Bright Lights, Big City

I've been playing this old song over and over in my head lately, but I couldn't remember who sang it. I thought maybe I had found it on an old Warped Tour compilation cd -- back in 2001-2003, because I used to play the cd on repeat in high school. Soooo after a little researching (love google) I found the song from my past punk music days ;)

Check it out! Bright Lights, Big City

Updated Photo Blog

(Manhattan Bridge last night... Love it in black and white.)

It's been a while since I've updated my photo blog. I have spent a little time this morning adding photos from the past year (yes, that's how long I've been slacking).

Head over to be a photograph to check it out!

The Stories...

Sketchbook On the iPad

Today in class my art teacher mentioned an app he was trying out on his new iPad that he actually considered experimenting on as his medium for creating art for a future trip to Germany. I thought I'd check it out. Pretty impressed, and even more because it is free. (Not saying that I've created a masterpiece. It might take a little getting used to, but I've shared a quick sketch I did of Seth. Nothing wonderful, but a fun app anyway.)

This morning was my last drawing class of the spring semester. I am improving as a drawer, but I still have a long way to go... I start summer drawing class in about a week and a half. I am taking a Wednesday and Thursday night class for the month of June plan to take a morning class Monday through Friday for the month of July. I will continue with the same teacher. I definitely need to draw more (this month has been ridiculously busy - I've hardly been able to draw.) my lines are so static and straight. I cannot seem to draw curved lines with ease. I also need to continue to work on proportions.

Good Morning

Maybe I have mentioned this before, but my favorite thing about my
morning commute is the little stint of elevated tracks that allow me
to see the morning light! I absolutely love seeing the new day
lighting up early in the morning... The fog still laying out across
the city mixed with the soft light... I really could sit and watch it
all happen (if I had the time).

My love for morning light probably stems from my parents' home. In my
parents's home, my room is on the southeast corner of the house, and I
have a perfect view across the land to the east. Each day I could
watch as the sun edged over the horizon and began the day. (When I was
back visiting in April, I actually woke up early to see it from my
bed... Perfection!!)

I Got Pecked

Baby chicks are soooo cute!! But they won't stay still for photos...
And this curious guy came over and pecked my phone :) Now if I could
convince Seth to let me keep one!

One day, when I have a yard, I will get chickens (even if Seth says
no ;)

Sunrise

My favorite thing about the morning is the glimpse of sunrise from the
subway. Today's was exceptional... The light can be seen coming
through the lower part while the fog/clouds hang over the city.

I Spy...

Foggy Day

It's an exceptionally foggy morning in the city. Wish I could be in
the park with my camera instead of on the way to work...

The Road

This last month's book club book was The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I am just getting ready to run it back to the library when I found a quote that I liked. Thought I'd share it:

People were always getting ready for tomorrow. I didnt believe in that. Tomorrow wasnt getting ready for them. It didnt even know they were there.

This book was an interesting one. I want to see the movie just to see how much it links with what I created in my mind. I thought it was really impressive how the author wrote - the writing was simple but on such a complex topic: the world in a state we can only imagine. He didn't use quotation marks to show when characters spoke. Nor did he use apostrophes. I enjoyed the unique style in the book. Although I wouldn't say it's my favorite book, I am glad I read it.

Central Park

Spring is in full mode in the city... everything is soooo green! We've also had some really beautiful weather (minus today and the next few days of rain forecasted!) I've been into Central Park a few times the last few weeks & enjoyed every second of it!

New Recipe Book ;)

How awesome is that!?

As of recently, I am one happy, new iPad owner!! Last week, owning an iPad was just a thought I pushed back in my head -- I should definitely be putting my money into other places (i.e. student loans). Yet, by the end of the week, I was trotting off to Best Buy to get a screen protector and a case & since then, I've been researching the best apps & I'm even reading a book via iBooks!

I have to share how I came upon this iPad. Last week was teacher appreciation week (I don't often write about work here, but I'll share this time ;) -- And how do we get shown we are appreciated? We spend 3 days testing (which they should rename to torturing, because that's more of what it is)... So anyway, Friday morning, I'm riding the train next to a girl who is reading a book on her iPad. I love books, but I've recently started longing for some sort of e-reader (I think it was around the time that I was reading Harry Potter book 5 and lugging it EVERYWHERE because I couldn't possibly ride a moment on a train without reading it - despite the extra weight!) How wonderful an iPad would be!? E-reader and SO MUCH MORE!

Lunch was served by our PA (amazing yummy food that I'd heard praised from past years as one of the best meals of the year)... As we walked in the room for lunch, the back table had brown boxes with ribbons and our names on them. I had previously seen these same brown boxes upstairs in the principal's office and assumed they were plaques or something of the sort expressing how amazing we are ;) Upon a closer look, we were quite surprised to see the contents of the brown boxes were actually iPads!! Let's just say, the room might have resembled an Oprah show when she gives the whole audience gifts!

Soooo, if anyone has any cool apps to share - ones for kids or ones for me ;) - I'd love to hear what they are!

Viaduct?

He he he

Hate cannot drive out hate

I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

My friend recently posted this on her facebook profile, and I was quite thankful to be reminded of this quote in time like now. I admit I'm terrible at following the news. Mostly because I don't much agree with the idea of our country's mass communications ethics - if that's even the right word... I was a journalism major in college, but only long enough to realize that it's scandalous and shady and conforming... and quite frankly, against some of my beliefs. Of course, I'm sure there would have been other ways I could have used journalism for good, but I just didn't have that fight in me. I don't think I wanted to take the chance to be "eaten alive"... So back to the news. As I said, I don't read the news. Sometimes I flip through stories from the Times. Sometimes I'll pick up a New Yorker. Sometimes I'll read over someone's shoulder on the subway when I don't have a book and am desperate to read something, anything. Sometimes I'll click on links of news stories posted by other people. But usually, I think I'm a bit oblivious. Obama birth certificate what? New chancellor for NYC what? Bin Laden killed what?

Yet, the death of Bin Laden didn't go unknown for too long. I was sickened by the postings on facebook celebrating the death of him. I thought maybe I was weird... Like, am I the only one that thinks this celebrating is kind of messed up? Turns out, I'm not crazy... And that quote above, posted by a friend, brings my thoughts into words exactly. Our hate is no better than their hate. If we rejoice at the death of a human being, we are no different than they are. We are doing the exact some thing, spreading hate.

Dumbo