This week, the Ramstein Class of 2001 descended upon Las Vegas to reminisce about our glorious days of attending high school in Germany. But I was sincerely walking in with some nerves. Throughout the planning process, I could tell that there were many (myself included) folks still carrying some battle scars from high school. I wasn’t sure how it was all going to work out in Vegas…if there were going to be loads of stubborn, hurt people who would act out in passive aggressive, or maybe even straight up aggressive, manners. And folks, let me tell you. There was no. reason. to worry.

I was amazed at how quickly *everyone* fell into conversation. Everyone was genuinely interested in what everyone else was doing in their lives…there was no marking who was in what group in high school, or who did what to whom…it was just a lovely, fun couple of days with a LOT of laughs.

A huge thank you to everyone who made it out…everyone who put aside what may have happened 10 or 11 years ago and just lived in the fact that we all had a pretty unique high school experience, and let it be fun to have that common thread of the Kino, Riverside, doner plates, Kristkindle markts, and the last few moments of an amazing exchange rate. I love you all…can’t wait to see you again…but I’m not planning another reunion for 10 more years. ; )

He said something that made me laugh so hard, I told him to stop everything he was doing and tweet it. He fell back laughing, then said, “Hold on, everyone! I’ve said something mildly amusing! I must share it with THE WORLD!”

I hung my head in conviction. Because…you know…that’s how I tweet.

It was just a surreal evening. And big enough for my shortest blog post ever.

> Coffee. Not for it’s effects, because I’m almost certain its caffeine doesn’t do anything for me. But simply for the comfort it gives in holding a hot mug and breathing in the aroma.

> Unexpected friendships. The people I would never, in a million years, think to be friends with, that seem to come along side me at the most perfect moments and love me well. Like Glenn Camhi…an incredible man I met at French Laundry in Napa. We sat near each other for one meal six months ago, and his consistent kindness over Facebook still warms my heart. Or Audrey Assad, who never in a million years would have thought I’d learn so much from. She’s a surprising little sucker. Or Kelli Stegeman, Kathrine Thomason, Joey Ciccoline, Brian Bergman, Anna Santos, Annie Williams…the list goes on and on and on.

> Music. Thanks to Nashville, my iTunes library seems to be chock full of a song for every conceivable mood. I’m so thankful for the talent of the people in that city, and their tastes, and the time they take in introducing me to new artists.

> Autumn Petersen and Julie Rice. Autumn, for her simple, healthy cooking techniques and her seemingly limitless ability to give and care. Julie, for her ability to listen and be a steady rock in the midst of just about any storm.

> My family. The sweetest, most supportive bunch I could ever hope for.

> Home improvement stores. Their smell, their smooth floors, their garden centers, their wide aisles and unlimited project possibilities.

> Humility. In the midst of a city and an industry that asks for nothing more than complete self-service, I’m so thankful for the gentle, selfless folks who are able to consistently rise above those temptations.

> Jesus. Because I’m fairly certain that when my heart feels like it’s going to combust out of love and joy and gratefulness, it’s probably because He made it that way.

> Art. And the opportunity to see it in a million different forms. And for the time that Brian Garcia told me I was an artist. Because no one had ever told me that before him.

> Mariah Carey. Because my life would be dismal without her Christmas album. And I’m sure Gina Nykerk, Sara McManigal and Christina Griffith feel the same way.

> Baking. Especially when I nail the lattice top crust on an apple pie. Don’t worry, I’ll be posting pictures later of today’s work of art.

> Emma. Because without the chances that company took on me, I know without a doubt I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

> Nature. And every season. And every climate. And every weather pattern. I love love love love love it.

> Judah Solomon Kahne. My unborn nephew. Whom I love love love so much.

> Every single person that has helped me on this road towards my dream of acting for a living. Ashley Giovannettone, Julie Swistak, Michael Hepburn, Chris Conner, Ramon de Ocampo, Johnny Yoder, Jonathan Runyon, J. Claude Deering, Lindsey Kroeger and Alan Dysert.

> Technology. Especially video chat. Which makes me feel so close to the people I like so much.

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all. And Los Angelesians (not a real term, by the way), save the date on December 11th. Holiday bash at our home.

Please note…you’re about to find things out about me you really…really…probably don’t want to know. So if there’s anything in you telling you to turn back…do it now. Ha.

Dear R.E.I.,

I recently bought a pair of your Rendezvous Trekking Pants to take on a trip to Machu Pichu, Peru. My oldest brother came back from a long tour in Iraq and wanted to have a new adventure, and I was the lucky sibling he invited along.

The trip was beautiful. The five day hike over the Incan trail was out of this world. It was certainly a once in a lifetime trip, and I was so thankful to have had the wonderful folks at R.E.I. prepare me for the expedition. I mean that. They prepared me more than I can tell you.

One thing I wasn’t expecting on my trip were the, ahem, bathroom difficulties. Chock it up to the change in elevation, the delicacy of guinea pig and alpaca on the menu, or maybe the fact that our facilities on the trail consisted of a broken toilet seat balanced over a bucket inside a loosely constructed tent made of shredded tarp. But, suffice it to say, I didn’t have much need for a bathroom break for about a week.

That all changed our last night in Peru. In the van on our way from Machu Pichu back to Cusco, my system decided to open up and make up for the last six days. There was nothing I could do, except delicately take off my fleece jacket and wrap it around my waist, then calmly ask my brother to get the key for the hotel room as quickly as possible. We had about 15 more minutes in the van before reaching the hotel, and I used that time to think about what had just happened.

When what seemed like an eternity passed, we pulled up to the hotel. My brother hopped out and walked straight to the front desk, while I stood up to make another mortifying discovery. My accident had made it to the cloth seat of the van. And come daylight, this same van, with this same driver, and this same translator, would be picking my brother and me up again to take us to the airport.

In the interest of your very important time, I’ll spare you the details on how I handled that particular part of the story. Suffice it to say, someone up there (pointing heavenward) must really like me…or at least recognized my plight enough to give me a little bit of mercy in that moment.

Here’s the miracle as it relates to R.E.I.:

Clearly, my little accident got me a little messy. And it got the van a little messy. But as my brother and I inspected my Rendezvous Trekking pants, they were perfectly clean. Pristine, even. We both looked at each other…then back at the pants…searching for some indication that they needed to be left behind in the hotel wastebasket. But they didn’t.

So my compliments and gratitude go out to you, R.E.I. Thank you for creating the most incredible wick-away trekking pants known to man. You’ve earned a customer for life as a result. I hope, though, that will be the last time I need to test your products in that way.

Sincerely,

Rachael C. Kahne

Wearing the famous pants with my brother in Peru

]]> http://www.soundslikecon.com/archives/417/feed 0 http://www.soundslikecon.com/archives/399 http://www.soundslikecon.com/archives/399#comments Fri, 12 Nov 2010 05:11:29 +0000 Rachael http://www.soundslikecon.com/?p=399 I have two.

Two recurring dreams that I’ve had since approximately 1991.

The first? Bryan Adams (yes, Bryan Adams, not Ryan Adams) is madly in love with me, and I with him, and he sweeps me off my feet to ride off into the sunset together. I’m fairly certain this began after I watched his video at the end of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves at the very impressionable age of 8 years old. But it’s happened at least once a year for the past 19 years.

The second? It’s my wedding day, but I’m marrying someone I don’t love, or want to spend my life with. But I force myself to stay with it because I always follow through on my word. And yes, I wake up in cold sweats.

So I’m thinking this either means I’m supposed to marry Bryan Adams (not opposed to it, Old Man!)…or I’m not supposed to get married at all. Or maybe it just means my wedding song is supposed to be ‘Everything I Do‘. Or maybe it doesn’t mean anything. But it sure would be funny if it did.

And I really…really…really don’t want to let the things I’ve picked up in Spain to wear off once I’m back in the US.

Here…you let life happen. You ENJOY. You take your time. You laugh. You let relationships happen. You strike up conversations with the people at the table next to you. You’re invited over for a drink. You breathe deeply. You rest well. You take yourself less seriously. And it’s wonderful.

I’ll miss the sangria…cafe con leche…patios facing the ocean and conversations with locals and travelers alike. I’ll miss the pace. I’ll miss the pubs during World Cup wins, the beachside sushi in Sitges, and the upfront frankness of the men. (I mean it…it was fascinating to be spoken to so bluntly.)

But I just hope I can live like this once I’m back in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. To step back and remember to enjoy the moments, love people, be hospitable to others, and find lots (and lots) of time to laugh. And to those of you who see me on a regular basis…please remind me. : )

For now…I pack. And try to remember every detail of this summer. If you want to take a peek at my time, you can do so here.

Honestly, I was afraid to go. The wounds I felt during my time there seemed even larger after I left, and I was afraid that I might be pulled back into the same old ways of thinking. But it couldn’t have been more opposite. The people I saw were such deep comforts. Such reminders of life and joy and true friendship. Which is GREAT.

I just didn’t expect it to make me so lonely now. You know…the palpable loneliness that sits on your chest and doesn’t completely allow you to sleep well at night?

So. If you have the time. Take a moment. Look at the people around you. The ones that care for you. The ones that you care for. The ones you take time for you. Initiate with you. Love you. Challenge you. And hug them. Tell them you love them. And find ways to show them you care.

And to Sonnie.Annie.Sara.Christina.Kathrine.Jan.Emilie.Carly.Joey.Paul.Brandon.Andy.Matt: I love you guys. I’m thankful for you. I cannot believe how blessed I am to know you. How much I’ve learned from each one of you. How you’ve enriched my life. My mom once told me that the friends I made in Nashville would be my friends for the rest of my life. She meant that about you guys. (No pressure…but seriously…I’m ready to get matching tattoos if you are.)

Oh, and Kathrine? That list of folks was written in no particular order. : )

…I knew what I was going to be like down the road. What my convictions were going to be…what my views and thoughts would be.

…I could focus more.

…someone else could be the adult.

…my bangs didn’t have a cowlick right where they part.

…I wouldn’t get so many headaches.

…more people liked to video chat.

…chocolate was free and available on every street corner.

…I understood people more.

…that I would be understood more.

…men and women could get along, without being weird.

…my skin would clear up.

…I wouldn’t break out in hives during auditions.

Sometimes I wish…

…words would come to me more freely. And I could write a press release without reaching down to play with my dog instead.

It’s tiny. And it’s in a web series. But it’s a NBC/Universal web series. And I’m playing the personal assistant to the lead. Who happens to be AnnaLynne McCord. And I’m only in one episode. But it’s a start. It’s my first job out here. And I’m excited. I shoot April 6th…so if I had a Flip Camera, I would document every part of it imaginable. But I don’t. So I’ll just write about it when it’s all said and done.

I also had the opportunity to go and read for casting director Lindsey Kroeger yesterday. She’s casting a film and needed someone to read the lines with the actors while she taped the auditions. And guys. I learned SO. MUCH. And also sweat a lot. Especially when Illeana Douglas walked upstairs and I had to read with her. Or when Joe Egender came in and made me believe that he really did have a crush on me (the script called for some relational tension). But every actor was so prepared…so on their game…so professional. I cannot express the inspiration they provided. The opportunity made me incredibly happy to be here…and I’m more excited than ever to hone this skill. Weeee!

In other news…all I’ve been able to think about lately is what the Christian life is really supposed to look like. That maybe Matthew 25:34 really sums it up. Feed the hungry. Care for the homeless. Clothe the naked. Care for the sick. Visit the imprisoned. Simple. Straight-forward. But ohhh, how I complicate things. I just wonder how our world would change…if this was the verse that was lived out daily. And the rest of life was just details. Exquisite details. Details that allow us to work hard, have fun, enjoy our families and friends. Learn and teach and listen and encourage and love, love, love, love. I want that. I want that for this world. Truly.

At first I toyed with the idea of a full on Bucket List post…but figured everyone has the same overall hopes. To visit every country in the world. To climb Kilimanjaro. To help end poverty. To be asked by Brad Pitt to adopt a baby from a foreign country of his choice…after he asks you to marry him. ::Sigh:: But, since we all have those on our overarching list, I thought I’d focus on the smaller, more detailed items. Thus, it’s my lunch pail list.

1 :: To be in 3 feature films. Or maybe 8. Okay…okay…I draw the line at 29. Maybe.

2 :: To relearn Hebrew. And actually use it this time.*

3 :: To work with the International Justice Mission in opening and maintaining safe houses for victims of sex trafficking and slavery.

4 :: To live in Scotland. For at *least* 6 months.

5 :: To watch the sun rise and set over the Egyptian pyramids.

That’s the lunch pail. If you want to help me get there…I’d love to let you.

*If you happen to have the Rosetta Stone for Hebrew…I’ll be happy to take it off your hands for a short time. At no charge. : )