What would Nancy do?

I think life's small moments can often be as important in defining us as the big events. A few months ago I was stopped at a traffic light in the thick of rush hour traffic. It was a cool evening, and I had my windows down so that I could enjoy the breeze. It was the not-too-distant scream I heard while stopped that haunts a small part of me to this day.

What would you do if you heard a scream in the distance? This was the kind of scream that lodges deep in your gut, not really the sound of a toddler having a fit or kids playing. I looked around, craning my neck. I considered getting out of the car, but the practicalities of my situation soon mired me in my seat. Where was the sound really coming from? Was it off in that woody area? I'm stopped in traffic. I can't just abandon this car; it's not even mine. What if it is a child acting up? What if it was just an exotic bird?

Needless to say, I didn't do anything, and that lack of action still bothers me. Whenever I pass that intersection, I can't help but wonder if someone was in pain and needed help. I don't want to be one of the masses I read about in so many depressing news stories who witnesses a crime and just keeps walking because they don't want to get involved. I've always been a girl of action, someone who wants to stand up for those less fortunate or without a voice.

Maybe it's the fact that I'm slowly making my way through the Nancy Drew series, but I've found myself wondering what Nancy would do in this situation. Nancy was fearless, often to her own detriment. If Nancy had been driving her blue convertible down the road and heard a scream, she would have immediately pulled over and taken off running in the direction of the noise. There was never a battle Nancy was too afraid to fight, never a person she wouldn't help. She stared many a bad guy in the eye and told them exactly what she thought of them. Of course, the biggest threat to Nancy seemed to be the potential to be locked up and left to starve. Facing a bad guy these days usually entails the threat of gunfire, knifing, rape, torture or lord knows what. We find ourselves pausing, worrying about our own preservation or whether we should "butt in" to someone else's business.

I don't know about anyone else, but I want to live my life more like Nancy. Fearless abandon isn't always bad, particularly when it means the difference between helping someone in need or turning a blind eye.

What makes a house a home

It's such a cliche question that is as old as time. Still, it weighs heavily on my mind as the home I grew up in is now on the market. Whether it holds too many memories or is simply an aging house that is too large for a family that has gone from 5 to 2, my mom and grandpa are selling the wood-paneled home of my childhood.

I remember sleeping on the floor of the piano room after my parent's split...the summer spent doubling the size of the house...boyfriends throwing rocks at my bedroom window so I could let them in (this is pre-cell phone people)...making sun tea on the front porch. I haven't lived in this home for more than 12 years; however, it is always there. Its existence is a comfort, my port in the storm. It has been my backup plan for years if this crazy world ever decides to swallow me whole.

The idea of another family living in our home, redesigning our memories, is definitely hard to swallow. However, I'm working on being more selfless in the whole endeavor, so check back with me to see how I fair.

Unbound

I thought this was too cool not to share. The above print comes from Tugboat Printshop and is the work of Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth. I love the rich colors and the attention to detail. Did you notice the mountains are reflected in the river?

However, even more impressive is the way the piece was created. The artists carved the scene on plywood and then used the woodblocks to create the print. You can read about the complete process here.

Last week...a recap

I spent the majority of last week tucked away in the hills of North Carolina discussing river and organizational sorts of things. There was also some staff bonding to be attended to. Surprisingly, I didn't pull my camera out that often. A quick slideshow of what I did capture. You can view the full size pictures in my Flickr stream.



If I were to summarize in list form, I would have to mention:

- "Just gun it."
- Running out of water the first morning.
- Getting the van stuck on the side of the hill.
- Smiling faces I haven't seen in a while.
- "Fireman!" "Ew, Appalachian firemen."
- What are models?
- Laughing at others getting splashed.
- Listening to parts of a lot of different 80s songs.
- Amy and the hilarious, smart ass remarks she has for everything.
- A to the K!
- River charades and a level of dorkiness that few should ever learn about.

I'm sure I could think of more, but that's enough for tonight.

Letting it go

I've been trying something new lately. You see...I'm a sensitive person. At the same time, I'm also someone who generally won't shy away from letting someone know when they've hurt me or when I feel like someone else is in the wrong. I consider this part of what I hope is my straightforward nature.
























However, getting worked up over the little things can be tiring, particularly when you wonder if they truly matter in the grand scheme of things.

So I've been trying something new.

I'm trying to learn to just let it go.
























I'm pretty sure Mariah Carey would call this "shaking it off". :-)

File this under things I need in my life

I'm a big fan of Twitter and all of things I learn and discover from the
people I follow. One of my favorites in the art world is Jen Bekman
(www.twitter.com/jenbee), founder of 20X200
(http://www.20x200.com/art/2010/03/myriad.html). She posted a link to a
blog about this beauty below. I don't know about you, but I really think
this needs to find a way to my home someday soon.

Nights in White Satin

I went to Scarlet's Piedmont Symphony Orchestra concert on Saturday and had so much fun. Instead of your tradition classical stuff (which I can also dig), they rocked out with classic rock tunes from the Beatles, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Moody Blues, etc. And by rocked out I mean they played with a rock band. So.Much.Fun.

Search for Stars Hollow: Ellicott City

Navigating the curving road into the Patapsco Valley, I couldn't help but notice the houses getting older, the architecture more distinct. Finally forced to stop at the Main Street intersection at the bottom of the hill, the quaint downtown took my breath away. I discovered Ellicott City, located outside of Baltimore, only through work, but after driving down Main, I fell a little bit in love. By the time I crossed the Patapsco River and noticed the swiftly moving, rocky water I knew this town had the potential to be something special.

















(Photo by: daveb_md)

This enclave of Ellicott City embraces its history, honoring the B & O Railroad and Ellicott's Mills for their role in founding and growing the city. Modern day Ellicott is peppered with restaurants, antique shops, a wine bar, local brewery and historical tours. Like any good Stars Hollow wannabe, it also has its share of festivals, ranging from the Fall Arts Festival to the Chesapeake Shakespeare Festival. There is even a cast of enthusiastic residents ready to envelope you into the fold.


















(Photo by: citron_smurf)

Unfortunately, the quaint village I consider Ellicott City is surrounded by Ellicott City proper with all the modern conveniences provided by urban sprawl. Once you escape the valley, you are affronted with any number of big box stores, chain restaurants, and McMansions. Don't get me wrong. I tend to take advantage of these conveniences as much as the next girl. I live in the suburbs of DC. My Stars Hollow...it's the mythical unicorn I seek, and I have every right to continue my quest for that perfect, magical combination.
























Still, don't turn your back on Ellicott City. Head to the Spring Wine Festival, wander the ruins of the haunted Patapsco Female Institute and don't leave without sticking your toes in the Patapsco.

I might be addicted to decades past

I have a minor obsession with thrift stores. I think it's a combination of the potential for really inexpensive stuff, the thrill of the hunt, and the fact that I believe it's just smarter to reuse old things (if possible and particularly when they are made well). That said, I try to keep myself in check because I live in a little studio apartment, and I, in no way, ever want to be one of those hoarders. I'm lucky because most of the stuff that I find that is reasonably priced and simply amazing is in Texas. A new sofa won't fit on a plane, so it makes for the perfect gut check.

A couple of weeks ago I found some chairs I couldn't walk away from. I scored three mid-century Danish modern chairs for a total of $4.69. I'm I pretty sure they are truly mid-century and not reproductions based on the way they are constructed. Couldn't tell you for sure and don't really care. Last week I reupholstered the seats of two of the chairs and couldn't be more pleased with the results. I wish I had taken a before picture, but the fruits of my labor are below.

Feeling unfinished

Do you have those projects that you start but can never seem to get around to actually finishing? I do. I've had this train set for about 3-4 years now. They were giving it away at the bookstore where I used to moonlight, and I took it home with grand ideas of turning it into a magical forest train set (or something equally fanciful). However, life gets in the way. Other ideas get in the way, and things just get left unfinished. Here's to Thursday and the hope that I can at least ensure nothing is left unfinished on the work front.

In the dark

I engaged in a little experiment this past weekend. As I'm hoping most of you know, Saturday evening was Earth Hour, and since last year it was so easy, I wanted to push myself to do something a little harder. Electricity is something we tend to take for granted because it's just always there. I wondered what my life would be like with rolling blackouts or EMP (a good book, btw, even if Gingrich did recommend it). Declaring it Earth "Weekend", I decided to find out (sort of). I flipped all the breakers to off when I got home Friday night and left them that way the entire weekend.

















Was I successful? Yes...at least in the sense that I didn't cheat. Once those breakers were flipped, I didn't turn them back on. Actually, I forgot to turn them back on as I left this morning, so technically I'm still participating ;-)

Candlelight provided light to read and write by. Natural sunlight during the day afforded me the ability to wash my dishes by hand, rip apart a couple of chairs I want to redo, and read without fear of straining my eyes.















However, if I'm honest with myself (and with you), I will readily admit that I, in no way, know what it's like to live without electricity. While I reveled in the stillness of an apartment without TV or music and embraced a "come what may" attitude about my hair sans flat iron, I could still escape to a world that was very much wired and alive. I stole away to the apartment business center for wifi and an outlet to charge my phone. I went to the movies and to Steven's concert and out to dinner (try cooking without electricity). I was never truly inconvenienced in the way I would be if our resources ever ran out.
























*all images from WeHeartIt.

Sprung

I make it a habit not to talk about work on here, but this week I just can't resist. Tuesday was honestly such a lovely day that I just wanted to run around shouting it from the rooftops. Sure there were the standard meetings to be had that didn't accomplish as much as they should. It's the after that's the good stuff though.

There was a need. To find vernal pools.* Or rather to document their existence and determine whether or not the project we are working on will impact them. Note: evidently vernal pools are pretty important.


















Faced with a choice between traveling back to the office and burying my head in the computer (which, don't get me wrong, I also sort of love) or hiking along the river on a day where the sun is bright and it's a balmy 65 guess which one I chose. I chose the path to education. To seeing what a vernal pool was first hand. To getting up close and personal with a big spring storm's impact on a river.























At one point I was mid-calf in mud and fearful of losing a boot. This was followed by a stint sliding down a muddy slope while trying to climb up. At the end of the day I headed back to Virginia caked in mud, and that's when it hit me. I couldn't be happier.



















*The creative license I have taken with standard grammar rules is on purpose.

Austin Kleon...

...is someone whose work you should get to know.
www.austinkleon.com/blog

--notmiranda

Sharing is caring

Every now and then I fall down the blog wormhole and fall for new blogs and lives that inspire and motivate me. I share these folks periodically with friends but thought I'd share a few of my new finds with all of you.

Allister Ann

Adorable. Creative. Inspiring. I also like the fact that I get to hear great new music. Watch the video from her Portland birthday adventure. Doesn't it make you want to be her friend, too? I found this lovely video on her blog.



What I Wore

I'm not a huge fashion nut and certainly don't take that great of care with my own wardrobe. That said, I think I've been pretty upfront about the fact that I like pretty things. In my opinion, this girl wears some pretty things. I'm a fan of the way she puts things together and her use of vintage pieces.























lizzy-writes

I am now kind of obsessed with the way she strings words together. She requires no photos. Her words are enough.

And then I fell in love...

...with a camera. My mom bought me a Diana for Christmas. Simple, lo-fi, takes 120 film and leaves you wondering what you'll get. I was immediately intrigued by the ability to control how long the shutter stays open (and, yes, I realize fancy cameras do that, but I don't have one of those) and the ability to double expose. I felt a little bit powerful and full of creative license.

Then I got that first roll developed and fell in love.






































































The rest are on my flickr.

Collecting stories

Terra's recent post about one of her favorite found photos both blew me away and also reminded me of a story I've been wanting to tell. Isn't lovely to be able to peek into their world for just a bit?
















When I was home for Christmas, my mom and I were wandering this cramped antique mall in downtown San Angelo when I stumbled across a lovely bureau. Inside the top drawer were hundreds of old black and white photographs and vintage hankies. Now I've had a fascination with old, found photos since I first discovered the collage work of artist Lisa Congdon.























So I began pulling out the photos and sorting through all of the stories and treasures fit into that now tiny drawer. To be honest, I was sort of lost in my own world when I looked up and noticed my mom was tearing up. "It's so sad," she said. She couldn't believe that so many personal photos were just available for anyone to just buy. In her eyes, these were people's lives that were discarded by uncaring family after they had passed on. She sincerely looked at me and said "you and Charlie better not get rid of our photos like this after we die." I laughed and shook my head at her, pledging never to rid myself of family photos. I told her that that might have been the fate of the photos in that drawer. Imagine that I follow through on my threats to never have children. If I were to die before my brother, all of my worldy possessions would probably be sold off in an estate sale of some kind. I told her that you never know...all of those family photos might end up in a dusty old suitcase at a flea market some day.

That's what I love about those old photos though. When I pick them up and select ones to purchase, I feel like I'm holding so much history in my hands. These were people that were loved and lived and probably overcame great obstacles. Or maybe they danced at grand balls or went on summer picnics with their beaus like in the photo above. I feel like just by looking through the photos or selecting a few to take home I'm doing my part to keep them alive...to share in their history just a little bit (even if it's just one that I made up).

Btw, Elizabeth, you won :-) I'll email you for a reminder about your address.

Looking for a good home

So I've been making so many things for Style School (more than I need) and have decided that some of these things need a good home. Plus, everyone else seems to do giveaways, so who am I to argue with tradition. If you can give this lovely* a good home, just leave a comment, and I'll use some kind of random number generator to choose someone**.



















*It has a button closure.
**Unless it's just Scarlet, then I'll just give it to her. :-)

Dreaming of easter eggs and flip flops

I love winter. I truly do. This winter has been particularly special because I feel like I've finally been able to experience it the way it should be experienced...among mounds and mounds of glorious, white fluffy snow. It is official. This winter is the snowiest in DC's history, and as a native Texan, I'm loving it. Layers of socks and shirts and scarves. Perfect knitting and crafty project weather.

Despite my love, I have a confession to make. I've started dreaming of slightly warmer temperatures that allow me to wear floaty dresses, feel a nice breeze on my legs and slide back into my familiar flip flops.
























I want to plan a massive adult easter egg hunt and invite everyone I know (and even those I don't).
































I want to plan picnics and ride my bike again...

...and once again go to outdoor movies.

I think that by the beginning of March I will be ready to embrace* spring.

*Also, I am a hypocrite. You should fully expect me to complain of allergies and hating the heat. Just so you know.
**All images courtesy of We Heart It (self-flagellation has begun for being unable to find the original source).

What goes around comes around

For almost a year now I've been a member of a local D.C. giving circle. What is a giving circle? According to Wikipedia, "giving circles are a form of philanthropy consisting of groups of individuals who pool their funds and other resources to donate to their communities and seek to increase their awareness and engagement in the process of giving." Two of my work peeps, Jamie and Katie, read about another local giving circle and were just audacious enough to think that it was something they could do. After a few lunchtime conversations, Revolve was born. I love that they were gutsy enough to try this and that they were kind enough to think of me.

Why should you care? Good question! We're nearing our big check writing party, and I almost forgot one of my duties. Recruiting friends! Who am I to deprive you from the opportunity to become a Friend of Revolve? Let me tell you a little bit about the two charities that rose to the top of our list. Last week they joined our meeting, and I can tell you that both of these organizations are run by people who have dedicated their lives to helping kids.

For Love of Children (FLOC)
FLOC's "mission is to provide young children and high-risk youth with the resources to achieve educational and personal success through a continuum of educational services that prepares them to become confident, life-long learners and contributing members of their communities." Through a combination of tutoring, leadship building and scholarship, they give kids the chance to succeed later in life. Personally, one of the things that struck me most about FLOC was the fact that, while the focus and goal of FLOC is getting students into post-secondary education, they won't shove a square peg into a round hole. The executive director told the story of a kid who really wanted to enroll in HVAC training, and it helped him do so. I can appreciate that.

A Space of Her Own (SOHO)
SOHO is an art-based program that serves pre-teen girls by providing yearlong mentoring through engagement in creative art activities and meaningful community service projects. The program focuses on fifth grade girls and also provides them with weekly "life skills" training and a good, healthy meal. You guys know the arts and crafts part gets to me; however, it was hearing the personal stories from the director and staff that really got me most. These girls bond and trust the staff and their mentors, and often the work they end up doing ends up helping the entire family or getting the girl out of a dangerous situation. Much like Trading Spaces or any other HGTV show, the pay off in the end for these girls is a complete room makeover...a space of her own in which to do homework, journal, or just be.

So....do a little browsing...a little thinking and consider becoming a Friend of Revolve!

Reconnecting

I feel like I have so much going on lately and so many balls in the air that I've let some of my favorite pastimes slip. One of my goals (I have tons) for the new year is to get back into reading. Believe it or not, working part-time in a bookstore all those years* actually sort of killed the reader in me. As luck would have it, I stumbled upon two online reading challenges that were right up my alley.

After all of my talk of Nancy Drew, I had already decided I wanted to read the books again. It was fortuitous that one of my favorite twitters, Maud Newton, posted a link to the Nancy Drew Challenge. One year to reread all of the original Nancy Drew books. I'm in. I hope. Haha. Such a great idea by Deborah at Books, Movies, and Chinese Food.

The second online venture I'm hitching my wagon to is the Slow Readers Book Club started by Diana at our.city.lights. In an ode to the Slow Movement, she calls on everyone participating to kick back and actually enjoy the books we're reading instead of finishing just to rush on to the next book. Bring it on. I'm a huge fan of the Slow Movement (despite the fact that I can't seem to actually implement it in my life).

Anyway, here's to a year of reading!

*Did I mention I finally quit? Woohoo!