working through the week

I have always been one to wake up earlier than everyone I know. I used to always curse myself for not sleeping in like the rest of my friends, but now I think I'm going to start to take the mornings to sit back and appreciate everything that I have. I love sitting outside and just watching the sun rise and realize that today can be whatever you make it. It is young enough that you can make it memorable, beautiful, lazy, or productive. I love just sitting outside and feeling all of the feelings that make me human, things that I feel are only personal and things that I think make me different from everyone else.

 

Anyway, on to the list of everything that I need to do today:

1. go shopping for Matt's birthday presents

2. go to three classes

3. study for quiz today

4. go for another run

5. readings 

6. finally clean out car/apartment

Beginning....

I'm feeling particularly aspirational at the moment. There are so many things that I want to do that are being clouded by the things that I have to do. In order to manage my thoughts I will do what I do best... LIST EVERYTHING. 

Things that I have to do:

1. work on the papers I have due tomorrow
2. readings due for international relations tomorrow

Things that I want to do:

1. get two tattoos: I want the quote "'After all of this time, Severus?' 'Always.'" from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ( I admit to being a huge fan of these novels and consider them an incredible influence on myself), and I would like to get a mountain range of my foot. However, I will only allow myself to get these when I have completed the Appalachian Trail.
2. complete the appalachian trail in one sweep
3. begin studying for the LSAT
4. do more reading
5. manage money in a more efficient way

I am extremely torn about doing the Appalachian Trail. I really want to do it because I enjoy being outside where the only thing that matters is that you're breathing, not what you're wearing, not how your hair looks, not where you're going later, nothing. I just want to be outside and in my natural state. This sounds extremely angsty and stupid but i love just being outside where everything is at peace and the only thing that you have to do all day is walk along a trail and see some of the most incredible views in the world. I just have everyone around me telling me that I shouldn't do it and that I have no idea what I'm getting into and that I just shouldn't do it. I plan to graduate from college  a semester early and beginning my treck which would put me at a start date somewhere in January of 2013. I always think of this and get extremely excited. I can't wait. I can't let this be just another thing that I say I will do and allow it to slip through my fingers. I need to do this for myself to prove that I can do more that daily tasks that everyone does. The main problem: I have never been camping. I have ordered books about the treck and personal accounts from other thru hikers and I have arranged times to finally take that first step and go and I am even more excited now than ever. But back to the day to day...