reckoner.

[photo credz]

and to jacob: i refuse to get any sass for posting nothing but a picture with a disclaimer.

i climbed the tree to see the world.

little things i love.

1. nordstrom.com

2. buddy the elf (what's your favorite color?)

3. buttons

4. spin art
5. my rock collection (that's right. just rediscovered it.)

6. solitaire

7. christmas

8. the fact that the name of one of the glee clubs in glee is 'oral intensity'

9. kittenz

10. salted pecans

11. my fish on the bottom left of this blog. by the way, their names are paul, john, ringo, george, stuart & jeffrey. yes, they are all boys and yes, they are all british. except jeffrey i guess...rachel named that one.

[xo]

p.s.

[photo credz].

holy shenogans.

guess whose birthday it is?

  

happiest of birthdays to the best roommate/mother ever, miss rachel usedom!

bubble toes.

well, i clearly have a lack of much to say lately. although i love christmas time more than normal this year, all the pictures have kind of been a cover up for a lack of ideas circulating through my mind. but in the past couple of days, it's like everything i'd been missing for the past month showed up at once and bombarded my mind. and now, i can't stop thinking to save my life. i started reading 'how to be lovely' last night (based on audrey hepburn, by melissa hellstern). i've honestly never cared too much for audrey - i couldn't even get through breakfast at tiffany's and that's about as far into her work as i've gone. but my grandma LOVED ms. hepburn. after she died and we were cleaning out her house, i literally found dozens of audrey hepburn books in her bookshelves. and they were so glamorous looking that i just had to take two. i mean, why not? and so i've finally decided to start my audrey education with 'how to be lovely'. and i must say, she did seem pretty lovely. there are countless quotes in that book talking about just how genuine of a person she was. she was respected by almost everyone she knew, and she stayed fabulous the whole time. i then realized how we all have this perpetual need to be better than we are...to be "lovely". have we ever considered the fact that we're lovely the way we are? and that our differences are what inspire each other to keep being lovely? i don't think that we're ever going to be satisfied with ourselves if we continue to try to be as lovely as audrey hepburn or as fabulous as marilyn monroe (speaking of which, i don't really understand her appeal, but i haven't read any books about her either). because guess what?

none of us are audrey or marilyn.

i think that maybe just maybe it's time to quit it with the self help books and work on becoming humble. it's hard to take a step away from yourself when you're too busy being overwhelmed with everything you're not. take note: the definition of humble is not only modest, but also respectful. and that means respectful to ourselves in loving what we are and being thankful for what we have. true appreciation is an aspect of humbleness that people forget, and a certain austin facer & jacob walters reminded me of it.

so, whatever you're doing today, whether it be studying for finals or just following the sun, don't forget to do it humbly.

santa claus lane.

time for all the festivities!

the scene is being set for the best christmas ever, i can just tell.

so, in addition to my currently silver&gold nails, my santa silly band, and the christmas cd i made for my car, here's what's been going down christmas-wise:

(sorry basically every post is about christmas...it's a serious obsession this year)

the dorm is as decorated as it could be:

we even have our very own c. brown xmas tree (thanks mom):

i tried my best with the paper snowflakes:

and then i had to make the trip home to help decorate the tree:

reading christmas cards with cute little bebes on them:

my favorite jophes ornament (yes, jophes)

 the finished product:

no one was quite as into taking pictures as i was so i ended up recruiting doc for a photoshoot...he wasn't as happy as i'd hoped he'd be. and thank you rachel for my lovely headband:

in conclusion, i love christmas. enough said.

p.s. i just love my mother. she's the very best.

get lost.

if i were a month, i'd be november.

 if i were a day of the week, i'd be friday.

 if i were a time of day, i'd be nighttime.

if i were a sea animal, i'd be a seahorse.

if i were a direction, i'd be west.

if i were a gemstone, i'd be a sapphire.

if i were a tree, i'd be cherry blossom.

if i were a tool, i'd be the facers' cheese cutter.

if i were a flower, i'd be a daisy.

if i were a kind of weather, i'd be nippy.

if i were a musical instrument, i'd be a voice.

if i were a color, i'd be red.

if i were a fruit, i'd be a pineapple.

if i were an element, i'd be wind.

if i were a food, i'd be apple crumb pie.

if i were a place, i'd be seattle.

if i were a material, i'd be breezy cotton.

if i were a scent, i'd be my christmas perfume (for now).

if i were an object, i'd be a jewelry box.

if i were a song, i'd be monster ballads.

 if i were a bird, i'd be the offspring of a toucan & a hummingbird. 

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas.

 this weekend:

christmas photoshoot

 (take note of marina's beautiful hat)

   

(my red& gold christmas nails)

pennies from heaven.

my very own christmas wishlist (everyone's doing it):

1. [the prettiest earrings]

2. [the drunkard's walk]: how randomness rules our lives, by leonard mlodinow

3. [those sparkly pink toms]

 4. some perfect little [crate and barrel ornaments]

5. [an adorable dove dress] from modcloth

6. [eiffel tower tights]

 

 7. [a puzzle] for christmas day

8. [musical crayons]

9. [a little bit of the beach] for your hand

10. if only this [diane von furtsenberg dress] wasn't $200

11. [non-toxic red nail polish]

12. this kitten

 

 [photo credz].

 (p.s. take note that this isn't my actual christmas list because my actual one doesn't include a $150 puzzle and a kitten, etc...although i'm always down for a kitten or two)

thoughts of the day.

1. recently means nothing without context.

2. there's something so intriguing about jewelry boxes. i think they might just be my favorites.

 don't you just wanna investigate in there?

3. i have a new obsession with going on etsy.com and searching for whatever i'm dreaming of. christmas presents...

4. into the wild is one of the most amazing movies i have ever seen. it blew me away.

5. does living life mean living the life you want? or is it only a matter of breathing and heart rate?

6. quote of the week-

jayma mays on how she feels before she's filmed:

"i get very nervous. i eat lots of toast before."

7. i have now come just about as close as one can to being attacked by a possum without physical contact.

8. first comes self-control, then trust, and finally, self-respect.

9. tomorrow may rain.

☮

[photo credz].

avalanche cascades.

i occasionally make the mistake of losing track of my love for josh ritter.

i just put on so runs the world away and instantly melted.

i don't think there's any other music that has the ability to make me feel sad and unbelievably happy at the same time.

i guess you could call it thoughtful.

oh, j. rit.

i am WAY too excited to see you live in february.

the countdown starts today...at eighty-nine days.

you could call me over-prepared but i prefer eager.

[enough said].

p.s. the only downside is that josh's music makes me miss jeffrey and kaaaate all the more.

miss you loves.

♥♥♥

hello, december.

it's officially christmas time.

the trader joe's chocolate advent calender countdown has begun.

the lmu christmas tree is lit.

glee's christmas episode is next week.

 all the good old christmas tunes are ringing in the season.

old town is filled with snowflakes.

pea coats & candy canes are everywhere.

and, most importantly, elf is on t.v.

i might not have snow, but i most certainly have spirit.

the best way to spread christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!

[photo credz].

mr. moonlight.

[photo credz].

full moon warning:

sunday night, 11-21-10.

p.s.

♫ one love - glee cast {we all love you, bob, but puck + artie make such a good duet}

♫ for our elegant caste - of montreal

♫ home - edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros {& 40 day dream is my other favorite}

♫ fade like a shadow - kt tunstall

♫ let it out - girl talk {best song on the album}

♫ creature fear - bon iver

♫ scarlet glasses - mark salling {marry me?}

♫ everyday i write the book - elvis costello

♫ at or with me - jack johnson {jeff facer just went surfing with mr. johnson...ndb, jeff, ndb}

♫ world news - local natives

christmas playlist to come!

oh, and this just made my day:

[photo credz].

playing for change.

it's things like this that remind me just how powerful music is.

[peace is patriotic].

feel the shine.

i came across this little blog questionnaire online and i decided to go for it.

the answers are supposed to be one word long, but i think that is slightly impossible for most of these...i tried at the beginning before i kind of gave up:)

pass it along on your blog!!

1. where is your cell phone? desk.
2. your hair? brown.
3. your mother? role-model.
4. your father? studly.
5. your favorite food? bread.
6. your dream last night? tmth.
7. your favorite drink? fruit juice.
8. your dream/goal? self-respect//family.
9. what room are you in? dorm.
10. your hobby? discovering.
11. your fear? fear is a friend who's misunderstood.
12. where do you want to be in 6 years? happy.
13. where were you last night? knocking on a possum's door.
14. something that you aren’t? blue-eyed.
15. muffins? poppyseed.
16. wish list item? [these].
17. where did you grow up? lc.
18. last thing you did? ate a piece of pie...sorry diet.
19. what are you wearing? mom jeans.
20. your TV? glee.
21. your pets? buddy/chloe/doc/inky/adam/new pup who's name is not yet known.
22. friends? my life.
23. your life? friends (including family).
24. your mood? anxious.
25. missing someone? definition of college.
26. vehicle? summer the red jetta.
27. something you’re not wearing? red nails. :(
28. your favorite store? i can't have just one!
29. your favorite color? RED.
30. when was the last time you laughed? approximately 4 minutes ago.
31. last time you cried? watching glee on friday night...how embarrassing.
32. your best friend? best friends*.
33. one place that i go to over and over? min's kitchen.
34. one person who emails me regularly? padre.
35. favorite place to eat? again...mk.

zigazig ha.

last week, i went shopping.

now, first of all, i really shouldn't have done that, because i'm currently trying to kick the addiction: now that i'm a poor college student.

and especially since usc decided to give me a parking ticket even though i had a parking pass.

and then ignore my appeal.

but back to my story.

living ten minutes away from manhattan beach shopping is not good news goldfish, let me tell you.

so i walk into a store, and what do i see?

a very appealing pink floyd dark side of the moon shirt.

so here's the problem: i'm not actually what i would call a pink floyd fan.

i mean, i could be, but i only have one of their albums, and it's not dark side of the moon.
(i know how lame that is but i have so much classic rock to catch up on, you need to give me a break)

in other words, if i buy this shirt, i am a fake.

i considered buying it and then immediately going home and downloading the album to listen to nonstop for a couple of days, but that still seemed wrong.

and what if i didn't even like it?

then i'd have to pretend.

the point of this story is: i refuse to be one of those girls who pretends she likes something because it looks cool.

no one should be that girl.

the other point is, if you are a dark side of the moon fan, go buy that shirt and fulfill my dream.

just don't take yourself too seriously.

[photo credz].

multicoloured mirrors.

on friday, i ran into a book at knott's berry farm.

why was i at knott's, you ask?

well, i decided to spend some quality time with the girls in my beautiful family, and tag along on their adventure.

i really do miss living with the lovely mccollum ladies.

 so anyway, on our way out, we stopped by the snoopy gift store, and i happened to come across [this book].

if you click to look inside, you'll understand what it's about.

it's simply a list of all the things that charles schulz believed make up happiness.

it was so inspiring that i decided to make up my own list.

happiness is yet another one of those words which, i believe, requires the word subjective in its definition.

so here's my definition:

happiness is...

just painted red nails.

  a purring cat in your lap.

the smell of a library book.

that yearbook message with the power to make you cry.

 discovering a new favorite song.

crossing something off your to do list.

rainbow sprinkles.

a list of your future baby's names.

christmas time.

your own bed.

role models//feeling inspired.

speaking in another language.

making a child smile.

being the receiver of the words 'you really made me feel better'.

teaching someone something new.

getting goosebumps when it's not even cold.

laughing just because someone else's laugh is contagious.

knowing you are loved.

[photo credz].

p.s. i would like to send a shout out to mr. samuel hancock blasucci who i miss dearly.

i enjoy getting your <3 every day.

spray paint the vegetables.

my current loves in life:

1. options. there are so many of them, no matter where you're looking. currently, i'm looking for job options. for right now and the future. there may be a lack of jobs these days but when it comes to majors, the same problem doesn't apply. what to do?

2. discovery. my biggest obsession in life will ALWAYS be learning. but no one seems to be too excited to learn these days, since by association, the word has come to mean school to too many. we need to realize that learning is essentially discovery. when i hear discovery i think of a physical action, and this is so much more appealing to many. want to know what i discovered last week?

the white house wasn't white until the french war when half of it was burned down and it had to be whitewashed to disguise all the ash that had become a part of it.

3.  giving. i don't just mean giving food to the poor and volunteering for your church (not that that isn't always a good thing to do, of course). but giving in a simpler and more everyday sense can mean just taking less and appreciating more.

4. glee. i'm in love with puck. and finn. and sam. and dianna agron is simply beautiful. and the show is so fun. and it's a show about choir. and i can sing along to it. need i say more?

[photo credz].

5. [apostle of hustle]. i've always loved their song eazy speaks but i only recently discovered how good their national anthem of nowhere album is.

6. christmas. i'm currently wearing my $8 wal mart christmas nightgown (take note that i do not generally support shopping there, because of its [environmental issues], but i couldn't pass up this red nightgown. my apologies, mother earth), and the roomie christmas card will be coming soon. prepare yourselves.

7. [operation beautiful]. i've actually seen some of these little post its around school, and they really do make me smile.

8. ralph's brand mild salsa. enough said.

9. paige riley. thank you for being here for me, love. you must know i'm always here for JOU too!

10. tea. the perfect way to start or end your day. maybe some caffeinated green tea for the morning and some calm lavender for the night? sleepytime tea always upset my stomach.

there are many, many more but these 10 will have to suffice for today. i'm thinking of making these lists a weekly thing.

ta ta for now.

♫

dear mister warhol.

you and your insight are simply fabulous.

although i wish you were still here, at least your perceptive one-liners are.

who else could provide his definition of art in just eight words?

(other than jim padilla)

i remember learning about your campbell's soup painting in elementary school.
<3

...i'll be waiting for my signed can.

[photo credz].

would you ever dance with me like that?

iokay so i recently promised 2 things: more halloween pictures & an explanation as to why november 2nd, 2010 was a big day (i think you can guess half of it).

i don't think it's necessary to overload with halloween pictures but here are some clear costume shots:

 

root beer, pink lemonade, sprite, coke, diet coke & dp (complete thanks to rachel for making the lovely costumes<3):

dodgers fan, hippie, dalmatian & pirate (thanks to evanne for the jersey/sorry my feet look so massive):

i didn't end up dressing up for actual halloween although i was scheduled to be a sailor. maybe i'll still  get to wear the hat someday?

next up: 11-02-10.

first of all...

...although this isn't the hawtest picture of me there ever was, the point is that I VOTED.

now, i'll own up to the fact that i didn't exactly "fill out" the ballot...but i wasn't as informed as i'd hoped i would be, and i did not want to make uninformed decisions.

however, i did make some difference and that's what matters to me.

:)

in addition to finally feeling like a true u.s. citizen, i got to see two door cinema club live!

mm our new love (meaning me and paige):

(he even has an irish accent)

the group:

it made for a lovely day.

p.s. i was feeling quite poladroidy today...sorry if i overdid it.

p.p.s. i know i'm long overdue for a blog post that actually contains more text than pictures. it's coming, i promise. i have so many underdeveloped ideas it's hard to focus on just one or two. i'll be trying!

xo.