mmm yummy. need some caffeine to jump start new blog posts!
C O F F E E
Yes, please!
(Source: exothelove)
We are born into a box of time and space. We use words and communication to break out of it, and to reach out to others.
—Rogert Ebert, TEDTalk: “Remaking My Voice”
Villanova Nothing but Treble sings Used to Love U by John Legend
Solo: Kyra Limberakis
Harmony: Christie Haggerty
Beatbox: Hiba Abouslemein
Arranged: Christie Haggerty and Laura Humphrey
Mothers and Daughters
For a paper assignment, I was recently asked to explore the differences and similarities between the mother-daughter relationship in Alice McDermott’s “Our Girls” and Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where are you going? Where have you been?” The assignment was to write a literary analysis, so I had to keep my full writer’s voice at bay. Here’s a chunk which I did not include but really loved writing. Enjoy!
Personally, I have found my relationship with my own mother to be continuously fascinating. I, like Connie and Beth, went through a rebellious stage: my very own blue period. I entered that part of my life nurturing the idea that I would never be like my mother. I would never parent like her, act like her, or much less dress like her. However resolved I was in those objections, I emerged from my rebellion with my mother’s voice, mannerisms, and a tendency to raid her closet. Now, I cannot even remember those attributes of my mother that I so objected to. When I look at her today, I recognize the best in her but more than that I recognize that she is a human being. She is not a fun-sucker, a kill-joy a conservative prude; nor is she super-woman, the “cool mom,” or they typical housewife. She is a woman who tries her best to be all that she can be, each and every day of her life. She is the first person I call. She is the one I always want to spend time with. Our relationship may not be one-hundred percent open; I do not share every detail of my life with her, nor does she with me. But we do share with each other. We share life with each other more so than we ever have before. I recognize completely that moment of hope for a deeper relationship that occurs between Charlotte and Beth, because I have experienced it with my own mother. There is something so naturally amazing in a mother simply recognizing her daughter, waving, and having her daughter respond in kind.
And maybe I am a “child of my generation,” and maybe I have been told too many times that I’m “as good as” and “better than,” and maybe I’ve had my own personal crisis or two. But if after all that, being part of this generation allows me to be best friends with my Mom, I simply would not have it any other way.
We wanted to go to the moon, so we went there. We achieve what we want to achieve. If we are not achieving something it is because we have not put our minds to it. We create what we want.
What we want and how we want depends on our mindsets. It is extremely difficult to change mindsets once they are formed. We create the world in accordance with our mindset…We can reconfigure our world if we can reconfigure our mindset.
—Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Prize Lecture: 2006
A Cappella Palooza and St. Patrick’s Day 2012
This past Friday night, the Villanova A Cappella community came out for a night of great music and fun. A Cappella Palooza 2012 was a huge success! Every group sounded great and did a terrific job performing. Even more exciting than the level of talent at the concert was the way each group expressed themselves through their songs. It was truly wonderful to get a chance to see all that we involved in A Cappella have to offer!
Going into the concert, my group felt confident and excited to show off all our hard work. The past few months of preparation have been more fun than stressful. We’ve all contributed so much to each of our songs that they really felt like our own when we performed.
I could not have been smiling more when we were up on stage! Seeing my parents and all of my friends who came out to support me in the audience was magic. Being able to share that part of myself with people I care about is a wonderful thing. It meant so much to me that my parents came all that way for the concert. They are so incredibly supportive; I don’t know what I would do without them. And my friends — forget about it! They were all there, cheering me on, congratulating me. I am truly blessed to have such caring, fun, amazing people in my life.
St. Patrick’s Day was also a great part of the weekend! On Saturday, a few of my friends and I sat out on Sheehan Beach (a big field in the front of campus) and enjoyed the sunshine. I think I even got a little bit of color! We listened to music, talked, danced, and played. It felt so great to be outside, soaking up some vitamin D, and acting like a kid again. At night, we all went out to a party and had a great time. I ran into so many people I know, which doesn’t usually happen. It was awesome to see everyone out having fun together and celebrating.
Here’s to a great weekend, and to many more!
Here’s to a great weekend: A Cappella Palooza and St. Patrick’s Day, fun in the sun, and time well spent with a great group of friends.
I’m a little behind on blogging lately, but many exciting things have been happening/ideas swirling around in my head! Here’s an exciting event — my first front page article came out in an issue of my school’s newspaper last month. I’ve been writing for the news section all year and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. More posts to come soon!
Reflection of the Day: 2/1
Early this morning, I woke up to an e-mail from a friend. I haven’t received a chain e-mail in a long time, so I was ready to write it off, mark it read, and forget about it. But, in my hazing just-waking-up state I opened the message and began to read:
“Today may there be peace within you. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love. It is there for each and every one of us.”
The final line of this quotation reminds me of a line from my favorite movie, The Family Stone. Claire Danes and Dermott Mulrony’s characters are walking late at night through the local town. She is sharing a story which she came across while doing her work as a reviewer of artist grant proposals. The story tells of a man who went from bar to bar, complaining that he had a hole in his heart. He was unable to sleep soundly, enjoy life, because of this hole in his heart. His community comes together and presents the man with a log to carve. The man had never carved in his life, but after much time he completed the log and a celebration was organized for the raising. Claire Danes’ character attends, and relates how emotional it was to see the love and care that the man put into the log. Dermott Mulroney’s character is intrigued, wanting to go see the log, to which Claire Danes’ character simply replies, “It’s there for you.”
This quote seems to reflect the best thing one person could wish for another: peace. Why do we keep moving through this crazy world, doing the things we do, caring about the things we care about? What could possibly motivate us to hold on tight for the ride, even when we can see that the road ahead brings danger and uncertainty? For many, it is the promise of something better, something truer, something that makes sense. During the past few days, I have felt stuck - stuck between the past and the future, trying to understand the present. I realize now that I alone make the choice to move through uncertainty, to embrace the unknown, to feel all the things I am feeling. I choose them because I know that someday, they will lead me to peace: peace of mind, peace of body, peace of spirit.
It’s there for me.
