The Chronicles of JB

I never thought that my life among the jellies and the bellies would be so interesting, but the crazies really do come out to play at the jelly Belly factory. Let me set the scene in Fairfield , CA. Small town with a reputation of being home of the Jelly belly factory. We have so many tours come in filled with people from around the world. At the beginning of the tour, we have our guests line up to take a pictures with a stuffed Jelly Belly. Some people for whatever reason don’t want to take a picture (it usually comes down to the price $22!)

 

I had this one lady with a stroller standing in line that asked me how much it cost to buy the picture and I said, “it is free to take the picture, but it is $22 to buy the picture.” She responded by saying, “oh I need to take a picture of this beautiful black baby.” And I thought to myself well that was an interesting response but I mean the lady was African American and maybe she just was really excited about her beautiful black baby and so I went back to doing some other work . As she is reaching the front of the line she says again “I need to take a picture of this beautiful black baby”. So at this point, I am like what is up with this lady, I thought maybe she needed to remind herself about how 

beautiful her baby is because she keeps going on and on about her beautiful black baby.  So I’m like what the heck is the deal with this baby. I look in the stroller and there is this little white baby and  I look at the lady and then back at the baby . Then everything comes full circle that this lady is just straight crazy.

 

The other day I was a selling photo to a lady and after putting her photo in a bag I said “that will be $22”, then she proceeded to reach into her bra and pull out a stack of hundreds and handed me the money. I put on fakest smile ever and thanked her for her purchase. I don’t even wanna know.

 

Just today I had an old creepy man who asked me and my co-worker if he could take a picture of us for his collection. One of my co-workers was like “why would he want a picture of us”, and Ruby said “I can think of multiple reasons and none of them are good ones.”

 

Beyond all of  that, we try to take the best possible pictures of families but no matter how well you shot, you are going to have family pictures that just come out straight awkward, like a few of these examples I have provided.

 

Enjoy my friends…

Yosemite coming soon.....

Contemplator

I’ve always thought of myself as someone who was slow to catch onto things.  When I was younger, I thought sex was  just rolling around in a bed naked until about 8^th grade. I never really connected the dots. I remember in 5^th grade, my girl scout group had a specialist come in to explain he birds and the bees to us and I still didn’t understand. They didn’t use literal terminology they talked more metaphorically. I remember leaving that meeting thinking “what the heck, I still don’t how babies are made!”  I can drive some places a million times and still forget the directions. I’ve never really thought of myself as a contemplator but more as a learn-as-you-go type of person or a play-by-ear. Speaking of these little phrases like learn-as-you-go or play-by-ear, I sometimes realize that I have no idea what these little American phrases mean.

 

Now in my old age, I find myself contemplating everything. I am second guessing myself and my decisions. Caution steps in what I do and say and I allow myself to think.

This baby is just here to demonstrate that most of the time I have no idea what the heck is going on.

ANd I just think that this article is awesome...

Chronicles

Coming soon The Jelly Belly Chronicles 

The Crazies come out to play at the Jelly Belly Factory

Brave New World

Some concepts that have found new meanings in my adult life:

“If you don’t work, you don’t eat”

 

Money management has come to a new level. Battling things like high California taxes and karate chopping living expenses.

 

There is no more “Well after I finish school and I can spread my wings and soar”, I’m in the after….I’m in the now….I’m in the afternow! Will I only feel complete after I have successfully established myself oversea. NO! How do I define my success. That is really the question that I find myself pondering at the present moment.

What’s a girl to do? Should  I make do with the mediocre or strive for excellence?

What does daily success look like. I think I will ask my friends….

 

I asked Gadi and he said that your success is defined by your level of happiness and your ability to meet your goals.

 

I’m happy but am I meeting my goals….

Need a pick-me-up? Dance to this. Don't know how to dance? The key is to always have your hands in motion...trust me.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjWPyDMk8k8

Remnant of love

So, I am s o blessed to volunteer with Remnant Church in Fairfield. This church is who they say they are. Their mission is to be the church on the street, in the office,  in life with refreshing life from God. How do I describe this church; its like coming up for a breath of fresh air. Their hearts for God and people are so colorful and unique. Their getting out into the community to make a difference because they believe that they have something worth fighting for.  I get to be a part of what God is doing in Fairfield. I’m interning here and I’m trying to be the hands and feet but right now I feel like I’m like the pinky, but eventually I will find my sweet spot, my special area of influence. I’m telling you people are always saying “what is so special about Fairfield? There is nothing to do, la-di-da-di-da” so here is my perspective. Fairfield has this secret luster. If you talk about the luster then there is the possibility that it will go away, but it is there. Fairfield has potential. 

 

Every week we go to a place called Mission Solano, which is a homeless shelter, and just hang out. I’m just blow away by the people there that have lost so much and that have maybe made some bad choices or have been down on their luck,  but despite all of that, they are so open to people. What I have found in the city of Fairfield is that the people really lack a sense of community but the people at the homeless shelter are very relational and open. I do my best to love them but they do a great job loving me back. The first week I was here. I had two days of work off and Ruby had gone out of town. I didn’t have anything to do so thought that I would just hangout with my friends at Mission Solano, but there is this guy there who goes by the name of Sweet Daddy who makes me feel mildly to extremely uncomfortable most of the time  sayin things like “I like your face….You are so sweet…you single….give me a hug.” He would always end our conversations by rubbing my neck and saying something like “Bye cutie.”  The women and their children at Mission Solano are amazing though...

 

My remnant friends are great and my work friends are great.

 

End of story.

 

Well at least for this entry.

Jelly Belly Advocate

Life in California has commenced and I could not be happier.

 

I work at the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield, CA in the guest service section. Jelly Belly gives free tours of the tours of the factory and during the tour the guest stop to take a picture with Mr. Jelly Belly in front of a green screen and then continue on with their tour. So I basically take their picture, edit their picture on the screen and add a bunch of jelly bellies to their background and people buy these photos for $22. It is so ridiculous, I feel like I am robbing people most of the time, then I remember that it is just Jelly Belly that is the greedy one. With that aside, I love my job. I get to work with my best friend, who is also my boss, Ruby. She tells me things like “Kristen, you have to pay me $100 to go to the bathroom.” When I greet the tourist I am constantly being made fun of for the things I say to them. Some of the most ridiculous things come out of my mouth. For instance, the other day I was trying to sell a picture to a couple with jelly bellies in the background. The lady was teeter-tottering on the idea of whether she wanted to buy her picture and I joking said, “You know, the jelly bellies really bring out the colors in your eyes.” Shortly after saying this I realized that she had black eyes to begin with, so I thought to myself out no…what have I just done. But to my surprise my comment swayed her in the right direction because she ended up buying the photo. Week 1 of working at the Jelly Belly factory is awesome and full of fun and laughter. 

 

I think that it is amazing that I work in a candy factory. If you know me (and hopefully you do know me…if not please discontinue reading my blog) you know that I love candy. Surprisingly enough, I haven’t really eaten that much candy. I’m growing up I guess. With that aside, I work right above the bakery where they make things like fudge, chocolate cell phones, chocolate covered apples, and all kinds of tasty treats. When I’m not busy, I like to watch the bakers make all of their little desserts. Yeah, I’m pretty much in a constant state of temptation.

Not quite international in California

There are many things that I am unsure of.....where I will be in five years, or one year for that matter, but I am sure of the calling that God has put in my life; to love and serve people internationally. A part of me wanted to leave the moment I graduated from IU (which was a week ago) and dive into the Taiwan, France, Denmark, Belgium, Tanzania, Russia, Chile, or anywhere really. Anyway the wind would blow me, trying to ignore "perfect timing" and seek the adventure the world had in store for me. I applied for English teaching jobs overseas. With possibilities opening with every person I spoke to, I became overwhelmed with a decision that could affect the rest of my life. My eyes were constantly wonder left to right, asking myself “Well, I can use my French here, I can get a good start here, I can get a good salary there, they will hire me there, this place has the cheapest plane tickets.” When did I get so discombobulated that I forgot the very reason I wanted to travel outside in the first place? My priorities went all A-wall, on the count of not letting God’s say into the mixture. When I head off to distant lands, I want to be sure that I am being called to that specific area with a group of people that are united in a purpose to see Jesus impact the lives of those that He is calling after. I want to be in THAT MIXTURE! The Lord is preparing my heart to love Him and others in a bigger way. I want to follow where God is leading me and He is leading me to the West. 

Tomorrow I am head off to Fairfield, CA for a summer-long adventure with some of my favorite people. I will be working at the JELLYBELLY factory making the big bucks in the photography sector. I know, I know, the first question everyone ask me is "Are you going to be taking pictures of jelly beans?" and I reply, "No... I'm going to be taking pictures of people and jelly beans." Photography by day, something far greater by night after quiting time. You see, in Fairfield there's a group of people, that are completely amazing by the way, that have planted a church, Remnant (check it www.remnantloves.me ). Their mission is that "people far from God fall in love with Jesus." They are loving people without limits and I get the awesome opportunity to join them in a summer internship!!! Woohooo! ( I really enjoy writing the expressions sounds that I am feeling and will continue doing so throughout) I am excited to hang with my amigos, live in California, and eat jelly beans all the long-day, but most importantly, I'm excited to see how I can be stretched and used this summer. So just as I recorded my endeavors in France, I will attempt to bring you all a special viewing into my life as God calls me into the deep and away from home. I love you all.

You have my heart Indiana....