Well goodness Gracious...

Soooooo....
Here's what I did tonight:

Finished College.

Yep that's right, I just turned in (via e-mail) the very last paper of my college career. Well, my college career at Anderson University anyway, who knows what the future holds? So there you have it. No going out with a bang or anything though, actually that paper was quite possibly one of the very worst things I've ever written. Oh well, I suppose if Senioritis set it, at least it waited until the last assignment. So with that said, I am 4 days away from walking across that stage and grabbing the diploma and running away to Peru! Yay!

I haven't updated my support list lately, but I did have a Peruvian Luncheon recently at Abiding Savior Lutheran church, my congregation in Anderson, SC for the past four years where I got to share a little bit of Peruvian culture with my Brothers and Sisters in Christ here in SC and another 600 dollars or so was raised. I love that congregation so much, they're so encouraging and they have truly been a blessing in my life! I cooked some Peruvian food (specifically Lomo Saltado and Aji de Gallina) and it was actually edible! how about that! Here are pictures of two of my favorite dishes:





Ok, so the Aji de Gallina looks gross, but it really is delicious and one of my favorite dishes. So there's the update, I'll write more later, but it's 12:23 and darn it! I'm done with College!

The number of hoops I have to jump through is dwindling

Last Anderson University Orchestra Concert- Check
Last String Ensemble Concert- Check
Last Day of Working in the admissions office- check
Senior Art Review and Exhibition for Interior design- Check

So....the last one was kind of a big important one. I, Gillian Dawn Baikie, have completed my Senior Interior design review as of one day ago. Phew! For those who may not know, part of my requirements for graduation include hanging up my work from the past four years in the gallery here at Anderson University and then presenting myself and my work for about 30 minutes. It's sort of a big deal and sort of not a big deal. It's not a big deal because I know that I'm graduating already and the work is completed. It was a big deal because it meant that I had to get up in front of my entire art faculty and about 40 other adoring fans (ha ha) to completely bear my soul. It was a little daunting because although I love talking, talking about myself and explaining me is a horse of a different color. But nevertheless, that horse pulled through in the end! I think it went well, although I cannot remember the last time that I was that nervous! Even in my music performances and auditions, I don't get quite that nervous. I rarely get nervous when I present my design work, but I think I was so nervous because I guess I'm not 100 percent comfortable talking about myself and trying to define myself. I'll probably post pictures once I get them, but for now, just imagine me in nice clothes behind a podium, in front of a wall of my work, with a very nervous face. You get the idea.

Anyway, the only thing that now stands in my way of boarding that plane to Peru is a little thing I like to call graduation, two wonderful months in Denver with my family, and then packing. I hate packing, but I suppose I can suffer through that though. Oh yeah, and the rest of my support raising.

Speaking of this by the way- Last official check- I had 3150 dollars in support raised, but I've gotten some more checks in, which hopefully will take me up to around 4,000 dollars. Once I have that, I will be 35% done with support raising, which to me is overwhelming! I'd like to thank everyone so far who has donated and I hope that you will keep me in your prayers as I continue to finish raising support!

Blessings in Christ!



Spanish Lesson of the Day!

"Tiempo vuela cuando estas teniendo diversion!" - "Time flies when you're having fun!"

Eliot's influence on my life...sort of.

Random Denver Fact: Many of the streets in Denver are named after authors and poets. One such example would be Eliot Street, which of course would be after T.S. Eliot- Nobel Prize winner for Literature, and the inspiration for this oh so enlightening blog post tonight. Just kidding...but only about the enlightening part.

Tonight in my World Literature class, we discussed T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" one of Eliot's most celebrated poems- a dramatic monologue that incorporates a "stream of consciousness" effect. You, of course, should read it here http://www.bartleby.com/198/1.html before continuing.

Though it is somewhat of a complex poem to figure out on your own and keep up with the stream of consciousness of the speaker, this poem is, in my opinion, very thought-provoking, and really quite good. Interesting tidbit- Eliot was often frustrated with the inability of words to express his true emotions. Anyway, in a nutshell, the poem shows the thoughts of Prufrock, who has no confidence in himself, and finds himself existing in two realities- his lonely existence filled with self doubt, contrasted by the reality he dreams of, though life continually calls him back to the former.

I think the reason I enjoyed this poem so much is because J. Alfred Prufrock represents what is perhaps my biggest fear in life. Prufrock is terrified of life, so much so that he analyzes and agonizes every decision he comes to, trying so hard to work up the courage to live out his dreams, but always rationalizing himself out of it. If I get started on this poem, it might turn into a small term paper, so I won't go into it too much, but I do highly recommend that you read this poem and try to connect with Prufrock. How often do we come so close to expressing our inner thoughts and come so close to putting ourselves on the line with people that we don't know, but then talk ourselves out of it only to miss that opportunity? Prufrock mentions that he has measured his life out in coffee spoons. The thought of that is to me incredibly scary; what sort of way of life is that- to have life, but to never do anything with it? I'm reminded of the parable of the servants who were each given talents by their master and the servant who only buried his talent. It has become one of my personal beliefs, though it took me awhile to learn, that God's plans are so much bigger than our plans. What God has given us as gifts, are usually things that he equips us with in order to serve Him and in unexpected ways. Where God is calling us to go is for a reason, and he prepares us to serve according to his will.

It is my prayer for myself, and for all of us, that we do not let our own inhibitions and fear get in the way of trusting in His perfect plan.

Spanish Lesson of the Day:

Crezco Viejo...Crezco Viejo...
Usare los fondos de mis pantalones rodados

"I grow old...I grow old...
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled"
-from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot