jagienka | Recent Entries

sometimes i forget how necessary vacation is.

we arrived in ithaca last night, ended up having a delicious dinner at a restaurant that was exactly what one of my rpg chars thought up. :)

today was spent on a vineyard/wineries tour of the cayuga lake region. some winners, some losers, but a great day full of silliness and fun. (and perhaps a bit of amusement at those friends of mine with lower tolerances than me).

the night was capped with a free concert in the state park on the lake. irish folk band ftw.

a great day. truly.

Current Mood: loved
Current Location: ithaca, ny
Current Music: whiskey you're the devil

Alright Boston peeps.

Midnight showing at Boston Commons or Regal Fenway?

Who's going where?

naamah and

marketsquare should I count you in to see it with me & mine?
I know

sullacat will be up here for that as well. Truly, that's a full car and enough to have fun wherever we end up.

So we left my grandmothers around 2:30 then drove to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore / Indiana Dunes State Park. The chevy got a sticker, I wentswimming and we did some hiking of the dunes. Fun detour.

Camping for the night in Albion, Michigan. Middle of nowhere deer country. Saw five on the road after getting off the highway. One VERY close call with one. Do not wish to christen the car in that way.

Forgot about the timezone shift for a bit too long. All is well. Many Mosquitos.

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Current Location: United States, Michigan, Calhoun County

It's 7am and the car is mostly packed already. I am eager to get out of of here. Unfortunately, today involves one last trip to Babcia's for church & brunch, and then

bad_influence and I can hit the road. (ETD is 2pm)

It's funny how much smaller the corsica is than the camry, but we're not taking all that much from the house this time. Just a box of books, some costume stuff, and then the tent/sleeping bags & clothes.

Since my passport arrived in time, we're going through Canada, which should be fun and it should give us a chance to see more great lakes and then hit both sides of the falls.

The whole house is still asleep, which makes it easier to get stuff done.

“When the virus of restlessness begins to take possession of a wayward man, and the road away from Here seems broad and straight and sweet, the victim must first find himself a good and sufficient reason for going.” (Steinbeck,Travels with Charley 3-4)

Current Mood: restless
Current Location: Chicago - not for long
Current Music: birdies

... climbed the giant maple in my grandparents back yard with my brother & my two cousins
... played bocce
... camped with my brother & sister
... gone into lake michigan
... flown a kite
... been called jeeves many times
... had a water balloon fight
... listened & watched fireworks from my bedroom window
... woken up at 4:45am with no alarm
... watched the sun rise over Lake Michigan
... taught my grandparents how to play bocce

I think it's been a good day.

Current Mood: loved
Current Location: 60631
Current Music: fireworks

It's amazing how a week long + trip to chicago can whiz by. Stuff that I was hoping to bring up hasn't been, because there's been no good time.
Week in review:
Saturday - wedding
Sunday - Babcia's 85th birthday
Monday - poprawiny at our house - meaning, continued wedding celebrations with the newlyweds and their immediate family
Tuesday - parents crashed on the couch at 7pm
Wednesday - Ravinia - picnic and Femi Kuti
Thursday - going up to Illinois State Beach to camp and meet up with my G & B
Friday - parents meet us at Illinois State Beach and then we go to Babcia's for the 4th of July bbq
Saturday -

bad_influence flies in, laundry day? , taste of Chicago
Sunday - church & lunch with Babcia, then drive off into the sunset..(or something)

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: Michael Joncas - As Morning Breaks

In list form
-Back from New York, trip was great, shows were good, spent time with family & friends
-Biopsy results came back - everything is fine. :)
-Air Conditioners have been brought up from the cellar.
-Laundry is in Progress

On today's agenda:
-Meet with Latin Prof
-Finish laundry
-Go to D&D
-Pack for early morning flight.

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Location: 02145
Current Music: tv: no reservations

Today consisted of lots of random thoughts throughout the day. There were thoughts at many points of religious habits, thougts of feminism provoked by "9 to 5", thoughts on religion, faith, and belief. - especially in conjunction with relationships. For a day filled with broadway shows and meals at good restaurants, there was much contemplation. I need to do a full update on "Next Fall" which made good points about christianity and belief and relationships.

I think it's interesting the paths lives take and how you fall in and out of people's lives. Sometimes you just stand back and wonder when it changed. Contemplation can happen anywhere I suppose.

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Current Mood: Contemplative
Current Location: US, New York, New York, New York, Broadway, 3566

Pure Silliness. Thanks to

bad_influence for the link.

Current Mood: ditzy

I'm working on getting back into my love affair with Thomas Merton, so I've signed up to get the weekly reflections updates from the Monastery in Kentucky. It's amazing how easily Merton's words can just jerk me around and connect to my soul. Today's sampling:

Learn how to meditate on paper. Drawing and writing are forms of meditation. Learn how to contemplate works of art. Learn how to pray in the streets or in the country. Know how to meditate not only when you have a book in your hand but when you are waiting for a bus or riding in a train. Above, all, enter into the Church's liturgy and make the liturgical cycle part of your life-let its rhythm work its way into your body and soul.

Thomas Merton. New Seeds of Contemplation (New York: New Directions Press, 1961): 216.

Thought for the Day

People who only know how to think about God during fixed periods of the day will never get very far in the spiritual life.

New Seeds of Contemplation: 216.

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: home
Current Music: tv

National Catholic Reporter sent out an email with President Obama's speech at Notre Dame's commencement and I must say, I was really quite pleased with it. Both for Notre Dame in sticking to its guns and granting him the honorary degree and Obama's speech as the sort of peacemaking attempt instead of polarization. Kudos to the speechwriter.

Current Mood: impressed
Current Location: studio
Current Music: just you wait

I'm a big fan of the kinesetic tape my physical therapist has been using on me since January and it's various incarnations. Since we're in the post-op phase and she's trying to prevent the buildup of scar tissue, ( today I have asterisks on my knee )

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Current Location: US, Massachusetts, Middlesex, Somerville, Thurston St, 185

( brutally honest personality test )

I expect

naamah to be amused, at the very least. Odd that I've gone from ENFP to INFP. Although I tend to fluctuate on T/F depending on the mood.

Current Mood: silly
Current Location: Harvard Divinity School
Current Music: Evanescence - Hello

Sunday, I got received into the Episcopal Church. Officially written into the books and everything. The only moment where there was hesitation was when I had to figure out how to be written down into the book - went with Kori Rozalia Pacyniak. Somehow Korina just didn't feel right anymore, but I felt that pulling in my middle name was a good link to my past. Although the voices in my head wanted me to put in new middle names that I've been considering. And, thanks to Ben, no gender was written into the book. I was amused by that.

The mass itself was nice. Lots of people showed up -

bad_influence,

bkworm1,

naamah,

marketsquare, my advisor/prof Mark Jordan, my cousins Marcin & Sara, and then chaplaincy people. I wish more people could have been there, but c'est la vie. It was good how it was. And since it was done with Christ Church, my spiritual director was also there. Convenient. Bishop Tom gave a decent homily, a bit odd, but good, although I perceived him to be focusing on me a bit too much, but I did kind of stick out. Being on crutches and all. Lots of ruminations about what was coincidence and what wasn't, but we'll see.

I was a little too in love with Bishop Tom's vestments - dupioni silk - brilliant copper/gold on one side and deep blood red on the other. I was coveting them just a little. Or even just a full skirt made from alternating panels of that.

Classes end on Friday. Not sure when finals end, but I'm taking two incompletes (Coptic & Sex, Gender & Sexuality). So it's all kind of crazy, but hopefully it'll work out.

Surgery went well. Am off crutches. Still touch and go with the pain meds. Have the follow up next week and then I get to start PT again.

Glad that yesterday's 90+ degree weather is gone.

Current Mood: exanimate
Current Location: home!
Current Music: tv

Just a shameless shot of the backyard and the flowers that have bloomed and survived the squirrels this year.

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Current Mood: Artistic
Current Location: US, Massachusetts, Middlesex, Somerville, Temple St, 71
Current Music: Tv: castle

Dreamt of priests and bishops.

Overdid it yesterday- without going to the HDS ball. Today, rest. And a few meetings.

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Current Mood: sore
Current Location: US, Massachusetts, Middlesex, Somerville, condo - bed

Out of surgery. Have been Vicente maximum dose of pain meds, have peed, am dressed and waiting for bad_influence to pull the car around. She's a trooper for being here through it all even though she doesn't particularly like hospitals and such.

Pain is well, pain. But I will deal. Will see how I feel tomorow as to whether or not I try and make it to a few classes tomorow.

Am a big ball of sunshine right now. :)

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Current Mood: High as a kite
Current Location: US, Massachusetts, Suffolk, Boston, Buswell St, 79
Current Music: Nurses and doctors and med students oh my!

Made it down to Connecticut safely. And in good time. Three of the five Szajda kids are here which makes me smile. Pawel is growing his hair out for a film and was in leather pants when I showed up. Somewhere, fan girls screamed. Good to see people, even if most of us had taken out our contacts so it was the blind with the blind.

Leaving at 5am for ressurrection mass tomorrow. Means I should probably get some sleep.

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Current Mood: Content
Current Location: US, Connecticut, Hartford
Current Music: Dishwasher running

Probably not of interest to many people, but these have been stuck in my head:

What Wondrous Love
Jesu, Jesu
Pange Lingua Gloriosi
Be With Me, Lord
Behold the Wood

Yeah. I'm a liturgical/musical dork. We knew this already.

Current Mood: weird
Current Location: somerville
Current Music: tv: antm

In a twist of fate, I get to teach my final World Religions lecture next wednesday April 15 on... paganism. So, I'll be recovering from the Tridduum & Easter and get to teach a class on paganism and neo-paganism.

Since many of my lovely flist is of the pagan persuasion - thoughts? resources? Things I absolutely must include?

I was thinking styling it after ASP Paganism 101 and then doing an overview of some of the movements today. But input is always welcome.

Current Mood: curious
Current Location: suffolk university
Current Music: John Michael Talbot - Father, I Put My Life In Your Hands

Life is, generally, going okay. It's Holy Week, and I was actually impressed by yesterday's service & sermon at the chaplaincy, which is saying something. I'm still not sure where I'll be for the Tridduum. Right now, I have about 3 or 4 choices listed for each of the days. Obviously, I cannot be in multiple places at once. I just want to have the services be good and *mean something*. I know that sounds trite, but it's the holiest day of the year, so I'd like to be at the place that provides the most opportunity for prayer and reflection for me. Of course, with only a few weeks to go before scheduled reception into the Episcopal Church, there's a lot of denominational angst to go along with it.

Among the choices (for various parts of the Tridduum).

+Smith College - Helen Hills Hills Chapel (Roman Catholic): Pros - it's home. I love my chaplain, I love the priest, I love the community. I know what to expect from the liturgy and I know it speaks to me. Cons - It's in Northampton. Heck of a drive. Going on Thursday would mean skipping Mark Jordan's class and going on Friday would mean craziness. Easter Vigil there is beyond beautiful though. It might get rid of the homesickness for that brand of catholicism or it might just increase it.

+Paulist Center (Roman Catholic): Pros - when I've gone to services here, it's almost perfect. (I wouldn't mind a bit more kneeling though). The liturgy and music are always great and it's familiar music (which I don't always have in Episcopal churches). Liturgically, it tends to be in sync with my style. Cons - it is RC, and i've never spent the Tridduum there, and I'm not sure how I'll feel about it. Plus, part of me says I should go to episcopal services.

+The Monastery / Society of St John the Evangelist (Episcopal): Pros - I love the space and monks just make me smile. It sounds like it'd be nice and that there might even be a chance for almost everyone to get their feet washed (something I am strongly in favor of). I've only been to one mass there, though, so I'm not sure how good a read I have on it yet.

+Church of the Advent (Episcopal): Pros - It's beautiful. Both services I've been to there have been really quite breathtaking - but it is a little too high church for me. It's not something I can do every Sunday. For a special occasion like this, it might work - who knows.

+Christ Church Cambridge (Episcopal) Pros - somewhat local. It's where I go to chaplaincy services on Sundays and I feel maybe I should check out some of their other liturgies as well. Cons - unknown. Never been to a non-chaplaincy service there

So, yeah, those are the main options. Suggestions and thoughts are welcome.

(I should probably make a note that Easter Sunday morning will be spent in Connecticut for Ressurection mass / blessed breakfast regardless and I will probably return to Boston for Easter Sunday Evening services at the chaplaincy.)

Current Mood: confused
Current Location: somerville
Current Music: head: close every door to me

Finished my sermon two minutes before I had to run out the door. Not good. I struggled a lot with this one. Engaging Augustine as a source and trying to explain the theological relevance of Christ's erections was a daunting and difficult task.

But I did finish it and I preached it at the competition at my slot. Results come out in a week. It's very unorthodox for the school & the competition, so I'm not sure whether that'll help or harm me. But I took part, which counts for something. Another notch in my preaching belt (cassock?).

For those interested ( On free will, Gethsemane, and Christ's erections )

I deviated from what's written as always, and I feel that eventually I'll make it to just having notecards or something and not reading at all. Because I dislike sermons that are read straight and I try not to do that. But

naamah and

marketsquare were there. (

marketsquare competed too and did a good job!) My prof made it out even though he's on paternity leave, which was nice (and justified me not giving up on the sermon).

Current Mood: relieved
Current Location: 02145
Current Music: the rain

I love my advisor. Can I just say that for the record? He has once again proven himself amazing. I think he's a spiritual director in disguise, but sssshhh, don't tell anyone. I love that I can come to him with spiritual problems, emotional drama, or actual academic concerns and he always manages to step up to the plate and help me deal with it. And yet, it's all about helping me realize I often already have the answer i'm looking for. (Which is at times annoying , but also useful in the fact that I know he's not spoonfeeding me anything).

This week has been odd. Two of my professors have cancelled their classes for the week so I've had more free time than usual. However, this quickly disappeared as earlier this week I a) agreed to do the Billings Preaching competition at HDS this friday/tomorrow against my better judgment and b) agreed to fill in and give a paper/presentation on eccumenical ecclesiology this Saturday. Craziness.

Right now all I have is a draft of the sermon (which is on Augustine & the theological relevance of Christ's erections) but I think the plan is to go to bed and then get up early in the morning. It's been a long mostly unproductive day because I was up late last night working on some rpg stuff and basically wasted the day today because I overslept and then was just tired and groggy.

This weekend will be busy.
Friday:
9am-11am Mass + Reading Group
11:15am preaching competition slot
12:30-5pm - Community Service Day at Suffolk University
7:30pm - ??? D&D 3.5 in RI

Saturday
9am-12pm? Eccumenism conference @ Holy Cross
7:30pm- ?? D&D 4.0 in RI

Sunday
1-3pm A Chorus Line @ PPAC
5:15-8pm Church, Dinner, etc - I get to be Caiaphas in the passion play. High priest FTW.

Okay. Now, bed. Goodnight, world.

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: home. :)
Current Music: tv

Back from Chicago. Took the makeup Coptic midterm today. I might have even passed. *fingers crossed* But I do feel the studying I did was worth it. I just need to keep working on vocab, because that's my highly problematic weakness.

Did <i>finally</i> get a date for knee surgery - April 22nd. It's outpatient, so no big deal and I'll just be glad to have it done with. Hopefully it'll help with the pain and stuff.

I feel like weeks of lent and the semester just disappeared. Sunday is Palm Sunday already and that's kind of crazy to think about.

All sorts of emotional and weird stuff going on in my brain. Been thinking a lot about friends, friendship and love and how things go crazy sometimes, and the amazing moments when you realize your true friends. And how sometimes it's a bit surprising. And about finances and the future and gender. And well, things in a way continue to get more messed up, but somehow they clear up - in a more complicated manner. When they get a bit more organized, maybe I'll share them here.

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: home w/ kitty
Current Music: tv

Woke up this moving in Chicago to snow. It was in the 60s last monday here and now snow, sleet, hail. Crazy Chicago weather.

Visit was good in some ways, eh in others. My siblings overslept so they landed at 3pm yesterday instead of 7am. Less time with them sucked but ah well. They are still promising a trip to Boston.

Made out well in terms of presents and stuff. I think I'm bringing home 5lbs of meat and another 5lbs or so of French Valhrona chocolate. Good thing my bags were nearly empty on the way here.

Too many spring breakers at the airport. At least the plane is here and looks to be ontime.

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Current Location: US, Illinois, Cook, Chicago

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jagienka

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Page generated Saturday, 21 March 2026 13:02

faith is a journey

not a guilt trip

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vacation is a beautiful thing

Harry Potter - Boston.

Deer oh dear

Drove my chevy to the levy, but the levy was dry

Today I have...

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whirlwind drive by

Ruminations and contemplations

Buffy vs. Edward Cullen

Merton Meditations

another fine commencement speech

Tape and random fun

because I should be writing a final evaluation...

various and sundry

Flowers!

mornings

Wheeeee

Tridduum travels

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isn't it ironic?

Holy Week Woes

once more into the pulpit

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Chitown

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March 2022

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