. . .

The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes ‘awwww!’
[ Jack Kerouac ]

Words of Wisdom

"Verbalizing your fears makes you see them for what they really are... which is completely irrational."
- My roommate Madison

Quote of the Day

While discussing a Bollywood film adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula in my capstone class...

Professor: "Does anyone want to watch a clip of Dracula violently inseminating a poor village woman?"

One person raises their hand.

Professor: "Okay! Let's watch it!"

Amen, Sister

Yes, ma'am. I couldn't agree more.

Seriously though. It amazes me that a five-year-old girl can put exactly into words what I was trying inarticulately to describe to my roommate Madison the other night.

"I don't care if I marry you. I don't care if I marry another man. I care... if I do something that's special."

The View on My Walk

"Exercise gives you endorphins.
Endorphins make you happy.
Happy people just don't shoot their husbands."
-Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde

I have finally, after almost three years of college, created a work-out routine that fits in comfortably with my class schedule. Even now, I only go two times a week. But hey, it's better than nothing.

Despite the cold weather, and maybe because of all those endorphins, I love my walk home after the gym. It's still early, so there aren't very many people out, and the air is still crisp and fresh.

And most days, to shorten my walk, I get to meander through the football stadium.

*taken with phone

Without thousands of fans to put the place in perspective, it actually looks quite small.

Weird to think I'll never see a game there as a student again.

The Vagina Monologues

"I am woman. Hear me roar!"

.
..
...

Sorry. Had to get that out.

I saw The Vagina Monologues this evening with my roommates, and it was fantastic -- like it is every year. In fact, this is my fourth time attending the awesomeness that is the Monologues, and I absolutely love it every time.

My favorite part about the Monologues is that they are all so honest and open. To me, it's fantastic the way each monologue can -- through beautiful language, plenty of metaphors, and a sprinkling of vulgar humor -- perfectly describe complex emotions about intensely personal things like a woman's sexuality. Things that aren't talked about very often, and words that aren't used very often, are thrown out in the open and discussed, analyzed, and celebrated. And, in the case of words like c*nt, reclaimed.

I love every part of the show (and the book). And while I wasn't able to participate in the performance this year (due to prior commitments and stupid things like missing the audition date), I haven't yet given up on the goal of participating in at least one performance during the course of my lifetime.

In fact, I think that's officially going on my Bucket List. Get excited.

Acting as Cupid's Emissary

Because dinner is "free" for me on Mondays and Wednesdays, I stopped by my sorority house for a delicious meal this evening. Now that I cook for myself most nights, I practically crave homemade meals prepared by someone else. Where the food just magically appears, and I don't have to do the dishes.

And the food has gotten so much better since I moved out. Not fair.

But not my point.

I got here a bit early, before dinner was set out (buffet style), so I opened up my laptop to get some work done. I was deep in concentration, trying to decide if I had enough curiosity to click on a YouTube link someone had posted on Facebook, when I heard a knock on the door.

Which is pretty unusual.

Usually people either automatically get into the sorority house because they live here and have a key code, or they ring the doorbell.

No one else was milling around the lobby or front door area at the time, so I got up to answer the door.

On the other side was a timid looking fellow, who handed me a note.

"Can you give this to Kirbi?"

"Kirbi who?"

He told me her last name, but didn't know what room she was in. Neither did I. I don't live here anymore, and my grasp on the names of the freshmen and sophomores is vague at best.

But I asked around, and luckily found her up in the second floor TV lounge with a couple friends.

"Kirbi?"

"Yeah?"

"A gentleman at the front door just left this for you."

Her friend shot up from the couch. "No way! Again?!"

Kirbi grabbed the letter eagerly, and opened it with a huge grin.

There's something wonderfully heartwarming about being a messenger. I'm still smiling.

Ah, young love.

But seriously. If a guy decides he wants to write me love notes and mysteriously drop them by my house or place of work, I wont complain. I'll melt, actually.

Puddle of mush.

My friends would be routinely wiping me up off the floor.

I'm just so happy now. It's amazing how being a part of a moment like that, even from the very outside, feels so . . . fulfilling.

. . .

When life pokes and prods you, it is not punishment or abuse. You are being pushed out of the nest. Spread your wings and take flight. See how well you can fly. 

- Melody Beattie

This is me this weekend...

(from here)

I am having the hardest time thinking of things to write about. I’ve done some painting — finally finished a couple half-completed paintings that have been sitting around the house — but no writing.

Nothing productive at all, really.

I read a blog post today by a guy who claims that the best way to get into the flow of writing (or anything creative) is to remove your sense of time. Take the clock off the wall or laptop bar. Lose yourself in the moment, don’t care how long you’ve been at the same painting/blog/story, and just keep going until your imagination decides it needs a break and simply stops producing.

That’s great and all, but it requires actually getting started on something.

Which is where the difficulty lies.

I am currently inspiration-less.

I should follow my own favorite quote about chasing inspiration with a stick. But I’m too lazy. Running seems like a difficult task today. So instead I’ll just complain.

And I’ll leave you with some awesome new blogs I just found. Which should make up for what I lack, since these blogs are frickin’ awesome. I want to be like these people.

Enjoy!

The Everyday Minimalist

Maya Beus

Mink Blog

In Honor of Presidents Day Weekend...

(from here)