The sprinklers are going to town behind the girls' dorms right now. The sound of them going back and forth bring back memories of when I was a kid and had to get up at 6:30am for school each morning. I knew I had over-slept my alarm when the sprinklers outside my room started up (I always kept my window open at night). I also knew that summer was pretty close for us to use the sprinklers each morning. I love how a simple sound like that could ignite so much hope then and so much comfort now.
I'm working here at good ol' BJU again this summer. This was the part of my contract that I was dreading - being in Greenville during the hot and humid months. And it is definitely not as I thought it would be. There is such a laid-back atmosphere around campus during the summer that makes up for the fast-paced slow-down-and-you-crash momentum that runs this place during the school year. After being here last summer and now this summer (working in air-condition rooms the whole time), I am really grateful for the chance to relax and have fun.
And now on to the news everyone probably has been waiting to hear for a very long time.
No, I am not engaged. I know that's what some who actually know me in person want to hear, but I can't really tell you anything except that it might not be for another two years. I can tell you, though, that God is good. :)
After having that talk with the academic-savvy person, I finally got smart and figured out that I really love Theater and was willing to fight for a place in that field. So I went to see the Dean of the School of Fine Arts to find out if I really couldn't pursue anything in Speech. He pointed me straight to the Chairman of the Speech Department, who said it was definitely a possibility, but I needed to see the Head of Speech Interpretation who in turn said he couldn't tell. I hadn't taken enough Interp (solo acting) classes for him to really see what my potential would be. So he suggested that I talk to the Chairman, who would happen to be here all summer, to see if I could set up a private lesson with him. All this happened in one day.
So I emailed the Chairman telling him what the Head of Interp said, and asked if he knew anyone who would be here over the summer. He emailed back saying he would be, and that instead of setting up an official class, why don't we do an informal diagnostic session for him to see if I would fit the program, and for me to see if I would like it. I said that would be great. That happened in three days.
At the beginning of the last week of school, I went from having no hope and wandering aimlessly to having a definite goal and hope that I would actually enjoy pursuing the reason why I am still in school.
Ain't God amazing?
So, now, a month into summer and I am having a blast. I've met with the Chairman twice already. The first time we met, he said to bring something to read, something I was already familiar with and had worked on in another class.
Guess what I took with me?
No, really. Guess.
Give up?
Fine, I'll tell you. The Princess Bride.
The book. Yep, folks. There really is a book for it. And it is *amazing*. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love with the story all over again.
Anyway, back to what's going on.
I read to him something I read to a class this past semester. It was the actual book intro to Buttercup, which begins (let's see if I can quote it from memory) "The year Buttercup was born the most beautiful woman in the world was a French scullery maid named Annette." No, really, that's how the story begins. Get the book and read it if you don't believe me. And I'll bet you won't be able to put it down. Get the 25th Anniversary edition, if you can.
He loved it. Said I did a really good job in creating interest, and such. He actually laughed at one point during it. I was definitely encouraged. Anyway, he told me to memorize the piece the next time we met. It was fun.
I love telling stories and bringing smiles to people's faces. It makes my world so much brighter that I can, in turn, make other people's worlds brighter. So, hopefully, I will be able to pursue a degree in telling stories to people.
Hopefully.
:D