Return from the Abyss

December 20, 2008 was a long time ago.

I'm probably not back for good, but I just wanted to come on here and let everyone know I'm alive and fairly well. School is going pretty smoothly now that financial kinks are worked out for this semester (next semester may be a different story). Dorm life is fantastic as ever. The only thing really going wrong is that I miss my mom a whole lot, and she's having a really hard time with things right now (please keep her in your prayers). Maybe I'll keep showing my face around here. If I do, I'll probably end up posting stuff like poetry and such.

My Day Off

To Cody:
For the record, I have had two posts since the one you commented on. I'll admit it has been three months since the last one, but nonetheless I have posted since I started at NWC.

To Everyone Else:
It's been quite the semester for me. Nothing too big has happened, but it's been busier than I hoped my first semester at college would be. One of the reasons for this is because of the show Terror Texts (yes, the same one I posted about last February). We did the show again in hopes of making it to perform at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. We found out at the beginning of this week that it will be happening, so I'm off to Kansas after the first week of next semester.

Until then, I'm on break, and it's definitely bittersweet. I don't enjoy being home too much. I love seeing my mom, but I hate how little there is to do around here. I'll be spending most of my break either working or sitting in my room on my computer. If I had a TV with AV hookups, I could catch up on playing 360, but that's not possible. I had planned to go to Mankato with enjoyable people today, but the weather crushed those dreams. I guess my first day away will be Christmas Eve when I go to Mariah's for her family's Christmas. Other than that, I only have a Black V performance in Des Moines at Impact on January 2.

I'm preparing for the most uneventful break of all time. I'll try not to let you all suffer through it with me.

My Improvisation

Improvisation, noun. - the act or art of composing, reciting, playing or singing extemporaneously.


I was in for a pleasant surprise today after I woke up late, missing both my first class of the day and the chapel service. After walking down the stairs, ready to head to my noon class, my RD said to me, "Congratulations!"

"For what?" I replied.

Thinking quickly, he stated with a grin, "For being alive."

After another conversation with Blake from first floor, I decided I would be checking the call board in the theater after finishing my two classes for the day. Why would I need to check the call board? Simply because I had auditioned for something at my school called Black V. This group does improv (much like "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" but with better looking performers), and they held a "workshop" yesterday for anyone who was interested in auditioning to be a part of the group.

I attended this "workshop," and as it continued to seemingly take longer and longer to end, I assumed something was fishy. Lo and behold, this "workshop" was also our audition.

So there I stood, walking through the back door of the theater. I was expecting to see a list of three or four fantastic people who had been accepted as a part of this small improv group, and I would've been just fine with not seeing my own name. Yes, I figured it would be a fun time spent with a great bunch of people, but I didn't feel I did all that well in the "workshop."

As I approached the board, I didn't even see a list of names. I knew it was there...somewhere...waiting. The door was calling my name, telling me to leave, when suddenly the gleaming white paper caught my eye. And I read...

I was surprised; I was one of the newest members of Black V. Even better, most of the new members were guys from my dorm (we all know West represents everywhere and everyhow). I'm very excited to get to know everyone in the group, and doing improv will be a ton of fun, along with a great learning experience.



[Don't forget to check the latest updates on my thoughts blog!]

My Dwelling Place

Ladies and gentlemen who do not attend NWC, I miss you all. I wouldn't even begin to pretend that I don't. Still, I must admit I feel incredibly at home here. The guys here in West Hall are a perfect fit to my personality, and I have a feeling they will quickly grow to be amazing extended family members.

As for going to school with Mariah, I started out somewhat concerned about being so close. We've done well being almost an hour apart for the last two years, and I wasn't sure if the 3-minute walk to see each other would be a blessing or a hindrance. Turns out I have a very good feeling about going to school together. God put us in this place together for a reason, and I know His will is stronger than my own.

I suppose I could throw a few pictures and my address and such on here for effect. Before I do that, I just want to let any of you who used to read my old blog about lyrics know that I'm resurrecting that blog to an extent. Instead of being filled solely with lyrics, it will be my blog about thoughts on theology and such. Many lyrics will be involved because I really enjoy sharing incredibly glorifying songs with you all. Check it out by clicking here (for those of you reading from Facebook, this new blog will not be imported, but I'll leave links at the end of my posts on this blog whenever I update that one). I will also be transferring my "My Nathan" post to that site.

Without further ado, here are some photos (followed by my address here at school):

Here's the beds. They're pretty dang comfortable actually...

My desk, with many of your lovely faces making appearances.

The food corner...where the cool kids hang out...

Every dorm on campus is named after someone. Every dorm except West Hall, that is. So we like to call this man our founding father. He is the reason you can always catch a small whiff of Batman whenever you enter the building.

The lounge in West....

Meet Westley. He likes to chill in the lobby and greet everyone as they arrive.

So, yes. Please feel free to send me some mail or anything.

NWC RSC Box #50
208 8th St. SW
Orange City, IA 51041

My Last Days

I'm not sure my summer had any huge moments eventful enough to blog about. Yes, I went to Spain (my oh my was it ever amazing), but my pictures tell that story. Yes, I worked the summer TEC, but you would've just heard the same old "It was amazing!" So here I am, one week from moving in to my new home at NWC, and it still hasn't hit me that I'm almost starting college.

My last day of work for the summer was on Tuesday. It was a nice short shift (only 6 hours), and there was cake wishing the three of us going to college well. My friend/coworker (he was a friend first) Tom came in to eat half the cake, but it was good to reminisce about our randomness we've had at work together.

I also experienced (probably) the last time I'll get to hang out with my good friends Bethany and Kaley before school starts. We spent a lot of time on our computers and walked way too far. It was still great to hang out with them, and they're two of the people from school that I'll miss the most.

Wednesday night came as a huge blessing. I was able to spend a lot of time with the usual BW3's crew, plus one newbie that I think will become a regular. I don't even know what to say about these people. They've been some of the greatest friends a guy could ask for, and most of them will be extremely far away (Kyle wins with Fargo). A few of us also went bowling afterwards at the new-and-slightly-improved Dutler's. It was good to get a few more games in with those folks.

Last night was my last meeting as a member of TEC Council. That one hasn't quite hit me yet, but I know for a fact I'll be saying a little prayer at 7:00 every 2nd Thursday of each month for all of them.

My last days at home will be stressful and busy with packing and forgetting half of what I need.

And my final words for this post go out first to the Schimek's, then to the rest of you.

Greg and Jennie, I'm so happy for your family. I told Emily on Wednesday night that baby Schimek couldn't be much luckier when it comes to his parents. You've done wonderful raising all these youth who go through TEC, Ryan and Jake are incredible kids, and I know the newest addition will be the same.

As for the rest of you, I will not go on a three month hiatus like I did this summer. That's a promise. I'll keep you all fairly well updated on anything big that happens at school. I'll be back soon after I get moved in.

My College

Friday was amazing. Friday marked my official orientation into college life. Friday provided me with the ambition to not want to go to my last few days of high school next week. Friday was fantastic.

At orientation on Friday, my biggest surprise was the fact that I tested out of foreign language. 351 points were needed on the placement test, and I ended up with 355. Quite comforting knowing I don't need a foreign language in college. I might still take some Spanish, but I have four years to decide that.

Remember my post titled "My Jam Session"? Well, I was talking to a guy at orientation who was very into music. We got on the topic of bands we liked, and I mentioned Falling Up. He then asked if I had ever been to Club 3 Degrees because he went to see Falling Up there recently. Turns out we were at the same show (Falling Up, This Beautiful Republic, Spoken, Family Force 5) and opposite sides of the room. It's a small, small world.

I also settled my schedule for next year. Figure this out: Mariah ended up with 16.25 credits as a nursing student, and I have 17.5 for first semester. Lame. I will admit she has earlier classes/labs and they probably take up more time for less credits.  I'm pretty excited that my only class on Thursday during the first term is TPE and it doesn't start until 3:30 pm. And so, my schedule:

Term	Course	Days	Start	End
Full	Princ. of Financial Accounting	M-W-F	8:55 am	9:55 am
Full	Intro to Biblical Studies	M-W-F	11:50 am	12:50 pm
Full	Calc. for Mgmnt	M-W-F	1:10 pm	2:00 pm
Full	Theater Production Ensemble	-T-R-	3:30 pm	5:00 pm
1	Concepts of Phys. Fitness	M-W-F	10:40 am	11:40 am
1	Intro to Spreadsheets	-T---	9:25 am	10:55 am
2	Advanced Spreadsheets	-T---	9:25 am	10:55 am
2	Public Speaking	-T-R-	12:05 pm	1:35 pm

My Character

It was early this morning when I realized I would be having a bad day. Mariah's prom was tonight, and I was still struggling with a certain aspect of it when I left New Richland and randomly decided to stop in Mankato. I spent nearly nothing while I was there, which made me feel a little better because I'm broke.

The biggest pick-me-up of the morning was breakfast. Shayla had gone in to work an hour early, so she called and asked if I wanted to have breakfast with her. Of course, I accepted. Our waiter was having some issues, and we didn't like him much. After a quick stop at Scheel's and B&N, I went home.

I didn't want to go home. I knew I would be bored and frustrated, which turned out to be true. So, I decided to sleep for three hours before my academic banquet. Banquets are lame, and tonight's was no exception. The awkward moments during some of the award presentations were only partially entertaining, but Mark's was hilarious. Then, when it came to the scholarship I had won, I was able to feel a little better again. It wasn't because I won the scholarship but because of what the scholarship meant. It was a scholarship awarded on character instead of achievement. Personally, I would rather be awarded any day on my character as opposed to my achievements. Why would I want congratulations from someone for doing well when it was my character that led me to succeed in the first place?

Now I'm bored and frustrated again. It's because of the same prom issue. I wish I could talk to someone about it, but I know she'd kill me for it.