pick pick pick pick pick it apart

Here are updates:

• I'm thinking about this school a lot. It has a "Cathedral of Learning". So that has to be good, right?
• But I also think I need to wait an extra year before I start any sort of grad school program
• Have you actually read what it says on the bottle of Bronner's soap? 

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• That stuff makes me feel like I'm saving the world! Also, I just used their Lavender body wash and I feel SPARKLING CLEAN.
• I moved my bed and rearranged my room and it feels SO. MUCH. BETTER. It's like a revelation really.
• Never been a Joss Whedon Fan-Girl, but I just listened to this song on an old TAL podcast, and I kind of fell in love with him. I think I'm going to watch the Dr. Horrible's thing when I'm done with this post.
• The past two weeks have been busy with hikes, Finer Things Club Meetings, a first-day-of-fall dinner, lots o' movies, celebrating Yom Kippur, being sick, and reckoning with the four months I have left as a VISTA.

In other news, I rediscovered some of my brother's videos! Check a couple of 'em out. They are SPECTACULAR. He's a diva and wouldn't let me upload the best ones, so you'll just have to check them out on his youtube page.

We are so normal.

A Poem For Thursday: "Doves" - Rumi

Doves

People want you to be happy.

Don't keep serving them your pain!

If you could untie your wings

and free your soul of jealousy,

you and everyone around you

would fly up like doves.

Music for your Midweek: Rasel

I was feeling super down yesterday. Then I returned to my perfectly curated Spanish playlists on Spotify. And I felt much better. Here is one of my pop faves:

September Mix: The Best of Every Situation

I make good on my promises. As you can probably tell with my track choices, I'm sort of all over the place. And that is alright, for now.

1. Fitzpleasure - Alt-J
2. Weekends - Tiger Waves
3. Get Free (feat. Amber of Dirty Projectors) - Major Lazer
4. Shine - Collective Soul
5. Sunshine Superman - Donovan
6. Oh! Boy - Buddy Holly
7. Big Jet Plane - Angus and Julia Stone
8. Up Around The Bend - Creedence Clearwater Revival
9. Silver Tongue - Zulu Winter
10. Sleeping Ute - Grizzly Bear
11. The Warpath - Conner Youngblood
12. Interesting Times - Chester French
13. Nevermind the Typos - Sondre Lerche
14. I Walked [ft. Simone White] (Sufjan Stevens cover) - Fol Chen
15. The Base - Paul Banks
16. Brother Sparrow - Agnes Obel
17. There Goes the Fear - Doves
18. I Shall Be Released - Bob Dylan

NOTES:
1. All you need is in this song.
3. This video. Also, there was a dance party at my house last weekend. And when a remix of this song came on, I realized that whenI have to choose between music and people, I choose music.
15. Going to see Interpol was one of the worst experiences. They were lovely on stage, but their fans were beasts. Like, literally. I was very nervous the whole time.
16. I am very ready for fall.
18. I couldn't find this one online. Soooorrrryyyyy

A Poem for Thursday: "This morning wind" - Rumi

This morning wind spreads its fresh smell.

We must get up to take that in,

that wind that lets us live.

Breathe, before it's gone.

A Poem for Thursday: "Today, like every other day" - Rumi

Today, like every other day, we wake up empty

and frightened. Don't open the door to the study 

and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument.

Let the beauty we love be what we do.

There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

Music for you Midweek: alt-J

alt-J is tight.

You'll catch their big hit, Fitzpleasure, in my September mix. (I'll post it Friday, promise!)
Here's one of their tracks...



But each track is so different, you really should just listen to the whole album:



In other news, did you know that some people are born without fingerprints? The things you learn when taking fingerprints are part of your job.

A Poem for Thursday: "The ground's generosity" - Rumi

The ground's generosity takes in our compost

and grows beauty. Try to be more

like the ground.

Give back better, as rough clods return

an ear of corn, a tassel, a barley

awn, this sleek handful of oats.

Still Suspended

PHOTOGRAPH FROM SEPTEMBER 11 by Wislawa Szymborska  

They jumped from the burning floors —  
one, two, a few more,  
higher, lower.  

The photograph halted them in life,  
and now keeps them  
above the earth toward the earth.  

Each is still complete,  
with a particular face  
and blood well hidden.  

There’s enough time  
for hair to come loose,  
for keys and coins  
to fall from pockets.  

They’re still within the air’s reach,  
within the compass of places  
that have just now opened.  

I can do only two things for them —  
describe this flight  
and not add a last line.  

A Poem for Thursday: "Sky-Circles" - Rumi

Sky-Circles

The way of love is not 

a subtle argument.

The door there

is devastation.

Birds make great sky-circles

of their freedom.

How do they learn that?

The fall, and falling,

they're given wings. 

"Build Your Future" or "It's really exhausting to think of 'inspirational' blog post titles"

Here's a link to my tiny, United Way blog post this month.

I'm so lucky to work at United Way, and hear about all the activities in the community, and ways to volunteer. I hope I can keep a service-based focus after I finish working here. It is a good thing. 

Music for your Midweek: Punch Brothers

Thanks to Jade and Kody's blog for this lovely idea. Hopefully I can keep this up and post on the regular.

For today: Punch Brothers - Next to the Trash



Did I mention they're coming to Salt Lake?
Check out more info about it here.

A day off for us laborers and some catch up.

Sorry I've been absent

My new place doesn't have internet, and won't have for another week or so.

So here's what' been going down the last couple weeks:

• Jumped from house to house between friends and family (thank you guys!)
• Saw some plays (I need to make this a regular thing)
• Moved into my new place (first time in a real house!)
• Incorporated more hikes into my day-to-day life
• Thought I had an infestation of fleas (grossgrossgross)
• Celebrated my aunt's birthday with tea at the Grand America (wore a scarf for the occasion)
• Car got in a accident (I was not actually in my car at the time)
• Made it half way through the 2nd season of avatar (cruin' through folks)
• Gave up on reading The Blind Assasin (I don't know what it is guys, I can't focus anymore)
• Visited the Spiral Jetty (Finally!)
• Celebrated tia Cota and Robert's 50th wedding anniversary
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So, there ya go!

And here's some dancy stuff because I've missed you so much: