Modern communication makes me feel talented

I am not talented.

This is not uncommon knowledge. I can't sing or act, I'm not all that smart. My writing leaves something to be desired and a good half of my friends have the pathological need to correct my grammar (the latter does not amuse me, they do not seem to care). Something, however, does make me feel talented:

Would it impress you to know that as I write this I'm carrying on 2 text conversations, 3 facebook chats, and a skype phone date?

Probably not. But it does make me smile when I can keep all the information from these conversations straight and respond in-kind.

Props to modern technology for making subsequent generations of humans victims of ADD, but awesome instant communicators/information gatherers. Jewelry will never catch my attention like my text ringtone or that little beep that sounds when my friends facebook message me.

Shiny things probably never saw this one coming.

All Hail Queen of the Non-Sequiturs!

I've spent an amazing amount of time recently considering the past 5 years of my life. This I suppose is nothing too out of the ordinary for a newly minted graduate. JMU was the worst and best decision of my life. I'm glad its over. I'm terrified. I have never not been a student. I'm not sure what the world is like outside the context of my sparkling ivory tower, but I would like to find out. This was the main motive behind my choice not to apply to grad school this year. This and lack of funds available to take the GRE. I would have found the money for the GRE though, if I had really been ready to take it.

I'm fairly certain I could fall into almost any profession and be at least moderately happy, except doctor-ing or anything to do with Calculus. I'm also fairly certain that you couldn't simply fall into any profession that included those things, so I think it'll all turn out alright.

Here's to leaping! Something I have rarely had the option to do. Something I'm excited to attempt.

Spending time in Texas was WONDERFUL, a little bit warm for my taste, but still wonderful. 2 years it has been, since I have seen my amazing friend Liz and I am so happy I got to spend time with her and her family. I hope I can make another stop by Texas some day in the not-too-terribly-distant future.

Sometimes I don't leap when I should. Sometimes I over-think. This is really getting to me.

To end this on a positive note, I leave you with this simple equation:

Dallas + wonderful friends = AMAZING.

Well, here we go again

Classes begin again on Monday.

Oscar Wilde once said "When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers."

Here I am, thinking that for all that goes wrong, just enough goes right to make life worth it.

I'm ready for the latter half of that statement to come true.

Here I am life; beat me up or knock me down.

2010 will be my best one yet.

Mid-December Lull

So I've reached that point in the year where things slow down. Exams are over, and my life is in that odd anti-climax stage. It's weird because Christmas is coming and everyone is stressed and crazy, buying the "perfect gifts" and making sure the house looks just right.

I just don't get it. It is a cultural universal that holidays are supposed to be times of happiness, but people spend so much time trying to impress everyone that people don't really get to be happy. I would rather see my family happy, in a house that is less than perfectly clean, than unhappy in a sterile environment. I wish everyone would just stop trying so hard. Something will happen, there might be dust on your chandelier or the biscuits might burn. Isn't the important thing, particularly in this time of economic doom and destruction that we just remember that having people to hold on to is 1000 times better than dust-free window ledges?

I'm not sure people see it that way. Just ask my mother.

There are some things about the holidays I will never understand.

Thank You

For great lengths of time, I forget that this thing exists.
Taking a page from the book of my friend I think I will spend this blog on the things for which I am thankful. I sometimes must remind myself that life, though endlessly confusing and often frustrating, is always special. Special in 100,000 little ways I'm usually too busy to notice.

So to God, or the Universe, or that Great Cosmic Coincidence that somehow led to this life, I thank you so much for:

-peanut butter
-facebook
-skype/skype dates (sundays would be sad without you guys, though arguably more productive)
-Alternative Break trips
-ice cream
-Professors who believe in me
-my body (for continuing to function, despite my poor decision-making skills)
-Brick walls made of flesh
-People unafraid to speak the truth
-free coffee
-Opportunities
-Lessons learned
-hugs
-Glee! Bones, and Firefly DVDs
-Trany-voices
-Computers that flawlessly obey Murphy's Law
-Ween!
-Take Back the Night
-Trips without destination
-Spontaneous family dinners
-Green Valley Book Fair
-Grafton
-Avante: specifically Martha and Mabel
-Buses
-My ability to walk
-Photography
-Memories
-Classes that make me feel like I'm really learning something

And of course wonderful family and friends, who let me be me, regardless of how unappealing I am sometimes.

THANKS!

Words don't visit me as poems anymore.

For some reason, after all that has happened, that is the only thing I still have the heart and desire to mourn.

I will always love words, but they don't speak to me like they used to.

Sorry for the sadness, but it has been a weird day.

This blog is now titled incorrectly: I am no longer in Scotland.

Sad.

I'm in my last semester here at JMU and feeling slightly stressed about it. I've committed myself to enough organizations that I don't really have time to think, much less worry about the future, so all is well there. These are the things I have devoted my weeks to:

TA-ing for GANTH 196
Working at Market One
Advertising Chair for Taking Back the Night
Fundraising Co-Chair for Alternative Breaks
Leader Mentor for Alternative Breaks
Fundraising Chair for Anthropology Club
Volunteering at Avante Nursing Home
PNOLA Participant

It can be quite busy.

I don't know what else to say, I'm not particularly adept at talking about myself.

Sorry this isn't more interesting. I can't think of any good vignettes to share. Perhaps next time.