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Self Photo Challenge

6 February 2012
Lifestyle, Photography
2 Comments

I’ve tried to move this blog away from super personal posts – I’m not sure why, but I’ll probably think about it for a week now- but this is quite a personal post for a good reason. The Paper Mama recently posed a challenge for the general internet community (which I discovered via Brenda) to take pictures of ourselves – and be proud of them. SO HERE I AM!  Not a perfect hair or skin day. Just me. Unedited. The only makeup I’m wearing is mascara (because I have a complex about my pale eyelashes). Straight face (which some people have told me looks angry or sad).

The challenge also includes the following written prompts to give you an idea of what I’m up to currently:

Obsessing over my new camera and lens. A Canon 60D with a 50mm 1.4 lens (used it to take the above picture with the wireless remote shutter). Having a fully functioning DSLR is bringing me back to my great love of photography. I take it to the classroom with me every day (I so wish I could share the images of the kids with you… it’s just not really legal!) and have a stylish and functional camera bag coming soon to make it possible for me to carry it all the time. It’s good to be back.

Working on conscientious eating. In an effort to be healthier and happier with my body, I’m cutting back on most starchy foods and meat during the week while doubling my consumption of vegetables and fruit to make up the difference. If I feel like I need to add some bulk to my salads, I spoon in a 1/2 cup of quinoa. I’m also trying to avoid refined sugar. Though, I do allow myself to “cheat” on the weekends because I LOVE food and I’d miss pizza and pasta too much otherwise. I’m also working on my fitness because I don’t want to be upset by my flappy upper arms in all of the wedding photos.

Thinking about Early Childhood Education. Graduate school is quite something, really. It is all-consuming and exhausting and frustrating, but it is also enlightening. I really am learning. I’m thinking more deeply about my profession and what it means to the world, about how to excel in it, and about where it might take me. I’m thinking about how Early Childhood Education came to be so important to me. I’m thinking about how I can make it more accessible. I’m thinking a lot, often, about the cultural nature of human development.

Anticipating THE WEDDING!!!! I’m getting so excited for our party. I’ve had a vision of this day for so long (since the summer of 2010, so, really not that long compared to those who have lifelong wedding scrapbooks), and I am eager to see it fulfilled. It means I’ll get to see so many people I love from so many distant places, which is really the best. It means I get to share vows with Alex (which we have not yet done- the civil ceremony was quite simple) and that’s incredibly exhilarating.

Listening to Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye featuring Kimbra. I am so into this song right now and the video is also exceptional. Also on heavy rotation: Love on Top by Beyonce. Alex is a little bit (a lot) obsessed with Bey and her key changes and her sultry voice, but I’ll admit it… I love this song, too.

Eating Trader Joe’s Unsulfered, Sweetened & Dried Mango. I know, I know they’re super high in sugar, but I feel better about eating these as a sweet snack than, say, a Snickers. If I’m craving something sweet, I have three pieces and that’s it! I want to try the freeze dried mango bits next time.

Wishing Our move back to the East Coast could happen sooner. We’ve talked a lot about the future and what’s next and a whole lot about where‘s next. The Bay Area offers so much excitement and great energy but it’s not home. It feels incredibly far away from home. It’s not exactly practical to pick up in the middle of a master’s program (in which I’m doing really well) just because I’m homesick. I wish it were now, but hopefully between now and then the days pass quickly and are good to us.

Whoa…

30 September 2011
California, Food and Drink, Grad School, Lifestyle, Music, Oakland, Photography, Travel
2 Comments

You don’t have to worry anymore, guys, I’m not dead. 2011, the year of many transitions, has kept me from blogging. More accurately, all of the reading and writing I have to do for grad school is keeping me from blogging. Since I last posted, Alex and I flew across the country and settled here in Oakland, California. We found a great apartment, full of character, in a 1920′s (pink!) stucco building in North Oakland. We live close to about 7 or 8 coffee shops, a boulangerie with fantastic baguettes (and more good coffee), a few yoga studios, and a bunch of vintage boutiques. Très charmant. Not as much of our apartment is decorated as I would like, but hopefully I can make it happen in little bits and pieces.

Three mornings a week I’m in a classroom at the Mills College lab school with 2 and a half to 3 and a half year olds. I’m in five early education classes, and I audit one dance class (which, I swear, is solely responsible for maintaining my sanity). When I’m not actually in the classroom or in my own classes, you might find me in the library with my nose in any number of books or articles, or clacking away at at one paper or another. I try to sit outside in the sunshine to do my reading as much as possible. The Mills campus is really quite beautiful, and I try to take advantage of the warm California sun as much as possible. On weekends we try to do fun things. We started out using Zipcar all the time, but since decided that freedom and flexibility would be worth the extra pennies to buy a car.

Our new chariot! Gene Carmesan (of course) is a 2010 Toyota Corolla. He’s a champ. So far, with the help of Zipcars, public transit, and Gene, we’ve explored Alcatraz, Muir Woods, the Bear Republic, Russian River, and Lagunitas breweries, Joaquin Miller Park. Gene also took us into San Francisco for a great James Blake concert (not quite as good as the US debut in Williamsburg, have to say…).

        

My sister, bless her heart, carried Harry on a cross country flight. She’s got the battle wounds to show for it, to be sure. Harry is now comfortable, which means he’s back to being a jerk most of the time. He has his moments:

One of the highlights of my summer (aside from getting married and moving across the country, of course), was receiving Jasmin Ortiz’s fantastic photographs from our June 30 Brooklyn Municipal Building wedding and neighborhood bar festivities. The shot below is just a sneak preview. More will be posted at Emily. Alex. Wedding(s). very soon.

With that, a catch-up post, I will leave you for now – hopefully for not quite so long this time. Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Sweet Summer Sweat

2 June 2011
Fashion, Food and Drink, Lifestyle, Photography
1 Comment

I know it’s not quite summer, technically, but it sure has been feeling like it! I’ve been spending as much time as possible in my never-nudes and have switched my sipping from bold IPAs and yummy porters to session-y bitters and yeasty Belgians. And I can’t get enough of the Victory Headwaters Pale Ale. We spent last Saturday morning in a park in West Philadelphia, enjoying iced coffees, old friends, and breakfast tacos. These pictures are from that morning.

Sometimes I feel like I’ll never find the right words to tell this man how much I love him, but I promise to try for the rest of my life. We met five years ago on this very day. Happy anniversary, my love.

And on a stylistic note, Saturday morning I was pleased to see the vignette that my much loved Tropezienne and my new L.L.Bean Signature Milbridge Clogs created. These clogs have completely scratched the clog itch I’ve been feeling for months and at a MUCH lower price! They’re comfortable, too!

That afternoon included spiked milkshakes… yes. The rest of last weekend included a BBQ with more old friends, quality time with dogs, beer tasting with my lovely Momma, and a grilled fajita dinner with my sister, her roommate, and several Pacificos. ‘Twas the best Memorial Day Weekend we could imagine.

I just wanted to holler out and let you know that I’m still here! The last weeks of the school year are a busy time, especially as I prepare to move on to a different state and a different type of life. Look forward to a post dedicated to my students, for they are splendid.

BIG CHANGES!

3 May 2011
Lifestyle, Travel
1 Comment

The past several months have been soul-searching and momentous and life-changing and I’ve had to keep it all from you. Sorry. I won’t try to write a synopsis about it, because, well… do you really care? I will simply tell you about the results:

GRADUATE SCHOOL!!!!!!!

This fall, I will be entering the Master’s program in Early Childhood Education at Mills College. To save you from a Google Search, it’s here:

In Oakland, California!!!!!!!! And I couldn’t be happier. The program is absolutely amazing and I’m so eager to learn more about something I do every day. Is that dorky? Yes. Who cares? Not I. Teaching preschool is the single most challenging thing I have ever done, and for that, I love it. I get bored and frustrated if I’m not kept on my toes, and who better to keep me on my toes than a classroom of little ones. The children I have taught over the past three and a half years have been a tremendous inspiration – I’m so grateful to them and to the teachers who have guided me along the way.

It’s terrifying and thrilling and completely overwhelming to think of packing up our lives and moving across the country, but Alex and I are excited about the prospects of a new city and mild weather and a different pace of life.

To top it off, here’s what my academic life will look like:

Yeah, hi. Gorgeous California campus. Beautiful buildings. Children frolicking in sunny fields. Yup. I’ll take it.

This obviously means a lot of big changes (as the header would have you know), and I’ll be sure to document them appropriately. Don’t you worry. More soon.

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