(no subject)
Jun. 16th, 2007 09:41 pmOne month ago, I was finishing up my final papers for all of my courses and receiving encouragement and silliness from my friends. Everything went in without a problem, and garnered decent grades.
Three weeks ago, I was home in Indiana.
sen_no_ongaku and I came back for a very brief visit, which featured a Fort Wayne Wizards baseball game, a rainy Indy 500, and an open house. It was so good to be home and seeing my family again; I miss them very much when I'm out here, and it's worst when I realize just how many months it's been from one visit to the next. The baseball game was fun, and featured some excellent plays and some really boneheaded ones. The Wizards were down by four after the second inning, then came back to win by one.
The open house was odd. You see, most of my close friends from highschool are scattered around the country. The few people I was close to before the Academy, I haven't seen in over twelve years and have no idea how to find. So the average age at the open house was really my parents' age, not mine: former teachers, family friends, and some fine Ronald relatives. Kind of bittersweet.
Nine days ago, I graduated from Harvard Divinity School. Dad came up to join my Boston family (that being DaMan, DaTwin, and
thomascantor), so I got to show my father where I study and what I do.
Pros: The Coop mixed up my robe, so I was wearing the 3-year MDiv degree outfit, not the 2-year MTS degree. There were bagpipers. The baccalaureate speech was moving and inspiring--especially to me, as an aspiring scholar. Part of scholarship is love; loving people enough to let them tell you what they are thinking, doing, believing, and not announcing that you have the key to "what they really mean." Dad and
sen_no_ongaku avoided the mess of the crowd at the morning exercises and watched it being broadcast, which meant their tickets went to some people who desperately needed extras. We skipped the afternoon exercises and went to the Edward Hopper exhibit at the MFA. I had a mimosa before getting in line.
Cons: I spent most of it in a daze, easily confused and somewhat frustrated and shy. Another mingling opportunity discarded. Neither of my advisors were present, so I couldn't introduce them. I didn't get to say goodbye to some professors. I woke up in the middle of the night after graduation convinced I had committed some kind of horrible faux pas--something so minor it's laughable, but it had me shaking and trembling.
I look forward to getting a floppy hat someday.
Two days ago, I registered for my BU email and student online account, and began to feel the thrill of a new environment and a new situation. I am looking forward to being a student there; I feel a little unprepared now, but that's just sharpening my instincts and spurring me to action.
This afternoon, I finished my wedding dress. Piping? Stitched. Hook & bar? Securely fastened. Big garment bag? Done. Little purse-thingy out of scrap fabric? Complete. Being in the shop reminded me of what I love about it and what I hated. The latter can be reduced to three things: unstable economic environment (i.e., how many weeks will I be working in a year? will that feed me?), low-grade conflicts with one or two former coworkers, and the presence of the prop shop (excellent people; OH GOD MAKE THE NOISE STOP, THE JIGSAW IS HELL). The things I love are far more abstract: craft and skill, excellence in detail, joy of figuring out something, excitement as pieces come together into a whole.
The dress, by the way, is phenomenally comfy. I feel like I could wear it for days.
Thirty minutes ago, I poured myself a glass of orange-mango juice that
wavyarms left behind last night after a comfy celebration of
sen_no_ongaku's birthday, and added a shot of vodka. And then I began typing.
And how are you, world?
Three weeks ago, I was home in Indiana.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
The open house was odd. You see, most of my close friends from highschool are scattered around the country. The few people I was close to before the Academy, I haven't seen in over twelve years and have no idea how to find. So the average age at the open house was really my parents' age, not mine: former teachers, family friends, and some fine Ronald relatives. Kind of bittersweet.
Nine days ago, I graduated from Harvard Divinity School. Dad came up to join my Boston family (that being DaMan, DaTwin, and
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
Pros: The Coop mixed up my robe, so I was wearing the 3-year MDiv degree outfit, not the 2-year MTS degree. There were bagpipers. The baccalaureate speech was moving and inspiring--especially to me, as an aspiring scholar. Part of scholarship is love; loving people enough to let them tell you what they are thinking, doing, believing, and not announcing that you have the key to "what they really mean." Dad and
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
Cons: I spent most of it in a daze, easily confused and somewhat frustrated and shy. Another mingling opportunity discarded. Neither of my advisors were present, so I couldn't introduce them. I didn't get to say goodbye to some professors. I woke up in the middle of the night after graduation convinced I had committed some kind of horrible faux pas--something so minor it's laughable, but it had me shaking and trembling.
I look forward to getting a floppy hat someday.
Two days ago, I registered for my BU email and student online account, and began to feel the thrill of a new environment and a new situation. I am looking forward to being a student there; I feel a little unprepared now, but that's just sharpening my instincts and spurring me to action.
This afternoon, I finished my wedding dress. Piping? Stitched. Hook & bar? Securely fastened. Big garment bag? Done. Little purse-thingy out of scrap fabric? Complete. Being in the shop reminded me of what I love about it and what I hated. The latter can be reduced to three things: unstable economic environment (i.e., how many weeks will I be working in a year? will that feed me?), low-grade conflicts with one or two former coworkers, and the presence of the prop shop (excellent people; OH GOD MAKE THE NOISE STOP, THE JIGSAW IS HELL). The things I love are far more abstract: craft and skill, excellence in detail, joy of figuring out something, excitement as pieces come together into a whole.
The dress, by the way, is phenomenally comfy. I feel like I could wear it for days.
Thirty minutes ago, I poured myself a glass of orange-mango juice that
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
And how are you, world?