From the outbox of Henry

(Henry, being my father)

So what have we learned in 2,063 years ?

"The budget should be balanced,

the Treasury should be refilled,

public debt should be reduced,

the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled,

and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed

lest Rome become bankrupt.

People must again learn to work,

instead of living on public assistance."

- Cicero, 55 B.C.

Evidently, nothing...

Can you pay my automo-bills?

Arguably the best music video ever made:

Destiny's Child- Bills, Bills, Bills

Don't worry, I'm not some technical music video junkie who knows what she's talking about, but I do know that I am in many ways my mother's daughter, in that she wants to be a black woman: from their gorgeous ebony skin color to their no-nonsense "huumph" attitude.

So yeah, there are WAY too many good things about Bills, Bills, Bills:

The synchronized head stare that coincides with the beginning of the music.

The trash-tastic outfits.
The booty rolling.
The curves.
The hair.

The fact that it's set in a weave-tastic beauty salon.
Krystyna and Emily will remember...we were walking to a Cuban restaurant in Harlem summer '08 and passed a salon chock-FULL of beautiful black women getting their hair done for the weekend. It was one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen.
I wanted to keep staring at them...but you know...could not exactly do that...

The high-fiving and choreography using hair tools like combs and curlers as props to punctuate their messages.

"TRIFLIN'" (elongated out to three syllables: "Try-fa-lin")

"Can you pay my AUTOMO-BILLS?"

That it reminds me of my friend Liz's birthday party in 7th grade where we dressed up in afros and danced to it.

The really awful 90s 'lip-liner-darker-than-lipstick' look.

Their enviably full, glossy lips.

That the candidate they came up with to help them in hard times was a basket- "balla"

Basically the "we're worth it" attitude. Really, everyone could learn so much from this. LOVE it.

To see the unforseeable.

"Why ponder thus the future to foresee;

and jade thy brain to vain perplexity?


Cast off thy care, leave Allah's plans to him--


He formed them all without consulting thee."

--Omar Khayyam, The Rubaiyat

Photos: Morocco, March 2008

To write, or not to write?

All this contentment has given me a lot of time to think about writing a book about my sojourn to New Zealand next year, where I will explore not only the majestic countryside but also the various themes of my life.

So naturally, I've had to calm myself down and make points of reference to some of the travel books I've read, so I can gauge how much of myself I would decide to weave into my potential travel piece and create something unique.

In a Sunburned Country- A travel book in its purest form, written by NY-Times acclaimed author Bryson who goes to Australia for the sake of travel writing. Although I appreciated his extensive research on the country and sense of humor, I found my urgency to experience Australia decrease (he spent too much time in the Outback), realizing Australia's real draw is the ocean (Great Barrier Reef and surfing 'mecca' Brisbane).

A Year in Provence- ethnographic account of an older, semi-retired couple who pack up their life in England and experience every European’s dream of living full-time in the countryside of Provence, France. However, they majority of the way they spend their days is not traveling to nearby chateaus or taking walks along the beach in Marseille, but reconstructing an old farmhouse they have purchased and interacting with their neighbors—pandering to universal themes of home ownership and community, not necessarily travel.
A TV Mini-series was produced, 1993.

Japanland: In Search of Wa- An American documentary filmmaker with day-job burnout and judo hobby, who spends a year in Japan scrappily forging her way around the terrain finding experience, joy and ultimately, peace with herself. I think this was my favorite of the four I mention here, because the author was an extremely compelling writer, personable and funny, who more often than not, left the reader to draw the more emotional conclusions. The adventures Karin Muller finds herself on are unforgettable: filming the Tamagawa cult in desolate mountains of which even the Japan Tourist Information Center has no knowledge, following a homeless man in Osaka, and also studying what fuels the traditions of sumo wrestling, geisha-dom, and the national pachinko addiction.

Eat, Pray, Love- A soul-searching adventure by Elizabeth Gilbert through Italy, India, and Bali that touched mostly on retreat, renewal, and re-learning how to give and receive love. I read this almost two years ago, and the most poignant thoughts that come to mind were a) her eating not one, but two crusty-soft pizzas in Naples (Eat), b) meditating in an Indian ashram and reaching a level of serenity never experienced before (Pray), and c) indulging in an outdoor shower in Bali (as well as the boyfriend she picks up there). And of the four, interesting to note this the only one with a highly anticipated movie deal starring Julia Roberts.

Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) spoke on creativity in a recent TED conference. And I just love how raw, candid, funny and happily at ease she is about her creative process, that it gives me hope that I'm still in the right (write?) place. It is quite inspiring...

"[The belief that] creativity and suffering are somehow inherently interlinked...[that] artistry, in the end, will ultimately lead to anguish...is odious."

Don't miss her closing segment (starting at 15:38) how the creativity of expression is a glimpse of God.




Maybe I'm just grandiose and doe-eyed with all my thought processes of "The world is my oyster! I can be anything I want to be! I'm going to go soak up life for all it's infinite worth!" so I welcome your suggestions. Would you read a book about New Zealand, authored by yours truly?
(Doubtful sentiments also welcomed.)

Thank you in advance.

The Winker, edited

The August '09 Vanity Fair does not disappoint, with yet another giggle-inducing article about Mrs. Wasilla.

(Don't chalk this face up to Tina Fey's acting chops)

BUT the best part is that VF edited her gubernatorial resignation speech. Can you say hilarious.

(To me, correct grammar will always be sexier than politics.)

On a different note, the issue has some pretty rad pictures of Tim Burton's Alice and Wonderland.


I saw the following on Brunette Bombshell and decided it is my new life mantra:

Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things."

"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the queen.

"When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day.
Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

Gorilla marketing, and other nuggets

Snowboarded Snow Basin Monday, and let's just say, I finally, truly, really understand ski/boarder junkies now.
10 runs in 3 hours due to the combination of hauling it down the mountain and fast gondolas, where we had lots of chit-chat with older people who inspired me to live well.
Glorious.

In a nutshell, from a gem of a lady from Oregon we met:
"You've got to keep moving, because as soon as you sit down, it's over!"

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Was handed one of these by a wordless ape-costumed fellow at the bottom of the 800 N 200 E ramp this morning on the way to class..

...so does this constitute 'gorilla marketing'?

(Yes that is a veggie tales band-aid, due to my pinkie crunching in the opening gondola door at Snowbasin...err, I mean, catching it in my binding going off a jump ;))

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As one of the few iPhone-less in the world nowadays, learning how to put Twitter in my Gmail was the next best thing to up and Steve Job-ing myself with one...

Learn how HERE. Takes 1 minute, tops.

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In other news, I took a nap yesterday from approximately 6:30-10:30pm.
Glorious.
I dreamed about updating my Facebook status to something about czars and scars (long story with, come to think of it, a lot of anti-war overtones...but bottom line is that, yes, I have rhythmically-worded dreams.)

being a super senior,

and that Coco Rocha blogged about me.

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Also, did you hear Al Gore met with LDS Church officials?! Read about it here.
I respect anyone who was sitting with my dad when the JFK assassination was announced (true story).

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In other news, I'm realizing the jig is up.
Namely, other people, besides me, are onto the fact that my blog is primarily a venting medium for
a) how I can't wait to leave Provo and
b) my undying love for Michelle Obama...

So I promise, fans (which apparently includes Peter now...), I promise more varied blogging is on its way. Don't believe me?
Well, trust me when I say I have about 10 half-completed drafts waiting to finish and publish...

In the meantime, I leave you chums with this article: greener pastures are ahead (all entendres intended).

XOXO,
A