How I've been feeling lately

Speaking Italian

Sorry, this isn't a part of my 30 day thing, but I found it, and I had to share it :)

This is from the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

For years, I'd wished I could speak Italian - a language I find more beautiful than roses - but I could never make the practical justification for studying it.  Why not...learn to speak Spanish, the better to help me communicate with millions of my fellow Americans?  What was I going to do with Italian?  It's not like I was going to move there.  It would be more practical to learn how to play the accordion.


But why must everything always have a practical application?  I'd been such a diligent soldier for years - working, producing, never missing a deadline, taking care of my loved ones, my gums and my credit record, voting, etc.  Is this lifetime supposed to be only about duty? 


But I loved [speaking Italian].  Every word was a singing sparrow, a magic trick, a truffle for me.  I would slosh home through the rain after class, draw a hot bath, and lie there in the bubbles reading the Italian dictionary aloud to myself... The words made me laugh in delight.


I can't tell you what a relief it was to read those words.  At least once a week in my Italian class, I would think to myself, "Why am I taking Italian?  Shouldn't I be taking Spanish?  It is more practical, and it would probably be easier for me to get a job after I graduate."

However, I'm ALWAYS practical.  It's hard enough to have the discipline to learn a language in the first place.  If I'm going to go through the trouble, I might as well learn a language I've always wanted to learn.  I'm just really glad to find I'm not the only one who feels like this.  Italian really is a beautiful language, and I know I complain about it sometimes, but it's awesome!  Plus, I'm going to Italy one day, and it would be very helpful if I am a competent or proficient speaker.

Day 04 - A habit that you wish you didn’t have

Biting my nails.  I've done it since I was a kid.  Not good.

Day 03- A Picture of You and your Friends

Sorry, I don't have any really recent pictures, but I like all of these a lot.

Day 02- The Meaning Behind your Blog Name

Breathe me in.

To be honest, I don't even know how I came up with it.  All I knew was I wanted to start a blog to start keeping track of my creativity a little bit better.  Anyone could read it and give me their thoughts on my thoughts.  I wanted them to experience what I was experiencing.  A good metaphor, I thought, for that was breathing.

Breathe me in.  Know what I'm experiencing.  Feel what I'm feeling.

My blog has changed a lot since I've created it; it's evolved just like I have over the last few years.  It's now more of a journal, but I still think that the title applies.

Day 01 - A Recent Picture of You and 15 Interesting Facts

1. I don't really like writing things about myself, but I'm going to give it a shot.
2. I hated that Shakespeare class that I took last semester, but it was hands down the best class I've ever taken.  I relate back to things I learned in that class nearly every day.
3. My favorite season, even though I'm happy we are finally getting into summer now, is fall.
4. After a ten year absence, I've started wearing a CTR ring again.
5. It freaks me out that people my age and younger are getting married.  
6. I love having breakfast food for dinner.
7. I 'm still kind of on the fence about my new job, but I love that I get paid $10 an hour. 
8. The new air freshener in my car smells like a pineapple snow cone, and it make me want a snow cone every time I get in.
9. I miss my roommates (including Jamie, our honorary roommate).
10. I'm proud of the new organization systems I've put into place in my room. Yes, I'm a nerd.
11. I ran a 5K a couple of weeks ago, and I'm training for a 10K that is at the end of July.
12. Mi manca la lingua italiana ogni giorno.  Che bella lingua.
13. And I'm going to go to Italy one day.
14. One of the skills I'm trying to master is being a kid and an adult at the same time.
15. I like finishing lists on number that end in 5 or 0.

30 Day Challenge

I'm so sorry.  I've been a horrible blogger lately.  I've been busy - two jobs and an internship can get kind of crazy.  I've also been knocking books off of my reading list, which has been a really nice feeling.  Anyway, to make it up to you, I'm going to be doing this blogging challenge.  So, I hope you enjoy the next 30 days!


Day 01- A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
Day 02- The meaning behind your Blog name
Day 03- A picture of you and your friends
Day 04- A habit that you wish you didn’t have
Day 05- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to
Day 06- Favorite super hero and why
Day 07- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
Day 08- Short term goals for this month and why
Day 09- Something you’re proud of in the past few days
Day 10- Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad
Day 11- Another picture of you and your friends
Day 12- How you found out about Blogger and why you made one
Day 13- A letter to someone who has hurt you recently
Day 14- A picture of you and your family
Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play
Day 16- Another picture of yourself
Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have
Day 19- Nicknames you have; why do you have them
Day 20- Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future
Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else
Day 23- Something you crave for a lot
Day 24- A letter to your parents
Day 25- What I would find in your bag
Day 26- What you think about your friends
Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge
Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned
Day 30- Your favorite song.