a box of chocolates

mama always said...

if you don't get the reference yet, you've clearly never heard of forrest gump. and if you've never heard forrest gump, well, by golly, you've stumbled upon the right blog!

i happen to have just finished watching forrest gump (starring tom hanks), and, as usual, i'm overwhelmed with hope and warm fuzzy feelings. but for those who are completely lost, here's a little explanation:

forrest gump is a story of a man (who may or may not be mentally challenged, but that's really not the point) who goes through life being a good person. he has a significant impact on everyone he meets, and although he has some trouble wrangling his wayward love and best friend, jenny, things turn up for old forrest after a while.

but this story isn't just about romantic love. it's about truly loving other people and wanting the absolute best for them no matter what. it's about being true to yourself, loving your family, and living your life to its absolute fullest. well, at least, that's what i think it's about.

every time i watch this movie, i get pretty emotional--it's a bit of a roller coaster. but at the end, i always feel so hopeful and ready to go out into the world and spread some love. it's a great feeling. while it's impossible to face life with the same simple wonder and trust forrest has, i think it's possible to open up and love as much as he does. and that's just what i want to do.

and yes, it can be tough to feel this gushy and loving when i roll over to face the bleating alarm clock before the sun comes up or when i walk blocks and blocks across campus in the blistering heat, but after i pull back the covers or step into the shade, things seem peaceful again, and i can smile just like forrest and say, 'hello, world, i love you.'

this is just one of those special films that will stay with me forever. unfortunately, the book isn't as wonderful and heart-warming (this will be the ONLY time in my life i'll ever side with a movie over a book, btw), so i'd definitely watch tom hanks instead of read the book (ugh, i cringe at even writing that. i'm so sorry, books).

if you learn nothing else from forrest, learn this:

life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. and to take it a step further, chocolates always hold something sweet and unexpected inside, so don't shy away from them--you might just like what you find. and if you don't, well, you've still got the chocolate. :)

p.s. i feel just like doogie howser as i type this post. if only i had a little voice-over and a dinosaur computer...

amazing lunch

people who know me well know that i'm an amateur foodie. that is, i like good food and i watch the food network a lot.

i especially love eating exotic foods--that is, foods from other countries and cultures. i have an unreal obsession with chicken tikka masala and mango lassi from my favorite local indian restaurant, and i went through a phase during sophomore year where i couldn't go a week without a tub of hummus in the fridge. i gorged on ethiopian food during a trip to chicago, and i'm anxious to try some real-deal chinese food (the kind not found in a white paper box).

recently, i've been introduced to something called the 'chicken special' at a local mediterranean restaurant. i was only slightly intrigued when a coworker described it to me--i thought, what could be so amazing about some chicken, a salad, rice and hummus?

but then i tasted it.

this chicken, folks, is special.

needless to say, i devoured the entire carton when i first tried it. it's glorious! and if you want specifics on the name of the place, just comment and i'll send it to you privately somehow (attempts at internet safety here, people).

soooo....imagine my joy when coworkers announced that we'd have it for lunch today! i could hardly retrieve my debit card fast enough!!! and, for those who are visual learners, i'll post a photo of this gargantuan greek feast:

yes, there's really that much.

i think this might have almost topped chicken tikka masala...for now.

what are your favorite foods, friends?

until next time,

a

ashley

that's my name.

this is my blog.

i'm sort of new to this whole...sharing thing. especially sharing of the online sort. but, i'm a writer, and i'm a blog-reader, so i figured, why not start one of my own?

this will be a place for my thoughts, things i've found, things i've written, things i've seen. whatever, really. perhaps the first post should tell you a little about me. so, here it is:

i'm a poet. i've been writing for a loooong time--since i could hold a pencil, really. i wanted to be harriet the spy when i was little, and i watched the movie over and over and over to get her mannerisms just right. i only wrote in composition notebooks for a long time because of good ole harriet. now, i write poetry. and i still want to be a spy.

i'm a student. i'm a student of english at a local university. i want to get an m.f.a. in poetry. i want to get a ph.d. in something. i want to teach creative writing and literature, and i want to be a university prezzz.

i'm kinda ridiculous. i joke around alot. most people don't see this side of me--i'm very reserved, calm, mature, what have you by day. folks think i'm a stick in the mud. this is not true. at least, i don't think it is.

i'm a professional shopper. now, i don't have clients or anything, but i consider myself a very serious shopper--i'm good at it, and i like it. smart girls like clothes, too. don't be fooled by my bookish charm.

i guess that's all i'd want to know about anyone ever...

there's not much more to leave here, but i guess i'll leave a little poetry for you kids to chew on.

here's a line i thought of on the way home from class recently.

from a poem i'd like to call "the bush:"

you look like a blade
from africa.
warrior dressed
in plainclothes.

that's all i've come up with so far...sad, yes.

alright, kiddies.

until next time.

a