daydreaming of spring and a new city.

and yoga classes with marybeth.

photo by kris krug

unknowing...

i've been feeling this pressure from all around to figure out what it is that i want to do with the rest of my life as soon as possible. mostly, from my mom and society. the question "did you get a job yet?" on a bi-weekly basis is making me insane. i understand that my chances of getting a job that can buy me happiness are better now, as a recent college grad, but i don't want to sit behind a desk, in a cubicle, answering phones. so i may not know exactly what it is that i want to do, but i do know that working with real people, face-to-face is something i'm good at. and i love the arts, boy, do i love the arts. and this yoga thing, i am absolutely falling in love with yoga. so for now, working retail (like i have been for the last 3 years), is going to be great for me and my fingers are crossed for when i apply for a lululemon position next month. yeah, i may not be making $40,000 a year, have student loans to worry about, but i know that i can be happy struggling. people struggle every single day, far worse than i do, and for now, i'm okay with struggling because i know i'll be happy in a new city with john, marybeth & said right around the corner, and lots and lots of new friends. i don't have to do this for the rest of my life and who says i will, but for now, it's fine by me. i will always have that 'b.a. in international studies' to put on my resume.

Why lay yourself on the torturer’s rack of the past and future?

The mind that tries to shape tomorrow beyond its capacities
will find no rest.

Be kind to yourself, dear- to our innocent follies.

Forget any sounds or touch you knew that did not help you dance.

You will come to see that all evolves us.

If you put your heart against the earth with me, in serving
every creature, our Beloved will enter you from our sacred realm
and we will be, we will be
so happy.

- rumi

cheers!

congratulations, baby, on getting the perfect teaching job in d.c. i'm so proud of you. you will be amazing! i can't believe we're really doing this. i love you.

mmm. life.

i'm finally getting things put into my etsy store(!!!)/having some really really great ideas for new jewelry/applying at lululemon in d.c./yoga (!!!)/spending time apart, missing each other, and totally loving it/falling in love all over again/a day trip to chicago w/ jaclyn (fingers crossed)/a mini-reunion in indianapolis for k's wedding/visiting my awesome family in indy/a 4-day trip out to d.c. to visit the lovely marybeth and hopefully figure some things out for the big move.

new stuff

these can all be found here.

words of wisdom

from marybeth:

let go of the ways you thought life would unfold; the holding of plans or dreams or expectations – let it all go.

save your strength to swim with the tide.

the choice to fight what is here before you now will only result in a struggle, fear, and desperate attempts to flee from the very energy you long for.

let go. let it all go and flow with the grace that washes through your days whether you receive it gently or with all your quills raised to defend against invaders.

and...
if i love you, i will give you the sun and the rain, and if they are not available, i will give you a sun check and a rain check,
BUT
i can be lonely. i can learn my way around loneliness. i will make a map of it, sit with it for once in my life. welcome to the human experience. but i will never again use your body or emotions as a scratching post for my own unfulfilled yearnings.
-liz gilbert, eat, pray, love

hip, young artists...

whose pieces i would love to own...

hilary williams

yellena james


scott yeskel

gratitude.

today, i am thankful for:

the stories and memory of my grandpa mpeti that i'm absolutely certain is reflected in my mother, the strawberry-kiwi cd brian b. made me sophomore or junior year of high school (full of music that can only remind me of the times), the legacy of the uncles at home (whom i never got to meet) that will continue on with my beautiful nephews, 19 years and 11 months with my grandpa forrest and his "pepto bismo" candy, the hilariously wonderful and delightful visits with betty, the stolen glances and fleeting moments with harvey booth, and lastly, for the 14 (maybe 15) years with my wonderful, fat little kitty abdul rafiki.

may you all rest peacefully, knowing that i will forever love and miss you.

weekend things.

lots of pictures to show you what i've been up to.

rearranged my charcoal drawings.

hung my new wax paintings.

jeweled.

and made a mess.found a cheap, cute way to create an inspiration wire.

new klimt prints.

made a new earring display.

and then to add, last night i fell down approximately 4-6 steps due to the absurd amount of snow and ice iowa city has accumulated in the last 7 days...today, i have a large purple bruise on my tuckus, a sore tuckus bone, and a sore neck. haha.

learning.

i have begun my journey to a few of the things i wanted to accomplish within the next year:

a) teach myself to wire wrap

b) create more fabulous jewelry...and more to come, so that i can achieve the beauty of this. oh yeah, and continue to teach myself new things.

c) hit up cooper @ nemesis for my new tattoo designs (see below post).

i think i've found myself on a good, good path.