Break Dancing

Dancing in all its forms cannot be excluded from the curriculum of all noble education; dancing with the feet, with ideas, with words, and, need I add that one must also be able to dance with the pen?
~Friedrich Nietzsche


Would it be pretentious of me to say I love Nietzche? Is it pretentious to ask? Either way, I have already gone down the road of pretense so, I'll just say I love this quote by FN. It really captures my life to date.

I am taking a quick break from schoolwork to update my blog. I fear that if I don't do this now I won't get to it this week and I can't have that when I have been doing so well! So, this may be another short one, but there is something to be valued in brevity.

Last week was Thanksgiving break. We were off from school the entire week. Sounds heavenly, no? No. Under different circumstances it would have been great, but the great tsunami that is the end of this semester was only beginning at the thought of this break. You know how they say, before a tsunami happens the oceans rears back/recedes. Another saying that captures this is "the calm before the storm." Well, Thanksgiving break was the (not so) calm before the S storm that is these next three weeks.

I ended up working most of the week. Mostly doing and transcribing interviews. This weekend I have been working on the two projects that I have looming on Monday and Tuesday. I have not even begun the one that is due on Wednesday, but I'll get there. It's a mad dash, and I am worried that my legs have atrophied. The bad news: I am going to be hating life for the next couple of weeks. The good news: life is good. I have a loving family, great friends, and a pretty awesome boyfriend. So, even at it's worst, school doesn't cancel out all the things I have to be thankful for.

There were (at least) a couple of bright spots this past week, though: [1] Many of the days during this break were simply gorgeous. On Thanksgiving morning I took an hour long walk and just basked in the pulchritude of Go'ds creation. It helped me to stay grounded. [2] I got to get some salsa dancing in this break. It was good to return to the dance floor. I enjoyed seeing my friends, but i am getting rustier by the moment. Also, I don't know if it is that, school, something else, or some combination thereof, but i am not as "in" to it as I was before. o_O What's that about?

However, I agree with my friend FN (now, it is not only pretentious of me, but also highly presumptuous of me to refer to him as my friend); Life is a dance. School at this moment is like the most complicated casino move that exists. It has me all tangled up and it looks impossible. I may suffer an injury or two in the process, but I'll make it to the end (and probably never want to do it again! lol). But i will continue to dance my pen across the pages (actually my fingers across the keys #digitalage [I did that hashtag for you Andre]) until the music ends.

Blogger's Digest -ion

“The stomach carries the heart, and not the heart the stomach.”
- Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

I had been having some problems with indigestion for a series of 3 or four weeks about a month ago. I finally went to the doctor and she confirmed what I had suspected: my digestive problems were caused by a combination of stress and poor diet. On the GMLRC2011, I had begun to neglect some areas (my physical and mental health) in my push to do better in others (school, work, etc.). Since then, I have been doing better to have a holistic approach to the GMLRC2011 and I have been eating better and attempting to reduce stress.

Today, however, there is a war brewing, a Braveheart level epic is playing out in my stomach. As far as diet is concerned, I have been doing better, but my stress levels have been on orange alert. :( I am SO looking forward to winter break and, hopefully, a return to the elysian days of old!

Proffering you a Post

So, yeah... I didn't get around to that mid week WotW post. I am proffering it now. (Baby steps).

Thanksgiving break can't come soon enough! I will still have to work on some things, but at least my schedule will be more free to do so. These days I feel like I am treading water. Despite all of that, things are good. I am learning to go with the flow and let some things go (rhyme unintentional).

My mom and I had a really good conversation a few weeks ago, that helped me to begin the process of shedding some long too nursed wounds. I am hoping that it was a major turning point for us and our relationship. I struggle oftentimes with feeling guilty for being so angry with her and realizing that she gave above and beyond what could be expected with what she had to work with. How do you find balance in that? Probably more than any relationship, this one reveals how far I have to go in even coming close to showing the love of God to people. I have thought in frustration more times than I can remember, "How can you call me to love and not equip me to do it!" When really what is going on is, I am willing to obey God's command to love only until a certain level of un-comfortability and sacrifice.

That place of feeling "stuck" has been a major hindrance in my relationship with God. I have felt entitled for so long to receive accolades for the other good things that I do, but continue to nurse a heart full of unforgiveness. Where is the honor in that? So yeah, I hope that I can do better and this encounter with my mom was the push that I needed to get on that track.

Wow, that is not the direction i thought this post would go in, but it needed to be shared. The GMLRC 2011 continues, and the outlook is good. I'll even get to do some Salsa dancing this Friday!!!

Let's have a Quickie

I have a weird amount of time (about 22 minutes), so I thought I would update my blog. I am trying to do better!

Last week was really good. I was productive, not as productive as I would have hoped, but one step at a time, right?

Now, more than ever, I wished I lived in or closer to Atlanta. I only have one more year that I NEED to be in Athens, so I guess I'll tough it out another year and (possibly) commute that last year, if I am still feeling the pangs to be closer to ATL. It's hard, though, because I feel disconnected from my friends, the salsa crew, and (I can't not admit) now that I have a boo in ATL the desire is ever more strong. I can't remember the last time I did/went to spoken word in the city. I love Word of Mouth here, but I miss hearing the urban poetic voice as well. ...Speaking of poetry, the link of my guest appearance on Fabrice's show hasn't been posted yet. I am not sure when that is going to happen. I am not too anxious about it, I just know (at least) a couple of you have asked to hear it. I will posted the link as soon as it's available.

This week I have to buckle down and get some work done. I have quite a bit looming for the next couple of weeks. [BREATHE] I have to remind myself not to get to stressed about it all. It will all get done and be of good quality. I am feeling particularly convicted about school after church yesterday. (Admittedly, I streamed the church service online -techno age- because I needed to finish my hair, but I am glad I did). the message was about stewardship and working at everything as if for the Lord. Being here, at UGA, is such an incredible blessing and I take it for granted. I have not at ALL been the student that I normally am and want to be. I can make all kinds of excuses for why that is, but truthfully I just need to do better. I honor God with my work, and my heart longs to honor Him. This Sunday's message was just in time for the GMLRC 2011. With less than two months left, I want to be able to write a good report on how the campaign has gone.

I also want to give a special shout out to Andre, who has been such an incredible friend and campaign supporter, despite my negligence of our friendship. I love you, friend! Thank you so much!

Okay, my time is running out. I'll post later in the week with a new WotW courtesy of roomie (who is btw doing the "most" this month. Pray for her!).