dancing machine :)

so today was an amazing day and i am absolutely exhausted. I am an Alternative Spring Break trip leader (yay) and today was our fall retreat from 10-5. We did a million team building acitivities and even the challenge course at the CRC in the rain...Despite the wet and cold, I learned alot...such as everyones names through the dancing machine game, which is a plus since we have been together for a few months already and I was still having a few naming diffuculties. I think ASB trip leaders are such an interesting group the more I think about it. We are all from different cultures and are involved in such a variety of other things around campus. I feel really lucky to be a part of the group because I know I am going to learn an incredible amount from not only my actual trip, but from them as well. Some of them have travelled an incredible amount, or have very different religions, or are even exchange students currently! I nust admit, I am a tad bit worried about the huge responsibility of leading a trip into the unknown, and dealing with a huge issue, such as education, that alot of people feel passionate about. But at the same time, it is so exciting and I know I am capable and that this expierience is going to be life altering without a doubt. Each trip is so different yet we have the same goals, to better ourselves and the world. Today was a great foundation for us as a group and I just wanted to write about it because an essential part of ASB will be reflecting on what we do so I figured why not practicce now?? I cant wait for our training to progress even more in the next months to come...so overall, great day. this week was amazing too cuz it was MY BIRTHDAY!! but no need to bore you with those activities haha..ok i would keep writing but I have become too exhausted to continue...nap time!

stacks on decks

dei is sleeping on the couch next to me, liz is sitting in the chair watching vh1, and im blogging..what a friday night. i am exhausted/want to get ready for the day tomorrow. To update you on my week, it was pretty much horrible and im loving the fact that its over. i had an insane amount of work and random stuff to do...and the ultimate bad part of it is that i sprained my ankle playing soccer on sunday night, and was on crutches monday, tuesday, and wed. Being handicapped around campus sucks so bad, even though i got to ride the cripple bus haha...everything takes twice as long to do which just makes me a hundred times more stressed out when i have no time. My arms are so jacked, and my entire body is sore. i still had to go to work for some crazy reason (i just sat around and did nothing since i obviously couldnt guard people on crutches). The timing of course is terrible because we have our first club bball tourny tomorrow and im in prime training time for the half marthon (21 days til race day). I realized how addicted to exercise i am, because i feel so disgusted that i did not work out for four days because of this. Today, i went to the gym and biked, elipticaled, and swam, which was pretty intense but im glad i did it. Im planning on playing again on monday i think. This whole week has made me realize how awesome my friends are because they have been assisting me so much and doing everything for me. Like sometimes i do take my friends for granted but this week bought me back into seeing how lucky i am...so thanks anyone who reads this. shoutout to james, im sorry you had such a bad streak of luck but i love you :) we had staff advisor interviews for ASB today and it made me realize how much you can tell about a person from five minutes of talking to them...it made me think about how i come off to people...hmmmm...well my birthday is coming up on tuesday and i dont know how i feel about it. kinda not excited yet but that will prob change. hopefully anyway...ok its bedtime for me and my lame self...love you all

"cuz everybody know it aint trickin if you got it" :)

You are not your mind.

So I want to tell everyone about the current obsession in my life: The Power of Now. Its a book by Eckhard Tolle, who is a spiritual teacher, but not for a particular religion. In the book, he references Buddha, Jesus, along with many other religions. But the book is very thought provoking and in my opinion presents an awesome outlook on life. I am not even halfway done with it because it takes a long time to analyze and comprehend but basically, the book is about how you are a prisoner of your mind. It is saying that all negative thoughts, actions, and emotions come from your mind having control over you. It introduces this concept of the Now, and how when you are truely in the present, you are at peace and enlightened. It urges you to throw away the concept of time except when completely nessacary because really what does time mean? All we do have is Now, the present moment. The book talks about how dwelling in the past is letting your mind abuse you, because once you learn your lesson from the past, it is over and done with. There is no point iin thinking about it. Same with the future. If you do not live in the current moment, all you are thinking about is the future, which is not a way to live. The concept of you disconneectinig yourself from your ego will free you. There is so much to think about in this book, and it is very uncomfortable because it is saying that most humans live this way, and that you have to be aware; a watcher of your mind to really change. I think Tolle has an amazing way to approach life, and even if everything he says isnt true to a T, the general ideas he has in here are pretty solid. I really do believe in the Now, and I do believe that each of us can be spiritually enlightened on our own, no matter what religion and no matter what kind of expieriences we have had.



"Forget about your life situation for a while and pay attention to your LIFE." -The Power of Now

you're so last summer...

Wowwww...so I havent written since school started...I could have called that lol..but yea this week has actually been insane. I am so relieved/less stressed knowing that its almost over and my sis and mom are coming to the football game this wekeend vs Cal. I would tell you all about it but in fear that it will just further stress me out, I am going to skip over that junk. I just got back from the wife's place. Me, Dei, Tori and Ash made a list of all of the qualities we would want in a perfect bf but I dont think there is a single person on the entire Earth that encompasses all of the traits we were looking for. With Tori's music requirements,Dei's desire for a man with an extensive vocabulary, Ashleys veggie loving ways, and my longing for a nature loving baller, there is no pleasing us all. Then, the ever so talented wife of mine began to make the Gingerbread house playlist...which of course consists of theme songs for us all describing all lives. it is quite the list and def not finished yet...So, then I attempted to do my physics lab and learn chem until Benfer and Liz and Clara and drunk Mikey came over and commented on how interesting my Thursday nights were and how they were so jealous that I was spending it rewriting my Organic Chemistry notes. So I got guilted into stopping my work and having two beers and playing scene it boys vs. girls (one of our fav. games). Now I'm home and exhausted. I know its only the second week of class but I think I maybe got 20 hours of sleep this whole week. So, off to bed. Love you allll <3

"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."