Nice people

After a rough night of not sleeping and thinking the most refreshing thing happened this morning! My dad and I went to Waffle House, a after church tradition. When we walked in we were welcomed and introduced to a lovely older couple! Her name was Verna and she quickly began complimenting me and my dad. We all sat down to wait for a table and she began to tell us about how her and her husband had been married 60 YEARS and met at the Marist (a local school here) prom all those years ago. She raved about her husband, constantly complimenting him about how wonderful he is and has always been! I was overwhelmed with how nice she was and the beautiful story of her life love. I only wish and hope that each person is able to experience that in their life. I feel like today if a person is hopeful about the future it is seen as naive and unrealistic. People ask themselves why they should believe in life happiness and happy endings. Yes we are faced with horrible situations everyday that allow us to think this way. However, happiness exists in the world between people. I am 100% sure of it.

Craft challenge!!!

Alright, I am making a craft challenge for myself! Do something crafty EVERYDAY! Maybe now I can finally finish all of the knitted gifts that I have promised everyone! And get some fun care packages together for some fun people! What have I done today? I hand stitched the back of the two baby blankets that I made! The blanket stitch that I learned in brownies has never been so helpful...

In other news: If you have not heard of "The Swell Season" then what are you doing??? This is one of the most beautiful bands of our generation! ...Or mine at least...

They speak of truth and beauty and belief. What more could we ask of our musicians? Please give them a listen! You will not be sorry!

Smile

I know that a smile is one of the few universal facial expressions thanks to psychology and anthropology classes. However, I never realized how universal the smile was until yesterday. I was in the park watching a really cute schmedium sized dog. The owner spoke spanish and was playing with his daughter. We spoke different languages, but for a second we both shared a smile. I know it sounds cheesy, but come on, I'm a cheesy person.

What I have thought about: This beautiful story

The man without a face, or rather a nose and his wife who still stands by his side. I almost started crying last night while watching this amazing story on the news. He choose to live without a face than die with one. His story is touching and I believe that everyone needs to hear about it.

In other news, I finished two baby blankets yesterday! My domestic skills are growing? I owned that bias tape!

Changing History?

What challenged me: Altering Books?

I feel like whenever textbooks get changed it is a super conservative party fighting that their children are learning material that is "too liberal" for their mind. It reminds me of parents thinking that their children will turn gay from reading Harry Potter. I saw on t.v. that Texas had voted to change their history textbooks. They wanted to change specific words in it to make them sound more "friendly," and add more information such as the Conservative resurgence. I just don't have a good feeling about this...

In other news: I am breaking out the sewing machine tomorrow!

Pondering Ideas

Today I talked to one of my best friends and it amazed me because we are still so alike! We both have similar world views and ideas.

Thing that challenged me today: religion as a deal breaker.

I like to think that I would be open to marrying someone of a different religion, and part of me thinks that I still would be ok with it. However, I don't want to go to church by myself. Also, I do not want to fight over what to raise children. Does this make me a less open person? Or a practical one?

Another thing that I pondered: Jane Austin

I picked up a Jane Austin novel thinking that I should read the classic work. However, I cannot actually understand anything that she wrote. I struggled with sentence after sentence wondering why a college student of nearly 20 could not understand it. Does this mean that I am not well read? Or does this mean that I am not and will never be an "english person?"

A third thing that has bugged me today: Oil spill

WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN FIXED? I am sure that this is wayy beyond my understanding of anything but I feel like it should have been fixed by now. Maybe I'm naive, but I just think that something should have been done by now.

Workout mania

I am in the process of visiting a gym in Atlanta. And let me honest, it's kicking my butt! (Some of it :) ) I have really enjoyed trying these new things that I have never tried before. This week I have tried kick boxing, boxing, and spin! I have never done ANYTHING like kick boxing before! And gheeze would I suggest it to anyone to get a good workout! I felt so powerful it was crazy! My new favorite move is kicking!

Today is also about to get very good very fast! Buy one get one free reeces freezes at Baskin Robins!!!!! I'm just going to tell myself that I can afford to eat one after my workout today!

My new favorite show: Minute to Win it! People are faced with challenges (weird ones) that they have to complete. The last person to finish is eliminated. Right now they just finished unwinding two rolls of party paper by making a windmill motion with their arm. It's a really cool show!

What's on my feet?

This is what got me thinking today--what is on my feet and why do you care? I am an avid chaco wearer, as I am sure of it that there are hundreds out there, and I constantly get flank from my family and friends about wearing them as much as I do. I wore them to church Easter sunday with a lovely dress (I was not dressed like a rag-a-muffin) and I am STILL not hearing the end of it. Why would God care what shoes are on my feet as long as I am in church? This is what I have a hard time with. One may say that I am not showing respect but I show up, give God my attention and meditation. I do not understand what could be more respectful about that?

Others have told me that I should "grow up" and stop wearing them. I am old enough to realize that they will not be worn to a job on a daily basis, nor did I wear them to my sister's graduation today. However, I do not understand why people will not get off of my case about this. Yes it may sound trivial but this made me think today so I am going to talk about it.

My favorite verse, 1 Samuel 16:7, which in blair language reads: "Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart." I'm in church, I'm living, learning and loving.

1st step that I am going to take this summer: stop criticizing, laughing at, or pondering people's clothing.

I know that I might sound crazy or something by saying something so materialistic but small steps and changes lead to bigger ones.

Big step for the summer: etsy shop. If it is even a good idea...which I think that it is!

Goodnight :)

Spent today with family

Well, nothing really stood out to me today in terms of challenge or thinking but it was a beautiful day of sorts. My sister is graduating from high school tomorrow and we have family in town, family who I rarely see in some cases. I find it both beautiful and stressful to see them, which seems to me that those two should not go together. I find it beautiful because I can sit in the kitchen and watch the news with my granddad, talk with my aunt and mom, and then go and play rock band with my cousins, sister, dad, and uncle. I also realized how much I laugh when everyone is together. I had the hiccups tonight and I could not hold my breath because I kept bursting out laughing! I think that is a good thing. Actually, I know that is a good thing. Laughing is such a great way to connect with people. A smile is one of the few universal facial expressions that everyone understands.

When I look at my face and see already the wrinkles that are forming by my eyes, and cheeks I wonder if that is a bad thing. I am about 20 years old, this should be seen as a bad thing. However, I believe that it is good, as the wrinkles are smile lines.

I hope that when I am old I have lots of smile lines and just as much as a "crackle" (as we call it in my house) laugh as I do now.

Well, now I am thinking and I am thinking about laughing. Maybe that is seen as naive or immature but I see it as a bridge. Call me eight years old, which lord knows sometimes I believe that I am eight, but laughter is important. Not just laughing, but smiling.

"Smile and people will wonder what you have been up to"

I am so grateful for my family coming together to celebrate my sister. I could not be more proud of her.

Home Now

Well, now I am home! And maybe now I'll actually write on this more.

So I'm going to write about things that inspire me, things that challenge me, things that get me thinking. Yes, this would be good for me to work on.

Sleep time? I stayed up until 4 am knitting...I am secretly 80 years old