come on over then.

my ears and eyes are ready.

i have recently heard quite a bit about the film Berlin Calling and it has succeeded in catching my attention. the film synopsis from what i gather seems to be the [somewhat typical] story of the culture and rituals that surround the electronic music and dj populations -as well as the outcomes and consequences that this music and style of shows generates. Yet, there seems to be a distinct difference in this hannes stöhr film from other such films about the electronic music genre, which if compared to movies made about other music genres (ie, rock, "motown," country) has quite a varied repertoire. The difference it seems to me is in the music which seems (from a person who has NOT viewed the film) interwoven and mixed with the whimsical and yet imaginably realistic plot stöhr creates. paul kalkbrenner, a BPitch Control records berlin-based dj (imagine that) plays the main character, dj ickarus (imaginative moniker, no?), as well as the main musical synthesis for the film. how cool. as it stands, the film seems that it can be characterized as part film, part biopic, part documentary, part ethnographic study (into subculture), part live set, part soundtrack, and part party. i hope that it can stand up to all of these AMAZING labels.

berlin calling had its north american debut in canada a few months ago and i CLAMOR for it to be brought to boston. there are enough independent theatres here that i'm sure would be willing to screen it. let's bring this film to boston. please?

you can see the trailer



or go check out their website.

also...can anyone tell me where to find a disco ball bouncy ball? must. have.

stars and stripes forever?

well...perhaps not forever.........

however, in the wake of this very momentous election **lets out HUGE sigh of relief** perhaps i could show my pride for this country (especially since i share a birthday with it...)!!

today whilst browsing on the net at my office job i have stumbled upon these very cool and inexpensive stereo docks from Pylones, the French company of nothing but color and fun. my favorite is clearly this red, white, and blue one...(which i might be purchasing very soon), but the other smaller colored ones are also darling





and lets not forget that the lego-y-ness of these docks for mp3 players obviously calls out to designer Marc Jacobs in his Marc by Marc Jacobs spring/summer 2008 collection........


three cheers for elections and legos and french companies who make cute and attractive toys for me to play with and enjoy. fingers crossed that the speakers are remotely techno/minimal worthy... hey- they're french right?

fingers crossed.

well...its the eve of the election for the next president of the united states of america.

i am extremely excited to watch the election results together and see how this country votes. so excited in fact that i have been counting down the days and am so antsy to get to this time tomorrow and beyond.

what is to happen?

all i know is that if things go the wrong way you might find me blogging from lovely vietnam....(photo credit, margot lane strasburger)

or perhaps even delightful hong kong...

(photo credit, margot lane strasburger)

either way...these lovely places might be a nice change of scenery if the politics scene doesn't shape up here soon enough. enjoy the photos and have a fantastic tuesday.

EVENT!

hello one and all---

i just wanted to share an amazing fantastically exciting new weekly event for you all to check it out. it is the Design Hive in Cambridge. every saturday (starting with this one, 1 november) from 10-5 the Design Hive will be held at the Maria Baldwin School between the Harvard Square and Porter Square Red Line T stops. as their website bills the Design Hive "is a rotating collective retail experience featuring different designers every week." Apparently they will local designers and vintage goodies of all types from clothes and jewelry to cards, handbags and homewares.

i'm really excited to check it out. in exploring the designers that will have booths at Design Hive i found a few items that caught my eye.............

galvin-ized headwear headband


galvin-ized headwear feather headpiece

HER designs metallic vegan leather clutch


Saltygal map laptop sleeve

it all looks like fun and games to me...especially with Christmas presents needing to be purchased in the next couple of months. so if you're interested head on over to 28 Sacramento St. (off Massachusetts Ave. at the corner of Oxford St.)


View Larger Map

hope you have a fun halloween if you are from the US. i'll be dressing up with the beau as Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy and posting pictures for all to see. look forward to election coverage soon (my ballot has been sent weeks ago).

VOTE!

stewing away.

as autumn rolls in i can't help but want to stay in from the

CHILLLLLLYNESS

that is created by the wind out there up here!

so...i get to doing all the things i don't do during the summer when the days are long but the weather is too beautiful in boston....

that means...COOK!

recently...i've been dreaming up vegan cupcake, english muffin bread, and stew delights. as i recalled from back in the day while still at home, my mum is quite good at this latter culinary strain. so, remembering my favorite and aptly named stew i asked her to refresh my memory. this is a really quick, fun, easy recipe to make for and impress people with its delicious aroma and taste. however, substitution is my favorite thing:::

Autumn Stew
1lb Beef (cut into cubes)
1/4 C Olive Oil
2 Bay Leaves
1 C Carrots
1/2 C Onions
4 Cloves Garlic
3 C Vegetable Stock
1 C Turnips
Parsley to taste

Sautee garlic and onion in olive oil (if you are not using the beef you will not need all the olive oil). Dice beef and add to pan to brown on all sides.
Add all other veggies and stock.
Cook til tender.

so...my version consisted of substituting Seitan (wheat gluten) for the beef, adding some savoy cabbage and shallots, and tossing in some rosemary, black pepper, salt, and white pepper for good measure.

ENJOY the autumn!

a shameless (quick) plug.

hi all of you out there in the land yonder:::

this is really just a quick post plugging the event that is being held in Boston's South End tomorrow at the SOWA Open Market.

its called Baked Fresh and it looks fantastic for a fun sunday adventure extraordinaire! via Morgan of MAP Boston, i was cordially invited to this delightfully grandiose gathering and i really hope it goes off well because honestly...boston has so much potential for fun events like this but never really expresses each burgeoning new fun thing to ALL of the neighborhoods worth telling.

i sadly won't be able to attend due to my amazingly lovely little job at Mint Julep...however...

i would really appreciate some reports back from anyone about how the gig goes off and what kinds of wonderful things were to be seen at the Baked Fresh @ SOWA Open Market event!

For all those who don't feel like clicking on the link and just want to know where it is::: the sowa open market takes place at

540 Harrison Avenue
Boston MA
in the South End

the event will be going from 10-5...

HAVE FUN!!!! let me know how it goes!

females.

yes the woman is a wonderful enigma to us all.

being a woman (one of the only times i will refer to myself as one...i'm still stuck in the mindset of being a person, a girl, an individual...a woman is what my mother and grandmother are) i still find it a task to explore the workings of a female mind. Not to discredit the opposite sex and not to say that we are SO very, but there are differences between the two.

however, though that plays such a major and minor role in many peoples lives i find that this work of fiction is something that can truly please the masses.

MY BRILLIANT CAREER.

i have not even reached the halfway mark in this novel and have already so many questions and so much interest in the outcome of the prose. if this could be any hint of how rich the writer, a famous Australian writer: Miles Franklin, expresses herself let it be so:

"I was discontented and restless, and longed unendurably to be out in the stream of life. 'Action! Action! Give me action!' was my cry. My mother did her best with me according to her lights. She energetically preached at me. All the old saws and homilies were brought into requisition, but without avail. It was like using common nostrums on a disease which could be treated by none but a special physician."

do yourself a favor...try this book when you get the next hankering for a more than amazing female author who could definitely have taught her peers a few lessons.

Ro d'art

	Ro
				an artificial language for international use that rejects all existing words and is based instead on an abstract analysis of ideas

my my my. there are oh-so-many shows i would like to and will be commenting on/dreaming about/ wondering after/ longing to get to know more for the New York Fashion Week...

however, i couldn't rip myself from the monitor or keyboard of this computer and therefore had to get my opinions down about this show. Rodarte has completely floored me with their S/S 2009 collection. In a few choice words:::

flowy, dyed, organic (i know, i know but it so fits), pieced, layering, PLEATS, structurally/unstructured, colors, neutrals, shiny black.
oh...and one more word::: CHAINS.

full stop.

let me now proffer an abstract analysis of rodarte ideas and hope that sense can be made, or at least appreciated...

i really admired this collection for the synthesis and flow of the show. the colors and garments flowed flawlessly from one into the next. so, that with an effortless blink of the eye you see wonderfully thought out layers of light pleated skirts with piece-y bandage tops and elegantly shredded layering singlets that meld into intricately goddess-like short dresses (a style of which i will never tire) which all of sudden give their layering ideals over for organic and well thought-out knits. this knitwear is so beautiful that layering is all that one wants to do with each piece. by the end of the set of pictures for this show my mouth was positively watering for the black cut-off gloves (a known obsession of mine) and the black leather skirt that had a wonderfully feminine pleated touch that takes the edge off of the idea of a "black leather skirt" while forcing it to be much more interesting and eye-catching than the standard mini. not only was i frothing for those simplicities, but also for the unattainable flowy dresses that walked for the close of the collection.

stunning.

as for accessories/makeup. i loved the hint of orange on the eyes to keep the common thread of landscaping between the garments and the models. the diamond patterned laser cut leggings that are worn throughout the show are a legwear choice that i would hope to be able to make a staple in the coming months as a combination of tights and other sock assortments could make wonderfully lighthearted combinations. one more note regarding the chain-accented heels (which ran a nice backup to the chain-accented dresses and sweaters): a marvelous idea that i may be trying to imitate by spicing up some old heels...

personally, Laird Borrelli-Persson seemed a bit too busy name-dropping whilst writing her style.com review of this show to remember that not all clothes must be worn by all people. harsh with the review of Rodarte, she mentions that "'Beautiful androids' (as the models were referred to backstage) make for great editorial, but flesh-and-blood women like Natalie Portman, Sarah Sophie Flicker, and Dr. Lisa Airan, who all sat in the front row, need to be able to imagine themselves wearing the clothes out into the big, beautiful world." these garments make that big, beautiful world apparent and ever-present.

now i'll just be wishing for spring again and making sure to use the mulleavy sisters (the designers of rodarte) as guides for texturized, raw, and gorgeous layering/outfit creations.

end.

stay tuned for more ny fashion week show appreciations and analyses because my new apartment is almost fully packed away and set up!

time again.

hello hello hello.

is anyone still out there? i apologize for vanishing. i have finally come back from the depths of my room and various amounts of various belongings, searches for a new apartment (found a GORGEOUS one) in a new part of town and jobs for the boy.

ahh, yes...the boyfriend has finally arrived up here from the land down under and we are having a fabulous time cooking away together. that's a little bit of newness too!

so many new things are happening to me that it seems rather than my life slowing down a bit after graduating a few months ago, most of what i see-do-touch -explore -am obligated to-want-ponder-share-discuss are in full on fast forward. its difficult to get down to business and know where i am heading at times. however, now with the new apartment settled and the move under way it has become a much more manageable new rapidity.

much more time on my hands for this wee tiny blog which will be excellent. however, for now i must return to my spicy garlic stuffed purple potatoes and a cute boyfriend who happens to be pan-searing some salmon!

for anyone who is interested, this is a really interesting article that skirts the impact of globalization on retail/shopping/fashion and, in turn, lifestyle trends.

also as a side note before i go...the Luciano Fabric (41) is phenomenal and i would MOST recommend listening to this insurmountable compile of luciano mastermind when you want to feel motivated and have a good time.

Slip Sliding Away.

ticking down the hours
now.

my stomach is getting very queasy or that could just be the enormous list of to-do's that i have yet to

do.

i've been thinking lots about how others prepare themselves for a long/short journeys and have come up with oodles of questions on the matter.

1. is three and a half weeks a journey, excursion, adventure, or trip?
2. how and what does one pack for visiting with family in germany, going to an nighttime electronic music festival in serbia, and roaming around london in one piece of luggage?
3. what music should a corruptly old dinosaur of an ipod contain that i won't get sick of?
4. can one plan for everything in one piece of luggage? should one try to?

...the list really goes on, but alas my stomach is actually just rumbling from food this time. off to get a delicious brie and apple cinnamon crepe one last time before i go!

In the Spirit!

so i'm quite positive that we have all know about and have seen the lovely, little, handy-dandy notebook known as moleskine.

you know::: notes, quotes, pockets for everyday paraphernalia you deem it necessary to keep, jotting down those music threads that might escape you, and hell even pulling out your watercolors for the little wonders...

well for a while now i've seen the little “city notebooks” that they seem to be selling at the Strand in New York (highly recommended if you've never been...hours have been spent there!) every Barnes and Noble...well since they came out.

and finally...
finally!

i found a reason to purchase one!
...though it is not for me...

in the spirit of giving and really wanting a friend who is coming to visit me soon in boston (once i return from my excursions of which he will be a part from serbia through london) to thoroughly enjoy this town for what it is...i decided to get him one. I also cleverly disguised the city notebook for boston amongst a cute little book about berlin art, getting around germany, and vanity fair (no, not the magazine). i went up to the counter to ask the salesgirl where vanity fair was in the bookstore and she gave me a completely blank stare and pointed to the magazines. i then suggested that i was looking for the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray (what a name!) and she totally snapped out of her daze and took me to where it was. in my own attempts to try to get insights into other cultures i like to try and read a classic piece of literature, famous author, or novel set in the place that i will be visiting. its really a nice way of making sure i get the classics that interest me (more so than most contemporary literature) read and thought about the country/city/region i will be heading to a bit more.

i'm so excited...the city notebook for boston sounds and looks and feels (?) so promising! Plus, the real deal-maker for me was the fact that the maps even show::::

MY NEIGHBORHOOD!

huzzah! so...thank you moleskine for recognizing my neighborhood.

and now it is time to finish preparing things before I head out in T-minus 3 days and counting. still awaiting suggestions for Frankfurt, Munchen, Budapest, Berlin, Koln, London, Serbia!

BONUS:::
some favorites/books that I have read in the past /am reading for some of the adventures that i've made/will be making:::

-The Rum Diary, Hunter S. Thompson -read before going to the Caribbean, Guadeloupe, to work on an excavation, drink rum, and be in the hot hot heat

-Solitude, Victor Catala and The City of Marvels, Eduardo Mendoza -read before going to Barcelona, city of wonder!, on two separate occasions

-The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway -read before going to Spain at a different time.

-The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho -read before taking a jaunt to Marrakech, Morocco

-Faust Books 1&2, Goethe -have read before i take this journey to Frankfurt (where Goethe was from)

-”Deutschland,” Heinrich Heine -of which i posted last summer and am glad to have read before taking this excursion!

drumrolllll please.

ah yes...i can almost smell it (10 more days away)

i will shortly be heading out for my 3.5 week long adventure.

however, before i go i would like to announce my travel plans so that i can get any and all wisdom that anyone would like to share with me.

i will actually be going to visit family in Frankfurt, Germany on 23rd June for a few weeks with my mother. we will also make our way to Berlin and München meeting friends and cohorts along the way from the looks of it.

after Germany i will be freighting myself via the superbly better set up (than the US that is) European Railway System through Germany, Austria, and Hungary to Serbia and Montenegro to attend the music festival of which I have spoken of several times before...

and then:::
a quick jaunt over to Zagreb, Croatia to jet over to LONDON for a few days before returning back to the summer heat in Boston on 18 July.

this will definitely be an interesting adventure with very good friends and most likely some new ones to be made along the way. however, i would love to hear of ANY and ALL suggestions about "musts" for my travel itinerary

food to eat...shops to visit...walks to take...activities to do...music to see (espesh on/around my birthday in Frankfurt -4 July)...clubs to visit...restaurants not to be missed...vintage stores to wade through...random events that visitors wouldnt know about...

ill take any and all suggestions with a very large smile...AND...a warmly warmly put 'thank you.'

til then...hope to hear from you!

mint juleps taste nice.

well really. cute.
i went in to work yesterday to pick up a few presents and i realized how much i love my job at Mint Julep.

its so great to completely adore the place that you are employed and the coworkers that you know you 'll every time you are at work. i mean...really. i wanted to point a look towards the blog that one of my coworkers writes for the store because of three things:::

1) its adorable and pink
2) it might give you ideas for wardrobe refreshers (always key, especially when you're in a funk with clothes or have no outlet for new expression)
3) its my job!

i would also like to give my first mention to the only boston street fashion blog worth mentioning:

beyond boston chic
because she has a tasteful eye and doesn't just look for fashion-spiration at dance nights and the vegan restaurant down the street. also as i was doing the daily internet browsin' i was delightfully surprised to see a picture of my coworker and a shout-out to Mint Julep as her post for today! thanks gal!

cheers y'all, enjoy the weekend.
i know i will.

sweet sweet obsession.

well yes.

graduation is imminent (sunday!). but my mind is elsewhere. i find myself obsessively checking the exit festival website for updates and these excursions definitely do not disappoint. with each new click, i become increasingly titillated and excited...

i mean let's face it. when i saw the initial lineup a few months ago i was super-stoked on Claude Vonstroke, 2 Many DJs, Gogol Bordello, Sven Vath, M.I.A., and Primal Scream (really?!)

but then...
the obsession began:::
i am going to see Booka Shade?! Soulwax? Laurent Garnier?! Tiga?!! Kruder & Dorfmeister?!

and then it hit me for real...there was no turning back, the obsession had taken over:::
i would be dancing to Audion! to Roni Size, and now the latest tinge of sweetness for me to dream of for this summer, Noisia!

yes, yes, yes, yes. the obsession has surely consumed me and the exit festival website has totally delivered. but, i'm open to letting this excitement infect me up until 10 july when i will be at this excellent summer festival. oh yes, i'm fine with that. keep it coming wonderful festival organizors.

thanks for the reminders.

No, i'm not referring to a reminder for mother's day tomorrow...or for my father's birthday today.

i am in fact referring to the rather explosive and fun newsletter that i received from resident advisor today.

there are so many reminders of things to come, but alas, i just received this one reminding me -actually i would much rather say 'rubbing it in'- about the music festivals of the beginning of the summer up here in the northern hemisphere. one in particular:::

The Detroit Electronic Music Festival

looks. so. good. so yeah, the email served as a reminder that the states can actually surprise you with amazing electronic music events such as this. too bad i'm not headed to detroit for memorial day weekend.

enjoy your day/nite.

posi? negatory?

so this is coming out of the depths of the weekend gone by...

in the past seven days, the roommate and i were lounging around, procrastinating for our final papers and finals studying. i had been thinking about various words and how much potential many had to be used in completely different contexts. i decided to share one of my most quizzical with her to see what she thought. i did so to great success and then...we realized, this newfangled verb could very well have a different meaning or context to others.

so. without further ado, the roomie and i pose this question to you:::
what would the context of the verb 'chernobyl' be? posi? negative? please provide examples.

here are two with each context in mind to give you an idea:::

ex., Man, I really chernobyl'd that exam, i don't know how i'm going to raise my GPA after that one.
(here it serves a similar function as the colloquial notion of the verb 'to bomb' and therefore it plays a negative role)

ex.2, Wow man, you definitely chernobyl'd that transition into this song! Everyone is rocking out so hard.
(here the word serves to communicate the colloquial notion of 'to kill' and therefore it shows the positive form the verb could take)

OKAY. so, now you know and i would love see what you think on this matter. leave comments, anything! survey time.

enjoy the rest of the weekend. i have but one more exam left (monday morn), so free time is fast approaching!

its coming to you.

yes. i will definitely be updating about the future summer music plans.

starting with the shows that i attended this past weekend, it looks as though this summer is looking up for the boston beginnings and serbian endings. just to give you something enjoyable to read in the meantime...enjoy a nice little blurb about the m.a.n.d.y. show that the roomie and a good friend and i attended yester-eve....

m.a.n.d.y./heidi in the boston scene.

Sunniesdreams.

‘tis the time of year when the kids get tired of it.

we are SICK of it!

it’s the time when we’ve just recently been able to peel off our metallic legwear and dark denims, kick off our trompsing boots and woolen socks, slide into our cotton blend shifts and short-sleeves, and use our sunglasses to actually protect us from UV rays rather than just because the dull glare of the “sun” peeks out from the hill we happen to be trudging over. yes, there are blooms again, we hear birds again, and we see smiling again.

the winter seems to be gone.

and then…it happens again. the april teasing leads to rainrainrainrainrainrain and more chills. we forget about the spring except for the scents wafting through the humidity and showers, the more delicate clothes we long to be wearing, and the promises of mint juleps, long island iced teas, and sangria we just know we’ll be enjoying on our balconies and porches at weekend dusks…

so to muse on things that are my own brand of this patient desire for the brief Boston spring leading to the delightful summer of the city i would love to share with you a secret that isn’t so surprising:::

i have fallen in love

with these:::

the shapes, oh the shapes. karen walker really had nice thoughts in her head for these sunnies. they are exaggerated, but classic enough that one can wear them as a statement. however, the statement doesn’t necessarily have to be a pronounced one. they can either be worn as the statement or as the back-up coordinate. what joy. as a sidenote, the campaign for this eyewear is quite effectively packaged as well...alas, a poor sucker i am for crisp photos and pretty smiles.though, i’m quite taken with most all of the shapes and i really take special interest in the fluoro green rectangular frames. if only i could actually justify spending money until july 6^th [wink wink, m’dear]. but no, alas…there’s a good reason why i’ll be remaining positively gaga over these without satiation as I dream of the spring and the summer and the delights and activities and people to come…

signing out to discuss a dj set for tomorrow night, to study “the continuing impact of infectious disease,” and to keep trudging til the sun remains a fixed presence in my days… enjoy yours.

Reality? check!

or atleast on the coming horizon.

yes, that’s right. its time for 16 years of continuous schooling to take a brief pause as i graduate in exactly 20 days. i am not trying to be nostalgic [yet], nor am i soliciting any feelings for pity, joy, jealousy, or various other emotionally unneeded conclusions. it is simply a statement that generally due to the, well –meaning-, of the notion of graduation insinuates that a moving on to other, somewhat better, options and –dare i say, futures- likely follows the event.

for many a graduating senior, this glorious day means REAL JOBS, TRAVEL, INTERNING, MOVING, NON-PROFIT WORK, VOLUNTEERING, GRAD SCHOOL and much, much more!

so. i, yet again, find myself contemplating what i [me too!] should be fretting about come 18 May. what shall it be ladies and gents? well, actually let’s be honest, i have to stick around the Boston area because i was tempted by wayward travels, far-off places, and new delights. in other words, a requirement for my concentration of study must be fulfilled in order for me to receive my diploma [huzzah class of january 2009!].

but really [and isn’t that what the focus of my title suggests?], should i not spice up the rest of my time here? no, surely I should. therefore [sound your::: drumroll, triumphant/regal horn flourish, short techno interlude, or any other what-have-yous], come 19 May, i resolve to get down to blogging and sewing business. yes, all those shirts, skirts, posts, dresses, recommendations, and nonsense i’ve promised is forthwith coming to a computer screen near you. this is a horizon that is very near, folks. very very near.

and wellwellwell, what have we here?

a little smidge of goodness to remind us all that the world can simply be there to make us laugh at times. this specific matter came to me yesterday evening after huffing and puffing my way via bike ride [over the cambridge avenue bridge, blechhh#@%!] to the last buffet at grasshopper with the “family” of friends. my little masha was waiting for me there and expounded on the matter at hand. after viewing for myself, i realized that i must immediately bring it to the attention of the people who might perhaps stop by to check this blog on occasion, or even you[!] a random passerby. so without further ado, i shall unveil the wonder and amazement. this is an ad that is found on page 49 of the latest Weekly Dig, a free-of-charge weekly publication found in those ever-present metal drop-boxes around the Boston area. the issue this week centers on the event/ideas of ROFLCON, which is quite a kitschy notion to present in print media form [good vocab to know for a richer understanding:::meme]. now honestly, i really don’t much care for the style writer that they have on staff, as i think more than anything that she is just some lucky girl who studied some sort of communications and happened to need a job when the Dig needed a style writer. in other words, i don’t like everything/one that is spouted, discussed, and raised in the publication. yet, if there is one matter that totally and completely makes me okay with the Dig for the rest of our lovely [but perhaps shortlived] days together it is this, lo and behold my dears:::

yes. in reality. this bad boy exists. look it up if you believe me not.

discuss.

signing out with a shrug, shudder, and sigh to face the rain. on the bike.

sharing can be fun.

Check below cool cats for a fantastic video.

Bomb the Bass- Butterfingers.

Austin just shared it with me and what a fabulous

respite it is from the eurodisco synth-pop goodness of Cut Copy

and the ambient jungle/esque-at-times drum n bassness of Pendulum



it seems as if i'm hooked. alas, now back to "Hearts on Fire" thanks CC.

Another Day…

Do I Get To Make It All Up?

well…its…LEAP YEAR DAY!

What does it even mean? Does this day even exist for us? [my old natural science professors would cry blaspheme at me for suggesting such a thing (!) since we all know that every four years a day is added to the shortest month of the year to account for the fact that our days are not EXACTLY 24 hours and our years are not EXACTLY 365 days.] However, if you’ll recall from my early September musings when crossing the International Date Line such thoughts and questions are important and influential, oui?

so, my simple question is…since this day doesn’t really exist [I mean honestly, except for those “leaplings” out there and Cheb Khaled only the greatest raï musician ever (!) (Aïcha, Aïcha…)] does it make up for all those missed hours we’ve had in our lives? Surely there was a time when at the end of the day you looked back and realized that you can act differently and accomplish quicker, better, faster, smarter* [cue Daft Punk…] all the plans you make, all the bus rides you take, all the instances you could placate [so sorry, the rhyming was too fun and so “academic”-sounding no?]

Carpe Diem, perhaps.

The way it comes to me, this day is a gift where our simple, plain, fantastic, trying lives get a chance to USE time and not let it flee from us. With this thought spilling from me, I decided to update my blog since I’m REALLY bad with it and there’s really no excuse. Pictures to come this weekend as well as my loves for the beginning of March [März?!]

Get off of this thing and go take this TIME under your helm…manoeuvre it as you will and let me know how it goes on this day that does not exist.

appeal to the mass.es.

wow do i have a lot to catch up on!

i don't really know where to begin...

i've got some fantastic new ideas/old ideas that i've been meaning to do but haven't gotten around to for this little blog of mine. primarily i'm quite interested in trying to pull it together and really make something out of posting for all of you that i know already read this piece of internet [family/friends] and perhaps a few others out of sheer interest?

some of the ideas that i've been dreaming up include:::

-logging away some of the LONG PROMISED photos from my amazing circumnavigation experience
-beginning that street fashion project that i hint to in my blog description* [to be expounded on]
-suggesting more BOOKS/MOVIES!
-shuffling/filing away my interesting memories [in all facets/forms] that i want to keep
-announcements/stumblings that i deem absolute necessities for you people who like reading away into my inner and highly ridiculous psyche.

TA DA!

a long list of goals that i really think will help keep me motivated and on track for this semester. though it is my last [true] semester at BU it is not as easy as it sounds. i feel as if i am already taking up the habits of a much older person as i am waking up much earlier than my peers [for a 9am class, three days a week!] and thus am bedding myself much earlier as well. i have mostly introductory classes but one toughytoughy anthro senior seminar class:::

-Medical Anthropology [an210]
-Introduction to Biological Anthropology [an102]
-First-Semester German [lg111]
-Ethnographic Theory and Field Methods [an462]

an interesting semester to say the least. as of yet i am quite enjoying my classes but they are truly showing to have quite a bit of work. no complaints here though as i am quite excited to be back in Boston and shoving my nose to the books. the library has already seen my face for a good number of hours this semester and we've only been in class for two weeks. fancy that!

very many instances occur in small expanses of time and then all of a sudden that realization comes to you and you feel like taking a long hard "etic" gaze at it to see if what's going on is following a logical/necessary/crazy/fantastic chain or if you are just imagining the events that occur to you. i am feeling this weight right now -some of my fellow darlings have referred to it as a "quarter-life crisis" and as much as i adore that expression i don't know if i myself can subscribe to its full force of meaning. in essence there are lots of thoughts/decisions/plans that must be discussed internally in this very crucial time in my life. i've recently thought about a very logical and excellent line of further study for myself in the near future and have been applying as many connections and research suggestions as possible towards this grad school possibility. as i [and so many others i am close to] find myself to always be so fascinated and stimulated by many visual modes of representation i've put quite a bit of thought into how this can be applied or how i can apply myself to this idea in the future. so, i've done a bit of discussing with my dear friend, Austin, who is studying at a graduate school in Manchester, UK and have found an answer to some of my questions:::

visual anthropology*

that star absolutely coincides with the aforementioned idea of delightfulness and interest in street fashion because i think that it is a really interesting mode of expression not only in displaying how current trends occur but also whether or not these fashion styles/choices/ideas/musings happen to have [and yeah, they definitely do!] any impact on the future of the fashion world or even the future of certain fashion lines. enough said for now...if you have any questions about that idea feel free to ask me or make a comment....

at the moment i am a bit cold. boston is frigid. however, before i sign out for the night i will surely show you a few pictures of delightfulness to indulge in. also...for anyone who wants a quick/interesting/hard-to-put-down/somewhat riddle of a novel try:::

The Eye, by Vladimir Nabokov [only the coolest man ever to exist, a serious role model in all aspects of life]

enjoy some pictures!


an altar to three very important monks at Wat Traimit, Bangkok, Thailand


the head of the enormous reclining buddha at Wat Pho [Wat Phra Chetupon], Bangkok, Thailand


a night on the streets in the old city of Dubrovnik, Croatia


a view from the bell tower [the famous La Giralda, once a minaret for an Islamic mosque then transformed into the Christian bell tower] of Sevilla Cathedral, Sevilla, Spain


the entrance courtyard with Sevillan orange trees [a famous type] at Sevilla Cathedral, Sevilla, Spain



disclaimer::: some of these pictures were taken by a few friends and i thank them in advance for the sharing because they completely describe these places and views for me.