Wednesday Creatives

Who couldn't use some inspiration on hump-day?

Currently enjoying one-man-band Sleeping At Last.

And do not miss their "500 miles" (as seen on Sincerely Yours)

Also, check them out on noisetrade.

Here's la chanson du jour:

Darkness will be rewritten

Into a work of fiction, you’ll see

As you pull on every ribbon

You’ll find every secret it keeps

The sound of the branches breaking under your feet

The smell of the falling and burning leaves

The bitterness of winter

Or the sweetness of spring

You are an artist

And your heart is your masterpiece

And I’ll keep it safe...

23.

"I don't know about you, but I'm feeling twenty-two..."*


Not anymore, Taylor. But thanks anyway.

So my birthday was already 2 weeks ago. Wow!

And yes, I'm just now getting to the post about it. But you can blame that on the fact that my family has 5 birthdays to celebrate in 11 days. So I was kind of busy eating cake.


[having my cake and eating it too]



I've had quite a few people as me lately, "How old are you?? ...Oh! You're so young!" Yes. Yes I am. But I don't feel "young." Not in the "you're young" sense of YOLO/you should do whatever you want/you can make totally irresponsible decisions because you're "young." No thank you.



[Lunch date - isn't she stunning? :P]



But I've always tried to be/act older than I actually am. A lot of my "peers" are actually older than me. I spend a lot of time with the 26-27 year olds... so each birthday feels more like a "finally!" than an "already?" I knew it was bad this year when in November, I had to intentionally remind myself that I was 22, not 23. I've even threatened to jump a year when nobody's looking. Just start tell everyone that I'm a year older than I am and then reclaim that year when I'm 39 ;) So I feel older... at least in comparison to contemporary 22/23-year-olds. But...I still get carded at the movies :/ Seriously? And when people find out I was born in 1990 - they cringe. As if a great cavern exists between 1989 and 1990 - a whole decade's worth of change between those two years.



[Truth.  Oh, and Mumford is ringing in 23 later this month]



All my life, I've had the overwhelming sense that "there's not enough time." There's not enough time to waste. There's not enough to read all the books - I actually teared up in a bookstore the other day realizing I would die with a long, long "to-read" list. Trying to decide what shouldn't be left on that list? "I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens." But isn't that tragic when you think about it?  Anyway........



[10 years I've had this ring.  Oh... and there's my favorite freckle.]

I'm ready for 23.  Ready to see all sorts of adventures it possesses.  I've been enjoying 23's books already.  And 23's new car :D  But there's so much about 23 I can't see yet... and I'm eager to discover.

23, it's a pleasure to meet ya.

Reading novels, Reading authors

Confession.  I have a lot of drafts written I've been meaning to publish... like since last Fall.  Here is one.  Hope you enjoy:

* * * * * * * * *

As I mentioned, I recently finished a small biography about Tolkien (now hoping to read this one and this one on the Inklings), and it was rather enlightening.  I should just say here, I know a lot of literary critics and professors seriously warn against reading through the authors life or getting into authorial intent--but, too bad, because that's some of what I'm going to get into.

Because, I love that Tolkien seemed to write himself into the tales of Middle Earth.  This biography showed me so many more parallels than I had noticed before--both funny coincidences and striking notes.  In someways, Tolkien is like his reluctant hero Frodo.  Like Frodo, he was an orphan.  I have to imagine that growing up in a boarding house was not unlike Frodo's noisy childhood in Brandybuck Hall.  Like the tiny adventurers from the Shire, Tolkien was in a very tight-knit group of four called the TCBS--of which only one other friend survived WWI.  And surviving WWI seems in Tolkiens life and writings "a wound that cannot heal."  Then of course there are lighter similarities such as Tolkien having angered a farmer as a child by stealing mushrooms.  Or the fact that "Ronald" was bitten by a tarantula at 3 years old [He claims to hardly remember the incident and that it was no influence in his creating of Shelob & Co. - but I believe in the subconscious, so yah].

Then at the same time, Tolkien admittedly identified himself as the mortal marrying wooing a woman who could only have him by making intense sacrifices.  And Edith Tolkien made sacrifices.  But the way he honored those in the Beren/Luthien, Aragorn/Arwen set up is simply beautiful.

[Luthien + Beren]

I greatly appreciate that Tolkien got vulnerable in his writing.  It's something a rate highly in an author.  And popular or no, I like to read into authors lives.

"I love you... but you don't know what you're talking about."

So the costume I went with...  Suzy Bishop from Moonrise Kingdom!

I didn't have much time, but whipped this together - including cardboard/ducttape binoculars. 

Because they're her secret power! 
Oh... and I had a library book in my bag - not overdue.

And I left my lefty-scissors at home ;)

"These are my books. I like stories with magic powers in them. Either in kingdoms on Earth or on foreign planets. Usually I prefer a girl hero, but not always."

"Why do you always use binoculars?"

"It helps me see things closer. Even if they're not very far away. I pretend it's my magic power."

Costume guess

Got invited to a costume party tonight. Only have 1 hr to pull my costume together.

Your guesses on who I'm going as:

:)

This is 800

4

years

posts

Thank you for being part of my journey!

Lunch date

Seriously... this book is wrecking me!

I have been afraid to share too much, but I had to share this one quote.

Background:  Ender Wiggin is one of the smartest boys on the planet.  He's also one of the most sensitive.  By age 6 he's been pegged by world leaders as their only hope of victory or survival against an impending alien attack.  Now at age 10, he's exceeded all expectations in military school. 

But he hates himself.

I've been thinking about myself... Trying to understand why I hate myself so badly... It took me a long time realize that I did, but believe me, I did.  Do.  And it came down to this: In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him.  I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.  And then in that very moment when I love them... [I] beat them... I destroy them.

The power, the clarity in that statement - all I could do was cover my face and sob silently.

I'm only getting on here to lodge my protest.

I'm going to bed - but I don't want to. I want to stay up all night and read Ender's Game. But I'm complying with grown up rules - especially the ones about not showing up to work after fiction-induced sleep-deprivation, suffering from fiction withdrawals. As Ashley Clements would say, "500 adult points!"

I will add just two things that terrify me:
1. Peter Wiggins
2. Orson Scott Card's uncanny premonition not just of the internet's existence, but of the way it would work. I mean, he's writing in 1977, but everyone has iPads and are using "net forums" to communicate. Hmmm

Trvia Tuesday

So today I had my mind blown - doubly blown!

I may be the last person to know this, but...

Today I found out that this guy:



[Rushmore, 1998]

 

and this guy:



[Princess Diaries, 2001]



are brothers!!

Jason and Robert Schwartzman.

[What is it with them and private-school uniforms?]

But yes, seriously, they are brothers.

I had to let that sink in.

But that's not all.

They are Coppolas.

Flipping Coppolas!!!!

As in Francis Ford is their Uncle.

As in their mom was in The Godfather (and Rocky).

As in Sofia & Roman Coppola & Nicholas Cage are their first cousins.

As in not distantly connected - they are full fledged Coppolas!

I've been wigging out all day, people.



[Jason Schwartzman in Wes Anderson:
Rushmore (1998) - first acting gig ever
The Darjeeling Limited (2007) - as Adrien Brody + Owen Wilson's brother
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - Ash is ... {} "different"
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) - Cousin Ben... "I'm keeping the nickels."]





[Jason Schwartzman with Wes Anderson:  These two are kind of amazing together!!]


Alright, alright... back to work.

Still wigging out :P

Gifts in print

So spoiled by my friends yesterday.  I received the gifts that show how well they know me.  Things I wouldn't have even thought to ask for - but was so happy to receive!!

A few items:

This amaaaazing Sherlock Typography poster from Cami.  You guys... I kinda almost cried.

Obviously I'm a huge fan of Sherlock... but I'm also a huge fan of quotes and typography. So this is an instant winner! 

Honestly, unikoideas has some fabulous stuff on etsy!  But did Cami get it off Etsy?  No.  She actually ran into the guy when we were in Portland a few weeks ago.  How great is that!

And the Nerd-quote from John Green?  Thank you Melissa!!  I shared this quote with her a few weeks back and yesterday I opened her (2nd) gift and unwrapped a framed print.

This is me.

Completely me.

And then, as just part of her present, I received a particular vogue issue I'd been eyeing from Kayla.

We're all just a bit psyched for Gatsby coming out and the Grace Coddington/Mario Testino shoot with Carey Mulligan is ravishing!!  As a bonus, there's also a shoot with Tom Hiddleston (woot-woot!).

I received several other lovely presents accompanied by beautiful, sincere cards.  These were just a few of the tangible gifts.  A few of which have found their way onto my wall :)

Also, for a sneak preview of the costumes, check out the adorable Kayla JANE-ine ;)

So I've decided:

Tom Hardy = Paul Newman + Marlon Brando

That's a dangerous mix right there :P

:)

How cute are the shots my sister got in Venice today?

[I'm reeeally liking the one of my parents - so glad they're getting to enjoy Italy together]

Ah... Europe has been calling my name lately.

Don't know how much longer I can last without it.

#ProudToBeAFanOf

#ProudToBeAFanOf was trending today... and I had to chip in.

Of course, you all know what I'm proud to be a fan of.  Lucky for me, today provided some adorable [what's known in the fandom world] "crack."  Little morsels shared with fans, just enough to provide a temporary high.

And so... meet #Setlock [the tag assigned to the current filming of Sherlock Season 3].

I have to start with the "totes supes adorbs" (thank you, Lydia Bennet).

After spending the majority of the last 2 years in New Zealand and away from his family, Martin-the-Hedgehog-Freeman is back in London.  What's more, his wife, Amanda Abingdon, has been cast in Sherlock in a role we can only assume to be "Miss Mary Morstan" - who, after hiring Sherlock in "A Sign of Four," became John Watson's wife! :)

Isn't that precious?

Well, the cuteness gets better when the Freeman children come to visit 221B for the day!!

Seriously, his kids look like Hobbits!

And they reportedly enjoyed visiting Dad, Mum, and "Uncle Ben" [Ah!] at work :D

[too precious for words!]



[Back to 221B - er...187 N Gower.  Martin's face!!]





[The hat. The coat. The smile. The man. The character. Sherlock's alive!!]





[Martin totally is a hedgehog!]



Annnd... in another favorite fandom - the LBD got a proper photoshoot!

Make the cuteness stop!



["Jing" + "Dizzie"]



Except, wait, don't ;)

Love and miss you, Lizzie B.



Proud to be a fangirl ;)

Mysticism keeps men sane...

Mysticism keeps men sane.  As long as you have mystery you have health; when you destroy mystery you create morbidity. 

The ordinary man has always been sane because the ordinary man has always been a mystic.  He has permitted the twilight.  He has always had one foot in earth and the other in fairyland.  He has always left himself free to doubt his gods; but (unlike the agnostic of to-day) free also to believe in them.  He has always cared more for truth than for consistency.  If he saw two truths that seemed to contradict each other, he would take the two truths and the contradiction along with them.  His spiritual sight is steroscopic, like his physical sight: he sees two different pictures at once and yet sees all the better for that.  Thus he has always believed that there was such a thing as fate, but such a thing as free will also.  Thus he believed that childeren were indeed the kingdom of heaven, but nevertheless ought to be obedient to the kingdom of earth.  He admired youth because it was young and age because it was not. 

It is exactly this balance of apparent contradictions that has been the whole buoyancy of the healthy man.  The whole secret of mysticism is this: that man can understand everything by the help of what he does not understand.

- GK Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Guess what??

I've never grown out of playing dress up.

"No really, Samara. We couldn't tell. Sherlockian cubicle parties weren't like a tip off or anything."

Yah, but seriously. Thanks to be homeschooled through 2nd grade, I got to spend a majority of my formative years dressed for a part with a wild imagination to match.

I've been made aware, recently, that not a lot has changed in that department.

So yah, I love dress up. And being such a fangirl, I love dressing up as favorite characters! Which apparently is called cosplay. [When did "dress up" get replaced with "cosplay"? Oh wait...just looked it up. "The term cosplay is a portmanteau of the English words costume and play. The term was coined by Nobuyuki Takahashi of the Japanese studio Studio Hard while attending the 1984 Los Angeles Science Fiction Worldcon." Thank you, Wikipedia! Well, portmanteaus are cool...because Lewis Carol made up portmanteau, which is itself a portmanteau. But that leads back to me cosplaying ;]

So...yes. I get off on cosplaying. As demonstrated on my blog. Several times.

[Alice]

[White Rabbit]

[Hobbit]

[Sherlock]

I also (as demonstrated on my blog several times) L O V E the LBD, which relies heavily on costume theatre, which is quite similar to cosplay. And since its given characters specific costumes, it makes cosplaying those characters especially fun. I had actually been hoping to cosplay a particular character at some point.

All that to say, guess what happened today???

I had a newsies cap bequeathed to me!! Ok. Not exactly bequeathed... It was up for grabs & I took it.

And once I owned the hat, I just had to look into finding a red bow tie. One thing led to another and...well, the bow tie is on its way :D

And - even more exciting - I'm hoping to have a reason or two to cosplay soon. Details to come.

[It really is :]

"A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world."

- John le Carre

I agree.  But it's my view right now.

And some days feel (to borrow John Green's phrasing) "existentially fraught."

Well, most of you know that.

I've talked with you. Texted you.

You've read my ranty blog posts.

I keep saying this, but the problem isn't my job, per se.

I enjoy most of what I get to do and the people I work with.

I'm even saddened by the realization that, at so young an age, this is probably the best boss I'll ever work for.  Ok, sounding hopeful, at least top 3.

This job is empowering and is teaching me a lot.

And provides a rather beautiful paycheck.

So when I rant... it's not because I want to switch jobs.

I am restless and wrestling right now.

I don't know who I want to be when I grow up.

I'm going to be 23 this month.

Yes, young.  I know.

Several have asked me lately,

"How old are you?

...Only 22.

Well, you've got lots of time."

Yes.  I do.

But I don't want to waste any of it.

And there has to be more than this.

More than rushing to work

(Wo)manning a desk

Relying on Starbucks

Waiting for the weekend

Checking fb, twitter, insta, blogs for something inspirational

Constantly eating on-the-go

Crossing off to-do lists

Filling out "adulthood" forms

Filling out stupid-*@$%-car-accident forms

Maybe reading a little, watching a little

Doing laundry (if I'm lucky)

And checking on virtual life once more before bed

I mean, yesterday, I seriously had instant oatmeal out of a paper cup for breakfast.

Lameness has become a frequent guest :/

And I know I seem moody because I'm all "check out my fabulous weekend..."

"Here's a morsel in this stimuli-overload, inspiration-starved world..."

"You wouldn't believe this funny story..."

But a large part of my life is spent here.  With a view from the desk.

And sometimes I think I'm going cuckoo

Scratch that... am cuckoo.

I identify so much with my good friend, Prufrock.

Do I dare

Disturb the universe?

In a minute, there is time

For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

For I have known them all already, known them all:

Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, 

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons...

Although it's pumps of chai, not coffee spoons, in my case.

But still... what is this modern life?

And why does everything inside me anxiously wrestle against it?

One of my selves (yes, I'm totally schizo... and so am I) tries to shush the other selves,

"Samara, you're too dramatic.

Bob's out this week so it's just quiet.

LBD is over and you're missing your fiction-fix.

You should just eat better, exercise better, sleep better.

Samara, be grateful!!"

Yes.  Yes, those are probably all true.

And yet.

I know that God is in the tedious and monday-ne (I made a word!).

I know that He is teaching me, like Jacob,  through wrestling.

Teaching me that I can rely only on Him.

For peace. For provision. For sanity.

For love.

I know those things.  I am learning those things.

But I have dared to listen to a distant call.

One that thrills as it terrifies.

One that challenges everything comfortable and calculated.

And it isn't specific.  I can't make out the call.

But I'm daring to incline my ear.

Because I don't know who or what or where I was made for.

But I know I have yet to arrive.

Litera(ril)ly April

"When fair April with his showers sweet,

Has pierced the drought of March to the root's feet

And bathed each vein in liquid of such power,

Its strength creates the newly springing flower;"

- The Canterbury Tales, Prologue, Opening lines

by Geofrey Chaucer

(transl. to Modern English)

* * * * *

"April is the cruellest month, breeding

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain."

- The Wasteland,

T.S. Eliot

* * * * *

Cuckoo, Cuckoo

What do you do?

In April, I open my bill

In May, I sing night and day

In June, I change my tune

In July, how far I fly

In August, away

Cuckoo, Cuckoo

- Cuckoo,

Benjamin Britten

* * * * *

Drip, drip, drop

Little April shower

Beating a tune

As you fall all around

Drip, drip, drop

Little April shower

What can compare

To your beautiful sound...

- Little April Shower,

Bambi

* * * * *

O, TO be in England

Now that April 's there,

And whoever wakes in England

Sees, some morning, unaware,

That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf

Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,

While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough

In England—now!

- Home thoughts, from Abroad

Robert Browning

* * * * *

"April is a promise that May is bound to keep."

- Hal Borland

* * * * *

Good day, April.

Birthday month.

Diamond month.

"Cruelest" (?) month.

Creative month.

Rainy month.

Hopeful month.

Crawley Sisters take Seattle

This weekend was glorious! Glorious!!

If you've ever lived in Seattle, you would just know that we don't get 70 degree days at the end of March. Gorgeous clear-skied sunniness - it doesn't happen till June - May if we're lucky.

Except it did happen. This early Easter weekend decided to brashly proclaim "Spring is here!" And back it up with miraculous weather!

Before even knowing how fine the day would be, some dear friends, Ash & Kayla, & I had picked this Saturday as a "Seattle Day" to go do the types of things in our own city that one normally only does when visiting somewhere else.

And it was rather magnificent :)




[Crawley Sisters]

 At Portage Bay Cafe, they asked what name to put down on the wait list, and I said "Crawley."  So when they called us, they shouted "Crawley for 3" and we just smiled.


[Portage Bay - yummo!  Will be returning!!]





[They gave us a free mug :D ]

 We wanted a picture with the infamous "portage bay cafe" mugs, but none of us ordered a hot drink and were, ergo, short on mug-worthiness.  But I was trying to sneak a picture of one as we were leaving and the manager said "Wait just a sec,"  came back with the mug and said "keep it and tell your friends."  Gladly, Mr. Portage Bay.  Gladly :)



[These. Two. Wow!]

 First time to Elliot Bay Book Co. I know, I know... how can I possibly call myself as literary Seattlite and not been.  Well......... I'm not sure.  But my trips usually took me to Magus, not Elliot Bay.  While I have an affinity for independent bookstores of all kinds, I prefer used to new.  I did love my inagural trip to Elliot Bay though, and shall definitely return.  I picked up an adorable set of Austen postcards and the sci-fi YA novel from the 70's: Ender's Game [have to read it before the film comes out!  Both look really good!].



[Bookshops are my happy place!]





[Pike's place picnic thanks to Le Panier, Beecher's, and the corner fruit market - parfait.]

 A baguette + good cheese + strawberries is, to me, the perfect picnic.  I've lunched on that in grassy fields at Blenheim Palace, Shakesepare in the Park, and now Gasworks.  It's just so delish!  So... who wants to plan another picnic?



[I mean - look at that sky!]





[ smiles. ]





[kite flying at Gasworks]


"Let's go fly a kite up to the highest height..."  Ok, next time!


[We're really excited about the sun and our picnic!!]




[sunny!!]

 The picnic was impromptu, so we were lucky that Ash had a blanket in her car.  And we cut our cheese with a plastic knife (it was Beecher's Smoked Flagship though - so totally worth it).  Oh, and we spread our brown-paper bags of picnic-stuff on Ashley's long-board, which made a surprisingly good tabletop. Of course, on a sunny day in the park, picnics must be enjoyed barefoot.  There's a rule about these things.



[This guy was filming a music video at Gasworks, all mic'ed up and with his accordian. We were humming La Vie en Rose the rest of the afternoon.]

 I was playing some of my own tunes until this guy showed up... Accordians are the coolest so they trump.



[Aren't they just too much? :]

 Attemtped sneaky shots of these two ladies.



[Adorable hipster]





[longboard]





[So stinking cute!]





[ :P ]





[ L O V E ]



These girls make me smile. It's more than what they say or do...although they are some of the funniest people I know. It's their dreams & passions that make me smile because they're things I dream about too. And I'm pretty sure someday I'll get to say, "I knew them before ________.  We spent sunny Saturdays aspiring to do and to make and they have." 

And lucky for me, I'm spending next weekend with them too!  Ash + Kayla + Cami + Regina + Becca + I are heading to Portland for a quick trip and lots of fun.  Powells. St Honore's.  The Pearl District.  They're calling my name!  And there may be an old movie or two since we're all cinephiles :)

Last week on the bus, I was struck by how grateful I am for the friends God has given me.  They make me feel rich.  So blessed in this season to be able to invest and pursue some of the amazing ladies that I know.

So, back to Monday meetings, still absorbing the Vitamin D and dreams from the weekend... Cheers!