Hello one and all! It's a good night here at Mandala. As I write this, Austin sits across the room from me, plucking out a beautiful melody on his guitar. Considering how well he plays and how infrequently he plays around the villas, I realize how blessed I am to share a room with him.
I just got in from an intense game of ultimate frisbee with most of the other fellows. On the way home from some late-night grocery shopping, a few of us saw the rest of the gang playing in the deserted parking lot, and we joined in. Two hours, several minor falls, and a few nail-biting moments later, we all shook hands and walked off the tar, matched nine to ten— an intense struggle. Seth led our team, with David Bortins as his second in command. Alec, Chris, and Ian were the strong voices in the other team, however, among the three of them, I couldn't see who truly led. All in all, it was a fantastic night, and I wish all of you could have been there to see some of the heroics that my fellows displayed.
We haven't been doing as many of the fantastic group things which defined our first month here, and I don't like that. I think we've just settled into comfortable groups of friends now, and we know individually who we want to spend time with. That being said, we are a fellowship, and I'm very glad we all turned out for the game. It rekindled a group spirit within us. We need to do more of this kind of thing. I think it's worth saying that the one who organized, planned, and actually led the start of the game was David. He really makes things happen.
I keep thinking this is still the weekend, when clearly it is not. I'll just pretend it is, and say that it's been a pretty good one. Two weeks ago, a bunch of us went to the beach with Mrs. Bortins. This Friday, the other half had their turn. They left immediately after class, and we didn't see them until Sunday afternoon. Those of us who stayed behind had a good time in the interim. For the first time in weeks, we had a day with nothing going on. Well, almost nothing. Saturday was a great day for relaxing. The late morning found most of us lounging around outside the villas, talking and hanging out, simply enjoying the warm sun, the crisp smells of fall, and the glow of fellowship. Most of us cleaned in the afternoon, or otherwise made things better around the houses. Alec and I bought paintings at the local Goodwill to try to brighten up the rooms. The evening wasn't quite so simple. Anna's brother just made Eagle Scout, and a lot of us went to his celebration. After it was over, a few dedicated crazy people, (Zach, Anna, her two friends, and myself) drove to a swing dance in Winston-Salem. We danced the night away and left in good spirits. As great as it was, we were all tired and glad to get home.
Sunday morning came in a flash. Because so many of our usual drivers were away, the organization of the cars was kind of up in the air, but we got to church, one way or another. Tobin had something planned for us, but in the end, a lot of us had to back out. Zach and I were the only two who decided to stay, which was all the better for us. We really enjoy having him around. He's not one of the official Mandala tutors, but he definitely holds a similar relationship with us. I love being able to confide with him, adventure with him, and discuss great ideas with him. Zach and I did all three and much more as the day wore on. His plans fell through, so we ended up going out to lunch and then back to the villas to watch and dissect Tarantino movies. We finished the night on the golf course, getting lost and talking about the mysteries of life. It was a great time. Life at Mandala never seems to get old.
It's never tedious, but we do repeat ourselves a lot. The week itself was a mix of introductory physics, music theory, and work on the business plan. We're all making progress, whether it's in terms of accurate calculations or clear notes on our instruments. We're all looking forward to more of the same this week, though I hope we can find some more excitement to throw a wrench into the normal routine.
Until next week,
Barnabas Holleran
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