Leaping Off the Boundary

"...We are challenged to Realize our participation in Be-ing in the Widest, Wildest Sense. This happens when we confront and transform the specific circumstances in which we find ourSelves" - Mary Daly

First of all let me start by saying this is not another April Fool's joke. I promise I'm not crying wolf; that will have to wait for another 11 months. ;-)

Our story starts back on the morning of February 8, 2008. I woke up that morning horribly dissatisfied with where I was and the direction things were heading. Partially in a desperate attempt to save a quickly sinking long distance relationship and partially to try and find a graduate program where I could focus on the things I wanted to focus on, I called up the graduate director at Missouri State University in Springfield.

One week later, I found myself (sans the relationship) in Springfield in the office of Dr. Mark Given. I left my meeting with him absolutely elated about the prospect of joining the program. The classes they offer and the faculty's area of expertise were right up my alley, not to mention how surprised I was when the director of the whole Religious Studies program actually knew my name and that I was currently at KU!

I found out over the next few weeks that not only was I accepted to the Religious Studies program, but I had also won a competitive, full-ride graduate assistantship. I sat on all this for a few weeks, revealing a little bit of my secret here and there before finally telling my parents in March.

My lease here in Lawrence is up at the end of May, so June will find me moving to Springfield to share an apartment with my old/new roomie Veronica! And just in case you were worried that the Pier 1 pirate adventures on my blog might be coming to an end, you can relax...I'll be transferring to the one in Springfield.

August will find me beginning my job as a GA at MSU, working with Martha Finch and her two Religion in America sections. Words can't even describe how excited I am to start!

I don't regret my time here at KU, as I've made some great friends, met some interesting characters and learned plenty of lessons. Moving back to Springfield will be an interesting experience in and of itself, but I look forward to reconnecting with old friends and making plenty of new ones. I feel really good about everything going on in my life right now, and I'm very excited to see where this new adventure takes me.

Since "Lindsey in Lawrence" won't really be applicable any more, I'm switching to a new blog. If you'd like to follow along with my new journey you can join me shortly at-

http://letitbelindsey.blogspot.com

Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this endeavor, especially all my girlfriends...I am so grateful and thankful for you all!

"So if you care to find me, look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately: "Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!"
And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free.
To those who'd ground me, take a message back from me:
Tell them how I am defying gravity! " -Wicked

Back to the Future

So we're going to time travel a little bit here at Lindsey in Lawrence, because I just now got the pictures from this weekend uploaded. (No worries because we were all pre-determined to go back in time and we won't mess up the future!) Anyway...

This weekend found me in Springfield, Missouri to take care of a few things with Momma Arnold and see some old friends. I left early Saturday morning, and I love driving at that time of day...watching the sun rise, listening to NPR, no one really on the road...it's soothing.

Veronica, Momma A and myself spent the afternoon being fairly productive and hopefully soon we'll see that our efforts paid off. :-) After a quick nap at the Hampton Inn and dinner at my favorite restaurant in Springfield (Mmm Nonna's!) we walked around the corner to the Springfield Little Theater to see the Springfield Ballet perform.

I'd never been there before, but the theater was gorgeous. We ran into the Walter family there, and it was really great to see them. Unfortunately they don't allow dogs in the theater so I didn't get to see Jack, Truman or Rodrigo. The ballet itself was an interesting experience- 3 contemporary pieces and Swan Lake Act II. One of the contemporary pieces, Anti-Congruence, was my favorite. I would describe it but I don't think words can really do ballet justice.

I'd also never seen anything from Swan Lake before, and I was blown away by the pas de deux of Sigfried (the prince) and Odette (the swan). Who knew there was such talent in Springfield? Okay I'll admit it, watching Act II really just made me want a cute prince with long hair and tights to fall madly in love with me and spin me around like a ballerina in a music box.

After the ballet, Momma A and I grabbed Kassie and headed to Ernie Bigg's piano bar. Dueling pianos and a cute drummer had the place rockin'. There's nothing quite like singing 70s music at the top of your lungs with your mom. Observe-

There's also nothing quite like watching your mom finish her beer before you or Kassie...
On Sunday we headed back to Kansas to party with the church family at the Smith's as Kristie was going in for major surgery the next morning. The surgery went well and her cancer didn't spread to the lymph nodes, so everyone is very relieved. The get-together on Sunday made me really appreciate the good energy friends and family and laughter bring.

All in all a really good weekend.

But before I let you go, a "Blind Item"! The online tabloids post these all the time, a piece of juicy gossip that involves a mystery celeb. While my blind item doesn't involve juicy gossip or a celebrity, it does have a picture!

Blind Item: Which blogger on my blog roll recently played the supporting role of the evil wizard Von Rothbart in Springfield Ballet's production of Swan Lake Act II? Feel free to comment with your guesses. ;-)

D-Day

There comes a time in every girl's life when she must (after convincing her mom to come with her) throw any and all expectations out the window, pack her Voluptuous Violet lipstick (again), and hit the road.

Strange how life moves so quickly and so cyclically. Strange how actually in control of things I am right now. Free will is only really possible after you recognize all the opportunities available.

Have a great weekend, I know one way or another I will.
Expect a photo-blog to come...

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful?

I'm starting to think that the Weather Channel is just as inflammatory in their stories as certain so called "news" channels. While I understand Tulsa and other areas in Oklahoma, Missouri and parts of Kansas do not have power, and tragically people have died in auto accidents related to the weather, the worst thing I encountered on my way home from Springfield today was me driving a little too fast thanks to the buzz from the crazy combination of Monster energy drink and coffee.

I wanted my final to be canceled tomorrow. Thanks for nothing Weather Channel.

In other news, I turned in my first official "big" grad. school paper. When I say big I actually mean that it was supposed to be 15 pages but mine is only 14.5 because I just couldn't B.S. any more. Long story short I think I managed to prove using Eliade and Durkheim that religion and the sacred can exist in both religion online (real world religions with a web presence) and online religion (religions based exclusively in the cyber world)...more specifically in Second Life. Woohoo.
I'm ready for winter break.

I'm starting to think my thesis work will be over religion and popular culture to some extent, I just don't know what yet.

Tomorrow is my only final exam and once that's done I'm taking myself to the public library to get some books that I want to read... I couldn't be more excited!

Good-bye Second Life...it was fun while it lasted.