I'll sweep my own damn self off my feet.

Do you hear what I hear?

2008-10-04T20:17:00.001-07:00

Saturday 4 October 2008
I love the sound of…

I was just thinking the other day how much I love sounds! I was in the coffee shop in my town when there were all kinds of latte/coffee making sounds. I love the sound of an espresso machine. I know some people could find it loud and offensive, but there’s something so comforting about it for me. I also love the sound of a large flag flapping in the wind, and the line hitting the pole. Other sounds I love:
The sound of an old BMW motorcycle switching gears
The sound the key to my office makes when it goes into and out of the lock
The sound of tires on a stone driveway
Laughter of any sort
Slide guitar
Old, loud light switches

I know there are more, but I can’t think of anymore right now. I am listening to the new Dar Williams, which turns into The Decemberists Crane Wife when it’s through, so that’s all I can think about right now. But sounds are amazing little pieces of memories and loveliness. Almost as good as scents that take you back to another moment in time.

Wishes do come true.

2008-09-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

Karen made a wish today: That I would write more in my blog. And so, I will grant her wish thusly.

I have been writing, but not posting. So I will switch it up a little. Here are some updates:

Tues 9 September 2008

Think of the place that you consider home, even if you don’t live there right now. Why does this place feel like home to you?

I had been having trouble with the idea of home before I moved back in with my parents. Now, I feel like I have so many homes! Two really…Mom and Gary’s house and my apartment. My parents’ house feels like home because it has all the “homey” elements: people that love you, home cooked meals, Quincy, lazy days watching tv, good snacks. That house is really an ideal location for what I want in a home. It’s a beautiful house, but not too big. Enough room that everyone has their own space, but there’s not enough to never see each other. It’s surrounded by woods and is so serene. Last time I was there, I woke up before everyone and sat out back in the morning sun and drank a cup of tea just listening to the birds and looking out into the wilderness. It was so peaceful. It feels like home there because it feels safe and peaceful.

My apartment is the space that I am working to make my home. It does feel like home because I can be myself and do whatever I want whenever I want. The way it looks is up to me. It is my grown up home, I guess. There are quite a few elements missing yet…I’d love to have a dog, there’s no one else here, which is usually great, but home to me has more than just me. I also have to cook all my own meals, which I am still getting used to. I also am not surrounded by woods, and so a sense of serenity is a little harder to come by. But I know it is up to me to start making my house a home. I thought just the other day how I want to start my “settling down” now. I’ve always thought that I won’t get my “real furniture” or my “real decorations” until I buy a house with…I don’t know…Prince Charming I guess. What a silly idea for me to have! So I want to start my settling process and make myself a home, not wait to make a home with someone else. Why shouldn’t I have a place that feels like home just because I’m single??

Sunday September 28, 2008

What are your top 5 Christmas movies and why?

Clearly, I am picking prompts out of order, but this also seems timely. Yesterday I was at Kmart and they already have their Christmas trees and decorations up. I glanced over at it lovingly, but decided it was not yet time to revel in the comfort of Christmas. I used to hate Christmas because I never felt like I belonged anywhere…the feelings of awkward family dimensions followed me everywhere. But that really changed last year when I desperately needed my family in order to get through Christmas. And they were there. And I realized they may have been there supporting me and loving me all along, but I was feeling too awkward to see it. And so now Christmas is truly something I look forward to. I’m excited to have my own tree and my own lights and decorations this year!

As for movies, I do have my favorites: The Santa Clause, Elf, & The Grinch that Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey). I can’t come up with five, so three is going to have to do. I love The Santa Clause because of how realistic and beautiful the make-believe elements of the north pole and Santa’s workshop comes across. It brings that fantasy to life in such an ornamental way. It also came out not long after my parents divorced, and the main theme is about the divorce of the main characters. I think I related to that strongly when I was younger, and that comfort element still comes through for me. Secondly, Elf is just Will Ferrell at his best. My whole family loves this, which is one of the few we can agree on. We all laugh at the same places, and it’s just so goofy. The Grinch that Stole Christmas became a tradition too awhile back when Brett was younger. I don’t love this one as much, but it’s just kind of a staple of Christmas Eve/ Christmas night. I guess the main reason I love them all is because they are kind of a tradition. The quiet time after all the presents have been opened, all the food has been eaten, all the dishes washed, and we are all so tired, but don’t want Christmas to end, so we stay up to watch movies as long as we can keep our eyes open. A nice decompression time for everyone.

Wordle

2008-09-06T19:22:00.001-07:00

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Back from the Unknown, and Into Summer!

2008-06-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry loyal fans...just getting back in the swing of things I guess. So...here is a picture of a mini-hike I took this weekend and a picture of the dinner I cooked last night (lemon chicken, lemon & spinach cous cous, and cucumber salad). I know...I cooked! VERY blog-worthy. :)

Saturday June 21, 2008:

Monday June 23, 2008:

April showers...glad to say goobye to March!!

2008-03-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

Monday March 31, 2008

Sofia, Plovdiv & Thessaloniki, oh my!

2008-03-23T18:49:00.001-07:00

March 6 - 16, 2008

Sofia

Plovdiv:

Thessaloniki

The twins at dinnertime!

2008-02-25T08:06:00.000-08:00

Sunday February 24, 2008

Bridal showers make me tired.

2008-02-24T10:46:00.001-08:00

Saturday February 23, 2008

Oh, goody (bags)!

2008-02-21T06:44:00.001-08:00

February 21, 2008

GIRLS (115) night with Jenny

2008-02-16T09:00:00.001-08:00

February 15, 2008

Double Whammy Quincy Sandwich!

2008-02-14T09:36:00.001-08:00

February 14, 2008...

Happy Valentine's Day with a very loungey Quincy and a beautifully toasted tuna sandwich! Both are fantastic in different ways.

Guest contributors: Drizzle & Mr. Rocky Racoon

2008-02-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

February 12, 2008

The View from a Room's of One's Own & The Book I Wish Would Never End

2008-02-10T13:06:00.001-08:00

Saturday February 9, 2008

Sunday February 10, 2008

Almost finished packing...for 3 days....

2008-02-04T12:35:00.001-08:00

Monday February 4, 2008

Creative Genius & Fancy Porsche Dog

2008-02-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

Saturday February 2, 2008

Sunday February 3, 2008

Oops...sorry loyal readers. Or Andy. :)

2008-01-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I've already messed up the picture everyday thing, so it's just going to have to be a picture whenever I can. Okay? Here are some pictures to catch you up...

January 22, 2008: napping before class...visions of Sheila dancing in my head

January 25, 2008: Waiting room with pseudo-Barbies

January 26, 2008: Best girls night ever!

January 30, 2008: My plant, Jenny...she 's doing so well!

Keeping watch.

2008-01-21T20:21:00.001-08:00

Day 20: January 20, 2008

hey good morning street

2008-01-21T06:51:00.000-08:00

Day 20: January 20, 2008

knock knock...tiny-style

2008-01-19T19:54:00.001-08:00

Day 19: January 19, 2008

Nothing says Girls Night like...

2008-01-18T22:38:00.001-08:00

Day 18: January 18, 2008

Kate gets tired when she's so happy & Cute shoes often not good for snow

2008-01-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

Day 16: January 16, 2008

Day 17: January 17, 2008

Professor Tara...okay I'm just a TA, but still!!

2008-01-15T22:09:00.001-08:00

Day 15: January 15, 2008

Picturesque & Syllabus Marks the Return of Active Semester

2008-01-14T18:23:00.001-08:00

Day 13: January 13, 2008

Day 14: January 14, 2008

Best birthday ever.

2008-01-14T09:10:00.001-08:00

Day 12: January 12, 2008

Basements and Birthdays

2008-01-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Day 10: January 10, 2008
Organized basement corner

Day 11: January 11, 2008
Grandmothers are so good at birthday cards...and so is Michelle! :)

...like a Polaroid picture.

2008-01-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

Day 9: January 9, 2008

Life is a Work in Progress

2008-01-08T18:10:00.000-08:00

Day 8: January 8, 2008

Demolition Bathroom & Highlight of the Day

2008-01-07T20:50:00.001-08:00

Day 6: January 6, 2008

Day 7: January 7, 2008

Winter memories are always black and white.

2008-01-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

Day 5: Saturday January 5, 2008

No gift like the present.

2008-01-05T16:05:00.001-08:00

Day 4: Friday January 4, 2008

Already I'm not doing well...

2008-01-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

So I've already fallen behind on this. But I have been taking pictures, so I will backdate...But a clear theme already emerges: people...and food! People sometimes take a backseat in my life, and sometimes (more often) absolutely take center stage. I'm in a very people-y phase right now. What I already like about this idea is that it serves almost as an image journal. The photos here pretty much defined that day in particular. Enjoy!

Day 1: January 1, 2008

Day 2: January 2, 2008

Day 3: January 3, 2008

Hello Blogosphere.

2007-12-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

So, all my very coolest, most intellectual, and most inspiring friends have blogs. Like this. But that's not the only reason I jumped on the bandwagon. I was also persuaded (as per usual, admittedly) by NPR and their Bryant Park Project (self-described as a "not a talk show, but a conversation." "Intrigued?" they prod further) which sponsors a segment Where I Live Now. The Midtown Memphis segment intrigued me not only because I was there recently, but because the young woman was engaging in the culmination of her year-long project of "A Picture a Day" on her blog. I realize people have probably been doing this for awhile, but since we're coming up on the New Year, I thought...well, it looks like this idea has sprung into my life at just the right moment.

And so, I will have my best go at keeping up with this for the next year...a picture at a time. Everyday. Starting 1er de Janvier 2008. So do keep watch if you're interested.

Enjoy!