frisbee, feet, [f]ilosophy

i played in my first ultimate frisbee tournament on Saturday and it was so fun! our team won! plus, it was supposed to downpour all day and it held off until mid-afternoon so it was great. I was very, very tired afterwards but all in all a good time.

for some reason i always feel the need to time something deeper and more philosophical in, but i can’t really think of anything. I did get this huge blood blisters on the bottom of my big toes which is kinda gross. I can tell whenever I get a pedicure the girl is thinking, “what does she put her poor feet through?” my feet are very hygenic, but i get a lot of blisters and battle scars.

OK, don’t know how it went from philosophical to feet, but what can i say…

PS: ultimate frisbee is NOT disc golf! there’s nothing wrong with disc golf, but just to clarify that’s not what I was playing on saturday. google each to see the difference.

 

creature comfort

I’m so excited! I’m headed home tomorrow. Life’s been kinda weird since Thanksgiving, but I’m so happy to spend some family time. Our extended family is far away (another coast or across an ocean), so it’s usually the 5 of us, and I have a feeling this will be the last Christmas with the 5 of us for a while.

I think there’s comfort in the familiar. Obviously, my family is familiar, the house where I (mostly) grew up, friends I haven’t seen in forever will be around too. I’m hoping Mari and I can go for a run and it’s not too freezing cold. The past few years we’ve had pretty much the same running pace which is difficult for me. I’m not much of a ‘running buddy’ person because it’s so hard to find a comporably paced person, but who better than your little sis!

Anyway, back to comfort in the familiar. For some reason in my life as soon as I get comfortable with a place it seems like time to leave. That was great for a while, but like the last post said I think it’s getting time to establish some roots. Trust people enough to be open and vulnerable. I love the home my parents have created for us, but eventually it’s time for me to create my own.

It’s good to be rooted, but I think it’s also good to continually take risks and push yourself to become better, do better, live better, etc. I think that may be something I’ll work on. Looking for ways to strive for the best and not settle for something just because it’s familiar. It may be harder to attain or get whatever that is, but maybe it’s just that much more worth it.

So I hope you live fearlessly, passionately, and with the courage to go after what you’ve been waiting for!

 

friday musings

I’ve really been trying to meet more girls to be friends with, and it’s happening slowly but surely. There are some girls are work that are pretty cool, and there are some others that I’ve kinda randomly met and it’s great!

I’ve moved so much and really can’t wait until I’m settled somewhere in a community. Honestly, I kind of doubt that it will be here, but for now, at least I have the time to actually get to know people and go to functions.

Louisiana is different too! There are these huts all over where you can drink through and buy a daiquiri! Like a snow cone stand with tons of flavors, but all daiquiris! There are pretty strong, so I’ve only had part of one.

And it seems pie is a big deal. So many restaurants, diners, cafes, you name it seem to be known for their pie. Being an avid lover of pie, this suits me very well. However, due to a strangely shrinking appetite of mine, I’ve been less able to save room for dessert at all! But at least it’s nice to know there are so many kind of pie available!

I still miss someone and hope things iron out soon.

 

holiday fun!

So, I can’t believe it’s already December! Seems like this year has flown by, although January seems like so long ago.

One thing I’m excited for this year is to actually celebrate Christmas. Last year I had to work all through the holiday and I probably went to a dozen parades, concerts, food drives, holiday meals, random events, etc. But it’s the run-and-gun get the story and get out scenario. I even went to jail (YES) to see how the inmates were celebrating! But felt detached from the season.

It wasn’t until Christmas night, after I finished covering the inmates and a turkey frier turned fiery explosion, that I spent Christmas night at my friend Marisa’s with her family. We had chili, watched a Charlie Brown Christmas and drove through the area’s trail of lights.

There is peace in the season. I’m still away from my family this year, but at least I have a little more time to breathe and take in the holiday, and actually have the day off to spend with them! Honestly, all the cheesy festivals get a little old, but I think it all symbolizes Christ’s birth. Joy, hope, community, giving.

These posts have seemed so sappy lately, and for that I apologize. I’d like to post something funnier, somehow forced funny is even worse.

 

my thought for today…

1 Blessed is the man
       who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
       or stand in the way of sinners
       or sit in the seat of mockers.

 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
       and on his law he meditates day and night.

 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
       which yields its fruit in season
       and whose leaf does not wither.
       Whatever he does prospers.

 4 Not so the wicked!
       They are like chaff
       that the wind blows away.

 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
       nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
       but the way of the wicked will perish.

psalm 1:1-6

 

rain!

last night I was sleeping but awakened to rain. falling hard. no thunder or lightning either, just heavy, pouring rain.

I think I was in a dream sequence and half asleep anyway, but I remember dreaming about whatever was bothering me was cleansed and washed away. It was really surreal. Last night was a bit rough (not going into details here, sorry) but that pounding force really helped bring peace.

We obviously can’t control the weather (my meteorologist friends certainly know that!) but it’s like God is sending little messages through nature for reassurance, hope, and confidence the next day will be better. Even if it’s not, we know He is there.

The circumstances surrounding my bad night are not gone, even though I hope they will be soon. But at least I know I can’t let that get the best of me and tear my spirit down.

I know this is all really cryptic, but I hope whatever you’re facing you see fresh, new starts are available.
There’s a postcard I saw once it says:

One of the hardest things to realize is that our someday is right now!

I hope your someday starts soon!

 

yesterday I had the worst headache EVER.  I think it was the sinus variety and was just so painful!  At lunch I went to CVS to get some medicine and came across this stuff called “BC” but had no idea it was a powder!  So there I was, in the CVS parking lot (trying to waste no time managing the headache before my 1pm meeting) with powder everywhere, trying to down it, afraid someone will think I’m using drugs, get accidentally arrested, etc.  All these thoughts are going through my mind at this point.

And then, it hardly even worked!! Maybe for 2ish hours but by the time I went home back to pain. So I found some Aleve, drank some tea, did my nasal flush (kind of odd but it does work) and I woke up this morning and I’m fine! Whatever was in the air has probably cleared out but it’s so much nicer.

Probably not that interesting to write, but that’s mostly all that I can come up with this morning.

I did go speak to my high school cross country team on Saturday. They are running in districts today in fact and it was really good! They actually listened. I won state in the 800m my senior year and apparantly it’s turned into a “legend” of sorts around there (which I find HILARIOUS) but they asked good questions and it’s neat to be able to help and motivate people.

And I’m hoping to see Sean this weekend! Hope it works out.

 

I do support our troops!

Things I’m not so fond of:

• Big Brother  seriously I hope julie chen is getting paid A LOT of money to host it.  how how how has it been on for ten seasons?!?!
• Toby Keith I know Sean and I go back and forth on this guy, and I’m sure his restaurants are very nice and he has an ardent support for our troops, but really?!  he’s just creepy to me, sorry babe.  you’re not creepy though! haha ;)
• those Pizza Hut commercials…”Would you like to try our chocolate, eh, dunker?”  We air those over and over again…I get it! I get it!  but they just drive me NUTS!!!  Just google “pizza hut commercial dunker” and there are refreshingly many forums that agree.
• this kind of fits, but if you happen to be looking for movers, don’t fill out some time of online application thingie.  I got more calls from random companies that if you google them get “ripoff alert” galore!!

Things I am fond of:

• The Clay Pit restaurant… and a great time with friends!  also, they do have non-Indian dishes too…
• Spending more great times with friends!  And non-chain lattes!
• New, scary, but exciting opportunities!
• This fantastic weather!  I’m not dying or dreading running in the heat the past few days.
• The new Coldplay album.  So good!!!  I keep playing it over and over again.
• FOOTBALL SEASON!  It just feels nice. 
• of course Sean, I’m kinda fond of you too.

For the blogland folks who read this, I have accepted a job with an “integrated marketing” company in Shreveport and I start 9/29!  It’s better hours, better pay, an interesting job and will allow me to somewhat have a life.  So I’m kinda nervous but excited!  If anyone knows anything about Shreveport, let me know!

 

warning: this is a long rant…

disclaimer: so as a journalist i present my stories in an un-biased manner. you’re probably laughing at that, but seriously, I try to. so please let me indulge in a very biased blog post, as a person and not a reporter…

I have covered two different Oklahoma school bond referendums in the past few months it seems. Both failed by HUGE margins, the most recent one Tuesday night. These are both very small towns in very rural communities. Poverty and low-income families are higher in rural communities. I get that. Money is very hard these days. BELIEVE ME, I get that too.

What’s hard is that in Sherman, they are seeing the fruits of a $300+ million bond. I know Texas and OK fund education differently. And Sherman is a much bigger district than either of the two.

When I was in high school, voters in my suburban Fort Worth district approved a very large bond referendum as well. The school got new computers, renovated locker rooms, a new wing of the school entirely, and probably tons more.

I know the income levels are very different in all three groups of places. But any kid, any teacher, is definitely more motivated and excited when they are in a newer building with the latest technology. I’ve gone to schools with crappy buildings and the education was still good, but there was still this ghetto, laughable element.

It’s harder to get new industries to areas where it doesn’t seem evident the schools are kept up. Harder to attract good teachers. Harder then to have higher paying jobs in the area. It’s cyclical. Maybe these smaller towns wouldn’t be so poor if they made this investment for a better one on the whole!

I guess too it seems unfair that I got to go to a school with all the nice stuff, teachers, and curriculum, when these kids in rural areas are seeming to get the schist. I’m sure the quality of instruction is still good, but the kids can’t help it if the taxpayers don’t pay for it. But those adults were once students in the town, used the same buildings so they must not think it’s a big deal.

This is a long post, but I had these saddened reactions to both bond failures and couldn’t figure out why.  Now I’m understanding the reason.  

One of the speakers at the DNC last night told a story about a guy returning to his small Virginia hometown because the IT job there was too good to pass up. There is so much poverty and injustice all over the world. So much in the inner-city. But there are resources lacking in rural areas too. It’s just really been on my heart.

 

back!

i’m back!! woo hoo!!

my trusty powerbook is fixed and feels like brand new! there were so many things (well, at least a few) that I wanted to blog about but just never had the time at other computers and doesn’t really seem timely blogging about them now.

my computer now has more than twice as large hard drive, twice the ram, the newer version of iLife, and so much more! haha…

in other news, is anyone else completely hooked on the olympics?! Sheesh, it seems like I’m totally glued every night! This is so sappy, but I start tearing up when someone, especially an American, wins a gold. There are so many North Texans and/or Longhorns competing it gives it that much more of a ‘personal’ connection. I realized I caught the bug when last week I found myself watching badmiton and individual sabre thinking, “when else would i EVER watch this for more than about three seconds?!” Granted, I did do a fairly in-depth story on fencing in college, so the sabre made some sense, but still.

The swimming? hooked. Women’s beach volleyball? glued. Women’s gymnastics? uh, yeah! And now track is underway! It’s just greatness.

Truth be told, I’ve always loved the Olympics. I think Barcelona with Jackie Joyner Kersee and Gail Devers grabbed my attention and I’ve been hooked ever since. These games really represent the ideals of sports. The NBA superstar is cheering on beach volleyball player who is equally successful but far less a household name without a multimillion dollar contract. Even seeing the cocky, playful Usain Bolt humbled by beating Michael Johnson’s 200M record. So cool.

If I worked for NBC this would be a perfect blog for work! But I work for CBS…so it’ll do for here.