I'm in Dallas. I came down here with the Cowboy on Friday night, and we spent Saturday hanging out on the lake with the Professor, his friends (and the Starbucks Girl), and his maternal grandparents. Cowboy and I spent Friday and Saturday night with the grandparents (which was a bit awkward, having never met previously, though they were certainly hospitable), and then went to Fellowship on Sunday in Forney. That was pretty decent, I guess.

I got a sweet sunburn on the lake on Saturday, most beautifully on the tops of my thighs down to my knees. They are a stunning shade of pink, and sore to the touch. It's the best ridiculously placed sunburn ever. My arms, shoulders, and face also got some burnage, but those are normal. Knees are not. Luckily it is healing fairly quickly and I will hopefully just be tan in a few days.

I've been a bit bummed since I've been in Dallas, and I can't say exactly why. Perhaps it's because I'm out of my element completely (no car, time on the lake, Dallas, no money, no other friends) and the Professor is in his (book stores, freeway driving, jet skis, politicizing). So he is able to do his own thing, and I am basically staring at the wall. This is of course not his intention, and it's been addressed. But it still sucks, you know? All things in time, I suppose.

Today I purchased a copy of a book about church history. I'm interested in reading this because it has lately come to my attention that I need to learn and glean from those who have gone before me. And it's impossible to read about the history of doctrines without knowing the history point blank. And from that point I can eventually start to see what is a repetition of old cycles of human fallacy and what is not. And what is heresy vs. the leading of the Spirit. Anyway, it's a start. It's also not the only thing I'm reading.

I'm currently alone at a Starbucks about two blocks from the Professor's apartment. He and Cowboy are at Dallas Theological Seminary's library perusing the shelves and doing "research" which I'm fairly sure means booklust. Since I'm not a bookluster I came down here to pay ridiculously much for internet connectivity. I will admit that Starbucks in walking distance saves gas money and completely kills the rest of my budget. You win some you lose some. I will also admit that I giggle when the baristas have to lean out the window of the drive-thru and say silly things like "venti decaf nonfat caramel raspberry green tea with two Splendas." I don't think I'm a coffee snob or anything, but that seems beyond insanity. Really? All that's in one specific glass of tea?

I am looking forward to the conference this week. I am also looking forward to it being past the parts of my own involvement. After then, I am free from this stuff and can begin to think more seriously about the next couple years of my life. I have so much to do before I can even worry about going outside of Conway. If things were more free for me, I'd probably reconsider where and what I'm doing. But they aren't, and won't likely be any time soon. So I press on. There is clearly a reason I am locked into where I am.

Here's to my venti sweetened black tea, iced, with lemon.

T