Well, Hello

I cannot tell you how nice it was not to blog for the last month. For a while it felt like such a burden to come up with something, even just a song to share, and I hated that this felt like more of a responsibility than a joy.

I hate that I even let it come to that.

This last Saturday I took my Masters comprehensive exam and it completely rocked me world. It was hard. Like really hard. Preparing for it over the last 10 weeks or so left me drained in a way that didn’t allow for more creative outlet. Hence my prolonged absence. I will find out the results of the test in a week or so but I am more than happy to have it off my mind. Yesterday (Easter!) was the first full day without schoolwork in many weeks and I was so grateful for the brain break. How was your Easter Sunday?

I want to be back here. I think. As of today I have exactly four more weeks of school and educational accomplishments to attack. There’s plenty of work to do (seminar papers, a final, the second half of Ulysses…), but it feels good to know the end is near. That said, this morning I woke up and thought, I am ready to start blogging again. I think. That was until I saw yet another gigantic monster mutant cockroach lying dead on my kitchen floor and I couldn’t stop itching for the next thirty minutes. Cucarachas aside, blogging feels good.

Can you tell I am interested in doing things that make me feel good? I guess I’m so burnt out on school and reading and writing papers that seem to have no relevance any more except for people who want to teach kids who don’t even want to learn about it. Need to know how Sir Gawain and the Green Knight proposes that the chivalric codes and ideals are no longer apropos in the fallen world of Camelot, or the 14th century for that matter? I’m your girl.

This is all to say that I anticipate being around more. See you soon,

Breezeblocks

Alt-J came on to the music scene basically out of nowhere. He’s blurring all sorts of genre boundaries and I like it. This song is currently my jam.

Smooch

Sending out a big smooch to this guy.

However you choose to celebrate (or purposefully not celebrate), a happy day to you and those you love. xo

Roasted

Adam and I have finally attended our first oyster roast! I feel like we can now call ourselves true residents. A quiet plot on Bennett’s Point was the perfect place to call home for an afternoon of shucking oysters, drinking beer and watching dogs play themselves silly.

Gratitude

This morning I went to yoga and my teacher confessed that she was on day four of a juice cleanse, the byproduct being that she was “bubbling over with gratitude.” I loved this. She was giddy and giggly (that is until we were 44 chaturangas deep) and urged us to ooze gratitude throughout our practice. Rather than battle with my brain to stay on task, I found myself constantly coming back to areas in my life for which I am immensely grateful.

This little guy above is one. Last weekend I visited my lovely friend (and LYLAS) Whitney and her beautiful little family. Kai is just over one year and might possibly be one of the coolest kids I know. He is so chill and relaxed and generally at peace. He loves to people watch and dance in circles and drink his bottle of milk. I am grateful for his tiny presence in my life.

It’s easy for me to become overwhelmed by the status of my life: finishing graduate school, taking my comprehensive exam, finding a job, moving apartments. It feels like the list never ends. That doesn’t even acknowledge the relationships with people in my life that I try to nurture and grow, let alone my attempt to just be and experience and live contentedly.

I was reminded this morning to try to live a life of gratitude, not just around the holidays, but year-round, nay, life-round.

The Big Game

The NFL gives me the sads. Not solely because of the usual complaints (although what those people make for slamming each other around also gives me the sads), but because I feel really left out of the whole thing. Hailing from Kansas City, professional sports can be rather bleak. The Chiefs? Le sigh. When, oh WHEN, will they get some kind of act together? Royals? Every once in a while they give me something to hold on to, but I’m mostly there for the hotdogs and beer.

But, I really do love watching the Super Bowl. I like going to a party and cruising the snack table in between watching hilarious commercials (hey, I’ll even be happy with the disappointing ones). The actual “playing sports” part of it is good too because these dudes can, in fact, play. This Sunday will be a little different because I’m not planning on going to a party. I’ll be coming home from a weekend in Florida visiting one of my good friends and Adam will be returning from a trip to Austin. I think there’s a significant chance I might miss the first half. That’s a lot of commercials and seven-layer dip I’m forfeiting. But, with the marvels of YouTube I think I’ll be able to catch up on some of the winners. That is sadly what I’ve been up to this morning. Business Week posted a list of the Most Viral Ads of All Time and I may have had to re-watch most of them.

This one is probably my favorite, although I really love “The Dog Strikes Back” as well. “The Force” comes in as the Most Shared ad of all time, with a walloping 56,129,476 views on the Tube.

What about you? Any favorites? Who will you be cheering for this weekend?

GO SPORTS!

New Tunes Tuesday

How beautiful is this song?

Or this gorgeous tune?

The Staves are a UK-based band I heard briefly about via For Me, For You the other day. They couldn’t be more perfect for chill afternoons at home and singing along. Enjoy.

Hey You, Get a Clue

Sighted: One twenty-something who looks like millions of other twenty-somethings, unable to put her phone down. Exercise caution when approaching as separation from said device appears to cause acute anxiety. Notice the solid wide stance, ideal for standing for long periods of time, looking up nearby restaurants, instagramming, or mad-texting.

Road Trip: Savannah, Part Deux

Adam always takes such nice pictures. I thought I would share a few more from our quick trip (we were only there for 25 hours!) to Savannah.

When we got to our hotel they told us we got a room upgrade. Not sure what that meant, but were slightly puzzled upon entering the room to find everything exactly as it was described when I booked it. Soon after settling in did we find out what the upgrade was…

^^Monster pizza at Vinnie Van Go Go’s

We just happened to find Boulevard Brewery’s Tank 7 at a random gas station in Savannah. This is amazing Kansas City beer rarely gets shipped out of the city. What it was doing in this location we will never know. But we sure were happy to pick up a few. (these photos from my iPhone)

^^beers enjoyed on Adam’s back terrace

Treasures

Adam and I snagged a couple of pieces from an Asian emporium in Savannah that was moving to a smaller store. His treasure is a Japanese screen, dating from the 1880s, with beautiful carvings and handsomely worn facade. My first beauty is a tall vase carved out of mango wood. There’s no place for it in my tiny apartment so Adam is politely playing host.

 

 

 

I also bought a sweet ceramic horse that originally hails from Thailand. I have always felt a little bummed that I didn’t buy more pieces while in Thailand, but betwixt my four pairs of shorts, six shirts, and seven pairs of undies there just wasn’t any room in the backpack. It feels a little like I’m making up for that with this gem, but it’s not quite the same as buying in the country. He’s saddled up nicely on my bookshelf though.