No Show, Just Tell

I tried to add some pictures to this blog, but for some reason it didn't work. Use your imagination.

I just finished reading a wonderful book called The City of Ember. It is already a new favorite. It's about a decaying city in a world where there is no sun, or moon , or stars, and the only light that exists comes from electric lamps. Intrigued??

Right now I am on spring break. We get two weeks off, but it's not a total vacation because I have essays and things due right when we are back in session. Pretty soon I will have to buckle down and read a book about the use of blackface in old musicals, write an essay proposal about the movie High Fidelity, and catch up on some other reading.

The last few weeks in children's church, I have taken up my guitar for one song during the singing time. It's been pretty fun and I think the kids really like it. Sometimes kids do the funniest stuff:
---I went over to a group of boys to wrangle them back to the group, and when I was close enough I realized they were playing Harry Potter and using coffee stirrers as wands.
---One little girl was quite wriggly during story time, but not really disrupting anyone, or so I thought. No one noticed until it was too late that she had taken of her shoes, stockings and underwear.
---One of the other leaders asked the kids to raise their hands if they like my American accent. Most of the kids raised their hands, but it made me wonder about the kids who didn't...

Current Playlist:
Sugarcane by Missy Higgins (Listen here: http://www.missyhiggins.com/)
Lies by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Stations by Denison Witmer
Rag and Bone by The White Stripes
The Park by Feist
The Funeral by Band of Horses
Yankee Go Home by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
I'm Sorry, But I'm Beginning to Hate Your Face by Eagle Seagull

24...

...is the age I just reached on my recent birthday. I feel old and young at the same time. Last year for my birthday I was in California: Kimi and Mike took me to see "Lady in the Water"; the rest of the gang surprised me with Red Lobster and ice skating; and the next day was Hawaiian Shirt Day in the Financial Aid Office. This year in New Zealand, I went out for lunch with some friends from church for Mongolian BBQ--it was a really fun day, and it was nice to celebrate with my new pals. I have decided that my birthday is the best holiday, except for Christmas.

I have a new batch of flatmates for this semester. We have representatives from the New Hampshire, France, Kazakhstan (no Borat jokes, please!), and New Zealand.

Here are my classes this semester:
Research Methods---not really exciting, but necessary
Documentary History and Theory---really interesting! I have a group presentation this week about Holocaust documentaries...
NZ Media Studies---good background info
Music, Sound and Media---the best class ever! I think I have found my calling in life---or at least an area to focus on for my thesis next year...

Next time: more stories from children's church, spring break plans, and more!