The Help

As if enough book clubs haven't blogged about this book already, I'm going to add my nickel or dime, too.

I feel like Skeeter and I are kind of similar. 23, college graduate (or soon-to-be), single and trying to write out a place in the world.

Since the first time I went to South Carolina when I was a little girl, I've loved the South. Maybe it's my grandmother's Charlestonian blood running through my veins.

I feel confident that I could live in the South for only one reason: the food. And after reading about Minny's caramel cakes, and fried chicken and pork chops, all I want is some down home barbeque.

Over Thanksgiving, my family visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. I could have spent all day walking through the exhibit, reading the labels and quotes from everyday people and prominent leaders of that movement, but we only had a couple of hours.

We saw the room where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated and read about so many others who suffered simply for trying to speak out. It became so much more real to me. I have so much admiration for those who fearlessly fight for justice, anywhere and everywhere. Whether that is by staying put in a bus seat or taking huge risks to report the truth.

All I can really say about The Help is: read it.

And then think about it.

We study history so we don't repeat it. But, just like everything in life, it's never all bad. I loved reading the stories of tightly-knit bonds between women, remembering that despite the tough times, in the long run charity never fails.

image via google

soundtrack to my morning:

homemade

I just finished reading A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. She's the writer of Orangette. She has this magical way of writing like she's had you over for lunch, and after your belly is satisfied like it's never been before, you ask for the recipe, and she, graciously, obliges. And then she tells you about that one time when she made it for so-and-so and suddenly you're off on some tangent that will, inevitably, lead you back to the table.

Since Sunday afternoon, when I started it, this book has been my late night dessert each evening. Not only have I loved curling up in my bed just before I go to sleep, to drool over the recipes and stories Molly tells, I have loved making time in my schedule to read. It has been too long, but it is such a treat.

I loved it. And I may just gain 200 pounds from trying all of the recipes. Although, to Molly's credit, there are enough salads in that book to balance out the butter, chocolate, and whipped cream that fill the rest of the pages.

So thanks, Molly, for confirming that a life centered around the kitchen is perfectly balanced. And that real life fairy tales actually begin with chocolate cake instead of poison apples.

Good Morning Green

"Green (or rather, purple) smoothies" in the morning may just be my new favorite thing.

I'll admit, I was a surefire skeptic at first. But I'm getting better at making them like anything but spinach. The one I made this morning was my favorite so far:

• big handful of spinach
• spoonful of whole flax seeds
• unsweetened almond milk
• mixed berries (black, blue and raspberries)
• two heaping spoonfuls of honey greek yogurt

I blended it until it was a creamy lavender whipped mess and it was the perfect breakfast.

Good food can be good for you.

Check out my Salvadoran life

Hey, kids. Sorry I haven't been writing much lately. I've been busy doing a myriad of projects in El Salvador, and if you want to hear about it, check this out.

everything is more romantic in french

This may just be one of the most romantic songs I've ever heard.
I fell in love with it when I heard it play at the end of French Kiss.

Louis Armstrong's trumpet can take my breath away any day.
And Edith Piaf's voice is incredible.

I don't even need to hear the words to want to melt into some dashing man's arms and forget the world.

Would you believe me if I told you this was my homework?

Because it was.

For my advertising concepts class tomorrow, we are having a creative food potluck of sorts.

And this is what I'm bringing.

And if you were wondering, I did eat the bite out of the corner at 1am when I finished this baby.

Baking is my yoga.

*this photo, taken by myself (this is new...) proves several things:

1. I am a copywriter, not an art director, meaning the concept is great. The visual execution....well let's just say I'm not a perfectionist.

2. I actually do own a camera. And I just discovered that my laptop has a memory card slot thingy...well, look at that.

3. I make dang good brownies.

Food Rules

Oh this just came in the mail yesterday.
And I might have read all 64 "rules" before I went to bed last night.

{But I'm saving the explanations and fine print to savor later.}

Favorites:
"Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself."
"The banquet is in the first bite."

"Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it."

Go eat something you love.

And really taste it.

*Maybe this will help with #17 on this list.

"i have measured out my life with coffee* spoons"

For my creative writing class, we are asked to keep a journal and read two poems a day.
I came across the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot and loved it.

"There will be time, there will be time

To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;

There will be time to murder and create,

And time for all the works and days of hands

That lift and drop a question on your plate;

Time for you and time for me,

And time yet for a hundred indecisions,

And for a hundred visions and revisions,

Before the taking of a toast and tea."

It so perfectly describes the stresses of life, while assuring the reader that, "there will be time."

*though I don't drink coffee myself, i love coffee shops, really good hot cocoa, and this line of the poem.

image via deviantart

Much Ado

I found out from one of my favorite New Yorkers, Miss Meg Fee, that Provo is doing Much Ado About Nothing.

June 11th and 12th.

Outside.

FREE.

My favorite kind of theatre.

Who'll go with me?

a prayer for the day

I love this.

Britt already posted about this song and this artist.

But it's too good to pass up.

I love the title line that says "we don't eat until your father's at the table."

Oh, amen to that.

That's how I want to do things in my family.

That's the kind of love I believe in.

*His voice reminds me a little bit of this guy, whom I also love. My favorite kind of rainy day music.

Human-i-tease

Today and last night I realized I would probablylove my Humanities class if I actually took the time to do the readings. (Or do them earlier than 12 o'clock at night).

So I'm recommitting to this on-again, off-again relationship I have with my studies.

Dear Humanities,
I know that you are just a GE class. And that you don't directly relate to my major (although I do plan on advertising to humans, not animals).

But I am going to love you. We'll be good friends, spending lots of time together. (Thank you, 2660-page Norton Anthology of Western Literature)

And I promise to not save all the readings until the day before the late day of the test.

Love,
A girl that really wants to care about old Greek and Roman guys, orders of columns, and well, humanity.

{This line, which I read last night, from the Satyricon, struck me:

"He's got a clock in the dining room and a trumpeter all dressed up to tell him how much longer he's got to live."*

I feel like this needs to be made into a contemporary rock song.}






*Though I love this line, Trimalchio, I think you are a buffoon.

A few thoughts of the day:

-about a month ago, I realized my ward (the people I go to church with) rocks.

-i still hate the snow.

-i may or may not be unprepared for finals...however I will do such preparing over the weekend.

-i realized I love mustard on my sandwiches.

-my black sweatshirt from D.I. is my new favorite article of clothing.

-gilmore girls never gets old. ever.

-and on tuesday i am going to attempt to make samosas. wish me luck :)

image via deviantart

While sleeping I slipped on a reason*

I love live music.
I always forget how much of a rush it is until I'm there, feet aching, heart pounding, soul searching.
Emme Packer opened for Kate Voegele up at Kilby Court (totally sketch-o garage concert venue. I loved it.) It was an incredible concert.

I think it's pretty cool when you like the opening act as much as the headliner.

There is something about packing into a tight space, bumping into strangers, and feeding off their body heat, to share a common experience. It's utterly human; for 2 or 3 hours we felt a little more alive. A little more connected. A bit less alone in this thing called life.

Maybe a little more willing to believe in our dreams and in ourselves. Maybe a little inspired. Or a little hopeful.

I'm so inspired by the talents of others. Music gives me hope in people, because they really do have such good hearts.




*{Ghost on a Shelf} --wonderful song by Emme Packer. I highly recommend it. And anything else she does.

She's fine, most of the time

These are tough times.
Let's try and pull things together, together.

"Breathe, just breathe, take the world off your shoulders, and put it on me."



I think this is utterly beautiful. Especially the lyrics.
To find out more, visit: www.breathe4jobs.com

The search ends here.

I fell in love with this song.
I don't know when I heard it for the first time, but it's definitely a new favorite.
Listen.
Love.
Share.

Farmers Market

Katie (aka Katya) and I went to the Farmers Market Saturday and discovered all kinds of goodies. We sampled honey made 20 minutes up the road, two kinds of homemade barbecue sauce, and vegan cookies, all of which were excellent, but a little out of my college-student budget.

I went home with:

a glass of fresh squeezed mint limeade (it was delicious, by the way)
a steaming pork tamal, (my favorite Mexican dish)
a loaf of Asiago cheese bread
and a dozen or so red potatoes (I plan on using this recipe for dinner group next time I cook)

I love farmers markets and I love paying with cash. I'm sad that I didn't get to enjoy this one more, and that it's only open until the end of the month.

image via deviantart

ps: I've actually been to this farmers market, Pike Place in Seattle, WA!

"bendita la luz de tu mirada"

a little evidence of my recent purchases from my new favorite music store...

Oh how I love this CD already. I can't believe I waited this long to buy it.

And the other two that I bought:
One I've been wanting for a long time...

And one I fell in love with...again.

Music makes my heart happy.

a little bit of goodbye

Today was my last full day in my beautiful Oregon, before I leave for currently-sunny-but-soon-to-be-snowy-you-know-where.

We shopped a little.
My mother and I.
And we ate a little junk food.
And got lost in Everyday Music. Definitely a new favorite. (I might have bought three CDs on impulse.)
And we watched a wonderful movie: Julie & Julia

I love Oregon, my mom and music. A lot. It was a perfect day.

{And on a random note: I bought a pair of skinny jeans. Black ones. This is totally out of character for me; I don't do "trendy." But I like them. I really do. And don't blame me if tomorrow is the third day I wear them...in a row.}

you gotta spend some time, love; you gotta spend some time, with me.

The results are in:

"her morning elegance"-oren lavie: love this one. we're all fighting for our lives.

"turn to stone"-ingrid michaelson: oh ingrid. always a pleasure.

"skinny love"-bon iver: never heard this one before. and I really like it. it reminds me of the music on the garden state soundtrack.

"7:PM"-yann teirsen: so glad you mentioned this one, pepper! It's something I probably wouldn't have come across on my own and I am always in awe of beautiful string pieces.

"sweet disposition"-temper trap: really interesting sound, i like it. :)

"us"-regina spektor: found this one, or better, was reminded of this one from the 500 Days of Summer trailer. it's definitely a new favorite.

"maybe" -ingrid michaelson: once again, ingrid, you speak my heart. "Maybe" to me, is always so bittersweetly hopeful.

"attractions"-severe severe: I could only find a sample of this one, it wasn't even on youtube or playlist.com. But it sounds like something I might like. Any help?

"green spandex"-xavier rudd: I only perused this artist's website for a few minutes, but I liked what I heard. I didn't find this particular song though.

"one love"-bob marley: I really love the title of this one, and it's message.

"where I stood"-missy higgins: this song makes me think of freshman year in college. it's definitely a keeper.

So that's all, for now, my dears! Enjoy. And feel free to drop by and leave more music ideas, anytime. They are always welcome to my heart. :)