mountainmelody

My roommates are from India and Germany.

friends

worship

I wish I had time to tell you about all the experiences I've had so far. Right now, I can just give you a quick recap:

I am in a small group with girls from the Solomon Islands, the UK, Pakistan, and the Netherlands.

I had lunch with the guy who wrote Perspectives.
I talked with a guy who was shot in the conflict in Liberia.
I had breakfast with Heather Mercer.

You can read more here.

I'm here, and have accomplished the first few things on my list:

• get here (this one took a while)
• take a shower
• meet some interesting people from other countries
• find the internet

French toast or rice?

Fish in wintermelon sauce, or chicken?

Some choices are easy.

(Plus, the seaweed mixed in with the chicken was...an interesting bonus.)

3.5 hours: drive from Birmingham to Atlanta
25 minutes: flight from Atlanta over Birmingham
4 hours: layover in LA
13 hours: time difference between Birmingham and Malaysia
longer than that: flight to Taipei

Car place: You need to do x, x, and x to your car, or else it will die in the middle of 280/only drive in reverse/spontaneously combust.

Me: Why can't I just take the bus?

the whistler
Mr. High Maintenance
the singer
the rich Americans
the befuddled senior tour groups
the football fans (the majority of the last plane)
the photographer (even I don't take pictures of the flight attendant serving food)

So...I'm back.

• three meals a day
• no commute
• instant friends
• sleep later

Of course, you do have to study...

...singing a song based on the Lord's Prayer--to the tune of Kumbaya

• Prague is in Bohemia (an area of the Czech Republic).
• A unique technique made famous in Prague is defenestration. (Here's the definition for those of you who aren't up on your English or Latin.)
• Prague is one of the few European cities that was not damaged much in World War II, so parts of it still have a medieval feel.
• "Good King Wenceslaus" was a real person who ruled in Prague. (Who knew?)
• Hitler planned to make Prague the capital of his empire.

Feel smarter now?

Some of these pictures aren't the greatest, but you get the idea...

You see buildings like these everywhere.

Some fancy/historic building at night.

Everyone's looking up, waiting for this special clock to strike.

Here's the clock. The "disciples" rotate through the windows when it strikes the hour. The clock dates back to medieval times, I think.

Does anyone want to write an 85,000 word paper for me, using 300 to 500 sources?

I've discovered that I really like the British system of education. We don't have tests, quizzes, or papers. Instead, we read, listen to lectures, discuss, and learn. All the learning without any of the pressure--nice!

We do have classes here on Saturdays...

• The weather has been beautiful--like a nice spring or fall day. But at one point tonight, it was cold enough to see your breath!
• We went to an American grocery store. You could buy a bag of double-stuffed Oreos--for only $11.

During World War II, the buildings that are now the school were seized by the Nazis and used as one of the offices of the SS.

Kind of weird to think about...

I have met students from

Russia
Egypt
Norway (82-year-old PhD student; "direct descendant of the Vikings")
South Africa
Jordan
Spain
Belgium
Korea
Kazakhstan
Denmark
India
all over Eastern Europe

Theological Uses of Anglo-American Postmodernism: Epistemology--Foundationalism vs. Holism

AND

Academic Regulations for Research Degree Schemes

See you later!

Mythology?
Concrete methodology?

Actually, I'm about to start my PhD in contextual missiology.

Good tries, though.

The three richest people in the world control more wealth than the 600 million people in the poorest countries combined.

The program will pay the full amount (as listed on Your Letter of Confirmation), in a lump sum, for loss of life or any combination of two eyes, hands or feet; and one-half of the amount for loss of one eye, hand or foot. Loss of eye means total and irrecoverable loss of entire sight; and loss of hand or foot means the actual complete and permanent severance at or above the wrist or ankle joint.

"Singleness is not a personality trait!"

62% more students go to college now than in the 1960s.

I switched cell phone services about two and a half years ago.

Today I received my deposit refund from my old company.

During the Roman Empire, the average life expectancy was 22 years. By the Middle Ages, people could expect to live about 33 years.

hiking

riding

1 new motherboard
2 new hard drives
2+ weeks
5+ tech support calls

...and my computer is still not working.

The average age at first marriage for women with master's or professional degrees is 30.

yesterday
Homewood: a man dressed like a Viking walking down the street
Downtown: an artificial Christmas tree branch in the road

today
Just off 280: 10 wild turkeys crossing the street
Vestavia: bricks in the road

tomorrow
?? (maybe I should stay home!)

Indian guy: [unnamed computer company] tech support, how may I help you?

me: I sent my computer in to be repaired. I got it back today, but it was still broken.

Indian guy: What seems to be the problem?

me: It's still not working. It is still shutting down all the time like it was before I sent it in. Can I give you my order number? The information I received said they fixed it.

Indian guy: How is the fan?

me: The fan is fine. Can you tell me what the technicians who repaired it said?

Indian guy: Do I hear the fan running? Is it overheating?

me: There is no problem with the fan. Here is my order number: xxxx.

Indian guy: Please hold.

::Christmas music::

Indian guy: Thank you for remaining online.

30 minutes later....

Indian guy: Someone will call you back tomorrow about the problem.

94% of households with children ages 4 to 14 have a computer. Just under 90% have a TV.

We tend to choose baby names from our great-grandparents' generation, because they're farther removed from our concepts of old people.

Lord, Lord
You were hungry
and I was sorry.
You were thirsty
and I blamed the world.
You were a stranger
and I pointed you out.
You were naked
and I turned you in.
You were sick
and I said a prayer.
You were in prison
and I wrote a poem.

The God Letters
The Lord God says:
'Share your bread
with the hungry,
bring the homeless poor
into your house,
cover the naked.'

'Dear Lord God,
We have got
new carpets,
so this will
not be possible.'

http://rejesus.co.uk

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could take one item with you, what would you take?

the internet