Yes, he was

He was black sheep
and mischief
and love for his craft.

And he told me that I
was Apollo 13 on that
very last day.

He said
"shoot for your dreams, little girl.
To the stars!"
Well, I'm taking you with me now,
this one is ours. And I
know what you'd say,
you'd say,

"On with the show!"
So on we go...

Ryn Weaver - Traveling Song

Quirky

I read Allieology's blog, because she's real and we're in similar places in life, and I like her. She's also really funny and makes me smile in the mornings.

She recently did a blog post about all the reasons she's quirky, and I want to do it too, so I'm copying her. Because imitation is flattery, right? No? It's just that thing you do when you have no original ideas slash too much time on your hands? Ok, sure. That.

Without further stalling:

I'm quirky because I'm obsessed with North Korea.

I have watched every single documentary on Netflix about North Korea. Kim Jong Un cracks me up with his far-fetched narcissism, but also this is kind of a real subject: people in North Korea are starving, being killed, brainwashed, mistreated, jailed, tortured. I liken it to the part of the ocean that we have yet to explore. I'm fascinated by it. But I find it hardest to believe that in the 21st century we have a real human rights crisis on our hands like this.

While I'm at it, I'm also obsessed with documentaries about cults and other subcultures.

I'm quirky because I eat sugar on my macaroni and cheese.

Does this need much of an explanation? Try it. It's good. And if you don't like it, it's okay. But try it before you make that face that you're probably making right now. You were making one, weren't you?

I'm quirky because I'm SO OVER the introvert/extrovert conversation.

I am sick of hearing about how you're an introvert, and how you need your alone time, and how you need to recharge or do your best thinking when it's quiet. I'm also tired of hearing about how you're an extrovert and hate sitting at home and thrive around big groups of people and love to talk. And I'm really really sick of hearing about how you're a little bit of both. Be who you are. You don't need to qualify yourself in this way. If I read another blog post about it I'm going to rip my fingernails off one by one in protest.

I'm quirky because I obsessively pick at my nails.

This gets significantly worse when I'm stressed, nervous, or bored. I rarely get manicures anymore because it's an immense waste of time. This also happens when I read blog posts about introverts and extroverts and which one you are.

I'm quirky because I can't finish a book.

I hear this is a common thing, so maybe I'm normal for this one. But seriously, I'm still only like 20% through East of Eden and I've been reading it since Christmas. It's June.

I'm quirky because I collect instruments I can't play.

I played violin for ten years... but I'm not very good. I then decided I wanted a mandolin, so I bought one. I can play "Turkey in the Straw" and some classical Bach pieces, but that's about it. Then I decided I wanted a ukulele because Zooey Deschanel rocked one and so could I probably... uhhhh no. I also have my mom's guitar and can play a few chords on there but strumming is hard. I still have fun trying. That's what matters, right? Speaking of, I'd really like to learn how to play harmonica...

I'm quirky because I don't mind blood and guts, but I don't like seeing people in pain.

This was really bizarre while I was working in the ER. One time I watched a PA remove a three-inch construction nail from a man's palm with a pair of toolbox pliers. It was AWESOME. Didn't bother me at all, because the man was so high he didn't really feel much pain. But one time I watched a doctor remove a bandage from a surgical incision that I couldn't even see and got lightheaded because the patient winced. Should I pursue a medical career this is something that I'll have to work on.

Three reads that make my dreary heart beat again, if only for a few minutes

A BLOG POST:

Words fail me this week. I feel completely lost. But when I can't figure out what to say, Hannah Brencher always comes through for me. This is her most recent post about the power of saying goodbye. A must read for anyone who has ever courageously chosen to walk away from something that didn't feel right anymore.

A POEM:

"Wild Geese"

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean-blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

by Mary Oliver

AN INTERVIEW:

This interview by the creator of Calvin & Hobbes, Bill Watterson, was featured on Fast Company. It really got my gears turning about creativity in general and my own, personal creative processes. It's easy to get stuck in comparison and self-judgment and his words really just brought it back to basics. Any creative should read this article.

Left hook, I didn't see it coming.

I take my heart out of my chest, I just don't need it anymore.

Take my head out of the game, I just don't need it anymore.

My No-Brainer Wardrobe (a la The Tiny Twig)

I have been thinking a lot about de-cluttering my life. I get so caught up in stuff stuff stuff and eventually realize I'm tiptoeing around all of it, trying to find a new place for this or that so it won't be on my floor. But let's be real, everything ends up on my floor.

Last year I read an e-book by Hayley Morgan (also known as The Tiny Twig) called The No-Brainer Wardrobe. She did a 31-Day Series on her blog about getting your wardrobe to a capsule wardrobe that is, for the most part, interchangeable so that you don't spend a lot of time and energy trying on clothes in the mirror, criticizing yourself, throwing said clothes on the floor, and otherwise feeling exhausted before you even walk out the door.

I do this every. single. day.

So after reading her 31-Day series and her e-book, I was inspired to take a real look at what I had in my closet and what I needed in my closet. I came up with what I think would look like my ideal "capsule wardrobe" and then played around for a little while to see how many different, funky outfits I could come up with using only those pieces.

Sure beats my jeans-and-tee-shirt-with-TOMS look that I have going on these days.

Here is what I came up with. The star indicates that I need to find a piece like this, which I have vowed to do only via Swapdom or Goodwill or friends who are cleaning out their closets. Otherwise, these are already things I have in my closet (or more authentically, on my floor.)

I picked this particular work dress because I already own it. It's comfortable, it's neutral, it has pockets, and the neckline is high enough that I don't feel exposed at work.

That white shirt is from Target. I own it. It's modest and fancy enough for work but can also be dressed down. I also have it in pink...

I bought TOMS like these this weekend for under $30 at Nordstrom Rack and felt like a shopping genius.

I own this exact weekend bag. I got it from Target, and it's truly one of the best purchases I ever made-- it's versatile, durable, and it goes with brown and black thanks to the brown leather handle. Win!

And these are all the outfits I made with these beauties:

Am I missing anything? Is there anything you couldn't live without in your capsule wardrobe that I totally forgot?

But seriously, go read The No-Brainer Wardrobe. Hayley has not asked me nor paid me to endorse her book, and she probably won't ever read this post, but I loved it and it really got the gears turning. I'm finally in a place where I can implement it (and need to implement it, as I'm downsizing apartments here soon) and I'm glad she wrote it.

Pieces can be found here:

skinny denim | bootcut denim | skinny black | work dress | khaki slacks | black slacks | black pencil skirt | black blazer | bold solid blouse | daintier blouse | white shirt | graphic blouse | black cotton shirt | black blouse | neutral cardigan | bold cardigan | long-sleeved tee | black flats | nude flats | TOMS | black pumps | nude pumps | brown oxfords | brown boots | shiny studs | pearl studs | bold beaded necklace | long necklace | colorful scarf | bangles | statement ring | weekend bag | neutral clutch

white out

I spent some time in Savannah last weekend, also known as my favorite city on the planet. My friend, Erin, and I are total opposites when it comes to color palettes-- she loves bright, vibrant colors, and it fits her well. She's a bright, vibrant person (also one of my favorites!)

We were walking around town, daydreaming about the  houses we would buy if we could. I am always attracted to the rough, weathered bricks and old wooden exteriors. But on the inside, I'd paint everything white! White white white! White furniture, white textiles, white walls! I would have rustic wooden floors and hang colorful art pieces here and there to keep the place from looking sterile.

Her house would look so different from mine, but she let me daydream. It was a great weekend. Here are a few photos from my "white out" dream board on Pinterest. One day...

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Stuff Audrey Loves: Russian Typography

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Fun fact: I took a semester of Russian in college for fun. I can say really important things like "small white cat" and "Excuse me, please!" I didn't need the foreign language credit since I'm fluent in German, so I took it as an elective in my senior year. My favorite part was learning to read and write the cyrillic alphabet. It is mysterious and playful and beautiful. I can't get enough of Russian typographic design. Check out these designers for more.

Lately I've been dabbing in typography and hand-lettering, and I feel like it's always nice to gather inspiration from uncommon sources. Also, if you haven't heard Regina Spektor's bonus track, "The Prayer of Francois Villon (Molitva)" from What We Saw from the Cheap Seats it's worth a listen, even if you don't speak Russian. Here album art is also quite inspiring.

See? Uncommon places.

Song of the Day

Haven't had much to say lately. I'm loaded down (YAY!) with design work, and am really enjoying the process of creating art. The hectic holidays are coming, and I'm not gonna junk up your feed with holiday related posts, so... in the meantime...
I visited an old-faithful friend on YouTube today. I absolutely love this song. I mean, how can you resist The Lumineers and Langhorne Slim in the same room? Covering the Violent Femmes? Answer: YOU CAN'T.

I can't even remember if we were lovers, or if I just wanted to But I held her in my arms, I held her in my arms I held her in my arms but it wasn't you.

Room in the Pew

I love this interview with a pastor of a Lutheran church who is revolutionizing what it means to embrace ALL of God's people, especially the really messed up ones.

Stuff Audrey Loves: Modern Florals

I am in love with floral prints lately. There is something girly and modern about bold floral prints. Once upon a time, this pattern was showcased in frumpy, grandma-esque decor, but thanks to bold colors and amazing artists like Alisa Burke and Jeanetta Gonzales and Oana Befort, florals are making a comeback.

I want them all over my house. I especially really want that pillow. I wish I could find that fabric and make floor-to-ceiling curtains out of them for my living room.

pillow | earrings | chair | clutch | boots | mug

Here are a few other floral fabrics and wallpapers that caught my attention. This Pinterest board is the best reference for things like this!

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Random Stuff Audrey Loves

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Stuff Audrey Loves - Handmade Awesomeness

1 - necklace | 2 - glasses | 3 - iPhone case | 4 - studs | 5 - bangles

Stuff Audrey Loves: Independence Day Edition

pillows | ring | bunting | nail wrap | necklace | wreath

Stuff Audrey Loves: For the graphic designer in your life...

My brother is a graphic designer, and his t-shirt shop is moving soon. At this new location he will have his own office, and he's had ideas spinning around in his head about how he'll decorate it. At 23, this is pretty spectacular. Heck at 43 it's pretty awesome to have your own office... I'm just saying. I'm still working on moving into one with a door... but we'll talk about that later.  Right now I'm conveniently located in front of the bathrooms, and people frequently ask me "Is so in so in there? How long have they been in there? I have been looking everywhere for them..." So in this issue of Stuff Audrey Loves, I've put together some things that graphic design geeks would love to have in their offices!

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Stuff Audrey Loves - Ampersand

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Stuff Audrey Loves: Anatomy-inspired Art

It's no secret that I'm inching toward working the medical field, and that I absolutely am enamored with the human body and how it works. Most people think organs and whatnot are nasty, but here are a few artists that think otherwise. I love how they've taken anatomy and made it artistic.

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Tips for Travelers - Stuff Audrey Loves

quote source

So many of you are making plans to go overseas this summer. Can I be the first to say that I'm extremely jealous?
I don't feel like an expert on much of anything, but if there's one thing I know much about, it's traveling. I've done it for years, and now I will give you advice on how to do it the right way. Here are some travel essentials for European travels:
1. Before you leave the house to even head to the airport, snag one of these beauties to organize your essentials: passport, visas (if necessary), cash, cards, and IDs. Now pay attention, because this is the most important part: bury that thing DEEP inside a bag or zip-able pocket where you can access it easily, but no one else can. Also, have copies of these documents along with some emergency cash in another bag or location, just in case.
2. Get a weekender. Use it as a carry-on, as a purse, and as a travel bag throughout the city. They're usually light but carry way more than you'd realize without looking bulky and ridiculous. Interior pockets with zippers are worth the extra money, I promise. See #1.
3 and 4. This one's for all you memory keepers. Take a journal. Leather-bound journals hold up really well and only look better as they wear, in my opinion. I also like them because they aren't spiral bound, because the spirals get all wonky and hard to use. I like that they generally wrap the pages completely so the edges of the pages don't crinkle or bend. Stick an envelope in there as well to hold all of your train ticket stubs and smaller souvenirs. You'll thank me for this. I really want one of these leather envelopes for this purpose.
5. Cosmetic bags that are waterproof are excellent. You should put anything that could possibly leak in zip-locs anyway, but why not have a little extra protection? This has saved my butt in the past, so I'm paying it forward. Also, you shouldn't need more cosmetics than will fit in a smaller bag like this one. You're on vacation, for Pete's sake.
6. Have a scarf in your bag that you carry at all times. Chances are you'll want to poke your head into a cathedral or a church for some reason while you're in Western Europe, because they're gorgeous, but most of these religious buildings require women to have their shoulders covered. If you're wearing a sundress or a tank top, the people at the front will physically prevent you from entering, so have this for draping purposes just in case.
7. In Europe it rains! Then it's sunny. Then it rains. So have an umbrella that folds up into a tiny little wrap that you can keep in your purse. Also have a large ziploc bag to put it in so it doesn't get everything in your bag damp.