Sunday night

This week I:

1. got very very angry at horror movies and the people who make them. I despise those types of movies. Glorifying human suffering seems evil to me.

2. want to buy a baby duckling off of craigslist and buy a little pool for him/her. I could name a girl duckling Jemima Puddleduck from the Beatrix Potter's stories!


3. want to pick up the bee hive someone is trying to get rid of on craigslist, but I don't think I can raise bees myself without an expensive bee-keeping suit. How awesome would that be to get your own honey out of the back yard?

4. tried to read "Great Expectations" and couldn't muddle through it. I like the story itself but not Dicken's style. I think I give up on Dickens. I've tried to read a couple of other books and they just aren't for me. I do, however, like this book I picked up in Goodwill a week ago: "The Official Preppy Handbook." It's got all kinds of amusing chapters like " Breaking the Rules: The Importance of Getting Kicked Out," and "The Ski Vacation." Here are some of the preferred hobbies for being a preppy: bird watching, boating, COLLECTING (anything expensive), furniture restoring, and shopping. I do remember fondly my penny loafers from 5th grade, and I like polo shirts, but I think I have a lot of work towards becoming a bona-fide prepster.

5. went to see "The Secret of Kells" (which was beautifully drawn!) at the Modern Art Museum and when I walked out, lo and behold there was a French food truck from CA making a stop and being filmed for the Food Network. So I sampled some escargot in a puff pastry. It was delicious! So now I want to go snail hunting and cook my own! Here's an article about just that. And another one from Mother Earth News that even has a bit about making your own earthworm patties. I think I'm ok sticking to hamburgers.


6. decided I want to visit Marfa, TX. It's 7.5 hours away from Ft. Worth though. I need to recruit some friends to go with me!

7. got angry with people I know for various reasons. How do you get over being angry? Maybe just try to forgive and forget and distract yourself?

8. read John Kelso's (of the Austin American Statesman) book "Texas Curiosities" and got some ideas for places I want to see this summer. The book was pretty entertaining and funny. So I wrote him a fan email and he responded! I felt special. :) Here a link to some of his articles.

9. am thinking of and praying for a family I went to church with in Round Rock when I was in high school. The youngest son, just 20, was driving through east Texas a few days ago and somehow ran off the road and into a tree and was killed. My heart hurts for Ethan's parents and 2 brothers.

Oh Happy Day!

I went to a huge job fair today...maybe something will come of it! Afterwards I drove to the Goodwill in Irving to treat myself, and I bought some fun stuff but I can't show you yet. Be patient my little chickens! I also visited the antique mall that is unfortunately located practically in my neighborhood. I have found many things I want like an old typewriter:


a beautiful snakeskin clutch that looks kind of like this one:


and a Mexican tooled leather travel bag kind of like this one:


I have thought about whether it's ok for me to like snakeskin and leather, and I have determined that if the item is vintage I feel much less guilty...am I a bad person? :(

My brother loaned me the book "How Not to Write a Novel" by Mittelmark and Newman. They write little scenes that they say exemplify the mistakes that bad writers make. One is using big words that they themselves don't really understand. The book can help with this problem! "A Test: Do I Know This Word? Ask yourself: 'Do I know this word?' If the answer is no, then you do not know it." Snarky little comments are sprinkled throughout which made this an informative and a funny read.

I had a nice chat with my roommate the other day about serial killers and depression (fun happy times!) and we wound up agreeing that Philippians 4:8 has it right: "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." I am intrigued by people and what motivates them, especially when they do crazy, evil, or just dumb things. That is why I sometimes find myself glued to the tv for a couple of hours watching the Kardashians, the Jersey Shore shenanigans, or true crime stories (BTK Killer). It's fascinating stuff, but it totally brings me down, or scares me and really, there's no reason to pour that stuff into my head. Although I will let myself watch Law and Order every now and then!

I discovered the joys of Flickr recently and I anticipate spending many an hour discovering beautiful photos like this one from Rui Palha


And in the spirit of keeping things random, here's an article about me, actually. Ha!

May God be with you friends!

Looking forward

I don't feel good so I'm watching Harry Potter and eating cosmic brownies to cheer myself up. I'm down about how hard it is to connect to people sometimes-it seems like everyone is so busy, or that people come in and out of my life without much staying power. It seems easier to retreat to world of books and music and movies and acquiring things and my own self promotion. But what is easiest is not always what is best and healthiest. And as I've gotten to know myself better I've realized that some people just don't need as much togetherness to feel close and connected as I do, and that I shouldn't be angry with them or think they don't care about me. That is what has happened in the past, and I'm tired of the same old song and dance.

On a lighter note, I'm excited about a creative endeavor I'm trying out this Tuesday. If anything good comes of it I'll post about it.I also enjoyed browsing around the mall today-I almost bought some glittery shoes at Forever 21 and thought better of it.

The older I get the more I realize that in some ways I'm still very much like the kid I used to be. I still love reading and biking and cats and trees, dress up, singing and weird little crafts (I used to make hair bows and Sculpey jewelry). I'm still kind of shy and too sensitive and I love swingsets and bubble baths. But it's also nice to know that I've changed for the better in many ways. I feel better about myself the older I get, and more hopeful about the future. I've even stopped worrying so much about being single. I'd rather be single than with someone who doesn't "get" me or who I don't really respect or enjoy. I moved from my hometown at 16 and was terrified, but now I'm happy we moved. I went to a college where I didn't feel I fit in, but I learned a lot about myself and other people (I learned the hard way about a lot of things) and made some meaningful friendships. I find myself at 27 still yet to have a "career" or significant other, but I'm getting closer and closer to being the person I want to be and I find that I'm less anxious and cynical at 27 than I was at 17. I like to think that my best years are ahead of me.

And on a totally different note-here are some things that I've enjoyed looking at recently:

Colorado Bend State Park- I want to go!


kayaking on Town Lake-good memories


I think these shoes are fantastic!


I heard the song "Our House" a long time ago and just recently learned that Graham Nash wrote it for Joni Mitchell when they lived in Laurel Canyon. I really like this book...

I love my new banner

I have to say thanks to Moorea Seal at the Rumination Reading Room for making me an AWESOME banner!!! You should have her make you one too! Or just check out her blog for fun, creative ideas.

Random fun things

Here are some things I've been enjoying lately:

I love the song "Jolene," both Dolly Parton and Jack White's cover

Horsefeathers is music to be excited about...

I think I have a thing for Kristen Stewart...or maybe it's just this aesthetic. Can't wait to see "The Runaways."

Here are some things I've been admiring that I would buy if I had extra money lying around:
These shoes...


...and a top hat

Things I've enjoyed recently:


I love these chairs...so Alice and Wonderland!


Jeff Bridges makes me laugh, from the Big Lebowski to the hippie man in "The Men Who Stare At Goats." I hope that my husband someday is this kind of crazy hippie.

This woman's art is so intriguing!

Listening to podcasts of NPR's "All Songs Considered" makes me laugh and introduces me to great new music.


I've been reading this book this week and I want to take to heart the idea that I can let go of people who don't make me feel good about myself. To quote the author Gail Blanke: "I'm going to throw out thinking that if somebody doesn't like me, it's my fault. I'm going to let go of thinking that I have to please everyone all the time-or else I'm not good enough..."



I took an impromptu walk in my neighborhood in flip-flops and wound up getting caught in the rain. I walked home barefoot and got soaked but it was really relaxing. All my accumulated frustration from that evening seemed to drip away. I miss playing in the rain when I was a kid. After a good rain was the best time to dig for earthworms under the moss in the backyard or go down to the ditch and play in the water-moccasin infested water!

I should be in bed, but I've spent the last 2 hours on the internet...and yes, half that time was spent looking at funny/cute youtube videos of cats and babies like this one. and this one.

I went to a good concert last night: Camera Obscura. Aside from all the cigarette smoke it was a good time...I liked the venue: Hailey's in Denton. I like smaller places like this...when the band walked off stage they were close enough to reach out and touch, which is cool cause how many times are you close enough to someone famous that you get to see that they are just people too, out there doing their thing. There wasn't anything really flashy about them-just easy to listen to music and a lead singer with a good voice and good fashion sense. My friend Jason and I had fun mocking people's outfits as well. All in all $10 well spent.

I've also been intrigued by "What White People Like" I don't quite know what to think about it. It's kind of funny and kind of annoying at the same time.

Lately I've been thankful for: doughnuts, living in Ft. Worth, visiting Austin-staying with one friend and having dinner with another, the library, music videos, homemade meatballs and the roommate who made them, spring weather, my dependable car, having a lawn to mow, and being able to talk to God every now and then. I have so much to be thankful for.