Something New

This is what happens when you let some people use your camera and you don't really want your picture to be taken... and the boringness and lack of blogging present on this blog is what happens when said people make you very happy and distract you from doing your normal time-wasting activities. 


I'm graduating in June. I'm going to China in June. I'm working at the pool. I'm planning the adventure that I want to be my life. I'm coming up with all sorts of crazy ideas. I'm spending more time with friends and making new ones too. I'm starting to exercise again on Tuesday. I'm spending the free time I have previously spent in the student union trying not to fall asleep scanning and editing film. I want to be more productive. I want to feel like this last term was worthwhile. I want to have time to do all the photography projects floating around my head. I want to be able to articulate what I am feeling and thinking. I want an outlet for all my frustrations with life. 


I think I'll start writing here again, writing about the mundane life I lead in this damp, damp city. And hopefully that will encourage me to take more photos, not just photos for photos sake but actual photos that I can be proud of. 


In other news, my toothbrush recently found a mate. It has me blushing to myself.

Firsts

There have been a lot of firsts in my life (everyone can say this, really). Most of them have led to something else happening. For better or for worse there is a first time for everything. This summer I shot black and white film for the first time and then at the end of the summer I got to develop and print that film. I finally began the long process of scanning all the film I took in that month or so. I feel like I really got something amazing added to my life with this particular first and I have what I think is a pretty cool idea for a photo series. I'll have more on that in a few months or so, for now, here are some of the first black and white photos I took on film, from before my class started, when I was just experimenting a little bit to try and get the hang of it.

It was a black and white summer for me, I feel like it in more ways than one.

Moving

So.... I moved to a new apartment at the end of August. Said new apartment does not have internet (yet) so I haven't been able to post anything because I'm strange and don't want to blog in public... Right now I'm in Bend, visiting for a few days during my two-week summer break (I didn't think it would ever come). I'm not sure what I'm going to do while I'm here but hopefully there will be a lot of time spent outside and perhaps some hiking and definitely some tea. I'm excited for the next few days to pan out. Hopefully I'll get to see some people I haven't seen all summer too. I'll try to get some internet soon, mostly so that I can watch movies again, but also so I can post things on here.

Film from the coast... finally

You may remember that in February I went to the coast and have been trying to show you my film from that day since I got back... well after losing the roll and finding it again, I finally have it developed, printed, and scanned! I'm sure no one is really as excited as I am, I've been looking forward to this for over 6 months! And I must say, this roll did not disappoint me at all. It's amazing to think these were taken in February, they look so summery, and if I hadn't been there taking them I might say they feel summery, but I remember the cold wind all too well. Anyway, enjoy these images as summer begins to pass (sort of, it was way too hot and humid today... it was ice cream scooping like crazy at work). I really can't wait for the 'autumn' to begin. 

Spring Break

It's spring break. I need a job. For some reason I don't have anything to talk about right now. I'm about to start my laundry. Yesterday I was a white rabbit, tomorrow I am going to see Alice in Wonderland. I am excited for life. My good friend Jenni took this.

To Do Lists

I love lists, so when my friend Elliott announced this project I was really excited to create my own list and share the idea with other people. Basically the idea is to create a To Do List and then place or leave it in a public place. Find out more through the link below. In addition to coming up with this project Elliott and his friend Monique run a blog which is mostly full of comic books, creative writing, and the things they hate. I encourage everyone to participate in this, it should be tons of fun.

Check it out: their blog, The "To Do List" Project

This Weekend

In addition to coffee on Friday my weekend included many things... a trip to the coast with my oldest and one of my best friends, a moment of realization that led to a temporary breakdown, a day of recovery in bed following said breakdown, spending time getting to know someone I'm going to spend five minutes speaking in German in front of a class with, making up an experience for my homework. Overall it was a good weekend, there was plenty of sunshine and I got out of my apartment for a good portion of it. I'm working on being better about that. I'll have more pictures from the coast when I get some film developed... so soonish.

Tonight

I am getting all dressed up tonight for a dinner party that one of my friends is throwing. a black lace dress and pearls. I love having excuses to dress up.

Friendly Mail

Today I received a letter in the mail for my participation in my good friend's over at Table B5's new project "Try It Tuesdays." It was probably sitting in the mailbox for a while, but since I don't check my mail very often, I just found it today. It was so sweet and I have to say that it's a very fun idea, so everyone should go and try it, as of yet there isn't one for this week up yet, but I'm sure it will be just as fun as the past couple of weeks have been.

Thanks Rachel for such a sweet note it made my day, and thanks to both Rachel and Nicole for making Tuesdays a little more fun.

Last Days

Well, the time has come, there are only two more days left until I head back up north (that is an over-statement, Portland is north of Bend, but not by much on world distance standards). I've had random people ask me to do things before I leave and when I get up there, but my plans are pretty well set (at least for me they seem to be, I don't really plan). I move on Saturday, spend Sunday with my family, get settled in on Monday, possibly spend Tuesday at the zoo, then on Wednesday... GO TO SEE MODEST MOUSE!

I think I may get overly-excited about these things.

Anyway, I have lots to get done tomorrow (when I say that I mean Thursday) and Friday, but I can't seem to get to sleep tonight, even though I am actually pretty tired. It seems that sleep has been eluding me more and more this summer, I don't know how I am going to survive with that 8am class this fall... lots and lots of coffee and chai, that's for sure.

Here are a few things I have been meaning to share with everyone for the past week or so:

These are the deer that live near Shawn's house. I think it's a little bit funny how excited he and his parents get about them, but that's because when I was younger herds of 10-20 deer roamed my neighborhood and attacked my mother's flower gardens, so I think of them as flower-destroyers, not the cute little things they really are, especially the fawns.

This is the first of my breakfasts a couple of days ago. It was a failure though, we were out of milk, so no cereal for me (wait until you hear about the rest of it).

This was attempt number two at breakfast, looks like some yummy sourdough toast, right? Nope, that is GARLIC sourdough bread, no thanks, not with my orange juice.

This is what I finally ended up trying to actually eat for breakfast that day. However, I forgot: I don't really like peanut butter very much.

This is the peanut butter I eat, I love it, as much as I can love peanut butter (I can't). In fact, I think I am going to switch to almond butter, it's so much more delicious.

So those are some silly, random things that have been going on, this just makes me look like a really boring person.

I apologize to anyone that I just put to sleep, hopefully you don't drool too much and ruin your computers.

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.

Days

Days go by, one after the other, I never know what will happen as each one unfolds. It's always something interesting, or I think of it as interesting and exciting afterwards, most days. Some days though I wish I led a more exciting life, full of trips and adventures and exciting friends. But I think that I may already be leading that life I wish for on the boring days. Today for example, I did quite a few things, with the twelve hours I have now been up (yes, I got up at noon... my sleep habits are getting a bit ridiculous).

1. Re-organized photos on computer

2. Got film developed

3. Sent out birthday invitations (only 12 more days until my birthday, 13 until the party that is going to be amazing, it does not have a choice)

4. Looked through library books of photographs and took pictures of the pages with my favorite photos on them (that sounds so much more pathetically nerdy than I thought it would)

5. Helped my mom with the groceries

6. Helped clean and get ready for my family to go on a camping trip (I'm stuck here, working... yay? I'm kind of excited?)

7. Bought strawberries in the last ten minutes of the farmer's market (Holy goodness!)

8. Played a game of ultimate frisbee (and apparently was a little more aggressive than anyone thought I would be in my guarding technique)

9. Sat with some new friends around a fire and roasted marshmallows and ate s'mores (yum!)

10. Watched The Orphanage with Shawn (it was not as scary as everyone made it out to be, I really enjoyed it, actually)

That seems like quite a lot for twelve hours. At least to me it does. I can't imagine how people that are actually awake for the morning do it, they must be exhausted and actually able to sleep at night... weird. Oh, I think tomorrow I'll show you some of my film photos, they turned out much better this time (thank goodness it wasn't my camera).

A lazy Monday

For some reason the past couple of days I have been sleeping in even later than usual. It's a habit I need to break because it leaves me tired from getting too much sleep. It's always seemed strange to me that you get tired if you sleep for too long.

Sorry I disappeared over the weekend, I was busy watching bicyclists go in circles at dizzying speeds, working on one of the busiest days of the summer so far, sleeping, watching movies with Shawn (I've given up on the nickname idea, that is just silly), floating the river, playing horseshoes in the dark and finding fellow lovers of Pushing Daisies (which if you didn't know finished out it's second season in May and June... Why didn't anyone tell me? Oh, well I will find out the ending tonight). Sounds like a pretty boring weekend, but I think that I have come to love summer, much like this sweet girl down in California.

I wouldn't say that I never liked summer, it just isn't my favorite season, I definately prefer autumn or winter, give me cold weather that I can bundle up in and enjoy a hot cup of tea without feeling ridiculous. However, I think that summer is finding a new place in my heart. Despite that I am beginning to think my skin is biting itself I keep finding so many random new bugbites on me and the near 100 degree heat. Yes, this summer is making me reconsider the feelings I had for the season of sun before, maybe it's just that this year I am actually doing all the fabulous things I have always wanted to spend my summer doing and making new friends along the way.

Whatever the case I have to say that the colors of summer will probably never be my favorite, and that it will probably always make me long to be living in a beach house that is painted something similar to the colors in this photo. Perhaps I'm crazy, but a faded seafoam green cottage on the beach... sounds perfect for a summer getaway.

Something

So, I went with my dearest and oldest friend on a little night out and I am really in love with the outfit I wore, so I am sharing that tonight. Oh, and I am awful at taking pictures of myself and really have nowhere to take them here, so they are really sucky, sorry. I know that is a little boring, if anyone wants to hear about anything in particular, let me know. I'm off to bed now, I have to get up super early tomorrow... should be interesting.

The Weekend

My weekend was filled with family, cars, allergies, and happiness. I'm not sure if I feel like elaborating right now, but I think I will, just because I'm not going to be able to sleep for a little while and need something to occupy my time (oh, the joys of insomnia!). Anyway, this weekend was my great-grandparents's 70th wedding anniversary! Now that is something to aspire to! Anyway, this means I headed over to the valley (I'm sure most people have no idea what I'm talking about when I say that), for their party. While I was there I also visited my grandparents who own the adorable car that I will say more about at a later time in the first picture. I spent my favorite time of summer days, twilight, in their beautiful garden and snapped a few pictures between my sneezes and sniffles. Today, after driving home, I went to see that certain someone, who I need to come up with some kind of short, easy nickname for on here. Anyway, we spent most of the day together just getting to know each other better, I think that is the best part of any relationship, just sitting and talking with someone for hours without having to worry about anything and learning things you wouldn't otherwise learn. He also lent me a copy of Alice in Wonderland which I have been meaning to read since I was about nine, so I will now, finally, be able to take that off my list! I hope that everyone else in the world had as good of a weekend as I did (I already know of a few people that didn't, but I'm hoping they are the only ones).