I came across this article about introverts. As an introvert - I found it to be very true and very helpful. It's also sort of funny - so that's a bonus.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch
Z and Luna
7 months ago
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
cool american history
"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
A friend of mine from camp came to visit me last weekend. It was such a blessing to have her come out. This was her major vacation for the year - as well as mine even though I wasn't traveling anywhere. We had all kinds of fun. I saw a lot of new things during her trip. Some of the highlights include meeting up with her brother who also happened to be in Boston for work. We ate at Legal Seafoods which is pretty good as far as seafood goes. We saw the Boston Public Gardens which I really enjoyed - very beautiful! We also took a Duck boat tour - which was a first for me. I am going to go again when my mom and aunt come to town - I think they will really love the ducks. You get to see quite a bit- even if they don't go in the north end... Dana and I also did some of my old favorites - the USS constitution (where she got her picture taken with an actual sailor - who was pretty excited that such a beautiful girl wanted a picture with him...), Gloucester, and Rockport.
Dana and I spent a day in Concord, MA. Concord was somewhere I had wanted to visit since moving out here and was just waiting for someone to go with me. It is the hometown of some of the greatest American thinkers ever. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Lousia May Alcott (Little Women), Henry David Thoreau (Walden), Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter) all lived in this small town. Not to mention the guy who sculpted the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial - who was mentored by May Alcott (Lousia's little sister - Amy in the book/movie.) The world gets even smaller: the Alcott's were active in the underground railroad and at one point had Harriet Tubman in their home! HARRIET TUBMAN! The home I am referring to is Orchard House, made famous by Little Women. Not only that, the man who lived in Orchard House after the Alcotts taught a young girl who was legally blind who later went on to teach Helen Keller - Anne Sullivan!
I need to take a breath. Whew!
So, while in Concord we went to Orchard House, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and Walden Pond! The Walden Pond of Thoreau fame. However, that was a bit of a letdown since it was pretty hot that day and so a lot of people where there swimming. I was expecting Walden to be a bit more like one of the lakes that someone has to portage to in Northern Minnesota. I suppose in Thoreau's time it was a little more peaceful.
Monday morning, before Dana left - I took her and my friend Jua to Ocean Lawn. It is part of the Coolidge (as in President Calvin Coolidge) reservation. It is a beautiful rocky shoreline with great views of the ocean. It was a great way to end Dana's New England vacation... I think.
Most of my friends are home, but will soon be returning for the new semester. I don't actually start class until after Labor Day - which is nice. Tomorrow is my last day at the Center for the Study of Global Christianity - for real this time. I am actually working for a couple of hours before I am off to the airport once again. This time to pick up my USF friend Kim who is moving to Boston for graduate school. She will actually live in Boston though - unlike me.
One last story and then the slideshow of pictures.
A couple of days ago I took my friend Jua to the RMV (think DMV) so she could take a test to get her driving permit. Jua is Korean by the way. That is why she doesn't have her license. Anyway... So I brought my large Introduction to the New Testament book - trying to finish my New Testament semlink before the fall semester starts... Anyway, I'm sitting there reading my large book and I look up and there is a HUGE camera pointed directly at me. Not kidding! I was a little shocked - not entirely shocked because when I was in NYC a little kid kept taking pictures of me on the Staten Island Ferry. Apparently I'm photogenic (haha.) Anyway, he explained that he was a reporter doing a story on the RMV staying in downtown Beverly. I thought it was funny that he would take a picture of me - since I wasn't there to take a test nor did I really care about the story. Well, I checked the other day to see if I was famous - and he didn't use my picture. He must have thought I didn't represent the "average" RMV patron. So, I was almost famous.
Good luck to all those who are in a transition to school mode. Whether you are starting a new school, returning as a student or even a teacher or dealing with the absence of a student from home.
A friend of mine from camp came to visit me last weekend. It was such a blessing to have her come out. This was her major vacation for the year - as well as mine even though I wasn't traveling anywhere. We had all kinds of fun. I saw a lot of new things during her trip. Some of the highlights include meeting up with her brother who also happened to be in Boston for work. We ate at Legal Seafoods which is pretty good as far as seafood goes. We saw the Boston Public Gardens which I really enjoyed - very beautiful! We also took a Duck boat tour - which was a first for me. I am going to go again when my mom and aunt come to town - I think they will really love the ducks. You get to see quite a bit- even if they don't go in the north end... Dana and I also did some of my old favorites - the USS constitution (where she got her picture taken with an actual sailor - who was pretty excited that such a beautiful girl wanted a picture with him...), Gloucester, and Rockport.
Dana and I spent a day in Concord, MA. Concord was somewhere I had wanted to visit since moving out here and was just waiting for someone to go with me. It is the hometown of some of the greatest American thinkers ever. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Lousia May Alcott (Little Women), Henry David Thoreau (Walden), Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter) all lived in this small town. Not to mention the guy who sculpted the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial - who was mentored by May Alcott (Lousia's little sister - Amy in the book/movie.) The world gets even smaller: the Alcott's were active in the underground railroad and at one point had Harriet Tubman in their home! HARRIET TUBMAN! The home I am referring to is Orchard House, made famous by Little Women. Not only that, the man who lived in Orchard House after the Alcotts taught a young girl who was legally blind who later went on to teach Helen Keller - Anne Sullivan!
I need to take a breath. Whew!
So, while in Concord we went to Orchard House, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and Walden Pond! The Walden Pond of Thoreau fame. However, that was a bit of a letdown since it was pretty hot that day and so a lot of people where there swimming. I was expecting Walden to be a bit more like one of the lakes that someone has to portage to in Northern Minnesota. I suppose in Thoreau's time it was a little more peaceful.
Monday morning, before Dana left - I took her and my friend Jua to Ocean Lawn. It is part of the Coolidge (as in President Calvin Coolidge) reservation. It is a beautiful rocky shoreline with great views of the ocean. It was a great way to end Dana's New England vacation... I think.
Most of my friends are home, but will soon be returning for the new semester. I don't actually start class until after Labor Day - which is nice. Tomorrow is my last day at the Center for the Study of Global Christianity - for real this time. I am actually working for a couple of hours before I am off to the airport once again. This time to pick up my USF friend Kim who is moving to Boston for graduate school. She will actually live in Boston though - unlike me.
One last story and then the slideshow of pictures.
A couple of days ago I took my friend Jua to the RMV (think DMV) so she could take a test to get her driving permit. Jua is Korean by the way. That is why she doesn't have her license. Anyway... So I brought my large Introduction to the New Testament book - trying to finish my New Testament semlink before the fall semester starts... Anyway, I'm sitting there reading my large book and I look up and there is a HUGE camera pointed directly at me. Not kidding! I was a little shocked - not entirely shocked because when I was in NYC a little kid kept taking pictures of me on the Staten Island Ferry. Apparently I'm photogenic (haha.) Anyway, he explained that he was a reporter doing a story on the RMV staying in downtown Beverly. I thought it was funny that he would take a picture of me - since I wasn't there to take a test nor did I really care about the story. Well, I checked the other day to see if I was famous - and he didn't use my picture. He must have thought I didn't represent the "average" RMV patron. So, I was almost famous.
Good luck to all those who are in a transition to school mode. Whether you are starting a new school, returning as a student or even a teacher or dealing with the absence of a student from home.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
...and their glory is in their shame.
"Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame." Phil. 3:19
I read that and thought, "wow, that's kind of harsh! Who would really take pride in their shame?" Then I sat back and actually thought about it and realized how common it really is for people to take pride in shameful things.
For example:
While surfing around facebook I came across many positive references to being drunk such as this catchphrase: "A hangover lasts a day but our drunken memories lasts a lifetime." (2 points if you read that and noticed that grammatical error!)
Some of the major movies over the last couple of years are based on activities that were once considered to be shameful. The Harold and Kumar franchise (more than one movie because it was so popular) follows two male adults who are under the influence of drugs (much like Cheech and Chong before it). The Pineapple Express is another movie that treats drug use lightly. In fact, one of the actors has admits to using drugs off screen.
I'm not going to continue listing movies, although I could.
As a teenager I remember entering high school and thinking that the coolest thing would be to go to a party and get drunk. During lunch I would hear stories of what people did on the weekends. They would entertain us with their stories of stupidity - their dumb actions (at least the ones they could remember.) The more stupid one acted, the cooler they became. More than once a student has shown up to school drunk.
Drugs and alcohol are not the only badges of honor in today's youth. I remember watching an episode of Law and Order where teenage girls wore bracelets indicating sexual favors they were willing to do. These bracelets were a source of pride.
I wonder - how can this be?
I can't help but think that these people have no hope or have lost their hope that they can be whole, good, righteous. They begin to see their flaws realizing that on their own they cannot escape these flaws, so they embrace them. They realize they are selfish - so they wear it as a badge of honor. "You don't like it, who cares?" They desire food and drink - they don't limit themselves. As Paul says, their god is their stomach.
As Christians, Paul calls us to a different kind of life. Our glory is to be in Christ Jesus. Our life is to be characterized by love. Paul gives us some advice as to how we should spend our time, instead of taking pride in our faults.
"Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Phil. 4:8-9
I read that and thought, "wow, that's kind of harsh! Who would really take pride in their shame?" Then I sat back and actually thought about it and realized how common it really is for people to take pride in shameful things.
For example:
While surfing around facebook I came across many positive references to being drunk such as this catchphrase: "A hangover lasts a day but our drunken memories lasts a lifetime." (2 points if you read that and noticed that grammatical error!)
Some of the major movies over the last couple of years are based on activities that were once considered to be shameful. The Harold and Kumar franchise (more than one movie because it was so popular) follows two male adults who are under the influence of drugs (much like Cheech and Chong before it). The Pineapple Express is another movie that treats drug use lightly. In fact, one of the actors has admits to using drugs off screen.
I'm not going to continue listing movies, although I could.
As a teenager I remember entering high school and thinking that the coolest thing would be to go to a party and get drunk. During lunch I would hear stories of what people did on the weekends. They would entertain us with their stories of stupidity - their dumb actions (at least the ones they could remember.) The more stupid one acted, the cooler they became. More than once a student has shown up to school drunk.
Drugs and alcohol are not the only badges of honor in today's youth. I remember watching an episode of Law and Order where teenage girls wore bracelets indicating sexual favors they were willing to do. These bracelets were a source of pride.
I wonder - how can this be?
I can't help but think that these people have no hope or have lost their hope that they can be whole, good, righteous. They begin to see their flaws realizing that on their own they cannot escape these flaws, so they embrace them. They realize they are selfish - so they wear it as a badge of honor. "You don't like it, who cares?" They desire food and drink - they don't limit themselves. As Paul says, their god is their stomach.
As Christians, Paul calls us to a different kind of life. Our glory is to be in Christ Jesus. Our life is to be characterized by love. Paul gives us some advice as to how we should spend our time, instead of taking pride in our faults.
"Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Phil. 4:8-9
Saturday, August 16, 2008
a blue true dream of sky
Sometimes I forget where I am.
I have been reintroduced to the ocean the past couple of weeks. Last weekend I went to Crane beach for the afternoon with a couple of friends. I spent the time people watching and drawing in the sand while looking out on the deep blue ocean.
Today I went to Ocean's Lawn with my friend Natalie. It is part of the Coolidge Reservation (I think that is right...) Anyway - it is beautiful. The shore is very rocky and you can look out and see the ocean go on and on. There are a few little islands right off shore and in between them a smattering of sailboats. As we stood there, we contemplated how we were at the foot of the ocean. We were at the edge of the rest of the world. It was breathtaking. It took my breath away to see such beauty in creation. It also took my breath away to think that I am only a small part of that creation. But then I thought - I am grateful to be a part at all.
Seeing such wonder in nature made me think of a song that the choir sang. The lyrics are a poem from e.e. cummings. I leave you with his words to describe how I felt today - he captures it better than I ever could.
i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
I have been reintroduced to the ocean the past couple of weeks. Last weekend I went to Crane beach for the afternoon with a couple of friends. I spent the time people watching and drawing in the sand while looking out on the deep blue ocean.
Today I went to Ocean's Lawn with my friend Natalie. It is part of the Coolidge Reservation (I think that is right...) Anyway - it is beautiful. The shore is very rocky and you can look out and see the ocean go on and on. There are a few little islands right off shore and in between them a smattering of sailboats. As we stood there, we contemplated how we were at the foot of the ocean. We were at the edge of the rest of the world. It was breathtaking. It took my breath away to see such beauty in creation. It also took my breath away to think that I am only a small part of that creation. But then I thought - I am grateful to be a part at all.
Seeing such wonder in nature made me think of a song that the choir sang. The lyrics are a poem from e.e. cummings. I leave you with his words to describe how I felt today - he captures it better than I ever could.
i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog
So, if you haven't figured it out already, I think I might have a slightly obsessive personality. I really like things for awhile and then I move on. Earlier this summer I blogged about the 10th Kingdom, but now I have a new obsession. It is a made-for-the-internet event called Dr. Horrible's Sing Along blog. It is 40 minutes long and can be found at www.hulu.com
Conceived during the writer's strike, this was created by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). He and some members of his family wrote it, directed it, produced it, etc. It stars Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion and Felica Day. I just had a couple of girls over to watch it and they both really enjoyed it.
Here is the trailer. Watch it. Then go and watch the real thing. Watch it. Love it. Tell others.
Conceived during the writer's strike, this was created by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). He and some members of his family wrote it, directed it, produced it, etc. It stars Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion and Felica Day. I just had a couple of girls over to watch it and they both really enjoyed it.
Here is the trailer. Watch it. Then go and watch the real thing. Watch it. Love it. Tell others.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Change of Plans
Now I am working at my editing job until the end of August. Pray that all goes well for me as I rearrange my schedule to make this happen. Praise God for providing - I can definitely use the extra weeks worth of pay. Also pray that I am able to work on my semlinks during this time. While this truly is a blessing - it does require some sacrifice.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
What to say...
I have no excuse for not writing other than I didn't have much to say. Since the last post I have gone to a couple of movies: The Dark Knight (fantastic) and Mamma Mia! (very entertaining)
I've been working. This coming week is my last week at my editing job because Gina is coming back from Mongolia. I'm excited for her return. I've enjoyed the job and have learned so much, but I really need time to work on my semlink classes. Speaking of, I took my midterm for my New Testament class this last week. I think it went well.
Today I got back from a trip up to Maine. I just needed to get out of MA for a little bit. I went up to my mom's cousins and spent the weekend at their house. Yesterday I went kayaking on Pleasant Lake with Jackie. I also finished Mansfield Park while there. Overall, I am so thankful to have some family in the area. Here are a couple of pictures:
Things I am looking forward to:
- End of second job
-Two weeks of having a house available to me for laundry and cable tv
-Dana's visit (If Dana wasn't visiting I would have gone to a Neil Diamond concert - but I would choose Dana over Neil any day!)
- Return of seminary friends
- Josh Turner concert on September 5th
- And maybe returning to full-time student status... not sure if I am really excited about that or not...
That's all for now. I hope your summers are all going well!
I've been working. This coming week is my last week at my editing job because Gina is coming back from Mongolia. I'm excited for her return. I've enjoyed the job and have learned so much, but I really need time to work on my semlink classes. Speaking of, I took my midterm for my New Testament class this last week. I think it went well.
Today I got back from a trip up to Maine. I just needed to get out of MA for a little bit. I went up to my mom's cousins and spent the weekend at their house. Yesterday I went kayaking on Pleasant Lake with Jackie. I also finished Mansfield Park while there. Overall, I am so thankful to have some family in the area. Here are a couple of pictures:
Things I am looking forward to:
- End of second job
-Two weeks of having a house available to me for laundry and cable tv
-Dana's visit (If Dana wasn't visiting I would have gone to a Neil Diamond concert - but I would choose Dana over Neil any day!)
- Return of seminary friends
- Josh Turner concert on September 5th
- And maybe returning to full-time student status... not sure if I am really excited about that or not...
That's all for now. I hope your summers are all going well!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
