I'm baaaaaaaaaack.

Hey friends. It's been awhile. I'm sure at this point any readership that I had gained is completely lost. So now my blog will return to the original purpose of a journal or (web)log: to document my thoughts, ideas and dreams. I can't believe that I have been in Bloomington for over a year now. More over its even more difficult to believe that I am now a full month into the semester. Time is flying by!

So here is what's going on in my life (the abridged version):

I am now President of the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA), a graduate emissary (check out my other blog click here), tutor at Bethel A.M.E, Men's book study leader, graduate assistant, and student. Needless to say my life is pretty busy at this moment, but life is good. My life at this point is a series of highs and lows. This past week has been a high.

The reason? Well I'm glad you asked. I have been taking a Religious Studies class that has been kicking my butt. Well I felt like this week I had a break through. We were discussing Hegel's work Reason in History and I was able to make some great points in class. The previous four weeks I think I said a total of four words.

Also BGSA is very active and we are building a reputation on campus. I am excited about potentially being an organization that uplifts the Black community at IU. Finally (to top all this wonderfulness off) I have upgraded to a smart phone. I think I am now ready to face the world. Enough thoughts for one night. Well almost I got one more thing. If you don't know David Stovall you should check him out. His is my new academic role model. Check out the video below to understand why.

Cheeseburger & Paradise

Sad day team. I just found out that the place that welcomed me to Bloomington is shutting down. That's right Cheeseburger & Paradise is closing. Let us have a moment of silence for the wonderful Jimmy Buffet inspired- karaoke/eatery.  

My feelings about the BGSA election...

Those aren't really my feelings about the election. I just love this clip. But people better get ready for the new regime coming into BGSA. Don't underestimate us, because all we do is win.

Two months...

Wow I am really bad about this blog thing, but I am back. Here is the quick update on my life. First I am almost done with my first year of my PhD. It has flown by waaaaaaaaaaaay too quickly. It really does seem like just yesterday that I was packing up my car and leaving Texas, my family and most importantly my girl. However at the same time much has happened over these 8 almost 9 months that I have been in Bloomington. One of the greatest revelations that I've had over this year is that PhD students are necessarily smart. Don't get me wrong there are some brilliant students doing amazing work, but they are the exception not the rule. Most of us are simply dedicated students that have the ability to endure the academic grind. Anyway... here are the latest updates in my life.

Right now I am very stressed out about our first semester review. In my program after you complete your first 18 hours, the professors in the program meet and critique your work up to this point. It is really a mechanism to identify weak students and "support" them, which usually means asking them to leave the program. I don't know how true that is, but I am nervous about the process. They ask us to explain in 4-5 who we are, what we have done, and how we plan to reach our future goals. Many of these questions I am still grappling with and have no definitive answer, and even if I did it is doubtful all those things could be properly described in 5 pages. So I appreciate your thoughts and words of encouragement.

This week I received two wonderful pieces of news. First, the sun was actually going to make an appearance this week. That may seem insignificant to you, but we have seen nothing but gray skies and clouds for the past three weeks. I am ready for summer. The spring here is ridiculous; cold, dreary and rainy just about sum it up. I can't wait to get out in the sun. Second, I was just elected President of BGSA and selected as Graduate Emissary. Now I will blog and get paid for it! I'm super excited about connecting Black graduate students to IU and supporting them through their experience with BGSA. My friends Carl, Seth and Tia are the executive officers in BGSA and we are gonna shut it down this year.

This summer I am very excited. The month of May I will be in Texas. I have an internship at TCU working with Daron Turner, he is a senior student affairs officer and the chief diversity officer for the institution. I'm hoping to learn a little more about what he does at the university. The internship will also be paid. Which I am ecstatic about. The details are still being worked out but suffice it to say that God is good. I can't wait to be back in Texas and see all my family and friends. Indiana has been wonderful but I need another shot of Texas to get me through this next academic year. If you are in the lone star state, hit me up I'd love to see you. I got to get back to work. Hopefully I'll hear from you all soon.

Heartbreak

The Episcopalian Church, Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has put together a great devotional for lent. I started it this week and have really enjoyed it. If you are looking for a devotional I would strongly encourage you to check it out.

The devotional readings this week were really powerful. One in particular was a short scripture from Joel 2:12-13. In verse 13 God commands the children of Israel to commit to a strange practice. He commands them not to rend their clothes (as was their custom), but rather in fasting, weeping, and morning  rend your heart. This reading penetrated my heart. Recently I have done things, such as volunteering to work with the youth at church, to seem as though I am a good person (rending my clothes). When what God wanted from me is my heart, rent and torn to pieces.  He wants to be the mender of my broken heart. I need only allow him to break and put it together again.

Ash Wednesday

First off let me say how embarrassed I am to have not posted at all the entire month of February. Instead of writing a full blog entry I tweeted some of the happenings during black history month. Quick side note I went to the State of Black History Month Forum. The event was moderated by the great Dr. Khalil Muhammed. The discussion lasted about two hours and the conversation keep reverting back to this fundamental issue of Black identity. Dr. Muhammed tried to steer the conversation towards a broader understanding of Black history but no one could discuss at length who are the key history makers that should be lauded during this month. Is the month of honoring Black figures irrelevant in an assumed post-racial United States of America?

Two things I drew from the discussion (1) Even college students don't really know Black History. When he asked for students to share some key leaders (outside of the usual Rosa, Martin & Malcolm) students stammered. So we desperately need to connect all students to the history of Black Americans. (2) College students need a safe space to regularly discuss their racial identity. That was the only issue discussed at length during the forum. Students that commented seemed to be subtly asking the deeper question of "When and where is it ok for me to express (or explore) my blackness?" I am currently working with Eric Love to create a safe space for student to continue the discussion on the issue of race and ethnicity.

So today is Ash Wednesday, and I attended Trinity Episcopal Church for the imposition of ashes. I love the inclusive nature of the service. The homily given today emphasized the loving and merciful nature of Christ. He gently reminded us that the reason for the ashes is "not to remind us of our sinful nature, but it is a reminder of who we belong to." It was a powerful moment for me, a time to remember that my life is not my own. He breathed life into me forming me from the dirt. From ashes I was made and to ashes I will return; God's possession and his beautiful surprise. 

For Lent I have decided to give up facebook and Twitter, they are an addiction for me. Here is the back story. In the library this morning I was explaining the significance of Lent to some of my friends and we all decided to give up some technology. My friend Jasmine has decided to give up her cell phone for one week and twitter for the forty day period. We discussed it and these forms of social media reify pseudo-social connections. Instead of making online friends we are seeking to spend time with real people.

Finally I am looking forward to the next forty days of self-examination and repentance. My hope is that I this season of Lent will help me form habits of critical reflection and self-examination. What are you giving up for lent this year?

P.S.

On the eve of my first days journey into the self imposed wilderness of lent, strangely I am filled with joy. I think it is because I know that around the world my brothers and sisters are preparing their hearts for the resurrection and for the life that will spring from this symbolic journey into death. For me there is comfort in community and redemption in the wilderness.

Thanks be to God!