On Thursday morning Fellows awoke bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with excitement, despite having to set their alarms a bit earlier than the days before. It was the day we were to bring in our musical instruments, and we were all excited about honing our skills and putting them to use. The trunks of the bigger cars were loaded up with cellos, banjos, and more guitars than I thought would fit; while some students held their clarinets, violins, and ocarinas during the drive to the Mandala House. The morning devotions and math classes flew by in a blur of anticipation till it was time for lunch. Lively conversations flew around the table with everyone wondering about what would happen once we all got our instruments into the classroom. Eventually, Master Lord Sensei Skogen called us all back into the classroom and instructed that we bring our instruments with us.
We ventured back inside and settled into our seats as best we could with all of the guitar necks swinging around. There was an unorganized jumble of sounds as everyone tried to tune themselves, Zack's trumpet echoing above the various strings and woodwinds. When everyone was set, Sensei Skogen called for silence and attention as he passed out sheet music. At the top of the page in large print were the words 'The Scientist'. Students shared a hushed voice of excitement as the Coldplay piece was passed around the room. After a short demonstration of the song, the fellows were all given parts to play and then were sent to find a place to practice. The other four piano players and I went out into the lobby and very quickly began to figure out the notes with the grand piano. Sensei Skogen ran back and forth between the groups of instruments, helping Fellows recall any training they may have had and teaching the basics to whoever was completely new to it all. By the time everyone was called to reassemble, everyone had a good feel for the basics of the song. We were split into bands so that we could all work together on learning the song. Each group had one piano player, at least one guitar player, and then one of the more unique instruments such as the violin or trumpet. Laura, a very talented violin player, ended up being in two. Once we all had our bands and the teams had discussed meeting times, we were dismissed to go to work.
The weather was perfect, so I decided to work on one of the sun-bathing chairs on the back porch. Like always, time flew by for me as I typed away on my computer. I did a bit of blogging and some research on articles, and soon enough I was done for the day. I decided to not get up yet-- I was far too comfortable for that. The sky was beginning to darken with clouds, but that only meant that the sun was no longer beating down on me. Minute waves were rippling across the lake's surface, and some Mallard ducks were talking softly among themselves. Altogether, the scene was just too peaceful for me to even think of moving; at least till Barnabas came out to tell me he was done for the day too.
With our work done early, Barnabas and I decided to get some shopping taken care of while we had the time. I drove us into town and made him wait while I did a quick once-over of the Goodwill. From there we crossed the street and ventured into the Walmart Super Center, where he got some groceries and I stocked up on Mountain Dew. We got back to the villas just in time to eat dinner before everyone went to the marina for a swim. Out on the floating dock, we played King of the Hill again and our own lake-version of Duck Duck Goose. Yes, we did feel very mature.
As the sun began to set, I was introduced to a new game called Signs. It is a very strange game indeed, but we had a lot of fun playing it. The sun had completely vanished before we grew tired of Signs, and the lack of light forced us to choose between our game and our location; we ended up going back to the villas in order to continue the game. Once we were back on our street, my room mates went inside to change out of their swim suits while the rest of us debated on which villa we should all go to. I quickly grew tired of the excuses, and so I called everyone to follow me into my own villa. Despite only having a small couch, everyone fit comfortably inside-- sitting in the rocking chairs, on pillows, or just the bare floor as we picked up the game again. The game continued into the night till we all grew tired, most of us already dreading the sound of the alarm for the next morning. Around nine in the evening our group dispersed once more, everyone returning to their respective villas, and Red Anna, Laura, and I collapsed into our beds.
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Soft sunlight was filtering through my closed blinds on Friday morning; a scene which would have been quite serene, were it not for the obnoxious sirens exploding from my cell phone speakers. My eyelids felt like weights as I forced myself out of bed and into the shower. It was only as the bathroom filled with hot steam that my mind began to feel energized. By the time I was presentable to the public, my mind was fully awake and I was ready to drive with my villa mates to the Mandala House for a meeting.
Once we had all filed into the classroom and found ourselves seats, Mrs. Bortins began the morning meeting. She began by reminding us that Brent, one of the Classical Conversations warehouse leaders, was going to be at our villas after the meeting to show us some basic car maintenance. After the brief announcement, Mrs. Bortins pulled up some amazing videos of something that combined music, science, and sand. While we watched in amazement, it was revealed that we were going to be split up into teams and that each team would make a replica of what we were watching. When the videos were over, team captains were appointed and then allowed to choose other fellows for their team in turn. Each team was given $30 for their project and a date for presentations was chosen. Once everyone was clear on the directions and some plans for team meetings were set, we were dismissed.
We all went straight back to the villas where we met Brent. He gave us all packets explaining everything he was going to show us and then got right into the lesson. Using Ian's Jeep for his demonstration, Brent showed all of us how to check our oil, brake fluid, power steering, and so on, as well as teaching us how to inspect our tires and lights. There was even a nail in one of Ian's tires, and so Elizabeth volunteered to help change it for the spare. Once the demonstration was over, Brent met with whoever had a car and showed each person how to take care of their own engine. It was actually very interesting, and even people who didn't bring cars to Mandala learned something.
For an entire hour afterwards, fellows got to do something they had not yet had the chance to do all week-- rest! I'm not sure exactly what the others did; but at my villa, Red Anna napped in her bed while Laura and I sat on the couch and looked out the window. We had some conversation, but it was mostly about how happy we were to have some moments of peace and quiet. Enjoying each others company, we savored each and every minute of our free time, both of us glad to have some time for relaxation.
Two o' clock came as quick as a fiddle, calling the fellows to snap back into gear for work. Engines revved to life as car after car carried us to our various work locations. I drove a small group back to the Mandala House for a brief meeting before our work would begin. As soon as the meeting was concluded, my team and I set to work updating, uploading, and beefing up our web pages. My blog was just starting, and so that was my main focus for the day. As always, it seemed like no time at all before we were done for the day.
Back at my villa, dinner was earlier than usual due to everyone having an easy work day. During the meal, we all talked about what we expected Saturday morning to be like. We knew that there were going to be people visiting to tell us about nutrition and house maintenance, but we weren't sure if there was going to be a house inspection while everyone was home. To be on the safe side and because we had plenty of free time, we decided to tidy up everything after dinner. Once we had cleaned, we went across the street where a group of fellows were blasting music and some of the boys were snapping towels at each other. It was quite the spectacle of shenanigans, though pretty soon a few people went back to my house for a game of cards. Olivia and I wanted to stay and listen to the music, but that alone made us bored, and our boredom quickly drew us into the tremendous mess that the guys called a 'kitchen'. We cleaned up for them, singing with each other while watching the guys joust with rolly-chairs and canoe paddles. The kitchen was spotless by the time Olivia and I were finished.
With nothing else to do, we all ventured back to my villa where a large group of fellows were playing Liar on the floor. Everyone was giddy after having such a great day and, before we knew it, we were all trying to figure out how to throw playing cards while singing Weird Al's 'Amish Paradice' and 'White and Nerdy'. Blond Anna nearly went insane as she tried to find all of the cards that had been thrown around the room, moving furniture in desperation as she searched for the last of the deck-- completely unaware that Ian had the last card in his pocket the entire time. We were all in fits of laughter by the time he showed it to her, trying and failing to keep a straight face as she snatched it from his hand.
Laughs continued to fill the room as our games subsided into conversations. Many of us snacked on mega marshmallows as we talked. Lights were turned on as stars began to appear in the darkening sky. Slowly but steadily, people began to bid us goodnight as they returned to their own villas and to bed. Within the hour there were only a few other fellows in our villa, and then it was just Laura, Red Anna, and myself in the little home. After putting the pillows and rocking chairs back in their places, we wished each other sweet dreams. It had been an exhausting yet wonderfully satisfying week.
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The second week of the Mandala Fellowship begun late Saturday morning as fellows were permitted to sleep in a little later than usual. My room was completely illuminated as I sat up and stretched the sleep out of my muscles. Kicking off my covers, I got up and made myself presentable for the public. Knowing that people were going to visit us that morning, I decided to clean my room a little more carefully than I do most mornings. By the time I emerged from my room, Red Anna and Laura were already eating breakfast at the kitchen table. There was a knock at the door while we were still putting our plates away, and Laura ran to open it.
On our doorstep stood a youthful woman who had the presence of someone very wise. A warm smile was on her lips as she stepped inside, introducing herself as Mrs. Harvey, trained nutritionist and mother of Blonde Anna. We all sat together at our little table, sharing friendly conversation while our guest showed us how to read food labels to determine what foods were healthy or not. She had brought a basket filled with examples of affordable health foods that we could find anywhere and a couple books about nutrition, and even a little caterpillar she had found in her garden that she wanted to get rid of. By the time she had finished her lesson I felt much more informed than I had before and I had my own pet caterpillar! Before she left, she let us choose a gift from some of the things she had brought along, including some herb barrels. Thanking her profusely, we chose one of the barrels from the group. Mrs. Harvey then moved onto the next villa, leaving us to talk about our next grocery trip and wait for our next guest.
Another knock on the door announced the arrival of our newest visitor, but it wasn't the person we were expecting; it was Barnabas. Dressed in his usual suit pants and a button-up shirt, the youth stepped inside our abode to announce his plans for a dance lesson that night. He and Zack were planning on teaching swing dancing to anyone interested and he was trying to get a head count of who was interested. My villa mates and I all heartily agreed to be part of the festivities and then waved goodbye to Barnabas as he went on his way. Right after the he left, another person came to our door-- Mr. Bortins. The charming gentleman got straight to things, showing us how to care for our villa and inspecting all of the utilities. He was even kind enough to fix the outside lights for us. The encounter was brief but efficient; and soon we were confident in our ability to maintain the villa, and he continued on his way. Lastly, Mrs. Bortins herself was in our living room, ironing out Mandala rules such as a prohibition on entering the villas belonging to the opposite gender after ten at night, and confirming that it was alright for me to keep the caterpillar Mrs. Harvey had given me. Red Anna, Laura, and I initialed a packet containing everything Mrs. Bortins had talked about in written form, and then we were free for the rest of the weekend!
A while after we were released to our own devices, I was sitting in my living room with a small group of other fellows when we heard a slight commotion outside. Immediately giving into curiosity, I went outside where I found something completely unexpected-- a basketball hoop. A few of the others had also come to see what all the noise was about, and we all helped put it up. After a couple practice shots, I went to swing in Barnabas' hammock while I watched Seth and Chris play a one-on-one game of basketball. From my position I could also see some of the other guys as they started to grill up their dinner, making the air warm with the smell of burgers. I hardly realized how much time had passed when Barnabas came out from his villa, announcing to everyone that it was seven o' clock, and reminding us that the Swing lesson was being in the Mandala House classroom at eight. There was suggestion to bring swim suits for a swim after the dance, and then everyone went back to their business. I went back home to change into more appropriate clothes and to tell Red Anna and Laura that it was almost time to go. Once I was ready to go, I went back outside to see if anyone would need a ride to the Mandala House. I was amazed to discover that nearly everyone was going, with the exception of three or four guys who wanted to watch a movie instead. I ended up with a full car as Red Anna, Laura, Austin, Chris, and I made our way to the lesson.
Inside the classroom, the dance lesson had already begun. Zack came over to help show us the little bit we had missed, and then we paired up and tried our best to follow along with the music. It was very different from the dancing I'm used to, but it was fairly easy to learn as we all danced together. Our faces were grew flushed from adrenaline from dancing, and sometimes embarrassment whenever we made mistakes. Everyone was very supportive of each other as Zack showed us different moves we could use for Swing dancing, Barnabas helping wherever he could. The night passed quickly and eventually I had to stop for a rest. I watched as Harrison did some gymnastics in the back of the room, right behind Zack and Olivia as they practiced some cool swing variations. Red Anna was circling the room, snapping pictures of everyone as they danced and flipped.
Bored of dancing, a small group of guys watched as Ian tried to do some gymnastics in the back of the room. Being cautious at first, it took him a long while before his jumps began to even resemble a back-flip. Barnabas and Blonde Anna were keeping things classy on the dance floor, awing onlookers as they preformed dips and spins and all sorts of tricks; making mundane movements sparkle with glamour. True to his nature, Zack was leading Olivia in a very jazz-ified variation of swing, kicking and twirling across the carpet in a near frenzy. The rest of the fellows, including myself, had long since tired themselves out and so were resting themselves, sitting against the wall and watching the dancing and gymnastics. Altogether, the scene had a most peculiar mixture of energy and exhaustion.
William, having left the room a little while before, poked his head in the door to announce that he and three others were going to go swim in the lake, and that anyone was welcome to join. Hot and sweaty as I was, the invitation was too tempting for me to ignore. I left the room just as Ian was starting to pull off some stunts, even landing a few back-flips. Grabbing my bag from the couch, I made my way to the upstairs bathroom to change into my swimming suit. Once I had finished changing, I paused to look out over the loft banister. The night sky was visible through the large windows across the way; the stars looking like little pinpricks of light penetrating the black curtain above the trees. Just below me, there was a slight commotion as a figure collapsed himself into a kitchen chair. Ian, laughing as he did, propped his right foot up onto a chair in front of him. Two of the other fellows were attending him, and a third was putting ice into a Zip-Lock bag. Calling out Ian's name, I asked him what I had missed while changing. With his usual, somewhat cheeky smile, he told me that he twisted his ankle but that at least he landed the front flip. Torn between laughing and cringing, I made my way down the stairs to see for myself. He held the pack of ice to his ankle, but there was no sign of swelling yet. So after making sure that he didn't need any of my assistance, I made my way out the back door and down to the lake.
The moonlight was dim that night, and it took me a while to see where the swimmers had gone. A thin sliver of white was just visible beneath four dark blurs, marking the location of my companions to be near the sand bank: a good hundred yards from the dock. The swing music which wafted from the house dimmed into silence as I stepped into the cool lake water, an entertaining thought blooming in my mind as I slowly walked into deeper waters. Wearing dark colors as I was, it was easy for me to become camouflaged in the dark waters, giving me the perfect conditions to sneak up on the others. As soon as it was deep enough-- which, due to my shortness, was very soon indeed-- I shifted from walking into a stealthy swimming style, making nearly zero ripples and keeping only my nose and eyes above the surface. Very slowly as to not attract any attention, I steadily crept nearer and nearer to the other swimmers, their voices becoming more and more distinct even despite their backs being toward me. Finally, long after they had floated away from the sand bank, I caught up to them; but having no foothold, there was nothing for me to jump at them from, and so my plan was spoiled. Slightly disappointed, I settled for wading beside them just one or two inches away from William. I was actually surprised at how long it took for them to notice me; even when Will looked directly at me, it took him a few moments to figure out exactly what it was that was floating beside him. The tiny jolt that went through him was not nearly the response I was hoping for, but I still laughed before grabbing onto the long-board they were using to stay afloat.
Somewhat exhausted from dancing, not to mention the long swim, I relaxed while talking with the others and joking with William about how he thought I was a mermaid when he first spotted me. The other dancers eventually came outside to cool off, though Barnabas was still teaching a few moves on the dock. A small band of fellows had taken some flashlights and were catching frogs by the pond. Soft moonlight enveloped the whole scene in a gentile silver glow. A long time had passed before, car by car, we began to leave the Mandala House. One of the guys drove Ian's car back with its owner in the passenger seat, his feet still sore from the poorly landed front-flip. I drove with my windows down, letting the warm air flow through the my car. It had been a very satisfying night, and I personally had a lot to look forward to in the morning; and so, as soon as I had exchanged my swim suit for pajamas, I tucked myself into bed and fell asleep.
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