i am...

... such a sucker for tattoos.

They are painful to get and a will look stupid when you're old and wrinkly and I'll never get one.

Nevertheless, I am a sucker for them.




image found via here

west chester / camera play

tiny things

Today I almost swallowed a bug. How it ended up in my coffee therefore ending up in my mouth, I have no idea.

It was not a little bug. Freakout ensued.

I found myself saying to my office buddy, "Ya know, I used to have a pretty easy life. Not sure what happened." Now I realize that a near brush with eating a bug does not mean I have a hard life. Not even close. But as I was trying to get over the feel of bug in my mouth, the words slipped out. And in many ways - a whole heckuva lot of ways -  this year has been much tougher than my years in the past. Life goes in cycles. Some years are easy. Everything goes your way, the bills are easy to pay, happiness isn't hard to come by, and your relationships are in balance. Other years, well... not so much.

Tiny things are what keep me going. The excited anticipation of seeing husband after time apart. Realizing I've made new friends. Appreciating that I will never get another opportunity to be in my parents' lives the way I am now. Feeling like I have risen to the challenge of this year (and kicked its butt).

Tiny things are what I am grateful for. Because when life is going grand, they are often ignored. And it turns out that these tiny things are really some of the most important things.



The place where you are right now, God circled on a map for you.  - Hafiz

good things, bad things

Good things
Free train rides
Fruit Mentos
A job that does not turn my brain to mush
Good hair days
Wine tastings
Unexpected days off from work
A new book
A great-fitting bra
An article of clothing that receives compliments
Doggie friends
Pictures of Asian babies

Bad things
Job searching
Apartment hunting
(I hate both of these)

fragments of thoughts right now

Apartment searching is the pits (but we like Roxborough).

I'm afraid husband will be forced to go all Dangerous Minds on us.

The comfort and joy of family who isn't really family.

I like to tell myself that my lack of tan will result in youthful looking skin (but my legs are the color of Elmer's glue).

Lucky to have parents that like to celebrate with wine.

hello, lover

image via sundance

a new friend

My name is Champ. I am Julia's buddy for the next couple days (this makes her very happy). I like to lick your hands. And stick my butt in your lap. I do not like the sound of the train. Or having a camera pointed at my face (but Julia snapped this one real quick).

good read

Writer Cheryl Strayed has a way with words. I first came across Cheryl's words in her Dear Sugar column on The Rumpus. She gives advice about everything under the sun, but mostly the hard and gritty stuff. The stuff that causes hollow feelings inthe chest and aches in the heart. To be honest, I  had never put much stock in advicecolumns (the image of Dear Abby always comes to mind). But Cheryl's words of advice are different. They are beautiful, touching, comforting words. I read one entry in particular that caused tears to course like a river down my face.

I just finished Cheryl's memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. This lady has been through some tough stuff, that's for sure. Pick this book up. You won't regret it.

And thanks to this book I now have the desire to go on a wilderness hike.

war horse

Have you seen War Horse yet? If not, do yourself a favor and rent it this weekend. It had been so long since I had seen a Spielberg film that, quite honestly, I had forgotten what a genius he is. I had forgotten the magic that he brings to his films. There was one shot in particular that caused me to just let out a breath of appreciation as I was watching. The shots he gets, the angles he uses, and the perfect symmetry. I love Spielberg films because I always feels like I am watching them with wide eyes.

You don't have to be a horse lover to enjoy War Horse. If you are a horse lover and perhaps overly emotional and get way too invested in movies like yours truly, well, then prepare yourself. Husband looked at me straight in the face at one point and said quite frankly, "You NEED to get a grip and get yourself together. It is just a movie." I realize that I have borderline irrational reactions to movies (and books too) but don't say I didn't warn you...

monuments at night

One of my favorite parts of D.C. and one of the things I will miss the most.

swoon

No words needed. Just something awesome to look at.

road block

Some weeks my brain just doesn't want to cooperate. I keep trying to write blog posts, but it ain't happening. I think and I think and I think and there's nothing there. Nothing worth sharing anyways. Do you really want to hear about how I consider two good hair days in a week a miracle? Which is all that is coming to me right now. Although, c'mon, two good hair days. What's next? The Virgin Mary coming down to pay me a visit? Or perhaps husband's suggestion of writing about how awesome he is? "Because no one will ever get sick of that," he says.

Nothing comes. Until I lay in bed at night. As I lay drifting into sleep the words and the thoughts come. And you know what? They're good ones. It happens a lot lately. It is really starting to tick. me. off. Because I never manage to climb out of bed and write these things down. Sleep always wins.

So I suppose I am going to start keeping a notebook by my bed. Unless you guys want to hear about what I had for lunch today. No? Didn't think so.

fragments of thoughts right now

Oh the sweet relief of a giant weight off our shoulders.

Husband says that he will treat me by taking me out to a nice dinner. Really, I just want a new pair of shoes.

Might actually have to finish writing that book I started.

For some unknown reason, inner city public school choirs' singing makes me weepy.

We rattle this town, we rattle this scene. Oh, Anna Sun.

mollie

Nothing better than the addition of a fresh baby to the family.