London

While in Europe, I traveled through seven countries...since this amounted to a thousand something pictures, I'm trying to narrow it down country by country. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from London -- a city of intermittent sunshine and a lot to see. My favorites included biking through Hyde Park, Picasso sketches at the British National Museum, picnicking in Kensington Gardens, going to Jersey Boys in the West End, and, of course Stonehenge (although it turns out 3 hours is really more time than you need to look at a circle of rocks). 

How to write

I take on the accents of people I talk to. When I realize I'm doing it, I'm mortified that they'll think I'm mocking them, but it's a totally subconscious instinct.

I do the same thing with speech patterns and, as follows, writing patterns. I notice myself thinking in the same patterns the author of the book I'm reading writes in. I often have a novel-esque narrative going in my head, which really annoys me, because I've never, never seen myself as a creative writer (except the Pulitzer-worthy books I wrote from ages 5-10), and I often don't even like the novel my mind subconsciously scribbles.

All this to say that, I read a lot of blogs I really love. And start to feel like I know the authors and, when writing my own blog, wonder if those authors would ever write like I do. Or if my subject is really appropriate for the blogosphere, or if it's in the right format.

Part of this, I think, can be constructive, in learning from what others do right and emulating it. But, part of it can be really destructive as it leads to me second guessing my own thoughts and voice by wondering if it fits into my concept of what my blog "should" be.

I'm sorry for this. One of my very favorite blog authors, Joanna, advises writing as if you're talking to a friend. So, that's the plan from here on out--you are my friends (literally, at this point...I'm fairly certain anyone reading this right now is someone I've spent a great deal of personal time with), and I want to use this blog to practice developing my own voice, directed towards people I care about, rather than a nameless, faceless audience.

That's all I've got, for today. Soon, I'll share photos and stories as my beautiful new house in LA comes together! Goodnight, friends.

Modern Love

I read once that in a blog, you should create, not curate. I loved this piece of advice because of the play on words and mild alliteration. I'm a sucker for alliteration.

BUT, I think there are some things that are too good not to share, so I make frequent exceptions to this rule.

Have you ever read the New York Times Modern Love column? Totally made up of reader submissions (although often professional writers), each column tells a unique story of love in the 21st century. They're alternately heartwarming and heartbreaking, charmingly quirky and scathingly honest.

I love this recent one, but check them all out here, if you'd like.

Back back, to Cali, Cali

I'm back in the states! And realizing that uploading photos from my iPhone tends not to have the desired effect. There still might have been more similarly disorganized posts from Europe, but sadly my phone was stolen in Barcelona. I also seem to have contracted a delightful sinus infection whilst away, so today will be full of doctors appointments and getting a new phone rather than comatose on the couch watching the Olympics in the full-on Olympic outfit I may or may not have purchased in the London airport as planned.

I hope to share some of my 1000 or so photos once I get them uploaded, but til then I'm off to enjoy my first real shower in about 5 weeks! HURRAY!

Hello from Dublin!

Hello, friends!

Blogging has been pretty difficult lately with the whirlwind of moving out of SLO/going to Vegas/getting ready for Europe, but I am finally across the pond! We started in London and are now in Dublin... Both of which, it turns out, are cold. And cloudy. And rainy. BUT they are also both full of beautiful sights and tons of history and while I'm excited to (hopefully) see the sun soon, I'm trying to work around the jet lag and lack of sleep that comes with hostels to enjoy everything I can about these cities.

I've been taking most of my pictures on my actual camera rather than phone, so I can't share much til I get home, but I'll post a few as I can.

So far we've spent time in museums, seen Jersey Boys in London's West End, to Stonehenge, toured the old Jameson Distillery, and so much more. The days are packed, which is unsurprising given my inability to understand how many hours are actually in the day, but I'm hoping at some point we'll find the time to relax a little. Tomorrow we're going on a tour to the Cliffs of Moher and I can't wait to see some other parts of Ireland!

Rereading: yes or no?

Do you like to reread books? I love it, but it always makes me feel vaguely guilty, like I should be enriching my mind with new material. Especially when I reread something cheesy and chick-lit-y, which I can justify the first time, but when I come back for seconds and thirds, I always have that nagging voice in the back of my mind saying "Really? Gossip Girl again? What about how much you 'looove' Hemingway? Or how much you've 'always wanted' to read The Sound and the Fury?"

Fortunately, I've become an expert at silencing that voice (but please don't doubt my love for Hemingway, and I swear I'm going to get to a Faulkner novel sometime!). So, when looking for something to occupy the small amount of free time I've had lately, I turned back to The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan, a paperback I picked up for 50 cents at a used book sale before going to Hawaii last summer.

I pick up a lot of books this way, based mainly on the covers (oops. Another trait of mine that brings my nagging inner voice to the surface), and never really know what I'm going to get. But this book blew me away. A memoir about cancer, Kelly (I feel like we're friends now, so I can call her by her first name) somehow manages to make a book about a tragic subject feel as though it's brimming with life and hilarity. And a sincerity that almost takes you by surprise every few pages -- as I read, I find myself taken aback by the realness of her prose.

This is the kind of book you want to read again and again. I'm lucky enough to write a book column for bask Magazine (check it out if you want!), and I immediately slated this book into the next issue. Which led to the first and only time a publisher has sent me a signed copy when I request a review copy (Thanks, Hyperion! It made my day. Ok, at least week).

Long story short: if you want a book that will absorb you (I read the whole thing on the plane to Maui), make you feel as if you're doing something worthwhile by reading it, but still feels light enough not to tax an already overworked mind, I can't recommend this one enough.

Do you have any books you could read over and over? Or do you only like to read a novel once and be done with it?

The graduate

I am a college graduate! I'm still trying to wrap my head around this idea. I can't say it's going very well. 

I was lucky enough to have family come from all over the country to support me, and even though it's been an emotional roller coaster, it was a wonderful weekend. 

One thing people don't tell you about graduating? It's exhausting. I'm completely drained from the preparation to the seemingly endless day itself. But, I'm also extremely grateful for all the people who helped make it so special, and looking forward to what the future holds. Which, right now, I'm really hoping is ice cream. If only I can convince myself to budge from the couch.