memorial day

It was really lovely. I got to spend it with some of my most favorite people in the world. And the food was just yummy. I'm infinitely blessed!

Now Playing: Turn And Turn Again by All Thieves

pentax k1000 // kodak ultra max

that's what's up

Wanna know what I was up to last night? Probably not, but I'll tell you anyway - I saw Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros in concert, and it was EPIC! They're so good live that even now, just thinking about it makes me excitedly giddy all over again. It was so worth the stressful hour and a half drive down to Atlanta (which really was a 2-hour drive thanks to the thunderstorm that kept us company the whole way there). We missed the opening band, but who cares -- the main act more than made up for that loss. Now I can't wait for their new album, which is coming out may 29th (I checked). All the songs they performed off of it were amazing (and all the adjectives I'm using sound so trite, but I don't have words to articulate the awesomeness that is an Edward Sharpe concert).

Oh, and that's my friend Stephen. He's such an awesome, reliable concert buddy.

Now Playing: That's What's Up by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

pentax k1000 // kodak ultra max

dear diary: sensible black girls

This photo has absolutely nothing to do with the post, but it was a pretty sunset that day. And even with the large, obnoxious crane in the foreground, I still enjoy it, so...

Anyway, school's out now (queue excited hand-clapping and body flailing), but before it was out I had to do this thing for one of my literature classes called a Capstone presentation. Basically, during Capstones, seniors (of which I am one) present to the class their aspirations, hopes, dreams, and (if you're one of the lucky ones) plans that are no longer mere objectives but concrete things happening for you presently. You also place those hopes etc. in concert with your idea of what you perceive literature to be and specifically how that particular class has guided or not guided those perceptions.

For my Capstone, I read an entry from my journal that I felt was representative of some of my feelings about myself, about my major, but ultimately about my race. I'm gonna share an excerpt here:

Up until I was about three my name was Catherine after my dad’s elder sister. But then my dad got into an argument with her, and whatever it was they disagreed on must have been very important and/or very intense, because my dad had my name legally changed to Karen. It wasn’t that much of a leap, since firstly I wasn’t too attached to the name Catherine considering my very young age, and secondly and more technically Karen and Catherine mean essentially the same thing – Pure.  

Except I don’t and have never considered myself pure. And I don’t mean pure in the sense of faultlessness or sinlessness; I mean the kind of pure that connotes a freedom from discordant qualities, but isn't necessarily metaphysical. Like when people talk about pure gold or a pure tone in music without any kind of extraneous or inappropriate elements taking away from the experience of that tone. So then, a musical kind of pure, if you will.

I am not a musical kind of pure. I am electronic and unplugged all at once. I am amplified. I am muted. I harbor too many contradictions to really and truly qualify the meaning of my name. And I think that’s why I have such an affinity for literature – or at the very least literature, as I understand it: Literature as all encompassing and inclusive; Literature as rigid and specialized; Literature as open and transcendent; Literature as elusive and insular. 

I have often considered what my future will look like; lately those considerations have tripled in occurrence, and are markedly more frantic now that graduation is nearly upon me and the prospect of the “real” world is made more tangible daily. These considerations consistently leave me feeling claustrophobic. I mean that they elicit a sort of strange, frenzied, oftentimes hysterical feeling that I am unable to articulate as yet. I wouldn’t call it terror although it does have the makings for that particular emotion. But more and more, I have come to think of it as the ultimate side effect of my gross indecision complex. Because I am grossly indecisive. 

I want to live on an isolated sheep farm in the French Alps with a whole slew of my own barefoot, underfoot children; I want to be a very capable food critic living in a charming, little, Seattle apartment with a cherry red front door; I want to be the flamboyant, artistic wife of an impressively bearded fisherman and live on an island off of the coast of Maine; I want to be a much beloved primary schoolteacher in a quaint European village; I want to tour the world over as an accordion player in a band that I shall call The Beard and the Trapezoid; but mostly I just want to be an eccentric and brilliant professor of Literature at a university – and I won’t even mind on which continent it is. 

I can’t imagine what some of these dreams seem like to people who aren’t me, because to me they make perfect sense. But I find that I have to defend my aspirations constantly to people who, during my entire explanation, maintain the same incredulous, almost pitying expression. Because sensible black girls aspire to sensible careers. Sensible black girls grow up to be doctors and lawyers and engineers and chief editors and computer programmers, and (if you absolutely must push the envelope) fashion designers. 

They know better than to gamble their futures on the success of bands that play obscure instruments like the accordion. They certainly know to stay away from places where the chances of them being the only one of their kind are invariably guaranteed. And every sensible black girl is well aware that fishing is no kind of life to live regardless of how impressive your potential lobsterman’s beard is. So, what to do when you’re a sensible black girl who practically avoids all the sensible things you ought to be chasing…?

Now Playing: Late Bloomer by Allie Moss 

athens indie craftstravaganza!

Between studying for finals, putting together portfolios for my web and painting classes, writing papers, working, and worrying about all the things I'm juggling, it's no wonder I haven't used my Pentax in what seems like years. But I brought it out of retirement this morning for the Athens Indie Craftstravaganza Spring Market. It was so great! I had the hardest time holding on to my nonexistent money (being broke seriously sucks). I did, however, collect some business cards for when I come into some money later (my ingenuity astounds me too, haha!).

P.S. Check out Jesse's online shop. I met her briefly at the market, but I can say this with all confidence: she's lovely and her handmade pouches are just as lovely too.

Now Playing: Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men

pentax k1000 // fujifilm superia x-tra

breakfast at belville's

We took a break from painting one morning and convened at my professor's house for a little look-see at his lovely home and studio. We got to meet his dog too, and her name is Slinky-Toe. I don't get it either...

Now Playing: Over The Hill (John Martyn cover)

(Is it bad that I like this cover better than the original?! It has all of my favorite people in it. Ben Lovett... *sigh* Ah! I can't get enough!!)

pentax k1000 // fujifilm superia x-tra

easter sunday shenanigans

Caution: the post you are about to view is heavily riddled with photos. Proceed accordingly.

riding in pink cars. death by shadow play. Wham!. imaginary convos via decommissioned pay phones. trolling downtown Athens. stealing photos of street crooners. yummy Five Guys burgers. brilliant sunsets. taking photos for strangers. taking photos of cute strangers (the operative word being "cute"). not-so-secret secret gardens. studies in floral arrangement 101. awkward poses by fountains. more trolling: library edition. lessons in lens focusing. obligatory reflection photos. all in a day's work.

LOVE has won!

Last night was incredible!! It was totally worth turning my paper in late and risking a lower grade as opposed to if I had stayed put and finished it before time. I went to the Good Friday concert/service at the Passion City Church in Atlanta with my friends, Erin and Seth (they're married and so cute!), and I came away so blessed and rejuvenated in my faith. I had been struggling with feelings of such extreme guilt were my relationship with my Savior was concerned. But last night all of that just melted away. In retrospect I can't believe that I ever even considered I could possibly be an embarrassment to Jesus. I mean, nothing I do surprises Him so how could I discomfit Him with any of it. I needed reminding that Jesus paid it all for me, that there was nothing I could do to save myself -- I was spiritually decayed until He came along and raised this life out of death. His Love has won and I'm done fighting it.

P.S. In case you wondered, the next to last photo is me. Erin was adamant about getting at least one picture of me, and I'm glad I relented because I actually really like this photo. That rarely happens.

P.P.S. Check out this cause that's all about stopping human trafficking all over the world.

Now Playing: White Flag by Chris Tomlin

(If you've never listened to any of the songs I include at the end of each post, make an exception and listen to this one -- it's truly great!)

Happy Easter, everyone!!

22

Literally, I've been celebrating my birthday for the past 3 weeks! My actual birthday was on March 10, but the weekend before, my out-of-town friends surprised me with a sweet birthday celebration. I took pictures from that night, but the only decent shot is the one above (sorry, guys -- the pains of shooting film). 

I spent my actual birthday at home with my family. My dad cooked (I love it when my dad cooks; he has a rare talent for it). We rented a bunch of movies, and stayed put on the couch watching them. Overall, an unusually sedentary birthday, but a lovely one nonetheless. (Psst: Super 8 is an engrossing watch; I recommend it).

The week following my birthday was Spring Break, which I spent in Athens because I'm newly a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care, and part of my training requires me to sit in on 10 hours of juvenile court proceedings. 

This past week, though, I celebrated with my in-town friends. We made plans to get together and watch the finale of Walking Dead (zombie flicks are second only to my obsession with bearded and mustachioed men -- chai lattes are a close third). We had pasta for dinner. And as is our MO, (surprise) cupcakes and wine put in an appearance as well. 22 is shaping up to be a good year!

Now Playing: Get It Daddy by Sleeper Agent

pentax k1000 // fujifilm superia x-tra

what i'm reading: a feast for crows

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book took me forever to read, my goodness. I just wasn't as invested in these characters as I've been with the regulars (Bran, Jon, Dany, Tyrion, et al.). But towards the end it starts to redeem itself. What I'm about to say next is probably going to make me sound petty and vindictive. But truthfully, I don't much care because I gained such immense pleasure from observing the beginnings of Cersei's downfall that there's absolutely no way I'm not owning up to it. I suppose this is where I go into how lyrical the narrative is, and the author's artful use of literary devices, etc. (it's all of these things if you're concerned with such). But I'd rather gloat: you're done Cersei! you hear that -- DONE!!

make kony famous!

For over 20 years this man (if you can even call him that) has been perpetuating acts of such barbarity and getting away with it because he is virtually invisible to the world. He needs to be stopped, but in order for that to happen we must first make him famous. So let's make him famous!

Educate yourself on the matter. Visit Invisible Children (click please), and figure what the best way for you to get involved is. I know there's some controversy with Invisible Children, but honestly it's all just trite and peripheral in my humble opinion because regardless of what percentage of funds IC reserves to propagate their agenda, the fact still remains that Joseph Kony needs to be caught and the only way to do so is to be relentless in our spotlighting of him. So don't donate money if it makes you uneasy, but put up flyers, tell a friend, blog about it, whatever it takes really. There are so many ways you can get involved and stop that beast in his tracks. No more excuses, y'all -- let's fight war!

eats: no. 1

The last time I was here, I ordered the beer and cheddar soup with a roasted tomato sandwich half. It tasted alright.

pentax k1000 // fujifilm superia x-tra

remediation

Well, would you look at that?! I said I'd be back today to post my very first self-made video (ever!) and here I am. I love when I surprise myself!

So a little bit about this video: my midterm project for my web class required taking something I'd originally written and intended for the medium of print, and re-imagine it using some other medium such as audio, visual, or (in my case) both. I chose to work with an old prose poem I'd written many years ago, turning it into an audio-visual experience. This here is the end product. As to the content, it's pretty self-explanatory. Plus I really don't want to give anything away, so just enjoy it (and if you don't, I'd rather not hear about it -- "I fear my will may not be firm enough yet for that").

The music is by Ólafur Arnalds and it is called Raein (you can hear it here without the added distraction of my voice).