So I got my grades back for the spring quarter at Pacifica. I got a B+ in Orphic Traditions(which is fine, that class was a waste of time, and I skipped half of the last day), an A- in Psyche and Nature(which is also fine, I’m happy I did so well), and an A in Buddhist Traditions.

Even better than those good grades, though, is the following paragraph in response to my Buddhist paper, from the chair of the program:

“This is a fine paper. The research is good, the writing is clear, and your conclusions are effectively argued. I think what I like the most is this: (1) You chose to look at traditions not covered in the course, (2) to consider how Buddhism has changed during its history and as a result of its interaction with other cultures, and (3) this entailed some comparative analysis. I receive very few papers of this kind even though I think this kind of research is important and requires more thinking that[sic] more descriptive papers. So I applaud you for this undertaking.”