12.31.08.

When I was in middle school, I read Robinson Crusoe (Great American Classics children’s version). The children’s section at the old public library was limited. Today, the children’s section at the new library has book-themed video games and a nice selection of snacks to eat while one emotionally prepares himself to browse The Boxcar Children selection. Anyways, Robinson Crusoe was great. Loved it. Changed my ten-year-old life. I wrote a lengthy book report about why Robin is great and how he was brave and that part when he was a slave and wasn’t there a character named Xury? I think so. I also devoted an entire paragraph to the ‘deep’  and underlying meanings in that book, and hand on my heart, I still can quote to you my favorite part, which was:

“today we love what tomorrow we hate. today we want what tomorrow we fear. today we seek what tomorrow we shun.”

Ok, so the quote’s a little rough, but it went something like that. The tomorrow’s were hyphenated, too, which was confusing. To-morrow.

2008, I can’t pinpoint all of the ways you have changed me, but I know you probably did. Resolutions and life lessons from Daniel Defoe: I’ll try hard not to be a contradiction. 2009, hello.

12.26.08.

scariest thing i’ve ever seen:

tom wolfe.

12.25.08.

yay. other highlights include my favorite coconut-scented lotion from the fredricksburg herb garden, a magnet in the shape of frida kahlo’s face, and new socks. gr8 ‘08. also, this is the baby’s (blog’s) first xmas, for documentation purposes.

not quite sure where to credit this photo, as i've seen it everywhere lately. honorary credit where it's due, please!

note to self

yesterday i took a kickboxing class and it was very difficult. too much kicking. today i’m very sore and my spinal cord feels damaged. all in all, i didn’t find it to be a worthwhile experience except for the part when we marched in place and pumped our fists, holding two-pound dumbbells and taunting our invisible opponents.

pee ess

the second goal i mentioned in this post is accomplished because my mom gave me some beige mittens yesterday. still haven’t dusted my nightstand, though.

lofty.

today i made smitten kitchen’s “homemade oreos.” , the largest baking project i’ve attempted since joey broke my handheld mixer trying to make williams sonoma princess cookies. making the oreos was easy-peasy, and gave me an immediate stomachache upon consumption from sugar overload. divine.

photo from Smitten Kitchen.

christmas list.

1. white quilted robe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. finch pillow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. essays by jonathan franzen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i also want a small jewlery box that plays music but i can’t find one i like. what do you want?

welcome home.

photo by diane arbus

i’m done with another semester of school. thank goodness, it’s been a doozy.

tuesday

Lately I’ve been harboring secret addictions for marathon tv-viewing. Normally, I feel worthless when I sit and watch six hours of uninterrupted television. These are precious hours that I could have spent, I don’t know, penning my first novel or learning how to make intricate friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss or studying for the LSAT. Regardless, I’ve watched nine episodes of Dexter on Showtime and it’s so great, I’m not even ashamed. It may be wrong, but it feels so right.

I’ve also developed a newfound love for the spaghetti squash. Baked and mixed with sauteed onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes then topped with feta cheese and basil… it’s worth your while, if you can only figure out how to cut it open. ps the seeds are foul.

Goals for my month off: dust my nightstand, buy some new mittens (lost mine yesterday), wean myself down to 2 or 3 cups of coffee/day.

tuesday

Are you supposed to eat the whole pomegranate seed? Today I cut one (pomegranate) up and sprinkled some in my morning yogurt bowl. I can’t decide if I like it, because it stained my shirt and cutting board *in the process and wasn’t that great. I’ve been contemplating a pomegranate salad, though, which sounds exotically delicious.

* edited to add: i recently discovered (2 weeks later) that said pomegranate also stained my kitchen wall.

wednesday

Lately, I’ve been able to remember all my dreams and it’s been very strange. Normally I’m one of those people who claim they ‘don’t’ dream. Now, I feel possessed with this new talent except it’s not really that great because who else really cares about a dream you had except you? Regardless, this is my blog so I feel like I have the upper hand in this situation.

Yesterday, I dreamt (dreamed?)  that my friend John decided to join the circus and he became the snack vender. Upon waking up, I thought this was hilarious because he would love that.

Leigh: did you like Arizona?
John: no, they didn’t even have Arizona Green Tea there.
Leigh: is that why you moved there?
John: kind of.