History

Today in Western Civ., Dr. Scalberg had a great lecture, as I assume he always will, and he shared these quotes.

"Our times and our thoughts are largely shaped y the past. That shaping is one reason we study history. How we think, how we react to the occasions of daily life, the vocabulary we use in speaking of the past - are all legacies. To study the past may help us understand better how we came to be who we are.... By showing us that our lives are historically conditioned, we discover a certain freedom. We know that what is does not have to be this way."
Richard Marius of Harvard University in his A Short Guide to Writing about History (1995), p. 7.

"If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development."
Aristotle - 4th century B.C.

"The value of history is that it teaches us what humanity has done and thus what humanity is."
R.G. Collingwood (d. 1943) - Oxford University

"A country without a memory is a country of madmen."
George Santayana (d. 1952) - Harvard University

"History, therefore is vital to our human existence. To have no story is, almost, to have no life. People suffering from amnesia or Alzheimer's can live and function, but they live pitiable lives because they have lost contact with their own story. When societies and cultures lose contact with their own stories, they are also pitiable."
R. Wells, History Through the Eyes of Faith (Harper & Row) page 1.



It is for this reason I am glad I am a history major.

Guess who's back, back again....

I'm back. It's true. And I've created this blog so people back home (and in various other locations) can be kept at least sorta up to date on what goes on at this place.

I moved back to Multnomah on Thursday. My mom and sister were wonderful enough to come with me and help me with the transition. After I moved all my belongings into my room, I stopped by my boss's office to check in and to see where he'd want me this year. Last semester I cleaned White Hall, which was pretty much the best job ever. But alas, White Hall is no more, so I thought I'd settle with cleaning Memorial. Turns out, Joe had bigger and better plans for me. He offered me the position of Female Projects (it sounds weird, I know, but you just gotta know the custodial lingo). This means that I am assigned different projects by my boss, such as doing laundry, taking inventory, delivering supplies to the girls' dorm (hence, Female Projects), etc. This is a promotion! My pay was raised fifty cents, and my hours increased from 10.5, flexible, to 15, super-flexible! That's so freaking amazing. So I think for now I won't worry about getting a second job. Praise God!

I spent the first night at Margaux and Amanda's apartment because I wanted to check it out and to spend some time with them. I didn't see Amanda much, but it was nice to be with Margaux again.

In the morning I went home and Liz came over to see our room in total disarray. I think I spent the rest of the day just unpacking, and then I went to work. Oh, and I got my books. Or maybe that was on Thursday....

The next day, Saturday, Liz moved in. I was so glad to have her! I was getting a little stir-crazy in my room, all alone. I got to go out to eat with her family at the Olive Garden. We then came home and unpacked some more.

Sunday was freaking amazing because I finally got to go to church! I've been looking forward to this coming year simply because I want to spend some time settling into my church and getting to know people. I traveled on the MAX with Ashley. We sat down in the "Multnomah Section", the two or three pews where all the MBC kids sit together, and as we did, I said, "Yeay. The Multnomah Section. Yeay for not branching out and staying our comfort zones and not meeting new people. My favorite." Clearly this was sarcasm. So Ashley, intelligent as she is, says, "Let's move then." So we got up and sat in a place that was on the other side of the sanctuary in a pew that was presently unoccupied. I was very pleased. By the time the service started, Tawn and Rhys did come and sit next to us, but I did get to meet the couple that was sitting next to me. Although, I don't know if it can count, because I didn't bother to get to know them any farther than their names. Hmm... maybe I'll work on that next week.

After the service, Ashley and I walked to Taco Bell for lunch. I don't care too much for Taco Bell, but I always love hanging out with Ashley, because if you get her talking on a subject, she doesn't babble, but you always love hearing what she has to say, and it's usually a lot. To me she seems so confident in her views and that's really refreshing. After we were done at Taco Bell we walked back to church and started to set up for ministry.

My ministry this year is WellBeing. It's basically a food and fellowship time spent with people who are living with HIV/AIDS. I felt a little timid trying to get to know people, because I didn't want to be just awkwardly sitting there doing nothing, but at the same time I didn't want to seem not-genuine (I guess you could call that "fake"). It's a fine balance that I'm sure will come once I've been there more and am myself more comfortable. It did help to have Ash there. I also got to meet a girl from George Fox who is one of the chapter leaders in GF's Acting on AIDS. I was super glad to have the opportunity to talk to her and pick her brain. I'll definitely be emailing her and bothering her with dumb questions fairly soon.

Today was the first day of school, and I will say that it was painless. Wait, never mind, I did have blisters all over my feet after I got off work. But as far as classes go, I'm very satisfied. All my classes are back-to-back-to-back-back before lunchtime. I love it! I love that it all happens in the morning. In my opinion, no classes should take place after lunch. It's a sin. I like my profs, although one seems to like anecdotes more than theology, which will be tough to get through at eight in the morning three days a week. I mean, I'm not, at this point, looking forward to studying theology, because from what I've heard (and by that I mean everything my ex-boyfriend tried to relate to me last Fall and I was totally disinterested), it's pretty dense. But I'll take it because I have to. But if this prof of mine just meanders through class and doesn't get through all the material because he's telling stories about his tractor, I wonder if I'll ever be able to get into theology. I mean, I usually do warm up to the subjects I don't like.

Anyways, I worked hard today at work. I'm very grateful for that. Afterwards I went to the cafeteria to have a dorm section dinner, but most of the girls had finished and left by then. Still, I got to meet some of the girls I live in community with. Later, we went out to Karma Cafe and I got to meet some more of the girls in our section. I am really looking forward to getting to know them as the semester progresses.

So, the first few days at Nomah have, for the most part, been pretty uneventful.



Eleven days until Wildhorse!