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| So I need to apologize the unexcusably long time since I've posted on
xanga. But as consolation, here's a picture, which everyone loves. This
is when the ninth graders brought a cake for my birthday (only about
1/3 of them are shown):
Other notable events would include Princeton's Homecoming, where the
freshmen dominated 3 of the 4 events, including the all-important Lip
Sync Contest. I've also started a Mock Trial team, which is going
alright, and we're having a camping trip next weekend in the
Everglades, which should be an experience. Overall I'm enjoying Princeton and am glad for the experience.
I'm currently in Nashville for the weekend, which has greeted with me
with snow and cold weather, and while it is a welcome change, the sunny
and 75 miami isn't too bad either.
I have determined that my music collection has become stale, and I need
some new artists, so if you have any recommendations, send them my way.
Not much else to report. Hope all is well.
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| Welcome to the year 2006.
I write this on the eve of my 23rd birthday, which isn't a big milestone, but it does reassert my "twenty-something" status.
School is back in full swing, and all
is going well. We have a three-day weekend coming up, which is
excellent, district TNT after that, and then Homecoming Week, so
January is basically outta here.
My sister came down last weekend, and
it was nice to spend time with her. I only get out to explore Miami
when I have company down, so it's fun going to the beach and what not.
I look forward to the same opportunities in a couple weeks.
In ninth grade Bible, we have begun
the New Testament and are currently covering the Sermon on the Mount
(Matthew 5-7). It easy to forget how radical Jesus' teachings are, but
this is what makes them so beautiful.
God's peace be with you.
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| Two more days.
I just read an excellent article on
Slate.com about the whole "cancelling church on Christmas" debacle
which I thought I would share: http://www.slate.com/id/2132993/
I was pleasantly surprised to come across it, and would have to
wholeheartedly agree with the article, so if you have 5 minutes, check
it out.
Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.
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| 10 more days until Christmas.
Today I was reminded of a childhood memory with my younger brother Brian, who was probably around four. When we would take trips in the car, he would often ask how much longer till we got there, and I would respond "two more Barney shows." Not understanding how long an hour was, this was the easiest way to convey the concept of time to my younger brother, and he was generally placated. However, in looking back on this, I'm bothered.
Something I believe we have lost is the importance of what defines time (hours, days, months, years). Perhaps you are not aware, but the Medieval Church not only organized our current 12-month calendar (Gregorian), but was also responsible for inventing the first clock. Furthermore, we mark our years based on the birth of Christ: anno domini. The Church has heavily invested itself in defining the year with such events as Lent and Pentecost because it realizes the crucial importance of defining time.
At the same time, secular culture has made its own strides in naming time: Monday, not Sunday, is the first day of the week; BCE and CE instead of BC and AD; "Holiday Season" instead of Advent or Christmas. In Brave New World's technology-driven world, years are not marked AD but AF: "in the year of our Ford" (Henry Ford, the car inventer). There is incredible power in defining time, which is why America has not only created its own holidays, but in many ways has overtaken the Church's.
Why do we rely on our own personal watches instead of church bells to tell time? Why do Christmas and Easter remind us of reindeer and bunnies, rather than Christ's birth and resurrection? Why do we organize the days of the week based on what TV shows we have to watch? As soon as we forget the importance of time and surrender it culture's eager hands, the Church has been dealt a crushing defeat.
So I would encourage you in this Advent season to allow time to be defined not by America, NBC, or capitalism, but by the Church. For not only did God create time, but he entered it 2000 years ago, and He is still at work in his creation, taking time so as to redeem it. Merry Christmas.
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|  So last night a friend from church
invited me to a Miami Heat game, which was my first NBA game to go see.
I'm not a huge NBA fan, but it was a really good game. It was Shaq's
first time to play since his injury in the first game of the season.
Highlights of the game would include the Heat making a shot from
midcourt at the 3 quarter buzzer and Shaq tying up the game with 1
second left, enabling the Heat to go on to win in OT. Overall, it was a good game.
There is one thing, though, that made
me question the Heat, and it is this fellow to the right. No, not the
poor girl with him (being held against her will I would suppose), but
"Burnie," which is the Heat's mascot. I would just like to see the
mascots they didn't choose. I can't imagine what they were like.
This is the finally week of school before Christmas, which makes me
rejoice knowing that I will soon be in Nashville for two whole weeks.
Arrested Development is on for a full hour tonight (starting at 7pm
CST), so do yourself a big favor and check it out. It's probably the
best comedy currently on television. Anyhow, everyone have a great week. 
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