To Live Would be an Awfully Big Adventure

As I am sure you have heard, one of the most amazing actors and creative spirits has passed away. Robin Williams was such an inspiration to me as an artist and a person. He has taught me so many things, through his characters and his life.

As an artist, Mr. Williams inspired me. He put so much of himself in his work and acted with such a passion, it was impossible to imagine him in any other profession. Robin knew the real meaning of loving what you do and doing what you love. He was a little zany at times, yes, but in the best possible way. He broke the mold and had fun. He was true to himself.

"You're only given one little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

Robin Williams inspired me as a person. If you read anything about his life or talk to anyone who knew him personally, you hear over and over how selfless and kind he was. I have heard that he could sometimes be a little difficult to work with, but that his spirit was infectious. It was one of my dreams to meet him and tell him how much his work and words meant to me, both growing up and in my young adult life.

"Well, He broke the mold when He made me. He made me very special."

- Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire

The sense of humor that Robin had was so universal that he could make anyone laugh. He brought together generations with his jokes and allowed the world to laugh together. He connected people through emotion. He made people fall in love with poetry, with an off-the-wall genie, with a man who would do anything for his kids, with a zany scientist, with a boy who grew up too fast, and so many more ideas and characters. He broke your heart a million times and made it melt a million times more. Through his work, Robin Williams connected with humanity in a way very few actors can. I think that President Obama said it best:

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets."

"The truth is, if anything, I'm probably addicted to laughter."

"The only weapon we have is comedy."

"You have been a fabulous audience! Tell you what, you're the best audience in the whole world. Take care of yourselves! Good night, Alice! Good night, Agrabah! Adios, amigos!"

- Robin Williams as Genie

Robin, I wish you could see how much you are missed. Maybe then you wouldn't have left us so soon. Oh Captain, my Captain, you were a great man. My condolences go out to his family and friends and fans, and to every heart he has ever touched.

"A whole human life is just a heartbeat here in Heaven. Then we'll all be together forever."

- Robin Williams as Chris Nielsen

Rest in Peace, Robin Williams

1951 - 2014

"No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."

The First 30 Seconds of Working Out

When I first start working out, I feel great. I feel on top of the world, untouchable. I feel like I can run for miles and miles, not stopping for anything! The endorphins are flowing, and life is good. All my bad thoughts about exercising go away, all of the negative feelings built up from the last time working out just disappear.

Then, there's 30 seconds later...

But then the next day I feel freaking awesome and unstoppable, so I do it over and over again. Oh yeah.

SHOO BUG!!

One of the best parts of any workout or busy day is the end, when you get to clean away the grime of life. Showers are a safe space, a space for contemplation, not a place to get ambushed.

So, have you ever had one of those days when you're standing in the shower thinking, "La la la, showers are awesome!"

Then, out of freaking nowhere, you are attacked by some crazy little wing-ed biddy who comes up all in yo bidness!

Like, seriously, dude? Let me have this. Please.

Not-so-common Courtesy

You know something wonderful? Food.

You know something not so wonderful? When people go through your food.

When I was a kid, I learned not to go through other people's refrigerators when I visited them. Now, call me crazy (hey, Crazy), but I always assumed that this was a common lesson taught to young children. Anyone else? I used to think that people understood that it wasn't polite to go through someone else's food without permission, but I can't tell you how many times I have had this happen to me in the past couple years:

I find it especially annoying when people do this at school because, like many college students, I am more-often-than-not broke, and food can be expensive when you're living off summer savings. Thus, it irks me when people feel that they can just go through my food and take whatever they want.

Can we make a pact, you and me, to not do this to other people? Does that sound fair? I think that sounds fair.