there's no place like gnome.

There are days when I feel completely overwhelmed with ideas and stories to tell you, with pictures to paint with words.  

Today is one of these days.  

In such a good way.

But I try and pace myself.  As much as I feel overwhelmed with words, I don’t want to overwhelm you.  We’ll start slowly.  Here.

I want to tell you how I suddenly feel such a great part of this community at seminary.  I’ve honestly never really felt like I’ve belonged here … I’ve treaded water trying to find my place.  People use a lot of big words I don’t understand.  Sometimes, I don’t get the religious jokes and I feel too … not church nerdy? … to belong.  Most of the time, I seem to worry more about how other people are perceiving me than simply being myself.

I’ve reached a place where I feel like I belong.  I feel wonderful being a part of this community and I feel like I’m a part of this community while being myself and not someone else.  [Just as I’m about to graduate and leave, she yells and stomps her foot.]

Tonight was the Luther Seminary Variety Show.  [As a professor noted in an email to a friend, you’ll notice it’s called a ‘variety show.’  Not ‘talent show.’]  Always held on Fat Tuesday and preceded by a community meal and silent auction, it’s one night when students and professors alike turn out to laugh and celebrate our community.  I love seeing the professors and seminary staff members present with their spouses and kids.

Of the three variety shows I have been present for in my years here, this was the first one in which I was involved.  

As a fashion model.  

Come again, you say.

My pal, Cassie, is the talent behind this fashion show, writing the script that pushes and teases at seminary student types, and gathering the models and needed costumes.  My role?  I played the ‘fFU.’  The fresh from undergrad seminary student.  This typical student is one who wears the sweatshirt of their college and flipflops, carrying a backpack and acting a bit aloof.  [Video of this event does exist and I will share once the link is posted so you can watch me in my runway debut.]

The variety show pokes polite fun at students, professors, and the systems we go through.  Norwegian sweaters also had their fair share of mention tonight.  There are many-a-professor here at Luther who wear a Norwegian sweater daily.  It’s. awesome.  Equally – or even more – awesome?  My pal, Kevin [whose real name is Joel], wrote and rapped a song about the sweater tonight.  He continues to amaze me.

There is some awesome talent at seminary, beyond the preaching and teaching confirmation.  Erm, I mean variety.  There is some awesome variety at seminary.  And I’m glad to be a part of it all.

An aside story: I donated two dozen cakepops to the silent auction.  The rule was that I bring a display of cakepops and then take a special order from the winning party.  Since the cakepops were near the “Wine tasting for 12 with Karoline Lewis” auction item – which my friends and I bid on, watched like hawks, and then won – I was able to watch the bidding.  I watched Professor Schifferdecker’s kids eye up the cakepops, her youngest grabbing and wanting one.  Once the bidding was over [the winning cakepops to be made and delivered to Karoline for her boys who have tasted their goodness and wanted them badly – this might make cousin, Hannah, jealous], I took the display.  I passed Professor Schifferdecker on the way with her three kids and offered each of them one.  They were super excited, so much so that her eldest daughter threw her arms around me and said, “You’re the best!”  

Hugs from kids are great.  It was the best.