This Place

Heh heh. Parrots screeching outside the window. The guy from NZ with the big ‘stache, weathered face, and laugh lines who does a lot of the fix-it-up work around here. The friends whose accents I no longer notice, but the strangers’ that I do. The sun rising north of East. Morning tea. Driving on the other side of the road. It’s good to appreciate difference, rather than despise or fear it. People frequently ask me, “So what do you think about our country? Is it different from yours?” Yeah, sure it is. But to be honest, I haven’t made a mental list of how. I think I’m at a place where I accept things for the way they are, rather than comparing and contrasting extensively. But it’s good to appreciate the uniqueness of people, to have a quiet laugh about their little quirks or expressions after they close the door. Our God is a creative one!

I enjoy it here. It is not helpful to be idle, but hopefully one of these days I’ll be able to get a job and that problem will be solved. In the meantime I do have some other things to do... I just need to get around to them. ‘Set down the book, Nomad. It’ll still be there tomorrow.’

My studies are going well, though one requires a lot of work and another seems dull enough that I’m not giving it the attention it deserves. Community is great, though I wish I wasn’t on the ‘far side’ of the building, because I rarely know when something is going on. I need to develop some sources in the ‘doer’ crowd so I know when things are happing.

I wish I didn’t have just one room. I’ve been confined to ‘my room’ for too many years in a row now. With a room that isn’t really yours comes restrictions both in action and attitude. Ah well, such is college life. Maybe I’ll get a place of my own one of these days soon.

A natural response to boredom or business is escape. Escape is easy and fun, while it lasts. I need to remind myself that I’ll get out what I invest.

Hey look, there’s my akubra on the shelf...