Well Rested

So, although I had a nice weekend, I took a mental health day yesterday. I was feeling pretty run down and couldn't really figure out why until a friend pointed out to me that it's been an emotional couple of weeks (not all bad by any means, but ranging on the spectrum, for sure). From our first event for our new project to preparing for and taking K to the airport and sending him off to London, it's been busy and happy/sad. It was really nice to take a day to rest and clear my head (and NOT feel guilty for not cleaning my kitchen...but I do kind of anyway).
All I did, really, was rest, go to the market, make pink lemonade, paint my nails and read. It was glorious.

Oh! and I got to video chat with K, which brightened up my day a lot! I'm not really a phone lover, so it is great to be able to speak "face-to-face". It makes a big difference. He was filling me in on some of the things he's been doing so far, and look at this amazing photo he took in Hyde Park:

Listening to Zee Avi.

Hello, Lover

Yay! My new laptop is here! I'm going to get acquainted with it, and let you know how it goes!

Personal Updates

So, although I still don't have a laptop, I uploaded some photos to K's computer and so am going to post some I've been meaning to.

↑ These are all from a picnic K and I had last Sunday in the park near his house. It was a gorgeous day with big, fluffy white clouds and plenty of sun. I guess I'll be doing these solo for awhile (he's leaving tomorrow; I still can't believe it).

Here's me with Annie Clark (St. Vincent) and her bassist. ↓

Merch table ↓
The St. Vincent show was amazing. The best I've heard at that venue in a long while. She kills at guitar (who knew?) and is also really lovely and friendly in person. Every man at the show was practically reduced to a puddle. One guy actually said (a little breathlessly) after meeting her, "I now have to go home and reconsider my life." I didn't fare much better though and decided right after meeting her that we should be bffs (she told me I look familiar! cool, I guess?). She was just hanging out outside and people were getting pictures with her, so I jumped on the bandwagon, even though I never do stuff like that. But I'm glad I got the photos.

And finally, here's a photo from my event I briefly mentioned on this post. These are the people with whom I have started a lit journal/arts project. I'm happy to say that our even went really, really well and that the project is really starting to take off.

Okay, enough personal stuff for one day.

Listening to Other Lives.

Enjoy Being a Girl

 

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Today I feel like being stereotypically girly. I want fluffy ruffles, feather and lace, pink pearls and rhinestones, mushy romance, macaroons, daydreams and ferris wheels, petals and fur, candy and tea, frosted cupcakes.

Though you'll rarely hear me say it, I do love being a girl.

Listening to She&Him.

Boots and Things

I just bought these today:I can't wait for them to get here.

Other things I'm eyeing today, but need to be saving my money instead:
↑ Addicted.

↑ Obsessed.

↑ Long Lost Love.

↑ Need.

↑ Inspired.

Listening to Regina Spektor.

Beach Time

↑
I know this is preposterous, but sometimes I forget I live near the beach. Although I live in a beach-centric city, I don't identify with beach culture and the usually rowdy college party crowd it attracts, and so have gravitated to the more inland, artsy communities. I feel safe there, usually far away from the apeish male posturing and giggling female subordination that is so present in beach nightlife. (Okay, sweeping generalizations, but some stereotypes are earned).

I do, however, think it's time to venture west a little. I adored the beach when I was a child and could spend all day in the ocean. I want to squish my toes in the sand and rush shoulder-deep into the ocean again and experience that bleached out, salty, sun drenched feeling that truly embodies summer. It is, afterall, rather ridiculous to live so near this without ever seeing it.
↑

Plus, beach fashion doesn't have to be all string bikinis and muscle tees:
↑
↑

Listening to Wavves.

Event Anxiety

I am cohosting an event tonight for a new project I've been a part of, and I'm hoping it goes fabulously. Although not this ↓ fabulously (it is a literary party afterall).
I have a vintage, black velveteen cocktail dress picked out that looks a little like this only shorter.I'm looking forward to wearing it.

Hopefully I will get some pictures. Wish us success, Universe.

I Want to Go to Here

I have had a lot of meetings today, and I have an event tomorrow that I am getting a little nervous about, so I'm pretty preoccupied, but I will try my best to be coherent.

I'm slow on the uptake sometimes and can't believe I didn't know Tim Walker's photography until now. I've seen it, but never inquired before I saw this today:
He creates these magic worlds you want to rush into and experience grown up wonder and limitless imaginiation. I want my summer to look like this.



Listening to Grizzly Bear.

London on the Brain

Please excuse the jitteryness of this post, I've had too many Diet Cokes today. Hm.

Last night K and I had dinner with some friends and it was really lovely. We talked a lot about Europe (they're going for a year!) and it made me realize how much I'm going to miss my boy while he's gone (he's leaving for London next Friday, sadness). I mean, look how cute he is, how could you not miss him?
It's fun being silly sometimes. Our friend took this photo.

But, I am wondering why I'm being so gushy? Normally I don't talk about him this way...although I love him dearly, I'm just not an overly affectionate person...I think I'm really going to miss him :(

But I just confirmed for sure that I'm going in July. There's nothing stopping me now, and I am getting really really excited.

Here's a little list of things I've begun to think about for when I get to London:
(1) I will not make the same mistake I made last time and ask where the "restrooms" are. I got the most condescending laugh-stifling smirk when I made this mistake.↑

(2) I WILL find some Bansky street art.

(3) I will allow myself to get a little touristy. Especially if it means I get to ride on this:↑

(4) I will drink copious amounts of tea (although I sort of do this anyway). ↑

More to come, but I'm out of time today. ♥

Listening to The Gossip.

I Have a lot to Say on Monday.

This weekend did in fact lead to a lot of indoor time (it's still grey out today and it doesn't look as though it's going to ease up). But I still managed to squeeze in a late night party at a friend's that ended in us lying on her lawn in the backyard giggling at the stars, a nice morning reading in the coffee shop near my house, a beautiful St. Vincent show (at which I met her! and got a picture! I'll post when I upload it), a great dinner with friends at a wonderful restaurant, a bit of a dance party, a bonfire in my backyard and a trip to two of my favorite bookstores to buy a lot of books.

I also finished two books and it felt really nice to have allowed myself some serious reading time. Now if I could only do that for writing. I think this weather is bringing out the desire to read and write and contemplate. Something I did a lot more of when I lived in Oregon, so maybe there really is something to that idea. It feels nice, but also a little overwhelming as in "wait, I don't have time for all this!" For instance, tonight I secretly want to lock myself up in my apartment and finish the book I'm reading, but I know I will actually feel much better if I keep my dinner plans with the boy at friends' house.

This is a very wordy post. Again, I blame this: ↑

One of the books I picked up was a biography I've been meaning to read for ages, randomly thought of it while I was out, and managed to find at the used bookstore (which has a wide range of books, but selection is a little spotty) for $9!
I'm really eager to get started. These women seem utterly fascinating.

Being the biography nerd that I am, I also picked up William J. Mann's "Kate," and it looks as though it will be a wonderful book. I tend to forget how much I admire Katherine Hepburn until I am reminded of the first time I saw "The Philadelphia Story" and how my jaw dropped at her first utterances. She really was such a fantastic actor. This is from one of my favorite scenes:

Oh my, I really must stop myself. I can't seem to shut up today. I have about 12 more things to say as well, but I'll leave it for later.

Listening to Margot & the Nuclear So and So's.