Rain

In September, as my black and white photo class was ending it rained a few days. I realized how beautiful the rain really is and how great it would be to capture it on film in black and white. I have been waiting (rather impatiently, to be honest) for the winter rain to hit Portland and this month it really has hit full force. Part of this project is to capture the actual physical phenomenon of rain but I also want to capture some of the moods that rain and winter in Portland brings about. I want to do some portrait work for this eventually, but the opportunity hasn't arisen. I want these to all be photos from my everyday life, things that I am actually experiencing and seeing. All the water I have to endure as well as the cozy interiors I retreat to when it's too wet to be outside. 

These are shots from the first roll of film I've shot for this. I really wanted to develop and print the film myself but I don't have access to a darkroom right now and honestly, I don't have time. Eventually though I do plan on printing my favorites of the series myself. 

On a more practical note, this project has made me hate the rain a little less. But I'm still more excited about snow... which may be coming to Portland soon (and if it does it totally counts as being part of Portland in the winter, right?). 

Let me know what you think of this project. There are more photos from this roll on my flickr.

Some Things

Yesterday I had a conversation that made me realize a lot of things about myself that I usually try to ignore. It was a really good thing and I'm grateful that I had it, even if it wasn't the happiest. Sometimes you just need someone else to say the right things before you really see the whole thing.


The weather here is awful; it's freezing and wet out. Well, it isn't wet here in Portland, but it was quite rainy the entire drive from Bend back to Portland. Last weekend though we got some really nice, warm weather and I went up to my dad's for the day, that's where these pictures are from. I'm going to pick up a couple of rolls of film tomorrow. I don't know what's on them, I have a pretty big pile of film to get developed so it could be anything. I am pretty sure that one of them might have some pictures from my trip to the coast a while ago (as in February-ish), but I might be wrong. It's an exciting surprise.

Green in the City

I live just across the freeway from some of the hills of Portland, where there is a strange combination of forest-like areas and large or old houses, depending. When you walk up my street and across the freeway (my apartment is very loud most of the time) there are a set of stairs going up the hill to one of the roads that has wound it's way up. Along the way up them are green things everywhere, it's a bit of an escape from being surrounded by the city for me. A couple of weeks ago I went up them and snapped some pictures. 

. 2 . a . m .

This spring break is already quite different than the one I had last year. I've spent a lot of time thinking about things, well really I've been doing that a lot lately anyway, but without school it's all I've been doing. That sounded really vague, sorry. I don't like to throw myself out there, so that's all you get on that. I'm not going home this year (which makes it similar to last year) I'm staying in Portland (which makes it different than last year). Portland makes me miss the woods. Maybe I'll have to take an early morning walk in Forest Park, since that's really the closest I'm going to get to woods right now. For some reason break is really the wrong word for how I'm going to spend a lot of the next week, but hopefully it will all pay off. Hopefully everything works out, I mean that in more ways than one (and I say that to let people ponder the mysteries of my mind). I really, nerdily, cannot wait for next term so be prepared ahead of time to hear all about the nerdy misadventures of the basement (I have two classes in a row down there, well actually one is in the sub-basement). There might be some changes around here. I haven't decided yet.

These remind me of spring and summer... when I get to spend months looking like I have the worst cold in the world... thanks allergies and Portland, you make a great team. However sunshine does make me happy... it's a confusing situation.

I don't know where the first two came from... oops... but here's the last one's link.

My To Do List

Here's a better explanation of Elliott's project (see my last post) as well as my contribution to it. First, you simply create a To Do List, it can be artistic or just jotted down on a piece of paper. Optionally: include the url to the project, to show the strangers that will encounter your list what it's all about. Then leave your list in a public space to be found by these strangers, and hopefully they will participate in the project as well. Make sure you take a photo of your project and send them to Elliott at thetodolistproject@gmail.com, when you send it, make sure to mark it as either created or found. Of course you don't have to, but it's always great to include a little bit about who you are and where you left/found the list. Please don't use this to promote your own political agenda, it's meant to be a fun project!

Alright, now about my list (as seen in the horrible pictures above). It is a list that really, in my view, encompasses me as a person in general. I'm not going to tell you exactly where I put it but I will give you a hint... I climbed a tree on the PSU campus, bordering the park blocks... go look for it! I hope to make this kind of a monthly way for me to reflect on my life, I think it's a brilliant idea and I really hope that other people take part in it. If anyone else decides to make a list, you should let me know!

If you want more information, once again, go here.

Notes on Portland Architecture

I'm quite disappointed by these photos, but I thought that I would share them, nonetheless. Lately, I have been fascinated by the architecture of Portland. It's such a perfect combination of old and new, each building seems to work with those around it perfectly. And looking up at the buildings instead of focusing on the street has really made me see a lot more things that I had never noticed before. It's strange, but it's nice. School's officially begun for me now and I have to say I am truly enjoying myself. I need to remember, though, that I can't just lock myself away in my room and study, eat, and sleep all the time. I need to get out and do things with my friends too. I think I forget that sometimes. It's easy for me to just hide away from the world and I am trying to keep from doing that this year... so far... I've been pretty unsuccessful.

Sunlight

I finally feel pretty moved in to my new place up in Portland (yes, I'm back in Portland, now you don't have to listen to me talk about moving anymore). There is a tree right outside my window that makes some pretty patterns with the afternoon sunlight all over my room, I'm in love with it right now. I am also enjoying my new plant, a cactus, which I have named Zeus. I haven't gotten around to putting anything on the walls so they are still starkly white, but there are no more boxes to be unpacked and almost everything has found at least a temporary place (until I feel like really organizing everything).

Finished

Well, time is ticking and autumn is finally coming. Or so I thought for a little while there, the last few days the weather has been hot, hot, hot. And then today, there were thunderstorms and rain all day. Not that I wasn't happy to see some rain (wait and see if I'll be saying that in a few months). I worked for the last time this summer tonight, it was fun, and I'll definately miss the free candy. But, I need to eat less candy anyway. This week I am going to spend my time doing laundry, packing up the last of my stuff for Portland, painting an old dresser (no more bright pink or flowers everywhere, hooray!) and spending time just having fun. Hopefully the weather will cool off a bit, I like those perfect in-between days where you don't need a jacket but you aren't frying like an egg on a hot sidewalk (you can actually do that, I tried it once. I didn't eat the egg though, and I wouldn't recommend it if you decide to fry one, it just isn't sanitary).

Apologies

I'm sorry I have been missing for the past few days, I have been busy working and just having fun (which I must say is one of the best things to be busy at). Anyway, yesterday, I spent the day in Eugene, helping Shawn to move some of his stuff over into his new place. It seems that while I was gone, autumn officially and completely arrived here in Bend. I'm going to have to go through the boxes I've already packed and find some jackets now, I was thinking the summer weather would last at least until I moved up to Portland again, but that is Central Oregon for you, you never know what the weather is going to do. I was also excited to see when I got back this morning that the mountains got at least a dusting of snow, they look even better now, and much cleaner. Anyway, I for some reason am not working much this week so, hopefully I'll be able to spend my time cleaning, packing, and having fun (I'm hoping for mostly that last one).

P.S. Aren't the counters in Shawn's new kitchen adorable? I love them.

Little Pieces

I am anticipating my move back to Portland with excitement and dread. I am not looking forward to packing up my life again, and at the same time, I love moving into new spaces, making them beautiful and mine. And this time it will be even more fun because I know how much space I have to pack all of my random little things into and onto. I have this thing where I don't like to get rid of things... ever. In fact, there are still boxes sitting around my house that are full of all the stuff I am supposedly getting rid of, yet I keep taking things out of them to keep. Ok, I admit it... again... I am a packrat. But some of the little pieces of clutter I have make me so happy and are so beautiful, who wouldn't love them? The rest of the stuff... well that I keep just in case I need it for a project or something, or because I plan to make a project of some kind with them. I am planning on going on another camping trip tomorrow, I can't wait!

Mail

Dear Rachel,
Thank you for the lovely card. I love getting mail! And the maps and balloons, the card is perfect. You are so amazing, I wish you were in Portland when I was. I will be there again soon though (I move back September 19) I can't wait to see you again! I miss you and all of your adorableness, which is not an actual word, but should be.
Sydney

Don't you just love getting things in the mail? I do at least, and this is one of the most beautiful pieces of mail I have ever recieved, no, it IS the most beautiful. I wish I recieved mail more often, maybe I'll have to start sending mail to people while I'm in Portland, just for the fun of sending packages and letters.

Busy

I feel like I have been much busier than I actually have been. But, I suppose, I have been busy, just not in a very productive way at all... generally speaking. Mostly I spent the last five days or so (I'm too tired to actually count), celebrating my birthday. Which I wasn't even all that excited for. But it was nice, my mom's family came over for lunch on Sunday, then on Tuesday I went out to dinner with my mom and had a nice dinner with my family. On Wednesday I got my friends together for a picnic and croquet, which I felt was quite sucessful, then to finish it all off, on Thursday I drove, with Shawn, up to Portland and watched Built to Spill and The Flaming Lips, we then spent Friday wandering around Portland. I even got to see my dear friend Nicole! I don't think I could have asked for a better week. But I can tell that summer is coming to a close, my brother has started soccer practice, and I have begun thinking about school again. I keep on wishing I could just disappear into this summer like it is starting to disappear into autumn... but then I couldn't wear all my autumny clothes, and that would be a tragedy.


I have also decided this week that I am a little too interested in fashion, I feel slightly ridiculous about it.

Excitement

Earlier tonight I found out that I am going up to Portland in a little over a week to see The Flaming Lips at the Edgefield Amphitheatre. I am so excited, not only for the concert, but to be in Portland again, even for just a day. As much as I love Bend, and I will always love it. I also love being in the city. There is so much more excitement and things to just sit and watch there. And I get to see some friends that I haven't seen since June. Needless to say again, I am excited!

Also, in other news, I have most of this next week off and the weather is supposed to be heading back towards warmness, so hopefully I will be out and about doing things, and taking lots of pictures while I do them (I haven't been too good about taking photos lately, but I know I want to take more).

So, I hope that everyone else's week has gotten off to as grand of a start as mine.

Hooray! (I'm sorry... I had to do it, I'm excited... and apparently in love with that word)

Today

Today I feel like the summer weather is finally getting to me. It wasn't even all that warm out, I mean it was hot, but it's been warmer than it was today all week. I just want to be able to bundle myself up again, throw on some old beat up boots, or curl up in bed while I watch snow falling outside the window. I don't want to go back to Portland and school, I just want the weather to get cold again. I mean I do want to go back to Portland... it's mostly the school thing and all the uncertainties I feel when I think about that. Am I ever certain of anything?

Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Perhaps this is all from my lack of sleep right now, though in the morning I will of had too much sleep. There is a bug flying around my room. I don't understand where it came from, it wasn't here just a minute ago.

Macarons

This is my version of what I was talking about yesterday... they are amazingly delicious, and some don't look all that bad... perhaps, with some training, I could become a French pastry chef after all.... Not that I have any desire to do that right now, but it is good to know I have that option.

I don't think anything else I say is going to have anything to do with macarons, do I ever really stay on subject on here? This is sad, I'm asking myself questions and answering them. I think I need to sleep... there are lots of signs right now that I need to, like that my eyes can't completely focus on my computer screen or that anything I try to read does not remain in my mind.

There are a few things that I wanted to talk about, but I don't remember them right now... Can you tell I'm tired? I'm afraid this is going to be a very stupid sounding post... oh well. Earlier tonight, probably because it was 80 out still when I was riding my bike home from work at 10:30, I had a strange desire to go swimming (or really, skinny dipping, oh so scandalous, I know). Unfortunately this isn't really an option right now. I also really want to go camping, darn it! I am also really glad that I am currently spending my time in what is technically a desert (so there is no humidity to make the heat even worse) and also missing the horrible heat wave hitting Portland right now.

I think the final thing I have to say is: Who calls someone Moose? That is so random. I am so horribly random when I'm tired. I'm going to sleep.

Happiness

I am posting early today because I actually have a lot of plans... sort of... well, it's a lot for me. Anyway, these are more pictures from my recent film batch, they are evidence that I should not bring my film camera when it is dark out, I just end up taking really blurry pictures. However, I like these two a lot, so maybe it's a good thing I do stupid things. In case you are wondering (which I'm sure no one is), today my plans are to see Public Enimies and then perhaps go get tea, visit the farmer's market, and sit in the park with a friend of mine (who may become more than a friend in the future, my fingers are crossed). I will of course bring my camera along to share my lovely day with everyone. I hope that you have just as wonderful a day!