For those of you who regularly read my blog, you may be wondering why the header of my blog is a picture of a camel in front of pyramids. The answer is not, “I love camels”, “I love pyramids”, or even, “I’m studying abroad in Egypt”. It is, in fact, much simpler my friends. I was bored of the old look of my blog and wanted something different. For some reason, when choosing a new theme for my blog the most aesthetically pleasing aspect to me is the name. Not what the actual theme looks like, just whatever the creator named it. Usually I go for a name that strikes me as particularly humorous or witty. This time I chose it because the theme was aptly named “Adventure Blog”. I’m not planning on having adventures in Egypt or around camels any time soon, however, I am gearing up for – Lord-willing – a year of adventures. Starting with a possible trip to China over spring break, and ending with study abroad in Valencia, Spain. There’s a lot of prayer and consideration that still needs to go into any of these endeavors, but even if I don’t end up going abroad, I know I’m still guaranteed many adventures this year. Because the Christian life is many things, but it’s never boring.
Cause I Struggle with Forward Motion
10 JanNight. My best rants always occur at this time. I’d like to begin by saying. . .
I’m so sorry! I realize most of you probably weren’t sitting at your computers with bated breath, refreshing my blog’s page, certain that there would be a new post. “If I can just click the refresh button a few more times. . .” However, that’s not to say I’m not sorry for beginning this blog and then promptly abandoning it when my workload became so great. I remember reading a list of tips on how to acquire and keep new readers of your blog. One of the recommendations talked about the importance of consistency. Even if you weren’t able to post a lot, you should still post as often as you can. Otherwise your readers will simply forget about you. I promptly took this advice and turned it inside out (which I’m all too prone to doing with any advice) so instead of small blog posts of a few paragraphs relaying some funny anecdote for the day, or some poignant reflection on my quiet times with the Lord, you receive a post of seemingly endless stream-of-consciousness about every other month. In order to embrace the new year and make a change, I’m not going to write anything else tonight, but rather, will leave you with this long-winded apology in the hopes that you’ll check the blog again sometime tomorrow afternoon. (At which time I plan on fully divulging what’s actually going on in my life! Te promeso)
p.s. Listen to this. It’s rad.
Oh, Hey There!
10 NovHeyyyy jealousy writer’s block. (Hehe did you appreciate that Gin Blossoms reference though?) In all honesty though, my situation is bad. Dire, in fact. I have FIVE drafts for blog posts. FIVE! And I can’t finish any of them. That’s ok though. Because when in doubt, what do I do? Make lists! So, I’ve compiled a random assortment of fun facts about myself and put them into lists of varying types/categories.
List #1 (Which is currently the shortest list) – “Things I used to hate that I now love”
- My hair. So unruly for so very very long. However, I’ve grown beyond a tolerance into full-blown love and appreciation for my funky locks. (Wowwww. Definitely just sounded like a sassy black woman. Moving on. . .)
- I vowed time and time again that I would never learn Spanish. I’m currently a Spanish major. (Also I’m pretty sure there are some serious consequences for people in the Bible who made vows and didn’t keep them/tried to back out of them. Jephthah’s vow in Judges 11 anyone? Ananias and Sapphira??)
- Rap/hip-hop. My music library is now made up almost entirely of those genres. 74.25% to be exact.
List #2 – “Things I hate strongly dislike.”
- When people wink at me.
- Steak.
- Profanity. Especially the use of it. But also just in general.
- Country music. (I should probably clarify that with this one I don’t strongly dislike it. I do, in fact, hate it. To quote the Grinch, “Hate, hate, hate. Double hate. Loooaathhee entirely.“
- Churros. Enough said.
- Riding on the Metro around D.C.
- Airports. (Don’t ask me why. I can’t give you an answer.)
- Crate & Barrel + Ikea Stores.
- The color yellow.
- Braids.
- My name. (Yeah, that’s right. It’s freaking sweet and I love it a lot.)
- Puns. And jokes that are Punny.
- The correct usage of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- The Oxford comma. (See previous. Look carefully.)
- The idea of reading books. (That is, I frequently derive more pleasure from imagining myself curled up in a cozy nook reading a good book, than I do from actually reading it.)
- SNL. And really any type of sketch and/or improv comedy.
My flesh may fail, but my God you never will.
25 OctSo this time I actually finished the work I needed to do before allowing myself to blog. The result? I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY. (Not entirely true. Duh. It’s me we’re talking about.) So instead, tonight I’m leaving you with two videos. Both are favorites. Although definitely not for the same reasons.
The first video up? Babies eating lemons for the first time. That needs no more explanation:
The second video may seem like a letdown after the first. But I love it for a different reason. This week I’ve realized that I’m very much in recovery. Mostly recovery from myself. I’m such a doer. Which I know is a good thing for the most part. After all, when we read scripture we’re commanded to not only be hearers of the Word, but also doers. However, sometimes in my “doing” I also forget that special command to “Be still and know that I am God.” I’m not sure I even know how to be still anymore. Obviously I’d love to blame school, but my selfish heart will always be coming up with excuses for why I’m running around frantically, trying to do things that will please my Lord, rather than just resting at His feet. I was reminded of this when I was home this past weekend. I was home for rest. And while my family did indeed do an amazing job of restoring and refreshing me, I still craved rest for my weary soul. (And yes, it is weary. I’m not being melodramatic.) As I was trying to do yet another homework assignment – thinking this time I’d feel at peace upon its completion – a song by Audrey Assad came onto my Pandora station. The lyrics? “I am restless, ’til I rest in You.” Boom. Ok. Yep. Thanks God. Got it. No pot of coffee, no Jane Austen movie marathon (don’t judge), no completed homework task, nothing will give me rest nor will I ever cease to be restless until I’m resting in You. (Which I hardly need to point out that I haven’t been.)
All of that to say that I heard one of Canon’s new singles tonight, and while normally my doer-self would shy away from Canon’s lyrics encouraging the listener to “run away”, tonight my thirsty soul is saying “How soon can I leave?”
p.s. I don’t actually intend to run away. Although my favorite outdoor location is calling my name for tomorrow morning’s devo time 
“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” – Isaiah 46:4
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. . . But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” – Psalm 73:25-26;28
I used to think that. . .
21 OctMy future husband would most likely be the man to whom I would say, “Sure sweetheart. I’ll wear shorter heels”
Ok so even I’ll admit that this was a pretty strange way to start a blog post. But these are the things that run through my mind in the midnight hours. (Which is why I usually hold myself to a strict rule of writing during daylight hours only.)
I wish I could unpack that statement a little. But I was just as confused when it first entered my head as you probably are reading it now. I wish I could say that it shows my readiness to submit to my future husband. But frankly, any male that could be foolish enough to try to get me to wear shorter heels once married, would most likely not be smooth enough to even take me on a first date. Harsh? You betcha! But that statement hurts a whole lot less than my animal print stilettos sinking into the delicate flesh between his toes when he makes a snide comment about my height. (I may or may not have crushed a few toes in my day. . .)
Anyways, back to the original statement. I guess all I can say is that I suppose I’m currently in a place of selfishly wanting to wear the highest heels I want, when I want, without worrying about intimidating a guy. (I also may or may not derive a certain satisfaction from seeing a guy squirm when I stand a solid 5-6 inches taller than him. It’s things like that that remind me I shouldn’t be surprised to still be single.) My heart just isn’t quite in a place to put someone else’s comfort and desires above my own. (Within the context of marriage, that is.)
So what is the moral of the story? Will I marry some guy a mere 2-3 inches taller than me and thus subject myself to a life of ballerina flats and sandals? Only time will tell. I guess I envision something along the lines of one of these two scenarios:
Scenario #1 – I continue to run (sometimes literally) around in heels until my ankles shatter and my PT tells me I have to wear gross orthopedic nurses shoes, in which case, “Helloooo Mr. Five-Ten”
Scenario #2 – I marry someone a good 6 inches taller, who happens to love my penchant for wearing 4-6 inch heels and makes no snide remarks about my height. Nor will he cower in fear when I stand next to him in all my Christian Louboutin glory.
I don’t know about you, but I’m waiting it out for #2
It’s That Time Again!
29 SepYep, you guessed it, study time!
So naturally I’m blogging, blah, blah, blah. You’ve heard it all before. I have nothing to say. But I do just wanna brag on my school a minute. It is HOT yo. I’m not even joking. Call me biased but I’m obsessed with the architecture and beauty of some of these buildings and places. So instead of writing today, I’m spamming you with a bunch of pictures of my favorite buildings/places here at school. Enjoy!
2nd Floor - The Rotunda
Back of Campbell Hall - School of Architecture
Another view of Campbell Hall - School of Architecture
Brooks Hall - There's something so looming and slightly creepy about this building. It kind of reminds me of a haunted house. Add that to the fact that I've never been inside and boom, instant recipe for a runaway imagination
A picture from the tooootally SWEET museum that used to be in Brooks Hall. Sadly, it closed in the 1940's.
The McGregor Room A.K.A. The Harry Potter Room - It's a sweet room. That looks like it's been lifted out of the Gryffindor common room. It's magical. No, seriously. I go in there with mountains of homework and I emerge with nothing left to do.
South Lawn Commons - Sweeeet building. Which includes a Starbucks. And great study spaces. And it's won a bunch of awards too. Mostly to do with sustainability. Since we're so green like that.
South Lawn Commons - Interior: Inside South Lawn Commons. So bright. I love it.
UVA Chapel - This is probably such a favorite since I'm a complete sucker for Gothic architecture which is (obviously) in short supply here.
The Lawn - The Lawn. In the fall. Duh. Winning.
Hopefully that peaked your interest enough to come visit these beautiful places (and me!) If not, well, I have nothing more to say to you.
