Marshmallows Postponed

Tonight's rain postponed the marshmallow roast that was to take place right outside our living room, on the North/South apartment lawn. I just wonder if my classmates remember that two years ago I told the story of how I got my Raisin nickname at a marshmallow roast in Vermont in 1970, and that the story centers on my being completely grossed out by marshmallows in any form.

So I'm hoping that if this roast happens tomorrow instead, at least one person might know that I'll be hiding out, NOT because I'm unsociable, but because the gooey white, sugary mess does nasty things to my body and soul.

Believe It or Not

Today at my Field Ed parish, our priest, Leigh+, invited us to introduce ourselves to those around us whom we do not know. The first couple I turned to said, "Hi, we're Court and Beth." !!

Things That Seem Strange

Orientation went superbly well, from the feedback I've gotten. I'm so grateful to have worked with my friends Beth and Court. Thanks, you two. We're done! The new people are happy! But why am I still so, so abnormally tired?

We have a senior dinner tomorrow. But I'm not so happy to be a senior. I'm not ready to be hatched from this place.

Ryan H isn't here. Ryan, we miss you!

I wrote and sent my final Ember Day letter today. That didn't provide relief, either. December ordination seems to be coming up soon and feels odd and scary.

Canon Law readings are actually making sense! Now THAT'S strange...legal stuff entering my brain and staying there?! Cool beans. Yay!

For Real

Seen today at Seabury's Recreption Desk: an envelope addressed to
C. Berry Western

:)

Very Long Day

I'm excited about Seabury's newest crop of students. They're upbeat, energetic and curious. We welcomed them today starting with 7:30 breakfast and said goodnight after Compline at 9 p.m. I'm sooooo tired that I think when I wake up in the morning, I'll be another year older!

Note to the Big Bug in Beth's Suite

Listen, Mister,

Who invited you?

Having just read the newly updated Seabury Student Handbook, I happen to know that YOU are trespassing and may be subject to disciplinary action. Besides that, why would you want your recreational hours spent with a host of Hebrew and Greek books? Can you truly appreciate the fine artistry of the Indigo Girls? I doubt it! Do you have the attention span to hang in there when GEO prep begins? Further, should you get into our Orientation materials, I personally will scream so loudly that your eardrums will never recover.

In conclusion, I advise you to vacate the premises, taking any and all relatives with you. Why wait?

The Keiskamma Altarpiece

The morning didn't start out well. The rain curbed my enthusiasm for our trip on the El to visit St. James Cathedral, and the total absence of hot water in the apartments didn't help matters (though I needed to remember that this was better than last fall's Plunge experience, during which my host family had NO water for a weekend).

So we rode: grumble, grumble. The El was late, so we wouldn't have time to find coffee before church. And (grumble, grumble) here I was spending my last free Sunday morning for the rest of my life (okay, maybe only the rest of the year) on a noisy El: damp, unwashed, and coffee-less. What a grouch I was.

But as usual, God showed up before we did, directing our eyes to the Keiskamma Altarpiece created by 120 South African women. This work of art weighs a ton and a half and expresses the hope of the human spirit in response to the AIDS epidemic. The altarpiece leaves on September 20, and it's worth seeing.

Then...the choir anthem was Palestrina's Sicut Cervus. My family can tell you that this is my very favorite choir anthem -- ever. Last fall, John and Noah and Sarah and I sang it as a quartet in the cloister outside Seabury's chapel when no one was in the building. I still get chills up my spine remembering how the sound bounced off the cloister walls.

Today's Eucharist energized us. It was great to be in church. We're ready to serve. Why did I waste time grumbling when there's work to do?

New Job

A big thumbs up for my first day today working for the Anglican Theological Review. The ATR office is bustling with energy and activity, and a few of my favorite people work there too. I'd go on and on, but now we're going to stroll down the street for some gelato!