multi-tasking creatures

let me tell you, i have really been enjoying the weather lately. it all started when my a/c broke in my car about 2 weeks ago and i've been driving with the windows down all the time. i love experiencing the sounds of the street, people, cars, and music drowned out by the wind. (i've actually missed my turn several times because i'm so distracted). seeing people walk down the street, staring at the driver next to me at the stoplight, city lights, and watching the blurry trees whip past me. what i noticed most tonight was the smell. the smell of wind, of humidity, of the country versus the city, and of the italian restaurant's dinner menu.

the crazy thing, though, is that we can listen, see, and smell (as well as drive and think) all at the same time. we're innately multi-taskers. God made our bodies to perform countless functions simultaneously. i don't understand what goes on internally, but i am so thankful we are complex creatures. it's all a part of God's mystery.

i'm lazy

my sweet mother came over to my place for a solid 5 hours to help me pack up my apartment. first of all, i have too much stuff. way too much stuff. i desire to lead a much simpler life than i do.

by the end of the packing time and as we were talking afterwards, i realized that i am very lazy. the reason i buy gifts or cards and don't end up sending them to people is because i'm lazy. wow, i've never called or considered myself that, and it really makes me angry. so, i want to fight this and become a harder worker. i'm praying through a few verses that will hopefully encourage me to not be lazy.

"For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.
For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.
Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread."
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

"A lazy man does not roast his prey, but the precious possession of a man is diligence."
Proverbs 12:27

"Not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."
Romans 12:11

get ready....

i think something big is about to happen. i feel it in the air. the Spirit is moving. i just had to share that i feel it. it's thick.

i'll let you know when something happens.

until then, here are recent photos from my trip to DC (Annandale, VA). i mostly visited and hung out with Graham & Nicole and their friends. the Davis' were so loving and hospitable. i soaked in all their love and rested a ton. i wish i could see them more!

also, mark beavers took me to my first MLB game! the Nationals lost to the Phillies by 1 run in the 9th.

me, coley, kim

the davis'

only six months behind... or ahead

The first of June is just around the corner, and I decided that I want to once again attempt to read the Bible in a year. I figured that writing this on my blog would naturally keep me accountable. I'm kind of excited about it. The furthest I've made it is through Esther a couple years ago. This time, I plan on reading some OT, some NT, some of a psalm and some of a proverb. I believe this approach will be better for me because it offers variety. We'll see!

ramblings of a novice

novice
noun
a person new to or inexperienced in a field or situation

I realized this evening that I am, indeed, a novice. That's a much nicer-sounding word than newbie, beginner or rookie. Novice sounds like I'm going somewhere, have direction, am educated and sophisticated yet lack experience because of my age.

Words mean a lot more to me than I've previously thought. This is supposedly one of the toughest transitions of my life-- at least that's what everyone is telling me. And I believe them. How can I argue when I have never gone through it? I'm not sure why I would want to argue either, considering how many people I know who are going through this transition or have just gone through it... and it was so difficult for them.

Even as hard as it may be, I would like to keep a record of my feelings during this period. I'm not really sure what to call this season of my life yet-- hopefully some hip, cool and clever name-- but I will nonetheless write about my experience as a recent college graduate, who hasn't any clear direction of what to do with her life. Please follow me while I learn to live independent of external financial help (parentals) and dependent on God.

I assure you this will be entertaining, messy, and most of all a learning experience...

i'm graduating today

today, i'm graduating. it's 4am, i just finished everything i had to do before i sleep, and now i can't sleep.

but i'm graduating today, so sleep is pretty much irrelevant.

i'm having a killer graduation party with BBQ tonight, and i can't wait for all my friends and family to meet. it'll be fun. i'm making guacamole. and i made tons of brownies. mmm..... my faves!

¡felicidades!

"just don't freak out!"

I wish I could have recorded what my Senior Seminar professor (Jamie Franki) said today as he gave all of us who are graduating a final lecture. He is already pretty entertaining, but this was wonderful advice he was giving about not only post-college but also the graduation ceremony. He suggested that we take some magazines to read while sitting there because it's so dull; give our "posse" trumpets and other obnoxious noisemakers so they can be loud (since they're supposed to "hold their applause until the very end"); decorate the top of our hats (which i totally agree with.... especially students in the art dept!); and to just be as rowdy as possible without getting arrested. I would love to be one of those people to shake things up a little bit during the ceremony... but I'm not.

He did, however, challenge us to think about what we would want others to know about college. I've already been thinking about that, and I mentioned it in a previous post. As Jamie was giving us advice about post-college, he said a few things that just resonate....
1. be pragmatic: i am not below a job that pays-- maybe i am overqualified, but as a human being, i'm not below any job really. money is important to live.
2. if you hit a slump in which you're not making art, it's okay. it happens. just don't give up.
3. making art is going to look a lot different when we get out of school. on one hand there are no deadlines. but on the other hand, there are no deadlines. haha.
4. spend time with yourself, you art, developing your style, feeding your mind, enriching your soul.... every day. i added some of those things, but i'm sure that's what he meant. just because i'm going to be out of school doesn't give me liberty to not learn. that's ridiculous.
5. just don't freak out! he kept saying this, too... he claims that when the going gets rough, freaking out won't help. so just don't do it. although i was laughing at him i do agree with this, but i tend to freak out often. they're usually mini freak outs, but still present.

I know he said more than this, but I remember these after 5 hours.

Oh yeah, I just finished my final three exams todayyyyy!!!! I didn't get much sleep last night, but I had to go out with a bang (aka no sleep). I'm honestly a little upset with myself because I just haven't performed as well academically as I usually do. My work isn't nearly as strong as last semester, but I haven't cared as much about it. I've been looking into the future and not focusing on the present. That's my one regret for the semester.

I'm going to sleep now.

Thank You, Lord, for being so gracious to me this semester. Even when I didn't perform excellently, I pray that You will still be glorified through my work and in my interactions with my peers. May this time not be in vain.

john.mayer-justification

so you've probably heard of self-justification... it's when one justifies what they're doing as right. well, john mayer's newest song say just might be my justification for saying some things that i think i need to say. his lyrics are just another poignant reminder that it might be right to say what's on my heart. below are the lyrics:

Take all of your wasted honor
Every little past frustration
Take all of your so-called problems
Better put them in quotations

Say what you need to say (8x)

Walking like a one man army
Fighting with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you’d be better off instead
If you could only

Say what you need to say (8x)

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You better know that in the end
It’s better to say too much
Than never to say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open

Say what you need to say (4x)

Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to
Say what you need to

Say what you need to say (16x)

art kindred

one of my professors always encourages us to find an art kindred spirit. basically, he wants us to latch onto another artist who we can identify with, either because of similar styles, content, lifestyle or whatever else.

here's one of mine, helen frankenthaler. i love that she stains her canvas and that she was part of the AbEx movement.

blue atmosphere, 1963


contentment island, 2002

did you know...?

did you know that if the world continues the same level of oil consumption, it is predicted that by the year 2020 there will be no more oil ....??

guys, this is a big deal.

i really think this is an important thing to consider when voting. just look into the candidates' views on conserving energy resources, their environmental plans, etc.