Change of Locale

Boy... when I felt like this summer was going to be a good time to get some things into focus, I had no idea what I was in for.

From this point forward, my new blog is the best place to find me.

DinoBlogs

I am equally guilty, but I've noticed a sharp decline in blogging of my friends. I miss what you have to say.

I spend far more time on Facebook than I do on my blog (obvious to you, no doubt). But, I got to thinking about what a tragedy it is if we trade our complete thoughts and happenings for 160 character blurbs. Sure, it's nice to be connected to more of the long lost from our lives. It fills a different need in me, though. I still need to think. And, some of you out there are brilliant bloggers who make me think.

Thank you.

Please don't quit.

Summer, Summer - Summertime

I hope you had a little Will Smith flashback from the title. That was Will Smith, right?

I'm now a week and a half into my summer semester. I recrafted my schedule to include two intensive classes (knocking out a whole 3 credit class condensed into one week of Mon. - Fri. from 8:00am to 4:30pm) and two online courses. I feel a little weight off my shoulders and am grateful for the time and space now to give myself some needed attention.

I don't mean that in a selfish way. I mean... "Man, have I got a lot of work to do on me to get to where I know I can be!!". For far too long, I've been too busy, too stressed, too sad or too distracted to get back to the basics and be the best I can. I don't mean these to be excuses, though I know they are.

What I've been given this summer is a gift of time to focus on aspects I've grown too weak in. I'm using Luke 2:52 as the mantra for it and have laid out a fairly detailed plan of attack for progressing spiritually, physically, socially and academically. I just hope I can have the discipline to stick to it.

It's a work in progress for me to comprehend that big things happen a little at a time. Maybe it's because I lack patience and am somewhat of a perfectionist. I want things to happen NOW. If I can't make it happen now, I decide I simply don't have time for it at all. I've always admired close friends who are much better at achieving big goals through accomplishing little goals, one at a time.

But... this summer... I'm Melinda Mae.

The Space Between

I have a myriad of thoughts that run through my skull to which my self response is, "You should write a blog entry on it!". Moving and gearing up for (and now actively being in) school again have put my poor blog on the back burner. Be ready for a deluge of reactivity, though.

Back to the issue at hand. Space.

The computer I'm writing this post on is in the library of the university I'm now attending. After class, I came here and waited for a computer to become available (I don't bring my laptop to campus on Mondays). My wait was not long, perhaps 2 minutes. Right after arriving, I noticed a girl beginning to pack up.

I stood behind her, but at what I consider a comfortable distance, so she didn't feel like I was breathing down her neck or trying to rush her. I was probably about 5 feet directly behind her, with my eyes fixed on the chair. At the time I arrived, there were no others looking for an open station. After I was positioned to take the spot of this girl, though, a young man came in and stood right next to her as she was standing to leave. He put his hand on the back of the chair and looked back at me.

He must have read my confused (I sure hope it looked confused and not angry) look, because he nonchalantly asked, "were you waiting for this spot?".

"Yes." I replied. He walked away disappointed.

This happens to me frequently; in line at TJ Max or the self serve line at Kroger, in airport security lines, etc. It's got me really wondering if the problem is me leaving too great a distance between myself and the spot I'm going, or if people, in general, are just becoming less polite or patient. I like to think I'm sufficiently aggressive when needed. I can board a crowded Metro car in DC with ease or fight my way through a crowd. But, in less populated situations,.... am I too timid?