dancing in the street

no more sorrow

we might not be here tomorrow

so just live for the moment 

and dance your life away

the clock says a quarter past two 

but we just don't wanna leave

if we can't dance on the ceiling 

we'll be dancing in the street

anomaly

i have decided i don't make much sense to myself.

i am extremely neat and organized... except when im not

i need to be structured and in control... except when i don't want to be

i am completely logical... unless i decided to listen to my heart.  

this is very interesting to me and i wonder why this change has occurred.

i used to be only neat, organized, structured, logical

but now i am not always this way

the world is more grey than the black and white of before.

but i wish i knew what changed me... so i can embrace it.

plans plans plans

heyo

so i  am part of this sweet group called the university of michigan running club.  just a group of awesome, dedicated people that like to run.  we could be at our dorms and apartments studying our brains out, and probably getting slightly better grades (or not).  but instead we put on our shoes regardless of the weather (seriously, any weather we are out there) and just run.  sometimes it is grueling sometimes it is down right hilarious, but regardless it is always fun.  this is the first place on campus that i felt that i belonged, and now it has become part of my identity here at michigan.  

as i was doing homework today i thought about how much dedication it actually takes to set aside a few hours every day for something other than school or tv.  not only that, but take time to do something without expecting something in return.  through the year, this club has planned some really amazing events to help out the community around us.  people don't realize how much a group of passionate students can get accomplished.  this year, we paired with my team triumph to help some kids feel what its like to race a road 5k.  we have stood for hours selling cookies outside of bars for charity and participated in relay for life by not walking but running for a full 24 hours.  

this weekend for the first time we are putting together an event called Race Across Michigan.  30 runners from our club are going to be running from detroit to south haven, essentially all the way across michigan in under 24 hours.  it is a fundraiser for Girls on the Run, an after school program that teaches elementary school aged girls healthy habits, self esteem building, and physical training that builds up to a 5k they run at the end of the program.  we hope to sponsor girls who can't afford the program fee.  

my point is that if a few dedicated students can do so much while going to school full time and training for their own races, what could be accomplished if everyone took a few hours out of their life to make a difference?  im proud to be part of such a selfless and loving group.

peace love and chaos

this has been a crazy semester, and somehow my life seems to still be gaining momentum

i feel like i am on a precipice, always on the verge of loosing my balance

when is it going to slow down, when can i catch a breath?

there is so much happening, so many life changing events

after this thursday i will not see my sister for another nine months

my chilean friends that have been living at my house for the past 4 months i might not see ever again

i have no idea what i want to do with my summer

i have a chance to work in new york, am i strong enough to handle it?

and yet i look back and feel so blessed with my life

i feel that i am surrounded by true friends, something i could not have said a few years ago

i am comfortable with who i am, something i could not have said a few months ago

i have faith that everything will work out, something i could not have said a few weeks ago

so for right now i am ok with living from one running club event to the next

to drive my sister to the airport and say good bye, at least for now

to wait patiently for the next time i can see my best friend

and to live my life to the fullest, always in danger of loosing control

but thats where i want to be

and thats where i am

breaking boundaries

so funny story:  today my training buddy and i were going for our longest training run this year.  she is training for boston and i am running bayshore marathon.  i usually let her decide the long routes because it is easier for me mentally if i have no idea where we are going for the really long runs.  today the plan was to run 20 miles, so of course, i left the route up to her.  we had fantastic weather and out of character she picked a really scenic route from ann arbor to dexter and back instead of the usual city sidewalks.  i was enjoying the run so much the miles seemed to breeze by.  when we were getting closer to the city on the way back, theresa started looking at her watch pretty frequently.  i told her not to tell me how long we had left thinking that it would just make it harder, so she didn't say anything.  as we arrived in front of my apartment she said, "ok so funny story, we actually just ran 22 miles."  i couldn't believe it!  apparently she was looking at her watch and realizing that we would be over the 20 miles planned, but told her not to tell me anything about the mileage.  sooooo, we both ended up running the longest training runs of our lives. we celebrated with dark chocolate banana protein shakes :)

my amazing post run treat

4 cups or so of ice

some milk

dark chocolate carnation instant breakfast

2 bananas 

scoop of french vanilla protein powder

blend in blender until it looks good...

=deliciousness

*preferred drink of boston and bayshore marathoners lol

projects

this is me and my paint.  i like how painting is something that you can't mess up.  creating something from the colors is something totally unique, no one else sees the world the way you do.