the history of art

I'm sitting in art history right now watching as my peers also neglect to pay attention and instead spend their time on facebook, email, pinterest, twitter, or youtube. The guy in front of me is currently watching videos of fights while the girl two seats down is using pinterest to plan even the most minute details of her future wedding. A few rows over, I can see a guy soundly sleeping as the rest of the class continues to waste away.

It really isn't their faults. The teacher turns down the lights, speaks in a very soft and soothing voice, and talks about the history of art. This isn't exactly the most stimulating of lessons. Therefore, we are all left gazing into cyberspace and finding boundless options to waste away our time with.

I find it utterly amazing that there are so many options for us to waste our time with. I wonder what kind of things we could achieve and what level of inner peace we might obtain if we didn't constantly have these distractions in our lives. It perplexes me that even Henry David Thoreau found his life filled with distractions even though he lived in such a simpler time. I long to sneak away into the woods and re-center myself like he did. To run away from the hectic everyday existence we carryout constantly. Who knows what would happen if we actually took the time to see.

Have a splendid day my friends, I wish you all the inner peace in the world! 

wow arch

Life is so busy these days. I've never in my life have experienced a workload like this. Studio takes so darn long, and this is only my first semester of a long long time of studio work. It's only gonna get harder...but I know that if God brought me to it, he'll bring me through it. This makes me extremely thankful for a multitude of things...

My family who always supports me (even from BR), my friends who listen to me complain about how much I have to do, my architecture friends who work along side me, and my God-given ability to complete these projects.

So much to do, but I know I'll get it done.

lesssgoo

where's waldo.

Sometimes it's so simple that we miss it completely.

 

School is starting. I oh no my classes are so hard. SAWdo I really have to go to studio.THE I'm getting fat. DEEP I eat too much. HOLE Do I have to buy all of these books.I  I just want to hang out and not go to classes. WAS Where is all of my money going.BURYING who will I invite to formal. MYSELFI don't think anyone likes me. IN why do I exist.

And immediately I knew that I had to quickly create an evacuation plan. 

As shown by my lack of posts lately, I went through a bit of a glum time. All of this negativity swarmed my life and all I could think about were my own problems and how I felt so different, so joyless. I tried to jump out of the hole by questioning my sadness and trying as hard as I could to find joy. You see, dearest readers, I focused so much on my problems (lack of joy) that I completely neglected to find the actual joy in my life. 

Finally when I couldn't reach the light at the end of the tunnel, I gave in and felt so hopeless. My mind tricked me into thinking that my life sucked and that I would never like clemson the same again along with other awful lies. I worried and felt insecure about every move I made. Anxiety filled my entire being until it hit me like a ton of bricks. BAM. I'd forgotten the order of things. 

I was so focused on all the bad things (that actually weren't that bad...just me being a drama mamma) that I consumed myself with these negative thoughts. I was holding on so tight to all of this negativity that I couldn't let any joy in. It was such a selfish thing. I was putting myself and my pointless problems first over all others in my life. All this sadness simply stemmed from me being so darn selfish. 

Joy is about putting others first

Jesus Others Yourself

so I set myself up to a challenge. I began praying even though it brought me little comfort. Then I began putting others before me simply by thinking about them. cheesy as it sounds, it actually worked. in no time I was back to loving life and loving clemson. (wow I'm such a cheeseball! hahaha) 

so dearest readers, I'd just like to share that tip with you today! Focus on Jesus and Others and You will automatically feel more satisfied and happier. Don't let the little monster bring you down in your own selfishness. conquer the monster and free your insides from it's captivity.

have a stellar rest of the week! 

my experience with the beauty shop

steel magnolias

When I came home from school, my mother and grandmother both agreed that I needed to tidy up my look with a much needed haircut. So I consented and my mother scheduled an appointment.

I took off work and then met my mother to get our haircuts. 

We unassumingly drove to the address and pulled into what looked like an average, everyday house. After taking our seats in the quaint at-home beauty shop, we soon realized it was nothing but average. I felt as though I had stepped out of my world and into the movie "Steel Magnolias"

I will describe now for you, dear readers, the picturesque scene with which I had arrived upon stepping into this beauty parlor. The bell dinged as we walked through the door where we immediately were instructed to take our seats on a comfy couch adjacent to a wall decorated with Christmas cards. You could tell that this was home to many people. Upon looking around the room, I discovered a few characters that had undeniably been loyal costumers since the start of the beauty shop.

 First was an older woman in to get her hair styled. The woman cutting her hair used the curler to make her grey hair resemble something kin to a fro, regardless, she was a happy customer. I think the woman could have styled her hair anyway she wanted because she was far too busy enjoying a conversation with the couple nearby. Now this couple was quite the sight. They were absolutely adorable, an exemplary couple for all.  You could tell that they'd been married for quite some time, and that they had done their fair share of living. The husband sat patiently as his wife got her hair cut and styled, and made conversation with anyone that would listen. He spoke fondly about the good ole days and told stories about when him and his bride were wed at the Cathedral in New Orleans. He then proceeded to tell his audience about how he was sent off to war right after they were married, among other heroic stories of his life. There was something genuine and undeniable about this man. He sure wouldn't have been in that beauty shop if he hadn't loved his wife the way he did. I hope to marry a man like that someday that will make the beauty shop a social outing when we are old and grey. He seemed to enjoy himself more than any other person in there. His wife equally enjoyed herself, and her new hair-do, which was probably the same one she got 20 years ago at the same place.
Finally it was my turn to get my haircut. First the lady washed it and then the woman proceeded to cut my hair. She made casual conversation, and my mother sat silently, continuing to observe the show that I had just left the audience of.
I could see my mother being thoroughly entertained by this scene as if she were watching a movie. She kept watching this adorable couple.The couple had come with their 20-something year old granddaughter as well, making this beauty shop a family affair. I could imagine them taking their own children there, so this must have been nothing out of the ordinary. The husband jokingly poked fun at his granddaughter for her past driving tickets and bragged that he hadn't received one in at least 30 years. The granddaughter joked back and proved the jovial state of these people.
The two women cutting hair also epitomized classic southern, working woman. The mother and daughter team were cordial and inviting, and easily made conversation with all of their customers. They were pros at cutting hair, making personal connections with just about anyone, and being that listening ear to all that needed it. I could tell that people came here for more than just a haircut.

My mother got her hair cut and then it was time for us to leave this ideal little place where time seemed to stand still. We both got a stylish new hair cut, got to hear all the latest town gossip, got to hear the stories of these everyday people, and plus my mother learned some new tips about doing her hair all for only $20 a piece.
I'd say that's a pretty good deal.