I'm Emily, a first-year middle school English teacher attempting to nurture my creative spirit. This blog is a place for me to share some of life's adventures as well as document all of the lovely things I stumble upon along the way. I hope you enjoy!
Feel free to e-mail me if you have something that you think I should blog about or simply to say hello!
I start a new job tomorrow! For those of you that weren’t already aware, I’m a recently graduated education major with an emphasis in Secondary Education English/ Language Arts. In other words, I went to school to be a high school English teacher. I finished up my teaching internship right before Christmas & have been actively seeking a position ever since. Well, good news! I just got a job as a middle school (!!) English teacher at a local charter school. I start tomorrow & I’m terrified beyond belief. I don’t know what to expect which is what scares me most of all. I can only go into it “expecting the unexpected.” That’s essentially the best advice I’ve received on the subject thus far.
As a result of these recent events, I’ve decided to compile a list of things I tend to do when I’m stressed. Perhaps, if nothing else, it will help keep my mind off of tomorrow for a few minutes & maybe be something pretty for you all to look at. So, without any further ado…
Things I tend to do to avoid freaking out:
1. Watch cute Youtube videos. Some of my favorites at the moment include…
Kitty Maru is so determined to get in that dang box! It inspires me to keep trying! Hah.
I love this video because the little boy is just too cute for words. I love how he starts to nod his head & get into the music before … raging. Hahaha.
I love this video because it’s cute too but in a different way. There’s also that added supsense — are they going to make it? Watch & find out
Music is something that I don’t write about often (or really at all) on this blog which is odd considering how endlessly inspiring I find it. So, I’ve decided to write ten thumbnail reviews (consisting of 50 words or less) of albums that I love for one reason or another. These aren’t new albums or artists. In fact, most of these albums have been out for several years. They are just albums that I seem to always turn to when I need something familiar– something that I know I can listen to all the way through and know all the words.
I must admit, having only a 50 word limit was more difficult than I thought it would be. It really made me have to think about what was most important about the album that I wanted to convey to you. Feel free to leave me a comment with your favorite “comfort albums”. I’m always up for discovering new music!
Sufjan Stevens Illinoise (Asthmatic Kitty)
A truly magnificent album: inspiring, intense, and stirring. Stevens has created a propulsion of songs that seamlessly flow into one another. His instrumental compositions are breathtaking in their breadth and delicacy. Stevens’ artistic vision is so complete. This is music in its purest and most beautiful form.
mewithoutYou A to B: Life (Tooth & Nail)
One word: relentless. mewithoutYou bury listeners with weighty guitars and pounding drums as vocalist Aaron Weiss screams out his hauntingly poetic lyrics. The fervor in his voice makes it effortless to connect with him and his words. Not many albums can make you sit up and take notice like this one.
Mates of State Team Boo (Polyvinyl)
This husband and wife duo relies on an organ, drum kit, and back-and-forth conversational vocals to create a buoyant flood of sound. Their voices are filled to the brim with emotion and heart-squishing goodness. The harmony created is unique in its ability to be both severe and alluring simultaneously.
Cursive The Ugly Organ (Saddle Creek)
An enthralling, emotional powerhouse that rips your head off and then gently sews it back in place. This album’s sum is much greater than its parts. The music reminds me of walking through some dense forest in the middle of the night: dark and impenetrable.
Death Cab for Cutie The Photo Album (Barsuk)
This album makes me homesick; for what, I’m not entirely sure. Gibbard’s voice has just the right amount of sweetness to it as he croons about different vivid memories he has encountered over his life. The entire album is like looking at a stranger’s photo album: intimate yet ambiguous.
Regina Spektor Soviet Kitsch (Sire)
Biting, ironic lyrics are driven by forceful piano melodies. Spektor skillfully sings about divorce, death, and suicide making the topics somehow seem beautiful and charming. Her voice resembles a young girl’s: giddy and raspy in all its messy, fluctuating loveliness and using cute little vocal noises to convey her feelings.
Minus the Bear Highly Refined Pirates (Suicide Squeeze)
This is the soundtrack to late-night summer parties. Swelling rhythms of dizzying time signatures are driven by mathy guitars and tenacious percussion, and topped off with a pinch of electronic beats. Witty and sharp lyrics round out this flourishing revelry that is anything but refined.
Rilo Kiley
The Execution of All Things (Saddle Creek)
A quintessential indie-rock album framed by Jenny Lewis’ deliciously sexy vocals. The lyrics beg to be sung along to at the top of your lungs. The music seems a bit too measured at times, but over all this is an album you will want to listen to again and again.
Copeland Beneath the Medicine Tree (Militia Group)
Unbridled emotions are strewn together by sweeping guitars and surgical drumming. Punctuated by engaging piano solos, Beneath The Medicine Tree drips with sincerity. Aaron Marsh methodically crafts rich melodies with his soothing voice that will keep you captivated from start to finish.
Pretty Girls Make Graves The New Romance (Matador)
Both daring and neurotic, this album uses colorful vocals ranging from whispers to screams in the span of a few seconds. The music is wonderfully complicated; with layers of sound effortlessly building atop one another. If nothing else, it’s worth keeping around for those impromptu dance parties in your bedroom.
Some of you may recall a post I made a while back confessing my love for girls with glasses. Well– being a fairly nerdy glasses-wearing female myself, I decided to ask some of the girls at blackcigarette to share their favorite frames. The response I got was too great to keep to myself! So, I’ve decided to compile a few [there were so many good ones–it wasn’t easy] of my favorite frames & share with you what these girls had to say about being a fabulous four-eyed female!*
This is what the above girls had to say about their glasses:
1. “i got these in 2006 and i still love them. they are from prada.” ~cheapcheapcake
2. “Mine are from the cheap-o section of the no-name chain of glasses stores in the mall. I know a lot of people who have gotten really cute frames from their local generic eyeglass store. It’s such a pain to dig through all those zillions of frames, but I’m sure there’s sweet nerdy gold in there somewhere!” ~reconnoitere
4. “i’ve had these glasses for about a year. They are orange and red tortoise shell and I love them. I just got them at Lenscrafters though.” ~handzfirst
5. “have what some people have called ‘lab glasses’ or ‘goggles’, but i love them to bits. this was the day i got them, so i was super happy.” ~jinology
10. “these are mine! they’re Chanel and they were 50% off ;) I have prescription glasses since I was 4 and I absolutely hate people who wear them without needing them.” ~fluweel
11. “[these are by] tom ford! i was ridiculed so much at school when i got these last year cos they are “manly” and “geeky”, now they’re so trendy?! i am so so blind and i wear contacts most of the time but i think it’s still important to have a good pair of glasses, these have a subtle brown and black stripe design on the actual frames (like tortoiseshell but a bit different!) and rose gold inserts on the arms. ~stratagems:
12. “probably more old man lawyer than hot geek chic, but these are mine. i want a big geeky pair next!” ~ notsolaconic
Here are a few more excellent comments & tips on the subject of glasses:
“I used to take $10 sunglasses frames to Walmart and have them filled with my prescription. If your health insurance doesn’t cover lenses, that’s the cheapest place to go that I’ve found, and sometimes they’ll even do it while you wait.” ~ novimnet
“Sometimes I wear fake glasses because I think I look way cuter with them…Unfortunately I don’t have a picture, but I looove glasses and occasionally curse my 20/20 vision” ~sweetrainfalls
“I love finding great old pairs of eyeglasses on e-bay. It was really cheap to do the whole thing. My pair cost me 15 bucks then another 35 to get prescription lenses put in them.” ~thegreatmollusk
I am specifically looking for a pair of vintage frames. I had never thought to look at Ebay or Etsy for them before. The only thing you need to be careful of when buying vintage is getting the measurements right as well as the actual quality of the frames. I believe this suggestion by thegreatmollusk is important to keep in mind: “I took measurements of my favorite glasses and tried to find pairs that were similar in demensions. It’s hard but possible to find frames that fit. Just know your measurements and what your face can carry.”
Another interesting thing, I believe, to point out is the changing feelings towards girls that wear glasses– both in mainstream media and fashion. Celebrities such as Chloe Sevigny & Zooey Deschanel are seen wearing wonderfully nerdy spectacles out & about the town. Zooey Deschanel even helped design some glasses for Oliver Peoples. This is all to say, I feel like the world is finally starting to embrace girls with glasses– seeing them as intelligent, unique, and even sexy instead of frumpy, geeky, or unappealing. It’s about time!
* Note: If I have shared a photograph of you & would you like me to take it down, please email me & I will do so ASAP. It was not my intention to share anything against your consent & I am more than willing to take it down if you wish for me to do so.
Yes, that is me in the above picture. Sadly, it’s probably the most recent picture of myself I have on a bicycle. That probably goes to show you how much expertise I have on the matter of bikes and biking in general. Regardless, I have been mulling over the idea of riding a bike as an alternative mode of transportation for a little while now. There are a few reasons this appeals to me. First of all, with the fluctuating price of gas and the economy in the midst of a tail spin, biking would leave me with a little more spending money in my pockets. Secondly, although Cincinnati is not notorious for being the most “biker friendly” city– with its many hills and its lack of appropriately designated bicycle lanes– I still feel it is a shame to live at the heart of a city and not own a bike! I also would be remiss if I left out the whole “going green” and getting healthy motivation for biking.
Although, I must admit, one of the main reasons I want to get into biking is the sheer “coolness” factor that comes along with it. I have always thought that people riding their bikes to the grocery store looked pretty bad ass; especially when biking up next to me whilst I’m driving my (totally the opposite of bad ass) white Hyundai Elantra. I have always found the whole “bike scene” to be very appealing– albeit slightly intimidating. Therefore, I have decided to go on a quest to discover what a “wanna be” biker needs to know in order to make the transition with ease.
I began my research by posing a question on Bikeforums.net which is an excellent source of information about all things bike-related. I received several responses to my question in which I asked what sort of information I need to know before purchasing a bike and/or beginning to bike as an alternative mode of transportation. One member gave me some good, practical advice:
“If you can get some pointers from your local bike shop without having to buy an expensive new bike, then great. Personally I’d suggest your first bike be a used bike from your local Craigslist. You may soon find out that you don’t like some things about it, but you should be able to sell it for around the same amount you bought it for and try again. After you’ve ridden a used bike a little, you’ll have a better idea of your preferences in a bike, and you’ll be able to choose a better bike for your next one.”
I was also curious to know what types of things I should look for when purchasing a used bike. I don’t want to be swindled into purchasing a “lemon” used bike. Here is what one article said on the subject:
“Look over a used bike for bent wheels, worn out tires, and test ride to make sure everything is running as you’d like. Before test riding, check the air pressure and the brakes. Make sure the pedals, cranks, handlebar fittings and wheels are all properly secured. It is also a good idea to look over the entire chain to make sure there are no defective links. You can do this fairly quickly by pedaling backward while watching the profile of the chain. A damaged link will usually stick out compared to the others.” - (via bikewebsite.com )
Next, I was worried about sizing. It seems to be the number one reason as to why people struggle to purchase a bike. I know it’s one of the main reasons I have had trouble finding a bike. A member on Bikeforums.net told me this little piece of information: “If you’re 5′6″ to 5′ 10″ a 19″ frame should fit pretty well. Taller? Try 21″. Shorter? Try 17″. Seeing as I am barely 5′5″, I think this means I am going to need between a 17″ to a 19″ frame. Here is a link to another excellent resource for more specifics on finding a bike that will fit you properly. I believe another excellent and practical piece of advice that I received was simply to test ride the bike. If it doesn’t feel right or comfortable, it is probably not the right one for you.
Consequently, May is Bike Month. There are a lot of events going on around Cincinnati in order to advocate and help get people out there riding. Below is a short video that aired on the local news featuring some avid bikers in Cincinnati:
Although I haven’t found a bike quite yet, I believe I discovered a lot about the “nuts and bolts” of purchasing as bike from the feedback on the discussion board. I plan on keeping you posted and letting you know how my progression is going. I know there is still a lot to learn. Do any of you have any advice?
Here are a few helpful resources if you are interested in getting connected with the bicycling community in Cincinnati as well as some other basic and important information in regards to bicycling in general:
I have lived in Cincinnati, Ohio for the entire twenty-two years of my existence. There are certainly positives and negatives to living in this city. I feel that many times it gets written off as boring or stagnant. However, as of lately, some pretty neat things have been happening around these parts– things that are making me feel a glimmer of excitement and pride to call Cincinnati my hometown. A few weekends ago, I attended an amazing craft and trunk show called GRASS. Let me start off by saying that it was fantastic. It was well-organized, well attended, and the vibe there was that of genuine excitement and creativity. There was vintage clothing, silk-screened t-shirts, handmade jewelry, art, photography, zines, and even lovely ladies cutting hair (which I absolutely took advantage of!) and painting faces.
Basically, it’s as if someone was like, “Okay, so what sort of things would make Emily swoon like a teenage girl?” and then meshed them all together into one lovely space for all to enjoy. Plus, it was only a five-minute drive from my apartment! I think it was an absolute hit and I definitely feel as though this is exactly the type of thing that Cincinnati needs. There are so many unbelievably creative and talented individuals in this city. It’s about time they all started putting their pretty little heads together and making neat things happen!
That’s me in the yellow sweatshirt, watching my friend Sarah (she has face paint on, if you were wondering what those black lines on her chin were) getting her hair cut. I was next in line!
I bought a necklace from this sweet girl! I plan on featuring her soon. I loved her stuff so very, very much!
I really liked these t-shirts. They were even offering to screen-print the t-shirt that people were wearing. Unfortunately, I had on a sweatshirt.
Lynda of VEIN jewelry makes all her items out of vintage, antique, found, and recycled items.
Now, the question I ask you is:
Where do you live? What makes you swoon over your hometown? I’d love to hear all about it!
I just wanted to let you know that for the next few hours, I’ll be doing a little bit of maintenance & making some design changes to the blog. So if things look a bit on the wonky side, just ignore it! Hopefully things will be up & running as usual shortly. Thanks so much!
I really, really like this video. There is just something about the reality of stopping strangers on the streets to try to make a connection with them that warms my little heart right up & makes the world seem just a bit smaller.
So, you know I have to ask, what do you wish would happen by the end of the day? For me, I wish that I could get everything accomplished that needs to be accomplished & that I would end the day a little bit better in some small way. (Oh, and world peace! Heh.)
Another place you should visit if you happened to find yourself in Austin is Hey Cupcake! As you can see from the pictures, it’s a cupcake stand. Not only is it an adorable idea, it was the best cupcake I’ve ever had! If you go, I would recommend the red velvet cupcake– that’s what I got. But, I am sure whatever you get will be equally delicious. Who doesn’t love a good cupcake?
{Location:}
1600 Block of S. Congress
Austin, Texas 78704
{Hours:}
Tuesday-Saturday: 12 to 9pm (or until sold out)
Sunday: 1 to 8pm (or until sold out)
Closed Monday
In lieu of the fact that one of my favorite philosophies in life is “Never grow up”, I am hoping to get a bike for my 22nd birthday that is coming up in July! I will probably opt for a nice, simple used one from someone local, but of course I had to make myself jealous by looking at all the beautiful, shiny new bikes that you can purchase online! Here are some of my favorites:
I have been rather absent lately and for that I do apologize. My classes are slowly winding down for the quarter; so, that means I have tons of projects & loose ends to tie up. But, that doesn’t mean I should neglect my blog entirely! I’ve decided to compile a list of images & posts that I have found particularly inspiring/ interesting this week. I hope that you will read them & take away as much from them as I did:
The illustrations on KrisAtomic’s blog are so adorable! Since she can’t afford all of the lovely clothes that she is currently lusting after, she had created cute little “fantasy oufit” drawings of them. Too precious!
Apparently Oprah Winfrey is undergoing a 21-Day Cleanse, in which she has eliminated caffeine, sugar, alcohol, gluten and animal products her diet for to 21 days. I’m not a huge Oprah fan, but this does intrigue me. You can read about her process & how she is feeling each day on her blog.
I am completely inspired by this photograph of Mia via Hel Looks. Among other things, she says she is “inspired by books by David Shrigley” which automatically makes her a-okay in my book! I want to try this look sometime; so simple, yet so incredibly adorable.
I am absolutely in love with this old, black & white photograph of my grandfather feeding my mother. He passed away in 2000, so every time I look at this picture I feel somewhat melancholy; but, mostly I feel so happy to have gotten the chance to know (& be related to) such an amazing person!
