Issues I'm Passionate about
Quote of the Week:
What does it mean to "Grow Up?" (12/17/2007)
I often say, "I want to be just like her when I grow up!" People tend to laugh. I guess it's funny to think that an "adult" would refer to herself as having yet to "grow up." In truth, I have stopped getting taller, so there is no more "up" for me to grow. But since when are humans that literal? If someone says "I'm in bad spirits," nobody assumes they're wading around in a vat of wine...but I digress.
I feel like I grew up in a lot of ways this past year. I suppose the biggest milestones for me were moving out of my family's house and learning to budget so I can pay rent on time 8-P. Perhaps earning my first B and becoming a vegetarian should be on there too. The thing that I think I grew the most from, however, was my relationship with Randy. Two weeks before my 20th birthday, Randy became my first kiss. After almost three years of trying to ignore my childish crush, we both accepted the inevitable and tried dating. My first relationship was with my older brother's best friend. How cliche is that? Well, a number of people thought he "wasn't good enough for me," himself included (or so he says ;-P). But he was good for me, and even after he broke my heart, I'll fight with anyone who says otherwise. Here's why: Randy was the first person, outside of my family, who ever made me feel like I am special for more than just being able to get an A on a paper. Basically, he taught me to be proud of everything about me, and to relax and have some fun once in a while. If you think I have gone off on a tangent, well, I guess I kind of have, but it is related, and I'll prove it...
I think growing up (physically and metaphorically) can be summed up as a systematic shift in one's views of herself (sorry for the gender bias here) and the world around her. This year, my physical vantage point has stayed the same (I see from about 63 inches off the ground), but I interpret what I see differently now than I did when the year began (this is the part where I'm proving that my tangent was related, lol). Next year, I'm sure I'll interpret it differenly still. Isn't it all growth? In retrospect, perhaps I should modify my opening statement to "I want to be just like her while I'm growing up," because the day I'm done growing up is going to be the day I stop living (senile dementia notwithstanding).
It should never take this long.... (11/13/2007)
How long has it been since you've looked at the stars? I realized tonight that I can actually remember the last time that I stopped everything else to admire the stars....not because there was an impending meteor shower or something unusual occurred, but just to stare into sky. It was Spring of my freshman year. Erica and I were out and we decided to take a break in a field and do a bit of star-gazing. This thought was sparked by my noticing that there are no clouds inhibiting the view tonight...unfortunately, I was on my way to work, so there was no time to stop and enjoy the view. I gave in for a minute or so, though....I gave in to the beauty, the admiration, and that feeling of blissful insignificance....for one minute. Not nearly enough....and this is what brings me to my new list (maybe monthly is more realistic than weekly):
Things that should occur more often than once every two years:
--- Star-Gazing....naturally
--- Cleaning your car (8-P...I'm still trying to perfect this one)
--- Skinny dipping
--- Eating s'mores (or some camp food...for all those vegetarians who don't eat marshmallows...)
--- Running through a sprinkler (yes, this one certainly applies to adults....)
--- Giving something you care about to someone else because they need it more (not necessarily object-oriented)
--- Laughing for no reason
--- Dancing in the rain (did this one last night....it's splendid......for those who are so inclined, I imagine some variation such as running through a nature park in the rain is an adequate substitution)
--- Give your spare change to the person on the side of the road....without wondering what he/she is going to do with it
--- Write a letter
--- Read a book just for fun
--- REALLY read a book just for fun...no literary analysis....I mean it, Caitlin!
--- And take a day off from what you usually do...perhaps that means you sit at home and do nothing...perhaps it means you stop doing nothing and get out of the house for a change....just mix it up.
Me and Mr Darcy (10/01/2007)
So, I started reading this book called Me and Mr. Darcy today. LOL, if you don't know, I'm a pretty big Pride and Prejudice fan, and I was once even named Most Likely to Marry Mr. Darcy. So, given the circumstances of the past few days.....and my constantly feeling like I'm going to be sick.....I started this new book. It is actually quite entertaining considering how stupid it is. And the point is....read it! Which leads into the actual point of this blog. I have decided to come up with a weekly list of some kind to post (we'll see how long this lasts 8-P). This week's list is---Must-Reads According to Kelsey!!!
--- Pride and Prejudice (duh)
--- The Time Traveller's Wife
--- On Walden Pond
--- The Poisonwood Bible
--- Utopia
--- The Good War
--- The Color Purple (obvi)
--- America by Jon Stewart
--- The Lovely Bones
--- Civil Disobedience
--- All of the Harry Potter books
--- Sybil
--- and Death in Venice (best class reading assignment I've ever had!)