seven.

Today I went and watched one of my friends, Quin, give an oral presentation at EWU's Creative Works and Research Symposium.  This is a two day culminating event that the University holds where undergraduate and graduate students can present their creative work/research that they worked on over the past school year.  Quin did a wonderful job, as did my other friend Brendan who had a poster presentation on water as a non-renewable resource in the Middle East (there's specific terminology, but I cannot remember what it is off the top of my head), and their presentations renewed the knowledge-gathering spirit within me.  

I am not a genius by any means, but I have always been above average when it comes to academia.  There have only been two subjects that completely defeated me, Calculus (although I blame the teacher for that one, she was AWFUL, right Jeanne?) and Japanese (I guess my brain is not meant to comprehend that language), but aside from that I have always performed moderately well.  I have always loved learning and there is nothing more satiating than feeling your brain wrinkle. 

Unfortunately I feel like these past few years (especially these past two years where I have been out of the academic loop due to graduating) I have not been challenged to learn.  Seeing my friends strive for academic excellence outside of the classroom (the Symposium is completely voluntary) has made me want to strive for more in my own life.  I want to learn more, I want to challenge myself more, I want to be (and I say this in the most inarticulate way) ... smarter.  

There is nothing worse than a brain ripe for knowledge becoming rotten, and I hope to keep my brain as ripe as I possibly can for as long as I possibly can (fortunately for me counselors are required to take continuing education courses throughout their licensure so I will be legally obligated to learn every year, even after graduate school).  

There's a saying, "great minds think alike."  Well I think that phrase can be slimmed down to just three words: "great minds think."   It's time I start thinking.

Song: Last Day of Magic

Band: The Kills

Album: Midnight Boom