Stars

Stars. Where to start? There are so many cool things about stars. In the summertime, I love to lay outside in my backyard and just watch them. I could stay out there all night. There is just something about them that is calming, yet mysterious at the same time. When I look at the night sky it never ceases to humble me. It's vastness and beauty make me aware of how small I am in this vast universe. Something else I love about the stars is they show just how amazing God is. It is hard to wrap my mind around how the same God that made the stars in the sky made me and loves me more than I can even fathom.

Number four on my Bucket List is to learn more about the stars. I know hardly anything about them. Honestly, the only constellation I can find in the sky is the Big Dipper. And it's a rare occasion that I even find that. I guess more specifically, I would like to be able to find various constellations in the night sky. There is no particular reason for this thought, other than I am just interested in constellations. I also think it is neat that the stars have played important roles in many different cultures throughout human history.

Here is a blog called "Iota Crumb" that deals with various topics regarding science fiction and science. Glenn has a really neat post about stars that is very fascinating that you can read by clicking here.

Also, there is a song by David Crowder Band called "Stars." I think it is a great song that shares what I think about the stars. The video for this song is not very good, but I just want you to hear the song...because it is amazing! :)

Van Gough

Vincent Van Gogh has always been my favorite artist. His work was extremely revolutionary for the time period in which he lived (the 1800s). Van Gogh unfortunately was not well known for his artwork during his lifetime. His paintings were unlike anything else during his time. He used wide brush strokes and painted with bright punches of color that mirrored his emotional and psychological struggles. His life was a series of crazy twists and turns which involved him eventually cutting off part of his ear in a rage. If only he could see how much he has influenced modern art today.

Anyhow, the third item on my bucket list is going to Amsterdam to visit the Van Gogh Museum. It has the largest collection of paintings by Vincent Van Gogh in the entire world. You may ask why go to a museum half way across the world just to see some paintings when you can just look at them online? Well, the reason is seeing them in real life and being able to physically look at the brush strokes is a completely different experience than just seeing a print. I love to oil paint, so being able to see exactly how he laid the paint on the canvas fascinates me. I think I would really grow as an artist just by being able to see Van Gogh's work with my own eyes. I have only seen a couple of his paintings in real life at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. They just do not have a good selection of his more popular pieces. Also, it just sounds cool to be able to say you have been to the Van Gogh Musem in Amsterdam. Plus, Amsterdam just seems like a really neat place to visit and there are a lot of interesting places surrounding it.

To find more information about the Van Gogh Museum you can visit the website here.

The Big Finish

I have always been an avid fan of running. There is just something about it that never ceases to make me feel just plain good afterwards. I always seem to feel even better when I run outside. I think it is the combination of the intricate beauty of nature and the sun's rays shining down that makes it impossible to feel anything less than great. Another reason why I like to run is because it is a big stress reliever for me. I could be having a terrible day and then after I run, I feel great.

Don't worry, I'm getting to my point. I want to be able to run a half a marathon (preferably in the near future). Yeah, I know this sounds pretty crazy. After all, it is 13.1 miles.

Let's break down the benefits of doing this. First of all, I will be in the best shape of my life if I run 13.1 miles. There is no arguing that point. The most I've ran at once is 6 miles, so I will have to be in the better shape than I have ever had to be. Another point to be made is I will be healthier in general. Since I have gone to college I have not been working out as much as I should be. Running a half marathon will force me to train for an extended amount of time, which will in turn make exercising a healthy habit for me. Also, on a less important note, I will have a very toned body, which I think is a benefit. Not only will I be running, but I will also be doing different forms of weight training to keep my muscles strengthened. Lastly, I think running a half marathon would just make me a much more mentally tough person. Half of running long distances is believing that you can do it.

I actually might attempt this during the summer. I guess we will see how far I get. :)