Plagiarized brilliance

I read. A lot. Books. Blogs. Articles. I'm not picky. Because I spend so much time immersed in the ideas of others, I fear that I don't have many unique ideas of my own to express to the world. It seems that other, wiser, more trendy people have thought these ideas and expressed them first. I would have gotten around to original thought, given some time. I promise. But, alas, they've beaten me to the punch. As such, I'm relegated to passing on the brilliance of others, and obligated to credit them with their own ideas. Somehow, this system seems to have flaws.

Today, I read this article. Donald Miller, my most recent fountain of inspiration, writes about the most important question that one can asks oneself: What if?
What if I quit my job?
What if I moved to Siberia?
What if I tried brussel sprouts and actually liked them?

What if? A question that can torture you and send you into a life of constant wondering or a question that can rocket you out of the depths of despair and toward a life of greater adventure and intrigue? It's up to us as humans equipped with free will, I suppose, to decide the answer to that question. I'd like to think it's the latter. That, as I ask myself what if questions, as I dream about what my life could be, I'll become more daring, I'll try new things, and as a result, will learn more about myself in the process.

What if I took more pictures?
What if I were fluent in another language? Any language?
What if I were more willing to approach new people?
What if I practiced the piano for even just an hour a day?
What if I were able to travel for a living?
What if I learned how to rock climb? White water kayak?
What if....

And we're back!

Today was officially my first "long run" day. Hardly a long long run, but considering where I was a month ago, something to be accomplished. Here's the stats:

Distance: 3.1 miles (firecracker 5k loop)
Time: 31 minutes

I'm not breaking any speed records, and it doesn't feel comfortable like it used to, but it'll come back. I have two weeks before I even hit a 5 miler, so I have time. All the time in the world.

I finished A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller last night. Combine that with my current ruminations about the emergent church and a short lunch discussion about living life to the fullest and engaging culture makes for a lot of thoughts floating around in my head. Once I can concisely express them, I'll write something about it.

Friends. Fellowship. And guys in bookstores.

Today, I went into Fort Wayne to see my friend Emily. So good! We drank coffee, wandered around Jefferson Point, and talked about life, relationships, and Donald Miller.

After she left I hung out in Barnes and Noble for awhile, relishing the feeling of city life. There, if you would believe it, I met the perfect man. I really did. He complimented my skirt, reads the Bible, keeps a journal, and approves of my Donald Miller obsession. The only hitch in the perfect beginning to this beautiful love story is that our interaction began and ended in a matter of 2 minutes. And then he was gone. I don't know his name. It's tragic, really. I should write a novel. It would be a best seller.

All in all, this was a great way to start the weekend. I have two more blissful days of nothing-ness! On the agenda to fill up the nothing-ness is setting up new bookshelf and unpacking books, a run, church, and some reading (Donald Miller, anyone?). Oh yeah...and I should balance my checkbook.

Cheers!