tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25919726065031160472024-02-06T21:14:20.404-06:00oh-heather.blogspot.comHeather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-84740454167487380042009-01-11T12:25:00.003-06:002009-01-11T12:36:52.154-06:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!It's been a busy holiday season, and things are just beginning to die down a bit. I'm so excited that it's a new year and I'm trying to grasp at every moment of it, to experience living in this City more fully than I did in the past six months as I've been getting settled. And now that I truly am in at least some senses "settled" I am enjoying New York so much more.<br /><br />Whenever I think of last year, 2008, I cannot even comprehend what happened. Last year was a bit of insanity for me and for my family... the transitions that we made were crazy! So many moves, so many goodbyes, so many new experiences, and a growing number of new friends. I don't know what 2009 is going to be like, but I know that it must be somewhat calmer than 2008. I can only hope.<br /><br />Other than that, I've tried to make some New Year's resolutions, but I'm beginning to think more and more that maybe I should actually make some longer term goals that are more tangible than the sentiments of New Year's Resolutions. I'm contemplating making a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days... mainly focusing on doing things in New York and the surrounding area as well as a few self improvement deals, etc. I was inspired by my friend <a href="http://101forthekid.blogspot.com/">James</a>... I'll let you know if I ever actually have time to make a list, but I'm hopeful.Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-67815280578601184772008-11-23T12:12:00.010-06:002008-11-23T13:31:39.177-06:00REFLECTIONS BY BETHESDA FOUNTAINOn a cold day in Central Park, one can almost feel alone. There's a low rumble of the city when planes or helicopters pass overhead, but other than that one mainly hears the soft chirping of birds and the sweet melody of a troop of family singers by Bethesda Fountain. The leaves are almost all gone now and the trees stand still, revealing their intricacies against the blue sky and allowing bits of glorious buildings to peak out in the distance.<br /><br />I sat beneath one of those trees this morning, slowly breathing in and out, watching my breath float away. Every once in awhile I'd sip my already cold mocha, as I watched blue jays fly in the trees. The cold only really hit me when the wind blew, and I'd pull my hat down further over my ears, cherishing the moment and hoping that my coldness threshold would carry me for at least 45 minutes of solitude under the tree. When my fingers were thoroughly frozen, I stood up and walked through the park, discovering bits and pieces that I hadn't seen before and reveling in the fact that this place is in my neighborhood.<br /><br />On Saturdays now, I mainly stay in my apartment, taking a break from the city noise to read and enjoy my room. However, on Sundays I am trying to make a new ritual of going to Central Park in the morning. I can already tell that it's going to be one of my favorite times every week, something I look forward to. I want to know Central Park like I knew Vanderbilt last year in Nashville. It's such a beautiful expression of New York and New York culture, and the trees are so old and so beautiful! What a lovely place to live!<br /><br />Family Singers by Bethesda Fountain:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE67Ba54tNaLnHdZEeTft3aAVVVpsGqwrFjZL53DZr-xvwzTLaO329oF8V79Dhyphenhypheniay0x8iVRQ0P1bNUMb2cXMr9kDj0QS1xiF1zIrjJgQhomHm20zV4WzH8rpTAiMYwn06VutnU0vlEQ/s1600-h/100_0116.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE67Ba54tNaLnHdZEeTft3aAVVVpsGqwrFjZL53DZr-xvwzTLaO329oF8V79Dhyphenhypheniay0x8iVRQ0P1bNUMb2cXMr9kDj0QS1xiF1zIrjJgQhomHm20zV4WzH8rpTAiMYwn06VutnU0vlEQ/s400/100_0116.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271925244721808626" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wk4YF4ZBxPeo1OGK3JCh6sJvzeLhvhwF5Im4TYNeXFfy6EsJClwJZqTzH-ik8OEZBQG9tyqOQ7Tk8t6IzeNvEasttv9EjNHmtsRUr2UlrUP-PBpvVgZmB6a_QyEmF-uHnS7Ah4OXLg/s1600-h/100_0117.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wk4YF4ZBxPeo1OGK3JCh6sJvzeLhvhwF5Im4TYNeXFfy6EsJClwJZqTzH-ik8OEZBQG9tyqOQ7Tk8t6IzeNvEasttv9EjNHmtsRUr2UlrUP-PBpvVgZmB6a_QyEmF-uHnS7Ah4OXLg/s400/100_0117.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271925255981809506" /></a><br /><br />Bethesda Fountain all dried up for winter:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VMd1tu5-P4pY3NjWk6LK-rvg2m4mp9yrYDDBRbXwlJHz_q3Im8T9XSsKKr9CWvdXQBuqkwTMmVD8gMLqZy-Mom9nWFJwAnWeL4SYzQ9Vvr1MR9UO-uuhIEwFQyHb6C5hH2m2Fgsyiw/s1600-h/100_0120.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VMd1tu5-P4pY3NjWk6LK-rvg2m4mp9yrYDDBRbXwlJHz_q3Im8T9XSsKKr9CWvdXQBuqkwTMmVD8gMLqZy-Mom9nWFJwAnWeL4SYzQ9Vvr1MR9UO-uuhIEwFQyHb6C5hH2m2Fgsyiw/s400/100_0120.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271925258716262770" /></a><br /><br />Trees near the Lake:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3px-qJlDl0iyATmJjQfqbOLdSwX75I1XakHiECqZm-G1n33lf2eKTP8bxlJkO-9sBaG4sDBXtqaZonLOEHIL7-y_u_hzLTqY6CZ8lTauqKapVCixYHTQAZxcECIMC3gFUCppWxKG_qQ/s1600-h/100_0122.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3px-qJlDl0iyATmJjQfqbOLdSwX75I1XakHiECqZm-G1n33lf2eKTP8bxlJkO-9sBaG4sDBXtqaZonLOEHIL7-y_u_hzLTqY6CZ8lTauqKapVCixYHTQAZxcECIMC3gFUCppWxKG_qQ/s400/100_0122.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271925264836012978" /></a><br /><br />Trees lining the Mall:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT319O1ZhXB36sEvBT7NXz0Q5LmDsPgk9pYfFkmS8flb6VP5Y4mlEHG6xfwdzaK8izInLEIGtFo7L3LJhbG0G8pniQFcTT0hiiWuVmNmPcoxey17z_Ruae91H6-FWQzFob_PtkiJvng/s1600-h/100_0127.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT319O1ZhXB36sEvBT7NXz0Q5LmDsPgk9pYfFkmS8flb6VP5Y4mlEHG6xfwdzaK8izInLEIGtFo7L3LJhbG0G8pniQFcTT0hiiWuVmNmPcoxey17z_Ruae91H6-FWQzFob_PtkiJvng/s400/100_0127.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271925270846200882" /></a><br /><br />A knobby tree:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsZff7uXVmEdHmJ19BwDl9AlrFYO68mFRnYKEwxTltw6yHaC5JTsZrIq8f3gRYHzC0Wf1rMAdUbkjKxBMMCAHuLXBOZZF-_zkfEpatCQSnqltXuqC991QZy9Syb5TAPc0eHFNYhv7ag/s1600-h/100_0128.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsZff7uXVmEdHmJ19BwDl9AlrFYO68mFRnYKEwxTltw6yHaC5JTsZrIq8f3gRYHzC0Wf1rMAdUbkjKxBMMCAHuLXBOZZF-_zkfEpatCQSnqltXuqC991QZy9Syb5TAPc0eHFNYhv7ag/s400/100_0128.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271927572831334146" /></a><br /><br />Tree growing out of a rock:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEN2mNPJDTPYcZiL_ckfn7Z-RFkV4Jwz3D_o-CUSOjzJqyBJaLGeVfNrul_8o7y5TyEZJlg5nVhFVdrVi1tuJergrDcZNc8UMUBDvNd6UyVmR3UtA3SYqg1i39dR4x8fUKyFiRQWfXhg/s1600-h/100_0129.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEN2mNPJDTPYcZiL_ckfn7Z-RFkV4Jwz3D_o-CUSOjzJqyBJaLGeVfNrul_8o7y5TyEZJlg5nVhFVdrVi1tuJergrDcZNc8UMUBDvNd6UyVmR3UtA3SYqg1i39dR4x8fUKyFiRQWfXhg/s400/100_0129.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271927578052958738" /></a><br /><br />Strange statue:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mGsbnwwGbf-bTi2NuzOT_qFlXSuQjpktVtfTsT_zx1Hcv8q6KP6qbyB-bxcHzRsZwOX-zB4ffK4kPBT2xT91dbOtqWG6Cwq4J4yWYm6SKNWcPQ6YHs7fK0xMrengdhRcPEUETy_2_w/s1600-h/100_0131.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mGsbnwwGbf-bTi2NuzOT_qFlXSuQjpktVtfTsT_zx1Hcv8q6KP6qbyB-bxcHzRsZwOX-zB4ffK4kPBT2xT91dbOtqWG6Cwq4J4yWYm6SKNWcPQ6YHs7fK0xMrengdhRcPEUETy_2_w/s400/100_0131.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271927586606113650" /></a><br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dN9xwgwmII7WtodzNtLIPfU21o4XQ4AphzAIJtzhN9XRBqqV5VCDlMBngt8c75wyAINeok5tObnZ0lNG6EU4kSFCBLBuQb7W5LUNPnbmlOmooZb6uC75V2X08gLmV3Cj5e7RfH3SVQ/s1600-h/100_0138.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dN9xwgwmII7WtodzNtLIPfU21o4XQ4AphzAIJtzhN9XRBqqV5VCDlMBngt8c75wyAINeok5tObnZ0lNG6EU4kSFCBLBuQb7W5LUNPnbmlOmooZb6uC75V2X08gLmV3Cj5e7RfH3SVQ/s400/100_0138.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271927590409727394" /></a><br /><br />Model sail boat on the Conservatory Water (near Alice in Wonderland Statue):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgWU875dYLQibq5srEP2gg64Fk4OsRlbcjJavCuP0l7TLPbNN6zoR291bcN28i0jiJtW-X3bIH2oeDIeQAYe3OgvMdHaD547H9z08Qme6H4a7Yw0dH7DORg1sNYqmZbwCDYGpx234Gg/s1600-h/100_0140.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgWU875dYLQibq5srEP2gg64Fk4OsRlbcjJavCuP0l7TLPbNN6zoR291bcN28i0jiJtW-X3bIH2oeDIeQAYe3OgvMdHaD547H9z08Qme6H4a7Yw0dH7DORg1sNYqmZbwCDYGpx234Gg/s400/100_0140.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271927600393277762" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M4AhkzBjE0sor9FLv01Thh3clbTT6wa9SSQP7aGvO9eqgyAVwAPgThyB-b4nJHzuSI8UGknn7H9vcWLgrsHwPePPvk5BjEMNqJSsFHZxNoNP16cMOQs_albp1t_Ds5oMPvgZoP8Vtw/s1600-h/100_0141.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M4AhkzBjE0sor9FLv01Thh3clbTT6wa9SSQP7aGvO9eqgyAVwAPgThyB-b4nJHzuSI8UGknn7H9vcWLgrsHwPePPvk5BjEMNqJSsFHZxNoNP16cMOQs_albp1t_Ds5oMPvgZoP8Vtw/s400/100_0141.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271933975581107170" /></a><br /><br />Egyptian Obilisque covered in heiroglyphs, erected in 1600 BC and later transported to New York. It sits behind The Met:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwlPVmLPgUBl_OylbNVQXJJIlWE_kSA8jjRLpz3AeHOuVHKZewASBegR9tcsyqbJC28dilwFNPTHT96lTH4L9kFZOq5jrvsOu07ex5hBoaD9bdTsjprRjv2MBIOJLO_OIKVX39po7Tw/s1600-h/100_0145.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwlPVmLPgUBl_OylbNVQXJJIlWE_kSA8jjRLpz3AeHOuVHKZewASBegR9tcsyqbJC28dilwFNPTHT96lTH4L9kFZOq5jrvsOu07ex5hBoaD9bdTsjprRjv2MBIOJLO_OIKVX39po7Tw/s400/100_0145.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271934411602826674" /></a><br /><br />Guys playing flag football next to The Met. Right past that glass stands an ancient Egyptian Temple:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJgqH-aiRLQWAT8J_OW8gejBaEIg_lIo1Xmn8iKizwTKZpSb9bMk1qnrgpieV3OnRn_D5NGo9knxmF2H9iZX-3P932TEBcIcJT7WasPy3P5j4q2eZMr6AQb3vYPCakbsin8XSsdQwnA/s1600-h/100_0149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJgqH-aiRLQWAT8J_OW8gejBaEIg_lIo1Xmn8iKizwTKZpSb9bMk1qnrgpieV3OnRn_D5NGo9knxmF2H9iZX-3P932TEBcIcJT7WasPy3P5j4q2eZMr6AQb3vYPCakbsin8XSsdQwnA/s400/100_0149.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271934416554000434" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplTBV449iWPTyLNVYF5BthZexkUSG8yi9uXBTizFFXjmslZlA4JPv27CkpU1Mpi2_r0SPxBFM8YQUUDNaywieyPwmBwjjvYaYIawexOo1rVxQfvSUjZ0NtwJft0HqVIEQRlCJCcL84g/s1600-h/100_0150.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplTBV449iWPTyLNVYF5BthZexkUSG8yi9uXBTizFFXjmslZlA4JPv27CkpU1Mpi2_r0SPxBFM8YQUUDNaywieyPwmBwjjvYaYIawexOo1rVxQfvSUjZ0NtwJft0HqVIEQRlCJCcL84g/s400/100_0150.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271934430223974162" /></a><br /><br />Not in Central Park, but everywhere in the City there are heads of lettuce planted instead of flowers... such beautiful purple! <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_4IufAg023F2RHWyuavdbUq5nM4jTXci24pce9LmE7tXPTfEp3xBs7RkGCP4w6YlB9BBFKX7faoc1iT75BrroXAg0BKxloimt04s9ih32gInuQlmXB_tmawFo8EsAW4NRsCEEz8N9A/s1600-h/100_0153.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_4IufAg023F2RHWyuavdbUq5nM4jTXci24pce9LmE7tXPTfEp3xBs7RkGCP4w6YlB9BBFKX7faoc1iT75BrroXAg0BKxloimt04s9ih32gInuQlmXB_tmawFo8EsAW4NRsCEEz8N9A/s400/100_0153.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271934432379302370" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-20862537202406962772008-11-05T21:51:00.008-06:002008-11-05T22:09:48.721-06:00DANCING IN THE STREETS OF HARLEMThere is still an air of celebration in the City today over Barack Obama’s victory. I can feel it when I walk down the street, when I catch the eyes of strangers as they smile at their newspapers. One can sense the victory that African Americans must feel and the pride we all feel for them. And although the problems on Wall Street aren’t fixed, there was a joyful spirit about the City as we all shuffled to work today.<br /><br />This morning as I headed to the subway, I saw a white man in his 60s or 70s come out of the gym. He grabbed the hand of a friend of his, and smiling from ear to ear he proclaimed, “Today is a wonderful day to be an American!” I couldn’t have said it better myself. I have felt so much pride in my country today, and in the man that will be my next president. <br /><br />Last night I took a cab home from my friend’s apartment. As I opened the door to the car, my cabbie greeted me happily. He was driving down from Harlem, and it had taken him a long time to get through because everyone was dancing in the streets of Harlem, he said. The streets were so crowded he couldn’t even drive through. Oh how beautiful! Oh what joy! <br /><br />Below are photos that I took early on in the evening at Times Square and then at Rockefeller Plaza (MSNBC):<br /><br />Times Square:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqxBtYNcxZaTsgMiEheLqpoACOUcsf6iTS7RUA7DH3wfd7qWRnww59ZnphLc-5hzZxWgIGlIkhM2rLC1s8oe2FN8U209ai3vWAAH6e6a3UTwUxhSf-ZnouJU2WPnvjGL20hbKYQVx1g/s1600-h/101_0046.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqxBtYNcxZaTsgMiEheLqpoACOUcsf6iTS7RUA7DH3wfd7qWRnww59ZnphLc-5hzZxWgIGlIkhM2rLC1s8oe2FN8U209ai3vWAAH6e6a3UTwUxhSf-ZnouJU2WPnvjGL20hbKYQVx1g/s400/101_0046.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265390743828583458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq5xBVkXmvZ9C43iRBsXONrQWCyrc_3S6N9FSwOa5TKhKIMbjtzFeJznXRrVwiUmQsHhPzBatIj4qeigI4KFrIOWHexb1l8PvnIY4dj_sAiQKmgiVpUMfhkkDqd4s3_Zzukb8Y93TOg/s1600-h/101_0044.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq5xBVkXmvZ9C43iRBsXONrQWCyrc_3S6N9FSwOa5TKhKIMbjtzFeJznXRrVwiUmQsHhPzBatIj4qeigI4KFrIOWHexb1l8PvnIY4dj_sAiQKmgiVpUMfhkkDqd4s3_Zzukb8Y93TOg/s400/101_0044.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265390736870269938" /></a><br /><br />MSNBC:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBnodXr7Pn8ds8DP0da32wacEMD0sHM9zjz6cGiOa-BHyOj-vgVGpWf8BGHMz9W2Ho-o3vZKM3PQiNo5-Jh_FusyPMONRV4ROzpNRejK6vvLVzMgiPPDg9qAahqUNyH4DgM27nTjmUw/s1600-h/101_0050.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBnodXr7Pn8ds8DP0da32wacEMD0sHM9zjz6cGiOa-BHyOj-vgVGpWf8BGHMz9W2Ho-o3vZKM3PQiNo5-Jh_FusyPMONRV4ROzpNRejK6vvLVzMgiPPDg9qAahqUNyH4DgM27nTjmUw/s400/101_0050.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265390744524975458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrMYiRjr3JdhKuBFAkrvmP9xqnKNNH1XHrZibc6HfBtT-Gw3RncSwyBUCklKR6ZUnkPS-ypJGDOGaJHATVt5wHBzPuqMelu0IEs3D4-xIWi4DE0euiCYI4V2uEsax73Pxm2yp7_g8hQ/s1600-h/101_0055.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrMYiRjr3JdhKuBFAkrvmP9xqnKNNH1XHrZibc6HfBtT-Gw3RncSwyBUCklKR6ZUnkPS-ypJGDOGaJHATVt5wHBzPuqMelu0IEs3D4-xIWi4DE0euiCYI4V2uEsax73Pxm2yp7_g8hQ/s400/101_0055.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265390754775455906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvWRk7JFTizOKHf0EBQYoIZGfhjN7f1xlbuLqlOMcl9e1ACqiCcXa7pS7I-puMcGKiAwIk6Rq53g6xi8qNDEekQUumDN6nPLZRhrjkymaOfdAnp6zTadk-GlpYWiUuE8KrM0RVFdixA/s1600-h/101_0051.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvWRk7JFTizOKHf0EBQYoIZGfhjN7f1xlbuLqlOMcl9e1ACqiCcXa7pS7I-puMcGKiAwIk6Rq53g6xi8qNDEekQUumDN6nPLZRhrjkymaOfdAnp6zTadk-GlpYWiUuE8KrM0RVFdixA/s400/101_0051.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265390747118014338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeY_8tUX6IpE93ZVtBjKmNpEAaass8JlZFFoXpZeJwMmCAYMcv_NQDUjSa_ZMBP_v5YFj_q6ICxVFFDlz2Y0KQk5Nr3jjOtzbYpj5O_lB6H0GAGjpg27qOeI4ff0DjqUV-TOoGVktkQ/s1600-h/101_0058.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeY_8tUX6IpE93ZVtBjKmNpEAaass8JlZFFoXpZeJwMmCAYMcv_NQDUjSa_ZMBP_v5YFj_q6ICxVFFDlz2Y0KQk5Nr3jjOtzbYpj5O_lB6H0GAGjpg27qOeI4ff0DjqUV-TOoGVktkQ/s400/101_0058.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265390382242594370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrMbTPWrPCBOSYb-97pdKbXKdwTMHVkN9THubPL0KcLwS8JFj3GprrjRWW3HMzKvF015WtIq2Di_idSjLFwEVC6W7GEbWYwnwISKJi0cK6HXi3fawWfFuiqcaNxL9wT2Wg9UpsL04ow/s1600-h/101_0053.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrMbTPWrPCBOSYb-97pdKbXKdwTMHVkN9THubPL0KcLwS8JFj3GprrjRWW3HMzKvF015WtIq2Di_idSjLFwEVC6W7GEbWYwnwISKJi0cK6HXi3fawWfFuiqcaNxL9wT2Wg9UpsL04ow/s400/101_0053.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265390390813643138" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-32437359092777482162008-10-12T14:21:00.020-05:002008-10-30T22:34:52.904-05:00UPPER EAST SIDE DIGSEDIT (October 30) --- Since originally posting the below update, several crazy and unimaginable things have happened. First, we were broken into again... this time our living room window was shattered. Our management company has had no sympathy and refuses to take proper security measures to ensure our safety in the apartment. Therefore, my roommate and I haven't been staying at our apartment and are moving out this weekend. We are sad to leave the apartment, my first real apartment in New York, but it's really a matter of risking our own physical and emotional safety and well-being and that's just something that we cannot risk. Being broken into twice in two months is exhausting... absolutely exhausting. Please pray that as we move we will find peace and rest and that there are no other major roadblocks to us feeling settled. Until then... enjoy my perky little New York story and the photos from my old apartment. The new apartment will be beautiful too, I'm sure.<br /><br />---------------------------------------------------<br /><br />If a picture is worth a thousand words... then I'm about to give you 39,000 words! All in an effort to make up for my lack of updates since moving to the Big Apple. But before I do that... I'm going to give you just a few real words.<br /><br />Almost every day I have a moment or two where I think to myself, "Wow! I live in New York!" Without fail, I am in awe of this city! People talk about it having an energy, having movement, and I suppose that's a good way to describe it. It's a sort of crowded movement though... a frenzy of energy that can be exhausting, but then something happens that's just magical and you think to yourself "Only in New York!"<br /><br />For example, a couple of Saturdays ago I was walking down from the West Village to the East Village and I happened upon a street fair where I proceeded to buy a very messy, very good chicken pita kabob. As I was walking happily back toward the subway to go uptown, I stopped at a stop light and noticed a beautiful dog looking up at me, wanting my food and with the beautiful dog was a rather nice looking man. He took his headphones out and began chatting with me, walked me to the subway (about a 10 to 15 minute walk), and as he was shaking my hand goodbye asked if I ever hung out with strangers I met on the street and if he could get my number. Which, of course, he could. (This sort of thing has never happened to me before, I must add.) And then... it gets even better... when I went down into the Subway there was a guitarist down there who came up to me and asked if he could sing me a beautiful song. He sang me three love songs while I waited for the train... absolutely fantastic! And, just in case you're wondering, that guy did call but our plans fell through and we never rescheduled. Alas...<br /><br />Another New York moment happened yesterday when I walked to Central Park... yes, I can walk to Central Park from my apartment. When I arrived at the Fountain, there was a crowd gathered around to watch some street performers who were hilarious and wonderful! I love that in New York one can just happen upon things... it happens all the time! I also got served cupcakes from Joan Rivers by Radio City Music Hall!! Ha!<br /><br />Anyways, enough of me gloating about living in the most amazing city ever... I know all you really want is photos! So... here they are... starting with some Central Park photos from yesterday and moving on to my little apartment and a party on our terrace.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHNSpn_vy2m9sxyutuNW_WW3540n7aNfgJyb0wRElZs2z0-GvBQaLc3q16fF5ij6DbbbYjH-T-YjUlXC1vzhqt3m-Aji88-WNeZFRmdKggfy_9ZmtYCIAGmVpZ2h1xeOscSN3adv0mg/s1600-h/100_0822.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHNSpn_vy2m9sxyutuNW_WW3540n7aNfgJyb0wRElZs2z0-GvBQaLc3q16fF5ij6DbbbYjH-T-YjUlXC1vzhqt3m-Aji88-WNeZFRmdKggfy_9ZmtYCIAGmVpZ2h1xeOscSN3adv0mg/s320/100_0822.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256469875217889122" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRptgZzsluafWiPdOIHdissjANhzVK2s7LSkLjBdJSBow8EZL6KuFdModOVsCkXLVnzWPmyH-tBfjW7edsEjcBz6fVsS9XSRwTJ_4ijjofQ_axjgXuz65q1wJ_mRzW_N27gZygEsBeVg/s1600-h/100_0825.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRptgZzsluafWiPdOIHdissjANhzVK2s7LSkLjBdJSBow8EZL6KuFdModOVsCkXLVnzWPmyH-tBfjW7edsEjcBz6fVsS9XSRwTJ_4ijjofQ_axjgXuz65q1wJ_mRzW_N27gZygEsBeVg/s320/100_0825.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256469879848776962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKv0OnEEtUtB8oil_F2bXfw-qFYf0QGw0ggf5cjeYMm1XbmAZGAQo8mrSw0HkyYjU3_mH4KRHlqjy_gcHWIp7Qiu8LS5RnS3NqtfCKN71ACR4RBaMEixhJS5LA0h5thY6d6ODvbxKUw/s1600-h/100_0826.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKv0OnEEtUtB8oil_F2bXfw-qFYf0QGw0ggf5cjeYMm1XbmAZGAQo8mrSw0HkyYjU3_mH4KRHlqjy_gcHWIp7Qiu8LS5RnS3NqtfCKN71ACR4RBaMEixhJS5LA0h5thY6d6ODvbxKUw/s320/100_0826.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256469883637655378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfRgysa9d0sMYm1HLZZ3ww6rVQQYwX407mm6KnBOYaS3oGzVREYJmdBNHYGVC6zg2Tzo45NKSU_5iINvDaOk1uFXPs3rHo_amPwqtHpB6U9eTu08Pt_7XfJ_8ow77SfrPenMTnTmRZA/s1600-h/100_0829.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfRgysa9d0sMYm1HLZZ3ww6rVQQYwX407mm6KnBOYaS3oGzVREYJmdBNHYGVC6zg2Tzo45NKSU_5iINvDaOk1uFXPs3rHo_amPwqtHpB6U9eTu08Pt_7XfJ_8ow77SfrPenMTnTmRZA/s320/100_0829.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256470594385889762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUL9RWuaCraNP6cIsC_dD5hERX24uvbc6_dGFozj3TFd7oVgxzq-bDbSrG0WMbD1UTUKJFHvKde0AVXfHM13fPiz_xseb1apBKpztGUeQaFakOLbXo3xja__oXcW6B5gqBxW_2kWeNhg/s1600-h/100_0832.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUL9RWuaCraNP6cIsC_dD5hERX24uvbc6_dGFozj3TFd7oVgxzq-bDbSrG0WMbD1UTUKJFHvKde0AVXfHM13fPiz_xseb1apBKpztGUeQaFakOLbXo3xja__oXcW6B5gqBxW_2kWeNhg/s320/100_0832.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256470598809693570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0LftZoL-PSem3KivcsSx4Rd00y6azNWZILvVP7j1fLGuaPaBI7Mo6VB23rcTnriUIKynppsB5euMhy4hVupG-rdgYqEyoSc1rnUrYGbJJcJvGDNHMqABqkkapG6pYvW05OzkdupkUBg/s1600-h/100_0833.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0LftZoL-PSem3KivcsSx4Rd00y6azNWZILvVP7j1fLGuaPaBI7Mo6VB23rcTnriUIKynppsB5euMhy4hVupG-rdgYqEyoSc1rnUrYGbJJcJvGDNHMqABqkkapG6pYvW05OzkdupkUBg/s320/100_0833.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256470602686024658" /></a><br /><br />Onto the Apartment... You may notice a theme... we love birds, and other animals. We're getting a dog soon. More photos will follow :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1kQDCHDgh9NOS26OvR5g2Hnl8ySfh5ZUMpjZkdiBFCSv3f2u6wlkw9r1exD7-Hsersk5NmJO5MnylTJbyw1-YXPS2D8TjniZx5FhhrDaQSWXwXEaD2l8xJeHcAhUmI-7GMYaXtsxdg/s1600-h/100_0865.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1kQDCHDgh9NOS26OvR5g2Hnl8ySfh5ZUMpjZkdiBFCSv3f2u6wlkw9r1exD7-Hsersk5NmJO5MnylTJbyw1-YXPS2D8TjniZx5FhhrDaQSWXwXEaD2l8xJeHcAhUmI-7GMYaXtsxdg/s320/100_0865.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256471895694181330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwQaT-X1SObeT0gGgwS6gKcjtxkTm2LU3wR6dHNIRrB0l4NE-PpyawECfqY44C4iG6A01SA0oXqL8suA9vWksDqxtaO1PIUkE_i-1c6aJVVq-1GP9ea_wI7SCiLdQq7r8J_JYL_W1ag/s1600-h/100_0860.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSg9pajlxxtBR_Vzt4HsgaYIw8Q8dz3K4aatb8d1vkpIE8oEWyWTlcknyqSeF02Cvuokmv2iDVn6i52SD9qkYQIsR5kMjBR3X1RKd_Djrq5izGEvs8WhPL45ab28p9sQedx1FDbsT2w/s320/100_0884.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256477694301049554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSYDQrHtbR0UqWHSI95R8jCdrGtymDeIECJChL94llrITGMkLRCCJhZEJDxLBhrIf-1xpGHldde9ftCvaN-Po9OXVkPevlTaX25Lr0UPPYDWPVhisiq58sFnkEWregZRdaDgR4zN28g/s1600-h/100_0895.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSYDQrHtbR0UqWHSI95R8jCdrGtymDeIECJChL94llrITGMkLRCCJhZEJDxLBhrIf-1xpGHldde9ftCvaN-Po9OXVkPevlTaX25Lr0UPPYDWPVhisiq58sFnkEWregZRdaDgR4zN28g/s320/100_0895.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256477693495138434" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPtNFsGbMvieSOlTiv9W1KysspYhN5pKO_euo3QNHdC8rdO2AonKDcls0QRkd9uDZ7_bk-IEr5hQfk654HIwZxibv_MyQQNTKZwbtw7bBFvijO7PTZfMjQSoc089asEJ6AETLSs-LJg/s1600-h/100_0869.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPtNFsGbMvieSOlTiv9W1KysspYhN5pKO_euo3QNHdC8rdO2AonKDcls0QRkd9uDZ7_bk-IEr5hQfk654HIwZxibv_MyQQNTKZwbtw7bBFvijO7PTZfMjQSoc089asEJ6AETLSs-LJg/s320/100_0869.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256477694728024866" /></a><br />I see you...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlo7DqYH0WtxZ57mJ2LzexbZ1pAnE99r1T8y8VUAe0t8B9pVWshTSZdjb0QdTIOPbGjnSjrllKWnAXYYS4sd3L9HDG93sD53bYS3yfioL_idZjSXlEJyRxjk46x0_oS6-i5ZpZm4BeQ/s1600-h/100_0868.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlo7DqYH0WtxZ57mJ2LzexbZ1pAnE99r1T8y8VUAe0t8B9pVWshTSZdjb0QdTIOPbGjnSjrllKWnAXYYS4sd3L9HDG93sD53bYS3yfioL_idZjSXlEJyRxjk46x0_oS6-i5ZpZm4BeQ/s320/100_0868.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256477701926087602" /></a><br /><br />Party with my roommate's friends from grad school... a bunch of foreign architects! They're amazing! The first picture is of my highly adorable roommate, Stephanie...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrJHjWsGeCCMEZx8u7pVWhzbRmo4yUeg5DWba8MrRO0fzqXh9UH46f1Fd_AlqU9K58Mtwvk2HP7JY8HNnqqbrH5ugJJ82IT6yzXjFjpqH_MZIeTvVsXr-MU2zdzw04yfdfOck6Ikn2A/s1600-h/100_0803.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrJHjWsGeCCMEZx8u7pVWhzbRmo4yUeg5DWba8MrRO0fzqXh9UH46f1Fd_AlqU9K58Mtwvk2HP7JY8HNnqqbrH5ugJJ82IT6yzXjFjpqH_MZIeTvVsXr-MU2zdzw04yfdfOck6Ikn2A/s320/100_0803.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256478936614063330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aWUaEiQpTF8axHns0rR8t1XQpPitPTXTXx02srH9Qq46Zy9Ad_eF-PCXSboiDDhE07K6Vac13xhQVhEJvZT0I1JhA5wES4BEfQuQJBjZWJDiduimq1WajsOgcFFkWPQ_aw8mxMB1ng/s1600-h/100_0804.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aWUaEiQpTF8axHns0rR8t1XQpPitPTXTXx02srH9Qq46Zy9Ad_eF-PCXSboiDDhE07K6Vac13xhQVhEJvZT0I1JhA5wES4BEfQuQJBjZWJDiduimq1WajsOgcFFkWPQ_aw8mxMB1ng/s320/100_0804.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256478942250411922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSaEjB1D6LEaLS_u5ykaQKHBSzEHcUdI84bAvxQHaTRmjrx1kL2GzzGddTbAyYeWECbb70xzWO5UEtE-WarwUfmfC_wxwOS75yiy3K0fZJ6-Fj0zbZ6gYWfi11XTVUbp_d4yjz2upvWQ/s1600-h/100_0805.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSaEjB1D6LEaLS_u5ykaQKHBSzEHcUdI84bAvxQHaTRmjrx1kL2GzzGddTbAyYeWECbb70xzWO5UEtE-WarwUfmfC_wxwOS75yiy3K0fZJ6-Fj0zbZ6gYWfi11XTVUbp_d4yjz2upvWQ/s320/100_0805.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256478941365419810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFK-bUQpRqxlj_CmnqV8PyjSgRJYH3-VD6B5gpJQ0vkwk82uCyDNAyxxloL2NEpTiQ5e4IakPRZhgrba6fbUtH1_7_gzhb5TlIwJL2K3L5JHTgiRjX5dmDFvfaR3vibGjRau7Cxo972A/s1600-h/100_0807.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFK-bUQpRqxlj_CmnqV8PyjSgRJYH3-VD6B5gpJQ0vkwk82uCyDNAyxxloL2NEpTiQ5e4IakPRZhgrba6fbUtH1_7_gzhb5TlIwJL2K3L5JHTgiRjX5dmDFvfaR3vibGjRau7Cxo972A/s320/100_0807.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256478946609839010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nhu8Hfp9qa_VfijeZFyCjJtELDLCAoZPI14utAewNcsvqV_V8Fjw-_ahKzLo-ln-G_rGbLI2KN1Ao5H_MrIz7Svpxad1YscGm6Cb2qPgMjnz1BsPEM2TRFlGcNeBx8sv_oT3NazNYQ/s1600-h/100_0809.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nhu8Hfp9qa_VfijeZFyCjJtELDLCAoZPI14utAewNcsvqV_V8Fjw-_ahKzLo-ln-G_rGbLI2KN1Ao5H_MrIz7Svpxad1YscGm6Cb2qPgMjnz1BsPEM2TRFlGcNeBx8sv_oT3NazNYQ/s320/100_0809.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256479877463492418" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PPAw2sqt3aHZnvdkcpzQoAdbm35ze0waCIThby1iQiCjueLWQV-2b4f6DfOW_K0AZvzXaf8gyRg9Bt0x4aiReFnxRkO8SkhOiOU9crxZMWz07j8pcFdvaqqOpgsg610u3Pz72wrknA/s1600-h/100_0812.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PPAw2sqt3aHZnvdkcpzQoAdbm35ze0waCIThby1iQiCjueLWQV-2b4f6DfOW_K0AZvzXaf8gyRg9Bt0x4aiReFnxRkO8SkhOiOU9crxZMWz07j8pcFdvaqqOpgsg610u3Pz72wrknA/s320/100_0812.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256479887964934962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrzKlzNYRDswroAQYtfSsSsLM-dI6Fg8a-E02HYSos53mw3VLMepC0kbijASIEnM9sYwEOUpY0AzHJq4_6rO1TnPHLxGUUMrBSRWsjUNmpd9j6khCZ5RAAzKunm5ufCZIf6fbTbG8zQ/s1600-h/100_0814.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrzKlzNYRDswroAQYtfSsSsLM-dI6Fg8a-E02HYSos53mw3VLMepC0kbijASIEnM9sYwEOUpY0AzHJq4_6rO1TnPHLxGUUMrBSRWsjUNmpd9j6khCZ5RAAzKunm5ufCZIf6fbTbG8zQ/s320/100_0814.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256479891372440914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKtYQe_Dy2ZFb9o0dX_H83jtBc-SG_ORdjsVumVfNprwrql6bF9DeaEKXIUGEXrNweLFRgT0dsyxN8MHI0BAndGtPyG3Xc7EMI7wFlAgLIEAxwm00GCyQqqHMAYJflbkn7Hi7DxuZ0A/s1600-h/100_0818.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKtYQe_Dy2ZFb9o0dX_H83jtBc-SG_ORdjsVumVfNprwrql6bF9DeaEKXIUGEXrNweLFRgT0dsyxN8MHI0BAndGtPyG3Xc7EMI7wFlAgLIEAxwm00GCyQqqHMAYJflbkn7Hi7DxuZ0A/s320/100_0818.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256479897622679794" /></a><br /><br />And that's all from New York for now. There are so many things I could say or write about, but overall... I'm feeling more settled. And, yes, I LOVE this city!Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-6101690356687034682008-08-29T12:50:00.002-05:002008-08-29T13:09:54.457-05:00GRACEI keep telling my friends I'm going to post pictures of my new Manhattan apartment; it hasn't happened yet, and it will be postponed even further now due to a recent misfortune known as being burgled. So, no photos for now, but in an attempt to redeem my lack of blogging I will talk a bit about my New York experience thus far.<br /><br />I feel like this year has taken a lot out of me... or perhaps not that it's taken a lot out of me, but just that I have had to step outside myself much more than I ever have before in my entire life. Over the last 2 months I have done so many things that I have never done before... things that are hard, that stretch you, things that I have been wanting to do for so long but couldn't until now. <br /><br />Moving to New York is the overarching achievement, but there are so many little things that go along with moving that have pushed me. Looking for a job, showing my portfolio to EVERYONE, calling people and emailing people and sending out so many job applications that I can't keep everything straight... except that I <i>did</i> keep everything straight because I was SO organized this summer it was amazing! And then actually getting a job and starting work at this company has been so good. I love my job. When I came to New York I wasn't specifically looking for an in-house design position like this, but I think that working in-house here is the best place EVER to work in-house because the products are so amazing and the company is very creative. Everything revolves around the design in this company... and I love it! I get to look at and create beautiful things all day and get paid for it!<br /><br />Along with moving, I also spent most of my summer packing, hopping from place to place, and then finally going through the whole renting in New York insanity that everyone gets thrown into as soon as they decide to land here. I love my apartment though, and I am hoping to feel more settled soon. Being "burgled" is exhausting and has set back the feeling settled card a bit, but God has provided so much for me in everything that I know everything will be fine. <br /><br />And beyond me moving, everyone in my family's moved... out of the country. If ever I was going to start over somewhere, I suppose I picked a good time... I feel like I am restarting everything: friends, family, home. And although I know my home is spread across Nashville and Little Rock as well, I plan to make this place my home... at least for a long while! It's an amazing city! I still can't believe I actually live here.<br /><br />I'm rambling on I know, but there's one more thing... and this is for Melanie (just in case she reads this)... one other accomplishment: I started wearing heels! Oh my! I'm really all grown up now! Or something like that...Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-28611737779315748462008-06-12T00:15:00.005-05:002008-06-12T00:32:54.035-05:00YOUNG PROFESSIONAL?I have been a college graduate for one month now. In that month I've packed, unpacked, interviewed for a job, packed again, unpacked again, packed again, watched my family pack, met two of my adorable cousins for the first time, seen a couple of movies, witnessed a burning semi, given away our dog Lily to a very sweet family, applied for over 25 jobs, finished my computer case, said goodbye to people, made a dress, and planned a month long trip to NYC for July!!! <br /><br />Woah! :) <br /><br />The Lily Dog:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyLe7_ykLiuC3DV6WRuLt3VN-FXlq9jh5nyr1t1b7o6OzSwXJxwFefPQNSCM5JNSrfG0YPhxjd1fMnvH0EGwQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />The Burning Truck:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6KFVFONnx7CbbUpZwBJ_l98D2X0mctiVQSBE-lLsPRuYeI71kVdgiIxTtDnjwYHy22XNlwNW1jz4ztHrEjZKZqd_e2PbzA6jfSkKiEij1b3EczPAZ0cuSDvOP3JROmLSruepBD47Zw/s1600-h/100_0554.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6KFVFONnx7CbbUpZwBJ_l98D2X0mctiVQSBE-lLsPRuYeI71kVdgiIxTtDnjwYHy22XNlwNW1jz4ztHrEjZKZqd_e2PbzA6jfSkKiEij1b3EczPAZ0cuSDvOP3JROmLSruepBD47Zw/s320/100_0554.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210862958661282306" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsY4x69t6FHPXZeiayPBnPAmo4B3Vxz5x7pPpfFj_haFAb891rAr30CJJGEjrSQUrS1ax5-ZS2kjbWlkS-AfgdYhxrHaZ9Fj4EKQWNPx1bpgbMTF-g8nb7EzkuLFMHPfBdtLMaE5uZrw/s1600-h/100_0562.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsY4x69t6FHPXZeiayPBnPAmo4B3Vxz5x7pPpfFj_haFAb891rAr30CJJGEjrSQUrS1ax5-ZS2kjbWlkS-AfgdYhxrHaZ9Fj4EKQWNPx1bpgbMTF-g8nb7EzkuLFMHPfBdtLMaE5uZrw/s320/100_0562.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210862976553824914" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-86443892786439200632008-05-01T23:57:00.004-05:002008-05-02T00:42:40.272-05:00CHANGE AND HOPEI haven't posted in quite a while. I have been insanely busy, as usual, and blogging tends to be the last thing on my agenda. However, today I've felt compelled to write. Next week this time I will have finished my last requirements for my degree. My portfolio will be finished (let's hope) and reviewed, and graduation will be rapidly approaching. This time next week I'll be moving out of this apartment I've lived in for the past two years, and I'll be trying to figure out what the next step will be. As always, everything's changing. How ironic.<br /><br />Tonight I spent some time with friends in East Nashville, chatting about Proverbs, watching The Office, and generally just being real friends. In the course of our discussion which centered around the theme of righteousness in Proverbs (of all things), I became discouraged and yet hopeful at the same time. First off, I truly believe that Christianity proclaims a message of hope, a hope that God can bring great good out of evil, that He creates life out of death, that He has the power to heal our broken world and our broken selves. However, that is so hard to see. Our world is not fixed, and I know that change does begin in us, in our lives right here and now. But, I desire and believe that change on a grander scale must also be possible. <br /><br />This all segues into the fact that much of my free time centers around politics and political discourse, especially since it's election season. I was raised to be a good American citizen, informed and aware, opinionated and mostly fair. And I was also raised with a sense of idealism and a feeling that politics matters, that who we as a people elect actually makes a difference. <br /><br />My mom calls politics our family hobby. Some people have bowling (not the Obamas, of course) and other people have hunting and drinking (like Hillary, obviously), but we have politics. If you want labels, which it seems everyone does, my parents could be pinned as compassionate conservatives, leaning mostly toward the compassionate side of things. My parents are pro-life, and they also support the environment. We recycled before it was even popular. My dad is a scientist by nature yet he is also a strong Christian. My mom used to be a social worker, working with those less fortunate than herself, and she has also traditionally voted conservatively. My parents are some of the most decent, kind-hearted, honest, hard working, educated, and wonderful people I've ever known, and they have raised their children to have a strong sense of self as well as a deep seated compassion for others and a desire to give back to our world. So, out of all of this, I emerge.<br /><br />The past several weeks have discouraged me greatly, as I watch the pundits fight back and forth over what seems to me so obvious. Most people who know me know that I support Barack Obama and want with all my heart for him to be the next President of these United States of America. I see in him not only the hope that he proclaims but also the ability to create fundamental change in Washington. Like my parents, Obama believes in the power of working together, finding common ground, and seeing the good in people. He is idealistic yet not lost in the clouds. He cares so much about his ideals that he desires to make them a reality, and he has developed a plan to make that happen, a plan that includes the American people in the process and denies the powers of the lobbyists in Washington who often stand for corporate greed. <br /><br />This week as I watched the Reverend Wright controversy spill over into the media again, I felt a deep sense of sadness. First, I felt the anger over people's ability to twist and defile the goodness that Obama stands for. If they would even listen to the words he says with any sense of real honesty, there is no way that they could call him pandering or dishonest. Yet, that is exactly what people are saying. I watched Obama's press conference about this issue, and all I could feel was a great sense of sadness for Obama and his family over the schism between him and his longtime friend. I don't understand how people cannot have compassion and recognize that they too may have acted and reacted in a similar manner. <br /><br />All this to say this: Tonight as I sat in a living room with my friends, I was reminded of how far we are from experiencing that change and hope in our society. Yet, at the same time I was able to recognize what Barack Obama often recalls: We all have similar hopes and dreams, and those hopes and dreams are not unfounded. I have faith, and I pray for greater peace, greater joy, greater hope.<br /><br />Proverbs 10:28 "The hope of the righteous is gladness..."Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-28639493082241774312008-02-08T21:17:00.001-06:002008-02-08T23:15:52.797-06:00I've been putting off posting about my experience last weekend because I'm not really sure I have the right words to express it all, but I will try at least.<br /><br />This time last week, I was already asleep. Or trying to sleep is more like it. I had gone to bed at 8, anticipating an an early rise, 3 AM, so that I could be dressed and singing with the monks at 3:15. I had arrived at the monastery earlier that afternoon after driving on perhaps the smoothest bit of interstate that I've ever encountered, and in Kentucky of all places. It only took about 3 hours to get there. It was a beautiful drive, into the middle of no where, and just when I thought I'd really left any trace of buildings behind me, I rounded the corner and saw the Abbey of Gethsemani rising beautifully above me, a stark white cathedral behind a stark white tree. The simplicity of the place was absolutely breathtaking.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zCdXvovgTUFqMpDf9MlzxuzzDaDYal1AdlHWQvEvlepi6hEAY2AsSIhs4TQJj5-mZw1HFBQuSvY3L6pmMZ1z7zRDiS-WMJSqsrRhgGgxZ7lDeW-OyfUeLDIJx11sHyMWlWrNtHVbSQ/s1600-h/100_0108.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zCdXvovgTUFqMpDf9MlzxuzzDaDYal1AdlHWQvEvlepi6hEAY2AsSIhs4TQJj5-mZw1HFBQuSvY3L6pmMZ1z7zRDiS-WMJSqsrRhgGgxZ7lDeW-OyfUeLDIJx11sHyMWlWrNtHVbSQ/s320/100_0108.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164817307420703922"></a><br /><br />After my arrival, I settled into my three windowed room and read a bit before Vespers at 5:30. Occasionally I'd see a monk traveling across the courtyard, dressed in white hooded robes that match the church. It was peaceful, perhaps that was due to the silence but I think mostly it was due to God's overwhelming presence. The 55 monks that live there have devoted their entire lives to prayer and to God. They have made it a point to place Christ at the center of everything they do, and their entire schedule is set up in such a way that they might remember God throughout their day.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHhV9o6M2jfAE6ywgRcvAfzgJKGeO3iEsCdabLiHfqW5lFTLrqxv0Cl070bHV567j5Uode4k_k-hhlAfPM8v5FC9pRhm-HrSTmCBpbzBKfJJ_UM2G1FETqisXuKVnUEhU65eIuGJ4_tA/s1600-h/100_0087.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHhV9o6M2jfAE6ywgRcvAfzgJKGeO3iEsCdabLiHfqW5lFTLrqxv0Cl070bHV567j5Uode4k_k-hhlAfPM8v5FC9pRhm-HrSTmCBpbzBKfJJ_UM2G1FETqisXuKVnUEhU65eIuGJ4_tA/s320/100_0087.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164819966005460162"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJjG4WMxtX9y4FIWLUbhClgBLAhaRYNLChLxXJPdvrDynZjxUkmOapx5tP5xA-XGEREUN9ImcsSBCl4oadMkK0ANpW5F7ilozEfdg_5s5S7WIyq_Ndhy_JHH89FafG1Kp8JvJvVVV6w/s1600-h/100_0088.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJjG4WMxtX9y4FIWLUbhClgBLAhaRYNLChLxXJPdvrDynZjxUkmOapx5tP5xA-XGEREUN9ImcsSBCl4oadMkK0ANpW5F7ilozEfdg_5s5S7WIyq_Ndhy_JHH89FafG1Kp8JvJvVVV6w/s320/100_0088.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164821598093032674"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNprgLHHQzlYjUGafAVf_ZOefpnRVtqevceGLkVxvRAyVkPkqIZOiNiU7iQAup1cugbWDSjcIXeGUr50QdYkWa01DoEH1vnmJHGk8jlTyTPRtTsA9dHdcc8Ivdv_fON3naefC_7J5Ljw/s1600-h/100_0091.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNprgLHHQzlYjUGafAVf_ZOefpnRVtqevceGLkVxvRAyVkPkqIZOiNiU7iQAup1cugbWDSjcIXeGUr50QdYkWa01DoEH1vnmJHGk8jlTyTPRtTsA9dHdcc8Ivdv_fON3naefC_7J5Ljw/s320/100_0091.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164819978890362066"></a><br /><br />Friday night I went to the last two services of the day: Vespers at 5:30 and Compline at 7:30. The monks sing seven times a day, and in a period of two weeks they will have sung all 150 Psalms. Their lives are centered around the Psalms, and although their singing is simple it is very rich. It's strange how such simplicity could bring about such depth, how such an empty weekend could be so full. <br /><br />While I was there I followed the monks schedule for the most part which meant Vigils at 3:15 AM. After Vigils I'd go down to the kitchen, get a cup of coffee and mix it with hot chocolate mix, go back up to my room and sit looking out the window into the darkness and pray. Praying at such an early hour is very therapeutic, and sets your mind in the right place before Lauds at 5:45. The Eucharist immediately follows Lauds, and although I did not receive Communion because I'm not Catholic, the priest blessed me which felt just as satisfying to me. Breakfast is at 7 and was the same every day: oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar, another cup of coffee, and a glass of orange juice. All of the guests would sit in silence and eat and watch the sun rise. You begin eating breakfast in the dark, but by the time you're done the sun is beginning to come up. On Saturday I skipped Terce at 7:30 in order to climb a hill and watch the sun rise while freezing under a statue of St. Joseph. It was lovely. I sat there as long as I could and read <span style="font-style:italic;">Making All Things New</span> by Henri Nowen, trying to turn the pages with my gloves on. I borrowed the book from the Abbey guest library, so I wrote a lot of quotes down in my journal. Here's one I read while sitting up there with Joseph:<br /><br />"To set our hearts on the Kingdom therefore means to make the life of the Spirit within and among us the center of all we think, say, or do." Woah! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFxnIAxv9lVKOEnz49sZyJFvQy40DhVkxHwnh5sSZu_PhBSJoaLxixyUzHqbIu2CgVvJJ3js1r03ntOW-VFXatQWzVtX5leraaX2lkUlw0qYuSaKusZgtkCzGk8AYbeSPWDFZajYkMw/s1600-h/100_0092.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFxnIAxv9lVKOEnz49sZyJFvQy40DhVkxHwnh5sSZu_PhBSJoaLxixyUzHqbIu2CgVvJJ3js1r03ntOW-VFXatQWzVtX5leraaX2lkUlw0qYuSaKusZgtkCzGk8AYbeSPWDFZajYkMw/s320/100_0092.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164824157893541106"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCswxbiXGiqIOwH5bjZfkMhCv8_-VRTXsHe2de1rONlOdicc8_0jNClJOwRpX1mBeNCRYsYYt6Sne4PNShELOgJcrf3UPz6J4BuvQ8UrMEm9tmdPvbow4BbUchcGKhpciK2GZauwdvw/s1600-h/100_0097.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCswxbiXGiqIOwH5bjZfkMhCv8_-VRTXsHe2de1rONlOdicc8_0jNClJOwRpX1mBeNCRYsYYt6Sne4PNShELOgJcrf3UPz6J4BuvQ8UrMEm9tmdPvbow4BbUchcGKhpciK2GZauwdvw/s320/100_0097.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164824162188508418"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKfrbvDSGYukEdb7sDMyTB0Jmdh3eEamzZ-q0Uu7SOsNagOD0Khf3khBbPoLXveW45YtJVegDgUDkUWNw_OTxCjTYa5W0dux8pJ-qON6YlWHNZqsixK23AZ05Pu4qJONC6t4dKionCw/s1600-h/100_0098.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKfrbvDSGYukEdb7sDMyTB0Jmdh3eEamzZ-q0Uu7SOsNagOD0Khf3khBbPoLXveW45YtJVegDgUDkUWNw_OTxCjTYa5W0dux8pJ-qON6YlWHNZqsixK23AZ05Pu4qJONC6t4dKionCw/s320/100_0098.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164824166483475730"></a><br /><br />The rest of the morning was filled with more reading, and a couple of small lectures given by Brother Christian. One was on monastic life and the other was on the person of Jesus. I went to both because... well, why not? Brother Christian had been there for 30 years and had a thick northern accent. I pinned it as being a Boston accent, but I'm probably wrong. I've never even been to Boston.<br /><br />Saturday I was learning about discipline and felt a deep call to live a more disciplined life, to make more room in my life to listen to God each day. Another Nowen quote:<br /><br />"A spiritual life without discipline is impossible. Discipline is the other side of discipleship... the core of all prayer is indeed listening, obediently, standing in the presence of God."<br /><br />At 12:15, the bells rang for Sext to begin and we all sang before lunch at 12:30. After lunch I walked "to the statues." It took about half an hour to get through the muddy woods, to the statues that had been erected in remembrance of a man who was killed presumably because he was black, at least that's what I got from the plaque. The statues were of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemani while his disciples fell asleep. You come across the disciples first, sleeping and as you walk up the way you find Jesus, in agony, praying intensely. It's really neat, and ultimately secluded. I took pictures along the way of all the different stopping points before you get to the Garden of Gethsemani. The forest is littered with little statues of saints, little places to stop off and pray. There is also a "rosary shed" that some monk must pray in all the time. It's like a little office in the middle of the woods. It made me very happy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-tablh5wpzGCOPpsWCvi-MTVGLUiB5-K0E0a5wleQFWb-nIC1KY7WOP0CCjeZ3pcEPLjgTjA_uD1EOH6-fkzl-TDcPRZsJDMulpAQArsb8qSGZWK_lJrz9tuVaHdZ03E0ByzlQqXcA/s1600-h/100_0109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-tablh5wpzGCOPpsWCvi-MTVGLUiB5-K0E0a5wleQFWb-nIC1KY7WOP0CCjeZ3pcEPLjgTjA_uD1EOH6-fkzl-TDcPRZsJDMulpAQArsb8qSGZWK_lJrz9tuVaHdZ03E0ByzlQqXcA/s320/100_0109.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164828873767632162"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Nug83we4Za4YJ1vVzVSlZ6pekek49-eOi1asdXWiYdAkN7CPeSgqaJ9F1hkCg8oUAbGJ46qGWfIKCjX319aYpoFE5vM8nrfqEDLJE10AlbYCQ7Y1dexyiwDXHptuyNGLVDhuXwiteg/s1600-h/100_0111.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtygjM2EnFaLyAcvdYdxY3s4YfCX4pGRbK39DT4PiMkNvkcT7zIEUNy-v7BlIWazcsaSNfnGMkWnK3oaTeBnuWVROu5k0wrn_1BBjUGd9Dg7LQRYOc5RamEUcMciB51exdlbcy8anGg/s320/100_0151.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164830037703769586"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-hjZyLVPo3mcivrQGu8WiQdpkr1DGtJA-1B69C3q6rg_e5aQY8TvtflE3RPMPXEE1OP1gKTBqZ0biBc1Xkh-hQ2Ww3q84QTszFpG73jAmufHzBi4XJmvHDC3ZwQ2NYkYyhShFqidOA/s1600-h/100_0155.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-hjZyLVPo3mcivrQGu8WiQdpkr1DGtJA-1B69C3q6rg_e5aQY8TvtflE3RPMPXEE1OP1gKTBqZ0biBc1Xkh-hQ2Ww3q84QTszFpG73jAmufHzBi4XJmvHDC3ZwQ2NYkYyhShFqidOA/s320/100_0155.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164830054883638786"></a><br /><br />I skipped the 2:15 service (None) to go do this. I didn't realize that it was actually a service since it was designated as "none" on the schedule. Ha! Oh well. 5:30 Vespers. 6 dinner. 7:30 Compline (my favorite). <br /><br />Sunday was very similar, a slightly different schedule but generally the same. I read a lot and prayed a lot. I read some Thomas Merton and another Nowen book (<span style="font-style:italic;">The Genesee Diary</span>, about a 7 month period he spent in a monastery). I also sat in the library and read a lot about forgiveness. That night after Compline I went back to the library to look for a book on living a sort of "monastic" (or really more contemplative) life as a lay person. However, I never found the book because Brother René approached me with his own book suggestion, a book called <span style="font-style:italic;">Jesus Today</span> by a Catholic priest from South Africa. I don't know what to say about him except that he was wonderful. Here's what I wrote in my journal immediately after I spoke with him:<br /><br />"Just spoke with Brother René. I do not know where to begin... he imparted so much wisdom and love to me. He said that he must share his love or it wilts. he called me holy... he could see that my spirit was holy, he said... because God had made it so. He entered the monastery 57 years ago and the Abbot told him that there were only 2 people in the monastery... you and Jesus. Everyone else is Christ to you. He first asked me if I had ever seen Jesus... then he told me that he had... and that he was looking at Jesus smiling at him at that moment... meaning me. He first approached me with a book suggestion called Jesus Today... he told me that young people were not looking for ritual and religion but that they want spirituality... they want Jesus and not many people talk about him. ... ... He gave me a little booklet about how God speaks to us... about how we just need to listen. He spoke to me about Mary and said beautifully how she is our mother and she loves us because Christ is in us. He hoped I would come back and speak to him about the rosary. Until then he asked me to pray for him... and that I do. He said he was happy and that I could tell. he made me happy. He made me cry." <br /><br />And that was my experience at the Abbey, one of deep joy and also of truth that makes you cry. A beautiful weekend. I found myself thinking of the monks so much this week, missing them. Often I'd look at the clock and think, "The monks are singing now." or "The monks are going to bed." I cannot tell you how much this experience meant to me. I can't wait to go back.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTojtUs0viL0pBEc1Wt_8hZRl_EA0vxx42SHrRZ_q3xh1P3qpxUbQJ-t39JEQtku3EBpcNxN0yprwNnXZqaWP0HghL_359qWw3-SckS0KZWlacHHpFAbejC9k2bYrVZRdAjE3lpsxiw/s1600-h/100_0106.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTojtUs0viL0pBEc1Wt_8hZRl_EA0vxx42SHrRZ_q3xh1P3qpxUbQJ-t39JEQtku3EBpcNxN0yprwNnXZqaWP0HghL_359qWw3-SckS0KZWlacHHpFAbejC9k2bYrVZRdAjE3lpsxiw/s320/100_0106.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164842972822237074"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcvxX5HD3VDHQzTMQ_Geeg1v8w6565zmHzC7wDcuW9UnXB2cWilX8A03qXM7oFjm_CH6SsFCJWQzU_akUuq2rwLupBsdeswXvZQTS1hwODGsNyRzHtC2KsiFvxehTAHCsPGSRcBECyQ/s1600-h/100_0172.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WZCNNXQ7kK1s9GSud_9aZMPhyJvP86OJQNszp3fnWwGp6bIodE3Q2qvOxfawPA6QN9f9qUZd8jJfXKSlfUUDo1EF61bfW5uIZfVYxM6MfArKU8JT4t86sIdF0XeV7iFm9LHh29_UnQ/s320/100_0184.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164843449563607010"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidy9mWc5JRg_iZPWEjh2NWUFi_xed6PFtZpIfs9L0sA78WcpkY5amy2hGuxoWa3XV-MJHgMowMENKtyIvEoqiZRW3xNIsbKe_qCm36xZXWD0y0pF4cf211zWW4znDX9sqv3FN1bVXGjg/s1600-h/100_0187.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidy9mWc5JRg_iZPWEjh2NWUFi_xed6PFtZpIfs9L0sA78WcpkY5amy2hGuxoWa3XV-MJHgMowMENKtyIvEoqiZRW3xNIsbKe_qCm36xZXWD0y0pF4cf211zWW4znDX9sqv3FN1bVXGjg/s320/100_0187.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164843453858574322"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOj_l2sLlHJRZFccGHRjsOzaLkZA7UmOgww1pXxzkcX3GlbsZyFJ91JPaIkvHpJyq8mWUgfBXxGPlf1vCqkz-CL-ku2QTFB_SAdmFjGqZpXbUHxG2X1V_3G26dUpMbnr-e3noLWr8eeg/s1600-h/100_0192.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOj_l2sLlHJRZFccGHRjsOzaLkZA7UmOgww1pXxzkcX3GlbsZyFJ91JPaIkvHpJyq8mWUgfBXxGPlf1vCqkz-CL-ku2QTFB_SAdmFjGqZpXbUHxG2X1V_3G26dUpMbnr-e3noLWr8eeg/s320/100_0192.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164843462448508930"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvuXocwjKfuVMALs9VtutZFXPPfAMdILJQ5h03cVrdjj6PDM5G02kFAgk9yMVhB-m7WJoxU5eEC85krYyXCgSVql-OSiTfZZOJ3B4A-C2gqlO7sGHi_1RDnkknvsDHuGIN9f6pwfNiA/s1600-h/100_0193.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvuXocwjKfuVMALs9VtutZFXPPfAMdILJQ5h03cVrdjj6PDM5G02kFAgk9yMVhB-m7WJoxU5eEC85krYyXCgSVql-OSiTfZZOJ3B4A-C2gqlO7sGHi_1RDnkknvsDHuGIN9f6pwfNiA/s320/100_0193.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164843466743476242"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNKSwYCIEC9eRw35CjYXn2pDstgQyLLXe98H1qjJJnLsvaB06dS9A_JHInwLDqRKcLG8u30KfxfpwK_N94O92Y38GBL563kXkogxHYbVLUNrHbio1W9doaUopv0XUk6DNf5KobwuB9Q/s1600-h/100_0182.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNKSwYCIEC9eRw35CjYXn2pDstgQyLLXe98H1qjJJnLsvaB06dS9A_JHInwLDqRKcLG8u30KfxfpwK_N94O92Y38GBL563kXkogxHYbVLUNrHbio1W9doaUopv0XUk6DNf5KobwuB9Q/s320/100_0182.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164843471038443554"></a><br /><br />And finally, here are two videos of the monks singing. One is the first half of the Doxology which they bowed and sang after every Psalm.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwFvJSoBHK88iJHhBIRw_GSP5Trcvx4Mb3eb23HYhZlZa0uAc6dYV_pJqCAM0rOq6Jx7XNdFkfYZyPCKr1suA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw2dR69A1AmWW0dGHxCoqJSND9J-Zll5jcFU_l6b6Yca5euY8fCg9fL8mAxK-k6ylFKUnWn8jNQ2-M5zcnsMQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-63588704131211481312008-01-15T21:49:00.000-06:002008-01-15T21:54:40.067-06:00GIRAFFES & ART = !!!I stumbled upon these while looking through the <a href="http://www.drawn.ca">Drawn!</a> illustration blog. Crazy, yet wonderful. Enjoy...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/mona-lisa.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/mona-lisa.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/andy-warhol-double-elvis.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/andy-warhol-double-elvis.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/gustav-klimt-adele-bloch-bauer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/gustav-klimt-adele-bloch-bauer.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/vermeer-dienstmagd-milchkanne.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/vermeer-dienstmagd-milchkanne.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/van-gogh-selbstbildnis.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/van-gogh-selbstbildnis.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/nofretete-nefertiti-egypt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.dynoxicon.de/image-cartoon-big/nofretete-nefertiti-egypt.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-42577138368940905112008-01-01T22:54:00.001-06:002008-01-02T17:30:37.034-06:00AND A CRAFTY NEW YEARAs usual, I have spent much of my break making things, mainly by stitching lovely cotton fabric together with my handy Singer 5050. And so, to bring in the new year right, I thought I would share my newest creations.<br /><br />First, my family and I made new candles out of old, almost finished beeswax candles. (And, yes, those are Alamo Crackers. Much like Animal Crackers, but instead of animals there are different Texas icons. It's very exciting for Texans, you see.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZozA8m8uB9jvJNWC6LewyucTwY_iWq-htDar4fDsqPRCiwB3IlbNcFVA9q5dekKC9nUWfZZtfyxcxLwHbT7IA-ZDWax6Pd_qDXXimxziNhgWDKhGGjDxrfnl6NbEqALNpWaObqPz2iA/s1600-h/100_0028.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZozA8m8uB9jvJNWC6LewyucTwY_iWq-htDar4fDsqPRCiwB3IlbNcFVA9q5dekKC9nUWfZZtfyxcxLwHbT7IA-ZDWax6Pd_qDXXimxziNhgWDKhGGjDxrfnl6NbEqALNpWaObqPz2iA/s320/100_0028.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151023138375901682" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Sg7JHsmEC0WIAOwBVYeNp3P7LGILXphKedQyyAJbHxOvDt8ApqORM82YMvk-JXC3YoPn8bs7n22Lmak6TM616xx_vxWHe4c4qa85eb7AfQKpt8otObIW3ktTbojxY1N2gpSiiJU81w/s1600-h/100_0034.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Sg7JHsmEC0WIAOwBVYeNp3P7LGILXphKedQyyAJbHxOvDt8ApqORM82YMvk-JXC3YoPn8bs7n22Lmak6TM616xx_vxWHe4c4qa85eb7AfQKpt8otObIW3ktTbojxY1N2gpSiiJU81w/s320/100_0034.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151023142670868994" /></a><br />Finally I got around to appliqueing little Vespas onto dish towels for my kitchen:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfxuKSPwWOuO_G8kndeGRczyVzzZW3_XfOvFfcjCkWFprisyLLLJFbuab86k6z6c6eVgN6kbypVzFbC2-Rqu9c8qIJooOuT5_UwyIu99_vHaTDEHf9DiEw-IKAHG5gGfN3M6saSOJbQ/s1600-h/100_0075.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfxuKSPwWOuO_G8kndeGRczyVzzZW3_XfOvFfcjCkWFprisyLLLJFbuab86k6z6c6eVgN6kbypVzFbC2-Rqu9c8qIJooOuT5_UwyIu99_vHaTDEHf9DiEw-IKAHG5gGfN3M6saSOJbQ/s320/100_0075.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151024272247267858" /></a><br />With the left over fabric from the dish towels, I made some coasters. The second photos is of a coaster with one of my lovely plates and the new silverware I got for Christmas. Hooray! <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxqd9poLkqKLZ8hW44Tskv_uphcUB-7CckL-4_-X3uGBgbvR_CTqjIkLnooeId62PTxCw58LaUkLuxk6MjdmJpOSZ1i6N4UOrJMuMWF426erWVjAOTJn0xE-WE7pumL2QnFWZT8gdOA/s1600-h/100_0073.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxqd9poLkqKLZ8hW44Tskv_uphcUB-7CckL-4_-X3uGBgbvR_CTqjIkLnooeId62PTxCw58LaUkLuxk6MjdmJpOSZ1i6N4UOrJMuMWF426erWVjAOTJn0xE-WE7pumL2QnFWZT8gdOA/s320/100_0073.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151024285132169778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGCzZ8Dcl8shPQWpvlUhta1BFc8Pq-Qihu9iJkcfFlKcTjFm_XTTgQrZAbWp-NL_JycwNjXq7yKTHtflltg2B1A9rZZZ0OV2RYeuJM_3zfADjkLVxYHNv2s3y8v9xgJvN8JkzTheWJQ/s1600-h/100_0067.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGCzZ8Dcl8shPQWpvlUhta1BFc8Pq-Qihu9iJkcfFlKcTjFm_XTTgQrZAbWp-NL_JycwNjXq7yKTHtflltg2B1A9rZZZ0OV2RYeuJM_3zfADjkLVxYHNv2s3y8v9xgJvN8JkzTheWJQ/s320/100_0067.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151024280837202466" /></a><br />So, that's it. I'm still working on my quilt. Perhaps I'll post new photos soon. I'm hand quilting it, so it's going to take forever! But, I'm very happy with it. I can't wait to put it in my apartment later this year!Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-43824721452344079112007-12-26T22:48:00.000-06:002007-12-26T22:56:56.059-06:00LET FREEDOM RINGIn honor of the upcoming Iowa Caucus, I would like to bring to the public eye something that has been swarming around in my mind for a long time. And since there is no great sentiment that I can put forth in order to set this statement up, I will just come out and say it:<br /><br />Every time I see John Edwards I am reminded of Templeton the Rat from my childhood memories of the cartoon movie Charlotte's Web.<br /><br />You don't believe me? See the evidence:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1eFDymdbyOTx84DDFhOp-Kt_rNQXyUfqWIRbVd9syIb-Yx5_NaJjsp_UelStTnlG6BzCPYKhKXH9lY_KOMjfvuAritDpzPLjEbAbueASSO9kQvgNKJlD8prmSjONKuWmTE7I9u0Nsw/s1600-h/templeton.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1eFDymdbyOTx84DDFhOp-Kt_rNQXyUfqWIRbVd9syIb-Yx5_NaJjsp_UelStTnlG6BzCPYKhKXH9lY_KOMjfvuAritDpzPLjEbAbueASSO9kQvgNKJlD8prmSjONKuWmTE7I9u0Nsw/s400/templeton.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148512149432117618" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhr0GgtMdrC92HN8Zxoo6lhVDnpU3fDsK9GxwsOAIeEpQTPpCFRMCTXPRWCEwz6P68CVvcHaFywO0bZcNhkVgH5-AHMSjDVZUi5C5kra15AwH2s90WXsZ2dewFaIDPfcBm5w-yhmZ5Q/s1600-h/edwards.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhr0GgtMdrC92HN8Zxoo6lhVDnpU3fDsK9GxwsOAIeEpQTPpCFRMCTXPRWCEwz6P68CVvcHaFywO0bZcNhkVgH5-AHMSjDVZUi5C5kra15AwH2s90WXsZ2dewFaIDPfcBm5w-yhmZ5Q/s400/edwards.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148512149432117634" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-52027283178955456672007-12-19T16:45:00.000-06:002007-12-19T16:57:55.122-06:00NEW YOOORK CITYI'm home now. Home for the last Christmas in this house. Home with my family. Home with my best friends.<br /><br />Yesterday my best friend Emily and I got coffee and chatted about our prospective plans for the future. If both of our plans work out (which I hope they do), we'll have the whole country in between us. And when I say whole country, I mean it. The entire continental United States of America. I'm going to be saving for some plane tickets for sure, and it'll be a nice excuse to visit California. <br /><br />New York City was lovely. Vibrant and diverse. Cold and beautiful. I'd forgotten just how pretty it is. The buildings are amazing everywhere you go. Even in the poor, dangerous neighborhoods (yes, we visited those too) the buildings are beautiful. It was great trip on the whole, and I am excited to see what happens in the next few months and if I'm actually able to get a job up there. <br /><br />Until then I'm making to do lists. I'm not as ambitious as my friend <a href="http://101forthekid.blogspot.com/">James</a> with his 101 things in 1001 days, but I am beginning to categorize things and even put due dates on them. So it's pretty intense. Perhaps I'll post some here if I get brave enough :) For now, I'm just going to enjoy Christmas!Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-91556903587377803112007-12-01T00:08:00.000-06:002007-12-01T00:43:50.915-06:00BRANDEDI am about to finish up my semester here, and so I thought I'd bits of one of my larger projects this semester: a complete identity system for a fictional outdoor apparel company called Popo Agie Falls (pronouced poh.poh.jah or zhia, if you want to be fancy). Apparently it's a really well known and beautiful part of in Wyoming; who knew? I worked on all of their office documents as well as in store packaging. And I did some catalog spreads, just for fun. Here is a sampling:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEX-XD_Ryl6C7A_cYt08RsjxmtoVhgTeNCJ8dDlCWN_hUjagepfHCqGplyUjGVRK5U-scFXczaRm_Z90RFXeAq79oq_dqY3yxOAKa_Kuglc89NZ2ygQgFdhMycK1wTuR1qQYR0mB4ew/s1600-r/business+card.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQW4Rwk9oH7mYtF_WagmFSEZwKFos-YKCv034sMqlU2tUEWv36cbrVAceDfY856SsLcdByQub8CZrgnW-IZp_V1rPLWX0TwPM6KJ5L6FV9tU6kcRjlvugWkUCnLnWGeBGDz9uPKE6ZhQ/s400/business+card.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138887162878791314" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqar0U1QS8DhKwDFZAFtA-xZYC8_Hxe9fiQbm1AgKUBFdXgsjMzbytwQKHB9sErdw4rT-AGlNArGOQQosV-xLxIrMKRQPpviqPvMuY7oDqD7QvznuIA_VtNnbAyHCXzSJoqBeG-JwgIg/s1600-r/bag.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAk-m-c4ztBOelhc1BIEA_xeGLL9fwv_ERhZTgWPYcx3TSAS9kDEGUSj3NZAt8mwBPm7pw3via6sbjmxYr-9m5ujGE-doMluzXIcqdEKRlE-BTvEgYURhmnMwkj1RayBYYMEZBgrDbw/s400/bag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138887175763693218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8N2T0nucgSjlzUibVm-dHJLw7QP88cXr_bHv0b0y3kOVQH3w0pwyMEmrMU4p7w8tR-UldgureL8uWSUeqOASLAqa43O_vseUGq4KAcnnAeavRpTFTMBVU0j9T0ulB1ZdcV5JCWepBw/s1600-r/apparel+together.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DjwOTPybjDPxGdsmgAYRTbSF95VX_D-NFz8SbdqkpRVzCmuydhnd7No2M4eV3eZ1idar3mIZG_MnmpGTwFaBX0Xt7MU_0Ggn6ojFuCM11pqz0NqD4T1qSHP28KbgoWdDp8Kr5OazNQ/s400/apparel+together.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138888515793489586" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgjYaFXyih7NBUJv-o8krmJBXFxeafzC1EUHRub1TnUcbZ2ciU9S3LP5dSj6fKo-rSboKQm7JO5xEtln_ZdZ2tUPtJt3hPeLnR4AWqq_J4fMbyMlMydWVHtI8koyWWE1hylVkDNUgcw/s1600-r/tags.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBclPSkBPPVmMb_a5UbGqV75dUpK0NSOPdhPvcfAV8jXtWLxcFsSJrKDh25gnJ_XvN9suQUHPW9mPlPFfIB0L6lfwyZ6ibleMoBzKdIKHnI39DBUNbipjYu-tIHA0eJ_o5Cy7Ey9zzaw/s400/tags.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138888674707279554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoifnSLQ3NADcwllxsdj7FJIcs4uZ1jCiEZIhr7H0garD-rv_0eHdZ6Jns-y6f6BwiaxkrLLgAGAXMWQf_muzp-mMs-fI3YDk2nxsDYdIYNoKS7qQSCU5c3YuJ-EvyVpjh6cwXvN2wig/s1600-r/catalog+page1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsligUKLC6sJvnOHxVMu51PXpB_6kCW9jA6stHcRY2grB-7esg9IjtFvjUuK3EfWQW82sIltqGZA591JSFq2DTTARJiAP-sUyd4qJz3FbyU6YgNRpT7WdiVBOd0ikVOFzeMijZ4i6urg/s400/catalog+page1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138889460686294738" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ot-WU8v0te5LCTfZnIEUBookrHhXdKf3RUceI-YMtZMVsnaNIjRR3TFnCTrpKa875cuao6Sok6K1KYLSYjI-3pBwSz10Ne_C5YJVr2-hgRFTxp4-MXb7x2SCMbuUZUlXYnJdRJlOMQ/s1600-r/catalog+page2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaiFrYzqndMKyf8NNMHv_pd6hqZYNGW3v_HvA5Zgd0N5R5MMpgPe0za3szvatgXa1A9xZf3hC-ZiW6KVUUtHxf_MCywE8Xpc8XqpuOlrXPvcWOk9ucdFFeN5qeolSL9SvzjAuRfKgWw/s400/catalog+page2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138889580945379042" /></a><br />P.S. All of the apparel photos in the catalog spreads are from <a href="http://www.patagonia.com">Patagonia</a>. They have very pretty things, a really nice website, and an amazing catalog!Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-25127560395935210862007-11-11T14:56:00.000-06:002007-11-11T14:59:47.069-06:00SOMETIMES I MAKE THINGSAnd last night I made a hoodie scarf out of Guatemalan fabric that I bought at an intenational festival last year. I am very happy with it:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8-qLoc8y0SJFUYSxCnVuwN0s09WrLvvVUL70HWZg505Pm-qtzKBCyaDlZ5r-sWnyxkW_oS_Gs4tiSZbhmMZnuLk4ZKTz2uuVxh5MNpEnRwxcFY4Ynm2fIxjmhZ27SX_CQit05l9xIw/s1600-h/100_9244.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8-qLoc8y0SJFUYSxCnVuwN0s09WrLvvVUL70HWZg505Pm-qtzKBCyaDlZ5r-sWnyxkW_oS_Gs4tiSZbhmMZnuLk4ZKTz2uuVxh5MNpEnRwxcFY4Ynm2fIxjmhZ27SX_CQit05l9xIw/s400/100_9244.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131690075611809362" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnv6ka2o1G85t2sYmHbuwlwVY4p5eHAnPMBwyNx_hFH4c3yzbkZhBxCbRbSI4Sut66fq1pbK4k1sWpDulutDv0FHcpihUFtSReZ8Yg_7GWr6DBLwuGjpcclwnmTElBzXmRFkktO7tiQ/s1600-h/100_9221.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnv6ka2o1G85t2sYmHbuwlwVY4p5eHAnPMBwyNx_hFH4c3yzbkZhBxCbRbSI4Sut66fq1pbK4k1sWpDulutDv0FHcpihUFtSReZ8Yg_7GWr6DBLwuGjpcclwnmTElBzXmRFkktO7tiQ/s400/100_9221.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131690092791678562" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ujdlEdtW2EoHqW6x5ehc1-AqqJEwtk2boSUpu6ds5mBFV6jXk7KKVhyphenhyphenSW8eyPNCSdo52MyGiLyd5ZUC-VQo_R5b-syn0In_kSSe9H16t-xeLHR8zUFZmcecFcSaVkGG26qJ556FisA/s1600-h/100_9231.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ujdlEdtW2EoHqW6x5ehc1-AqqJEwtk2boSUpu6ds5mBFV6jXk7KKVhyphenhyphenSW8eyPNCSdo52MyGiLyd5ZUC-VQo_R5b-syn0In_kSSe9H16t-xeLHR8zUFZmcecFcSaVkGG26qJ556FisA/s400/100_9231.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131690097086645874" /></a><br /><br />And I got free Henna on friday night:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXMM7U-9nIxqX-t1CSSrJeeDDc_REjl3vz7uAwyzayWPVIzg4_-9zt6XzNwfQ-awauRdVIk7XXau69RBMyoyaeoAys0n4deXJ3CxWFjbU61nHzBsAU6tG_G35aliETQ_RrU5XXacFVg/s1600-h/100_9247.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXMM7U-9nIxqX-t1CSSrJeeDDc_REjl3vz7uAwyzayWPVIzg4_-9zt6XzNwfQ-awauRdVIk7XXau69RBMyoyaeoAys0n4deXJ3CxWFjbU61nHzBsAU6tG_G35aliETQ_RrU5XXacFVg/s400/100_9247.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131690105676580482" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-78735102235386293972007-10-30T08:16:00.000-05:002007-10-30T08:20:09.417-05:00KIDNEYSJust wanted to share this video with the world.<br /><br />Colbert stole some good old Moody family humor last night. No one will understand but my famlly, but seriously. Kidneys.<br /><br />Enjoy:<br /><embed FlashVars='videoId=123820' src='http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/video_player/view/default/swf.jhtml' quality='high' bgcolor='#cccccc' width='332' height='316' name='comedy_central_player' align='middle' allowScriptAccess='always' allownetworking='external' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer'></embed>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-81726967903705499942007-10-21T02:15:00.000-05:002007-10-21T02:21:57.926-05:00QUILT QUEST 2007Instead of doing all of the other things in life that i really need to be doing, like school work, I have spent much of my time this week focusing on my quilt. Whenever I start I just can't seem to stop. The past two nights I've stayed up past 2 to work on it. And, I am pleased to announce, that the first phase of the quilt has been completed. All of the strips are sewn together which means now I have no choice but to do my school work because I left the fabric for the border in Little Rock. Therefore, the quilt is being put away until Thanksgiving. Anyways, enough of this typing stuff. All anyone really cares about is the pictures... so here they are:<br /><br />This morning the quilt looked like this on my bed:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4Ck3M0fMlv4LCw3ZqFTi_D2oOJHyKWylJzVUCDUaze7y6iIQO1XAEHxH3n8BLMg30MGODoXCGIyVCWkhOBLxCWQmqN3aSSL6ur5RPexrVWjqxioBSzhM_ZTOKw03m1MqJawjIA9Yrw/s1600-h/100_9199.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4Ck3M0fMlv4LCw3ZqFTi_D2oOJHyKWylJzVUCDUaze7y6iIQO1XAEHxH3n8BLMg30MGODoXCGIyVCWkhOBLxCWQmqN3aSSL6ur5RPexrVWjqxioBSzhM_ZTOKw03m1MqJawjIA9Yrw/s400/100_9199.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123686722010451810" /></a><br />Then it outgrew the bed:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23UidYCQ0bpBZ5vJTQXMBG6ZnohLJNYvzgoY_T8jBmwExPkvXCgVuVdDUNGD-N0Py4PhmJ61JEemmsQJaN9UWYGUCCipGIDabL8X6h0XQCwyaAbn5KutFnEL4jnmDxWf1bkZploY6EA/s1600-h/100_9205.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23UidYCQ0bpBZ5vJTQXMBG6ZnohLJNYvzgoY_T8jBmwExPkvXCgVuVdDUNGD-N0Py4PhmJ61JEemmsQJaN9UWYGUCCipGIDabL8X6h0XQCwyaAbn5KutFnEL4jnmDxWf1bkZploY6EA/s400/100_9205.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123686726305419122" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQ32JJKvKBkT1Yisa_m1RiEPyJeZhNHcWcO4t4QO0NSomwx_rRhyphenhyphenRhF9YZCJsujWVaRwcgcUdjaFDCMfZbaOEl8ZRtwk7tE3ctzqdtFbgC6j-L2aPmAOEGLviiNJF95kmriq_pQo36A/s1600-h/100_9207.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQ32JJKvKBkT1Yisa_m1RiEPyJeZhNHcWcO4t4QO0NSomwx_rRhyphenhyphenRhF9YZCJsujWVaRwcgcUdjaFDCMfZbaOEl8ZRtwk7tE3ctzqdtFbgC6j-L2aPmAOEGLviiNJF95kmriq_pQo36A/s400/100_9207.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123686730600386434" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-74950731901640806732007-10-15T00:20:00.000-05:002007-10-15T00:31:30.700-05:00QUILT-ASTIC!So, in my last post I said this: "I'd love to make a quilt or at least a cozy throw blanket." <br /><br />And this weekend while I was at home with my family I decided that if I want to make a quilt then I ought to just make a quilt. My mom and I looked through some books and found this great early 20th century African American quilt to emulate:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcFhfuHnDoqivNdUSDnEdKohqozgXqQoq5Xi-yhKoum4rvVi9hvxbEtsvjzhBbmDa29H_S6czopxuIgfOLX5jthsAvLoDaD8bgFeKW_XmNFr5cu67D6dSkg9z_KoZ7XRBpp497h4Itg/s1600-h/100_9182.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcFhfuHnDoqivNdUSDnEdKohqozgXqQoq5Xi-yhKoum4rvVi9hvxbEtsvjzhBbmDa29H_S6czopxuIgfOLX5jthsAvLoDaD8bgFeKW_XmNFr5cu67D6dSkg9z_KoZ7XRBpp497h4Itg/s400/100_9182.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121430352351563538" /></a><br />So I set about buying fabric and making a plan:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3NwZKtpH8Bld2b3pnBbcKxQTy0-wTSlBUQ5bwMFoyLdnLrpl6oRnDKW3k1UFus_63c_75ogE9AlFOrCqmeJIN8dQwgbj8PEI18rPIATGzjBp8zz_8cMNNbyQo1R0lD2Fs7bAPs3bqw/s1600-h/100_9167.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3NwZKtpH8Bld2b3pnBbcKxQTy0-wTSlBUQ5bwMFoyLdnLrpl6oRnDKW3k1UFus_63c_75ogE9AlFOrCqmeJIN8dQwgbj8PEI18rPIATGzjBp8zz_8cMNNbyQo1R0lD2Fs7bAPs3bqw/s400/100_9167.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121430635819405090" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfSRCygu9oONrvhPvRYOZn8R12RCfSJGIJWYwp7mr1APl8NhTlMUCtsI00Llq7faZZnBvxM2w3myJdWuNS59FWvlo6jlDOcd7lq59gs424_vYaTYPGAyRdcL-OPo6gSrmNktcI69NCQ/s1600-h/100_9181.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfSRCygu9oONrvhPvRYOZn8R12RCfSJGIJWYwp7mr1APl8NhTlMUCtsI00Llq7faZZnBvxM2w3myJdWuNS59FWvlo6jlDOcd7lq59gs424_vYaTYPGAyRdcL-OPo6gSrmNktcI69NCQ/s400/100_9181.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121430640114372402" /></a><br />And tonight I began sewing with some very exciting results. Here is section E (see above diagram):<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqydWf9mQGh6PnC-fywuY7KsBbbrzRzwqXE8p4PTJGAVbTUwS3MfVNIchgpwfOkCnv8vFn-48J2oszjuA4sTakESG1cpFhW6lS4h9uFfuK0Z9O033mTZ1CuJRqIbSC5ZzM57NoGDuNw/s1600-h/100_9176.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqydWf9mQGh6PnC-fywuY7KsBbbrzRzwqXE8p4PTJGAVbTUwS3MfVNIchgpwfOkCnv8vFn-48J2oszjuA4sTakESG1cpFhW6lS4h9uFfuK0Z9O033mTZ1CuJRqIbSC5ZzM57NoGDuNw/s400/100_9176.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121430979416788802" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EyDUoE5611ZLCfjRgYkC_ofd5xs-SthzwNeTVS_LT5NExJ7J233fTfl_g2gibMllFOiHmEiB-BAuKJqrPx2bZ9Zl7ytPXx4AMR1VCCWgSTmwtCeC9rLnMQg1m0wbgv29JGksyS0NTg/s1600-h/100_9180.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EyDUoE5611ZLCfjRgYkC_ofd5xs-SthzwNeTVS_LT5NExJ7J233fTfl_g2gibMllFOiHmEiB-BAuKJqrPx2bZ9Zl7ytPXx4AMR1VCCWgSTmwtCeC9rLnMQg1m0wbgv29JGksyS0NTg/s400/100_9180.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121430983711756114" /></a><br />The whole thing makes me very happy indeed. :)Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-91499321838268207382007-10-09T21:24:00.001-05:002007-10-09T21:40:51.902-05:00TOO MANY IDEAS, NOT ENOUGH TIMEOver the past week I have decided I want to do these things:<br /><br />1. Make a series of greeting cards, possibly to sell on etsy.com<br />2. Design some more book covers<br />3. Make a really awesome custom portfolio that is super-stylish and will help land me a job in NYC<br />4. Start sewing more. I'd love to make a quilt or at least a cozy throw blanket. I also want to make a dog leash (see below photo)<br />5. Learn more German vocabulary so I can actually say something of worth in my class<br /><br />And, those are just the things that I want to do just for myself. For my classes I have several other projects, and granted they are assigned. But, I want to go above and beyond the actual assignment. I have so many ideas I want to do for my identity and branding project which includes all of the packaging and maybe some signage for an outdoor clothing store. Also I have a class in which we have to map out our entire life in a sort of timeline, and I really want to be creative with it. I'm thinking I'll probably make a booklet. I want it to be very conceptual, and I really want to do it in a style I haven't really done before... something that would match things like <a href="http://www.freepeople.com">Free People</a> or <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/">Urban Outfitters</a> or, better yet, <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com">Anthropologie</a>. Yeah, I have a lot to do. I wish everything didn't take so much time. <br /><br />Look how amazingly cute this dog leash (by <a href="http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/">Anna Maria Horner</a>) is:<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7903/3824/1600/leashes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7903/3824/1600/leashes.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-82188069457801036262007-09-11T18:43:00.000-05:002007-09-11T21:40:03.422-05:00UPDATE?So, apparently blogging isn't very important to me anymore since I never do it. However, I would like to change that... maybe I'll just wait two weeks to post again after this instead of five weeks or so.<br /><br />Over the past week I have noticed a general trend of up and down emotional turmoil caused by multiple things but continued solely by my own foolishness. Jesus calls us to rest. He came to bring hope, to bring joy, to bring peace. And, I know he came to bring that in a big picture, whole world kind of way. But, I also believe that he longs to give that to each of our individual hearts, that we might live out of him and not out of ourselves. I believe God is a God of restoration, of healing, but what good is that healing and restoration if I still live like everything is broken? <br /><br />"Ich möchte aus meinem Herzen hinaus unter den großen Himmel treten. Ich möchten beten." -Rainer Maria Rilke<br />"I want to step out of my heart and go walking beneath the enormous sky. I want to pray."<br /><br /><center> ------------------------ </center><br />On another, lighter note... <a href="http://www.typophile.com/node/34289">this</a> made me laugh:<br /><a href="http://www.typophile.com/files/chicago_6452.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://www.typophile.com/files/chicago_6452.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I especially enjoyed this suggestion: "CHICAGO salutes NON-STANDARD CAPITALIZATION" ... Also, someone noted the C and the A in the middle of Chicago need to be kerned a bit (which in normal people's language means that the letters need to be brought together more... "kerning" refers to the space between letters). It made me laugh because it reminded me of how Aaron recently noted that he hates when people call Chicago "Chi-town" and that he would rather people call it "Chick - ago" if they are going to mispronounce it... which is basically what the sign says.<br /><br />And, I got bangs... my friend Tetra made them look good after I cut them too short:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhweiKqUcwo9J89MVlQrGC7D3ALDSdiYjd70lRw4lcVJjB8FrJxFI1VfHA8maGvVOxPDVgSmub3UkRaKpgqlarO4F_EIkw67Dl7uGLF4ZFni5P_YUSpACqlV4QOSjAj5IJtnLVQ9D3dg/s1600-h/100_9096.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhweiKqUcwo9J89MVlQrGC7D3ALDSdiYjd70lRw4lcVJjB8FrJxFI1VfHA8maGvVOxPDVgSmub3UkRaKpgqlarO4F_EIkw67Dl7uGLF4ZFni5P_YUSpACqlV4QOSjAj5IJtnLVQ9D3dg/s400/100_9096.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109139559194276658" /></a><br />Oh! Also... everyone should start listening to <a href="http://myspace.com/cloudcult">Cloud Cult</a> because they're amazing!Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-31825119064768579442007-07-28T16:59:00.002-05:002007-07-28T17:00:35.988-05:00THE HAPPIEST TABLEI have been home for the past week, and although I've been working a bit it has overall been restful and pleasant. It's always nice to spend time with family and old friends. <br /><br />It is also nice to go shopping with my mom, even shopping online. Over the past couple of days I have journeyed further on my quest for the happiest table ever. I have almost made it. What makes me so sure are the two items below:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.etsy.com"><img src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/e/ee4/3a6/il_430xN.9839893.jpg"></a></center><br />from Kraken's store at etsy.com<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.bombaycompany.com"><img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ONFW+HEcL._AA300_.jpg"></a></center><br />40% at Bombay<br /><br />Very happy indeed.Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-58884046901482779292007-07-11T15:43:00.003-05:002007-07-13T00:15:05.708-05:00TAKE 25I have had a lot of trouble being successfully creative this week. Inspiration for this project I am working on kept coming and then going and then coming again, but then when I would try to develop a thought it would completely fall apart. However, today I have finally minimally developed one solid icon/image/logo for the event. I need to come up with a few more options before next week, but at least I know I have one:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZk2pd4h6lfDgjJ8zo8NGxvVoX_RXFGj9xOjFManIb9q3yVlZgcOIexvfQGrqwcG_wahofgEUSjLEtC7VZFPrlcmlqVSmOsKgQdxzP0U-6xaOOkybxF705tztjAFTw8_Zy9QOobN1vhA/s1600-h/power+of+the+purse+logo1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZk2pd4h6lfDgjJ8zo8NGxvVoX_RXFGj9xOjFManIb9q3yVlZgcOIexvfQGrqwcG_wahofgEUSjLEtC7VZFPrlcmlqVSmOsKgQdxzP0U-6xaOOkybxF705tztjAFTw8_Zy9QOobN1vhA/s400/power+of+the+purse+logo1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086545360029140018" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-78227259996164835642007-07-07T00:00:00.000-05:002007-07-08T17:01:21.685-05:00SHINE ON EVERYONE"I order the sun to shine on everyone. I ask for its warmth to brighten everyone. We would appear, oh oh, so beautiful. Oh, oh." -<a href="http://myspace.com/horseinthesea">Horse in the Sea</a><br /><br />Summer nights in Nashville feel wonderful. Mid-seventies, cloudy with a light breeze that nicely contrasts the awful humidity that reigns during the day. If summer days felt like summer nights, I might actually decide that the season as a whole isn't so bad. Alas, this is not the case.<br /><br />Tomorrow is the Sabbath, and i plan to spend it in a lazily blissful state. The only plan is to enjoy the company of my friends and family and to remember the beauty that God has made and that He said His creation is good. In the afternoon, I am hoping to go to the Farmer's Market with a new and wonderful friend. I'm so excited because the Market has the most vivid and vibrant colors and shapes. Gourds that look like ducks. Vegetables the deepest and most beautiful purple I've ever seen. Plus, behind the Market there's a park with water fountains that shoot out of the ground!! It promises to be amazing. I might even buy a gourd. One can never tell.<br /><br />Apparently tomorrow is the perfect day because it's 07/07/07. I heard that 40,000+ couples will get married tomorrow, as opposed to the estimated norm of 12,000. Also, tomorrow Nashville will be flooded with Christians from around the nation for a huge event – <a href="http://www.louengle.com/articles/1">The Call</a>. Truthfully, I hadn't heard of the event until a few days ago when a good friend of mine said she was excited about it. I do not plan on attending as I have mixed feelings about the whole gig. I am worried about what kind of message a rally like this sends to people outside of the Church, and I wonder if there wouldn't be a more graceful way for Christians to share their voice with the nation. Looking at the website, it seems to be more of a politically based conference to promote the conservative agenda under the guise of holiness. And that really bothers me. <br /><br />I considered posting some quotes from the website on here, but have decided against it as I would have too much to comment on and it might ruin this lovely post. :) If you want to read it yourself, go to the website. Some things are quite upsetting, others are alright I suppose, and then others are downright hilarious. I especially loved the part where someone had a dream about being in bed with Bill Clinton and took that to mean that the church must "bind the spirit of Jezebel" lest it binds the church. Have I piqued your curiosity yet? Now you have to read it.<br /><br />///<b>EDIT</b>//////////////////////////////<br /><br />So, the website I put a link to for The Call has been completely changed. But, the guy who had the idea for this event has the same article posted on his website: <a href="http://www.louengle.com/articles/1">LouEngle.com</a>. Also, several of my friends went and I was pleasantly surprised with what they felt about it – that it was a time for refocusing and repentance. I hope that the impact of the event on others who did not go is as positive as it was for my friends.<br /><br />Also, this boy is nice:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi42-FNAgUba8mk76R8vJtQqNihv3SToJdtLtmFwlZLuE-uGKm3hOhS8GCWLKv6D29TA7mpi_d6Is3Ic2VdPVMDomeQJOMihih5D-jEZCw5HZza9pfj6CQnvfNK4diT_mbYiLKqa7yg/s1600-h/102_9056.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi42-FNAgUba8mk76R8vJtQqNihv3SToJdtLtmFwlZLuE-uGKm3hOhS8GCWLKv6D29TA7mpi_d6Is3Ic2VdPVMDomeQJOMihih5D-jEZCw5HZza9pfj6CQnvfNK4diT_mbYiLKqa7yg/s400/102_9056.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084949409154613314" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-16759582881074103612007-07-02T02:15:00.000-05:002007-07-02T02:42:00.664-05:00IN WORD OR DEEDSometimes people surprise me with their lack of sincerity, their selfish tendencies, and the amount of pain they can cause me with one little action. I suppose the longer you live, the more you become aware of our great ability as humans to take advantage of one another, disregarding how our actions, our words and our deeds, really do affect other people. Today was a rather painful day for me, as my blissful ignorance was pealed back revealing a great betrayal of trust, the kind that opens old wounds, that changes what you thought you knew so well. <br /><br />Thomas Merton inspires me and challenges me so much. He has this brilliant chapter on war (chapter 16) in his book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Seeds-Contemplation-Thomas-Merton/dp/081120099X/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-3607491-8811868?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183361205&sr=8-2"><i>New Seeds of Contemplation</i></a>, but I think it speaks into so much more than just political wars. It speaks to the whole human condition of fear and conflict, and holds onto the peace that can be found in Christ. And, tonight I find myself drawn back to it:<br /><br />"So instead of loving what you think is peace, love other men and love God above all. And instead of hating the people you think are warmakers, hate the appetites and the disorder in your own soul, which are the causes of war. If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed–but hate these things <i>in yourself</i>, not in another."<br /><br />And so as I go to sleep tonight, I pray that I might find peace, and that I would not become bitter toward another. Rather, I ask that God might illuminate the parts of myself that need to be healed, that need to be removed, that need to be calmed, that need to be touched by Jesus. And that I would "let the peace of Christ rule in [my] heart, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly... and whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:15-17)Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-15268316496292583582007-06-21T20:01:00.000-05:002007-06-22T01:14:33.887-05:00WEBVERTAINMENTThis afternoon as I ate my burnt (yet amazing) grilled chicken sandwich, I decided to watch CNN International and that is when I saw one of the most amazing news stories I've ever seen. Flying Asian carp have invaded the Mississippi River system. Yes, it's true. Crazy flying fish that jump so high and hard and fast that they have broken people's noses. It was hilarious and wonderful: <a href="http://www.kfoxtv.com/video/13536679/index.html">Watch and learn!</a>.<br /><br />I also stumbled upon this slightly scandalous, a tad inappropriate, and incredibly funny <a href="http://www.someecards.com">eCard site</a>. These are some of my favorites:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.someecards.com/filestorage/ap_20.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.someecards.com/filestorage/ap_31.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.someecards.com/filestorage/fri_5.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.someecards.com/filestorage/fri_30a.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.someecards.com/filestorage/thi_6.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.someecards.com/filestorage/hol_eday_2.jpg"><br /><br />There are so many more. I could go on for a while. Check it out for yourself. But, be forewarned, not all of them are "suitable for work."Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2591972606503116047.post-15203027543420558552007-06-19T23:35:00.000-05:002007-06-21T20:28:23.575-05:00FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO NYCI promise a longer post sometime soon. But, until then, you probably ought to <a href="https://ssl.sc.gov/DMVContestVoting/ViewGallery.aspx">vote for South Carolina's new license plate</a> simply because you can. It's an amazing experience that, as a designer, is completely depressing. The old one is so much nicer, cleaner, and more professional. Alas. I voted for the orange one. Although I really feel the same about the first two. The last one is just odd. It looks like the tree is a rocket ship flying to the moon. <br /><br />Oh, and just for fun, I did the back cover and spine:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzdqSaq8C3vSqpmx0UFbRFmNDy39HYf0No79b7Knlz6n2vIx5TYT_jnV4pNS_U-9b8u8nzMoAeauXG1gTL_B3tWi7SK8MiU1J5hYpatJ6ACPo-yETv4xa64lc-e9URqcF2JbWi06olQ/s1600-h/front+%26+back+cover.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzdqSaq8C3vSqpmx0UFbRFmNDy39HYf0No79b7Knlz6n2vIx5TYT_jnV4pNS_U-9b8u8nzMoAeauXG1gTL_B3tWi7SK8MiU1J5hYpatJ6ACPo-yETv4xa64lc-e9URqcF2JbWi06olQ/s400/front+%26+back+cover.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078001801354851538" /></a>Heather Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132707676849155107noreply@blogger.com0