May 15, 2008

and the mental flailing begins

We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality.
- Albert Einstein

Some day I will have to learn how to enjoy my small successes...like finishing the thesis. Not to be cruel to myself, but I woke up this morning with a small war going on in my brain. One voice was crying out "There is more to write! There is more to write!" Another voice was responding "It's done! Caloo! Callay! It is done! Hooray!" I am elated and anxious all at once. I half expect the thesis adviser to call me at any moment to tell me that there is something else I need to do. I am a mite frustrated with my brain right now. Ah well...It's PTSD...Post-Thesis Stress Disorder, a common affliction around this time of year.

So, today is a less frantic day than I had anticipated. I have been given a great gift. It seems that I am not preaching Sunday after all. Yes, I wrestled with this. It's Trinity Sunday. I love Trinity Sunday. I want to cue up cool science fiction themes when Trinity Sunday comes along. Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, The Holy Trinity (cue theme music)! I was reading Arturo's post (ala Jorge) on "a strange and colorful orthodoxy." But then I received an e-mail from someone who attends Community Church. Their parents are coming in to visit. Their father is a pastor working in an academic setting. He knows what it is to finish a thesis and then entertain one's friends for graduation in the same week. So, he offered to preach. We discussed some interpretive things online and I said "Thank you." It is a great kindness...though it feels strange to not preach on Trinity Sunday. If my brain continues to flail about for the rest of the week as it has been the last 12 hours, no sermon would come anyway. I will simply have to get over myself.

Anyone know how to do that?

other things to obsess about
1. the title "suburban abbot"
2. desert monastics
3. why I have not been to see the mandoguru in two months
4. American Sign Language and liturgy
5. The University of Chicago Divinity School's "Bridge" program
6. badminton
7. croquet
8. Inter-congregational celebrations in Wilmette

That should hold me for a while. Pray that I am less cranky today than I was yesterday. Yeesh.

Posted by tripp at May 15, 2008 06:26 AM
Comments

As the commercial goes "you deserve a break today ...." so take Sunday off and be part of the congregation and enjoy. Also, take a little girl's advice and try some "goodminton."

Posted by: Mom at May 15, 2008 09:52 AM

Breathe deeply and slowly.

Drink decaf. Drink water.

Posted by: Megan at May 15, 2008 10:00 AM

My suggestion is to revel in points 6,7, and 8 and spend some time at the grill

Posted by: justin at May 15, 2008 10:36 AM

Mental flailing -- I'm familiar with it. The night before my last class of grad school, I had gone to bed with all my work done and ready for final presentation the next day. I was prepared and felt good about my work. My brain, however, wasn't ready to be done. I had a dream (or, rather, a nightmare) that night that I had forgotten all about an art history class that I hadn't attended for half the semester and had a 20 page research paper due on the last day. I had to go beg the professor to let me work over the weekend and turn in the 20 page research paper on Monday. Because failing that class would've meant I didn't graduate. Then, thankfully, I woke up. Whew.

Posted by: Amydale at May 16, 2008 08:33 AM