moving in new directions

Obviously this blog hasn't seen a lot of action lately, but one of the primary reasons recently is that I and my beloved have started a new blog together. That's right, you can follow some of the new adventures of the Brights at:

www.stayingbright.blogspot.com

Cheerio!

Sleepiness

It is a truth universally acknowledged that afternoon classes engender sleepiness. Whether the somnolence is actually caused by the gentle tones of afternoon lecturers, or just by some food-related coma is beside the point. The basic scientific law that [Course between lunch and dinner] = [slumbertude] is undeniable.

The outcroppings of this law are numerous and hazardous. If you are a collegiate teacher during the afternoon (as I have been for going on 3 semesters now) you must think hard to find a way of conveying information that doesn't result in 20 collective snores. And if you are a student (as I have been for much more than 3!) you are faced with the challenge of not going fully cross-eyed and drooling during one or more afternoon classes. And alas, even classes that one enjoys and learns from are prey to such a demise.

This very afternoon I was faced with two foreboding tasks. One was a soporifically huge reading of Walt Whitman, who although interesting was also, um, wordy. The next is a lecture at 4:30 by a professor who although amiable and witty is the most horrible rambler I've ever met. What's a concerned student to do? Well the next best thing I could think of after a massive[ly unhealthy] cup of coffee was blogging, but that's only lasted me 20 minutes, and now I must return to Walt.

Suggestions?

You know the semester has officially started...

When you're stuck eating out of the vending machine 'cause your syllabus won't print right in the grad lab.

But hey, another year, another opportunity to learn and minister and grow and exert and rejoice.
Semester, here we go!

wedding

Let's do this thing.




Jones out.

:D

Your C.H. Spurgeon of the day

Morning, July 22

“I am married unto you.”

Jeremiah 3:14

Christ Jesus is joined unto his people in marriage-union. In love he espoused his Church as a chaste virgin, long before she fell under the yoke of bondage. Full of burning affection he toiled, like Jacob for Rachel, until the whole of her purchase-money had been paid, and now, having sought her by his Spirit, and brought her to know and love him, he awaits the glorious hour when their mutual bliss shall be consummated at the marriage-supper of the Lamb. Not yet hath the glorious Bridegroom presented his betrothed, perfected and complete, before the Majesty of heaven; not yet hath she actually entered upon the enjoyment of her dignities as his wife and queen: she is as yet a wanderer in a world of woe, a dweller in the tents of Kedar; but she is even now the bride, the spouse of Jesus, dear to his heart, precious in his sight, written on his hands, and united with his person. On earth he exercises towards her all the affectionate offices of Husband. He makes rich provision for her wants, pays all her debts, allows her to assume his name, and to share in all his wealth. Nor will he ever act otherwise to her. The word divorce he will never mention, for “He hateth putting away.” Death must sever the conjugal tie between the most loving mortals, but it cannot divide the links of this immortal marriage. In heaven they marry not, but are as the angels of God; yet there is this one marvellous exception to the rule, for in Heaven Christ and his Church shall celebrate their joyous nuptials. This affinity as it is more lasting, so is it more near than earthly wedlock. Let the love of husband be never so pure and fervent, it is but a faint picture of the flame which burns in the heart of Jesus. Passing all human union is that mystical cleaving unto the Church, for which Christ left his Father, and became one flesh with her.

life after life

To remind myself that there is going to be life after the wedding, I dug up these pics from a time, not too long ago, when I felt like there would never be life after the semester:

That's right, sun chips and some odd choco/coffee milk combo was all I had on hand to get through my final paper. Not a happy camper.

But know what? There was life after that paper. And there will be life after the wedding. And if you think about it, even this whole earthly existence isn't all there is to living. As Solomon said, the sun rises, the sun sets, and we all run around like headless chickens sometimes (ok, that last part was mine). But a day will come when we will find that there is life after life, after all. And I don't think we'll miss this one for a second when we get there. :)

help!

I'm getting married this month, and it hasn't sunk in yet! :-0