SPARKLER ART

Here is some sparkler art from the 4th of July. All photos courtesy of Peter.





I heart sparklers :)

Air Mail

There is a letter coming my way now any day. The purple marker squiggles across the ten double sided pages will be familiar. I know the girl who wrote those words and have a faint recollection of the thoughtfully written advice she administered across those bright white pages a year ago. I often wonder what that girl would say if she knew what I've done (and not done) this year. Will she be disappointed? Happy? Glad? Worried? Anxious? Encouraging? Loving? Is she going to kick my ass for being grumpy, lazy, and sad for the first part of my return? I can hear her now faintly whispering in the back of my mind. As each day gets closer and closer to her words arriving in my mail box, I get more and more anxious. I have a feeling she's going to be mad at me. I have a feeling she's going to make me cry. But I also know she's going to forgive me and offer some much needed inspiration. After all, it's her expectations with which I've had difficulty dealing.

Her twelve months of patiently sitting on a shelf are coming to a close.

I also wonder about the messenger as it quite possibly could be hand delivered by a kindred soul I no doubt would want to hug.

Regardless of the delivery method of my air mail, I know it's coming. I can hear it.

I'm over here for now....

For the time being, I'm over here. I needed a change of scenery.

Times are a Changing

MSN.com featured a great article today about how Americans are changing the way they shop. The article highlighted changes in fundamental American life that will lead to some interesting trends in the future. Very englightening. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Umeployed - Want to Get Away???

So you're unemployed and need something to do until you find a job?? I stumbled upon an article and slide show at Travel + Leisure. I wish I had found it when I had three months of free time.... Very interesting ideas.

The Story Of Stuff

Courtesy of my friends at Two Girls Go Green, I found one of the most enlightening yet disturbing presentations I've ever seen. Do yourself a favor and get an education by watching The Story of Stuff right now.

Photo from agreenSpan.org

(It wouldn't hurt you to read that story either.)

Year of Reading Dangerously - March

This month's pick for my challenge:

"Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Review - "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold"

The prospect of reading this book excited me tremendously. I couldn't wait to dive into a story about which everyone raved. I picked it for my February Reading Dangerously Challenge. Unfortunately, the novel left me disappointed. I found the plot with its twists and interwoven characters to be confusing at times. All of this was sorted out by the end but I found myself saying, "that is all???" The characters were not as intriguing as I had hoped, the action was typical of this genre and the end was anticlimactic. Le Carré's famous work was rather predictable for me, which is probably why I didn't enjoy it as much as others did. I'd say it was a more mediocre read if this type of fiction piques your interest. Unfortunately, I was unimpressed and have very little to write about this mediocre book.

There was one quotation I really liked from the story:

"Everywhere that air of conspiracy which generates among people who have been up since dawn- of superiority almost, from the common experience of having seen the night disappear and the morning come. The staff had that look which is informed by the mystery of dawn and animated by the cold and they treated the passengers and their luggage with the remoteness of men returned from the front: ordinary mortals had nothing for them that morning."

10 Things From Your Mom/Dad/parent's Kitchen

I was reading The Kitchn today when I came across a very endearing post about a mom's kitchen. The author took pictures of her 10 favorite things in her mother's kitchen and then wrote a little note saying why she loved them. Of course her reminiscing prompted me to consider what items I love in my parent's kitchen, however, I could only think of two items I love: my mom's cookie cutters and her Betty Crocker recipe book. Honorable mention might go to the ancient bean pot without a lid. This might prompt me to think differently about their kitchen the next time I shuffle through the cupboards.

Do you know what ten things you love about your parent's kitchen??

If I was a frivolous girl...

I don't really like wearing bracelets despite the collection I have in my bathroom. I think they look weird on my wrist because I have tiny hands. They are like cabbage patch hands, which means I rarely wear bracelets or giant rings- they looks funny and almost cartoonish. My small hand anatomy kind of makes me sad because I love fun bracelets especially charm bracelets, and crazy vibrant cocktail rings. I'd love a fun charm bracelet but I would never wear it so I don't have one nor could I justify the purchase. This being said, my interest was piqued today as I was perusing my litany of items on Google Reader and came across a wonderfully pretty thing:



from Tiffany.

I have two necklaces with similar charms but I had no idea how many charms they actually had nor did I know you could wear them on your necklaces. Now, if I was a frivolous girl, I'd considering buying a great deal of them to amass a giant collection of lovely charms. Especially the seasonal ones. However, the good accountant/economist in me knows better and takes delight in her orange savings account instead. But aren't they pretty?

Changing of the Guard

Unfortunately, this post is going to have a melancholy tone and it's my 600th post. Sorry friends.

Today I went to the local Secretary of State here in my new Midwestern municipality to get a driver's license because the insurance lady yelled at me. Well, not really but she was stern in her voice mail. I knew I had to do it, and have been reluctantly dragging my feet because, well I really didn't want to part with my little plastic piece of New England. I discovered today exactly how much I identify myself with my home state just as she punched a big ol' hole in my old driver's license and handed me my new temporary one. I've never had another state's piece of plastic. The entire transaction saddened me. They even made me put my middle name on it. I really, really violently dislike my middle name. I look forward to getting rid of it someday, but in the meantime, the lady insisted it had to be on there. Sigh....

I've always been a staunch, stoic New Englander who is rather passionate and patriotic about her roots. I realize that idea is kind of an oxymoron but it's the truth. Ironically, I might not be here if I wasn't proud to be an east coast girl. The majority of my character is a result of where I grew up, and I hold that place near and dear to my heart. It's who I am. However, I would be lying if I said I thought I would end up there. I did not believe it would always be my residence. I guess I just wasn't prepared to give up the official square declaring it so.

I also realized geographic and plastic have very little to do with identity. I'll always be a New Englander because it's in my heart. Besides, I could never call Coca Cola "pop". Sorry folks, it's soda where I come from. Yet, that all being said. I look forward to getting to know the new locale, as I firmly believe every place has its charms. I anticipate slowly being charmed by my new residence even if I'm a little sad for a bit.