Life is Beautiful!

You know what? I like to have integrity when I argue. Like, I don't just want it to seem like I've proved my point, to make the other person in the argument think I've proved my point. I want to actually do so. It's actually much easier to prove your point when you don't actually do so.

I'm going to try to explain what I mean by that. Hm. Well, for example, sometimes the person you're arguing with will make a mistake of some kind in their argument. And you use that as proof that you're right. You know? Stuff like that. Like, I was just talking with a girl in my religion class about creation and evil. We weren't arguing, but it made me think of this. We just learned that there are several different creation stories in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament/Tanakh/What have you. There's the neat and orderly story that we know in Genesis 1--"God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good." But then in Psalm 74:12-19, there's an alternate version of creation (also Psalm 89:9 and 93) (Genesis 2 contains another alternative, but it's closer to 1 than the Psalm versions) in which God is not creating out of passive matter, in which there is conflict from which creation is born. That's a weird phrase, "creation is born," but nevermind. OK, so my professor, the J-Man, was saying that without these "conflict creations" there would be no reason for any type of evil on earth. That the Gen 1 version does not explain why everything isn't perfect. And I was just totally like "whoa!!" And me and Chesney were discussing this, and I was saying how I'd always thought that, like, evil on earth was put there by God on purpose. Like, we read something about a Rabbi who made a note in his bible that death is good--kind of like, "God created evil and saw that it was good." And that it was part of some sort of larger plan (as indicated in the book of Revelation, I suppose). And Chesney said that she'd always thought that evil was here because of Adam and Eve's disobedience in the garden. But I've always felt that that was more God's fault, as it were--that he put the tree there, and must have expected that they would have eaten from it (I guess saying that he didn't anticipate that characterizes God as less powerful than I've always imagined--I guess cos I like the idea that something actually is in control). Anyway, Chesney was saying that they succumbed to temptation, and I said that the temptation was put there by God.

And then we got to her room and split up, but I was thinking, is that really the point I wanted to make? Like, I'm arguing that God planned that. . . hmm, actually, maybe that was the point that I wanted to make. But I guess I was thinking more that God was acting outside Adam and Eve, not manipulating them from the inside. But I just took her argument and blithely (ok, it wasn't that blithe, but it was a little glib) turned it for my own--even though it wasn't my argument.

::coughcough:: and I don't want to do that anymore.

That was pretty pointless.

But I'm happy today!! WHEEE!! I made a honey sandwich for breakfast. And German was good! I've been totally lost and afraid in German so far, but this one girl who studied German at Middlebury over the summer and was therefore way ahead of all of us, has dropped the class!! Yay! So now she won't be skewing our perceived skill level. Also, the professor was speaking in English more. I mean, German is always good because oh my god the professor is soooo cute!! I seriously have to make sure I wipe the smile off my face when I'm looking at him. So, you know, that makes class fun. But I've been nervous, cos I'm so confused. But I feel more optimistic now.

And, hmm. It's hot, but not miserable. And a friend of mine took care of a problem that was causing her a lot of worry and stress.

And Religion was obviously awesome. And I got a syllabus in my art history class! There's a paper worth 40% and the final, worth 60%. Lol. Good times.

And History of Rock and Roll is AMAZING! We listened to Muddy Waters last class. Like, it was a class about Muddy Waters, basically. SO AWESOME! Oh my god, it was awesome.

Also, I only have two homework assignments for the rest of the week! German and an article for Rock n Roll about bluegrass and blackfaced minstrelry. That's a strange word, but I'm going to leave it. So, yeah. Maybe I can finish those today and have tomorrow off! Or to get started on work for the weekend, either way ;)

I've been very diligent and good.

I'm going to go to a meeting about Study Abroad this afternoon, so I'll be all prepared. Yay for Carly for telling me about it! I've got to start reading those eDigests.

So, yeah, life is really good. I was nervously optimistic about this semester, but it seems to be going really nicely so far. ::knocks on wood::

Also, my room is great! I just adore it. It's comfortably sized, and i love the location, and it's sooo cute and I love it! I'm still setting it up, pathetically, but I'll take pictures when it's done and maybe post them.

I'm also having really good times being back with my friends. I drop in on Corey a lot, and sit on her couch, and we go into town and stuff. And I've been getting together with Carly and Courtney a lot too, which is just so much fun. We watch classic rock movies and stuff. :) It's great!

I'm feeling good about life. Although I am still quite tense, just in general. I keep noticing that my shoulders are, like, up at my chin and having to consciously relax them! XD