Happy...um....Between Holidays Day!

Greetings and salutations, one and all.
Just a short entry tonight, because, although it is late and I must reluctantly rise early, I knew that if I did nothing to break the inertia of having not posted in so long, I might *never have written again*. Ever. The problem is, you see, once you let it slip by for a little bit, you feel the need to post something comprehensive, or at least interesting, to justify your absence. And as the events of life stack up, your imaginary tome grows longer, and more complex, until even the ghost of James Joyce appears by your bedside one night shaking his head somberly and saying "Just forget it. It's not worth it."
So, that being said, I may go into some of the interesting things (wait...what were they again...) that have happened in the meantime, but more likely I will simply continue to ramble on randomly as I always have.

I had a spinach salad with mandarin oranges and raisins for dinner tonight; it was actually pretty good, but I am already hungry again. You see, I've decided to try something of an experiment: between now and the end of the year, I am going to try to subsist on only fruits and vegetables. With the occasional fish for protein. And this may not include lunch meetings. Or Christmas. I haven't figured it out yet. Partly I want to see how quickly I can drop the few pounds I have picked up since Oxford, but partly I am just curious to see how I feel.
And, while this idea was not strictly spiritual in its inception, we are physical beings, so it all works together; I think perhaps God will teach me some things through the hunger, and the denial.
We'll see how it works out.

My brother John is officially a part of the United States Army. He finally triumphed over all the red tape and bureaucracy, and was sworn in on Monday. He ships out for boot camp right after the New Year, and, instead of working on helicopters as was planned previously, he will now (a blessing of the delay, I suppose) be working on jet aircraft. I believe that, by many accepted standards, John is now the Coolest Person I Know. On further inspection, being an aircraft mechanic is actually better than being a pilot, because 1)The pilots know you keep them alive, and treat you well and buy you drinks, and 2)There is far less risk of exploding or ramming into things at extreme velocities.
So here's to you, Sarge. *clink*

Speaking of velocity...I have been mulling over Special and General Relativity here and there, recently. I think I almost understand (you know the difference between knowing *that* something works, like a formula or something, and really getting your mind inside of it, when suddenly you really *get* it, and that little light goes off, and the kazoos start playing, and...right), but I still have some snags. Not that I think I've bested Einstein, or anything, but there are some things that simply don't seem to work out. I'm guessing it's just me. Perhaps more on this later.

I tried to catch up on some of my correspondence tonight. Something of a lost cause. Essentially just writing "Thank you for calling, please hold" numerous times. (BTW, Christy: I've misplaced your email address, and your don't allow comments on your blog. What up with that, yo? *Ahem*)

Oh, and I went to the Society of Biblical Literature conference in Philadelphia the other weekend.
And I had Thanksgiving.

Grace be with you all, because I am going to bed.

Brian

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

Although I suppose technically, since it is past midnight, it is the Day After Guy Fawkes Day.
Today was also my friend Melissa's wedding, in which I was an usher (I even got to go to my first wedding rehearsal on Friday). Despite some small issues--such as the unity candle not lighting, and the best man initially handing the minister (Jeremy Grinnel, for those who know him) a Ring Pop instead of the rings--it was a beautiful service. The reception was fun, spending time with some great people I don't get to see often enough.
Afterwards, because the reception was short, the night was young, and I was wearing a suit, Katie, Racie, Angela and I were considering a movie (Isaac couldn't come because his wife Lisa had promised them elsewhere, and she is responsible). By the time we left the chapel, it was raining, so I pulled to the curb and picked up Racie. By the time we got to the theatre just a few minutes away, it was *pouring*; after I dropped Racie at the curb, I had to park waaay in the boondocks, so I was absolutely soaked (in suit and tie and bouttoniere).
We had to wait for the good movies to start, so after watching previews for a while, we went back to Racie's apartment (to drop off THE bouquet that she caught, and to pick up a coat), then to CU to hang out and Katie's apartment (fun was had, and both pictures and class surveys were taken), then drop off Angela (she had to work early), then back the the theatre (the rain had, mercifully, stopped before all these events.
We ended up seeing Elizabethtown, which was very good but almost great, and the sort of movie that makes you think about life, and I may talk about it at some point in the future when I am more coherent.
From there we went to coffee, but coffee turned into dessert and dessert to dinner and then dessert, because we were hungry. Many stories and laughs and much good conversation.
And then I went home.
And here I sit, sleepy and pretty well contented for a day.

And here's two pennies: one for your thoughts, and the one for the old guy.

"Remember, remember the 3rd of November"

I think that perhaps, taken together, all the little thoughts I have been having about my life might add up to something worth mentioning. But I had a twelve hour workday today, I am tired, and I just spent an hour and a half on the phone with Scott, brainstorming about the movie ("The Flautist") we are apparently making when Chelle and I go down to Florida. (I wonder that perhaps our styles and creative visions may not mesh; mine is more "Takeshi Kitano meets Garden State", and his is more "Wes Anderson on Valium and psychedelic mushrooms." We did manage a plot, theme, and a whole mess of characterization, though. Time will tell.)

Today I had my very first flat tire ever, on the way to work. Sans cell phone, no less.

Yesterday I found one of my old journals. Shouldn't I have an advantage on the guy who wrote them? And yet it seems I could learn from him, spiritually, mentally, emotionally.

I have decided to apply to Notre Dame, amongst perhaps some other American grad schools.

And yet, I am less certain about grad school than I have been. Or at least, more willing to be less certain. I don't want to simply be trying to buy time, delaying the unfortunate inevitability of decision. Or going by default, because I see nothing else. ("I guess I will go to grad school." "I suppose I will teach."--my words.) I want to be willing to say "I don't know", and accept the future as a blank canvas that God and I have to go about filling in.
I haven't the foggiest what I might do instead, or what may be out there for me, but I will never see anything staring at my feet. Expanding my options, me. And it may very well be in the end I find myself right back here, and going off to Oxford or Notre Dame, but it will be for the right reasons, and because I chose it. "The end of all our exploring," said Eliot,"will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."

I could live with that.