it is the first day of a brand new year. the slate is clean, the drawing board is empty, the cliches are flowing. during a late evening shower tonight, the resolutions that i debate making each year came to me as easily as the hot water flowing over me.
what i'd like to do this year (a non-comprehensive list in no particular order)
1. learn to make clothes on my sewing machine and learn as much about sewing as possible while doing as much sewing as possible
2. go rock collecting and dig beautiful treasures out of the ground
3. take a real vacation (hawaii?)
4. adopt a puppy if humanly possible
5. work with babies and toddlers
6. start watching six feet under from the beginning
7. learn to love reading the bible again
8. sing in public
9. read, read, READ
10. survive the winter (without depression and bike accidents)
11. paint my apartment fun colors, at least my room (bright blue?)
12. consolidate and streamline debt, possessions, etc.
13. turn 25 without having a quarter-life crisis
14. get closer to going to africa
15. learn, laugh and love (yes, i am so freaking cheesy that i think i created a theme for the year...i knew that holiday letter was the beginning of the end)
16. take fashion risks
17. write letters, send presents, make gifts
18. find a new therapist, preferably a christian
19. get super and/or magic powers (or at least read the last harry potter book which better come out this year!)
1.01.2007
the sharp hint of tears
(written 12.30.06 somewhere over the united states. caution: may be overly sentimental)
i am starting to hate this. by this, i mean going back and forth between two places i love, and two groups of people i love. in one place, i have all the time in the world to explore the city and enjoy small moments with friends. in the other place, i am forced to create a strict schedule of visits, prioritize my loved ones, and repeat the same information again and again. i leave with a longing for more time, more little moments, more laughter and conversation and hugs. and some one is always sad, not only that i’m leaving, but because they didn’t get enough time with me. yes, it is amazing that i am loved and longed for by these people, and i am so thankful for them. but with every trip home, i feel a little more sad, a little more tired, and a little more far away.
it seems that my friends and family understand my love of food, particularly cheese, as they all made a special effort to have my favorite foods on hand during my visit. smoked turkey, chocolate chip cookies, beef stew, peanut m & m’s, cheez-its, donuts, and plenty of 2% milk at my dad’s house; hand-baked Mexican wedding cookies and oatmeal caramelitas, pepsi, chocolate, and tea at my mom’s; chocolate-chocolate chip cookies at my grandma’s; and warm, delicious soup at shanna’s and nicole’s. oh, and at every house, lots and lots of Tillamook cheddar cheese. the problem was, i am a small girl, and i can only eat so much. needless to say, i had to leave some of it behind. but i made sure to make room for the chocolate in my suitcase.
my mom took me to the airport this evening, and i went through the familiar motions of sticking my credit card into the e-ticket machine, checking my ridiculously heavy baggage, and preparing myself for the security scan. and then there’s the worst part…the goodbye. as i hugged my mom several times, i knew i had to walk away before i started bawling. i hate this, i hate this, i hate this. after successfully clearing security and re-dressing myself, i looked back through the maze of metal detectors, gates, and conveyor belts for my mommy. she was frantically waving, her arm lifted high so that I would see her. we blew kisses. i felt tears. i walked down the deserted terminal towards my gate, pausing to look out the dark window and cry. after take-off, i reached into my bag, took out the food she packed for me, and found a baggie of Tillamook cheese. as i tasted the familiar sharpness in my mouth, i again felt the prick of tears behind my eyes. who knew that cheese could make you cry?
i am starting to hate this. by this, i mean going back and forth between two places i love, and two groups of people i love. in one place, i have all the time in the world to explore the city and enjoy small moments with friends. in the other place, i am forced to create a strict schedule of visits, prioritize my loved ones, and repeat the same information again and again. i leave with a longing for more time, more little moments, more laughter and conversation and hugs. and some one is always sad, not only that i’m leaving, but because they didn’t get enough time with me. yes, it is amazing that i am loved and longed for by these people, and i am so thankful for them. but with every trip home, i feel a little more sad, a little more tired, and a little more far away.
it seems that my friends and family understand my love of food, particularly cheese, as they all made a special effort to have my favorite foods on hand during my visit. smoked turkey, chocolate chip cookies, beef stew, peanut m & m’s, cheez-its, donuts, and plenty of 2% milk at my dad’s house; hand-baked Mexican wedding cookies and oatmeal caramelitas, pepsi, chocolate, and tea at my mom’s; chocolate-chocolate chip cookies at my grandma’s; and warm, delicious soup at shanna’s and nicole’s. oh, and at every house, lots and lots of Tillamook cheddar cheese. the problem was, i am a small girl, and i can only eat so much. needless to say, i had to leave some of it behind. but i made sure to make room for the chocolate in my suitcase.
my mom took me to the airport this evening, and i went through the familiar motions of sticking my credit card into the e-ticket machine, checking my ridiculously heavy baggage, and preparing myself for the security scan. and then there’s the worst part…the goodbye. as i hugged my mom several times, i knew i had to walk away before i started bawling. i hate this, i hate this, i hate this. after successfully clearing security and re-dressing myself, i looked back through the maze of metal detectors, gates, and conveyor belts for my mommy. she was frantically waving, her arm lifted high so that I would see her. we blew kisses. i felt tears. i walked down the deserted terminal towards my gate, pausing to look out the dark window and cry. after take-off, i reached into my bag, took out the food she packed for me, and found a baggie of Tillamook cheese. as i tasted the familiar sharpness in my mouth, i again felt the prick of tears behind my eyes. who knew that cheese could make you cry?
just call me martha
stewart, that is. although sometimes (like every tuesday when my small group comes over) i can be a bit of a biblical martha as well. if you dont know the story, Jesus came over to her and her sister's house and she was bustling around being a good hostess and mary (her sister) was just chillin' with Jesus and this kinda ticked martha off, and she said something, and Jesus told her mary was doing the better thing.
so the reason i'm martha stewart is because i got all domesticated recently (i think it started with the sewing machine) and this led to me writing my first annual holiday letter. here it is, enjoy!
dear friends and family,
it’s that time of year again! time for my annual holiday letter! i know what you’re thinking…she doesn’t send out an annual holiday letter…well, this year, i’ve decided to start a new tradition. if my married friends can do it, why can’t i?
this past year has been full of exciting, fun, and challenging times which i shall now recount to you in all their glory. ah, i love holiday letters. in fall 2005, i moved across the country from Oregon to Boston, leaving throngs of mourners in my wake. while i continue to miss Oregon, i have fallen in love with my new city and love to spend time exploring it. i spent my first year here living with two girls my age in the suburb of Watertown, which unexpectedly has a river running through it (creative name, i know). i loved my huge, cheap apartment but hated the bus commute to work and the lack of creativity and nightlife that Watertown had to offer. so, in September, i moved into a smaller, more expensive apartment in Cambridge, just across the river from downtown Boston. Cambridge pulsates with creativity, diversity, and college students, and i pinch myself daily to make sure i really live in such an amazing place. i now live with two other girls my age, and we’re having lots of fun.
i continue to work with teenagers at Castle School, a residential school for high schoolers with emotional and behavioral issues. i absolutely love it. it’s like a second home and family, and i’ve got six teenage kids. i have a lot of fun with them, doing everything from helping prepare meals, to talking about their feelings, to hanging out and watching movies. i have also fallen in love with the school dog, Loki, an adorable, lazy chocolate lab, and i hope to get my own dog in the near future.
in august i started graduate school for art therapy at Lesley University in Cambridge. i will be going part time for three years, and, when i’m done, i’ll be a certified art therapist and licensed mental health counselor. i am learning soooo much, reading so many amazing books, and i’m required to make art about my feelings! it’s perfect.
another highlight of the year was selling my car, riding the bus all winter and spring, and then getting a “vintage” bike, then saying goodbye to it when i was told i was going to hurt myself or someone else if I kept riding it (geez, that lady at the bike shop was so overdramatic) and buying myself a beautiful, powder blue mountain bike. i outfitted my new bike with baskets and lights and it is now my primary mode of transportation.
this year i also joined a fabulous church here and an amazing small group of artists, some of whom have become my closest east coast friends. my best friend brian got married after proposing to his wife nicole in Boston, and i was a bridesmaid. my mom came to visit me, and i took two trips home. i serendipitously met another great friend on the bus, developed a love of diners, made an art studio in my room, and filled my closet with beautiful bargains from all over the city.
yes, it was a great year. of course i left out the long depressing winter and other not-so-happy moments, but they made the year meaningful, too. i hope each of you learned, loved, and laughed in 2006, and continue to do so in 2007. happy holidays!
so the reason i'm martha stewart is because i got all domesticated recently (i think it started with the sewing machine) and this led to me writing my first annual holiday letter. here it is, enjoy!
dear friends and family,
it’s that time of year again! time for my annual holiday letter! i know what you’re thinking…she doesn’t send out an annual holiday letter…well, this year, i’ve decided to start a new tradition. if my married friends can do it, why can’t i?
this past year has been full of exciting, fun, and challenging times which i shall now recount to you in all their glory. ah, i love holiday letters. in fall 2005, i moved across the country from Oregon to Boston, leaving throngs of mourners in my wake. while i continue to miss Oregon, i have fallen in love with my new city and love to spend time exploring it. i spent my first year here living with two girls my age in the suburb of Watertown, which unexpectedly has a river running through it (creative name, i know). i loved my huge, cheap apartment but hated the bus commute to work and the lack of creativity and nightlife that Watertown had to offer. so, in September, i moved into a smaller, more expensive apartment in Cambridge, just across the river from downtown Boston. Cambridge pulsates with creativity, diversity, and college students, and i pinch myself daily to make sure i really live in such an amazing place. i now live with two other girls my age, and we’re having lots of fun.
i continue to work with teenagers at Castle School, a residential school for high schoolers with emotional and behavioral issues. i absolutely love it. it’s like a second home and family, and i’ve got six teenage kids. i have a lot of fun with them, doing everything from helping prepare meals, to talking about their feelings, to hanging out and watching movies. i have also fallen in love with the school dog, Loki, an adorable, lazy chocolate lab, and i hope to get my own dog in the near future.
in august i started graduate school for art therapy at Lesley University in Cambridge. i will be going part time for three years, and, when i’m done, i’ll be a certified art therapist and licensed mental health counselor. i am learning soooo much, reading so many amazing books, and i’m required to make art about my feelings! it’s perfect.
another highlight of the year was selling my car, riding the bus all winter and spring, and then getting a “vintage” bike, then saying goodbye to it when i was told i was going to hurt myself or someone else if I kept riding it (geez, that lady at the bike shop was so overdramatic) and buying myself a beautiful, powder blue mountain bike. i outfitted my new bike with baskets and lights and it is now my primary mode of transportation.
this year i also joined a fabulous church here and an amazing small group of artists, some of whom have become my closest east coast friends. my best friend brian got married after proposing to his wife nicole in Boston, and i was a bridesmaid. my mom came to visit me, and i took two trips home. i serendipitously met another great friend on the bus, developed a love of diners, made an art studio in my room, and filled my closet with beautiful bargains from all over the city.
yes, it was a great year. of course i left out the long depressing winter and other not-so-happy moments, but they made the year meaningful, too. i hope each of you learned, loved, and laughed in 2006, and continue to do so in 2007. happy holidays!
right now
well, actually, the last week of the semester. this was a final project for one of my art therapy classes. it's my favorite collage i've ever made, because it came together so perfectly and serendipitously.
as promised, i am posting it here since i talked about it in my last blog.
as promised, i am posting it here since i talked about it in my last blog.
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