I’m still here; quiet but alive. I’m in a brooding sort of mood that requires deep thought & pen to paper. I’m settling in & trying to figure out what to do with this space. In the midst of the move, a lot of strange memories were dredged up. I guess that’s what always happens when you are packing up your past in boxes. Things that had gathered dust under the bed for over a year. Things that seem so insignificant but had survived the moving process the past several times. No matter. I’m here at the new place & trying to make it my own.

In the mean time, I simply had to share this video. A friend posted it on Facebook & it inspired me & nearly brought me to tears. I truly value alone time. Relish in it, in fact. So, I totally get this video. Perhaps you will too.

I’m excited to share that I’ve put down the security deposit & will be signing the lease tomorrow for an awesome apartment in an “up-and-coming” (Over-the-Rhine for all you Cincinnatians) area walking distance to a bunch of neat things in downtown Cincinnati. Granted, the area is a bit “rough”, but the street the apartment is on is very nice! I know I just need to be careful. It’s a touch on the expensive side, but the apartment itself definitely seems to be worth it. It has an amazing view from an amazing balcony & all the other amenities I’ve been looking for in a place. Unfortunately, I don’t have any interior photos but above is an exterior photo. I love the flower boxes. And, there’s Kevin pointing out the awesome view that you can see really well from inside the apartment from the floor to ceiling windows!

Here’s a picture of the view I took with my Blackberry while we were looking at the apartment. Amazing, right?

Now, I’m beginning to think about how I’m going to decorate it. I want it to be just right. You should share with me some of your interior decorating blogs and/or images that are inspiring you lately! That would be very helpful!

(source)

Hello all you lovely people! I am not even going to address the fact that its been almost two months since my last post. I am not going to apologize or any of that business because that’s just life! The good news is that I am now on summer vacation which means I have all the free time in the world to blog my heart out! I’ve heard  veteran teachers tell me summers off is the biggest perk to being a teacher, but I don’t think I realized what a great deal it is until I began living it a few days ago!

Without a doubt, summer is upon us. The almost-ninety degree weather & humidity have sent my senses into a sort of shock. All I seem to want to do is lay in bed with the fan turned directly on me, reading or napping or simply staring at the ceiling. This hot weather definitely makes me less productive. I plan on fighting it this summer with all that I’ve got. I need to take advantage of this awesome summers off thing. So, here are a few tentative goals I plan on accomplishing this summer. Feel free to add your own!

1. Exercise & eat healthier. One thing that is an actual plus with summer weather is that my need for snacking actually seems to dissipate. I seem to lose a bit of my appetite what with the hot, balmy weather. I’ve been fairly decent as of late with exercising and eating better, but I think I might need to join a gym because I have zero desire to go out and do much of anything in the 90 degrees temperature. I just want to get in better shape though. I want to feel better about myself and my body’s appearance. I know this is a long process that should probably start with more of a mental mind game than anything, but I’m determined. Eh, we’ll see. (Hah.)
2. Say hello to old friends. I admit, I’m bad at this one. Keeping in touch with friends is definitely something I need to work on. A lot. I am just down-right lazy when it comes to this subject. My goal is to get better at this. I know relationships of any sort take effort. I need to show them that I care!
3. Read as many books as possible. I’m already well on my way. I’ve already finished the amazing book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I want to read the sequel, like, yesterday. But, it’s not available at the library. They’re all checked out! I am trying to read a lot of new, great young adult books this summer so that I’ll have some great recommendations for my students this fall.
4. Fine-tune & reflect on my teaching skills. I’m a teacher & a teacher’s brain never stops thinking in a “teachery” way. I’ve  caught myself in a grocery store having to stop what I’m doing & get out a pad of paper to write down an  idea I’ve had for a lesson (true story). This was my first year as a teacher. I’m taking this summer to decompress all the experiences that I’ve had & try to put together a game plan for the coming school year. As any teacher, I strive to always become better!
5. Relax, try new things, take more pictures, & blog about it! Okay, so this was actually more like four goals in one, but I’m really just too lazy to elaborate. These are pretty self-explanatory. Am I right? Definitely want to focus on the taking more pictures aspect!

Now, what about yourself? What summer goals would you like to set yourself?

I am currently reading (admittedly & most ashamedly for the first time) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I am going to begin reading it with my 8th graders soon & I know it’s such a classic. I really have no excuse other than it was not a required book for me when I was in high school. It’s such a sincere portrayal of how difficult it is to understand people that are different from yourself. And, it really got me thinking– like I’m sure it got many of you thinking the first time you read it– about how easy it is to write people off simply based on outward appearance. I don’t know how many times I’ve been guilty of pre-judging someone based on looks alone.

Yes, this is possibly old news. But, I just thought I’d pop my head out of my hole for a moment & share this with you. And, I thought possibly you could share with me what books you read as a teenager/young adult that really made you have that light bulb moment. Do tell!

(Also, how sweet is this book cover designed by Mikey Burton.)

P.S. I’ll be back in the swing of things soon. I have a few neat interviews in the works that I’m excited about. Thanks to all of you that have stuck around despite the lapse of silence.

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

Continue reading Things I tend to do to avoid freaking 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.

(Credit: “geeky” by kris atomic)

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

3. “I got these 2 years ago at a Savers.” ~owlsss

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

6. Photo from undrthenightsky

7. “I recommend going to a thrift store & finding some cool frames. It doesn’t cost much to get your ‘script put in!” ~ladymoz

8. Photo from thatspecial

9. Photo from autobotamy

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:

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:

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:

Bicycling life – (Practical Cycling tips
Cincyrides.com
Cincinnati Cycle Club
Queen City Bike

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 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!

XO,
Emily Abigail