I run for fun

I've never considered myself particularly athletic. I danced for eleven years of my life and it wasn't until high school that I started playing field hockey. Still, I highly disliked the conditioning and intense physical activity, mostly doing it for the social aspect. I've always despised running. I'm pretty sure my fifth grade mile time was at least twenty minutes because I walked most of it. Obviously I improved a little bit by the time double sessions began in high school but I still struggled with my endurance level. Recently though, I've begun running. I felt like it was a good alternative to using the elliptical or treadmill and surprisingly, I enjoy myself. It's a perfect interval of me-time, running past the ocean and listening to upbeat music. Today I couldn't resist the sunny, 70-degree weather and ran my farthest distance yet: approximately 3 miles, to the lighthouse and back without stopping. 3 miles for someone else might seem like something they would do on an off-day, but for me, approaching my street at the end gave me an adrenaline rush because I had run the farthest I think I ever have. Though I'm not sure I'll be training for a half-marathon anytime soon, I think a 5K might be on the way!

"From where I'm standing, the sun is shining all over the place"

I spent part of this raw, dreary day watching one of my favorite feel-good movies - Singin' in the Rain. I fell in love with the musical when I saw it for the first time only a couple years ago. I haven't seen a lot of classics but the movie's comedic performances, original choreography, and upbeat soundtrack are charming. No matter my mood or the weather outside, I find myself unable to keep from singing along to "Good Morning" or smiling as Gene Kelly, so carefree, tap dances in the puddles. For 103 minutes, I am enchanted by old Hollywood...the glamor, the iconic dialect, the romance. It makes me want to put on a bright yellow rain jacket and shoes with bows like Debbie Reynolds', and tap in my kitchen. Certainly a remedy for any rainy day.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day is always particularly tricky because I feel like I say the same thing every year. But the thing is, I mean it. This day emphasizes how much my mom means to me. Over the past 21 years, my mom has been incredibly supportive, from coming to everything I've been involved with to offering encouragement with exactly the right words. My mom has become my best friend and I am so grateful that we get along so well. I love taking walks with her and just talking. I love shopping excursions and riding in the car. I love that we have the same taste in such thing. I love that she has passed her faith on to me. And I especially love that she has given me her love. I am so proud to be following in her footsteps and am so fortunate to have her as a friend and role model. I love you, Mom!

Time flies...when you're in college

On my last day of junior year classes, I can't believe that in a week I can technically call myself a senior. Despite bittersweet emotion, I cannot help but feel ecstatic at the thought of being finished with most of my major courses.

I am also quite proud of myself that not once this year did I change anything about my area of study...for me, that is considered an accomplishment. Heading to my final Critical Theory and Practice class, I realize that I have rediscovered my love for English, which I don't think I've experienced since AP Lit during my senior year of high school. Analyzing criticism and discussion were the foundations of the class , which provided new means of interpretation that I had never considered. But then again, I do not have a PhD, nor am I a psychoanalyst. However, I have gained new perspective, and now I actually look forward to reading books in a different manner. More importantly, I feel that I have rediscovered my passion for reading that I've had for as long as I can remember but has been somewhat inhibited by the amount of assigned reading throughout high school and college, and I believe that is one of the most essential values to receive from education.