Ahhhhh! (aka University)

"Ahhh!" is what I felt like these first two weeks back at school.  It's so beautifully chaotic and random without being purposeless!  After a relatively quiet summer, being back amongst the diverse attendants of a liberal arts college is almost too much: philosophy? criticism? drama? where were all these things hiding, and why do they bring me so much joy now?

I've moved into a house with six other wonderful people, mostly ex-dormies who I got to know last year.  There have been baking parties.  We organized a tea party.  I made borscht for the first time ever because I bought too many beets.  Jam sessions.  Walks. Epic plans being made along with bread that didn't rise - twice.

As for classes, ee weesh tha eh-ver-ei-oo-neh spah-ke een meed-leh ehn-gleesh - my prof does the accent fantastically.  I tried to read aloud in class today and ended up a bit red in the face.  Literary criticism is most interesting and surprisingly not dry.  Drama history is definitely not dry: our teacher, a true actor, got us to read the part of a Greek chorus over some epic battle music.  Old Testament Lit is a bit of a slow start so far, but, I am most excited to learn about the historical and cultural context of the books that have so much to say about God and His love for His creation.  And Earth Science.  Oh, earth science, the first time I've opened a science textbook since high school.  Our first lab was on rocks.  That was fun though - I made a new friend!

These past two days especially have been lovely: I've gotten to jam, meet some new people, hang out with old friends, have random conversations while sitting in my spinny office chair (I have an office! It's crazy! Who would give me keys, I mean come on!).  God is good, and I'm trying to praise Him even when things aren't exploding everywhere, which is harder than I would have thought!

But, of course, there are things that are unresolved: for example, I need to drop one of my majors and adjust my minors.  Drama keeps sneaking in, though I want you to note that I did not try out for the play.  Ugh, that was harder than it should have been.  Editing for the school paper is a constant effort, but it's been good so far!  Next issue out on Wednesday, God willing.  Oh, and should I get rid of Facebook/ my cell phone? (after Chelsea gets back from Australia if so I'm thinking).

Baking Attempt #2

Being at home like this in the middle of a blustery May day, snow tapping at the windows, winds wandering through the air vents - makes me want to make something.

I've been dragged along by a chain of creative events the past week: the short story I finished for a literary scholarship, the painting currently drying in the corner, the stack of handmade "business" cards.  I had a pause today between cleaning house and cancelling a dental appointment, and thought "Now what?"  The recipe to cure my boredom was just that - in the giant blue cookbook, instructions for a most delicious looking pie.

I have never made pie on my own before; other occassions I had Harriet or my sister to tell me what to do.  The pie's in the oven right now, a cinnamon shell housing a plethora* of fruit: apple, pear, strawberry - pretty much whatever was in the fridge.  Regardless of how it turns out, I will eat it!

My craving for creative activity filled, I can now move, conscience-free, to the living room, curl up against the cold, watch Lost in Translation...

And if anyone was interested, Baking Attempt #1 was a batch of oatmeal cookies: half were overdone, but tasted good anyways (:

(* Plethora - word of the day, thanks to Chelsea)