lovely cello boy will have to wait...

because i have the stupid flu.

bleh.



but, on the bright side, i just found out that PBS is going to do a jane austen movie series all month, starting this sunday.

are you freaking kidding me?!

Apparently, the Seattle Symphony's principal cellist is only 23 years old. And tonight he's going to play at Town Hall, the second half of his program being a medley of Radiohead songs, with him accompanied only by a clarinetist, a pianist, a violinist, and a vocalist.


cello + clarinet + piano + violin + voice + radiohead. I so can't wait.


For a more eloquent description of the program, go here. For his website, go here.


(a photo from his website)

find

a favorite new spot: bench in kinnear park

went for a walk yesterday

I live in a beautiful, beautiful place.

a perfect sunday

slept in.
read a little.
about 3 cups of coffee.
going through boxes of books my mom sent up.
kenny rogers on the radio (brilliant).
blueberry-banana smoothie from lovely new blender.
gonna try out a new church tonight.
gloomy out and warm inside.

= contentment.

p.s. this might be the coolest website ever.

verse

5 favorites at the moment (each with a link to a favorite article or video related to the artist). it was difficult choosing only five, but i'm trying to learn to edit down and such.

"press on me; we are restless things." - joanna newsom, only skin

"that means no, where i come from. i am cold out waiting for the day to come." - joanna newsom, clam, crab, cockle, cowrie

"do his hands in your hair feel a lot like a thing you believe in" - iron & wine, bird stealing bread

"and then the sound of a bell could sound like angels crying, or sunlight multiplying through virgin mary in stained glass." - m. ward, lullaby & exile

"sing me back home, the song my mama sang. make my old memories come alive." - merle haggard, sing me back home

resolution

Every year I make resolutions related to all the different aspects of my life that I want to change. A laundry list of everything that is wrong with or lacking in my life, followed by corresponding step-by-step solutions.

This year, I've decided, my only resolution is to care more. Because, honestly, I think this is the basis of everything that matters. When I genuinely care about something, I make the extra effort. I sacrifice. I commit. I pray.

Here are the areas of my life that require more care:

- my faith
- my relationships with those I love
- my creativity
- my health
- my respect for myself
- my social responsibilities
- my career as a photographer (only because this is something that I love, not because one's career should necessarily be deemed important)

My hope with this is also that, in caring more about these things, there will be less time to care about the worthless things I've so often allowed to occupy my thoughts.

The other beauty of it is that it's not a success/failure-based resolution; caring about something doesn't mean automatically being able to tend to it perfectly. It's more an issue of priorities. Focusing my attention where it needs to be. Cutting out the excess, the wasteful, the meaningless. Caring about the things that can actually bring joy and a sense of purpose.

one last quote, i swear (for now)

"It eluded us then, but that's no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further... And one fine morning -

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

- from The Great Gatsby


This has always been one of my favorite book endings. And it just seemed fitting around the start of a new year.

simplicity

"Above all else,

it is about leaving a mark that I existed:

I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated.

I was happy. I was sad. I was in love.

I was afraid. I was hopeful.

I had an idea, and I had a good purpose,

and that's why I made works of art."


- Felix Gonzalez-Torres

I came across this today, and it stuck with me. I think I've tended to lift artists to this god-like state. Some unattainable level. When, in reality, while art and artists should be appreciated, they shouldn't be worshipped. Rather, they should be connected to. Because creating art, in whatever form, is a completely human, vulnerable endeavor.

day one

"Hope is a very unruly emotion." - Gloria Steinem



And I like it that way.


- happy new year -