Pizza = Power

"I am a breeze through the air!" "I am strong! I am a winner!" "I'm too young to die!"

Motivational phrases make the runner.

This weekend a group of my family members and I headed to Leavenworth for the Oktoberfest Half Marathon.

A family of runners. 

Leavenworth is beautiful this time of year. The leaves are turning orange and the air is crisp and cool. All around mountains reach out of the haze and into the clear, blue skies.

The scenery made the run enjoyable, as well as running with family. I finished my first half marathon in two hours and thirty minutes.

Shirt, medal and number. 

Before the race my aunt gave us goody bags with
motivational phrases written on the side.

I must say I'm quite proud of myself and my family members.


XOLily

Haiku Wednesday

Please do not ask me
what is right and what is wrong.
Because I don't know.


The best time to wear
a striped sweater is never.
Also turtlenecks.


Today it was cold.
Chilly fingers, a red nose.
Genuinely cold.


XOLily

When in Doubt, Go Shopping!

In the first week of school my planner goes from being completely empty to looking like this:

 So by the time Saturday came around there was no better way for me to relieve the stress of the first week than to go wander about aimlessly at the Alderwood mall.

And I happened to run into these lovely shoes and bring them home with me:

I admit, it was an impulse buy.

But sometimes an impulse buy is best:)

XOLily

Five Things

 1. Getting back into the routine of school.

2. J.Crew's cashmere sweaters.

3. Looking at the latest fashions from la belle Paris.

     4. Doctor Who, Season 7!

5. Tea.

XOLily

Nerd is the New Cool.

Nerdy or cool?

The technology generation is revolutionizing high school stereotypes.

These days it seems just about anyone is willing to put on a pair of fake glasses and a Star Wars t-shirt to seem "nerdy".

But years of watching TV shows and movies that portrayed nerds as unattractive and socially incapable makes me wonder: when did being nerdy become so cool?

I consider myself a nerd, so I decided to do the most nerdy thing possible and look up the definition of the word.

The Merriam-Webster definition of nerd is, "an unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept person; one slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits."

The Urban Dictionary definitions are a little different. My favorite was this one: 

"The unobtrusive man who sits in the back of the room with quite, knowing eyes, watching the comings and goings of all the ignorant people that are unaware their petty lives will one day be controlled and governed by this container of all that is awesome. He will strike with all of the rage and knowledge that his life of social abstainency and gaming gluttony has brought him in one swift blow. Fear me for I am The Nerd." -T. Nerd

That definition (along with many of the other definitions on Urban Dictionary) was written by a true nerd, as their Username suggests. 

It was as I was scrolling through the definitions on Urban Dictionary that I found the answer to my question. 

Well, sort of. 

Instead of asking, "When did being nerdy become cool?" I should have been asking, "Who made being nerdy become cool?" 

The answer: Bill Gates.

Now there's a nerd.

That's right. In this new age of technology people look at Bill Gates as someone who is successful. He's one of the wealthiest people in America and he is also a huge nerd.
Same with Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. Super nerdy and super rich.

So, the new idea is that success comes with nerdiness. Which makes being nerdy the new cool.

Now the question is, who is a true nerd and who is just trying to be cool? And how do you tell the difference?

XOLily

Haiku Wednesday.

It is September.
The air is getting colder,
too cold for sandals.

There's one thing I crave:
a delicious pink cookie.
Today they were out.

I have a problem.
On twitter, I mostly tweet
about my weird cats.

XOLily

Five Things

1. Fun ferry rides.

2. Hiking up Mt. Pilchuck.

3. This beautiful dress by Marchesa. 

4. Drinking tea and having Doctor Who marathons.

5. Alfie trying to snuggle with the computer. 

XOLily