The First of Autumn

With the start of my favorite season and the wonderful, cool, wet weather it brings, I have been inspired to write again, despite my busy schedule lately.

I have spent most of the month of September establishing my daily routine and becoming comfortable with my various classes, although I still have a couple of time-management issues to work out. Still, the semester is coming along almost on its own, and it's hard to believe it's almost the fifth week of the school year already. At this point in the semester, I have just reached the first crest where I am taking my first college exams after having finished the first units in many of my classes. On Monday, I took my first Linguistics test and tonight I took my first Anthropology test, both of which were fortunately easier than I anticipated. I've got a French project and a History test due next week as well, but if I keep knocking things out little by little, it shouldn't be too difficult.

Besides continuing my studies, I have been trying to cultivate my other interests and social network as well; I have met three inspiring religious sisters from Italy at St. Mary's who offer spiritual direction and are the closest thing to a mother I've got here, so I've finally got some real motivation to get going on learning Italian. I found some Rosetta Stone software and Pimsleur audio CDs in our library's wonderfully extensive collection and have been trying to practice regularly. As similar as it is to Spanish and French, it is still frustrating at times to realize just how separate it is as its own language, but I am thankful, in any case, for all the background knowledge I already have of the Romance languages. Hopefully, I'll be able to communicate well enough when I study abroad, and even though I plan to live in France, I'd really love to visit Italy again.

I haven't practiced piano as much as I'd have liked to, especially since I'm trying to be involved in St. Mary's music ministry, but I'm pretty sure if I'd seriously apply myself to maintaining my time-management board, I could make some time regularly to do so. I've also joined the French club here as well as Aggie International Ambassadors, so I've got quite the array of sides to go with my full, 17-hour plate.

And on another note, as a temporary, minimal time commitment going on right now, I am involved in SMAPL, or, St. Mary's Aggies Promoting Life, and our first event was attending the 40 Days for Life campaign's kickoff outside the local Planned Parenthood. 40 Days for Life is one of the most inspiring movements I've ever seen, as it is a 24-hour vigil for forty days on the sidewalk right in front of Planned Parenthood, and it's not just going on here; it has spread from Aggieland around the country and even to Denmark. I've participated in activism before by attending the annual Texas Rally for Life in Austin, but it was a different experience this time since the Planned Parenthood supporters were having their own gathering on the other side of their oppressive, black-screened fence. The director of the campaign, a former Aggie who started it right here in College Station, delivered a very moving speech in which he addressed the issue of apathy towards such a vital endeavor with a comparison to the European civilians who did nothing to aide their fellow human beings during the Holocaust. Afterward, we visited the Coalition for Life's pregnancy counseling home located strategically- and blessedly- just across the street from the abortion clinic. These photos give you a sense of the contrast between the hopeless Planned Parenthood compound and the homey, welcoming Coalition for Life Home.






It's been getting cooler and raining quite often now, which makes me happy, except for when I get wet riding from class to class. Still, it's my favorite type of weather- very conducive to writing, for me anyway- and as November draws closer at an alarming rate, I'm really going to try to get as much planning done before NaNo starts.

For now, I'm enjoying one of the best times of the year, and I hope you enjoy the video montage I found to commemorate this First of Autumn.