Ok... couldn't resist sharing this:

This would be terrifying... if it wasn't so incredible!

I know, I know - he's way too pop-ish and he's a *guy* ...but all that aside - WOW!

Can't wait for December =)

Tonight I was getting something out from my under bed storage when I came across the autumnal half of my scarf collection and a bunch of pull-over sweaters.

They make me smile.

Just a little bit longer, buddies. =)

Being able to walk to a good friends flat on a summer evening for a little movie night... well, that is something rather delightful =)

3:00 and I'm just now going to lunch.

But, you know what?  I don't care that much... because I really love my job!

In case you're worried that the accountants are working me like a pack-horse (which they pay me enough to do), I can put you at ease by saying this is not a common occurence.  No, today was special.  Today, Bob had a very high profile client (let's just leave it at name-recognizable ;) come in at noon.  I was responsible for greeting the client and getting them situated--and I'm pretty sure my heart rate went up higher than it should have.  But because the meeting started at noon (my normal lunch time) and I needed to be on call throughout the meeting, that meant delaying lunch.  And because Bob left this afternoon for a long weekend with his family, I had to delay lunch even longer to get us both caught up on projects.  Needless to say... very excited to eat!

But seriously--I get paid to do this?!  One of the things I asked leading up to this time where Bob would be out of the office was for him to--literally and figuratively--load me up with projects and things that were cluttering up his desk.  So I now have a foot-tall stack of files, papers, and memos to sort, type, file, etc... Oh, and while he's gone I get to re-organize his desk, clean up his outrageous inbox, and sort some things on his computer.  And while that may not sound fun to a lot of people, all I can say is that I really enjoy making a tangible, visible impact on things.  While not all of my job will be that way, I'm glad the next few days will see me make my mark on this business (and hopefully in a positive way =P ).

Alright... lunch is over.  So it's back to my cubicle, gratefully borrowed space heater, some music, and the stack on my desk.

Happy afternoon to you all =)

She may kill me for posting this, but had to share at least part of this conversation with my very dear, lit-nerd friend...

Over a lunch-time text conversation, she and I were discussing Lord of the Rings, being lit-nerds, and people's eye-rolling at our hilarious sentiment:

me: Yesterday, I told my family that it would be wonderful to name a dog "Strider" - they just laughed at me =/ =)

lh: That is a perfect name! I still want to have two cats named Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson...

me: Gaaaah! I'd probably instantly fall for a man with a dog named Pilot =')

Oh goodness... I was tearing up with delight. Love that girl, and love those names!

Other literary pet-names??

Timothy Carlton

So... just found out that this guy, the judge presiding over Bates's trial on the Downton Abbey Christmas Special...

... is Timothy Carlton - the father of Benedict [Timothy Carlton] Cumberbatch.

Craaaaazy! Haha =)

So... a few weeks back I started studying for the GRE's =/

In October, I will be taking both the general one and the subject test in literature.

Initially, I felt pretty good about my grasp on the literary side of things. I mean, I haven't read nearly as much as I should -- and certainly not as much as some of my friends [ahem!]. But while there are many books in the canon I haven't read, I have in one way or another become familiar with quite a few of them. Studies of English tend to include some knowledge through osmosis. For instance, I've not yet read Vanity Fair or Thackeray at all [ =/ ] - but Jane Eyre is dedicated to Thackeray and so one sort of picks up on things. There are famous opening lines and poems referred to off-handedly. And, of course, Shakespeare abounds everywhere.

But! I was in for a very rude awakening when I cracked open my GRE English practice test and this was the first question I came across:

Ummm... I've read Wordsworth (actually his Tintern Abbey) and Eliot. But, to my recollection, I have never even heard of the others - yikes! But more than the particular authors they're listing - I was astonished at the form of the question. Identification from three, non-sequential lines? 

Oh, heaven help us!

Alright... back to my study session.

Absolute favorite etsy shop right now: Obvious State. Wow!

Just a few faves:

I think my kids are in serious danger of getting hobbit names... oh dear =P

Cubicle artwork is coming along.... :)

...they had everything in common

This passage was reverberating in my mind up at camp this weekend.

And it's made me so grateful to be a part of a community that spends one week every year celebrating each other, relaxing together, seeking the Lord, and sharing everything in common. Food--it is spread around freely. Bikes get borrowed and returned. Spontaneous sleepovers are thrown for the less-air-mattress-fortunate (thank you Beks!). One can walk through camp post-shower (tres au naturale hair and zero makeup).

This weekend - we had everything common!

the seven sisters + brighton

A year ago today was my last day in England - and what a fabulous day it was...

[the seven sissters - named that for the seven hills along the white cliffs there]

[let there be light]

[hello!]

["Everyone should go to Brighton - that is the place to catch husbands." ;]

So blessed I got to spend the end of my adventures last year in Sussex. Those three incredible days were a major highlight of my travels.

The Lord orchestrated so many wonderful things for me last year... but this day was one of the best.

I think of it often and, today, I'm celebrating it =)

Yesterday I made a short, but delightful visit to the UW campus. It was just long enough for

a visit to Trabant

U-district artwork*

meandering through Magus

an important chat with a professor

and a chance to see Lois lovely.

It will be very strange this fall when my friends go back to class. What an odd September--the first September that won't see me in a classroom. C'est tres bizzare!

*trite, but wise, words outside Trabant

Um. My niece is walking and has pigtails!

6 months ago we were praying for her just to register on the growth chart. 

But God is SO good. He turned on her appetite--for food and for life! Now, not only does she eat constantly, she growls... like full on growls when she wants something or wants to express herself. 

Ida  - from one girlie sandwiched between two brothers to another: I should have thought of growling. Ross and Jack will probably relate to you way easier that way. So, I say, keep rocking those girlie dresses, bows, and pigtails... but show the world that you can growl. Because there are big things waiting for you out there and no matter how tiny your starting point (or in my case, finishing point) - God's gonna use you to reveal His glory, Sweet Girl.

He already has.

summer wishes and sunny days

Well, I hope you had a fantastic day--because I sure did!

Finally out of school, I've gotten to spend more time with this amazing lady:

[Vintage graduation party]

Cami and I have dined at my favorite french restaurant, reminisced about our European adventures, seen NT Live's Frankenstein, recommended gazillions of films and books, and shared about cool dreams we have for "someday."

Today we had an all-day date. What fun!

This morning we went and saw Moonrise Kingdom - simply superb, even a second time =)

And then... well, lets just say I had a wish granted.

I haven't been on a [speed] boat in 5 years. Yah. Since my senior class trip to Chelan.

Well, anyway, I've been craving lake-time a lot and today I got just that:

[Couldn't help myself from quoting What About Bob: "AHOY! I'm a Sailor!"]

And despite the forecast, what a lovely day it turned out to be!!

Though, I'm proud to say that after four hours in the sun, I am not lobster red. Yes, Mr. Sun, I'll keep my pasty-white, thank you very much.

Cami's dad - a weathered sailor and sea captain - took the two of us out on his boat and we got to relax and chat and plan movie nights. [Cami - we really need to start a list... haha]

[I even attempted wakeboarding. It wasn't an abysmal failure--but it wasn't exactly successful. We'll call it a tie and hope for a rematch.]

Seattle sun, Wes Anderson, amazing friends, the lake and a boat.

I don't know what more one could ask from a Summer day =)