy jumping off point to begin this habit. I can’t keep circling around my faith and avoiding the hard questions about what I believe unless I’m willing to experience God in new ways and through new practices. This is more of a life-long hope/dream but I’ll add a brief comment here: I hope to continue a dialogue about sexuality, gender, identity, and God’s love for all people with God and not just the world around me. Christians and non-Christians alike want to give me their thoughts and opinions about what to believe, what is right, what is wrong, and everything in between. Well I’m ready for God to step in and give His twosense now. So let’s hope and trust in a God that speaks and answers us when we call.
What hopes and dreams do you have going into this new month? I’d love to hear what you’re hoping for in the comments below.
Highs and Lows
I’ve written about this in previous posts, so excuse my repetition, but I’m constantly reminded that life is filled with the highs and lows and they are often existing in the same moment. I wish this weren’t true, but I seem to find myself most drawn to writing when life is at its low moments. I want that to change however, so I’m going to include the good things that are also happening alongside the lows I’ve experienced lately. Life is better balanced anyway…right?
I recently started seeing someone through Kaiser to help with depression care and while we’ve only met once, I already feel extremely hopeful and encouraged. She’s not a therapist but she helps patients set goals and try to keep life going when we feel as though life has slowed down due to depression and lack of motivation. It’s pretty close to what I was looking for last year when I saw a therapist through Soul Restoration project out in Orange County. The best part is that it’s free so it’s not adding an additional financial burden to seek help!
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect because I’ve found myself spiraling down back into familiar depression stages. I’ve struggled sleeping through the night, fallen back on bad eating habits, and lost motivation to care not only for my own life but for others. Unfortunately, it’s a vicious cycle because the less I care about eating well the deeper I fall in feeling depressed and round and around we go. I’m so thankful that I began seeing her last week and thankful that it’ll be a more extended time seeing her every other week for a few months.
I started an actual adult budget with the help of a family friend and it’s been the perfect mixture of happiness and pain. It’s painful to track where you spend money when you aren’t used to the details of your day. However, it’s also empowering to know where you spend money and have the ability to determine what takes priority in your life. I’m not too far into debt but I definitely need to pay off some credit cards and pay back some generous friends so that I can get my life in order.
That’s it for this short and sweet little update. I’m hoping to work on another post for the beginning of February dreams for the future!
Once again, thanks for reading these updates and for sticking with me through all the highs and (mainly) lows that I tend to share. I’m so thankful for each and every eye that gives this little piece of my heart some time and attention.
New Year 2015!
It’s going to be a brand spanking new year pretty soon, and while I’m not into New Years Eve parties, I definitely feel excited and rejuvenated with each new year. I see it as a time not only to reflect on the year that is ending but also a chance to make goals and aspirations for the year ahead.
It’s odd how vividly I remember the start of 2014. I was working through depression and trying to find the positives in my life. I was living in Fullerton and had very little contact with my friends. In fact, I remember some friends having a party/get-together and not being invited. It was a rough ending to a rough year. But the next day I woke up, went for a good long walk and felt very positive about the year ahead.
2014 feels like my transition year. It wasn’t bad but it had its own challenges and struggles. The best part about remembering last new years eve so clearly is being able to compare it to how I’m feeling this year (10:40pm as I write this on NYE). I feel a strong sense of positivity and hope going into 2015. I don’t usually like saying “this will be a great year” or things like that because we don’t know for sure. What we do know is how we react to whatever 2015 will bring and unlike last year, I feel like I can handle whatever 2015 brings!
So here is my two-fold reflection and resolution post!
2014: I made new friends who are awesome and love Supernatural just as much as I do! I got to see Vancouver for the first time and got my favorite pic with my boys that I’ve taken (so far). I went to counseling and experienced God in new ways. I joined a small group bible study that I’m really really happy with and excited to see what the group has in store next year. I found a church that I’m still getting to know but feel positive about the entire adventure. I moved back to LA (culver city) with a friend and began the transition back into having my own space and the responsibilities that come along with that. I began the extremely challenging task of budgeting and learning how to spend money wisely and effectively. Throughout all the ups and downs, 2014 was a year of planting seeds and new soil for what I hope my life to be about.
2015: You are a year filled with hope and potential…(Don’t tell any of the other years I said that though). You feel like a good fit and I’m excited for what we’ll do together. I hope to continue budgeting and feeling empowered by using my money well so that I can do new things and have new experiences. I hope to setup a rhythm of writing more consistently and practicing what I enjoy doing! I’m hoping that 2015 is filled with joy and seeing the positives in life no matter what the circumstance. I hope for better health and taking better care of myself and my body. The theme I want for 2015 is freedom and joy. Freedom to be myself, pursue my interests, seek joy and peace from God, and enjoy the life that I have been given.
I’m running on low energy as I wind down 2014 and feel I must end this post here. May each of you reading this have wonderful new years and find your own peace and joy! Let’s do this!
Happy New Year 2015!
Cartoon Realness & A Request
Be Still and know I am.
My blog feels very different than most of the blogs that I read and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. I don’t have “popular” posts about fashion/skin care but I do share insights and thoughts that I have about life and all it’s ups and downs hoping that whoever reads it will know that you aren’t alone. Sometimes I write to express myself, other times I write to share my love for a show or actor, and sometimes I write my observations about life in general. I can’t say much other than this is the blog that I want to have and I can’t be something that I’m not.
All this to say, thanks for sticking with me and if you’re still reading this…I appreciate your time and attention 😉
This week I wanted to share a song with you that has helped me get through the stressful and depressing days that I’ve experienced recently. Without going into too many details, depression isn’t something that just goes away when you start to feel “a little bit better”. In my personal experience, I have good days and I have very bad days. Thankfully I’m at the point where the good outweigh the bad.
In my bad days, I often search out things that will encourage me or make me “feel better”. Typically it’s my favorite TV show but music comes in a close second in terms of what I seek for comfort. I recently discovered the song “Be Still” by The Fray.
No matter how hurt I am with the church, my friends, or myself…my Creator does bring me comfort when it feels as though I’m completely alone in the world. I need to turn to Him more and this song helps remind me of that fact.
I’ll write out the lyrics on the bottom of the page. I encourage you to read them while listening to the song for the first time. Then, listen a second time with your eyes closed. Allow our Creator to speak through the song. Take deep breaths. Calm your mind. This was my process of listening to the song and immediately I began to cry. I needed to hear this song in my darkest moment so that I could be reminded that I’m not alone. The lyric that stood out the most to me is “If no one is standing beside you…be still and know I am”.
Be still and know I am.
I hope that you do take a moment to listen and allow peace to calm your soul, even for just 3 minutes of your day.
Be still and know that I’m with youBe still and know that I am here.Be still and know that I’m with youBe still, Be still, and know.When Darkness comes upon youAnd colors you with fear and shameBe still and know that I’m with youAnd I will say your name.If terror falls upon your bedand sleep no longer comesRemember all the words I saidBe still, be still, and knowAnd when you go through the valleyAnd the shadow comes down from the hillIf morning never comes to beBe still, be still, be stillIf you forget the way to goAnd lose where you came fromIf no one is standing beside youBe still and know I am.Be still and know that I’m with youBe still and know I am.



















