Try to Contain Yourself

Who's excited about season three of Downton Abbey?

Srsly, there'd better be a watch party.  I'm looking at you Emmy.

Christmas Country Style

So I'm home for Christmas break -- YAY!!!  It's nice to be around normal people...well...the kind of normal I understand anyway...well, sort of understand...  Nevermind.  Erase that.  It's nice to be home.

I always know it's Christmas when the Statler Brothers Christmas Present album makes its appearance.  It's my favorite Christmas album of all time.  It used to be un-findable, but apparently Amazon has it on MP3 download now.  Buy it.  Trust me.  Nike up and just do it.

We had church on Sunday, and then a candle light lessons and carols service Sunday night.  I always like those services.  It was especially good though to be at church with Em, Jim, Gabe, Mom, and Dad.  Especially Dad.

TL: I've always liked the stained glass in the vestibule.  TR: Inside of the sanctuary decorated for Christmas.  BL: Macaroni angels we made in youth group ages and ages ago -- they still look pretty good!  BR: The alter up close.  The crown of thorns AND the manger scene is a little strange to me...

My favorite part of Christmas is Christmas Eve.  We've always done our intimate family thing on Christmas Eve, and even though I didn't get new PJs (Mom, what up wit dat?) it was still nice to be together.  And Huck cried.  Christmas isn't for everyone.

TR: Grandpa and Huck reading a book.  TL: Huck and a gnome having a good time in front of the tree.  BL: Huck having a hissy.  BR: Me letting Huck play with my camera trying to get him to stop crying.

TL: What's in this cabinet?  TR: What's in this drawer?  BL: Nope, not playing in the lazy susan.  BR: Safety first -- double walkers at all times.

Top: Maggie's Grandma -- you know, no one else matters.  Middle: My grandma making me cookies.  Bottom: Cookies!  If you look close you'll see the little dipper, Gabe, and the Aurora Borealis.

Left: The Christmas tree that started out pretty pathetic, but turned out okay.  TR: Decorated tree and sparkling juice.  BR: decorated tree with the fire box in the background.

Left: Grandma (WooWoo) and Gabe.  Middle: Centerpiece  Right: Jim's contribution -- stuffed smoked bacon wrapped jalapenos.

Listening to the Christmas Story, and enjoying appetizers.

So that was Christmas in my house.  Now I'm watching Sister Act and appreciating it so much more than before I started seminary.  It's funnier if you know what a carmelite is (not a racial thing, but an order of nuns).  Also, I've figured out that if I ever do convert to Catholicism I won't have to change my name.  Sweet!

Next on my list of things to do: transcribe the version of I Will Follow Him from Sister Act.

Vacay (Day 1)

Today is the last day of the semester and the first day of break!

Things:
- I made 100% on one of my finals (what?) and an A in that class (yay!).  Seriously.  100%?  It's the first semester of my program; don't you have some suggestions?  It was nice to finally get some feedback though.
- I got left at work alone today to run things for the afternoon.  I'm not sure why this always happens to me, but such is my lot in life.  The building didn't burn down, so I feel like it was a success.  Also, I got a nice comment/gift from my boss for Christmas, and I got a really warm lap blanket from the whole office (a BU blanket, which I wanted, but refused to pay the exorbitant bookstore price).
- I went to the Boston ballet last night to see The Nutcracker.  It turns out I'm probably not a ballet person, but it was holiday-ey and fun.  The building was gorgeous too!

 - And we found a place for cheap margaritas!  The food looked pretty good too, and the decor looked authentic.  I also have found where Chinatown is, so next semester promises to end my unintentional strike on Chinese food.
- I re-arranged my work schedule to accommidate my Thursday lunch/brain detanglement session, which I'd been missing -- WOOHOO!
- I hope I can get home tomorrow.  I thought the issue was going to be getting into Chicago, but it's looking like Boston is going to be the issue tomorrow:

Hopefully it'll be warm enough that it won't stick.  Much as I enjoy Boston, I hear Missouri calling my name.  (But Boston is getting snow for Christmas...)
- I came home tonight and had a glass of wine and watched two of my favorite movies.  And made pesto quinoa...it was what I had to cook.
- Need to wander over to STH in the morning and find out if my Hebrew Bible paper was ever graded and if my test has been returned.
- Still haven't packed.  Don't care. 

Other Things (to do on break):
- Write my RA application essays so I have somewhere to live next year.
- Look for a job or for an internship position for this summer.
- Read the books I got as suggestions from my professors.
- Play with my nephew.
- Play with my sister.
- Play with my Mommy.
- Meet up with the district office and find out what the heck is going on.
- Laugh.
- Drink tea.
- Bake cookies.
- Enjoy some quiet.

Hebrew Haiku

I'm clearly making productive use of my time, therefore, haiku!

The Hebrew Bible is Wack
God's like, "Follow me."
Moses be like, "Okay...well..."
*cue smiting and wrath*

Rinse, Repeat
The prophets have said,
"Fly right, son, or face your God."
People learn through pain.

Weal and Woe
Weal. Is that like 'Wheel'?
No, it's opposite of woe.
You can't trust weal-ers.

Dealers, However, are Totally Legit
Of all professions,
I prefer used car salesmen.
Expectations: met.

Tis the Season

Tis the Season...for finals!  See what I did there -- baazinga!  I'm supposed to be studying for finals right now, and I totally am...if studying for finals is sitting in the Harvard-Andover library being noisy and blogging.  I have a final on Monday and another one on Wednesday.  I'm going to the ballet on Thursday after work.  That's the reward I'm looking toward.  For now, I have to be all steam ahead and full systems go, even though I don't really feel like it.

The last ten days or so have been really rough.  I'm tired; tired of the people, tired of work, tired of being told my beliefs are wrong, tired of having to be on all the time, tired of croissants, tired of noise, tired of not knowing anyone outside of my department, tired of not getting timely feedback, tired of negativity, tired of labels, and I could probably list things on and on.  I locked myself in my room on Thursday and phoned a friend (I might have also used my 50/50) and unloaded.  Then I slept.

Friday, I got up, went to work, and tried to keep up with the news about the shooting in Connecticut (The Onion had an interesting lamentation on said event, if you can get past the language, but it's real emotion for sure.  Here's something a little more family friendly in response.).  I would have felt guilty for spending most of my day on the internet, but my boss doesn't kill herself getting her work done, so I've decided not to worry about it either...and that makes me tired. 

When I got home, I found friends who wanted to go out for dinner.  I DID NOT feel like it.  But I'm glad I went.  We found this really good barbeque place--seriously good.  Then we decided to go over to the common and look at the tree, and watch  the ice skating going on on the Frog Pond (don't worry, there aren't any actual frogs).  Then we walked through the public garden, all lit with white lights, and through the Commonwealth Mall, which was also lit with white lights.  It was lovely.  I've come to the conclusion that my theological education isn't going to come from inside the classroom, but rather through conversations with actual people (because everyone knows that professors aren't actual people).

This is Ben and me in front of the tree in the common, with the Massachusetts capital building glowing gold in the background.

Better photo of the tree and capitol.

Well you don't know what we can find.  Why don't you come with me, little girl, on a Zamboni ride.

Today I got up, got on the bus (where all of the most interesting people hang out), and went and sang carols at a senior citizens' home.  They were so sweet.  But it was a little weird when they suggested that the shooting in Connecticut yesterday happened because God needed more angels in his heavenly choir.  I don't understand a lot of God's ways, but I'm 99% sure that his preferred choral recruitment method isn't school shootings.  That wasn't the time or place to get into the theology of all of that, so we smiled and sang another song.   Also, it turns out the office manager was married to an Eastern Orthodox priest -- interesting conversation was had.

Even though I'm tired, Boston is still full of interesting people and I'm learning a lot.  Part of the reason I decided to move so far was to experience something different, and, in that way at least, Boston has met with my expectations.  Everything else...well, we'll see.

All of this to say, don't be offended if, when I get back to Missouri, I sleep for three days straight.  It's not personal, I'm just tired.

Email is Stupid

So I'm trying to send pictures in an email, but technology hates me...

Here are the photos instead.  Sorry I wasn't able to send them to you directly.  :(

This is Copley Square, where the big public library is.  The building on the right with the red and green lights is a hotel.  The building on the left is part of an old church.  The library is behind me.

This is the library reading room.  I don't know if it's THE reading room, but it's like something out of a movie.  I almost need a tweed blazer to do homework in it.

This is the main library staircase.  You can practically feel the knowledge.  And the lions know I'm not a native--natives don't take pictures of library staircases.  I've come to terms with it.

This is the back side of the chapel (right) and the College of Arts and Sciences (left).  The School of Theology mirrors the CAS on the other side of the chapel, but I didn't get a photo from that angle.  We got a little snow over the weekend, but it was nearly 60 on Sunday so it all melted.

These are my three closest friends here.  From left to right: Sarah (Toronto), Desi (Oklahoma City), and Haley (Jackson, MS).  If I don't get an RA position for next year I'll be living with Sarah and Haley.

He's hard to see, but there's a guy in there playing a banjo.  He's a bit like Burt from Mary Poppins, in that he plays that whole thing and sings songs, primarily renditions of The Beatles.  It's pretty magical.

We took a duck tour of Boston.  That bridge goes somewhere.

Our duck tour was the same day as the Boston Regatta.  We didn't win.  Also, that's downtown Boston behind the boats, and I think those trees are the Esplanade.

This is me standing next to a found metal version of David.  He definitely could use some magnetic clothes.

This is the site of the Boston Massacre.  In 1775 the other buildings weren't there.

Just an interesting perspective shot of the old state house, where the Boston Massacre happened.  The historical sights are preserved, but the modern stuff is right smack next to it.  There's even a subway stop right under the historic building.  It's really neat, but also kind of nuts.

Paul Revere's house.  It has a nice little garden, but where did he put all those kids?  It might as well be shaped like a shoe.