la petite fille

In my French film class yesterday we watched a documentary on Les Freres Lumieres.  Here is an excerpt of my favorite scene.  This is one of the first films ever made...around the late 19th century.  This little girl and cat are so cute!   It looks like an impressionist painting come to life.  I love everything about the shot, it's so beautiful.

shopping carts

Does this annoy you as much as it annoys me?  This is the epitome of laziness.  Furthermore, huge shopping carts like this are a reason, in my opinion, why America is suffering from an obesity problem.  Check out my post "skinny love" from last year for more on that.

In other news, today was my first day of class.  I like the classes I'm taking, it's going to be a tough semester though.  Now, off to reading assignments....

degas

Although I never did ballet, I am so attracted to Degas' paintings.  I love the color of this one, Dancers at the Bar.  A few years ago, though, I was flipping through an art book at a book store and saw a painting I believe to be by Degas, but it was not of ballerinas.  Instead, I just remember a vibrant orangy-red background (like the one above) and a woman dressed in black.  And that's it, that's all there was.  Does anyone know what painting I'm talking about?  I'm dying to find a print of it, but can't find it anywhere.  Perhaps I'm confused and it's not Degas but, nonetheless, it stood out to me.

yogi

Last night I went to a particularly difficult hot yoga class.  Even though I've been doing yoga on and off since I was 12 years old, I can't help but feel intimidated sometimes by those people who so easily lift themselves into a full handstand (and are able to hold it steadily), while I still work on my headstand.  It reminds me of a phrase I read on the blog Cocco Yoga...often I get the sense that those who do full handstands believe themselves to be "yogier than thou."  But maybe I feel that way because of my own inhibitions?  Anyway, I love my teachers at Southern Star Yoga and am very glad I bought a year-long membership.

I found this picture at cookiemag.com.  This little girl has such good form in upward dog!

love at last sight

One of the best articles I've read in a loooong time is in Elle's September issue, "Till Whenever Do Us Part," by Rachael Combe.  I often feel like magazines are very unrealistic about love, marriage, divorce, etc.  In this article, Combe is refreshingly realistic:

"Yes! I thought, f--- happy.  The point of living isn't to be in a perpetual state of fairy-tale ecstasy; it's to find the meaning of life, the meaning of your life.  And the point of marriage, I think, is to create meaning, with every happy and sad memory, every hardship overcome, every kind of act, every moment of acceptance, every triumph, every grandchild, pet, and friend you accumulate together.  The point of staying married until you die is to have a witness to your whole life, to the meaning you built.  In the end, you can look at your spouse and say: Somebody knew me--and I knew them.  Which isn't to suggest you need to marry to have this kind of intimacy, but if you do marry and stay alive to that marriage, you will get that reward."

The writer explains how she's been accused of being puritanical with this view, but I think she hits the nail on the head when she says, "I think my belief system is more accepting of human nature.  I'm not saying that all divorces are wrong, or that a marriage can't be so unrelentingly ugly that divorce isn't the right and righteous choice.  I'm saying that much of what we accept as grounds for divorce is, in truth, forgivable.  Isn't it more puritanical for there to be so many acts over which you could punish or abandon your spouse and so few for which you might forgive him?  And isn't it more rigid to have a long list of things that can demolish you trust in or love for your partner?"

She sweetly concludes the article with an image of her grandfather at her grandmother's side as her grandmother passed away.  Their marriage wasn't easy, and her grandmother didn't necessarily experience love at first sight with her husband.  But what comfort, what beauty it is to know that she had love at last sight.

I'm not married, but for some reason this article resonated with me.  This author didn't write what is socially expected.  I look forward to reading more of her work.

mamacita

Despite what it may seem due to the two posts (in one week) I've done on the same cat, I am not a cat lady.  Maybe at heart.  But right now I live in a small apartment and can't have a pet :(  Anyway, this cat, the Square Books cat named mamacita, is just so sweet and cuddly that I can't help but take pictures of her when I see her.  For those of you who don't know, Square Books is the last photo under "favorite places" on the right.

florence and the machine

I am dying to see Florence and the Machine at Voodoo Fest this year.  Anyone want to go with me?  I wish my life were as visually magical as her music videos.  These photos are from her "Rabbit Heart Raise it Up" video...found them on her official website.

vicky cristina barcelona

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

This movie is incredible.  I watched it yesterday with my sister, and it is exactly what I needed.  I've been feeling pretty cramped here in Oxford lately (sad, considering I've only been back for one month).  This film is reminiscent of my time in Barcelona in 2008, and throughout the movie I relived the thrill of traveling and being carefree vicariously through Scarlett Johansson's role, Cristina.  Although, I must be honest with myself.  In reality when I travel, I am really more like Vicky.  This movie is very thought-provoking.  Love. It.  Here is a photo I took of Las Ramblas while I was in Barcelona:

Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain 2008

p.s. Penelope Cruz is the most beautiful person on earth.  And, so is her husband, Javier Bardem.

weird fiction

I write like
H. P. Lovecraft

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Well, I didn't know who H.P. Lovecraft was, but wikipedia tells me he was a famous American author known for his work in "weird fiction."  So, my writing style is weird fiction.  That's...good to know...  

Anyway, I thought this site was really neat: http://iwl.me/

It tells you who you write like!

true love

My sweet parents dancing at a wedding reception we attended last weekend.

nana's jewelry box

This weekend I spent time exploring Nana's jewelry box that my sisters and I inherited. It is clear that I not only inherited this jewelry box, but also her love of elephants.

learning

I am slowly (and painfully) trying to teach myself html and css so that I can truly make this blog my own. Please, bear with me as I gradually update (improve?).

summer favorites

Fresh apricots

Fruity teas (photographed here: Harrod's Mango and Strawberry teas)

Greek yogurt with honey