if you're a rememberer

I'm a freelance writer!

2010-04-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Last week, PS: Gallery opened its Spring Exhibit. Going to the gallery's opening receptions is one of my favorite things to do. Over spring break I contacted an editor at Review magazine, an online art publication based out of Kansas City. They had posted a need for contributors and my friend Jennifer passed the info along to me. I thought it was good timing with the new exhibit opening at PS, and the site doesn't have strong coverage of Columbia's art.

So I landed my first freelance writing gig! I'm making a silly big deal of it only because the idea of freelance writing has always felt so elusive and abstract. I always thought I could never really do it because I'm the type of person who needs someone behind me telling me when something is due. If you're a freelance writer, you're just pitching your stories wherever the wind blows and hoping that somewhere the wind will catch it and hold on to it. I didn't really think I was motivated enough to pursue possible rejection.

And I'm not saying that I've drastically changed my mind about the whole thing and think that it's the perfect career path for me. But, bottom line, I enjoyed doing it. I wrote my review (which you can read here) over the weekend and was so happy realizing again that writing about art is something I would be completely content doing for the rest of my life.

I'm getting "compensated" for the job (I'm taking bets at what you think that amount will be ... because really, I have no idea what to expect) and am considering framing the money like people who own restaurants or stores and frame the first dollar they ever make. Hey, it's the first time I've gotten paid for doing what I love! That's worth celebrating.

messing around with Illustrator...

2010-03-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

For our next magazine design assignment we have to use Illustrator to create, well, an illustration for our design. Because my level of experience with the program is 0.4, I'd like to become a little more familiar with it over break by simply messing around on it.

I have an ever-growing mild addiction to beautiful stationary and letterpress. Playing off of a pretty picture of paper lanterns that I saw on a post on the blog Once Wed, I decided to try my hand at making a pseudo-invite. I traced one of the lanterns and created an invitation to a hypothetical brunch (since we are in the heart of brunch season and all!) I've fallen in love with a color swatch feature on Illustrator that has pre-made color groups (the one I used is named Ice Cream; how fitting!) Some others include: Impressionism and Pop Art in the art history category; fruits, veggies & sweets in the food category; and foliage in the nature category.

This is just a start; I'll hopefully get better and post some more examples.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

2010-03-22T20:33:00.001-07:00

I won't say much about Jamie Oliver's new show Food Revolution because I will write more about it on my friend Bethany's blog, but I will say this.

College has shown me how much I have taken my mother for granted. That is, having daily home-cooked meals was a norm for me. I expected nothing else. Not like I didn't appreciate it; I'd like to think that I did (and do). But I also didn't realize just how much of a non-norm it was for thousands of other people.

As I get ready to graduate college and start looking to a future of working, starting a family one day and all that growing up stuff, I've been really nervous. Quite frankly, I don't know how my mom does it. Day in and day out we ate (and eat when I'm home for breaks) a variety of delicious, nutritious home-cooked meals. I want to be that type of adult, too. I want to serve others well through my cooking.

Eating healthy and simply is not a new concept to me thanks to my mom. It's what I knew for most of my life. And for that I'm thankful and convicted to maintain it in my own eating and cooking routine.

I've blogged about this before, but it's worth reiterating: like anything else in this world, food can be used well or poorly. Why shouldn't we take better care of ourselves and make the food that we eat something honest and beautiful in its simplicity?

"Quick cheap nutritious meals is what it's all about."-Jamie Oliver

"Right now in time is a moment where we're all confused about how brilliant we are and how technically advanced we are, and that is fighting with what once made our countries great, which is family, community, being together and something honestly as simple as putting a few ingredients together and sitting your family or your friends or your girlfriend or your mother-in-law around that table and breaking bread. And if you think that's not important, then shame on you."-Jamie Oliver

just keep me where the light is

2010-03-21T22:40:00.000-07:00

Super weekend was a success! After a week of midterms and deadlines, the weekend started with a bang with the lovely Abigail coming in town on Thursday (Bible study was just more complete with her there:) ), Sarah and Ben's engagement party on Friday, a lil birthday celebration for Tyler, a little snow to kick off spring on Saturday ... and John Mayer in St. Louis on Saturday!

Walking to the restaurant; our hotel was in the middle of so much great architecture.

St. Louis was a fun trip with Ashley and Lauren. We ate dinner at a delicious tapas restaurant called Mosaic before the concert. The concert started with Michael Franti and Spearhead, one of the most energetic and fun-loving groups I've seen in a long time. I only knew one of their songs, but they were all catchy and just made you want to dance around. Michael came out into the crowd (which was massive) several times and even started a dance line at one point. He had younger kids come on stage for Say Hey (I Love You) and totally gave the mic to a little girl at one point who sang so cute and great! It was just a bunch of smile moments all around.

Michael Franti & Spearhead's backdrop was lovely.

Umpteenth attempt at fitting us all in. Oh well, we're still happy:)

Oh hey there big screen entrance for JM.

Look at that old-school hairdo.

Thank you, jumbo-tron. Can't really see it, but I'm not digging the left arm tattoo sleeve he's rocking now.

And then John hit the stage...which was fantastic. He went off on his random, don't make much sense philosophical tangents. But that's ok. The boy can sing and play guitar; I guess we have to allow the occasional "this is the advice I wish I knew way back when" moments. One of my all-time favorite songs, "Why Georgia," was played second, so I was a happy camper early on. I was glad he had a good combination of oldies and newies.

What a wonderful weekend to give me the extra go for this next week before spring break.

it takes heART

2010-03-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

Because of this magazine we're publishing about brunch I've been surrounding myself with food journalism and recipes and all thinks tasty.

I just finished reading a story in New York Magazine about Keith McNally, a restaurant "auteur" (literally: author), who is opening a new restaurant in New York soon. It was interesting to see what thoughts go into opening a restaurant. It's no secret I love food. I'm no food snob or picky eater, but I just really enjoy an artfully prepared meal. I also really enjoy an artfully put together restaurant. I found this description about McNally's restaurants really illustrative and imaginative:

"A truism about McNally’s restaurants is that they are like stage sets, with a theatrical sense of lighting, of casting, of narrative, of scale and movement and mise-en-scène. Meticulously engineered to feel like found objects excavated from a golden past that never was, his places are augmented-reality versions of the bistro, the brasserie, the trattoria, the café, the tavern. "

Also: "Blank CDs were stacked behind him; over the next month, he would choose a thousand songs to play at Pulino’s, broken down by time of day."

What a meticulously put together restaurant. I often wonder who chooses the music that is playing in a store or restaurant. It's neat to see that at least for McNally, even that decision sets the tone for what he wants his restaurant to say to its visitors.

I love seeing art creep into all aspects of life. Right before reading this article, I was reading about an ice cream place in Columbus, OH, that reminds me a lot of Sparky's here in Columbia (because of it's creative flavors) but with an artful twist. My dad was just in Columbus and thought I'd like to read up about this artsy part of the town (it was featured in an NYTimes article). The place is called Jeni's and is just incredibly cute-looking.

In the article it says: Considering the innovative confections on offer, it’s no surprise to hear the owner, Jeni Britton Bauer, explain, “I’ve always thought of ice cream as the expression of my art.” It’s a fitting sentiment in a neighborhood brimming with creativity.

Art as ice cream? I LOVE that! This made me think of my wonderfully talented friend Abby who is mastering the art of beautiful cupcakes, cakes and all things sweet and delicious. It's just a matter of time before she opens up an "Abby's" and calls cupcakes an expression of her art, too;)

This just motivates me more and more to find the art in every day and notice how almost anything can be seen as such.

This picture has little to do with the post, BUT it shows that an artful display of even something like the New York subway system makes it so much more appealing and whimsical.

Neglectful

2010-03-13T14:57:00.000-08:00

I'm a neglectful blogger. There's simply no denying it. I wish it weren't true but I've come to accept it.

But in an attempt to explain my neglect, or make excuses for it, here's a glimpse of other ways my writing has been put to use in the past few months.

*I manage to blog weekly for the Mustard Seed in an attempt to tell the stories behind every beautiful fair trade item in the store. Look for me on Wednesdays.

*I think and write about brunch a lot. I'm in Magazine Publishing and we're developing a one-shot publication for Meredith (think, Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle, ReadyMade, etc.) all about brunch. I created two recipes for one of our features and recently interviewed the executive chef at Bleu to get his tips and tricks for tackling eggs Benedict.

Here's my Cranberry & Walnut pizza:

1 Tbsp. pesto

4 Tbsp. olive oil

½ cup shredded mozzarella

1/3 cup dried cranberries

¼ cup chopped walnuts (broken more for desired size)

¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle flour on a cookie sheet and roll the wheat dough onto the sheet. Roll dough out to desired thickness (note: crust will rise in the oven).

In a small bowl, combine olive oil and pesto. With a spoon or brush, spread the oil and pesto mixture evenly on rolled out dough.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese, dried cranberries, walnuts and goat cheese on top of the pesto.

Bake pizza in oven for 10-12 minutes or until cheese has melted and crust is golden brown.

*I'm working on my HTML skills through a introductory web development class. The final project will be an online portfolio that I hope turns out as nicely as I have planned. In the meantime we work on little pages to practice different skills.

*I'm applying for internships and looking for jobs. That should just be a separate class altogether.

So sorry blog if you get neglected from time to time. It's nothing personal.

channeling my martha

2010-01-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

Break is almost over and I haven't completed the hundreds of crafts I had set out to tackle. I should stop making break resolutions. This is why I don't even attempt new year resolutions.

Jonathan gave me Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts for Christmas. It's as wonderful as it sounds for all you doubters. But somewhere between C and S (Candles and Soaps) I became overwhelmed with the materials that had to be purchased and my lack of real inspiration for either projects. Also: the lack of space and weight capacity in my suitcase to bring anything back to school with me.

So I tackled a smaller, more useful craft: cards. I always want to give a homemade card, but every time an event presents itself that requires a card I (claim to) have no time to make one. So why not get a head start while I have the time?

I had been wanting to try some sort of embroidered card for a while, with each card having a unique symbol that reminds me of the person receiving the card. My friend Sara's birthday is coming up in January (and she doesn't read my blog, so I can ruin her card surprise here:) She and I love leaves. So my first attempt at this embroidered card thing: a simple leaf. Judge the results below. And, oh yeah, paper shopping is kind of overwhelming. There's so much beautiful paper to be bought and used out there, goodness. I need to start a craft fund before I attempt Martha's A-Z.

I also baked cupcakes today, another Martha moment. My mom just received Martha Stewart's Cupcakes and I wanted to try a few before I go back to my nonexistent not baker-friendly kitchen in Columbia. I really wanted to make pistachio raspberry but, lo and behold, unsalted pistachios are not the easiest things to find here. So I switched to good ol' chocolate chip cupcakes. They're quite tasty if I do say so myself -- it made me miss Abigail and her master baking and the few times I "helped" her in the kitchen with creations like Salted Caramel Chocolate cupcakes.

C'mon creativity: you have about a week left with free reigns of my heart and soul (and brain). Then it's back to dreaming about you as a scapegoat to studying.

In other news: I have come to the realization that my ideal magazine does not exist. This is a little sad but also a little exciting. Maybe I'll get the chance to create my ideal magazine one day? Like, say, as a prototype in Magazine Publishing? Who knows. What I do know is that my pseudo-perfect magazine would be a combo of:

-Real Simple and Good Housekeeping crafts and recipes

-National Geographic Traveler's city features

-Esquire's boyish charm

-New York magazine's food and art sections

-The New Yorker's illustrated covers and illustrations

-The New York Times' home and garden section

Ahh. Bliss.

fiore

2009-11-10T08:59:00.000-08:00

i love fresh flowers. what i actually love most about them, though, is when they've been around for a few days or a week and it gets to the point where some need to be thrown out, or cut, or simply rearranged. my mom and dad gave me this beautiful bouquet for my birthday. now, over a week later, so many of the flowers are still just as beautiful. i love having little arrangements of flowers throughout my apartment. my current favorite vase that's not a vase is that owl tea pot (jonathan found it for me at a garage sale this summer).

the magic of halloween

2009-10-26T21:17:00.001-07:00

baking in my kitchen is a headache. kind of literally. the smoke detector will go off at least three times without fail. it just likes to be sensitive.

so i tend to shy away from making anything that involves the oven.

but when i stumbled upon a forgotten box of halloween funfetti cake mix tonight at, oh, 11, i couldn't help myself. nothing sounded better than making funfetti cookies (complete with orange and black sprinkles) to give my brain a break from memorizing the arab israeli conflict for my geography of the middle east exam tomorrow (this way, if i don't do well, i'll have fresh cookies waiting for me at home to nurse my mood back to happy).

but my smoke alarm is not the only thing that's funny about my quirky little apartment. the oven is too short to fit a normal size cookie sheet. so i have to make do with a circular cake pan that holds about seven cookies at one time.

also, in the midst of my excitement for my first time baking in this apartment i forgot that i never officially bought a baking bowl (can you tell i gave up on the prospect of baking a while ago?) so i had to make do with my pasta pot. hey, it's nonstick! less mess to clean up:)

thank you halloween funfetti mix for allowing me to re fall in love with baking, despite the minor adjustments my apartment requires. (oh, it helps when you take the battery out of the smoke detector... :) )

I rent a room & I fill the spaces with wood in places to make it feel like home

2009-09-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

(Insert image that I cannot find of a room with the perfect glow of a lamp. Google apparently doesn't know what I mean when I search 'lamp lighting,' 'lamp ambiance' or 'lamp glow').

I'll get straight to the point: I'm a lamp-loving convert. My friend Abby hates overhead lighting and loves lamp. Maybe she's the reason why I too now crave lamps around me. Or maybe it's because I'm growing up.

Hmm, that's a stretch. Or is it?

See, my parents have always been lamp-loving people. Growing up we used lamps and not the brighter overhead lights. I wasn't a fan of this concept. In fact, sometimes I turned on the overhead light just to spite them (shameful, I know).

But in the midst of making my new apartment my own, I have found that a few simple things are sure to make a place feel homier to me.

First and foremost are flowers. I love nothing more than fresh flowers in mismatching vases filling a room with color. This past week I had the joy of having astromelias from Jonathan and sunflowers from the farmer's market spruce up my living room. They're on their last legs so I hope to find some replacements soon. But when the fresh flowers fade, I still have plants. They're simple green living things that add my favorite color to any room.

But onto the reason for this post - lamps. I finally hung my paper lanterns this weekend - two in the living room and two in my bedroom. I still haven't finished hanging art on the walls or finding the perfect throw pillows for futon, but the simplicity of warm, intimate lighting has transformed a not-so-mine place into my cozy corner of Columbia.

Other recent decorating triumphs: reupholstering my first piece of furniture (photograph to come soon) and making simple curtains from a deep coral/red fabric.

There's so much more I could say about decorating that I've recently been thinking about, but I'll save that for another post. It'll make me write on this thing sooner rather than oh-so-much later.

oh, the flavor that you savor

2009-08-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

I made fresh pesto for the first time this week. It's kind of turned into an obsession now. My mom's basil plant is on its last leg, and I'm slowly devouring the entire plant. When I made it the first time (lots of fresh basil leaves, garlic powder, fresh parmesan cheese and olive oil all blended in a food processor) I realized how easy it is and how it tastes just as good as store bought.

I love summertime and fresh ingredients. I love fresh fruit just as much. Especially watermelon. I love that it's naturally so sweet and delicious.

I might as well be that little kid with all of the watermelon I've eaten this week.

My goal for this semester (and I feel like I say this before every semester - but eventually that means it will turn into reality I hope) is to eat better. When I'm home, I eat a meal and then I'm satisfied. I don't go back and fill myself up with random food I find in the pantry, or the oh-so-common bowl of ice cream I fall back on at school. So I don't mean I want to eat less necessarily, just better. Like more fresh fruits and veggies. More variety of meals - aka: not every meal is pasta. I want to learn new recipes and not be intimidated by them.

I feel like I've thought and talked about food a lot this summer. It's such a fundamental part of our lives that it is easy to not think about it very much at all. Call me crazy for thinking about it as much as I am, but I think that it's something worth considering from time to time because, like anything else in this world, it can be used well or poorly. And why not use such a beautiful part of God's creation a little better and more gratefully from time to time? In its most basic sense, food nourishes us. But in its most glorious form it does even more - helps us be in community with one another, teaches us about different parts of the world, and wows us and our senses. It can be its own art form.

(Note: I'm going to see Food, Inc. tonight, so I may very well never look at food the same way again.)

2009-08-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

What to say, what to say, what to say...

.Well for starters, I'm back home. NYC summer 2009 came to a close. I got really sentimental about New York City the last few days I was there wandering around (I was looking up at buildings rather than being consumed with getting to where I was going and only looking down). I'm going to miss it, I know it.

But it feels great to be home. I swam and was lazy in the pool today, relaxing with my parents and Tipton, eating pasta & mussels for lunch and a whole lot of fresh fruit. I was sun-kissed and tired from the sun and let my hair air dry... it was the parts of summer I have missed.

.Things I fell in love with this summer that I hope to bring with me into the school year:

-Goat cheese. Goat cheese, really? Yes, really. I love cheese of all kinds, but goat cheese and I had never formally gotten acquainted until this summer. Goat cheese, dried cranberries, walnuts, and a vinaigrette = a salad I never get tired of.

-Brunch. Get ready, Columbians, I vow to make brunch part of my school life. First stop will be Bleu.

-Reading magazines. Duh, right? It's my major, after all. But sad as it is, I have never been one to read many magazines during the school year. But they're a wonderful companion for those short moments that you find yourself free of obligations.

That's an odd short list, I know. But I was thinking about those things so I needed to spill them out sooner or later.

.I saw Julie & Julia tonight and it inspired me to do many things. 1) Have a blog that gets published as a book and picked up as a movie. Ok, maybe not so much. But I do want more direction in my blog. 2) I want to take cooking lessons. Or at least vow to try new recipes this year. I want to get a cookbook that forces me to expand my meal knowledge and start exploring. 3) Write at all costs. Whether it's for me, one person, or many.

How's that for "more direction in my blog"? Possibly the most oddball post I've ever written. Go figure.

it's such, it's such a perfect day

2009-08-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

I don't really know how to start this post, because all I keep wondering is

Have you ever smelled mud? I mean really been surrounded by it, tromped in it, inhaled its smell with every breath? No? Well, it smells bad. I mean bad. Well now let me ask you, have you ever been surrounded by mud, inhaling its foul odor, but had a smile on your face, chills running up your spine and been on the verge of tears? No? That, my friends, is what I experienced at All Points West on Sunday.

It was a beautiful stormy Sunday, complete with thunder and strong gusts of wind. I was in Long Island staying with my brother's girlfriend's family for the weekend. We had gone to the beach on Saturday. Enter blissful day #1. It was my first day all summer where I closed my eyes and felt summer. I mean, felt it. Felt the sun slowly color my skin a darker shade (eh, burn it a tad), felt the chill from water splashing up on me from an agitated shore, felt sand in my toes (and all up in my clothes the rest of the day). I felt the air blowing through a car window and back out the sunroof and watched the sun bid us farewell beyond the horizon. Summer. A perfect day of summer.

Enter Sunday. Wet, stormy Sunday. All Points West is a music and arts festival (the 2nd year of it) at Liberty State Park. I lucked out (understatement of the year) and was invited by my brother's girlfriend because her family had an extra ticket. The skies magically cleared as we drove into the city, loaded up with parkas and towels and ready for the worst. We took the ferry from Battery Park over to the park. Enter mud. Mud mud mud mud mud. The poor grass didn't know what it had coming. Enter my brother being inventive and sporting this look the rest of the day.

Enter laughter, lots and lots of laughter.

We lucked out and weaseled our way into the VIP bleacher seats by the main stage since the parents had VIP tickets, the other six of us did not. Prime seats for admiring people embracing the mud. We caught the end of Silversun Pickups, followed by Elbow (if you don't know of them, you should. They were quite lovely, in the easy to love British kind of way. Check out One Day Like This but don't judge the song from the blah video).

Then we patiently sat for the 45 minutes that it took an impressive number of stagehands to transform the stage for Coldplay. And then I noticed this guy

Who I then noticed was sitting next to this girl

Who I really wanted to talk to, but she decided to go watch MGMT.

Cue Life in Technicolor. Cue chills and me being on the verge of tears. I don't think that's ever happened to me at a concert before. But Coldplay, you have the power. And I want to meet the genius who designs their shows. I always am awestruck by the lights at concerts. Really great music can become that much more powerful with effective special effects and lights. I just love it. Go you, Coldplay stage designer extraordinaire.

It doesn't do it justice, but here's Yellow and several yellow balloons full of confetti being tossed around in the crowd.

Just Mr. Martin, doing his thing.

"When your feet got wet at a Coldplay show"--improv Fix You lyrics

What a view.

I didn't really understand the random structures, but they made me think of the carnival scene in Across the Universe. Bizarre and lovable.

that's the way this wheel keeps working now

2009-07-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

Since I have 10 days left of my New York City summer, it has come time to reminisce. While I was on the subway on my home from work today I was thinking about some things that have made me laugh time and again this summer. Which got me thinking about all things...

Things that have made me laugh: (too many to count, but here are highlights)

*"Welcome to Ikea! Look at all these beautiful faces" The woman who welcomed us off of the Ikea ferry (+ Ashley's exceptional imitation of her)

*Conversations with my roommates over dinner (+ Persas) at Vento

*"Your ass is on my arm" A lady I accidentally brushed my bottom against one second too long on the subway

*Inappropriate PDA on the subway, in an "I don't want to look but can't tear my eyes away" kind of way (Sarah and Abby can attest to this)

Things that I've questioned:

*Do I want to be a magazine writer?

*Or do I want to own an art gallery?

*Or do I want to get a masters degree in something useless but totally art-related?

*Where do I want to live post-graduation?

*How the heck do you go about getting a real-world job?

*Why can't I let go and not worry about it?

Things that I missed:

*Having a summer tan

*Swimming in a pool

*Family, friends and loved ones :)

*Singing along with my music

*Bible study

Things that I didn't cherish nearly enough:

*Living in the same city as my brother for possibly the last time

*Having so much art at my fingertips

Things I can't get enough of:

*the High Line

*Brooklyn

*New York brunch

*unexpectedly seeing celebrities (current list: Gayle, Barefoot Contessa, girl from Confessions of the American Teenager, Josh Hartnett, Diane Keaton, Tony Bennett, Molly Shannon)

*being able to get anywhere via public transportation

Things I could have done without:

*All. The. Rain.

Things I loved:

*Busy days at work

*The Brooklyn Art Museum

*The Renegade Arts and Crafts Fair

*Visiting Jonathan in Colorado

*Having visitors here! Abby, Sarah and Jonathan made the city feel more like home

*Reading magazines during my commute

*The cooler weather compared to the blistering heat most of the country was getting

*Trying out living in a city for a few months...I want to do it in a lot of other cities now: Chicago, Portland, San Francisco, Denver

--I'll keep adding to this as the days dwindle down. But I want to make this point: I usually worry before I start something new that I won't get out of it everything that I wanted. And maybe I did or maybe I didn't, but I feel like my time here is coming to its rightful end and the thought of being home is lovely and perfect. I'm not feeling anxiety about not checking everything off of my list, I'm feeling blessed with all that 11 short weeks have held.

2009-07-26T14:18:00.001-07:00

dear blog,

i will update you soon. i promise.

with love,

a lazy writer

telephones, they can't replace me with you, face to face

2009-07-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

{There I go stealing lyrics again. Thank you, Matt Wertz, With You Tonight}

This weekend I was lucky enough to spend the 4th of July with Jonathan in beautiful Colorado. After a tiring & delayed day of travel on Friday evening, I made it to Denver. Saturday night we ate breakfast at Boulder's great farmer's market and walked along Pearl Street (think downtown Columbia...with mountains in the distance). We headed to Estes Park in the afternoon with hopes of finding a campsite in Rocky Mountain National Park. The tour guide information lady laughed when we asked what the chances were of finding a campsite (on the 4th of July)...but we got one of the last ones (so ha, lady!) After setting up camp (in the rain...) we drove to one of the nearby lakes and caught a beautiful rainbow and tranquil beauty surrounding this lake. It was so calming and just lovely. Then we headed back to Estes Park to catch the fireworks show along the lake. We saw some elk hanging out on the golf course along the way. No big.

Woke up to beautiful sunny weather on Sunday and drove all through RMNP. We stopped at so many lookouts that the beauty of it all has kind of blurred in my mind. Hopefully the pictures that follow can do this weekend more justice than my words. Simply said, it was a wonderful break that was much needed. A break in all kinds of ways: a break from city life, a break from getting dressed up (and wearing makeup or doing my hair...ah camping:)) & a break from a long-distance relationship.

rainbow: check. bench: check. mountains, lake, trees & perfection: check.

Jonathan's internship local

fireworks (Jonathan and his digital SLR took this one)
to me it kind of looks like the background is too perfect and we're photoshopped in (also jonathan's)
looky there, leave no trace!
"I could really go for an elk today" said Jonathan as we left the campsite. I think these will do the trick. I kind of wanted to take one home with me.

Big Colorado sky that Leigh Anne loves (and I clearly see why).

Shameless plug: For more pictures, check out Jonathan's new flickr account.

(One last thing that I do not have a picture for: Josh Hartnett was seated first class on my return flight to New York City. My 7th grade self was freaking out--I used to pull out pictures of him and put them on my door. Ahh celebrity crushes)

hoping I would see the world with both my eyes

2009-06-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

{I notoriously overuse favorite quotes, lyrics, songs...I'm guilty of it, and I admit it. So here again, in this blog title, I am stealing the words of John Mayer's 3X5. When other people say what you're thinking, why not say it again?}

Not to contradict myself (and the previous post) but rather to shine some new found joy to my life here in New York City: I have had a great past two WEEKdays (and today it even rained!) God answered my prayers to help me see His purpose for me throughout the week. Work has picked up and I feel like I'm doing substantial things that help the magazine. And that feels GREAT.

Now to be perfectly honest, maybe my good mood has a little something to do with the fact that... Friday I get to see Jonathan. After 6+ weeks apart (longest time yet) we're spending the 4th of July weekend together in Boulder where he's interning. Yeah, ok, so that has a huge impact on my cheeriness. But the first reason does as well!

Tonight after work I was literally craving a good read. But I have yet to finish the book I started at the beginning of the summer (David Sedaris' Naked---which is not a testament to the book's quality, I just have rare instances of being in the reading mood). So I bought New York Magazine at Borders and can't wait to curl up with it after dinner. I need to learn more about this summer home of mine if I'm going to label myself a temporary non-tourist.

(But speaking of tourist: Sunday night I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge with my two roommates and a friend. It was absolutely perfect weather for it and a very memorable "touristy" thing to do while here.)

2009-06-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

It's sad how drastically my mood and feelings toward the city change once it's 1) the weekend & 2)sunny. Every weekend I re-fall in love with this place I'm calling home for a summer. It's because during the week my routine is redundant: go to work, come home, sleep (I sound like I'm way too old for my age). So the weekend finally gives me those moments to discover things, explore, soak in beautiful and exciting things. Not to mention that when it's not raining you can see more than when your umbrella is hovering over your view.

Today I explored Chelsea. Last night I mapped out some galleries to visit after brunch with Deborah. We ate at Empire Diner, an authentic diner that was converted from an old Pullman car (aka train car). Delicious French toast. And great company:)

From there we visited the waterfront of the Hudson River which was beautiful with sunshine and warmth.

I read an article in the New York Times this week about an apartment that faces the new High Line park that has occasional live performances on its fire escape. I was intrigued. And once I looked up the High Line, I was even more intrigued. It was a railway constructed in the '30s to lift freight trains off the streets. Now, it's a mile & a half long elevate urban park. It's amazing how people dream up alternative uses for rundown spaces. It was a really unique experience-I can't say I've ever been on an elevated park.

so you have a sense of where it is in reference to the street.

i call this 'growth among the rundown.' to me it kind of symbolizes the entire park: reclaiming natural beauty from something that hasn't been in use or appreciated in decades.

this is the fire escape from the New York Times article.

Then we visited countless art galleries along 10th & 11th avenues and from 22nd Street to 27th. When I say countless, I'm serious. Galleries pretty much exist back to back, door after door. It's amazing. Here are just some of the favorite things I saw in a few of them:

what are people waiting in line for inside of an art gallery?

this. lights hanging from the ceiling in a small room surrounded by mirrors and an inch of water around a standing platform. it was a bizarre feeling seeing these lights going on forever every which way around you.

yes, i like tree paintings.

and glass bottle collections.

and dogs in galleries! :)

and wings with a cool light effect.

and giant pumpkin sculptures on the side of the street.

We concluded the afternoon with gelato at Grom Gelato farther uptown. (And then I had gelato again after dinner with Ashley's parents tonight. I might as well be in Italy).

p.s. I've said this before, but the random interesting architecture I stumble upon in this city is breathtaking.

2009-06-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

I've been itching to blog for days now but either didn't have a moment to do so or was to tired when the moment rolled around. So here comes a recap, I hope it does the days justice.

Friday, June 18

*My editor was gone from Good Housekeeping but I had the neat assignment of looking through decades and century old copies of Good Housekeeping. Next May will mark the 125 year anniversary of the magazine (let that set in for a second...125 years) so they'd like to do a special feature for next Christmas that involves past crafts. I wish I could spend days looking through every single issue, especially from the years surrounding WWII. The assignment reminded me that there's truth in saying that newspapers and magazines are records of history. You can be told about how people lived in WWI & II, but it's a completely different, tangible thing to be able to look at the advertisements and stories that were relevant and important to people at the time (ex. "Won't be able to have a real Christmas tree this year?" "It's harder to plan meals these times"). This is where I would insert images of pages I scanned, but I hear my communication law teacher's voice in the back of my head talking about copyright laws...so I'll refrain.

*My parents were in town for my dad's cousin's wedding. Friday night we went out to eat at Pipa Tapa's Bar in the Flatiron District which is next to a huge furniture store I need to check out some other time named ABC Carpet & Home. The food was great. For dessert, I finally tried a place I read about in my guidebook called Max Brenner: Chocolate By the Bald Man. DELICIOUS. (Abby & Sarah, prepare to eat here :) ).

The crepe I had.

Great finale to the night.

"Oh love, when it rains it's sure to pour..."

Saturday, June 20

*I love New York, really. But the rain is starting to get to me. I heard this will probably be the wettest June New York City has seen in quite a few years. Of course. Saturday my parents took my roommate Amanda and I to lunch. I wanted to show them my beloved Brooklyn, but the rain managed to even ruin my romanticized perfect view of Brooklyn. I suppose it's for the best. I can't have it on too high of a pedestal now can I? I still love it, no worries. Then we attempted to escape the wet crowded streets (that really were making me wish I was anywhere but here) but going to see Whatever Works, a new Woody Allen movie. It was funny, also predictable at parts because it played upon a lot of stereotypes, especially about the south. But overall, it was something to keep us indoors, entertained and dry.

When you're here, you're family

Sunday, June 21

*Happy Father's Day! We had brunch at one of my new favorite restaurants in NYC which changes menu/name/decor with each season. So currently, it is Park Avenue Summer. We had brunch with my brother's good friend and his family. It was a really great early afternoon and further developed my love for New York's brunch tradition.

The menu featured Fruit Loops as an appetizer option. My brother felt the need to try it. He said they were good. What was special? Lemon grass milk and fresh fruit added.

*The rest of Sunday was spent in Queens. My dad has an aunt and two cousins who live there. Ester was the one getting married.

My attempt to capture our adventurous walk to the church. Queens is not very pedestrian friendly in its roads. But thankfully we found a woman who went to school at the church we were trying to find so our sixth attempt at getting directions was successful.

The beautiful bride and groom. And the fella in the right corner is who I will stereotypically Jacques. He is a French photographer Ester specially flew in for her wedding. He was a riot though. The things he did to try to capture moments just couldn't be taken seriously. Here he asked the groom to toss the umbrella down for "wonderful picture." The umbrella flopped down on the ground.

These two were high school sweethearts, broke up, and found their way to each other after so many years. So sweet. Their first dance was to "At Last," so fitting:)

My lovely mom.

Beautiful Manhattan skyline from the restaurant in Queens where the reception was held, Water's Edge.

My parents. Such good-looking people.

My dad dancing with his aunt. 80 years old and she couldn't stop saying she wanted to get out there and dance.

Goodnight, Manhattan.

oh, it is love

2009-06-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

[[Sorry if this post seems scatter-brained and not following one direct line of thought. It's because I am and it doesn't.]]

I spent another lovely (most overused word in this blog? perhaps) day in Brooklyn. I went to the Brooklyn Museum of Art after brunch with Kelly. I think because a) I didn't really know what to expect from the museum & b) it was the first time in a while I paid a ticket to visit a museum, it was pure bliss. Pure bliss, I tell ya.

I think the biggest "Oh my gosh moment" came when I realized that the museum housed Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party." I've studied this work in practically every art history class since high school. It's a key work in feminist art, as she creates a figurative dinner party seating mythical women as well as many of history's notable women. It's a room-size triangular table, with 39 place settings on each of the three sides. The tiles underneath the table have 999 signatures of other great women from history. Or should I say, "herstory." Chicago went so far in making her point about feminism that she refers to the heritage of women from the past as "her"story rather than "his"tory. It's a huge work of art (literally and figuratively) and I'm so glad after years of discussing it in classrooms I finally saw it in person.

An example of a place setting: a frilly little thing for Ms. Emily Dickinson.

Next, there was a wonderful exhibit of Gustave Caillebotte, now a new favorite Impressionist artist.

There were too many unexpected jewels I found, too, but I just absolutely loved the museum as a whole. It had so much variety, for one thing. Its exhibits ranged from modern, to Islamic, from jewelry to sculpture and architecture.

[[Here's where the train of thought goes off on it's own.]]

I feel like God's hand was tapping me on the shoulder and saying, "See how you're happy right now and full of thoughts and a million questions about people and life? THIS is what I have planned for you. THIS is what I know you need in your life, in your future. So stop being so worried about what it is you want to do. Because I know your heart and where your gifts can be used."

At least that's what I hope he was telling me. Because when I'm surrounded by art, or reading about art, or studying it, or writing about it, I just think about the world more deeply, more creatively, in a hard-to-describe kind of way that gives me an excitement and peace like no other thing. I think so much can be learned from a work of art--I fall back on this quote time and again but I find it to say so much of what I think: "Through art alone are we able to emerge from ourselves, to know what another person sees of a universe which is not the same as our own."-Marcel Proust

Until next time, Brooklyn. You never disappoint me.

Birthday + Hip Hip Jorge

2009-06-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

When I got out of work today I took a deep breath and smiled: Ah, it's the weekend :)

Last night was a good enough start to a weekend. We went out to celebrate one of roommate's 21st birthday. The place was called Vento and it was decently priced great Italian/American food. With wonderful cocktails called Persas (mystery what's in them). I had a few tasting sips, or dabbling my tongue as Graeme said. Though I could have ordered 10 drinks without a care in the world--carding is like a foreign concept here.

Amanda looking all grown up.

Me and Ashley with the birthday girl.

Then right after work today I got to go to my first Yankees game. It was lovely weather for it, the first time we've seen sun since Sunday. I felt so special to get to go to the new stadium for a 'big' game -- Yankees vs. Mets "The Subway Series Game." A hot dog, diet Pepsi and a swirl soft-serve ice cream cone have never tasted so good.

Here's my artsy shot for the game.

Sam, me, Ashley and Hannah being such big fans with no Yankee memorabilia.

And then we came home tonight to free books! Amanda noticed a 'free books' stand by the dumpster downstairs so she snagged me the bottom two art books : ) One has a sweet dedication in it from a mom to her son hoping the book inspires him to be the artist he wants to be. Aw. Then I went back and grabbed a few others (the knot book is for Jonathan :) ) and the top book had $10 in it! Yes, thank you.

Such a great start to the weekend already. Tomorrow I'm getting brunch with Kelly at this cute looking place called Shiller's Liquor Bar (yes, brunch at a liquor bar) and exploring my beloved Brooklyn some more, which might mean going to the Brooklyn Museum of Art or stopping by the flea market. Or simply admiring all of the design stores there.

++I booked a flight to Colorado for 4th of July weekend to visit Jonathan :)

++Abby and Sarah are getting/got (sad that I don't know which?) tickets to come visit me in July :)

free museums, what were they thinking

2009-06-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

I need to start remembering that free often doesn't equal good or enjoyable.

I need to start remembering that 9 museums that open their doors for free to NYC do not draw the same amount of people as 9 galleries that open their doors to Columbia, MO residents on Artrageous Fridays.

I need to remember that an eight-hour workday shouldn't be followed up with a trek to upper Manhattan to claw my way into art exhibits that are full of people budging and nudging by me.

Museum Mile was a really lovely idea in theory. It's just not my cup of tea, though. At least not my ideal 'enjoy art leisurely' cup of tea. But I've lived and learned now, and next time I go see a museum here (aside from the galleries that are free to the public on a daily basis) I will purposely avoid free days.

2009-06-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

From the Guggenheim Museum Web site:

Tuesday, June 9: One day a year, for the past 31 years, nine of the country's finest museums on Fifth Avenue have collectively opened their doors to New Yorkers and visitors for a free mile-long block party and visual art celebration. This traffic-free, music- and art-filled celebration fills the street and sidewalks of Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 105th Street, the strech of pavement now officially designated as Museum Mile. Over 50,000 visitors attend this festival annually. This year's festival kicks off at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum with an opening ceremony, at 5:45 p.m., on the steps of its landmark building on Fifth Avenue at 89th Street. The festival will run from 6 to 9 p.m. that evening.

Well I know what I'll be doing after work tomorrow night. Please don't rain, please don't rain. It won't keep me from seeing free art, I tell ya.

"Through art alone are we able to emerge from ourselves, to know what another person sees of a universe which is not the same as our own."-Marcel Proust

Brooklyn is lovely.

2009-06-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

Where to even begin...

Well my editor told me about the Renegade Craft Fair this week and I knew I had to go.

Oh what a fair it was. First of all, I was excited to explore Brooklyn more. I love it there, absolutely feel like it's somewhere in between Columbia and Manhattan. And that's just the right combination for me.

So this fair. It had over 250 booths with all kinds of vendors selling jewelry, clothing, suitcases, cards, posters, ceramics, soaps, purses, the list goes on and on. A lot of the vendors were people who sell their stuff on etsy so it was such a great place to see them all together.

All I kept thinking was: What can I do for a career that enables me to do this every day of my life? I was simply elated looking at everything people made and blown away from the amazing creativity in some pieces. For example, one woman made silver and gold rings from apple seeds she'd sewn together then (what I assume) dipped in silver and gold. Others were lace dipped in silver and gold. Brilliant, just brilliant.

I bought a few things, not nearly everything I fell in love with, though. Here are some pictures from the day to partially get across the beauty of it all. I'm excited to see the coverage on design*sponge, I'm sure she'll have better pictures.

these clothes were imprinted with different types of leaves. you know how I love leaves.

green. pearls. enough said? I couldn't buy them because this booth only accepted cash, but I might shoot the artist an email and see if she'll sell them on her etsy site.

just a neat vendor sign.

this dog had it made. his owner carried him around on his shoulder.

inspiration for my next craft: finding old hard suitcases at thrift stores and painting them or modge podging pictures on top. if I find a few, I'd like to stack them and make a side table out of them.

such a great day with the roommates.

Penny Licks. Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream even tastes lovelier in Brooklyn

MIZ-ZOU. Kind of.

just love the buildings in Brooklyn.

how could you not take a picture of these two?

not even all of the business cards I picked up along the way. cutest business cards ever.

my splurge necklace-green pearl! this picture doesn't do it justice

other purchases: stitched pouch for my purse and four cards that I plan to frame.

hard to describe this ring. it's plastic outlined in gold paint with trees drawn on the inside.

goodbye Brooklyn, I hope to see you again soon.

musings and happenings whilst in New York

2009-06-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

-I miss singing along to music, whether in my room or with friends in the car. We've seen several people singing on the subway or while walking on the sidewalks. First we looked at them like they were crazy. Then Ashley made the comment that they don't have the opportunity to sing in their cars so where else are they going to sing. She said it half-jokingly, but I found it to be so true. I wonder if by the end of the summer I'll be singing out loud in public.

-During my first week of work I've forgotten I live in New York, sort of. My schedule has pretty much consisted of sleeping, going to Good Housekeeping, coming home exhausted, having some sort of food combination that constitutes dinner, then going to sleep and repeating the day. Sure I take the subway everywhere I go, but I forget about everything else that is in the city besides my routine to-and-from-work commute.

-I got my first manicure and pedicure this week since I don't know when with my brother's girlfriend this week . I never got them before dances in high school and don't routinely get them in college, but it was such a nice hour of relaxation after work. I also just liked hanging out with her solo and getting to know her even more.

-It's become normal to hear accents, foreign languages, see relationships of all sorts, and all around diversity. I wonder what it will feel like when I hear another language back in Shreveport or Columbia? Will I abruptly turn and stare or will it still feel like second nature? Maybe I still stare here but it's because I love wondering what brought people to New York City from all over.

-Dogs in the city are one of my favorite things to see. In the rain, they're extra enjoyable to watch. I think they're a little more frantic than dogs in towns and it's interesting to see how they adjust to a less grass-full way of life. Plus, I just really miss Tippy.

-I woke up at 4 a.m. yesterday to go see Dave Matthews at the Today Show Concert Series. It was early, it was rainy, but it was a surreal way to start the day with a concert of screaming & dancing fans at 6 a.m.

as you can see, we couldn't see much

but inside of dean and deluca we had a great view

2009-06-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

Ina Garten (aka The Barefoot Contessa): celebrity spotting at Hearst #2

she was eating in the cafeteria with her husband and a few other people.

today at work i basically looked through endless amounts of magazines to think of july and december craft ideas. my editor told me she pitched a few of the ideas i told her about for december to the lifestyles editor and she liked them. i'm not really sure what that means as far as my idea will be used or it's moving along the decision process? we'll see i guess. it was reassuring nonetheless. for those of you who know about my scarf earring holder, i told her about that today. i definitely need to show her a picture to illustrate (i'm sure i sounded crazy describing it) but she thought it could be something to keep in mind for january or february.

yesterday i organized the prop closet which left me exhausted (but was gratifying once i saw the progress made in the closet's organization) and led me to go to sleep at 9 pm and wake up at 7:30. it felt lovely.

on and on, we keep going crowded like subway cars

2009-06-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

((^^i was listening to matt nathanson's "to the beat of our noisy hearts" this morning on the subway to work, and that lyric made me smile because at that moment i was smooshed between the crowd on the subway car and the door^^))

first day interning at Good Housekeeping! i'm pooped. not because they worked me to death, but because i'm not used to 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. days (plus 2 1/2 hours of class).

here was my day: i got a visitor's pass and went on up the escalator, figured out the

fancy elevator where you have to enter what floor you're going to into this separate pole which then tells you which elevator to take. whoa.

met my amazingly nice editor who introduced me to a bunch of people who all liked the fact that she and i are both from louisiana :) what she had me do today was organize and file these cabinets of catalogs and press releases from furniture, interior decorating, and craft stores. nothing brutal. tomorrow i'll have a comp

uter at my desk (complete with an email address!) she showed me some of the stuff that she's working on that will be coming up in september's issue (a new section in the home department, stay tuned! ha) i had lunch in the nice open cafeteria in the beautiful lobby of Hearst. as i was heading back to the elevator i saw Gayle King, Oprah's bff.

celebrity spotting at Hearst count: 1

my assignment for the week is to come up with craft ideas for the december issue to pitch at a meeting on friday. having to look at craft sites for inspiration more than i already do? shucks, what a drag ;)

after work, we had our MU class at the Paley Media Center. we saw a premiere screening of Bravo's new reality show NYC Prep and then

most of the cast members were there to answer questions afterwards. interesting stuff.

time to go dry my hair and get to bed early.

one more thing! my editor told me about a craft fair in brooklyn this weekend called renegade craft fair (think etsy-type vendors everywhere). plans for saturday: check.

maybe I will tell you all about it when I'm in the mood to lose my way with words

2009-05-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

1. Beautiful Bryant Park. I want to read here everyday. It's behind the public library, afterall. I can't wait for movies in Bryant Park to start in June.

2. Nobody was ready for this picture. But Walter graduated from Columbia Law, hoorah! Such a lovely, proud day.

3. Welcome to Central Park in the summertime. Also known as: everyone's backyard.

4. Our family spent the day on Long Island and in Southampton with my brother's girlfriend's family. It was quite chilly on the beach, but so pretty nonetheless.

5. Amanda and I rode the subway to Brooklyn to make sure she knew where one of her internships is located. I like Brooklyn, a lot! All of the three whole blocks I saw. Here we are enjoying the gelato we found in a cute granola and snack shop.

6. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is *free* from 4-8 on Fridays. It therefore resembles more of a shopping mall atmosphere with massive crowds of people and chitter chatter. I don't want to criticize the way other people experience art, but I feel like there's a certain museum etiquette of respect and generally quieter talking that is expected. That said, I'm in love with MoMA. I only made it through 3 1/2 floors, with van Gogh still to see on the last floor. Needless to say, you'll know where to find me every Friday this summer (I'll be the one with headphones drowning out the crowds).

Broadway is dark tonight

2009-05-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to blog for so long! But I didn't have internet at the hotel...and my brother's internet has been spotty. But here I am.

I am so ready to get set into a routine. I feel like I'm currently a nomad, wandering from one place to the next. I just want to be moved into my apartment (which happens tomorrow) and feel like I know my way around.

But here's a recap of what I've gotten to do thus far:

-Great dinners with my brother's friends and family for his graduation; beautiful outdoor graduation at Columbia.

-Central Park, Magnolia cupcakes, more great eating.

-Saturday on Long Island with my brother's girlfriend's family; drive to Southampton, shopping around, walk on the beach

-Celebrity sightings: Kanye West, Chris Cuomo (from Good Morning America), an NBA bball player (Marbury?)...pretty sure I saw one of the finalists from Make Me a Super Model (the girl with short white blonde hair)

-Afternoon at the Met today: it was my first time going solo to a museum but I loved it, experiencing art is a personal thing so it doesn't really matter if there's people there or not. I didn't jam in the whole museum 'cause that would be exhausting, so I plan to go back this weekend or later this summer. I saw a really interesting Francis Bacon exhibit and a model/fashion exhibit.

Can't wait to settle in with my roommates tomorrow. Off to Whole Foods to figure out something for dinner.

"I wanna be a part of it..."

2009-05-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

"...New york new york."

I am in the KCI airport waiting to board my flight to Dallas where I'm meeting my parents in the airport as we take the same flight to NYC.

Summer in New York: it still hasn't hit me. Saying bye to Jonathan just now I tried to fool myself to think it will only be a month, not three, that we won't see each other. Didn't work.

"Airports see it all the time...Someone's last goodbye blends in with someone's sigh."

I'll be double fisting journals this summer. I wanted to keep a good 'ol fashioned journal on top of this blog, so hopefully I keep up with it.

Well my group's about to board...'Til next time, happy summer :)

2009-05-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

we went camping last night, despite the forecast for strong thunderstorms.

but i'm glad we did.

we set up the tent (that's jonathan's amazing new one!) before any sign of rain and got to enjoy a nice campfire with chats and s'mores.

and then God amazed us with his light show. watching lightning in the distance and feeling the thunder roll felt surreal. is it cheesy to say i felt more alive? ok, well label me cheesy then. once the rain did start gently falling, i was reluctant to get in the tent right away. i found myself spinning around, enjoying the feeling of raindrops on my face, light bursts in the sky, and the ground trembling from thunder. His power was awesome and tangible.

2009-05-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

i like to think that if i wasn't studying journalism, i would be taking classes to be an architect. when i really think about it, about the math that goes into it(i don't hate math, i just don't care to learn it past a certain everyday usable point) and the nitty gritty less glamorous planning that is involved, i probably like the idea of being an architect based off of idealized and romanticized ideas. nevertheless, i'm an admirer of architecture for certain.

this semester i took my first architecture art history course. i really loved it because it was a new way to think about art.

i'm intrigued by the role architecture plays in our everyday lives. the mundane role it has in housing grocery stores, banks, stores, gas stations, and plenty of other buildings we overlook on a daily basis. but even those buildings have a history and a place to fill.

office buildings can seem mundane, but sometimes they're the most fascinating works of architecture. take the Willis Faber Dumas Building in England for instance. ok it's curvy and reflective during the day.

but at night! it's like a glow worm! i'm fascinated at how this building looks completely different based on the time of day it's seen in.

another fascinating aspect of architecture is the impact it tries to have on the earth it occupies. take green buildings for instance, like this one in Japan.

there is grass planted on the rooftops for recreation area, as well as a great insulation and cooling agent for the building itself.

this weekend i was reminded of just how much your surroundings impact your mood. we spent the weekend at an amazing lake house (cutely named Cedar Lodge) that was right by the ozark lake. it was a cabin-like house, completely decked out in characteristic wooden bar stools, bear paintings, exposed wood and stone fire place. all things that on a daily basis i wouldn't appreciate or find comfort in. but this weekend, for three days of relaxation, that house was a respite place. it was cozy, warm, homey. and its setting was perfect.

it reminded me of pilgrim churches i've studied before. these churches tend to be in remote areas where traveling to them is no easy task. there's usually rough terrain, with long uphill hikes. but then the church is like heaven waiting for you at the end of the difficult journey. well this cabin was a small mimicking example of that. the drive there was confusing at times and a bit unnerving, but arriving at the home was wonderfully perfect.

nightingale sing us a song

2009-04-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

i was surrounded by moments of summertime bliss this weekend.

picnics.

me and jonathan at stephens park friday night. i was inspired to make brie and apple panini.

two days of fresh flowers.

these purple flowers (lilacs and irises, i believe) were FREE at the earth day festival.

sweet, sweet tea.

studied at mcalister's with sarah. she "went for it" and put 9 splenda packets in her tea. we like our sweet tea SWEET.

2009-04-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

sarah and i wanted to see the sunset on the river. we decided to make a picnic out of it and head to rocheport. the following is proof.

directions to rocheport are a must.

our fearless driver.

that's not the river...

what a lovely bench for a picnic though!

we were trying to figure out where we were in reference to the river.

sarah spying on the cardinal trying to attract a mate.

the loveliest branch of flowers that sarah broke the law to get me!

les bourgeois. skip the wine and fancy dinner. go straight for the flowers and view of the river.

no sunset, but it felt wonderful by the missouri river.

oh hey, what are these creepy face sculptures for?

the farmers market bouquet with our new addition and souvenir from rocheport.

2009-04-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

fresh-cut flowers from the farmers market. it's a beautiful thing.

2009-04-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day!

Anyone who knows me well enough knows the great love I have for my K-3rd grade school in Lexington, Ky: Providence Montessori.

But no day reminds me more of how much I loved that school than Earth Day.

I remember preparing projects every year to present to other students and families on Earth Day. One year it was on roots, so I had carrots and potatoes as props. One year it was on love birds (yes, love birds legitimately exist). Another year I studied dolphins and whales (and proceeded to think I would be a marine biologist one day... oh, how young & naive I was :) )

Then we would always have a great outdoor picnic and carnival, followed by a sleep over with my 3 best friends. It was simple bliss.

Ever since then I've missed doing special things on April 22. But today was a pretty good 'grown up' celebration of the day. We had the first ever farmer's market on campus, there was the Missouri Energy Summit going on at Jesse Hall, people for STAND and Jewish organizations were demonstrating and informing people on genocide, intense advertisement was going on for tonight's Crossroads event (featuring Jon McLaughlin!). It was just a great example of community (as Jonathan put it) and uniting on a lot of different fronts for important world issues, both about the direct earth and those who live on it.

So yay for the earth, for God's beautiful and artistic creation.

2009-04-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

COLUMBIA -- Citizens in central Columbia clashed with an outlawed criminal gang using machetes, axes and clubs, killing at least 28 people and leaving streets stained with blood, police said Tuesday.

*NOTE: This is NOT a real article.*

This is:

GATHAITHI, Kenya (AP) -- Villagers in central Kenya clashed with an outlawed criminal gang using machetes, axes and clubs, killing at least 28 people and leaving streets stained with blood, police said Tuesday.

I edited it to make a point.

What if we read world-wide stories with an eye that it was somewhere closer, somewhere more immediate to us, somewhere that felt like it had an impact? Would we be as numb to tragedies?

I wondered this today when I almost didn't think twice at the previous story on the home page of the New York Times' Web site. It was easy to glance over. But would it be as easy to glance over if it occurred in my town? or my state? or my country? I know it wouldn't be. Just as I became enthralled in the coverage following the earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy, recently, I know I pay more attention to stories that somehow strike a cord with me.

But when did a tragedy of any sort, in any place in the world, stop striking a cord? It baffles me how the world is so vast and large, yet humbles me when I realize how little and alike we all are. I wish I was reminded of that more often so that caring for someone took on a real form for me whether that person was an acquaintance or not.

2009-04-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

so i can't remember the last time i was this excited.

so excited i wanted to cry from joy.

so excited my legs were shaking and my heart was beating out of my chest.

so excited i wanted to hug strangers.

God made the sun shine extra bright today. He knew I'd be getting the great news that I am a summer intern for the Home Department at Good Housekeeping this summer. He knew that after months and months and months of sending cover letters and resumes, feeling defeated and not good enough, He knew I would find my place. He knew where that place would be.

i can't remember the last time i was this excited...

2009-04-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

a treat for you.

21 free songs from urban outfitters.

they're awfully random, and some awfully techno, but hey, they're free songs.

stay 'tuned'... this week could bring great or less than great news for summer plans.

let's just say, i'm compulsively checking for new emails.

window sill garden

2009-04-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

that's spearmint, superbell peach, cilantro, superbell apricot punch, and basil. the herbs are jonathan's (but our window sill gets better sunlight so he's renting out our sill :) ) and the flowers are mine. there's something really fresh and enjoyable about having live plants inside. this is my first attempt at keeping a plant alive (besides a mini bamboo plant in my room that is the easiest thing to have besides a cactus) so wish me luck! it was nice to visit the nursery that is down the road from our apartments. there were so many beautiful flowers and plants i wanted to take home and beautify stuff with. maybe one day when i have a house of my own i'll be an amazing plant lover/gardener.

gmail autopilot

2009-04-01T10:16:00.001-07:00

Gmail autopilot

funny april fool's joke? or creepiest technology idea yet? you decide.

open or closed?

2009-03-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

i got to hang out with leslie and laura tonight. it was so nice.

but not so nice, or rather, more confusing, was our experience with starbucks.

first: leslie and i stopped by the one on line avenue. it was roughly 8:15, and it was closed... one of the workers was locking the door and told us new thing was that this starbucks closed at 8.

second: we went to starbucks on youree drive around 9:15, and as we were walking up to the door, people sitting outside told us it was closed but the drive-thru was open for another hour. a sign on the door said that as of 3/23 the store would close at 9 but the drive-thru would be open 'til 10.

so now i'm confused and wondering starbucks' logic: when we found the first starbucks closed early, naturally we assumed it was 'cause business was slow past 8 for them so logically they should close early. but the second starbucks, with their 'closed' store but open drive-thru baffled me. less workers needed to work the drive-thru only rather than the store as well? but if business is coming for the drive-thru, why not just keep the store open too? lights were still on, it didn't appear that any energy was being saved. if someone is more business savvy and knows the answer to this conundrum, please let me know. because i tried calling the store later (yes, that is just how concerned i was...and i'm not even drinking coffee these days, i was just curious from a curious person standpoint) but since they are 'closed' at 9 (and it was 9:50 at this time) no one answered my curious call.

2009-03-20T21:37:00.001-07:00

it looks like i've been on hiatus or something. that something being 'consumed with stuff i put off in classes.'

but alas, it is spring break.

and i am home. in a cozy bed. with no stress to dread for this upcoming week.

happy first day of spring! shreveport welcomed me in wonderfully. the grass seems extra grassy green and there are FLOWERS! i feel like i've been under a rock somewhere that i'm so excited to see green grass and flowers. but really its just winter that overstayed its welcome (for me) in columbia. but its nice that i get spring here AND when i return to school. double dose of seasons. like when i enjoy fall in columbia during, well, fall. and then come home at christmas time to find the leaves still falling off trees here.

"it's just a season thing. it's just this thing that seasons do"

[cue my overly quoted beloved john mayer song, Wheel]

while you were sleeping

2009-03-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

-i signed a lease for a 1 br apartment for next year. it was a stressful process of figuring out where i'd be living next year, and now that it's taken care of, i'm relieved. and excited. decorating my own place? yes please.

-i had my first internship interview for a PR position at an art gallery network in NYC. keeping fingers crossed...and hoping to have a few other interview opportunities.

-i soaked in the first few days of warmth by wearing a spring skirt.

-i went on a mini vaca-- camping. it was the perfect friday night get-away followed by a new breakfast experience at cafe berlin.

-i've been overly stressed about midterms, papers and projects creeping up on me. and i probably haven't been the most fun to be around. i've just been in a quieter mood lately, and i can't explain why. i feel like i'm lost in my own thoughts. i apologize. i need to be challenged to step out of the 'me' frame of mind this week.

2009-02-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

in the middle of a dream this morning, i gradually woke up, becoming ever more aware that the rain i thought was happening in my dream was really outside my window. a torrential downpour hit my window, full of what sounded like hail and pure wrath, and then my alarm went off seconds later.

but it was a very serene and natural way to wake up--the alarm clock of nature.

i took shelter in memorial union for about an hour and by 9 a.m., the storm had passed. after the thunder clapping, lightning flashing, and what felt like gallons of water hitting my fragile rainbooted and umbrella-armed self, the sky cleared.

i was in awe that when i last stood outside i felt like nature and i were at war, and now, serenity.

birds were chirping. birds. creatures smaller and seemingly more fragile than i am weren't affected by the storm and went back to singing their songs.

it's nice to know we're taken care of so delicately.

Matthew 6:26-27 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

2009-02-22T16:55:00.000-08:00

i think i've created a monster.

last night i was going for some granola at the store because i've been in the mood for yogurt parfaits for breakfast. well jonathan and i realized how expensive granola is. which was followed by: J "i bet it's pretty cheap to make. do you want to try?"

oats. wheat germ. brown sugar. maple syrup. honey. water. cinnamon. vegetable oil. raisins. dried fruit. and a little love and creativity.

that's what led us to make granola at 11:30 last night.

and my gross overestimate of how many oats were needed is what led us to have a lot of oats left over.

so today was granola making part 2: trail mix version.

it seems weird to make lots and lots of granola and trail mix. but it was fun to make for some reason. there's something kind of gratifying about making home-made versions of things. and it smells amazing while it bakes. if we make more batches, we're thinking about selling it and giving any profit to a cause that needs it.

so if you have a strong craving for delicious granola or trail mix, i can hook you up.

2009-02-21T16:15:00.000-08:00

i like simplicity. some simple things that have brought me bits of joy today:

-new music: ingrid michealson's album be ok.

-trying a new coffee shop. jonathan and i studied at dunn bros. & emily was working, i had a great, long-lasting caramel frappe, and comprehended communication law notes that i was compiling for a test.

-a blouse i got from gap yesterday. its white with a green design and just the right amount of spring-like feeling to make this still freezing weather a little more bearable. and i've gotten really into blouses lately...

-now off to study at the artisan with sarah for a few hours--and i'm looking forward to watching sisterhood of the traveling pants 2 when i get home.

i love simplicity.

2009-02-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

i had the great opportunity to get to hear ishmael beah speak on campus tonight. he is the author of a long way gone: memoirs of a boy soldier and i could simply listen to him speak for quite a while. here are the things i hope to take away from tonight:

--ishmael spoke about how for a while when he came to america he couldn't think about making plans or thinking past today. he was still in the mode of surviving. and that's a radical thought for me: the idea that so much of the world is consumed with survival rather than a hope of a future.

--ishmael's mother, laura simms (the woman who became his american mother once he moved here) spoke about the importance of a country's culture. and how so often when we focus on 'fixing' a place we think we can bring in our own ideas, when really we can focus on something within their own culture that worked and was a source of joy at one point and reignite that. culture, arts, etc. is a source of unity.

--it's always important to give context to stories. when they're left as just solitary cases people make assumptions and stereotypes. (always good to hear that as a journalist).

and it was just a good night of being reminded of the power of storytelling and how every person has a story, every story can change something about the world--whether miniscule in scope or larger than you could imagine--

What's your story, morning glory?

2009-02-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

i've become more of a morning person this week. i love mondays, wednesdays and fridays because i don't have class until 11, which used to mean sleeping in. but this week i decided to make use of those early hours. and the artisan from 8:30 am - 10:45 am has become one of my favorite places and times of day. there's just enough people to not feel like it's just you and the barista, but still a quaint quietness in the place. it's me on a couch with some quiet reading time to start the day, and currently finishing off a delicious granola and berry yogurt parfait and an iced tea. cheers.

2009-02-10T22:31:00.001-08:00

it was beautifully warm and sunny today. ( that is, tuesday)

just a small token of thanks.

2009-02-08T12:03:00.001-08:00

For any fans of The City, The Hills, or any other similar "reality" show on MTV, you'll probably enjoy this link my brother sent me as much as I did. The District, starring Barack Obama. It was put together by Newsweek magazine. (PS. No, that is not Obama's voice. If you watch the whole thing, there is a credit at the end for who acted as his voice).

2009-02-06T21:40:00.000-08:00

4:24: jonathan got his parachute hammock yesterday so we tried it out at the top of capen on this beautiful warm day. so great.

2009-02-02T18:02:00.000-08:00

#1. i've oddly had this song in and out of my head for the past week, all because last week at veritas there was a picture on power point with a road sign that said 'turn around.' be warned, it is now on my top 5 weirdest/creepiest/what does this mean list of music videos.

#2.

5:21: there are two things i love about this time on mondays and wednesdays:

i've just spent over an hour looking at pictures and learning about beautiful and interesting architecture

i catch the sun set on the quad with orange and red lights playing off of buildings

2009-02-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

it was a weekend of sharing things i love with those that i love.

leigh anne and matt endured 12.5 hours of traveling by car

(1.5 to break)

to spend the weekend

(or saturday...)

in columbia. it was quick but it was lovely.

it was wonderful getting to show outsiders this city i call home for more than half of the year.

highlights of the tour included:

.campus, of course. i failed at having witty

historical anecdotes to share as the tour guide, though.

.the artisan

.9th street. including: the mustard seed, blue stem, get lost bookstore

(pardon the blurryness, it was happy regardless.)

.addison's. =nachos bianco.

& the places and faces that make up my bit of columbia.

2009-01-27T16:20:00.000-08:00

curling up in a warm, blanket-covered bed.

it's the small things that make days better.

i'm growing tired of the activity of bundling up and delayering. and i realized today it's a little exhausting to walk in the snow. have you ever noticed this? snow was clumping together on the bottom of my boots, i was blinking like 5 times a second because of the snowy wind, and the concentration of trying to not slip at any second==all of these amount to too much spent energy.

just my little rave and rant for the day. comfy blankets>yay. below freezing winter>nay.

2009-01-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

as a follow-up to my post about writersblok journals and the org. they support 826nyc, here's an editorial from the new york times about the book thanks and have fun running the country: a collection of kids' letters to president obama. it's a compilation of advice letters that kids from various 826 centers throughout america wrote to the new pres. it'll put a smile on your face for sure.

2009-01-24T15:30:00.000-08:00

yesterday 3:48: volunteering at the mustard seed, a fair trade store in downtown columbia. one of my favorite places to spend friday afternoons.

2009-01-22T14:26:00.000-08:00

i found my new journals.

they're called writersblok. or what i like to call, the cheaper (colorful) moleskine.

they come with sticky tags to put in the middle spot for a label.

and what's great is that 2% of sales goes to literacy-related programs around the country. like 826NYC in new york city, "a non-profit organization helping students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills and helping teachers inspire their students to write." (modeled after one in san francisco founded by dave eggers :) )

i'm in love. and want to visit 826NYC.

2009-01-21T18:10:00.000-08:00

i'm writing a reflective essay on the inauguration for a class and i realized the images of yesterday are what stick out in my mind. and if i could have taken a picture yesterday (instead of [insert historical photograph here]) this would be it.

the capitol building just looks beautiful and majestic here. i realized how little worth i give to the gems of architecture and history we have in this country because of my obsession with more historical art. but i want to visit d.c. so badly now. i have an itch to appreciate the monuments, memorials and art america has to offer.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009: The Inauguration of President Obama

2009-01-20T21:18:00.001-08:00

[insert historical moment picture here.]

11:22: that's the picture i wish i could have captured today.

i think i had goosebumps several times today, or at least pure joy and pride.

pride to look around and see others so prideful of our country, a new chapter.

it was a day full of me thinking "i want to remember everything about these hours".

the places i watched the inauguration. the people i was surrounded by. the things i felt.

2nd semester started today. and my second class was at 11 but our teacher told us "i didn't realize this class would be during the inauguration. and i think we all need to be watching history. so here's your syllabus. go." more or less. we have to write a reflective essay for the class (intermediate magazine writing) about the inauguration and media coverage.

today was the first time that the WOWness of this history in the making hit me. "brought me to teary eyes" kind of hit me.

and now: we wait. we watch. we pray. we hope.

2009-01-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

2:42: at capen park on my first geocaching experience.

2009-01-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

6:04: (this is not weird colored mush) after buying welcome back groceries, i took the opportunity to make a batch of bolognese pasta sauce--while i still have the time. it was a piece of home.

2009-01-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

4:08: done packing.

2009-01-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

5:07: coffee (or salted caramel hot chocolate) at starbucks with laura, leslie and sunny for a final farewell. and shreveport had legitimate colder weather today (silent "yay!") so warm beverages were a must.

2009-01-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

i love watching american idol auditions.

don't judge me. especially if you're simon.

2009-01-13T15:59:00.000-08:00

5:55: i noticed bare trees in my back yard. they're kind of an obsession of mine.

2009-01-12T14:38:00.000-08:00

4:29: christine informed me there is a valeria, iowa.

2009-01-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

6:09: i made apple, brie & prosciutto bruschetta for our golden globe watching night

2009-01-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

4:20 when we returned from starbucks, we saw that tipton was not pleased that he was not invited

2009-01-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

5:15: beautiful shreveport evening sky after seeing bride wars with mom.

2009-01-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

i came across this blog the other day:

Three o'clock is always too late or too early for anything you want to do.

first, i love the name (apparently it's a quote by jean-paul sartre). i think my 'too late/too early' time would be closer to 4, but to each his own.

secondly, i love the concept of the blog: for 1 year 4 photographers and friends took a picture at 3 o'clock (their local time) and compiled the 4 for a daily post. they did this for the entire year of 2008.

which inspired me to steal the idea (but give it its rightful credit) and try it myself.

but i know myself, and i know how i start things with all this excitement, and then lose track of things/the excitement. so i'm not making any promises. but i'd like to start a miniature project like this of my own.

i may start today, but my camera cord was left at school by mistake, so the photos won't be up and going til next week. but we'll see.

i hope that blog inspires others to try it out for themselves too. i think it's a neat way to keep track of what your day-to-day life looks like.

2009-01-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

in honor of many "best of" and "top 10" lists I have read and heard recently, I'm doing my rendition of a list of favorites. here are some of my favorite scenes in movies or musicals : )

*The end of Love Actually.

*The scene in Beauty and the Beast with "Something There" when they are playing in the snow.

*The scene in Elizabethtown when Drew and Claire spend all night
talking on the phone and finally decide to meet up.

*The beginning car scene in When Harry Met Sally.

*The trolley ride in Meet Me in St. Louis.

*The end of Defying Gravity in Wicked.

---sorry for the lack of consistency with YouTube embedding and links,
it decided to work for me once, then never again.

I wrote these as they came to me so I may return to this at a later date.

what do john mayer, a bread knife, christina aguilera, and a trolley car have in common?

2009-01-03T15:04:00.000-08:00

i won't make it a habit to blog about my dreams (cause i have ultra weird ones at times, friends can attest to that) but this one from last night was entertaining, i think.

...i was at a john mayer concert. it took place in an indoor pool.

the concert ended and as i was swimming out of the pool, i saw john mayer blocking a door in the pool (acting like a body guard to keep you from going backstage or something).

i told him 'good show' and he said thanks in a self-deprecating, woe-is-me kind of way.

i start leaving the venue and he catches up with me outside and walks with me.

he hands me these cassette tapes, says 'we like to give these out at some concerts' and i'm thinking 'oh cool, secret john mayer releases.' wrong: they're really old christina aguilera tapes. mmm, ok. so he keeps walking with me (i'm going home, in an unknown city though).

we get to a corner where a trolley car is stopped. a man gets out and grabs john by the collar and asks him for money. he does this in a kind of half-joking way so we don't get too freaked out. john says he doesn't have anything, as do i (while i'm holding my blackberry in one hand and thinking 'put your blackberry away, you're not making a very good case for yourself that you don't have money'). so he lets him go and as i'm trying to get john's attention to say 'hey, please keep walking with me cause now i'm a little scared,' the guy pulls out a bread knife and holds us at 'knife' point and demands money again.

neither of us really have money so he makes us promise we'll take him to someone we know who does have money. so we start walking, and he says 'will smith, you know where he lives, right? take me there'. and apparently, in my dream, i knew where will smith lived. so we agree (yes, john mayer and i were terrible accomplices to a robbery in my dream). so we keep walking, feeling guilty in all fairness. i decide to have us cut through this apartment building lobby. i try to get the attention of the doorman to make him understand 'the guy with us is NOT ok, call the cops.' but happy doorman doesn't pick up on the facial clues.

so we come across a convenience store and ask the guy if that's good enough. he says that's fine. so we walk in, he now switches from knife to gun and holds it up to this guy paying. everyone else in the store is totally calm, like 'oh he's not robbing us, we're ok.' the cashier gives him the money and the robber man goes on his way, thanking us in the process.

for the record, dream john mayer and i felt really guilty for our contribution to this man's robbing spree.

2009-01-02T21:13:00.001-08:00

tonight i was told i am going to have good karma this year.

my friends leslie and deborah and i went out for dinner tonight. it was a lovely time, i don't get to see them much (i hadn't seen deborah in a year!) and it was just a good time of catching up.

well we paid and the waitress came back with our change and i did the math and realized she had given me $4 extra. we redid the math to make sure i wasn't crazy, but sure enough it was too much money. we didn't really know how big of a deal it was for the cash register to be missing that much at the end of the night (leslie said a few cents was ok but $1 or more makes it seem like someone stole money) so we finally got our waitress's attention to give her back the money. she thanked me a bunch for letting her know and told me it means i'm going to have good karma the rest of the year.

i felt like it was a moment in a movie when a waitress is really insightful and gives you life advice or something.

i'll keep you posted on the good karma.

2008-12-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

There's a beautiful park behind the Norton Art Gallery in Shreveport. But today when my brother took his girlfriend and Tipton on a walk there, I decided to check out the current exhibit inside: "The New Reality: The Frontier of Realism in the 21st Century." There were paintings by contemporary artists placed next to miniature reproductions of older works from which the artists drew their inspirations or comparisons. One of the older men working there came to talk with me about some of the pieces, explaining a few. He asked me if I understood a particular one. I said, "Well, no, I don't know that I understand it exactly..." And he kind of gave me his interpretation, and said, "You know sometimes I don't really care to understand it, I just like to look at the art." Agreed.

Chardin's "Young Man Blowing Bubbles" was one of my new finds

2008-12-30T17:41:00.000-08:00

I'm a nerd.

An art nerd. A magazine nerd. A writing nerd. A nerd who gets excited over book covers (last year I played around with the idea of designing book covers for a living...which led to playing around with the idea of opening an art gallery one day. I'm more set on the latter at the moment, but who knows).

And to extend my nerdiness of paper products, I'm an appreciator of journals. I realize 'appreciator' is an odd word (and heck, I don't think it even is a real word), but let me explain:

I envy people who manage to consistently keep up with a journal. Well, I also envy people who consistently keep up with their blogs, for that matter. But like I said, I appreciate journals. I feel like if I say I love journals, I'm being a poser. Because as much as I like them, I don't keep up with one on a regular enough basis to feign love (love takes work, after all).

But because of that appreciation, when I saw this boxed-set of 12 journals at Pottery Barn the other day, I fell in love with it. There is one for each month.

But it was pricey. So I'm on a mission to recreate the set in a cheaper way. And reuse the set for a few years, until each month fills up. Because blogs, I'm sorry, you've got nothing on the specialness of writing your thoughts with your favorite pen on something you can flip through time and again years from now. So right now I'm a nerd browsing journal and notebook Web sites, dreaming.

moleskines are always a favorite

from thedailyplanner.com

and tell me what you like to scribble and doodle on, too.

2008-12-24T14:42:00.000-08:00

merry southern Christmas.

it's 68 and sunny.

i've been overly compensating for the unwinterlike weather by putting out any random holiday decorations my mom decided to keep in the closet this year.

we need all the help we can get to make 68 degrees feel a little closer to 30 and snowy.

but Jesus knows no climate.

tis the beauty of it.

i heard a sweet song on the radio, corny, but sweet.

'i need a silent night' by amy grant.

talks about the craziness of the hustle and bustle of the holidays...

...then sings "i need a silent night, a holy night.

to hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise.

i need a midnight clear, a little peace right here.

to end this crazy day with a silent night."

i love singing silent night at christmas eve mass. it's such a peaceful song to me.

here's the song, in case you're curious.

(and since i'm curious, would someone like to tell me how to embed youtube videos in posts?consider it a christmas present)

2008-12-22T14:50:00.000-08:00

i made it home today!

after...

getting on stand by for a flight from KCI at 8:25 a.m. (instead of my original 1:20 p.m. flight)

making it to dallas at 10:30 a.m. and gett

ing put on stand by for the 11:00 a.m. flight

getting a seat

but getting delayed every 15 minutes

making it on the plane a few hours later

only to be told shortly after that we were to get off the plane because there was something wrong with the oxygen.

in the end, leaving dallas at 2.

to get home at 3 (still 3 hours sooner than origi

nally planned!)

oh the joys and woes of traveling.

snippets from the past few days:

*circuit city is going out of business so i got a cd for 3.90!!

(Newton Faulkner, a band pandora has been p

laying a lot for me lately, and which i was planning to buy with my itunes giftcard, but now don't have to : ) )

*i learned how to play Yahtzee.

*it was sad saying bye to jonathan at the airport today, but then i realized a group of soldiers on my flight were on their way to iraq. and i recounted my blessings and said a prayer.

*i got my first college B(+). darn you history of journalism.

*BUT i got a beautiful A at the Missourian!

2008-12-16T12:54:00.001-08:00

3 things down, 1 to go.

my semester at the missourian has come to an end.

guess what, i survived.

thank you, friends, for your support and listening ears : )

ironically, the piece that gave me the most gratification this year was not a written story.

it was my final assignment, an audio slideshow that was part of a larger project.

some of us interviewed music students while they rehearsed for their juries, the music equivalent of finals.

and i discovered how much i love piecing together a story in an alternative way, layering audio and music. it was really enjoyable, and i'm pretty sure this piece has gotten me the most positive feedback of anything i did this semester.

go figure.

if you're curious, check out these 5 talented music students.

the ones i spoke to are the 3rd and 4th show.

2008-12-12T16:13:00.001-08:00

despite the fact that finals are looming

today has been a great day

i sold back a book and got more than i expected for it

i did some studying and it actually clicked in my head

ate lunch with a friend

got really excited at the prospect of doing the new york summer internship program with the j-school. because it starts 5 days after my brother's graduation, so i'd already be in the city. that is if i can secure an internship. like at Cucina Italiana, which would be phenomenal.

i volunteered at mustard seed, one of my favorite places, with some of the funnest girls

and don't really have anything planned for the night, but for some reason

today feels magical

remind me of this feeling when i'm miserably stressed later this weekend

and oh yeah, last night i finished watching meet me in st. louis and started reading the new ARTnews.

smiles.

2008-12-09T19:32:00.000-08:00

first, an apology. where have the last two weeks of memorable moments gone?

my dreams, perhaps. because most other moments of my day have been taken up by thinking about

other things. but that's no excuse, i know.

truth is, i've been a little burned out on writing. not the lovely leisurely writing that is this blog.

but the "focus focus focus focus" writing that is... everything else.

this is my break from two papers.

i invite you to enjoy my companion for this past week, and next two. meet joe purdy (that is, if you're not already acquainted). he's nice enough to let you listen to all of his music on his Web site.

my favorite is his self-titled album.

and in other news, because news is my life-ha...(semi-delirious laugh) check out this local genius kid and be amazed.

2008-11-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

whole cranberry sauce

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 package fresh cranberries

combine water and sugar in medium saucepan. heat to boiling

stir in cranberries, return to boiling. reduce heat; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.add the zest of an orange.

cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate until serving time.

homemade cranberry sauce.

a lot of people don't realize there's anything besides canned cranberry sauce.

and i'm sure there's no difference in taste, but since i could help my mom cook, that was my first responsibility for thanksgiving. so i'm sticking with it.

happy eating. and be thankful for all that you're blessed with :)

2008-11-25T14:58:00.000-08:00

2008-11-24T21:53:00.000-08:00

i saw this on another's blog
its just too 'whoa' to describe without the visual

the eye of a needle.

2008-11-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

home is so cozy.
tipton wagging his tail at the door, in a plea of 'hey you're home, let's eat'
was so typical
and so lovely.

i had the fun time of good conversation on the flight from kc to dallas.
i noticed the girl sitting next to me was carrying some drawings.
so i asked her
"are you an artist"
"ha, oh, well, yeah, i guess i kind of am" she modestly replied.
this is what a 30 minute conversation taught me:
-i really DO love art, the creators of it, the thinkers of it. the whole process behind the process.
she is a student at SCAD, an art and design school.
a sophomore studying (get this) sequential art
i.e. comic books and animation stills
and i say that in a voice of awe and amazement: i love that there is such a major
that allows someone to study and spend their time on EXACTLY what they love.
she does free lance comic strips for newspapers and publications.
she's written (err, drawn?) a book that she's had offered to be published
but she, unlike others, she said, can easily see her flaws and mistakes and room to grow and improve. so she doesn't want it out there yet.
she's from the dallas area, but originally from mexico. her family moved 5 years ago.
so she speaks spanish and english, has studied german and french, and is now on to japanese.
because the publisher she'd like to work for is centered in japan, where she plans to study abroad.
"why should i expect a company to hire me if i don't show at least an interest
and effort in learning its culture" she said.
i talked a little about myself, but mostly i listened. she had so many interesting thoughts and experiences to share.
and it reminded me...
this is why i write. this is what re-inspires me.
listening to people talk about their passions and the process of bringing those passions to life.

so i thought, thanks God. thanks for the reminder.

2008-11-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

"airports see it all the time
where someone's last goodbye
blends in with someone's sigh
cause someone's coming home
in hand a single rose
and that's the way this wheel keeps working now"

airports are a peculiar place. there's so much life in them, yet a strange sense that lives are rushing around and too busy to notice anything around them.
i say this as i sit in the KCI airport waiting for my flight to dallas. followed by a flight
(with an uncomfortably shorter layover than i planned)
to shreveport.
going home for thanksgiving break.

flying at night is my second favorite time to fly (dusk being my first).
it's also my least favorite.
the dreariness and fatigue of flying seems amplified and overly gloomy.
but outside of the airport atmosphere, this is why i like it:
looking out below from the plane window i see the site of lights surrounding cities contrasted with the stark darkness that falls over the countryside.
it looks like a reflection of the sky. like the city lights are clusters of stars hanging out.
that's where the life is. by the stars.
i wish i could take a picture to illustrate.

"and if you never stop when you wave goodbye
you just might find if you give it time
you will wave hello again"

i've developed a habit, or tradition, or ritual, of listening to John Mayer's 'Wheel'
everytime i fly to or from home.

2008-11-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

i was talking to a young lady today that is a barista at a local coffee shop.

she has a hobby of making jewelry, hats and bags and she's going to sell them locally pretty soon.

while talking with her about this, i asked what her dream with this would be.

she didn't want it to become her job, maybe just part-time.

she just knows she needs to do something with it.

"it's what gives me life," she said, "and i just want to be able to balance what gives me life with what detracts from it."

what gives you life?

art. that's what gives me life. it gives me eyes to see beauty in unusual things.

it's the medium i choose to hear God through.

God's ability to reach us is infinite and all-encompassing but small as we are, we can't handle that.

maybe we each have to find a part of that infinity.

a part that brings us life.

2008-11-15T23:28:00.001-08:00

dear Winter.

you took Fall away too soon.
but it kind of snowed today.
and now i'm okay that you're here.
so welcome.

i'm on the search for Meet Me in St. Louis.

2008-11-14T11:31:00.000-08:00

abby and i were just in p.s. gallery and matt wertz's "everything's right" came on.

and silly as it sounds, and simple as it is, it was a moment of perfection.

joel sager