I spent a few hours today browsing the ELCA (Evanglical Lutheran Church of America) website. Motivation? Curious about what they officially believe. And I have copious amounts of time on my hands.

Stance on homosexuality: Not bad, but not so progressive. Homosexuals are welcome to join the church, but those involved in life-long same-sex ( Read more... )

I asked myself what I felt at the time was a simple question, "What do I want in life?" and was thoroughly stumped. After a day of thinking (today) I might have some ideas, what I've noticed to be the cores of most of my dreams ( Read more... )

The week of good-byes has now past. I was able to say good-bye to Amanda, but I missed Hughar; he left yesterday for Tokyo to be with his wife for a month before he must return to South Africa. I hope he'll be able to find a job within that month, I really do, or it might get complicated. But now that those are almost finished (Stephanie doesn't ( Read more... )

Tis' that time of year, when ALTs leave Iwate. Last year there were some truely painful good-byes: Geoff and Odin.  Later others will come, but for this moment, I'm going to focus on Amanda ( Read more... )

I saw Harry Potter last night. I took a few hours off work so I could go grab the late showing tickets, and good thing I did as it was practically sold out! We got prime seats. I can't say I was thrilled about the movie, because it definitely ended on a "this is far from over" note, so I felt annoyed that I must wait another year for the next, and ( Read more... )

I actually said the words yesterday, "Time is flying by... at this rate I'll have to stay a 4th year."

Immediately shut up. It shall not be uttered again.

A life with no fridays.

No friday night football games, and the required pep-band trip to Big Boys afterwards.
Nothing to look forward to Monday-Thursday
No relaxed weekday
No excitment knowing there is only 3 more hours until the weekend
T.G.I.F would have no meaning

Every so often cultural differences come crashing home.  My students don't care if it ( Read more... )

Speech contest scripts. Teachers harping on me to finish them, correct them, record them. Exams. Have I actually finished with those? It must be some kind of illusion; they're written but not graded yet. The next trimester is still looming ahead, mostly unplanned ( Read more... )

Something's up today, something with me. I can't call it a funk, a bad mood, or any specific mood for that matter. But I'm "too quiet and serious" as my desk-neighbor put it. Dark clouds have been hoovering all day right outside my window. Perhaps thats what it is, the threat of rain. At this point I'd welcome a storm ( Read more... )

My first history class at Witt was African history to 1600. We focused mostly on west and northern Africa. The names were impossible to remember, and there were so few solid dates and records, that 85% of our resources were transcribed oral accounts. The professor talked at length about the oral tradiations of those people, how one person in the ( Read more... )