My One Post of 2014

I remember December 31st last year. I held a sparkler and watched its light shoot and spark and fizzle against the darkness of the ground and wondered what 2014 would be like. Now, on the other side, it feels as though I'm remembering sights along a road that was wide and open and difficult to describe.

2014 was twirling in the snow for the first time, fingers numb. It was fireworks over Sanford Stadium at graduation, a storm cloud covering the moon at Port St. Joe as a salty breeze touched my face. It was a bookstore in Oxford, MS. It was the colored lights of the Ferris wheel in Atlanta. It was driving with my best friend across the states, singing "In the Jungle" at the top of our lungs and not caring about missed notes. It was watching Arizona stars glitter on the night that the power went out at the mission and the sky became something bright and beautiful and completely enveloping. It was the Grand Canyon, it was waves lapping the beach, it was hugs from old and new friends, it was Christmas lights in quiet Wilmington neighborhoods. It was reuniting with family, seeing my baby brother's curly brown hair again for the first time in months, it was a soundtrack of memories that play over and over in my mind.

2014 was. That's the most encompassing title I can assign to it. It hurts to think the tangible moments that are so clear now will eventually fade into the warmth of a good memory. But then there is also a thankfulness that I was blessed enough to spend 365 days in this traveling year.

2014 was. Yes, it was.

colored glass: a film by us

colored glass: a film by us for a college film competition.

the film had to be under five minutes and shot in one week.

the director (that would be me) brilliantly didn't have any ideas until the day

before it was due, so ours was shot in an afternoon and edited in a fabulous

all-nighter that caused the director to wander the world in a daze for the next two days.

it was exhausting, it was hard, it was stressful.

and we made some of the best memories putting it together.

for your viewing, we present

colored glass.

I Hope You Always Will.

The following words are for you. You don't know me, but I saw you as I hurried to class today. You were outside, walking beside your daddy. A baby, probably no older than a year and a half.

I watched you exclaim over the leaves and grass in a series of babbling and broken phrases. After a few moments of exploration, you happened upon a small hill, and squealed in excitement as you toddled down. An excitement born of the discovery of a small hill. I watched you, and I wondered what it would be like if we, the adults, could retain that childlike happiness over the small and ordinary. If we could hold on to an awareness of the spectacular found in the simple, and so easily appreciate the uncommon beauty of common things.

This might not seem important now, but I don't want you to forget. It will be harder to remember as you grow older, but don't lose your wonder of a sunshower or the way it feels to touch a dandelion. Some people might not see it, the beauty of such things. They probably won't, often as not.

No matter what others do, I want you to let life intertwine its fingers in yours. Let it pull you haphazardly along. Jump in puddles, and soak yourself in spontaneity. Keep yourself awake to the way that raindrops line a spider web after a soft rain. Continue to let the light of the insignificant, the peculiar and the small filter through your senses in a kaleidoscope of color. Feel a quiet, beautiful ache that whispers of everything being found in the things so often deemed "nothing."

You'll grow up, one day. You'll enter a world that rushes past in a blur of paychecks and deadlines.  But through it all, I want you to hold on to that same, unadulterated joy for the beauty of leaves and grass and small hills that lead to new adventures.

I hope you always will.

seasons’ sentiments // guest post by alexxus

Summer is almost over.

And I cannot believe it.

I mean, wasn’t it just yesterday that I was on my floor, scribbling out a summer bucket list excitedly, in high anticipation of what might happen this summer? What about that night I sat praying in my bed and talking to God about things I wanted to change in my life? What about all the daydreaming, anticipating what adventure might come my way?

(You have permission to laugh at my whimsical and nostalgic silliness now.)

But, even with the bittersweet ending of summer, I’m beginning to slowly but surely get excited for fall. It’s definitely my favorite season in terms of weather, so naturally I’m getting excited to pull out my boots and jeans and scarves and sweaters and other miscellaneous items belonging to the fall/winter season.

Fall is also bringing new exciting things – I’ll be going to San Antonio in September for a weekend with one of my closest friends, and also meet up with another close friend while I’m down there. I’m going to start giving beginner’s guitar lessons to young homeschooled kids, which will not only give me the opportunity to share one of my passions with eager kids, but also pull in a bit of cash. I’m also going to be finishing up my sophomore year this fall, which is obviously exciting, as it brings it me closer and closer to graduation day. My stack of books to read is getting taller and taller (maybe intimidating for someone who loathes reading, but for a book nerd like me, it’s rather giddying).
I’ll also be turning fifteen this September, which means I’ll be starting driver’s ed.  November brings Thanksgiving, which is one of my favorite holidays. Christmas comes after that. Everything about fall is just so inviting.

I suppose this has been somewhat of a sketchy post. I hope you’ll forgive me.

What about you? What summer memories do you have? 

And what are you looking forward to this fall?

Thanks to Erin for letting me guest post on her blog!

About Alexxus:

I spend most of my time scribbling in a journal, my nose buried in a book, or daydreaming about anything and everything. Although I don't have a blog as of right now, you can find me on Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/autodidactic/) or email me at christismyhero@hotmail.com.

This Past Week

You know what you need to catch up on my life this past week (as in last Thursday to today)? A list. And I happen to have...a list. During this past week, I was able to:

1. Travel with the family to The Big City where Dad served as a volunteer for a competition.

2. Almost die carrying armloads of luggage into the hotel. Alone. Bravely. Maybe not alone.

3. On the upside, I dominated a race across the hotel pool and won the gold.

4. Not really.

5. Visit with friends and family (Gangy and Papa, Mam and Pop. Y'all are the awesome-est grandparents hands-down).

5. I can't think of anything to put here, but drawing up a list is such fun.

6. ...Hi there.

7. I'll stop bothering you now and move on to the actual post.

Did you notice I listed 5. twice? Good. School is starting back on Monday and you need to be prepared for the mental roller-coaster. Look sharp.

This is a random photo I made of a chair which was not in The Big City, but rather in a historic village several months ago. But you wouldn't have known that if I hadn't told you and now you're regretting reading this sentence because it's time you could have spent watching five more seconds of the Olympics and it's time you'll never have back. 

You're welcome.

Did I mention in my list that I graduated from my community college and will be attending the university three and a half hours away and living in The Big City and that the semester begins Monday? And that I'll be an English major?

Cuethemusicanddropthesparklyturquoiseconfetti, say what? My baby girl's all grown up and saving China! (Mulan quote there, ahem.)

As I already mentioned, this past week has been a time of visiting and goodbyes to friends and family. Oh, and crying. I'm not much for crying usually. I don't like blubbering all over people (unless you're watching a sad movie. Then it's completely acceptable and your friend should hand you a tissue from a Tweety Bird tissue box and sob hot tears of fire with you over whatever unfortunate event has befallen the movie characters).

This past week has also been a time of happy anticipation--the kind that causes people in musicals to burst into a song and dance number about the sun comin' out tomorrow and singin' in the rain, what a glorious feelin', etc, etc. I move into my apartment this weekend, so please say a little prayer for me and my roommate, okay?

And that covers it. The short little kid from the little town is moving to the big college in the big city. This weekend. She needs lots of grace, prayers, and a GPS.

Beyond the Sea Music Video

If you're like us (which you probably aren't), you shoot a quick music video to Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea" while on vacation for a week in Florida. If you're not like us (which you probably are), you simply relax and enjoy the beach like you're supposed to.

If you're tired of me rambling, just click play (which you probably should).



Yes, Bobby Darin provided the vocals for us. Wasn't that nice?

A Lesson in Twin Telepathy

My twin sister is on the Gulf Coast of Florida for a week volunteering at a cancer retreat.

I am sitting at home with homework.

Yes, you may offer your deepest sympathy.

Point being, she's in Florida. I'm in Georgia. She left last Saturday. On Monday, I was thinking of braiding my hair (going for the Native American look and all) and randomly envisioned painting the Disney Pocahontas arm band onto myself.

So Elisabeth called that night. She'd had a fun time working at the retreat carnival. She had also had something painted on her arm. Want to guess what it was?

Either we're two kids with erratic thought patterns wedged in Disney memories OR twin telepathy is occurring. The latter is so much cooler.

I did end up braiding my hair. And what do you do with braided hair and a new turquoise necklace? Yeah.

Mom asked why I looked so surprised. I told her what should be obvious to everyone.

This is my "frightened doe" look.

 "Look, Mom, I'm a pwinthcess!"

Mom to others: "We're thinking this psychological damage occurred when she was beamed in the head by a loaf of bread as a small child. There isn't much that can be done, but the doctor has advised us to let her run the hidden pine trails of the forest."

So there is a lesson in twin telepathy. I mean, how often do things like that happen? Once every blue corn moon or pretty much never, right? Right. 

And don't tell me you think about painting Pocahontas arm bands onto yourself every other day. Either I won't believe you or I'll assume you had a very deep and irrevocable childhood crush on an animated John Smith and live in a fantasy rainbow world of Disney magic and pixie dust. It's sad, but those of us who aren't delusional will do our utmost to help you.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some colors of the wind to paint.

//photos courtesy of youngest sister, Ellie.
//By the way, I've been the big 21 for a week now! Yep, I'm all grown up and mature.

Tortellini

Summer's flyin'
I'm not dyin'
Merely tryin'
To keep from sighin'
And/or cryin'
Over the attention for which my blog is vyin'
I'm not lyin'

Tortellini.

-------------

Summer break has been great so far, but I begin a Spanish 1002 class on Monday. After completion (Lord willin' and the creek don't rise), I will finally receive my Associates in Speech Communication. Wooh boy. On the downside, I don't have much to offer blogwise other than photos I've made over the past several months. Go blow your mind by looking at the photo above of the twin and I and another pair of identical twins. Cool much?

^ Postscript: The ending to my poem is not because I've searched the internet for another word that rhymes with "flyin'" that would fit and came up empty and so inserted a random word.

I've always wanted to end a poem with "tortellini."

And by always, I mean as of today.

I think Shakespeare would understand.

I think I just saw a tumbleweed roll past...

Merry Christmas everybodeee!
Hello?
Hi?

Oh. Christmas is over. Right. Um.

Happy New Year, gang!

Oh. Right.

Um.

Happy Valentine's Day?

While I am not so presumptuous as to assume my absence has been greatly noticed in the blogosphere, I do think that an update wouldn't be out of line. Yes?

 //

 

{stock photo}

 A new semester began this past January and...yeah. This photo sums it up.

{via}

I want to be here or somewhere like it.

I know, technically not a life update. Just an Erish.

(An "Erish" is Erin + wish. Just in case you didn't know automatically.)

 

I upgraded to a Nikon D5100. It's an awesome friend with amazing HD video capabilities. We have a great relationship and even photographed a wedding together this past weekend (along with my dear Canon EOS 50D). The three of us kind of have this love triangle going on.

//

And that is all and that is everything. After this week of a much-needed spring break, school will resume for another five weeks. Until then, y'all feel free to get out the hot soapy buckets of water along with some brooms and dustcloths and shine up the blog a bit. I'm noticing that it's looking a bit uninhabited. 

Yep. I really did just see a tumbleweed roll across the screen. It waved at me.

Ciao.