Haikus: Epiphany

I know this summer I haven't posted as much as usual.  Due to my job and thesis research, I didn't have as much time for personal writing as I wanted to.  I did find myself jotting down phrases on the go and eventually got the idea to work on a collection of haikus.  I had a lot of fun with this project and it was really fascinating how once I embraced the form, it seems like I started thinking 5-7-5.  I'm not sure if this project is over, but it's time I share these snippets from the past few months.

So, without further adieu, summer 2015 according to Haikus: Epiphany.

* * * * *

Cascadia:

Disillusioned ones

walk on. But the face of God

is a mountainside. 

Staying up the hours the carpool lane is open:

Embrace the night owl 

living within yourself and 

stop harboring guilt.

Post Alley:

I don't remember

the song playing, but I now 

have my alibi 

Flat Rate Boxes:

Can't account for the 

words, tears, everything, but...

"You want your stuff back?" 

Park West:

See the pale half-moon, 

fire-red sun share the sky

and feel my pulse calm. 

Breakfast conversations:

"Girls go to work, too?"

As mothers and execs, but

yes, darling girl, yes.

12805:
Strangers footprints mark
once most-familiar floors,
when home is not home.

Soho, 1.30am:

"What the hell is that?"

Your wedding ring... Brokenness 

I can't help you bear. 

Anticipation:

Oxford isn't a place, 

but an ancient creature made

of heart-beating stones. 

Original Starbucks:

Spain. England. Belgium. 

"No, that wasn't the last one." 

Stroking away fears...

Welcome:

Fresh-faced pixies, once

I was like you, before I 

felt always behind. 

Cœur de la vallée:

Wood smoke.  Unbroke.  Our

star-gazing conversations

ease anxiety. 

Highway 101:

Ever think about

Seattle and recall that

corridor we shared? 

An Erasure from Compline, Book of Common Prayer:

Glory to Father, Son 

Holy Spirit, as it was, 

is, will be. Amen.

Westview:

That moment when they

cry, "I can't believe..." and it's

like vindication. 

new home, new tables, new color...

I'm excited to share a little project I've been working on for the past week.

In preparing to move, I've been picking up furniture pieces here and there, 

but I still needed end tables for these lamps.

[The lamps are mine, the current tables are my flatmates.]

I scored a great deal on craigslist for this pair.

I loved that they were simple and modern with clean lines.

But because my other woods are much darker, I decided to paint these.

I decided on Valspar's Deep Sea Diving spray paint to get a really rich blue.

I started with Valspar's primer...and got to play chicken with Seattle's fickle weather.

Seriously, it would be totally sunny on my patio and being drenched 

in a downpour at the same time - what?

But despite having to move the tables under cover a few times,

I got 2 coats of primer on before moving on to the color.

It ended up taking 3 cans to do 2 coats of the blue.

The color really deepened as they dried and turned out quite close to a TARDIS blue :)

The knobs were very basic, so I decided to change them out for these fun Owls from World Market.

[Should I name them Hedwig and Pigwidgeon?]

Hoot hoot!  The owls like their new home :)

And I like my new tables.

After buying 1 can of primer, 3 cans of color, 1 can of sealer, and the knobs--

the total for this little makeover was about $25. 

I'm just very excited to have these colorful accents when I move into my new place.

Every time I've left home for an extended trip or somewhere far away,  I break down just before leaving.  Whether packing up the vans for tour or at the counter for British Airlines, I've had some pretty teary moments.  I can't explain all the reasons why.  Probably some fears mixed in there.  But I just get overwhelmed with the sense that no matter how good the adventure, I'd rather just stay at home.  Even before my summer in England, right before entering the security lines, I wanted to go home.  I wanted to forget about the whole scheme. 

It's the Baggins and the Took parts of me fighting.  And right before blast off, everything Baggins starts shouting "Stay at home and stay comfortable!"

Eventually the Took side wins out... but I'm having a very Baggins morning so far.

It's so strange preparing to move.

I should preface this by saying I have never moved before.  Ever.  I've lived in the same house my whole life.  And, though as I child I kind of resented that,  I'm really grateful for it now.

I'm a terribly sentimental person, and there is just something about being familiar with a place.  Knowing each of it's corners and creaks.  Being able to feel you're way in the dark.  But to be at home means more than being familiar with a place.  It's the difference between knowing about something and knowing it's meaning.  Home means all the trite things about comfort and security.  Those things are all true, but there is something deeper still.  Home means something you can taste but not name.

Despite being sure that you're taking the right step, it's strange to think of leaving that.

To come "home" only as a guest.

To forever try to re-create that flavor.

At home by myself tonight with some good music, favorite candle and a long assignment for English Honors. Only wishing for some chai...
Gotta <3 fall =)

While making small talk with a customer I just helped, I found out that she's selling her car because she's moving to England to go to grad school. Oh wow! So many mixed emotions.

On the one hand, I wish I could move back to England tomorrow. But, I can hardly stand the idea of being away from home for more than a year! My heart is so in both places. Oh, why do Seattle and Oxford have to be 6,000 miles away from each other?

Only 6 days till I fly home and 1 week till family camp =) I am struggling with all the mixed feelings of loving Oxford, but also being so ready to be home. This has been so incredible and I can't believe its ending. We wrap up and I say goodbye to everyone on friday ='( But, I cannot wait to go home! So I thought I'd share just a few things that I love about both.

Things I will miss:

• being surrounded by old, beautiful things--the streets, the buildings, the books, etc
• my kindred spirit, Kristina =')
• british accents
• the new building quad at Magdalen and my tree
• Jane Austen discussions
• Bus reader boards
• Stephanie Downing, one of the funniest, most amazing people I know--please move to Bellevue =)
• Magdalen's dining hall
• going places connected to so many favorite authors
• Radcliffe Camera! All of the Bodleian, but especially the Radcliffe
• having a Bod card
• nerding out all the time with good friends
• English gardens
• earl grey
• culture that was made for me: plays, bookshops, the Ashmolean Museum
• amazing Magdalen hot chocolate every morning for breakfast
• pedantic breakfast conversations

Things I can't wait for:

• my family
• Ross and Ida
• Mexican food
• late night Starbucks
• late night anything!
• my own bed and shower
• driving!!
• Kirkland waterfront (especially now that Jaunita Beach has reopened)
• talking to my parents whenever
• family movie nights
• being able to plug more than one thing in at a time
• pay checks
• redoing my room with Sarah
• Wednesday farmer's market
• family camp and friends =)

*please note that these lists are not nearly comprehensive, just a few on the top of my head

ahh...

lovely times...