RECAP ROUND II
IN THE PROCESS of revamping my website currently, so if you have any suggestions/resources/etc. please do send them my way!
As usual, I've been super busy, and in the moments where I've had little pockets of free time, I have chosen to spend them doing pretty much nothing-- outside of X-Files on Netflix and eating bags and bags of Inner Peas from Trader Joes. From August all the way up to last weekend, I've been preoccupied with teaching community college composition at two different colleges, planning two different weddings, and trying to get in as many boba/pie/pho/adventure dates with friends--and J-- as I can in the meantime.
I've found a quick second to finally update my blog, and I'm hoping to do a couple this weekend, but we'll see how that goes. This particular mega-entry will be devoted to the second half of 2013, starting with August. As always, you can click on the thumbnails to expand them!
AUGUST
The month was spent mostly prepping for teaching two composition courses and selling some of my Foraged Vintage inventory at Scarlet Threads Boutique, which is a sort of pop up shop that's held in my town every year (or bi-annually, sometimes). I also did my last bit of work for my last retail job ever before I switched over to the wild and crazy life of professorship. My old bosses had me do a little studio shoot for BB Dakota and Jacks. The photo on the bottom right is one of my favorites from that shoot. On the right is the lovely Kaity, modeling a reversible wool skirt that is still up for sale in my Etsy shop. She's worth checking out once she gets her blog up and running again; she reminds me a lot of myself when I was her age--a non-meat-eating version--which is why I think we get along so well. She's also an amazing musician and photographer. I'm hoping to get more into both of those things in the coming year.
SEPTEMBER
September was J's 31st birthday month, and we spent it up in Big Sur (which meant we got to go twice in one year for once!). This time we were up there for his cousin's beautiful wedding. It was held at Point 16, and it was probably the most elegant and understated wedding ever. The venue was up on a cliff overlooking the ocean, with the natural vegetation providing the only decor aside from some twinkle lights. It wasn't too cold for September but the provided the cutest blankets to cozy up in (one of which I stole to take home with me and is now serving as a rug at the foot of our bed. The food was amazing--including a pie dessert bar! How perfect is that?
OCTOBER
October is one of my favorite months because of numerous things. One major thing is that it's my birth month! Not that I ever really do much to celebrate, but still, I get that same feeling of excitement from when I was little. This year, we went to Santa Barbara to wander around and also to go to a Kinfolk event at Municipal Winemakers, to celebrate the Kinfolk Table, which is the magazine's first cookbook. It's beautiful but I still have yet to try any of the recipes. Oh, and I cut my hair even shorter. i'm thinking I'm going to grow it out long again though, just one more time, and then it'll be short hairs for the rest of my life.
Also, I'm a big fan of Halloween. Unfortunately, I had to work that night, so I just drew some whiskers and made some cat ears to wear during class. It was my evaluation, too, so the dean saw me teach as a cat, which was interesting!
NOVEMBER
I think all of the fall months just might be my favorite, because I really like November a lot too. It might be because friends and family tend to gather a lot more during this time of the year, and it makes things a lot more festive. This month, I went to my first Dia de los Muertos celebration to see my friend's band play in Riverside. I had a lot of fun making the floral headpiece and skull masks. I also celebrated some birthdays including my older sister Tess and my niece Jewelianne.
This month also marked my second time going to Joshua Tree in 2013. This time I went with Kaity, Abagail--another amazing photographer, my sister Maya, and a few other friends. It was overcast and chilly which made for pretty lighting for photography. The bigger photo at the bottom is from my first meetup at Huntington Library with Sisilia, Ashley of The Stork and the Beanstalk, and Cindy.
Also, I baked pecan pie for the first time from scratch, for Thanksgiving. So so good. AND and, I visited Kate at work in Pasadena while she still worked at Madewell, as well as Mohawk General Store which I am so in love with. Everything they carry is perfection.
DECEMBER
This month was pretty darn busy. I helped out my friends' band Flowerboy on the synth and tambourine for a show in LA, I got back the results of my teaching evaluation, along with student evaluations and comments (one of my students really likes my hair, apparently), helped my sister plan my niece's 1st birthday party, went to a few holiday functions...
...AND moved into a new little rental cottage in Redlands. It's a perfect little white one-bedroom cottage with craftsman-like built-ins and hardwood floors and plenty of great light. I'm forever in the process of filling it will plants, and pretty things, and happiness. We've made a lot of progress since December, but it's not quite complete yet. The neighborhood is great, too, with a little market/cafe on the corner amidst the houses and it's really close to downtown, so I can get some a la minute ice cream, chocolate from Parliament Chocolate, or a tea from Augie's (supporting those local businesses!).
Also! You can see (below in the photos) the mid-century inspired table that J made for me for Christmas. It was our first Christmas with just the two of us under the same roof, so it was pretty special. We picked out our own tree and decorated it. It was actually the first thing we moved into our new place.
THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEW YEAR...
The blog is in the process of some redecorating. Not too many huge changes, but I'm hoping to streamline with, yes, less photo-heavy posts (although I'm planning to get into photography finally, with the help of a secondhand DSLR from my brother), more insight and writing, more substantive and substantial content, and hopefully more DOING. I'm going to write more (short stories, which are my forte), submit more (to lit mags, etc.), read more, cook more, craft more, sing more, and make more. And you, dear reader(s) will get to hear about it. Or not; I'm okay with just the personal posterity as well, but I welcome anyone to take part in the goings-on of my little life!
