Sunny Tuesday

Everyone on our team is more or less sick, so we were given permission to take this morning to sleep in a little. Since I crashed last night at 8:00 (7:00 central), I woke up at 6:30, before sunrise, and was ready to start the day! Yesterday I had a sore throat but today it's gone.

Walking to campus, I was bundled up in layers. I got thermal underwear, a wool coat, a cap, and some nice gloves. While walking to campus a car drove by me, sped up, and honked its horn at me. This seems to be a regular hobby of Ball State students. Perhaps their lives are so boring they feel the need to add a little humor by startling people. Either that, or they are so insecure with themselves that they feel superior by startling other men from the safety of a car. In any case, I see this happen every day - either to me or to someone nearby.

The puddles of water on the ground were frozen over. Everyone walking was wrapped in wools, furs, and fleeces. The sun rose, placing a crisp white light on everything.

Right now I'm in a dining hall working on various things. For Advent I made a resolution to eat healthier, and less. Overeating is a big problem for me. If I did not walk, run, and ride my bike so much, I'd probably be huge. So, I stopped drinking diet coke (again) and I am including a lot of raw fruits and vegetables in my diet. For breakfast I had a cup of carrots with hummus, an apple, some whole grain cereal, skim milk, and a glass of unsweet tea. My protein was scrambled eggs. I always eat large breakfasts. It's the most important meal of the day.

My drive back up here wasn't so nice. While I did get to listen to just about every genre of music in existence (Baroque, Classical, Blues, Bluegrass, Country, Pop, Hip Hop, Classic Rock, and Modern), I was also angry almost the whole trip. In Kentucky I got off an exit to eat and get gas, but the exit was one of those where you get off the interstate but can't get back on. It took me to a highway where there were no exits, no turn-arounds, no nothing. I drove on this pitch-black highway for ten miles before I was able to turn around. So, for those twenty miles of wasted time and gas, I fumed and cussed. Luckily, I had a nice warm meal afterwards. It made my trip 11.5 hours instead of 11.

This week on campus, though, I feel great. I'm organized, motivated, and industrial. Latin Mass magazine says the number one virtue the phlegmatic must develop is industry. Phlegmatics have a tendency to get lost in fantasies and dreams inside their heads, and never accomplish anything in their exterior lives. I would say that, in spite of it's challenges, this mission work is perfect for developing industry and "active" work. Because I didn't take the easy way out, perhaps I will grow a lot in these two years. And hopefully I'll survive the stress of not being able to swim around in fantasies all day long.

Have a great day! God bless you!