the long, long swing

:: grandmother advice ::

2012-02-09T11:43:00.005-05:00

cute project (despite many typos and grammatical errors!). this is one of my favs.

for some reason, it made me think of the last few years of my grandmother's life when she became a huge fan of TLC's what not to wear. far from a fashionista, maunga would watch the show and (very critically) judge the women & men who had agreed to have their wardrobes trashed and closets restocked. she also was quite opposed the style (or lack thereof) of hilary clinton and considered nominating mrs clinton for a spot on WNTW. so stinking funny.

:: random thoughts ::

2012-02-03T10:50:00.003-05:00

- i wonder if the aol man ever gets tired of saying "welcome, you've got mail." i always have mail. it's a given.

- it really bothers me that we call a bathroom meant for both genders "unisex" because to me, that sounds like it's only for one sex. bi-sex or omni-sex bathrooms would be much more fitting. (and when i say that it "really bothers me" i mean for years. to the point where i have sounded like i don't know what they're called because i will try to avoid calling them that in conversation. it really, really bugs me. and this is the week i've chosen to admit it.)

- earlier this week a girl told me i look like someone who would be on the bachelor. i'm still processing that.

- i get upset when i see/hear people saying that obama is a muslim who claims to be a christian. i hate to think how i would feel if people hatefully, repeatedly and ignorantly doubted my profession of belief in Christ.

:: a song for you ::

2012-02-03T10:49:00.000-05:00

:: what's for dinner ::

2012-02-03T10:39:00.004-05:00

last week i made shrimp tacos for dinner one night...and another night...and another. and then i made them again last night.

my name is julia and i'm a taco-holic.

- corn salsa/relish: canned corn, diced jalapeno, diced red pepper, diced red onion, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, ground black pepper, parsley (or cilantro which i didn't have), olive oil, lime juice

- thinly chopped red cabbage
- sauteed shrimp (cut in half): olive oil, lime juice, cayenne, black pepper
- sliced avocado

- whole wheat tortilla (i found some that i looove, but can't remember the name!)

:: oh my soul ::

2012-01-27T13:39:00.001-05:00

i liked the song in this video and looked up the artist. mike stocksdale. been listening to him on spotify today and am enjoying it. none of the songs have completely sucked me in, yet (in a josh garrels kind of way), but i'm definitely bobbing my head and tapping my toes. worth a listen.

:: what makes true love ::

2012-01-26T11:48:00.000-05:00

thesartorialist.com & garancedore.fr/en

:: gray wool + yellow trim = aw ::

2012-01-25T14:15:00.000-05:00

my sister sent me an email with "thought of you" in the subject link and a link to this chair in the body.

yep!

katepritchard.etsy.com

:: chairs, chairs, chairs ::

2012-01-24T14:47:00.000-05:00

ohhh, my! such amazing chair goodness. i would gladly and happily accept each and every one of the classic beauts and display them somewhere, anywhere in my house!

thingsorganizedneatly.tumblr.com
via the links on this post

:: lovely work space ::

2012-01-24T14:42:00.000-05:00

not sure which i love more, those rustic tables or the super cool & colorful chairs.

blog.freepeople.com via bluemossgirls.blogspot.com

:: love by design ::

2012-01-23T14:16:00.000-05:00

observatory.designobserver.com

eero saarinen's list of aline bernstein’s good qualities (1954).

love the roman numerals, that her generosity made the list twice and that he was concerned with the sentence structure in XII (she was a writer). so, so sweet.

:: sweet treat ::

2012-01-21T13:17:00.000-05:00

blueberry & cream cookie :: compost cookie

momofukustore.com

:: that time of the year ::

2012-01-20T12:50:00.000-05:00

the other day i was at the mall and passed one of those calendar selling kiosks. i walked right on by, though there was a tiny part of me, for a very brief instant, that wanted to stop and look around. i smiled to myself, thinking back to high school when i would visit one of those stands and pore over the options to pick out the perfect calendar for me. and usually one for my boyfriend for Christmas. the themes seemed endless back then and it's amazing to see that the calendar makers have somehow managed to come up with even more motifs than before. puppies and horses and other cute critters. books. music. movies. tv shows. vehicles. cities and historical landmarks. pop stars.

anyway, i didn't stop. the last thing i need is to shell out some bucks for a calendar that i will diligently fill with important dates...for the first few weeks of the year and then neglect for the remaining 49 weeks.

if you do happen to be a calendar person, though, here's a cute one i came across on the web a while back. love the concept and execution. would be a great promo item for conferences and networking and whatnot (if the cost wasn't so high - could be printed instead of letter pressed, i suppose).

shop.inkello.com

:: digging ::

2012-01-19T12:42:00.000-05:00

not entirely sure how i'd feel about seeing this look around my town, but in a setting like NYC, on a guy like this, from a site like elle's street chic...i'm totally digging it.

fashion.elle.com

:: not impressed (safari) ::

2012-01-19T12:39:00.001-05:00

i've been using safari for the past couple months (long story) and it feels very much (if not worse than) internet explorer back in the early aol days. terrible. how do they get away with this?

:: letters home - differences ::

2012-01-18T13:24:00.003-05:00

Dear Mama,

Well, here's your boy again and he is just fine. How is everything going back home? I surely wish that I were home to enjoy some of that spring weather that I hear that you have been having over there. We are having a little more sunshine here and it really feels good although it isn’t nearly as nice as that we get back home. The country over here doesn’t smell good in the spring like ours but then it stinks anyway all the time. They don’t have the plumbing here that we have back in the states & that helps stink the place up. They don’t have bath tubs or showers like we have back home either.

I slept pretty late to-day and didn’t get up until about 10 o’clock and really enjoyed it to the utmost. I think that I shall have to do that every day when I get home. Do you suppose that it could be arranged? I could also use some golden rod eggs. Will you tell me just how you are supposed to make them? I know that you boil the eggs and grate the yellow over the white paste like part but how do you make the white part? I’d like to make some and have the boys try them out.

Guess I had better close now and say so long.

Lots of love, Arthur

[april 1945]

:: no excuses - except this one ::

2012-01-18T12:36:00.001-05:00

i'm just going to use anti-sopa and anti-pipa as my reason for being slack here. so there.

:: most days he forgets ::

2012-01-16T13:46:00.002-05:00

last week at church the teacher said of a man he knows, "he was made in the image of God, but most days he forgets that."

it made me think of a guy i met a few months back. by society's standards, he is not a particularly good person. he is dark. deceptive. irresponsible. a liar. an addict. a thief. he has little to no regard or respect for his children, authority or his peers.

it can be overwhelming to think about the desperation, sadness and darkness he possesses and the bad things he does.

but he is a child of God, made in His image. God loves him and has great plans for him.

no matter how incredibly hard that is for me to comprehend. no matter how often he forgets it, himself.

at times i wanted to shout to him, "what are you doing? why won't you let go of your old ways, your bitterness & anger, your addictions & idols, your lies & deceptions and be more like the person you were made to be!?"

it is in my most honest and my humblest of moments i realize - that's probably exactly what God wants to say to me. the manifestations are vastly different, but our sins are the same.

"this year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practise ourselves the kind of behaviour we expect from other people." [cs lewis]

:: josh garrels ::

2012-01-14T11:57:00.001-05:00

back in november a friend sent me a link to download a new album. said it would change my life. i was wary, but i downloaded and listened. i loved the first track. and the second. and every.single.one that followed. the album is incredible. i have a new favorite song from it just about every time i listen but "bread and wine" is always up toward the top of the list. a stand out for me.

here are some pictures from the video shoot for that song for the documentary the sea in between. love the feeling in the first one and that xylophone in the second is such a cool idea! can't wait to hear how it sounds when the film is released.

joshgarrels.blogspot.com

a href="http://joshgarrels.bandcamp.com/track/creation-song";Creation Song by Josh Garrels;

:: resolve to be bolder ::

2012-01-12T16:48:00.010-05:00

i'd love to say i'm resolving to blog more frequently (notably not the same as "more often"), but that would be a lie. i hope to do so, but i'm not resolving to do so. because i'm nothing if not realistic. nor do i care for "new year's resolutions." i've never quite "gotten" the whole new year's hoopla. don't know why, but it just doesn't excite me as much as it seems to everyone else. in fact, each time i type "happy new year" to someone in an email, i feel like a bit of a fraud. not because i don't truly wish that the new year is a happy one for the person, but because i wouldn't normally write that sentiment to someone, if i didn't just feel like it was what i'm supposed to be doing/saying.

so, yeah. i don't really do the new year's resolution thing. but this year might be a little different. i had a thought during church on sunday. the sermon was partly about our lives this year, if the world truly was to end on december 21, 2012. it made me think. i'm not one to have those "if i died today, what would i regret having done or not done" thoughts. if i died today, i'd be dead and in a place with no regrets. i'm just not one to think, "if i had 24 hours left to live, what would i do?" (yes, i would like to travel more. and i hope i will. but i know that when i die, i will not lament the places i did not go. because i will be in a far more glorious place.)

but here's the thing. i want that (eternal) peace for those i know and love (and even for those i don't know). if i happen to be sitting around on december 20 and the world is to end the next day i would want to look back over the year and know that something i said or did (or perhaps didn't say/do) or even that the way i lived my life helped someone know the Truth. to know the peace that surpasses all understanding.

so i resolve to be more intentional (notably not the same as "pushy") and say and/or do something that could be a light to someone each and every day. seems simple. seems like something i should already be doing. and perhaps for the most part i am/do. but i don't want to rely on "pretty much already doing." i want to be bolder than that.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://joshgarrels.bandcamp.com/track/creation-song"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Creation Song by Josh Garrels&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

:: satisfaction guaranteed ::

2011-11-15T10:17:00.002-05:00

i am so sorry, but i have no idea where i found this.
if you know to whom credit is due, please send me a message and i'll add the credit/link!

:: letters home - on veterans day ::

2011-11-11T10:53:00.004-05:00

9 april 1945

Dear Daddy,
Well here comes a short letter from boy. He has seen an awful lot of action lately but has not exactly killed any more Germans with his own hand (that he knows of) although he has fired several rounds of 76 M.M. high explosive into towns that they were in. They mean & fired some 88 MM's back at us but they aren't so hot as they didn't hit too close. I was right up there when the 1st & 9th joined the other day. We really did some traveling too believe me. I have lost an awful lot of sleep so you will know why I am so lazy when I get home.

I have seen so awfully pretty fireworks especially the night that I crossed the Rhine. I wish that you could have seen it. I'll never forget it as long as I live.

There are thousands & thousands of Russians and French that have been freed starting on their way back now. You should see these Russians as they walk back along the road. All of them are looking for cigarette butts and I give them the pkgs that I receive in my "K" rations. The French are much nicer dressed and much cleaner. The war is over for most of them & I wish that it were over for everyone. Tell everyone hello for me. Lots of love
Arthur Jr

:: 123 ABC ::

2011-11-09T14:09:00.000-05:00

cb2.com
[click image for direct link to product]

:: old thoughts ::

2011-11-08T13:57:00.002-05:00

i keep notes. everywhere. on a dry erase board by my desk. in a notebook (or notebooks). in various programs on my computer and the internet (facebook, onenote, word, evernote, etc). on napkins, receipts, tiny pieces of paper. everywhere.

sometimes i come across old notes and they make me smile. sometimes they make me sad. i treat the thoughts like tangible objects, weighing whether or not i should hold on to them. never know when they might come in handy (again) sometime.

today i came across one from may 03 2011. was about to put it in the toss pile, but decided to bring it over here and hang on to it instead. the page title was "truths about me." i'm assuming i was going to write more, but this was all that was there.

i've lived right around the corner from a crematorium for 3 years. i just saw smoke from it for the first time last week. it grossed me out and made me a little sad.

:: lacey layers ::

2011-11-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

freepeople.com

:: warm thoughts ::

2011-11-07T10:02:00.004-05:00

i want to recreate this look when it gets warm again. it seems much more doable than this one i posted earlier this year.

it will get warm again, won't it? (it's not even really that cold here...yet...and i'm already dreaming of spring.)

thesartorialist.com

:: look love ::

2011-10-25T12:38:00.001-04:00

frugal-fashionistas.com

:: a wandering defense ::

2011-10-24T12:15:00.004-04:00

over a month since i last posted. terrible. inexcusable. except not. my excuses come in the forms of recently super-charged social life, fall touring & a busy work schedule, trips & adventures, wedding & birthday madness (in the best possible way).

and sheer slackness.

:: letters home - comforts of home ::

2011-09-01T15:27:00.006-04:00

9 march 1945

Dear Mamma,
Well here is all of one full page of v-mail coming to you. I just wish that I could send you a present but they don't have very much over here & what they have is hard to get. I'll try to bring a trunk full of stuff home when I come if I can get by with it.

There really isn't very much to tell from over here except that I haven't been able to take a bath as often as I would like to. They just don't have as many baths as they need to have. I don't believe that they have ever used as many as we have back home. I haven't shaved in about three days and I need one so I'll shave to-morrow morning. I did have a mustache and took a picture of it but I have lost the film so I am just back to where I was before. I'll have to grow another one so that I can let you see how I look with it. I suppose that I can borrow a camera and take a picture of it as I lost mine. I hope that Lillie insured mine for I would like to have it replaced some day. I'd like to have a little different one when I get another one.

I have found a couple of good movie projectors that I believe I can pick up for nothing and if I can get it home I will do just that. I will see about that to-morrow morning. Tell everything & everyone I said "hello" I'll be glad when everything is all over and I can come home again.

Lots of love
Arthur

:: girl crush ::

2011-08-30T13:08:00.001-04:00

cintia dicker for aerie

:: diggin ::

2011-08-24T16:29:00.001-04:00

this look.

sf style via a cup of jo

:: trash the dress ::

2011-08-23T16:17:00.000-04:00

blueberries, paint, fire - oh, my!

blog.rfproductions.ca

:: colorful cabinets ::

2011-08-22T16:03:00.001-04:00

via ishandchi.blogspot.com

:: love this look ::

2011-07-06T23:12:00.003-04:00

pinterest via kendi everday (i think)

...the photo and the fashion.

:: let your soul & spirit fly ::

2011-06-27T00:42:00.003-04:00

have you ever bought a pair of shoes that are so great you go ahead and get the them in every available color? because you just love them so much that you want more of the same-but-different?

i wish i could do that with the song "into the mystic." calm, peaceful, soothing...intense, yearning, desperate. moving. and the 1:20(ish) mark? yeah, you know what i'm talking about. ahhh!

i'll take it in every color, please.

listen

this doesn't quite do the trick, but here are a few other hues:
joe cocker
swell season
zac brown band (with "free" on the front end)

:: at this point in my life ::

2011-06-26T10:14:00.004-04:00

in a tracy chapman kind of mood this morning.

"there is fiction in the space between the lines on your page of memories. write it down but it doesn't mean you're not just telling stories." telling stories

"you felt me hurting but I can forgive you for that now. you taught me something...when you give all yourself away just tell them to be careful of your heart...I just lost a little faith when you broke my heart. given a chance I might try it again, but I wouldn't risk it all this time. I'd save a little love for myself, enough for my heart to mend. a little love for myself." be careful of my heart

"at this point in my life I'd like to live as if only love mattered, as if redemption was in sight as if the search to live honestly is all that anyone needs, no matter if you find it." at this point in my life

"if you knew that you would die today, saw the face of God and love, would you change? would you change?" change

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-06-13T23:43:00.000-04:00

memories. old and new.

made a 24 round trip for a corey's 30 minute set at CMA Fest in nashville - which was one of the best i've seen - in large part because of this.

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-06-06T14:22:00.003-04:00

pool day #2 of 2.

:: smile-inducing ::

2011-06-01T15:38:00.001-04:00

via joannagoddard.blogspot.com

:: letters home - for memorial day ::

2011-05-31T14:14:00.004-04:00

it's been ages since i've posted one of poppy's letters home from war. it was a year ago yesterday that i posted the first. with memorial day comes many reminders and memories of my favorite soldier.

[click to enlarge]

14 FEB 1945
"ENGLAND"

Dear Mamma,
Well here comes a much delayed letter to you. We have been moving around quite a bit on maneuvers and I haven't been able to write as much as before due to lack of time. I have lost a little sleep but am doing O.K. now. My bed roll has really come in handy and so have my overshoes. I'm glad that I had Willie sew that blanket in my jacket for it is much warmer than it would be otherwise. I hope that we have no more cold weather here but I'm afraid that we will.

We had chicken to-night for supper and also last night for supper. One of the hens that they cleaned had fourteen eggs in her. One was a hard shell one and two soft shell. The rest were yellow ones that ranged in sizes from about half as large as an egg to about the size of a "BB". I had never seen that many in one chicken before.

The people here where we are staying usually ask us in every night to have some pie & coffee. I wish they had some good ole butter milk. I could use some cracklin corn bread. I haven't received any packages as yet, but expect to any day. Tell everyone I said "hello"

Lots of love
Arthur

:: missed connection ::

2011-05-31T12:10:00.005-04:00

i was in the east village last weekend.
and today he posted this.

i knew he was out of the country when i was there, yet i kept my eyes peeled for him, just in case. rats.

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-05-31T10:02:00.000-04:00

at the 30th annual freedom weekend aloft.
bottom row: the wailers, corey smith and thousands of our closest friends.

:: and then there's the music ::

2011-05-30T16:21:00.008-04:00

throughout the day my soundtrack has been a mixture of van morrison, mac leaphart, paolo nutini, david mead, guster, needtobreathe, the once soundtrack, bebo norman, gram parsons, alexi murdoch (and more, i'm sure i'm forgetting).

every time a new song came on, it was perfect for the moment or the thought. texting with a particular friend and "the hammer holds" by bebo norman played. a song i "gave" to him when he made one of those get-away-to-see-where-you're-going moves to another town. writing this post and i hear guster singing, "i hope tomorrow is like today." but the best was on the way to the store when paolo nutini's "tricks of the trade" came on. meant for a couple, but fitting for me and all these dear friends.

was it love or recognition that has healed this man's condition
oh i'm hoping and i'm wishing that this bird won't fly away
we can see life hand in hand, the green, the blue, the rough, the sand
and in our time and in our land we'll savor everyday

and oh, how our glory may fade, babe,
well, at least we've learned some things along the way

you took me from my bubble knowing my defense was weak
and you sat there and you listened any time I chose to speak
oh and you gathered from my pleas to you that i am but a clown
and i fear only a hero can defeat these demons now

and oh, how our glory may fade, babe,
well, at least we've learned some tricks of trade

and as time shall inevitably move on,
well, at least we'll have four strong legs to stand on to keep us alive...

- "tricks of the trade" by paolo nutini

:: my dear friends ::

2011-05-30T15:34:00.008-04:00

my heart has been very full today. to the point where it kind of hurts...in a good way. i just made my second trip of the day to the grocery store and on the way the circumstances were just right for me to hear God speaking to me. this time, he wanted to talk about the friends in my life. and i listened (for a change). it was a little overwhelming and i had to take a few deep breaths before i could even walk into the store.

here's the thing. i realized that my absolute dearest friends are those who allow me the honor of serving them. God blessed me with a "servant's heart" as my sister and brother-in-law (two people i put in the "dearest friends" category) say. and some of my happiest and fullest moments in life are when i'm helping my friends in some way.

today i'm cooking for a friend whose father-in-law passed away last week and she & her husband just moved into a new house. a slightly overwhelming week, to say the least. she could have declined my offer for a (mostly) home cooked meal. but she didn't. and the gift of her acceptance put me in my kitchen on a beautiful Memorial Day, chopping (one of my favorite pastimes) anything that got in my way. most of what i've been making won't even make it to her house (per her request, not my refusal) but i've been working on fresh salsa, roasted red potatoes, broccoli salad, red cabbage slaw and who knows what else between now and dinner time.

in the middle of the joyous madness i got a message from another sweet friend. one who constantly tells me how special i am, despite how bad i am at reciprocating such kind affirmations. she came home early from the beach yesterday so she could relax at home and get ready for her work week. she spent this morning and part of the afternoon at the ER with her mom. my response was food first, then (closely followed, but followed, still) prayer. the order doesn't matter to her. and while she didn't accept my offer to come sit at the hospital with her or meet her at her mom's house to help get things in order, i know she will gladly accept (and even propose - an even better gift sometimes!) offers yet to come. including all this extra food i have sitting around now.

the situations aren't always so grim, yet they are often related to food. my best friends know that i want to feed them...and they let me.

thank you, my dear friends. i love you.

:: colors of new york ::

2011-05-25T12:46:00.000-04:00

[click to enlarge]

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-05-23T12:40:00.001-04:00

we heart all over NY.

:: choose wisely ::

2011-05-18T02:12:00.003-04:00

may 11, 2011

i went to my first jewish funeral today. the fact that the funeral was a jewish ceremony has little (if anything) to do with this post, but i felt that because it was a unique experience for me, it was worth noting.

i was moved beyond words at the touching things susie's family and friends had to say about her. her sister and best friend spoke about growing up with the joyful, kind, passionate and loving lady. i don't know for sure how either of them were able to muster the strength to stand in front of friends and strangers and share their memories and feelings during such a sad time, but i have a pretty strong idea that susie's own strength was a large part of that.

after her best friend of 35 years spoke, another one of susie's dear friends approached the pulpit (i'm not sure if it's called a pulpit in a temple). she said she was going to share susie's own words with us. susie had been ill for some time, so her death wasn't unexpected or sudden. she had prepared a speech (for which she was well known, i learned) for all of us. and it was amazing. in it, she shared memories of loved ones, stories about her childhood, her courtship and proposal, tales of parenthood and the love & pride for her sons. she mentioned her great fortune in being born to two wonderful, loving parents and how that shaped her entire life. she spoke of love, faith, hope, the past, the future. through it all, she spoke of happiness.

the friend said that susie believed happiness was a choice and she chose it every day, in every thing. i didn't know susie well. in fact, i only saw her a couple times a year in the few years i've known her. but my impression at each of those encounters was that she was sincere, humorous and full of life. there was never mundane small talk. when we spoke, she seemed to really be in the conversation, in the moment, caring about what was said. she always seemed happy. now i know that she was - because she chose to be.

the last time i saw susie was at our company Christmas part in December. i found out today that it was the last time she was well enough to go out in a social setting. i hope we made it a good one for her. i know for a fact she was happy to be there.

:: why aren't you married ::

2011-05-16T11:39:00.007-04:00

when a 4 year old girl at church asked me "why aren't you married?" my response was, "i have a cat."

in related news, the age range for people asking me that question is now 4 to 91.
update: make that 6 to 91.

:: missings draft and other news ::

2011-05-13T16:10:00.005-04:00

i wrote a post the other day. i saved it. i came back today to publish it (after blogger's scheduled and unscheduled down time this week) and it's gone.

it was a masterpiece. really. (okay, maybe not really, but i was very pleased with it.)

in other news, i got a really bad sunburn last weekend at the beach. my back is in full-on peeling mode. right out of my reach. i mentioned it to a friend who jokingly said i should get a hand-vac. it made me think...so i added the (never-been-used) brush attachment to my vacuum and scratch-vacuumed my back. it felt great and there was no yucky skin to clean up. yay!

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-05-09T14:09:00.012-04:00

"i watched those waves roll like words off a tongue - living language, God's subtle speech."
- mac leaphart

:: tuscaloosa needs update ::

2011-05-04T10:12:00.007-04:00

Word from UA Greek Relief is that they do not currently need more adult clothing.

However, baby food, formula and diapers are in high demand. Check out this great way to donate those things (and more).

BABY NEEDS
two friends-of-a-friend have made donating baby needs super easy through diapers.com. just click here to choose what you'd like to donate. shipping is free and there is a 10% coupon code. (will be shipped to Catherine Larkin in Gadsen AL - Catherine will deliver to various drop-off sites.)

GENERAL SUPPLIES
update [may 5]! just got word that Trinity Baptist on Hwy 20 in Piedmont is collecting supplies (toiletries, baby supplies, water, paper products, etc). their trailer will be on-site at the church, open this saturday from 9am-1pm. or you can drop off donations for Judy Root at the Better Business Bureau by monday, may 16 (408 north church street greenville, sc - by the bilo center).

i am still looking into a large-scale donation drop-off site, but if you have things to send, please let me know, and i will set you up with a friend who is delivering supplies to Toomers for Tuscaloosa next week.

MONETARY DONATIONS
Monetary donations can be made by sending checks made payable to "Tuscaloosa Disaster Relief Fund” to

West Alabama Chamber Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 020410
Tuscaloosa, AL 35402
(205) 758‐7588

http://www.tuscaloosa.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2353

or text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to the American Red Cross

SUPPLIES NEEDED
water

baby supplies: food, formula, diapers, clothing
pop-top canned goods (shortage of can openers for the canned goods being donated)

children's shoes

extension ladders
aluminum pans for cooking (lots of bbq/open flame cooking being done)

tarps

grip-tight fastener nails

to-go boxes & utensils
toiletries

feminine hygiene products

diapers

hand sanitizer/alcohol wipes

:: tuscaloosa relief efforts ::

2011-05-02T17:07:00.008-04:00

Dear readers,

I am working to collect to-go boxes and pre-packaged utensil packs for relief efforts in Tuscaloosa. UA Greek Relief (website, Twitter) is distributing hot meals and while they definitely need water/food/etc donations, the to-go boxes are not something that people think to donate, so I am reaching out to all of my restaurant connections and asking for help.

In addition to reaching out to the restaurants directly, I am asking that all of my friends help collect these when you go out to eat in the coming days. If you can get just 5-10 (or 1-2, even!) containers or utensil packs from your server/the manager at the end of your meal, it'll all add up and be a big help.

I'm happy to pick up or I can let you know where to drop off.

Please forward this along.

I am in touch with a couple of upstate SC groups to discuss setting up larger scale donation drop-off point(s) for a donations drive. Hoping to get something together or (at the very least) gather information about local efforts. I will let you all know when I have more information!

Other needs include (but are not limited to):

water

pop-top canned goods (shortage of can openers for the canned goods being donated)

aluminum pans for cooking (lots of bbq/open flame cooking being done)

children's shoes

clothing

extension ladders

tarps

grip-tight fastener nails

toiletries

feminine hygiene products

diapers

hand sanitizer/alcohol wipes

Monetary donations can be made by sending checks made payable to "Tuscaloosa Disaster Relief Fund” to

West Alabama Chamber Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 020410
Tuscaloosa, AL 35402
(205) 758‐7588

http://www.tuscaloosa.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2353

or text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to the American Red Cross

:: a truth about me ::

2011-04-27T23:33:00.000-04:00

i have a tendency to equate "like" and "love" with "doesn't get on my nerves as much as other people."

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-04-26T23:45:00.004-04:00

[click to enlarge]

:: my sister ::

2011-04-26T22:52:00.009-04:00

...is a pretty awesome person for many reasons, but the latest is this.

:: my lucky shirt ::

2011-04-26T13:09:00.002-04:00

my lucky shirt?

backstory.

:: i've got a crush on you ::

2011-04-25T16:02:00.004-04:00

or him, rather.

this post title led me to this, which is about to lead to me re-enacting that awesome knee-shaking dance move. why don't people ever do the "crush on you dance" like they do the electric slide and such?

#perfecttimeforacleverhashtagbutidon'tdothose
#theyshould
#how'sthat?

:: so funny ::

2011-04-25T15:00:00.001-04:00

:: form over function ::

2011-04-18T14:32:00.014-04:00

when i was in new york last may i stopped in bloomingdale's, pretty sure i would just look around and leave empty handed. but then i found an adorable pair of gray suede oxfords on the clearance rack. i can't remember exactly, but i know they were under $40 (and were regularly over $100). i bought them. and though i've only worn them a few times, i'm looking forward to pulling them back out and sporting them this spring. this picture i just came across is the perfect motivation for that!

atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com via gap-mag.com

i have the jacket and shoes - now to find the perfect button down shirt and cute little dress!

(but here's my problem: if it's cool enough for me to be wearing 3-4 layers up top (shirt, dress, shirt, jacket) then it's most likely too cold for me to be bare-legged. so i'm not really sure how practical this look is for me, as my personal style most often focuses more on function (usually related to temperature) over form.)

:: before i die ::

2011-04-06T14:37:00.010-04:00

start with
change it into
then it becomes
and
and

see additional images and learn more about before i die (and much more, including i wish this was) at candychang.com.

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-04-05T14:18:00.014-04:00

01. a very windy day at the car wash - finally washed away the sand & salt from our snow (/ice) storms!

02-03. the perils of gardening: a busted faucet and a new pet.

04. spotted this dark red flower in the gully behind my house, amid a bunch of ivy. went closer to see what it was and noticed its awesome camouflage leaves. part of me doesn't want to find out what it is to maintain the mystique. (but part of me really wants to know!)

:: either one of them things will do ::

2011-04-01T12:36:00.005-04:00

i can't get "jolene" out of my head this week. a combination of corey's visit to spokane on monday and the cold, gray rain we've been having here for the past few days. one brought the song to mind, the other won't let it go.

i go back and forth between ray lamontagne and zac brown band:

heart-breaking.

(a little more) hopeful.

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-03-28T16:05:00.014-04:00

[click to enlarge]

01-02. girls night at corey smith at the orange peel in asheville nc (and cabin in flat rock)
03-04. goofing around with a little (or hilariously long) mid-show self-photo(s) shoot. and i finally wore my new scarf!

:: making up for lost time ::

2011-03-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

things that have tickled my funny bone the past few weeks...

and the funniest youtube video i think i've ever seen. as soon as you think it's not funny any more, it is.

:: fair trade ::

2011-03-24T20:20:00.000-04:00

[click image for direct link]

from the artist: How It Works is part of my ongoing series of Newspaper Blackout Poems: poetry made by taking an article from The New York Times and blacking it out with a Sharpie marker, leaving only a few choice words behind. It's rare that I find poetry in the business section, but this one came from an article about hedge fund investing. Like many of my poems, it's about my wife.

:: cute spring dress ::

2011-03-24T19:03:00.003-04:00

i've been so neglectful, dear 'swing. i've thought about you often, just haven't had the time to hang out. but when i saw this adorable little dress today on cup of jo, i knew i just had to share with you. prefect for spring, and i believe i'd love it so much, i'd have to carry it into fall with a long sleeved tee, tights and some great boots or booties.

[click image for direct link]

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-03-21T15:45:00.005-04:00

[click to enlarge]

took a little trip downtown with my sister and nephew for greenville's st baldrick's festivities on sunday. 122 people had their heads shaved and raised nearly $57,000 for childhood cancer research. one 7-year old girl raised $15,000 when she took over the fund-raising that her dad -- a deployed marine -- had begun! she and her mom sat bravely on stage, getting their locks trimmed together. when she pulled her daddy doll from under her apron and sat him in her lap, there was hardly a dry eye in the place.

:: grellow galas ::

2011-03-10T22:23:00.006-05:00

alwaysablogsmaid.com via libby james ::
martha stewart living via cup of jo

:: birdcage garden ::

2011-03-09T22:32:00.006-05:00

i imagine this birdcage wall in the same courtyard as this.

neimanmarcus.com via wedding bee

:: more design by chalk ::

2011-03-01T11:50:00.006-05:00

anthropologie.com via knackstudios.blogspot.com

quite the trend! also seen here and here.

:: pretty 'round my neck ::

2011-02-24T18:02:00.003-05:00

UO has a lot of really pretty, unique scarves right now. i picked up this one over the weekend. more than i would normally spend on a scarf, but with the pretty colors and mixture of printed fabric & lace, i just wasn't able to say no to her (she did speak to me).

urbanoutfitters.com

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-02-21T18:21:00.010-05:00

01. the blue dogs played the grey eagle in asheville on friday night

02. picture of a great will hoge shot on the wall at the grey eagle
03. dinner at my favorite mexican spot in hendersonville nc
04. a band on haywood street entertains everyone within earshot on a beautiful spring sunday (in february!) - click to enlarge this one. love the details!

:: hot ::

2011-02-19T20:46:00.004-05:00

the street is their oyster

:: and the things i draw come true ::

2011-02-18T11:23:00.006-05:00

west elm via catalog livin g

so cute. reminds me of this.

:: behold: bhldn ::

2011-02-15T09:17:00.002-05:00

bhldn.com

some of my favorites from BHLDN. hard to narrow down the gown s - so many unique, vintage-inspired options, but these three are at the top of my list. the cover-ups are just plain gorgeous and might be my favorite part of the entire collection. i can't really envision many of the dresses as traditional bridesmaids dresses (as in, having 4-5 of these standing beside a bride & groom), but still like these particular ones for the color(s), shape and style.

my sister already posted her favorites, but which ones do the rest of you love, like or not?

positively adore the make-up, styling, accessories throughout the collection. be sure to check out the "flow player" under the gown images on the site - great feature!

:: the greatest...love ::

2011-02-14T14:06:00.006-05:00

if i could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, i would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. if i had the gift of prophecy, and if i understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if i had such faith that i could move mountains, but didn’t love others, i would be nothing. if i gave everything i have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, i could boast about it; but if i didn’t love others, i would have gained nothing.

love is patient and kind. love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. it does not demand its own way. it is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. it does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. but love will last forever! now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! but when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

when i was a child, i spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. but when i grew up, i put away childish things. now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. all that i know now is partial and incomplete, but then i will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

1 corinthians 13

:: strange love ::

2011-02-14T13:49:00.004-05:00

designerplanet.org

:: fashion blues ::

2011-02-14T11:36:00.005-05:00

my favorite shot from fashion week so far: helena christensen and my best bud (wink), michael stipe.

thesartorialist.blogspot.com

:: unveiling coming soon ::

2011-02-11T00:01:00.008-05:00

only a few more days until the unveiling of anthropologie's wedding brand! so far i've successfully avoided photos from the collection, wanting to get the full force of loveliness on the 14th.

until tonight. i just happened upon a little spoiler - but i didn't look too long or too closely.

bhldn.com

click here to hear amiina's "what are we waiting for" in its entirety. pretty song. great fit for the site.

:: bathroom barn door #3 ::

2011-02-10T12:15:00.007-05:00

i just came across another terrific take on this yellow bathroom barn door that i love so much - and it's even better than the last (and maybe better than the first). i cannot tell you how much i love the wall color, the headboard (made of the same wood as the door), the throw, the pillows. it's so warm and cozy, yet modern and non-fussy.

i want to give this room a big hug followed by a high five.

housetweaking.com
click here for how-to part 1

:: funny drugs ::

2011-02-09T19:02:00.005-05:00

check out a couple of videos from corey smith's visit to wssl in greenville, sc today - featuring his hilarious new song, "drugs" and fan favorite, "if i could do it again."

would love to know what you think!

:: opportunity not missed ::

2011-02-08T11:20:00.001-05:00

via nickholmes.tumblr.com

via me

those are buffalo nickels scotch taped around the brim of the man's hat. would be a lot funnier if the $5 sign over his head was a 5¢ sign, instead.

:: sophisticat ::

2011-02-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

this is booger. he likes to drink from a glass.

:: super bowl of popcorn (ceiling) ::

2011-02-06T23:08:00.004-05:00

if it weren't for the mess, i think popcorn ceiling removal would be my new hobby. strangely gratifying.

:: soup and a shirt ::

2011-02-06T21:31:00.000-05:00

i was gathering some random stuff of my sister's to give back to her when i realized how great this loft shirt and trader joe's corn & red pepper soup look together. hard to tell in the picture, but the stripes are the exact color of the soup.
yep. soup and a shirt. no need to thank me.

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-01-30T20:39:00.003-05:00

back in athens to shoot the video for corey's upcoming single, "twenty-one." from clayton street to the 8e's bar and nowhere (bar) in between.

click here to hear corey perform "twenty-one" for chattanooga's US-101.

:: my weekend in photos ::

2011-01-24T18:34:00.013-05:00

01. the georgia theatre is undergoing construction after a devastating fire in june 2009. the remodel will incorporate incredible upgrades to the famed music venue while maintaining the historical integrity of a building that's 122 years old. grand opening summer 2011.

02. corey smith being interviewed for GAC's headline country amid the rubble and rebuilding. corey first played the theatre in december 2005 to a sold out crowd. (zac brown opened the show.)

03-04. bus and site provided by the jackson county correctional institute. first photo overlooks the landfill. it was a chilling 30-40 degrees for most (if not all of the shoot).

05-06. family photo shoot and more video footage in one of the chic penthouse suites at the hotel indigo - a beautiful and environmentally friendly (LEED certified gold) hotel in downtown athens. part of corey's upcoming album, the broken record, was recorded in the hotel's own rialto room.

07. local artist wendy hanson's fabric butterflies on display in the mercury art works gallery at hotel indigo.

as much as i was ready to warm and rested in my own home,i made a stop by pitaya to pick up a few things. (2 tanks, 2 cardigans and 1 dress.)

:: as promised ::

2011-01-19T22:00:00.001-05:00

catherine roach

i've done this.

:: simply good advice ::

2011-01-19T01:28:00.001-05:00

catherine roach

more of catherine's work to come, i'm sure.

:: watch out, rachel zoe ::

2011-01-18T00:49:00.012-05:00

little recap for those who might have missed the original post this stems from: i loved elements of sarah hyland and olivia wilde's globes looks - gowns, hair, make-up and accessories - but thought sarah's was too old and olivia's too young. so i did a switch-a-roo. and really like the results. especially olivia. that max azria dress is perfect on her. (or "her," rather.)

but what do you think? (try not to let my phenomenal photo editing skills sway your response!)

before

after

images via www.instyle.com

:: one thing leads to another ::

2011-01-17T15:02:00.002-05:00

from nude dresses to flutter sleeves to long sleeves to emerald green - there was plenty of overlapping with cuts and colors (or lack of) on the carpet last night at the golden globes. i think the award for most popular trend goes to the neutral/blush-tones gowns. (there were a ton!)

:: golden globes - bads ::

2011-01-17T15:01:00.012-05:00

i'm going to skip the obvious (helena bonham carter, tilda swinton) and move on to some of the other bads (though not necessarily worsts - see beginning of this sentence) from last night's golden globes.

i was looking forward to seeing what natalie portman wore and how she would, no doubt (right?), show off her belly. especially after this article which had some pretty good predictions. i thought. but, alas, she wants to be comfortable (okay, fine). i wasn't a fan of the look, overall - the dress seemed too short or the shoes too tall, the hair was too old-fashioned (and boring).

jennifer lopez. make-up looked great. hair was pretty simple and blah, but not necessarily bad. not like her dress with those spaghetti straps and bedazzled cape. had she lost the shawl and straps and gone with just a simple white dress, she would have been better off.

i think the moral of the story so far is that my expectations were too high. so i'll switch it up a bit and go with someone who has so consistently missed the mark when it comes to style and sophistication that she fell right into (practically last) place again last night.

when will christina aguilera lose the hideous platinum blond hair and go for something more natural that might actually complement her features and skin tone? when will someone dress her in clothes that actually fit and flatter? (though, i must admit, this is probably the best fitting dress i've seen on her in quite some time. she still just looks so...off.)

images via www.instyle.com

:: golden globes - favorites ::

2011-01-17T15:00:00.021-05:00

so many factors to a "best of" list - the dress, hair, make-up, accessories, age, role - it's nearly impossible for me to choose just one person who combines all of those factors. but here are some of my favs from the night.

probably my favorite overall look, but not youthful enough for a 20-year-old:*** sarah hyland. unfortunately, she carried the max azria atelier dress (which i LOVE) like a young girl, not like a star. love the dress and the hair & make-up, anyway.
didn't even see scarlett johansson last night, but i came across this picture and wish i had. the own is SO hollywood to me. great hair and make-up. fresh-faced and bright. stunning.

no doubt, olivia wilde will be on many "best dressed" lists. she is hot. hair and make-up were both great. her shoes were my favorite (pity you can't see them in most shots of of her). gown was beautiful but a little young for her.*** more taylor swift than olivia wilde. then again, maybe she's younger than i think she is.*it almost seems too obvious to include eva longoria in this post. she always looks sexy and sophisticated and i considered leaving her off. but when she walked on stage to present an award, i almost gasped. even when she tripped and nearly fell, she looked terrific. this photo doesn't do her justice.

and lastly, claire danes and emma stone in calvin klein collection. i so wish i could find a photo of claire off the red carpet because this one does nothing for the color of her dress. ** here, she's little bland, but inside, the gown was brighter - closer to the color of the year - and she looked terrific in it.

emma stone is getting flack for her blond hair, but she looks so pretty with the light hair, incredible make-up (probably my favorite of the night) and this unique, short-sleeved dress. i don't think she would have pulled off the look as a redhead. i absolutely adore the lines of this gown. so simple, graceful, elegant. something about it makes me think of kate hudson's white emilio pucci and marchesa gowns (from 2010 sag awards and golden globes).

images via www.instyle.com

*udate: she's not.
**update: a little better.
*** update: making things right.

:: a timely necklace ::

2011-01-17T14:30:00.000-05:00

shopruche.com

:: vehicle for style ::

2011-01-16T22:00:00.001-05:00

anthropologie.com
[click image to enlarge]

that chair! that luggage! that quilt!

:: baby (on) board books ::

2011-01-14T23:48:00.011-05:00

these illustrated board books are such a cute idea for baby gifts. would be neat to have a big brother or sister create a book a younger sibling. maybe even an on-the-way baby. what a fun way to get a child involved in preparing and welcoming the littlest one!

theindigobunting.blogspot.com

[click images for direct links to posts]

blank board books here.

:: pattern & texture ::

2011-01-12T23:46:00.005-05:00

photos: courtney d'alesio via elle street chic

:: desired style ::

2011-01-12T21:46:00.009-05:00

i love, love, love this look. so simple. so casual. kind of dirty and messy but intentionally so (and in a good way).

it's like cool weather (or a "me"-er) version of the below look that i first posted here.

photos: prue lewington & garance dore

:: gray street chic ::

2011-01-12T13:40:00.007-05:00

i'm cold natured - to put it lightly. in the winter i wear layers upon layers upon layers - until i end up resembling (or at least feeling like) randy from A Christmas Story. i am not one to sacrifice warmth for fashion. i love these two cozy, gray looks for winter. the first which is more realistic for me in winter. layered and looking good!

photos: phill taylor :: kelly stuart via elle street chic

:: even more ombre ::

2011-01-12T00:06:00.007-05:00

maggie q's ombre curls looked great at the 2011 people's choice awards. love the super rich colors and more subtle gradation. i really think i might have to give this look a shot this summer. (past ombre love here, here and here)

frazer harrison/getty images

:: oh, no ::

2011-01-11T10:00:00.001-05:00

really? reminiscent of the clown suit jumpers we wore in middle school. 2011 = the sleeveless version. oh, no.

hm.com