A (school) year in review

As is to be expected, this is a personal reflective post. I guess all I can do is apologize--yet again--and promise better content in the future. For now, I need this.

This was a fantastic little scene at the pond on campus today. There were actually 2 more on there, who startled when Ethan and I came close and jumped in for a swim.

I am done with my first year, and what a year it was. Wow, I have experienced so much and changed so dramatically. From riding in the rented car with Mom, Dad, and Eric crying about my irrational decision to commit myself to a "sprawling suburban hell hole" I had never even visited, to where I sit today, happy, healthy, accepted and better for it.

God truly does work wonders in our lives; in my life I see it.

Out here I have found foundation in a church which represents my beliefs and embraces others'. I have found relationships like I had not known before in my colleagues, professors, random acquaintances, and even students. I have found satisfaction and purpose in teaching. I have found challenge and discovery in my academic pursuits. I have found growth and change in owning up to responsibilities, making decisions, and evaluating my circumstances. I have found excitement and spontaneity in experiences with people who are not like myself, and not familiar to me. I have found fear in not knowing where I will go after this endeavor. I have found faith in my ability to accomplish anything life may hand to me. I have found hope in the reality that transition just takes time--but it does take. I have found pleasure in the simple tossing of a frisbee. I have found comfort in the sipping of cheap wine. I have found lust in unexpected encounters. I have found humility in making mistakes in front of disgruntled 20-somethings. I have found a deeper, stronger, reciprocal love between my parents and myself. I have found peace in Boulder, Colorado.

Katie and myself at Brasserie Ten Ten. Our final class meeting for Space and Materiality.

And, just for fun, some highlights:
Smoking
Boulder hating
Shanethanon, Shanthan, Shanethan, etc.
Korean Karaoke
Pub Quiz
Denver
"Undergrad" nights
Motet
AK 47
Starbucks card from Angela
Lecturing
Frisbee!
Mediterranean Restaurant
No Country for Old Men
Dark Star
The Buffoons
Around Midnight
Choir
Writing 6 major term papers (the accomplishment, not the process)
Weekend trip home
NCA
Fox Japan tour
Immortal Technique
Biking
Hot Yoga
San Diego
Santa Barbara
NYC
Photo shoots
Cartoons w/ Ethan
Just hangin' around, dickin'