In the last week and a half, I've...

In the last week and a half, I've...

1. Contracted a nasty stomach bug.


2. Written a paper based entirely on original research into media influence on isolationist sentiment prior to Pearl Harbor. [Fascinating stuff, enough so that I'm borderline interested in doing some real research on this at some point. History is fascinating.]


3. Contemplated, somewhat briefly, what it would take to actually write a decent novel over the course of the next year.


4. Prayed for some of my friends, for my family, for my fiancée's family, and for my fiancée. None of them as much as I should have.


5. Slept a normal amount most of the time, and a ridiculous, though necessary, amount the last several days.


6. Helped carry an upright piano out of one house and into another several miles away. (Don't worry, there was a trailer along the way.)


7. Watched The Dark Knight again. Yes, it really is just as good (and maybe better) on the second viewing. No, the morals of the story aren't as confused as people seem to think. Some explanation on that sometime in the future. Maybe. If I don't get really busy.


8. Read a good bit of World War II history. Fascinating war. One of the only unarguably "good" wars in history, at least as fought by the Allies. Except that the Russians were brutalized as deeply as the Germans were, and the Pacific conflict was pretty ugly, too. It may have been for a noble cause, but like all wars, it was really, really ugly.


9. Looked forward a lot to being married. Accordingly, flirted a lot with my wonderful, beautiful fiancée.


10. Missed my family back in Colorado a lot.


11. Missed mountains, though not so much as my family.


12. Enjoyed the smell of fall, as it's at last arrived. (Yes, it takes till mid-November here in Oklahoma, alas.)


13. Played guitar three times.


14. Missed a composers' recital that had a piece of mine performed in it, and performed really well by all accounts (go Corey!).


15. Finished writing an orchestra piece for the first time in several years. (Yes, that's a live link, and yes you should take a listen.) As well, printed the score and held it in my hands... now that's a rather giddy moment, let me tell you. There's something quite unique about holding an orchestra score in one's hands, especially one as pretty as this one turned out. Modern notation software really can work wonders for printing pretty scores.


16. Tried really hard to praise God and glorify Him no matter what. Didn't get it right every time. Praised Him for His grace when I didn't. I look forward to the day (in Heaven!) when I do.

Someday I'll be back with normal, regular posts. By which, as you all know, I really mean pages long ponderings of important things. That day is not this day. And that's okay. Mundane things are good, too.

- Chris