What have I been doing for the last month, you may ask? I have actually been surprisingly busy. I spent the first week by myself being bored, but once orientation came around, I became a social butterfly! (Okay, not quite. I don't think any circumstance could turn ME into a social butterfly, but I did make a few friends). For starters, my roommate and a few of her friends took me out to a place called the Bluebird Cafe, where local singers/songwriters play music. It's a really laid back environment- it's even in a strip mall off the highway- and we just had appetizers and beer while listening to them play for a few hours. Nothing fancy, but I got a taste of the music side of music city USA.
A few friends from orientation and I decided to make a day trip out to the Jack Daniels distillery about an hour outside of Nashville (which, ironically, is in a dry county). So we took the tour of the distillery and spent the afternoon in a tiny town that looked like it was still in the 1800s, except for all the tourists and motorcycle gangs.
As for my classes, I am taking two big lecture courses that are required for all first year divinity students- Hebrew Bible and Formation of the Christian Tradition. The Hebrew Bible prof likes to joke and thinks he's funny, which he is, but when it's monday morning and we're all still half sleeping, he doesn't understand why our laughter is only half-hearted. I'm also taking Koine Greek, which is royally kicking my ass. I'm hoping it gets easier, but not counting on it. And last but not least, Contemporary Issues in American Religion, which is small and discussion based (reminds me fondly of Macalester), and should be really interesting, especially since it's broken into modules of discussion based on politics, sexuality, and the decline of church attendance. What I have learned thus far is that I am more prepared for grad school than most people. When other people see 10 books on the syllabus they think OMG WHAT?! and I think, "Oh, this prof is like Paula." Or when we had to read Perpetua for my Christianity class, I only half read it because this was my 4th time. Clearly my undergrad did something for me.
My work study ended up being in the library, and it is a completely pointless job. I get paid $9 an hour to sit at a desk, check books back into the library, sort them, sometimes shelve them, and on saturday nights, it's so dead that I just do my homework. It's pathetic that I get paid more to do that than I have at any previous job. But hey, it pays for groceries.
I also found a karate club on campus that I joined and am practicing with. It's goju-ryu instead of shorin-ryu, which is what I did at home, but they are both Okinawan and therefore VERY similar. I love the people and we have a lot in common. I can tell already I'm going to like it.
Last but not least, Shawn and I are moving forward with wedding planning for next summer. We reserved a venue in Cold Spring, and are having our ceremony at his church in Paynesville. So in addition to all the other junk I'm doing, I'm trying to plan a wedding from 5 states away. YAY!!!
As usual, my updates seem to be running long and I'm not sure how much actual substance is present. All I know is that I'm having a grand ol' time here in Nashville (hehe, pun intended). I'll try and keep you posted on a monthly basis unless anything major happens in the meantime :)
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