Not So SJ Anymore

I ran cross-country in high school. Honestly, it was one of the best things I ever did. It gave me a sense of determination I hadn't had before and taught me the value of hard work. Running two or three times a day? Sure! Nine miles before school? OK! In the summer, we often ran fun runs. I remember standing at one in Houston and Destiny's Child had just become A Thing. They were from Houston, a fact I found exciting because no one was ever from Houston, and I'd once read Beyonce's dad used to have them run and sing to practice performing. That was the teenage thinking in me: We're both from Houston and we've both run before! We're practically twinsies! We're currently waking up early, trying to will our bodies to want to go to sleep easier on the plane before our very own (not so) Royal Wedding. I typically wake at 5:30 in the school year, but in the summer I hover between 7:30-8:30 because, woah nelly, I like to Live A Little. Every morning I g...

I've always wondered how memories get etched into our minds. Out of all the things one experiences in life, what makes a certain instance stand out from the rest-- even if it is a mundane one? For me, memories are like snapshots. I actually think of them as Polaroids, for some reason-- white border and all, stored in my mind. One memory that is completely ridiculous that stands out involves Bob Saget (aka Danny Tanner from "Full House"). It was fifth grade and I was making a cake in our tiny apartment kitchen. We had on (an HBO, I think) comedy special featuring his not-family-friendly comedy. For some reason, a bit where he discussed riding the train at the Houston Zoo with his family stands out. Apparently, he could see the conductor's buttcrack. Saget kept repeating "crack in my butt" during his gig. That was all he could think during the train ride. Totally random, totally out of context, but this bit is etched into my subconscious in a way that ...