My new love affair

I've started a new love affair with Metric:

Metric Gimme Sympathy

And mostly with Emily Haines. Damn she's hot. And David doesn't mind if she becomes my lover. So she will. And by that I mean I'll just play Fantasies like I did with Boxer by The National- for 9 months straight... no stopping

Sick Muse

Where have I been? And why do bands always come to Philly a week before I declare my love affair with them?

Funny, Fantastic Fridays: Hipster Bingo

Some people do "Funny Fridays" posts on their blogs, I play hipster bingo on Fridays.

Yes, that's right, I said hipster bingo:

I challenge you to play Hipster Bingo. Next time you're out in the big city, print one of these bad boys out & see if you can be the first to get 5 in a row. Whenever you spot one of these hipster items, jot it down. Good luck!*

(found here on photobucket- when I googled "hipster bingo," which I do often)

*Hipster cheater pointer: Go over to my friend Ryan's house and you're guaranteed to find the following:

- Chunky pastic-frame glasses

- that 70's ski-vest

-parliments

-old school pumas

-too small sweater

-PBR

-old school chucks

-ironic mustache

-my addition: dog in american apparel shirt

And for Fantastic Fridays, enjoy Grizzly Bear:

Laura Marling

I got an amazing present from my friend Lula for my birthday. Two mixed CDs. Song #7 on "Pink Angst" was Tap at my Window by Laura Marling. I, literally, have not stopped listening to Laura since.

Thank you, Lula. I love you, your southernness, your two girls, your mountain Virginian living, your Dr. husband, your love for steak, your pool, your gardening, your kittens, your Nascar-loving, your Mrs. Robinson-ness, you as Fiona, your rants, your "Ahems" and "Don't judge's" and all the requirements you have so that we don't "break up." xoxo

Meet my friends: Wheeks

One of my favorite people in the world is Whitney. But I just call her Wheeks. And she calls me Beeks.

We went to Taylor together. She wore red shorts. We had too little time together.

I haven't seen Wheeks since 2004, I think. Actually, we saw Million Dollar Baby together. And IMDB tells me that was released in January of 2005, so that must be when we saw each other last.

Whitney is one of the most amazing writers I've ever read. I still remember my 'good-bye' letter when I transferred schools. I should find that.

Wheeks & her husband moved to Myanmar (Burma) this year. Yesterday she posted the following on her blog. It's beautiful. Please read it all. Miss you Wheeks xo

________________________________________________________

My journal entry from the night we arrived in Myanmar.

It was very sad to say goodbye to Mom and Dad, especially under the circumstances, as it had been quite a chaotic check-in at the airport. We looked like the Clampetts, with our duct-taped luggage and our giant orange bins. We were told that it wasn’t definite that Myanmar would let us into the country since we didn’t have a visa beforehand, and the airlines didn’t want to shoulder the responsibility if we got stuck in LA, or Tokyo, or Singapore, or Myanmar. So, we officially signed off on our rights for any compensation if that occurred, and after a little finagling, a little arm-tugging, and a LOT of duct-taping, we were on our way to security.

It was a quick goodbye, which was merciful. Joe made jokes and I think he was a little misty-eyed, though I couldn’t tell for sure under my torrential tears. My parents stood at the end of security for a minute or two and we waved. I gave “I love you” fingers, but I think they were too far away to recognize them. I turned just a bit to turn the corner of the security line, and when I turned back, they had their backs turned and were walking away. I watched them the whole way, as my mom turned to my dad and he comforted her with an arm around the back, and as they stoically walked to their emptier car, home, life.

Read the rest at their blog: Song of the Open Road

Art I love

Last year I discovered the Art Star Craft Bazaar and had the best time ever. Although seeing all that crafty stuff doesn't really inspire me. It just makes me depressed that I'm not crafty at all. But hey, I do update my personal blog at least 1-2 per week, so that's something. 

Last year I remember seeing an artist named Lisa Hurwitz. I've seen her stuff from time to time, since then, come across in Art Star emails. I love it. Very whimsical & quirky. Hearts.

This year I talked with her for a little while, and she was just the sweetest. Then I saw this picture called "Waiting Room" I fell in love:

Do you see what I see? Yep. Four girls. Do you know how many sisters I have? Yep. Three. Add me and that equals four. My mom loved to collect pictures of 4 girls, because they're hard to find. But most of her collection is really country or victorian- nothing I would ever show in my home. But this? Yes. I will. For now it will stay in a pile of things I won't hang until we move, but I love it. 

Please love Lisa Hurwitz with me! Buy her stuff on Etsy. Check out her blog. 

Twenty-Six

My Aunt Hedy sends me pictures she finds of my mom from time to time. This week she sent me a card with this picture attached. This is me, my mom & dad in the fall of 1983. This was their Christmas card. My mom wrote a note to Hedy on the back, telling her how much they were enjoying their newly built house (where my dad still lives) and how she was going to cook a turkey for the first time on Christmas morning. (They were really looking forward to left-over turkey sandwiches!)

I cried for a long time after I received this.

I cried because this picture was taken days before she turned 26. She's put together, with a cute little baby (admit it, I'm cute) and wrote a sweet little note to her sister-in-law in perfect, small cursive writing. I'm nothing like she is in that picture. I don't have a baby, I'm not very put-together. My hand writing isn't neat or small, I forget how to write in cursive and this year my Christmas cards were Christmas emails....

I don't want a baby. I don't really mind that I always have hairs out of place and my outfits aren't "typical." While it would be nice to have neater handwriting, I don't care enough to slow down and try, and I'm not sure I'll ever be good at sending out Christmas cards. But today I'm 26. In that picture she is 26. Someday I'll be older than she ever was. And I would do anything to be that baby again. And relive the 22 years I had with her.

3 years...

Can you believe it's been 3 years? In some ways it's flown by, and in other ways it feels like it was forever ago.

You know my memory is foggy from that time of life. But I remember being surrounded by our friends and family and being so happy. I remember the rain the night before. I remember the poem about autumn Josh gave us. I remember Lucy helping me with last minute details, and I remember being overwhelmed with the amazing brunch Aunt Hedy & Aunt Heather had for me and all the girls. I remember not knowing where the girls all went when I went outside by that tree. I remember getting carsick in the limo. I remember arriving late. I remember not having any time to process what I was about to do, and before I knew it, this happened...

And you looked more handsome than I had ever seen you. And when these vows were read to me, I remember being so overwhelmed that I was yours. I was marrying a man who said those kinds of things to me.

We've had ups and downs. We've made mistakes. We've fought. We've cried. We've laughed. It's been harder than I ever thought it would be, yet things I assumed would be difficult have been easy. I've learned a lot about love.

Thank you for bringing me water every night. Thank you for being the best Daddy to our two kitties. Thank you for knowing the little things that get on my nerves and doing your best to not do those things! Thank you for encouraging me to be a better woman and being honest with me when I'm wrong. Thank you for loving me even when I don't love myself.

On March 18, 1997, when I was 13 years old, I wrote you a letter:

To my future husband, whoever you may be:
It's kinda weird writing to your future husband, especially cause I'm only 13, but! I just wanted to let you know that I wonder about you. I have no clue to as who you are, and in a way that's scary! I'm gonna pray for you because even though I don't know you, I love you. I'm looking forward to spending my life with you!
Love ya,
Bekah!

I was reading the vows that I wrote for you 3 years ago, and this stood out as being so relevant to us today. I obviously had no idea what 3 years in our future would bring, and looking back I can say, with honesty, that I think I meant these words, but I didn't know what it meant to mean them:

Today my commitment to you is following you. It’s closing a chapter in my life and starting to write a new one together. I trust you- I trust you to make the best decisions for our family- using the incredible wisdom God has blessed you with. I promise to love you through the good times and through the bad. I will support your decisions and your desires, and join you as you seek out your life’s passions.

If the last 4 years have taught me anything it is that life takes unexpected turns- some for the better and many to strengthen us and test our faith. While our tomorrow’s may not be certain, my love for you always will be. Today is the beginning of the rest of our lives together, and I commit to you that my love for you will never fade.

I do know now. Or I will. Or I'm learning. I know that I'm ready to close this chapter on our lives. I know I'm excited for the one we're starting together in California, and while I don't know where we'll be in another 3 years, I trust you. I promise to love you no matter how good or bad it gets. I promise to support you in your passions. And I commit to you that my love for you will never fade.

New Moon first trailer

If you're wondering if I'm excited about this, the answer would be yes, yes HELL yes!

I may or may not like Twilight