the life plan. people leaving. love.

I had a great idea.... whenever I grow up and move into my first apartment or get married or something. I want to have a coffee table book party... where everyone brings a cool book for a coffee table as a gift. Or it could even be like a gift exchange thing. 

I want this book for my invisible coffee table:

Well... I am overwhelmed with excitement for the future. Yes, I have a 30 page paper looming over my shoulders... but looking forward is what keeps me going... i guess.

So after conversations with 2 very knowledgeable and inspiring women I have decided to graduate in December 2010. And I am going to take the next semester and summer to get an internship or get out of the country and work for and NGO. Then Fall 2011 I am going to begin my pursuit in a joint law degree and masters in social work. AH!

The initial developments of this plan were to double major in Psychology and graduate in December 2011. The go and get a masters in Art Therapy. 

But I want to get on with it. And I can wwwway sooner than later. 

All the people that have crossed my path in this 96 hour process have been incredible. I was feeling overwhelmed about next semester, but now I am excited. 

I started getting books in the mail today for my classes. I love books so much. 

I also received a book that is going to be sooooo helpful for my paper... 

The future is bright. Next summer I want to go work somewhere in Latin America, volunteer and take Spanish classes.

My brother Elliot is leaving for college today. Southwestern University. It is sad in sense because it is a change, but I am ecstatic for him!! He is brilliant and so full of life and humor. Southwestern will never be the same. But I am in tears because he just left. It at times like these that you really realize how much you love someone. How deeply they matter to you. I love Elliot so much. To have been able to be apart of his life these last 2 years has been so incredible. I cannot thank God enough for him being my brother and friend. 

I also have a friend who is graduating tomorrow and moving to Pennsylvania to get his PhD at Penn State on Sunday. I am ecstatic for him as well and so freaking proud. He is brilliant and will go on to make this world a more peaceful place, no doubt. The season he has been my life has been a roller coaster, but I have learned so much and grown up a lot through knowing him. I have learned to embrace pain and take responsibility. I have learned to care deeply and allow myself too. I have some incredible memories with him. (I feel super vulnerable typing this. ode to vulnerability). I am so thankful to have a friend that thought on the same page as me and beyond about shit that happens in the world. A friend who went with me too here a leading human rights lawyer completely bash the Bush Administration, who would go with me to independent movies, and introduced me to the CST. 

It is amazing how fast people come and go... and how fast the future becomes the present and then the past. I mean that is every moment of everyday. That is life. (what a concept... i am so deep). 

It feels good too cry. i do like to cry.

Well that is all for now.

Love.

Eliza 

Minor Detail.

Got to the airport yesterday... attempted to check in only to find out that my passport expired in FEBRUARY... yes. FEBRUARY 2009. 

Had  an incredible American Airlines lady named Diane help me out and I am able to get a flight out Monday night at 9pm. She was so wonderful!!!

SO between now and then. Actually Monday I have to drive down to Houston to get a new passport and get back for my flight Monday night. 

You know... It never even crossed my mind that passports expire. So when i realized it had... it was just one of those things I could do absolutely nothing about at that moment. I'd say I handled it well. 

AND I got to see my brother Elliot graduate from high school today!!!!! I am sooo proud of him and I am soooo glad I was there!! 

So hopefully everything will sale smoothly and I will be in the Netherlands Tuesday night. 

Really at this point all i can do is laugh about it. And I have to trust God because there is nothing I can do about this... Cheers!

EVERYONE ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PASSPORT EXPIRATION WHEN YOU FIRST DECIDE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY!!!

Got this from the New York Times online. This was taken off the Tuscan shore and it made me happy:

Have a lovely day. 

Eliza 

Off to Netherland

So it has been a while... 

This semester went well. Have a lot to learn from it and hopefully I will never again pull five all nighters within 3 weeks. 

On Friday I leave for the Netherlands. I will be in The Hague... which is more South and on the coast....

ssssuuuper excited! It is for an international law course at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. My focus is on what future tribunals can learn from the ICTY in prosecuting mass rape. Rape was prolific during the Serbian attempt to take over Bosnia-Herzegovina and wipe out Muslims in 1991 - 1995. It was used to instigate fear so people would leave their homes and country, a weapon of war, genocide, have you. I have been reading accounts and victims testimonies and words i would write trying to describe how awful don't do it justice. Intense, horrific, depressing, but i love this kind of stuff. It makes me mad!

I do not know what to expect on this trip... I feel a little in over my head. But I know it will be amazing. 

Ok my most recent celeb crush... 

When I get back from the Netherlands I am going to read...

And Kurt Vonnegut also wrote Harrison Bergeron, which is if not my favorite short story ever. (You should read it!) He is a BRILLIANT writer. 

I created a book list. I am afraid it will take me a lifetime, but I want to read classics that i never read in high school. O and I want to take a break from non-fiction:

To Kill A Mockingbird. 

The Great Gatsby. 

The Color Purple. 

Grapes of Wrath. 

And there is more, but we will start there. 

Tomorrow I am going to get my haircut. AH! Mid-boob... maybe a little shorter. I will probably cry, but I need a change (For those who have not seen me in a while it's down to my belly button!). And I would like to look at least a little older. I keep getting asked about high school. 

Well, maybe I will blog on my trip. 

Have a beautiful day!!

Eliza 

free living.

Today I experienced test anxiety for the first time ever. I am not a fan. But I pushed through and finished the test. 

I took this quote off of cup of Joe: 

"I must learn to love the fool in me--the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool." -- Theodore I. Rubin, MD

I felt so incredibly wonderful after reading this. Its like all the questioning and doubting of myself transformed into deep appreciation for simply living, enjoying, and being who I am. I really hope it does the same to you too... Because you friend, are truly an incredibly beautiful human being.

The other day I was talking to a friend after class and I looked up too see this girl with her headphones on dancing to her destination. It made my life! 

For my birthday I want(ed) these rad overalls:

But I am a little bumbed about the back of them... Are they that cute anymore? 

Ok. time for bed.

Love. 

frustration.

I don't want these lit reviews, that are due tomorrow and that I will prob have to stay up all night working on, too take away my passion for human rights and the implementation in the world of the value of human life... NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

life. as of now.

I am going to start running. The ultimate goal is to run in a half marathon in May. I am really excited! I am one of those people who decides they want to do something and then I do it for a month and stop. But I have determined that is not going to happen this time.  

My amazing friend Bridget hosted a lovely dinner party this weekend. It was so refreshing to sit around a table and relax, eat, laugh, sit in a pretty dress, and enjoy people. 

I had an epiphany today: that even a minute ago is the past. this afternoon is the past. i do not have to wait until tomorrow to let go of what happened today. i can let go today of what happened today. this allows me to be even more in the moment. why should I miss out on this moment because of what happened in previous moments?

On a lighter, less confusing note... 

along with every teenage girl in america... i have a crush on: 

Goodnight. 

Have a great monday. 

Love. 

beginning...

I am official. I am an official blogger. I love being/feeling official. 

Life is sweet. 

Yesterday was rough.

Today is good. 

Love this revelation of Archbishop Desmond Tutu's:

"And God says, I have a dream. I have a dream that all my children will discover that they belong in one family - my family, the human family - a family in which there are no outsiders. All, all are held in the embrace of this one whose love will never let us go, this one who says each of us is of incredible worth, that each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says, there are no outsiders - black, white, red, yellow, short, tall, young, old, rich, poor, gay, lesbian, straight - everyone. All belong. And God says, I have only you to help me realize my dream. Help me."

Have a beautiful weekend. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful. So make sure you go outside and enjoy it!!

Love.