I've really been enjoying listening to music this week. Sometimes I have a very strong urge to get up and dance around the library. So far I've restrained myself. :) I really miss being involved in music. I sat down and played piano for a little while this week for the first time in at least a month, and it was very therapeutic. I need to take more time for that sort of thing. Of course, I'd also like to take more time to pray. And to cook. And to stay in touch with folks from West Virginia. And to learn Spanish. And to keep my French before it all slips away. Such is life, I suppose.
In other news, I've already started my Christmas shopping! I read an article a couple years ago by a woman who said she tries to get all of her shopping done before Advent starts so that she can really focus on the season. I love the idea. I won't succeed in finishing my shopping, but it's nice to have it started. Presents are one beautiful way to express our love for each other, but it becomes a stressful exercise since we all have so much more than we could ever need. How do you find a meaningful gift for someone who has everything? Even harder, how do you find meaningful gifts that were produced in fair and sustainable ways? It's definitely possible, but quite a challenge. And sadly, it can be quite a distraction from our spiritual preparations for Christmas.
Tomorrow we're heading out to Columbia, MO to see Mizzou and Iowa State play football. Ken's pretty psyched. I can't say that I'm counting down the hours, but it should be a fun break from studying.
Unfortunately, this particular break from studying has lasted a bit too long. Happy Friday!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Happy Monday
I'm sitting in the law school courtyard, which is a great place to be in the morning before everyone else shows up. The courtyard used to be outside, but they recently put a big glass roof over it, so I can hear the rain beating down overhead. I'm listening to music, drinking coffee, feeling productive, and having a spectacular Monday morning. Those don't happen all that often, so I thought I'd share the joy with y'all.
I came to the realization just last night that this is our last full week of classes...finals here we come!
I came to the realization just last night that this is our last full week of classes...finals here we come!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
quick update
The closer we get to exams, the crazier the law school gets. I've spent much of this gorgeous fall day sitting inside writing an outline for my property class, staring jealously out the window at all of the people playing IM sports on the quad. I can't complain too much. I had a nice walk to campus this morning after church, and yesterday Ken and I played disc golf. I've gotten outside as much as I could reasonably expect to this late in the semester.
I'm very thankful that my life is not entirely focused on school. Many people are getting pretty stressed out at this point. I'm occassionally overwhelmed by the massive amounts of work in front of me, but I'm not particularly stressed about grades or finals yet. Part of that is that I am blessed with such a wonderful husband who reminds me that there is a real world outside of academia. Having other friends and family in town also helps.
This last week I started creating another new relationship, as I began tutoring a woman from Burma in English. We meet twice a week, and she is an adorable and extremely motivated woman. She's only been in the U.S. for a year, having come from a refugee camp. She already has a decent foundation in English. I gave her two pages of homework between last Monday and Wednesday. She worked ahead and did about 15-20 pages, the equivalent of at least 10 lessons worth of meetings.
I had more to say, but it's already tomorrow, and I'm not yet ready for today's classes. Have a great week!
I'm very thankful that my life is not entirely focused on school. Many people are getting pretty stressed out at this point. I'm occassionally overwhelmed by the massive amounts of work in front of me, but I'm not particularly stressed about grades or finals yet. Part of that is that I am blessed with such a wonderful husband who reminds me that there is a real world outside of academia. Having other friends and family in town also helps.
This last week I started creating another new relationship, as I began tutoring a woman from Burma in English. We meet twice a week, and she is an adorable and extremely motivated woman. She's only been in the U.S. for a year, having come from a refugee camp. She already has a decent foundation in English. I gave her two pages of homework between last Monday and Wednesday. She worked ahead and did about 15-20 pages, the equivalent of at least 10 lessons worth of meetings.
I had more to say, but it's already tomorrow, and I'm not yet ready for today's classes. Have a great week!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A tree and a nudist
I'm trying to stop gushing about the autumn leaves, but I can't help it. There's this path I walk down on my way to school that is lined by trees on either side, and it makes me feel like a movie. Now that November has dawned bright and clear after our rainy October, I can look up and see all of the leaves lit against the clear blue sky. Bordered by beauty, I feel like this one little slice of reality is perhaps all as it should be, God's will being done on earth by His inanimate creations, at least.
To continue my obvious obsession, I decided to dress up as a tree for Halloween. I also didn't want to spend any money on a costume, so this fit the bill. I wore a brown skirt and brown sweater and taped leaves to my arms. Ken's costume was even easier: he wore his normal clothes and a sign around his neck that said "nudist on strike." We're all about simplicity, right?
Last Friday, we had two Halloween parties to go to. The first was hosted by the law school. We went to the pre-party that was held at the university, and then went on to a friend's apartment. The law school goes all out for the party itself, renting out a bar for four hours and opening up an unlimited tab. Of course, it also costs money, so I excused my absence to anyone who asked by mentioning our other party and desire to save money. But at some point that evening, I realized that I actually had no desire to go to the bar, even had it been free. Standing shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of drunk people, getting beer spilled on you, not being able to hear the person next to you - it's just not my scene. I'm more about having a good conversation over a glass of wine, be that at a less crowded bar or in someone's living room. This was actually sort of a revelation for me. For awhile after college, I felt like I had missed out on the bar scene. It was refreshing to realize that I'm okay with skipping out on that craziness. And we really enjoyed our friend's party.
Even though I mostly write about non-academic activities, classes have really been consuming my time and keeping me pretty busy. I'm trying not to drive Ken crazy or get too stressed out. The end of the semester is looming far too close, and I don't even have enough time for all of my current classwork, much less studying for finals. But I still enjoy it. I just have to remind myself of that some times. I hope all of you are having great, non-stressful weeks. Until next time...
To continue my obvious obsession, I decided to dress up as a tree for Halloween. I also didn't want to spend any money on a costume, so this fit the bill. I wore a brown skirt and brown sweater and taped leaves to my arms. Ken's costume was even easier: he wore his normal clothes and a sign around his neck that said "nudist on strike." We're all about simplicity, right?
Last Friday, we had two Halloween parties to go to. The first was hosted by the law school. We went to the pre-party that was held at the university, and then went on to a friend's apartment. The law school goes all out for the party itself, renting out a bar for four hours and opening up an unlimited tab. Of course, it also costs money, so I excused my absence to anyone who asked by mentioning our other party and desire to save money. But at some point that evening, I realized that I actually had no desire to go to the bar, even had it been free. Standing shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of drunk people, getting beer spilled on you, not being able to hear the person next to you - it's just not my scene. I'm more about having a good conversation over a glass of wine, be that at a less crowded bar or in someone's living room. This was actually sort of a revelation for me. For awhile after college, I felt like I had missed out on the bar scene. It was refreshing to realize that I'm okay with skipping out on that craziness. And we really enjoyed our friend's party.
Even though I mostly write about non-academic activities, classes have really been consuming my time and keeping me pretty busy. I'm trying not to drive Ken crazy or get too stressed out. The end of the semester is looming far too close, and I don't even have enough time for all of my current classwork, much less studying for finals. But I still enjoy it. I just have to remind myself of that some times. I hope all of you are having great, non-stressful weeks. Until next time...
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Masquerade
The fall leaves have absolutely mesmerized me this week. Watching trees transform day by day is truly incredible and has brought a new freshness to my walk to and from school. It’s like seeing a sunset depicted by a leaf mosaic. I’ve thought about taking pictures, but the ephemeral and ever changing nature of the change is part of the magnificence. A photo might help describe why I am so entranced, but it won’t actually entrance anyone else. You just gotta get out and enjoy this beautiful autumn for yourself!
In the midst of that, the semester is gearing up. It’s time to start preparing for finals, and we’re working on our biggest paper assignment of the semester. I still find plenty of time, however, to attend some of the extra events held at the law school. This week there was a speaker who had represented some of the detainees at Guantanamo. Courts have found that thirty of the detainees were being held without cause. However, only about ten of those thirty have been released. The other twenty face persecution if sent back to their own country, and there is a political battle going on about which countries will accept them as refugees. And these are all people who have been found to not be “enemy combatants.” Imagine being stuck in jail even though you didn’t do anything, knowing you can’t return to your own country, and being told that no other country wants you. If you’re interested, the New York Times has an article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/us/21scotus.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y.
On a different note, Ken and I went to see Phantom of the Opera Friday night at the Fox. It was incredible! The only professional theater productions that I have attended have been at the Muny, which is a great venue but is definitely a little bit lower tier than a full professional theater. Last night was great, especially since Phantom is one of my favorite musicals. We decided to go all out for it, so Ken wore his tux and I wore one of my big black bridesmaid dresses. When else can you play dress-up as an adult? I’m not all that into fashion, but playing dress-up was one of my favorite pastimes when I was younger.
One of the songs in Phantom is called "Masquerade," and it talks about hiding your face so that the world will never find you. It's sung during a costume party, and it of course also refers to the Phantom of the Opera, who wears a mask and hides from the world. But it's an interesting idea for reflection. First, the typical idea that we need to get rid of our own masks. And second, that we might be able to look beyond the masquerade around us. Since I'm thinking about Guantanamo, it seems an apt example. It hides behind the curtain of our own indifference or a lack of publicity or political rhetoric or whatever. But if we look behind the curtain, there's a lot of pain and suffering all around us. And a lot of beauty, too, like that perched on the branches above and falling to the ground below. Like the blind man healed by Jesus in today's Gospel, let's open our eyes this week.
In the midst of that, the semester is gearing up. It’s time to start preparing for finals, and we’re working on our biggest paper assignment of the semester. I still find plenty of time, however, to attend some of the extra events held at the law school. This week there was a speaker who had represented some of the detainees at Guantanamo. Courts have found that thirty of the detainees were being held without cause. However, only about ten of those thirty have been released. The other twenty face persecution if sent back to their own country, and there is a political battle going on about which countries will accept them as refugees. And these are all people who have been found to not be “enemy combatants.” Imagine being stuck in jail even though you didn’t do anything, knowing you can’t return to your own country, and being told that no other country wants you. If you’re interested, the New York Times has an article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/us/21scotus.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y.
On a different note, Ken and I went to see Phantom of the Opera Friday night at the Fox. It was incredible! The only professional theater productions that I have attended have been at the Muny, which is a great venue but is definitely a little bit lower tier than a full professional theater. Last night was great, especially since Phantom is one of my favorite musicals. We decided to go all out for it, so Ken wore his tux and I wore one of my big black bridesmaid dresses. When else can you play dress-up as an adult? I’m not all that into fashion, but playing dress-up was one of my favorite pastimes when I was younger.
One of the songs in Phantom is called "Masquerade," and it talks about hiding your face so that the world will never find you. It's sung during a costume party, and it of course also refers to the Phantom of the Opera, who wears a mask and hides from the world. But it's an interesting idea for reflection. First, the typical idea that we need to get rid of our own masks. And second, that we might be able to look beyond the masquerade around us. Since I'm thinking about Guantanamo, it seems an apt example. It hides behind the curtain of our own indifference or a lack of publicity or political rhetoric or whatever. But if we look behind the curtain, there's a lot of pain and suffering all around us. And a lot of beauty, too, like that perched on the branches above and falling to the ground below. Like the blind man healed by Jesus in today's Gospel, let's open our eyes this week.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Ziggy!
It's the age old story: boy and girl fall in love, get married...and get a cat. Meet Ziggy, our 3 year old, short-haired, domestic tabby. We brought him home earlier this week. He's super friendly and loves sitting on the couch with me and Ken during movie night.
In other news, I've been out of school for fall break since Wednesday afternoon, but I've still been really busy. Thursday I spent organizing notes for finals studying. Yesterday I had the opportunity to tour the St. Louis County Public Defender's office. The Career Services Office at WashU set up the tour. It was really interesting and heartbreaking at the same time. I'm not saying we should let people who commit crimes off the hook, but the system really strips them of their dignity. It's hard to imagine prison having a restorative effect on anyone.
Tomorrow we're planning to go apple picking. I'm all excited about fall food. I bought a bunch of squash from the farmers' market, and I'm going to bake the pumpkins soon. We also got some garlic that is supposed to stay good throughout the winter, and I bought some local onions and peppers to freeze. Once we get the apples, we'll have to break out our dehydrator again - dried apples are SO delicious, and they're a great way to enjoy local fruit in the middle of the winter. I'm also hoping to can some applesauce.
As for today, I really need to hit the books. Ken is looking forward to the Notre Dame - USC game.
I apologize for this uninspiring post. I often think about facebook status updates and how silly they are. I don't really care if so-and-so is at the grocery store. But then I come to our blog and just write a consolidated form of all the potential status updates from throughout the week. But if I attempt to write something thought-provoking, it usually turns out pretty depressing. I could have written about how I've been dwelling this week on the difficulties of creating true positive change on a societal level. We feel dis-empowered and end up creating bandaids, hoping that we can some how have a trickle-up effect on society as a whole. But I certainly don't have any ideas on how to create big change. So there you go - my depressing thought of the week. I guess we just have to keep working at living our way to the answers, because I certainly don't have them at my fingertips.
In other news, I've been out of school for fall break since Wednesday afternoon, but I've still been really busy. Thursday I spent organizing notes for finals studying. Yesterday I had the opportunity to tour the St. Louis County Public Defender's office. The Career Services Office at WashU set up the tour. It was really interesting and heartbreaking at the same time. I'm not saying we should let people who commit crimes off the hook, but the system really strips them of their dignity. It's hard to imagine prison having a restorative effect on anyone.
Tomorrow we're planning to go apple picking. I'm all excited about fall food. I bought a bunch of squash from the farmers' market, and I'm going to bake the pumpkins soon. We also got some garlic that is supposed to stay good throughout the winter, and I bought some local onions and peppers to freeze. Once we get the apples, we'll have to break out our dehydrator again - dried apples are SO delicious, and they're a great way to enjoy local fruit in the middle of the winter. I'm also hoping to can some applesauce.
As for today, I really need to hit the books. Ken is looking forward to the Notre Dame - USC game.
I apologize for this uninspiring post. I often think about facebook status updates and how silly they are. I don't really care if so-and-so is at the grocery store. But then I come to our blog and just write a consolidated form of all the potential status updates from throughout the week. But if I attempt to write something thought-provoking, it usually turns out pretty depressing. I could have written about how I've been dwelling this week on the difficulties of creating true positive change on a societal level. We feel dis-empowered and end up creating bandaids, hoping that we can some how have a trickle-up effect on society as a whole. But I certainly don't have any ideas on how to create big change. So there you go - my depressing thought of the week. I guess we just have to keep working at living our way to the answers, because I certainly don't have them at my fingertips.
Monday, October 12, 2009
No Free Time
It's somewhat laughable to see that my last post was entitled "free time" when I feel like I have had nothing of the sort for the last two weeks. And hence my lack of posts. But I have had a great deal of enjoyable recreational time; it's just that I have spent it with friends rather than on my own. Two weekends ago I had the privilege of seeing a good high school friend get married in Kansas City, and just last weekend a couple friends from Chicago came down and stayed with us. They brought their adorable four-month old along, as well. So I have had plenty of fun and community building, accomplished just barely enough work, and had very little free time during the last couple weeks. Which is perhaps as it should be. Keeping my priorities straight while in law school has been an important subject of prayer for me lately.
We have a glorious midterm break beckoning us forward this week - I'll be off Thursday and Friday, studying but free. I'll make sure to make time for a more thorough post next weekend. Until then, enjoy the beautiful fall weather!
We have a glorious midterm break beckoning us forward this week - I'll be off Thursday and Friday, studying but free. I'll make sure to make time for a more thorough post next weekend. Until then, enjoy the beautiful fall weather!
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