"This is the dance that we fear."

Last night while sleeping I suddenly woke up with very annoying neck pain, due to the three pillows I was using. You might be wondering why I was using three pillows if this would obviously cause my neck strain. I've had a fierce cold (I hesitate calling it that, because I have mere colds before, this was something much stronger originating in the throat and working it's way up my head) so I've been sleeping on the futon as to be within quick reach of tissues, medicine, water, cough drops, etc. Sleeping in my loft would have been greatly unfavorable because I would have been going up and down all night. So, I'm on my futon with all these pillows behind my head propping my head up so I don't suffocate or something equally unfortunate when I wake up and my throat doesn't hurt. My nose, well... it's not wholly better but there has been great improvement in the last 8 hours. I was able to reduce the quantity of pillows to the normal one, and resume sleeping in peace. I was also able to sleep a little longer because I don't have morning class on Friday. This has been a great start to my day.

Last night I finished flashBANG by Mark Steele. You may be thinking that it's been awhile since I started. Somehow I ended up reading four books at once, three of the same genre (I try to avoid that). So yes, it has been awhile, but with reason. It was greatly humorous, which makes sense because of Steele's profession- a comedian. I do think, however, that there were too many exaggerated and in-depth descriptions of all his maladies and flesh wounds. I finished the book and thought he had gone a little overboard at times. True, learning and a great closeness with God can come out of pain if you make yourself available, which was what Steele was illustrating.. it was just a little repetitive. Overall, it was a good read and a nice combination of silliness and seriousness.

"Yet so many--even those who love to dance--fear the dance of the spontaneous moment, the dance of life. The willingness to aggressively and with great abandon follow as life and God lead. To be the improvisational partner, leaning entirely on the other as the dance progresses. It is the risky choice. The dance that is so frightening and so satisfying and may turn the corner to disaster at any given moment because, despite the fact that we are flexible and passionate, we do not know what step will come next. This is the dance that we fear." (Steele, 160)

The view from my room looked pretty the other day: