One More Week...

Dear Friends,
I must apologize for once again being an inconstant blogger. To tell the truth, I have been very busy with school, but sometimes, when I'm not so busy, it's easier for me to do something mindless (like watching movie trailers online) instead of blogging. There, confession is over. Speaking of confession, it is the season of Lent, which I am trying to participate in. However, I'm struggling with adding contemplation into my hectic life. I guess the point of Lent is to give up something and use that time to contemplate your faith and specifically Christ's sacrifice. I find that to be very difficult. I keep myself busy with work, hanging out with friends, watching movies, etc. In fact, this Tuesday, I had almost a whole day free and I planned on doing research for an upcoming research paper, but instead I read The Watchmen in anticipation of its movie debut next week. I don't regret this decision, but I regret the ways I waste time or lose focus on my work. Since I'm still confessing, I may as well admit that I have a serious complaining problem.
On a more cheerful note, Wednesday night I went to Greyfriars, a really cool coffee shop downtown, and tried a London Fog. I'm not sure what exactly this drink is, but I think it's a type of latte with Earl Grey tea. But I could be wrong. At any rate it was delicious! I got it because the weather that day reminded me a lot of Oxford, foggy and mysterious, so I thought that London Fog was appropriate. I miss Oxford a lot today. I was even online trying to find a poster of the Radcliffe Camera, but no luck. In my Christ and Culture class today, the professor was discussing Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, which is set in an alternate Oxford in a parallel world, and she showed a video clip with the Radcliffe Camera!!! I immediately felt "homesick". In a way, that whole time in Oxford feels like a dream now. I know that it happened, but it seems so ethereal. I guess life is just like that, things happen and we move on and even though they make a lasting impression, they never seem as real as they did at the time. I remember walking down Pullens Lane one afternoon, carrying my groceries and looking out over the city and thinking, "Someday this won't seem real, so I need to cram as much of it in as possible."
Wow, sorry for the ramble. In other news I had a quiz (mini-test) in Renaissance this week and I think I did really well. This evening I went to reading by Leslie Leyland Fields, who is teaching the Creative Writing: Nonfiction class here. She has a nice way of capturing simple images in a profound way. She seems to have a strong grasp on her identity as a Christian, a woman, and a mother. If you're interested, she has several books out: Surviving the Island of Grace and Parenting is Your Highest Calling and Eight Other Myths. (I may not have those titles exactly right). All in all I am very excited about the weekend and having a chance to get some work done and relax. I'm even more excited about Spring Break, which is only one week away!!! I'm going to be going to West Palm Beach with my mom and my dad to visit my Aunt May, and it makes me so happy every time I think about it! :)