Monday, December 28, 2009

Sideways

This whole day has been extremely peaceful. I haven't done a lot particularly...I've had two cups of steaming peach tea, eaten leftover tiramisu and two of the absolutely delicious cookies from Lineth's mom (which, before I forget, you're going to have to make at least once a month when we share our apartment, Linut), listened to the same couple of songs on repeat, read a bit of Ethan Frome, napped on and off, used some warm vanilla sugar body wash, wrote out a couple of story ideas, and tested out my new binoculars. So, not exactly productive but extraordinarily blissful in its packed-with-those-small-pleasures way.
I had Selected American Authors--probably my favorite class this semester--on Wednesday (the half day before break) and, if you can you believe it, no one wanted to work! So alternatively, we ate baked goods--my mom's peanut butter cookies and my friend Allie's oatmeal--and had a photo shoot. I had brought my camera to class to snap a quick group picture at the end, but as I looked around the dim room--the only light coming from the windows and one small lamp--I remembered my long ago craving to have a projector made silhouette photo shoot. So, I grabbed the projector from the corner of the room and walked around the classroom, scouting for profiles. Almost everyone got involved (have I mentioned how much I love my class?) and the half hour class went by way, way too quickly. I had my friend Sarah trace the outline of one of my scouted model's profile, used my left fingers to cover the projector which made it cast that rainbow light about the board, had my friend with excellent penmanship, Allesandra, write Thoreau's words "There is no remedy for love but to love more” on the board, and then started to shoot.

I don't think I've really thought about the quotation until right now. I think the words just had merely sounded nice...but now I'm starting to realize what he means, or at least what his words mean to me. I feel like everyone must come to a realization at some point about the painful side of love. Maybe it's a voice that says, hey, hey wait a minute--what's the point of loving anything when inevitably you're going to get hurt? Think of grandparents, parents, pets, friends, siblings, anyone--anything! Which c'mon, how depressing.

So then, what is the cure to this aching, to this feeling? Maybe Thoreau is saying it's simply to wrap yourself in it more...to remember all those beautifully positive things about love. To remember the smiling, the pounding heart, the thrill that any kind of love can bring and think less about the sad part of it all, the part which does not exist initially and only comes when the brain forces itself to make conclusions. Romain Rolland said that "One makes mistakes; that is life. But it is never a mistake to have loved." I think I'm going to try to remember that.
Whew. Sorry, didn't mean to go into that little tangent! I guess I've just had a lot of different things on my mind lately.
After this tribute to Thoreau, I recruited anyone who wanted to to grab all different colored markers and just put chaos on the board: nonsensical designs, little words, doodles, everything. Of course, they rose to the occasion.
Then I asked my returning model Maddie (borrowing my Christmas sweater this time) and Kayla (who had her own excellent sweater on) to mirror each other.

I really hope there are more classroom photo shoots in the future, because it was a blast. I could have done it for a couple of hours more...although considering it was the period before the start of our freedom for a week and a half, I don't know how many willing models I would have still had left...

I might go see The Princess and the Frog tonight with a friend from work. If I don't end up doing that though, I think I'll stay in with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind--which I have only heard excellent things about--and another pot of tea. Side note, did anyone enjoy 50 degree weather yesterday? It felt like spring, which albeit is heavenly, I don’t quite feel like I’m ready for. Hopefully a snow storm coming in around New Year’s will extend our winter break…but if not, I suppose I could deal with a couple more of these gorgeously sunny days…that is, as long as the snow doesn’t go away for good this season!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Putting Up Reindeer; Singing Songs Of Joy & Peace

I've been listening to River (Joni Mitchell) again and again and again. It kind of gives me that feeling of being alone but not at all lonely...plus it reminds me of Emma Thompson in Love Actually--and really any association to Love Actually is always a good thing.
I took a sequence of strumming a G chord on the guitar for a project in human bio. The final result was entitled 'Striking the Right Chord: The Muscles Behind Playing Guitar.' I'll give you a minute to digest that cleverness there.
Forever 21 leotard, mom's boots, vintage (Finnish?/Swedish?/Hungarian?) embroidered vest, Kohl's skirt
Anywho, on my old blog, I used to do a 'Week in Pictures' update, so here is a glimpse into what's been going on in the past few weeks...
Friday, December 11th
My first encounter with latkes! Annie's mom makes the best I've ever had. (:
We watched Jeopardy during dinner, and although I felt slightly incompetent next to Annie AND her pro family's selves...it was so much fun. And of course I got the Harry Potter related question right! (House elves was one of the answers, can you believe it?)
After we headed out to a coffeeshop fundraiser to see our friends play.
Annie made a guest appearance on stage with our friends' band to sing an acoustic version of Lady Gaga's Papparazi. It was fabulous.
Jess tried to resist photos at first...but just look at how pretty she looks! She couldn't hide for long.
The current members (Chris, Austin, Matt) of Heatherbird together...albeit all looking in different directions!
***
Saturday, December 19th
I went into the city with Chris and his family. Christmastime in the city is absolutely magical. Especially when it's snowing. I could have stayed for days and days.
We checked out the window display on 38th and 39th in Lord & Taylor. It gave you that feeling of just wanting to be instantly transported into another world. This girl had the most adorable coat...and was perhaps 30 times a better ice skater than I can ever hope to be. Seriously, I skate like one leg is paralyzed...my friends will testify...it's a problem.
I love taking pictures of other people's poses. If I ever get a good one I always want to send it to them but I don't ever end up asking for fear it sounds too creepy and stalkerish. Still, I love taking the photos...it's kind of like a little time capsule of these people's lives that they don't even know exist. Think about it: how many of other people's pictures do you think you're an unknowing subject in? I always wonder how many people's vacation's photos I have unwittingly (and unattractively) been a part of.
SO jealous of the little girl's hat! And it totally would have matched my Christmas sweater (have I mentioned my Christmas sweater? Well, if you'd like a little peak at it, check out Annie's recap of our day in the city.)
VACATION BEGINS AT 12:30 TOMORROW!
Adventures will include an annual holiday party with my four best friends, exchanging of presents, and duckpin bowling (in which you do NOT bowl like a duck, Lily!)
Happy Holidays to all!

Monday, December 14, 2009

A Wintry Revival

So, it is officially...(still not) winter! But it feels like it should be, doesn't it? Not exactly because of the weather or anything...just because it's December. And really, shouldn't all of December be considered "winter"...not just this from December 21st on rip-off, you know?...Okay, ramble over.
SO, you might remember Annie's post from way back when in October. Remember how it was bursting with color and leaves and all fall-like things?
Well, now, I've given the other part of our photo shoot from that day a bit of a wintry remix!
(In these photos I took of Annie from that day, she wore a vintage jacket and camisole, Forever 21 skirt, gifted tights, vintage suede and cork wedges, and earrings from Portobello Road in London)
Fall was fabulous, but I think these fit the current mood of the season a little better.
In other news, life is crazy busy this week. Between rehearsals for the underclassmen play, a human biology project on muscles, and an essay on The Scarlet Letter, I think all I'm going to have time for this week is school, homework...and er, sleep? Mmm...maybe, we'll see. However this weekend should be fabulous at least, including a chem class reunion, a trip into the city with Chris (with the distinct possibility of running into Annie and Luke) and hopefully starting to make concrete plans for the upcoming holiday break!
On me in photo above: borrowed-from-mom vest, Gap waffle top, randomly found ring
P.S Shh...don't tell, because it's not FOR SURE yet...but I might really, really start liking Lady Gaga! I believe it was a combined doing courtesy of Sarah and Annie. First of all, Annie sang Paparazzi for our friend's band the other night (AND TOTALLY ROCKED IT, I must say) and then Sarah showed me this...and I think I might be hooked. (Note Ellen at the end by the way...totally adorable!) But, human bio now includes me and Sarah trying to harmonize Bad Romance...and then getting told to sing louder by kids in our class/testing our teacher's patience? But still. Worth it.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Alas, Pilgrims!

I forgot the extent of my love/hate relationship with disposable cameras. It's exciting to wait and see what you get...but the week wait?? It can be difficult!
Anyway, this year's day before Thanksgiving tradition involved some from the old and some of the new, too.
After we got our table at a Chinese restaurant and had gobbled down our scrumptious appetizers, Bex volunteered to go with me to the CVS a block away to get the traditional disposable camera. This guy above indulged me in my back and forth “is the CVS brand or Kodak better for blah blah blah” and was really very helpful. So, after we left and were barely five feet outside from the exit, I said to Becky "You know, I really want to take a picture of him." She said I would regret it if I didn’t, which I knew I totally would so we went back. Just look at that lovely smile!
Biggest tourist spot of the town, clearly!
Our entrees came just a little bit after we returned. Of course, we had to sample each other's dishes here and there...
After lunch, we had lots of fun with shopping carts.
Lineth somehow got stuck in the middle!
Then of course it was time for portraits!
Now and then
Now and then
Now and then
Now and then
Now and then
(I think we've agreed Bex's is our favorite from this year!)
I took a shot of this year's poster in order to keep with the tradition, but then we couldn't help fooling around with the other posters, too...
Favorite photo from the entire day? I think so.
After getting our seats in the theater, we ducked out in groups to stock up on less-expensive-than-those-at-the outrageous-movie-theater treats at Stop & Shop.
Lineth and I decided on sharing gummies and a cookies & cream Hershey's bar. Yummy choices, if I do say so myself!
I gave Sarah and Lil the camera to take with them on their adventures...little did we know that we both clearly had troubles with decision making and needed to spend some time deliberating in the candy aisle.
After the movie we stopped into Starbucks...
...to use the bathrooms? Ahem, uh, Lily?
All in all, year two matched up to the first and was a blast. I'm already anticipating next year's mix of movies (R rated perhaps, as we'll all be 17!) library brick walls, and other shenanigans around the town.
Now, I must go pass out from exhaustion, (oh, and read a chapter from The Scarlet Letter whoops...) so good night (and sleep tight.)
(Oh no...there I go with those parentheses again...)