Dinner at the Russell's.

Rockfish caught by Dad in the Chesapeake Bay, jumbo shrimp, corn on the cob (favorite summer food), etc. Second truly nice weather day since I've been home. Glad to spend it with family.

Beautiful Things.

All this pain

I wonder if I’ll ever find my way

I wonder if my life could really change at all

All this earth

Could all that is lost ever be found

Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of us

All around

Hope is springing up from this old ground

Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make me new, You are making me new

-mgb.

odl lay ee hoo.

I watched the Sound of Music last night and woke up this morning wanting to learn how to yodel. I've been trying for the last hour. It's hard.

Is that weird?

I guess I can answer that one myself...

homestay.

I need a place to live next year. I've come to accept that fact that rent in Seattle will be significantly higher, and that rent more often than not does not include water, internet, cable, and electricity- I didn't realize how good I actually had it Clemson.

The goal, and people might say this is a long shot goal, is to find a place where I am spending under $700 total each month. I don't think my heart or bank account could handle anything more (and $700 is really pushing it). Shopping Craig's List has been frustrating since pretty much anything I've found, the landlords want some one to start renting immediately. Can't do that just yet.

Sidenote: I'm not sure if this is a popular trend in other cities, but I've noticed that the cheapest apartments in Seattle are basement apartments. Maybe it's me being picky, but I might be depressed if I have to live in a basement. I can't imagine you can get much sun down there (even if they advertise it so).

Also, the decision of whether or not to have a roommate. It doesn't seem that living in a new city, that is often overcast and rainy, mixes well with being alone in an apartment, but maybe it could be fun? I've never lived alone. Then again, it seems every time I try and spend a few days away from people, I only end up bored and anxious. But maybe living alone will help me fix this? Thoughts would be appreciated.

I'm calling on good house hunters... find me a place to live!

film-o-matic.

On a slight whim I took a trip down to Annapolis today. I say slight whim because I knew at some point this month I would be meeting up with work-friend Jonathan for lunch when he came up to Annapolis to move his mom/stepdad. However, I didn't know upon waking up this morning that it would be today.

With the weather being so bad over the past few days, I was thrilled for the chance to leave the house for the day. Upon leaving the company of Jonathan I decided to pop on over to my grandma's house. Boy do I love this place. In my 22 years of existence I feel like it is one of the rare places that I can count on to always stay pretty much the same. My grandma fed me rhubarb and strawberry pie, which I was reluctant to try at first. Let's just say I ended up having more than one piece.

After pie, we got to talking about pictures and old home movies, and I remembered my mom saying that my grandma had a voice recording of her when she was little reading the story of Cinderella. This recording was of interest to me, as all of the home movies I've ever seen of my parents have been without sound. I wanted to hear what my mom sounded like at age 3. The question of where this tape was set my grandma and I on a two-hour exploration through countless old media technology. I had no idea my grandma had still kept such things. Behold:

The tape seen directly upon is the aforementioned Cinderella tape. My grandma says she has a new friend at the camera store that can hopefully transfer it over to something that is actually listenable. I'll cross my fingers.


I feel like a lot of my friends have been passed on antique jewelry and such from their grandmas, which I myself have never really received. I guess in not receiving such things, I had come to foolishly believe that my grandmother was not the keeper of antinque treasures? However, after our extended search today, I realized that we only touched the surface of some of the fascinating stuff my grandma still has on her hands. I plan to do more searching as the summer goes on. I'll let you know what I find.

and again.

And so summer blogging begins.

There just wasn't a lot to update on this past semester. Yes, things went on. There was laughter, smiles, tears. Still, the majority of my time was spent at the office, where let's face it, even though I'm now missing the place/people dearly, there wasn't much worth sharing.

The past five months have been interesting ones. There was a lot of anger and a lot of stress and frustration. Also a lot of sad goodbyes. Still, when I take a step back there was a lot of joy. A lot of happiness. A LOT of learning. Even if it meant overextended work weeks, I don't regret my decision to stay in Clemson after graduation. I'm just sad that it seems as though I met so many great people this past year, and I long to have had more time to spend with them. A friend recently replaced the saying, "That's Life" with "That's Lif." I'll use that same phrase here- That's lif, I guess.

Maryland is unexpectedly cold. Cold and rainy. I guess I should probably be getting used to that though. Back in November I had made a list of everything I had hoped to accomplish in my post-graduate Clemson life. Sadly, a lot of that list did not get done, and as such has been added on to my now summer list. Really, my list is specific, but when it comes down to it I really just want to be outside as much as possible and love on people- those close by and those far away.

And that seems all for now- I guess I need to refresh how to better end these posts.

at the gardens.

oh how i'll miss the muggy Carolina air

after a rain shower, before a rain shower.

in the early morning when there are few people in sight.

the wind stirs and your face feels slightly sticky.

you hear bird calls and bees buzzing between trees.

oh, how beautiful it is!

i would proclaim is so, but don't want to disturb the peace

my air will be fresh out west,

but oh how i'll miss this.

leaves on the branches bobbing up and down

in rhythm to my creaking swing

back and forth, back and forth

i can smell the green

can almost taste its sweetness

this air is home, has been home.

a bit of blue peers between the clouds

adding a palette of different colors to the scene above my head

below my feet, the brown leaves of winter have given way to the grasses of spring.

the grasses of summer.

and while the Sound and so much grand and natural beauty await me out West,

oh how i'll miss this.

right now this is perfection. this is life-giving. this is my carolina home.

oh how i want to hug you, my carolina home.

unfurnished.

It is the saddest thing to sell your childhood furniture. And further, that in the end, the money is going towards a plane ticket to a place it can't come with me.