Beach Vacation
I’m heading out of town for a few days, should be back Tuesday of next week if not sooner. My friend’s grandparents rented a condo at the beach and invited myself and others up to St. Simon’s Island for the weekend. I don’t think I’ll really be able to post these next few days, but hopefully I’ll have some stories and pictures to share when I get back.
Sticking With It
Despite my frustration with my major, I’m gonna stick with it and fight it out, I think that’s what God wants me to do, or at least, I think that’s the most advisable COA at this time (and I believe God acts through our judgment, influencing our discernment so that we make the right decisions). I’d love to go and become a Jewish studies major again, but I don’t think that’s wise of me, in secular and in spiritual terms. Sure, it would be a step of faith to choose a major with so few job opportunities, but I just don’t think God wants me to limit myself like that. So, as I said before, I’m sticking with it, do my best, and we’ll see where I go.
Bombed and Good News
Bombed: Today I “bombed” my computer, as some call it. I went through and erased everything, starting from scratch. However, I did back up the more important files beforehand, so I still have those around.
Bombed: I’ve got no idea where I’m going academically, but it really isn’t getting better. I take it a day at a time, like my last post says, and just because I post on this, doesn’t mean I’m discouraged, I’m quite happy. I just don’t know what the heck I’m doing major wise, I’m in finance right now, and the more of it I take, the less I like. I could graduate in less than two more years in finance, but I really don’t feel like putting up with all the frustration only to not wind up graduating in it. What do you guys, the readers do? Are any of you in similar situations?
Good News: Despite my lack of direction concerning a major, God has continued to provide for me insight into my life. I think I’ve recognized a really great opportunity in GCL next year for me, and though it would mean changing home groups, I still think it will be a good thing, I just need to talk to some people to see if it will go through first. Into the more distant future, the thought of becoming a pastor is growing more and more on me as I’ve been out on campus passing out fliers and talking to people at Preview (and absolutely loving it). A note to the reader: my “future career” moves in rotations, it remains amongst a few job fields, but, it revolves in cycles between the careers. The pastor thing is nothing new, I’ve always wanted to be a pastor eventually, feeling like I need some real world experience before I become one. The difference is, now I’m once again considering skipping the “real world” and going straight to becoming a pastor out of college/seminary. I don’t know, tomorrow, tomorrow maybe it will be better. Tomorrow.
Good News: Oh, and more on the good side, my computer is working wonderfully now, no more problems.
Bring in da’ Noise, Bring in da’ Funk
I think that was the title to some kind of Broadway musical… I think. Anyways, my mood as of late (or at least, in spasms as of recent) has been described by friends of mine as a “funk.” I suppose I am in somewhat of a “funk,” one of those “satiated with everything” funks. I feel I’ve become jaded, overcome by a sense of the meaninglessness of everything around me. Supposedly a symptom of modern society, where everything is instant gratification. Don’t dispair yet though, read on.
Now for the beginning part of the title: as I was sitting here, head in hands, fed up with it all, I start listening to Unwed Sailor again, it’s amazing how music can transplant me onto some kind of totally foreign plain, utter escapism, where nothing’s real, there’s only the music. So I guess the title should be “Bring in da’ Funk, Bring in da’ Noise”… but that’s not a Broadway musical of sorts, if the other one is “Broadway” at all.
The thing is though, I know it’s all just a mental game. It’s all about making it through the tough day, looking forward to tomorrow; looking forward to the dusk of despair, and the ability to rise up to a new dawn the next morning. The Orphan Annie and me, tomorrow, tomorrow… more Broadway musicals. I guess music in the form of songs helped Annie, and music in its various forms ministers to me as well. There is good news however, having ample experience with such things, I’ve become quite good at dealing with them, so I know that I’ll be fine, tomorrow.
Unwed Sailor
Probably extremely similar to Jordan’s post, but as I’m sitting here listening to Unwed Sailor, I had to drop the shameless promotion for their group. Unwed Sailor is also my first real experience with “experimental” music and I really like what I hear. Their album tells a story through the combination of illustration, in the from of artwork in the album book, and then their songs actually make you feel like you’re there, ie you look in the booklet and you see a windmill, then you listen to the song, and you can hear, almost feel, the windmill. Check them out, they’re Unwed Sailor.
Sunsets and Graduations
This past weekend being Memorial Day Weekend, my sister’s graduation on Tuesday, and my not having class on Tuesdays this semester, I decided to head home for the festivities. I suppose for some families graduations are a minor detail, but for our family it’s another great reason for everyone to get together again. My sister, being younger, graduated from the same high school that I went to last year, and this time I got to witness graduation from the stands of the TD Waterhouse Center (where the Orlando Magic play) as opposed to on the floor where I sat as a graduate the year before. Sitting in the stands is a different experience, you get an appreciation for just how many people are there. This year there were only 600 and some graduates in my sisters class (for my class there was a reputed 800 and some), but sitting in the stands, one notices just how full the TD Waterhouse lower bowl is, I bet the Miracle are jealous (are they still around? For that matter, is the WNBA still around?). So, while home, my father’s best friend from high school called him up and wanted to know if he would like to go skating, my father was thrilled at the opportunity and further relayed the invitation to me, so we all set out and skated the West Orange trail on Memorial Day which was rather fun, it’s been a while since I last skated (though I suppose “roller blading” would be the correct term, habit has me at “rollerskating”). One thing that I have been noticing recently, and noticed at home, was just how late and how beautiful the sunsets have been. For some reason, in my mind, I still see the sun setting at around 7pm every evening, but I’m continually astounded when I glance at my watch as the sun is setting, and notice it at past 8pm. Perhaps the shock stems more from the fact that it’s already progressed so long in the evening though it feels like the “night is still young.” Going home was kinda nice, I got a chance to see some old friends and family again, oh, and let me not forget pets.
Milk Challenge
Not that he needs a link from my meager sight, but this post was hilarious.
Praise and Worship
The peaceful evening showers struck again this evening, but this time, I wasn’t alone in my room witnessing the rain, I was at a house with some friends, “jamming” on our guitars and belting praise and worship songs. Having not played my guitar in months, at times I was quite satisfied to lay it all aside and just close my eyes and sing… “I could sing of Your love forever, I could sing of Your love forever…” It’s such a release to be able to escape like that, good friends, great worship, singing of His love forever and ever… or at least, until our fingers hurt.
Rainy Days
There’s something about a summer’s rainy day:
Once upon a time:
My father, sister, and I would watch the rain from my parent’s queen sized bed. We’d sit there, scouting out the scenery, pillows in hand, waiting for the lightening. Then we’d all quickly duck under our pillows and prepare for the ensuing thunder… Thunder having stopped, we’d remain for a second, giggle, and then proceed to watch the soft water trickle down from above.
Today:
Sound pours through the paper-thin extremities of this ancient house as a gentle deluge interacts with the roof, walls, and tree-tops surrounding my room. Together with the wind rustling trees, birds chirping, and the occasional drumming of thunder, a refreshing melody forms. I’m the sole listener, seated on the sofa in my room, gazing out of rippled windows at the yellow light reflecting off magnolia blossoms and overly greened leaves. This all creates some kind of performance for me, resembling the Toy Symphony, worthy of my favorite opera or orchestral concert. This composition may not be resounding in my head tomorrow, or hummed on my lips as I meander from class to class, but perhaps it will transcend to become an ingrained memory, something reminiscent of times long ago when…
A summer’s rainy day.
A Strange Sight
Sitting outside, waiting for one of my classes to begin, I looked up and noticed what an awkward, anti-stereotypical sight I must have been. I was reading Dr. Zhivago by Borris Pasternak with my Oakley, or rather Jokely, sun glasses on, in my somewhat skateboardish attire, with my 4 foot and some inch long board beside me. Perhaps it was just me at that moment, but I began to think about how rarely one sees a “skateboarder” outside reading some literary novel only for the pleasure of discovery. I suppose that’s me though, I’m the Jewish Christian, the poetic skateboarder that’s a finance major, the person that wants to pursue about seven different academic disciplines, few relating to any of the others (history, classics, English, finance, microbiology, philosophy, journalism, Jewish studies, etc). I guess I actually enjoy being that person, the one that’s different, the kid with a surfboard rack on top of his car driving around in business attire, briefcase beside him, heading to the bank to “clock in.”
I just realized I still have yet to post on my “ideal” future jobs. I’ll see what I can do about posting on that, it’ll be hard, as again I have such diverse interests but must attempt to relate it to only a few jobs, maybe I’ll throw them all into one gigantic post, or maybe I’ll split them up into multiple entries, we’ll see. Peace.
