Sunshine, Springtime, and School

I know, it's been a while.  I am unapoligetically sorry for the crazy few weeks that have become my life.  Since I last updated there have been parties, late nights, and lots to do.  While I haven't been updating, I have been thinking a lot about how I want to organize my blog and be more consistantly blogging.  Yesterday I sat down with my roommate and we had a chat about it.  She's in a web development class, so she's going to be helping me out with a bloggy revamp.  I'm excited, but a bit nervous as well.  I also don't know what I'm going to do with myself next year without this girl and our late night discussions.  I guess we'll have to conduct them over Skype.  Yup.

Anyway, in the meantime, here is a picture of the sun seting in the South Loop.  Daylight savings time has finally let me see sunsets again, which in turn makes me nostolgic.  This time two years ago I was spending a week in the wilderness, trying to figure out my life.  Springtime is a time for planning.  Planning, reorganizing, and revamping blogs.

Newness

I've been thinking about what I want to be doing with this blog in the space of a new year.  Thinking about things that I can change and things that I want to improve.  I'm not usually one of the New Year's Resolution types, I prefer to set goals regardless of the time of year.  Blogging has been one of my long term goals though, and I am enjoying it.  I was thinking about the name I chose for my blog and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it didn't say much about what I want this space to be.  So I've changed the name and the tag line.  It's still going to be the same topics and such, but I'm thinking a new name and header will keep things fresh.  So here we go.  Welcome to Everyday Beauty.  A place where I talk about the little things that make life awesome.

Around Town: Climbing SFMoMA

I've got climbing on the brain.  After a trip to Sports Basement last week all I can think of is when I'll get a chance to climb again.  I haven't been since October, and I'm really itching to go.  This lead to a lengthy discussion of instillation piece that's in the atrium of SFMoMA with my Grandpa.  I'm still a little puzzled as to the exact logistics of how it was done, but I think it's one of the coolest things there.

Of course, the exhibit we went to see, on Richard Serra's drawings, was no photography allowed.  I was a little ticked, but it was still a great exhibit.  Richard Serra is one of my favorite artists, because he forces you to experience his work, not just see it.  This showcase of his early work was a bit different then what I'm used to, but it was beautiful nonetheless.  One room in particular had two black canvases stretching to the ceiling.  When you enter the room completely you can feel the walls grow around you.  So cool.

These pictures are just general around the museum pictures.  Mostly the aforementioned instillation piece, and the sculpture garden.

20 Before 20: A Disappointing Wrap-Up

As many of you know it was a goal of mine to attempt 20 new things before my 20th birthday.  Sadly my birthday has come and gone, and half the list goes undone.  I hold out hope for next year though as I am putting the finishing touches on the 21 Before 21 list, and putting in place plans to actually go do the things on the list.  Yeah.  Anywho, here goes; the list of 20 things that were done or not done by my 20th birthday.


1.  Have a fancy tea party.  Not done, but I threw one for my old roommate's birthday which was immediately after mine.  Counts?
2.  Try out a crown braid.  DONE.  Has become a near-staple.
3.  Knit a hat. Not done, learning this winter from Elspeth.
4.  Bake a pie.  DONE.
5.  Read the whole bible.  Not done, on the list for next year and already working on it.
6.  Sew a pair of pants.  DONE.  Sort of, shorts count.
7.  Grow a herb garden.  Not done.
8.  Go on a hike.  DONE
9.  Go to a real concert.  DONE
10.Learn to navigate by bike  DONE
11.Send a care package.  Not done.
12.Organize a clothing swap.  Not done.
13.Learn to apply make-up.  Not done.
14.Be in a performance.  DONE  Sort of.
15.Go to a Critical Mass ride.  Not done.
16.Teach myself to play a song on the piano.  Not done
17.Post poetry online.  DONE
18.Skip class and go out to breakfast.  Not done.
19.Try yoga.  DONE
20.Go camping.  Not done.


Total things done: 9
Total things not done: 11
Things from this year on next years list: 7


Next week look for my new list of 21 Before 21.

Beauty in the Broken: Waldorf

I often find the things that are the most broken and beat up the most beautiful as well.  Anything can be beautiful, you just have to look hard enough to find the beauty in it.  Sometimes it's hard.  Sometimes it's buried underneath layers and layers of history and pain.  Sometimes the ache has instead brought the beauty to the surface in a way that wouldn't be possible otherwise.  

The fact that this former mining town is called Waldorf is not lost on me.  I wonder what the name comes from.  I know only the connotations it holds for me, not the history of the name in this place.  We had a bumpy ride up through a dry creek bed and we went in the complete wrong direction, but eventually we found Waldorf.  Gold flecks glimmered in the dirt piles as we ate lunchmeat sandwiches made that morning.  The place felt familiar.  Like an old friend.  Perhaps it was the shared name with my school.  Perhaps the quiet.  Perhaps more.  I think most of all it was the silence.  The thought that no one had lived here, truly lived here, in decades.

It was beautiful.

Around Town: Hello, Golden Gate Bridge!

Last week, after meeting one of my besties at the crack of dawn to go rock climbing I climbed back up the hill to catch the bus and was greeted with this lovely view.  The Golden Gate Bridge!  Oh hello!  How are you this morning beautiful!?  I immediately took out my camera to take pictures.

I had never taken that route before (I usually get a ride partway) so I was totally caught off guard by the beauty that is San Francisco.  I could not be more excited by the fact that I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  Sometimes I forget how amazing this place is.  I miss it when I'm at school, so much.

I hope that I will never forget how blessed I am to live in such a beautiful place and have so many people who love me.  Thank God for all the wonderful things he has done!