I have nothing to write on?

Hi Friends,

So here I am at 20min to 1am on Friday night (Sat morning) and I am sitting at my computer because I couldn't fall asleep and decided my time would be better spent doing something than lying in my bed with the lights on. So here I am.

When I decided to blog, I had to decide what I wanted to write on. I concluded that I didn't have anything to write on. This is curious, because I haven't written in just under 2 weeks, and I certainly haven't been sitting on my ass for that entire time. I guess usually I am more interested in writing about a certain issue that I feel passionate about instead of a run through of my activities over the past little while.

But I don't have much formulated on the former, so I'll take up the latter...

Today was a bit of a spending spree for me. I bought a USB hub, an external hard drive, and signed up for a cell phone plan which included a PDA cell phone. Where did that come from, you ask? Well, I've come to the conclusion that after a year of penny-pinching on things that others would consider necessities, that I needed to make things a little easier on myself. I decided that I needed to accept that my choosing a course in life had, built into it, a certain set of decisions which I needed to walk into. I suppose you could see this as an abdication of responsibility (because I've said, well, I had no choice, I had to), but rather I'd like to see it as the acceptance of responsibility (well, I've made a decision to take this path, I accept the consequences of it).

I've already diverted from a list of activities and begun to reflect on them. Oh well, I guess I'll always be who I am...

Returning...Well, I've started classes and now had two weeks of school. I like it. This quarter I have the following courses:

PC 804 - Test Administration
PC 810 - Clinical Interventions: Psychodynamic Perspectives
ET 501 - Christian Ethics
ST 501 - Systematic Theology I: Theology and Anthropology.

So far it's been a really interesting schedule. I am definately interested in all of the topics, and I have great professors. I also think that the content will line up with my philosophical orientation enough so as to keep my interest, but will sufficiently new, technical and controversal to keep me challenged Short of getting into specific material, what else am I to say?

Besides classes, I've got lab (empirical and theoretical), which includes a few interesting projects. I submitted my first ever paper for publication (a response to another article with my faculty advisor; both will be presented concurrently in a journal, God willing). I also submitted a conference presentation proposal (mine is one part in a panel on ethics in psychology and I look at the role of psychologists in interrogations in Guantanamo Bay and other "black sites" around the world, and in so doing will challenge APA's response). And lastly I'm working as third author on a paper which we'd like to submit for a book on social psychology research. It is on social justice in research using two different exemplary thinkers (E. Levinas and I. M.-B.).

Okay, what else? Well, just trying to keep things straight. I got overwhelmed earlier this week and was paralyzed by the stuff I felt like I had to do. But a little support from one of my roommates and I learned how to improve my planning and scheduling. So now it doesn't feel so daunting. I still haven't been crazy social, though I did get out to the rooftop party to open the school year last weekend, which was a lot of fun. I'm finding myself up too late during the week and would look to the weekend as a chance to finally get to bed early rather than now get out. Also been out to the gym and playing basketball regularly.

Very excited about the Oilers season opener yesterday. Listened to what I could on the radio, and watched the highlights on tsn.ca. Here's to the 82 win season they're currently on track for!

Upon reflection about my list of stuff I'm doing, I struggle a bit. It's hard for it not to feel just like a big self-promotion. How do I not make it like that? And is there anything there that you care about hearing? What about things you'd like to hear about? That would be good. Then I could tailor my content a little more.

Okay, I'm gonna try to read a bit before trying to head back to sleep. Peace to you.