You Gotta Tip on the Tightrope

Do you know what it is like to be entirely happy with yourself? To look in the mirror and just be satisfied? How often can you really answer yes to those questions? There is always something about our appearance we are trying to change. If we are happy with our weight, our hair is too bland. If our skin is blemish free, we still could be more muscular. And unfortunately it does not end with appearance. Our mentality is also affected. It is a circular trap that ultimately has no lasting benefit to us: mentally, psychically, or emotionally.

I believe in constantly progressing and striving to be better people. But I think many times we get lost in determining for whom we are actually improving: ourselves or the world's scrutinizing eye. It is frustrating to me how efficient society is at telling us who to be. It is frightening how easily we fall into society's trap. Society not only tells us what is beautiful, but also what is normal. Media and education paints a picture of what is acceptable and anything outside that realm is either weird, wrong or unhealthy. And while some of those things actually may be wrong or unhealthy, why on earth should that allow us to ignore these issues, or treat them as insignificant, or stigmatize them to the point that the silence seems the only way to cope?

I challenge you to take notice of every time you put yourself down or silence yourself from revealing an "unattractive" or "abnormal" quality. Not only appearances, but also emotional, intellectual, and any other less than desired quality in yourself. 1) Do not be afraid to share with people things that you, the other person, or society may find uncomfortable, abnormal, wrong and/or unhealthy. If talking about something helps you in some way, then rely on someone you trust. Yeah, it may be uncomfortable at first, but most new situations are. 2) I am not going to rattle off some 6th grade bullshit about "for every put-down you give, you need to give two put-ups. But get to know your put-downs. What topic do they mostly focus? Where do they stem from? Are they warranted? Sometimes it is just helpful to think about how we think.

Tightrope- Janelle Monae

Mini Marathon

I have debated for months years (freshman year of college) about doing a mini and/or full marathon. I have finally decided that I will do a mini. On September 11th in Indy. Why so soon? Because a friend of mine is doing a full in October and wants some race practice. And why not so soon....

• 2 months is enough time to train
• It's about time I commit to a race after debating for 4 years
• I mean, really? What better exercise goals do I have at the moment?

Sidenote: Some fun facts about my spelling...

• I did not learn until my freshman year of college how to actually spell "college". I always put "colledge"
• I did not learn how to spell "exercise" until my junior year of college. I usually put "excercise"
• I did not learn how to spell "license" until last summer. I always put "liscense". I feel as though this one is justifiable because how often do you need to spell license?
• And the big killer was "separate". I didn't learn that until about February of this year. No idea how that evaded me, seeing as I've been in numerous biology and genetics classes since I was 14.

Now you may be asking yourself how I managed to get into college without knowing how to spell it or how it's possible that I've been an athlete since the age of five and never quite got the hang of exercise. Honestly, I have no idea. I think I just got really good at avoiding those words. And there are still a few words that get me, like business and calendar. I hope to master those by the age of 25. 

I hope I did not just drop my intelligence level by 30 points in your eyes. I am capable of spelling some complicated words. Like tintinnabulation. Which means ringing like bells...or something like that...

And for those who still harbor doubts about my elementary school education, I am a grammar bitch. So I gots'd it where it counts.

Anyway....I made a training schedule/calendar and was going to post it on here so as to be held slightly more responsible for this goal. Not that I give a flying goat if I disappoint you (no offense), but ya know, just to be on the safe side. But apparently I am not computer savvy enough to turn an excel document into a webpage....so sorry about that. Let me know if you care and I could send it to you. 

I am feeling slightly cynical and ornery at the moment and have a feeling that is coming out in my writing. Please do not take it personally. I love you guys. But there is an 105 degree heat index going on here in good ol' central Indiana that I certainly do not love in the slightest. 

Since I failed with sharing my schedule, I will instead share a cool song to keep your minds occupied.
The Civil Wars- Barton Hollow

I can't do this alone.