Gratitude

I am grateful...
Because I'm required to read things like The Spoken Word by A. Fox and D. Woolf. Was ever a book so badass before you even laid eyes on its cover?
Because I live in what I believe to be one of the most lovely cities in the world, on a sweet little street, close enough to hear playtime at the primary school.
Because I am blessed with people so beautiful, inside and out, that even the blind, deaf and dumb are dazzled by their exquisite existence.

(inspired by ginny branch stelling)

I'll Believe In Anything - Wolf Parade (my eternal brightside song)

Sunbeams on Grey Days

My last post was far too pessimistic; simply because my week was marred by unpleasantries doesn't mean it wasn't at first simply lovely. If Mary can embrace Mondays then so can I! And all the dreary days before it.
A lovely little lassie (who always reminds that the glass is still half full, and tops it up with strawberry lemonade) left work for exciting new pursuits that you can see more of on her blog. To celebrate, we had a lovely girly time at the elusive Roseleaf - they do cocktails in teapots! - and went to an awesome gig on what will now be known as Withered Hand Wednesday. Supporting, amidst others, were the fantastic eagleowl and Jo Foster. Give your ears a treat and have a listen (WH's Cornflake is heartwrenching and hilarious, I dare you to dislike it).




There was also homemade vegetable soup, letter-writing, a female voice choir meeting, spaghetti bolognese-sour cream enchiladas and Crazy Swayze Sunday - our tribute to the late great with a screening of the little-heard of To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar - an inspiring film about self-belief and drag queens. If that can't sort out a sorry turn of events then I don't know what can. Thank you, Vida, Noxeema and ChiChi. My half-empty glass now overfloweth.
We also are now suspicious that our flat is haunted...three-in-a-bed and sleepy giggles seemed to be the best and safest solution. I love my flatmates.

TR

My camera is dead. RIP. It's very sad, particularly as I need it to fascilitate Glastonbury 2010 registration...This week has been slightly hellish but hopefully is looking up, starting now with a girl date to see (500) Days of Summer, which I've been looking forward to for so long.

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." - Theodore Roosevelt

POST SCRIPT: I'm dying to know the name of this song (the video is a nice - albeit slightly OTT - gesture, but irrelevant) - the creator lists it as Sleep by Kimya Dawson...which it clearly is not. I realise this seems of incredible unimportance, but I need to know. Listen (without watching the video) and you might understand why.

Morning

From The Morning - Nick Drake

I've got to tell you
how I love you always
I think of it on grey
mornings with death

in my mouth the tea
is never hot enough
then and the cigarette
dry the maroon robe

chills me I need you
and look out the window
at the noiseless snow

At night on the dock
the buses glow like
clouds and I am lonely
thinking of flutes

I miss you always
when I go to the beach
the sand is wet with
tears that seem mine

although I never weep
and hold you in my
heart with a very real
humor you'd be proud of

the parking lot is
crowded and I stand
rattling my keys the car
is empty as a bicycle

what are you doing now
where did you eat your
lunch and were there
lots of anchovies it

is difficult to think
of you without me in
the sentence you depress
me when you are alone

Last night the stars
were numerous and today
snow is their calling
card I'll not be cordial

there is nothing that
distracts me music is
only a crossword puzzle
do you know how it is

when you are the only
passenger if there is a
place further from me
I beg you do not go

- Frank O'Hara

Hairly There

Autumn 2006
Summer 2007
Spring 2008
Summer 2008

I adopted the habit of drastically changing my hair at fifteen, in the hopes each time of making things better by bringing change to some aspect of me. I have cut and dyed and shaved and bleached, grown out, blown out, straightened, backcombed, knotted and curled. Now that I am letting my hair grow long, I'm starting to understand myself a little more - perhaps partially thanks to the past four years of folicle-related frolics.

Darkly Darkly

It is dark out by eight o'clock again.
I've stopped closing my shutters
but the sunlight doesn't wake me in the morning.
Past the glass and through the trees, I can see another window,
smaller than a postage stamp and lit up like Christmas;
the occupant is dancing.

Forever Ago

As sure as eggs are eggs.

Feline Sublime

My flatmates and I are sitting down and thinking very hard about one day, possibly, having a cat. It is proving quite difficult not to get carried away...



Metal Heart by Cat Power

A Girl Alight

Leftovers from my nineteenth birthday. Candlelight, lemon and coconut cupcakes, Rosie's chocolate cake, the dress and a good night out.

Impatience vs. Virtue

I'm back in my city. Something is missing.




"Forgetting is painful and waiting is painful;
trying to decide between the two is the worst pain of all."
(brought to me by the awe-inspiring Angelica Cacioppo)

Summer, So Long

You've let me out to play like an indulgent parent whose offspring are allowed to run amok across the continents and arrive home in a whirlwind with tangled hair and tales to tell, with bumps and bruises and blackberry stained mouths.
I will miss you. I will miss so many things...

watching sunsets over the sea at the Palaepaphos Museum

seeing beautiful things like picrolite and waterfalls

hanging out in the animal kingdom

riding the waves of many different oceans

playing Rapunzel at La Tour de By

spending time with my gorgeous raucous sisters,


my loving ladylike mama

and my disco dancing papa

making my way through some insane menus

visiting far-fetched people I love, and meeting those I know I'm going to love too

getting my indie on with old friends, getting my sassy on with the new

storming around at least ten cities in four different countries
and happily coming back again.
After all, home is where the heart is.

Take care of your sweet sunny self until we meet again next year, okay?

Matrimonally Ever After

My parents and maternal grandparents celebrate their wedding anniversaries in a two day succession - the 11th and 12th of September. I hope I am as lucky in life and in love as they have been.





Here are two Celtic wedding blessings, one for each marriage and both for another couple I know who are getting wed in November.

May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

May you have -
Walls for the wind
And a roof for the rain,
And drinks beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you
And those you love near you,
And all that your heart may desire.

My grandparents' wedding in 1954

MIA2JFK (and back again)

A week of penny scraping, subway hating, multi-culti eating habits, three-in-a-bed, dreadhead atop designer threads, Rippeing it up at Harvard, free beer, hanging out with Teddy Roosevelt, Oreos with milk and rooftop conference calls, J's galore, crazies, homies, fro-yo, the Fung Wah, museums dates with myself, jetlag, watermelon margheritas and general poverty-stricken hedonism. I played urban Xena, battling the crowds, taming the L train, striding around Bed-Stuy like I had a baseball bat and a bad attitude. I felt like Thoroughly Modern Millie before the tough old '20s makeover, and in some ways couldn't wait to quit couch surfing and come back home.
It was unreal. But then, the reality is that it wasn't real life for me. It's New York City.

OMGNYC

I'm going to New York tomorrow...oh my god.

Birthday

I was pouring through one of my presents, a book on astrology and (as if I didn't know already) I'm the utter epitome of a Virgo.

Here is a little whittle of wisdom that I've been taught during my nineteen years as a fully fledged human being...
Always remember to love yourself and be grateful for all the things you can do. Do one good thing for someone else every day. Be careful but don't be afraid. Laugh when you're happy, cry when you're sad and strive to have as many good times as possible.




Tegan and Sara - Nineteen
(B. and I kill this on open mic nights)