Times…..They Are A’Changin’

I took a walk around the neighborhood that I grew up in today. It was the first time since last spring, and with all the changes in my life, it was interesting to do. I did have a motive for taking the walk; I was going to the beauty supply store that’s not too far the house, but I could have asked for a ride yet decided not to since it was such a pretty day outside.

One of the first things that struck me was how many houses are up for sale. Not that houses for sale is unusual, the number did strike me. As I don’t think all of this (or even most of it) is because of the mortgage crisis, I wonder what’s going on in the neighborhood.

Then I noticed the smaller things…..the pedestrian bridge has been torn down….the bike path has been repainted….new gates have been put up….the kids have to walk home a different way from school.

ahhhh….times…..they truly are changing. Not that I didn’t know that already, but this time away from home has shown me just how much they change. And in a short period of time.

It shows one just how short life is. And how we must seize the day. And most especially how there are some things you can’t do enough of…..love is one…….time with friends is another.

I guess that’s it for tonight. More later.

My Summer Vacation

Hello friends.

I’m procrastinating typing up my answers for my final exam in Emergency Pastoral Care and thought I would take a few minutes to write about my summer plans.

Who knew things could change in a matter of days? My original plans were that I was going to spend about 6 weeks here in St. Louis then travel to Maine and New Hampshire (it’s good to have friends who want you around) then come back here for a couple of days before going back to Indiana for my August intensive.  Well…that all changed on my big trip east.

Now my plans are that I’m going to be here in St. Louis for 2 weeks….then on to Boston for a week and some days….then to Ft. Lauderdale (even though I won’t be attending GA) to hang out with friends….back to St. Louis for about a week….then Maine and New Hampshire.

I feel like a little kid who gets to go to camp for my summer vacation; while I’m glad to spend some time at home, I don’t want to be here all summer. Now I don’t have to. 🙂

The only thing that could have made this the bestest summer vacation ever would be if E. could actually join us for Girls Week in Maine. She can’t, but I’m going to take so many pictures that when we see each other in August she’ll feel like she was there with us.

What are your summer vacation plans (if you have any)? How excited are you about them?

Looking For A Digital Camera

Yes Virginia, this is another recommendations post.

Since I’m going to be doing a lot of traveling this summer to places I’ve never been to before and want to share some of those memories with special people, I have decided to buy a digital camera. It doesn’t have to be fancy or have lots of bells-and-whistles; it just needs to take a really good picture that I would be proud to show to others. And I don’t want it to be too expensive either

So if you have a digital camera that you want to recommend, tell me all about it. 

Thinking About Discernment

Now that my semester is over I’ve given my mind over to other thoughts. Not that they have strayed too far from things school-related.

Right now I’m thinking about discernment. U/U/UUs talk about a free-and-responsible search for truth and meaning, but we don’t talk a lot about discernment and the discernment process (at least not for those not thinking about the ministry). I think it’s time we started.

So I’m compiling a list of books to read this summer. If you know of a good book about discernment, let me know about it.

It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye

Well……I just said goodbye to E.  I’m leaving Richmond on Sunday and E. is part of a Quaker young adult conference here at Earlham so she is busy and I won’t be able to see her before I leave.

It really is so hard to say goodbye to someone you love, especially when they have been such an important part of your life and growth. I know I’ll be working through this for the next few days (up until I see E. again in August) and hopefully it will be easier to say goodbye to others later on.

Anyway….it’s been so delightful to have E. in my life for these last months and that she will be a part of my life for the forseeable future. Thank God.

3 Days And Counting

3 more days before I can offically say that I have finished my first semester. Even though the semester ended on May 2nd, I’m counting these 2 weeks as part of this first semester.

And it looks like I will make it through with my sanity reasonably intact. And with a friend that I didn’t even know I needed until I met her.

So now I can really settle my plans for summer. It looks like I will be spending a good amount of time on the east coast with friends, and that makes me very happy.

More later…………..

A Spot of (bad)Poetry

In Emergency PC the other day, we had to be artistic. Since I can’t draw a straight line, I decided to write a poem. Since I like my poem (even though it’s bad) I have decided to publish it here.  The subject of the poem is compassion.

—————————————

What is compassion to me?

A warm blanket

A friend’s hug

Waves lapping over one

 

A baby’s kiss

Jersey sheets

Magnolias in bloom

 

Macaroni and cheese

Raindrops on roses

and wind in the trees

 

A sly smile

A wink

A pat on the shoulder

and a contented sigh

 

Rainbows that appear while it’s still raining

Girls Week in Maine

and friends who love their frog keychains

 

but even if none of these existed

it would be

that touch or thing or feeling or action or force of nature

that makes one feel, if just for a second

safe and protected

warm, embraced, comforted, wanted, needed, beautiful and loved.

Feeling Culturally Ignored

As some of you know, I’m taking Emergency Pastoral Care for my 2-week intensive here at ESR. Also some of you know how I felt at the end of the semester when asked about my Intro. to Pastoral Care class. Well, I’ve come to a conclusion.

I’m feeling culturally ignored (at least in these 2 classes). And I don’t think there’s anything that can be done that will make me feel any different.

oh well….at least this will all end next week.

Lunch At Tiffany’s

There is one thing that must happen every time that I come to New York. I must go pay homage, and drop a few dollars, at Tiffany’s. Today was the perfect day to go……light grey sky and rainy. I found the best gift for persons who don’t know they’re getting one. And I recommend that if you are in NYC and want to buy a gift, try Tiffany’s 3rd and 4th floors, which are the silver, china and crystal floors.

Anyway…..I saw Cat On A Hot Tin Roof last night. Terrance Howard was really good as Brick. You could tell this is the first time he’s done stage work, but you could tell he felt comfortable in the role. You could also tell that he will be phenomenal the next time he is on the stage.

R. and I are going to meet for lunch in about an hour. Don’t know exactly what we’ll do after lunch, but it will be fun.

Of course I should be writing my short paper for Emergency Pastoral Care class which starts Monday. But hell, I have 19 hours on the train to do that. So I shall procrastinate until tomorrow afternoon. 🙂 

More next week when I’m back in Richmond.

Hello From New York City

Hello one and all.

Well……I made it out of Richmond and arrived here in NYC last night (after a couple of nights in Boston). I finished my final for Pastoral Care at 11:40 pm and sent it in as soon as I typed the last word. So now I have a few days before I have to write a short essay for my intensive class on where God is during suffering. what fun…….not.

Anyway…..today is going to be a take-it-easy day here in NYC. I might walk up to MOMA and see how long the line is (if it’s not too long, I’ll go in). I will go to the Hallmark store and buy Mother’s Day cards (for the ever-growing list). And I’ll probably go to the American Girl store to buy some stuff for my mother.

R. and I will hang out starting tomorrow, as today is a busy day for her. And Thursday I get to see Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. I am so excited!

More later.