Transitions

This weekend was a glorious mix of sitting in dark rooms and playing outside under the bright sun.

Full Frame documentary film festival consumed my Thurs-Sun activities and it was entirely worth it. I walked away from the weekend feeling so overwhelmingly inspired and ready to take on the great world of documentary work for the rest of my days!

These days, I’m focused on making plans for the summer and trying to finish the school semester with ease and care. I found this image from the Taj in Agra this morning and it seems fitting for how I feel under a rainy Monday sky and a day spent sitting in front of a big, silver computer.

Happy Monday, maybe, if you’re up for it, try something new!

Purple light

Today, I’ve seen purple.

I saw purple when I put on my shirt this morning, I saw purple light when I was meditating in yoga class, I saw purple when I listened to this song, and I saw a lot of purple in this photo.

This weekend was one of the first weekends I’ve had in Chapel Hill and Carrboro this semester. It was all very necessary, all pretty happy. And I spent time with many of the ones I love, I learned how to bake delicious bread, I had the best beer of my life,  I did a good deal of experimental partners yoga, I cleaned out my room//my life, and I found beauty in the tiny things.

I could have been more productive, more efficient. But overall, I was happy to be here and finally get around to unpacking all the weekend bags I’ve had piled up in the corner of my room.

Here’s to getting lost in your bedroom and seeing colors to the brightest and fullest potential. Happy Sunday.

The first of the month

Happy first of November! It looks like this month will be:

Big book of contemporary poetry | hot tea | plans for next semester | work | other kind of work | one-hour-of-sleep-kind-of-days | celebrations | fending off the cold rain | confused by the weather all around | making connections | rediscovering what health looks like in winter | learning to love through distance and how to talk on skype and a phone | setting aside time for leisure|

Today’s rain makes me feel more exhausted than ever. Last night, I celebrated Halloween the best way I know how (by dressing up as a man *which turned out to be a very empowering, and fascinating couple of hours) and dancing with the good ones. This morning, after only a few heavy hours of sleep, I was back at it -> writing and editing an essay before a class where we learned how to make a decent souffle.

If the rest of November is  anything like today, it will be filled with exciting times (*Phantogram tonight with brother Sam, Danny and Immy) and a lot of hard work. The rest of this weekend involves a few good meals, some projects, some essay-writing, and trying to remember how to correctly wear a sari.

The only thing one can give an artist is leisure in which to work. To give an artist leisure is actually to take part in his creation. -Ezra Pound

Lessons Learned | How not to nap

Yesterday, I didn’t learn to nap.

I tried, but I just didn’t work out well.

I did learn about Lobster though so that’s something.

Happy Fall and happy anniversary to TT and Juju! (* I don’t know what number this is, but thanks for loving each other this long and for loving your four kiddos a lot. I like you both very, very much!)

Celebrating fall this way –>

| Falling asleep to the sound of epic rain | Morning coffee |Open doors | Avocados | Grimes | Reading about Urban Agriculture |

Essentially, I’m just ready for it all.

And for this season of rich colors, cool rain, and sweaters.

Plus:

+ Watch. A gorgeous film by the talented Mr. Bill Pappas.

+ See. Hitchcock-inspired photos by Nicola Kuperus.

+ Listen. Quitter’s Raga.

[Photos: Night at the foot of the Himalayas, Nepal//Grace Farson]

Levels

Each week of this semester has seemed to go by faster than the week before. Currently the only things that occupies my dreams are a good night’s sleep and a fresh salad. Those are the two things I’m craving the most in life. . . And exercise. My body needs to move, but thanks to this lovely foot problem I cannot move as I would like to! Tired of the dr. appointments and the constant referrals, but I know my time will come again and I can be free from it all!

Today was the first Saturday in a long time I was up at 6. Today = two jobs back to back, trying to squeeze a good deal of hw in there, and most of all, making life plans and connections.

I set a new goal for myself at the start of the semester and it was this –

Learn something NEW every weekend. 

So far, I’ve tried to learn poker, how to skip stones, etc . . . and this weekend, I’m going to try and learn how to nap. One of the great and constant struggles I’ve faced for 21 years.

This week will be one of perseverance, little sleep, and (*hopefully some) crazy productivity. I’m certain there will be moments. . . but it’s okay.

Websites will be made, papers will be finished, and midterms will be taken! Have a happy Saturday!

+ Watch. This video about stress.

[Photo: What sleep looked like this summer in Varanasi//Grace Farson]

What my weekend looked like

In short, my weekend looked something like this:

Wet | Bright | Smiley | Cozy | Soft to the touch |

Friday = class at Duke//biscuits//rock quarry (*beauty) // trying to learn how to skip stones//Indian buffet lunch//comedy show, etc.

Saturday = house meeting// cleaning//morning light//pizza with Kels, Dad, Mom, and Sam (*just missing this one) //painting my room//more good food//sound night’s sleep in a big bed at the Carolina Inn.

Sunday= personal alarm clock at the Inn (*aka, a man in a wig)// Weaver breakfast// church in a ballpark with the family (*overwhelming)// Cuban food//organizing newly painted room// study time with Sarah //family study with Emily and Sam.

“Having a lover/friend who regards you as a living growing criatura, being, just as much as the tree from the ground, or a ficus in the house, or a rose garden out in the side yard… having a lover and friends who look at you as a true living breathing entity, one that is human but made of very fine and moist and magical things as well… a lover and friends who support the ciatura in you… these are the people you are looking for. They will be the friends of your soul for life. Mindful choosing of friends and lovers, not to mention teachers, is critical to remaining conscious, remaining intuitive, remaining in charge of the fiery light that sees and knows.”

– Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With the Wolves

[Photos: Pretty NC days at the quarry//Grace Farson]

Work hard | Play hard

Day off (*sorta).

Day off at school // Day on at work.

An almost four-day weekend = a glorious blessing. I’ve worked a lot, read a fair amount, seen friends I haven’t seen in a while, made a lot of late night food, surprised him, stayed up late, watched movies, learned to play poker, and thought a lot about hair. 

“Looking beyond life’s imperfections allows one to be able to find happiness. Life is not perfect, ever. For me, remembering that life is flawed, people are flawed, and therefore relationships are flawed, allows me to look at the flaws and imperfections as part of life itself. A perfect life includes all of the flaws associated with what and who you surround yourself with. My life and my means of living it are no exception. I was, as all people are, flawed. I accepted myself as being flawed no differently than I accepted others as being so.”

– Scott Hildreth

[Photo: What some of the work I do looks like//Grace Farson]