Power Ranger Clarification

When I was a child (I think that is still this time very possibly).  

When power rangers used to be on television I would watch it every day after school.  It was the greatest show ever invented.  Despite that my picture portrays Katie and I as pink power rangers, in reality this was not true.  I was ALWAYS the yellow power ranger because she did not wear a skirt.  Since the Halloween store only carried pink and red ranger costumes we both had to settle for pink.  However, one year later our grandma made us home made costumes.  There were two and one was yellow.  Katie was the red ranger. Baha.

Go go power rangers!

Des Moines

So last weekend I decided to go home to Des Moines. I found out it means river of the monks. hm. I had a lot of fun and I love seeing my family.:) Some of my favorite things we did were these:


Go to la mie

La mie is my favorite lunch spot and lunch is my favorite meal. Plus everything is VERY reasonable priced. Also I got to go with my grandma Mimi.  I love when I get to see her!


Lay in bed for the entire day while it rains and leave the windows open!




We also went to Dos Rios and Star bar.  They were good also.  I guess we ate out maybe too much!

This is what I got. It was yummy.  They also make home made guacamole in front of you!

On Sunday we went to the Bazaar in the east village.

It was a lot of fun.

Watch children's soccer games and lay on the ground.

Also I really liked just being with my family.

Happiness is only real when shared

"Happiness is only real when shared."


-Into the wild.


This is one of my favorite parts of the book/movie into the wild.  This is actually one of my favorite books. When I watch it I feel that I relate so strongly to the main character in the sense that I always want to get out and explore and see the world and be in tune with nature and spirituality.  


I JUST REALLY WANT TO LIVE.  I feel so often we do not live because we are trying so hard to plan living or anticipate experiences that we prevent ourselves from being to appreciate the present moment in any way.  And silence is good.  Silence is necessary for the human spirit to thrive and learn and grow.  But all of Supertramp's greatest moments were the ones he shared with others.  


If we spend all of our lives and times trying to think of how we want to be and are only concerned all this time about ourselves and everything we are doing then we are missing the entire purpose of life.  It is true that life is meant to be lived, but not lived alone, it is meant to be shared.  It is pretty easy to get caught up in the selfish monotony of routine, but even if we explore the world to the very deepest and greatest depths it really means nothing if we keep it all for ourselves. This life is not meant to be just for ourselves.  It is through the love of others that I feel most loved, most beautiful, and most alive.  I feel sad that Alexander McCandless had to die right after he realized this, but it is a truth he left with many.

I love my goldfish.

Today I got a bubble face gold fish.  His cheeks are not this big yet, but I really love him.  He is very beautiful and I bought him a big bowl and some multi-colored blue rocks.  Today I felt sad, but whenever I look at my friend he makes me happy.


I love my goldfish.

Name possibilities:
Sir Edmund
Bartholomew
Edgar
Hubert
Franklin
Uncle Bob


I think I will name him Hubert after the biker that I met who was biking across the country from California to New york. His name was Hubert and he was a vegetable farmer and he was a very nice person.

Today I realized I am having the largest amount of stress and pain not at all due to running but much more because of my severely heavy backpack.  Why would one ever need ten books for one semester?

Anyhow, this website taught me the proper way to use backpacks to avoid these things:


-Use both straps
-tighten so it is as close to the body as possible ( I usually let mine sag quite a bit...)
-pack light ( I do not do this either)
-Organize and use all the compartments (You mean you don't put everything in the big one??)
-When bending forward bend at the knees- this is proper backpack bending technique
-practice back strengthening exercises to prevent strain


backpack stress and solutions website!


On a 'lighter' note (gosh my humor is awesome today)


Today I had cucumber water and it was AWESOME.  I think it was made my a company called hint or something like that...

day dream

Some good things happened today.  One was that it felt like fall outside and that made me very happy.  I actually was too COLD and had to go get a green tea which I then realized is the best ever and I wish that I could drink it every day.


I then went through the day in an elated mood, but also I realized when I am that way I need to be careful to not get overly excited about things or else I just let myself down and have all these ideas that will never come true and then I am exhausted.  So I tried to keep my excitement to a low simmer while I daydreamed during class.


Some things I dreamed about.....


Living on a farm and growing organic vegetables to sell to farmer's markets.  I could also have my own chickens and eat their eggs. However, I do not really like cow milk so I probably would not have a cow. The simple life sounds like zen and awesome.

Then I started thinking about when college running is over staying an extra semester so I can study abroad somewhere after I learn the language.  I think I would like to go to Southern America.


After that my mind wandered to how all of the things that I really want to do with my life do not even require a college degree, but then I realized I am very thankful that I get to come to school and learn all of these wonderful things and become educated.  It is such a blessing and I should not take it for granted.  No matter what I decide to do I have gained so many perspectives that are already allowing me to grow and learn.

Then I decided I wanted to explore the world.


Then I was reading the bible and I came across this passage. "It is he that made us and we are his." It was in Psalms 100.  I really love it and how simple it is.  Nothing else really matters.


I was then happy to go to practice and have an easy short workout.  I felt as though I loved running and the briskness and the feeling when I can feel the very first single drop of sweat roll down my cheek and I can keep my shirt on and be comfortable and the air is fresh and so wonderful.  It was me in love with the world.


Later on I felt homesick when my mom left. :( So that was no good.  Then I did poorly on my online quiz so that was sad also.  And then we went to a speaker that talked about beauty and athletes and loving yourself.  It was sad to think about how many people are constantly comparing themselves with others and never being satisfied or thinking they are good enough.  I know I have done this at times, but also it just really made me want to love everyone and show them how beautiful they are.


It was called beauty mark:
Beauty Mark

Doing Nothing at all

Sometimes I just like doing nothing at all and not really thinking about anything at all.  Thinking can be exhausting and while it is sometimes necessary, I think I like to let my mind become blank for a while.  Some good ways to do this are:


Watching episodes of Felicity which my wonderful friend Molly Manning introduced me to.  It is about Felicity's four years in college. I love felicity

Another good way to turn your brain off is just by laying in bed and listening to music like The Glorious Unseen, Ugly Casanova, Ray LaMontagne, or Vanessa Carlton


Some other things that help me to think clearly and get rid of the noise are DRIVING, PAINTING, NAPPING, RUNNING, or COOKING :)


Try these things.

Angus, Thongs, and Sex gods

So I was wasting away my life on Netflix, one of the greatest things ever invented when I realized one of my favorite past time books, ANGUS, THONGS, AND FULL FRONTAL SNOGGING  had been made into a movie over two years ago.  How was I so oblivious to this very obvious truth?!?! Anyhow, I immediately added to my list of movies for after I finish all of the Felicity seasons. 


 I highly recommend the reads:  (I REALLY REALLY enjoyed them when I was fourteen)

The movie is going to be questionable since the 'similar tastes' were bandslam (worst movie EVER) and aquamarine.  I may actually not watch it but you can read about it here!!! yay!

imdb: Angus, thongs, and full frontal snogging

Hello WORLD

Okay. I do NOT hate football.  I just do not enjoy tailgating. So all of my neighbors who were yelling profanities at me for unnecessary reasons can just try to be nicer.

Anyhow. I found out that the Coralville Starbucks maybe happens to have only two other people in it and is very sunny and nice.  Also it was destiny that I came here because the girl working is named BETSY ANN.  That's my name!

So then to put off writing a paper about social theorists from the 1500s to 1700s I decided to look up the meaning of my name.

Betsy means consecrated to God
Ann means gracious

Find your name meaning!

Starbucks coffee is another thing that I am a really big fan of.  If I were a famous person then I would endorse it in a flip ultra second.  They are also a fairtrade promoter which makes me like them even 100 times more. To learn more about this go here:

Responsibly Grown Coffee

Lastly and possibly most importantly I love the mail person and Mama.  Today they went through tons of tailgaters to deliver my package.  I opened my package and it was one of the greatest things I have ever received and I love it as much as you can love a possession.

This is what I got:

Yeah.  An elmo snuggie. I know that it is awesome.

My favorite way to start the day

This website is really great to look at before you start the day (if it is too cold to walk down to the neighborhood park).  It is actually great for anytime of day!  It is just a good way to reflect and be thankful and meditate.  Also I am constantly reminded to live in the moment which is so necessary for me!

And how ironic that this was the reading for the day...

1 Corinthians 9:19, 22:27

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable garland, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.

It is funny how we are most free when we live for others and things outside of ourselves.  When I run for myself and my pride I become anal and obsessive, but when I run with purpose to glorify God and allow those around me to guide me, then I can be free. Same with just life in general....

Sacred Space

La croix

I am drinking this right now and it is really good so I am blogging about it.  Lemon is good, but I think my favorite is the grapefruit one!

Also La croix means "the cross"  I learned this when looking at google images and seeing many cross images until I came across a sparkling water can...

One of those days

So today I cried.
Several times. Once in class, then once in my room, then once on the way to practice.  I guess I do not even know why I was crying.  A lot of times I over think things or think I can do everything on my own or  try to find myself in things or in ideas or something.  I sometimes imagine this person doing all these things.
I sometimes hate running and dread it greatly.
I sometimes hate myself and dread myself greatly.
It is funny how things we normally love so much can turn into these enemies and things we want so badly to be away from or free from.  Today I was thinking very negative thoughts about going to practice and doing a workout, and then I got to practice.  At first I was still being a debbie and having a self pity party but then all of my friends kept talking to me or asking how my day was.  We started our warmup and it was a beautiful day outside.  Running did not feel all so bad.  As we went through stretches the building anticipation of doing something hard was setting in so I went to the bathroom and while I was sitting there I decided that I was not in control of what would happen and to just focus on what I can do to help the team and to rely on others for strength.  And then I felt good, really good actually.

It is funny how when I think of people other than myself so much can change.  Going to practice every day is so great.  All my best friends are there and they love me and want me to be a better person and a better runner.  Today when I did not have the strength of my own self to run I was able to use some of theirs.  Today when I started crying Amanda did not make me feel stupid or embarrassed, but instead loved and cared for.  So who knows.  Maybe I will keep running forever, or maybe I only have two more years of it, but there are much far greater things to concern myself with.

I can not do anything on my own and I just feel so special to have others who are so much better people than I and can help me learn and face my fears and struggles.

So today I went from feeling like this:

To feeling like this:

And it was all because other people love me.  thank you God for such great friends. :)

Salad fingers

o salad fingers.... it has been far too long!

A slightly creepy, but very entertaining cartoon....

spoons

'friends'

nettles

Blueberry cornbread muffins

Okay I do not know who you are or if you have ever had a blueberry cornbread muffin, but I just did and it was one of the best things I have ever tasted.  I got it at the Java House so I would firstly recommend going there and getting one. HOWEVER, if you can not for whatsoever reason make it there then here is a recipe I found....  I think it would probably prove true that the more butter and sugar you add the BETTER.  But if you do not have the leisure to take a nap after than maybe not.  anyhow I found a similar looking one here!

Blueberry cornbread!!

Beauty

I’ve got a perfect body, though sometimes I forget
I’ve got a perfect body cause my eyelashes catch my sweat


-Regina Specktor (Folding Chair)


So many people worry about it so much but really really every person is so beautiful.  Today I was noticing my mother is really very beautiful and so are my sisters.  All my friends are so beautiful, and then when I thought about it so is everyone I know.  And the more I know them and get to know them the more beautiful they become.  But still we are all always wanting more and more and to look better but is it really for ourselves? because honestly I feel the most beautiful when I am wearing a sports bra and am sweaty and it is fall and I just have gotten done running or when it is really early and I still have crusties in my eyes and coffee is so good and it is brisk.  


"Our bodies now disappoint us, but when are raised they will be full of glory.  They are weak now, but will be full of power. They are natural human bodies now, but when they are raised will be spiritual." -1 Corinthians 15:43


Every person will have wrinkles and pimples and fat and hair and things we think gross.  But they are just natural human things and they are great.  And they are kinda cool too!

 

My mom told me this...

A baby was born two months prematurely and declared dead after trying to bring the child back to life for over twenty minutes.  They let the mother hold onto her child and it came back to life... I just thought this was so great and such an amazing story!

My mom told it to me today at dinner.

Baby came back alive from mother's heart beat!

What a beautiful day

Today the day felt like how this picture looks:

It made me very happy.

Also we had a cross country meet.  It was fine to run in and I was really happy for everyone on my team.  More so I was excited to see my family and share kisses with my 8 year old sister, Annie.

come come come!

What?  Our first and ONLY home cross country meet

When?  The boys start at 6pm and we are after them

Why?  The combined races take under 45 minutes (they are both shorter than usual), it is nearby, the weather will be perfect, need I say more?

How? Drive, walk, bike, bus- there are many ways

Where?  Ashton Cross country course (right next to the hawk lot)

IT WILL BE SO MUCH FUN.

Just us running next to the national champ last year-- not a big deal at all

A little entertainment

Zach Galifianakis

If any of you are like me and can not usually keep their eyes open for the entire Saturday night live on Saturdays I highly recommend you go to this link.  (Just click on his name).  It is commercial free annnnnd you can watch it at your leisure.

big BOI

So our cross country team was invited to hawkapalooza since we are a fall sport.   Instead of bringing one or two people like everyone else we brought our entire team, but why would we want to be like everyone else anyhow?

But the best part is this- After going up on stage for one minute we got to rejoin the crowd and hear big boiiii.  We were dancin' so fly and bumpin'.  Fortunately almost all of the lyrics only required makes noises like "oo ahh" or "gaaaaa" or some other loud thing so we could sing along despite not knowing them! What a treat that was....

I hate picking the scab too early

Today it became increasingly necessary for me to purchase the new Kate Nash album so I could memorize before the concert.  She sang these words to me...



"I hate seagulls and I hate being sick
I hate burning my finger on the toaster and I hate nits
I hate falling over
I hate grazing my knee
I hate picking up the scab a little bit too early
I hate getting toothache
I hate when it's a piss-take
I hate all the mistakes I make
I hate rude ignorant bastards
And I hate snobbery
I hate anyone, who if I was serving chips wouldn't talk to me."


Now I know that if she serves chips to me at the concert I should talk to her or else she will hate me.  Thanks Kate