Crucible.

This is the third straight meeting where at least half of my com group has skipped. It is no surprise that it is the same people who are skipping over and over. The anger stems mostly from the fact that they guarantee their presence when I speak with them after class, only to ignore all attempts to get a hold of them outside class (text, email, etc). I wrote the previous blog post while talking to the one member of the group who has deemed our meetings worth attending, and she is but a high-school student with limited time to devote to college pursuits.

I do not know what to do. I could have the presentation done in two days if it was left in my hands, but no; it has to be cooperative. Since we need to do it in some form other than just having each member give their spiel, it is impossible for me to write it for the whole group. The others wanted to do it as a skit. Do they realize that the preparation for a twenty-five to thirty minute skit takes time? If that little Aryan mentions drinking one more time in my presence, I will proceed to wring him dry. I could never resort to violence--that is the fourth "pillar of persuasion," my children--with ladies; I will need to find another motivator for the Irish Setter.

*Switching Gears*

I walked into the chapel this morning to the intensely shocking sight of a grinning Frau Schulz. Usually that look is the harbinger of some particularly devious bit of German grammar, mayhaps a quarter hour of solid socialist propaganda. To my marked relief it was neither. It was merely the precursor to a motion to sit by her and a couple minutes of chat in German. Her presence was also a startling reminder that I would do well to have my exercises finished before class. Sometimes it is a little bit of a shock to see someone transplanted from one area of your life to another.

I also got some weird looks when I answered some of the inquisitive individuals on campus that I was at church all week. No, really, I was. No, not Catholic, Rudisillian.

The Rudisillian part is not entirely a joke.

Campus is heavily populated with Lutherans who are used to their contemporary services and oscillating women in the chancel. How does one verbalize what it means to be a confessional Lutheran with a respect for the liturgy and the ancient practices and beliefs of the church? It is harder with another Lutheran than it is when I am telling a Catholic. One of the said things is that the Catholics I know actually know what they believe. We may have some fundamental issues, but they at least speak a kindred language. This is not true of the Lutherans I have met on campus. Notably, those Lutherans who know what they believe--that I have met--have either been named Patrick or Winston. I think there is something here that speaks to the catechetical nature of the liturgy...I'll have to think about it, talk it over with wiser heads, and write out my findings later.