Thricely quoted

That sounds like a 'real nonstop head-spin twirlfest.' 

-HH (quoting Jon Stewart, who quoted Abe Lincoln.  Obviously.)

Quote is in summation of things lately.  Not in an, 'OMG! My life is so hard!' way.  Decisions loom on things like attending graduate school, moving for a job and caring for family.  I'm fully cognizant of the fact that I'm immensely privileged to be faced with such conundrums.

These decisions will just have an impact on the trajectory of life, and since when did I have to start making these decisions for myself?!  I'd like for my mom to handle this, please.  Or better yet, Rhodes College (where you think you're living and operating autonomously, but your food and livelihood are accounted for, and all you do is attend class on occasion and eat doughnuts with friends)!

{they're probs playing Solitaire. double vice-whammy}

Also, my 'Statement of Purpose' for grad school apps is suffering immensly due to my vices and lack of discipline, which lately have included:
1. Battlestar Galactica
2. Playing Solitare
3. Blogging

So, basically I'm channeling a tech-savvy but socially awkward nerd, my grandmother and a stay-at-home mom.

I guess that's something, which is better than nothing, and also better than channeling Godzilla.  Or maybe I'm finally letting some of my Greek heritage emerge.

Alas.  I digress.

Turkey tally

Evenings spent with my favorite people (grandparents, mom, brother and hubs) always result in some quotable moments.

First:
Ellie: Papoo, call me when you go to Hobby Lobby.  I want to go with you to get some crafting stuff.
Nanny: What did you say?
Ellie: (Repeats statement)
Nanny: Ohhh! I thought you said you wanted to go get some crappy stuff.
Ellie: That's probably more accurate.
Everyone errupts into a fit of giggles.

Second:
We're driving back from my grandparents house around 10pm when Charlie notices someone running in my grandparents' neighborhood.
Charlie: (exclamatorily) What on earth?!  Why would someone go running now?!
Ellie: Thanksgiving guilt. 

Giving Thanks

There's a Baltimore Bomb pie in my trunk, an Ale-8 iced down in the fridge that's calling my name, and my  two favorite sidekicks waiting with anticipation.

This holiday season I'm grateful for a beautiful place to call my longtime home, a job that enables and affords me the opportunity to return, and a family that welcomes me with open arms when I arrive. 

{"Go where your best prayers take you."  -Buechner}

GRE word-o-the-year. Pt. 1

woolgathering
wool.gath.er.ing [woo'l-gath-er-ing]
noun
1. indulgence in idle fancies and in daydreaming; absentmindedness

And because I love all three of my readers oh so very much, a sentence!
Ellie's workday leading up to Thanksgiving break was marred by frequent brain farts and bouts of woolgathering.


ANND, because you're extra-special lucky-ducks (and not turkeys, praise be!), for you, a pict-chaur:

{woolgathering}

Reality TV: Evasion is futile

The ongoing coverage of the congressional supercommitee tasked with cutting the federal deficit fascinates me.  (How can it not?  If I had time right now I would commit hours to an MS paint drawing of the congressmen/woman decked out in capes.)

Seriously, though - these twelve individuals will have a huge impact on the future health (fiscally, politically, etc) of our government, and this comes with few strings attached to implementation of the changes they agree upon.  It just seems like a hugely unique opportunity to break away from the deadlock and partisan scuffle that plagues American politics. (Read here for a more eloquent articulation of this.)

And yet, the more recent stories covering the supercommittee give me a feeling akin to viewing a primetime reality show.  Worse off is that it seems more and more likely that the outcomes of the supercommittee are moving towards paralleling the dismal and discouraging outcomes and feelings that pour over you after you realize that you've wasted an hour of your life watching these mind-numbing TV shows.

Case and point on reality-show analogy is this article and flowchart (flowchart!) in today's NPR coverage of the progress of the committee.

"B-b-but!  Those women!  Their dresses are sooo shiny!!  Look at their teeth!  And! All those numbers!  And who knows what's in those suitcases?!  The game is worth it..."

Really, supercommitteans?!


Really?.

The abandoned twist and the heave-ho

{a twist deferred. from the OWS library}

Ventured to NYC (bright lights, big city!) this past weekend  and decided to take in the OWC protest.  Thus, it was a bit sobering to see that the protesters were ousted in the darkness of last night, less than a hundred hours after I visited the site and spoke with some about their cause.

I'm generally reticent to quickly draw a line in the sand (especially in a forum like this) on where I stand on such highly politicized issues.  So in keeping with my normal mode of operation I don't feel a need to weigh in on my personal opinion of the overall validity and themes of the protest.

I just, I guess... I get that the protests can become health, security and sanitation nightmares for city officials and residents alike.  However, it seems pretty sketchy to shut them down in the middle of the night, and I feel like there's some level of using the legitimate potential for threats as a mechanism to silence the voices altogether.

Uncool.

supercaliFridaylisticexpialidocius

Things to love about today:

1. High-five Friday at Caribou.  I'm really starting to love that place (even though my wallet doesn't).
2. The release of Life Reports via this series, instigated by David Brooks.  I may or may not have mailed my grandparents a letter asking them to submit an essay. Whatevs.
3. Bright lights, big city! (And the people within.)

Robot Phone: Check!

{I've officially rejoined the 21st century.}

Warm fuzzy.

Marriage is work, y'all.  It's like how you have to have the awkward conversations with your roommate about dishes, but you all don't always communicate that great about it and feelings instantly get hurt, and it becomes this vicious cycle when it should be an easy, straightforward conversation, etc etc.  Then times that by like, 20 or something.

But, you know, 'Nothing in this world that's worth having comes easy.'

And so, in the midst of a good-but-trying weekend, where a bit of work had to happen (and continues to take place) a warm-fuzzy reminder came to me via you-tube enabled procrastination.  And even though the quote came from TV-sitcom land and was kind of plastic-y, the essence of it rang sweet and true.


When you're a kid you assume your parents are soulmates.  My kids are gonna be right about that. 
-Pam, from The Office

Officiating Inspiration

It's going to be a series, because I feel like there is a ton of potential within this topic and it's just been gestating, preparing itself to come forth and provide all two people who know about this blog with bountiful youtube-amusement fruit.

I will post on a non-regular and unexpected basis about who-knows-what in relation to wedding officiation. (<-- It's a word as of: now. Or always was according to dictionary.com. Whatev.)

Kick - off:

Classic.

The under-appreciated, but also fantastic:

Folk-inspired rumination

Listening to The Avett Brothers today.  Generally, I have no idea what the majority of the words are to a song until I decide that I like the tune and look them up.

And so it went with 'The Perfect Space.'

This was an instance where the lyrics gave me an even deeper appreciation of the song.

And I wanna have friends that I can trust,
that love me for the man I’ve become and not the man that I was.

I've been thinking a good deal about forgiveness post-meaningful conversation on a megabus this weekend.

But, today I was struck by a different aspect of the second line.  What if the (wo)man I'm growing into is not the person that I want to become?  Sometimes I sense that my feelings of misanthropy and cynicism grow as the years pass.

Blurgh. (And: Nerds! And: Awww, shark farts!)

What Elmo and Mandela have in Common

Motho ke motho ka motho yo mongwe.

A person is a person through other people.

I'm a big fan of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. However, along with the rest of humanity, I always feel strapped for time.  Thus I generally only watch the first few clips of the show (mainly the comedy sketches) and skip over the interview at the end.

A week or two ago, after receiving a tip from a friend, I decided to break from my normal routine and watch the interview with Kevin Clash, the puppeteer for Elmo.  It's definitely worth a watch.

One of my biggest takeaways from the interview (beyond the exciting realization that Clash is a native Baltimorean) was the acknowledgement that Clash gave to the mentors in his life.  The fluidity of how he recognized those who had a significant impact on his journey and career path gave me a deep sense of humility and gratitude.  I interpreted this modesty as a natural infusion in the life of a seemingly kind and incredibly passionate individual.

I was then reminded of someone I admire who has a completely different story.  A few years ago I made a cursory stab at reading Nelson Mandela's autobiography Long Walk to Freedom.  A few chapters in I realized I needed to give the book more of my attention, so I stashed it away to read later.  But my short reading of the first few chapters stuck with me.  The biggest thing I noted was how Mandela spent the bulk of his (initial pages at least) writing on the role others played in his life.

Evidence: "He was a patient and generous teacher, and sought to impart not only the details of the law but the philosphy behind it." (p. 73)  Or "I had the privilege of meeting tribal leaders from all over southern Africa." (p. 83) Or "I have mentioned many of the people who influenced me, but more and more, I had come under the wise tutelage of..." (p. 95)
...and I found all of these quotes in the time-frame of a rushed, two-minute skimming of the chapters I read three years ago, so you can imagine that there are countless others...

All this to say, the impact that mentors have on our lives keeps returning to the forefront of my mind and manifesting itself in different conversations and experiences over the past few weeks.  To flesh out this idea further, I've been thinking about the countless mentors that have made an indelible mark on my journey.  Although there are numerous people, I feel a need to spend a bit more time giving this thought stream it's due-diligence by acknowledging and reflecting on the role some specific people have played in my life.  So.

More soon.

{@The High Line in NYC}