Red Rooftops, and the importance of order.

Tonight I will hit the sack early, instead of doing my homework first, in the efforts to remedy my sleep-schedule. My first class doesn't start until 12:30 on Thursday, which is nice in that I don't have to fight SoCal's infamous early morning "rush hour" traffic on the 405. However, this late start often translates into me bumming around in the mornings. Gah. I'll try to shake things up by getting real sleep (I was woozy all of today from a late night studying) and hitting the books in the morning.

Calvin and my mother had to resort to take showers in mine tonight; Calvin leaves his iPod running loudly while he showers.

My favorite key to play on the piano is D major. My second favorite is B♭ major. 

The week after spring break is full of the greeting "Hi! It's been a while. How was your spring break?", so it's often good to re-evaluate one's break in question, between consecutive questionings. I, for one, did not do much with my break. I'd intended on catching up on Greek (the lack of which I am sorely feeling now) and decimating my pile of books, but I only finished 2 books, and didn't crack the Greek textbook. I did get Calvin's car's oil changed alongside my own's. Mental note: I ought to learn how to change a car's oil someday. I also met up with some a dear high school friend. (I've considered asking him now, prematurely [and thus unwisely], whether he'd be my best man, assuming God blesses me with the privilege of husbanding one of His daughters... and if my friend would be available.) I take back what I said earlier; recreational time intentionally chosen to be spent with friends is never to be considered "wasted time" or "time ill spent." 

Perhaps oil changes can be compared to one's walk with the Lord? A new car doesn't need them more often than the prescribed portions of mileage / time, but the owner could be wont to pamper his/her new car with extra and unnecessary maintenance. With age, the owner would need to change its oil more often if he would have his car run smoothly. Eh. Just kidding. A car's oil change schedule isn't comparable to sanctification (a believer shouldn't relapse significantly), but rather to diapers. Respectfully, old folks shouldn't be embarrassed to wear a diaper. Better that than soiled pants!

I live in a beautiful part of Long Beach. It's part of a neighborhood called California Heights, and it's full of contradicting (yet beautiful) murals and cracked sidewalks, Spanish-style shingles and highlighter colored bike-racks, bars and over-priced breakfast parlors, one-man barber shops and family-owned hardwood stores, libraries and churches. 

{However, Long Beach is locked. I detest locks; they signify the danger of either robbery or a lack of courteous respect, if not both. When Faith OPC (Long Beach) walked the neighborhoods, handing out fliers advertising the Sunday church services, more often than not the people Ethan and I encountered either left "NO SOLICITING" signs at their doorways or brusquely declined, stating "I'm just not interested."}
I hadn't known Long Beach could be dangerous, or that certain parts of it smelled, or rotted, or decayed. Weeds overwhelm certain areas, and metal bars begin to appear at windows and door frames alike. But around my house, the neighborhood sleeps under its beautiful red Spanish-style shingles, the last remnant (besides the aged folks who live here! The average age of residency on my block must be around 50!) of the generation from the 1930s and '40s. 

I believe it is this architectural feature that subconsciously drew me to UC Irvine. If you ever get the chance, reader, the view of the sunrise from one of UC Irvine's multiple parking structures is breathtaking. The sun rises over the small hills to the east, glinting off the red roofs of the "off-campus" housing where many of my friends now live, and playfully splits the morning fog. The smells of the many wildlife preserves fills the air until the sprinklers come to life and add to the dew that wets the grass. 

Order is good. God is logical; otherwise His salvation comes into question. Therefore, order and integrity take new found importance. More on that later-- it's 12:05! Yikes! So much for hitting the sack early! :P