Years

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A good reminder today:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – H. Jackson Brown

Today, I add a year.

I’m packing another bag for the weekend and this time around, I’m heading to Ohio. I cannot think of a better way to spend this weekend than with the ones I love (*my big, beautiful family from Charlottesville, D.C., on up to Ohio and even Michigan!). I just wish there was more time.

The day has already been pretty great with letters and tiny gifts in bed and even coffee and a slice of cake waiting for me in the fridge when I woke up. The sun’s out and it will be a good day to stare out the window of the car and have lots of car talks.

Photos from the past week. More –> here.

What life looks like these days

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What life looks like these days:

1.) Grace: A Memoir. A book I have wanted for far too long + filled with notes and pictures from Amirah. One of the greatest gifts I have ever received. It made me laugh and cry (in public. + at a restaurant. thx love).

2.) Official business cards for Grace Farson Photography!

3.) Packages//letters//notes from many of the wonderful, beautiful and inspiring people in my life from home and all around this big world.

What life feels like these days:

1.) Warm. Sunny skies and a full heart.

2.) Tense. I’m tired of using the word busy to define any part of my life. We’re all busy. Little kiddos are busy, old people are busy, college kids are busy, yes! We’ve all got a right to say we’re busy. That said, I have been a little tense lately. I am overbooked, overworked and tired. School is real and it is a big part of my life, yes, but so is planning for the summer, working (two jobs), taking care of myself, my house, my friends. . . etc.

3.) Inspired. I cannot even begin to comprehend just how inspired and motivated I am to do EVERYTHING right now. I have received so many incredible emails in the past few days with opportunities that are beyond belief. Life is happening all around me and I want to absorb it all. . .

Plus, this little email from Andrew in Morocco made me happy:

“Props to you for giving me the best travel advice I’ve gotten yet: candied ginger. Life saver and friendmaker” – Andrew. February 11, 2013

[Photos: What life looks like these days. Birthday week//Grace Farson]

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Happy. That’s all I am today.

I feel incredibly loved//supported// full.

I’ve had the feeling all day that I’m on some sort of weird parade float just waving and smiling thanks everyone’s overwhelming kindness.

I don’t know if I feel older, wiser, or just plain weirder, but I do feel different than I did this time last year.
Last night = dinner with Amirah at Cholanad [<3 Tamil food] and free bday champagne from the bartender. a quiet night. some pool playing. good conversations at the Crunkleton. staying up late and talking//snuggling with Ora.

Today so far = coffee. class. getting showered with hap birth fb messages and wall posts. letters and small packages in the mail. cleaning and organizing my life at home. avoiding hw.

Later today = dinner with the parents! more family dinner//desserts.

It’s all happy right now and I’m incredibly thankful for everyone and the love I feel.


Grace’s 21 by 21 goals:

1.) participate in a yoga workshop (and teach regularly in chapel hill)

2.) train to be a doula

3.) learn to bake bread & incorporate bread making into my life every week

4.) make a portfolio and a website (*working on it)

5.) take an art class (learn to make pottery/ develop and use my film cameras & dark rooms/go back to figure drawing class)

6.) make money doing things i like to do/can learn from (& start paying off my education)

7.) sew something (thinking an apron would be fun)

8.) pet a wild squirrel

9.) learn how to play the accordion (now that it has made this list, its getting serious. if anyone knows how i can do these, please let me know!)

10.) travel to a new state

11.) learn how to take care of beehives with my mother

12.) teach art to kiddos

13.) plant things and watch them grow

14.) make mo:mos and samosas from scratch

15.) run the charlottesville 10 miler (AND a half marathon before February 2013)

16.) go to a new country – mexico, uganda, indonesia ???

17.) buy a canon 5d mark ii  (learn to make short films and take beautiful photos) (*dunno about the last part)

18.) spend a week without sleeping in a bed . . . (goal: live like an authentic hobo with andrew in chapel hill)

19.) decide on a study abroad/ find, apply & get grands to travel

20.) rock climb on real rock faces/climb at least once a week (*not now, but I did for a while there. . .) 

21.) volunteer and serve in my community


This time around, I’ve decided to set intentions rather than goals. . .

Some are repeats and others have been stuck in my head for a long while. . .

Grace’s 22 by 22 Intentions:

1.) Travel to a new state

2.) Host a Universe party

3.) Get back to Nepal + India 

4.) Become a Doula

5.) Set a world record (UNC kids I need your help!)

6.) Memorize two poems

7.) Try to longboard + surf

8.) Finish portfolio + website (+ get work!)

9.) Find a more consistent yoga job (+ gorilla yoga classes in the spring!)

10.) Learn how to make a good cup of coffee

11.) Fix ukelele and learn to play + the accordion (always)

12.) Run when I want to

13.) Learn to celebrate the ordinary in life//find something spectacular in everything

14.) Make the short film I have envisioned for so long now. . .

15.) Rickshaw Run!

16.) Study abroad + get a grant!

17.) Research something related to the rest of my life (vague, yes. . . but my list of possible interests exhausts me)

18.) Spend a day all alone + another full day with my grandparents

19.) Sell some of my art + get more commissions

20.) Try aerial + aerial yoga

21.) Spend a whole day hula hooping

22.) Go camping


+ Abby’s sweet “Celebrating Grace” post

[Photos: Not too long ago in Davidson//Grace Farson]

21 by 21 goals

exactly a year ago i was living and working in the little town of blenheim, new zealand.

it is hard for me to even comprehend how much my life has changed since then.

where did a year go?

+ + +

grace’s 20 by 20 goals:

3.) buy a bike
4.) see mt. everest (does the everest mnt. range count?)
5.) take a self-defense or karate class
6.) become a better friend and better listener (you will have to ask my friends! i’m still working on this one)
9.) have weekly cooking nights over at sarah or kelsey’s place
11.) find a job doing something i love (or at least like a good bit)
12.) learn to sew a skirt, romper, or dress
13.) start looking for more travel opportunities, grants, scholarships, you name it!
14.) make a chain of blessings and add one each day of school
15.) join a bible study
16.) make art on a daily basis (i try)
17.) run in a race  (just made that happen LAST week!)
18.) find the best place to see the stars on/off campus
19.) go rock climbing with andrew every week  (sometimes with andrew, sometimes with others!)
+ + +
here’s to a new year and a new list!
+ + +

grace’s 21 by 21 goals:

1.) participate in a yoga workshop (and teach regularly in chapel hill)

2.) train to be a doula

3.) learn to bake bread & incorporate bread making into my life every week

4.) make a portfolio and a website

5.) take an art class (learn to make pottery/ develop and use my film cameras & dark rooms/go back to figure drawing class)

6.) make money doing things i like to do/can learn from (& start paying off my education)

7.) sew something (thinking an apron would be fun)

8.) pet a wild squirrel

9.) learn how to play the accordion (now that it has made this list, its getting serious. if anyone knows how i can do these, please let me know!)

10.) travel to a new state

11.) learn how to take care of beehives with my mother

12.) teach art to kiddos

13.) plant things and watch them grow

14.) make mo:mos and samosas from scratch

15.) run the charlottesville 10 miler (AND a half marathon before February 2013)

16.) go to a new country – mexico, uganda, indonesia ???

17.) buy a canon 5d mark ii  (learn to make short films and take beautiful photos)

18.) spend a week without sleeping in a bed . . . (goal: live like an authentic hobo with andrew in chapel hill)

19.) decide on a study abroad/ find, apply & get grands to travel

20.) rock climb on real rock faces/climb at least once a week

21.) volunteer and serve in my community

+ + +

thanks everyone for making today so special.

i feel very loved.

(& check out abby’s sweet post.)

xoxox