Singed but not charred

Pentecost was this past Sunday.  I was a bit nervous about it as it was Pentecost 2011 that redirected my career and education path away from sociology and toward divinity school.  And since the choir didn't robe, I couldn't hide my iPod under my robe and tune out during the sermon.  Though I'm actually glad I didn't.  As opposed to the smack in the head I got last year, this year was a nice spark of motivation and reassurance that I'm on the right path now.  Pentecost 2011 charred me and I left FBC with parts still in flames.  Pentecost 2012 left me appropriately singed and feeling more like a phoenix out of ashes than someone only identifiable through dental records.

In other news, Kirsten and I HAVE AN APARTMENT!

Notice the suit of armor on the porch?  That's Lance.  He's our landlady's.  It's nice to have a permanent, albeit immobile, bodyguard.  So Kirsten and I are pumped.  We have a yard and were told by our landlady to feel free to have people over because apparently the neighborhood does block parties and is super friendly and social. I'm also thankfully close to a bus that takes me directly to BU and will get very good at navigating 5-way intersections and two-way streets that don't fit 2 cars next to each other again.

And my thesis is moving along relatively well.  I'm drafting chapter number 3 right now.  There will be a total of four possibly five chapters, so I've got about half of my full thesis drafted.  Other than the thesis I'm writing a TA how-to, leading a set of meetings with FBC youth on healthy relationships, sexuality, and spirituality, attempting to purge then pack, and hopefully cross things off my ATX bucket list.

Finally - the bucket list!  Here's some of what I've got planned so far.  I've got until August 1 to do this.  August 2 the movers come and I head out.  Please let me know if something just absolutely needs to be added on:

• Brick Oven
• Maudie's
• Barton Springs
• Picnic at Zilker
• karaoke
• Schlitterbahn
• Six Flags in Arlington, TX
• tubing
• Rio Grande Valley/Beaches trip with Fallon
• brewery & winery tours in the area
• see the bats!!!
• figure out a way to get to one of the upper floors of a downtown skyscraper to see Austin from above

There's more, this is just all I can remember right now.  If you'd like to tag along to any of these or if I missed something blatantly Austin, let me know.

I'm out!