A LOT Of Dust

It's astronomy time, folks! I become extremely nerdy and excited whenever I read an article on space or find a stunning picture like the National Geographic shot above that features a nearby supernova (the closest in five years). The ring of debris reaches over 25 million miles in width, a measurement that really baffles me. I find it quite humbling to know that this vast maelstrom exists outside our minute world. Incredible that our daily existence seems so large and important when just outside our door lies a massiveness barely tangible to humanity.

Image can be found here.

Long Live The Arts!

This September, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will continue the tradition of the National Book Festival, which was created by that nation's first librarian, former First Lady Laura Bush. I find the Obamas' continuation of this tradition inspiring, one in a line of many initiatives that celebrate the incredible artistic achievements of Americans. Earlier this month, Obama held a poetry jam at the White House, celebrating the rhythm of our nation in style. The Obamas have an obvious appreciation of the arts, not only for themselves, but for Americans, as well. I hope that they will continue their initiatives not only in the White House, but all over the country, especially in schools. The No Child Left Behind Act is not in the business of promoting the arts in the public schools. I worked as a literacy coach at a Boston Public School that was in danger of losing funding because it failed to "meet" the criteria of the NCLB Act. I am concerned that loss of funding through this ill-conceived legislation, in addition to the current recession, will impede the growth of arts in our schools. The arts are often the first of the academic arsenal to be cut, completely non-intuitive, especially, when research suggests that exposure to the arts improves attention and intellectual stimulation. The arts foster openness and creativity necessary in every career and life experience. If we want to raise sensitive, keen children, we should ensure they are singing, painting, and reading up a storm, following the example of our new president and his wife.

Collier Du Jour

Accessories can be the soul of a woman's wardrobe. If they are the right accessories, that is. In a few weeks, I am volunteering at a gala and require the perfect accessory, a necklace, to compliment the plunging neckline of my dress. I simply adore the look that Nicole Kidman wore to the Academy Awards in 2008. However, her necklace is a 1,399-carat diamond necklace designed by L'Wren Scott that wraps so enchantingly around her neck and costs more than my bank account will ever encounter. Using Nicole's look as my muse, I think I found some fashionable alternatives that could match nicely with the olive green of my dress.

1.) Long necklace in multicolor stones from Infinity Jewelry Club on Etsy.
2.) Garnets and Silver Ring Necklace, DutchTouch Beads, Etsy
3.) Chain of mixed agates with geode pendant, mayaruhi, Etsy
4.) Saffron Necklace, Francesca's Collections
Image of Nicole Kidman can be found here.

Memorial Day Treats

I plan to make a pie this weekend. My dear mother gave me a beautiful wooden rolling pin and I have a new pie plate that is begging to be used! I LOVE strawberries and I feel like Memorial Day Weekend is the perfect time to bake a strawberry pie with this recipe to welcome summer.

Also, there is nothing I love more (for food) than a lobster roll! I am from Maine, which presupposes that I should adore lobster (and I do!). Decadent, succulent, just plain DELICIOUS!
Since I am not going to Maine for Memorial Day weekend for lobster at the best place on earth: Shaw's Lobster Wharf in New Harbor, Maine. I've been going there for lobster with my family since I was eight years old. The views and food are always impeccable. See the beautiful view from the restaurant porch below.

Find lobster roll image here.

Designer Or Not?

I have been debating about whether or not to splurge on a designer purse. I have many nice purses from Marshall's (Sisley, Nine West) that do the trick, but I have been feeling like investing in a nice piece to use as my standard and perhaps getting rid of the other cheaper, less quality options. I perused Cole Haan and Coach, but I have been seriously looking at a Marc By Marc Jacobs Totally Turnlock Teri in Light French Grey ($299 from Piperlime, which is a good deal). But I need some help - is this a waste of money or a good investment in my wardrobe? Is the color too bland or nicely subtle? Friends, I need opinions!

Images found here.

Sunset Boulevard

This is a National Geographic image of the space shuttle Atlantis passing in front of the sun, which was taken through a telescope with a specialized lens. I find the contrast in shapes and sizes both humbling and awe-inspiring.

Image can be found here.

La maison de mes rêves

If I ever have the means to buy/build a house, I would hope that it looks like this beautiful home from the 1998 film Stepmom (sad movie, awesome house):

or this sweet cottage (a perfect honeymooner's haven):

I would like my bedroom to look like this room with its soothing blue and brown tones (check out the cool wallpaper headboard):
This bedroom is also stunning in the various shades of whites and off-whites (not boring at all):
I would cook delectable delicacies in a kitchen like this one (also from Stepmom):

We'll eat the fruits of our labors in this spacious dining room (the fireplace is a must-have):


My house will definitely have a dark and cozy library, where my family and I can snuggle up and enjoy our favorite reads:

I LOVE the colors (lime green and warm reds) used in this living room as well as the mix of modern and classical:

How amazingly bright and airy is this bathroom? I must have lots of windows and bright colors in my bathroom:
Images found here, here, here, and here.

The Women I Want To Be

What do I want to be when I grow up (yes, I know, I am pretty much already there)? To assist me in this challenge, I have come up with a list of women whose career choices, style, and integrity inspire my ambitions.

1.) Maureen Dowd, Columnist, The New York Times

Source: www.nytimes.com

I like that "Mo Dowd," as I call her amongst my friends, covered the White House for several years while sporting a cute pair of heels. She's sassy, creative, incredible literate and intelligent, and she's one of two regular columnists at the world's largest newspaper. I admire her ability to blend a wry humor with a sense of immediacy about her column topics.

2.)Harvard University's JFK School of Government: Will Obama's Security Policy Be Inclusive? Panel: Josephine Abalang, Deputy Director of Public Relations, Office of the Vice President, Government of Southern Sudan; Orzala Ashraf, Founder and Senior Adviser, Humanitarian Assistance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan; Rufa Guiam, Director of the Center for Peace and Development Studies at Mindanao State University-General Santos City, Philippines; Marini de Livera, National Project Coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme's Women’s Empowerment Project, Sri Lanka; and moderated by Ambassador Swanee Hunt

Source: www.swaneehunt.com

In January, I attended a panel session at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, supported by the school's Women And Public Policy program. The panel consisted of four of the most accomplished women I have ever encountered. In their own way, each of these women have overcome some insurmountable odds to ascend to salient leadership positions. Each showed intelligence balanced with a calm humility that was quite humbling for me as an audience member. Every day, these citadels risk their lives to empower women and advocate for the welfare of their countries. I was particularly inspired by their love for their war-torn countries, taking up residence after almost losing their lives. The panel was moderated by the incomparable Ambassador Swanee Hunt, who has written prolifically on the inclusiveness of women in foreign policy.

3.) Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the United Nations

A recent Vogue.com article profiles newly-appointed US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice. She's almost the youngest ambassador to the UN (save one past ambassador) and has an accomplished resume that includes a Rhodes Scholarship and the youngest assistant Secretary of State during the Clinton administration. I admire her accomplishments, her noted ability to stay in tremendous shape, her ability to balance an intense career with family, and just the fact that she gets to go work at the UN everyday. I love the UN. Or rather, I love the idea of the UN, what it tries to accomplish. One of my life goals is to work for the UN and seeing the poise, strength, and style of Ambassador Rice furthers my drive to make that dream a reality.

4.) Jhumpa Lahiri, author

Source: www.time.com

Jhumpa Lahiri is an author to love. Her novel, The Namesake and two collections of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies and An Unaccustomed Earth have seen unprecedented global success. Her narrative style is incomparable in it's eloquent flow and vibrant imagery. Her text engulfs the reader and makes her stories incredibly real and poignant in their telling. I admire her skill, having a personal history that includes an undergraduate degree in English and my modest creative writing attempts. In the dark corners of my mind, shrouded in cobwebs, I hold this hope to one day also compose a stellar body of work, fueled, hopefully, by my richly-varied experiences.

Two Years

Two years ago (approximately) I graduated from college. I never imagined that I would be reflecting so much on my college experience. I suppose I underestimated how defining that time has been on my character. I chock this up to a classic trait of mine of learning things the hard way and often failing to appreciate something until it's no longer there. Anyways, I cannot believe that two years have already passed. However, I feel very different from who I was at that time.

For many months after graduating, I missed the college scene, the classes, that sense of being in a community with young, like-minded people. That first year was one of the hardest my relatively young life. I adapted to a full-time professional job, living with random people, and coping with the fact that I wasn't really a kid anymore. Although I had several good friends close by, I had never felt so alone as I did in that first year. It was as if the carpet had been pulled out from underneath me and my body did not handle the impact very well.

In this post-grad life, I felt so confused about my direction, hating that I was still in Boston after so many had moved on with their life. I have tried to move away several times and was never able to work it out. I found a decent job in market research, where I still am today, but this job means nothing to me except that it helps me pay my rent every month. In many ways, this job has made me less intelligent. I was tired of school by the time I graduated but now I feel like my mind is too lax and idle. After years of moving forward, I have been standing still for two years, uncertain and wary about my next move. I have been stagnant and now I am done. You don't need to know what you're going to do with your life when you graduate from college but there comes a point when you need to stop sitting on your ideas and start acting on them. This is my new life momentum and hopefully, it will produce more interesting results in my life.

Another key learning from my post-grad life has been that relationships are imperative to survival. After a year and a half of living with random people, with whom I failed to connect (with the exception of the amazing Jenna!), I moved in with some dear college friends and finally found that sense of connection in my home that I lacked for so long. In David Brook's recent column about the Grant Study, a research project that tracked the lives of a group of male Harvard graduates from the 1930s to gauge human happiness. A key finding was that relationships are key. Joshua Shenk, who ran the study has this to say about his participants: "Happiness is love. Full Stop."

So maybe, in the end, it must be more about the people you have found than the things you do. I am still trying to figure out what I will "do," but I am certain that I have been blessed by wonderful parents and stellar friends and they must always be a part of my life!

Senior Week 2007

New Year's Eve 2008

A Normal Writer?

I am reading A Partisan's Daughter by Louis de Bernieres, an elegiac love story about Chris, a middle-aged English man, and Roza, a young Serbian woman. I say elegiac because the story (so far) recounts Roza's horrific childhood during the Balkan Crisis. I appreciate de Bernieres literary skill but the story is turning out to be extremely sad and disturbing. In the last paragraph of chapter seven, Chris reflects on the difference between Roza's story and his own:

My background was modest and sane, and there was plenty of love simmering away serenely under all the polite English restraint. I had a friend in the late fifties who used to play comic songs on the piano, and every now and then he'd stop dead in the middle of a number and sing, "Thank God I'm normal." Anyways, my family was quite normal, and I've always been normal, sad to say. It didn't leave me with many stories. It was all so normal that I didn't know whether to thank God or curse him.

This begs the question, if someone receives a loving childhood and leads a completely normal existence, can she offer an interesting perspective through storytelling or another creative outlet? Does suffering produce the best art? In his column on genius, David Brooks suggests that personal tragedy makes a genius: "It would also help if one of her parents died when she was 12, infusing her with a profound sense of insecurity and fueling a desperate need for success." I have been blessed with a life untouched by major trauma and tragedy (I am knocking on every piece of wood in my room right now), so I wonder if my view of the world is really that interesting if my life is relatively narrow and my experience reflective of a safe, secure status quo. I am not saying I want to experience horribly suffering. Perhaps, it's that the more intense one's life, the more the mind is stimulated and inspired to creative descriptive of said life. Food for thought...
Image found here.

A Room With A View

Source: http://www.helena-world.com

An all-literary and cinematic favorite of mine must be named as A Room With A View by E.M. Forster, a coming-of-age narrative in the glorious country of Italy, the land of pleasure and also self-discovery (see an image from the 1985 film above). When I stayed in Rome a few years ago, I had view just like the one above much to my literary delight! I would like to pay tribute to my many beautiful rooms with views. I adore views. They put me at ease and fill me with the promise of great things. High perspectives that reveal stunning panoramas of nature and historical structures. There is something utterly satisfying in looking down on a place, the normally towering structures suddenly tiny and toy-like.

In college, I had the luck of always living on the top floor, a fortune I cherished. I never had to deal with the "thump-thump-thump" of upstairs neighbors. Freshman year, my desk was nestled in a little dormer that overlooked leafy trees and the stately dormitories of Boston College's Upper Campus. Sophomore year, by chance, we scored a suite on the sixth floor of Vanderslice hall, one of the premium housing opportunities for sophomores. Our common room had a large window that framed Alumni Stadium, which was especially beautiful to behold when lit up for football games. A favorite pastime of mine during that year was to sit by the large bay window and gaze out at a burnished sunset behind the black outlines of the Chestnut Hill treeline.

My views continued when I studied abroad in Bath, England for a year. I lived in an eighteenth-century building that overlooked the River Avon in the oldest part of Bath. I had a breathtaking view of the river, the Bath Abbey, the Roman Baths, and all the stunning structures. It was a surreal life. Bath is an incredibly idyllic place and I feel so very fortunate to have lived there. I wasn't able to find any digital photos of that view, but I was able to get two photos from my other window that shows one of the seven hills that surround Bath (the third picture is a view of the city of Bath from my favorite perch on one of the hills).

During my senior year, my window (my room was on the sixth floor of Ignacio) overlooked the steps going to middle campus as well as the back of St. Mary's Hall, where all the Jesuits at BC reside. One day during my Senior Week, I looked out the window to see some of my dearest friends all walking back from a trip to Newton Center. These woman are citadels in my life. I am so grateful for their friendship!
The last view I had the good fortune to possess for three nights in Los Angeles, California. I stayed at the Hyatt Hotel in Century City, the site of some major studios during the Golden Age of Hollywood. My hotel was neighbor to the old MGM lot where Judy Garland once lost her heart on a trolley and Fred Astaire earned his twinkle toes. I was there for business, which meant I had to rise before dawn every morning. This also meant that I was able to experience the brilliant sunrise, mixing with the smog and skyline of downtown Los Angeles.

The Genius of an Orange Peel

My good friend Jess recently returned from a time of service at an orphanage in Honduras. The program is intriguing in the sense that the children are not put up for adoption but rather cared for by the institution and its staff until they are of age. The philosophy is that it's better to keep constant the environment of the children and raise them as one family. Jess is an incredibly kind and gentle woman, who is a wonderful teacher and caregiver to young people. I know she misses the children greatly. She spoke about them with such tenderness during our recent lunch/life chat. We began to discuss the differences between US and Honduran culture, one particular contrast being in the types of toys kids found in each society. She described seeing some of the kids in Honduras being perfectly content to play jacks with orange peels and rocks. I began to think about all the toys that I was given as a child, the countless Barbies, board games, and bikes. So much and yet, it sounded like these children were having just as much fun, if not more, than I did with countless playtime options. American culture began to feel gross, pregnant with the gluttony of our materialism. When I lived abroad that topic always came up in conversation and my face burned with embarrassment over the lifestyle of my fellow Americans. I pledge to not cater to the establishment, but rather apply my own beliefs to my buying habits and that of my family. My hope is that I can stem the flow of toys into my own home for my future kids so that they appreciate what they have, small amounts of meaningful, well-made (and locally-made) toys.

Sad State

The talk of the town has been the possible demise of The Boston Globe (though a deal reached earlier this week by the union has saved the paper for now). The newspaper is currently owned by The New York Times Company (so wrong, in my opinion), and the rumors of it's dwindling future causes my stomach to turn. When I was sixteen, I job shadowed then parenting columnist, Barbara Meltz, and science reporter, Beth Daley, at The Boston Globe, an experience that inspired my aspiration to journalism. With Beth, I went out to New Bedford to interview fishermen about the booming scallop industry. Beth asked me to write my version of the story and used part of my reporting in her piece that appeared on the front page of The Globe. In my adolescent mind, it felt like the start of my career.

These days, however, I see my dream of becoming a journalist rapidly falling away. This feeling was especially true in the recently released film State of Play. This political thriller features journalism, past, present, and future. Russell Crowe plays Cal McCaffrey, a seasoned reporter and the epitome of bygone journalism, driving a 1990 Saab, writing on a 16 year-old computer, and always with a pen and paper on hand to capture the details of a story. Playing opposite him is Rachel McAdams as Della Frye, a blogger hired by The Washington Globe (read Post), modernize and monetize the online side of the publication. The movie casts Della's youth and verve in contrast with Cal's more laid back approach. It's a tale of the Internet, more specifically, the blogosphere, trumping print media. While Cal sits back at his desk, Della has "finished ten stories in the last hour," according to their editor-in-chief, played by the exquisite Helen Mirren.

Photo courtesy of www.real.com

Underlying the main plot, the movie is a tribute to the probable fate of journalism. Today, we are all about getting the most information possible and getting is FAST. News sources want to hire writers who can get information out in double time. Cal is a method man, who takes the time and care to get all the details for a richly reported story. His process proves ends up being the sounder choice in the movie, as Della's know-it-all demeanor fades into awe of Cal's journalistic tactics. Cal becomes teacher, and Della, the student. Cal's instincts, honed by smarts and job experience, enable him to solve the story (not without a personal cost) with Della's help. While the traditional journalism pays off and story is printed in its full glory at the film's end, there is something elegiac about the movie's ending, especially with last scenes showing how a story goes from press to delivery. Watching the credits, I wondered how much longer I would be able to devour my Sunday paper with newsprint staining my hands. It's beginning to feel like the end of an era, similar to the way milk is no longer delivered in bottles to homes as during my parent's youth.

While the death of print media feels inevitable, there are advocates out there, crying for its rescue. Senators John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) and Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) issued a statement in support of Cardin's bill to save community newspapers by making them non-profit organizations with the same IRS classification as NPR, churches, and hospitals. Kerry expressed concern over the lack of diverse and accurate reporting with the fall of so many newspapers. The bill will support community papers but not the big news conglomerates like (dare I say) The New York Times Company.

Talking about the changing face of media, Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post spoke about the rise of citizen journalism from the falling timbers of newsprint groups. Part of me likes the idea that anyone can contribute to a story and how it is a chance to bring more truth and details to reporting. However, if everyone can be a writer, then what makes the career choice of a writer/journalist so special? It doesn't. Journalists may end up being a very elite group, difficult to penetrate and when penetrated, feeling constant paranoia about being ousted by a savvier, swifter writer in your topic area. I guess everyone worries about this in a competitive career track, but my point is that the drying up of a print media pool will drastically increase the cutthroat nature of the job.

I digress in this post because I would love nothing more than to be a cub reporter in a bustling newsroom right now, a dream quickly slipping away. At least in the sense of working in a traditional newsroom. The landscape of news reporting will change in the next few years and I am tuning in to the developments and conversations so that hopefully, someday, I can grab that brass ring: my own byline.

Practice | Perfection

My mother recently sent me a column article by The New York Times' David Brooks concerning the notion of Genius. I have written (in response to Elizabeth Gilbert) about the idea of genius as a visitor rather than something that is a part of you (which relates to ancient Greek philosophy). Brooks makes the point that it is actually hours upon hours of practice paired with a diligent mentor that makes a genius. He cites the examples of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the golfer Tiger Woods, who both dedicate(d) their lives to perfecting their techniques and being presided over by their stringent fathers.

My mom said the article reminded her of me because Brooks talked about the idea of a young female writer who perfects her skill after hours upon hours of practice, dictated primarily through a mentor who provided regular criticism to shape her writing. She encouraged me to write more often, which I am trying to do through this blog. As I mentioned recently, I'm not sure if my dream of being a writer will happen (right now I feel quite out of shape), but I do know that I must believe in the idea. I will strive every day to perfect my craft. I do not aspire to become a genius, but I do hope that one day I can be a writer for a living, bringing meaning to my work. That is my new goal: to find that purpose so that I am not constantly tuning out of my duties and waiting for the day to end. That is no way to live a life. I have been given too much by those that love me to do them the disservice of wasting my life in a place that I cannot take seriously and that constantly makes me feel less than I am. Therefore, I must practice in the hopes of contriving the genius of a new path in my life.

Lucky, Lucky

I have not posted in eons due to a bout of the flu (no swine involved), traveling to Florida for business, and moving to a new apartment (now living with some of my favorite people!)! I am now returning to the blogosphere with a new post about some beautiful earrings that I have just won on a monthly giveaway! I wanted to win them so badly and was planning on purchasing them if I didn't win! But I did, which has been the perfect start to my week!

These are made by designer Pearl Bhasin for her label mayaruhi, which she sells on Etsy (a girl's answer to unique jewelry and a way to support talented artists all over the world). Recently, I purchased two pairs of Chic and Unique Hoop Earrings, one for me and one for my mom for Mother's Day! These are exquisite pieces that are reasonably priced and come in the nicest packaging (the earrings are placed in a gauzy brown pouch in a golden brown box).