Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Zed

Because it's the end.
Firstly, do you ever think about how much a thing will change? I mean, the alphabet for instance. In England, the expression is "A to Zed" but then Americans had to create their own thing and make it "A to Z". Not that I have a problem with people changing things but, honestly, why was that necessary?
Secondly, I'm really impressed with everyone who managed to complete this challenge. Here's a round of applause for you. (Applause).
Thirdly, thank you Kris for bringing my attention to this challenge. It was a lot of fun :)
See you on the flip side

Monday, April 29, 2013

You

Dear You,
I don't know that we've met in person or spent any real time together but I am glad that you're willing to take some time out of your day to look around at other blogs. Apparently, you're at least semi-interested in the lives of others and I appreciate that about you. You seem pretty great, we should be friends.
If I may offer a little piece of advice: chin up and keep being you. Trust me, I know that those things are pretty hard to do 24/7 because life is life and it gets hard. But being yourself is the best favor you can do for you because it means you were always true whatever was in your view. (Yes, I worked on that internal rhyme.)
I hope that your day is going well with whatever is going on in your life. I hope it's sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. But, if things get hard, I hope you'll keep your head up because who says that you're not perfect. Cause life is a highway and I hope that you'll never let it be too little, too late. And if you ever feel like you're superman poisoned by kryptonite, I'll dare you to move.
Okay, I think I'm done with the cheesy song titles in my motivational speech.
But, seriously, you have a good day :)
Sincerely,
Robyn :)

Saturday, April 27, 2013

X-Men

One of my favorite movies ever is the "X-Men" series. (Yes, I count the trilogy as a movie.)
I love the superhero ideal that Professor X has about protecting and furthering the greater good.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Washington

Welcome to Washington
Welcome to the place I go to college, where it likes to rain and 60 degrees is considered warm enough to be  outside in shorts.
A lot of people ask me why I decided to come to school in Washington since I used to live in Italy; mostly, it's close to family and it was one of the cheapest schools I applied to. But, since that decision, I've come to really like the school I chose.
Washington isn't actually quite as rainy as people think; it rain a lot but it doesn't rain super hard all the time. It's really green and people are generally pretty outdoorsy. Something I really want to do soon is take a trip over to the coast and walk along the water eating salt water taffy. I like Washington a lot, all things considered. I wish it was sunny more often but that's currently my main complaint.


Thursday, April 25, 2013

"Vita"

Vita meaning "life." Honestly, I really miss living in Italy and hearing Italian all the time.
At this particular moment, I don't really know how to describe life. I could describe it in terms of what I want to do; or what I have to do; or what's been happening; or how many times a day I wish I was in my bed instead.
But life doesn't care how I describe it; it's just going to keep rolling on and on. I guess I should get to it then...because the sooner I do the things I have to do, the sooner I'll get to do the things I want to do then I'll have stories to tell about what's been happening and maybe I'll barely have the energy to want my bed.
I think this is a really cool picture, jussayin'

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Uncertainty

Maybe it's a typical college emotion to feel completely uncertain about everything. But it's really kind of annoying to not know so much about where your own life is going. Everything just seems really transient right now and I don't know what to hold on to.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Terrifying Things


  1. Being alone
  2. Trying to figure out life
  3. That maybe the monsters that were under my bed moved into my head
There are lots of terrifying things that pop up in life. The trick, I suppose, is learning how to deal with them--even though they scare the willies out of you. And, truth is, I'm getting there. One baby step at a time. 

Monday, April 22, 2013

Sleep

Oh how I miss sleep. And I don't even know why I don't do it; it gets to be 4 in the afternoon and I'm craving my bed. But once 10 pm rolls around, there's always time for one more episode of "Supernatural." Honestly, I should start reading. New goal, read a chapter of that book before I go to bed tonight. And go to bed at a reasonable hour. This week is gonna be intense so getting sleep when I can is going to be a wonderful idea.
Pretty much, yeah

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Reality

Have you ever heard the joke "I substitution your reality and replace it with my own"? At the moment, I'm pretty curious about why people don't actually follow that. If you see something you don't like and you have the power to change it, why wouldn't you? Why would you choose to do something that doesn't make you completely and totally happy? Why would you not create your own reality?
Be bold and go out and do what you want to do, do the things that make you happy. Create your own reality.
(Hey, I'm a college kid...2 am on Sunday is still technically Saturday if I haven't been to sleep yet.)


Friday, April 19, 2013

Questions

Have you ever thought about how fundamentally important questions are? Think about it...whenever you're getting to know someone; whenever you don't know what is happening; whenever you'd like to discussion a theory with a friend, questions are absolutely crucial.
And they are so much fun. Asking questions and being asked questions opens up a new realm of possibility every single time. Not that everyone is always going to agree on the answers or even like the questions but sometimes disagreeing is part of the fun. Disagreement teaches you as much about a person/situation as agreement does.
When I meet new people, I think it's super fun to just keep asking questions--and not even anything specific. Things like "What do you think about flowers?" works just as well as "What is your favorite childhood memory?" Questions (and getting to know people) are so much fun. Some of my favorite people (fair warning, I do actually have a lot of favorite people) but some of my favorite favorite people are the ones who will text/call/talk to me and start with "I was thinking about this thing, what're your thoughts on thus obscure topic?" Granted, maybe I just make friends with interesting people and therefore they're not wondering about the ins and outs of financial planning because that's not something I see myself having a fun time discussing...

Presents

I feel like I've always been really good at presents. I like to pay attention to the people that I care about and, therefore, have a relatively solid idea about the things that they like or need or desire. A few people have told me that their favorite presents are presents that I've given them.
But the real point is that I received a present today and I'm all giddy about it. So my boyfriend, Kris, lives far far away--which is sometimes less than fun. Then, other times, there is an explosion of awesomeness (that I assume happens when people in relationships live within a nice proximity to each other as well) and it's wonderful. Today a package arrived for me, from Kris. Inside was "Perks of Being a Wallflower" (both the movie and the book); the "Pitch Perfect" soundtrack; the "Dr. Horrible's-Sing-Along-Blog" soundtrack; "The Breakfast Club"; "Sixteen Candles"; and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." I'm really excited about all of these things and can't wait until I have time to watch/read/listen.


PS...yes I know that this is posted on 4/19 when it is the post for 4/18. But I haven't been to sleep yet so my head is still under the impression that it's 4/18. Come back a little later today and I shall have something written for 'Q'.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

"O is for the Only One I See"

Yes, I am indeed quoting Nat King Cole for today's post. There are two reasons for that...

  1. "L.O.V.E." by Nat King Cole is one of my favorite love songs ever. It's so sweet and so personal; it never ceases to make me smile--and it constantly gets stuck in my head.
  2. I know this song due to the movie "Parent Trap" ( the Lindsay Lohan version) which is a movie that I watched constantly during my childhood. And that is to say that, today, 'O' is for 'childhood.'
I'm gonna bet that my childhood was markedly different from most other people's experience. But, at this point in college, I'm starting to realize why people long for their childhood. Being an adult is stressful and there are always a billion things to do. Being a kid is, usually, a lot more carefree. And I am starting to miss that as I have to sacrifice either ____ and ____ to do well in ____ (fill in one of these for each blank: sleep, social life, academics). But I do think that being an adult will be more rewarding overall.

And, so I don't feel like I'm cheating, here's a bunch of pictures of things that start with the letter 'O'.

An ostrich

Orion's Belt

An Oreo

Ollivander's Wand Shop

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Naps

I super don't have enough time to work naps into my day. Man, I wish I did. But I don't. I feel like my days might go a lot smoother if I did have that time.
I'd love to hang this on my door

Monday, April 15, 2013

Mom

What else can today go to, honestly?
To Mom, I miss you, I love you. Thank you for always being there for me. I appreciate that you (and Dad) brought me up the way you did, full of love and the inspiration to achieve. Thank you for encouraging me to go out into the world, for trying to help me discover my passions. I'm ever indebted for about a million reasons, but the opportunity to live in Europe is definitely at the top of my list. I'm excited to share my experiences with you as I grow up and start filling out my shoes give. (What's that adage? "Give a girl a pair of shoes and watch her take on the world"? Something like that.)
Most of all, thanks for teaching me about the strength to be independent.
I love you.
Yeah, pretty much

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Love and Laughter

Two of the most important things in life, I believe-- love and laughter. Personally, I think that both are required to help one get through the hardest times in life and they make the good times all the better. They are so worth searching for because being able to hold onto them is simply amazing.







Friday, April 12, 2013

Kris

 I'll start this post with a promise of cheesiness because this is probably gonna be pretty darn cheesy. (Also, this post may be a little longer than most so fair warning.)
Now that we've got that out of the way, I wanted to tell you all about this amazing guy named Kris. He's pretty great and I am lucky enough to get to call him my boyfriend. Honestly, he's such a dork but, the secret is, I really like him for that. 
We met, oh, 5 or 6 years ago in Italy. (For those of you who don't know, I used to live on a Navy base and--for a time--his family was stationed there.) I wouldn't go so far as to say it was "love at first sight" but I never forgot him. Wanna know why? Because my earliest recollection of him is when I walked into my dad's classroom to find Kris asking my dad for a candy bar. 
Long story real short, we became good friends, dated, broke up, he moved, and we didn't talk until about my junior year of high school. And it felt really nice to be talking to him again, reconnecting with old friends just feels good to me. And, plus, it was fun to hear about all of his adventures at college (something I was very nervous about once I hit senior year).
Then I moved to the states for college, got a phone, and the conversation never seemed to stop. Pretty soon, he was one of my best friends again. 
Now to the next part of the story and I promise I'll try to keep this short. He's in the Navy Corp as his school and most branches (and even quasi-branches) of the military like to have lots of "functions" some of which are things like Navy Ball. He told me about one that was coming up and I lamented that I didn't have any functions to go to where I could get dressed up all fancy. So he invited me. Lo and behold, tickets to his side of the country are pretty expensive--especially for me, on a college budget.
"But, wait, aren't you going home to visit your parents? Why not just stop here one way?" That was his wonderful solution and, thanks to some higher power, it worked out. So, yay, I got to spend almost a week with him and Tay (because I will never, ever forget her). And that week will be one of the most memorable weeks for all of my freshman college experience.  
So, Kris, I guess what I really am trying to say is "Thank you." First off, for bringing this challenge to my attention because it's really fun. But, mostly, for just being you, being around and helping me through things. I know things are hectic at school right now but things'll calm down and you'll have time for your naps :P Besides that, it is almost summer. And summer is gonna be great. 
Hopefully, it'll involve something like this

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Jaguars

Just because I miss my high school, today is dedicated to my mascot--the jaguar.
Honestly, to me, my high school experience was pretty amazing. Sure, like any other time in life, it got hard. But I learned a lot and love the friends I made (even if we're not still in touch). To me, being a jaguar means being inclusive because what else can you do when your school is made up of barely 200 students? It means exploring the world around you and taking advantage of the opportunities you are given. It means making the best of what you have because it's better than sitting around, complaining about what you don't have.
Yeah, my school was small and I didn't have everything most high schools had but I do treasure the memories I made there. When my heart thinks of home, this is where it goes.

Spirit fingers :)
Oi, Oi, Oi,
Oi, Oi, Oi,
Forza Jaguars, 
Vinci per noi


Oi, Oi, Oi,
Oi, Oi, Oi,
Forza Jaguars, 
Vinci per noi
OI!



Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Imagination

I wish I could paint...or draw. That'd be fun :)
What makes us human?
No, this wasn't a question presented in one of my philosophy classes today--we were talking about utilitarianism and the divine command theory. It was actually my linguistics class that got me to thinking about this question. In said linguistics class, we've spent much of our first days solidifying the idea that only humans have language. Sure, animals have means of communication but linguists on a whole don't consider that and language to be the same thing.
I think one plausible answer is that it is our imagination that makes us human, our ability to create new and diverse ideas. We've progressed so far from cave drawing to blank canvasses (still don't totally understand how that's art but, hey, to each his own); we've moved from men being entirely superior to women being less inferior (let's be real, sexism is far from resolved); we've made intentions to clear racism from the world (again, still a work in progress); and we invented the car (and are struggling to come up with ways to reduce the negative effects cars have on our environment.)
And none of those things could've happened unless someone had imagined them first. Someone had to have a crazy dream about it, wake up in the middle of the night and think "Hey, it'd be a really great world to live in if things were like this." (Okay, so maybe they spent lots of hours theorizing about it but the point stands.)
Imagination is crucial to us being human.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Happiness

Oh the thing that I so greatly desire.
I know this probably isn't the case for some people but have you ever wondered why happiness (last happiness) is so hard to achieve?
There's always something--some little voice in my head--that says this isn't the moment to be happy, that comes up with reasons why I shouldn't be happy. And then my brain makes sure that I pay attention to those reasons instead of the reasons I should be happy.
To those of you who help keep me happy, I'm sorry for not being that way more often. I know that a happy Robyn is a lot more fun to deal with. And I do promise that I'm working on it--just got to sort a few things out first.


Monday, April 8, 2013

Good

Now if the world actually worked like that...
Due to a couple recent events, I've been thinking quite a bit about what "good" is. What makes an experience good? Is it good to have good experiences regardless of the consequences--if there are consequences? Is it possible for a thing to be good and bad at the same time? (Confession: I am taking two philosophy classes this quarter so there might be lots of questions like that in the near future.)
Anyway, the half-kind-of-conclusion-type-thing that I've come to is that something is "good" when it is something that makes you happy in the long run. If it doesn't make you happy just yet, that probably means it's teaching you something. And, if it doesn't work out, you can make your next choices based on the knowledge that you gained when taking one path that you thought led to "good'.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

I Know I'm Supposed to Take Sunday Off But I Wanted to Say This

Because I refuse to believe that there is anything truly "wrong" with me...
Because I know that my family (both blood and found) love me dearly...
Because I believe that tomorrow will bring about new chances...
Because I pray that the sun will shine even if it rains today...
Because I remember what it feels like to have you near...
Because I have seen the power of will and endurance...
Because I recognize that nothing good ever comes truly easily...
Because I can dance...
Because I will always want to be there for those who help carry me...
Because I think that everything will eventually get as close to perfect as it can...
Because I feel the opportunity in the world...
Because a quitter isn't something I want to be...

As long as I have people who care about me and who will be here in the morning, I'll never leave and I'll keep taking the next step forward. I want to do something great with my life so, as soon as I figure out what that is, get ready for a wild ride.

And, to you, I just want to say thanks. I know it took me a frustratingly long to realize all of this so thanks for being patient and I can't wait until we get to hang out again. It's going to be epic. :)


Saturday, April 6, 2013

Friends

Dear Friends,
Where would I be without you? I mean, really. Through all the ups and downs in my life, it's my friends that have stood by me always ready to help and to try to make me smile. For that, I love all of you. Thank you for helping me to make like so much more enjoyable.
I don't even have the right words to express how much you guys all mean to me but, rest assured, you all have special places in my heart.
I love you all,
Robyn

Friday, April 5, 2013

Easy

Throughout my life "easy" has been something that people seem to search for. Everyone is much more inclined to do something if it is "easy" the first time we try. But, honestly, I think things that are "easy" will give you a false sense of enjoyment. If you don't have to work hard at something, it is much harder to appreciate and--without that full appreciation--how do you propose to enjoy it?
There is so much about life that isn't "easy" but that is no reason to avoid it. Some of the best things in life are "hard"--maintaining relationships, completing interesting coursework, getting hired at the "perfect" corporation, mastering Lindy or Fusion, building the strength to rock climb, getting used to living in a new place, traveling and exploring the world. Any one of these things and about a million others are actually really hard. But the more you work at something, the more you get out of it.
And don't we all want to be great?

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Dancing

I think it's only appropriate that today is dancing because I'm me and dancing is practically my life. For those of you who don't know, I go blues dancing two nights a week. And last night was the first night of dance after Spring Break so it was really good to see/dance with everyone. I've missed all of them. The blues community is really pretty tight and, as soon as new people come, they're welcomed in as one of the friends. (Side note: if you have a large personal space bubble, blues probably isn't the community to be a part of.) Like, we convinced a new lead to come dance last night and he ended up staying for the cuddle puddle that invariably happens after we're all too tired to dance anymore.
Dancing is almost beyond words for me. People ask me why I do it and I guess the best answer is that it's just part of me; I may not be the best at it (something I'm working to improve) but I love to move and blues dancing is so expressive. The high I get after a night full of good dances is almost indescribable; I can't stop smiling and clapping and being silly. Dancing is a way for me to connect with people. Dancing is a way for me to express myself. Dancing is a way for me to have fun. Dancing is a way for me to get to know people. Dancing just a part of my life now; I don't think I'll ever be able to live without it. It's as simple as that.
"Dancing is the hidden language of the soul" --Martha Graham

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Collections

We all acquire collections throughout our lives, whether we mean to or not and whether we consider these collections prized or not.
Here's my collection that I actively add to: souvenir pennies.
All of them, my whole collection
I have a couple that are from various places in Europe as well as throughout the places I've been in the US.
My first one ever
I think that they're the perfect token from a trip because they don't cost much and I always get to "make" them. I think it's really cool.
My dad actually got me started in collecting these. My family took a road trip to Southern California with the intent of going to all the parks down there: Disney Land, Universal, Knottsberry Farm. Except that I got sick and had to stay in the hotel one day. Dad came back with the coin from Universal Studios and now whenever I see the little machines, I desperately wonder if I have 2 quarters and a shiny penny.

My most recent

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Books, Books, Books, Oh My Goodness BOOKS

First day of a new quarter at school means picking up all my textbooks at the store and, oh my goodness, I have a lot this quarter; $200 worth to be exact. I'm told by a friend who is majoring in mechanical engineering that 200 isn't actually that much but, hey, I'm still talking gen-ed classes so it feels like a lot. Granted, I have a lot of books mostly because I'm taking an English class about global literature. If the titles for that class are any suggestion to what the subject matter is, I'm going to be learning a lot about Arab/Islamic culture.
Aside from all of that babble, I think books are great. I was totally that girl in high school, the one who always had her nose in a different book. Honestly, I miss that; the escaping to another world so so often. But I guess I don't need it quite as much because I live in a place where there are actually things to do as opposed to being on the Island. I do have a goal for this quarter, though. That same mechanical engineering friend of mine (is actually also doing this challenge and it's worth checking out but not the point so back to my real sentence...) this friend sent me a care package back in November full of books; of the 8 he originally sent me, I have read 4--well, 3 but I'd already read one of the them so it counts. My goal is to read the other 4 originals plus the one he sent me in February. So 5 pleasure books in between all my class readings is one goal I have for this quarter because books are just wonderful.
When they are well done, you get to escape into this whole other world; you get to misbehave; you get to try crazy new things; you get to be in love; you get to fight until kingdom come; you get to be a superhero; you get to be a villain; you get to live in the past; you get to live in the future; and you get to do all of that (and more) without ever having to get out of bed. It's grrrrrrrrrreat.
One of the other reasons that I love to read so much is that I do really want to use my future time to write--possibly with getting out of bed. And reading a lot gets me thinking about stories and characters and styles of writing and ways to craft appropriate plot holes...food for thought is so yummy.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Airplanes And Assorted Associated Aspects

Special thanks to Arlee Bird for creating the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. This is gonna be great :)

Since I'm hanging out in an airport with an hour to kill, I thought airplanes would be fun to think about. First off, airplanes are scary--but I'm not actually scared of them (I've flown too many times for that to be a fear of mine). But they're scary because you're relying on so much technology to keep you up in the air and, if any of it fails, you're pretty much sunk. Maybe you have a skilled pilot who can land you safely but then you're potentially in the middle of nowhere, which isn't very conducive to arriving at your destination on time.
Airplanes, airplanes...I'd be interested to count how many airplanes I've been on in my life. "A lot" is one acceptable answer. I do take that as a good thing; I'm happy my mom liked to travel so much--it got me out of the house and I got to see some pretty cool things, all thanks to the scary power of airplanes.
But then there are airports, which are beasts in and of themselves what with check-in, security, and all of the waiting that one does. Thank goodness for "Hudson News" stores to stifle boredom, huh? Also, my laptop is pretty handy. (Did I just make a pun? It's too early for me to tell.) I do know that I've flown enough to have favorite airports (Atlanta over JFK any day) and maybe that suggests that I've flown too much.
Airplanes are pretty amazing, being able to fly over hundreds of miles with cargo and/or passengers. But I don't know if we should depend upon them so much because what happens if they all fail?