and just like that, I'm addicted to chapstick...

This afternoon, I reached into my bag to find my chapstick, and oh no! I couldn't find it! The most surprising part of this moment was the panic that set into my heart. How would I survive the rest of the day without it? And then I stopped as I realized: I am addicted to chapstick. When did this happen? I distinctly remember what seems like just yesterday when I didn't even own chapstick. It just happened, one moment, one use at a time. [This post isn't about addiction. Though that is about how those things happen...so it could go that direction easily, I guess.]

Just like the three feet of snow that seems to have melted in a moment. It just took one degree of warmer weather, one day at a time. It is those small things that happen when we aren't watching that add up to our future. I have been reading this book called A New Earth: Awakening To Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. This was an Oprah book club selection and I got it awhile ago. The book is not really what I would call normal. In fact, sometimes he is a bit out there, and I have to read it with an open mind and imagination to see how what he is saying might resonate with truth I know. Surprisingly, I feel that it does, for the most part. His purpose is to discuss overcoming our ego.

Anyway, the part I am loving right now is his idea of living in the present. Not a groundbreaking idea, I know. But for me it kind of is. For someone who studies and looks to the past, sometimes I get caught there. And often I am too worried about the future to be in the Now, as he calls it. But the only time that exists is now. It is what we do with this moment that makes our past okay and the future better. We only have this precise moment to work with. The past doesn't exist anymore as a moment we can do anything about. The future doesn't exist yet. It is just this moment that we have to work with.

Okay...I am going to be late for class. Yikes!

In the Spirit of the Olympics

I love the Winter Olympics. Don't get me wrong, I also love the Summer ones too...but honestly, how can you not just love the Olympics where Curling is a sport! I love watching that and so many other events (um, skiing!). Here we have athletes that generally aren't household names year round. I mean, without the Olympics, would many of us know about Lindsey Vonn? Maybe... Some, for sure. But now everyone is cheering for her. At the Olympics, these athletes have trained and given up so much of their lives for a few moments, however short. In those moments they hope that the hard work pays off, and in sometimes minutes and seconds they know. It is that great sense of accomplishment of the sporting world.

But sometimes, even with all the great Olympic spirit, I am reminded about the person beyond the sport. Take for instance Roberto Clemente. (How's that for abrupt jump in topic!!) As I was doing a project for my internship today, I ran across an exhibit they (SITES) have done about him and I re-remembered how remarkable he was. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the '60's and '70's and was an amazing baseball player, but his reach extended beyond that. He worked on many charitable endeavors and always hoped to instill in other Latin American kids the sense of pride and hope of being able to achieve their dreams. In fact, he died at the age of 38 in a plane crash as he was delivering aid to Nicaraguan earthquake victims. This is a pretty dramatic example of having a purpose beyond even sport. But can you imagine a professional athlete saying this today?:

"Anytime you have the opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't do it, you are wasting your time on this earth." --Roberto Clemente

I can't, actually. But it was a good reminder for me today and thought I would share.


Here is the traveling exhibit by SITES (don't ask...it's the Smithsonian, everything is an acronym) and more source info so you can check up on me!
http://www.robertoclemente.si.edu/

My plan: Hawai'i

As graduation is creeping up on me, the following question seems to turn up quite frequently: "What are you going to do when you are done?" Well, the thing that instantly comes to mind is to say, flippantly, "Get a job". But, that is probably just being sarcastic for no reason. My standard answer is: "I would love to be closer to my family, but if that isn't a possibility I would like to stay in Virginia. Or Hawai'i." Which doesn't make sense, I know. Hawai'i is much further from my family than DC. It has been kind of my own little joke, but no longer... the news confirmed that it is the place I need to be. Over the weekend, with snow dusting even the South, the only state in the US without snow in it was Hawai'i. I thought that was pretty amazing. 49 states at one time with snow! So, it is settled...I'm moving to Hawai'i. I've never visited, but I am sure I would adjust just fine!! I don't even care at this point if I'm at a museum. Who knew that living in DC would be the most memorable snow/winter of my life?

So, here's the source for my news:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100213/ap_on_re_us/us_united_states_of_snow

Since I haven't been to Hawai'i, I don't have any pictures (and don't feel like stealing one off the internet right now). But you all know what it looks like. If you don't, watch LOST. It's filmed in Hawai'i.

Miss Me?

No, not me... Remember him?









I think this is hilarious... and would love to see it full size on the billboard it resides along I-35 near Wyoming, Minn. (Yeah... I had to read the town's name twice. I was confused). I am not making any political statement by putting this up. I just thought it was funny.

Though I do think it is interesting how we (and by we, I do include myself...I am the worst culprit) rewrite the past and suddenly think it looks pretty good when our future may not be that bright. When, in reality, the past wasn't all that pretty either. Reminds me of the lady who called me at the Heritage Center and questioned the programs we taught for our school groups. Apparently we did not portray the pioneers quite like they did on Little House on the Prairie. She wanted THAT version of history. Ahhh... the good 'ole days!

Snow Day(s)

I know I am a very sporadic blogger. But out of what I am going to call official "cabin fever", I am going to start writing on this little blog again. And what better event to start it off with than Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse...call it what you will, it has been great/awful.

I love the snow. I love how quiet the world becomes. I love the chill on your face. I love being in the snow with a bright blue sky. I love being inside with a blanket, hot cocoa, and a good book/friends/ family/movie when you can hear the wind howling outside. After the excitement of the snowfall, however, I appreciate being able to do something with that beautiful snow. I prefer skiing, snowshoeing…things like that. Generally they require open space and mountains. Unfortunately, I don’t live in the mountains anymore.

So, DC got a lot of snow over the weekend. Hopefully everyone heard, because, well it feels like the world has come to a standstill. Oh, wait. I think maybe just we came to standstill. The rest of the nation is functioning just fine. But here, it seems like everyone is snowed in. Loads of snow everywhere. Schools canceled. Work canceled. Museums closed. Sections of Metro closed. Streets unplowed. Basically, all I hear is snow, blah, blah…weather, blah, blah… It hasn’t been that bad. Kind of nice, but definitely surreal. I dug my car out, but don’t really have anywhere to go. And even if I did, I would be scared because someone might take my spot. And then what would I do? So, I stay in. And shovel snow. And walk to Old Town with my roomies. And read. And shovel snow. And read.

On the street where Cornelius (my little car, there on the right) and I live.

So before I realized my school would be closed on Monday I dutifully read and read and read through the weekend. You cannot imagine how thrilling it is to read about American photography theory unless you really dig in to it, you know? That is what I would do. And take breaks to watch Alias. Or talk to my roommates. Or shovel snow. Or eat.

But, I can absolutely tell you what is bad to have happen on a snowed in weekend (quickly turning into week, apparently) is one of the below. I do recognize all of the below would be bad to have happen or hear. Only one happened to me this weekend, however.

A) Power outage

B) Power on; spotty internet connection

C) Unable to locate cell phone charger

D) Hear about ex-boyfriend getting engaged to someone seemingly perfect

E) Tree branch falls onto car

Don’t be fooled by E. That was LAST year. I am much wiser this year, don’t you worry! And yes, A would be bad. Luckily, we had power the entire time. B would almost be as bad as A. What did people do before the internet? I should remember; I am old enough to vividly remember. Luckily, we have good internet. Okay… it was D. Yep…that was fun. I am 1000% happy for him. I know we were not a compatible pair. But wow…news like that is always a bit hard to swallow (given he dumped me), but generally you have stuff to do to keep you occupied for a few days until logic sets in again. But what do you do when you can’t take a nice drive, or walk, or go to work/school/internship, go to church, go out and you are just stuck reading things like American photography theory or stuff about museum evaluation? Of course I am being a bit dramatic; I am doing just fine. But, needless to say, the timing of the news maybe wasn’t my favorite. But, bring on more snow, I guess.

Other than that…all is well in the snowed in(out) capital of our nation.