Ok, so maybe this is just me, but lately my weekends have stopped functioning as weekends and started to behave dangerously like weekdays. No more of those lazy Saturdays, watching TV all day as I filed my nails, ate peanut butter sandwiches, and just generally putzed around. No more beautiful Sundays with naught to do but go to Mass and watch football with a little bit of homework in the evening. Nope. Those days are long gone, and in their absence, insane business reigns supreme!!! Here is what this past weekend looked like for me:
Friday:
5:00 Bible study. I elaborated on the "True Love" study and printed extra copies. It rains and pours and the commons room where we usually meet is closed for a fancy reception. I try to sit by the door that people usually come into but to no avail. No one shows except for one friend of mine. We end up having delightful conversation for an hour anyway.
6:00 Ballroom dance class! The instructor talks for about 40 minutes of the 2 hour class. We do a foxtrot mixer, then a polka mixer, and then we all dance the salsa holding hands in a huge circle. Weird.
8:15 I meet a friend for Indian food (the first time I've had any since last year!) We are hopelessly confused by the menu and end up ordering a combo meal to share. It is more than enough food for both of us. And we have lots of good conversation.
9:30 Start the commute home. Always a pleasure. Not.
Saturday:
11:00 Get a text message from best friend sent at midnight the night before. She is in town this weekend!!!! We make plans via lots of text messages.
12:00 Aforementioned friend picks me up. My hair is still wet due to close proximity of her arrival to my stepping out of the shower. We shop. And talk. A lot.
2:15 I return home. Tidy office space, go through paper stacks while watching online shows at abc.com.
5:00 Make some attempt at cleaning my room so I can leave for Oakland!! Find long-lost favorite locket under my bed. Sweet! Pack an overnight bag.
6:30 Mooch ride off of father to Washington Junction. Catch the 47L. Finish commute into Oakland, ect.
7:45 Arrive at friend's adorable little house. Scarf down dinner of pasta and delicious homemade sauce courtesy of her house-mate. Rush to Steven Foster Memorial!!
8:02 Arrive at the theater. Rush down to redeem comp tickets from work-study. Rush back upstairs to be seated right before the lights go down for DRACULA!!! The costumes look amazing. I feel like a proud mother. :)
10:30 Return to little house for evening of more dinner, tasty desserts and LOTR. Except that we both fall asleep after about half an hour.
Sunday:
8:30 Wake up. Breakfast etc.
9:30 Leave for home. Slow service due to Sunday schedule causes me to wait for almost half an hour for my bus and then again for trolley. Pass the time chatting to one of my lovely sisters on the cellie.
11:00 Waltz into my 3rd grade CCD class late. Luckily my team teacher has got me covered: we both planned lessons for this class! Neither of us planned enough so we combine forces. The result is the best CCD class ever!! We need to work together more often. Lesson for today: the Eucharist. siiiighhhhh.... my favorite thing in the world... Quick review question: What makes the Catholic Church different from every other church in the world? The Eucharist and the Blessed Mother! Never ever let anyone tear you away from these two things!!!
12:30 Return home with family from the church. Check email, get directions, make Mom a card for her birthday.
2:30 Leave for Gemini Theater Company. I have the mini van! woot woot! No public transportation this time! I am going to see "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in order to finish a writing project I've been working on about the company. Only get lost once and realize right away. Minimal time lost.
3:10 Arrive late. Have to squeeze past a little family of French children who are so engrossed in the performance that their mothers have to pick them up for me to pass. Feel horrible. Endure an hour or so of very mediocre singing and acting.
4:15 Leave the theater for Oakland. Park in St. Paul's parking lot. Mosy over to Camille's for a strawberry smoothie.
5:00 Commence fasting for 6:00 Mass. Spend the time making a holy hour in front of the Tabernacle, which we discussed in great length in class this morning. How beautiful...
6:00 Mass! <3
7:00 Catholic Underground. Good food, good fellowship, good discussion about holiness. Did you know that because "all life, all holiness comes from You [God]," the extent to which we are holy is the extent to which we allow Christ to rule our hearts and the extent to which we imitate Him? Just some food for thought. :)
10:00 Return home after putting 5 dollars of my own money into the gas tank. There is a first time for everything...
Monday:
7:30 alarm goes off. Lie in bed wishing I didn't have to get up. What happened to the weekend?
8:15 get out of bed after almost punching my alarm clock when it went off for the 10th time.
And here I am. This weekend would have filled any extrovert up with joy and energy, but I just feel exhausted and worn down. Boo.
Well, I'm going to Mass now. If anyone can lift my dragging spirits, He can.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Nostalgia
The only explanation I can give for posting two blogs right in a row like this is that I'm supposed to be writing a paper right now. So ya.
The following is an exercise we did in my writing class: we had to draw a map of the earliest neighborhood/house/yard that we lived in and remembered, and then write about a scene that the map reminded you of. As I sketched the lines of my old backyard, where I spent 7 wonderfully happy years from the ages of 2 - 9, scads of memories came flooding back to me like "memories from a dream," as Anastasia would say. There were so many that I couldn't decide which one to write about! But I finally chose this one: (please keep in mind that this was an in-class activity, so there was absolutely no proofreading or revision involved :p)
We just ate dinner. The dishes are washed and it's time for dessert. The sun is setting. Mom grabs a box of Klondikes from the freezer. Dad takes the lawn chairs from the playhouse where they're stored. We all walk up the hill, past the swingset and the garden. Tiny white petals float from the crab-apple tree in Florence's yard, the one she doesn't mind if we climb. It looks like snow, but the air is warm, the earth giving off the heat of the day in a gentler, softer way. We reach the top. Mom and Dad sit in the lawn chairs. We kids sit on the grass. Or stand. Mom hands out the Klondikes. I unwrap mine completely and hold it with both hands, the chocolate already melting on my fingertips. I try to be neat but it's absolutely hopeless. Melted ice cream dribbles down my hands, my face. I decide I don't actually like Klondikes very much. But it doesn't matter. I look up to see our neighborhood spread out before us like a magic carpet, bathed in the pink and orange glow of the setting sun.
The following is an exercise we did in my writing class: we had to draw a map of the earliest neighborhood/house/yard that we lived in and remembered, and then write about a scene that the map reminded you of. As I sketched the lines of my old backyard, where I spent 7 wonderfully happy years from the ages of 2 - 9, scads of memories came flooding back to me like "memories from a dream," as Anastasia would say. There were so many that I couldn't decide which one to write about! But I finally chose this one: (please keep in mind that this was an in-class activity, so there was absolutely no proofreading or revision involved :p)
We just ate dinner. The dishes are washed and it's time for dessert. The sun is setting. Mom grabs a box of Klondikes from the freezer. Dad takes the lawn chairs from the playhouse where they're stored. We all walk up the hill, past the swingset and the garden. Tiny white petals float from the crab-apple tree in Florence's yard, the one she doesn't mind if we climb. It looks like snow, but the air is warm, the earth giving off the heat of the day in a gentler, softer way. We reach the top. Mom and Dad sit in the lawn chairs. We kids sit on the grass. Or stand. Mom hands out the Klondikes. I unwrap mine completely and hold it with both hands, the chocolate already melting on my fingertips. I try to be neat but it's absolutely hopeless. Melted ice cream dribbles down my hands, my face. I decide I don't actually like Klondikes very much. But it doesn't matter. I look up to see our neighborhood spread out before us like a magic carpet, bathed in the pink and orange glow of the setting sun.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Thanks, Mom! :)
I've been thinking a lot lately about my vocation, as all of you probably know by now. I just couldn't get it out of my mind. A lot of things have happened in my heart, but there is one thing in particular that helped me that I want to share.
The following reflection is printed in black on a plain white sheet of paper. There is no information regarding who wrote it or what it is from. It's just there. My mom gave it to me to read at a point when I was really struggling. She is such a blessing to me!
The following reflection is printed in black on a plain white sheet of paper. There is no information regarding who wrote it or what it is from. It's just there. My mom gave it to me to read at a point when I was really struggling. She is such a blessing to me!
FIRST LOVE
Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone. To have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God, to a Christian, says no, not until you're satisfied, fulfilled, and content with living, loved by Me alone - giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me, to have an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone. I love you My child and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with Me - exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings. Stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to bring it to you. Just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things. Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you. You must wait. Don't be anxious and don't worry. Don't look around at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away up to Me, or you'll miss what I have to show you.
And then when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would ever dream. Until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready - I am working this minute to have both of you ready at the same time - and until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I've prepared for you, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and this is perfect love.
And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection, and love that I offer you with Myself. Know I love you.
I am God Almighty, believe and be satisfied.
And then when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would ever dream. Until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready - I am working this minute to have both of you ready at the same time - and until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I've prepared for you, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and this is perfect love.
And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection, and love that I offer you with Myself. Know I love you.
I am God Almighty, believe and be satisfied.
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