Some words.

Today has been one of those days that I think everyone experiences every once and a while. I have been in the weirdest mood, haven’t really felt like doing anything social, and I’ve been going through all of my belongings throwing things out. I’m kind of in this weird limbo. I’m about 70% sure that after I graduate, I will be moving to Los Angeles, and so I’ve been throwing things away that I know I just won’t have room for or don’t need in LA… which is kind of risky, because what if I’m not moving? Oh well… we shall see in the next two weeks.

Well, in this master cleanse of my room and closet, words have been sticking out to me.

First of all, the words “HIS HANDS” have kind of been drawn on several visible places in my room. It’s kind of a constant reminder that really, I am not in control of the situation- He is. Just seeing those words kind of brings me away from that stress of the unknown.

Secondly, I came across my very old and faded copy of The Consolation of Philosophy- It’s one of the best books I have ever read. And yes, you probably have never heard of it. But it’s amazing. Written by the imprisoned Boethius in the AD 520s, it is almost an autobiographical depiction of his feelings in prison. His writing is absolutely incredible. One of my favorite lines is “In all adversity of fortune, the most wretched kind is once to have been happy”. It reminds me of that LCD Soundsystem song “Someone Great” and the lyrics “The worst is all the lovely weather… the coffee isn’t even bitter”….

And then I came across three or four gift cards that I didn’t know I had…

But then I found a note from my best friend Brennwyn that she wrote to me to go along with my Christmas present this year. I’ll give you a little excerpt. “This is a silly gift, but I just wanted to give you a little something from the vision you gave me of your ‘corner of the world’ that you want one day”. She gave me some huge Gerber daisies and bottles of San Pellegrino. Well it’s funny that she wrote me this note, because in my note to her, I referenced the same dream of hers. It’s just fascinating to me that we would both care enough to write a note… I am not one to think of cards on a regular basis… but then to have both of us reference our shared dream was just really special. I needed to be reminded of that tonight.

I just found a pen I got in London. It's one of those pens with some liquid in it... and things move. You know the ones. Well, the scene in the pen is the Beatles walking across Abbey Road. That makes me pretty happy that I found that too.

Dancing Bear Pub

So yesterday I celebrated the fact that I had NOTHING TO DO by spending some quality time with my friends. For the first time in two weeks I wasn't working on a paper, project or studying for a test. It was the best feeling in the world. Well me & my girlfriends went to George's (the quasi-famous bar) for dinner and then on to Dancing Bear PubDancing Bear is a pub right by my house that attracts a very diverse crowd of hipsters, frat boys, and law students. It's pretty mellow with tall booths and bad acoustics. That aside, we had fun, and for once I felt like I could just relax.

It's the End of the World as We Know it.

Oh Diesel. I didn't think your ad campaigns could get worse than this fall with your "Be Stupid" message. (i.e. "Smart has the brains. Stupid has the balls."). Apparently it can. Diesel's website is currently flashing pictures of women (and I guess men) in lewd positions and passive stances plastered with the bold print- "SEX SELLS *Unfortunately we sell jeans". My mother would die.




I know we all have our right to do whatever the hell we want, but these ads don't appeal to me. They don't make me want to buy Diesel even though I love the jeans. I dunno. I think that the ads just objectify women and I don't want to wear a brand that puts out that message.

Now & Then

This is hysterical.

Some things I like

• using my dog, Cooper, as a pillow
• sneaking alcohol into movie theaters
• driving with the windows rolled down
• yellow cake with chocolate icing
• gladiolas
• completing crossword puzzles before bedtime
  

Story of my Life: "I've read a book about that"

Pretty well known fact about me: I like to read. Like, a lot. Being an avid reader is like being a serious runner.

When I'm running a lot, it's all I can think about. When will I be able to run next? How many miles can I fit in to my hectic day? I want to run right now... My entire body anticipates the hour or so I spend running every day... and then the run itself is tough, tougher, but when I push through the pain it's exhilarating.

Well, the same goes for reading. If I make a serious effort to be reading things that interest me, I'm able to shut out distractions and read... and read, and read. I'll go through one book, and then want to start another- and another- and another. I like it when people see me reading a book that isn't required. They're like, totally impressed by it.

Well anyways, yesterday was the last day of school for me this week (since I go to a Baptist University... they give us a four day weekend for Easter... it's absolute heaven). Well, I went to my seminar class and about half of the class had skipped, so there weren't many people there, but it made our discussion so much better! (Dr. D- don't hate me for what I'm about to onsay) Most of the girls who skipped were the girls that don't really contribute intelligently to conversation, if you know what I mean.

To continue, I have to share with you that I had one of those "it's almost a long weekend" attitudes... you know, where you've worked so hard all week and you're exhausted and all you can think about is sleeping in or playing outside or eating a homemade meal or whatever. Well... I get a more than a little obnoxious during this time. I tend to be very active in discussion and then get a little mean or a little sarcastic or something. I don't really know how to describe it.

So yesterday, we were discussing the history of child labor and sweatshops and whether or not we thought that Americans care about buying clothing made in America. (Americans don't really care- but they should). Well we started by talking about how at the turn of the twentieth century, factory jobs in America were good jobs and how women would come into the cities from the country to work in them. It was kind of like going to college- women would live in dorms, play bridge and drink lemonade after work, and then meet a man and get married. Well, eventually, the factory owners were taken over by profit-driven business tycoons, and these quaint little factories turned into sweatshops. Well, I had to raise my little hand and say, "well Dr. D, have you read "Sister Carrie"?" (Sister Carrie is a novel by Theodore Dreiser... it was written FOREVER AGO, and I bought it in high school because I read about it in my American History book. talk about nerdy.) I kept going... telling my brief recollection of what the book was actually about, pretty much just talking without saying anything important. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever actually read more than thirty pages of this book. Oops.

Continuing our discussion, we moved on to child labor (I went off on one of my pro-child labor rants) and eventually we began talking about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, and after speaking for a few minutes, my stupid long weekend attitude made me say "I've read a book about that too", in a tone that just isn't my norm. I hope I didn't come across as seriously rude, but I feel like I may have. At least I was telling the truth- I did read a book about it. (And I actually read the entire thing!)

So today is Friday, and I'm enjoying the beginning of my long weekend, and thankfully my bitchy attitude is long gone. I may go home and read a book today.