The Challenge

Life has been lived at an incredibly happy rate lately. Things could not be going much better. With happiness and a complete comfort of one's life comes fried food and lots of it. This is my theory at least. So, in an effort to create a less happy life (happiness = fried goodness), we have cut out all bad food and started a challenge with Reggie and Spanky (Amanda). It is an 8 week weight loss challenge.

Christian and I have a trainer that we meet with 3 times a week. This is week one and I can barely feel my legs and when I look into the foyer, where Maggie and Lola like to gut their toys, my legs ache from the thought of bending over to pick the piles of stuffing off of the floor. The worst part is that this is only after TWO sessions. Her name is Jenny and I think under her polite, nice exterior lies a woman who greatly enjoys watching others suffer. Not only am I up at 7a, we have an hour of non-stop activity. Lift, jump, squat, lung, pass, and repeat. The end result will be fantastic. Having the ability to just go do a long bike ride or triathlon would be nice.

We are fighting through the pain and exhaustion because we know what the end holds in store.

Hilarious!

Christian and I started cracking up last night when we heard this song. Couldn't resist.

Realizations

Throughout life people come and go. The most difficult ones to accept going are the ones that you truly thought were your friends. The ones that you would have done anything for. The ones that when people talked badly about them, you stood up for them. You understood where they were in life. The people that told you they were on your side and believed in you and thought you were a good person. These people are the ones that when you look from the outside you realize they weren't worth sticking up for because when the opportunity arises, they will jump ship and side with those who are as two faced as themselves.

Although it has been difficult to watch happen I am trying to be grateful for the learning experience. I feel sorry for my "friends" that are now surrounded by people who talked badly about them for years. Who spend their time with others that didn't understand their other friends or where they are from, and some of them were horrible to me, their "friend."

I am glad that I am growing. I am glad that I am learning. I am glad that I am honest and real and those are my expectations for all of the people I surround myself with in the future.

Boiling

It's amazing that you can treat someone better than they will ever be treated. Better than they had. Support them through one of the most difficult times in their life, be promised the world, promised a family, promised a life and when you decide that it's too much, that those promises are empty and that your life isn't what you want, you become the bad guy.

Print Show

The semester has ended. Today was the print show for the photography department. Everyone submitted three prints from the semester. They were judged yesterday by 5 judges (professors) and displayed today. These were the prints that I submitted.

When we went to the show today I saw my eagle print and Luna's print. 2 out of 3 ain't bad! The Luna print also won an honorable mention. Figured I would get an earful if people found out and I had not said anything about it. It is, after all, fundamental photography...

"Introspective Feline"
"Endangered Freedom"
"Waiting for Change"

Motivation

I should be drawing. I am supposed to have 8 drawings for my technical illustration class tomorrow morning at 9a. I have 6. My motivation is lacking. I am exhausted. I was up late and up early this morning. I blame vacation. A good vacation. Filled with baseball, yummy fried tacos, outlet mall shopping and relaxation.

My mind likes to move at the speed of light. Constantly jumping from one thought to the next. Sometimes it's difficult to tame. Recently, it's been slow. Slowing down, thinking about life. The big picture. Being that my entire life I have felt much older than my actual physical age, I think I could possibly be in some sort of mid life crisis. OR, maybe this is what happens to people when they are close to 30.

I got a fortune cookie from my favorite place, Pei Wei, a few weeks ago. It said something about following the dreams of your youth. Although my path is not exactly what I thought it would be, I can feel that I am on my way there. I feel like I have grown a considerable amount in the last 5 or so years. I have had help. I have had friends and family do everything in their power to help me get to where I am going. I am grateful for them.

Procrastination is a funny thing. Even with the classical music playing in the background, the left side of my brain is flying. The right side, my creative, drawing side, is numb. At least my IQ is 5 points higher listening to Mozart!

Still Kickin'

Summer has been a lot of fun! It would've been even more fun without the homework and essays, but two more classes down!

I start classes next Monday. I will be going to school like all the rest of the little kiddos in Austin. From 8a until 2:30p, no break! I think I'll have to stash a bunch of snacks in my bag so I don't waste away to nothing.

I'm going to Atlanta for Labor Day and am so excited. I miss GA and my family and my friends and with the time that I have now, traveling to GA so much this year has made me really happy. I don't think moving back is an option right now as I love Austin, but who knows what the future brings. Don't get too excited Mom, i'm not moving back.

Last week I went camping with Tam and Scout to Inks State Park. Sweet Scout is the cutest dog ever and loved the water and swimming. Then she loved to go roll around in the dirt making a nice muddy pasty substance that was all over her. Fortunately, she'd bound back into the lake and I was able to rinse her off a bit. She really loved chasing the ducks.