things I can't look cute eating

Earlier this week, I was on the bus on my way to class, nomming on a powdered jelly donut. And as I sat there trying to discretely finish it off, I realized how ridiculous I must look. I mean, what better way to say, "Hi guys! I'm a sophisticated adult!" than by looking like I had been attacked by a 5 pound bag of sugar, with raspberry jelly dribbling all over my face.


If you happened to be on the Outer Loop and saw me epicly losing to a circular piece of sugared bread...well. Don't tell anyone it was me. 

So I decided that I'd make a short list of things I can't look cute eating. Maybe you can eat some of these things and still manage to look awesome. If so, I am willing to take lessons from you.


FOODS I LOOK UNATTRACTIVE EATING
1. Powdered jelly donuts
2. Celery
3. Carrots
4. Ribs
5. Barbecue chicken 
6. Barbecued anything 
7. Spaghetti (Lady and the Tramp LIED, sorry) 
8. Huge spinach leaves
9. Club sandwiches 
10. Chicken noodle soup 
11. Chipotle burritos 
12. Cheetos 
13. Cupcakes
14. Sloppy joes
15. Watermelon
16. Popcorn
17. Powdered jelly donuts. I'm just reminding myself.  

Moral of the Story: I need to sharpen my cute skills.

love or like? or like love?

I have finally emerged from all my piles of books and homework and papers and all the  applications I've had to read, and I AM ALIVE!!!! WOOOHOOOO :D

It's been quite the eventful last couple of weeks; somewhere between writing poems (or at least trying to write poems), writing close reading papers, going on an AWESOME district-wide retreat with Chi Alpha (I will have to do a separate entry on that alone...talk about the most loving, encouraging, challenging spiritual kick in the face I've gotten in a while)--somehow all of the craziness has made the last two weeks roll into one looooong 336 hour day. But I can't complain; it's been pretty awesome. I mean in just 14 days, I have made at least 3 new friends, learned some sweet new Bible verses, created a Disney playlist on the iPod, and I only embarrassed myself in front of one of my favorite professors once. It may or may not have involved my almost/actually walking into a door. Yes, I know. I exude swag.

But, I digress--all this Valentinezy luvvy wuvvy in the air has gotten me thinking about, well, love. So yes, I'll admit, I did create a "Love" themed playlist (along with the Disney one), with all my favorite love songs on there. What can I say? I'm a realist and also a sap. 

Now: DISCLAIMER: I am not one of those depressing "Singles Awareness Day" people who use Valentine's Day as an excuse to complain about not having a love muffin or whatever. I choose to see Valentine's Day as an excuse to a) be even more huggy with people than usual, and b) eat objectionable amounts of chocolate. 

Therefore the opinions you are about to read are those of a rational, happy single young adult who, coincidentally, also just likes to eat obnoxious amounts of sweets this time of year.

The topic of love has been springing up all over the place for me these last few weeks. I'm taking a class called "Medieval Love" (all about how love is portrayed in Medieval prose and poetry), and besides being one of the best classes I've taken so far at UVA, it has really made me think about my own perception of love. Then yesterday, the message at church was all about what it means to love God out of a heart of obedience. If I really love God, then my life will be marked by obedience to Him. So simple, yet so hard, especially if you're as stubborn as I can be. 

The other issue I've been thinking about a lot lately is how much many people today--myself included!--just throw around the word love. And then BAM right when I needed to hear it again, that was exactly the issue that was brought up in church yesterday. (Spiritual kick in the face #2)."Ohmahgosh. I love your shoes." "I love Chipotle." "I love Pride and Prejudice." "I love you, Mom and Dad." "I love you...Jesus?"  

I mean, seriously?! How can I take the very word I use to describe how I'm supposed to feel about my Savior, my family, (a future spouse?) and use it to describe how I feel about shopping or fast food? Who cares how much I think I like Chipotle--something's wrong when I just use the word "love" indiscriminately like that.

Whatever happened to just liking things?

The Greeks had it so nice. They had at least three words for love (that I know of)--phileo, eros, and agape. Each one perfectly describing a level of affection appropriate for its object. And yet our alluring, complex, flawed English language reduces us to use "love" to describe our feelings toward the beautiful, divine, and sacred, with the same vocabulary we would use to describe the common and inconsequential. 

I really hope to break the habit of throwing my words around. I mean, I want them to mean something special when I say them. So this Valentine's Day, and well after that, I will do everything I can to save the word "love" for only that which is deserving of the word. 

Will you join me? I'll need all the help I can get.