C'mon now.... You can't really wonder how I know.... Use the little gray cells and all will become abundantly clear. = )
Ah, what the hey. I'm bored. I'm avoiding homework - yes, all three papers and the article, not to mention the two books and Judges, all due sometime this week. What better way to combine both activities than to fill out a survey? So here goes. Be prepared for.... um.... uh..... a survey. (They can be quite frightening you know)
_ Basics _
name- Persephone
age- 18 and almost-a-half
location- Solly basement computer lab.
gender- uh, gee, I dunno.... Possibly I'm a girl? yeah, that makes sense.
eye color- Some people say green and some people say gray. Personally I'd prefer green.
hair color- Brown. A nice, medium, normal brown. (The world is like a cookie - it's brown and complex.)
fears- uh.... spiders... needles.... large crowds of people.... in some cases, the dark.
_ Have You Ever _
called 911- Well, my babysitter did once. I remember how much trouble we got in.
had a dream come true- Sort of.
broken someones heart- I hope not. I'd feel quite bad.
had a boyfriend/girlfriend- *the fifth* (actually I'm not sure how to answer that question)
_ Favorites _
restaurant- Uh.... I'll jump for Fazoli's.
sport- swimming
hobby- Being dysfunctional. Or frolicking.
movie- Princess Bride, Importance of Being Earnest
holiday- Hm.... I like all holidays. Thanksgiving has a rather special place in my heart I suppose.
place in your house- Place in my dorm room? My bed. Place in my house? Somewhere near a window.
color- Green
drink- I don't.
snack- It depends. Chocolate or something salty.
time of day- uh....
tv show- ..... .... .... recess?
_The last_
I'm skipping this one. I don't care that much.
_This OR That _
salt OR pepper- salt
bbq OR regular- regular (that way if you want barbecue chips all you have to do is get barbecue sauce, and if you want ranch chips, you can get ranch dressing, etc etc.)
pink OR blue- Ok, is this seriously even a question?
blonde OR brunette- Black as the deepest part of my soul.
sugar OR spice- Sugar
rap OR rock- Is this a legitimate question? I think not.
camping OR boating- Why not both?
skateboarding OR surfing- neither
_Love Life_
I think I'll skip this one too....
_Have You Ever_
Been in Love~ I'd have to say no.
Fell off a chair~ Many many times, usually when I'm at my computer and the phone rings.
Slipped on Ice~ Heck yes.
Eaten Squid~ it's rubbery.
Flown on a plane~ thank goodness
Been on a Cruise~ who needs 'em anyway?
Wish you were someone else~ sort of. Mostly I wish I was an improved me.
Broken a body part~ nope.
_This OR That_ (again)
Strawberry OR Cherry~ Strawberry
Peanut Butter OR Jelly~ Jelly
Library OR A Football Game~ So... this is a question why?
Fall OR Spring~ Fall! Heck yes!
Backstreet Boys OR Spice Girls~ I'll pretend I didn't see that, and I'll do my best to pretend there isn't anyone out there who likes either.
OJ OR Milk~ Milk
Lunch OR Dinner~ mm.... both.
Spider OR Bee~ Bee. Without a doubt.
July OR December~ I dunno. December I think.
_Word Association_
Snow~ blue/flakes (pretty much simultaneously)
Rain~ thunder (actually a scene pops into my head, but I'll spare you the description and just say thunder)
Orginal~ writing
Unique~ food
Mail~ food packages
Trash~ need to take out
Ever~ never
Pepper~ green
Sugar~ diet
Sun~ warm
So, I hope you all enjoyed that, and for those people who just skimmed over it (I know, surveys are boring. I don't blame you) here's a little bit of real news: I have a ton of homework, it's snowing dump trucks (we're supposed to get 6-10 inches), consequently causing my dinner with Prof Perrin to be cancelled, I got to take a prospective with me to art class this morning,and Morris commented that I was wearing contacts. That really has nothing to do with anything, but it was nice not to be ignored. My art project..... I hated it. But it's over and done with, so I'm going to move on to bigger and better (and infinitely more confusing) projects. The new one involves something about small objects and flat planes. Should be interesting. Prof Botts did a bit of frolicking today.... uh.... Scott was not in Bible class, which I suppose shouldn't be surprising considering how angry he got in the last class (he's the one I told you about who asked good questions. Last class he totally lost it though. Got upset when Dr. Miller said that praying to anyone other than God - ie saints - was wrong.).
Yeah, that's about it. I've decided that I like Liz S. - Scutieri? - (have no idea how to spell her last name, but it's not the normal Liz) a lot - she was great with the prospective and is not as opinionated or competitive as a lot of the other art majors. Plus I just like her art a lot, and that's bound to prejudice one.
So.... yeah. I should stop procrastinating now. Have a wonderfully white day! I think after dinner I'll go frolic in the snow.
Oh, wait, that reminds me. I thought of this idea for the performance art.... map out a snowflake. (Yes, there's more to it than that) Then, find a big field somewhere with lots of snow. Get a whole bunch of people together. Have them walk single file into the field (so as to disturb the snow as little as possible), arrange them so that when they lay down they'll form the snowflake you previously mapped out. Some people when they lay down will make snow angels, and some will just lay flat, but wouldn't that be totally awesome? And of course they'd all have to lay down at the same time. I wonder if it'd work? Feedback anyone?
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Thank you, Life Fitness.
Late last night I was working on my fitness autobiography - a two page paper due this week for Life Fitness. I really did try to write a serious paper.... but I ended up with what Liz calls an "articulately flippant" paper, which I should probably not turn in, unless I want to fail the course. I thought, however, that my meager readership might enjoy it.
*AHEM!*
------------------------------------------------------------
Fitness Autobiography, by Mackenzie Martin
At one point, as long ago as three years, I was in fairly good shape. I was on a swim team, swam three times a week for an hour and a half, and carried out a regular schedule of dry-land exercises. Then, due to transportation problems, choosing to spend more time together as a family, getting a job, and the advent of a new hyper-competitive swim coach, I just didn't have time to work out anymore. I quit the swim team and became sedentary. Events have continued in this way until this semester, Spring 2005, when the advent of Life Fitness required me to work out at least three times a week - or else forfeit my comfortable GPA and therefore my scholarship. It's unlikely that anything less dramatic would have induced me to begin a campaign of fitness, but I nevertheless resent the intrusion of health-awareness into my nicely arranged life.
My present fitness level, as I've said, is not great. It lands on the negative side of sedentary. I do, however, climb three flights of stairs numerous times a day, and now I work out three times a week. Altogether, my fitness level is improving. I would like to see it continue to improve, obviously, since I don't intend to fail this course.
I know all the spiel about how great exercising is for your life. I even remember how it was - having a lot more energy, sleeping well at night, in general feeling happy with my body. Not that I'm unhappy with my body. It's a fairly nice body as bodies go, even if it has no muscle tone, and after all it's the only one I've got. I know that exercising regularly makes you hungry - thus promoting the eating of real food and not just junk food. Yes, exercising improves your nutrition. I know that exercising regularly would greatly help decrease my level of stress, which, these days, is quite high. I know, theoretically, that it would help clear my mind and might even be a benefit to my spiritual life, providing some extra meditative time to spend with God. The problem with knowing all this theoretically is that I'm not motivated to actually go out, exercise, and reap these benefits for myself. This knowledge only makes me vaguely dissatisfied, trying to bury the thought that I'm a lazy bum who will get fat and die of heart complications by the age of thirty.
With the advent of Life Fitness, however, a new thought has been added into the mix which gives me pause. The thought that I'm actually disobeying God's commands to be a good steward by neglecting to take care of my body is, admittedly, a disturbing one. I make a concerted effort to spend time with God each day, reading the Bible, studying it, and talking with Him. It may seem odd that, although I've been neglecting exercise for years because it's simply too much trouble (even though I know all the benefits I've listed above), the thought that obeying God might require exercise should bother me. It seems odd that it bothers me enough to almost bring about change in my exercising habits. I mean, I've neglected very obvious benefits, for, as I said, years. So why, now, does it suddenly strike me that being a good steward of my body is of importance to my faith? It's never particularly struck me that I need to go out and chain myself to trees in front of a bulldozer in order to be a good steward of God's creation, and it's never struck me that I need to live in a hovel in order to be a good steward of the resources God has given me. And yet, all of a sudden, I find myself of the persuasion that I need to throw myself in the pool three times a week and elevate my heart rate to a certain level in order to truly follow God's commands.
Thank you, Life Fitness. My faith is now complete.
*AHEM!*
------------------------------------------------------------
Fitness Autobiography, by Mackenzie Martin
At one point, as long ago as three years, I was in fairly good shape. I was on a swim team, swam three times a week for an hour and a half, and carried out a regular schedule of dry-land exercises. Then, due to transportation problems, choosing to spend more time together as a family, getting a job, and the advent of a new hyper-competitive swim coach, I just didn't have time to work out anymore. I quit the swim team and became sedentary. Events have continued in this way until this semester, Spring 2005, when the advent of Life Fitness required me to work out at least three times a week - or else forfeit my comfortable GPA and therefore my scholarship. It's unlikely that anything less dramatic would have induced me to begin a campaign of fitness, but I nevertheless resent the intrusion of health-awareness into my nicely arranged life.
My present fitness level, as I've said, is not great. It lands on the negative side of sedentary. I do, however, climb three flights of stairs numerous times a day, and now I work out three times a week. Altogether, my fitness level is improving. I would like to see it continue to improve, obviously, since I don't intend to fail this course.
I know all the spiel about how great exercising is for your life. I even remember how it was - having a lot more energy, sleeping well at night, in general feeling happy with my body. Not that I'm unhappy with my body. It's a fairly nice body as bodies go, even if it has no muscle tone, and after all it's the only one I've got. I know that exercising regularly makes you hungry - thus promoting the eating of real food and not just junk food. Yes, exercising improves your nutrition. I know that exercising regularly would greatly help decrease my level of stress, which, these days, is quite high. I know, theoretically, that it would help clear my mind and might even be a benefit to my spiritual life, providing some extra meditative time to spend with God. The problem with knowing all this theoretically is that I'm not motivated to actually go out, exercise, and reap these benefits for myself. This knowledge only makes me vaguely dissatisfied, trying to bury the thought that I'm a lazy bum who will get fat and die of heart complications by the age of thirty.
With the advent of Life Fitness, however, a new thought has been added into the mix which gives me pause. The thought that I'm actually disobeying God's commands to be a good steward by neglecting to take care of my body is, admittedly, a disturbing one. I make a concerted effort to spend time with God each day, reading the Bible, studying it, and talking with Him. It may seem odd that, although I've been neglecting exercise for years because it's simply too much trouble (even though I know all the benefits I've listed above), the thought that obeying God might require exercise should bother me. It seems odd that it bothers me enough to almost bring about change in my exercising habits. I mean, I've neglected very obvious benefits, for, as I said, years. So why, now, does it suddenly strike me that being a good steward of my body is of importance to my faith? It's never particularly struck me that I need to go out and chain myself to trees in front of a bulldozer in order to be a good steward of God's creation, and it's never struck me that I need to live in a hovel in order to be a good steward of the resources God has given me. And yet, all of a sudden, I find myself of the persuasion that I need to throw myself in the pool three times a week and elevate my heart rate to a certain level in order to truly follow God's commands.
Thank you, Life Fitness. My faith is now complete.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Yes.
Someone once asked me if Mennonites worshipped Menno.
What I should've said:
Yes. Menno is the god of squirrels.
What I should've said:
Yes. Menno is the god of squirrels.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Unexpected
Of all the things I hoped and expected find in my e-mail inbox this morning (including cancellations to two of my classes! Yes!) I didn't expect a notification that Steven had left a comment on my blog. I mean, maybe I should expect the unexpected by now, given that it happens so often and is sometimes so much fun, but this was one thing that.... well, hadn't even crossed my mind.
Yes, I know that's the definition of unexpected, but heck, allow me some leeway to ignore language rules. As an excuse, I again offer up my nonconformity, or at least my surprise. = )
I have to say that now I'm really really curious how he found my blog, since he specifically said "don't ask". That comment has always had the effect of exciting curiosity. Some day I'm going to do tests on that phenomenon and see if it's a humanity-wide reaction.
Regardless of the fact that I can never remember whether you're supposed to congratulate the bride or the groom, I say to Steven (just in case he ever reads my blog again): Congratulations! I heard you're getting married! No matter how freaky it is to see my contemporaries getting married, I can't say I'm too surprised. = ) (yes, allow me my retrospective smug moment. *pause* There. It's over.)
Which, in a really roundabout way, brings me to my next topic (OK, so it doesn't at all. Whatever.) Apparently the girls in Grantham did this mosaic out of sticky notes (which I really need to go see) on the walkway windows of all four floors, and we were talking about it at dinner. All of a sudden it struck me: the most brilliant idea for a senior project ever (or at least a senior prank). One huge piece of performance art. Heck, why not? I bet I could! I love hearing about all these crazy modern artists who have done bizarre art. I have four years (well.... three and a half) to come up with the plans and find enough crazy people to do it. I'm so excited!!! And one (or all) of the film majors can document it! I'm thinking at least a hundred people, (as a preliminary plan) wearing red tops and purple pants and carrying dead rats, marching around campus chanting.... something. Chanting something. Haven't come up with that yet. Actually I haven't even come up with a concrete plan of any kind yet. We could even publicize it! Have the entire campus come and watch! Or better yet, invite everyone to join in! Dang!
That would be the single most awesome senior prank ever!!
Ok, maybe not ever. But it appeals to my art majorness in a big way. And ideally I'd like to document it with film and photographs, and put them in my senior exhibit. Or write a book about it. Wouldn't' that be great? I can see it now. One of those coffee-table-type books, with gorgeous photos and text all about the people involved etc. Dang that would be cool.
Or.... I could totally see a bunch of seniors milling around in the trees near Climenhaga, and at a signal, they'd all start climbing trees, waving scarves of different colors. We'd probably get fined, possibly even expelled, but that would definitely be awesome.
Dang! I'm so excited!!!
Yes, I know that's the definition of unexpected, but heck, allow me some leeway to ignore language rules. As an excuse, I again offer up my nonconformity, or at least my surprise. = )
I have to say that now I'm really really curious how he found my blog, since he specifically said "don't ask". That comment has always had the effect of exciting curiosity. Some day I'm going to do tests on that phenomenon and see if it's a humanity-wide reaction.
Regardless of the fact that I can never remember whether you're supposed to congratulate the bride or the groom, I say to Steven (just in case he ever reads my blog again): Congratulations! I heard you're getting married! No matter how freaky it is to see my contemporaries getting married, I can't say I'm too surprised. = ) (yes, allow me my retrospective smug moment. *pause* There. It's over.)
Which, in a really roundabout way, brings me to my next topic (OK, so it doesn't at all. Whatever.) Apparently the girls in Grantham did this mosaic out of sticky notes (which I really need to go see) on the walkway windows of all four floors, and we were talking about it at dinner. All of a sudden it struck me: the most brilliant idea for a senior project ever (or at least a senior prank). One huge piece of performance art. Heck, why not? I bet I could! I love hearing about all these crazy modern artists who have done bizarre art. I have four years (well.... three and a half) to come up with the plans and find enough crazy people to do it. I'm so excited!!! And one (or all) of the film majors can document it! I'm thinking at least a hundred people, (as a preliminary plan) wearing red tops and purple pants and carrying dead rats, marching around campus chanting.... something. Chanting something. Haven't come up with that yet. Actually I haven't even come up with a concrete plan of any kind yet. We could even publicize it! Have the entire campus come and watch! Or better yet, invite everyone to join in! Dang!
That would be the single most awesome senior prank ever!!
Ok, maybe not ever. But it appeals to my art majorness in a big way. And ideally I'd like to document it with film and photographs, and put them in my senior exhibit. Or write a book about it. Wouldn't' that be great? I can see it now. One of those coffee-table-type books, with gorgeous photos and text all about the people involved etc. Dang that would be cool.
Or.... I could totally see a bunch of seniors milling around in the trees near Climenhaga, and at a signal, they'd all start climbing trees, waving scarves of different colors. We'd probably get fined, possibly even expelled, but that would definitely be awesome.
Dang! I'm so excited!!!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Wrestling with a Tradition
Wow. So I've decided that I hate color. No, not really. But if I don't severely limit my palette, I always end up with a fudged mess.... Which is basically what happened with the project I have to turn in tomorrow. Oh well.
In chapel this morning one of the professors used the phrase "wrestling with a tradition" and I totally loved it. I wasn't too impressed with the prof, but I loved the phrase. It seems like that's what I've been doing for all of college thus far. Granted, I haven't been here long. I can't seem to get away from it though. I've definitely received some traditional viewpoints and beliefs from my family, and I've had to evaluate just about all of them.
I've wrestled primarily with my anabaptist background I suppose. I have no idea why I believe some of the things I do, about society and the Bible and the church. Living where I've lived, I didn't have to. Nobody cared, and nobody knew why they believed what they believed either. Now though, it's a different story. I have no idea why I'm glad chivalry is dead. Is chivalry a good thing or a bad thing? Why in particular is Machiavelli wrong about ends and means? (I'm pretty sure he is wrong, but I can't seem to articulate why) Why don't we follow the entire Mosaic covenant? (got that one answered.) Why am I a pacifist? (working on articulating that one) Is pacifism bad hermeneutics? What about liturgy? Why am I in general sort of opposed to liturgical services? Why don't I believe in transubstantiation? Is baptism symbolic or efficacious? (I'm pretty sure it's symbolic, but I have no idea why) Why does it bother me that some of my professors prance? In all likelihood I'll frolic still when I'm a professor. So why can't they prance?
These questions, and many more, have been filling my head. In general I'm glad to say that I still believe what I believe when I got here.... Now I just know better why. So I guess my tradition is a good one. Wrestling with a Mennonite tradition. It sounds sort of catchy. And yes, I'm pretty sure that I grew up in a rather Mennonite culture, even though we haven't attended a Mennonite church in years.
In chapel this morning one of the professors used the phrase "wrestling with a tradition" and I totally loved it. I wasn't too impressed with the prof, but I loved the phrase. It seems like that's what I've been doing for all of college thus far. Granted, I haven't been here long. I can't seem to get away from it though. I've definitely received some traditional viewpoints and beliefs from my family, and I've had to evaluate just about all of them.
I've wrestled primarily with my anabaptist background I suppose. I have no idea why I believe some of the things I do, about society and the Bible and the church. Living where I've lived, I didn't have to. Nobody cared, and nobody knew why they believed what they believed either. Now though, it's a different story. I have no idea why I'm glad chivalry is dead. Is chivalry a good thing or a bad thing? Why in particular is Machiavelli wrong about ends and means? (I'm pretty sure he is wrong, but I can't seem to articulate why) Why don't we follow the entire Mosaic covenant? (got that one answered.) Why am I a pacifist? (working on articulating that one) Is pacifism bad hermeneutics? What about liturgy? Why am I in general sort of opposed to liturgical services? Why don't I believe in transubstantiation? Is baptism symbolic or efficacious? (I'm pretty sure it's symbolic, but I have no idea why) Why does it bother me that some of my professors prance? In all likelihood I'll frolic still when I'm a professor. So why can't they prance?
These questions, and many more, have been filling my head. In general I'm glad to say that I still believe what I believe when I got here.... Now I just know better why. So I guess my tradition is a good one. Wrestling with a Mennonite tradition. It sounds sort of catchy. And yes, I'm pretty sure that I grew up in a rather Mennonite culture, even though we haven't attended a Mennonite church in years.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
?!?
I.... I posted three times yesterday.
Why didn't you stop me?
If you read all three, I will seriously wonder at your sanity, although I will be touched by strength of your friendship.
My favorite memory of today (well, thus far):
Kaitlin, rushing down the hallway, papers in hand, twenty minutes before Hess class starts, saying, "I gotta go! I gotta memorize my monologue!"
Why didn't you stop me?
If you read all three, I will seriously wonder at your sanity, although I will be touched by strength of your friendship.
My favorite memory of today (well, thus far):
Kaitlin, rushing down the hallway, papers in hand, twenty minutes before Hess class starts, saying, "I gotta go! I gotta memorize my monologue!"
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Intravenous Cookies
So I know it's really bad blogging etiquette to blog more than once a day. And yet here I am, blogging for the third time. In one day. I can only explain this strange fact by saying... OK, so I can't explain this strange fact. But as an excuse, I offer up my nonconformity. Take it or leave it as you will.
Have you ever felt.... I don't know if stressed is the right word. I don't know if sad is the right word. But have you ever felt emotionally underwater? There's so many emotions, of whatever type (I still can't decipher them, and trust me, I've been trying all day) that there's a huge pressure on your chest, so that it becomes - physically - almost hard to breathe?
I felt that way all day. And I felt sort of bad, because my friends tried really hard to cheer me up. I also felt bad because Liz felt bad, and I couldn't make her happy again, since I myself was struggling to breathe.
Somehow, I got through the day. And now I'm sitting here, at my desk, blogging. Mostly because I wanted an emotional outlet to hopefully continue to relieve the underwater feeling. Also because I wanted to tell you all (like you care) that I feel better now. I got home from work, and typed up the worst article I've ever written in my entire life, then popped on my headphones, and suddenly this wave of pure magical music swept over me. When I popped my headphones on, I popped to the surface, and smelled a sweet night breeze. I wasn't just listening to music, I was listening to an echo of the memories - the time I first heard the music. The friends who listened to this music. I was hearing four voices down by the river singing hymns together, even though half of us were in crappy moods.
I had no idea that music could be so wonderful.
Well, I did, or else I might not've put on my headphones. I'd forgotten though. Yes, I'm probably being very melodramatic, but it's late at night, and I can only suppose that I must be very stressed.
And now I'm talking to Jess, and we're laughing about eating cookies in class, and Jess came up with the brilliant idea of eating through an IV - putting the bag in your backpack and carrying around Intravenous Cookies. I almost feel like laughing. That's a welcome change. I can hear laughter, somewhere off in the distance. Maybe some thirteen-year-olds having the time of their lives.
So, my second recommendation of the day? Go listen to some music.
Have you ever felt.... I don't know if stressed is the right word. I don't know if sad is the right word. But have you ever felt emotionally underwater? There's so many emotions, of whatever type (I still can't decipher them, and trust me, I've been trying all day) that there's a huge pressure on your chest, so that it becomes - physically - almost hard to breathe?
I felt that way all day. And I felt sort of bad, because my friends tried really hard to cheer me up. I also felt bad because Liz felt bad, and I couldn't make her happy again, since I myself was struggling to breathe.
Somehow, I got through the day. And now I'm sitting here, at my desk, blogging. Mostly because I wanted an emotional outlet to hopefully continue to relieve the underwater feeling. Also because I wanted to tell you all (like you care) that I feel better now. I got home from work, and typed up the worst article I've ever written in my entire life, then popped on my headphones, and suddenly this wave of pure magical music swept over me. When I popped my headphones on, I popped to the surface, and smelled a sweet night breeze. I wasn't just listening to music, I was listening to an echo of the memories - the time I first heard the music. The friends who listened to this music. I was hearing four voices down by the river singing hymns together, even though half of us were in crappy moods.
I had no idea that music could be so wonderful.
Well, I did, or else I might not've put on my headphones. I'd forgotten though. Yes, I'm probably being very melodramatic, but it's late at night, and I can only suppose that I must be very stressed.
And now I'm talking to Jess, and we're laughing about eating cookies in class, and Jess came up with the brilliant idea of eating through an IV - putting the bag in your backpack and carrying around Intravenous Cookies. I almost feel like laughing. That's a welcome change. I can hear laughter, somewhere off in the distance. Maybe some thirteen-year-olds having the time of their lives.
So, my second recommendation of the day? Go listen to some music.
Poetry
That's right, you're all going to get hit with more poetry. This time, the 'finished' versions of the two poems I've been working on so long. I say 'finished' in quotation marks, because who knows? I might change them yet again. I lack editing abilities, however hard I may try, so in the end Prof Perrin just chopped a whole bunch out, said, these are the best bits, and left me to put them together. Frustrating.... But I have to say that they're so much stronger now than they were before. Anyway. Here they are. (Don't worry, they're ever so much shorter than they previously were)
-----------------------------------------------
Riverside
I see the leaves flash golden and fantastic red,
translucent flames before a fiercely glowing sun.
Shaken by a sharp wind, helpless, falling,
a glimmering royal ground-carpet.
The bridge, half-drawn through trees,
built of shadow threads, cobweb thin, holding
three still figures, swinging slightly with the leaves;
liquid flows beneath, a bug upon the waters glinting
warmth on one side, cooling shadow on the other,
both together.
------------------------------------------------
Winter Walking
Even now I see the streetlights shining,
the snow glitter in the small dark neighborhood,
the houses only shadow against cold white.
We walk together, talking
as a life-line, a lamp keeping night at bay.
The chill, the brisk invigorating damp
invites speech, calling back this moment in our friendship.
Doomed memories?
Alone I think and see what I had overlooked,
until the gypsy-winter wind.
I haven’t smelled this wind in years,
this dancing wind, coming nearer.
Do you, so far in space, in time from me,
remember walking? Agonizing over boys,
stupidity, and human forgetfulness.
Cold but conversation warming more,
we paced, laughing. You, a sage
swathed in a blue down coat, remember?
----------------------------------------
So..... if anyone has any better ideas for titles.... please, by all means, let me know. I hate titles. They're so evil. Anyway, that's my submission to the Minnemingo review. We'll see what happens with that.
-----------------------------------------------
Riverside
I see the leaves flash golden and fantastic red,
translucent flames before a fiercely glowing sun.
Shaken by a sharp wind, helpless, falling,
a glimmering royal ground-carpet.
The bridge, half-drawn through trees,
built of shadow threads, cobweb thin, holding
three still figures, swinging slightly with the leaves;
liquid flows beneath, a bug upon the waters glinting
warmth on one side, cooling shadow on the other,
both together.
------------------------------------------------
Winter Walking
Even now I see the streetlights shining,
the snow glitter in the small dark neighborhood,
the houses only shadow against cold white.
We walk together, talking
as a life-line, a lamp keeping night at bay.
The chill, the brisk invigorating damp
invites speech, calling back this moment in our friendship.
Doomed memories?
Alone I think and see what I had overlooked,
until the gypsy-winter wind.
I haven’t smelled this wind in years,
this dancing wind, coming nearer.
Do you, so far in space, in time from me,
remember walking? Agonizing over boys,
stupidity, and human forgetfulness.
Cold but conversation warming more,
we paced, laughing. You, a sage
swathed in a blue down coat, remember?
----------------------------------------
So..... if anyone has any better ideas for titles.... please, by all means, let me know. I hate titles. They're so evil. Anyway, that's my submission to the Minnemingo review. We'll see what happens with that.
Stealthy?
I was sitting in history class yesterday, listening to the lecture with half an ear, taking notes almost automatically with my right hand, and trying to pick out important points with half my brain (the other half was busily praying that I'd never need to use my nearly illegible notes). Dr. Michael's lecturing style confuses me - one minute it's circular and the next it's straightforward. Or it could just be that all lectures confuse me. At least he pauses frequently so I can catch up.
"WHY do they wrap food in such LOUD wrappers?!" I thought exasperatedly as my left hand wrestled with a Famous Amos cookie bag under the table.
If you've ever tried to eat pre-fabricated and pre-packaged food during a lecture, you'll understand my frustration. They now make feminine products that open quietly, so why the crap can't they make food products that open quietly? I have no lunch break people! Give me something I can eat in class eithout bringing my professor's wrath down upon me!
And once I get the package open, my struggles are still not over! I still have to extract and eat the cookies! Do you have any IDEA how hard Famous Amos cookies are? It's almost impossible to eat them quietly. How the crap do you eat sneakily? I mean heck. You guys know me. I'm not a sneaky person. I'm transparent and a lousy liar.
I say we send out a challenge to the fabricated food industry. Give us quietly wrapped food! You could make a killing off of food specially geared for lecture classes! What kind of backwards world do we live in that we produce quietly wrapped feminine products, but our food is wrapped in the loudest materials known to man? We have stealth helicopters! Could we not have stealth food? And please, make it dummy-proof, so even I can use it. None of this "Pull tab, hold breath for five minutes, and hope it doesn't explode" crap. I don't want to feel like I have to hire a military team to successfullly extract my cookies from the bag. All I want is food, in class, quietly.
Get with it Famous Amos!
"WHY do they wrap food in such LOUD wrappers?!" I thought exasperatedly as my left hand wrestled with a Famous Amos cookie bag under the table.
If you've ever tried to eat pre-fabricated and pre-packaged food during a lecture, you'll understand my frustration. They now make feminine products that open quietly, so why the crap can't they make food products that open quietly? I have no lunch break people! Give me something I can eat in class eithout bringing my professor's wrath down upon me!
And once I get the package open, my struggles are still not over! I still have to extract and eat the cookies! Do you have any IDEA how hard Famous Amos cookies are? It's almost impossible to eat them quietly. How the crap do you eat sneakily? I mean heck. You guys know me. I'm not a sneaky person. I'm transparent and a lousy liar.
I say we send out a challenge to the fabricated food industry. Give us quietly wrapped food! You could make a killing off of food specially geared for lecture classes! What kind of backwards world do we live in that we produce quietly wrapped feminine products, but our food is wrapped in the loudest materials known to man? We have stealth helicopters! Could we not have stealth food? And please, make it dummy-proof, so even I can use it. None of this "Pull tab, hold breath for five minutes, and hope it doesn't explode" crap. I don't want to feel like I have to hire a military team to successfullly extract my cookies from the bag. All I want is food, in class, quietly.
Get with it Famous Amos!
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Songs
I had this rather long post planned, with funny quotes from my history readings, and funny stories from my art history class, and some other random funny stories. But then I just didn't have the energy to tell funny stories. Instead, you'll have to settle for this, and let the music play in your head....
Clarity
I worry
I weigh three times my body
I worry
I throw my fear around
But this morning
There's a calm I can't explain
Rock candy's melted
Only diamonds now remain
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
By this time I recognize this moment
This moment will be gone
But I will bend the light pretending
That it somehow lingered on
When all I got's
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
And I will wait to find
If this will last forever
And I will wait to find
If this will last forever
And I will pay no mind
That it won't and it wont
Because it can't
It just can't
(It's not supposed to)
Was there a second in time I looked around?
Did I sail through or drop my anchor down?
Was anything enough to kiss the ground
And say I am here now?
And she is here now
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh,
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
So much wasted in the afternoon
So much sacred in the month of June
How about you, ohh
And I will wait to find
If this will last forever, yeah
And I will pay no mind
When it won't and it won't
Because it won't
And I will waste no time
Worried 'bout no rainy weather
And I will waste no time
Remaining in our lives together
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
I'll be surprised if anyone can point out my favorite line in that song. You also get:
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as thought they're here to stay
Oh I believe in yesterday
Clarity
I worry
I weigh three times my body
I worry
I throw my fear around
But this morning
There's a calm I can't explain
Rock candy's melted
Only diamonds now remain
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
By this time I recognize this moment
This moment will be gone
But I will bend the light pretending
That it somehow lingered on
When all I got's
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
And I will wait to find
If this will last forever
And I will wait to find
If this will last forever
And I will pay no mind
That it won't and it wont
Because it can't
It just can't
(It's not supposed to)
Was there a second in time I looked around?
Did I sail through or drop my anchor down?
Was anything enough to kiss the ground
And say I am here now?
And she is here now
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh,
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
So much wasted in the afternoon
So much sacred in the month of June
How about you, ohh
And I will wait to find
If this will last forever, yeah
And I will pay no mind
When it won't and it won't
Because it won't
And I will waste no time
Worried 'bout no rainy weather
And I will waste no time
Remaining in our lives together
Ooooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
I'll be surprised if anyone can point out my favorite line in that song. You also get:
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as thought they're here to stay
Oh I believe in yesterday
Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hanging over me
Oh yesterday, came suddenly
Why she, had to go
I don't know she wouldn't say
I said, something wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh I believe in yesterday.
Why she, had to go I don't know
She wouldn't say
I said, something wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh I believe in yesterday.
(Don't make me tell you who sings that. Or this next one.)
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free.
Blackbird fly blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird fly blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
Ooh, ooh, and a friend was recently listening to this one (so guess what? you get it too!):
Well I heard there was a secret chord
that David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
Well it goes like this :
The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah...
Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
And she tied you to her kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah...
(Yeah but) Baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor, (You know)
I used to live alone before I knew you
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
and love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah...
Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do you
But remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah
Hallelujah...
[Instrumental]
Maybe there's a God above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
It's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelu...
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelu...
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah
Hallellllluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuujjjaahhhh...Hallelllluuuuuujjaaaaaaaaaahhh
I know that no one actually reads posts where people post lyrics, but I just couldn't help it.... I just felt like music rather than writing, and this seems to be the only way to communicate that. If you know the songs you can hear them in your head and it's all good. If not, I'm sorry. You'll just have to wait until the next intelligible post. (Wait, what? I post intelligibly?) I also don't claim to agree theologically with each and every one of these lyrics. I also make absolutely no claims to like them because of their intended meaning (I tend to be rather postmodern - sometimes - that way and take things out of context). I just felt like posting them. A continuation of the past week's stupidity/distraction I suppose.
Sincerely yours,
Z
Friday, February 18, 2005
Randomity (And New Words)
I sort of randomly decided that I hate history.
And then I sort of randomly decided that I hate the internet, which makes you do stupid things, like spending half an hour looking for a history article that doesn't exist.
Today.... Yeah. I had some distraction problems. I tried to find the bathrooms on third floor Boyer, thinking they'd be right where the bathrooms always are - the same place, relatively, as they are on second floor and first floor. I couldn't find them. Not at all. So I decided, well, I'll just go down a floor, because I know where they are on second. They were there, right where they should've been. I still don't know why I couldn't find them on third floor.
I thought you'd enjoy that little Mackenzie tidbit.
I turned in my foamcore project today, and now I have to get started on phase 2. That is, working out a couple color palettes for approval on Monday. I'm thinking blues and red-browns, with maybe some grays - or some combination thereof. Maybe some yellow ochre or something. I enjoy color, so this part should be fun.
I've been working really hard the past couple months on some poetry. In real terms I probably haven't spent that much time on it, but it's harder than I've ever worked on poetry before, and a lot harder than I've worked on most stories. I sent the newly revised version into Professor Perrin the other day and recently heard back from her.... I mean, I didn't feel like it was that great, but at the same time, I didn't realize I still had that much work to be done. It's sort of discouraging. I wish I could.... I don't know. I wish I could wave a magic wand and it would be perfect. Instead, I'm going to go do a lot more work. I feel, however, that to give up would be.... uh.... giving up. And as those of you who know me know, That Is Simply Not An Option.
I definitely think that bed calls. This is evidenced by the horrible grammar and logic of.... well, of the entire post actually. So, off I go. Goodnight everyone.
And then I sort of randomly decided that I hate the internet, which makes you do stupid things, like spending half an hour looking for a history article that doesn't exist.
Today.... Yeah. I had some distraction problems. I tried to find the bathrooms on third floor Boyer, thinking they'd be right where the bathrooms always are - the same place, relatively, as they are on second floor and first floor. I couldn't find them. Not at all. So I decided, well, I'll just go down a floor, because I know where they are on second. They were there, right where they should've been. I still don't know why I couldn't find them on third floor.
I thought you'd enjoy that little Mackenzie tidbit.
I turned in my foamcore project today, and now I have to get started on phase 2. That is, working out a couple color palettes for approval on Monday. I'm thinking blues and red-browns, with maybe some grays - or some combination thereof. Maybe some yellow ochre or something. I enjoy color, so this part should be fun.
I've been working really hard the past couple months on some poetry. In real terms I probably haven't spent that much time on it, but it's harder than I've ever worked on poetry before, and a lot harder than I've worked on most stories. I sent the newly revised version into Professor Perrin the other day and recently heard back from her.... I mean, I didn't feel like it was that great, but at the same time, I didn't realize I still had that much work to be done. It's sort of discouraging. I wish I could.... I don't know. I wish I could wave a magic wand and it would be perfect. Instead, I'm going to go do a lot more work. I feel, however, that to give up would be.... uh.... giving up. And as those of you who know me know, That Is Simply Not An Option.
I definitely think that bed calls. This is evidenced by the horrible grammar and logic of.... well, of the entire post actually. So, off I go. Goodnight everyone.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Retreat
I'm definitely still processing the last couple days, and that may result in a decreased number of posts for a while. So... for those of you who actually care, that's what's up.
I've found myself hiding behind my contacts more and more.
And thinking more and more of home, and Easter break.
I won't go home for that, so I'll be here on campus. Almost everyone else will be gone. I find that thought amazingly exciting. I need a retreat. I need a small, clean room somewhere, with lots of windows and hardwood floors, where I could just sit in the sun and do nothing in particular, or work really hard, for a couple of days until I get my mind sorted out.
I want either perfect solitude or to be with someone who won't let me be alone.
Since I'm not likely to get the first, and the second option isn't viable all the time, I compromise. I'm alone as much as I can be, and when I can't be, I'm with my friends. But I'm looking forward to Easter. I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday.
I remember how excited I used to get about getting a new dress. It's been years since I got a new dress for Easter. It's been years since I've worn a dress regularly.
I think, this year, I want to start a new Easter tradition. I'd like, ideally, to go with one or two friends, possibly friends who like to sing, to Hostetter chapel. I'd like us to sit in a pew somewhere near the middle, and sing a few hymns, for as long as we feel like. I'd like to use my old Mennonite hymnal. And then.... Well, in my dreams the friends just sort of melt away.... and I'm sitting there, alone in a pew somewhere near the middle, with the sunshine streaming in the windows, and a fresh breeze coming in through the open doors. I'd be holding a daffodil, sometimes looking at it, and sometimes sitting with my eyes closed, just feeling the sun and the quiet. There would be silence. A really perfect silence.
I've always wanted to sing hymns in an empty church.
Maybe this year.
I've found myself hiding behind my contacts more and more.
And thinking more and more of home, and Easter break.
I won't go home for that, so I'll be here on campus. Almost everyone else will be gone. I find that thought amazingly exciting. I need a retreat. I need a small, clean room somewhere, with lots of windows and hardwood floors, where I could just sit in the sun and do nothing in particular, or work really hard, for a couple of days until I get my mind sorted out.
I want either perfect solitude or to be with someone who won't let me be alone.
Since I'm not likely to get the first, and the second option isn't viable all the time, I compromise. I'm alone as much as I can be, and when I can't be, I'm with my friends. But I'm looking forward to Easter. I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday.
I remember how excited I used to get about getting a new dress. It's been years since I got a new dress for Easter. It's been years since I've worn a dress regularly.
I think, this year, I want to start a new Easter tradition. I'd like, ideally, to go with one or two friends, possibly friends who like to sing, to Hostetter chapel. I'd like us to sit in a pew somewhere near the middle, and sing a few hymns, for as long as we feel like. I'd like to use my old Mennonite hymnal. And then.... Well, in my dreams the friends just sort of melt away.... and I'm sitting there, alone in a pew somewhere near the middle, with the sunshine streaming in the windows, and a fresh breeze coming in through the open doors. I'd be holding a daffodil, sometimes looking at it, and sometimes sitting with my eyes closed, just feeling the sun and the quiet. There would be silence. A really perfect silence.
I've always wanted to sing hymns in an empty church.
Maybe this year.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Senior Honors Project
Andrew and Matt decided tonight at dinner that a good senior honors project would be taking over a small country. While it would be graduate level work, I'm not sure that's what the college has in mind.
I had my RA interview today. Apparently I got the process mixed up, and there was just this one interview. It went OK I think. Not great, but not bad either. So now everything is completely out of my hands, which is rather a relief. I'll hear by March 2 whether I got the job or not. That's that, dust my hands, move on with life.
I totally love my art history teacher. She's really funny. Unfortunately, I'm finding the class a little bit boring.... I'm having lots of trouble staying awake. I suppose I should challenge myself to actually speak up in class to make things more interesting. I think I lack the motivation though - or the interest in art history. Or both.
So.... I think I discovered what Phillipians 2:5-11, Abraham (Genesis 12-22), Joseph (Genesis 37-45) and Naomi (Ruth 1-3) have in common, but I'm not sure. All I could think of is that all of them were obedient to God, humbling themselves and were afterward lifted up. Does that sound right? Anyone who's been in Bible before? Anyone who knows the stories? Anyone at all? Does that make sense? *sigh* I hate having to think analytically. It makes my head hurt.
I had my RA interview today. Apparently I got the process mixed up, and there was just this one interview. It went OK I think. Not great, but not bad either. So now everything is completely out of my hands, which is rather a relief. I'll hear by March 2 whether I got the job or not. That's that, dust my hands, move on with life.
I totally love my art history teacher. She's really funny. Unfortunately, I'm finding the class a little bit boring.... I'm having lots of trouble staying awake. I suppose I should challenge myself to actually speak up in class to make things more interesting. I think I lack the motivation though - or the interest in art history. Or both.
So.... I think I discovered what Phillipians 2:5-11, Abraham (Genesis 12-22), Joseph (Genesis 37-45) and Naomi (Ruth 1-3) have in common, but I'm not sure. All I could think of is that all of them were obedient to God, humbling themselves and were afterward lifted up. Does that sound right? Anyone who's been in Bible before? Anyone who knows the stories? Anyone at all? Does that make sense? *sigh* I hate having to think analytically. It makes my head hurt.
Monday, February 14, 2005
But.... I thought....
I thought you all might enjoy an excerpt of Liz and my craziness last night.... This happens to be the end of an aborted attempt at writing my art history essay. The beginning part is mine, and the funny parts are Liz's. Read, and enjoy.
And please, refrain from calling the men in white coats. The padded wagon is coming for us already, and they get rather ticked off if people keep calling about the same nutcases. Especially on Mondays.
Quality - I think for art (modern art in particular) quality depends a great deal on the artist. That is, it depends whether the artist has technical skill or not. In my opinion, an artist must first display technical skill in the traditional art forms, before he can be allowed to experiment with abstract and/or modern forms. Because it would be freaking crazy if he simply became a modern artist because he had no skill or talent in other areas, but was clever. He must first display technical merit as well as strong conceptualization skills. I definitely think there is such a thing as quality in art. None of that crap about everything being good if you just sort of like it. People like bad art. So what. It’s still bad art. I don’t feel qualified to say what is good art and what is bad art. I do, however, know that there are such things, and that’s why I’m in college - to learn what is good art and to learn what is bad art and why they are what they are.
Here is a case study. Once upon a time. In a land far far away.... called [cough cough] Alabama, there lived a young woman, a beautiful [cough cough] princess [cough cough] named [cough cough hack] Mackenzie. [eww hairball] She lived with the good king and queen her parents. Her mother was a hamster, and her father smelled of elderberry, but that did not stop her from liking art. It merely gave her several social complexes.
But anyway. About the art. And your mom. Your mom likes bad art. So did Princess Mackenzie, incidentally. Princess Mackenzie liked all art, as she loved all people. Back to the social complexes we go. But moving on. Mackenzie grew up and learned to hate bad art and bad people because she went to school, and was taught by Greg’s sister. She was a wonderful teacher and a devoted nun-ish-person. Amen. Preach it sister.
Princess Mackenzie went back to Alabama, married a beautiful Alabamania prince named Frankie, and made good art and babies. Amen.
The End of the Case Study. It is very scientific. Amen. So be it, our sister who art in Gregory. Amen.
And please, refrain from calling the men in white coats. The padded wagon is coming for us already, and they get rather ticked off if people keep calling about the same nutcases. Especially on Mondays.
Quality - I think for art (modern art in particular) quality depends a great deal on the artist. That is, it depends whether the artist has technical skill or not. In my opinion, an artist must first display technical skill in the traditional art forms, before he can be allowed to experiment with abstract and/or modern forms. Because it would be freaking crazy if he simply became a modern artist because he had no skill or talent in other areas, but was clever. He must first display technical merit as well as strong conceptualization skills. I definitely think there is such a thing as quality in art. None of that crap about everything being good if you just sort of like it. People like bad art. So what. It’s still bad art. I don’t feel qualified to say what is good art and what is bad art. I do, however, know that there are such things, and that’s why I’m in college - to learn what is good art and to learn what is bad art and why they are what they are.
Here is a case study. Once upon a time. In a land far far away.... called [cough cough] Alabama, there lived a young woman, a beautiful [cough cough] princess [cough cough] named [cough cough hack] Mackenzie. [eww hairball] She lived with the good king and queen her parents. Her mother was a hamster, and her father smelled of elderberry, but that did not stop her from liking art. It merely gave her several social complexes.
But anyway. About the art. And your mom. Your mom likes bad art. So did Princess Mackenzie, incidentally. Princess Mackenzie liked all art, as she loved all people. Back to the social complexes we go. But moving on. Mackenzie grew up and learned to hate bad art and bad people because she went to school, and was taught by Greg’s sister. She was a wonderful teacher and a devoted nun-ish-person. Amen. Preach it sister.
Princess Mackenzie went back to Alabama, married a beautiful Alabamania prince named Frankie, and made good art and babies. Amen.
The End of the Case Study. It is very scientific. Amen. So be it, our sister who art in Gregory. Amen.
Climbing Through Windows
This just happens to be the Obligatory Valentine's Day Post. Don't You Feel Lucky.
I have to say that this is one of the most enjoyable Valentine's days I've had in a while, mostly because no one I know is really celebrating it. Granted, I may change my opinion after dinner - they're even putting tablecloths on the tables, and making a special meal. That could well sour me on the whole thing. But it's good because I got a food package from Mom, and, again, practically no one I know is celebrating it. Plus I just keep thinking of it as Jess's birthday rather than as Valentine's Day. And I'm not wearing pink. Yay for not wearing pink!
And, for some reason, I just don't feel depressed. It could be the wonderful hilarity that was yesterday.
Dinner, for some reason, lasted a really long time. I think we were all procrastinating, and when you get four or five procrastinators together, there's no end to the ingenuity of the excuses. Eventually though, we did end up leaving, and went our seperate ways to "work really hard" (read: procrastinate). I myself went back to my room to "read history" (read: fall asleep as soon as possible - I swear, if you have insomnia, just break out the World Civ and you'll be gone in no time). Liz came in, because for some reason there's this creepy stalker guy on campus who's been harassing women on the phone and we've all been warned not to go anywhere by ourselves at night. Liz had been going to go to the schoolhouse and work on her monologue, but then sort of got creeped out by the fact that it was all dark and creepy. So she came to my room instead, where she promptly developed a monolgue complex. All of this is the say that we didn't get anything done. We called Matt twice to try and convince him to come for a walk with us, but that didn't work.
Then we realized that there were extended visiting hours for Little Sibs Weekend! Oh the joy! We decided it was necessary to stalk Matt. So we frolicked out of Solly, over to Miller, and decided that we really didn't want to walk through his floor on the way to his room, because "guys floors are a little sketchy" (according to Liz), and instead decided to throw rocks at his window. Matt's window, for those of you who don't know, is flush with the ground. But we decided (at this point we were incredibly slap-happy) that it would be funny to throw rocks at it like they do in movies - like it was really far off the ground and we couldn't reach it. So Matt came to the window, and we enlightened him as to the fact that there were extended visiting hours! After which Liz really wanted to climb through the window, but we decided that was a little creepy (and by we I mean Matt and me). So then Liz and I went and hung out in Matt's room for a while (using the door of course, like normal people - I mean, why on earth would we climb in the window?!). And then I left at about ten thirty to go write my art history paper. Which I managed to do in an hour flat, thanks to the inspiration of a really good laugh, or, in this case, several hours of really good laughs.
Today was good too - in Bible this kid Scott, who usually comes up with these brilliant questions, was being a little.... I want to say "childish" but I'm not sure if that's the word or not. We were talking about how the church has distorted God's covenants to mean that the church has replaced Israel as the chosen people, and several people questioned why God chose the Israelites over other people. This, in turn, set Scott off on why did God choose Jacob over Esau? And isn't it really very arbitrary? He kept saying that it wasn't fair, and "I'm sorry, but I just don't agree with that....." Yes, that's right Scott, disagree with God. I'm sure that'll get you far.
No, seriously, it was good that he was asking questions, and some of them pretty difficult at that, but it was just really funny that he suddenly decided God wasn't right, and He wasn't fair, and that Scott knew better than God. It made me happy, even though I had to work out today for Life Fatness.... I mean Life Fitness.
Thank you Scott, for a really funny class.
I have to say that this is one of the most enjoyable Valentine's days I've had in a while, mostly because no one I know is really celebrating it. Granted, I may change my opinion after dinner - they're even putting tablecloths on the tables, and making a special meal. That could well sour me on the whole thing. But it's good because I got a food package from Mom, and, again, practically no one I know is celebrating it. Plus I just keep thinking of it as Jess's birthday rather than as Valentine's Day. And I'm not wearing pink. Yay for not wearing pink!
And, for some reason, I just don't feel depressed. It could be the wonderful hilarity that was yesterday.
Dinner, for some reason, lasted a really long time. I think we were all procrastinating, and when you get four or five procrastinators together, there's no end to the ingenuity of the excuses. Eventually though, we did end up leaving, and went our seperate ways to "work really hard" (read: procrastinate). I myself went back to my room to "read history" (read: fall asleep as soon as possible - I swear, if you have insomnia, just break out the World Civ and you'll be gone in no time). Liz came in, because for some reason there's this creepy stalker guy on campus who's been harassing women on the phone and we've all been warned not to go anywhere by ourselves at night. Liz had been going to go to the schoolhouse and work on her monologue, but then sort of got creeped out by the fact that it was all dark and creepy. So she came to my room instead, where she promptly developed a monolgue complex. All of this is the say that we didn't get anything done. We called Matt twice to try and convince him to come for a walk with us, but that didn't work.
Then we realized that there were extended visiting hours for Little Sibs Weekend! Oh the joy! We decided it was necessary to stalk Matt. So we frolicked out of Solly, over to Miller, and decided that we really didn't want to walk through his floor on the way to his room, because "guys floors are a little sketchy" (according to Liz), and instead decided to throw rocks at his window. Matt's window, for those of you who don't know, is flush with the ground. But we decided (at this point we were incredibly slap-happy) that it would be funny to throw rocks at it like they do in movies - like it was really far off the ground and we couldn't reach it. So Matt came to the window, and we enlightened him as to the fact that there were extended visiting hours! After which Liz really wanted to climb through the window, but we decided that was a little creepy (and by we I mean Matt and me). So then Liz and I went and hung out in Matt's room for a while (using the door of course, like normal people - I mean, why on earth would we climb in the window?!). And then I left at about ten thirty to go write my art history paper. Which I managed to do in an hour flat, thanks to the inspiration of a really good laugh, or, in this case, several hours of really good laughs.
Today was good too - in Bible this kid Scott, who usually comes up with these brilliant questions, was being a little.... I want to say "childish" but I'm not sure if that's the word or not. We were talking about how the church has distorted God's covenants to mean that the church has replaced Israel as the chosen people, and several people questioned why God chose the Israelites over other people. This, in turn, set Scott off on why did God choose Jacob over Esau? And isn't it really very arbitrary? He kept saying that it wasn't fair, and "I'm sorry, but I just don't agree with that....." Yes, that's right Scott, disagree with God. I'm sure that'll get you far.
No, seriously, it was good that he was asking questions, and some of them pretty difficult at that, but it was just really funny that he suddenly decided God wasn't right, and He wasn't fair, and that Scott knew better than God. It made me happy, even though I had to work out today for Life Fatness.... I mean Life Fitness.
Thank you Scott, for a really funny class.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Jess Was Here
Oh yeah, so Jess was here, and it was a blast. We did all fun things, like eat dinner in Lottie for hours upon hours, walk down to the swinging bridge, hang out in the Union, and of course, nap! We took really long naps this afternoon. It was kind of weird, because I never nap. But it was enjoyable. We also went to see Wind of a Thousand Tales! It was hilarious! I absolutely loved the last act. It was a sort of cheesy plot device to get the play going, but I really enjoyed it once it did get started. I felt sort of like I was stalking the theatre majors though. I knew the names of quite a few actors, and have heard plenty of stories about them, yet most of them have never met me. Anyway, I really liked the end of the play. It was great.
The Minnemingo Review deadline is coming up, so I think I'm going to submit at least two poems and a prose piece for submission. Possibly another prose piece, if I can figure out what. I feel rather.... unworthy of being published, but maybe.... if I'm lucky.... I can get in. That would be way cool. I would be very excited.
Um.... This weekend is Little Sibs Weekend. So there are tons of little sibs running around, some surprisingly young ones. I really wish Aaron and Avery could've come up.... But I suppose I'll live. Anyway, there are some fun activities going on this weekend. They're showing The Incredibles tonight. I'm not going though. I think I'll just be quiet for a while.... just by myself. It's been a long time since I was by myself. So, goodnight! I shall return anon!
The Minnemingo Review deadline is coming up, so I think I'm going to submit at least two poems and a prose piece for submission. Possibly another prose piece, if I can figure out what. I feel rather.... unworthy of being published, but maybe.... if I'm lucky.... I can get in. That would be way cool. I would be very excited.
Um.... This weekend is Little Sibs Weekend. So there are tons of little sibs running around, some surprisingly young ones. I really wish Aaron and Avery could've come up.... But I suppose I'll live. Anyway, there are some fun activities going on this weekend. They're showing The Incredibles tonight. I'm not going though. I think I'll just be quiet for a while.... just by myself. It's been a long time since I was by myself. So, goodnight! I shall return anon!
Thursday, February 10, 2005
I am.....
So.... I had to delete my random quiz results because they were messing up my blog template. But here they are, in abbreviated form, for your enjoyment. Just in a different place.
You are a drumstick.
Absolutely insane. That is how most would describe you. You aren't afraid to take risks, and enjoy putting yourself in strange situations. Most people hang out with you because of your hilarious sense of humour. You light up any bad situation, and can help all of your friends with their problems, except for your own. Because of this, you enjoy being around people like you. Many shut you out for your very weird, random personality, but honestly, you shouldn't care.
Most compatible with: Guitar, and another drumstick.
Absolutely insane. That is how most would describe you. You aren't afraid to take risks, and enjoy putting yourself in strange situations. Most people hang out with you because of your hilarious sense of humour. You light up any bad situation, and can help all of your friends with their problems, except for your own. Because of this, you enjoy being around people like you. Many shut you out for your very weird, random personality, but honestly, you shouldn't care.
Most compatible with: Guitar, and another drumstick.
Prancing Profs
I don't know if I've made the hilarity of my professors clear to you before. For some weird, unknown reason, I ended up with two professors, almost physically opposite, who prance. Today, Prof Cob added this weird sort of hand waggle to his happy little moral judgment prace. I either can't pay attention in that class because it's so freaking boring, or because I'm having to suppress gales of laughter. The hippie santa clauseness plus the prancingness.... Oh yes. It makes for endless amusement!
And then there's Professor Botts. He's about six foot tall, maybe even taller. The only physical resemblance he bears to Professor Cobb is that they both have longish hair and goatees (although Prof Cobb's is really a bushy sort of beard). Prof Cobb is short. Prof Botts is tall. Prof Cobb has white hair. Prof Botts has really dark brown hair. Prof Cobb is round. Prof Botts is skinny as a rail. He reminds me of nothing so much as an eccentric and artistic marshwiggle. And.... to suddenly see a marshwiggle prance.... Let me tell you, it's amazing. It's so far beyond amazing.... In that moment, my brain was melted down and re-assembled inside out.
It was almost as amazing as Kaitlin's rendition of her "Leaf by Niggle" dance. I tell you, I will never be the same again!
And then there's Professor Botts. He's about six foot tall, maybe even taller. The only physical resemblance he bears to Professor Cobb is that they both have longish hair and goatees (although Prof Cobb's is really a bushy sort of beard). Prof Cobb is short. Prof Botts is tall. Prof Cobb has white hair. Prof Botts has really dark brown hair. Prof Cobb is round. Prof Botts is skinny as a rail. He reminds me of nothing so much as an eccentric and artistic marshwiggle. And.... to suddenly see a marshwiggle prance.... Let me tell you, it's amazing. It's so far beyond amazing.... In that moment, my brain was melted down and re-assembled inside out.
It was almost as amazing as Kaitlin's rendition of her "Leaf by Niggle" dance. I tell you, I will never be the same again!
Monday, February 07, 2005
Oh what I wouldn't give....
Why is it that springtime weather, or anything approaching, creates in me a compulsion to listen to Vivaldi? Lots and lots of Vivaldi. To a lesser degree I also feel compelled to listen to Elgar. And I feel a strange craving for fresh fruit. Mmm.... Fresh strawberries.... I love strawberries....
I have, for your gastronomic enjoyment today, some random quotes from Dr. Miller, my Bible professor. No, don't run away. They're good ones, really. You'll like them.
[about living in Jerusalem during the First Gulf War]
"...and we'd sit there playing uno with our gas masks on...."
[the sequel]
"...and when we moved back to the states, our kids were the only kids on the block who had a genuine gas mask. It made for lots of fun at show and tell...."
[describing our possible viewpoints]
"...wow.... old testament stuff is weird...."
[And possibly even a profound one....]
"Our default seeting to the presence of God was meant to be 'Abba!' and we'd run into His arms. Now, as a result of rebellion, our default setting is 'Hide!' "
Anyway, I thought it was hilarious how he pictured us as having 'default settings'.
(Stop it Mackenzie! There are no fresh strawberries! Stop thinking about them!)
I have, for your gastronomic enjoyment today, some random quotes from Dr. Miller, my Bible professor. No, don't run away. They're good ones, really. You'll like them.
[about living in Jerusalem during the First Gulf War]
"...and we'd sit there playing uno with our gas masks on...."
[the sequel]
"...and when we moved back to the states, our kids were the only kids on the block who had a genuine gas mask. It made for lots of fun at show and tell...."
[describing our possible viewpoints]
"...wow.... old testament stuff is weird...."
[And possibly even a profound one....]
"Our default seeting to the presence of God was meant to be 'Abba!' and we'd run into His arms. Now, as a result of rebellion, our default setting is 'Hide!' "
Anyway, I thought it was hilarious how he pictured us as having 'default settings'.
(Stop it Mackenzie! There are no fresh strawberries! Stop thinking about them!)
Sunday, February 06, 2005
So....
I feel better! Wahoo! So now I have to do my homework....
Does anyone know why my template is messed up?
Does anyone know why my template is messed up?
Friday, February 04, 2005
Go Away
So.... I'm sick. As in.... don't want to do anything, couldn't sleep last night, chills, fever, aching, coughing, sick. I'm throwing a major pity party. Unfortunately, I have to go to at least my first class today because our first project is due.... and if I'm not there to turn it in, a lot of points get deducted.... And frankly, I can't afford losing any points.
I'm publishing my woes to the world! Because if you're sick, everyone needs to know and sympathize right? That makes it all better?
Just kidding. I'm not really that childish. But please pray for me, because today is gonna be.... not easy. Definitely not easy.
I'm publishing my woes to the world! Because if you're sick, everyone needs to know and sympathize right? That makes it all better?
Just kidding. I'm not really that childish. But please pray for me, because today is gonna be.... not easy. Definitely not easy.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
First Impressions
So, my classes. I'm taking six of them, making for a total of 16 credit hours in actual spring term (that's nineteen total because of j-term).
And can I just say, before my synopsis of my classes, that I LOVE QUILTS!!!
Anthropology - Funny funny professor (his name is Cobb). Not funny as in humorous so much - well, OK. He's humorous. But it's more like.... he's ridiculous. He does these.... motions.... with his hands. When he says "ethnography" or "ethnology" he sticks his hands way up over his head (his fingers are sort of pinched together like a meditation pose) and stands on his toes. When he talks about "cultural relativism" he invariably winks at the entire class both before and afterward, and then immediately afterward does this little.... I'll call it his "moral judgment" dance. He has this thing with suspending moral judgment and trying to understand cultural beliefs and practices from within the culture itself. Seeing the culture through the eyes of its people. So whenever he talks about cultural relativism, he does this little dance, where he prances along and his voice goes up real high, and he squeaks laboriously along the lines of, "ooh, that's nasty and bad! They're going to hell!" Now, while this in itself would be amusing, it's even more so because of who he is. He's this sort of.... jolly looking professor. He told us to call him "Doc" and he's short and sort of pudgy, with a long white beard and long white hair that he pulls back in a ponytail, and he's balding on top. Let me tell you, it's really hard to pay attention to the lecture when he does his little "moral judgment" dance. Or perhaps I should call it more of a .... happy moral judgment shuffle.
Form, Space, and Media - Botts strikes me as really nice, but definitely wacky. I get the feeling he won't put up with any of that catering stuff. We're going to have to make it up by ourselves without a lot of feedback from him, and definitely without catering to his tastes. Good I guess, but the lack of feedback might make it a bit hard. Our first project is sculpting a piece of cardboard without any kind of adhesives. Should be interesting. It's due on Friday.
Art History - I had my first class today, and Professor Caroselli is absolutely hilarious! I think I'm also going to like this class because it's not a survey class - that is, it doesn't have dates and we don't have to identify a lot of artwork and their creators. It's definitely.... I dunno. I may need more information before I can guess what it'll be like. I really like the professor though, and I know tons of people in the class because, well, it's an art class, and most of the first year art students are in it.
World Civilizations from 1500 - Scary, scary class. I'm not much of a history person. The prof seems nice (Bernardo Michael) but he also scares me, because it doesn't seem like he'd have that much patience with non-historical minds like mine. The professor of my seminar (Stoner-Eby) seems nice enough, but demands respect and attention and above all participation. Which is a bit difficult for me this semester. There's a lot of people in all of my classes, and I don't really usually feel comfortable talking. In fact, I don't even think when there are that many people around usually. = )
Life Fitness - GAH!!!! It'll be good I suppose, considered objectively. My professor looks like George Bush, which is sort of creepy. He speaks eerily like him (not voice so much, but oration style) and he brings God into absolutely everything, sort of like George Bush. (Don't misunderstand me - it's not a bad thing to bring God into everything. But most people don't associate working out directly with God. Just as most people don't associate politics or going to war directly with God. The parallel there was a bit funny, at least in my opinion.) I also know a lot of people in this class, so that's cool. I should have people to work out with at any rate.
Intro to Bible - LOVE THIS CLASS!!!!!!!! I have Dr. Miller, who's a messianic Jew, and while I'm not sure I'll agree with everything he says, I totally love the class so far. It's fascinating to find out how much more there is. I'm sure most of you know how frustrated I get with.... well, easy stuff. The surface teachings, and the downright wrong teachings. I mean, c'mon, when someone interprets 1 Cor. 13 to mean you should have good self-esteem, well, you've got a problem. And it frustrates me. So to be taught not just new facts about the Bible, but to be taught a different mode of thought to use about the Bible, to be given tools with which to better study it, it's great. I also know a lot of people in this class. So I'll get to study with them, which will be cool.
Written, of course, in no particular order of enjoyment. If it was, World Civ would be way down at the bottom, right below Life Fitness.
Ok then, that's rather a lot. I hope you can digest all that. It'll be interesting to see how my first impressions compare with my final impressions.
And can I just say, before my synopsis of my classes, that I LOVE QUILTS!!!
Anthropology - Funny funny professor (his name is Cobb). Not funny as in humorous so much - well, OK. He's humorous. But it's more like.... he's ridiculous. He does these.... motions.... with his hands. When he says "ethnography" or "ethnology" he sticks his hands way up over his head (his fingers are sort of pinched together like a meditation pose) and stands on his toes. When he talks about "cultural relativism" he invariably winks at the entire class both before and afterward, and then immediately afterward does this little.... I'll call it his "moral judgment" dance. He has this thing with suspending moral judgment and trying to understand cultural beliefs and practices from within the culture itself. Seeing the culture through the eyes of its people. So whenever he talks about cultural relativism, he does this little dance, where he prances along and his voice goes up real high, and he squeaks laboriously along the lines of, "ooh, that's nasty and bad! They're going to hell!" Now, while this in itself would be amusing, it's even more so because of who he is. He's this sort of.... jolly looking professor. He told us to call him "Doc" and he's short and sort of pudgy, with a long white beard and long white hair that he pulls back in a ponytail, and he's balding on top. Let me tell you, it's really hard to pay attention to the lecture when he does his little "moral judgment" dance. Or perhaps I should call it more of a .... happy moral judgment shuffle.
Form, Space, and Media - Botts strikes me as really nice, but definitely wacky. I get the feeling he won't put up with any of that catering stuff. We're going to have to make it up by ourselves without a lot of feedback from him, and definitely without catering to his tastes. Good I guess, but the lack of feedback might make it a bit hard. Our first project is sculpting a piece of cardboard without any kind of adhesives. Should be interesting. It's due on Friday.
Art History - I had my first class today, and Professor Caroselli is absolutely hilarious! I think I'm also going to like this class because it's not a survey class - that is, it doesn't have dates and we don't have to identify a lot of artwork and their creators. It's definitely.... I dunno. I may need more information before I can guess what it'll be like. I really like the professor though, and I know tons of people in the class because, well, it's an art class, and most of the first year art students are in it.
World Civilizations from 1500 - Scary, scary class. I'm not much of a history person. The prof seems nice (Bernardo Michael) but he also scares me, because it doesn't seem like he'd have that much patience with non-historical minds like mine. The professor of my seminar (Stoner-Eby) seems nice enough, but demands respect and attention and above all participation. Which is a bit difficult for me this semester. There's a lot of people in all of my classes, and I don't really usually feel comfortable talking. In fact, I don't even think when there are that many people around usually. = )
Life Fitness - GAH!!!! It'll be good I suppose, considered objectively. My professor looks like George Bush, which is sort of creepy. He speaks eerily like him (not voice so much, but oration style) and he brings God into absolutely everything, sort of like George Bush. (Don't misunderstand me - it's not a bad thing to bring God into everything. But most people don't associate working out directly with God. Just as most people don't associate politics or going to war directly with God. The parallel there was a bit funny, at least in my opinion.) I also know a lot of people in this class, so that's cool. I should have people to work out with at any rate.
Intro to Bible - LOVE THIS CLASS!!!!!!!! I have Dr. Miller, who's a messianic Jew, and while I'm not sure I'll agree with everything he says, I totally love the class so far. It's fascinating to find out how much more there is. I'm sure most of you know how frustrated I get with.... well, easy stuff. The surface teachings, and the downright wrong teachings. I mean, c'mon, when someone interprets 1 Cor. 13 to mean you should have good self-esteem, well, you've got a problem. And it frustrates me. So to be taught not just new facts about the Bible, but to be taught a different mode of thought to use about the Bible, to be given tools with which to better study it, it's great. I also know a lot of people in this class. So I'll get to study with them, which will be cool.
Written, of course, in no particular order of enjoyment. If it was, World Civ would be way down at the bottom, right below Life Fitness.
Ok then, that's rather a lot. I hope you can digest all that. It'll be interesting to see how my first impressions compare with my final impressions.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
And then I forgot to Post It.
Bow!
Bow before the might of a (now) official double major Mwahahaha
And I, in turn, would bow before whoever could keep my computer working. Or rather, keep the network from kicking my computer off. Poor Persephone is getting quite sore from all that kicking. She's absolutely a mass of bruises.
= (
Ok, in all seriousness..... It's been good thus far. I'm almost giddy because I haven't forgotten anything or seriously screwed up yet. Spring semester has been.... yeah. Interesting. Busy. I need to get used to the whole new schedule. I'm taking 19 credit hours total, plus working, writing for the newspaper, and doing a Bible study.
I have a ton of homework right now, so I'll keep it short and attempt to motivate myself. I'll attempt to give a synopsis of my courses and profs later though. And I will also attempt to post more regularly. I feel horrible that it's been so long.
Alright then. Off to finish that homework.
Right.... Like I'll ever be done with homework. Not until the end of the semester certainly.
Bow before the might of a (now) official double major Mwahahaha
And I, in turn, would bow before whoever could keep my computer working. Or rather, keep the network from kicking my computer off. Poor Persephone is getting quite sore from all that kicking. She's absolutely a mass of bruises.
= (
Ok, in all seriousness..... It's been good thus far. I'm almost giddy because I haven't forgotten anything or seriously screwed up yet. Spring semester has been.... yeah. Interesting. Busy. I need to get used to the whole new schedule. I'm taking 19 credit hours total, plus working, writing for the newspaper, and doing a Bible study.
I have a ton of homework right now, so I'll keep it short and attempt to motivate myself. I'll attempt to give a synopsis of my courses and profs later though. And I will also attempt to post more regularly. I feel horrible that it's been so long.
Alright then. Off to finish that homework.
Right.... Like I'll ever be done with homework. Not until the end of the semester certainly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
