Romanticism

In relationships, I am almost always the one who plays realist or the devil's advocate. I just want to be practical in relationships, especially because I always fall so easily. As a form of protection, I want to be realistic at all times.

But while I want to protect myself, there are times when the true girly-girl comes out in me. And then, good ol' Taylor Swift comes on the radio, and I realize that I am so much more feminine than I ever thought I could have been.

You said, "I remember how we felt, sitting by the water./ And every time I look at you, it's like the first time./ I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter./ She is the best thing that's ever been mine."

As soon as I hear those words in "Mine," I realize how much I want to be with someone for the rest of my life. Not that I ever doubted wanting to have one true love, but I feel that there is no man who would want to put up with me 24/7, nor would I even have the time or energy to put into a long-lasting relationship.

All of my relationships have been quick and over before I know it, which I completely understand. I always am evolving and my world is always changing, and the boyfriend phase is the same way. It is hard for me to see someone sticking with me through the thick and thin, even though that's something I desperately want.

I am only 22 years old, and I know that I'm still young, but I cannot wait to have someone in the long term since I haven't found that yet. My life is just about to start, and I can't wait to see the road ahead, and it would be great to share that with someone else. Anyone want to be along for the journey? Until I find that someone, I guess I'll just stick to singing Taylor Swift and dreaming along with her perfect paradise painted in her songs.

The Garage

There's a man who sits in his garage all day, every day. He has the garage door open to let in light, and he simply sits in a collapsible chair. He never has a book in hand, or a drink sitting next to him. He finds himself content all day, every day. How? He just sits and thinks. I wish I could be completely content without any aid.
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Philosophical things aside, busy-ness has consumed me lately. School has been overwhelming with the amount of reading and homework due nightly. It's my last semester of college, and as much as I'm trying to savor every moment, it is hard to balance fun and work and homework. This weekend is fall break, so I finally caught up on sleep. Thursday night, I finally went to Scaremare (first time in 3 1/2 years!) and got scared to death. I had to hold on to my friend for dear life... which is embarrassing for a 22-year-old girl to admit.

Also, I finally ate Waffle House at 2 a.m. Aren't I such a hip college kid, doing everything cliche... anyway, it was a good time.

The weekend before this, I went to Nashville, Tenn., for the Baptist Press Conference. It was so much fun - just me and three fellow journalists in a bigger city. We met many interesting people, from Fox News radio anchor Todd Starnes to Genesis photography principal Gary Fong. Seeing other schools' newspapers was really great, too. I love seeing the creativity of their newspapers and what ideas they come up with for topical coverage of their campuses. One great thing about Nashville was the 85th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry. I had never been to the Opry before, but I saw Trace Adkins, Taylor Swift, and Dolly Parton live! It was such a great experience, and it was also the last thing we did before we left Nashville. It was the best way to end on a high note in Nashville.

It has been exhilarating experiencing everything in my final days in Lynchburg. I don't know where I'm going from here, but I cannot wait for the road ahead. I'm tired of Lynchburg. I'm tired of life as I know it right now. I'm tired in every sense of the word.

Everything is coming at me so fast, and I'm just along for the ride. I still don't know where I'm headed, but I'll let you in for flashes along the ride as well.

Oh, and one last thing - I am running a 5k next weekend for the Freedom 4/24 foundation (www.freedom424.org). I'm excited for the race, and for the handful of friends who are running with me. It's a great cause, and even though the run is going to hurt, it's going to be worth it.

I hope to fill you all in more often than what I have been. Here's to hoping!