Think. Think and Read.

My dorm room is flooded with light and the maps on my wall are tauntingly illuminated. I have the world at my fingertips and it's easy to get lost in traveler's daydreaming. There are so many countries, so many beautiful, mysterious places I long to see...but for now, these maps will have to suffice.

My roommate and I had a hard workout last night. We spent over an hour on cardio, rowing, and stair-steps and my poor body cried out in protest. I guess it really took it out of me though, because without even trying, I slept in until 10am. It felt divine. I know that once school starts my life will be an insane swirl of lectures, readings, papers, and thinking, so having this week to sleep and bask in the sunlight is wonderful.

For the first time in weeks and weeks, I have nothing to do. There's nowhere to be, no-one to report to, nothing critical I have to attend to, no work, no deadlines, no immediate responsibilities. It's a strange feeling, but I love the peace and stillness. The utter quiet of my day. I can sit and think, breathe in the ocean air, read, write, explore, think...and my soul feels refreshed. I needed this. I needed to just stop and let the world revolve without me for a couple days.

I picked up my books yesterday; 12 books in 10 weeks. I can do this, right? They're thick, heavy, and filled with new ideas and perspectives. I was skimming through them last night before bed and was delighted with how fascinating and varied they are..."Haiti; After the Earthquake", "Tropic of Chaos", "Playing with Fire; Feminist Thought and Action through Seven Lives in India", "The Nazi Doctors", "Hitler's Willing Executioners". These books will be intriguing and difficult, especially the ones for my Holocaust/Genocide class. They're heavy. Full of anguish. Intense. I'm super thankful my surfing class is immediately after that class; I'll need to get out on the waves to think and recover.

I'm going to curl up and read. And read. And think and read.

I really love this.