Are you gluten-free like me?

Oprah.com is now featuring a great article called Gluten-Free: Is it for me?, written by the daughter of the famed and beloved Dr. Oz.

I've done quite a bit of research on gluten, it's role in our diets, and the negative effects it can have for many people since I discovered my gluten intolerance about 8 months ago. This is by far one of the most readable, concise, and comprehensive articles that I've seen. "According to the Center for Celiac Disease at the University of Maryland, one in every 132 people in America has celiac disease, and nearly 15 times that number—up to 15 percent of the world's population, or one in seven people—have a non-celiac gluten intolerance" -- meaning that for most of us, one bagel won't be life threatening, but it may significantly affect our mood, weight, skin, digestion, frequency and intensity of headaches, stomachaches and sinus infections, and our overall quality of life.

Back to School, and an assortment of little blurbs

Fall break has come to an end, and I've been thrown back into the tumble-jumble of my real life. Most of my friends took off for the weekend, but I was just excited to have four open days to whip out some projects due in the coming few weeks!

Of course, today I realized that I wasn't as rested as I thought I was, and I hadn't actually gotten as much done as I was hoping too....but then again, life isn't all about sleeping and studying. I did get to spend a lot of time with my cousin Kelsey (who's a freshman at Belmont and lives just one floor above me!) and I spent almost an entire day just making fun posters, re-hanging my room decorations, and scheming about new programming for my residents (I'm an RA in a freshman dorm).

Hey Everybody!

I know I've been out of touch for a while.....coming up on 10 weeks without a new post...eek!

Let this just be a testimony to the grueling honors curriculum at Belmont.

So, while updating this blog is somewhat of an undertaking (that hopefully I'll undertake soon), I do have a slightly more whimsical blog that I update more often with quick little blurbs and mostly pictures.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT!

#1 in my Short Travel Film Series: South Australia

Google's free photo organizer platform, Picasa, has a great little movie maker built in. I love to look through my travel photos and think about all the beautiful places in this world and the wonderful people I've met during my visits, so making these mini-films is a lot of fun! This is the first one I made--a year or so ago--so it's rather low-tech and consists only of a slideshow with music. It still captures a few great moments though!

I was in Australia from March-June 2008 and had the wonderful pleasure of enjoying a South Australian autumn and the first hints of winter. My aunt and uncle generously invited me to stay with them and their two boys during my time there, so you'll see some pictures of them. You'll also see pictures of Vuja Dé, my aunt's restaurant, and the little German village, Hahndorf, where it was located in the Adelaide hills. The wineries included in the slideshow were both the home of several wines on Vuja Dé's menu, and were so much fun to visit! Enjoy :)

Sud d'Australie / South Australia 2008 from shirah-eden on Vimeo.

Vignobles: "The Lane" et "Hahndorf Hills Winery" dans les environs d'Adelaide, la capitale du Sud d'Australie.

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Featuring The Lane and Hahndorf Hills wineries in hills surrounding Adelaide, South Australia's capital.

Life is Beautiful

Since returning from my 40-Day Journey across America (which was amazing, by the way) I haven't done much besides write the two zillion essays I've been assigned while frequenting my favorite café, Panera Bread, where not only is the food good, but the free wifi is such a perk.

But, all good things come to an end. As my last essay's due date quickly approaches, I'm preparing to turn my attention to more traditional (and purely joyous) summer activities, such as watermelon seed-spitting contests, new apartment decor shopping, toenail painting, evening walks, back to school hair cuts, pleasure reading, photography, and getting back to my up-with-the-sun workout regimen.

Last night I watched, for the second time ever, a movie that is a story that I have cherished for years: Life is Beautiful. It is the story of a father's unconditional love and ultimate self-sacrifice for his wife and son, a story that brings me to tears just by thinking about it. When I start to get disappointed by a foiled plan or unexpected road bump, this is the story that immediately humbles me but simultaneously inspires me and makes my heart sing. I hope you'll take any opportunity to watch.

This was a great introduction to my first day of summer -- as today really is my first. Now that I'm inspired and reminded to enjoy the simple things in life, this summer is going to be even more beautiful.

I was just checking my email, updating myself with the news and blogs I follow, and doing that whole morning routine when I came across a new video on the blog of a French family that I follow. The mom is a fantastic photographer and videographer, and has quite possibly the most adorable little girl I've ever seen--Capucine, age 5. She's part of the Vimeo community: a website that hosts strictly homemade videos. But don't be fooled, this isn't your typical family home video website--many of the contributors are professionals and create breathtaking montages using techniques such as stop-motion. Capucine's unique perspective on life and her mother's creative work brighten every day. Here's what they have for us today.... Enjoy!

July 09 from Capucha on Vimeo.

A random mix of July Happiness.
Music : The good life- T. Myers

Channel Islands National Park, Anacapa Island

© 2008 Tim Hauf Photography

Belmont Named in Top 25 for Global Student Entrepreneur Awards

"The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) has announced the preliminary top 25 nominating schools with the most students in contention for the prestigious award. With nine nominees, Belmont University claims a spot in the list among such schools as Yale, Harvard, Stanford and Purdue University."

WOW! I knew I had chosen a great program when the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship named Belmont the 2008 National Model Program for entrepreneurship education. Accomplishments like this prove that it really is an excellent program.

I'm really proud of my classmates and their entrepreneurial ambitions, and I'm so grateful for such great professors and enthusiastic support from the community.

CLICK HERE to read the full article: "Belmont Named in Top 25 for Global Student Entrepreneur Awards."