The Thrill of Spring

So things are starting to work out better than I had hoped. Hurdles I thought insurmountable are passed, with not exactly ease, persay, but far less effort than I had originally anticipated. For example:

• I might be going to Annapolis! There are 9 rising sophmores who want to transfer, and God be praised, I am No.1! Getting my application in was quite a challenge, but I fnially was able to obtain a waver for the $500 entrance fee so it looks like Sophmore Year will be spent in Maryland. How cool is that?
• I'm working at HRC over the summer! I spent a lot of time agonizing over the decision, but B&G isn't a job I would enjoy as much, and it would earn me almost as much as HRC because for two weeks I would need to find a place to stay. I think I made the right decision. I am very excited to work with Becky again and work as a wrangler. Maybe I can even stay after Res Camp is over and help with Passage and whatnot. Mmmmm...
• There is a good chance, according to Mr. Johnston, that I can stay in town over spring break. That would be awesome, but it's almost time to book a plane ticket or something and I'm really antsy. I try not to worry about it, I really do. Living without worry is so much better than the alternative, but sometimes I can't help it. But whatever happens will happen.
• I'm learning Greek! We're on the Meno, and I can finally keep up. I've been working much harder and making good progress. I have a purely selfish goal; impressing Mr. Pagano. This might sound childish, but in all honesty he is a tutor whose respect I would really love to have.

Stuff is happening. The 07-08 year is wrapping up, and in but a few months I will be a rising sophmore! Incredibly exciting. I think I'm in the perfect school, and I believe I am following God's will for my life. Hence I am confident and self-assured. Why? Because it's not up to me, so why bother about it? I could try and run my own life. Heck, if I had, I'd probably be in Iraq right now instead of receiving the best education money can possibly buy. (while being a soldier is something I would LOVE to do, I'm holding off on it till further notice. Maybe I'll put in a word to God about it)

I am very curious to see what this summer will hold for me..

Spring Semester.

Break didn't exactly work out the way I hoped; I reviewed little Greek, and read almost no Thucydides. I did all right with the readings, but Greek is still a monster trying to devour me. I'm fighting back and indeed, my combat is proving superior, but it is a terrible struggle. I'm exhausted every weekend, and I have three papers due within two weeks of each other.

On the whole, it's great to be back. I got over my sickness (fever, nausea, diahrrea flu, even blindness) and all that's left is the remnant of a cough. I really hope nothing like that happens again for a very long time. But I'm back on my feet and ready to rock and roll.

I have a large decision to make: where shall I work over the summer? HoneyRock Camp or St. John's College, Santa Fe? I will make about $300 more here, but I'd have perhaps more fun at HoneyRock, (my favorite place in the world) I would get to work with Ms. Webber, and I would get to fulfill my dream of being a Wrangler that I have entertained since '03.

Shucks, I don't know what I'd do. I'll ask God and see what He thinks.

Welcome, Year of the Rat!

Indeed, the year of 2008 is here! I am in the process of bidding my farewells to 2007 and preparing my welcomes to 2008. A lot of things will change this year, both personally and in the world outside.

First, to give a sort of recap of 2007. This was the year I graduated high school, went to the North Woods again, and began my freshman year at St. John's College.

The first part of 2007 was spent preparing for my high school recital to benefit the organization The Smile Train. That took place in April, when I played at Mt. Carroll's Church of God on a Yamaha G3 piano. Soon afterwards I graduated, and ran off to Northern Wisconsin. There in the North Woods I received my spiritual preparation for St. John's. I spent seven weeks as an Assistant Counselor, working with kids for fortnight stints at a time, one after the other. Fairly intense and slightly overwhelming at times, it forced out my extrovert side (which has always been a little understated) and compelled me to interact with people more than I normally do. I developed a strong dependence upon God and strengthened my relationship with His Son, continuing in '06's commitment.

By the time ACing was up, it was time to work. I spent two, three weeks working with Ms. Webber in the barn and Justin Cope in the kitchen. That was the first time I had earned real money - almost $600 worth. Thrilled? You bet. It's a pleasure to work in the (relatively) free market and earn money like nobody's business. I can honestly say that it was the time of my life, this past summer.

Summer went fast, I will admit, but the fall semester went even faster. On 28 August (the most eventful day of my life) I boarded a plane at O'Hare and flew to Albequerque and then took a shuttle to Santa Fe, where I got off at St. John's College. Let me tell you that this past semester flew past faster than anything I have ever done before. Tutors, programs, books, Socrates, Plato, Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euclid all ran past me in an ancient blur. It has been the most intense four months of my life. I have had to balance many things simultaneously: my Christianity, my work, my academics, and my music. I will freely admit it is quite a challenge, but it is a challenge I willingly and passionately welcome. I love St. John's and I want to succeed there. God willing, that is precisely what I shall do.

Winter break flew past, and now I am at home, having spent (that's the perfect there!) a few weeks enjoying the company of my complete family; all us kids from Nate and Becca to Abby were home which made for a wild party, let me assure you. Now they are gone save us Younger Three, and in the next 12 days I shall completely review my Greek book and read Thucydides' Peloponnesian War. God willing, I will succeed. Break has been awesome, but it is time to crack down.

As you can see, it has been an eventful year. So much has happened, and so many blessings have been poured out upon me. Mr. Keegan got it right when he said that "You've got a lot of things going for you right now." Well shucks, I guess he's right. I feel like I'm on the top of the world: I serve a good God, I attend a phenomenal school, and I love the great music of the ages. Sometimes it doesn't feel like it, but when I look back at the year past, I am astounded at how great a God I serve and how much He has blessed me. My atheism has been destroyed and replaced by a clear and vibrant faith in the Divine and in my salvation. There is a certainty I feel (feel, not think!) when I review 2007 that tells me I am following the right path.

I approach the New Year, 2008, the Year of the Rat (I do so love the Chinese Calendar) with great hope and optimism. God willing, I will complete my freshman year and work at HoneyRock Camp over the summer. I have little clear idea what will happen otherwise. I greatly hope I will return to St. John's College in the fall of '08, but perhaps God has something else in mind. Whatever it is, I am incredibly excited to find out.

What else is there to say but "Lead me on, and I will run after You"?
~Timothy

Winter Break!!

I am very excited. Winter break is here! My train leaves tomorrow at 1345 (probably 1400) and I will, God willing, be home the evening of the 22nd of December. This semester has gone by so quickly I blink and it's gone. Just yesterday it seems as though I was attending Convocation! But when I look back upon the semester, it seems as though it has taken forever. It is a strange dichotomy, St. John's. But it is a fun dichotomy.

Collegium was last night and it was a blast. Naturally I wore my tux with coattails and played the allegro from Beethoven's sonata and my Christmas carol. It was a lot of fun and my growing skill is appreciated. My piano repertoire is growing and when I am physically relaxed and play music not too difficult for me, it works. Yes, it was fun. Yes I hope I can do it again, especially during Spring Collegium, and have the whole sonata done.

I am heading to Lamy tomorrow around 1030 with Keith and Kate; Keith ever so kindly is dropping us off at the station so we can catch our respective trains. The trip from Lamy to St. John's will be a bit more dificult to figure out, but I am sure I will think of something.

Christmas is going to be a ball. All 12 of us will be home, from Dad to Rebecca to Abby, so our house will be full and noisy. Awesome. I'll get to see old friends and family and relax for four weeks. Then it's onwards, onwards to 2008 and the termination of my freshman year at St. John's! Hallelujah!

What a crazy year it's been. What a crazy, blessed, awesome, inspiring, and rediculous year. Ooh rah.

17 Days Till Break.

Just think: 17/18 days till the semester is over! I'd say "By the Dog!" in Greek only I do not know how.

It has been a good semester. I have finally recovered (mostly) from my October paralysis, so homework comes easier to me now and I do not struggle so much. I am able to practice again, and my adoration of Beethoven's music has never been higher.

But the semester is so close to being over! It is crazy. In exactly three weeks I will be sitting in my room at home doing who knows what. It's mindblowing. The end of the year and Christmas itself are also approaching but I don't let myself think about those yet - of far more importance to me right now is the five page Heraclitus paper I have to write in nine days.

I am very happy here. I could not have imagined such a perfect school for me. I love my freshman class, I think my tutors are awesome, and my courses are beyond fabulous. Thank you God.

It's going to be crazy, going home. A lot of things are going to be different. Many things will stay the same, however. My faith will remain constant. My God will remain constant. And love will remain constant.

Speaking of love, I should write an entry about Miyazaki's anime movies because almost every single one I have seen is about love in one form or another. He is a master because he shows love, and love being more than sex. We've got sex to a T in modern movies. But this old guy from 50's Japan shows us what love is like. It is beautiful and it is inspiring. Who could have thought that an animated movie could do that in such superiority to 'live-action' films? I certainly did not.

I apologize. Reading this post is like driving a manual transmission at high speeds with poor use of the clutch. I will break off and collect my thoughts in order to write more when I have more time.

Toodles!

Don Rag!

No, there was nothing to worry about. It was fine. In fact, it was more than fine. It was great and it was a real encouragement and a motivation.

I went to the PSC Senior Common Room at 1120 on Tuesday morning and therein saw Mr. Zeitlin, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Pagano, Mr. Carey, and Ms. Ames. They all went around and said how I have been doing:

I won't repeat it all because I did it already in my journal (which is more fun than a weblog anyway) but I wanted to try and figure out how I am going to apply it.

Maybe not. Let's just say I've got it mostly figured out and now I can enjoy this Thanksgiving Weekend with lots of sleep (10 hours last night!) and lots of Greek (must must must catch up!)

I must say, I really enjoy fragmented posts. Let's abandon this one with the full hope of a weekend filled with potential! We'll see how much I actually get done....

End Of The Beginning Or The Beginning Of The End?

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,156111,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl

The drawdown is beginning and it is fairly clear that very soon, America's role in Iraq will be negligible. It has been a very long haul indeed, and one fraught with doubt and worry, but it will soon be all over.

I have always thought that this war represented a new gamble regarding the Middle East. It's one thing to pound Hussein to the dust - it's quite another to create an entirely new regime from the ground up. Socrates might call it folly. Heh, most Americans (not to mention Europe) call it folly. But the war in Iraq is complicated and there are many facets to it - layers that the media and the armchair warriors usually ignore. Michael Totten's journalism efforts are remarkable and everyone should check them out. You do not get the whole picture from TIME, CNN, Fox, or the New York Times. The media focuses on Iraq burning. Totten and other independant journalists show us a bigger picture, one that is not necessarily dominated by a corporate agenda. (to claim that TIME, NY Times, FOX, or BBC do not have an agenda is to claim ignorance) But to return to the gamble.

Can a people who have known nothing but tribal factions and totalitarian oppression knowingly and willingly embrace a sort of liberty? (to call the Iraqi constitution republican democracy is foolhardy) I am not sure. I do believe it was the right thing to do. Hussein was a loose cannon, rolling around the MidEast and it was time for him to go. Iraq was being violently oppressed. Whatever violent assertions we may make about government lies, misleading, and war crimes (torture now has a new definition; apparently anything causing a prisoner discomfort is torture), it can safely be said that the President did not orchestrate the war for oil and that he does in fact believe very much in this endeavor, however mistaken it may be.

I am rambling. My position on this war is very confusing. If I were placed in the position as Commander in Chief in 2003, would I have gone into Iraq? There are good reasons to do so and good reasons to refrain. I am honestly not sure what I would have done.

To tie this into the beginning though, I do believe that the war needs to end. I don't think anyone expected it to last this long (how many times we have said that!) I certainly did not expect it to last this long. It is coming to an end. President Bush leaves office next year in January (January of 2009). He has to make some sort of drawdown to save face and give the impression that he is doing all he can to bring the conflict to an end. Whoever next takes office (please, God, let it be Ron Paul) will have a big challenge on their hands, because this stage of the war is every bit as important as Day I. As we have seen in Vietnam, if we abandon our ally, the war will be for naught. I don't want that to happen. 3,000 American deaths were the indirect cause of this war, and 3900 deaths of professional soldiers have been the result, not to mention the trillions of dollars spent and respent.

Can the war in Iraq succeed? At the moment, I think it can. But due to the Republic, I think it will not last long before it turns into tyranny again. And that is the most frightening and saddening thing about this whole 5 year war.