I've applied to the Peace Corps! It's official, now it's just a lot of paperwork--official documents, background check, etc--before I'm off sometime early next year to a remote part of the world. This is one of the best decisions I've ever made for myself--it feels right. I'm more excited about this than I've been about anything in a long time.

I guess since my college career is nearing its end, it's natural to be thinking about endings and about what I've gained while I was here. I spend a lot more time thinking about the former than the latter, so I decided to put down in words what my almost four years here at USC has taught me. First off, I've really learned to *think,* long and ( Read more... )

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"Four months after Mr. Bush won a solid re-election over Senator John Kerry, 63 percent of respondents say the president has different priorities on domestic issues than most Americans. Asked to choose among five domestic issues facing the country, respondents rated Social Security third, behind jobs and health care. And nearly 50 percent said ( Read more... )

So, as I was getting dressed after my shower this morning I realized something important about the way I'd been viewing my life and the choices I make. I realized that even though I don't believe in traditional/Christian types of sin (i.e. premarital sex leads to damnation, etc) and tend to reject the idea that I should feel guilty for them, in my ( Read more... )

I think I wrote once in this thing about being frustrated by sayings like "live each moment to its fullest" and stuff like that, and looking back at my last post, I am beginning to realize just how much I think about time and its passing. I can't really explain my recent feelings--perhaps they are still too recent, perhaps I haven't gotten much ( Read more... )

Why, at the slightest breeze from the other side, do these feelings come back, time and time again? I don't even know these people haven't known them for years, for years! and maybe didn't even know them at the time. Why does it make me so agitated that I have to go on a three mile run, even though I can't even run three miles yet? Why do I ( Read more... )

Ok, so maybe I'm a bit late jumping on the bus, but does it seem to anyone else like the State of the Union is nothing more than party propaganda and political masturbation? What's with all the annoying clapping after each statement, and, what's more, what's with the pauses for the clapping? The president says something, and then he's all, "oh ( Read more... )

What's Your Political Persuasion ( Read more... )

So, since it appears we can't have a better country, I'm pursuing a better Alison. I went running today, and as usual was struggling to finish (although I'm on a weekly schedule now--another part of the improvement). I looked down and happened to see my shadow there, running beside me, obviously supporting me in my goals. So improvements include ( Read more... )