turn up the quiet

how is it that i celebrate my holiday like every other american? eat turkey? check.  see loads of family? check.  watch football? check.  spend hours in traffic? check.  but i love it nonetheless.  the shouts rising from the men’s section of the table (yes, the women tend to flock to one another during this time of the year), the popped bottles of champagne and prosecco, the nursing of our food babies, the last-minute scramble to draw names for our christmas grab.  it’s all so comforting.  even the fact that we have the same varieties of wine on hand is nice, Chianti, Pinot grigio, Korbel.  nothing changes.  it’s a tradition.  perhaps the most comforting tradition i have.  but to be honest, this year was different.  my mother stayed in maine, while i made the trip to cambridge.  it was weird to be truthful.  unorthodox, and borderline painful.  but it was nice.  it gave me a wake up call, a vibrant one at the least saying, 2010 is almost over.  that’s true.  it is almost over.  time has sped up two or three notches since i’ve entered high school, and it’s crazy.  i realized that i have very little control over what happens and when things happen.  but i’m not bothered by that.  i may admit that i kinda sorta prefer it that way. 

but moving on.  my holiday was fantastic, how was yours? just as good i can only hope, or better! christmas is a month away, it’s been four years since my boston mom and dad tied the knot officially, and i’m very happy to see what the next three months bring.  december promises to be eventful.  spending the holidays (yes christmas and Chanukah) with loved ones, celebrating birthdays, making weekend trips to boston and the surrounding area, making the house festive, and working more than i want to.  it’s busy and wonderful.  my dearest buddy is coming up from florida right before christmas, and exams end on the 16th of december.  i can’t believe the semester is almost over (almost, perhaps i mean practically)? meredith is traveling up for new years and christmas from the dirty durham, and then of course, NEW YEARS EVE.  after that celebration there’s a mere five days until my birthday, and with that comes smiles and more trips to wonderful cities.  i have a feeling that this winter will be absolutely delightful in comparison to others.  but in the near future, i have lunch reservations at bistro du midi, right across from the boston commons, a mani/pedi appointment, an evening at the beach house, and then a reunion with someone who makes me very happy! what more can i ask for? … a bottle of wine or champagne? i don’t need em, things are going to swell for me to want more than what i need.

i’m going to go take a soak, read some of the alchemist, and maybe even start Tess of the d’Urbervilles but we’ll see.  it can probably be assumed that i’ll just pass out in my chair, even though i’ve consumed 10x the average amount of coffee i do on a day-to-day basis.  happy shopping for all those braving the black friday madness.  i’m ENTHRALLED that i’m not you. 

(nevermind the racy photo…)

eoxo

blue skies are calling

NO SCHOOL FOR 5 DAYS.  i’m in raptures to say the least, partly because i’ve had some vin blanc, and partly because i’m exhausted, but it’s so nice to know that i don’t have to worry about homework, about exams, about awkward situations, about waking up on time.  i can busy myself with trivial concerns like what should i pack for the holiday? when should i bake the cranberry currant tarte? what should my weekend consist of? the more trivial, the better i believe! i ought to express my sincere apologies for the lack of blogging on my end (but truth be told, i’m not too sorry).  lately my life has been consumed with occurrences, with new people, new places, new emotions.  i can’t say that i’d want it any other way, and to put it frankly, the upcoming times won’t allow me too much time to blog.  i’m not saying this is the end of floating over babylon.  BY NO MEANS is this the end.  i just can’t commit to posting every few days anymore, but at the same time, i do promise that i will do as much as i can.  i’ll jump the gun now, and tell you what the purpose of the post is.  ONE: recent happenings, TWO: TSA bullshit policy, THREE: reflections, FOUR: lookbook.

tonight was perfect.  i woke up and it was misty and mild, walked all the way to school and listened to noah and the whale and typhoon (good AM combo), finished the day, ran home, slept for five hours, ate some hummus, TRAVELED TO FIGA, and had a wonderful last meal with A.  we ran into some wonderful english teachers and spent a while engaged in a fulfilling conversation with them, and also chatted a great deal with an older couple who sat next to us.  we indulged in sev crusted scallops, wild boar rendang, tandoori chicken, meatloaf, a trio of creme brulees (lemongrass, orange cardamom, and chocolate espresso).  this past weekend i spent some much needed time with my little brother, ate a lot of cherry garcia, went roller skating, worked and decorated and produced/composed my first ever window display (GO LOOK AT IT), and had a movie marathon.  tomorrow: yoga, cranberry currant tarte, train to boston, family dinner, etc. etc. did i mention that i’m so incredibly happy?

screw the TSA.  i’m not one who travels too far during the holiday season ( thank god for new england ), but for the past three nights ABC news with diane sawyer has focused on the measures the TSA is taking this holiday season.  of course it’s wise to take precaution, especially since the threat of terror has been increased as of late, but the extent they’re taking it is RIDICULOUS.  this won’t be the most eloquent opinion i’ve ever put forth, but i need to get it out, so here goes nothing.  pat downs have existed for a very long time in the world, and ever since they were first used, nobody has enjoyed them.  but the new version of pat downs being used by the TSA are appalling.  they encroach on groping, and when a TSA employee is groping an 8 year old child, you know something is wrong.  they are invasive, and time consuming.  in addition, a TSA employee should be able to use their instinct and trust their intuition about a person.  surely it’s not common for a 65 year old woman is not a terrorist (then again, it is possible, but how many 65 year old women have you heard about that are terrorists? i can say i’ve never heard of a single one).  the lack of common sense in regards to the TSA’s new policies is what bothers me.  it’s both time consuming and overly cautious.  of course the safety of all should be put above convenience for a single person- but in other news, when has utilitarianism ever been important to the USA before now? let’s just use common sense and not strip an 8 year old girl down in the middle of an airport because her barrette set off the metal detector.  plus, who wants to be groped at any age? pas moi.

so as i mentioned, i am incredibly happy.  ridiculously happy that my head hurts, and that i can’t even figure out how i’ve gotten to this point in my life.  everything is right, everything makes sense.  i’m appreciating what i have, not thinking about what i don’t have.  my family is healthy, my friends are sane, and i’m being treated like i should have been a long time ago.  of course the only thing wrong is that i’ve been sleep deprived for the past three weeks or so.  but that’s curable.  sort of.  there are always hills and valleys in life, and currently, i’m walking up one of those really high hills that is promising and rewarding.  i’m flourishing in this new environment, and i’m thankful for all i have, for all i know, and for all to come.  connections are undeniable, emotions are not hindered, rather they are facilitated.  i’ve been able to cook, i’ve been able to clear my head.  i’ve just entered this new stage in life, and i’m so glad that it’s come now, rather than sooner or later.

i’ll leave you with this video- because it’s so good and you should watch it.  OH YEAH.  i’m reviving my lookbook, so get your hype on.  i’m sorry about the bad news in regards to a small amount of posting, but hopefully soon i’ll get my act together and update frequently.  i’ll make it clear when that will happen- perhaps 2011? a hiatus is sort of needed to be frank.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING & HOLIDAYS.

enfin smiles love and hugs.

whirlpools and whirlwinds

happy september.  can you feel that fall nip in the air? i’m not quite sure if i can, but hey… it’ll be here before any of us knows it.  i know i’ve been MIA for a little while, and i have perfectly good excuses.  they are as follows: i’m still experiencing my let down depression and that makes it difficult for me to write because i tend to turn the subject to the summertime and it makes me even more sad, i went on outdoor experience with my new school- we traveled to katahdin and went on a very long canoeing expedition, and since then i’ve been trying to catch up with sleeping and celebrating the final days of my best summer ever.

yesterday was full of great things- waking up late, get low, dinner at sonny’s (chicken enchilladas, cheeseburger, fried avacado, raspberry sangria sorbet, etc.), breaking down and buying lords of dogtown and roger dodger for under $10, pedis, and season 7 of entourage!! iced tea with A, and talking about everything and anything really helped put things in perspective for me. 

it was a very weird transition from being in seoul to camping at katahdin.  so loud and busy than became so quite and idle.  mankind at its most innovative transformed into nature at it’s best.  while i was laying in my tent on the first night, i realized that everything A had been saying about this all being relevant made sense.  whereever you are in life, more life is going on around you.  the more life you experience will mean different things for different people.  as i’ve mentioned in previous posts, once things begin to change, they change drastically.  i believe my fresh start at a new school is relevant and in cahoots with this past summer.  i don’t know what to expect, i don’t know what’s around the bend- and to be honest, i don’t want to know until everything happens.  life is what it is, and why not enjoy everything for once.  continuing this trend, about it all being relevant, clearly the way life evolves is relevant too.  i’ve been reading northanger abbey, and comparing the lifestyle back then to the lifestyle currently, is crazy.  jane austen depcits a society in which it is mandatory for a woman and a man to find their star-crossed lover STAT.  nowadays, while it’s still a focus, it’s not the only focus.  it’s more a matter of personal preference. 

things are just spinning around and around, and if i had to be honest, i would tell you everything keeps me up at night now.

the prospect of having a new unexpected friend excites me to the utmost extent- and i think that’s a muy bueno thing,

letting time carry on, trying to prevent this saddness from sinking further within my mind

cravings for outings and spottings have been increasing rapidly this lovely september morning-

i’m quite ready for routine i suppose… even though as i typed that my first thought was WHAT THE FUCK?

brunch at locs when A returns from yoga,

everything seems to have sorted themselves out for the time being.  i guess you could say i’m in a very good position.

september monthly horoscope says:

More than any other time during the year, you are feeling most adventurous and willing to take a leap of faith. This is a cycle in which you seek a higher meaning to your life, and/or seek out new experiences that take you beyond the here and now, and beyond the mundane details of day-to-day life. Anything that broadens your experiences attracts now. A lack of superficiality finds you straight to the point, interested in the truth of things.

arriverderci u.s. of A.

i’m jettin out of PWM to IAD at 545am, and leaving for korea at 1:20pm.

so ready to start anew, and be abroad.  back in a flash- 2 week hiatus to be expected.

enfin

supertramp/detox/nature

rise and shine, 6am, paella, camping, sunshine rays,

jumpin’ off docks, oysters on boats, sailin on the high seas,

alpha/beta squad, greek yoghurt, sunbaths, fris, crunching granola,

happy endings, floods, stitches, kayaking to remote islands, co-ops,

taoism, good camraderie, supertramp, are you hot mama?, snuggles,

asshole/president, minigolf, the ocean, tofu, bugbites, sea-legs,

morning swims, g-sesh, zenning out, being sneaky, saving the world,

quarry diving, baby spinach, film, sitting in the middle, maaahlliiiiii,

no baths, beach fires, nighttime stars, chubby bunny/s’mores, MIA,

heyo

what better way could i have spent two weeks?

clear as day but in the night

ciao ciao ciao blogosphere as well as city-life.  going on a two week adventure filled with camping and sailing and no cell-phone reception/internet connection (thank you!!).  so ready to get away from this town, from these people, from this house. getting back into timber timbre– can’t tell if that’s bueno ou non; proffers memories into my mind which i’d prefer stay where they were.  but they’re a phenomenal band, so what can i say? almost done with tao of pooh. been eating a lot of flax seed infused yoghurt, wishing i were a musician, and trying to get rid of these terrible tanlines.  speaking of tan lines…

and just because i’m contemplative:

i had a near death experience friday- i’m still a bit shaken up, but i’m here, breathing, feeling, being. afterwards, i sat reading in the sun, “zenned out” as my colleagues have determined. hopin’ to have a scanner by the 25th so i can start postin’ some film shots. silly’s last night, with late night walks on the east end trail, and i finally bought wristcutters- so glad i did. i’m quite content with the approach i’ve had lately. it’s kind of wu wei. and i couldn’t be more glad. sun-rises and fruit and cats and ocean and boats.  poetry, photos, mixed tape, and the latest ‘ssip to be posted when i return.  until then, stay classy motherrrrfuckers.

enfin

oceanic adventure

running off to mount desert island for the last week of august to camp and stay in the hostel with a.  hikes, evening swims, this way cafe, sails, and sleepin in the great outdoors.  my kinda living.

sooo hooot

hoooooootttttttttttttt

hoootttttttttttttttttttttttt outside.

sailed to cliff island today, and rode around on the back of a pickup truck, almost fell out, ate some scrumped raspberries, jumped off the ferry dock, and scraped my knee up real bad and rad. sunburned and possibly dead. so tired. falling asleep now.  could use a real snooze. tomorrow 4 hour boat ride. then thursday and friday scuba diving.  guess what the weekend brings? a campout on long island with a rather lovely group of people, and then i’m gone… starting monday for 13 days to walpole, bristol, pemaquid, and stonington.  oh shnap.

enfin love.

holidays in the near future

ah, so today is my last day of summer.  isn’t that rather morbid to think about? well it’s true, from now on i am involved with ocean studies and then off to korea for 2 weeks in august.  it’s absurd how quickly time flies.  a 3 hour boat ride today, basically did me in for sunburns.  blotches all about my pale skin, mark the beginning of my oceanic adventure, and i don’t mind to be honest.  whilst traveling the seas, i planned our upcoming vacation for aug 2011.  i know that’s a year plus away, but the way a and i do things, we need to plan in advance or nothing gets done. 

here’s the great part about our holiday in 2011- it’s a 20 day trek on the west coast.  yes… motherfucker, yes.  so wonderful and such a long time, but sooo great.  we both wanted the same things, so i’m rather enthused.  we’ll start in washington state, where we will camp near the forks on the pacific ocean at a beach site for 4 nights.  we’ll head from the forks to seatle for 3 nights and adventure the city and drink some coffee.  we are considering a 2 night trip to vancouver as well, but the logistics of this happening…well, i suppose they’re great… so let’s forget i began this sentence.  after vancouver its onward to oregon- portland, oregon! our sister city! 4 nights there and then takin’ the train all the way to BAJA California. insane to think that we will be on a train for a good two days.  when we arrive in baja, we plan on beach camping for 2 nights and then a night in a hostel.  neither of us want to spend a ton of time down in baja, so to conclude our trip we will spend 1 night in san jose and three nights in san fransisco- and of course… after all that is done, we shall return to portland and face the consequences of going away.

besides my trek out west, i am traveling to some other places this upcoming year! south korea is my next destination- aug 7th through the 21st.  in october, a trip to new orleans will occur- a long weekend is assumed.  and then in november a trip to montreal and quebec city will embrace a and me! for mardi gras i will be visitin’ new orleans once again, and then in april a trip to durham will most likely happen.  i’d like to travel to montana as well- perhaps in june of ’11.  traveling is one of my most favorite things, so i’m so glad that i get to do a lot of it for the next year or so!

props to karma for helpin’ me out.

enfin