Energy

1. Chocolate cupcakes are a great pick-me-up.
2. Smash is a great TV show, although it does have some faults.
3. Doing simple math in Spanish is quite hard.
4. Renew your energy.

Well hello there! Sorry for the long hiatus - it was spring break for us last week and this week is "hell week" for the Vagina Monologues (we open tomorrow!), so things have been busy. Life is pretty much back to normal, which is always good.

But to be frank, the weeks leading up to spring break weren't the greatest; it felt like everyone was falling apart and there was nothing I or anyone could do. Energy levels were really low and what was there was very negative. I hated to say it, but I just wanted to get away from everyone. I didn't want to leave campus because I loved the people and the culture of it all, but I couldn't stand the negative energy.

Then spring break came. I ended up spending a few days with my sister and brand-new niece (who, by the way, is my goddaughter). I was hesitant to go because I was so exhausted physically and emotionally. But it was what I needed. What I wanted was to spend a whole week alone in my house, watching movies and doing nothing. But I needed was to be somewhere with someone who loved me, but didn't care about what was going on. I needed to be swept up into a different energy. Being around a 1 week old baby and a 2 year old - one can't particularly think about themselves. It was what I needed and I am so glad I went. (I did end up spending some time alone and some time with friends from high school.)

Presley and I

Each of us influences the energy around us. The more positive people, there are more positive thoughts and ideas - positivity breeds positivity and negativity breeds negativity. Typically, when I felt like I was in a negative situation, I would leave. But because I am so connected with my friends here on campus, I couldn't do that - it would hurt more than help. I needed to 'reset' my energy, bring it back to a neutral level, one that was stable and easy.

Sometimes, we need to get away, we need to be swept up into a different energy. Sometimes we need to stop focusing on ourselves. Sometimes we need to stop trying to fix ourselves because at some point, it loses its effectiveness. And when you do come back to your world, come with an open mind and heart. Connect with friends in different ways and on deeper levels.

Sometimes, we just need to fix the fuse and flip the switch.

Peace!

-Nicole

Snow

1. Early bird gets the washing machine (or 4).
2. Don't get too frustrated when you can't think of anything to write for a blog post.
3. Be tackled into the snow.
4. Snow is absolutely wonderful.

I hate winter. I hate how wet, dirty, freezing, horrible-driving weather and especially because of where I live, it never seems to end. Plus, I thrive off of sunlight. The more sun there is, the happier I am. I absolutely hate winter.

But I love snow.

A snowy world.

I love the way it sounds underneath my shoes. I love how it covers the trees. I love how lights look when the snow is falling. I love how it makes slip every once in a while, like it's reminding me to stay in the moment and watch where I'm going. More than anything, I love how it covers everything in a blanket.

Think about it - snow is the only type of weather that covers everything in a blanket of anything. Rain washes things clean, sun warms the skin, wind shakes things up...snow is the only thing that covers something in order to allow for change to happen. Underneath the snow, things are shift, changing, moving, growing, dying. After winter, the earth is slightly different than before.

Not only does the earth itself change, but we change with it. Underneath a snowy sky, we discover things about ourselves in the world. I thrive in the sun, but winter allows me to be more pensive and see the world in a different light (literally and figuratively).

Looks a bit like Narnia.

Underneath a blanket of snow, things are a bit more close and change happens without much notice. After the snow melts, things bloom and change is truly seen...but sometimes we need blanket of snow, or some sort of protection, to allow things to get ready for spring.

Be tackled into a pile of snow and have laughing fits as a a snowball hits in you in the back. Keep on trudging through the snow. Allow yourself to slip every once in a while. Enjoy the white earth. And love spring even more when it comes.

Peace!

-Nicole