aes

?Question of the Week?

2011-11-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

How is it that people in Washington D.C. are such nice people (they were to me at least) yet, when they get together they can be so mean? Think about it.

In JFK listening to Bon Iver

2011-10-22T04:37:00.000-07:00

Funny how I always feel like blogging while I wait in an airport for a new destination. Perhaps the sense of transition and adventure and a nostalgia for places been merges with places yet to go people yet to meet amount to words to be said. Today that destination is D.C. and I literally cannot wait any longer. My carry-on weighs like it's full of a ton of bricks and books and small people (pc); but, it is full of a week's full of heels and blazers. Never been to Washington D.C......how is that possible? I love cities, history, the East, professionals, diplomats, museums and my country. Never been.....how is that possible? Especially since deep down I knew and still know that someday I will find myself wandering down those streets to my own apartment building. It feels like a future home, yet I have yet to arrive on its doorstep. How do you describe that feeling? Intuitive excitement.

which color to bleed......

2011-03-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

grad school will cause much blood, sweat, and tears. the question of the month: which color?

Don't judge a book by its cover....

2011-02-23T14:43:00.000-08:00

BUT do judge a house by its doormat....
I've been missing my mission since I just hit my two year mark of going into the MTC. Missing the tag and the calling and the people has evolved into missing Italy terribly. One thing that I ache for are the hilarious doormats. When doing casa (knocking doors) I started ranking doormats so that my companion and I wouldn't die of boredom or depression. Oh, how I miss the classic, Italian drunk-dog-on-a- hammock doormat with "WELCOME" in gross orange letters that indicated a single 50-year-old creeper lived there. Another giveaway was the BENVENUTO with little bees around it, a typical immigrant choice. Honestly though, the first impression for a home is a doormat. Experience has told me that it is pretty accurate; so choose wisely.

Sunrise, Sunset

2010-12-31T09:28:00.000-08:00

2011 comes and 2010 goes and here we go for another new year. But, this year I want to become more like the sun: steady, unquestioning, brightening the earth. That is my resolution for all of us (I know that it seems a bit unconventional for me to set your New Year's resolution but...this resolution deserves an exception.) I think it would be a great year.

Does the sun ask itself, "Am I good?

Am I worthwhile? Is there enogh of me?"

No, it burns and it shines.

Does the sun ask itself,

"What does the moon think of me?

How does Mars feel about me today?"

No, it burns, it shines.

"Am I as big as suns in other galaxies?"

No, it burns, it shines.

Andrea Dworkin

(sunset thanks to Lake Powell)

With ink down deep

2010-11-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the ending of my mission took me by surprise. Not really. It is more like "real" life has taken me by surprise. "How was your mission?" What do you even say to that question? I've been home for 2 months and life is good. No complaints. Family, work, temple, friends, art, church, cookies, outdoors, dogs, brighten my days. I am veryy blessed. Yet....there is that hole. The "mancanza" or void of the Spirit, the purpose, the people, and the tag, and the good tired at the end of every day. Seeing sin and sadness or listening to the radio still shocks me a bit. And I hope it always will. Because, as Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 3, once you experience and see others experience conversion it scars your heart. And you can't jot it down with pen and ink or type it off at 50 wpm. Paul calls those he served "his epistles," and I echo him. You cannot write it. Witnessing and knowing and loving them is the only way.

"2 Ye are our an epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, a written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."

Ciao

2009-03-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

So I am updating Annie's blog while she's away...and I have some fabulous news: Annie is about 1/9th of the way done. Let me put this into perspective: if any of you have paid tithing, you have probably said, "Dang, that's a lot of money!"

Well, 1/9th is more than that. I know. Big news.

Annie is still fresh and fabulous, beautiful and blossoming, loving and laughing. And living. Here's proof (the following is a message to you from Annie herself):

Who ever thought I would get so excited to go to the gym? Especially on Friday nights. I literally scream with joy when we have a "TGIF" at the gym.
Doing laundry is my new yoga.
I love love love my companions! One is from Virginia and is 1/18 kids and the second is a graphic designer from Vancouver, WA.
I eat salads like every meal of every day to avoid random combustion from the varied chemical compositions of the food they serve at the MTC. Yeah, its a struggle to digest ANYTHING they serve.
I love being a missionary. It is exactly what I hoped for and even more!Baci a tutti!!! WRITE!

End of quote. Please direct any and all letters/packages to:

Milan Italy Mission
Box#162
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 North 900 East
Provo, UT 84604

And after April 21st:
Italy Milan Mission
Via Gramsci, 13/4
20090 Opera MI
Italy

And direct all inquiries to katharinestevens@gmail.com

Arrivederci!

2009-02-16T11:05:00.001-08:00

I may try to keep this updated (via my sister) while I serve in the Milan, Italy mission. But probably not. This poem describes how I feel as of late.

So Much Happiness
It is difficult to know what to do with so much happiness.
With sadness there is something to rub against,
A wound to tend with lotion and cloth.
When the world falls in around you, you have pieces to pick up,
Something to hold in your hands, like ticket stubs or change.

But happiness floats.
It doesn’t need you to hold it down.
It doesn’t need anything.
Happiness lands on the roof of the next house, singing,
And disappears when it wants to.
You are happy either way.
Even the fact that you once lived in a peaceful tree house
And now live over a quarry of noise and dust
Cannot make you unhappy.
Everything has a life of its own,
It too could wake up filled with possibilities
Of coffee cake and ripe peaches,
And love even the floor which needs to be swept,
The soiled linens and scratched records….

Since there is no place large enough
To contain so much happiness,
You shrug, you raise your hands, and it flows out of you
Into everything you touch. You are not responsible.
You take no credit, as the night sky takes no credit
For the moon, but continues to hold it, and to share it,
And in that way, be known.

~ Naomi Shihab Nye ~

One word to describe my evening? Epic

2009-02-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

Atop of my to-do list for life hovers a simple, yet an elusive task: "go to a movie by yourself." Many people do this often while another crowd shirks at the thought of a solo trip to the theater. But, I have always thought it would symbolize a sense of independence; it would become a landmark for my confidence. Last Wednesday I went to
Australia at the Movies 10. After paying my 1.75 in quarters, I rushed into the theater and hurled myself into the hours of love, drama, horses, Hugh Jackman, (omg. oh my gosh.) and action. Please do not ask me for a thorough review of the film. My love for myself and my completion of my goal colored that 2+ hours with a deep shade of rose. Australia has a special place in my heart.

P.S. I would like to encourage anyone and everyone to check off of your life goals by just thinking, "Now is as good a time as any!"

WANTED

2009-02-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

Kind, fashionable young ladies. Desire to look cute and care for cute clothes while I am gone. Let me know. I leave in 2 weeks!

PS- Read this image because it is bizarre.

5 Eventful Events

2009-01-27T20:50:00.000-08:00

I can never resist a good, old-fashioned list.

1. The Mock Walk: Since I recently graduated with my BA from BYU without an official celebration or "walk," the Stevens/Lund family took matters into their own hands. Following a delicious Italian meal (including homemade pasta, foccacia, cannollis, etc.), the "President" began the exclusive graduation ceremony of the BYU class of 2008. The program included: inspirational stories of my fellow graduates, poems, my Valedictorian speech, quotes, and, of course, a feature speaker. OPRAH WINFREY flew in and gave a wonderful address about doing your best. As you can see from the image below, the crowd went wild! I was honored to receive my diploma from my favorite BYU President/triple PhDed scholar/talk show host/sister.

2. Sundance: Aside from seeing 50 cent and feeling like my soul hid in a corner as his eyes pierced through the crowd (seriously, I never thought I would feel fear with fiddy but he has murderer written all over him), my friends and I saw Adam Durritz, who sings/writes for the Counting Crows. Of course, I made a fool out of myself; I screamed and panted "Can we get a picture with you?" Embarassing. Other highlights included my sister and I attending the premier of Manure (possibly the weirdest movie ever) as well as the run-in with Tapanga from Boy Meets World (who actually looked surprisingly Latina).

3. My Piggy Bank: The day (today) finally arrived where I broke my bank. Slipping coins, bills, and--for some reason--jewelry (I thought I could pawn it off?) into the slot became a routine in my younger years. The bank says, "I hope they call me on a mission" and I picked it out at age 8/9. Now that my mission departure is 3 weeks away, I decide to unpack the little guy and hammer him in. $53.85. Yep. Mostly in pennies. And a couple of my tiny rings to sell for millions this next week. $53.85.

4. Adele: Can I just say that I adore Adele? I want to be her. And to make a fantastic concert even better, I met David Archuleta (he's tiny, friendly, and a fellow James Morrison/Adele enthusiast.).

5. The GRE PROCRASTINATION. It approaches (on Thursday) and as my vocabulary burgeons my desire to study enervates. I think I have failed my cursory attempts to reach an untenable goal: an epigrammatical and mathematical whiz. I HATE STANDARDIZED TESTS!

RIP

2009-01-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

Purchased in November 2004. Died in December 2008. The Dell Inspiron 1150 served me during my college years. With the heaviest weight ever, the stupidest susceptibility to viruses, and the slowest rate of working in the universe, I gladly bid Dell farewell. "Rest in Peace. And thank you for dying at this most perfect time when I no longer need you." Dell died well. However, he took his memory and ugly harddrive with him. So--I take that back--he even failed at dying.

Who doesn't love Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

2009-01-19T16:39:00.000-08:00

5 Reasons why I do:

1. It makes me feel smart. Martin Luther King Jr. and I share something in common: We went to the same university. I inflate myself with this fun fact when I feel unaccomplished.

2. No school or work/or half-day of work? Which doesn't really apply to me either way...oh well.

3. Tomorrow is the Presidental Inaguration! I love our new President and his call to service. I look forward to big changes and becoming part of history!

4. Every year I laugh at our family's attempt to celebrate the holiday. For instance, circa '98 my dear mother took us all to a "Celebration" of MLK Jr. at the University of Utah. Our little family's presence tripled the caucasian numbers and lowered the average age by 20 years. We sat there watching weird monologues and cried because we were bored to tears.

5. We can learn a lot from him.

"If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control." Martin Luther King Jr.

Me "I will be a stylish, cute sister missionary" Everyone, "Is there even such a thing?"

2009-01-14T08:40:00.001-08:00

Yes, there is. My new, all-consuming life's work is to prove that there is such a thing as a not-stuck-in-1997-Blanding, UT sister missionary. Because I will serve in Milan, Italy, I believe that this goal reigns high on the priority-list. One problem: I obsess over it. As in I have hit all of the post-Christmas sales with lightning speed. Now I stand knee-deep in my options for "4-6 conservative outfits" (WHO THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH? WHAT THE?)

Here are some of the things that I will definitely keep: brown riding boots, fun cardigans (i.e. a caramel ruffley one and one cobalt cardigan that I donned with vintage buttons), slim fit RL oxfords, a handmade grey jumper, and a cranberry cordorouy circle skirt. What else? I don't know! I guess I have one more month to streamline and perfect my wardrobe.

Miss Stevens

2009-01-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I entered the world of substitute teaching. Since I only have a month of available work time before leaving on my mission, I decided to try it. And want to hear a tender mercy? I subbed at my alma-mater for a kindergarten class for a perfect 3.25 hours. Some highlights:

- The hilarious puppet shows that the students put on for one another.

- When this cute girl named Ruby (I love that name) raised her hand and said, "Miss Stevens, how do you spell 'a'?"

-Reading a story called Selfish Crocodile (or something like that); I asked "What does selfish mean?" The responses ranged from "Mad." to "When the person looks at theirself for a long long time."

-The snowmen that the kids tried to build with blocks for indoor recess (it was snowing too hard to go outside). 90% of the "snowmen" looked like piles of nothing.

- I said to a little boy "I used to go to Bonneville." He looked at me for a minute, "Are you 5?"

http://www.polyvore.com/red_apple_image_dianelion_on/thing?id=1946690

addicted

2008-12-28T17:51:00.000-08:00

I know that traveling around Europe was a monumental gift. I realize that I will probably never get that chance again....and that ephemeral joy makes traveling all the more desirable. I am addicted. And my gateway drugs were moments like this:

The Dancing Uccelli

These photos give you a glimpse of the esthetic formations and efficacious flying techniques. Charming any visitor or resident of Rome, these little birds weave and then hover and then suddenly dart...like a mesmerizing dance they perform each sunset. The Dancing Uccelli, among many other things, made me fall in love with the evenings in Rome.

ETAP Hotels

I cherish those days and sleepless nights on Etap board beds. One of my fondest memories occurred in the Strasbourg Etap. Four friends and I decided to go cheap and stay in an ETAP outside the city. After getting directions from a supposedly "informed" bus driver, we catch a bus and a tram and walk for a while into the middle of NOWHERE (with heavey backpacks on our backs.) So we stop and get REAL directions. Then we have to catch a tram, a bus, and walk for a while into the middle of NOWHERE. Actually, it was Ostwald, France on the border of Germany. What a strange little ghost of a town. To make the memory all the more sweet and tender, I lost my wallet the next morning. Funny thing is when I look back at that wretched ETAP experience I just laugh. I love those moments of pure frustration when traveling.

Dutch Profiteroles

Mini-pancakes are great because I adore anything mini. But, even if they looked less cute, I would stand by my endorsement. I absolutely fell in love because of the gooey inside and perfectly crisp shell covered in melted butter (but not gross melted butter) with a light snow of powdered sugar. In Arnem I ordered one plate. But, I loved it so much that I immediately ordered a second. I just had to.

Emer

Although I never really mention the amazing people I met in Europe. I met quite a few gems. Our tour guide in Istanbul, Turkey was one such jewel. He took us into beautiful mosques, got us free apple tea (I LOVE APPLE TEA), loved the Utah Jazz, showed us the best restaurants, took us on an amazing boat tour of the Bosphorous, and told interesting stories about Turkey's past. He helped me to fall in love with Istanbul....it is such a magical city.

When I left Istanbul at 3:10 in the morning, I thought, "I love to travel." Then I sat down next to a tired but spry sixty-year-old man who started to strike up a conversation. Turns out he is a travel addict. As in "The only way to see Turkmenistan is by spending at least 1 month there." and "The first time I traveled around Europe for three years I rented a car. I would suggest you do that next time." or "If you go to Peru make sure that you have a man with you when you hike the blahblahblah." I suddenly realized, "I HAVE SO MANY PLACES TO GO!"

And then, when I got to the airport I saw a woman hula-hooping and watching CNN in German. In between quiet giggles, I knew then and there. I am addicted.

PS- I promise that this is the last post about Europe.

paralyzed in conclusions

2008-12-07T13:32:00.000-08:00

I feel a nostalgia for the present...as it passes by me. And somehow time seems to twist all over itself like a boy's freshly-picked snowball of grass. I wonder, "How will the future untangle from this mess?" My fear of losing the present seeps into the future and hearkens back to preclusions set up by the past. Not living in the moment plagues me. Do you know what I mean? Of course you do. That feeling of time stopping but still speeding past you?

in time of daffodils(who know
the goal of living is to grow)
forgetting why,remember how

in time of lilacs who proclaim
the aim of waking is to dream,
remember so(forgetting seem)

in time of roses(who amaze
our now and here with paradise)
forgetting if,remember yes

in time of all sweet things beyond
whatever mind may comprehend,
remember seek(forgetting find)

and in a mystery to be
(when time from time shall set us free)
forgetting me,remember me

ee cummings

I find if I excavate a calcified memory and try to resurrect the whole--and by that I mean the feelings and the sensory specifics--of the episode, I begin to re-understand: Life comes at you fast. Neither you nor I have the time to waste by procrastinating conclusions. If only this realization translated to a cure for my paralysis. But it doesn't. The bottom line is that I only have 24 hours left in Europe. I do not know how to consolidate everything, everywhere, and everyone with a whole "me" in my right-now life. So, I become yet another victim of time, which, ironically, always stands the test of time as a universal ailment amidst the human family.

Au Revoir et Buongiorno

2008-12-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

(Me on my last night of Paris. Climbing the tower in the COLD at 11 pm)

Leaving Paris hurt. I won't pretend that it qualifies as a legitimate trial in my life; but, I felt sad to leave. I truly think it is the most beautiful city in the world. (On Thanksgiving at the Colosseum)

Arriving in Italy and then traveling to Greece helped to heal the wound. I enjoyed a huge cone of gelato for Thanksgiving. Warm air and delicious food makes anyone content. For instance I healed my Paris aches by going to the Aegean sea today. I ate oranges and bananas together. (TRY IT) When a bite of perfectly-ripe banana marries a sliver of Greek clementine they taste like Aphrodite's fruit...especially when eaten with the smell of the sea.

Still, I must say that I will have an eternal nostalgia for my baguette-a-day days in Paris. Paris won my heart.

Christmas Villages

2008-11-22T01:40:00.000-08:00

So this week I went to Colmar, Strasbourg, and Freidburg. All of which are magical German/Alsatian Christmas towns!

Colmar at night

Freidburg Christmas

PS- I know this post is lame...I just don't have time to write much! Must enjoy my last moments in Paris!

Better than a zoo....

2008-11-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

Deyrolle is a must in Paris. I went there last week and then the Times read my mind by featuring the magical store (I love it when that happens).
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/arts/design/15taxi.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

FLASHBACK: Dubrovinik, Croatia

2008-11-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

Picture of me on Dubrovinik's cool city wall

Hands down, one of my favorite places in all of Europe is the Dalmation Coast. I truly loved Croatia. It is cheap, beautiful, and fun. Picture a rougher version of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: rocky hills covered with quaint white houses, handsome men, and pure cerulean water charmed me within first moments of my arrival.

There are many opportunities to jump off of cliffs with the sun set in the background.

As winter fast approaches, I daydream about returning to the beaches; well, the sand feels "like powder" as our hostess told us on a daily basis. For any free-spirited travelers.....just in case you feel so inclined: the Croatians fully embrace nudity on their beaches.

The night of terror/hilarity/wearing everything I own

The disembarkation from Croatia really stands out as one of the funniest moments in my recent history. I will not go into prolific details of the evening, which included Katharine and my reenactment of the peasants on the Titanic and the old Croatian ladies cat-fighting over a seat. Needless to say, we were frozen and craffing and sad to leave the coasts of Croatia. Mark my words: Croatia, my love, I will return.

And I'm proud to be an American....

2008-11-08T02:11:00.000-08:00

I love Europe so much but I also adore the USA.

1. Halloween. This year I missed the Trick-or-Treaters and the pumpkins and parties. My solution: go to McDonald's and stalk all of the kids getting their faces painted. Next go and buy candy and pretend that someone gave it to you for free. Then go to new James Bond in English to embrace American entertainment. (fyi: The Quantum of Solace came out two weeks earlier here. My review: emotional, bloody, but good.) Eat the candy.

2. Mexican Food. I know, I know....not exactly American but kind of is an essential part of American life, right? The only type of food that I have missed since I have been gone is Mexican. Rio Grande, Cafe Rio, Diego's all call to me. In an attempt to fill this void, I tried to find a decent Mexican restaurant but have failed every time. So, I made Mexican food with Madame and Monsieur Nottin-Dufour. They loved it! The salsa, fajitas, rice, and cookies turned out well!

3. The elections. I cannot even express how amazed I have been as I witness this French obsession with American politics. I talk about the Presidential race any and every time of day with almost everyone that I meet. On Election Tuesday, I felt like I needed to do something patriotic (I had voted via an absentee ballot a few days earlier and got to go into the US Embassy which was kind of exciting) A few friends and I went to a famous American bar thinking a small group of ex-Patriots would just sit and watch the results. Au contraire mon frere. Immediately, I saw swarms of people. Rather than celebrating democracy or the elections, we (mostly the French youth and I) celebrated Obama. I felt like a celebrity because 1- I support Obama and 2- I voted. Plus, everyone loved me even more (cameras were literally flashing all over the place) when I held up Obama sign. If anyone out there has doubts about the potential good our President can do....let me tell you that our foreign relations have already improved.

4. Normandy. These last couple of days I enjoyed the rainy beaches of Normandy. I recommend that anyone who comes to France visit these World War II sites. The War Museum in Caens gave me the chills, brought me to tears, and rekindled my pacifist inclinations. But the beaches and the American Cemetary definitely hit me the hardest. As the clouds cleared and the weather improved, I walked through the rows of graves trying to imagine all of the little blanks left in the unfinished lives of these dead soldiers. For example, what did he plan on doing for his career? or who did he leave behind? Seeing that Armistice Day/Veterans day is coming up I figured I thought it appropriate that I realized the price of liberty. We owe so much to veterans and victims of war.

flying solo in Paris....

2008-10-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

Tuesday...All alone. I honestly spoke a total of 5 sentences all day (in French I'll have you know) and instead I took a lot of pictures. Therefore, I will sum it up in images (in order of experience so you can live vicariously through the best day ever).

I love Paris.

Jeff Koons at Versailles

2008-10-25T02:14:00.000-07:00

(show =brillant. art ist= the bane of our post-modern existence)

Portrait of Louis XIV (L); Self-Portrait (R)
In a world full of upper-class Americanization and where Hollywoodisms have developed into household terms, who better than Jeff Koons to display artwork at Versailles? The ridiculous, captivating, and in-your-face exhibit becomes a modern commentary on materialism. Fittingly, the kitsch artwork sits in one of history's ultimate examples of materialism: Louis XIV's palace of Versailles.

Balloon Dog in the Hercules Room
The myelin balloon and highly-glossed porcelain sculptures outshine the gold gilding of the 17th- century rooms. So much so that one sees a self-reflection in nearly each monstrosity of a piece of "art." And so a new Hall of Mirrors is born. Cleverly cutting to the heart of contemporary art's "everything goes" philosophy, commercialization, and tourism, the tacky sculptures of Michael Jackson shock yet entertain the audience. Cameras constantly clicked in an attempt to capture the bizarre; because no one knew how to respond to the art but take a photo to say "I was there." Perhaps Koons comments on these swarms of tourists, who have degraded many French historical monuments into Disneylands, by producing reflections of pop culture defaming the site. Or perhaps he tries to rekindle the disgust of the wasteful frivolity that the French populace experienced 25o years ago (he did a good job at achieving disgust). Does the artist call for another guillotine? Or does he mock the complacency of the puzzled crowds which experience the show?Michael Jackson in the Venus Room

Either way, one thing is for sure: Jeff Koons at Versailles sets a precedent in today's art scene as a ground-breaking semi-installation exhibit. The tacky American moneymaker in France's most famous palace....it feels like eating a Big Mac rather than a baguette while on the Eiffel Tower. Both nauseatingly wrong and embarassingly amusing.The Hall of Mirrors with Blue Balloon

Milan Mission

2008-10-16T11:55:00.001-07:00

This is my reaction to my mission call to Milan, Italy starting February 18th 2009...for the next 18 months! It felt so natural and familiar but still so exciting and foreign!

My Autumnal Child

2008-10-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

Update: My baby is dying. I feel such loss whenever I pass by and more leaves have fallen.

I love the fall. And I have been following one tree's progress each day as I walk home from the train station. I have become very motherly about it (don't blog about any children because I don't have any...just trees.) In the past week:

Au lait? S'il vous plait?

2008-10-08T16:01:00.001-07:00

Dear French people,
If you want me to be skinny like you.... WHY have you been SECRETLY been feeding me demi-ecreme instead of ecreme milk that makes me fatter? Why have you been allowing me to unknowingly partake of milk that sounds healthy BUT, in all actuality, contains qualifies as 4% milk? WHY have you been allowing me to drink 12 g of fat per serving without PLACING IT ON THE NUTRITIONAL FACTS?
Gluing my eyes to the sides of food packages and counting calories does not appeal to me. In fact, I love buttery, sugary, fatty, delicious French cooking that ignores any nutritional value. BUT I HATE the fat in the secretive, not-good-tasting, boxed, boring, luke-warm, milk. Play fair.

Merci Beaucoup,
Annie

why memory matters

2008-10-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

Elie Wiesel said, "After all God is God because He remembers."

I started this entry weeks ago but seemed to chase words and ideas without catching them. I only felt them--and after more days in my European adventure I know them--and jotted down musings of excitement and "thank-you" notes to the past. Although my words feebly attempt to condense the entirety of every turn of the whole, 360-degree circles of the heart and mind, I write them with sincerity.
I have always loved history...to the point of chronic nostalgia; still, there is a difference between remembering and remembering. Walking away from one of the world's greatest museums with a Viennese sunset ahead of me and miles of cobblestone streets behind me, everything finally sunk in after weeks of travel. I think that was the moment that I cried my first Europe cry...because of how much our civilizations have gone through. How much individuals can achieve (that's why I love museums) countered by how many people have lived invisible lives without the voice of history to merely legitimize their existence. And the tears for how much we have put each other through.

You know that feeling where you feel humbled to be human? Someone blows you away or some story gives you the chills and you feel inadequate to stand in any square inch of the vast timeline of human history? Every couple of days at random moments--meeting a kind immigrant on the metro or standing on a gagillion-year-old bridge--I feel that. What do you do with that feeling but try to hold on to it....I just try to remember the times I truly remembered.

Whether spiritual reminders or personal stories or national sagas, reaching back and bringing the past to present changes everything. Folding it all into the "now" directs the future on toward progress. Remembering changes the daily floss-your-teeth and eat-your-vegetables habits and the more monumental happenings like repeated genocide or avoided economic disasters. We repeat history when we forget history. In remembering or re-remembering I have found that I understand events, politics, religion and cultures better; but, most importantly, I respect each person more. Perhaps for me it takes traveling to amazing places to learn lessons that others can understand in everyday life. I forget to remember until I go to places like the Louvre or see Auschwitz or read the Classics. However, if I hold onto history for the right reasons, I see the world in a new light and relate to others in a different way. I remember that--just like Caravaggio and Mozart and Marie de Medici and Hitler--we all have power for good or evil. We all hide histories of pain--both collective and individual pain--and each own unseen potentials to change the world. It may seem cliche and cheesy but I know it from experience. How can I know this? Because I study history and it boils down to millions struggling to make a mark on their "world"--however small that world may be. And I do the same thing. Oh, how history repeats itself. So I will try to remember that.

"After all God is God because He remembers..." I love that quote.

FLASHBACK: Arnhem, The Netherlands

2008-09-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

This was one of my favorite days of all time. Arnhem sits in a beautifully green area with forest all around it. First, we ventured to the Open Air Museum (picture This Is the Place state park Dutch style). I loved it. Plus, the wedding that day meant that everything donned white bows. Darling.
Have you ever tried to ride an old-fashioned bicycle? Let me tell you....TRICKY.

Then we sped off to the Kroner-Muller museum, which houses some of the greatest van Goghs and contemporary sculpture I have laid eyes on, before closing time. On bikes. And I had to convince a guard to let us in because the museum was closing.

To get to the museum you have to ride bikes through a gorgeous park for like 15 km (I saw a pregnant lady doing it...so it wasn't that hard.) Inside the park the Dutch genius gardener decided to make mini-biomes (the picture features my desert meditation) and it is SO STUNNING. Go there if you ever have a chance.

PS:

see previous post

je t'aime

2008-09-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Paris. It overwhelms and charms you all in one breath. I posted a picture of a typical morning eating a pain au chocolat for breakfast....I am so healthy, I know.

This week I finally arrived in Croissy-sur-Seine where I am living with Madame and Monsieur Nottin-Dufour. I LOVE THEM. You know those snobby Parisiens that you imagine smoking and fashioning and hating America..? Well, they don't really exist....or they are in hiding. The French have welcomed me with open arms and especially the Nottin-Dufours! Both have grey hair and sunny dispositions. She is a Classics professor who golfs every Friday and plays Bridge every Wednesday. And Christian just says sarcastic remarks in broken English and obsesses over his 5 grandchildren. And they live a simple life with kindness interwoven in everything. I want to be like that someday. The universality of basic human courtesy and love never ceases to amaze me.
Au Revoir

HELLO AGAIN

2008-09-23T12:48:00.002-07:00

I will begin posting again. Finally, I have internet access. YES. Look forward to both the day-to-day magic as well as "FLASHBACKS" highlighting my past few weeks in Croatia, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands (Holland), oh and London #2, and PARIS PARIS PARIS.
xoxoxoxo

ABCs of Eastern Europe: PART TWO

2008-09-09T01:04:00.000-07:00

N- Night trains/boats. There were 5 total. At first I loved the romantic idea and how we saved money with moonlight travel. However, the actuality proved completely different. On a night train from Budapest I froze to death...I cannot even express the hysterical humor and laughter that we experienced that night when I woke up and found Katharinee draped in skirts with multiple hooded sweatshirts. On top of that K got robbed of over $700 by some old man that I LOATHE. Then we took a night boat to Italy. OMG. On the deck....freezing...I heard the echos of "I won't let go Jack" like every 5 minutes and woke up as a parapalegic.
O- Oktogon area on Andrassy Street in Budapest has GREAT restaurants and comes straight from a storybook.
P- Prague. Oh, Prague. Why do tourists come in and spoil everything (even though I am well aware that I am one such tourist)? The city still has echoes of Pinocchio charm and the Charles Bridge and castle enchant every visitor. Yet, I must say that the food, the people, the costs, and the cleanliness fell short of my expectations.
Q- Queens...I have had many dreams about royalty while in Europe (in my latest I became the next Medici princess) because of visits to so many amazing castles and palaces. Maria Theresa of Austria captivated me when K and I visited Vienna's Schonbrunn Palace.
R- Reading! I have loved the time that I have had to read books that I had on my list.
S- Szechenyi Baths in Budapest! After long days of walking this was PERFECT. Picture this: old men playing chess in mineral water, children swirling in a weird whirlpool, all (no matter body type or weight) in little bikinis all enjoy a day in the old, bright yellow baths. I loved the massage in spite of some hilarious moments of miscommunication between the masseuse and I.
T- Tours. Especially free tours. We got a great taste of cities via student-guided tours. Thanks!
U- Undergrounds/Metros/Ms/Trams. I heart public transportation and have become a pro navigator.
V- Vienna! I felt a yearning to stay longer. In less that 2 days K and I did all of the major sites....ask me and we did it. I don't know how but we went from place to place because it all blew me away. I loved the Hopsburg and Schonbrunn Palaces and the Museum area.
W- walking and walking and walking until my legs melt and my feet crack.
X-Xtra bonuses like free breakfasts at hostels have saved my wallet and my life. I esp. loved the one in Krakow's Mama's Hostel with fresh veggies and bread.
Y-The Young Old. On our Eastern European escapades I felt so lucky and gutsy BUT my joints ached and back hurt; and our bedtime (esp. due to lack of partying) made us like grandmas.
Z- Zagreb.....The capital of Croatia.....I will post about the Mediterranean trip soon!

ABCs of Eastern Europe PART ONE

2008-08-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

A: Auschwitz was possibly the most humbling and sobering place I have ever visited. Millions murdered with such emptiness--in the physical sense and in the genocide's "reasoning"--leaves a site of such presence for us today. (I will expand on this experience later)

B: Budapest. K and I are here now and I really love it here. I feel such sadness for Hungary's history. This land has been the victim of SO many seiges and wars and tragedies.

C: Crakow (also known as Krakow). Perhaps my favorite place we have traveled. MAGICAL and less tainted by tourism. The main square is the San Marco (in Venice) of the North. LOVED IT.

D: Dunurs (sp. varies depending on country) rock my world. The Turkish kebab-like sandwich things have been a sure satisfier in every country we have visited. Thank you Turkish immigrants.

E: Europeans with hilarious haircuts. Keeps me laughing when my legs decompose beneath me.
F: Friends made in hostels. Think of it as the Real World meets the UN
G: Gifts that we give others. As I stated to K at the beginning of the trip: I imagine any funny things I do as small presents to the public. We have given oh-so many gifts to fortunate souls.
H: Hot dogs. Taste so good in Prague and Poland but does your digestive system handle that well? I think not.
I: International exchange rates. We have been trying to convert krons, HUF, and Poland whatevers on our phone calculators every 10 seconds. WHAT THE....is this $10 US dollars or $100 Euros? Today I nearly bought a $135 dollar tablecloth thinking it cost $13 dollars. exactly.
J: Jewish districts...The one in Krakow is especially amazing (featured in Schindler's List.)
K: Kunsthitoriches museum in Vienna left me awestruck.
L: Language barriers make everything dramatic. In Poland and especially in Hungary people don't speak English as often as in touristy destinations or Western Europe. Gestures are key and pointing to menus ( or items in a store) with a kind smile usually does the trick.
M: McDonald's. Hate it. Vowed to myself that I would never eat there (whether in or out of the US) Yet, that $1 garden salad tempted my weak stomach and wallet in Prague and the McFlurry seriously blew me away in Poland (carmel and almond/chocolate mixed in vanilla= perfect.) Sorry to myself and any other haters out there.
:::::::::::::::

People are giving me death stares (totally universal) because I am using the one computer at the hostel AND I must go off to absorb Budapest nightlife! TO BE CONTINUED

London and Berlin...(more blogging about biking)

2008-08-22T15:45:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: not much eloquence (too little time) or detail (this is no travel diary).

London: What's not to love? What's not to love in all of Europe? Our hostel was an old manor house and the people were lovely. We successfully went to Saint Paul's Cathedral, walked the Thames River, met up with Elizabeth Rhondeau, watched the Olympics in Trafalgar Square, lost ourselves in Harrod's, relaxed in Hyde Park, shopped in Primark (cheapandchic), and went to Westminster Abbey. Katharine and I saw Wicked. Pretty great for a horrid jet-lag and a first day of the trip!
Highlight:(everything) Katharine and I exploring hidden streets and finding a cool old church square to live in someday.
Lowlight: When we rushed to catch our plane in Berlin. We literally ran the whole time and almost missed it. Somewhere between the near strip-search by security (I always get targeted!) and the tiny RyanAir plane, I lost my only jacket and my ipod. Blast! Luckily Katharine and I listened to her "Mourning" playlist (made after a high- school heartbreak) and nearly died of laughter.

Berlin: I think everyone needs to come here. SO new but in touch with its turbulent past! Not only did I completely shed any secret anti-German sentiments (I think most Americans harbor some) but I loved the city- planning and the food. Hearing the history of the city, especially during WWI, WWII, and the Cold War, made me understand the people so much better. From the moment we arrived Berliners have been kind and helpful despite the language barrier. I wish we could stay here longer and eat Turkish duners and ride bikes around the city bridges forever.
Highlight: When we searched for our hostel and arrived at a gay/transvestite club and thought...."okay, we can be brave." But, luckily, that was not it. It was up the street and is wonderfully clean and cozy. The Pergamon Museum currently features the MOST amazing exhibit on Babylon that fits into global context perfectly with the Iraq War plus it has a permanent collection to die for. Thirdly, biking in Berlin is like breathing...everybody does it. So Katharine and I rented bikes for the day. Good times (read on)
Lowlight: After finishing a 4-hour-long "free" bike tour of the amazing city we headed back to our hostel in the pouring rain (remember I lost my jacket in London.) I was wearing very shear yellow pants and a white shirt today....need I say more? K and I had a good laugh about my transperancy until I was crossing a busy, slick street. Everything felt like slow motion....anxious German driver + me (going the right way at right cross-walking time) + rain= my life flashing before my eyes and truly biffing it on the pavement with German screams and honking cars in the background. Let's just say it was one of the more dramatic moments in my life. Full of shame and forced "grace", I hurried back on my bike and rode on....in a see-through, black, and bloody ensemble. (PS: I sustained no huge injuries.)

"Look ma...no hands!"

2008-08-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

"Just let the trees guide you," my mom told me, "They help you balance." We were in Versailles on a sunny August afternoon. Like any storybook mother-daughter moment, we rode bikes. And she did it with no hands. Her tiny frame still as a statue and her bird-like legs perched and her hands liberated toward the sky: my mom knew what it meant to live. "Time me!" I rolled my eyes and I looked down the poplar-lined path, embarassed that someone might see us or hear her joyful screams. I timed her. Her wingspan diminished with the distance but I remember how stupidly I seethed in my teenage bratdom....I don't even remember why. All I remember is that I could never ride with no hands.
:::::::::::::
What do you do with a blank page? Except for stare at the beautiful white with excitement? Liberation is so....liberating. In these past days I moved out of my house in Provo, relinquished my old room at home, cut my hair 5 inches, failed my final Final with flair, gave away over 1/2 of my possessions, and said my goodbyes without my characteristic nostalgia.
:::::::::::::::
Last night my mom and I went on a bike ride to pedal away any stress. We pumped hard until my hands smelled like metal monkey-bars. She asked me to time her. I laughed when I thought of my years of memories with her young-at-heart. And she did it with no hands.....for blocks of empty streets. I tried it too. And I did it. Not as well as she did it; because her legs know how to guide the bike from her years of practice (and her heart feels fine to let them do the driving.) Still, I lifted my palms up and saw my shadow of triumph. Then I understood what to do with my crisp page of nothingness. This is what you do with freedom: you just become free. And love every minute of it.

What the?

2008-07-31T15:14:00.000-07:00

EXACTLY.......this is out of control.

"Vampire book launch at BYU Bookstore Aug. 1 to feature blood donation drive

The Brigham Young University Bookstore will host a blood drive to launch the newest book in Stephanie Meyer’s vampire-themed Twilight Series Aug. 1."

Help Make the World a Better Place: #3

2008-07-30T09:04:00.001-07:00

#3 "The Mission"

*(somewhere in a Mormon social circle)*

Shane: "Dude, when did you get back from the mission?"
Geromy: "Oh, wow. It was like 2 years ago. But I still miss the mission so bad. I need to talk to my people down there."
Shelly: "Me, too! On the mission I met the cutest family that I need to call."
Me: "Where did you serve? Did you guys all serve your missions together?"
Geromy: "No, I went to ...."
(fade into a discussion the President held in Spanish)

Did the LDS Church suddenly change all missions into one PANGEA mission? I don't think so. Why the mission? Did you collaborate with the CIA? Does one say it because one entered a secret, unspoken pact that you MUST refer to your mission as the mission to demonstrate a lifelong, Zion-like attitude? Or does this said allegiance to saying the mission stem from a desire to alienate every non-missionary in the universe (including members of other religions)? No wonder people think Mormons are a cult. If you spend years serving and subsequent hours going down memory lane about an LDS mission realize one thing: it was you on your mission. It's okay to own it.

*I love missions, missionaries, and the Church. In fact, I am filling out my mission papers.*

"The strongest force ever is the power of human laughter..." B Money

2008-07-26T08:02:00.001-07:00

Bee came from Provo for the 24th of July parade and, according to tradition, we camped out on the street...well, we tried to camp out. We went home at 2 AM (long story.) The next day, mid-parade he stands up and yells "B Money in the house!" to the whole crowd. You should have seen my Grampa's wide-eyed response. As always, B made friends of all ages. He charmed all with the universal powers of rap and laughter.

Most importantly, my DARLING and MAGICAL (she looks and acts like a fairy) niece Ainsley (and Romney and Ashley) came into town. She and Lizelle already have a great relationship... .Mimsy tries to grab her head like she is playing with a doll. Lizelle just smiles.

B Money spoke truth: Laughter really is the best medicine.

blagging

2008-07-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

blag- verb to boast or use boastful language via a blog or in the blogosphere: I am seriously so blessed so I'd better blog about it!!!!

Related forms- blag or blagger noun, blaggingly adverb
Based on Annie's Unabridged Life Dictionary

On nights like these....when I am working alone until 8:30 pm to make up for the awful exchange rate, feeling super bored, and listening to a growling stomach....I feel like I have earned the right to a mild bit of blagging. (In the case of blagging it is best to complain (whlog? or blomplain?) to justify the coming blag as seen in the previous statement).

In less than 1 month...I will embark on my European dream.

Help Make the World a Better Place: #2

2008-07-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

#2: GARDEN/POLLINATE!
Okay, I feel very passionate about this recommendation.
1. The global food crisis scares me WAY more than the oil crisis. Why not plant your own little tomatoes, corn, and peas just in case you can't get any from the store or the crops cover themselves in salmonella ....oh wait, that ALREADY HAPPENED.

2. Aside from food-producing plants, ANY plant makes the world a better place. Plants and flowers and trees help balance the CO2 levels so that we can inhale and exhale every couple seconds. Plus, everything is prettier. Plus, everything smells better. Plus, who doesn't love fresh-cut flowers (see previous post)?

3. Dear Bees,
Please don't die. If you die, we will all die......ALBERT EINSTEIN estimated that "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left." So, even though you sting and annoy us. We need your honey for good PBH toast and we need you to even exist.
Sincerely,
HUMANITY
PS: Burt's Bees and Pollinators worldwide are trying to help.

In conclusion, not only does gardening help your starving stomach, continue the earth's CIRCLE OF LIFE, as well as perpetuate pollination to save the dying bees to prevent your children's deaths, BUT it also soothes your soul. Working with dirt and little delicate roots always makes me happier. AND it gives me a mild workout. AND it gives me a tan. WOW...this list goes on and on...SO BASICALLY, GARDENING WILL SAVE EVERYTHING.

Help Make The World A Better Place: #1

2008-07-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

I have decided to start these kind rants or "recommendations" to help make the world a better place.
#1: Stop reading Twilight
(or New Moon, Eclipse, and definitely stop yourself before starting the up-and-coming Breaking Dawn)

*As I write this, I remain fully aware that I walk on egg-shells that perhaps pierce the hearts of hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide (including close family and friends). So sorry if this makes you hate me.*

I cannot be silent any longer: SERIOUSLY, STOP IT. I believe that Stephenie Meyer (bless her heart) is a wonderful person.* However, her writing does not parallel Jane Austen's prose despite many ridiculously far-fetched comparisons. Since I read the first ten chapters of the first novel in the Twilight series and nearly vomited upon reaching a detailed description of Edward shimmering shirtless, I realized that Meyer's first book failed to impress. Maybe she developed her writing in the later books? However, when I read a passage or two from Eclipse I realized that despite slight improvements in the sentence structure and diction, the writing, while still poor, is not the MAIN problem. It is the story.

*The story...oh, the sickening story...makes me ashamed to call myself a romantic for fear of getting pegged as an Edward or a Jacob fan. Okay, I love muscles and love as much as any girl. BUT, I do not love tesselating six-packs, odes to blood-types, kisses with werewolfs, and pages of weirdly sexual descriptions of magical/macabre creatures. Newsflash: this book series is not the new BIBLE OF LOVE. The love story has no substance nor creativity: it is a thinly-veiled, Mormon version of a harlequin romance that sells for $3.99 at the local grocery store.

CALL ME CRAZY but it nauseates me to imagine the countless individuals who have changed their permanent expectations for relationships, love, marriage, or just life because of this fleeting obsession with the unrealistic novel. I think the world would improve if girls, teens, women, what-have-you, softly set aside the novel for the sake of something called literature. I don't buy the excuse of "it's a beach read" or "it's every girls' secret fantasy." SERIOUSLY? You can read anything on the beach and you should take a survey to see whether or not 95% of women want a blood-sucking 1,000 year-old who doesn't even know the personality or appreciate the character of his so-called "eternal" lover. Twilight messes with peoples' minds. Real literature entertains while enlightening. Real stories--whether fiction or non-fiction--and real writing mirror real love and real life and thus help rather than hinder relationships with self and others....excluding the occasional vampire or werewolf that you meet at school or work.*

THE GIFT OF JULY 5TH

2008-07-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATHARINE!

This past week we celebrated my older sister's big 2-3. Although we did not have yet another "surprise" party, we had a fun time as we literally lit her cake on fire and my hand melted off. Everyone has always known me as "Kat's little sister." I don't mind the title. Here are a few reasons why:

K- Kind. She gives freely (ex. the darling vintage yellow dress she bought for me last week.) She tips well. She helps any stranger on the side of the road. She takes kids to the zoo, the movies, dinner, etc. just for fun. She serves naturally. She is the most loyal person that I know. And she is always loving and accepting of anyone and everyone--no matter who they are or where they're from.

A- Amusing. Katharine never says no to a good time. She is the life of every party. Every year she makes us do the same Irish dance on Christmas Eve in costumes that we wore in 1992 (see awkward/frozen poses photo) and every day she does something spontaneous. Her laughter, light-heartedness, and fun-loving nature will continue to save me from boredom in the years to come!

T-Tenacious. She aspires to be the next Angelina Jolie (see photo of Halloween with me as Maddox) and I truly believe she will have a mini-UN household simply because she wants it. Aside from her three majors and success at work, she achieves any task if she puts her mind to it. The classic example is my first kiss. Because I worshiped her and her possessions, I wanted to touch her homemade stained-glass (or colored saran wrap) unicorn perched on a high shelf. She refused to let me touch it.... until I kissed Chase Bingham. So I did. She has always been the queen of bargains (twenty "doll-hairs" or 50 "bucks") and persistent persuasion. Her firm strength--spiritual, emotional, intellectual, or social--strengthens everyone around her. Everyone wants Katharine on their team.
P.S. She never let me touch the unicorn.

I LOVE YOU!

Tender Mercies

2008-07-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

amount of gratitude = measure of happiness

There are tender mercies and TENDER mercies.
EX: the new keyboard (that accompanies my new, sleek IMAC) at work. light, quick, and oh-so pristine!

VS.

THE FELLOW CASUALLY WALKIN' AROUND BYU IN A SLEEVELESS, UNDERARMOUR (a company with ads promoting the 4th Reich of athletes) BODYSUIT....WHAT THE?

count your blessings

The ECONOMICS of the SOUL

2008-06-26T14:49:00.001-07:00

“We are limited, not by our abilities, but by our vision.”

We look at life either at a laser-beam-microscopic closeness or at a squinty distance (like artists do...to see the colors and the shape). Keeping a dual perspective means to succeed at life. Sadly, I switch from one to the other with no real logic. I live by the "will it matter in twenty years?" and the overly-analytical, pro-and-con-list mentality depending on the day. Take this week as an example:

Monday I cried after evaluating my bank account in Euros and filled out some of my missionary papers and sang to country in the summer rain. Tuesday I dropped French class, added Political Science, and searched for jobs in Salt Lake. Wednesday morning I pretended that I didn't need to do anything. Wednesday at 1 o'clock I decided to stay in Provo (after discussing it for three months), registered for an Economics class, and completed my graduation papers for December 2008. So many decisions! So many doors!

Today I am sitting here after my foreign yet informative ECON 110 class. I became familiar with PPFs, CPFs, opportunity costs, trade, marginal rates of substitution, etc. While my professor lectured about trade and the up-and-coming Zig Ziglars passed notes to the blonde next to me, my thoughts drifted from my own scribbly graph. I leapt to the macro-economics of me. I could only think of the soul-searching application of the concepts: What are the opportunity costs of relationships? My presence in this class makes our economy less efficient since I am not specializing (who really knows what an Art History major's speciality is)! Is an indifference curve truly infinite (i.e. can you put a price on everything)?

At crossroads, we turn in every direction. We bury our noses in "self-help" books or "how-to-be-successful" tutorials. We look side to side to see what others do. We gaze inside to see what we want or need. We look up. Instead, I just close my eyes. (Now that is a stupid idea.) Lately, I have ignored both micro and macro. I stand here, pretending that my legs don't feel the draft from the open doors...that closing my eyes makes everything so much better. Refusing to open my eyes and close my open doors may stem from indecisiveness or selfishness but, most importantly, it comes from not knowing where all the doors lead. That is scary. That is life. And that is the point: to not know, but walk through the door anyways. To open your eyes and stare into the vast unknown.

Needless to say, my future as an economist looks shaky (at best) and my prospects in opthalmology seem bleak. But, I can walk...even though I don't know where I'm going. Yes, I can open my eyes and walk. After all, the opportunity cost for actually living, my fear of not living, seems to have no market value.

Its like a drug....

2008-06-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

I'm on a blogosphere high.

LOVE: Just thought I would share what my wedding would be like if I got married today. That may seem like a weird statement. Whatev.

HATE: Why does everyone have to have these jibberish things to allow me to comment? I know they serve some cyber safety purpose, but I hate them...and I have one on my blog because everyone else does which makes me feel like I need it to fight off hackers.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5...love list

2008-06-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

Prologue: True or False I listened to "Summer Lovin'" (Grease) a good 30 times in the past two weeks.

1. Who would've guessed? I religiously promote Twisted Frostys ever since my rare Wendy's run on Saturday. Imagine a delicious frosty (choose either vanilla or chocolate!) lightly whipped with the perfect amount of oreo or amazingly soft chunks of cookie dough. You may hesitate (like I did): a) go to Wendy's b) order this item with a lame name and unappetizing picture c) trust that only $2.69 can satisfy your sweet tooth. TRY IT. TRUST ME.

2. Celebrations of Sisterhood! I have always been a girls' girl. Recently I ventured to California with some newer girlfriends and to Sun Valley with older girlfriends . On Saturday we held a Yale Girl's fete with food and fresh gossip. Most of all, I realized how much I love my sisters. Sisters are indescribably irreplaceable. Eleanor, Katharine, and I spent a memorable weekend trying to forget that we didn't accompany my parents to Europe. Time flew by with all the festivals (The Chalk and Children's Art Festivals), farmers' markets, summer sleepovers, etc.

3. If you don't like it, you're stupid. Coldplay's orchestra fusion for all ages. (listen to LOST)

4. Harvesting (i.e. picking or stealing or "redeeming" flowers that the masses do not seem to appreciate) Sarah re-introduced me to this forgotten art of my mother's liking. Fresh flowers= joy. Last week I had a hilarious experience with solo harvesting. With a sharp knife in hand, I climbed a chain-link fence...in a skirt and heels...to harvest some red garden roses. With the thorny stems and knife in hand, I climbed the fence again. Not the smartest idea. As I started to lose my balance I thought, "If this knife stabs me in the stomach how fast can I create a turnacate out of my shirt?" and "Who is watching me? and do they have a camera?" Seriously, the footage would be priceless. Leaping and throwing my roses and dagger into the air, I literally faced the gravelly parking lot below. However, my favorite red high-heel caught onto a link. I dangled...yes dangled... upside down. I dropped. I laughed hysterically despite my bloody hands.

5. I'm in love......with Mona Mondays. I love the Mona lake/pond and the rope swing! Thanks to Alicia, aaallaaan, Curtis, Carrie Anne, and especially Joe for the introduction. Last night at about midnight, we swung (like on the Notebook) and swam under the huge moon and spray of stars.

oh...how I wish

2008-06-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

Rodney Smith- http://www.rodneysmith.com/portfolio.php
...that I could venture into every profession in the entire world. Secretly, I feel that I would whip out success in all workplaces (every one except for as a scientist.) But, in the light of day, I truly believe that some people just find their "calling" via a career; they have A GIFT. I just dream of that. Lately, I most often dream for the day when I cut to the core of LIFE through the art of the photograph. Like these artists.....with one click they have fulfilled their "calling."

above: Luc Delahaye, below: Edward Weston

http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/delahaye/http://www.huntington.org/LibraryDiv/Westonexhibit.html

WELCOME!

2008-05-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

Lizelle Meleane Stevens- MAY 29. 2008, 8:45 am, 4 lbs. 12 oz.

On Tuesday afternoon Kasi went into labor unexpectedly (she was due on July 18th)! Not only did she give birth for like 40 long hours, she gave birth naturally. No medicine. Seriously, none. Plus, she happily hosted lots of hospital visitors amidst consistent contractions. What a warrior (there is no freaking way I could ever do that)! Lizelle (a combo of my mom Liz and my sister Eleanor) surprised doctors--true to Tongan and Stevens tradition--with her size since they predicted a 3-4 lb weakling. If she came on her due date, she would have weighed a whoopin' 10-11 lbs. That would have been an excruciating labor.

Lizelle and my neice Ainsley (Romney and Ashley's 8-month-old) will be in the same grade. However, I have a feeling that strangers won't mistake them for sisters. Lizelle with her dark head of hair and golden skin and Ainsley with her porcelain complexion and darling reddish- brown hair. And I have a feeling I will be their favorite aunt. I am already Lizelle's favorite since I accidentally broke hospital rules and held her in the "Special Nursery"...the nurse glared at me. The other aunts have not held her yet.

My Contribution to Society: Part Awareness

2008-05-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

As I look back at this past year... a lot has happened. Since my time in Hawaii in May 2007, I feel like a different person. I try to pinpoint what exactly sparked the changes. Maturity? Timing? Fate? Big Choices? No. In May of last year I changed my part from following my cowlick down my right side to going against my cowlick. Little did I know at the time, but my comb's new path not only added volume to my locks and solved my problem of a five-head, but changed my life.

2006 VS. 2007

*IGNORE my face, my hair color, and the glare from my glowing skin. LOOK AT THE PART. Seriously, it makes a difference. I think the slight change caused a ripple effect in the rest of my life. To test this theory, I plan to change my part again this month and see what happens.*

McCaye's bible/the Law of Attraction clearly states that one sends their message into the universe and the universe answers one's request. Such a simple and successful formula that applies to all aspects of life! Dividing your hair into a middle part not only screams straight-up "second grade" but asks for an oatmeal, Sarah-Plain-and-Tall life. A zig-zag part basically begs for a creeper named Dal or Travis or Zeek to waltz right into your life and ruin it. If your life is falling apart at the seams ask one simple question: "Is my part to blame?" Gazing into the glass and seeing, for example, a zig-zag part highlighted by a row of rhinestones or a small flock of butterflies (oh-so strategically placed) reveals why you lead a crappy life. By paying homage to 97' with your part you are asking the universe, on a daily basis, to give you the horrors from the previous decade that you thought you had buried at Y2K.

Therefore, as you contemplate revisiting the no-part slick or the diagonal part merely take time to reflect upon the message you send to the Universe. Change your part, change your life.

SPRING

2008-04-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

Wayne Thiebaud's art makes me (and any ice-cream-loving, baseball-watching American) happy

GO SEE THE WAYNE THIEBAUD SHOW AT THE SPRINGVILLE MUSEUM OF ART BEFORE JULY!