paiges [of] books

Best kept secret?

2012-02-16T08:54:00.000-06:00

Are you good at keeping secrets? I hope you're not so that this secret I'm about to tell you spreads like wildfire. According to Chicago Sun Times reporter, Mark Brown, By The Hand Club for Kids is one of Chicago's "best kept secrets." I couldn't agree more.

This is Donnita, the founder. She's amazing.

Sun-Times

I learned about By the Hand through my church last summer when I searching for a way to get involved with students in the city. It was one of the days when God's response was eerily clear. I headed to church on a Sunday afternoon (I used to attend the evening service) and told my friend I was looking for a place to volunteer. I knew I wanted to work with students and I was open to searching for places that put me out of my comfort zone. My plan for that week was to research such organizations. Once in church, I realized I didn't have to do any research because God presented such an organization right in front of me. A fellow member of my church and BTH volunteer spoke to us with such conviction and passion for this organization that I knew it was were I was called to serve. I also found out that could join the half-marathon team for BTH and run to raise money for their scholarship program.

I quickly got my application and training out of the way so that come August, and the start of the school year, I could begin serving with the high school students. I chose to serve in the neighborhood of Austin, which sits on the far west side of the city limits.

From Etsy. I want.

The Green Line services the predominantly African American neighborhood. I knew very little about the area, only that BTH needed more volunteers for this newer site. (There are four sites total: Cabrini-Green, Englewood, Altgeld Gardens, and Austin. These are four of the roughest neighborhoods in the city, plighted by poor housing structures, violence, and are often food deserts. BTH has existed for 11 years in CG and has recently expanded to these other neighborhoods.)

Over the past six months or so I have fallen in love with this group of high schoolers. They are braver than I could ever be, funnier than I realize, and so capable of loving and learning and growing - they just needed someone to take a chance on them. (And really isn't that what everyone needs?) I've been teaching a smaller group of them how to cook each week. I've listened to their requests for more chicken, but challenged them to try new things.

Below we made puppy chow. They had never had it before.

In turn, they've taught me to be more open, loving, and less judgmental. Some of the kids were more difficult to crack, but my knack for self-deprecation came in handy, and I foolishly embarrassed myself week after week in an effort to win their hearts. It worked. I spent my Valentine's Day with these high schoolers and felt such love. If you live Chicago and are looking to get involved with an organization I definitely encourage you to check out By The Hand. Volunteering with them was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I'm so happy to be staying in Chicago so that I can watch these young adults grow up.

a whirlwind

2012-02-12T13:03:00.000-06:00

No, I'm not Dorothy, but I do feel as though a whirlwind has rushed through my life in the past two weeks. It's been exciting, emotional, surreal, exciting, overwhelming, uplifting, and did I mention exciting? I knew 2012 had great things in store, I just didn't know I'd find them so soon! In the past two weeks I've ended my first "real" job at the place that I will forever remember as being an integral part of my life in Chicago AND began a new job at another wonderful place that will forever be a part of my life. Exciting, right? YES!

I first visited the Archives for an interview on my third day in the city. I took the 'L' downtown and bravely found my way through the West Loop to the stately and intimidating old bank building. For two years, I returned to this building a few times each week to learn, laugh, and process records. My co-workers and fellow interns became a bright spot in my week as I survived graduate school. I met some of the nicest, funniest, and quirkiest folks during my 30 months at the Archives and I wouldn't trade my time there for the world. They also provided me with an opportunity at a full-time job, which I happily took. The temporary position offered me time to really reflect on what I wanted from life, how I wanted to spend my time, figure out what made me happy and filled my soul, and taught me that I am too personable to sit behind a desk day after day. I needed that six months of reflection and I'm so happy to have had it. My life over that past two years was met with many hiccups and obstacles and I'm so grateful for that constant support I received from the Archives.

I spent my weekend with a group of 30 3rd-5th graders at a church lock-in and hung out with former co-workers (NOTE: You MUST see The Artist. Stop what you're doing and locate your nearest theatre and go see it right now. As a huge fan of campy, classic, B&W films, I insist that you heed my advice and treat your self to this delightful and much needed film.) Finally, on Sunday afternoon I boarded a train bound of one of my favorite places, my Alma Mater. Yes, I visit quite regularly - my brother is still there (at least until he graduates in May!) and besides going home it is one of my favorite places to go when I begin to feel claustrophobic from the city. However, and this is a huge however, this visit was a horse of a different color.

This time I returned to report for my first day of work! I signed my contract and was handed my new "employee" ID card and all of it felt so surreal. I was full of nerves, just as I had been almost seven years ago on my first day as a student. Thankfully, I was quickly calmed by the kindness and helpfulness of those around me, just as I had been when I was a freshman. Not much had changed and that was a great comfort. Despite being sick during my first week, I returned to Chicago fully trained and anxious to begin meeting with alumni. It's still a bit surreal, having a "real" job, let alone working for a place I love. I am simply over the moon excited! Or, should I say, "Over the Rainbow"?

I have learned to become much more patient and trusting over these past six months. I've had to surrender my desire to control every aspect of my life and turn to God, who always provides. I often say that I must be a great source of entertainment for Him, because even though I know He has plans for me, I'm still insistent on attempting to plan my life myself. I do hope I make Him laugh. Though surrendering my will to His was (and still is) perhaps the most difficult lesson I've had to learn, the moment I finally and honestly did, He provided. What a blessing!

Drats! Perhaps I am more like Dorothy than I realize...

I have a penchant for red shoes.

Happy

2012-02-02T10:29:00.001-06:00

Playing the guitar makes me extremely happy! Why didn't I start playing it earlier? No, wait, learning this new instrument needed to happen at this point in my life and I'm grateful for that. I'm proud of myself for daring to try something new. I'm even more proud of the older folks in my class, with whom I can laugh over missed chords and awful strumming, yet still keep going. I've been watching videos of some of the songs we're learning and I've learned that I am terribly intimated by Chuck Berry's speed. I will never be that good at "Johnny B. Goode." I have fallen in love with Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" - hint: it's slow. And who doesn't love the E minor chord? I need to learn to play the harmonica to really do the song justice though. Oh, and the Decemberists' "Sons and Daughters" is so good. Thank goodness for songs with two chords! It's a great way to practice moving from C to G. I'm working on gettin' my tiny fingers all over the strings. And I can't forget the songs we pay in second half. All the classes come together and we Guitar One students are encouraged to keep up as best we can and just rock out while others show off. It is such great fun! Last night's class concluded with "Bad Moon Rising" by the one and only CCR.

I know I'm happy for many reasons right now (i.e. the crazy spring-like weather and exciting new things that I'll share later), but learning to play the guitar is definitely making me a very happy person. This elated state doesn't always last when I'm practicing because learning something new is hard stuff. Yet, I know that the more I struggle and work at it, the better I'll be - never, ever as good as Chuck Berry, but that's okay.

What is making you happy right now? Do you remember learning to play an instrument? Was it fun? I'd love to hear about it!

Pin it!

2012-01-30T08:00:00.002-06:00

I'm sure you've heard of Pinterest. It is a wonderful collection of thoughts/recipes/ideas/goals/images/designs/DIY/style/home-decor and I love it. I love it because it sort of fills that creative need I have without actually doing anything (yes, I realize that's not the point!) However, I really love Pinterest because it brings me wonderful images like these:

I'm going to make this.

Check it and find your inspiration. Happy Monday, friends!

2012-01-27T07:42:00.000-06:00

The New Yorker Cartoon by Sam Gross

Friday is best!

2012-01-27T07:40:00.001-06:00

fill in the blank friday!

Fill in the Blank Friday is brought to you today,
by the lovely Erin of A Symphony of Grace. and Lauren of The Little Things We Do.

1. My favorite place i've ever traveled to is Oxford, England .

2. Oslo, Norway is somewhere I'd love to go someday.

3. I pass the time on a plane (or bus, or car ride or train) by reading, journaling, and staring out the window .

4. My three must-haves when I travel are a book or magazine , snacks and a sweater .

5. My favorite travel companion is my ipod - lame, I know .

6. The craziest thing that ever happened to me while traveling is getting mistaken for a Brit. As soon as I opened my mouth and attempted to give directions (even though I knew where they were going!) they smiled and walked away. (not that crazy, I know. Sorry) .

7. The most exotic food I've ever tried while traveling is (oh, I have no idea. This is a tough question I'm going to have to give more thought) .

Where is YOUR favorite place to travel???

Ode to Claudia Jean

2012-01-22T16:47:00.003-06:00

For the past month or so I've become fiercely and unashamedly obsessed with the popular television show The West Wing. Aaron Sorkin's brilliant show aired on NBC from 1999 to 2006 and I somehow missed it - I guess it was because I was in high school and college. My parents enjoyed it through its tenure and now its my turn. There are many wonderful characters on TWW - I not ashamed to admit that I have crushes on Rob Lowe's idealistic and politically passionate Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn and Bradley Whitford's cocky, yet charming Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman. Martin Sheen, as Josiah Bartlet plays a believeable, intelligent and compassionate POTUS. Chief of Staff Leo McGarry and White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler are lovable and brilliant. However, there is a striking absence in this list, no? Did you notice a similarity among the characters I've listed? Oh, right, they're all men. Even in a fictional political world women are less visible.* Thankfully, the most visible White House staff member, besides the President, of course, is the Press Secretary and Sorkin was smart enough to make that character female. Claudia Jean "C.J." Cregg, supposedly modeled after Dee Dee Myers, the Press Secretary for part of the Clinton Administration, is one hell of a woman and leader.

photo credit

The only woman in the President's close circle of advisors, C.J. possesses a great deal of gumption and poise when presented with difficult situations. She is loyal to a fault and takes her job very seriously (but not always herself, thankfully - see "The Jackal"). C.J. is fully aware of the weight behind her position as the only woman closest to the President (besides the First Lady Abbey Bartlet, of course, who does offer opinion on certain topics). In one episode, which is modeled after a real incident when Myers was Press Secretary, C.J. is kept in the dark on the movement around the Indo-Pakistani boarder. She isn't treated as a professional, nor is she trusted with the information. C.J. gets angry, but not as angry as she does in "The Women of Qumar," wherein she lets her emotion show and pleas with the National Security Adviser about the poor treatment of women in Qumar and the hypocrisy of U.S. actions.
I admire C.J.'s passion, brains, and ability to center the world around her that is often spiraling out of control, but mostly I admire her humor. Janney is brilliant at deadpan humor and helps to bring light to many a rough and intense situations. Don't think, however, that her humor is airy and bird-brained, no, no, no, it is sharp, witty, and calm. In an age where women are perceived as "not funny," I'm thankful for the humor C.J. Cregg provides - see "Root Canal."

Oh, and did I mention that Allison Janney received four Emmys for her performance on this show? Four. And two SAG awards. Talk about well deserved.

*shakes fist and thanks the television gods for the short lived Commander in Chief which starred a female President!

- Yes, if you watch the show, you'll notice that I failed to mention the charming Donna Moss. However, I didn't want to distract from my love for C.J. Perhaps another time.

A hard lesson in patience.

2012-01-18T13:54:00.001-06:00

A dear friend shared this prayer with me over the weekend and it couldn't be more appropriate for my life at the moment. I chided her (and thanked her) for always giving me something like this just exactly when I need it. This past weekend was full of many things I needed, but this was too perfect not to share. Here I am, struggling to learn patience and to gain peace with God's will. He will provide. I must be patient.

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone."--Thomas Merton Thoughts in Solitude

I hope you are able to find comfort in this prayer. I know I have.

to read

2012-01-17T23:06:00.003-06:00

Dear readers,

Do you remember when I started this blog? If you've been reading along for a while I'm sure you remember that I began this blog when I was in graduate school. At that time I was reading a book just about every other day. At one point in my journey, also known as "Death of a Social Life," or more commonly known as comprehensive exam prep, I was reading a book every day. Crazy, right? Well that time has passed and I'm trying to be better about finding different books.
You may remember one of my new year resolutions, but I have yet to choose an author (keep those recommendations coming!)

I just finished a lovely novel entitled A Vintage Affair. I haven't sped through a book that quickly in a while, but I finished it over the weekend (traveling by train helps). Phoebe Swift (what a great name, right?), the protagonist, opens her own vintage clothing shop in England. Her love and passion for vintage clothing was enough to make me do a Google search for vintage shops in Chicago. The clothing she acquires connects her to a number of very interesting people including a devastatingly handsome man, a disheveled film lover/reporter, and a fascinating older woman who confides in Phoebe her most personal secret story. These characters, as well as her youth-obsessed, hilarious mother, lovely shop assistant and other regular customers are woven together in a heart-warming story. It is an interesting look into how folks approach aging and how others view the past. I love acquiring a book like this where I can simply dive in and easily get lost in a different world.

The other book I recently finished was vastly different. Not only was Jeffrey Eugenides' Pulitzer Prize winning Middlesex longer, it was also a much more thought provoking and deep novel. I must admit that I stepped away from this novel about half way through. However, now that I've finished it, I'm so glad I didn't give up. I love how Eugenides manipulates time - it reminds me of a figure eight or something. He did this in The Marriage Plot, too, and I haven't seen it executed that well any where else. Not only is Middlesex a bildungsroman ( don't hate me, I have to put the BA in English to use somehow, right?), but it is also a tale of the "American Dream" and assimilation, of race and ethnicity, of nature versus nurture, of gender identity, and of many generations of one family. It is a verbose and complicated story and it is well worth your time if you're in the mood for a multi-layered story. I highly recommend you check it out and report back. I suppose I should also go ahead and pick up Eudenides' first book, The Virgin Suicides.

I'm currently working on a collection of essays by the one and only Jonathan Franzen whom I saw speak at the Chicago Humanities Festival when he was awarded the Heartland Prize from the Chicago Tribune. It's entitled How to be Alone and it is wonderful. I'm definitely going to have to go back and finish Freedom and perhaps read The Corrections. I'm trying to be open to modern literature... I'm far too fond of those Victorian novels. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted on this modern endeavor.

I'd love to know what you're reading these days. Anything dramatic, hilarious, or heartwarming? Please share - I welcome suggestions!

Until the final page turn,
PSH

A7 and D

2012-01-12T23:49:00.003-06:00

Wednesday night was my first guitar lesson at the Old Town School of Folk Music. A group of approximately fifteen people, ranging in age from twentysomething to grandparent status, gathered in the new building with freshly tuned guitars. Our teacher welcomed us and a combination of giddy glee and nervousness rushed over me like I was a kindergartner all over again.We talked about why we were there and my teacher wasted no time getting us familiar with our instruments. Guitars are beautiful things. The sheen or matted finish. The different colors of wood. I admired all the different guitars and quickly got comfortable with mine, Alvarez. (I name everything, don't judge.) As we struggled to finagle our hands to reach the third and fifth strings on the second fret, my teacher encouraged us to strum. We had just played an A7 chord. A wave of relief filled the room. "This wasn't going to be that difficult after all," we all thought.
"Now, with the same spacing move your fingers one string down, and place your third finger on the fifth string in the third fret," my teacher said. "That is a D." Two simple chords in under twenty minutes! "Okay, now I want to play a song using those two chords. Count along if you can and watch me to know when to change," my teacher calmly instructed as if this was going to be a piece of cake. And guess what? It sort of was! We haphazardly played along, chuckling at our inability to quickly change chords and longing for the day when our muscle memory and built up callouses would make playing much easier. I couldn't wipe the smile from my face even with my fumbling fingers and failed attempts to keep up. After about an hour of practice the other guitar groups (my class was Guitar 1, but there are about four other classes ranging in skill) gathered in the performance hall and proceeded to jam all together. It was so much fun! We played this song and this one and this - can you tell I'm attending a folk music school??? I love it. AND we ended by playing one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands:

"Get Back" by The Beatles

I'm so happy to be making music and learning something new! I'll be sure to keep you posted on my musical adventures!

Thoughts for a Tuesday

2012-01-10T11:03:00.001-06:00

The brightest of moons woke me up this morning. Odd, right? Not only was I mildly confused when my eyes twitched open because it was as if a bright spotlight was directed at my sleeping face (I panicked for a moment, fearing I was being kidnapped - must have been quite the dream I was having), but it took me a foggy minute or so to realize that the very full moon was making its way down the western sky and had decided to rest in the space right outside my window, peering in on my sleeping face. I didn't dare look at my clock so that I could retain the beauty of the early morning hour. I love the illusion of having more time to sleep or simply lie awake in bed before I'm woken by the traffic report on WBEZ at 6:45 a.m. Before I drifted back to sleep I smiled at the prospect of another day, at the beauty of yesterday, and I felt no fear, no worry, and no anxiety about days to come. I felt fearless, rested and full of life. I certainly don't rise like this every morning, but when I do, I take a moment to thank God for every little thing.

I hope you find a simple moment of beauty in your day that inspires and fills you up. I hope you are able to carry that beauty as a shield against the weight of world, fending off cynicism, hatred, and bitterness, and sharing with others the power of love, generosity, and passion.

A song to accompany my overly sentimental sentiments: All This Beauty by The Weepies

It's Friday, folks!

2012-01-06T22:56:00.000-06:00

fill in the blank friday - brought to you by the charming Lauren

1. One of my favorite things to do when I have free time is write letters and make cards. I haven't done this enough lately and that's why it's on my resolution list for 2012 .

2. When I have free time I tend to fall into a television-online spiral (my latest pull: The West Wing - seriously though, it is SO good. I have a small crush on Sam Seaborn and Josh Lyman. I really want to work in politics (i.e. The White House) someday). I also tend to catch up on emails, blog reading, magazine reading, and errands. Or laundry. Or cleaning. Let's just say that I'm not good at relaxing and that I prefer to be productive .

3. If I had an entire day completely to myself I would go for a long walk and not feel guilty about it. I would write a letter and find a good recipe and good something delicious and involved (this last bit is totally inspired by the fact that I just finished watching Julie and Julia with my roommates). I would also want to share my dish with a small group of friends so I guess that means the day wasn't entirely spent by myself .

4. I would prefer to spend my free time (alone or with others...) with both. I am very much an introvert in that I need some quiet time to myself, whether that is an afternoon or just 20 minutes. But I do love being around people. Especially brilliant story tellers, witty folk, and thoughtful conversationalists .

5. Most of my free time happens immediately after work and I never get to fully utilize it to my heart's content .

6. The best thing about free time is the spontaneity of it .

7. The next time I have free time I should probably finish this book I've been carrying around for a month that I can't wait to share with y'all, but instead, I'll probably run errands, cook, and chat with my friends (not that that'd be a terrible thing either!) .

Twenty Twelve

2012-01-02T19:13:00.000-06:00

2012

Doesn't it just look like a grand year? Beginning and ending with the same number. It looks balanced. Hey, I like that thought, don't you? A year of balance. Hmm... what a nice thought. I know that this year, this new year, will be yet another year of change. Yes, I know I said that about 2011, but seriously, I know changes ahead are greater than I can fully imagine (hopefully more on that later), but at least I'm consistent with change. It made me smile to read what I said about my reflections on 2011, especially what I realized about myself. Those realizations are such a part of me now, funny how that happens. I'm happy to admit that last year was a bold and daring and brave one, and frankly, I don't expect this year to be any different. I should always strive to be brave and unafraid. Life is uncertain, but I do know some big truths and I should remember to rely on those.

I have ~~a few~~ many things I'd like to do this year, but here's a small list of seemingly easy goals:

1. Read more poetry and memorize it. (Suggestions for favorite poets/poems?)
2. Plan a weekly menu and shop accordingly. (Easier said than done.)
3. Wear everything I own. (I did this last year and I just donated two big bags of clothes I didn't wear in 2011. It was liberating.)
4. Write a letter to someone every week. (If I don't have your address and you'd like to hear from me please pass along your address via email.)
5. Get involved in a political campaign. (!)
6. Drink more water. (Doing this right now.)
7. Stick to a budget, or at least be more mindful of how I spend my money - (I swear, it's how you spend five dollars that gets ya; it adds up faster than you'd think.)
8. Sew something. (I know I said I would do this before the end of the year, but I failed. It happens. I welcome failure.)
9. Choose one author I'm not that familiar with and read everything she/he has written and a biography if applicable. (Suggestions?)
10. Join a small group at my church and keep volunteering.
11. Travel out of the United States. (Fingers crossed!)
12. Be present. (Also easier said than done.)

So, 2012, what do you have in store? I'm ready. Let's do this!

What are your hopes for the new year?

A year in review

2012-01-02T19:12:00.000-06:00

I'm spending my morning curled up in the front room, staring out the windows at the snow and at our Christmas tree that is still up (I don't want to take it down yet!).* Sure, there is a long list of things to do, but I need more moments like this very one. I need to sit and be still, to let my thoughts wander and to learn to open my ears more. I don't feel as though I'm jumping on the bandwagon (a true fear of mine ever since Mr. Woods lectured a group of us my Freshman year of high school) because I do believe that reflection is good for the spirit and soul, and so I intend to do just that this morning.

2011 was many things. It was a year of great accomplishments, grand adventures, and lots of growing up. I learned more about patience, persistence, gumption, and how to simply let go. I overcome many fears and took great risks, all in the effort of self-discovery. I got my heart broken and filled back up again, many times over. As I reflect on 2011, I find it hard to believe that it was just one year, especially when the first half was so vastly different than the second. Nevertheless, my whole self is thankful for both halves. Here are some highlights:

Read, read, read, read, read, and read. Did I mention that I read? I basically read a book a day for the first two and a half months of 2011.

Thankfully, all my hard work paid off and I passed my comprehensive exams!

Oh, I also graduated!

And ran a half-marathon!

I took two road trips. One to the land of flooding, buttes, and big sky, and the other to floods of people, hustle & bustle, and skyscrapers.

I witnessed two weddings.

And one engagement!

I took advantage of summer Farmers Markets

and cooked and baked like a pro.

I celebrated turning 24 with some beautiful flowers and friends!

Spent lots of time with wonderful friends and my crazy brother.

(Oh wait, Peter Sagal and I are just friends in my head... oops!)

I attended many baseball games and saw my beloved St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series!!!!!!!!!!!

Protest could be the word of the political year, and I was reminded of how interested I am in politics.

I took great joy in the beauty of the world around me.

*Yes, I realize it is now evening, but I got distracted. Forgive me.

_ _ ___ Friday

2011-12-30T07:47:00.000-06:00

1. New Years is one of those holidays I never really know how to celebrate .

2. One of my New Year's resolutions will be broken. Ha! But really, I'm keeping my resolution from last year - to wear every item in my wardrobe; if I don't, it goes. Talk about kind of catharthis .

3. A New Year's resolution I've made in the past was to wear more dresses, which I was actually successful at. I never used to wear them unless it was a special occasion, but now I probably wear a dress once or twice a week...pretty good in my book .

4. This year I will be spending New Year's Eve hosting a fancy dinner party! .

5. If I could wish one thing for my new year it would be good news in the coming weeks! .

6. 2012 is going to be one helluva year! Hopefully filled with change! .

"For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne."

Gone in a flash...

2011-12-27T22:49:00.003-06:00

...the Christmas holiday, that is. Without a respite from school, Christmas break lacks a certain kind of luster. Nevertheless, I am very grateful to have a job that permitted me two days off and the chance to be home to celebrate with and see many friends and relatives. Even without snow, the holiday was still lovely. (I am still waiting for it to actually feel like winter - I know I will eat these words in a month.) And while I, and everyone who lives in the Northern Hemisphere, may feel as though the worst is yet to come, we really are turning away from the darkest days. I could wax poetic on this symbolism for politics, religion, my job prospects, etc., but I'll spare you all... for now.

I've returned to Chicago, eager for what 2012 will hold, reflecting on the joys of 2011, and somehow still listening to Christmas music. I guess I didn't get enough or something. I thought I'd share a visual recap of the merriment of the past month, for it really was a joyous month.

Two of my roommates and I took in a lively concert by Straight No Chaser.

The neighborhood and city got festive.

As did our apartment.

So many Christmas cards!

Went to Christkindlmarket and got mulled wine.

Saw my friend in his Russian choir - Golosa

Made Christmas cards, gifts, and cookies.

Spent time with the kids at By The Hand.

Was giddy like a child for snow that completely covered the ground.

Had many holiday parties with the kids I tutor, co-workers, and friends.

I journeyed home, happy to see the Pike County Courthouse lawn still adorned with lights - the saluting soldiers have always been my favorite.

My brother and I loaned our voices to the Christmas Eve service at the church my mother grew up attending.

Spent Christmas day at the farm.

Prevailing over the food inducing coma, my cousin, mother, grandfather and I started reading our new books. I did eventually succumb to the necessary afternoon nap.

I really do love those wide open spaces.

I hope that you and yours had an equally lovely and joy filled holiday. What was your favorite part about the holiday?

One more sleep...

2011-12-24T17:53:00.000-06:00

"'Tis the season to be jolly and joyous!"

I sometimes think I like the anticipation that accompanies Christmas Eve more than the actual day.

"One More Sleep Til Christmas" from "The Muppet Christmas Carol"

'The Friendly Beasts" by Sufjan Stevens - One of my new favorite Christmas songs.

And another favorite - "Lo! How a Rose E're Blooming" by Sufjan.

What Christmas is all all about according to Linus Van Pelt from "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

Merry Christmas, dear friends!

Non-traditional routes

2011-12-21T00:29:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite questions to ask people, whether I'm just getting to know them or I have known them for years, is what they wanted to be when they grew up. I love the variety of responses. Often folks smile to themselves as they fondly remember their youth. Others laugh because their childhood dreams were so different than the lives they are currently leading. Few confidently state their fantasy that is remarkably consistent with their reality. I used to envy those people who always knew what they wanted to be. My friend Jennifer, whom I have known my entire life (our parents went to school together), wanted to be a veterinarian. For as long as I can remember and through all the changing dream jobs I've had, Jen was steadfast in her goal. And now, just one semester away from becoming a licensed veterinarian in Illinois, Jennifer is perhaps the only person I know whose childhood dreams match her young adult dreams. I am so proud of my friend. It has been a long and difficult road, but I cannot wait until the day when I can call her on the phone and address her as Dr. Jen.

My childhood dreams were much more, let's just say, ... all over the place. I wanted to be a nurse because my mother is a nurse. I wanted to be a teacher because my grandmother was a teacher. I wanted to be a lawyer, an architect, the first female President of the United States, a guidance counselor, a home ec. teacher, an actress, a U.S. Senator, an interior designer, a drama teacher, an English teacher, a college Dean, an archivist, a History professor, a community organizer, a minister, a teacher, a politician, a researcher, a speech writer, a diplomat. Seeing this list makes me chuckle, but it also makes me pause and remember where I was when I owned those dreams. I vividly remember boldly telling someone of such desires and I am filled with gratitude because I was surrounded by folks who smiled and replied, "Yes, you can do that. That sounds wonderful." Not every child has such a support system. The students I work with after school each week have few people lifting them up, encouraging them to strive for the impossible, and I am so blessed to be a able to pour goodness and love into each of their lives. One wants to be a chef and another a singer. Many of them cannot wait to go to college and I spend lots of time discussing student abroad options. They are learning to dream big, but I see the weight of the world beating down on them . I see the hope of youth in these eyes, but not far under the surface lies a tinge of cynicism, of hardness, a lack of innocence, and I can only pray and point them in the right direction. Working with these students has forced me to reconsider what the "American Dream" truly means. What does it mean for those who struggle when the odds are already stacked against them? For those who struggle when they are unaware of different possibilities? Is the American Dream an attainable thing for them? Is it still even obtainable for me?

I've also been considering how all of my childhood dream jobs are appearing in unexpected places. I'm teaching students how to cook (check off home ec. teacher and chef); I am working with a community based program that also serves as a ministry (check off community organizer and minister); I am teaching students how to manage their time, broaden their palates, and read different books (check off guidance counselor and English teacher); I am discussing college plans and History topics with these students (check off college Dean and History professor). While these jobs are not traditionally achieved, I do feel as though I am achieving those goals in a small way, and I'm making my childhood self happier. I know that my adult self is happier because of the time I'm spending with this students. I just can't wait to see how the other dreams will reveal themselves in non-traditional ways.

Are-eii-ey-dee-ey-in-jee.*

2011-12-13T07:58:00.002-06:00

Do you remember learning how to read? How old were you? Who taught you how to read? Have you ever thought how different your life would be if you didn't know how to read? I imagine if you've ever learned another language you've given more thought to illiteracy - at least I did when I was learning Spanish. I think not being able to read would be one of the worst things ever. I know what you're thinking, "Paige, you're beating a dead horse here; we all know that you love to read. What are you getting at here?" Well, I've been interacting with Kindergartners and First graders lately and I'm amazed and fascinated with literacy. For the past two months or so I have been spending my Thursday nights working with an adorable Kindergartner who is struggling to learn to read. She loves books and is great at following along and repeating what I've just read, but that's not reading, is it? I try to grasp how many words she actually knows and I often belabor the alphabet. She's great at spelling out words (*r.e.a.d.i.n.g) I don't want her to guess, I want her to actually recognize the letter and know what sound it makes and how that sound may change depending on what letter is next to it. When was the last time you gave any thought to how difficult some words are and how the same letters in a different order can make such a different sound? The English language is crazy, right? Thankfully, she loves books and stories, so I know there is hope for her despite her background and initial struggles in school. On Sundays, I also work with kids of the same age, but who come from completely different backgrounds. One little girl (who melts my heart, she's so adorable), can read anything and everything. In fact, it was difficult to get her to pay attention because she was so interested in reading the words we have up on the classroom wall. I was struck with wonder at how these two girls, who are the same age, sit at such starkly different reading levels. Yes, I realize this happens, but it's still fascinating to me. I also think I learn more from my students than I could ever teach them. I'm so thankful for teachers who have a passion (and patience) for teaching students how to read.

Stepping out of the boat.*

2011-12-11T23:05:00.000-06:00

Sadly, I've become a bit of an insomniac. I ~~credit~~ blame stress for this. Stress over money (read: student loans). Stress over job searching. Stress over soul searching. Stress over stressing. I'm too young for this, right? I'm too young to long for the days before taxes and bills, when it was legally required that I be unemployed. I suppose I should admit that I'm once again experiencing some growing pains. I'm struggling to develop my identity. Who am I as I approach my 25th birthday? Who do I want to be? Who was I? Am I proud of who I was/am? Will I be proud of who I will become? Am I happy? Will I be happy?

I've been thinking a lot about fears lately. I've realized that I have many irrational fears - we all do. Mine include: a fear of falling down stairs and breaking my teeth (I think this is because I had so much work done on my teeth as a child and I don't ever want to experience that again), having the hiccups forever (strange, but read somewhere that it happened to a woman once), or getting diabetes. As I thought about those fears I began to collect more that are more closely related to my current worry list: not finding a job, not being able to pay back my loans/paying back my loans until I retire, not finding a special someone because I'm too worried about all of the above, not starting a family because I'm too worried about money, etc.

But, then I really started to think about this fear and I realize that it is even deeper than that. It is a fear that is married to a momentary lack of faith in God's provisions. Lordy, how wrong am I! I worship a Mighty God who has faith in me and all I do is "pooh-pooh" him and try to solve all the world's problems on my own. Why am I so afraid to simply trust Him? Could I be ~~brazen~~ brave like Peter and scoot to the edge of the boat and step out onto the fierce sea? Am I too proud to ask for help? Have I forgotten that asking for help is allowed? This fear also reveals how small I see God to be. He is so much bigger than my fears. He won't take away my fears, but he will help me to grow and overcome them. How big is your picture of God? Have you tried to fit Him into a box? You know he made that box, right? And everything before and after that box?

Yet, even for the most faithful (Peter), there are moments of doubt. I often joke about my over-active imagination and I'm realizing that as I discover and learn more, not only is there more I don't know, but there is also more I fear. Mark Twain said it best: "I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened."

Today's lesson at Park Community Church was exactly what I needed to hear. It often is. Here's to having more faith and less fear this blessed holiday season.

*This is the song that I was stuck in my head after this morning's sermon:

Friday: filling in the blanks

2011-12-10T00:39:00.001-06:00

1. The holiday season is here and I can't do a darn thing about it but accept it .

2. Snow makes me feel like a little kid - everytime .

3. The best comfort food to eat when it's cold out is popcorn. Let's be real, I'll eat popcorn no matter the weather. Or, soup. I love soup .

4. Winter is the best time for crafting .

5. I can hardly wait for White Christmas at The Music Box .

6. When it comes to holiday gifts I prefer to make my own .

7. If I were to rate my excitement about the holiday season on a scale from 1-10, I would say I am at about a six and three quarters - but growing every day .

something I miss... (and what I'm going to do about it)

2011-12-07T23:38:00.001-06:00

Music: I love music. (Frankly, who doesn't?) I get songs stuck in my head for long bouts of time that, depending on the song, can seem to be never ending. I often can't fall asleep because a song's refrain won't leave me alone. If it's a really sassy tune (i.e. "Rumor Has It/Someone Like You" by the cast of Glee) it will pester me like a little brother in the back seat of a car on a cross country road trip. I'll hum the bars to songs I wasn't even aware I knew (i.e. Tik Tok by Ke$ha - ugh). When in restaurants or bars that play background music I can always pick out the tune and I'm painfully aware of that fact that I'm distracted by this whisper in the background that often only I can hear. On my walk home from the train I'll pan the area to see if anyone is within earshot before I begin to sing/whistle/hum (i.e. "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" (originally performed by Judy Garland, but I like how Rufus does it). Though music seems to haunt me, I lack a real and tangible relationship with it. The days of musicals, choirs, band, and show ensembles have past and I'm left to figure out what to do with this experience, this nagging at my heart to keep music in my life in a significant way.

Swing Choir at PHS 2005

Habitat for Humanity Christmas Concert in Pittsfield 2007 - We sang Mele Kalikimaka.

Chorale at Monmouth at my Baccalaureate Service 2009

One of my all time biggest regrets is when I did not continue playing in the high school band. I shamefully let peer pressure get the better of me and I quit. I desperately wanted to be a band geek. I was a marching band groupie - have I mentioned that I'm a sucker for parades? I cannot eloquently articulate my love for marching bands, but trust me, it is a serious love. My other serious love was singing in a choir of some sort. Thankfully, I attended a college that was big enough to have a variety of choirs, but small enough to not require that you were a music major in order to participate. I have sang in a choir with almost all of my closest friends and I sometimes miss performing with them so much that it aches. Therefore, in response to this ache, this need for music, this passion for creativity that I have been neglecting, 2012 will be the year I attend to this nagging pain. The doctor's office: Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square. The salve: guitar lessons. I'm really excited about this and I'll be sure to keep y'all posted on my musical endeavors.

What I have been up to as of late...

2011-11-28T22:30:00.001-06:00

Crafting. I basically took over the dining room of our apartment to make my Christmas cards. I had a really tough time coming up with a design this year (too many options!), but I'm really pleased with the ones I made.

Thanksgiving was grand. I spent some time waiting here: I watched Christmas arrive in Union Station. My shoes matched the decor.

After a train ride home and a night out with friends from my youth, I gave thanks with/for those closest to me. Many, many thanks. Consumed far too much pie (and mashed potatoes - my gram's are the best). Inspected my grandfather's new (and might I say, quite high-tech) combine. See, it just goes to show that you can never stop learning. If my 80 year-old grandfather can master technology, anyone can! We also took a nice walk through the pasture. I cherish those moments of conversation, even when the divide of our generations seems greatly vast, I'm amazed by and thankful for the moments of shared interest and passion. Sometimes the young really aren't so different from the elders.

My mom and drove through the country on Friday - just for the fun of it. The longer I live in the city, the more I crave those windy, hilly roads that lead to open fields, and quaint churches like Bethel Church (File away as potential site for wedding in the far, far, far distant future...), and lovely old farmhouses that I would love to someday potentially call home.

I honestly couldn't get enough of this little church.

After fiddling around with this new toy:

I returned to Chicago, thankful for this:

HEAT!

And for silly coworkers with whom I celebrated a Moustache Monday.

I hope whatever you've been up to was as entertaining, beautiful, loving, and filling!

Love letter

2011-11-25T18:31:00.001-06:00

Dear Muppets -

I recently saw your new movie and must admit that I smiled like an eight-year-old at a circus through the entire thing. My whole day has been spent busting out "Mahna-Mahna" and the Muppets Theme Song. I think I was first introduced to you when I found my mom's old Kermit the Frog. He certainly was a step up from the old Barbies. I soon fell in love with Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock, but knew that The Muppets Show was my favorite. I loved Fozzie's jokes and Beaker's voice. I wanted to watch a show with Statler and Waldorf, be in a band with Animal, cook with the Swedish Chef, play piano with Rowlf, perform stunts with Gonzo, and work backstage with Scooter. Most of all, I wanted to sing a song with Kermit. This cast of characters taught me more lessons than I probably realize. You are a lovable bunch of silly, fun-hearted goofs who want the best for everyone, including your enemies, and I thank you for that lesson. I loved your cover of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and all the music in your productions. I truly am a sucker for anything campy. I love your movies, especially "Muppets Take Manhattan" and "The Muppet Christmas Carol." I love your creator, Jim Henson. The world is certainly a more entertaining place because of the Muppets and I know my childhood was greatly influenced by the Muppet world. So, thank you for existing and being such a part of my life.

Love,
Paige

to give thanks

2011-11-23T07:26:00.001-06:00

This Thanksgiving has snuck up on me. I don't think I'm alone with this feeling. I feel like I was just graduating; I was just in NYC; it was just Independence day; it was just Halloween. I suppose in the eyes of retail stores it was Halloween and is already Christmas and that silly holiday sometime inbetween doesn't matter because frankly, it lacks commercial value, right? I seek to revive Thanksgiving with what little time I have left. I'll work half a day, then spend the rest of it downtown waiting for an evening train bound for the Land of Lincoln. While I wait, I will attempt to avoid being inundated by that steam-roller of a holiday normally called Christmas, and I will focus on the simple, wonderful holiday at hand. I love the simplicity of and lack of pressure around Thanksgiving. I love the simple, but big message - to give thanks. Though I jokingly scoff at the Christmas decorations and music that strive to lengthen the holiday, I will be thankful for joy; for a warm place to wait; for a mode of transportation that two percent of the population will be using for travel today; for a job that allows me to not only purchase a ticket home, but honors the day of celebration and thanks; for a healthy family and grandparents who open their home each year; for friends of my youth with whom I can be myself even if I've changed. I am thankful and expect nothing but love in return. Here's to sending love and thanks into the universe.

I hope that each and every one of you has a blessed Thanksgiving!

Friday: Filling in the Blanks

2011-11-19T00:04:00.001-06:00

fill in the blank friday.

1. My favorite new blog of the moment is Smart, Pretty, and Awkward .

2. Something I am thankful for is my mom and her friend visiting me in Chicago for the weekend! .

3. Something that made me laugh this week was my kids at By The Hand getting out of control with the soy sauce in the stir fry we made .

4. An item that is currently on my wish list is this winter coat .

5. I am excited about the weekend with my mom and Windy City Soul! .

6. If I were a color I would be yellow because I'm generally quite cheery .

7. My favorite way to spend a chilly fall day is by curled up in a quilt with a cup of tea and a good book .

troubled thoughts

2011-11-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

I've been debating whether or not to blog about the Penn State scandal. I don't yet know how to respond/I haven't fully formulated my thoughts about it all. I do know that other folks have been much more eloquent and thought provoking than I could ever be (no surprise here), so I'll share the pieces that made me frustrated, made me happy that someone was finally saying something, and even made me laugh a little.

First, David Zirin's article, "The World Joe Paterno Made" in The Nation. Some lines that stuck out to me:
"It was about the football program, not the children. It was morbid theater where people were mourning the death of a jock culture that somewhere along the line, mutated into malignancy. It’s a malignancy that deprioritized rape victims in the name of big-time football."

"Emily’s words ring as false as the apologists for the Vatican, Wall Street, the military command at Abu Ghraib and any industry deemed “too big to fail.” The same moral code that Emily praises absolutely cannot be the same moral code that covers up child rape. To do so is to make the very notion of morality meaningless. Emily’s gratitiude that her school isn’t “30 miles from the nearest Wal-Mart” can’t justify defending Paterno. To do so, makes you complicit in the crimes and the cover-up. It also ensures that such a thing could happen again."

And Claire Potter's blog Tenured Radical featured a great piece, entitled "The Penn State Scandal: Connect the Dots Between Child Abuse and the Sexual Assault of Women on Campus."

And lastly, Saturday Night Live. The Devil reports on the Penn State scandal.

My heart goes out to the victims and the families who are struggling through this ordeal.

word-filled wednesday

2011-11-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

"I've got all of this stuff twirling around in my head..."

2011-11-15T22:54:00.001-06:00

Things I've realized about myself/have been pondering for some time now that I might as well share on this bloggy-blog of mine.

I put pepper on many different kinds of food, just like my dad.

I despise fluorescent lighting.

My feet are often very cold; I'll thank my momma for that.

I don't like being patted on the head. I am not a dog or a small child. I will welcome many other signs of affection, including but not limited to: hugs, winks, high fives, pats on the back, and smiles. (I think this aversion to pats on the head is related to the larger issue of not always being treated like an adult/my fear of not being seen as an adult. Being a twentysomething is often more complicated and confusing than I ever imagined. I'll probably discuss this again in the not-so-distant-future, i.e. thoughts on turning 25.)

I love people watching; I especially love watching people in train stations.

There are some days when I but don't feel like putting any effort into anything. Thankfully those days are very few and far between, and when I do happen to suffer from this rare form of malaise/ennui/apathy, I am quickly snapped out of it because I have surrounded myself with lovely and positive people who remind me that this frustration, this fear of futility, this flair for the melodramatic, this feeling of being "stuck" is only temporary. Thank God!

I experience a feeling akin to mourning whenever I finish a book. How on earth did I finish graduate school?? The book I just finished was The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides and it was SO good. Unfortunately, one of my roommates is now reading it and I don't want to spoil it for her so I'll refrain from blogging about it. All I'll say is that I felt a bond with the protagonist because she was an English major. It was definitely one of the best books I've read in a while and I'm looking forward to reading Middlesex by the same author. In the mean time, I was recently enthralled by Jill Lepore's article in the most recent New Yorker on the history of Planned Parenthood. I'd like to share some interesting facts/favorite sections: Did you know that Barry Goldwater actively supported Planned Parenthood? Yes, that Barry Goldwater - AuH20 - Republican Presidential candidate who got trounced by LBJ. Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush were also in favor of family planning practices and government funding to aid those practices. Lepore argues that "abortion wasn't a partisan issue until Republicans made it one" in the 1970s. Throughout the article, Lepore somewhat gracefully shifts between explaining the conflict lawmakers/public officials have over family planning and abortion. I commend her for researching this topic and for following the line of history to today's heated debates over the role of Planned Parenthood in the United States today. I was also thrilled that Terri Gross interviewed Lepore on NPR's Fresh Air. You can listen to part of their interview here. Lepore is currently one of my favorite historians. If only I could get in to Harvard...

Title quote source.

Thrifty Tuesday

2011-11-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

I love leftovers. I have successfully mastered cooking for one by technically cooking for two via leftovers. So sue me. I think my love of leftovers stems from my desire for warm lunches, which I blame on the the delicious meals at South Elementary School, Pikeland Community School, and Pittsfield High School. Thankfully, my office has a microwave so I can indulge in warm lunches. My coworkers and I love to compare our culinary skills. Leftovers and packing lunches each day come a price, though it's definitely cheaper than eating out everyday. I try to only have one day a week where I eat out, but some weeks are definitely more difficult than others. When I do pack my lunch, my goal is to have as little waste as I can.

Thrifty Tuesday: Lunches

I have a reusable lunch bag made of neoprene that I love. I also have a dishwasher safe/microwave safe tupperware container that is the perfect size for most any dish and sandwich. The tricky part comes when I add extras, such as carrot sticks, chips, grapes, and crackers, to my lunch. I often use sealable plastic bags and I try to use them multiple times before I toss them out. I need to start washing them - that's what my grandmother does. Or, I need to invest in smaller plastic containers. I love that more people are packing their lunches. This 30-Day Challenge has some great ideas. I love seeing folks on the train with their lunch bags and I always wonder what sort of goodies they have. I feel like a little kid with my lunch bag.

Do you pack your lunch? If so, what is your favorite lunch to pack? If not, have you considered packing your lunch before?

It's Friday - let's fill in the blank!

2011-11-11T11:57:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday!
Happy Veterans Day!

1. My favorite thing about this week was/is that I have today off - I'm on my way to a wedding this afternoon! One of my dear sorority sisters is getting married to her best friend! By the Hand was also great - we made French toast and they loved it! Those kids make my week. Sorry I haven't blogged much this week - it's been a much needed week of friends and job applications .

2. Colder weather makes me surprised every time. You'd think I'd be used to it, right? Nope, never am, even after 24 winters, I'm always caught off guard .

3. Three things that make me terribly happy as of late are new books (The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides is SO good!), grandparents (Happy Veterans Day, Grandpa Harry!), the Chicago Humanities Festival (I want to work for them! Fingers crossed!) .

Sgt. H. Gleckler in Korea.

4. If I could only wear one kind of shoe for the rest of my life, I'd choose red flats. They're kinda my thing .

5. My personality type is INTJ - right there with C.S. Lewis, Susan B. Anthony, and Katie Couric. I'm often told that I'm bubbly (I'll own it now, but it's taken me a long time to accept that description) .

6. I have a serious problem resisting candy, another cup of tea, and men in three piece suits. .

7. My favorite color to wear is red. No, blue. Um, purple? Definitely red. How about pink? Or teal? Really, I'll wear just about any color but orange or yellow (they just don't look good on me) .

Alive

2011-11-09T18:45:00.001-06:00

Autumn is best.

Agua is my favorite skyscraper.

"To see the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hands and eternity in an hour." - William Blake

The Art Institute

Occupy Chicago

Everything is beautiful. Everything is illuminated.* Everything is alive.

Are you?

*Not Jonathan Safran Foer's book.

Fill in da blank Friday

2011-11-04T07:58:00.000-05:00

1. When I was a kid I wanted to be a nurse/teacher/Hollywood actress who only played in black & white films (I would have had quite a career, eh?) when I grew up.

2. As an adult, my dream job would be probably something I haven't even dreamed up yet .

3. W hen I was younger I wanted to be just like my momma .

4. The childhood Halloween costume that I remember most was when I was a princess (only because we have a video of it) or, a picnic, an idea we got out of the American Girl magazine .

5. My favorite childhood toy was my Minnie the Mouse. We were inseparable. Or Legos .

6. The time I got into the biggest amount of trouble when I was a kid was when I probably did something to my younger brother. I don't remember anything specific other than dressing him up like a girl (which was awesome, not cruel and unusual - i.e. see him now), but I'm sure if you ask him he'll bring out a list of charges against me .

7. I get daily inspiration from folks around me, brilliant people, the world, nature, and God .

Topical Thursdays

2011-11-03T23:16:00.000-05:00

These are just a few things that have been on my mind/grinding my gears/made me toss my hands up in the air/spurred me to action:

Senate blocking infrastructure bill. Since when did people stop caring about infrastructure?

Gail Collins is my favorite. Only she could make armadillos and politics go together.

Where did the GOP find these candidates? The Land of Misfits toys?

Is Herman Cain for real?

Tutoring has forced me to brush up on my Greek tragedies, geometry, and coloring skills. My heart is so filled after working with these kids each week. I'm so blessed to have found them.

TED talk by Richard Wilkinson discussed how things get "worse when [the] rich and poor are too far apart: real effects on health, lifespan, even such basic values as trust."

Social Justice in the United States - we're not as good as we think we are.

I kinda wish I could move to Massachusetts so that I could vote for Elizabeth Warren.

How does one become a member of the Commission on Presidential Scholars? I know Ms. Norris by two degrees of separation. I want to be her friend/protege.

Or, I want to find a way to work on the Council for Women and Girls.

I'm trying to say yes to more things in my life.

Parting words: "Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great." - Mark Twain

A (not-so) Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T11:41:00.000-05:00

Occupy Chicago, Oct. 22, 2011, a photo by Robert Loerzel on Flickr.

Occupy Chicago Protestors 7, a photo by abjam77 on Flickr.

Occupy Chicago Protest Rally 331, a photo by Michael Kappel on Flickr.

a photo by SL_Photos on Flickr.

Thrifty Tuesday

2011-11-01T10:40:00.002-05:00

Who doesn't love getting a handwritten card in the mail? Getting snail-mail is still one of my favorite things and I know that in order to continue receiving such a small gift, I have to continue giving. Throughout college my grandmother would practically write me a novel in her cards. My mother was also very good about sending unexpected notes. (Both still do this and it warms my heart.) The sumemr I spent working at a camp in North Carolina could be called the summer of letters. I wrote letters almost everyday and my mail box was often the envy of other campers. I still try to maintain a correspondence with a few of the other counselors there. There's just something special about writing about your day and putting your thoughts down in ink that makes them mean more.

While at camp, I also began making my own cards and fell in love with the craft. I currently have two decent sized bins filled with card-making/scrapbook items. I love taking an afternoon (or a whole day) to cover the dining room table with paper, stamps, and scraps. It is one of my favorite creative outlets. For the past three Christmases I have also made my own cards. I haven't decided what I'm going to creat this year...but I figured since it is officially November I had better start!

Thrifty Tuesday - Christmas Cards

I really like these cards from Martha Stewart.

The ornaments are also adorable. (Also from Martha - damn her for being so darn creative.)

I've made doily cards before that were very different than these, but I love the glitter! I also like card that have stitching on them.

I often use stamps when I make cards. I like these ideas. I'm going to have to do some serious brainstorming for the cards this year. I'll be sure to share my design!

a daughter. a poem.

2011-10-31T21:12:00.006-05:00

I have been thinking about and re-listening to this TED talk for a little over the past week now. It is beautiful, heart-warming, and makes me miss performing. Spoken word poetry is fascinating and Sarah Kay is beyond charming and brilliant. I need to do more creative writing. It is good for the soul.

I've included the transcript of her poem, "If I Should Have a Daughter." This is a video of her entire TED talk. The poem is in the first three minutes. The entire video is inspiring and moving and has motivated me in ways I haven't exactly figured out yet, and that makes me excited.

"If I should have a daughter, instead of Mom, she's gonna call me Point B, because that way she knows that no matter what happens, at least she can always find her way to me.
And I'm going to paint solar systems on the backs of her hands, so she has to learn the entire universe before she can say, "Oh, I know that like the back of my hand."
And she's going to learn that this life will hit you hard in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach.
But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
There is hurt here that cannot be fixed by Band-Aids or poetry.
So the first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn't coming, I'll make sure she knows she doesn't have to wear the cape all by herself.
Because no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal.
Believe me, I've tried. "And, baby," I'll tell her, don't keep your nose up in the air like that. I know that trick; I've done it a million times. You're just smelling for smoke so you can follow the trail back to a burning house, so you can find the boy who lost everything in the fire to see if you can save him. Or else find the boy who lit the fire in the first place, to see if you can change him."
But I know she will anyway, so instead I'll always keep an extra supply of chocolate and rain boots nearby, because there is no heartbreak that chocolate can't fix.
Okay, there's a few heartbreaks that chocolate can't fix.
But that's what the rain boots are for.
Because rain will wash away everything, if you let it.
I want her to look at the world through the underside of a glass-bottom boat, to look through a microscope at the galaxies that exist on the pinpoint of a human mind, because that's the way my mom taught me.
That there'll be days like this.
♫ There'll be days like this, my momma said. ♫
When you open your hands to catch and wind up with only blisters and bruises; when you step out of the phone booth and try to fly and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape; when your boots will fill with rain, and you'll be up to your knees in disappointment.
And those are the very days you have all the more reason to say thank you.
Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's swept away.
You will put the wind in winsome, lose some.
You will put the star in starting over, and over.
And no matter how many land mines erupt in a minute, be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life.
And yes, on a scale from one to over-trusting, I am pretty damn naive.
But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar.
It can crumble so easily, but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.
"Baby," I'll tell her, "remember, your mama is a worrier, and your papa is a warrior, and you are the girl with small hands and big eyes who never stops asking for more."
Remember that good things come in threes and so do bad things.
And always apologize when you've done something wrong.
But don't you ever apologize for the way your eyes refuse to stop shining.
Your voice is small, but don't ever stop singing.
And when they finally hand you heartache, when they slip war and hatred under your door and offer you handouts on street-corners of cynicism and defeat, you tell them that they really ought to meet your mother." (emphasis mine)

Go crazy, folks!

2011-10-31T15:38:00.000-05:00

Well, the boys in white and red pulled it off! Thanks to an awesome local, rookie named David Freese and a redemptive solo-home-run in Game 6, the St. Louis Cardinals were primed for Game 7 of the World Series.

David Freese, will you marry me?

Game 6 was one of the worst games of baseball, but also one of the best. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Cardinals know how to rally when it counts. Even if you aren't a fan of the Cardinals, Game 6 was an undeniably incredible game. I could barely sleep Thursday night because I was so excited. Friday's work day was a rough one.

My Friday night was mostly spent with these ladies and good friends at the Violet Hour (me glued to my phone keeping track of the game (officially thankful for a smart phone); sorry, friends!). After the Cards earned two runs, I quickly finished my drink and departed my to catch the final three innings on a television. It's the most dressed up I've ever been to watch a game.

photo credit: A.Swicegood

This is real life!

Talk about a Series! Talk about a team! I was just as surprised as the next Cards fan to even be in the Series, let alone have comebacks, upsets, and finally be in Game 7. Wow, was all I could say. I was giddy with glee! Just ask my friends. We went crazy, folks! I should also say that I am finally okay with the trade of Jim Edmonds and Colby Rasmus - we couldn't have won without them =) It will take me a while to recover from Tony's retirement, and I'll still be anxious until Pujols re-signs. But for now, I'll revel in the joy of the Cardinals being the World Series Champions.

Hallowe'en

2011-10-31T12:42:00.001-05:00

Cookie Monster, Morton Salt Girl, and 2nd Lieutenant Halpin circa 1941

Monster Mash, Lego-style

Snoop-doggy

Pumpkin pickin'

Here's hoping you have/had a festive, safe, candy-inducing-coma, goblin-filled, spooky Hallowe'en!

Fill in the Blank Friday

2011-10-28T10:24:00.001-05:00

1. My most prized possession is _perhaps a quilt my grandmother made me that my great-grandmother had started 40 years ago .

2. If I could be one age for the rest of my life, I would want to be _eight. Twenty-four is not that bad either. I'm not afraid of growing old and I welcome what each year brings.

3. The best way to spend a weekend is _peppered with "me" time and friend time .

4. My outlook on life is _sunny/cheerful/optimistic .

5. If you want to annoy me, just _don't stick to your guns and don't be yourself. I have a really tough time respecting people who do that .

6. I am completely defenseless when it comes to _men in suits .

7. When dressing for the day one should _check the weather .

Topical Thursday

2011-10-27T15:37:00.000-05:00

Do you watch the news? Have you been keeping an eye on what is going on in the NYC? In Chicago? In Oakland? In D.C.? In Greece? Across the globe? If you haven't been paying attention I think you should. Find a newspaper, turn on the television, visit a website and get informed. I'm learning more and more how fascinated/encouraged/frustrated/inspired/stirredtoaction I am by politics and policy. Perhaps a career change is in order...

OWS: Approximately one year ago, almost to the day, I participated in Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally for Sanity. It was one of the best things I've ever done. The crowd was well-mannered, creative, and fed up with the media and politicians asserting vitriolic speech and utterly unwilling to listen to healthy debate. Yes, it was an election season and therefore tensions were high, but folks were especially tired of it all. Now, right now, at this very moment, Americans across the country are gathering under the banner of Occupy Wall Street and it is fascinating. It is fascinating because it is not a cry for sanity, but for justice. OWS has become a place to express grievances with the way things are and the unfairness felt across the country. It is an unorganized, organized movement that is being felt around the world and it is exciting. It is comprised of veterans, students, those who are unemployed, those who feel cheated, and those who simply want to make sure that those in charge and those with all the money (who aren't necessarily the same people, but who are often in cahoots with each other) know that they feel wronged. There is no list of demands and I don't think there needs to be. We have the freedom to peaceably gather and I am thrilled to see that freedom exercised.

Jobs & Kids & Campaigns (oh, my!): Remember the campaigning last fall that was all about jobs? What I want to know is why Republicans in the House, who campaigned on job creation, aren't actually creating any jobs. (Did you know you can follow bills and votes in Congress online? It's fascinating (and mildly disheartening) to read how our elected officials spend their days.) Yes, I understand and believe that the government can't do all the creating; the public and private sector must both do their part to get Americans back to work. But, they're seriously not going to pass the America Jobs Act? This flip flopping is as bad as Mitt Romney's flip flopping. Keep trying, President Obama. Perhaps they are just suffering from amnesia. Or they have the same opinion as hopeful GOP Presidential candidate, Herman Cain, and think that the poor only have themselves to blame. My question to you, Mr. Cain, is about the one in four children who are poor in America. Do you know where the United States ranks in terms of the well-being of children? According to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, twenty-third. Should they blame themselves for being poor, undereducated, mal-nourished, and under-qualified to compete when they grow up? Are you going to then criticize them for the lot they supposedly created for themselves? I bet you will. Don't you see how all these things are connected? I realize you "don't have the facts to back this up," so I'd be happy to point you to some fascinating research on the topic. Since when did ignorance become acceptable in political pursuits?

Win for Students: Sure, Generation Y is optimistic, but there are some things that just bring us down, such as student loans. However, thanks to President Obama and the Department of Education, those students saddled with mountains of college debt will have a somewhat easier time escaping life-long debt. The new policy change will certainly help me as I work to repay my loans. I've heard arguments against this self-inflicted debt, but to compete in this society a college education is almost non-negotiable. Post-secondary education is practically a must. And, until society as a whole begins to actually value education in this country, students will continue to strap on the saddle of massive amounts of debt before they're old enough to rent a car. While it's not exactly what I was hoping for (i.e. eliminating all student loan debt would be a remarkable stimulus for our economy as we are one heck of a consumerist generation), I consider this a big win for young people and higher education.

Volunteering and math: I spend an evening a week hanging out with freshman and sophomores through a group called By the Hand Club for Kids. I teach a cooking enrichment class and help with homework. I've had to brush up on my geometry and algebra skills. High school math seems so long ago. I think Mrs. Pulliam would be proud to know I still remember some of the rules of geometry.

Dumb phone: I am the proud (& only slightly confused) new owner of a smart phone. So long, reading time and time spent staring out of windows. Hello, Twitter, Google Reader, and Facebook.

Listen: The one and only Alec Baldwin has a new podcast on WNYC. I'm pretty excited about it. Also, tonight is Game 6 of the 2011 World Series featuring the amazing Albert Pujols from the stellar St. Louis Cardinals and some team from Texas. I'm hoping I can do more than listen to the game tonight - yeah for random sports bars in Chicago.

Reading: I recently started reading Freedom by Jonathan Franzen because my roommate and I are going to hear him speak at the upcoming Chicago Humanities Festival. I'm really enjoying the book, but it's so thick that I can't fit it in my purse so, it's going pretty slow. I'm also really excited about the CHF.

What topics are interesting you right now? What do you want to know more about? What do you just not understand?

Wordless Wednesday = fall and fashion envy

2011-10-26T10:23:00.000-05:00

Thrifty Tuesdays

2011-10-25T10:15:00.000-05:00

If you'll been following my Thrifty Tuesday posts then you are familiar with my sewing history. However, for all my experiences sewing by hand and on new machines, I've only used an old Singer once and that was in an antique store. This weekend I got the chance to use a Singer 99K from the 1950s. I even found an instruction manual online! The first machine we pulled out was trouble, so I was very nervous when this one was brought out. However, it worked like a dream! It's funny to think about how advanced this machine was compared to previous machines, and how dated it seems now compared to new models. I enjoyed the simplicity of it - no extra bells and whistles. I was also very happy to create a bean-filled doorstop for a dear friend. (Silly enough, I forgot to take a picture of what I created. Oh well!)

We also discussed how people no longer sew because the cost of clothing is cheaper. In thinking about this, I'm very thankful that my mother and grandmother still create things by hand/machine (quilts, table runners, Christmas decorations, wall hangings, etc.) These items mean so much more to me because I know the loving hands that took the time to create the piece. The two quilts I've made and the one my grandmother finished that my great-grand mother started are cherished items. I need to keep sewing. I'm already brainstorming handmade Christmas gifts. Some of my past creations included quilts, scarves, and beaded bags. It brings me great joy to see my friends and family use my gifts. I would much rather make something than purchase something.

Fourth Thrifty Tuesday: Simplicity Patterns

One of my favorite parts about sewing in 4-H was going to the Simplicity pattern rack in Wal-mart to pick out my pattern. I usually had some idea in mind (and because I had been in 4-H so long the judges knew me and I had to mix it up every year). In homage to my days as a 4-Her, I am challenging myself to actually construct a piece of clothing before 2011 is over. I haven't yet decided what I'm going to create. I like this pattern, and this one, and this. I need to make a trip to the fabric store and get a feel for what I could work with. I'll be sure to keep y'all posted on my progress.

In the mean time, I'm curious: Do you know how to sew? Even just a button or a loose hem or a hole in the armpit of a t-shirt (for some reason I always get holes there...very weird). Have you ever wanted to know how to sew? Do you toss items when they have holes in them or do you take them to a friend or tailor to repair?

There are...

2011-10-24T14:06:00.001-05:00

There are some mornings when I'm so consumed with the tasks of preparing for the day that I forget to be consumed by the beauty of a new day. I need fewer mornings like these. This necessitates going to bed a little earlier, rising a little earlier and welcoming the quiet of a time that thrives on digging deep to reach the innermost parts of my soul.

There are some places I love so much that it hurts.

There are some weekends that make me wish I could speed through the week.

There are some days when it takes all of my might to focus on one simple task.

There are some people who are very difficult to love. Everyone knows someone like that, but I continue to remind myself that God loves them and they are probably in my life for a reason, i.e. a lesson in loving/patience/understanding.

There are times when I just want to collapse and give into my yawns.

There are people I will always miss, but I enjoy letting them know that I'm thinking of them even if we can't catch up at the moment.

There are some songs that put me in a trance.

There are weekends filled with more hugs than I've had in the past five months.

There are people I forget how much I love.

There are some days that make me wish I could just skip winter altogether.

There are moments when I am astounded by how quickly time passes and how much life I feel I've missed.

There are days when I can't wait to get home.

There are things I can't ignore any more.

Fill in the Blank Friday!

2011-10-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

1. The best thing I did all week was teach the kids I volunteer with how to make chicken alfredo. They loved it! However, I had to have a chicken cooking lesson from my roommates because I've never made chicken before! I was so nervous! .

2. Hugs, bright umbrellas, inside jokes, and old friends make me super happy.

3. Pets are wonderful, but my life is too hectic for any at the moment .

4. My attitude is the best thing about my life {right now}.

5. With the cooler weather I am looking forward to scarves! I keep forgetting them. I'm having a lot of trouble transitioning into cooler weather. This has been a serious problem the past couple of days .

6. Something that's on my "wish list" right now is new boots {sadly, the zipper on my current pair is beginning to break} .

7. This weekend I am going to return to my beloved Alma Mater and revel in the joyful memories of four fabulous years and many wonderful friends .

Song of the day

2011-10-20T10:54:00.001-05:00

I woke up this morning with the song "Stormy Weather" stuck in my head. I've always loved this song. While there are many wonderful renditions by Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James and Billie Holiday, I think my favorite has to be by the breath-taking Lena Horne in the 1943 movie Stormy Weather. Her voice is just so perfect. Here's to a stormy Thursday morning.

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesdays

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Thrifty Tuesdays

2011-10-18T11:20:00.003-05:00

Remember when I shared about my apple-picking adventure?

Well, our basket full of golden delicious apples is beginning to whither and there is nothing more I dislike than throwing out food. I cringe and scold myself when I've forgotten about a bag of lettuce in the fridge that begins to resemble green slime. Gross! I need to be better about making grocery lists according to my weekly-meals (which means I need to actually plan out my weekly meals. I generally try to do this, but some weeks are much better than others; I have high hopes though!) Therefore, in order to refrain from hating myself just a bit, I've decided that these apples will soon become homemade apple sauce! My original intentions were to make a delicious apple pie. However, two of my roommates don't like apple pie. While I have no doubt that Ashley and I could finish off an entire pie on our own, I'll spare us the stomach aches.

Third Thrifty Tuesday: Homemade Apple Sauce

4 apples, peeled and cored
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
pinch salt
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup water
Cut the apples into large chunks and put them in a heavy pot over medium heat; add the brown sugar, salt, lemon juice, cinnamon and water. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the apples are extremely soft and mushy. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the apples together until you have an applesauce-like consistency. Serves 4.
Source: Sing for your Supper

I like how simple this recipe is and I'm excited for the apartment to smell nice! One of my favorite things about cooking is when the aroma of good food fills an entire home. I can't wait. I'll probably double the recipe. I'm curious about the amount of sugar used, too. Other recipes differed on the amount of sugar. I'll probably add less because the apples were pretty sweet. Another recipe I liked also added nutmeg... I may just do some experimenting! I'll be sure to let you know how it goes!

What is your favorite way to eat apples??

baseball {or, the only sport I actually care about}

2011-10-17T00:14:00.000-05:00

News flash: The St. Louis Cardinals are going to the World Series for the fourth time in my lifetime!!! Go crazy, folks!

I have such fond memories of baseball that always involve close friends and family. I remember checking out books on the Cardinals and learning about the franchise's strong history. This marks our 18th pennant. Only the Yankees have a better WS record (and we all know that's because money can buy wins, but it's always heart that is more entertaining.) I find comfort in listening to games broadcast on KMOX and Fredbird is perhaps the only mascot that does not frighten me.

One thing I love about this team is their ability to rally. If you would have asked me in early August if the Cardinals would be going to the World Series I probably would have shrugged and muttered something optimistic. But, wow! Rallying to win the Wild Card after being 10 1/2 games back is remarkable. I love the stamina and the enthusiasm and history of the team. My first Cardinals shirt referred to the Mets as pond scum - it was way too big for me, but I wore that thing to pieces I loved it so. I remember finding a poster at a thrift store of Ozzie Smith doing a back flip in the outfield on which I spent all of the money I had earned showing cattle at the fair.

Players like Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean, Lou Brock, Stan "the Man" Musial and Albert Pujols will forever bring a smile to the faces of St. Louis Cardinals fans. These men are legends and make me proud to forever and always be a Cards fan (ahem, even if folks say it's my biggest character flaw).

The one and only Ozzie.

Lou Brock

Sir Albert

Dizzy

The Man

Go crazy, folks! Go crazy!

Fill in the Blank Friday

2011-10-14T10:19:00.000-05:00

1. The most selfless thing I've ever done was not spending my college spring break sitting on the couch or traveling some place warm, but rather giving back to the college town I proudly call my second hometown .

2. When it comes to working out I despise working out in a gym. I would much rather run outside. I am considering taking a Zumba class just out of curiosity and because I love to dance. Also, I'm afraid of weights...I'm always afraid I'll drop one on my toes!

3. A woman should always follow this advice:

4. I wish I could be in two places at once like Hermione and her time-turner and then I'd visit friends in different towns while still enjoying my life in Chicago .

5. A best friend is someone who will pick me up when I fall, but only after he or she has finished laughing at me. I welcome the laughter; chances are I'll be laughing, too .

6. I can't get enough of the political news (though I should probably take a break from it) and tall women' boots (I have boot-envy every time I leave my apartment) .

7. This weekend I am really excited to go to Windy City Soul Club. It is definitely one of my most favorite things to do in Chicago and this time I'm taking friends who have never been there before! It will be a blast! .

Here's hoping y'all have a beautiful weekend!

weddings, marathons, friends; {or, things that sometimes make me cry}

2011-10-13T09:46:00.001-05:00

October is a fantastic month. Even when I was a stressed out student, I made sure to find time to enjoy October (my thoughts go out to you, oh panic-ing students who finally looked at the calendar/syllabus and suffered a spit-take at how little time was left in the semester; I can completely empathize with you, but I don't envy you.) This October, my first October not in school, has been filled with loads of fun. Once the week of rain finally left Chicago, the trees seemed to stretch out their brilliant golden colors and shed their dry leaves.

We started off the month by going to see the showing of Ferris Bueller's Day Off in Wrigley Field. It was so much fun! Finally a good use for Wrigley Field - zing! (C'mon, you know I had to make a jab at the Cubs because my Cardinals are in the NLCS final and they're up 2-1! Go Cards!)

The very next day we went apple picking (and celebrated my roommate's 25th birthday). Edwards Apple Orchard in Northern Illinois is akin to an apple picking amusement park. Not only did we pick a basket full of golden delicious apples, we also bought a pumpkin, a bright yellow mum, crazy looking gourds, and ate the most delicious tasting apple cider donuts - they were seriously the best donuts I've ever eaten.

A beautiful week past, filled with dinners with friends, spending time making omelets and finishing homework with some high schoolers in By the Hand(note to self: brush up on high school algebra and fractions.), and enjoying the golden autumn before it faded away. The following weekend I headed for the suburbs to witness the marriage of two truly wonderful, kind, and dear friends. The bride was radiant and the groom was exquisite. It was a perfect day and a great chance to catch up with some friends from college. I couldn't help but shed a few tears of joy for the beautiful couple. (reflection: I think I cry more about happy things than sad things, which makes me think of that corny, but lovely line in An Affair to Remember when Deborah Kerr's character is crying and Cary Grant's character tells her to not cry and she responds with, "Beauty does that to me." Wonderfully cheesy. I wouldn't say that beauty makes me cry so much as happiness does. I can't help it. Nor am I ashamed.)

So much joy.

After dancing the night away, I rose early the next morning to cheer on the Chicago marathon and the ten people I knew running it. Let's just say that marathons are highly emotional things and yes, I did shed a few tears. We caught a glimpse of the runners in Boystown on the north side and then jumped on the train and headed to Pilsen to join the spectators who were dancing machines. It was awesome and I'm so proud of all of the runners, but especially of the ones I knew!

My brother also came to visit and spend part of his fall break in the city. We took in the baseball game at the Cards bar, met up with some friends for dinner, took in Moneyball at the Davis, ate at Ann Sather, and did some thrift store shopping. Let's just say that as long as there is food and drink involved, Gavin and I know how to have a good time. It was great to see him and I'm looking forward to seeing him again in a couple of weeks at Homecoming! (Don't worry, I didn't cry when I was with my brother; I just wept after he left - just kidding!)

Here's hoping you've had some happy moments in your days! That's all for now, folks!

Thrifty Tuesdays

2011-10-11T10:59:00.000-05:00

I love packing for a trip. Any kind of trip to any kind of place, I'm ready to go! I like thinking about the weather; I ~~creep on~~ research the weather when I know I'll be traveling. I day-dream about the weather in some places, especially in autumn. In autumn, nostalgia makes a home in the caverns of my heart. I become homesick for anything warm: sitting, wrapped in homemade quilts on the front porch of my childhood home with my best gal, Gretch; sipping hot, hot, hot chocolate in the bleachers with Al, cheering on the Pittsfield Saukees football time on a crisp Friday night; early morning runs with the cross country team when it's just cold enough to see our breath and the only sounds we would hear were the crunchy leaves beneath our sneakers; Monmouth college campus tours on Saturday mornings when folks were still asleep - campus would slowly wake, first the sound of the football team listening to the coaches discuss the game plan, then the echo of bagpipes, followed by the cadence from the marching band. {can you tell I'm really excited to go back for Homecoming? well, I am.}

Second Thrifty Tuesday - Fabric Covered Luggage

In thinking about taking trips my mind naturally goes to luggage and how I think that modern luggage is so boring. Yes, it is functional with its fancy wheels, tough exterior, and numerous handles, but it lacks character. {When in doubt, I almost always choose character over functionality. My mother does not approve, especially when I apply this to shoes.} I'm currently on the hunt for an old suitcase, the kind that has buckles and snaps and clasps instead of zippers, and has a hard surface. So when I found this amazing blog post I knew I needed to find an old suitcase right away! Once I do, you bet your bottom dollar I will have a fabric covered suitcase!

What thrifty things are you currently working on??

Fill in the Blank Friday

2011-10-07T09:33:00.003-05:00

I'm taking a page from another blog, the little things we do, and am thus commencing my own:

1. Something popular that I can't stand/just don't "get" is leggings. They are not pants. I repeat: not pants.

2. Something unpopular that I secretly love is [I actually can't think of anything in particular because I don't always realize things are unpopular because it doesn't matter to me. I do what I like and don't mind if others hate it] .

3. When I've had a bad day I crank up my favorite song and dance it out like no one is watching .

4. I'd prefer a breakfast date to clubbing any day.

5. Something that makes me nervous is searching for new a job.

6. Something worth fighting for is family. I'm continually amazed by the power of family and the lengths people will go to for family .

7. When people think of me, I hope they think "she is someone I can trust and enjoy being around. She is a faithful, caring, and funny lady" .

Paul Simon - the musician, not the politican

2011-10-05T10:17:00.001-05:00

I wish I had compiled this amazing list. Thanks to the folks at Thought Catalog for this brilliant list. I was first introduced to the music of Paul Simon by my dear friend, Laura, when we were in high school. In between school and play practice we would hang out in her van, drive somewhere for food (most likely my house), work on homework and listen to good music. Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes was the first album she gave me and I was sold. We began referring to each other as Al (Laura) and Betty (me). Next was Negotiations and Love Songs. I finally found Graceland and my life changed forever. I could finally say I had a favorite album; an album that was to be listened to in its entirety; an album that was perfectly compiled. Graceland is the album I can listen to in any mood, on repeat for a whole day. Rather than continue with my gushing I'll let this wonderful re-blog better express my love:

10 True Things As Sung By Paul Simon

1. “The problem is all inside your head, she said to me. The answer is easy if you take it logically”

The most wonderful thing about Paul Simon’s songwriting is that it’s deeply contextual and yet completely context-less in the sense that it’s culturally weighty enough to exist permanently within its moment and yet semantically ambiguous enough that it can be easily re-appropriated to inform an infinite spectrum of collective and personal situations. But that’s not to say his words are ambivalent—quite the opposite, they are designed so as to belong to anyone and everyone. In “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover,” Simon’s ode to reason over emotion, we can all learn a lesson about putting mind over matter, and not just in the context of emotional relationships.

2. “You can run out your rules, but you know you can’t outrun the history train”

While generation Y doesn’t have any particularly definable ‘revolution’ per se, we still have cultural and social wars to wage even if some of us are ambivalent to them; ergo, “Peace Like A River” is still #relevant. Also, the world is wide—change is inevitable and history teaches us that injustice can be fought and repented (bad guys beware).

3. “And I see losing love is like a window in your heart. Everybody sees you’re blown apart, everybody feels the wind blow”

Paul, are you a carpenter? Because you nailed it! (joke stolen from Ellen DeGeneres). This is what it feels like to have a broken heart—like your chest is a vacuum and you’re completely vulnerable and exposed.

4. “These are the days of miracle and wonder”

With so many technological advances in the world and yet so much pain and suffering, Paul is putting his tongue right in his cheek to make a point about the modern paradox wherein so much good is surrounded by so much evil. These are the days of miracle and wonder, and yet so much of our world is falling apart in war, famine and disease. It’s something we should consider every day.

5. “Why am I soft in the middle, the rest of my life is so hard”

This is what happens when we get older and we watch our dreams fail to meet their fruition—we get soft in the middle, both literally and figuratively.

6. “These are the roots of rhythm, and the roots of rhythm remain”

The underlying message of “Under African Skies,” or at least what I take from it, is that the one thing you can be sure of in life is where you came from, and the things that have made you who you are. Your history and your heritage never change, which is a beautiful and profound thing that should be unabashedly embraced, even if what you see sprawled out behind you is blemished with hardship. That’s just life, and your frown lines are just as important as all the times you smile.

7. “Well that’s one way to lose these walking blues: diamonds on the soles of your shoes”

Happiness is about perception, and Paul thinks if there’s some metaphorical diamonds (in this case, love) between you and the earth you’re walking, all will be right.

8. “Trust your intuition, it’s just like goin’ fishin’”

I know Paul is right on this one because every time I haven’t trusted my intuition, I’ve failed miserably. Fishing is harder than it looks though (even though it’s really fun to sit around with your friends drinking beers while you do it), which, in turn, makes following your gut more difficult than it sounds. Often trusting your instincts requires a massive leap of faith, but it’s one that will always pay off in the end.

9. “All the crap I learned in high school it’s a wonder I can think at all”

The educational institution isn’t going to teach you what you need to make it—a lot of times it’s going to lead you astray as it defines what your future expectations should be. My high school experience made me compartmentalize and memorize and regurgitate information, which is not necessarily the way the real world works.

10. “Oh , mymama loves, she loves me, she get down on her knees and hug me, she loves me like a rock”

Mamma is the only one—the only person in the world who no matter what devil possesses you will love you unequivocally. When the going gets tough, the mamma gets going.

Thrifty Tuesdays

2011-10-04T10:10:00.000-05:00

I strive to be thrifty, but lately I've let that part of my life slip a little. I'm inspired by my friends who are oh so thrifty, crafty, and resourceful. My beautiful friend Kelli, and her Urban Farmhouse, is the best example I know of this. Channeling her ingenuity and passion for thrift, I'm going to work harder at being thrifty.
I welcome any advice, suggestions, guest posts, thoughts, criticisms, struggles, and comments!

First Thrifty Tuesday: Sewing and Fabric Flowers

I was taught to sew at a very young age. It's in my genes so there was just no escaping it. I began with buttons, simple seams, and knick-knacks. I was eventually granted access to the sewing machine and I remember my grandmother warning my mother that if I drove the way I used the sewing machine we should all stay off the road. Don't worry, I got better at both. Each summer I found projects to create for my 4-H projects. I made vests, dresses, a coat, more dresses, skirts, scarves and quilts. Making anything to be judged is always nerve wracking. Every seam has to be perfect. Zippers became my enemies. Pinking shears became my best friend. I grew to love pleats and darts and clean lines. I now admire and seek out nicely tailored clothes and I still love clean lines in fashion. I love feminine touches in clothing. One of my favorite recent fashions is fabric flowers on sweaters and t-shirts.

There are many websites with suggestions for how to re-purpose old t-shirts and old fabric, but this was my favorite. I love that she uses different textured fabric. I also love that you can make them so they are transferable to other garments. I'm finally going to put that laundry basket full of fabric scraps at my parents' house to good use! I'll be sure to post once I do this to let you know how it goes.

Feel free to email me with suggestions or things you'd like to see me try out!

a guest

2011-09-28T15:34:00.000-05:00

Dear readers,

Not only do I read a lot of blogs, but many of my friends blog, and today I appeared as a guest blogger on Greater Things by the darling, bubbly, and passionate Taylor. A while back she asked me (and some of her fellow bloggers) to share thoughts/memories/musings on Autumn. Rather than reiterate my love and elation for the season here, I encourage you to click on over to Taylor's blog and read what I and others have written on the golden and breathtaking time of year I love best. Taylor was one of the first women I met when I moved to Chicago (she and two of my roommates attend the same church) and I was instantly drawn to her (as I imagine most people are). She has such a great love for Christ and sharing his love and I so admire her for doing what God has called her to do. I firmly believe that the world is a much better place when people actually do what God has called them to do. Some tend to find it easier than others, but as long as we all keep working toward it we're moving closer to a more perfect world.

I'd like to leave you with a quote my friend Mariann shared this morning - I think it sums up how I've been feeling lately.

“I beg you – to have patience with everything unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language.”
— Rainer Maria Rilke

Blessings to you all,

paige

a love affair

2011-09-27T09:39:00.000-05:00

I love the Gilded Age & Progressive Era for historical study, but lately I have been a tad obsessed with the 1930s. Yes, it was an era fraught with the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and turmoil in Europe including the rise of Nazism, but think of the technological advances in radio and film.
Think of the art deco architecture:

Rockefeller Plaza

The Empire State Building (view from 30 Rockefeller Plaza)

The Chrysler Building.

I love it.

Think of the famous musicians, actors, actresses, and athletes: Louis Armstrong. Fred Astaire. Humphrey Bogart. Katherine Hepburn. Bing Crosby. James Stewart. Irene Dunne. George Gershwin. Duke Ellington. Billie Holiday. Cole Porter. Joe DiMaggio. Lou Gehrig. Dizzy Dean.

Think of the fashion: the natural waist returned and skirts got a bit longer. The empire waist also became popular. Shoulders were a focus for 1930s designers - when I was little I used to ask for clothing with "polder shads" - get it? "shoulder pads" (I have many spoonerisms up my sleeve.) Clothing of the day admired a woman's natural curves. When I see images from this era I can't help but think of my great grandmother Venise and her navy blue wedding dress. [Side note to one of my favorite memories: I actually had the chance to wear this dress in the Pittsfield High School production of Arsenic and Old Lace. I played Abby Brewster, the eccentric, but lovable aunt who was really just trying to help lonely old men. If you have not seen this movie I highly recommend changing your Friday night plans and finding it on Netflix (it's streaming). Cary Grant is superb and Josephine Hull is as sweet as maple syrup. Boris Karloff even makes an appearance.]

And think of the literature, theatre and film: Thornton Wilder's Our Town. Gone with the Wind. The Wizard of Oz. F. Scott Fitzgerald. Steinbeck. Faulkner. Hemingway. Raymond Chandler. Dashiell Hammitt. Jame M. Cain - The Postman Always Rings Twice. I recently read Mildred Pierce by Cain and it was one of the best books I read all summer. Set in the 1930s, the mother of a middle class family works to survive after losing the family fortune. The protagonist and her daughter were infuriating, inspiring and highly entertaining. Mildred challenges accepted roles for females and works hard to provide for her family, even when it seems that her bratty daughter Veda is doing everything in her power to destroy her mother. The mother-daughter relationship is heart-breaking. Check it out. HBO also has a new mini-series and Kate Winslet recently received an Emmy for her performance as Mildred. I haven't seen it yet, but it is definitely on my list.

I could go on, but I'll spare you. Now that I've basically written a love letter to the 1930s I want to know: what's your favorite decade?

Every so often I...

2011-09-22T20:20:00.001-05:00

- feel the need to laugh/yell/cry/flail arms/curl up in a ball.
- consume too much caffeine.
- listen to the same (five) song(s) on repeat almost all day.
- have to delete all the stuff on my ipod and just start over.
- spiral into a Wikipedia searching rabbit hole and forget what I was originally looking up. (it went something like this: Canada, Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Michael Sheen, Charlie Sheen *quick, run away, go back, backspace, Halpin!* 30 Rock, Alec Baldwin, New York, Texas, lethal injections, Illinois, Chicago, the Good Wife, law school, Georgetown, D.C., Presidents, Jimmy Carter, Georgia, Savannah, the Civil War - scary, right?)
- forget my phone number.
- paint my nails one color just to realize that it doesn't go with any of my work appropriate clothing. (Green)
- really just want to find a hill or dale covered in thick green grass to sprawl out on.
- eat too much candy.
- sneeze in my sleep (my Snapple lid said it wasn't possible, but it totally is. I am the exception. Ask Ashley).
- forget to put my contacts in (which is really hard to understand because my vision is something similar to when you pause a scene in a movie and the image is transitioning into a dreamy, foggy, mystical scene - one would think that might be nice, but it's not.)
- can't describe my mood.
- really miss my home.
- sleep through my alarm and would miss my train were it not for my roommate.
- need to change up my commute (i.e. this morning Brown Line > Metra.)
- bite my nails, hence the need to paint them.
- really want to go barefoot.
- spend more money on food than I should.
- listen to WAY too much news and react by wanting to completely unplug everything around me and sit in complete and total silence.
- let my facial expressions give away too much of my mind.
- am really bad at multitasking.
- forget what is happening in the book I'm reading and than have to go back and read the previous chapter.
- wish that I had a DSLR.
- find some really awesome recipes and wish that I a). I had a family to cook for rather than just myself and b). could go to culinary school.
- wish I could chop off all of my hair and rock a pixie hairstyle.
- miss horseback riding.
- try to learn a new language.
- attempt to make myself ambidextrous by forcing myself to write with my left hand.
- blog about utterly ridiculous things, such as my love for hydrangeas.

my heroines

2011-09-17T17:30:00.000-05:00

This article got me thinking about notable women I admire (in history and in present day). (I have all sorts of comments on Bachmann's choice, but I'll refrain from noting them for fear of boring you all. I am happy that she has a female hero, however; she had me worried with how frequently she spoke of the Founding Fathers.) I really approve of the list Think Progress complied - I'm embarrassed by the fact that I didn't know Katherine Graham; I'm sure I've read about her before.
I would like to create my own list. I will highlight the ones I love (in no particular order) and add a few more.

1. Alice Paul - what a remarkable woman. Women in the United States have the right to vote because of her brave (and often dangerous) efforts.
2. Elizabeth Cady Stanton - I love that this woman balanced her feminist and suffrage efforts with being a mother. Seneca Falls. Declaration of the Rights of Women.
3. Frances Perkins - First female to serve on the presidential cabinet in the United States. We have minimum wages, union benefits, and Social Security thanks to her efforts as Secretary of Labor. I should also mention another woman who did a great deal for laborers in America: Mother Jones. (And I'm not just mentioning it because I know one of her biographers. Her story is fascinating and she was such a spitfire.)
4. Eleanor Roosevelt - No, she was not married to my favorite U.S. president, but she was his niece. Nevertheless, as a young girl, Eleanor was one of my favorites and when I journeyed to Washington, D.C. in seventh grade my best friend and I had to have our picture taken at her statue at the F.D.R. memorial. And come on, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is awesome.
5. Hattie Wyatt Caraway - First women elected to the U.S. Senate. When I was younger I wanted to be a U.S. Senator; I remember looking up all the female senators and learning about Caraway's involvement in the Equal Rights Amendment. I was so impressed.
6. Madeline Albright - First female Secretary of State. I remember when Bill Clinton was elected president over George H.W. Bush. For some reason I was sad, I don't know why (I was only four years old in November, 1991). I think it was perhaps just the change and my ignorance in the changes that occur in a democracy. Anyhow, I remember my mother comforting me by saying that President Clinton had appointment a woman as his Secretary of State and this calmed me. In her honor, we named one of our show pigs after Madeline. (I honored our new president again by naming my first show cow after his daughter, Chelsea. Yes, you read that correctly, I named my cow Chelsea after the First Daughter. I even wrote a letter to President Clinton informing him of this. I was so proud and Chelsea did so well each time we went to the fair.) Can you tell I'm from a farm town??
7. Sandra Day O'Connor - First female appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. (I'm super jealous that my friend, Eric, has met her.) When I was born, Justice Connor was the only woman serving on the Supreme Court. The power she had a swing voter in many cases is remarkable.
8. Alice Roosevelt Longworth - Yes, my list has two Roosevelts, so sue me. While Alice never held political office, she possessed great power as a smart and politically savvy daughter of a U.S. president. (And yes, I'm not just noting her because I know her biographer, too. I devoured this biography over winter break my junior year of college.) Alice is fascinating, wicked smart, and entertaining.
9. Rachel Carson - The woman who brought environmental issues to the attention of the American public. Carson's Silent Spring is one powerful book. It made me stop and consider our role as humans and our charge with dominion over the planet. We've too often read dominion as domination. The Environmental Protection Agency exists thanks to this woman.
10. Clara Barton - When I was very young I wanted to be a nurse just like my momma. I remember going to the public library and finding a book on nurses. Once I began reading chapter books the children's librarian pointed me toward a biography collection and I quickly found the one on Clara Barton, the woman who founded the American Red Cross.
11. Hillary Rodham Clinton - Lawyer. First Lady. U.S. Senator. Presidential candidate. Secretary of State. She's amazing.

Okay, that's twelve for me. I could definitely add more (Margaret Sanger, Louise deKoven Bowen, the Grimke sisters... Paige, stop.) You've learned that I wanted to be a nurse and a senator. Today, I am neither, with no aspirations for the former and not enough connections for the latter.

Who would you add to your own list? What women inspire you?

"they say if you stop looking..."

2011-09-15T21:48:00.000-05:00

This song, "Heaven When We're Home" by The Wallin' Jennys, has been running through my head all day. I love everything about it and I just had to share.

Don't know what time it is, I've been up for way too long
and I'm too tired to sleep
I call my mother on the phone, she wasn't home,
and now I'm wondering the street
I've been a fool, I've been cruel to myself
I've been hanging onto nothing
when nothing could be worse than hanging on
And something tells me there must be
something better than all this

I've fallen many times in love and every time
it's been with the wrong man
Still I'm out there living one day at a time
and doing the best I can
Cuz we've all made mistakes
that seem to lead us astray
But every time they helped to get us where we are today
And that's a good a place as any
and it's probably where we're best off anyway

It's a long and rugged road
and we don't now where it's headed
But we know it's going to get us where we're going
And when we find what we're looking for
we'll drop these bags and search no more
'Cuz it's going to feel like heaven when we're home
It's going to feel like heaven when we're home

There's no such thing as perfect,
and if there is we'll fnd it when we're good and dead
Trust me I've been looking
but tonight I think I'll go and take a bath instead
And then maybe I'll walk a while
and feel the earth beneath me
They say if you stop looking
it doesn't matter if you find it
And whose to say that even if I did
it's what I'm really looking for

It's a long and rugged road
and we don't now where it's headed
But we know it's going to get us where we're going
And when we find what we're looking for
we'll drop these bags and search no more
'Cuz it's going to feel like heaven when we're home
It's going to feel like heaven when we're home

(emphasis mine)

"High-fiving a million angels"

2011-09-15T14:52:00.001-05:00

I have often chronicled my love of Tina Fey on this blog. Well, folks, she has now entered my dream-sphere. Scary, I know. Now I've had some bizarre dreams when it comes to celebrities/politicians (i.e. President Obama asked me to come be Sasha and Malia's nanny in the White House; I was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's assistant and we travelled back in time to consult Theodore Roosevelt on foreign affairs; I joined TR's Rough Riders; Alec Baldwin was my doorman/surrogate father figure). I can now add Tina Fey to my list of random dreams.

Fade into hazy dreamlike movie sequence: I was living at home, but not my parents' current home. No, a house I can clearly see on the road out of town toward I-72. We (my parents, brother, grandparents, and me) walked next door to a party my neighbor was throwing. Apparently it was a work party (I was a recurring extra on 30 Rock) and the entire cast and crew were gathering to celebrate the end of the season. After filling my plate with food I bopped in to Scott Adsit, who plays Pete Hornberger. We chatted about the show and he commended me for my "always happy attitude." I smiled, thanked him, and left to find a seat. A spot had just opened up on the couch and I wiggled my way into a space next to Jack McBrayer (Kenneth Parcell, the NBC page). Two small children were crawling all over the couch and the folks seated there, but I didn't really think much of them until Jack got up and who else was seated on the other side of him but Tina Fey! I then realized the kids were Tina's. I kept my cool, but the whole time I was freaking out in my head - "Oh, my gosh, Halpin, keep it cool. That's Tina Fey! Don't be an idiot. Wait, maybe she'd appreciate your idiot-ness a bit. NO! Don't be an idiot. She's a wicked smart and funny woman. Play it cool!" We talked while I played with her adorable children. I managed to crack some jokes which she thought were pretty funny. Before I knew it the party was winding down and I felt bad for holding her up because she had small children to put to bed. She said it was no big deal and that I should come over more often to hang out. "She wants to be my friend!!!!!!!!! Or maybe her nanny. Oh well, she likes me! She really likes me!" I ran to find my family and found my parents chatting up Alec Baldwin - of course! My dad and Alec made plans to play poker. He gave me a high-five and said, "Good job, Halpin." and then kissed my mom on the cheek. They walked home and I went on to find my brother who was with Judah Friedlander. They were comparing hats. Judah really like Gav's hat and asked to borrow it. Gavin then ran into this lake in the backyard that was supposedly toxic. I ran back inside to get some help and found my maternal grandparents just chatting it up with Tina Fey. Apparently the three of them were very good friends and I had no idea! I was so frustrated, but also so excited. And then I woke up.

Weird, right? Either I'm missing 30 Rock in my life or my high school dream of becoming an actress is haunting my real dreams. Very odd. And very funny. I love 30 Rock for its sharp humor and willingness to poke fun of itself, but Parks and Recreation is quickly rising to the top primarily because I see myself more akin to the indefatigably positive public official Leslie Knope than the cynically ironic Liz Lemon. This article will help explain that.

Other random things I've been up to that are new: 1. today I am wearing an animal print sweater. I have never worn animal print before.

Paired with my favorite belt. Very Michelle Obama.

Dos. I am still addicted to my morning tea, but I have begun drinking coffee at work - not every day, but once in a while - mix in a little chocolate flavored creamer and it's like hot chocolate! It's also great when they make hazelnut flavored coffee - yum!

C. I have painted my nails so much more than ever before. I blame my friend, Kelsey. Her collection of colors is better than a salon. Like my friend, Hally, I'm striving to be the gal whose fingernail polish is always changing. It's relaxing (I paint them when I watch television, usually Mad Men) and it keeps me from biting my nails - a terrible, disgusting, no good habit I picked up again in grad school.

Half-marathon update: My time was 2:48! I guess I looked at a different clock when I crossed the start line. That means that my average mile time was also faster than I thought - SWEET! Below are some photos from the event - credit to A. Swicegood.

Mile 1 - only 13 more to go!

I feel less like a geriatric every day. I might even go for a run tonight!

ain't no thing

2011-09-11T18:25:00.000-05:00

Today I ran 13.1 miles.

No, I was not being chased.
No, there was not a shoe sale.
And no, there were no zombie attacks.

I did this of my own will on behalf of an awesome charity, and also because I sorta feel like completing a half-marathon is just something pretty awesome to say you've accomplished. Am I right? Well, having accomplished it I can say by golly it feels damn good - well, my knees might not say that, but my head and heart sure do! The energy at races like these is amazing. You can definitely run a few miles on pure adrenaline from the crowd; the other ten you've gotta train for. I didn't get to train as much as I wanted/should have, but I had absolutely no qualms about walking. Walking is not for wimps - it's for the sane folks who understand their bodies and at about mile ten my body told me to walk. So I listened. I talked myself into running the last 2.1 miles, however, and boy am I glad I did because I came in under the time I wanted! My approximate time was 2:52 (that's roughly eight minutes shy of three hours - when was the last time you were on your feet moving in the warm September sun for that long?) About half way through I thought to myself, "WTF! Why am I doing this?! I've got to be crazy! Halpin, you're nuts!" Then about a half mile later, and every subsequent mile, I thought, "Holy crap, I'm running a half-marathon! I'm actually doing it! AND, I'm going to finish!!!! Yeah, you!"

My three amazing roommates and Dave all found me along the race route and yelled and waved and acted like complete fools and I SO appreciate it. I can't thank them enough for getting up with the sun and driving me to Hyde Park and for being so supportive. I love you four!!
I can't forget to thank you, dear readers, for your support, too! Thank you for donating money to By The Hand. There's still time to donate money if you didn't get a chance to before. Just click here and make sure to note my name. I started volunteering with them this past week and I know it's going to be a fantastic experience.
But for now, I'm going to eat, yet again, and then rest my poor dogs and sleep HARD.

This is me, post-race, at brunch with my AWESOME fan club. More pictures to come later!

paiges [of] books

Best kept secret?

a whirlwind

Happy

Pin it!

Friday is best!

fill in the blank friday!

Ode to Claudia Jean

A hard lesson in patience.

to read

A7 and D

Thoughts for a Tuesday

It's Friday, folks!

fill in the blank friday - brought to you by the charming Lauren

Twenty Twelve

A year in review

___ __ ___ _____ Friday

Gone in a flash...

One more sleep...

Non-traditional routes

Are-eii-ey-dee-ey-in-jee.*

Stepping out of the boat.*

Friday: filling in the blanks

something I miss... (and what I'm going to do about it)

What I have been up to as of late...

Love letter

to give thanks

Friday: Filling in the Blanks

fill in the blank friday.

troubled thoughts

word-filled wednesday

"I've got all of this stuff twirling around in my head..."

Thrifty Tuesday

It's Friday - let's fill in the blank!

Alive

Fill in da blank Friday

Topical Thursdays

A (not-so) Wordless Wednesday

Thrifty Tuesday

a daughter. a poem.

Go crazy, folks!

Hallowe'en

Fill in the Blank Friday

Topical Thursday

Wordless Wednesday = fall and fashion envy

Thrifty Tuesdays

There are...

Fill in the Blank Friday!

Song of the day

Wordless Wednesdays

Thrifty Tuesdays

baseball {or, the only sport I actually care about}

Fill in the Blank Friday

weddings, marathons, friends; {or, things that sometimes make me cry}

Thrifty Tuesdays

Fill in the Blank Friday

Paul Simon - the musician, not the politican

Thrifty Tuesdays

a guest

a love affair

Every so often I...

my heroines

"they say if you stop looking..."

"High-fiving a million angels"

ain't no thing

_ _ ___ Friday