"I would shatter like lightning..."

Responses I've seen to yesterday's incident at Virginia Tech which I've particularly appreciated:

* kita0610's reminder that for all the talk about guns that this will prompt, the state of psychiatric care in this country is equally a relevant isue.
* This from Orin Kerr -- "It's human nature to respond to tragedy by fitting it into our preexisting worldviews; we instinctively restore order by construing the tragic event as a confirmation of our sense of the world rather than a threat to it. This means that often we won't pay a lot of attention to the details of tragedies and what caused them. We'll just know deep down inside what happened, and what caused it, and how to stop it next time."

Edit:

... Wow.

(And this is a really good post on that.)

"Hold me close 'cause I need you to guide me to safety"

Let's recap my post-work to-do list:

* go to the gym
I ended up talking to people for some time after work, so I didn't get to the gym until 5:30.  Both rowing machines and all the ellipticals save one were in use.  The one I got sounded like there was a piece out of whack, but it didn't break under me, so that's good.  As I said, I did the interval program, switching pedaling direction each mile.  (mile markers: 11:05, 22:44, just after 35; 2.62mi at 30-minute mark)
By the time I finished, the rowing machines were free, so I did a half hour on there.
I have a weird relationship with the gym.  I don't feel that endorphin high after/during a workout, but after only a week or two of going I found myself wanting to go to the gym when I was in a bad mood.  I would really like to be able to do an hour at the gym every day, but I'm not sure I can make that work with my schedule.  It would probably be best if I went in the morning before work, but even leaving aside the difficulty of hauling myself out of bed, I don't like functioning before I've had my shower (I feel gross) but I think the headband pulling my hair out of my face would mess up my hair for the rest of the day (especially if it were still wet when I started, which is highly likely).  Grr, I feel so shallow.  Yes, I could take another quick shower at the gym after, but that feels inefficient -- plus, is it gonna make my hair hate me?

* go to B&J for Free Cone Day
Wait-time: ~15min.
Flavor: Bananas on the Rum
I approve.  I wasn't even particularly craving ice cream, but who turns down free yummy food?  Especially since I walk by the Garage on my way home.  There were people in line getting their second free cone, which I disapproved of, but so it goes.

* buy groceries
Mission accomplished.
Bonus: Saw Will on the way back.

* call my fake boyfriend
The comments on my last entry?  Yeah, I don't even know.  I'm surrounded by crazy people.

You know I’m thinking of you
In the bookstore, in the laundromat
Guess how much I love you
Much more, more than that
More than that
-The Lucksmiths

***

I was telling Ari last night that I wasn't sure how one did an ALM in Religion at Harvard Extension.  The ALM requires 10 courses, and there are only 12 listed in the whole department for 2006-2007.  Additionally, the course offerings seem to fall into two major categories: religion&politics, Buddhism -- neither of which are exactly my areas of interest (though I wouldn't mind taking a class or two in each).  There are also cross-listed classes that look interesting (though browsing the cross-listings also sucks me back in to interest in English classes).  [Okay, reading the details, it looks more like you're effectively required to take six courses in your field, one of which must be a seminar.]

The biggest problem is that really I wanna learn about Christian theology, and that's not what this program does.  So now of course I'm browsing HDS and ANTS and BU.  I'm undecided as to how I feel about these programs, in large part because apparently I can't decide what it is that I'm actually interested in engaging with in depth.

I'm not taking any classes this summer, so I think I'm gonna try to make a conscious effort to do a lot of reading, 'cause it frustrates me that my knowledge is so piecemeal.

***

I have umpteen social/event possibilities this weekend, including Safe Colleges.  Which I was so underwhelmed by, but which is so tempting since it's right down the street.  Do I wanna go to the "Understanding Bisexuality" session?  Is "Accepting God: Finding an Inclusive Religious Community" gonna make me wanna kill myself?  Do I wanna go to "In a Box to the Left: Queer Cultures and Identity Politics" to point out that being queer doesn't require being a lefty?  Do I wanna go to "Family Values: Envisioning Alternative Queer Families"?  Decisions, decisions.

I've also started browsing theatre stuff again.
     from BostonTheatreScene.com:
* Confessions of a Mormon Boy (4/25/2007 – 5/19/2007) Boston Theatre Works, BCA Plaza Theatre
* La Boheme (4/19/2007 – 4/22/2007) Boston University College of Fine Arts, BU Theatre - Mainstage
     from ArtsBoston.org (which does not lend itself to permalinks):
* The Wild Party (04/24/07 To 05/20/07) New Repertory Theatre, Arsenal Center for the Arts
* Children of Eden (05/11/07 To 05/20/07) Riverside Theatre Works
* Giselle (05/10/07 To 05/13/07) Citi Wang Theatre