Bareback Adventures.

I’m sorry if I threw you off with the title of this post. You may have been hoping for something more along the lines of Brokeback Mountain, but crude humor is not my cup of tea. On the upside, if you like to frolic down memory lane, you are in luck.

Last week, some friends and I decided we would embrace our inner Indian and partake in riding our horses bareback as our ancestors once had. If any of you have ridden bareback you would know that it is quite a physically demanding task. Feeling good about ourselves, we decided to ride the two-mile route that was located just east of our campus rodeo facility. We started at a nice jogging pace then it quickly turned into a runaway mine train. Friend #1 was riding her three-year-old filly (young female horse), which decided she would forget all her training and run full blast like a bat out of hell. Well, if bats ran instead of flew out of hell. In a matter of seconds my horse and I were nearly run over by the hellish bat filly. Good thing my horse has a strong mane or else I would have become best friends with West Texas tumbleweeds on the ground. Once she gained control of her filly, the overall atmosphere of the excursion was exhilarating. It was a nice change of pace and really cleared our minds to say the least. We rode through mesquite tree groves, down through draws and back up rocky slopes like real natives.

Upon return to the campus facility, we were all feeling jubilant and productive that we had utilized our horses for the sole purpose of their existence. Nothing could phase us.. Until the next day. The three of us woke up with some serious inner thigh soreness (maybe tmi?). Note to self: do not ride two miles bareback when you have not ridden bareback since the end of the French and Indian War. Needless to say, bareback was a bad choice (Ron Burgundy accent).



In this instance, I would say that connecting with friends and nature outweighed the pain I experienced post bareback horse riding extravaganza.

An Everyday Muse.

This semester I am taking a Creative Writing class. So far, it has been incredible. It makes me think for myself and helps me find my inner artist. Day one of the class we were asked to record in our portfolios what gave us inspiration, so I would like to share mine with you.

Travelling-Seeing new things and experiencing different cultures can be fascinating. How people live in different societies can open your eyes to so many things. The way I view the world today is completely different than the way I viewed things a few years ago.
People-I love people. When I meet someone new and hear his or her story, it just feels great to me. Everyone comes from different backgrounds that shape him or her into the person they are today. What an amazing thing!
Finishing a good book-When I finish a good book, I am in euphoria! I feel outstanding and it makes me want to go out into the world and do great things. Thank God for literature.
Horses-The sheer beauty that a horse possesses is breath taking. Horses have always been my outlet for everything. If I was angry, sad or happy, my horse could somehow always tell. They are inspiring creatures.
Yoga-This is one of my newer inspirations, but I find that it may be one of my greatest. It is relaxing and allows me to release all my stresses and focus on just me. Namaste.
New York-One of the coolest places on the planet. So many writers and actresses/actors have become successful through the opportunities this city offers. Someday soon I would love to live there. This gives me something to work/look forward to.
Kristen Wiig-My favorite actress. She is currently on the cast of SNL and I find her to be brilliant. She is successful and did not start her acting career until her mid to late twenties, way cool.
Giving-There is no greater satisfaction, in my opinion. To know that you may have made a slight difference in the life of someone else is enough for me.
A nice cardigan-When I’m dressed nicely with a cardigan on, I feel invincible. Maybe that’s nerdy but I don’t care.

So tell me, what inspires you?

Long Time No See.

Hey everyone! I have had one crazy semester, but it has been awesome! Just to fill you in on what has been going on with me, here is a little taste:
-I was in my first play! The play was "Leading Ladies," written by Ken Ludwig; I played the role of Audrey. Audrey's character is similar to that of Marilyn Monroe in "Some Like It Hot."
-Our recycling program at school is well underway, it has been a rather bumpy road, but better to have a bumpy road than no road at all!
-I ended up with a 3.76 GPA for the semester, only one "B" which was Chemistry.
-I leave for Russia in approximately one week! I could not be more ecstatic.
-My sister, Erinn, is the cutest pregnant lady ever (in my opinion)! I thought I might re-blog a post she wrote that I thought was hysterical: http://erinelizabethking.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-holiday.html.
-I cut my hair off (talk about nerve wracking!).



Now that I have a bit more time to write I will be sure to make this a more frequent happening.

He Will Wipe Every Tear From Their Eyes.

The past two days have been tough. About two weeks ago my friends and I found two lab/retriever mix puppies on the side of the road, one male and one female. We named them Molly and Aldous. Immediately we began looking for home for the two pups since as college students we could not keep them in our dorm. We found a home for the female fairly quickly, and as far as we knew she was doing well. But we were not as successful in finding the male a home, although he didn’t mind be spoiled by several girls. He rode with us to the rodeos and helped us feed the horses every morning and night. I would say very obedient for a three-month-old puppy. About a week ago, Aldous started acting funny. He wasn’t the same crazy, wiry little puppy we had all grown to love. Several days later he stopped eating and drinking and became depressed. Last night we received some devastating news, his sister, Molly, had died of parvo earlier that morning. When Aldous began acting funny, the thought that he might have parvo was in the back of my mind, but I didn’t want to think like that. The three of us girls, being college students, do not have the finances to pay for the pricy treatment that it takes to cure parvo. So we were left with a very difficult decision. There was no denying that he had parvo, it is very contagious and him being around his sister as long as he did, we were sure he had the virus. This morning we took him to the animal shelter where they confirmed that he had the virus. I could not stand to see him in pain any longer, we ran out of options. I had to make an incredibly hard decision; I signed Aldous over to the animal shelter. The woman at the shelter was comforting and personable. Although it was a tough thing to do, I believe it was the right thing for the sake of Aldous. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about, but I know he will be much happier when the pain is gone.

I apologize for the sad content of this post, but it was something I wanted to share.



Revelation 21:4
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Ranting.

As I was studying for my World Literature test, I came across a brief break in my notes where I had written a few of my thoughts. My teacher posed the question “how do you express how wars feel?” We had just finished discussing the Iliad by Homer. I wish I could have video taped the way my professor portrayed her fascination with World War II. It gave me much to ponder, and it sparked something within me. I felt drawn to know more. I was reminded of why I am here. I am here to learn and soak up all that I can. I am not here to be distracted by the things of the world. People die everyday and some of them much too young. Embrace what each day brings. I have been living for the future instead of focusing on the tasks which I partake in daily. Each day is a privilege, not something to be taken for granted. I am no better than another; therefore I should not act like it. Do not settle, and be strong. Do not be afraid of persecution; view it as incentive to be successful. Learn from anyone and everyone you can.

Tell Me, Where Have You Been?

What do you say when there is nothing to say?
I am tired of writing about myself, there are so many great things in this world to write about.
But for the sake of the people who like to stay informed, I will briefly enlighten those on the happenings in my life.

At the beginning of the school year I told myself that I would try new things and be open minded. So I auditioned and got the part of Audrey in the Howard College production of Leading Ladies. Leading Ladies is a comedy written by Ken Ludwig based on Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." My character is comparable to Elle Woods from "Legally Blonde." I am pretty stoked.

The recycling program is underway, we are raising awareness while we wait for our bins to arrive. I look forward to seeing a "greener" campus.

My classes are splendid. I absolutely love my literature classes. Chemistry is pretty much kicking my butt, but I will get an A! Last week I signed up for some tutoring in that area to help my cause.

For now, that is all.

And We're Back!

It has been far too long since I last updated. School is back in session and I am busy as ever. So here is a quick update:

-The recycling program is well underway(yay)!
-Our first rodeo of the season is next weekend in Portales, NM.
-I was in the improv show the theatre department put on this past weekend, we had a full house(It was a blast)!
-Classes are great, and so are my grades!

Hopefully this weekend I will have some time to sit down and write my thoughts in a more organized pattern. Thanks for tuning in!