I'm a dreamer more than a feeler. I mean these terms in a very practical way.
Tomorrow is graduation for nearly 60 students at Calvin Theological Seminary and my role is similar to that of a 'wedding planner'. Making sure students and faculty know where they need to be, when they need to be there and what they should do when they are there. Weeks leading up to tomorrow, I've been preparing floor plans, finding photographers, sorting out details with the event's coordinator at the location and reading through graduate names a million times to be sure all have made their way into the line up and the programme.
It's been also a fun collegial effort as I've been learning who on staff has the answers to which questions - where are the table cloths, who has the list of graduate e-mails, what is procedure for getting details to faculty and so on; whilst regularly checking in with the Vice President of Academic Affairs, to whom I'm the Administrative Assistant - which I still thoroughly enjoy doing.
Being new to Calvin and the American academic world, it's been an interesting education as I learn terminology and procedures for preparing and holding such an event. Which in this context feels quite foreign and makes me quite nostalgic for IBTS.
I don't feel nervous or stressed or actually anything about tomorrow. It's coming, I will appear 2 hours early with my notes and props in hand, with the VPAA we will do the final sorting through details, I will then sit back to enjoy the pomp and circumstance, and then I'll go home and make bagels.
But I know it's affecting me.
Before my opening lecture with the CATS at IBTS, a few days before the Prague Half-Marathon and before presenting my first ever sermon/homily, I've had wacky dreams themed on each of those events.
The same was true for this upcoming graduation. It was a frightening dream where everything that could go wrong did. Half the graduates didn't appear, I left all my notes and information in my office (off site), the guests were all stuck out in the rain and so on... Thankfully, all the events listed above which had odd dreams prior to them went swimmingly, so am hoping the same for tomorrow!!
Tomorrow is graduation for nearly 60 students at Calvin Theological Seminary and my role is similar to that of a 'wedding planner'. Making sure students and faculty know where they need to be, when they need to be there and what they should do when they are there. Weeks leading up to tomorrow, I've been preparing floor plans, finding photographers, sorting out details with the event's coordinator at the location and reading through graduate names a million times to be sure all have made their way into the line up and the programme.
It's been also a fun collegial effort as I've been learning who on staff has the answers to which questions - where are the table cloths, who has the list of graduate e-mails, what is procedure for getting details to faculty and so on; whilst regularly checking in with the Vice President of Academic Affairs, to whom I'm the Administrative Assistant - which I still thoroughly enjoy doing.
Being new to Calvin and the American academic world, it's been an interesting education as I learn terminology and procedures for preparing and holding such an event. Which in this context feels quite foreign and makes me quite nostalgic for IBTS.
I don't feel nervous or stressed or actually anything about tomorrow. It's coming, I will appear 2 hours early with my notes and props in hand, with the VPAA we will do the final sorting through details, I will then sit back to enjoy the pomp and circumstance, and then I'll go home and make bagels.
But I know it's affecting me.
Before my opening lecture with the CATS at IBTS, a few days before the Prague Half-Marathon and before presenting my first ever sermon/homily, I've had wacky dreams themed on each of those events.
The same was true for this upcoming graduation. It was a frightening dream where everything that could go wrong did. Half the graduates didn't appear, I left all my notes and information in my office (off site), the guests were all stuck out in the rain and so on... Thankfully, all the events listed above which had odd dreams prior to them went swimmingly, so am hoping the same for tomorrow!!
i had a dream two nights ago. there was a national disaster..of course i don't remember exactly what it was...and along with President Obama, you and i (obviously :) were asked to address the nation. i haven't figured out yet what this dream means, but when i do, i will let you now!! loved your open house and bagels :) love having you close! so glad that graduation went well too!
ReplyDeleteha ha ha! hilarious! Jeanessa addresses the nation! Greetings to the small ones! Glad you appreciated the bagels, regardless of density and/or taste they were made with love!
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