Monday, October 25, 2010

Long Time Gone

I been busy, I guess. I can't believe it's been a whole month since I've posted. October has been a good, productive month, though, and I'm feeling pretty swell. I've been volunteering, I studied for and took the GRE, and we made some wedding decisions, including a dress I lurrve, a fantastic caterer, and an amazing photographer.

The dress I am not allowed to tell you about, except maybe in person. My mom has declared the next 201 days (holy shit 200 days!) the Era of "Bridal Mystique," and I don't want to get in trouble (no kidding, I got a lecture). I will say: it is lace, my sister cried when I put it on, and I am mega-happy.

The caterer Deborah is fan-freaking-tastic, and I am SOO excited to work with her. She not only wasn't annoyed by my totally slippery-la-la-fantasy description of my imaginings, she was excited! And she likes M.F.K. Fisher mayyybe as much as I do (I don't think I have mentioned M.F. before, but I am in love with and want to be her. Probably a topic for another post). Suffice it to say, I'm pretty sure we're kindred spirits, which is good, because food is damn important. We are going with a kind of cold supper-slash-picnic dinner: roast and cured meats, pickles, salads, veggies, cheese, breads, and, don't worry, enough veggie and vegan food for equal-opportunity feasting.

The photographer Patrick Pike also seems like he is going to be an absolute dream to work with. (Man, I never realized how much I like that phrase. Gonna use more.) His images are gorgeous - check out the website - and just feel so beautifully situated in their surroundings. It's probably being able to bask in the amazingness of Yosemite all the time, and I'm excited to get him out here with my hills and my mountain and my oaks and my walnuts. (not to mention poppies and lupine!)

What else? Oh yeah, GRE, done and done. Soooo happy. I took it on Saturday and am pretty damn pleased with the unofficial scores. After spending the rest of Saturday out at Stanford for Phil's undergrad reunion, I got to rest up on Sunday with a lovely leisurely brunch with friends (two of Phil's former roommates, one local and one from far, far away [L.A.]), followed by tea, chatting, not-quite-deep discussion, almost-arguments, and uh lawt of laughing.

Studying has been taking up a bunch of my time, and, other than that, I've been volunteering at Horace Mann Middle School. Every day I'm there (almost) makes me happier and happier with my decision to teach. The kids are amazing.  And being in a classroom -- helping someone understand her math homework or come up with a sentence using the word "erosion," forgetting that I'm supposed to be sushing having become much too engrossed in a discussion about Justin Bieber -- is just... I love it.

In addition to a study-hall type class, I'm helping out in a seminar on Jazz and Democracy, which is amazing. While I try to keep order from the back, I get to learn about music and get so much interesting fodder for thinking about democracy and the process of working together to build a new world.












I cannot remember where I found this picture and couldn't find it online again, but I love it.  It's been my desktop background for several months now.

Other randomness:  a few pictures from our camping trip in September to Henry Cowell.  I finally got them developed a couple of weeks ago.



























Soooo many trees - I was in heaven!

And one from a Sunday at Montara State Beach in early October:
















My goal is to start posting at least once a week, so I'll see you soon.  Love and love.

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