Wednesday, February 23, 2005

(happy Chinese Lantern Festival day!)

Does anyone know what we’re supposed to do to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival?  I don’t know.  My calendar just said that it’s today, and so I’d love to do something for it, I just don’t know what.  Maybe I’ll dig out my tea light candles and have ramen for dinner.  I’ll use my chopsticks.  That’s probably the closest I’ll get to festive on short notice.  Rats.  I don’t even have a lantern.  (Growing up we had a great picture book about a big lantern.  I have no idea what it was about.  Was the main character’s name Tuppy??  Has anyone else heard of this??  Wow.  Unexpected blast from the past.)

This weekend flew by, as did the first part of the week… can’t believe we’re at Wednesday already.  Spring semester always feels like sledding downhill… it just picks up, you go faster and faster, and then you’re done!!  I leave in two weeks for spring break.  Unreal.

Saturday morning began with a prayer breakfast for students in the Knollcrest apartments, and I’ve decided that this is one of my favorite ways to spend a morning.  We met in the Theta/Epsilon lobby (most of us still in pajamas, myself included), where the RAs had set up tables, lit candles, and set out the food.  I grabbed coffee and a cinnamon roll and spent the next few minutes catching up with a good friend and meeting some people. 

Then Chaplain Cooper spoke to us about blind spots in prayer.  That was really neat—he was talking about how we so often forget that what God has to say to us is always more important than what we have to say to Him.  I have such a hard time remembering that, because all my “needs” seem so urgent, so immediate.  And yet, God knows me better than I know myself, and so of course what He has to say is more important.  It was a cool reminder.  Lifts a burden, somehow.  Anyway, after Coop finished, we all prayed at our tables for each other.  Again, it was so neat to have other people praying for the things I’ve been carrying, and to be able to help pray for and encourage the others.  Really great experience.  I’m glad I went. 

Okay, so then on Sunday night, a few of us girls got together to watch Signs.  And how can you possibly all watch a movie without somehow getting involved?  So we dressed up.  Of course.  I was the alien for a few minutes (oops, if you haven’t seen it, I just spoiled the end—sorry), and then we all made aluminum foil hats.  Silver is really my color.  My roommates had this great idea: they filled up a bunch of glasses with water, and set them around the room (kind of how Bo does in the film… I know.  we’re obsessed).  So it was a blast. 

I finished my copyediting project on Monday, woo hoo!  That was a lot of hard work, and I was glad to be done.  Still, my stomach was in knots when I had to send the project in to my boss.  I hope I did everything right.  This internship is an awesome experience for me… I’ve done proofreading before, but copyediting is a step up, and there are more responsibilities.  It’s a good time. 

What else is new?  My sociology lab group has decided that we will be doing a phone survey—I’m so pumped.  And I found out at my organ lesson on Monday that I was doing those finger stretches wrong.  (That would explain the pain.  Right.)  I’m not supposed to do the entire page... just the first line.  Oh.  So I’m back in the game there.  I’m also learning my first hymn: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.  [The funny thing about practicing organ: now I always run around humming these sacred songs… kyries, hymns, voluntaries, etc.  Makes me feel like a little nun-in-training.  Pretty funny stuff.]

Last but far from least, my parents and cousin came up for a super-short visit.  They got in Monday night, and had to leave yesterday after dinner.  My cousin is checking out Calvin, so she was able to stay in my apartment Monday night, and then go through the tour, professor and coach visits, chapel, dining hall experience, and counselor meetings on Tuesday.  (I hear that was a busy day.)  My mom went with her, and so Dad and I just talked our heads off all day—he took me out for lunch, and I showed him the Fish House (where he got a grande zebra—my favorite drink—and agreed that it is just the best).  So that was really fun.  They also took me to Qdoba last night, one of the best places to eat, ever.  Anyway, they made it home safely, and I get to see them again in two weeks!!

I guess that’s the scoop from here.  Life is treating me well.  Classes have been awesome so far, and the weeks are flying!  Hope everyone is doing well.  All the best. —jl

Posted by Jenn Langefeld on 02/23 at 04:50 PM
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