This past week was our "spring break" for Easter. I've had a good week. It started on Tuesday with class in the morning, organizing of details (sending in my resumé to a potential job), and driving to D.C. to stay with Nathan.
Wednesday was a quiet day, organizing my life a little, doing some reading, thinking, etc. In the evening Lauren, Nathan and I met up with Jen (a friend we've made this year) to go to a "Bible Study" it turned out that it was a group of people from the church I was going to go to this week so, that was fun. I actually knew one of the people there already so, it turned out to be a good time.
On Thursday morning I took Lauren to the airport and then I went back to the apartment, got my stuff together and went downtown. I walked around a bit, went to the National Geographic Society (where I hope to get a job) and met the editor in chief of the publication I'm excited about, and then went to St. Matthew's Cathedral for some reflection time (remembering that it was Holy week). I did some reading that afternoon and then went with Nathan to have dinner with a friend who was at the Academy last year and the future pastor of the Church I was going to that evening.
I went to church and after church I went home with my new friends Diana and Joannella from church. They were absolutely wonderful. On Friday I helped Diana do some gardening in the morning and in the afternoon I went and did some reading and them met up with another friend who was at the Academy last year. Then, I went to a Good Friday service and went back to Diana's house that evening. I was in a very pensive mood that night.
On Saturday morning I had a quiet morning, I met up with Nathan later that day, and then with two friends from Trinity Western. That evening Nathan and I spent it quietly at his apartment. We had a quiet Sunday morning and went to an afternoon Church. It was nice, they invited everyone to go to their house after church and so we went and met a lot of people. It is interesting to be around so many people that I might get to be friends with if I move to D.C. this summer.
Today was a great day. I went into D.C. and met up with my mentor from the Academy and we went to an Art Gallery the Corcoran. We looked at the art and then sat down to chat about life together. She is a very good listener and a very understanding person in general. After we parted ways I walked around quite a bit, went to a couple other art galleries, went into the Natural History Museum, walked around the sculpture gardens, was asked if I was a part of the circus, and did a lot of people watching and thinking.
I finally went back to the apartment to have another quiet evening (which I will be craving soon, I'm sure)...
Monday, March 24, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
this was written on Friday
It doesn't get much better than a sunny spring day. Especially after you've been sort of out of it for a while. Yesterday was so sunny and beautiful!
We had planned on going into D.C. for the day because we'd been invited to hear Os Guinness speak at the Heritage Foundation on his new book A Case for Civility. So, we had to leave at about 9am to make it there in time. It was a good drive, I even got a little reading done on the way there.
We arrived at the Heritage Foundation and found ourselves greeting past Academy Alumni (which is always a pleasure to find yourself in a kind of odd family among them) and then listened to Os speak. He is so good with words and has a command of history that is inspiring (and discouraging for those of us who have a ways to go to ever be able to think on your feet like he does).
After the lecture we had a bite to eat (they had sandwitches for those attending) and I approached someone I didn't know (I think it's a bit rude to talk to people you already know when you're in a group and other people are just standing around -probably- wanting to talk to someone).
So, the person I walked up to was an Egyptian Physicist. I told him about the academy and how coincidentaly the day before we had been talking about cosmology in class. Then I asked him what his research was on and he told me it was about the theory of gravitons (which I had JUST learned about the day before!) and other difficult to explain ideas. I was excited because I was able to use what I had just learned in conversation, it was amazing.
After talking for a bit we all drove over to Evermay (where the Trinity Forum has its offices) and Lauren gave her class on the philosophy of science in a living room upstairs. It was such a random atmosphere to be studying science in and it was fun too. Nathan actually came and met us there and sat through the class.
After the class Nathan, Will, Cindy and I walked over to the metro and Will went to go read or something and we went to the Museum of Natural History. We made it in time to have about 30 minutes to see the photography exhibit that we had planned to see. It was amazing photography! It was wonderful to be walking around outside because the weather was so amazing!
We took the metro over to the John Hopkins School for International Development (or something) where we were going to watch a documentary on the health care system in Cuba but, it was packed and the monitor in the overflow room wasn't working. So, we decided that rather than wait around we would go back outside since it was so nice out there anyway.
I love walking around the city and so we enjoyed walking towards the Rwandan Embassy where we were going to go to an ice cream social later. We walked untill we found a place to eat. We had pad-thai noodles and sushi (it was great).
Then we walked back to the Embassy to the party that was for the Rwandan guests that had come to visit the Church of the Resurrection (which is a church were a couple Academy Alumni attend). We showed up and got to see some people we knew and meet some new people. Everyone was very friendly and it was a great group of people to be around. I enjoyed it a lot.
Cindy and I took the metro out to meet Scudder, David, and Miriam to drive home with them. It was a long day but we had a wonderful time! We got home late but that was ok too.
Today was a day for "silence and solitude". I decided it was a day to not try to measure success. It was LOVELY outside, slightly warm and very springlike! I did some reading, walked outside, took a nap... nothing too special but, a refreshing day none the less. Trying to de-compress some of the hundreds of thoughts that are running around in my head... I'm glad for days like today.
We had planned on going into D.C. for the day because we'd been invited to hear Os Guinness speak at the Heritage Foundation on his new book A Case for Civility. So, we had to leave at about 9am to make it there in time. It was a good drive, I even got a little reading done on the way there.
We arrived at the Heritage Foundation and found ourselves greeting past Academy Alumni (which is always a pleasure to find yourself in a kind of odd family among them) and then listened to Os speak. He is so good with words and has a command of history that is inspiring (and discouraging for those of us who have a ways to go to ever be able to think on your feet like he does).
After the lecture we had a bite to eat (they had sandwitches for those attending) and I approached someone I didn't know (I think it's a bit rude to talk to people you already know when you're in a group and other people are just standing around -probably- wanting to talk to someone).
So, the person I walked up to was an Egyptian Physicist. I told him about the academy and how coincidentaly the day before we had been talking about cosmology in class. Then I asked him what his research was on and he told me it was about the theory of gravitons (which I had JUST learned about the day before!) and other difficult to explain ideas. I was excited because I was able to use what I had just learned in conversation, it was amazing.
After talking for a bit we all drove over to Evermay (where the Trinity Forum has its offices) and Lauren gave her class on the philosophy of science in a living room upstairs. It was such a random atmosphere to be studying science in and it was fun too. Nathan actually came and met us there and sat through the class.
After the class Nathan, Will, Cindy and I walked over to the metro and Will went to go read or something and we went to the Museum of Natural History. We made it in time to have about 30 minutes to see the photography exhibit that we had planned to see. It was amazing photography! It was wonderful to be walking around outside because the weather was so amazing!
We took the metro over to the John Hopkins School for International Development (or something) where we were going to watch a documentary on the health care system in Cuba but, it was packed and the monitor in the overflow room wasn't working. So, we decided that rather than wait around we would go back outside since it was so nice out there anyway.
I love walking around the city and so we enjoyed walking towards the Rwandan Embassy where we were going to go to an ice cream social later. We walked untill we found a place to eat. We had pad-thai noodles and sushi (it was great).
Then we walked back to the Embassy to the party that was for the Rwandan guests that had come to visit the Church of the Resurrection (which is a church were a couple Academy Alumni attend). We showed up and got to see some people we knew and meet some new people. Everyone was very friendly and it was a great group of people to be around. I enjoyed it a lot.
Cindy and I took the metro out to meet Scudder, David, and Miriam to drive home with them. It was a long day but we had a wonderful time! We got home late but that was ok too.
Today was a day for "silence and solitude". I decided it was a day to not try to measure success. It was LOVELY outside, slightly warm and very springlike! I did some reading, walked outside, took a nap... nothing too special but, a refreshing day none the less. Trying to de-compress some of the hundreds of thoughts that are running around in my head... I'm glad for days like today.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
chik-fil-a
It's Tuesday and I want to be writing or reading and I cannot focus. My thoughts are scattered. I don't even feel very social. I want to force myself to write or read but, I'm not sure if I can.
On Saturday, we had a wind and rain storm that was so strong the waves were crashing up really high and the water almost got up to the Old Library. It was a crazy storm.
On Sunday, we had a really cool time at St. Stevens AME Church. Everyone was super friendly, the girls sang a special, and all in all it was just a happy, welcoming, friendly time. We are blessed to be loved by people like them. That afternoon I went to work in the kitchen because Dawn our chef is gone for a few days and I was supposed to help Val and Roger put out dinner. It was a good time. I needed something that was just work, not trying to have conversation or work on my project. We were serving some people from Chik-fil-A, they were really nice.
On Monday we had class with Cindy and Mark Potter who was talking about diversity, pluralism, compartmentalization and specialization in the University. It was an interesting conversation. In the afternoon Cindy was talking about communication. Specifically the importance of thinking through HOW we try to communicate things. We talked about how some people are called to be gadflys and others to build consensus, and often to go between those two things.
That evening I cooked dinner with Eric. I prepared a type of Indian curry dish. It was pretty good, I guess. I got to talk to our newest guest Roman Williams who is working on a research project about how people create sacred space. It was an interesting conversation. He's doing his PhD at Boston University. I guess I was trying to work last night but I couldn't.
Today was an all right day. I got to work the breakfast shift, which I love. I enjoy working with Roger. We had one more class with Cindy where we were talking about Brasil mostly. It was fun. After class I went to Easton, it was a sunny day a good day to walk around town some. I had lunch with Lauren, Will, Ali and her friend Vicky that was visiting. I tried to read but was a bit too tired. We had an afternoon lecture with Roman Williams and then I tried (again) to read before dinner. We had a great dinner and now, here I am procrastinating feeling very frustrated about my inability to focus on the things I want to be doing right now.
On Saturday, we had a wind and rain storm that was so strong the waves were crashing up really high and the water almost got up to the Old Library. It was a crazy storm.
On Sunday, we had a really cool time at St. Stevens AME Church. Everyone was super friendly, the girls sang a special, and all in all it was just a happy, welcoming, friendly time. We are blessed to be loved by people like them. That afternoon I went to work in the kitchen because Dawn our chef is gone for a few days and I was supposed to help Val and Roger put out dinner. It was a good time. I needed something that was just work, not trying to have conversation or work on my project. We were serving some people from Chik-fil-A, they were really nice.
On Monday we had class with Cindy and Mark Potter who was talking about diversity, pluralism, compartmentalization and specialization in the University. It was an interesting conversation. In the afternoon Cindy was talking about communication. Specifically the importance of thinking through HOW we try to communicate things. We talked about how some people are called to be gadflys and others to build consensus, and often to go between those two things.
That evening I cooked dinner with Eric. I prepared a type of Indian curry dish. It was pretty good, I guess. I got to talk to our newest guest Roman Williams who is working on a research project about how people create sacred space. It was an interesting conversation. He's doing his PhD at Boston University. I guess I was trying to work last night but I couldn't.
Today was an all right day. I got to work the breakfast shift, which I love. I enjoy working with Roger. We had one more class with Cindy where we were talking about Brasil mostly. It was fun. After class I went to Easton, it was a sunny day a good day to walk around town some. I had lunch with Lauren, Will, Ali and her friend Vicky that was visiting. I tried to read but was a bit too tired. We had an afternoon lecture with Roman Williams and then I tried (again) to read before dinner. We had a great dinner and now, here I am procrastinating feeling very frustrated about my inability to focus on the things I want to be doing right now.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
It seems like forever since I've written anything. This is an interesting place because sometimes there is a lot going on and it is difficult to stop and talk about the details because they all blend together so easily.
Let's see. From the last time I wrote we've done all sorts of things, let me try to remember some of the highlights (with the help of G-Cal which is our scheduling mastermind!).
The week of the 17th started out with Ali and I inviting our dinner group from church out to the property (Nathan was out here that weekend!). I ended up preparing dinner for 24ish people. We cooked a very yummy thai chicken curry with rice. It was a lot of fun. We went into the week and talked about health care with Ali during her class time and then I taught my class time.
The week of the 24th was great we had journal time for the first time in a while and Cindy led matins where we read about Joseph every morning. I enjoyed that quite a bit. We had some time to work on our research question that week. On the Tuesday of that week Ursula Meese came out to talk to us. Hearing her stories was incredible to say the least. We had class that week with Amy talking about T.S. Eliot's The Four Quartets (which was really cool!).
On the Thursday of that week some of us went into Washington D.C. to hear a lecture at the Center for Ethics and Public Policy. It was an interesting talk about "Media Madness". Before the lecture Sarah, Miriam and I went to the National Art gallery and enjoyed walking around together for a bit.
The week of the 2nd of March started out with a good conversation with Andrew on Sunday evening and class with Grace. We got to have an art lesson on Tuesday afternoon. I led matins that week, we read through the sermon on the mount. I worked Tuesday through Thursday at the Lodge and then we had an amazing celebration of Will's birthday on Friday the 7th. I got to prepare dinner, it was wonderful. We had portobello mushrooms with pesto, mozzarela cheese, roasted red peppers, and sausage; a roasted vegetable salad on a bed of spinach greens with roasted turkey and a yummy red pepper and onion topping; a slice of acorn squash, and then we had oysters and a plate of cheese and chocolate for dessert. It was delightful.
Today is Saturday, a chance to regroup, update people about my life and get some work done. I'm going to my dinner group again. This time we're going to Pickering Creek because one of the couples in the group lives there and manages it for the Audobon Society. It should be a good time. Tomorrow we're all going to go to St. Stevens for Women's Day. They invited all of us to go sing in Church. Apparently we're all supposed to wear black and gold. It should be a good Sunday.
Next week is looking like another crazy week full of stuff but, I like that. As long as it is full of learning and hospitality the two things that we do best here at the Academy. I enjoy those two things so very, very much!
Let's see. From the last time I wrote we've done all sorts of things, let me try to remember some of the highlights (with the help of G-Cal which is our scheduling mastermind!).
The week of the 17th started out with Ali and I inviting our dinner group from church out to the property (Nathan was out here that weekend!). I ended up preparing dinner for 24ish people. We cooked a very yummy thai chicken curry with rice. It was a lot of fun. We went into the week and talked about health care with Ali during her class time and then I taught my class time.
The week of the 24th was great we had journal time for the first time in a while and Cindy led matins where we read about Joseph every morning. I enjoyed that quite a bit. We had some time to work on our research question that week. On the Tuesday of that week Ursula Meese came out to talk to us. Hearing her stories was incredible to say the least. We had class that week with Amy talking about T.S. Eliot's The Four Quartets (which was really cool!).
On the Thursday of that week some of us went into Washington D.C. to hear a lecture at the Center for Ethics and Public Policy. It was an interesting talk about "Media Madness". Before the lecture Sarah, Miriam and I went to the National Art gallery and enjoyed walking around together for a bit.
The week of the 2nd of March started out with a good conversation with Andrew on Sunday evening and class with Grace. We got to have an art lesson on Tuesday afternoon. I led matins that week, we read through the sermon on the mount. I worked Tuesday through Thursday at the Lodge and then we had an amazing celebration of Will's birthday on Friday the 7th. I got to prepare dinner, it was wonderful. We had portobello mushrooms with pesto, mozzarela cheese, roasted red peppers, and sausage; a roasted vegetable salad on a bed of spinach greens with roasted turkey and a yummy red pepper and onion topping; a slice of acorn squash, and then we had oysters and a plate of cheese and chocolate for dessert. It was delightful.
Today is Saturday, a chance to regroup, update people about my life and get some work done. I'm going to my dinner group again. This time we're going to Pickering Creek because one of the couples in the group lives there and manages it for the Audobon Society. It should be a good time. Tomorrow we're all going to go to St. Stevens for Women's Day. They invited all of us to go sing in Church. Apparently we're all supposed to wear black and gold. It should be a good Sunday.
Next week is looking like another crazy week full of stuff but, I like that. As long as it is full of learning and hospitality the two things that we do best here at the Academy. I enjoy those two things so very, very much!
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