"build a life so uniquely yours that no one can imagine anyone but you living it. Make your choices so intentionally and specifically tailored to your personality and your goals that it is impossible to conceive of anyone but you living the one specific life that you live."

[out on the open road]

it's been the best of times,

it's been the worst of times.

one year ago, i put flowers in my hair,

and moved to this glorious fog city:

we deal with hysterical tots (and grown-ups),

dead birds, ambulance calls, and other people's

offspring's biological spills..

and that's why we sometimes consume alcohol.

happy belated 27th birthday Marie~

instead of going to work,

i went to a castle.

an update on my newest hobby...
it's been one of those blood, sweat and tears

experiences (mostly blood and some tears),

but i have learned an adequate level of
glass techniques and skills
to create this artichoke window:

in the midst of madness,

i was asked to design + create an outfit

last minute for this mannequin.

i dug through boxes of fabric, feathers, trim

and with needles in my teeth and thread in my hand,
came up with this:

it made me realize that i love

high pressure time-crunched situations where i am

pressured/encouraged to be my most
creative resourceful self.

i was excited to bring it home

but it was already taken by someone;

now some little girl somewhere

is running around wearing my

deconstructed poncho dress.

"you look like helen of troy"

- j

*in reference to the time i wore a

thrifted pink grecian gown to work

exactly 1 year ago today, i drafted & submitted the CV

for my current job. 365 days later, here i am again.

drafting a new one, for a brand new adventure
where i continue exploring my role and potential
in shaping lives as an educator.  

~*~*~*~

the girl who was part of my skype interview is now

one of my favorite people. our destinies/lives are

reoccurringly and eerily intertwined.

this is the henna i did at her house during

open mic night where people

sang their hearts and vocal cords out.

giant ravens and white butterflies circled above,

thank you ggm.

"real community is forged out of struggle."

into the caves we went

sea rocks

 spent the evening with my coworkers

climbing rocks, identifying coastal crabs,

and soaking up the beach breezes and sunshine

~*~*~*~*~*~

who knew a windowless basement of a

cafe/apothecary could be so pleasant to drink tea in.

falling cloudberries

is a wonderfully warm and dreamy cookbook

by Tessa Kiros

i made the italian baked tomato + bean recipe, and
my go-to lemon dill salmon & kale w/ quinoa for dinner.

these beans were labor intensive, but letting the
flavors marinate for extra long is so worth it!
i put the rest in a weck jar and now i can

be happy for the rest of the week.

she is one strange strange cat.

after catsitting, i wandered around looking

for lululemon and instead,

walked into an Easter parade/fair:

walking along streets of giant bunnies and funnel cake,

i got a free copy of the SF Chronicle + a pin!

then i sat in the sun waiting for my henna

to dry and read about tiny-home "dignity villages"

for the homeless, and our obsession with donuts~

i think this is the first time i have ever
owned/read a newspaper. i liked it/need to do this more.  

what a good day; san francisco

is always full of pleasant and strange surprises.

~*~*~catsitting in the city~*~*~

i read thea's gourmet cookbooks, admired her closet

& watched Salem run around the apartment,

wildly.

golden gate breezes &

 crème brûlée

seine