Running with Rainbows

Yes, I know this title is horribly corny. But I refuse to apologize. Today I discovered this amazing new website, Map My Run, and I decided that I would go for a run today around the Mall and some of the monuments. It was actually a nice run but I got worried once it started to rain. It seemed weird to me that it would be raining though because it was still so sunny outside. I turned to look behind me to see if there were storm clouds and instead I saw 3 rainbows arched across the sky, stretched from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument. It was AMAZING.

Then I got lost and ran for a bit along the Potomac and just enjoyed the day. After the rain it got really cool and so the rest of my run was really relaxing. I think I forget about how much I like to be outdoors until I actually push myself to do it and then I always wonder why I don't go out more. But now with this website I might try to run more often since I can map things out and then keep a record of them online.

Yesterday I met up with my friend Julia S. from Drew and her friend Lauren and we went to this Spanish restaurant in Chinatown. The food was really good (tapas!) but extremely tiny and so, unsatisfied, we headed over to Starbucks for coffee cake. I wish I would have remembered to bring my partner card though so I could have gotten free coffee. But since I have only been working at Starbucks for 2 days and technically don't have a partner number I don't know if it would have worked. Did anyone know that the name Starbucks came from the name of the first mate in Moby Dick (Starbuck)? And actually the "mermaid" is a Siren. Oh the random things you learn in Barista training.

As for my internship, I am actually starting to enjoy it tremendously. It's not something I can see myself doing for the rest of my life but now that I am starting to understand how all of this stuff can impact the University I am getting more into it. Plus, I've been given more responsibility and today Mike looked over my notes and said I did a great job which made me happy.

The bible study here is going well. We have a few people who are thinking of joining because they have some questions which is really exciting. The theology class is...going. I think that it's too much for me to wrap my head around sometimes but I really want to understand what different groups of Christians believe and what all the arguments are out there. I suppose though, in the end, what is really important to keep in mind is that "There is one body and one Spirit, [...] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. " (Ephesians 4:4-6).


Side Note: Today I Stumble Upon!-ed the now abandoned Washingtonienne blog and thought about actually purchasing the book. Is it sad that I care more about some Staff Assistant's exploits with congressman than Scott McClellan's latest tell-all on the Bush Administration?

Smith Mountain Lake & Summer

This weekend I went with my friends Sarah and Drew to Virginia to stay with Drew's family on the lake (Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia). At first we were really worried that we would just have rain but then on Saturday it was sunny and beautiful so we were able to go out on the boat and jet ski. Being out on the lake made me realize how much I am going to miss spending summer in Tennessee cause my family usually goes to Percy Priest Lake every other weekend in the summer. [Although I'm not sure even if I was staying home we would go out on the lake, but I definitely miss those days]. Anyways, we had a ton of fun, I fell off the tube several times and got a mild-concussion / sun-burn but other than that everything was awesome. And Drew's aunt and uncle were so nice to us (I'm sure they were impressed that Drew rolled up with 3 girls).

I leave for Washington D.C. next Sunday and I have to be honest, it hasn't really hit me. The credit card bills have, though, unfortunately. I have exactly $15.00 until the end of the month. Hopefully though I can find some chores and stuff to do for some extra cash before I leave next weekend. I'm definitely excited to be in D.C. during an election summer but the financial situation of working full-time as an intern unpaid and a full time job at night is already making me nervous.

On a side note, the whole way back from Knoxville Sarah and I talked about relationships (past, present, possible future) and I started to get depressed. I realized that everyone I actually like or am attracted to are people who are totally wrong for me or just treat me poorly. I'm not really sure why I am attracted to these kind of guys, I suppose because they pose a challenge for me and I want to prove to myself that I am worth their attention or affection. I like playing hard to get as much as the next person but there comes a point where I just want to know that the person cares as much for me as I care for them, and it's been awhile since I have truly found that. I'm just wondering how many more fake relationships/dates I'm going to have to go through before I find something real. Maybe I should take Alex's advice and go learn an instrument (or how to apply make-up, since that seems to be a problem area for me).

Sorry this was so random. I just noticed I hadn't posted in awhile and you were probably wondering whether or not you should take me off your Live Bookmarks tab. I've decided to start a new feature, called "Stuff Liza Likes", inspired by Stuff White People Like (see sidebar). I started thinking the other day about how I usually just complain about things that bother me, so I wanted to start looking for things that I enjoy. Maybe I'll start tomorrow, with Bold Coffee. Hmm, this might require a field trip / tasting at Starbucks... I am liking where this is heading.

Gypsy

I am sitting here waiting on my roomate from last year to give me a call so we can go out on the town for St.Patrick's day. Since last year I have definitely cut back on my partying ways but it seems that this weekend has been a little crazy. Last night I went bowling with some friends but afterwards I was in a weird mood so I met up with Sam and Yuan on Main Street where we had some dessert and martinis. I suppose they didn't card me because 1) I look over 21 and 2) If you're going to spend $16 on martinis then you deserve to be there. That was a pretty fun experience (fizzing pomegranate martinis are my new favorite drink, in case you want to buy me one for my real 21st) but afterwards I still didn't feel any better. Which lead to me to question why after almost an entire year at Michigan I still don't feel any better than I did at Drew. I mean, last year at this point my only thought was that once I was at Michigan life would be better. I would be happy, I would have a ton of girlfriends, and (hopefully) an amazingly smart and attractive boyfriend. But none of that has really happened. And I have to wonder if it's just me or if its just time to pick up and move again.

I don't know if moving would necessarily be the answer. Any time I feel out of place or unhappy I just move again. I'm not entirely sure if this gypsy wandering will ever really bring me to where I want to be or if it will just serve to make me more lost, but the past few nights I have been considering staying in DC for the fall semester for the Michigan in Washington program or going to France.

Its not that I am incapable of making friends. I think I am just more guarded than the average person. I'm not really sure what happened to make me become this way, because I know I was like this well before I started dating Jeff. I've just never trusted people in general, and I think I am terrified that they are just going to let me down or that I will become an "inconvenience" or something which is totally stupid because I think in general people enjoy my company. Maybe because I feel this way I don't act like myself around other people. On Friday, Ricki told me that I had two personalities. He said when I was at work I was crazy and fun to be around and laughed a lot but when he saw me around I always looks upset or sad. I thought that was an interesting (and accurate) observation.

Anyways. Enough about that.

I had to turn in my first scene of my play this week. I tried to be funny... I don't think I am good at doing funny but I think it turned out alright. I tried to write a parody on the debate on whether or not a national health care program would cover smokers. In my play the national health care program decides not to cover people who eat meat... Alex said I should make it a society that didn't allow people to have sex but when I tried to write out the dialogue to that scene I realized how incredibly embarrassed I would be to have it work shopped in class. Maybe some other time, Sasha. I''m not sure how to upload files onto this thing but if I find a way I will upload it so you can have a read.

Also, I am pretty much set on going to D.C. this summer. I thought for awhile about doing LT through my church but I don't know if I am ready for that just yet. I think my phobia to relational commitments has transcended human relationships. I think God understands. Hopefully, even though I am applying for internships rather late, I will get a job offer. I think I am pretty much guaranteed a job at the UofM lobbying office in DC which could be fun, but I'm hoping I'll get one of the foreign policy jobs I am applying for. Maybe I will also find a guy who aspires to be a famous politician... but then again, maybe I don't want to date the next Elliot Spitzer.


**Side Note for My Social Psych Class**
Today I went to Asian Legend with Sam and Yuan, and the waiter gave me a fork and knife "just in case". I think it was really because he assumed I couldn't use chopsticks but it gave Sam and Yuan a laugh at my expense, especially when I tried rather awkwardly with my chopsticks to eat two potstickers at once. =]