The Ever-Entertaining Chapter Eight, LIVE from a Level 2 Snow Emergency*:
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I've decided that I want to become a canon law lawyer. Thanks, Ed Peters.(Oh, and don't worry. I've already e-mailed him and made a new friend! Doubly excited to stay in contact and to learn more.)
In other career news, I'm having an article published by the New England Real Estate Journal next week. I am also applying to take my first graduate-level theology class at the local seminary and for my passport tomorrow. This has been quite the week of plans and planning!
First order of business: Just when I think Fr. Barron couldn't win any more Julie points, he opens his mouth:
Secondly, my friend Scott wrote/ sang this song and it is haunting and beautiful. I love it and y'all might too:
Thirdly, my big in Kappa, who is also a very dear friend of mine, is moving to South Korea tomorrow. She will be teaching ESL for at least the next year. Please pray for her safe travels and safety, especially since North Korea is now showing aggression towards the South. She will also be keeping a blog called Gaudete, if any of you are interested in following her adventures.
Fourthly, today is my bestest Bear-Bear's birthday! For those unawares, this is the song we've danced to every time we've turned twenty-something:
Finally, keeping my fingers crossed that this paper will be done by tomorrow... then uncrossing them, because that is a terribly difficult way to type. But as a bonus, I changed the background of my blog. I like the updated templates. You like?
Today is the birthday of William Butler Yeats! Here's my ode to the great Irish poet and dramatist:
"To a Child Dancing in the Wind"
Dance there upon the shore; What need have you to care For wind or water's roar? And tumble out your hair That the salt drops have wet; Being young you have not known The fool's triumph, nor yet Love lost as soon as won, Nor the best labourer dead And all the sheaves to bind. What need have you to dread The monstrous crying of wind?
and
"To Ireland in the Coming Times"
Now, that I would accounted be True brother of a company That sang, to sweeten Ireland's wrong, Ballad and story, rann and song; Nor be I any less of them, Because the red-rose-bordered hem Of her, whose history began Before God made the angelic clan, Trails all about the written page. When Time began to rant and rage The measure of her flying feet Made Ireland's heart begin to beat; And Time bade all his candles flare To light a measure here and there; And may the thoughts of Ireland brood Upon a measured quietude.
Nor may I less be counted one With Davis, Mangan, Ferguson, Because, to him who ponders well, My rhymes more than their rhyming tell Of things discovered in the deep, Where only body's laid asleep. For the elemental creatures go About my table to and fro, That hurry from unmeasured mind To rant and rage in flood and wind; Yet he who treads in measured ways May surely barter gaze for gaze. Man ever journeys on with them After the red-rose-bordered hem. Ah, faeries, dancing under the moon, A Druid land, a Druid tune!
While still I may, I write for you The love I lived, the dream I knew. From our birthday, until we die, Is but the winking of an eye; And we, our singing and our love, What measurer Time has lit above, And all benighted things that go About my table to and fro, Are passing on to where may be, In truth's consuming ecstasy, No place for love and dream at all; For God goes by with white footfall. I cast my heart into my rhymes, That you, in the dim coming times, May know how my heart went with them After the red-rose-bordered hem.
and, per recommendation of the statehouse reporter from West Virginia sitting behind me,
"The Secret Rose"
Far-off, most secret, and inviolate Rose, Enfold me in my hour of hours; where those Who sought thee in the Holy Sepulchre, Or in the wine-vat, dwell beyond the stir And tumult of defeated dreams; and deep Among pale eyelids, heavy with the sleep Men have named beauty. Thy great leaves enfold The ancient beards, the helms of ruby and gold Of the crowned Magi; and the king whose eyes Saw the pierced Hands and Rood of elder rise In Druid vapour and make the torches dim; Till vain frenzy awoke and he died; and him Who met Fand walking among flaming dew By a grey shore where the wind never blew, And lost the world and Emer for a kiss; And him who drove the gods out of their liss, And till a hundred morns had flowered red Feasted, and wept the barrows of his dead; And the proud dreaming king who flung the crown And sorrow away, and calling bard and clown Dwelt among wine-stained wanderers in deep woods: And him who sold tillage, and house, and goods, And sought through lands and islands numberless years, Until he found, with laughter and with tears, A woman of so shining loveliness That men threshed corn at midnight by a tress, A little stolen tress. I, too, await The hour of thy great wind of love and hate. When shall the stars be blown about the sky, Like the sparks blown out of a smithy, and die? Surely thine hour has come, thy great wind blows, Far-off, most secret, and inviolate Rose?
Yeats is really great, but I wonder how many people read him beyond "The Second Coming." Do you know what isn't done enough today? Making kids memorize poems. They memorize lots of things; why not good poetry? Then perhaps they'd appreciate better literary quality when they're older. No one would read books like the Twilight series after devouring Tennyson.
Today is also the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua! He's a Doctor of the Church and was canonized only a year after his death. He died at age 36, only 10 years after joining the Franciscans, and was known as the Malleus hereticorum, or "Hammer of Heretics." He is a personal favorite and friend of mine, especially as I am constantly calling upon his intervention to find lost items. My parents say I have a personal connection to him because I usually find what I had been looking for within moments of asking for help, but that seems to be the typical response of anyone who asks for his help. I think the difference is between people who ask and people who don't.
For example-- Rach, you'll enjoy this-- it was dinnertime at Kappa two semesters ago and Cervini came in being dramatic about having lost something and getting into a tizzy and Sarah (Rachel's awesome little, for all the non-KKG readers) shouts from the kitchen to pray to St. Anthony (to a mainly Protestant audience, I should add). Well, dubious side-looks aside, Cervini found what she was looking for and for at least the next week, it was hilarious to hear Kappas going around saying things like, "You can't find ____? Go ask Sarah to pray about it!" :)
Laura and I are currently hanging out at the Corner Bakery until we leave for our flight out of Chicago. Our waiter pretended to have a heart attack while bringing over my panini. He's hilarious and is chatting up his entire section/ impromptu dancing. We certainly have met a lot of characters this trip. We've also spent time with friends and I had the blessed chance to be in Chicago the same weekend part of my family was in town for my aunt's graduation from her masters' program. I have had a splendid time, to say the least. It was wonderful to see and spend time with so many good, dear people. Columbus is fun, but it's currently missing a few crucial pieces to my life puzzle.
The conference was really great and informative and it gave me the reassurance that I'm going about my job in the right way. My current goal for the next year is establish a presence at the Statehouse, recruit lots of college journalists and make BI another venue to publish them (i.e. more clips! a win-win for both parties), create a syndication system with the small Ohio newspapers (eventually moving into the larger papers) and generally create the base of a small news bureau with a large reach. If I can get the news bureau to function without me (hypothetically speaking) in the next year or less, I will be a very happy reporter. I'll also bring more attention to Buckeye, which is also needed, so I am excited to get back to Columbus and start tapping into the potential more.
Something I discovered this weekend: Mercatus, George Mason's economic research center, which is too fantastic for words. First article on the page: "The Roaring Twenties and the Austrian Business Cycle" (which is a working paper that I am currently reading- tres bien!) My favorite is "The Death of Fiscal Federalism," a concept that I hold very dear to my limited government-loving heart. This is a really great organization and I am excited to read and delve deeper into what they do and pursue.
Also, here's a great lede in a recent article by George Will: "WASHINGTON - Under the current imperfect administration of the Universe, most new ideas are false, so most ideas for improvements make matters worse. Given California’s parlous condition, making matters worse there requires ingenuity, but voters managed to do so last Tuesday."
I think Laura and I might leave our bags at the hotel and wander down to the Chicago Blues Festival for a bit. Our flight isn't till 5 and I adore live music. Betsy is coming to stay with me for the next 3 days since she'll be student teaching in Columbus for 3 days. So much happiness to see my dear friend. Happy Sunday, y'all!
"Humiliating to human pride as it may be, we must recognize that the advance and even the preservation of civilization are dependent upon a maximum of opportunity for accidents to happen."
"Man learns by the disappointment of expectations. Needless to say, we ought not to increase the unpredictability of events by foolish human institutions. So far as possible, our aim should be to improve human institutions as to increase the chances of correct foresight. Above all, however, we should provide the maximum opportunity for unknown individuals to learn of facts that we ourselves as yet unaware and to make use of this knowledge in their actions."
"From this foundation of the argument for liberty it follows that we shall not achieve its ends if we confine liberty to the particular instances where we know it will do good. Freedom granted only when it is known beforehand that its effects will be beneficial is not freedom."
Back from working CCA III. The topic this week is The New Deal. Dr. Folsom is talking on Keynesian economics tonight in relation to the New Deal's economics, so sharing the video below is timely.
Rach, the "Fear the Boom and Bust: a Hayek vs. Keynes Rap Anthem" video has gone viral around campus. I ran into Dr. Wenzel tonight (Econ prof who is co-teaching my poli sci class; he reads Hayek for breakfast!). He says he might show it before class tomorrow. Ha! It is quite good, so I am not complaining. I might even get to class before 5 till 8 (a.m., way too early) tomorrow!
"Prepare to get schooled in my Austrian perspective!" (and check out the name tags on the bartenders--Ben and Tim. Clever!)
The intellectual I like the best thus far is Frank S. Meyer. We haven't read him in class yet (though I think I saw one of his essays on the syllabus), but I read "The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945" by George Nash over Christmas break and his ideas are solid and substantial. I really like what I've read thus far, like this:
"...freedom can exist at no lesser price than damnation; and if freedom is indeed the essence of man's being, that which distinguishes him from the beasts, he must be free to choose his worst as well as his best end. Unless he can choose his worst, he cannot choose his best."
I've been assigned my two major research papers of the semester today (outside thesis and shorter papers). I'm thinking about topics, so I'll discuss those soon. I have a few ideas.
Happy February 1st! I can't believe we're in the second month of the year already. Today is Anna D.'s 21st birthday, so we're taking her out to the Hunt Club tonight. I'm interested in seeing how I balance this with the work that must be complete by 8 a.m. tomorrow.
I'd like to share two of my favorite passages from the short story "Blackberry Winter" by Robert Penn Warren.
This first one comes after the narrator's mother tries to make him wear shoes outside:
"Nobody had ever tried to stop me in June as long as I could remember, and when you are nine years old, what you remember seems forever; for you remember everything and everything is important and stands bigs and full and fills up Time and is so solid that you can walk around and around it like a tree and look at it. You are aware that times passes, that there is a movement in time, but that is not what Time is. Time is not a movement, a flowing, a wind then, but is, rather, a kind of climate in which things are, and when a thing happens it begins to live and keeps on living and stands solid in Time like the tree that you can walk around. And if there is a movement, the movement is not Time itself, any more than a breeze is climate, and all the breeze does is shake a little the leaves on the tree which is alive and solid. When you are nine, you know that there are things you don't know, but you know that when you know something you know it. You know how a thing has been and you know that you can go barefoot in June."
This one makes me think of playing in the woods behind the house I grew up in, but there's more to it than that, which is what makes it so good.
"When you are a boy and stand in the stillness of woods, which can be so still that your heart almost stops beating and makes you want to stand there in the green twilight until you feel your very feet sinking into and clutching the earth like roots and your body breathing slow through its pores like the leaves--when you stand there and wait for the next drop to drop with its small, flat sound to a lower lead, that sound seems to measure out something, to put an end to something, to begin something, and you cannot wait for it to happen and are afraid it will not happen, and then when it has happened, you are waiting again, almost afraid."
More reading, writing and research today. Happy Sunday!
My best friend this weekend! Ours is a fickle friendship, but I let her live on my desk and she's always there when I need her.
I'm thinking about making cookies this weekend as well for a study break since exam season is coming up and 'tis the season to get stressed! I'm leaning towards chocolate chip. I'll definitely be sending some to Bianca in NC and maybe a few other far-away friends as well as feeding the Hillsdale masses. Or I could make them for the Hillsdale Forum Christmas party next Friday afternoon!! Yay!!
If all goes well this weekend, my Robert Frost and James Otis papers and presentation (for Frost) will be done come Monday.
My poem selection of the day: "The Sound of Trees" by Robert Frost
I wonder about the trees. Why do we wish to bear Forever the noise of these More than another noise So close to our dwelling place? We suffer them by the day Till we lose all measure of pace, And fixity in our joys, And acquire a listening air. They are that that talks of going But never gets away; And that talks no less for knowing, As it grows wiser and older, That now it means to stay. My feet tug at the floor And my head sways to my shoulder Sometimes when I watch trees sway, From the window or the door. I shall set forth for somewhere, I shall make the reckless choice Some day when they are in voice And tossing so as to scare The white clouds over them on. I shall have less to say, But I shall be gone.
In other news, both Texas and D.C. have snow but not Michigan. I'm not upset or sad at all about it since, after Christmas break, the campus will resume its re-enactment of Narnia before the White Witch was killed--completely covered in blankets of snow, harsh winds and ice covering the trees and sidewalks alike. On the plus side, I look forward to awesome sledding!
Update: Four snowflakes spotted! We'll be looking for the fifth in the next hour...
School is scuttling past like the leaves blown up by the wind. I keep rotating between my fall herringbone coat and my winter Columbia jacket, with my black fleece worn in-between. I am working on my art history reproduction of Return from Abydos (Egyptian wall painting on plaster, 1410 B.C.) and am being constantly reminded why I am not an art major. It's not looking bad at all, but I feel like I would derive more pleasure from this project. Or maybe it's the four looming papers due after Thanksgiving break. Deo gratias that at least I've finished writing the accompanying paper for art history!
Tomorrow is Heather (my dear roommate)'s 22nd birthday. We were planning on going out for drinks after our chapter meeting tomorrow night, but the Chicago Water Grill burned down tonight! CWG, for those unawares, is a favorite in the college community. It was a nice restaurant and bar in Jonesville, which is right next to Hillsdale. I was just there on Friday after the Kappa Senior Date Dinner with Matt and a few friends, so it seems a bit surreal to think that it is completely demolished now.
I have been reading lots, both for school and not for school (although, if you learn for life, not for school, as my high school espoused we should, then it's all in my life's curricula!), but I found this really great poem:
"High Flight" by Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr., 412 Fighter Squadron, RCAF (killed December 11, 1941)
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds, - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or ever eagle flew - And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
In sad news, my Flannery O'Connor book, Mystery and Manners, split absolutely in half today. I shall have to tape it back together! Although it is a little easier to read now :)
I leave Hillsdale Tuesday (two days!) to go home for break; my Tuesday class got canceled, but I have a lunch date with my good friend Sarah Willis and around 1:15, when Kate is done with her exam, off we shall drive! Homeward bound!
I may be having lunch with my cousins Tommy and Nick on Wednesday with my sister Katie; that night, I shall pick up my friend Andrew from the bus station. He's coming in from Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with my family, which should be a blast and very overwhelming. I'm sure he'll leave 10 pounds heavier because they'll just keep trying to feed him.
Friday-Saturday will be reading research, taking Andrew around Cincinnati and hanging out with friends, per is my homecoming ritual. I'm sure I'll take Heidi on a few walks too, so I can waddle off the loads of pumpkin pie, turkey, stuffing, etc. I intend to eat. Andrew, you can come too. :)
Continuing to pray about life and what it's been scooping up to me. It's not always easy trusting, but I know it's best. I mailed my first fellowship application on Friday, so that's a good feeling. The mom of two of my Kappa sisters died yesterday, so please keep her soul in your prayers. One of my fellow American Studies majors has oral comps tomorrow, so keep her in your prayers too. I took her coffee and pop-tarts tonight. She sent me my favorite line of the day too: Emily: you are drawing with crayons and I'm reviewing 4 years of education. hmmmmmmmph. (except I am using colored pencils, not my preferred medium of crayola crayons, of which I need a new pack if anyone is interested in supporting the Julie Art cause; I'll draw you a pretty picture!)
I'm incredibly excited to see my family and friends. I like to think that to be home is to be.
This was part of the commentary in The Magnificant for today, the Feast of Christ the King (and St. Cecilia!). It's from Pope Benedict XVI's homily on September 8, 2001 on theFeast of Our Lady's Nativity:
"The Gospel passage we have just heard broadens our view. It presents the history of Israel from Abraham onwards as a pilgrimage, which, with its ups and downs, its paths and detours, leads us finally to Christ. The genealogy with its light and dark figures, its successes and failures, shows us that God can write straight even on the crooked lines of our history. God allows us our freedom, and yet in our failures he can always find new paths for his love. God does not fail. Hence this genealogy is a guarantee of God’s faithfulness; a guarantee that God does not allow us to fall, and an invitation to direct our lives ever anew towards him, to walk ever anew towards Jesus Christ."
I found this written on a piece of paper while cleaning up--
"Choose: grinding poverty or frequent trips to the Hampton." --my dad's advice to me regarding my future career options
I got an e-mail today from the Editor in Chief of Academic Questions, a journal of the National Associations of Scholars, to write an article for their upcoming issue. She said the head of the CN recommended me. I'm quite excited and all ready brainstorming what I shall be writing on. I need to tell her in two weeks or so, but I think I have a rough idea. The prompt has to do with traditional values and Western Civilization in the current academic and social setting.
Only one class this morning, so the day is being spent organizing all my research, etc. I have papers everywhere in my room and it is getting a little ridiculous. Mom called me to let me know she is mailing my umbrella that I left at home over Fall Break today, along with a few more treats, like pictures of the family and jail cookies. We call them "jail cookies" because, last weekend, Dad and my sister Katie made chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies for the inmates jailed downtown. A priest at our church works with them and he asked parishioners to make cookies, so my family of course went over the top and made 24 dozen. They had a few to spare so they are sending them to me!
I also have a Delta Pi Nu (AS honorary) dinner at 6:30, where I shall be doing a mini-presentation on my thesis with the other senior American Studies majors. There's only four of us, which is one of my favorite parts of the major. Then I've got Kappa stuff and then more homework! Good, solid day.
Peace be with you all today and may the sun shine down on your face, even if from behind clouds.
"If the world is against truth, then I am against the world." -St. Athanasius
My apologies for being super-lax on the postings (Rachel, I'm sure you're the only one who's noticed, so that is for you), but I had three midterms last Friday and this past week--which I thought was going to be laid back, was a big game of catch-up. My major week accomplishments were writing an article on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and same-sex marriage for the November issue of the Forum and a presentation on Robert Frost presentation on Friday. The article turned out well (I'll post it when we go to press next week) and presentation was hilarious. I'll start at the beginning:
It all started when one group took four people when the groups were only supposed to have three. Then Dr. S said "no rules" so Heather and I simply did the logical thing--we e-mailed his wife and asked her if she would come to class and be in our presentation. She was sworn to secrecy and, as she was out of town and did not get back into town until Thursday, it made the surprise so much the better. She had a few minor lines, but it was enough to include her while Heather and I ran the show, which was hilarious and very well-received. The presentation was on Robert Frost's time in England, which we paralleled with Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court."
Here's the opening Heather wrote. Yes, it is based off Puck's opening in a "Midsummer's Night Dream":
If this project has offended, Think but this, a notion splendid, That you have but slumber’d here, As you usually do, my dear. And if you would attempt to glean What Julie’s doing in your dream, Feel no need to comprehend, In 15 minutes it will end. But in that while, let us truck To England, where, with some luck, We’ll bring a bit of Twain along And approach Frost’s trip from a different prong. Though with this Prologue we may stall, And really start to bore you all, We’ll attempt to win back friends And have Sundahl’s own Ellen to make amends!
We had to resist making a snide comment during our presentation to a certain member of our class regarding high maintenance because that would be uncouth. During her presentation, she had to hold a fishing pole and was holding it backwards. Dr. S of course called her high maintenance and she retorted by saying, "I'm not high maintenance. I'm not a sorority girl." Heather and I are sitting in the front row, to which I exclaim "Hey now!" and Heather says, "Have you met Julie?" at the same time. Not to mention two of the girls in her group were in sororities, as well as two additional members of the class. I found it very un-called for, but she was wearing socks with her sperrys, so that is Heather and mine criteria for whether or not a person is high maintenance: the wearing of socks with one's sperrys. :)
I was also on a panel on Thursday for Fairfield Society regarding "The Future of the Republican Party," which went really well. I got a couple raps on the table from my fellow panelists during my opening remarks and sizeable clapping afterwards, as if that means anything. It was a lot of fun to publicly talk and debate on said subjects, especially since there were a few hard-core Republicans on the panel, something I am certainly not. That type of oration begs preparation and helps one center what one really believes. I e-mailed Rach my opening remarks for her enjoyment, so if anyone else is interested, I'd be happy to pass them along.
Anyways, as the title of this blog post suggests, it is the start of Inspiration Week, so I shall be busy doing things for my Little, Danielle. She is to my left in the picture, in the black jacket. My Big, April, is in the red toggle coat. The picture was taken at Homecoming and is one of my favoritest pictures now. I love my Kappa family (and if you're reading this, you too G., my beloved Grand Big)! I had to make Danielle a poster and used many mediums, including crayons. Being me, I broke one. Also being me, I wrote a haiku in its honor:
"Ode to the crayon I broke whilst coloring a sign for my Little" a haiku by Julie Robison
my poor crayon hast broke; cracked in the line of duty lavender--I salute!
I'll also be writing papers. I think I have 5 or 6, but I'll be focusing on 3: James Otis (Founding of the American Republic), Alistair Cooke (Major Figures in Journalism) and Flanney O'Connor (The Lost Art of Epistolary Communication). Oh, and my thesis. I just love it all so much. Even the thought of everything I'm going to be reading excites me. I was reading Otis and his take on the English common law last night and wishing everyone in America could learn about this as well. It is so fascinating.
My favorite verse of the week: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31
Today is the feast day of St. Crispin and St. Crispinian, twin brothers martyred in 286 A.D. It is also the day the Battle of Agincourt occurred in 1415, dramatized by Shakespeare in his play Henry V. The speech King Henry gives in Act 4, scene 3 happens to be one of my favorites, so I'll give it to you here:
"What's he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin: If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires: But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England: God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more, methinks, would share from me For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made And crowns for convoy put into his purse: We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us. This day is called the feast of Crispian: He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars. And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.' Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember with advantages What feats he did that day: then shall our names. Familiar in his mouth as household words Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester, Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember'd; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."
This was parents' weekend at Hillsdale College and even though my dear parents didn't come, it was a lovely weekend. It was UC's homecoming as well this weekend, and Mom called me on Saturday so that I could hear the sounds of the parade. I saw lots of friends' parents, including my "little brother" on campus Sammy's parents. Sam's also from Cincinnati and his twin sisters are good friends with my sister Marianne, so our families are well-connected. That was just wonderful.
I invited my friend Matt over to Kappa for brunch because I was a "parent-less" senior, so that was neat being able to share a meal with a fellow "parent-less" friend on campus as well as showing him around the house, since boys are not technically allowed upstairs, but this was one time they were allowed. When I first asked him, he thought I had said "pant-less" and not "parent-less," which I can assure you led to much hilarity.
Today at mass, I sat behind one of the girls I used to coach in soccer and when it was time for the Sign of Peace, she called me "Coach Julie." It made me really happy, especially since this is the first season in a little over two years I have not coached that group of girls. One of those, I'm-still-their-coach moments.
I'm really getting into my research paper on James Otis. He's fantastic and I'll have to expound more on him later; he is so fascinating when studying the origins of early American political thought. I'll also be working on my thesis today and helping spread the word about Kappa's 5k next Saturday/ getting people to sign up. I'll be writing cover letters for fellowships, studying with my friend Sarah, there's a candlelight at 6, articles are starting to pour in and yeah...it's going to be a great Sunday!
Song of the day is"Westfalls" by Okkervil River. I'm sure there are better recordings, but the song is still phenom.
Dad woke me up at 7:17 a.m. and I got up! Unlike at school, where I would hit my snooze button until necessity bodily dragged me out from beneath my cozy blanket. I suppose the knowledge that if I didn't get up, Dad or Mike might come up with Heidi and have her lick my face while tearing the warm blankets off my bed was reason enough to propel my tired body upwards and downstairs for breakfast. It was nice eating breakfast with 3/8th of the familia before Meg skipped off to school, Mike's ride came to pick him up and Dad...well, he was just around before work. I love those little family moments.
Today I am at Dad's office. I shall be attempting to complete the following: --copies of my James Otis books/ pamphlets --art history notecards --Founding list of dates/ people/ events to know --read George Orwell essays --read more famous letters --fellowship/ job applications
Dad and I went to Chinese for lunch. My fortune read, "Write injuries in dust, benefits in marble." I learned the Chinese word for "Inside" and my lucky numbers are 12, 23, 21, 33, 37, 16, which was neat to read only because my favorite number is, in fact, 37. We then had a conversation about what I should make for dinner on Sturday when the Hillsdale people come over (all thoughts on that should be directed at the comment box). Then he wanted to know when I became so opinionated and jokingly urged me to be more docile. I replied, Dubious.
In the happiest of news, my little sister Marianne asked me to be her Confirmation sponsor! I am so excited! I don't know how I'll get home for that yet, and I'll have to miss school, but this is definitely more important.
I am also happy to report that my computer shall be ready for my actual use when I get back to school! After a month at ITS, it was no more than a glorified picture frame. Then I uploaded Microsoft back to it, so it was slightly more useful, but not enough. My friend said he would work on it over break and not only is it working wonderfully now (I only gave it to him yesterday), he played MGMT's "Kids" to celebrate. Excellent choice! and taste, I might add.
I'm hanging with my cousin Sarah and familia tonight. I get to see massive amounts of friends tomorrow. Blessings abound!
(Pictured, left to right: Betsy, Amanda, Vivian, me and Margo has the KKG flag)
Homecoming 2009 at Hillsdale was fantastic! Even though KKG didn't win Homecoming Queen, Sarah still looked amazing and Kappa's cheers for her and our sorority rang out loud and proud. Hillsdale's football team also beat the #1 ranked Grand Valley State University, so festivities Saturday were more than celebratory. Hillsdale invited Mikey from The Monkees to sing and entertain the alumni and students, so the tent party was hopping, so say the least. My big April came in town, so it was great to see her and have her meet my little Danielle. I also saw 'Our Town' on Friday with friends and then hit up a couple parties, so that combined with seeing favorite alumni, I'd say this was one of my favorite weekends of the school year.
I'm at the library, getting more books for my thesis and printing articles off JSTOR. The printer, however, ran out of toner, so now my printing job is on pause. Slightly annoying since I'd like to get back to Matt's room to keep working on it. I went back to Kappa before the library though to grab my ipod and head phones. There are a number of people in there now, and I need to keep working. I went over there around 8 to work (after my lovely walk with Vivy) and I met a freshman named Henry who is also from Cincinnati! he was making Skyline and sharing it :) There were a few other guys in there as well and one of them asked me what my thesis was on, which of course catalyzed a huge discussion, which was fantastic. I love those type of intellectual discussions, especially when people are coming from different angles.
Okay, toner problem fixed, gots to get back to work. The Bengals won against the Baltimore Ravens today 17-14, so we're #1 in the AFC!! Who Dey!!!
Ah, Friday. I just finished listening to "Rebubula" by moe., an awesome jam band who have been around since the early '90s. I went to their concert my senior year of high school. We were easily the youngest people there and came out smelling like weed. It was a great time. Now Led Zeppelin's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" is now on...
Anyways, yay! I finished my first week of college! Now the fun part is seeing if I can survive my first full week...slightly more challenging. I am not particularly liking the whole getting up in the morning, but I got up way earlier in DC so I think I just need to get my sleep schedule back on track.
Tomorrow is the Catholic Society picnic and it's the first big CS event of the year so I have been super-busy organizing that as I am Social Chair of CS. The Sigma Chis are grilling, lots of people turned in their ID numbers to me; now I need to make sure the food gets delivered on time and everyone has a ride to Baw Beese (that's the lake/ park area in Hillsdale)!! It's slightly hectic getting things organized for such a large group of people and even though I enjoy doing it (and am happy to do it!), I will be relieved when it is over. I'm especially happy so many people signed up, Catholics and non-Catholics--it's a great way to get to know people at the beginning of the school year and reconnect.
Right now I am in the library, which I know sound super-nerdy, but I had to print off all these document I'll be reading for my Founding class, as well as a paper I wrote for my Colonial America class last semester for Raney. I wrote in on religious toleration in the colonies, specifically in Maryland and the precedent it set. I'll be dropping it off at Pi Phi for Julia to look over, because she's thinking about doing something with Catholicism and the Founding, which I think may prove difficult since there was only one Catholic signer (Charles Carroll) and the Founding was very much done in the Protestant tradition.
By the way, I need ideas for my Founding research paper. Seriously, I have absolutely no clue what I want to do. Dr. Birzer says we can do it on any thinker/ person, any idea, any event/ battle/ etc., any school of thought, or a comparison of any of the above regarding the foundations of the American republic, c. 1763-1815. I need ideas to bounce off of so that I can come up with my thesis so that I can get my research started ASAP for my annotated bibliography due in a few weeks. Share any and all ideas, please! I cannot think of anything I would like to write on, which bums me out, since I usually have too many ideas I want to do.
The Sigma Chis are having a huge party tonight, but I have not decided whether I am going to go out or not. If I do, it will not be until later, which is fine, because that's when the fun really starts anyways. I'm terribly concerned because I know a lot of my weekends are all ready filling up and not as productive as they should be-- like next weekend, we're all going down to the Heritage Museum in Columbus (Big is going to be helping with our tour, so I'll get to see her!!) and Sunday is Open House. The following weekend is Laurel's wedding and before you know it, we'll be at Homecoming, Fall Break and Parents' weekend! Oh baby, this is going to be a fun semester, regardless of the workload.
Running is going better and the soreness in my thighs from biking has waned. I've been approached several times by guys I play soccer with on the quad to when we're going to play again and that excites me. Playing soccer on the quad is one of my favoritest fall activities. I say fall because it usually never warms up fast enough in the spring to get many games in and, as we mostly play barefoot, the snow often dampens our enthusiasm for the nightly pick-up game. The games go on from any time between 9:30 and midnight and can last as short as 20 minutes or longer than 2 hours, with people coming and going as they please for a study break. The skill range varies, which is good and bad, but always interesting and enjoyable. It's mostly guys, which I think intimidates some girls out of playing, but it shouldn't. We're running over grass and sidewalk, playing around trees, avoiding the underbrush and having a damn good time while freezing in shorts and an oversized sweatshirt, returning to your studies with a huge grin and a few more bruises, only then realizing once you've stopped running that you are completely out of breath.
I was just found in the library and slightly mocked by their incredulous tone of voice that I would be found here on a Friday. I need to retreat somewhere people aren't going to find me. Maybe the Ludwig von Mises library or the study room in the basement of Kappa. I promise I'll be having plenty of fun tonight, which I know was never a doubt in any of your minds.
Mary sent this in an e-mail to the CS exec board and it made me pause and think: "I know God wouldn't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he wouldn't trust me so much." --Mother Teresa
Ah, "Baba O'Riley" by The Who just came on. Glorious! Happy Friday, friends!
