There was just a soldier being interviewed from Afghanistan on TV
Looking at him I would have guessed he was in his mid-twenties
He's younger than I am
They were talking about the war in Afghanistan that's been going on since 9/11
Since he was in the sixth grade
With gel in his hair, a soccer uniform in the wash, dirty socks under his bed
But here he is today, a grown man fighting in the same war that started 7 years ago
I wonder if he even understood what was happening when this all started
And if he did, if he ever thought it could possibly still be the same today

What a sad thing to see things the way they really are

As if I don't feel guilty enough or apologize enough!
I hate being ill because you just feel miserable and so guilty, sending messages of remorse from your brain to your body without actually knowing what you've done to upset it
Hoping it forgives you in time for school the next day
The other day Sam mentioned in his sermon about how he often finds himself praying when he's feeling really ill, praying that God will make him feel better and in exchange he'll do good things and not bad things
When I fall ill, I pray to my body. I beg it to get better and not be so full of anger (in the form of a virus, of course) and in return I'll use better handsoap, wash my hair more often, eat more vegetables, etc.
But my body always stays bitter, denying my pleas and finding pleasure in my pain
No, I just do not appreciate being ill

Sometimes the best you can do is wait the night out
With a box of Girl Scouts' Thin Mints and a kitty at your feet
With a bed rumpled from tossing and turning
With your phone on silent but still close so you can see it blinking
With strangers' voices lulling and pitching
With The Weepies streaming from your computer speakers
With your eyes drooping, blinking, drooping again
With a worn out pep talk on repeat in the back of your mind
With a smile ready to deny that anything at all is the matter

Important note: If there is a question I don't wish to answer, I'll repeat the question back to you.
For example: "Hey Hillary, do you like french toast?" "Umm Hey (person), do you like french toast?"
F-Y-I

Let me take yo picture!


I'm falling way behind on Resolution #14 and I really need to work on my photos of people.

The most darling thing happened today
Background story: Audrey and I decided we wanted to go to Clementine's for dinner and a coffee drink for her and pumpkin cocoa for me. But the parking lot was full so we went across the street to Eastside Cafe for the first time. Everything was a slightly out of our preferred price range. Audrey asked if I was getting anything and I said I just didn't feel comfortable spending $12 on dinner without having planned on it.
Apparently the lady at the table next to us heard everything. After she left, a waitress came over with an envelope and told us the lady had overheard us and wanted to give us a gift certificate-- for $40. Isn't that just the sweetest thing? We want to do that for a group on Guadalupe, just hand them a gift certificate to Kerbey Lane or something.
Anyway, we invited Blake over for dinner since we hadn't seen him in a while and that $40 gift certificate was just enough to cover a meal for all of us.

I found out why there is a single red swing between the architecture building and the HRC on campus: redswingproject.org

In the running for best idea ever? Yes.

Today I received a bill for my hospital visit back in the Fall. For the two-hour visit during which I only saw a doctor for fifteen minutes and which left me in more pain than before. There wasn't even the usual procedure of shining that light in my ears or putting a Q-Tip down my throat, no tests or anything, nothing that would have cost anything- just a sadistic man telling me to move when I couldn't do so without screaming and/or crying. Apparently, I owe $107 for this waste of time that shaved at least a day or two off my life expectancy. And that amount is after what my insurance paid and such. Before all that, the bill in its entirety comes out to $1095. I'm not exaggerating, nothing was done for me except more harm, the doctor barely even touched me I was just instructed to move and handed a flyer on my condition and given a prescription. If it cost all that money for nothing, imagine what it costs for someone going in with the flu or after having just suffered a stroke. If you're still one of those holding out against universal health care, you're a ridiculous and sheltered person at present. I'm never stepping foot in a doctor's office or hospital again until something is done about the healthcare system. I don't care if it does lead to paralysis again, I don't even care if I'm dying. 'Ridiculous' is the only adjective I can even think of to describe all of this. I mean, I have something else to say about it, but I left that business in my other blog.

Do ya?
Do ya?
Do ya?




[Repeat post.]

Resolutions thus far...

1. Read (and finish!) at least 12 new books.

2. Visit the Tetons.

3. Run in at least 3 5k races.

4. Learn to cook.

5. Actually use my day planner.

6. Get/stay in shape.

7. Meditate more.

8. Worry less.

9. Buy a pair of TOMS every month.

10. Donate more to SaveDarfur.

11. Camp more often.

12. Photography: at least 4 days a week.

13. Have more faith in God.




Good start, I'd say!