Two Of My Favorite Things

...Would have to be discovering new artists and getting free music. Especially music of the new artist I have just been introduced to.

So when I saw that Josh Garrels (previously introduced to me - and you - thanks my fab Today's Letters CD) is offering his new (18 song!) CD, Love & War & The Sea In Between, for FREE? Yeah, that was exciting.

You can all download Josh Garrels' album here. 

(And then stalk his adorable family on their blog here.)

I'm still listening through it and have yet to figure out my favorite song...although I am kind of loving "Further Along." Which are your faves?

Given a Cape and a Nice Tiara...

Today, I had lunch with Zanna, who was my neighbor and good friend when we were about three. We had crepes, caught up on a decade or so of life, and wandered around some shops, including a secondhand bookstore and a store called Hello Bluebird that felt like I was walking into Etsy in real life.

There were all sorts of things I loved in this store, but in particular, these designs by Leigh Standley of Curly Girl Designs. I'm such a sucker for eclectic, mixed media designs and random, witty sayings. 

If I had some extra mula laying around, I would buy all of these in card form and send them to everyone I love. And then I might buy that top one to hang on my wall.

Love 'em.

And added bonus: there was a hand-written sign by a stack of prints in this store that read "With us, you can be that artsy-urban roommate!" (I took a picture but, alas, did not bring my card reader to Pennsylvania). ...HOW DID THEY KNOW??

P.S. My V key fell off my keyboard today. Thus, every V I've typed here has been a struggle. You are welcome for all that extra effort... :]

Remembering Egypt

Currently Listening To: All Things Bright and Beautiful, Owl City (especially loving: Alligator Sky and Galaxies)

Currently In: Reading, PA.

Exactly three years ago right now, I was in Egypt for a week with my best friends in the world. My class (well, 9/11 of us, plus three teachers) went for our senior trip. We spent a few days in Cairo, then went to the beach, then back to Cairo. We ate at a Pizza Hut with a view of the pyramids and Sphynx. We sailed on the Nile. We looked at a bajillion mummies. I got sick and lost my voice. We held lions and found starfish. We took naps on the beach and waded into the Red Sea -- so clear that even at shoulder-deep you could still see your shadow on the bottom. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe and made up songs about the Khan-Khalili markets. We had fun interactions with forward Egyptian men ("Excuse me! You dropped something!...Oh, it is just my heart." ...what?). We surveyed Cairo's roofs and multitude of satellite dishes from the top of the Sultan Hussan mosque. And it was magical. 

I was just looking through the pics and getting a little nostalgic...

I miss those kids, and those adventures.

I'd Rather Be a Comma Than a Full Stop

Today I walked in the rain, church dress and all, 
and have had this song on my mind.

(See what I did there?)


[image by Linda Zacks, via Pinterest]
...and thank you, Mads, for having a Coldplay obsession.

Friday Five

I like weekend mornings because my fave blogs post lists of links from around the web that bring me into a happy oblivion of happy clicking around the beautiful/interesting/amusing things of the internet. Or something like that. I thought I could share that experience with you a little bit...so here are five friday links for you!

• Margaret (my housemate!) and Abigail are traveling around the country, taking pictures (Marg) and writing poetry (Abigail). No, I'm not jealous, obviously. You can check out their adventures here, and join me in being not-jealous...

• I always love a good tumblr. Dear Photograph is a wonderful one. (via A Cup of Jo)

• How to pack like you're traveling the world for 6 months.

• Pottermore. WHAT IS IT?? (Sidenote: I just watched the HP 7 part 2 trailer, and now I kind of want to reread the book in preparation. Even though I also reread it in preparation for part 1...)

• Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day is giving away a trip for 2 to Paris. Well, why not enter?

Enjoy, y'all.

Three Things on A Wednesday Night, Again.

Quote Love: "'Do you fall in love often?' Yes, often. With a view, with a book, with a dog, a cat, with numbers, with friends, with complete strangers, with nothing at all." - Jeanette Winterson (from Gut Symmetries)

1. If, hypothetically speaking, you lost your phone for a few days and then your father found it in the yard apparently having been run over by a lawnmower, it would probably look something like this (hypothetically speaking, of course):

2. This is what I aspire to (the Busta Rhymes part, in particular):

I think I could learn this in two weeks. Anyone wanna hold me to that?

3. I just inherited this frightening absolutely spectacular item of clothing from my father's old pastor's wife. CAN'T WAIT FOR FOOTBALL GAMES! (ESPNU won't know what hit them.)

Happy Wednesday night, y'all.

Abide With Me; Fast Falls the Eventide

Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.

On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.