6.29.2010

One Day and Counting

In one day comes my first week without school or work since December.


































































































































I'm so ready.

Today I took the second midterm for my Meteorology 113 class. I think I definitely did well. Hopefully. It's one of those classes that sounded pretty manageable on a paper.

-Flashback 2 Months Ago-
Metr 113: Atmospheric Pollution,  I thought. Clouds, pollution, global warming.. how hard can it be?


Oh man, was I wrong. This class is intense.

Learned my lesson there.

I also learned a lesson in this Photo-Taking 101 this afternoon. Note to self: Never take photos facing the sun in the summertime. It makes you look like your scowling and have a serious attitude problem. That would explain today's photos.






































6.28.2010

June Presents

Wow. Today was an amazing day.


I've been in the market for a loose fitting top. Wait, let's be real - I'm constantly in the market for a loose fitting top! So yes, I did find one, but this time it was more special than usual because it was my very first thrifted item. It was definitely one of those love-at-first-sight moments.



Wow. Have I been missing out. That's it above. It this sort of brownish weird color. I love it.

I also got this pretty amazing oversized sweater. If this random northern california weather keeps up, I'm sure it will be making its debut soon - late June or not!



The boyf (!?) and I went over to my mom's new house to help her and my dad unload items that had been in our storage unit into her garage. Actually, I watched from inside while my dad and the boyf did the lifting.


I injured my bicep bouldering a few month ago, so it's not like I would have been any sort of help. By the way,  bouldering is like rock climbing, but without the ropes. It's really not as dangerous as it sounds. You're a lot lower to the ground, so you don't fall from nearly as high. I think it takes way more technical skill than rock climbing, or top roping as most climbers call it. Although, if you talk to a top roper, they'd probably proceed to tell you why they are superior to boulderers.

I digress.

Back to why this was one of the most amazing days ever.

So, besides the fact that I made my first thrifting purchase (<3), I also bought this great mid century piece from a garage sale!


Here it is. Only $25! Why would anyone want to give this away??

By the way, I'm a huge fan of mid century furniture. I love the clean, simple lines and the spindle legs that are the trademark of mid century pieces.




Apparently they own an antique store a few minutes away from my apartment. The lady's husband said they just had too much junk around and they needed to unload stuff.

Junk? Junk?!

Hardly.

To the lady's credit, she did playfully hit the husband as soon as he uttered the word "junk".


I also got this cool little antique tea pot(?).



Too cute!

6.25.2010

Air House

This week has been draining. This meteorology course I'm taking keeps threatening to kick my butt.

Oh yea, Meteorology 113? You and what army?

When I wake up for work it isn't even light out yet.  I don't even bother to turn the lights on in my room. I just sort of  stumble to the bathroom to tame my giant monster hair, and by the time I'm done, there's usually a little bit of light peeking through my windows.

I'm not a coffee drinker at all, so on my brain is still on autopilot until I get in my car and start blasting some feel-good or sad-girl music, depending on my mood. This works well enough for tasks like brushing your teeth and taming my monster hair, but picking clothes + semidarkness + autopilot usually doesn't work so well when it comes to picking out a work outfit. This one came out decent enough though - besides the tights and sweater in the late of June.

On my way home from work, I stopped by my house to grab my tripod and went on an impromptu shoot.






































There's a giant clearing on the outskirts of downtown. It's so beautiful - it's almost ridiculous.






































There are dozens of varieties of wildflowers and roses. There are mature trees that have managed to grow undisturbed. There are winding trails running parallel to the river. The grass is so wind-blown in some places that it looks like a rake was dragged across the ground in every which way.

I love it. It's one of kind in an otherwise concrete wasteland.

























































It almost feels like it's mine. Sort of like a very well-kept secret that someone decided to let me - and only me - in on.





































Though I've been here a million times before, I noticed something this afternoon that I have some how managed to overlook until now.





























I'm not sure what it is. The words "air house" come to mind. Is there such a thing? Probably not. It's likely just a greenhouse of some sort, but air house just has such a ring to it. Don't you think?

I wonder what else is in that clearing?

6.21.2010

The New New


The backyard of my mom's new old house is pretty ridiculous. Spiders and bees are unsually bountiful.






































Practically a horror zone for the world's arachnophobes and bee-scardies alike. This might be because it's been vacant for quite a while. 






































I really do hope they find a new home when she moves in, though, I can't really imagine that her living there will be any incentive for the bees to leave.

After all, they were there first.

This worries me, as I'm terrible afraid of bees and equally allergic to spider bites.

I was five the first time I was stung by a bee. I was standing atop of the playground slide during kindergarden lunchtime. The slide was located beneath this strange type of tree with red, pine needle-like blooms. There were always bees swarming about that tree. They were probably attracted to the tree's strange blooms. But like most children, I was practically fearless at the age. There was no reason to be afraid. The little yellow and black flying bugs had never done anything bad to me.

And one day, it happened. I was about to go down the slide, when I felt this sudden, burning sensation on my hand. I screamed and lunged down the slide. The tears streamed down my face on the short run towards the bench where the yard duties sat. One of them explained that I had been stung.

Stung!

No longer were those little yellow and black monsters just a neutral component of the scenery. No. They burned that bridge when one of the queen bee's minions decided to enact what must have only been some sort of sick revenge mission on a poor, defenseless little kindergardener, who's only desires in life were to eat, nap and play.

The pain felt when the teacher maneuvered the tweezers into my delicate skin to extract the bee's stinger from my palm only cemented my newfound fear and hatred towards "the bee".


Don't even get me started on my first spider bite.


























































































































I'll be spending a lot of time there since she'll only be a bike-ride's distance away. That, and I'll get free food.

6.19.2010

Bon Iver

By a show of hands, how many of you have heard of Bon Iver?




If you haven't, today is your lucky day. Thank me later.

Justin Vernon, the front man for the band, might have the most calming voice I have ever heard. His tone is distinct, wistful and full of depth.








































I usually put Bon Iver on when I'm in the mood to wallow in my sadness. When I'm in the moment, I can see his words leaving wispy tendrils in the air.


The above song, For Emma, helped me out a lot during a pretty brutal breakup. I saw the ending coming from a mile away, yet chose to ignore the signs that were telling me to leave while I still had at least an ounce of dignity left.


"With all your lies, you're still very lovable..."


Lesson learned.



6.17.2010

I Make Potions

When I was younger, I always wanted a little sister or brother to play with.




































Not so I could teach him or her things, or care for the child. I wanted one just so I'd have another human to play with on a consistent basis.

I would always have to beg my parents to play Uno or Pretty Pretty Princess with me. Sooner or later I'd always give up and just go make potions in the font yard.

Such is the plight of an only child.




































But all jokes aside, making potions was actually one of my favorite past times up until about the fifth grade. It was still actually something I did a lot after that year, but I moved into a neighborhood that actually had kids living in it, so I had to relocate that operation to the backyard, where it could be performed in secret.




































I was definitely trying to avoid being known as the potion-making weirdo who lives in the blue house.




































After all, the first time I had tried to let someone in on my secret activity didn't go so well.

Me: Want to try something really fun?
Friend: What?
Me: Okay, its really fun. I do it all the time.
Friend: What is it?
Me: Making potions?
Friend: Potions? Out of what?
Me: Berries and Lubiderm.
Friend: ....
Me: Come on! .... Please?

-five minutes later-

Friend: This is not fun at all.
Me: *sigh* never mind....

That was the gist of the conversion. Maybe it was an only child thing?

6.15.2010

I'll Shut Up Now

I thought it would be nice to bring out a pair of heels that I adore.





































They aren't the most comfortable pair I own.





































Though, the best ones never are.










































































The next month will probably be one of the business months I've had in a while. Possibly in my entire life. I will now be working two jobs. One of which does an outstanding job of paying the bills. And boy do I have a lot of them. The only downs side of this job is that it is beyond dull and each hour I sit at my desk in my windowless office,  another pint of all-that-is-good seeps out from my soul and onto the floor, never to be recovered again.

The second of which is actually pretty amazing. I'll be learning all about crazy web design and SEO stuff, which is exactly the kind of thing I wanted to get in to. Today was my first day and I must say, it seems like it's going to be a great fit!

I'll also be taking a summer course. I know, why on earth would anyone voluntarily take a summer course, and a ridiculously difficult one at that! My options were:

1. Take this four-week summer course on Atmospheric Pollution while working two jobs and suffer for one month.

2. Take 19 units my last semester of college while working two jobs and suffer for four months.

The choice was pretty clear to me.

I've worked full time while being in school full time before, so I know that it's a totally doable chore that many, including myself, are forced to do to just to make enough to get by. Damn you, dismal economy!

Here's another thing: I am extremely lucky to have both of these jobs, so I ought not complain.

I'll shut up now.

Wedding Bells

I'm not really one for watching television. I don't even have one right now. But when I do watch t.v., you can bet it's either

1. most any show on HGTV
2. Say Yes to the Dress

Say Yes to the Dress is a documentary type reality show on TLC. It takes place at the famous bridal shop, Kleinfeld, in New York. The new season just started, and oh man. Every time I watch this show, it sort of makes me want to get married.

Okay, more than sort of. In fact, I've already got it all planned out. My wedding dress will probably be similar to any one of these beauties.










































































Though the voluminous princess gowns are quite pretty, I can really only see myself in the slimmer, more form fitting styles.

















































































































These gowns are all by Lazaro. He may or may not be my favorite wedding dress designer of all time. His designs are on simpler side, and this allows him to capture the innocence of a classical bride perfectly. Even with this purity, his dresses still ooze a subtle sexiness that is sure to leave guests speechless with admiration.









































































This one is my favorite. I'm such a sucker for lace. It's sort of bad. A piece of clothing that has lace or bows never fails to break my resolve not to purchase anything when I'm "just looking". You know how it goes. You enter your favorite store against your better judgment. As an attempt to rationalize this illogical action, you say to yourself/boyfriend/mother/friend, "I'm not going to buy anything. I'm just going to look, and that's all."

Yea, right.





























I'd love for my wedding ceremony to take place in a botanical garden at dusk, right as the sun is setting.

This part of the day has always been my favorite.


























The soft glow of white lights will provide most of the illumination.



















Every wedding has to have a theme. Mine, of course, would be no different. Think along the lines of cozy-winter-woodland-rustic executed on a semi-extravagant level.

That's right. I said it. I want to have one of those mega-weddings you hear about, where several hundred of your closets friends gather to celebrate and merry-make. Do I have several hundred close friends? No. Do I even really enjoy the company of most people? No, not really. But that's beside the point.





































But yea, um, it's not like I've really given this topic that much thought.