30 May 2009

Etsy-a-holic

I've loved Etsy ever since I first heard about it. Seriously. I lust after many things there but rarely buy, because a) I don't have money, since oh! I'm in college, and b) I am currently living in a room that is the size of my crappy kitchen from my school apartment. So, there's no room.

But I'm moving this summer. And making a lot of money, come July. So I've been ordering some things recently and then TODAY, via you are my fave, I found THIS ETSY SHOP. And I want all of them. And that will cost approximately $540, not including shipping.

Maybe I can buy one or two a year, or one a month? $20 a month isn't that bad. I can just cut back on the junk I buy. One a month would be good, I think. I would have almost all of them over the period of two years.

Anyways - get a look at these babies:





29 May 2009

Twinkle Lights

These pictures took my breath away...




one love photo, via snippet & ink

27 May 2009

Bandit Bag

Saw this over at Jordan's blog. Adorable!



Old Man Crush #1: Steve Martin


I've been obsessed with Steve Martin since...forever, maybe? My parents were big fans of the early SNL episodes where he hosted tons and tons of times.

I suppose my earliest Steve Martin memory was Parenthood. Parenthood is one of those movies that when I first watched it (in fourth grade...seriously) I didn't understand most of it. However, with more viewings as I had gotten older, all the jokes make sense and it's as hilarious as ever. I lost my retainer when I was in fourth grade (I put it on a napkin at Ted Drewes and it got thrown away. We went back, dug through the trash, the police tried to arrest one of the men that was helping me, and...well, it was messy) and Kevin, one of Steve Martin's kids in the movie, loses his. I thought this was fabulous.

As I got older, I watched more Steve Martin movies - Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Cheaper by the Dozen (yes, it's awesome, I love it, get over it), Three Amigos!, Shopgirl...all amazing. Obviously his earlier work is...better, but even movies like Cheaper by the Dozen 1 AND 2 make me happy. Kathleen showed me Shopgirl, and lent me the book (which he wrote). Pete and I watched The Jerk this week, which he had never seen and I hadn't seen in years. It was...hysterical.

Other fascinating Steve Martin tidbits: I just read his autobiography, Born Standing Up, and it is brilliant. He knew so many people before they were famous, like Fleetwood Mac. They LIVED together for a bit, all of them hoping to hit it big some day. Steve Martin worked HARD, performing in tiny clubs for one or two people and painstakingly writing new acts and rehearsing. And he learned a lot of his magic tricks at Disneyland, when it first opened.

Favorite Steve Martin quote: [From People Magazine, in which he was listed as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World] It's very hard being one of the most beautiful people. Having this kind of beauty is actually a burden. Sometimes I go to a party and not one of the other 49 most beautiful people is there. That makes me feel very solitary and alone, because it means I am the most beautiful person in the room. If I'm going to a party where I know there will be "less-beautiful people," I try to "dress down" in order to hide my beauty. But this seems to have a counter-effect of actually making me more beautiful. I guess me and dungarees are a pretty potent combination. I try not to lord my beauty over others. This is very hard. I try not to mention that I am one of the most beautiful people, but somehow it always comes out. I will usually only bring it up when I'm asked to do a task, like open a garage door. People seem to enjoy my beauty and are genuinely happy for me, because after I mention it they always say, "How nice for you."

FAVORITE Steve Martin...anything of all time: King Tut. His face, his movements, I just laugh so hard.


And, a few more thoughts (most of these features won't be quite as long, Steve is a favorite).

1. I recently saw the majority of Father of the Bride. I cried.
2. Did you catch Mr. Martin on American Idol? The night of the finale I was at home and mom wanted to watch it...so I watched it with her (ew), BUT Steve Martin was on there! He played the banjo! And he recently released an entire banjo album!
3. Steve Martin has kind of always reminded me of my dad. I feel like they're really a lot alike, especially when dad is happy.

Movies I've Been Watching

Holy crap! I love watching movies but lately, with Pete's little project, I've been watching a lot more. Some I've been meaning to see for a long time, and others I've never heard of, and some I don't care about at all.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg has long been on my list to see - it's AMAZING.

Reasons it's amazing:
1. Super colorful
2. Takes place in France
3. Entire movie is SUNG - all the dialogue is...singing! It's weird at first but I got used to it so quickly.
4. The main characters sell umbrellas. THEY HAVE AN UMBRELLA SHOP. Hello, how awesome is that?!
5. The opening credits - look at Pete's blog. I was instantly captivated.

Heartbreaking and lovely. Please rent it, watch it illegally - just feast your eyes on it somehow.

Before Sunrise/Before Sunset

It seems that not many people are into these movies, which is sad. I remember when Before Sunset was released. I thought it looked good but never saw it, since I never saw Before Sunrise. But, oh boy. These films a treat, really. Both of them are pretty much about two people who meet randomly on a train and spend the day/afternoon walking around, talking about EVERYTHING, and they fall in love. Before Sunrise leaves the characters in a tricky position, as they want to see each other again, but since they live in different countries...can they? They make plans to meet in six months, back in Vienna. Then, nine years later, Before Sunset was created. This time the duo meets up in Paris, wanders around, talks about their infamous night nine years earlier, and, well...you should just watch it.

Grey Gardens

Another heartbreaking movie. Why are all these movies sad?? I have yet to see the original, but since I'm living at home now, I took advantage of the fancy satellite/DVR system we have and recorded the Grey Gardens made recently, with Drew Barrymore. I'm a sucker for Never Been Kissed and Ever After, but WOW - she did not disappoint in this. She stuck with her character so well, from when she was 17 up until she was in her 50s. I was very impressed, the scenery was gorgeous, and, as previously stated, the story was heartbreaking. The old version of Grey Gardens is in Pete's Netflix queue but it's been hard to track down.

Love in the Time of Cholera

I read this book awhile ago and knew there was a movie, and (taking advantage of fancy TV again) I found it on our OnDemand thing and thought, "hmmm, might as well watch it while I study for biology!" I had forgotten how sad the book is, and also...well, how sexual it was! Jeez, the movie is kind of making me blush at certain parts. Regardless, the story is still beautiful. Javier Bardem plays Florentino to perfection, which makes me happy (he's so good). The casting was also great, with Benjamin Bratt as the loving husband/doctor who can do no wrong. However, I don't know if I could read Love in the Time of Cholera again because it was soooo long and wordy and hard to get through at certain points.

What movies have you been watching lately? Looking back at all these picks as I code the post, I've realized that I currently have a type: drama, with beautiful costumes, handsome leading actors (uh, HELLO Ethan Hawke! Benjamin Bratt! The dude from Umbrellas!), gorgeous scenery (Spain, Vienna, Paris, Cherbourg) and general heartbreaking endings.

Let me know if you have any good picks!

20 May 2009

Ballerinas

Wait. This is fabulous, too...

Cool Things Around the Web

I've been feeling totally, 110% disconnected from the Internet lately - being in class all day and then meeting up with Pete and/or the family, eating dinner, watching a movie, and THEN doing homework - or, just babysitting all night - has been taking a toll on my internet social life.

So, while I SHOULD be studying for a test, I'm finally looking at fabulous blogs and loving what I am finding...

This beautiful time-elapsed video found on yellowgoat's tumblr

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party from William Castleman on Vimeo.



The LIVE on the Levee lineup! I will be attending Sonic Youth on July 17 and Guster on July 31. Come play!

I'm mentioned UP before, but it's finally coming out next Friday, the 29th! This picture, from you are my fave via dsharp, is from the Cannes Film Festival premiere. See an extended trailer here


Gabrielle's (Design Mom) painted piano! It looks amazing. I see free pianos on craigslist all the time...I'm very tempted to get one and paint it pretty.

With My By Myself!

This is old (from September) but I remembered it tonight when Pete was pointing out SNL clips from this past weekend.

Please watch these. I busted a gut (what?) laughing. SNL is so dumb sometimes but every once in a while, there is a gem of a sketch...



and the most recent one, from this past Saturday...


and, of course, the most recent Celebrity Jeopardy...with Tom Hanks playing himself.


Also, just so you know, once I get the hang of this whole biology thing (I'm not even bringing my laptop there!! Aren't you proud of me?), I will start a recurring posting theme about old man crushes. Tom Hanks is one of them. Others, you ask? Steve Martin. Robin Williams. People like that. Keep an eye out for it.

16 May 2009

Last video (for now)

Bear with it - it's worth it.



I am totally making a sign like the last one and hanging it up on Pete's fridge :)

[thanks again, swiss miss!]

Whimsy and Dreamy and Love!

I adore this video. It's kind of sad at first but the visuals are out-of-this-world.

Cisma's "Le Sens Propre" from Cisma on Vimeo.



[thanks, swiss-miss!]

15 May 2009

Megan Catherine Hartrich Ying Lennon Ramsey

Oh, you haven't been properly introduced?


This is Megan's fourth (fifth) grade picture. We were just getting to know each other! My picture from this year is goofy but Megan wins hands-down.

Megan VERY quickly became one of my favoritest, bestest friends ever. We got along perfectly - we just understood each other in such a way that fourth grade girls who are a little weirder than most GET each other...for instance. My birthday is on April 15. For history buffs (or weird people that just know stuff), that is the day the Titanic sank. The Science Center had a huge Titanic exhibit one year...Megan arranged a kidnapping with some other grade school friends, blindfolded me, had me listen to a Walkman with a specially made tape inside (it had a Beatles song on it then it stopped and was Megan talking, telling me I was being kidnapped), and then led me into the Science Center, BLINDFOLDED, into the exhibit. It was scary but AMAZING. I was so touched by her generosity and thoughtfulness and all that sappy stuff.

[and NO, that is not my midriff, I was wearing a lime-green shirt under my very fashionable Dillard's poncho]

Megan currently goes to school in Philadelphia, which is a place I've never been. She's studying film, which is something I enjoy but I don't think I could actually "do". She's really, really good at it, too. She's a hard worker (something I strive to be most of the time, and sometimes fail) and she has ALWAYS forgiven me when I've broken a date, or changed plans last minute, or something else stupid like that. She's always been one of my closest confidantes, about serious things or goofy dumb things. And that's why I love her!

Ying, I just wanted to give you a shout out. I'm sorry I left you out of my summer plans, but when you are here in June (remind me of those dates again?) we will be hanging out all the time, with the exception of my stupid stupid STUPID biology class. SO. Be it know to all that Megan Ramsey is added to my list of summer plans. I will be otherwise unavailable for those days. Also, a short trip to Philadelphia is in the works...I hope. Just got to get my work schedule worked out...


[Us, at 8th grade graduation.]

Vonnegut


I've never really had an interest in Kurt Vonnegut. My friend Sam was super sad when Kurt died. Sam has always been an integral part of my life - very influential. We've gotten each other into movies, books, music, games, etc...so I thought, "well, if Sam likes him then I might like him, too!"

Since summer has officially begun, I made a huge list of books I want to read this summer and started checking them out from the library. I currently have six thick, brand-new-to-me books sitting on the coffee table in front of me. Words cannot describe how excited I am to dive into them. Books make me feel like nothing else does - I love reading them, especially if they're new...but that's a blog post for another time (I WILL come back to this, promise).

I finished the first book that came into the library, A Man Without a Country, in an hour yesterday. While I was work. The way the library request system works in the St. Louis Public Library is that you request a bunch of books (online, in my case), and they slowly trickle in, to the location where you will pick them up. There is usually no telling which books will arrive first. I wish, in this case, it would have been a different Vonnegut book, as this was the last book that he had ever written - but at the same time, I think it was a fantastic introduction to the writer.

Vonnegut is brilliant, in my mind, and I've only read 127 pages of his work. Cat's Cradle is sitting here, along with some Herb Caen books and (don't shoot me) part of the Shopaholic series. Slaughterhouse-Five should be in within the next few days and Breakfast of Champions will be soon behind. I am SO excited to get into Vonnegut land.

A Man Without a Country inspired me to begin a QUOTES book. A couple of years ago, in September, I was at Target and I saw a whole stack of Composition notebooks (my notebook of choice) on sale for like 50 cents each. I grabbed ten of them and have slowly been writing through each. I got a new one out today, labeled it QUOTES and decided to write quotes from books, movies, websites, really anything that inspires me. Vonnegut was the first one inside. What a lucky duck!

One of my favorites from A Man Without a Country:

"Here's the news: I'm going to sue the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company, manufacturers of Pall Mall cigarettes, for a billion bucks! Starting when I was only 12 years old, I have never chain-smoked anything besides unfiltered Pall Malls. And for many years now, right on the package, Brown & Williamson have promised to kill me.

But I am now eighty-two. Thanks a lot, you dirty rats. The last thing I ever wanted was to be alive when the three most powerful people on the whole planet would be named Bush, Dick, and Colon."

Glorious.



[image 1; image 2]

Haircut!

Well. I got a haircut today...check it out!

The reason it's taken with a MAC (so easy to tell, isn't it?) is because my camera is buried in boxes. I have no idea where it is, actually. It was one of the last things to get packed up so it's probably easier to access than most of my things, but still...

Pete let me use his computer to show the whole wide WORLD how my new hair 'do looks...then he snuck up behind me and created kind of a cute picture. And my hair looked a lot cuter this morning, right after Cheryl had finished cutting it. And then I get caught in a bit of rain and, well, it did it's own thing. Which how it usually is.



I went to a new place (new to me) in Soulard called Salon C. It was awesome! The inside is great - very bright and colorful, with bright paint colors - and all the people that worked there were super nice. If you live in St. Louis and want a new haircuttery, I would highly recommend it.

They currently have no website, but their location is:
2100 S. 9th Street
St. Louis, MO 63104
phone = 314.773.5500

14 May 2009

Puma Shoes

I know you care so much, but these are the new shoes I got. They are as light as air! I love them!

City Living

****

Since Pete and I decided we're going to San Francisco, I had to look back in the archives of Jordan's blog to look specifically for things she enjoys in San Francisco. As I've read blogs of people over the last two years, I've bookmarked things I thought were important - crafting ideas, recipes, inspirational images, etc - but I hadn't every paid attention to the San Francisco things. So, I spent some time over the last week or so going through all of her entries.

I found this, which is an excerpt from a column a man named Herb Caen wrote in the 1960s:

"THE CITY, old, familiar, mellow; you feel you know every inch of it; like a face you see every day. As you drive home along Grant Ave. on The Hill, you see the young newlyweds who just moved into the apartment next door, painting the walls in their uncurtained living room, and you feel a twinge of envy. They have a lifetime before them -- a lifetime to fall in love with the wonderful town you've known so long, so long."

Jordan said it made her tear up. It made me tear up, too - this AND Jurassic Bark? I need to stop crying.

**** Driving through North City a few years ago.

Jurassic Bark

I'm a big fan of Futurama, but there's one episode I refuse to watch: Jurassic Bark.

Fry, the main character, finds the fossil of his old dog, from 1,000 years ago. They try to bring him back to life but it doesn't work. The Professor figures out that Seymour died twelve years after Fry left - and he waited for him the whole time.

Watch this. Turn the volume on. And cry. And understand why I cannot watch this episode. However, it's on Comedy Central right now and I haven't turned it off yet, so we'll see what happens.

***I know this is sort of a crappy way to view something - recorded with a video camera, while a baby is crying in the background - but it was the only thing I could find.

13 May 2009

Haircut.

I don't know what to dooooooo.

Part of me wants to go short short, like this (can't copy and paste, but look at the link!)

or this (Shirley Maclaine in The Apartment)


or this, which was from last summer, and a haircut that I loved:


Also, I wouldn't mind having my hair EXACTLY like Audrey Tautou's, in the second part, in the new Chanel movie trailer commercial thing...check it out below.


I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. Someone help me. I'm so not a hair girl.


Also, is it so wrong that I'm still coveting this redhead?

Ze Daily Cinema

Go there, now. And I'm not just saying that because it's my boyfriend that is writing it. I mean, look how cute he is!



Anyways. Pete decided that he wanted to commit himself to watching a movie a day (preferably one he has never seen) over the summer when he's not teaching. I think this is a valiant task. Mostly because I'm the type of person who always says, "Oh, yeah, I want to see that!" and it never happens. There are so many movies on his (our?) queue (oh yes, he started a Netflix account) and he's only had it for two days. I am SO excited about the prospects of watching so many movies...and something tells me that this won't end when the summer is over. Maybe it won't be every DAY, but it will be often. I hope he keeps it up!

Anyways - follow our progress here. So far, we've watched Citizen Kane (I had seen it, but Pete had not), and Say Anything (neither of us had seen it). Next up: The Wrath of Khan (some Star Trek movie), Before Sunrise, and Frost/Nixon. Exciting!

SUMMER. Part II

*****

Things I Will Do This Summer:

+ get through the rest of that "restaurants-to-visit" list, some of which are:

Okay, okay...apparently that list was lost when my computer got a virus. No big.

Actually, that really makes me angry. I had a LONG list of places to go. I even typed up a handwritten list of places that I had tacked onto the side of my desk, thinking, "well it's less clutter if it's on my computer!" Ugh. Technology is SO frustrating sometimes!

Well. anyways. there are lots of restaurants I want to go to that I have yet to try. That'll be another blog post, after I look them all up...AGAIN.

+ Play tennis. If any St. Louisians know of a great place to play, let me know! I'm thinking Tower Grove Park is my best bet (it's close and I know for a fact you don't have to rent it out or pay) but any other information would be greatly appreciated.
+ See Shakespeare in the Park. Missed this last summer; never got my act together. I WILL go this summer, though. My friend (and old roommate...tear) is working on it so that's cool.
+ Take lots of bike rides. Pete and I were pretty good about this last summer, but I want to take more this summer. Get my bod into shape, you know.
+ Go to a Live on the Levee show? There's a question mark there because they have yet to release the line-up. I'm kind of picky with music and I don't want to fight a crowd of hoosiers if I don't even care for the music.
+ Picnics. I haven't been on a REAL picnic in ages. This needs to be remedied.
+ Spend two weeks in Chicago (yay! I have plans for this trip. It's going to be amazing!)
+ Go to Twilight Tuesdays outside the History Museum. (The MoTown Revue sounds promising...)
+ Watch a movie a day with Pete (this gets a whole post later)
+ See all of these movies (some of these extend past the summer, but you get the idea)
+ Start a bi-weekly/monthly crafting night with some of my lady friends (Rosemary? Laura?)
+ MOVE INTO A NEW APARTMENT!!!!!!!!! Which basically means re-packing all of the things I have just unpacked.)
+ Have a standing weekly date with Elena.
+ Read at least two books a week
+ Learn how to can tomatoes (and other vegetables but specifically tomatoes)
+ Paint stuff (bookshelves and a...thing that Pete's grandma gave him. A cart, I guess? I don't know how to describe it.)
+ Take some kids to the Magic House (Bridgett, I would LOVE to take your girls there one summer day if you want some time off!)
+ Go to Pitchfork 2009!!!
+ Drag the Gocco out and try again (sheepishly)
+ Work on a ton of crafts
+ Have an Arrested Development themed party for a housewarming (apartment warming?) get together
+ Thursdays at MOBOT.
+ Go down to Camp for their 50th anniversary. SO excited to play bows and arrows again.
+ Go camping. I don't know when, where, or with whom - but I'm going. And I'll probably complain at night because I'm wuss but it'll be good.
+ Start yoga. I've wanted to do this for a long time. I REALLY want it to happen this year.

Aaaaand...that's not it but those are some of the things I hope to accomplish.

I'm SURE you thoroughly enjoyed it. AND, if you want to join in and do some of this fun stuff with me, let me know!

***** This picture is from a couple of summers ago in Hilton Head. I love it there. I miss it. I wish I was going back this summer. But I'm not. The picture is of my friend, Katherine.

SUMMER.

It's here! Hooray!

Classes are finished, I can sleep until 11 AM and life is good. Today, my first official day of summer, was fabulous. I woke up around 11, bummed around the house and ate cereal and fruit until 1:30ish, then went into work. My mom made a hair appointment for me for Friday (I have NO idea what will be done, but I needs a cut). I got my new shoes in the mail, along with my fabby personalized pencils. I requested six books on the St. Louis Public Library website (the two Shopaholic books I haven't read, and some Vonnegut - I've NEVER read anything by him! What kind of excuse am I for an English major?!). I found out I have a summer job, come July 6 (once school is over and we're back from Chicago), so yay! Money!

Generally things were great today...except for the allergies. Oh, the allergies. I can NOT stop sneezing. I used half a roll of toilet paper at work. It's sitting here right next to me, patiently awaiting my next sneeze attack.

And a big, huge summer storm is coming. I love summer storms. As long as they don't turn into tornadoes, because then I get scared.

ANYWAYS. So. Not a bad day, despite being sick...

09 May 2009

Things I Just Bought

Sigh.

This New York City in a Bag - I was looking at the Superman statuette that Pete has in his apartment and I realized that this set would be PERFECT to go right under it. And then I was like, "well...if it's perfect..."

A set of personalized assorted yellow pencils. All different shades of yellow. All with the quote "adventure is just one mistake away" in hot pink. I feel like yellow and pink is one of the girliest color combinations ever and I am so excited to have a dozen of those delicious summery-colored pencils...


I feel these purchases are justifiable for a few reasons:

1. I was earlier preaching to Pete and Steve that since I am a college student, and I do have a dependable income (NOT my parents, although they help - thanks mom and dad!) and I DO have a savings account that no, is not full, but there's some money in there - I can buy stuff, right? I mean, I know very few college students that have savings accounts. Pete JUST got one of his own - about two months ago. I can budget and be scary about money my whole life, I should be getting good stuff now.

2. It's the end of the year and I've worked HARD and hell, I deserve a couple of cutesy things!

3. They were so pretty online...

In other news, I've heard of overstock (who hasn't?!) but it just dawned on me that there are probably kitchen things there. And there are. And even though it's 2:30 in the morning and I'm exhausted and Pete will be calling me to drag my butt out of bed in less than eight hours to go see the Star Trek movie, I feel the need to get through EVERYTHING in that category and imagine how amazingly well-stocked my future house will be...you know, when I'm budgeting and stuff.


UPDATE: Hmmmm. I just realized that most "normal" pencils are a yellow color...oh well. THEY WILL STILL BE RAD.

07 May 2009

Goin' to California...

Yes. Seriously. No, it's not Paris...I realized that there were too many restraints to allow myself to go to Europe over Christmas. I wouldn't be able to leave the Midwest until December 28, and then I'd have to be back by January 8 or 9 (to start student teaching...hfdkajsfkdfjfas!). And I would want to allow myself three weeks, at LEAST - rent an apartment, explore all the pretty buildings and places....anyways.

So, Pete and I were talking, and we're going to go to California instead! It's going to be awesome. I haven't been to CA for like four years...and I am SO excited to go back!

I used HomeAway to find some nice rental homes...but I think we could find hotels a bit cheaper? The plan (currently) is to stay to drive into LA, stay there for three nights, and then drive up the 101 to San Francisco, stay there for four days, and explore Muir Woods before we come back home. Sooo...

if ANYONE has ANY recommendations about hotels to stay in, restaurants to eat at, campsites to sleep at (I haven't been camping in a long time, either), museums to visit...I would LOVE your input. I loved when I was there in high school, but unfortunately I don't have my parents' budget...

Again- any input would make me SUPER DUPER happy! You guys are the best!



[redwoods! so excited! from here]

Wear Sunscreen.



I heard this song for the first time on the NOW 2 CD. The NOW 2 CD was the first one that I ever bought with my own money - classy.

Even when I was younger (read: 11 years old), I found this song fascinating. I loved the message it sent. I loved all the different pieces of advice. And when I graduated from 8th grade, I remembered it and listened to it a lot. For high school graduation, I typed the lyrics up in a nice font and printed out 94 copies - one for each girl in my graduating class. During a free mod (R-K had a weird schedule but it was awesome) I went down to the senior hallway and attempted to tape a copy to each girls' locker. I was thwarted by the principal, though - and unfortunately had to stop.

I was driving along today and heard this song on 106.5. It's never meant more to me than it did today. Take a gander at the lyrics below and see what I mean. Mary Schmich wrote it originally as a column and it was published in the Chicago Tribune in 1997. She described it as, "a commencement speech, if I ever could give one". Baz Luhrmann found the lyrics, turned it into a song, and it was widespread quickly. Eventually, the University of Zagreb started playing it at every graduation ceremony. And I would LOVE if someone just read this at my graduation ceremony...



"Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own..

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen…"


c/o '06!!!!!

05 May 2009

Busy Bee!

It's finals week. Things are kind of busy. Tonight is my Shakespeare exam. Quote identification + essays. It's going to be HARD.

So. Summer is a WEEK away. In exactly one week, I'll be two hours away from taking my last exam. I am SO excited about summer, except...a week after I finish my last exam at SLU, it's on to Forest Park Community College for American History and biology. Biology = three week accelerated course, in class every day from 11 - 3:45 (with a 20 minute break for lunch). Yeah, that's going to be rough, too. I hope I have a good lab partner. I haven't taken a science class since high school. Ugh. Science is SO not my thing.



However, if all science books were like this one, up there, by Charley Harper? Things would be a lot better.

[photo]