Panacea.

Panacea: a cure to all difficulties or diseases.

Yep, I'm in search of a "cure-all" type thing. I need something that will soothe school stress (FINALS), fix a acne breakout, clean my room, catch up on all my laundry, organize my desk at work, conflate all my schedules so everyone in my life feels loved and cared for, and most importantly, something that will save me money. 

Maybe something like this beautiful river bed. I'm not so sure the lamp would work though. -->

Any ideas?
besides a personal assistant. I am a personal assistant, I don't want someone to out shine my personal assisting. 

{and here's to a random vent.}

Ahem. It all began last summer when I first started working my most favorite job yet (literally no sarcasm, I love my job). I received an email from a concerned parent regarding their high school student's college grade for some college class they were in. I replied accordingly and took note that the parent was quite active in their student's life. Not even a week later, that very same mother called to chit chat with me about their student and we decided that because I was new and knew little about the procedures, it would be best if we set up an appointment with an counselor. Since then, I have been contacted by that parent SEVERAL times, including personal visits, 15-20 minute phone calls, lengthy emails, and my personal favorite, a phone call to tell me she'll be coming into our office shortly so I could make sure I was there to help her. She knows my name and asks for me, as if I'm her personal assistant or if I'm some type of genie. But here's the thing, I'm a student employee. Do not mistake me, I work hard and I try to educate myself to be the BEST student employee yet, but all in all, I'm a student employee. I switched my schedule half way through the year to afternoons and instead of just asking her questions to someone present when she called, she leaves me messages. I started ending our phone calls and emails with "If you call and I'm not here, feel free to ask people in the office. They should be able to help you the same capacity I can" and yet she denies. EVERY time she calls I just know I'll be with her for 20 minutes, whether its me missing the bus, me losing track of what I was doing before, or me just slowly dying inside.
And lets be fair. Her questions wouldn't bother me if they were obscure, or if they needed a direct and specialized answer, but they don't. They are questions whose answers can be found on the website, questions that don't even obtain to her student, questions that I swear she makes up to talk to me. 
I'm not sure how to shake this helicopter mama, but when I find out, there will be great rejoicing and singing and dancing and a celebration that you're all invited too. 
One day. 

Probably the same day I find my panacea. 

Where Your Feet Are.

I once had a speaker tell me, "Focus on your feet. Wherever your feet are, is where your heart, mind, and soul should be." I've been thinking about this all week, and how this concept is fading fast from our society. Within out pockets we contain the whole world wide web, instant connection to everyone we know, and screens filled with endless entertainment. We stand there, among out friends, our co-workers, even our own family ignoring them to find entertainment on our phones, tablets, and computers. We choose to be entertained by the social medias, the YouTubes, and the Pinterest's rather than our ever changing beautiful world around us. I ride the FrontRunner (train) to school every day, and everyday I watch the beautiful scenery as we pass from the lake front, the to farms, and back to the vinyl houses. I mentioned this to a nearby passenger on the train, who I've personally rode with for at least a week, his response was "I never noticed we passed by the lake." He looked out the window, and stared as if to see it for the first time. Then he took a photo of it with his smart phone and went back to watching Netflix. Every night and day he passed the beautiful mountain scenery and had no clue. 

There is so much out there that we are missing, constantly ignoring. 

And yes, I know that we need to text those certain people and send those emails and update our Facebook's and upload our 'throw back Thursdays', I love doing all those fun things. But have you ever thought what am I missing out on?

Relient K 

'Look on Up.' 

I remember when a photograph was worth 
A thousand words
Now a thousand pictures come my way, every day
and I like them all the same but they can't take my breath away
I'm fighting the temptation not to look 
But I'm still leafing through the pages like the world's my open book
Why don't I got something else to do?
Feeling trapped behind the viewfinder to share it all with you
But that's not what it's about
I'm so tired of missing out

look on up 
To the sky
I wonder why I put a filter between beauty and my eyes        

I look on up

To your eyes

It's time I put down my devices and I start to live my life
I look on up
I look on up
To the sky

Have you ever tried to photograph the moon?
Well I have too

Yeah I have too
Find it funny how it never turns out right
It's like someone poked a pinhole in the canvas of the night
And that's not what it's about
I'm so tired of missing out