I'm starting research for my 20 pg. paper. It's rather boring right now. I just realized that I have a deadline of October 24th, by which to finish reading all my books/journal articles and write up an outline for my entire paper. It's a lot sooner than I thought. So I'm sitting in the Scili slowly working through a book called "A Road Is Made: Communism in Shanghai 1920-1927." I know you all are very intrigued, so if you want to find out more you'll just have to ask me. My eyes are getting rather tired, and I need a break, so here's a survey...

Name 10 of life's simple pleasures that you like the most.

1. People that smile with their eyes
2. Looking silently out the window in a car
3. Seeing summer change into autumn on the East Coast
4. Watching my friends play guitar
5. A good hair day
6. My 15 minute walk up-campus every morning; good time to be alone and pray
7. Stuffed animals
8. A light backpack
9. People looking me in the eye when they talk to me
10. Running

As an added comment to #10, I would like to say that I ran five miles today. Why? Just so that I could say I did it. Yeah, I'm kinda lame. Awhile back when I was talking to Tim on aim he said he felt really productive that morning since him and his friends had just run five miles to brunch. And ever since then, I really wanted to find out if I could run five miles. Which I guess I can. Cool. And now I have two blisters on my foot.

Retreat was amazing. I had such a great time. It was a weekend full of thought-provoking sermons, good conversations in the early morning hours, good discussions in small groups, crazy, fun, and silly games, awesome worship music, bonding with old friends, making new friends, and really just becoming more closely connected with my church. Not just with the college kids, but with the entire church community. I love my church so much more now. Not that I didn't like it before, but I think I always felt like a bit of an outsider because I didn't know a lot of people. This weekend definitely changed that among other things. I'll post later with pictures about my weekend. Back to research for now.