Clean Sweep

*Disclaimer: I am not an expert on this topic. I just have an opinion I want to share. 

My new obsession is clean eating. (I say obsession because I'm really into it right now, but who knows how long this will last) There is no real specific definition or set of guidelines you have to follow to “eat clean”, but it basically means that you eat foods in their most whole and natural form. The less processed something is and the fewer ingredients it contains, the better off you are. So you mostly eat fresh fruits and veggies, less saturated fat, less added sugars, more lean proteins and whole-wheat grains. There are so many weird chemicals in our food it’s disgusting. Aspartame, Sucralose, and really any fake sugars scare me. In my mind I can feel myself getting cancer from them. Same goes for fake butters. Food dyes. Preservatives. Genetically modified foods. They are not from nature; therefore our bodies were not designed to process them. It only makes sense to eat what we were born to - natural foods in their whole form.

Like any new thing you try, it’s best to ease into it. Make one meal a day “clean” and increase from there until there are little to no processed foods left in your diet. It’s really difficult and inconvenient a lot of times, but in my mind I know it makes sense and is better for my body. It’s also really difficult when you are the only one in your house doing it. I cave to peer pressure a lot.

I also highly considered going without dairy. We are the only animals that drink another animal’s milk. Our bodies are not made to digest it, which is why so many people are lactose intolerant. Then I realized that this would mean no ice cream and no yogurt. Two things I might die without. Although I have switched to almond milk and I don’t use cheese all that often, so that’s a start I guess? I like the idea of not eating dairy; I just don’t like actually not eating it. Maybe one day I’ll get there.

If you want to learn more about this, I recommend watching Food Inc. It’s an awesome documentary that reveals the disgusting secrets behind how our food is made. Kind of along the same lines as Supersize Me. It focuses a lot on meats (a slight nod to Sinclair’s The Jungle), but it shows in general how twisted the food industry in our country is. Our food is becoming like our media; it's all distorted because it's all owned my a handful of large companies. It’s an important issue and it’s equally important to remember that you control what you put in your body as fuel.

Okay I think I'm getting too serious for this blog. Really I just want everyone to be happy and healthy and eating what is right for their body and right for our environment. It's easier said than done, but worth it in the end.

Rise Above

Success in life is not about financial "success". I want to be morally, spiritually, personally successful. I want my thoughts and actions to have positive impacts on myself and others. I want to know that the things I do and say have meaning. I want to know that when I leave this life I will be remembered for my soul and my passion, not my riches. That, to me, is true success.

Affirmation

Like every other person on the planet, I like knowing that the life path I have set up for myself is the right one. There never really is a way of knowing. But sometimes those little things just happen and pieces fall into place and you just know in your heart that you are in the right place at the right time and doing the right things. And it feels amazing.

This fall I am going to school to study nutrition. Which I love. I love food. I love chemistry. I love being healthy. I love exercise. But you never know what's going to happen. I thought I loved journalism at one point and we all know how that turned out. There is always a little bit of self-doubt in the back of your mind. Especially with such a big decision. This is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life. 

To help myself build up credits, I'm taking a few classes this summer. One of them is psychology. Which I found out is actually super interesting and I very much like doing work for that class. Everything is all in your mind. I've said that forever. Most of your life is in your mind, what you mentally make of it. Your emotions and attitude. Completely up to how you perceive them in your mind. If you think you are happy, you are. If you think your life sucks, you get depressed. Well apparently there is a whole science dedicated to these thoughts I have. Crazy.

Also this summer, I have to read a book before I go to school this fall. I thought it was going to be something really dumb about how college is going to help me in life and blah blah blah. Turns out the book is all about how our brain works and correlates perfectly with my psychology class. Score. So I'm reading the first chapter and it's all about how exercise increases cognition and decreases risk for so many diseases. I could go on and on for ages about how important it is to be physically active in life. I want to be that 75-year-old grandma who still goes to kickboxing classes. That could be a whole different post. But basically the chapter said that our memory and mental alertness and intelligence and the way we age in general significantly improves even with just 20-30 minutes of physical activity a few times a week. Our species was built to walk some 12 miles a day, not to sit in an office for 8 hours a day. It makes sense and it's so cool. The book is called Brain Rules if you want to check it out.

I think I may have digressed a bit too much. The point of this post is not to show you how awesome psychology and exercise are. The point is that I happened to take this psychology class, which happened to relate to this book I'm reading for school, which happened to relate brain activity to physical activity and diet, which happens to relate to the major I have chosen. All of these little intertwined things fell into place and I just had this moment of "Whoa, things all make sense". It made me feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing and I feel great about it. Sometimes a little bit of affirmation is all we need.

What are you waiting for?

If this is genuine, show me.

Goodbye Caitlin, Hello Hermana Egan

For 18 months our dear friend Caitlin has made the remarkable decision to dedicate her life to serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. Her courage, positivity, enthusiasm, wisdom, and true passion for everything she does will make this one of the best times of her life. The people that she will get to teach truly don't understand how lucky they are. Caitlin has taught me so much through the years and I will always admire her for the astounding character traits, morals and values that she holds. We have had so many memories together, including this blog (which will be lacking in her awesome posts for a whole year and a half). I will miss her so much and I wish her the best of luck in all that she does. I know she is so strong and more than ready to take on this challenge. Love ya Cat! 

I'm graduating?

A year and a half ago I made one of the hardest decisions of my life. I gave up my spot at one of the best journalism schools in the country to go to community college. My whole high school life was all focused on grades and GPA and AP classes and who was going to be in the top 5% of the class and that's all I knew. So for ME to go to community college; it felt so wrong. I felt like I was cheating myself. I know I can do better than that and push myself more than that. Even to this day it still pains me to have to tell people that I go there. 

Most of my assumptions about the college were right. The people are their own unique breed. The classes are at or below high school level. We're in our last semester and some lady asked me how to turn on the gas stove in the kitchen. I saw one of my classmates at my sister's musical...because her daughter was in it.  The cool hang out is the smoker's pavilion. Most people struggle with basic math skills.

But for as much as I didn't learn there, I learned a lot. About myself and about life. I met people who changed me and my perspective. I went to cross country nationals (lol). I learned that it's much more satisfying to do what you love and find out that you're kinda good at it, than do what you're good at and hope that you kinda like it.

Now in a few short weeks I will be graduating with an Associate's degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. And as much as I thought I wouldn't, I will miss that little place. I'll think about it sometimes and laugh. I know I'm moving on to bigger and better things. But I can leave saying that I'm happy that I went to Westmoreland County Community College. And that's good enough for me.

Terror

It started as the most looked forward day of the year,
continually cheering,
continually inspired as they run by.
we get a text. a bomb. disbelief spreads.
How? Our friends are there.
Panic.
Our friends are running.
Our friends should be crossing the line.
Speechless, I sit in a daze watching the news.
The news seems to be on repeat
As a talk to my dad, I feel the tears swell.
I know people there.
Why aren't they answering?
Texts roll in,
but not from the friends I am looking for,
people I haven't talked to in months reach out to me,
worried for my safety,
but I'm not the one in danger.
Why aren't they answering?
We huddle around the tv,
all we have is each other.
Finally, sighs of relief,
 as one by one I hear of friend's safety.
But whoever did this is out there.
and people are hurt.
Innocent, strong and talented people,
their families weren't as lucky as me.
Rumors continue.
Will there be more?
Are we safe?
Should we leave?
More panic.
Civilian heroes emerge,
Boston doesn't back down.
The community remains strong.

-----------------------------------------

A week passes,
we get texts of lockdowns,
this time I am safe in North Carolina.
He is running,
just 19,
how could he induce this much terror?
Why would he induce this much terror?
Boston becomes a ghost town in search.
Boston remains strong,
forcing me to do the same.
Faith in my city,
Faith in my home.
House by house,
he is still running.
How can I focus,
when he is two miles from my friends?
I run for Boston.
I run for those who couldn't.
I keep my mind elsewhere.
The lockdown ends,
but he continues to run.

---------------------------------------

Finally.
good news.
Eyes glued to the TV once again,
my faith does not waver,
Boston is strong.
we got him.
alive.
God bless America,
There are not enough thank yous
that will suffice for our police
and the celebrations begin,
cheers nationwide,
Boston remains strong.
Wicked strong.

Goodbye Stars: Thank You For The Light

Countless stars

With few in view

Ones that you need

Will give light to you

You will know them

You will love them

They will touch you

They will leave you

They came to you

On their personal quest

Kept passing through

Swirling to the west

A Body in motion

Tends to stay in motion

Nothing stays frozen

Change knows no emotion

Wind will run

Water will rush

Our Earth will rotate

Your stars will swirl

Move with elements

Amongst the thrill

Dance with change

Why would you stand still?

Why would you wait

Until new stars find you

Be the friend those stars were to you

Keep their light as something to look to

Dear Stars,

Thank you

I hope whom you are with now

Loves you like I do

Present Moment

Our freedom, peace and joy in the present is the most important thing we have. We can't spend time anxious about the past or the future. We cannot live in fear. We must see that happiness is already around us. We must acknowledge and appreciate it. We must witness the miracle of impermanence, as that the world is constantly in motion. Nothing is the same, everything is changing. Appreciate and value these changes. Our happiness is in the present moment and we need to notice and treasure it. 

filling out work papers

eagerly, carelessly
the pen flows its mundane way 
I lay my agreement down hastily
nonchalantly I promise
I endorse the unknown paper
my signature sleeps on the thin black line
my vow sits dormant
my word

overdose rhyming

don't we all want connection
but we all fear rejection
don't we all have infection
but we search for perfection
don't we all need affection
but we receive correction
aren't we subject to inspection
but we make are own selections
we are all focused on our protection
but we all need reflection
before we can get that connection

R.I.P. FRIENDS

our friendship was laid down to rest
it hurt me the most though i never confessed 
if we all miss it then why did it quit
i have never had anything as good as we fit
you cannot know how much i needed you
and i don't want to search for anything new
because i have looked around and no one's like you

The Bench Show

i look at that rust and chipped paint 
and i wonder about the life that bench has had
i wish i could click a button and a television would appear
displaying every person creature and element
that ever meant something to that bench
how old are you bench?
it is a good thing that there isn't a television for this bench
because it is likely older than me and also older than i will be
and if i watched the whole show my life would be gone
maybe i will just wonder about my own life so i can keep mine 

Rescue

i gaze out my window hopefully

contemplating possibilities desperately

anticipating my long due rescue

deservingly

patiently 

calmly

then all at once i realized

nobody is coming

nobody is going to come and save me

i have to save myself

Problems

where did they come from?
so many of them float around
some are on billboards and posters
for everyone to see
some bump into each other or overlap
but some sit alone, distant and unknown
where did they come from?
we made them ourselves.

when I can't sleep I get philosophical...

That which you exude is what you surround yourself with. Positivity, knowledge, kindness. Let yours flood your surroundings and spill onto others. If you act out the best in you, you will attract the best in others.

Tiresome words

Concrete words endlessly repeating in my head,
make them stop.
Interleaved with memories,
making them harder to forget.
F r e e  me from the past.

buy your own condoms

Currently, the Boston College student body is up in arms about the fact the the sexual health safety organization has been banned from giving out condoms like they usually do. This debate has been driving me crazy. BOSTON COLLEGE IS A CATHOLIC SCHOOL. In the Catholic religion, premarital sex is a sin. I don't see why it would be any shocker that the school wouldn't want to give out condoms so that students can have casual sex. If you want to have sex... buy your own condoms. If you can't afford them, chances are you can't afford having a child either so don't have sex. Simple as that. The fact that people are petitioning to have to the school continue to give out condoms is ridiculous. Just had to get this rant off my chest. People these days.

Lyrical

Over analytical

highly nonpolitical

this moment is critical.

Irregularly radical

unusually typical

remarkably logical

a little bit magical.

Opposite of cynical

occasionally hypocritical

at the pinnacle

no other identical.

Awake

I hear those dumb notes

The same ones every morning

They are the same

And I never like them

I should change them

Am I too lazy?

Or too forgetful?

I roll out of bed

I am a zombie

I am a robot

I am controlled

Controlled by notes

They drive me

To their own destruction 

Maybe I'll learn next time

Same mistakes. Different Day.

waking my senses

A clock ticks in my basement

Hidden among boxes and furniture

Only heard during times of silence

Constant and steady like a heartbeat

Always been there, but I'm just noticing

It's stability puts me at ease

It never fails

I know it's there even when I can't hear it

It may have seemed like a nuisance

Until I appreciated it for what it truly was

who will let you in?

here are the souls

behind the doors

they peek through the hole

their eyes see the world

the world cannot see inside
unless the door is unlocked

this is great

Good Morning Attitude

Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think,
not wonder, not imagine, not obsess.
Just breathe. And have faith that everything
will work out for the best.

5 Lessons I've learned this year

1. People change, feelings change. You like someone, then you don't. It happens and you move on. If you drift apart it wasn't meant to be. Don't let this stop you from living your life.

2. Don't regret the past! Its the past for a reason; you can't change it so don't dwell in it. Learn and laugh at mistakes. Chances are it might make a good story later.

3. Give yourself self-respect. This is sometimes the hardest thing to do. Jealousy is not a good look so love yourself. You rock! Don't like something? Motivate yourself to change it so that you do.

4. The diet is never starting tomorrow... no matter how many times I say it.

5. Sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness rather than permission. Take a risk once in a while. And when you do... refer again to lesson number 2.

All We Are

I read a short book on Buddhism. This is what I took away from it and how I interpreted it to fit into my own life.


Our relationships and our knowledge are all we have. It's all we're made up of. The path to leading a full life is built by establishing and expanding on relationships and learning as much as we can from them. It's also based on how book smart you are. How wise you become. How experienced you are. Think about what really matters. Do things that will help you progress. Challenge yourself. Life is something limited and precious. Do things you enjoy and will be proud of. A rich life is not full of materials, it's full of memories.


Also speaking of books, I have rekindled (not referring to a Kindle) my true passion for reading. Reading has always been a huge part of my life. I began reading (minimally) at the age of three. I was such a bookworm throughout elementary school. Pretty sure I read almost every Judy B. Jones book. I started reading Harry Potter at age 8. I sort of lost my love in junior high and high school. Until I took AP Literature. It was one of the most difficult classes I took in high school (as Kim knows). But I learned so so much and I am really grateful that I took it and for Mrs. Snyder. Now that no one is forcing me to read and look deeper and deeper into the words, I am able to take a step back and truly appreciate it. I do it on my own now. I like reading challenging books because I can learn so much from them. Fictional or not. Reading is a part of me that I hope I will never lose. 

bum

i just realized a short while ago my whole life i have kind of been a bum. whoops
well never too late to change! hallelujah! and i have changed! and i am changing! 
it all started with the classical music maybe not sure

life motto by me

Everything matters as simultaneously nothing* matters. All that matters is that you know which matters are everything and which are nothing.


*nothing matters. and also, no thing matters.

Counting Sheep

I read this in a sing-songy voice; kinda rapish. But how Caitlin and I would rap it, not like 50 cent or someone:

So dull it makes me fall asleep
Wish it could be deep
No knowledge I can reap
Don't wanna see you weep
But leave a message at the beep

3 YEARS

Here's to another year Uglies!

people>things

things are the antithesis of people. how many times do we choose a thing over the person? the thing is temporary and the person is eternal.
i learned this in a book, i have been reading these lately

Freak Out

Who am I? What am I even doing? Quick decisions. Risk. Confusion. Regret?
Slow it down, live it up, what will be, will be.

Life is Like a Box of Chocolate...

My life is funny.

Things are unexpected.

Hints not taken.

Interactions conducive

To sit-com scenarios.

My life is a music video.

Hippies backpacking 

Through a colorful desert.

A little bit delusive,

But oddly familiar.

My life is emotional.

A cup of coffee.

A renewing cry.

Mostly I laugh.

It's better that way.

My life is an enigma.

People are strange,

And don't make sense.

Feelings are cloudy.

I need simplification.

My life is a poem.

Sometimes it rhymes.

Sometimes it doesn't.

It's always just shy

Of making sense.

My life is funny.

But I think I'm the only one who's laughing.

Lovey Dovey

First of all I love this song and this video. Ed Sheeran is just a genius. Love is great and there is a right time and a right person for everyone. Even if you think there never will be. 

Mixed Emotions

You never told me I looked pretty,
I loved seeing your name light up on my phone,
I know there are better boys in this city.
Next weekend you had big plans to take me home.
When together, you always seemed bored,
Those friday nights when you held my hand,
That night I was crying, I was ignored.
And the summer nights, toes in the sand.
I started to not feel wanted,
The first boy I truly had feelings for,
I used to be the girl you flaunted.
I've never liked anyone more.

Mixed emotions towards the end,
I cannot lie I really miss my friend.
A broken heart as tears run down my face,
I wanted this too but the pain is hard to erase.

Time will heal... so I wait.

we really can

we can do anything

Get Informed.

This is the first time we can vote in a presidential debate and I think that's a pretty big deal. Don't miss your opportunity to get informed (or at least a little). I'm not saying you have to read every newspaper clipping about the election, just try to learn the basics. We FINALLY have a say, we are the future generation, this is our time to make an impact. Sure, one vote doesn't mean a whole lot, but it counts for something. For all our Pennsylvania viewers, we are a swing state. Our vote might really count! I have never been interested in politics. I'm still not very interested but I am making an effort to watch the debates. The first one helped me immensely. I feel more confident in my vote. I know what I am supporting. It's an hour and half of your life. Just watch at least one. This is the person who is running our country... pretty important if you ask me. Tonight, tune in to watch Paul Ryan and Joe Biden battle it out. Don't know who those people are? Then you should REALLY watch. This is our country. We have a say. We have a vote. Use it.

I'm in love alright with my crazy, beautiful life.

My school is great.

My room is great.

My friends are great.

My boyfriend is great.

Life is great.

hi guys

i realize i haven't posted in a while, so i would like to take this time and give a shootout to the mail man! three cheers!

A Stitch in Time

Last year for my birthday my grandma took all of my old running shirts while I was at school and cut them up to make a quilt out of them. I've always wanted a quilt like that, but for some reason I was kind of hurt by her actions. I felt like she had gone through my diary without asking. I have a strong emotional connection with those shirts, as I'm sure most runners do. I think I was also distraught because she didn't have time to actually make the quilt so she just handed me a Walmart bag full of my torn up memories. She didn't even make them all the same sizes. Why would she not make them the same sizes? 

I still have the bag of t-shirt scraps in my closet. My grandma and I said we would get together and finish the quilt. But I have never made the time and she probably forgets about it and the bag of scraps gets pushed further and further into the shadowy back of my closet. The back of my mind. 

Sometimes when I run I forget where I came from. I forget how horrifyingly sucky I was. I forget 9/10 meets. I forget when my PR was 7:22 for the mile. I forget that defeated feeling you get when you're behind the rest of the pack and all you want to do is quit. I forget the pity cheers from your teammates. I forget the fast girls having to circle back around to pick you up because you fell behind...again. I forget a huge physical, mental and emotional building block of my life.

Today I found that bag of scraps. I'm still not sure if I'm over my grandma cutting them up. The poor woman didn't know she was cutting up my life. But finding that bag made me realize just how far I've come. How much I owe to running. I think I'll call my grandma and ask her when we can finally make the quilt. It's time to sew my life back together.

A Smile

A smile for the classmates who got me through the day

With a goodbye at graduation they won’t make it all the way.

A laugh at all the memories that will never fade,

I will never forget all the true friends I have made.

A sigh for the foolish drama made in the past few years,

Now I see that the arguments weren’t worth the tears.

A high five to the girls who worked with me all season long,

Through the grueling workouts, together we kept strong.

A hug for my family, we bicker but you always come to my aide,

At the end of the day there isn’t a single thing I would trade.

A nod to the ones who have hurt me for you have given me strength,

Realizing the people to keep close and those to keep at arms length.

An apology for the ones I have hurt and the mistakes I have made,

I am learning and fixing, truly sorry this came a bit delayed.

A wink for the boys of high school, time to say goodbye to your charm,

Sorry for the hurt, I never meant to do any harm.

A handshake for the people who have shaped who I am today,

A million thank yous will never seem like enough thanks to say.

A wave for the people stuck in this town, I hope you find a way

To chase your dreams and live life to the fullest every day.

I wrote this after high school and it has been trapped in my laptop for much too long. better late than never?

I actually got real advice from a cookie?

"The world is a beautiful book for those who read it" 
I got this message in a fortune cookie a while ago. I've kept it in my journal since then. Today I realized that I have been stuck on the same page for a while. Maybe even the same sentence. I don't do anything with my life really. There are so many more productive, exciting things I could do with my time, but I choose to do nothing. I just sit. And eat. I'm wasting my life waiting for my life to happen. It's stuck in my mind that when I get a real job and have a family, life will begin. But my life doesn't start then, it started nineteen years ago. I'm not reading the book that is the world, I'm just looking at the pictures. Skimming. It scares and concerns me. So I guess instead of spending my time ranting and blogging I should just go live my life now...

Coulda, shoulda, woulda

There are things I should have done,

Words I should have said,

Phone calls I should have made

Emails I should have sent

To make the extra effort

And take the next step.

Standing still, feet in cement,

I did not push myself forward.

Tangled in my own life,

Blind to other’s needs.

To be a better daughter, sister and friend,

To put a smile on someone’s face

And brighten their day

But I chose to do nothing.

And now I am left wondering why

Why I chose to sit back.

Why it continues to be the same.

Awkward Physical Contacts

Sometimes you can't avoid the awkward situations life throws at you.

Thoughts from space out of my mind...or something like that.

Has there ever been a movie about another planet that has humans or human-like creatures that find out about Earth and try to communicate with us? Because there should be. It's obviously the most realistic sci-fi plot out there. We are one planet, in one solar system, in one galaxy, in an infinite space; chances are there is another planet with life on it. Sometimes I freak myself out when I think about this. How minuscule we really are in comparison to space. It really changes your perspective. I think it's healthy to think about sometimes. Gets the mind juices flowing.

Also on my lack of posting recently:          

Confidence

I realize how lazy I have been lately and I am here to apologize. I mean posting pictures and links... would it kill me to write a few words of my own? Well, here it goes:

     With the local high school graduation happening last night, I have reflected a lot on who I have become this past year. It's hard to believe how much I have changed. Last year, all I cared about was track and I was terrified of the future; harder track workouts, more intense classes, the fear that I wouldn't be as smart as everyone else and the party scene. I was unsure in myself.
      This year, my study habits have improved immensely and with one year under my belt, I have realized not to underestimate myself. I can keep up with the rest of the class. Track workouts proved to be manageable. Actually too manageable, now I want the challenge I feared. Track has become less of priority. Competing at a whole new level, I forget the reasons that made me love track in the first place. Although, I remain positive and continue to search for the feelings I felt last year. This year rather than leading me to medals, track has led me to my best friends. I have realized who has my back and who doesn't. In college, there isn't much guesswork involved. I hold onto the people who care and let go and move on from the people who don't. As far as the party scene goes, I've definitely adapted. This change might be seen as negative but I believe that I am still the same person as last year and partying has not strayed me from knowing what is really important in life. I still see the best in the people I meet. I still know whats truly important in life, my family and friends. I still remind myself that I have boundaries and don't allow myself to be taken advantage of.
      Last year, I would have never predicted all of this. Although, with all these changes, I realize, I am happy. I walk around school grateful each and every day that I am blessed enough to get this opportunity to learn at a school as prestigious and beautiful as Boston College. I am blessed with friends who care about me as if they have known me my whole life. I am confident in those few high school friend that have survived the year, confident that we will survive many more. I want to seize all opportunities Boston College presents me and graduate a well rounded person who knows what she wants in life. Although, I don't have my next four years mapped out. I've realized that it's okay. Last year I was scared but everything seemed to fall into place. This year, I am still scared when thinking about my major but what separates this year from the last is that I have courage and faith in myself. I believe that I will make the right decisions and figure my life out. This year I have confidence.