people are people.

"Social courage . . . is the courage to relate

to other human beings,

the capacity to risk oneself

in the hope of achieving meaningful intimacy.

It is the courage to invest one's self

over a period of time in a relationship

that will demand an increasing openness."

- Rollo May

image found here

goodmorning sun.

This storefront I recently saw would describe my weekend:

lovely & sunny.

Hope yours was swell.

And my Monday started off just the same:

I'm taking the metro to work for the next little while.

Bike or bus to the metro?

I chose bike.

make way for the sass.

i chopped it good.

p.s. paul simon is rocking my world these days.

he still takes my breath away.

At the risk of sounding like a girl...a very shallow girl,

I will first say that this rarely happens.

Except for, perhaps, my run-in with Brad awhile ago.

And who can really blame me for that one?

That's what I thought.

So this morning

When I saw this photograph...

I actually sighed. Outloud.

I caught myself mid-exhale.

Now, I've been a supporter for years.

Yes, a supporter. Not a fan.

Because a mere "fan" would only imply a superficial appreciation,

going ga-ga over the appeal of one's physical appearance.

Only mildly familiar with one's works.

(What's Eating Gilbert Grape is one of my favorites.

You know, the one with his really awful red hair-dye job.)

So yes, I am a supporter of Johnny Depp. A big one.

But really? I mean....really? Someone actually looks like this?

My word. He only continues to become more and more handsome.

I am such a sucker for dark eyes and dark hair....

he can call me flower if he wants to.

There are two ways I know I'm getting older:

I love the taste of dark chocolate more and more.

And I love flowers.

I especially appreciated the flowers in my room this morning.

you make me melt like a popsicle on the fourth of july.

barbeque + homeade ice cream + fireworks = fourth of july success

cousins are the best.

Cousin Stephanie came to play for the weekend!

Who would have thought the little brunette bean pole and toehead girls

who used to dance to the end credits of Beethoven

would grow up to be so capable?

yum yum

My sister, Abby, sent me this delicious recipe for oatmeal cookies...and they are very healthy!

1 c. raisins
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. canola oil
1 1/4 c. Splenda granulated
2 egg whites
1 t. vanilla
1 3.9 oz. single-serving cup of unsweetened applesauce (a little less than half a cup)
1/3 c. mashed banana
3 1/4 c. old-fashioned oats
1 1/3 c. chopped walnuts

Put raisins into small bowl and pour in enough very hot water to cover; set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda,cinnamon, and salt; mix well. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In largebowl, combine the oil and Splenda; beat well. Beat in egg whites andvanilla. Mix in the applesauce and banana, followed by the flourmixture. Drain water from raisins; pat to remove excess moisture witha paper towel. Stir in oats, walnuts, and raisins; mix well. Drop byrounded tablespoons onto cookie sheet that has been lightly sprayedwith nonstick spray. Bake for 8-9 minutes at 350 degrees F or untiltops of cookies are slightly firm to the touch.

Number of Servings: 48

I made some last night. A friend and I wondered if it defeats the purpose because we end up eating about 5 cookies. Oh well, still tasty!

still weird

Thank you for your kind texts/e-mails/comments.

Interesting article that came out yesterday in Newsweek.

This has been played a little more than once in the last week.

this is a very sad day for me.

My favorites songs/videos for:

dancing

playing with my cousin Jamie

his outfits

more dancing

I can't believe I just watched this on CNN.

So weird to live in a world without Michael Jackson.

sunny delight

just a little afternoon lunch in the park

ashley met me

she's a joy

and we crack ourselves up

we discussed our "sizzlin' summer" plans

(also, I am invited to go

camping overnight

and hiking this weekend.

i'm not good at this.

so any tips would be

greatly appreciated.)

one more time with feeling.

I can't really claim to know much these days. Things I thought I knew seem to escape me repeatedly. And life proves itself as more gray than black-and-white. Conclusions/thoughts/beliefs I've accumulated over these last few disorderly years are constantly being renewed/adjusted/elimanted. Love seems to override and underlie and bridle all confusion and commotion and complication. And there is beauty in that. So my new philosophy? In the beautiful words of Ben Lee...

Love is the answer.

image found here

i just feel like...

...we are probably just soulmates or something. I mean, I'll admit that I've felt this way for awhile, but after reading this interview, it is for real. No big deal.

Perhaps our conversation would go something like this:

I wanted to be an English teacher. I wanted to do it for the corduroy jackets with patches on the side. Really, John? That's hilarious. You know, I always wanted to be a teacher when I was little, too. And I always wanted glasses when I was little, so I wore a spare pair without any lenses. What kind of literature do you like?

I'm a huge classics fan. I love Ernest Hemingway and J.D. Salinger. I'm that guy who rereads a book before I read newer stuff, which is probably not all that progressive, and it's not really going to make me a better reader. I love Salinger. And I've read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory about 10 times. And I'm not just agreeing with you because I want you to like me either. Oh, what? You already do like me? Cool.

Then we would nervously giggle at our silly coincidences and steal smiles from eachother for the remainder of our chat/lives.

dads are my favorite.

"Being with him made my brain quiet. I didn't have to invent a thing."

- from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
This is what Oskar says about his dad.

And this is the way I feel around my dad, too

There are some rare people who quiet your mind just being in their presence. My grandma was that way. So is my cousin, Sammy. My dad is one of those people, too. His presence isn't loud; it is loving. It isn't rowdy or rambunctious; it is reserved. And it definitely isn't forceful or demanding. In fact, sometimes it isn't even known. But people are drawn to him. It is powerful and peaceful and safe. He works hard without seeking recognition and he never says unkind things about others. And boy is he funny. 

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

great advice from a great friend.

My only advice

is really simple:

be yourself.

I know it's a very hackneyed phrase,

but I really believe that's the best thing you can do.

Have confidence in

who you really are.

The real you.

You have so much to offer, so much beauty

and love and happiness.

Just enjoy the present.

some days i miss my family.

Sometimes the 2420 miles between Las Vegas and DC doesn't seem that far.

Other days it does. I'll be going home in August to see them.

I don't mean to brag, but my family is pretty sweet.

ride wit me.

two of my favorite things in this photo: my new red shoes and this sweet ride.

(still need a basket and a bell.) 

i remember learning how to ride on a two-wheeler. i remember it wasn't hard. 

bike rides and i were made for each other.

sean came to visit.

Sean and I were in 5th grade together. He won the principal's award and I didn't.

Then my parents moved across the street from his when we were freshmen in high school.

And then we were friends.

So he came to visit for a break from med school applications.

when did we grow up?

it was in the back of a taxi when you told me you loved me.

i love this invitation.

i love little things that make ordinary things extraordinary. like this song.

because sometimes, like Imogen Heap says, there's beauty in the breakdown.

love her.

"Find your space. Find your spot. Wear what you love. Choose the careers that may have meaning to you, because there's always somebody who will say, 'I wouldn't have worn that color,' or 'Why didn't you work at that job?' But if you're comfortable in the choice and it resonates with you, then all that other stuff - it's just conversation. People have the right to have conversations. But I think that's one thing we as women sometimes do - we don't make choices that have meaning to us. And then when those things fall apart, you have to have yourself to fall back on."

michelle obama.