I think my classes will be good this semester, especially after orchestration is over (which is the one exception to the rule). Between Medieval Philosophy, Pluralism, and Zelle's Zen Class (not its actual name), I'm spending my Tuesdays and Thursdays in thoughtful bliss. Add to that my crazy work schedule, doing three hours of homework for Orchestration per class day, and trying to be a human being, and it becomes clear that I will have my work cut out for me.
I am particularly excited about Greg's Pluralism, Knowledge, and Ethics class because it is full of great people. We have ten philosophy students and five Dialogue students, and even the Dialogue students have voluntarily made intelligent comments and engaged happily in discussion. No one in the class is given to silence or to taking over the conversation, and Greg oils everyone up with his sharpness, wit, and calm manner (as usual). Granted, we've watched two movies this week and not had any conversations on MacIntyre, but that means that we're finished watching movies for the semester and thus can look forward to wonderful book discussions for the rest of the time. We're expected to work on a rather large research project while we do our readings for Greg, and I'm not sure what I want to focus on yet but I expect that whatever I choose will be wonderful!
Perhaps the most interesting development of the week occurred when I went to catch up with Greg on Wednesday. Since we were essentially colleagues last semester and had much need to meet, it's strange to now be in his class and have very little reason to meet, but we decided we'll just have to make an effort to get together once in awhile. So, we met on Wednesday to catch up on goings-on over break and whatnot. It was a lovely hour-and-a-half conversation in which we discussed Christmas, family, the plethora of recent engagements, and expectations for the semester. Then, he invited me to go up with his Christian Community class to Reba Place Fellowship on Monday nights for potluck and small group. I asked if he was serious, then I said that I may be interested. We continued talking and when conversation came back around to Reba, I asked if I really could go with them on Mondays and what that would entail. He told me to show up for a ride at exactly 5:24pm, and so it was settled.
I was terribly excited about this as I've wanted to take his Community class since I was a freshman here, but I didn't need to take Dialogue III so there's no real reason for me to be in it, and I can't audit it because there really cannot be many people in the class and I don't want to do any of the actual work. ;-) I just wanted to be involved with Reba. In fact, one of the things that originally attracted me to Luke was that he lived at Reba for two years before coming to school here. So, when Greg asked me to come to potlucks I was terribly excited. I told Luke my thrilling news later that day, and he said, "Oh, no. You're stuck. It's over." I was frustrated that he would say that, which then led to a rather large argument about whether I would actually move away or if I would end up being "stuck" living at Reba and doing an internship. The conversation ended with both of us walking away in frustration (we made up later).
However, what the conversation did for me was to start the idea in my head of actually sticking around the Chicago area and living at Reba. I'm not worried about getting an internship--I already have several people there and here who would recommend me, I could stay close to my friends who are sticking around, and I'd be living with the greatest Mennonite community in the country (in my opinion). It really would be a perfect transition out of college for someone who wants to experience living in community and who is not at all ready to think about going to graduate school (but wants to someday). It would force me to mend the broken relationships that I have here instead of avoiding them, and I would be in a helpful, healing place near Chicago where great Indian restaurants and record stores sprinkle the streets. It's definitely something to think and pray about...hint, hint.
An eventful week, I'd say.
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