Saturday, September 30, 2006

Random Tidbits of College Life #2

Note that there's some stuff in this post that might not be the best for people who might be reading over your shoulder of ages less than or equal to 11.

Fine Arts the other day, Doug and I sit with this girl whom we know. Before the lecture starts (I don't remember how the conversation got here, quite) I was explaining why I might feel uncomfortable looking at a series of nudes. But somewhere in my flustered explanation I seem to have given her reason to ask:

"Are you gay?"

Of course this prompted a very quick explanation of how I was very much not. At which point she said "Oh, right, you're Mormon!" which prompted yet another very staightforward explanation that I was not in fact Mormon, either. Also I took no offense at any of this and really just thought it was hilarious.

So this Thursday, which was two days later, Doug and I are riding to the art museum after our Fine Arts classes just got out. Now you'll need some background on this one. In a previous lecture (not the one this week, but one last week I think) we'd been shown this picture called "The Nightmare" by this guy named Fuseli. (You can see the work on this page here. So we're riding on the bus to the museum and I'm describing the painting to Bonebrake, who's sitting behind us on the bus; I say something along the lines of "this painting where a woman's on her bad and these monsters come in through the window, and it looks like the goblin's copping a feel." I'd pointed out the perverted goblin to Doug when the lecture had first been given.

At this point one of the Fine Arts professors, who was riding roughly across from us, talked to us and informed us that the painting was, in fact, supposed to be erotic. At this point we just laughed, because it just made the whole thing even funnier. You learn something new every day.

The third story has nothing to do with fine arts and it actually pretty pointless, but I'm amused by it:

Later Thursday night, after Bible Study, I ask one guy where he was at Bible Study and he says he had homework to do, but thanked me for calling him "to accounts." Honestly, I think I was mostly just curious.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Random Tidbits of College Life #1

Music: Daft Punk - Voyager

I'm not sure how it'll go exactly, but the Ethics test is now for all intents and purposes out of my hands. So that's a load off my mind. Vector test probably didn't go as well as I initially thought but hopefully when I get the test back (possibly tomorrow; I'm not really sure when it'll come back to us) it'll have some kind of an A or high B on it.

If you know the names of any professors or persons mentioned, who are not named, please don't post anything that makes their identity more known than I've made it.

So Monday, I'm in my theology class. We finish our weekly quiz (Monday was the only class day this week). As we go over it, the professor begins a micro-lecture on one point of the quiz. I totally decide that I want to see if I can make my quiz into a paper airplane before he's done. So I do, barely, then I rapidly unfold it and hand it in to my professor. Keep in mind that this guy has an awesome sense of humor and is, while a fairly formal lecture, not committed to being formal for all intents and purposes.

He looks through the papers and, upon reaching mine, holds it up and looks at me and says "You were that bored?" He then holds it up to the class and says "This is one of our theology majors, here." He looks back at me again. "Do you want to see if you can throw it to me?"

I can't remember exactly which comments ensued, but one of them was akin to "If he doesn't make it, he fails!"

I said okay, and he held the stack of papers as a sort of landing area. I quickly refolded the airplane and let it fly from my seat...And it landed right in the trashcan. Our professor commented "What would a Calvinist say about that?" and proceeded to tell the typical joke about a Calvinist falling down the stairs and saying "Glad I got that over with."

Of course the whole process was highly amusing for the professor and I, and caused much laughter in the classroom. I can't quite express quite how awesome it was.

So I'm thinking I want to do another "set your Bibles to fun" thing. But the topic I'm contemplating is one that could be a bit controversial in this family.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Calviminian Challenge: Set Your Bibles to Fun

I was dialoguing with another Christian MZXer (very earnest, very eager to serve God, and quite the Calvinist to my Arminian.) So how 'bout that Calvinism, eh?

And while I'm at it, here's the challenge problem: Whether you like it or dislike it, why do you like it or dislike it? On the levels of personal response, theological responses, and--here's the real challenge--anyone seeing the Scriptural evidence on the issue?

Monday, September 18, 2006

Barenaked Ladies

Now that I have your attention, this post really is about Barenaked Ladies...However it's really a band, often abbreviated BNL. I was introduced to them on the way to FreedomFest by Shawn and Alicia. Contrary to what their name might suggest, they're nowhere near offensive--not even as much as, for instance, Linkin Park. I found them to be very lyrically awesome, on the level of hey-this-song-has-no-possibility-of-offending-anyone's-morality and on the level of, well, just plain awesomeness. The band name's a bit awkward--for instance it just sound weird if you're looking for band info and you say you're looking for barenaked ladies on the internet. Check these lyrics:

I'm so chill / No wonder it's freezing
I'm so still / I can't seem to keep my fingers out of anything
I'm so thrilled to finally be failing
I'm so done / Turn me over 'cause it feels just like I'm falling for the first time
Anything plain can be lovely; Anything loved can be lost
Maybe I lost my direction? What if our love is the cost?

(from Falling for the First Time)

Anyway, I thought I'd make a post about something.