I think thoughts. Lots of thoughts.

Today has been a weird Thursday. My Thursdays are usually pretty busy; I've got music theory at 8:00 (it's a fine class, but an evil time), then I try to go to chapel, then I usually lay down to take a half hour nap and wake up two hours later (rehearsals until midnight plus 8:00 classes take their toll), then I'll get lunch, do a little homework, go to sight-singing class. After that, I'll do more homework, usually go to Bible study with my floor mates from last year, then dinner, then more homework until rehearsal. Tired yet? I am.

Last night I was up until about 1:30. I could have left rehearsal early, but I simply didn't want to. Rehearsals just get my blood pumping, and even though it's late and I usually have to stay up after to finish homework, it's absolutely worth it. I stayed while they blocked a scene I'm not in, and enjoyed observing my fellow actors work and journaling in my theatre journal. Afterward I finished my music theory homework that I had forgotten about in the Student Union Building with Nick, a junior in the play, and Chelsea, also a junior, and our artistic director.

I slept for about two hours, then got up at 3:45 to take my friend Anna to the airport for her 6:00 flight. The whole trip only took about an hour, because there was very little traffic at such an ungodly hour to be awake. Even though I was tired, I enjoyed the drive; I love Anna, and we talked about the plays (she's in "The Magician's Nephew"). I told her about our super-duper fun rehearsal on Monday night (to read about it, check out my theatre blog). I got back to school about 5:15, slept for two more hours, went to theory . . . and everything else pretty much follows the pattern from my first paragraph.

This semester is flying by, probably due to my busy schedule with the play. The only thing that makes me sad is how quickly it will be over, but I won't think about that; I am going to be intentional about loving what I'm doing! I always look back on seasons in my life and wonder, should I have been more proactive? Should I have done something differently to have gotten even more out of that experience? But those thoughts are silly. I'm thoroughly having a blast in "The Dining Room", and for the most part I haven't been plagued by those self-doubts that are so typical for me.

I feel like there's so much I want to do; write more, read more for fun, play piano again, draw, and I've been toying with the idea of somehow compiling passages/ideas/themes from the authors and theologians we've been reading that have been particularly impacting or inspiring for me. Torrey plans their curriculum well, and there are always common threads and echoing voices in the texts we read every semester. And this semester is particularly important; like I said earlier, it's particularly difficult, and I haven't had as much time or energy to put into it with the play, but I don't want to let it just slip by. That's why I'm thinking, maybe starting next weekend or week, I'll start putting together some kind of informal essay to pull things together. It might be helpful to do this weekend, because I've got "mid-rags" (Torrey mid-term) on Monday. And I'll have a sort-of break next week, because instead of class we have a special conference Monday through Friday.

In particular, I'm thinking about the ideas of mysticism presented by Pseudo-Dionysius, Bonaventure and Dante, as well as the beautiful, unfathomable concept of the immense love and grace God has for us, manifested, of course, in Jesus Christ.

A Brief Thought on Calvin (and other things)

I really need to write more. Life has been crazy with the play, and school, and just life stuff. It's getting to the point that I feel I'm going to burst from all the things filling up my heart and mind unless I write them down. Writing is such a wonderful release, such a wonderful way to articulate the things that swim around in my soul.

I'm reading Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion for Torrey right now. It's been a tough semester; with the play, I haven't had as much energy to focus on Torrey work, although everything has been really interesting. Interesting, but difficult. I think Jordan put it aptly when he said that he thinks I like everyone; that is, I'm pretty charitable toward almost any author I read. It's easy to get worked up over theology, especially when Calvin's in the mix, and maybe I'll feel differently when we actually get to his meatier, predestination stuff, but mostly I enjoy learning about what everyone has had to say about Christianity, and usually I can understand where they're coming from.

I want to write more, but I have to go to class. Meh.

Sunday afternoon

I don't have much time to write; I'm going to a theatre workshop this afternoon for the Torrey play. It's not mandatory for the cast of "The Dining Room", but it sounds like a cool opportunity. A guy named Chad (that's all I know about him) is going to be leading it, and apparently he has done some of the stuff we're learning about more professionally. Plus, it may be the only time the casts of "The Dining Room" and "The Magician's Nephew" do something together.

Time to go!