"How I lost 10 pounds in one day" -- a short story.

I've been in NYC for 24 hours (okay 23 really, but tish-tish). I've walked about 15 miles, and then my brother and I rented bikes and biked around Central Park.

Guess who's outta shape?

That would be MOI.

Then again, I had ten pounds to spare. :)

I'm really thinking a tan would make this look LESS weird.

Have you yearbook'd yourself yet?

www.yearbookyourself.com

(Too bad my neck doesn't look like that!)

Reality Lesson: REJECTION

Tonight I attended a ceremony for my sorority at my Alma mater. Before the ceremony, I had dinner with a few friends and we were discussing the rituals and rites of passage involved with said sorority (and the rest of the Greek community) at my Alma Mater.

And you know what I was reminded of: REJECTION.

Without sounding callous... rejection is a way of life. I can't help but find ridiculousness in people who constantly want to eradicate rejection from real life.

NEWS FLASH -- Even Jesus got rejected. I'm not going to give my dissertation on original sin and rejection, but I feel like we all need to be reminded that rejection happens.

You don't get into that club.
You don't get into that school.
You don't get that job.
He/She doesn't love you back.
You don't win every time.

Maybe I sound mean... (that's entirely up to your interpretation), but life is not sunshine, cupcakes, and roses, you know? I would love to be 5'7" and weigh 115 pounds. But I'm not ever going to be that. Unless you amputate above my ankles. Or I spend 5 months starving. So, I have to make choices. Some work out and some don't, but I don't give up. I can't help but think that the only way to avoid rejection is to avoid taking any risk. Spiritually speaking, you put faith in God and believe that His Way leads to everlasting life. Then again, maybe that's why I think Agnostics are really just indecisive. They never risk faith.

Maybe I need to start a colony of people who want to live in a box. No risk, no rejection.

But in the same thought process...
Maybe that club wasn't right for you
Maybe that school didn't offer what you wanted
Maybe there's a better job
There's definitely somebody better!
You don't lose all the time either

Thoughts???

P.S. I'm preaching to the Choir here.
rejection sucks.

To Ink, or not.

My mom HATES tattoos. I was going to get one my second semester at Lee, and called her from the tattoo shop. Her exact response was:

"Jennifer Leigh, you have exactly five seconds to get out of that chair and forget about the idea of a tattoo or I will cut you off financially."

So, I got down, because I was broke and scared of my mom. (There was an incident in high school where I lied to her and she slammed me up against a wall.) P.S.... my mom is not violent normally. :) Anywhoo... my desire for a tattoo has never wavered, but my fear and respect for my Mom is the thing that prevails. She would get over it I'm sure, but she would be SOOOOOOOOOO disappointed in me. And the the last thing I would want to do it hurt her intentionally.

This weekend in Gatlinburg, I got a Henna tattoo. With my friends standing around me, I called my mom on speakerphone. Our conversation went like this:

Me: Mom, I got a tattoo.
Mom: (Stern tone) What?
Me: I got a tattoo.
Mom: SILENCE.
Me: Mom, are you still there? I'm just kidding. I got a Henna tattoo... it'll wash off in a few weeks.
Mom: I don't care what your little twinkie friends do to their bodies, but the well will run dry, Sister. Do you understand me?

Fin.

Maybe I'll get a tattoo when I'm married.

Maybe.

Clay at Noefool.com put up a post on Monday about tattoos. The comments he's received have been hilarious!!

What are your thoughts on tattoos??

** To clear up any confusion, my mother does not financially support me in any way, shape, or fashion.**

This is just WRONG.

This starting playing on my iPod. I like the truth in these words today.

search my heart, search my mind, search my soul
make me clean, make me new, make me whole

all of my plans, all of my dreams, I lay them down before your feet
all of my time, all that was mine, I now submit to your design
'cause you are the one and only one who dared to give it all away for me

you are my strength, you are my God, you are my king
you make me laugh, you make me dance, you make me sing

... you never change, but You rearrange my heart more everyday

the bea-YOU-ty.

I'd written this great post that I was going to share about my online dating experience and then thought... wonder if anyone on the internet cares?

So, I deleted it.

But then I remind myself that it had less to do with online dating than it did have to do with living a life of no regret... and now I can't get it back.

EERRRRRrrrr.