duquesne. [doo-kane] not [doo-quez-nee]

I just got back from Duquesne--I went there to study at the Starbucks with Ben while he worked on a final project. After we got sick of our productivity, we went back to his place and talked for awhile. We are both such nerds--we talked all about Ohio (mostly about why Cleveland is so much better than Pittsburgh), about PhD programs, about schools where we'd ultimately like to work, cities in which we'd ultimately like to live, and our respective trips to Europe.

Also, Debbie called somewhere during that time and complained to Ben that he stole her friend (me).

It was a good day...I had both Dr. Purves and Dr. Nelson this morning, and I am like a little child, I'm so giddy about those two classes. I can't wait!

I'm quite tired right now, but I am just not really in the mood to go to sleep yet. I feel like maybe reading myself to sleep with some class material, but it's all too interesting! Today, I read part of our Joseph Blankinsopp book for OT02 and I was so excited about it all. Several people have complained about that particular text, but I tend to think their complaints directly correlate to their lack of technical knowledge in this particular subject. There are plenty of ANE buzz words floating about, which could be somewhat burdensome for someone taking this course as an introduction to the second half of the Old Testament (essentially).

I'm writing a paper for Christology that will be due next week. In addition to our two required readings, Dr. Nelson gave us 4 readings from which we must pick one. I chose the one that she specifically said would push and challenge the reader the most. I am always up for a challenge and I appreciate the opportunity to be pushed and pulled and stretched as much as possible. Having the ability to coherently articulate the opposing arguments to whatever set of beliefs I happen to be defending will be an important skill. Plus, if I want to consider PhD work for even a nanosecond, I must be consistently sharpening my critical thinking skills. I need to be better at probing and creating depth in a text. I have noticed that I'm much better at literary correlations between texts, however. That is definitely something that has improved thanks to PTS...and, probably most specifically, Dr. Gagnon. He does love his intertextual echoes.

I had a discussion not too long ago with a wonderful person here at school with me. She and disagree on nearly everything theologically speaking, but we have a healthy understanding of each other, I think, which always makes our conversations satisfying. We did learn, on that particular day, that we share a distaste for much of the seminary vernacular...I am leary to use many of the common words of this community because they are steeped in ambiguity.

Here are a few of those words:

*unchurched
*liberal/conservative
*contemporary worship
*post-modern (are we really there yet...and well enough established in it to have a sound definition of whatever "it" is?)

Give me a sound definition of these terms...I don't want arbitrary, I don't want an extensive amount of flexibility...I want to know what these mean, or I don't think they should be used. As far as the term "unchurched" is concerned...it's easy enough to understand what that means, but it's just annoying. I can't stand that term, and I wish it hadn't been adopted.

I've come to the sobering conclusion that I am really a nerd. I thought I could escape it, but, in fact, my "nerdosity" exudes from every pore. My eyes give me away on everything...and the fact that my eyes sparkle and dance because I get to read about a bunch of dead guys who, for whatever reason, made it into Scripture, or because I get to read about proclamations that were recognized "from Dan to Beersheba," or whatever, is just sad. I can't be all there, can I? And, let's face it...I have Greek letters tattooed on my foot. Maybe I'll show my tattoo off to my students someday in the middle of the semester.

I can't wait to teach. Teaching will be so exciting. Of course there will be stresses--every institution in the world has its own special beauracracy, for example--but I know there will be people who are somehow inspired. I'm also really excited to have a family...I'm not anywhere close to that point right now (and fairly relieved to not be, if I'm honest), but I think it will be such fun. I sort of sound like I'm wishing to be 5 or 10 years ahead of where I am right now, but that's not true either.

I would say that I have wanted to just forget about seminary at least 150 times. I have thought about the "what could have been"s in my life on a daily basis since I moved to Pittsburgh 18 months ago. I don't like my 8:30 classes and I get frustrated at my lack of income because I don't have time to get a 4th job, and don't get paid for the 3rd job, and only get 10 hours per week in the combination of the 1st and 2nd jobs. Sometimes the people on this campus annoy and frustrate me to no end. Some of them annoy me because they act as if they're better than me, some of them annoy me because I get it into my silly mind that I'm better than them. I think some of the faculty members on staff here are egotistical, and, despite their many accolades, they really have to reason to be.

The smartest 5 people I've ever met are likewise 5 of the most humble.

I could learn a good lesson from that.

Anyway, with all of that being said, I love it here. I'm glad I'm here, even if it's Pittsburgh. I think this is where I'm supposed to be right now, and I wouldn't change a thing about my situation (except I wish I didn't have to be so dependent on my parents for financial support, but that's for another night). I'm happy with the choice I've made to be here, and I'm even more happy with the other choices that came my way that I refused. This is a good place, and I truly believe that the vast majority of the people here have good hearts and really care and really want to be the best that they can be.

Regardless of the stumbling blocks that fill this campus ("the devil's playground," as one friend calls it), I am thankful for this place.

And now, I must go to bed. Bye :0)