Beautiful Surprise...

Beautiful Surprise
"It's like yesterday I didn't even know your name
Now todayYou're always on my mind
I never could have predicted that I'd feel this way
You are a beautiful surprise
Intoxicated every time I hear your voice
You've got me on a natural high
It's almost like I didn't even have a choice
You are a beautiful surprise
Whatever it is that you came to teach me
I am here to learn it cause
I believe that we are written in the stars
I don't know what the future hold
But I'm living in the moment
And I'm thankful for the man that you are, you are, you are
You are everything I ask for in my prayers
So I know my angels brought you to my life
Your energy is healing to my soul
You are a beautiful surprise
You are an inspiration to my life
You are the reason why I smile
You are a beautiful surprise"
-India.Arie
So there's this guy/man/energy in my life that has made me so happy. He just popped back in my life a couple of weeks after four months. Instead of questioning his poor timing we just went with it and it's been beautiful. I don't know what"it" is,but it's good and brings me so much happiness. I'm trying not to get caught up,but he makes me think poetry and speak songs.
That's it.

This is the first day of my life...

Today was perfectly blissful.This happy feeling started quite early in the morning,but that's another story for another time ;)

Anyway.

I got my computer back!(Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!) So that started the day off grand like a piano.

The weather kept the chill it's been playing with this entire week,but it was lovely.

I've always held to the mantra "We can live without friends,we can live without books,but civilized man cannot live without books." I can't remember who said that,but it speaks to my heart. I bought a book today, a book I didn't need for any practical purpose,save that it made me happy. My conclusion: BEGIN READING "EAT,LOVE,PRAY". I just started today and I'm devouring it. I started it on the bus,went home to read it, and read it in French class. The story is beautiful and I want it to be my life(living in different countries and learning about who I am and such) minus a nasty divorce...I feel like the beginning of that journey is in January when I chunk up the deuce to les Etats-Unis pour Bordeaux.

Monday is when I told the girls they can start talking about my departure. They haven't really listened to me,but it's easier for me,for now, if I can suppress the preemptive sadness right now.

I had a thought today that I thought was deep,but Luke wasn't terribly impressed.

Thesis: Some people are destined to NOT find their soul mate because their soul counterpart has been shared in a lot of different people throughout that said individual's lifetime.

I even went to my french composition class which I find to be painfully dull,except today it was bareable because I had my new book :)

Anyway, after class I had cafe with my Thomas. Il est un de la plus gentil hommes du monde(Don't judge my french grammar)

Then I went to exercise for the first time in about a few weeks and it felt so good. My body has been looking less than ideal in my eyes,but I'm not obsessing. Life is too serious.

After that, one of the best parts: I went running today! I started at the dorms and ran to the North Oval and swang back around. Few things make me happier than running in the Fall. The strain ,burn and pain are temporary but the high stays for awhile. The cool air counteracted my rising body heat and cleared my mind. I reached some sort of mini-Nirvana while running. Even as my little nose reddened and my ribs started to ache, I felt wonderful.

After that, I got Pumpkin Custard! I love Pumpkin flavored food and drink.

The goodness didn't end there.

To end this beautiful day, I got a massage from this massage therapist and it felt Fabulous.

These seem like little things but it was just a grand day. Now, I'm going to read my delightful book and fall asleep with travel and love on my mind.

Boo!

Octobre is always a crazy month. I don't know why, it just is. Or maybe I'm just always crazy in Octobre... I have all these random things on my mind:
*I turned in my Study Abroad application last Friday which means I'm actually supposed to be thinking and planning to chunk up the deuce. I don't want to think about it. I'm beginning to re-fall in love with the idea...I don't know. I have to do it. I think.
*There's this guy...there always is.
*We saw a documentary in my History of Journalism class about the KKK and it made me sad and even more than that, incredibly awkward. I know that racism exists it's just always sad when I am reminded of it. In this bubble called OU it's so easy to believe that the world is at peace-it's not.
* My parents are less than thrilled with me because they think my phone usage is out of line :( They claim that my part of the bill this last time was $300 :( Boo to that! And now they're saying if I don't get my life right they will have to take it away. BOO TO THAT, I SAY!
*This whole novel writing thing is an eye-opening experience. It has and is currently making me feel rather incompetent and ridiculous.

But praise God! There is a light at the end of a tunnel, a light called OU/TX!

Happy New Year!

The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana ,the New Year, has just passed I'm not really Jewish,but I really appreciate the thought of another New Year around the time that school is gearing back up.During the holiday you wish people a sweet new year, and also ask forgiveness for any wrongs you might have done to them over the past year.
I received a phone call from from a random number. I didn't recognize the number ,but after checking the voicemail I realized it was from someone who hurt my feelings, minorly over the summer.
The incident was minor,but I was a tad sad,but I got over it. (In the grand scheme of life,it wasis so inconsequential)So I was shocked when the individual apologized for hurting me. Genuinely shocked. It was a sincere apology and desire to repair a friendship.
It was beautiful that he or she cared enough to contact me(because I had erased his or her number)There's something beautiful about being able to choose to forgive someone and then doing it. The beauty of Rosh Hashana ,for me, is that it's a fresh start in nature with Autumn and such,but also with humanity if you so choose.
So...shana tovah-best wishes for a sweet new year.
Make it a sweet year or not,the choice is yours.

Life in the time of Orange Alert

6 years ago today , life in the U.S. came to a halt. I was a freshman in high school and I still remember being in Integrated Physics and Chemistry(wasn't a big fan of that class) in the morning when we heard the news. I was terribly confused. To borrow T.S. Eliot's words, "I had not thought that death had undone so many."
6 years later,today, in Oklahoma it is a beautiful day. I woke up and it was 57 degrees and sunny-my idea of perfect weather. I had a Pumpkin Spice Latte to usher in Autumn in my mind and my day was lovely.
I watched CNN before heading to class and heard the story of a pair of twins who were born 6 years ago today. As horrible and wretched as September 11th, 2001 was, beauty still came from it. 2 little girls were born amongst many other thousands. And I would wager that May 11th, 2001 saw even more birth celebrations.
As horrible and scary as the world is, I'm still hopeful. When people cease to see the point in having children,that's when I'll throw in the towel.
It feels like God hand-selected the day to remind people,me at least, that life still goes on and that happiness, even contentment can still survive under continued heightened alert.

I gotta brand new scone, nobody even knows...

Yesterday was a good food day for me.

So, I had a scone today. Not any ordinary scone. I had the single best scone I've had this side of the pond.It's a raspberry white chocolate scone from CAFE PLAID and it literally changes my life with each bite. Over the summer, in D.C., I got hooked on scones. I met this random Brit(met him randomly and he was random) and he said I was "delightful as a little scone". I took the compliment to heart because his accent was so charming and his eyes shown with mischief and joy,but after trying a scone I was quite pleased with how delightful life was.

Scones can change your whole perspective on ish.

It's funny how good food can change you mood or at least frame your attitude...

Previous to this I had a delightful lunch with someone who I think has potential to become a really close friend at the Turquoise Cafe. I had a salad and I usually hate salads, but this salad was outstanding on all levels. It made me happy.

Even though the weather outside was a tad annoying, I felt better because of my magical scone.

...

I can already tell that this semester is going to be odd.
I'm a junior which means I'm more than half way done with my undergraduate career-That's insane.
Another component adding to the craziness: soooo many people I know are graduating which kind of adds to my sense of urgency about getting my life right...
I'm on the cusp of a beginning and ending of an era I think.
Another craziness factor is that many of my friends are studying abroad and un petit part wishes that I had decided to go for the year, but it wouldn't have been for the best. However, hearing about friends that are all over God's green earth encourages me that my decision to go to France next semester will be for the best.
There's something about the unknown and possibilities that fires my passions and emotions. I can't wait.
However, before I go I have a wish and I hope it comes true. For now, I'll keep it to myself, but it will be on my mind until that time...