My Day Life As a History Major

Two posts in a row with the use of the really fun, addicting, funny if used in the right context like probably not right now strike tool may be a bit much, I know. But I just learned it Wednesday, so it's quite novel to me.

And it was fitting for this title, for cuz while I intend to highlight my day at the history symposium, the truth is that it's really my life. Or part of it.

Kind of a major part this week.

Get it? Major.

The closer it gets to the actual final period the less it takes to entertain me. I do apologize.

So anyway. The symposium is a chance for all the senior history majors to present their research. There are 7 sessions, each session consisting of 3 speakers. My professor told our class that we could get one percentage point on our overall average added for every 50 minute session we attend and write a short paragraph on. I had an 8 a.m. class and meeting with another professor at 10, so I missed two sessions. But, baby, I got my 5 points.

And learned about 15 topics I never knew I cared about.

1. Early influences on Thomas Jefferson

2. The writings of Jefferson and Washington regarding independence

3. The Hamilton-Burr Duel

4. Otto von Bismark and his attempt to bring the Catholic church under German rule

5. The Catholic church during the Holocaust

6. Jewish Immigration to Brazil

7. The Muslim Brotherhood's original ideology

8. The U.S. State Department and the Zionist movement

9. The Attack on the Grand Mosque of Egypt in 1979

10. American Reaction to the 1968 Olympic Human Rights Protest

11. American presence in Cambodia

12. Women and memory of the Argentine Juanta

13. Creation of herecy by the orthodox church

14. Relationship between John Knox and Mary, Queen of Scots

15. Tobacco and Society of the Antebellum south

Don't mean to bore you. Promise it was longer for me. It really was a good time, though, because I felt like a major. I talked to professors and laughed about stupid history jokes with my fellow students and learned for extra credit the sake of learning and sipped coffee and munched on scones. The things we do in the commonwealth. ;-)

Just when I was about to lose all connection to my roots, what with all of this sophistication and all, I got a package from home in the mail. With a traveling Christmas decoration, healthy and junky munchies, a sweet cup and, to keep with the theme of the day, patriotic sea salt chips*

*may also be categorized as a junky munchie

I rode Link to French this morning, then to the symposium,

then back to meet with my French professor,

then back to the symposium, then back to my apartment, then back to the symposium.

I don't want to kill Link every time I ride him now We have a much better relationship these days.

As I began my Latin America review sheet today, I found a story that was quite interesting. Not because I am particularly concerned with the provinces of San Luis and Zacatecas (honestly don't even know where they are. Which probably does not entail good things for my geography final...), but because there is a message behind the sentence that I find especially applicable to me sometimes. It's out of a diary of the Spanish Viceroy who is in charge of going to Mexico in 1816 to squash rebellion (now known as the mexican revolution because Mexico won). The poor guy is trying to sound optimistic in his letters back to Spain. The truth is that he was getting destroyed. Here is the excerpt of the letter:

The provinces of San Luis and Zacatecas continue in a good state, except for the fact that the gavillos of Guanajuata, penetrate them to commit their accustomed robberies and atrocities.

You ever say you're in a good state except for the fact that you're barely holding down the fort?

Juan ruiz de Apodaca can sympathize. So can I.

Truth is, I'm really in a good state. My papers are done, my final schedule is more than doable, I've had an awesome day learning from some cool people, I'm headed out to dinner and an orchestra concert (commonwealthy things, you know), my apartmentmates and friends crack me up, I feel physically good again, and I have study socks from my mommy.

But.

When it comes to the little red journal and big book of All Good Things, I'm barely holding down the fort. And when push comes to shove it doesn't really matter how good I am, it matters how good God is. It doesn't matter what my grade is, it matters that I did my best because in everything I do it should be done with all of my heart as if unto God. How unfortunate it would be a week from now to realize I hadn't once stopped to seek Him in all of this work. Or even in all of the being good.

I really like this song by Chad Markley. It's basically the only non-Christmas song I'm listening to these days. Sad, I know. It's called Live and Lose. The lyrics really speak for themselves and the melody is just so simple. Plus you can download it!

Live and Lose

Find me here

My lost is yours to know

Look for me

There are seeds of hope to sow

In the cracks

Where I live and lose

Search for me

I’m hidden but you’ll see

Wait for me

These legs won’t carry me

Past the cracks, where I live and lose

(Bridge)

You can be my noise

When I have no sound

You can be my net

When I stumble down

You can be my leap, up off the ground

My escape

From the live and lose

Live and Lose Take 2 by chadmarkley

I am now off to study like a history major. For man. Unto God.