I ran my first Race for the Cure today. It was held in Lubbock, down by the Convention Center. My roommate and I participated, along with her daughter, and two of our friends. It was a really cool experience to be able to participate in such an emotional experience, not only for me, but for thousands of other people just in one city. I believe the final headcount for the race was 8,300 people, not bad for a town of just over 200,000.
We met at the Convention Center around 8:00, even though the 1 mile race didn't start until 8:45. It was a lot colder than I expected it to be. In my defense, I checked the weather the night before and it was supposed to be around 80 for a high. Definitely wasn't even close to 80, more like 56 degrees when I woke up. I say woke up, but it was more like I bounded out of bed after hearing L knock on our front door and ring our doorbell just before 7:00 this morning. I hope she wasn't standing out there for long!
It made me tear up to see the names of all the people who have died from breast cancer posted below peoples' race numbers. I noticed some people put pictures of their loved ones. Those were the hardest to handle. Some people had multiple names from the same family on their papers. I still get angry when I think about, it just doesn't seem fair for someone to have to go through so much pain, and not be able to do ANYTHING about it. I thought about my mom a lot last night as I was trying to sleep. It's still hard, and I still can't believe she's not here sometimes.
I ran into one of my old neigbors who live down the street from my dad. I used to babysit the little girl, and the mom is friends with my roomie's mom. They actually work together at Hamilton Junior High back home. Small world. The girl isn't so little anymore, in fact, she's taller than I am. She still seems like the same girl she's always been though, as if time hasn't changed her at all. I always was fond of her.
I think next year I'd like to try the 3 mile race. My running skills are improving. I'm able to run faster for steadier periods of time, which makes me happy! I've kind of gotten off track the last week, but hopefully I can get back on track this week before I go out of town to Houston for the weekend.
After the race, I came home and took a much needed nap. Something about cold, cloudy weather always makes me tired. I was tempted to take a second nap today, but wouldn't let myself. Instead, I made myself apply for more jobs. Talk about depressing! I must've applied for at least 10 jobs by now, and I haven't gotten a call back from anyone. I know the market is tough right now, but geez, really? I hope something will come along soon. All in good time, I guess.
Went to the South Plains Fair tonight with my roomie, and a few friends. It was so much fun! Kinda sucked that they don't take cards STILL, even in the year 2009! Ridiculous! So I owe my friend's boyfriend some money since he bought my tickets...but what else is new? I'll pay him back.
At least I won a stuffed flower! There's this booth where you pay a guy to guess something about you. My options were age, weight, or birthmarks. I wasn't about to pick birthmarks, and weight was not something I wanted to think about after eating Arby's Chicken Salad Sandwich and fried mozzerella with ranch for dinner, so I stuck with age. He looked at me for awhile, then wrote a number down on a tiny yellow notepad. He held his thumb over the pad so I couldn't see the number, then asked me what my age was. I said 23 for some reason, though I don't know why 'cuz I'm 24. I'm so stupid sometimes, lol! I guess in my heart I still feel like I'm 23, it just seems like a good age to be, I dunno. I'm actually closer to 25.
Anyway, he put down that I'm 22, which made me laugh because people ALWAYS think I'm either a lot younger or a lot older than I really am. Younger because of my looks, older because of my words. I guess I should be flattered. He was allowed to guess within 2 years of my actual age, so he got to keep the money. But my friend's boyfriend managed to convince him to give me a flower by asking him how he could deny a pretty girl or something like that. He must be sucking up so I'll approve of him again, but that's another story for another day. The guy gave in, picked out a stuffed flower for me, and told me not tell anyone. His secret is safe with me.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Truth. Or something like it.
Went to see Jeanette Walls speak tonight at the Allen Theater. She's the author of The Glass Castle, one of my favorite books of all time! Her speech was very inspirational, as her novel is. The most memorable part was a line she spoke about truth. I can't remember what the exact words were, but she said one time a friend told her that the truth is more liquid than solid; its shape takes many forms, or something along those lines.
I've been thinking about truth a lot lately. I thought those words painted a pretty accurate portrayal of what "the truth" means. It's like the old saying goes, "there's two sides to every story, and then there is the truth." The truth can mean different things to different people, depending on your perceived experience of the event that occured, or words that were spoken. I believe our own backgrounds and experiences can taint the truth.
A good example of this can be proven through a situation that occured at work this past week. My students must not leave the building during lab time, even if they have a break. One of my students happend to leave lab under the premise that the chef told them "you can do whatever you want, as long as you're back at this time and not a minute late." This student perceived this to mean she could leave the building and come back as long as she wasn't late. Chef perceived this to mean that all the students knew they were not allowed to leave the building, but they could do whatever they wanted to during break, as long as it was inside the building. When I approached the student about this later, she told me what the chef had said, and perceived that to be the truth, even though it wasn't. I'm not sure if this making sense, but my point is, that our backgrounds and influences growing up can shape our ideas of what the truth is, and that one person's idea of the truth may not be true afterall.
Anyway, enough of that. I've decided I want to write a novel. Well, I've known this for a long time, but I think I'm serious about it now. I've always loved writing. I would love to take on the challenge of writing and publishing a novel of some sort. If I have some time tomorrow, I'd like to start writing.
I've been thinking about truth a lot lately. I thought those words painted a pretty accurate portrayal of what "the truth" means. It's like the old saying goes, "there's two sides to every story, and then there is the truth." The truth can mean different things to different people, depending on your perceived experience of the event that occured, or words that were spoken. I believe our own backgrounds and experiences can taint the truth.
A good example of this can be proven through a situation that occured at work this past week. My students must not leave the building during lab time, even if they have a break. One of my students happend to leave lab under the premise that the chef told them "you can do whatever you want, as long as you're back at this time and not a minute late." This student perceived this to mean she could leave the building and come back as long as she wasn't late. Chef perceived this to mean that all the students knew they were not allowed to leave the building, but they could do whatever they wanted to during break, as long as it was inside the building. When I approached the student about this later, she told me what the chef had said, and perceived that to be the truth, even though it wasn't. I'm not sure if this making sense, but my point is, that our backgrounds and influences growing up can shape our ideas of what the truth is, and that one person's idea of the truth may not be true afterall.
Anyway, enough of that. I've decided I want to write a novel. Well, I've known this for a long time, but I think I'm serious about it now. I've always loved writing. I would love to take on the challenge of writing and publishing a novel of some sort. If I have some time tomorrow, I'd like to start writing.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Zombie-like
I haven't been sleeping well the past couple of nights and it's starting to wear on me. I'm so used to watching TV before I go to sleep; it's tough not having it!
Because I'm so tired I haven't been working on my Master Event Plans. I know I need to, but I just can't muster up the strength to finish them. I'm going to try to devote at least the next two nights to working on them. It'd be a lot easier if I could do my workouts in the morning instead of wasting my time doing them at night. Of course, if I could actually fall asleep at night it might be easier to wake up in the morning!
Thinking I need to pick up a second job for the fall. So far, I've got at least 2 weddings to go to within the next year: one is in Hawaii, the other is a 5-day cruise. And somehow, this poor graduate student has to find the resources to pay for it!
Because I'm so tired I haven't been working on my Master Event Plans. I know I need to, but I just can't muster up the strength to finish them. I'm going to try to devote at least the next two nights to working on them. It'd be a lot easier if I could do my workouts in the morning instead of wasting my time doing them at night. Of course, if I could actually fall asleep at night it might be easier to wake up in the morning!
Thinking I need to pick up a second job for the fall. So far, I've got at least 2 weddings to go to within the next year: one is in Hawaii, the other is a 5-day cruise. And somehow, this poor graduate student has to find the resources to pay for it!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Recordkeeping
I just finished reading The Red Leather Diary yesterday. It was Saturday morning, and I'd woken up later than I wanted to, but I'd gone out drinking the night before and was slightly hungover from an unexpected shot of Cabo Wabo and piano jams going through my head. Instead of starting my day off on the right foot by being productive, I decided to stay in bed just a little longer and nurse the headache I'd acquired overnight.
I found the book to be quite intriguing, and much different than I'd originally expected. The book is about the diary of a 90-some-odd-year-old woman that was found in a Dumpster in New York City by a young reporter who works for the New York Times. For some reason, when I think of old people, I always think of them as being sweet and innocent and naive, as if they've never actually lived their lives and made mistakes like all of us do. I'm not sure why I think this way; it's as if I equate them with small children or something. Anyway, it was with this mindset that I read the book.
Boy, was I wrong. People got crazy back then just like they do now! I don't know why I figured otherwise. I guess it's just this perception that people were more conservative back in the day. After reading this book, I'm not so sure that's true!
The book highlighted five years of this woman's life, whose name is Florence, as she grew up in the late 1920s/early 1930s. She was raised by immigrant parents in New York's most affluent social scene during this time. She was exposed to the best education and culture that money could buy, and oddity during the Great Depression. It seems to me that during those times, people experienced life at a much younger age than they do now. At 14 years old, this girl was roaming the streets of New York by herself, going to museums and plays and art shows. These days, we don't even trust a 14-year-old to cross the street by themselves, nevermind roam the streets of a large city. It was a very good read; I highly recommend it to anyone who is curious about life during the Depression in the United States, particularly from a wealthy person's point of view. We read so much about how the Depression affected the poor, almost forgetting that wealthy people still existed during this time.
The book also made me wonder about what life must've been like for my mother when she was growing up. Unfortunately, I never got to the point where I got to know my mother and what her life was like before I born. I've always been curious about her life before me. Was she like me in any way? What did she dream about? What were her regrets, if any? What were her hobbies? I wish I knew. Wish there were a diary I could find of hers that would fill me in on everything I never got to discover about her. I feel like the more I know about her, the more I will know about myself. Hopefully one day, I will find out.
I found the book to be quite intriguing, and much different than I'd originally expected. The book is about the diary of a 90-some-odd-year-old woman that was found in a Dumpster in New York City by a young reporter who works for the New York Times. For some reason, when I think of old people, I always think of them as being sweet and innocent and naive, as if they've never actually lived their lives and made mistakes like all of us do. I'm not sure why I think this way; it's as if I equate them with small children or something. Anyway, it was with this mindset that I read the book.
Boy, was I wrong. People got crazy back then just like they do now! I don't know why I figured otherwise. I guess it's just this perception that people were more conservative back in the day. After reading this book, I'm not so sure that's true!
The book highlighted five years of this woman's life, whose name is Florence, as she grew up in the late 1920s/early 1930s. She was raised by immigrant parents in New York's most affluent social scene during this time. She was exposed to the best education and culture that money could buy, and oddity during the Great Depression. It seems to me that during those times, people experienced life at a much younger age than they do now. At 14 years old, this girl was roaming the streets of New York by herself, going to museums and plays and art shows. These days, we don't even trust a 14-year-old to cross the street by themselves, nevermind roam the streets of a large city. It was a very good read; I highly recommend it to anyone who is curious about life during the Depression in the United States, particularly from a wealthy person's point of view. We read so much about how the Depression affected the poor, almost forgetting that wealthy people still existed during this time.
The book also made me wonder about what life must've been like for my mother when she was growing up. Unfortunately, I never got to the point where I got to know my mother and what her life was like before I born. I've always been curious about her life before me. Was she like me in any way? What did she dream about? What were her regrets, if any? What were her hobbies? I wish I knew. Wish there were a diary I could find of hers that would fill me in on everything I never got to discover about her. I feel like the more I know about her, the more I will know about myself. Hopefully one day, I will find out.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Feeling the Pressure!
The past few days have been very busy for me.
Tuesday night I worked up at Skyviews to help out with Dinner Series. It turned out to be quite an eventful night! Both elevators stopped working at the same time, leaving all of our guests stranded on the sixth floor of the building! The only way out was to take six flights of stairs down to the parking lot. That, and one of our guests got stuck inside the elevator for 30 minutes or so.
I went to the Theraputic Riding Center orientation yesterday. I'm a little nervous about volunteering there, but I think it could be a good experience for me.
My Community Engagement class has proved to be very interesting thus far. We're forming a fundraiser to help send underprivelaged kids to summer camp. I'm pretty excited about the opportunity to really help someone!
Other than that, I've been helping out at fashion camp as much as I can and trying to avoid getting sick. One of my student's was sick this past week, and I think I may have caught it from him.
I know I should be helping out at fashion camp more, but it's been really hard to find time with everything I have going on. I have a feeling my professor might be slightly upset with me over this. I hate that feeling. Hopefully I can find a way to make up any missed hours I have! I really hope she's not mad...
Tuesday night I worked up at Skyviews to help out with Dinner Series. It turned out to be quite an eventful night! Both elevators stopped working at the same time, leaving all of our guests stranded on the sixth floor of the building! The only way out was to take six flights of stairs down to the parking lot. That, and one of our guests got stuck inside the elevator for 30 minutes or so.
I went to the Theraputic Riding Center orientation yesterday. I'm a little nervous about volunteering there, but I think it could be a good experience for me.
My Community Engagement class has proved to be very interesting thus far. We're forming a fundraiser to help send underprivelaged kids to summer camp. I'm pretty excited about the opportunity to really help someone!
Other than that, I've been helping out at fashion camp as much as I can and trying to avoid getting sick. One of my student's was sick this past week, and I think I may have caught it from him.
I know I should be helping out at fashion camp more, but it's been really hard to find time with everything I have going on. I have a feeling my professor might be slightly upset with me over this. I hate that feeling. Hopefully I can find a way to make up any missed hours I have! I really hope she's not mad...
Monday, June 15, 2009
Fashion Camp: Day 1
Glad to say that the first day of fashion camp when well. Despite the 100 degree temperatures and bright sunny skies, the campus tour that I volunteered to sign up for went smoothly. It's weird to be around teenage girls again. It hasn't been that long since I was a teenager myself, but being a teenager is just different now. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the week goes.
Tomorrow is the photo shoot that I signed up/was forced to lead. I struggle a little bit with the whole concept of being a counselor at a fashion camp. Let's face it, most of the campers probably know more about fashion than I do; I can put together an outfit, but I'm no fashionista. But I'm curious to learn the works of putting together a camp of any kind, especially one that includes a fashion show. It can only help build my resume!
Tomorrow is the photo shoot that I signed up/was forced to lead. I struggle a little bit with the whole concept of being a counselor at a fashion camp. Let's face it, most of the campers probably know more about fashion than I do; I can put together an outfit, but I'm no fashionista. But I'm curious to learn the works of putting together a camp of any kind, especially one that includes a fashion show. It can only help build my resume!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
A much needed update
Okay, I've really got to stop slacking on this blog business! I didn't start one just to not use it!
I bought a book yesterday called "The Red Leather Diary" (which, by the way, prompted me to update my OWN diary!) and I'm really enjoying it so far. It's about a girl named Lily who finds this diary of a young woman who lived during the late 1920s/early 1930s. She eventually finds the woman who wrote the diary, who, at the ripe old age of 90, was still alive and well, at least at the time the book was published. I've always loved reading accounts of how life used to be before I was born. I don't know why I find it so fascinating to see how other people lived their lives, but I do.
I also bought two trashy romance novels that I enjoy reading from time to time. They help take my mind of the more serious matters in my life :).
I'm currently in summer school taking three courses. I know it's ambitious of me, but I'd rather be ANYWHERE but Lubbock in the summer! However, I want to complete my master's degree more than anything at the moment. All lofty goals require some sacrafice, right? I'm really looking forward to finishing the next two weeks of school. I have to somehow complete 5 Master Event Plans by August 5. Except I have NO idea how to even write a Master Even Plan! It's so frustrating! I'm hoping to complete all five by June 26 so I can at least write off one class as being completed this summer. We'll see if I can accomplish this.
I bought a book yesterday called "The Red Leather Diary" (which, by the way, prompted me to update my OWN diary!) and I'm really enjoying it so far. It's about a girl named Lily who finds this diary of a young woman who lived during the late 1920s/early 1930s. She eventually finds the woman who wrote the diary, who, at the ripe old age of 90, was still alive and well, at least at the time the book was published. I've always loved reading accounts of how life used to be before I was born. I don't know why I find it so fascinating to see how other people lived their lives, but I do.
I also bought two trashy romance novels that I enjoy reading from time to time. They help take my mind of the more serious matters in my life :).
I'm currently in summer school taking three courses. I know it's ambitious of me, but I'd rather be ANYWHERE but Lubbock in the summer! However, I want to complete my master's degree more than anything at the moment. All lofty goals require some sacrafice, right? I'm really looking forward to finishing the next two weeks of school. I have to somehow complete 5 Master Event Plans by August 5. Except I have NO idea how to even write a Master Even Plan! It's so frustrating! I'm hoping to complete all five by June 26 so I can at least write off one class as being completed this summer. We'll see if I can accomplish this.
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