But seriously, it seems like each time I consider writing a post, something pressing intervenes.
You know, like Cinco de Mayo.
(This is the part where I binge blog with random tidbits and instagrams to make myself feel less like a slacker for ignoring this blog for most of spring.)
Here goes…
Twenty Something
Emily, in her infinite wisdom, forced a group of us to read this book:
Never in my life have a felt such a crazy cocktail of emotions. I read this book in a 36-hour, stressful window of my life filled with flights and major life decisions. Timing? Not great. Wisdom? Undeniable. Meg Jay, I want to high-five you, but I won’t because I should be acting more grown-up, shouldn’t I? I’ll shake your hand instead. Firm grip, firm grip.
If you are in your twenties and want to know why you should be forming your narrative, leveraging weak ties, being personally/professionally intentional and facing the realities of your biological timeline before you get a reality slap, then you should read this book. It’s worth your time.
Also, in related news, you can read about my “Quarterlife Crisis” here.
Bookworm
Speaking of literacy, I’ve been reading more than writing these days. I have a large bucket list of books to tackle before I once again enter a lifestyle where my reading is no longer selected, but assigned (more on that later). While I still have the luxury of choice, I want to take advantage of it. Suggestions are welcome!
The Defining Decade by Dr. Meg Jay
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (for my Banned Book Club! I know – I’m so cool)
A Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything by Fr. James Martin, S.J.
Captive Audience by Susan Crawford
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Women by Charles Bukowski (also for my Banned Book Club…obviously)
I’m enjoying the short window of spring loveliness before the full blown D.C. swamp weather encloses us all in a giant steam room for the summer. This area of the country is so pleasant during transitional seasons. I’ve been loving all the lunchtime walks, sunsets and picnics. I wish I could press pause, but I can’t.
Blankets of Blossoms
Sculpture Garden Strolls
A few beautiful people
The Edge of the Tidal Basin
It’s hard to mock tour groups when it’s so pretty outside
I’m currently debating whether I will still hold my vegan label in any official capacity. Basically, it would be nice to eat vegan 95% of the time without having to explain myself for offer up a disclaimer on my eating habits – especially to people I’ve just met. Can’t I just be a secret vegan in plain sight? Can’t I just eat whatever the heck I want without having to talk about it?
This topic deserves a post of its own. More later.
Graduate Student
Not yet, but soon! Huzzah for my new label and my upcoming academic adventures! I’ll let my spirit animal, Tina Fey, tell you where I’m going.
I spent most waking hours (and most sleeping hours, actually…) in the east wing of this library. T’was my home.
We’re U.Va alumnae through and through on this blog. Characteristics to expect from a Wahoo: incessent quoting of Thomas Jefferson, a deep appreciation for good (and sometimes very bad) bourbon, the ability to preach about the [uncomparable] liberal arts based, public education we benefited from, and the shameless pun-happy insert of “HOO” into unsuspecting phrases and sentences.
This of statue of my BF Homer has seen many a naked person. Oh wait – JK. He’s blind.
Emily, Joceline and I all enjoyed a happy Homecoming Weekend filled with nostalgia, picture-taking, ice cream cakes, greenery, foliage, sweet tea, bow ties, crowd control, and Cook Out.
Oh, and I believe there was a football game somewhere in there…maybe.
Despite a recent trip to Texas in which I deviated from my usual vegan ways (FYI, brisket and Blue Bell ice cream = delicious, but not vegan), I went back to my veggie-filled routine with ease. This is good news. Apparently there is no wagon for me to fall off of. If I slip, I shall not fall. If I eat a bite of barbeque, the floodgates shall not open and the world as I know it shall not end. I flew back to our nation’s capital after my trip and ate some kale chips. My taste buds don’t miss the dairy, but I could, however, hear my insides (probably my arteries) sighing with relief.
Also, now that it’s autumn. I have an excuse to put pumpkin in everything.
Like these cookies:
Or this pasta - hands down my go-to recipe of the season. I know it looks strange, but don’t judge it til you’ve tried it!
Yarn Lady
Each year at exactly this time I get the natural urge to start knitting. It’s like my body can sense the chilly weather approaching…as if Ned Stark is whispering in my ear, “Winter is coming...”
As Joceline can atest to, this urge sometimes makes a girl do crazy things. For instance, it can make you knit in public or start a baby blanket when there is no baby recipient in existence yet. In my case, I found myself spontaneously joining a ladies knitting circle at my federal agency which meets in a conference room during lunch once a week.
It’s like Fight Club.
But with yarn.
And, you know, I don’t keep it a secret. In fact, I discuss it with pride.
As you can imagine, I am the youngest person in this knitting circle [by a few decades], but I do not care. I only care that I can knit without shame outside my apartment at least one a week…and that there are other people around to enable this odd habit [that I never plan on giving up, damn it].
So, now that I have all of this crafty support surrounding me, I find myself becoming ambitious. Behold, friends – this is what you will all be receiving for Christmas:
Or, at least, something vaguely resembling this picture?
If you would like something else, check out my Pinterest project page and tell me what you want!
Nerd
First up, five things that I care about right now (that no one else really follows…):
Bertie County, NC has a New Tech Center I spent a great deal of time in this community last year (most memorably, during this post) and I’m so pleased that my old nonprofit is still working there and they are making strides in community partnerships and broadband adoption.
And if the above list does not prove my nerdiness, perhaps these visuals will do the trick:
Exibit A: “Mary Poppins shoes” (as described by my amused, observant co-worker)
Exibit B: The Cardigan Chain
Young D.C. Professional
I survived the sweltering D.C. summer, the new Rush Plus Metro system (BLERG), and some exciting baseball times (NATTITUDE!). I went the entire year without showing outward annoyance when I spotted someone reading 50 Shades on my metro car and - on the reverse side of things - went the entire year without gushily (that’s a word, I’ve decided) geeking out when I spotted someone reading Game of Thrones. I also discovered the perfect mojito. Well, now autumn is upon us and, in addition to loving the changing/falling leaves that surround me, I’m also loving my significantly lower power bill. Basically, it’s a good time to be young in D.C.
TEDDY WON!
Hapa
I have come to realize that my wise mother has passed on to me a deep arsenal of knowledge concerning the greatest Asian food in the D.C. metro area. This occurred to me when someone randomly asked me a question about dim sum at work and, somehow, I was able to list off (with authority) the greatest neighborhoods/specific resturants for different types of Asian cuisine in D.C and Northern Virginia. What? How is it that others do not know this vital information? Is it not normal to have such knowledge at the top of your head. Where did it come from? Oh yeah, probably from here:
Mark’s Duck House – Falls Church, VA
Vegetarian Pho exists and it exists at Nam Viet in Arlington and Cleveland Park!
Janeite
Lately I’ve been self-medicating with Jane Austen. Specifically, I’ve revisited Pride and Prejudice for the first time in over three years. This, of course, was a fabulous decision (as it usually is).
Buuuuuurn
Each time I reread this book I feel like I learn something new about my dear friend Elizabeth B. I think I noticed more evidence of her vulnerability in Austen’s narration during this particular reading. Austen probably lets Elizabeth speak the most out of all of her heroines and, because Lizzie is rather charming and witty, it’s easy for her to keep an emotional distance behind her dialogue.* I used to think Lizzie’s loud voice made her one of the most strong and open of Austen’s ladies, but now I would argue that such a claim is over simplified.
Oh Jane, I will never stop reading you and you will never stop surprising me.
So ends my crazy long life post. Forgive me if your fingers are tired from all the scrolling. The pain was unintended, I assure you.
Lemon out.
*I say “lets Elizabeth speak” because there is a difference between an author directly quoting a character (aka allowing them to speak without a filter or lens) and an author describing/summarizing a conversation or speach to the reader. Obviously, the first gives the character more power and allows the reader to evaluate said character from a primary source (their actual words/mode of expression). While Elizabeth is often given the privledge of that first method, other characters’ words are more often expressed through the second. Anne Elliot, for instance, is the shy, introspective heroine from Persuasion and – more often than not – is an observer and a listener. Most people surrounding her do not truly listen to her, so, as if to comment on this, Austen often mutes Anne’s voice through her own method of storytelling. Another, more satiracal example of this can be seen in the way Austen writes Mr. Collins, the silly, rather pompous clergyman from Pride and Prejudice. The first time we meet him, though he speaks a great deal, Austen chooses to delay directly quoting his voice until the following chapter. By doing this, she can instead focus on the comical reaction to his diatribes (rather than the content of them) and undercut his power in the mind of the reader. Afterall, such a silly man need not be tolerated or listened to by his fictional counterparts, his real-life reader audience, nor his author and creator, Jane Austen.
One of my favorite college professors just shared this online and it was too good not to post on the blog. Ironically, when I was around 14 one of my least favorite high school English teachers *did* encourage me to read Rand and enter a $500 essay contest. I didn’t win. I’m sure my less-than-positive response to objectivism and “rational egoism” was off-putting to the judges. What – did they think that every teenager would drink the kool-aid and sell out in the name of their own self interest and ambition? Oh wait…I guess they would assume that, wouldn’t they? =)
Since NPR recently polled the public and discovered that people actually don’t mind “food porn” (aka the hipsteresque, mildly TMI picture sharing of meals/foodie adventures via social media), I’ve decided that my post this week should be entirely composed of vegan eats. Enjoy =)
The food stash in my cubical. Emily D., note the oatmeal – breakfast (and late night snack) of champions.
A green smoothie. I believe this one was kale, lime, banana, and mango…but it’s hard to tell now, isn’t it? Oh well.
Pita Chips + farmers market greens w/ edamame hummus and mock tuna salad (made w/ chick peas). Click on the picture for the recipe!
Vegan fried rice + eggplant from Sunflower, an AMAZING restaurant in Vienna.
Mixed baby greens w/ grape tomatoes + orzo salad
Did you know animal crackers are vegan? I could bite the head off this rhino and it would still be OK.
Yum.
Thai panang curry over quinoa + roasted kale
All the stuff that keeps me alive. Note the plethora of Trader Joe’s products.
Hope you enjoyed the overshare! =)
*I actually had the idea for this post a while ago, but it took a long time to collect enough pictures of my food. You see after I’ve prepared a meal, my first instinct is usually to shovel the food in my mouth…not take a picture of it. This was a hard habit to break.
A quick post for me this week. All this work + packing has been keeping me a busy bee. Still, I can’t wait to move! I’m sure next week my label will be something along the lines of “Nester” or “Wannabe Martha Stewart (minus the incarceration).” In fact, I’ll probably force our own “Crafty” Emily D. to help me decorate my new apartment. So excited!
In the meantime, here some “Labels in Life” AKA some interesting links that relate to some of the blog’s past posts:
According to the Washington Post, many defendants in D.C. courts are now sporting non-prescription thick, black frames to make themselves studious/nonthreatening/Clark Kentesque. They trade them with other defendents or sometimes get them from their own attorneys. One lawyer called it the “nerd defense” and, apparently, it can be very helpful. As a recent juror myself, this article got me wondering whether I might’ve looked at my own defendant differently if he’d worn specs. To be perfectly honest, I think I would’ve seen him in a different light…maybe had a different first impression. Of course, it wouldn’t have impacted how I interpreted the facts of the case, but still…it’s an interesting “what if.”
I’m sure all the real hipsters out there disapprove of these posers. Tisk tisk.
Feminist/Runner
This is Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to ever run in the Boston Marathon. Role Model? Yes.
She actually ran the race 5 years before women were technically allowed to enter. Her bold plan involved skipping the required physical and entering under the name “K.V. Switzer.” NPR did a story on her and featured the picture above which shows a man attempting to knock Switzer out of the race in 1967 while Switzer’s boyfriend, in response, pushes that rude/sexist man out of the way. How cool is that? Hooray for awesome women and the men who support them!
Catholic
Speaking of interesting women, here’s a nun with an awesome story. It involves the Oscars and an on-screen kiss with Elvis. =)
She kisses Elvis, then chooses a life celibacy. Interesting...
Millennial
During the height of my Hunger Games interest I was reading a lot of articles and movie reviews. I thought it was interesting that a bunch of writers touched on the dystopian story and how it naturally relates to timely Millennial characteristics/ideals. Young people today struggle to survive in the Great Recession, for instance, and some are even trying to “fight the system” (ex: Occupy Wall Street). Like the citizens in the Hunger Games fictional world, we too are familiar with a 24/7 media system that is arguably saturated in violence and materialism. Also, millennials, like heroine Katniss Everdine, seem politically cynical.
It’s funny, because I remember having a conversation with my father about the story and he said something like, “The premise is slightly bizzare” to which I responded, “Well, is it?” I mean, obviously, a literal fight-to-the-death with children on national television is an extreme, but is it unbelieveable that people in desperate situations can be easily manipulated and stripped of their humanity? Yes, the Hunger Games premise is an exaggeration, but maybe it’s inspired by truth.
OR perhaps I’m just rambling…This was supposed to be a short post, right? Oops.
Denise – I bought some yummy Edamame Trader Joe’s hummus to keep at work this week…and it was stolen! I will now proceed to be a mad about this for the next three hours.
Emily D – Ugh what a raging whore. Next time be obnoxious and write your initials on ALL SIDES of it. I have done this. bahahahha. Ice Queens at work.
Denise – You want Ice Queen? I’ve already drafted a note to be taped to my next container. It reads as follows:
If you are considering taking my hummus, there are a few things you should know…
I’m a sharer. If you’d introduced yourself and asked me, I probably would’ve given you some…that way you would’ve gotten delicious hummus without all the guilt.
This hummus is available for purchase at Trader Joe’s. Go get some.
I’m a nice person and , if you take this container, I will be a nice person without a lunch.
I’ve already sneezed in it.
Fondly, Denise
Epilogue: This note actually earned Denise some major respect from her co-workers who all turned out to be equally frustrated by the Lunch Room Bandit. Also, Emily D. and Denise still exchange random emails at all hours of the day and, as a result of the one above, the phrase “what a raging whore” has been repeated in many of them.
Lesson: Using one’s turn signal is a sign of weakness. Doing so implies that you’re asking permission for an action…and no one asks permission for anything on Route 66.
Lesson: When new people discover I’m Catholic, I must learn to accept that at least a few of them will immediantly (and unfortunately) associate me with Rick Santorum.
Lesson: It is apparently not socially acceptable for me to start knitting a baby blanket for fun…especially if a baby recipient that does not exist yet. Instead, I just tell people I’m making a scarf for a giant. This confuses them, but at least it doesn’t creep them out.
Does anyone want to get pregnant so I can feel less lame about this random craft project? Thanks.
Lesson: FYI, the calories in Trader Joe’s vegan dark chocolate covered cranberries do NOT actually count. Also, the box contains two servings – not nine like the nutritional label foolishly says. Emily D. taught me that.*
*We sort-of-kind-of-accidently-on-purpose split an entire box last Saturday night. Oops.
Me: Right in front of my house! She was taking a walk.
Lauren W: Ummm…don’t think my mom would be in your neighborhood…
(At this point of the conversation, I realize that I have two close, but very different friends named Lauren with the same initials…and they are both saved into my phone as “Lauren W”…and they both have Northern Virginia area codes.)
Lauren W: Haha! Maybe one of these days you’ll actually label us in your contact list <insert complicated funny face w/ tongue that I cannot replicate>
Me: This way is more fun!
After several similarly weird situations like the one above (all initiated by me), I think both Laurens would be happy to know that I’ve edited their contact info in my phone to include their whole last names. Sorry, guys! It won’t happen again. =)
Denise here with another edition of “Labels in Life” where we share articles/news items that relate to the blog’s past posts. Enjoy!
Nostalgic Bookworm
Remember this post? Well, some thing never change. I still love and appreciate Judy Blume. Apparently, so does NPR. =)
Mass Mania
The media has taken interest in my Catholic label lately. Probably because of this:
I have to say, I was surprised that so many news outlets covered this piece. Obviously, I think it’s important and people deserve to know about it, but the event itself wasn’t exactly a surprise for practicing Catholics. This new mass translation has been on the table for a while now. There’s a plethora of informative literature explaining each change and, lately, priests have been talking about it nonstop. So, despite dramatic headlines like this and the concerned expression on Brian Williams’ face as he narrated the story to me during last week’s Nightly News, I remained calm and decidedly unscandalized by it all.
I really enjoyed the new translation during the First Sunday of Advent. In essence, the mass itself hasn’t changed, but some wording has. The adjustments kept me on my toes and made me think about the sacrament I was experiencing that much more. In fact, I’ve found that each time I experience the same mass in a different way, my appreciation for it deepens. I’ve been to masses celebrated in Creole, Italian, English, Spanish, Korean and Latin. I’ve heard it with Gregorian Chants, contemporary music, and folk accompaniments – sometimes with close friends or family, sometimes surrounded by strangers. I’ve experienced mass by a camp fire in Virginia, in Ireland’s Galway Cathedral, under the stars in the Dominican Republic, in a wooden church in rural Haiti, and – quite memorably – in the Vatican. Each was unique, but the same…and each instance was just as powerful.
So really, Brian Williams, there’s no need to worry. =)
Chick Flick Chick
During wedding week, I wrote a piece about all of Hollywood’s not-so-applicable-lessons on being a dedicated maid of honor. Well, the comical/nonsensical movie patterns don’t end there. Recently a female writer from “The Office” contributed a great piece to the New Yorker: “Chick Flick Chicks.” In it, she lays out all of the hilarious (and sometimes nonsensical) female rom-com archetypes we know, but can’t make sense of: the beautiful klutz, the gluttonous skinny female, the woman who works in an art gallery (Seriously, how many people actually do that?), the endearing weirdo that wouldn’t be endearing in real life…you get the picture. If you’re a girl (or a man who has dutifully watched these movies on behalf of a significant other), this article is definitely worth a read.
The Hipster Cop
There’s been lots of Occupy Wall Street coverage, but the most random story that I came across was probably this one in which the New York Times investigated a famous “Hipster Cop” who made a name for himself on the streets of NYC. Stuck somewhere between protester and policeman, this guy seems to humorously defy stereotypes. He likes glasses and skinny ties, but has a gun and badge. What’s a hipster law enforcement official to do? Honestly, I think the New York Times might’ve oversimplified this story and this police officer for the purposes of a punchline, but still…it’s a rather amusing picture.
