Penn State Students

There's something beautiful about Penn State students, granted I do have a bit of a bias as one myself, but there really is!

This semester I am taking COMM 410: International Communications, with Professor Elavsky. I had heard nothing but great things about this professor before I took him (including how good looking he was...), but from personal experience I can attest to his abilities as a professor and a critical thinking stimulator.

This is a class of 54 and normally there are a few "big talkers" with over-the-top opinions, but in just the three short classes we've had more than half the class has spoken up. And they have some great, informative things to say! Now, you can generalize about us Penn State students, as partiers (apparently that's not a word!), a cult, or a College Disney World (a great positive comment from some good friends of mine!), but we've got some very aware, knowledgeable and passionate communications students who will be graduating in the fall.

That makes me proud to be one of them.

oh August...

I know, I stink (to say the least) because I haven't written all month. I could give you a line of excuses - and trust me they are valid ones! - or I could just write about the most beautiful part of my August.

A day with family stands out in my mind. My parents and Grammy came to pick me up in Washington, D.C. on August 7th. I missed them all summer so it was such a relief to see them and be heading home with them.

We all went to Open City, a great diner suggested to me by the one and only Caitlin Dewey (fellow Kiplinger's intern), and met Rita Golden Gelman for "brunch." Delish. Took a quick trip to Trader Joe's with Rita, then trekked down to Mount Vernon.

Before I went to D.C. my Grammy would tell me stories of Mount Vernon - it really is beautiful. Grammy believes it is the most beautiful place in the whole world, and it made me happy to share it with her.

It feels as though it is frozen in time, maintaining its natural beauty and reminding us of our strong founding father and first president.

Lunch

"The only danger you ever need to worry about is not having any fun."
- From Andy Hughes' Facebook album.

Today I got to get lunch with Professor John Curley. Among many other accomplishments, Prof. Curley was the first editor of USA Today. Imagine my excitement when I found this out. I actually didn't know this until a few weeks into my intro to reporting class, and we had already developed a habit of talking after class every day. He's a great mentor and very down to earth.

The beauty of today: When I told Prof. Curley how I used to worry about what was going to happen after college, he said there's no need to. I'm thankful for my new-found contentment and I'm just going to concentrate on having fun, as I work my way to where I'm meant to be. I'm ready to soak up senior year at Penn State!!

Frescoes in the Capitol

#4 - Our Capitol building is beautiful. Frescoes adorn many of the walls and the man who painted it left empty space to paint future pivotal events in history. I felt so alive being there today in the senate and house press rooms. So cool!

Deena

I had a friend come into town today, Eric Chou. We met at Penn State Abington. The whole plan was for me to get out of work at 4 p.m. so we could get a good amount of time at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, one of the many touristy things I haven't seen yet in D.C.!

Shortly after we arrived at the museum, I got a call from my fellow intern at Kiplinger's who was going to feed the meter for us. The car was towed...

After a few phone calls we figured out that it had been moved to the 1800 block of Pennsylvania Ave. In the meantime, I received an e-mail from Rita. Deena was over who was graciously going to take a few pictures for my story on Rita for the magazine. Deena said she was going to come pick us up.

In the craziness of wondering how the car was doing in its new spot, Eric and I decided it would be best to just go get it. So we asked Deena if she would mind taking us up-town to grab the car. On our way, sitting in traffic among crazed city drivers, Deena started to tell us all that was going on with her preparation for her huge trip to London in just 3 days. And she still agreed to take us.

When we got back to Rita's, even though Deena should have left 2 hours before, she did a photo shoot with Rita, ate dinner with us and was splendid company.

Beautiful moment of day three:
Deena's patience and presence even though other obligations and priorities were pulling her away. Deena you're the greatest!

Topping it off with Pancakes....

I had quite an adventurous day...

I began by doing a run on the Mount Vernon trail that goes all the way from Washington to Mount Vernon! (However, I only ran a 40 minute loop!) Then, lunch in Farragut Park, only a block from my work, where I got to experience the "Fojol Brothers" Indian food truck for the first time...they lay silky blankets on the lawn for you to enjoy your $6 filling lunch! And then after work I headed to the Smithsonian American Art Museum to see some impressionist paintings, the Norman Rockwell exhibit and the hall where Abraham Lincoln had his 2nd inaugural ball.

Beautiful moment of the day:

#2 - I topped off the full day with a full stack of pancakes:-) When you are on a budget and running out of food, sometimes you just need to make due with what you have. It was utterly satisfying, a sweet topping to my fulfilling day.

Up Up & Away

This evening while I was writing in my diary, I sat outside to savor the serene summer twilight - finally a bit "cooler" than its been. And as I worked through the things that currently complicate my life, I came to a realization...a realization that has been yearning to be discovered.

Through the rocky waves I felt like I was riding this summer, I realized there was no point to let myself fall to into their troughs - rather I should be riding their crests. As I'm trying to grow the beauty within my dream lifestyle, why should I be "contending"? There is no one who is intentionally trying to take it from me...

In order for my dreams to come into fruition, I need to cultivate and nurture the beauty of the journey. There may be possibilities out there but I have faith that the beautiful moments of each day will light my path.

From now on, I will share one beautiful moment of each day on my path to realizing my dreams. Instead of getting so defensive, I will instead build upon the positive...after all, I've always been an optimist at heart:-)

1) I started this more positive and balanced lifestyle doing yoga this morning in Water Park - a short 5 minute walk from my apartment in Crystal City. The interjecting sounds of the morning's commute were drowned out by the fountain that my friend Josie called "absolutely beautiful" yesterday :-). As the sun came up, I felt confident and ready to start the day.

(Once you start searching for the most beautiful moment of your day, you realize how many moments you have to pick from!)