This semester I was in the the News Reporting class. Personally I feel like I don’t have the spirit of a true news reporter. A true news reporter lives and breathes stories. They snoop, they have contacts, they get dicey. I love to write, don’t get me wrong, but I need color. I need emotions more than he said, she said quotes.

I’ve heard I’m not to shabby at being a news reporter. Two of my stories were put on the first page, which of course I am exceedingly proud.

Here is the link to my latest: http://66.147.244.86/~accents5/news/wsmc-moves-to-new-home-and-modernizes-transmission/#more-510.

But every single story I write I see that this isn’t the life I want. I dislike having to coax people into telling me their thoughts. I want creativity! I want my own characters. Instead of just making a skeleton, I want to create the whole body.

Being a junior in college and not positively knowing what I want to do with the rest of my life worries me. Everyone around me seems to have known what they will become since the moment they were born.

Mountains of pressure is building just as it was my freshman year. I think it’s time again to start looking at traveling again. Traveling always brings a somewhat lightness in my life. It helps me gain another perspective.  Hey, I’m only 21, why is everyone around my age in such a rush?

After longs hours of arguing with the computers, pulling out hair, and continuous coffee cravings, both Jessica and I have finished our website for our coffeehouse “Cafe de la Paix.” Go check it out!

http://students.southernlabs.net/ashleygohl/cafedelapaix/

I’m studying geography once again. I haven’t had to study a world map since I was in high school. And even then I really did not pay attention. I’ve never been one to enjoy studying the map, unless traveling through Europe, even that was a little crazy though.

Why I bring up the subject of geography is that I am having to study all the countries in the Northern Hemisphere for my news reporting class. I am embarrassed to say, but I have even a hard time with naming the states in the U.S. So many states, so many places. But I can do this! I can study all these many countries before tomorrow. I hope…..

Running. Sweat. Pulse Races. Music Pounding.

This summer I started getting serious about working out again. For that past year I jogged through the streets of Sagunto, Spain for my workout, not really taking life seriously. And then I came back and realized I needed to better myself.

This summer I was able to work out in a gym on an army base. I started with one mile on the treadmill. I would keel over once the mile was done, but would look jealously at all the army guys that kept on going through miles. So I pushed myself.

Little by little I have been exceeding the miles ran. And now I am proud to say I have gotten up to 7 miles. I still have a little ways to go. My hope is to reach 10 miles without walking. I know I do have to stop a couple times, just because of my back issues, but I will trudge on until I have finally reached my goal.

So I actually did it. I got a website up and running by myself. Ok, ok you may look at it and see many flaws, but when I see it, I am amazed at what I have learned and actually have put into practice. If you want to check out what’s all the fuss is about here is the link:

http://personal.southern.edu/ashleyg/

I know, it sounds completely bizarre! To actually use the tools taught at school and use outside of class!?! Crazy talk! Well actually I am designing a website for another class. I know that if I had not taken this Web Design Class I would be completely lost and very much depressed at my lack of knowledge. But instead, I was able to set up a very nice simple website for my computer concepts class. How sad is it that this is my favorite project thus far from that class.

At this moment I am unable to put down the link, I want to make sure that the site is top notch. Well at least sufficient enough for computer concepts.

Through sweat, blood, and many tears…. here it is!

http://students.southernlabs.net/ashleygohl/wellnessweek/index.html

This last Saturday I put many layers of clothes on and ventured outside to see all the beautiful colors that Fall brings. Even though Summer is my favorite season, Fall for me is the prettiest of seasons. This is when my favorite object, the tree, changes to something other than green. The reds, the yellows, the oranges, the browns. All the leaves are just so beautiful during this season. Here are a couple shots I took.

Sadly the mid-semester break has quickly passed by and I start my day off by learning more about correct ways to use a quote and what president was nicknamed “old granny.” (William Henry Harrison)

Not that I am super excited about classes or anything, but I am glad to return to normal schedule. The campus was quite the past few days and it is good to actually see and hear people once again. Though I am not too thrilled about working on projects that I have been dreading.

I would say one of my highlights of this break is all the naps I could take without feeling guilty. Also I was able to do a couple Alfred Hitchcock Presents marathons. You have to love his twisted mind!

Lately I have been pushing myself in the gym. Setting new goals for running, cycling, weight lifting, and jump roping. So I have figured out a way to push myself to and beyond my expectancy. “Ok Ashley, you only have a half mile left, listen to the song, focus on that dent in the walll….”  I push myself while focusing the attention on a little detail. This way I can get distracted and oh, lookie there, all done.

This is how my mind is right now. I only have two days of classes left until I have my mid-semester break. Which I plan to catch up on my latest shows, sleep, visit friends, and have more gym time. My mind is focusing on the end result. I urgently want to already give up and sleep, but I have only three more classes. “Ashley, darn you! You can do this! Study and then you can take a break! It’s only for a little while. Don’t think of what you will be doing after school, focus on the homework at hand!”

I can do this! I have faith! Just three more hurtles and then I can sleep until sunday.