WIAW-Scenes from the Weekend

Happy WIAW friends!!

This WIAW will feature what I did this weekend (WIDTW?) and then some recent eats, because don’t lie, that’s what you all want to see.

Caught ya.

Let’s proceed after I pay a little dues to Jenn over at Peas and Crayons for putting on this hootenanny.

Of relation to Marshalls and TJMaxx in the states???

Smart shoes?

How American. But it gets better.

I bought some. Yes, I did. The thought of fluff and nut butter (and the £1.99 price tag) overcame my self control.

Thank goodness I saw these after I checked out.

Just fooling around

I found the first fall leaves!And this literally right after I'd finished lunch. What??

Wound up here somehow....found George Orwell's house

I think he knew I was taking his picture

Oxford St does Christmas on Halloween

Twas a glorious day indeed.

And now for the food. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow to get the pics of what I bought since they’re still on my camera. But it wasn’t that exciting.

Come to mama. Haggled down 20p

Oh. And were you wondering what these were?

I betcha were

Celeriac chips! (fries, for you Americanos)

Plated with sunflower seed butter, almond butter and a schlop of plain yogurt

Roasted lovingly in the oven. Perfection. And guess what else? They come presliced from the shops. Because we all know celeriac and swede (another one that comes presliced) are impossible to slice unless you’re superhuman or have mastered the machete.

Look at that crispiness

The glory that is Whole Foods.

Multiple grain salads, some sweet potato thing, I'm not even going to try to name everything from all 3 salad bars.

While I used to think “salad bars” were all about getting as much lettuce into my mouth as possible, I now relish the idea that the WF salad bar here has 3 different bays full of things that are not salad. In fact, I get so excited that I try everything and only manage to squeeze lettuce on top. Hence why you see mostly veg in the above picture. The checkout guy looked only marginally awkawrd when trying to wrestle the top on with a rubber band. Yes, that’s the large size container.

Blackeyed peas with mushrooms and ratatouille. No, sadly this wasn't from scratch, I used tinned mushies and veg.

Saturday a flatmate and I ventured out to go to a veg buffet we’d both seen and wanted to visit. I was super pleased that it wasn’t greasy and tasting of MSG. The buffet was quite large as well. Sorry there is no picture (I’d have creeped everyone out!) but I managed to snap one of the first plate (of two) while my dining companion was off getting water.

Picture this x2

Delicious.  Love me some buffet action, obviously?

That was my weekend. I enjoyed it and even spent some money. I’m hopefully going to be baking this week, and I’ve got a hummus recipe (made from chickpea flour!) to share with you, as well as telling you about how I made nut butters (so mundane, I know)

Coming right up! Happy WIAW to you all,

Love, Hannah

I’m a Bathing Beauty

I did it!!

What did I do? If you’ve read around my blog, you probably know that I have an entire page devoted to challenges….which I need to update…anywho, today’s challenge was bathing suit shopping!

Just to show you. I achieved a beautiful smoothie color yesterday:

perfection in smoothie form

the smoothie family!

Papa, Mama and Baby!

and I decided for some random reason to make Pecan Butter while my mom was taking a nap. Well, it was near the end, she’d slept for long enough

some of these

Pretty sure I just decided to make it because I saw those ^ in the fridge. It’s not like I needed any more nut butters or anything…

the world's most useless food processor!

This thing holds about 1/4 cup nuts. no joke.

Choco-Pecan Butter
-1/3 cup pecans
-1 tbsp cocoa powder
-5 prunes

Yes, you might think I’m strange for adding prunes but a. we had some and b. I didn’t want to use up my dates or figs. Tastes SO GOOD!

lookie!

It’s got a bit of crunch, which is fab.

*crunch*

and a wonderfully light chocolate flavor.

mmmm

and that naturally velvety texture we know and love pecans to provide. Darn them, they’re just so seductive!!

I made myself up a nice OIAJ last night but today is CHILLAY so I scooped it out and heated it up. I also took this liberty to add some rhubarb compote, greek yogurt, choco-pecan butter (show you soon!) and strawberries.

nom.com

and some Barbara’s Oat Squares, of course. These things are addictive!! Have you ever stuffed one with nut butter, because you SHOULD.

I’ve done massive amounts of cleaning lately. As I move into my junior year of college (coughwhat?), I’m preparing to move more and more permanently out of my house. Sad though it may be, it is also most exciting. So I’ve been going through everything really thinking about what I do and do not need to keep. It’s keeping me from being a poltroon as well. Give it away and throw it out!

Mom and I brought all the clothes I didn’t want anymore to Plato’s Closet. Have you guys heard of this? They pay you cash on the spot for stylish clothing you donate (not saying I’m stylish at all…) I’m wondering where they got the name from…

I brought over a huge tub + a plastic bag and they only took $17.95 worth. I’m thinking they didn’t want to pay me for all of it, haha. I don’t blame them, we’ll try their other store. I got some pretty cute shirts there though.

I love stripes!

These pictures don’t do them justice. Seriously cute.

waist tie!

My mom was kind enough to hold them up for me!

mucho cute

“Cute” seems to be a leitmotif here…too many times.  Smite me down.

Mom and I then popped over to Marshals where I got two cute new bathing suits and a pair of shorts to wear over them. If you’re new to the blog, I’m a camp counselor this summer and I need something….camp counselor-ish, for lack of a better phrase.

behold

and

I reverse to brown!

Surprisingly, I tried on about 10 bathing suits in less than 10 minutes without having bad body image. SCORE. I didn’t really look in the mirror, because I knew I wouldn’t like what I saw. Let’s be real folks, when were dressing room mirrors good for anything but making you look ghostly white and showing alllll the pores in your face? Yeah. So I just concentrated on how the suits felt. Suited me fine. ha….ha….sorry.

and two cute belts; one is a waist belt that actually fits, and the other goes with my vintage dresses. Gotta whip those out before camp begins. Did I mention we wear the same “Camp Staff” t-shirt every day? (we get 7).

yeah. hot.

Well, it sure makes packing easy.

Marshals is my favorite. Although they sometimes have some frippery,  most times they’ve got really great stuff. Remember how my sister broke my beloved Pufferfish cup?  Well I found another one. Not a Pufferfish, but it is my favorite animal….any guesses?

 

 

 

AN OWL MUG!

I'm pleased.

I had some tea after dinner in it. I’m quite pleased with my purchase.

Mom and I were going to stop for Froyo but the flavors were Root Beer and Coffee. I was having a massive allergy attack and not really feeling either of the flavors so….

When I got home, I made myself what is probably the ugliest green monster to date. I drank 1/2 of it and then decided to photograph it for you. You probably could have done without, I know, I know.

case in point

This was a heinous color, but it tasted mighty fine. I paired it with TJ’s Raisin Rosemary Crisps

these are a good time

and some Choco-Pecan Butter, naturally.

perfect!

Now I just need a jacket, some towels, bug spray sans DEET…..hm

Did you know: The word we think of as “segway” is actually spelled “Segue” ? “Segway” is the scooter!

Love, Hannah

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Anyone else find dressing room mirrors unflattering/false? Ever tried pecan butter/making your own nut butters? Have you ever worked at a camp? Share a story! 

 

Two Kinds of Chill

Hi guys! Long time no talk…blog….tog?

Anyhow. I’m ending my house confinement aka my mother can almost drive soon!! I’m really psyched about this because I’ve been getting a bit stir crazy staying at home all day. I’m a “lets do errands all day!” type-a girl. Feel me?

Lately I’ve been feeling smooth….real smooth.

The other day it was Banana Berry Smooth….

so good!

So smooth, in fact, that I made a face to convey to you my feelings.

smile!

Yes, my friends, my smile looked just like that.

What else has happened….We cut asparagus from our back yard!! Seriously, I don’t know how high they let the stuff grow on those big farms, but ours gets really tall!! The stalks are all growing at different rates, unfurling out of the ground; it’s really neat.

case in point:

many a size

There really isn’t much that I love more than asparagus fresh from our garden <–this is a lie. I love nut butters. You know this.

chili, asparagus, tofu dog, vegan parm, mustard

Dinner that night was pretty tight.

Then another day held deliciousness in the form of Chocolate Cherry. 

chocolaty goodness

My computer even recognizes the word “chocolaty“.  approval. Drinking these protein shakes, as I’ve been loving lately, makes me chilly though!

The next night my mom surprised me by sauteing onions and peppers- YUM! I ate these with some left over asparagus action, beans of green  and some more chili. 

yum!

Today was Monday woo!!

I woke to toast with sweet potato and greek yogurt and SNBmixed as mah spread. Well, I mean, I had to make it…

it made heaven on wheat.

So. Good. I made a bit extra to have perhaps tomorrow!

I was going to make butternut squash fries for dinner. All well and fine. Except I had to use this sucker:

just begging to take one of my fingers

It was tough work. But eventually, they were all (unevenly) sliced and ready to go!

can't wait!

Butternut squash is something I just can’t stand raw. I know you’re probably not supposed to eat it that way, but some veggies are good raw. Carrots, Beans, Peppers, etc. Not those starchy veggies though, no way.

They ended up looking like this.

crispy....delicious

I had the thought then that they said more “breakfast” to me than “dinner”. So I’m saving them- hence the container in which they are currently lying.

MY POOR SISTER. She is losing her last tooth and it is hanging by a thread. Never fear, faint of heart, I, too become queasy at the thought of such things and will not go into more detail. Not only because I know anything over “it was going to fall out soon” would make some of us sick, but because I legitimately inquired no farther for that very reason. She cried and whined all through dinner. Mom cooked chili tonight and she claimed she couldn’t eat it. Long after we’d all finished, she was still sitting at the table, lamenting the tooth that would all too soon be under her pillow. My mom handed me her chili bowl and told me to put it in the blender. Honestly, I thought she was kidding. Indeed, she was not, and so into the food processor it went. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t about to put it into the blender. Meat Chili + Smoothies = bad combo.
It ended up looking a bit like cat food.

um...yeah

Pretty gross, right?

and I might have mentioned that our food processor holds like, one cup? It is pretty much nonfunctional unless you’re grinding like…a molecule of flour or an oat.

Lets just say I ended up making her a shake with the  Strawberry Froyo from yesterday. Yes, I made more, it was that popular.

~~~~~~~~

I’d like to start a little thing on mondays where I talk about my past, a memory I have or something like that. I’ll call it, Memory Monday, how original. But in all honesty, I need to push myself to remember times in my life where I was happy and content (mostly) and think positively about the future.

I was doing something earlier that reminded me of my trip to New Orleans. I can’t remember what it was that I was doing at the moment, but I wanted to talk about New Orleans today, because I think my pictures show just how very happy I was and how much fun I was having.

Happy Hannah!

Note: This was the day my friends decided they wanted to straighten my hair.

We worked together this week to build gardens and repair homes that had been devastated by the Hurricane.

We built that fence

I can remember how wanted and included I felt on this trip- a feeling that I hadn’t experienced much prior to this and haven’t much since  then. I can say that I hung out personally with every person in these pictures- even those whom we were helping! Their stories were just so inspiring and it was simply amazing to hear about it first hand.

we're happy, I swear.

I think we were pretending to be models in this picture. But that just goes to show me how much fun we had. How much we trusted each other to be silly. That boy and I did amazing improv each night where he played the  blues on his guitar and I made up lyrics as I went along. Everyone would gather around us and listen. Yes Hannah, you used to have people who surrounded you. You were and are liked. You felt the warmth of laughs and smiles.

and bodies.

cuddle puddle!

You felt the coolness of ice cream….froyo…and a cute top I borrowed from a friend. I still remember that top with fondness…sorry…

I think it was Butter Pecan froyo?

Note: If you’re ever in NOLA, please go to this place. I don’t care. Don’t make excuses, just go. And remember to read the website too, because some of the flavors they’ve had in the past are AMAZING!

Your went out for Mediterranean food (and didn’t know enough to take pictures? Who ARE you? haha)

well

Well. You took them of what mattered in the moment. Friendship and Fun.

and faces apparently.

You stood on the ground of people who had it 10000x more difficult than you. And you held your friends in that moment, because you have all you really need.

Lower 9th Ward

And even if you can’t see a smile….

Sayyy Asbestos!

You know it’s under there by the light in your eyes.

or maybe it was just the construction glasses

Even with an intense week of fun though, you took time by yourself to contemplate. You, Hannah, need time alone. And you took it.

In the Bayous

and spotted others so they wouldn’t fall.

that's mah Dad up on that there ladder

Each day was jam packed with work and laughs. We sang, we ran around, we played, we hammered in the morning and the evening (all over this land?). I wouldn’t trade this week for the world, and reliving the memories is just the beginning step to cultivating more experiences like this for my future. Heres to that!

Have any of you ever been to New Orleans? Did you go to Creole Creamery and get…what? What is a fond memory you have? 

Love, Hannah

Froyo, Newyo, things I gotta show!

WHAT’S that you say? A day without rain? Why yes, my friends, it has finally stopped raining in my corner of the world. We’ve been blessed with lovely sun today, and I’m sure that I will be going for a long walk later, if possible.

I was also blessed with this Smile You’re Beautiful award, from Lenna! 

 1. Smile!

new heart sunglasses!

Done and Done.

2. Write 3 things you like about your looks.

Exhibit A: I like my curly hair!

ice cream + laughter!

Exhibit B: I like how when I smile, I look truly happy:

Oxford, Summer 2010

Exhibit C: I like my arms.

clubbing in Oxford?

3. Write 3 things you appreciate about your personality.

I’m am intellectual

I think of others and enjoy giving joy to other people

I love adventure

4. Write about something you find beautiful in other people (looks, personality – whatever)

I value honesty, a good sense of self  and awareness to the world around you

5. Award as many other people as you like and let them know!

I chose YOU (any of you that you like. Cause you’re beautiful. Duh)

The last couple days….okay, so maybe it was two…saw this happen:

better not turn it on!

I saw a mouse in our kitchen so my Mom immediately told me to put everything in the microwave? Hm..okay Mom, whatever you say

When Dad picked me up last week from school, we stopped at WF on our way home (LOVE IT!) and I picked this new find up: Sunsational Non Dairy Milk made from….sunflower seeds!

yum?

I was looking for the new unsweetened Coconut Milk by So Delicious, but I found this instead. Who could resist when I love sunflower seed butter as much as I do?

told ya

It had a darker color than most milks I’ve tried

kind of the color of sunflower seeds?

but like I’ve said before; I’m down for anything but dairy milk! The stats on this drink aren’t stellar (ie: lower in protein and calcium than others), but I had fun drinking it and it tastes good. Verdict? I think it tastes really good. Kind of like what you’d expect the milk version of SSB to taste like and thus a winner. It’s creamy as well, which is a nice.

I also found myself this Liberte yogurt.It was new so I had to try it. Well….that and the fact that it was Date and Fig flavored. Seriously guys, two of my favorite dried fruits AND yogurt? I’m IN!

ooowie!

I really liked this as well, but it was a bit sweet. Don’t judge based on me though; I tend to be super sensitive to sweet things and therefore not like them as much. The yogurt itself had a really nice flavor, not just plain but as if it had a bit of the flavor infused into it- a really nice touch. The fruit on the bottom was more like apple butter texture- so like figdate butter texture? It was quite sweet (as dates and figs are) but I can see eating this yogurt with toast and then spreading the fruit on the bottom on my toast with nut butter!! Next time, my friends.

Had me an awesome protein shake. I’m really feeling these lately.

sprinkled with cinnamon, of course

This morning my family went to  help sort plants that my 4th grade sister G and her class sold to help the victims of the tragedy in Japan. I didn’t get any pictures because we were moving and organizing plants from 9-11:30, but I actually had fun!! Good thing I fueled myself a delish brekkie!

NOM

GCW (Ginger Cracked Wheat)
1/4 cup cracked wheat + 2 cups water, cooked overnight in my lovely mini crockpot
1/4 tsp ginger- this even ended up being too much and overpowered the oats, sadly
dump sprinkle on the cinnamon
2 tbsp Sunsational Sunflower Milk 
blob on the greek yogurt
2 tbsp maple syrup (I added this in a desperate attempt to balance out the ginger)

Like I said, the ginger totally overpowered the taste of the cracked wheat. I really have been getting into cracked wheat lately because I love the chewy texture it lends to my breakfast.

what a glow

Of course eaten with bites of SSB and SNB. When do I NOT dip other foods in these??!!

After we got home and ate lunch, I finally got to finish my project from last night:

pink of perfection

I made Strawberry Froyo!!

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
1 cups greek yogurt
1/2 cup strawberry yogurt
1 cup milk (I used skim here, because I wanted to share it with my family)
2 tsp strawberry extract  (or the rest of the bottle, which wasn’t that much…)
1/2 a banana (this added creamy texture)
1 tbsp arrowroot powder (for thickening!)

This all went into my blender because we still don’t have a food processor

*insert annoyance and foot stomping here!*

and then it went into our ice cream maker.

y.u.m.

Pretty much a success, I’d say. My mom liked it!!
ps: it tastes great with SSB and SNB- I told you I ate it with everything!!

Tomorrow is my last day of being housebound!! or rather, my mom’s last day of not being able to drive/intense recovery from her surgery!! WOOHOO!! I forsee trips to the two natural food stores around, Fresh Market and the new Super Target with grocery section in my near future. And a farmers market, for sure

Hope you’re all having a cheery day full of sun. If you’ve ever made ice cream or froyo, what flavors did you make? What was your “trick” for making it come out right? 

Love, Hannah

a misty morn

Hello all!! The weather forecast shows this:

at least it's consistent...

In case that is too small to read, the forecast says it is supposed to rain all week. Great. Housebound on every level.

I spent yesterday doing some cooking. I made Vanilla Banana tofu pudding with a mix I got at deals and steals. So. Good.

ingredients 1 and 2

into the blender

and you're done!

well, you have to whip it good! add a banana as well, if you’re living in my house with one lonely nanner on its own on the counter.

silky smooth

I may or may not have had a bowl before I put it away…

Here I sat, reading your blogs when the mail truck arrived outside and the mail carrier ran up to the door through the rain and left a package for me!! I got up out of my blanket and slipper nest and sprinted equally as fast to the door!

aren't I a fashion exemplar?

there she be

Funny thing was, I couldn’t open the door to get at it.

grrrr

My dad recently installed this door and I was beginning to think it was just a ruse, that it didn’t actually function as a door. Eventually I got it open.

rainy rain

I got a package of Fiber Gourmet things to review! Fun!!
I also tried Eros yogurt. Who’da thunk that Whole Foods would name their yogurt something other than “Whole Foods Yogurt”….it was good though, like typical greek yogurt.

.

and I made oatmeal cookies for my Dad this morning.

action

He got this special vanilla making kit for christmas.

that's pretty fancy

into the oven they go!

aren't they huge?

My poor dad is allergic to corn, tomatoes, potatoes and most sugars don’t sit well with him. No wonder he needs oatmeal raisin cookies to make him feel better

all done!

they came out perfect.

insiders view

I found this super cool survey thing on Amanda’s blog. If you haven’t checked out her blog, and I don’t know why you wouldn’t, she’s got some great things to say about nourishing and loving your body!

A: is for Apple, what’s your favorite variety?…I love huge honey crisp apples and also heirloom apples. With me, the bigger and more crunchy the apple, the better. I also like golden delicious.

the more the merrier!

B: is for Bread, regardless of nutrition, calories, or whole grains what is your favorite type to have a nice big piece of?… that’s the hard part. I am still kinda afraid of carbs. But if I could, I’d have a big piece of Challah bread from that bakery that doesn’t exist any more, just like I used to. Or home made banana/zucchini/carrot bread hot from the oven! OH wait, gingerbread, does that count?

C: is for Cereal what is your favorite kind currently (just one!)… just…one…? Like bread, cereal is a carb and I’m still struggling with carbs. I think I tend to go for things that are multi-grained and flaked. I think one day this week I’m going to challenge myself to a bowl of cereal with soy milk, like the old days! Oatmeal doesn’t count here does it? Because it totally wins. Puffed wheat is also always a winner:

mmm yogurt mess

D: is for Doughnuts, you might not currently be eating them but what kind do you fancy?…Last time I had a doughnut must have been as a child. gosh. I was always partial to the maple frosted ones.

E: is for Eggs, how would you like yours prepared?… I love egg white patties over salad. If you scramble them in the microwave and make them into a little cake, it is so much fun!! I also like to make egg crepes. Eggs are a recent readdition to my diet. So glad they’re back!

nice n easy

F: is for Fat Free, what is your favorite fat free product?…yogurt, most definitely. and cottage cheese. Although I also like the 2% versions of both.

G: is for Groceries, where do you purchase your at?… I love Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Deals and Steals and local farmers markets/health food stores!

H: is for Hot Beverages, what is your favorite hot drink?… I’m kind of a tea snob. I love my tea. Especially if I drink it out of this cup:

puffer fish!

I tried coffee for the first time last summer. We have a love-hate relationship. I’m not sure completely how I feel about it; sometimes I love it, sometimes I’m not such a fan.

I: is for Ice Cream, pick a favorite flavor and add a fun topping… I’m not a fan of the sweet stuff, so I go for the Froyo real hard!! I could seriously eat the stuff for every meal!

So. Good.

16 Handles!

J: is for Jams or Jellies, do you eat them, and if so what kind and flavor?…  Same goes for the sweetness here. I’m more partial to Jam’s nutty companion…

and others like it

But I suppose if I had to pick one, I’d pick fig spread.

K: is for Kashi, name your favorite Kashi product?…  I’m actually allergic to sesame so I can’t eat their “grains and sesame” products. which is basically everything. I miss them though, I used to love GoLean cereal- so many yummy textures!

L: is for Lunch, what was yours today?… I loved my lunch today, although it took me awhile to figure out what it was that I actually wanted.

2 wasa crackers, 1 slice veggie cheese, tomato sauce, steamed zucchini, mustard for dippage and veggie parm!

I’ll have to think of another method next time for the wasa crackers. They got a bit soggy…
My sister G has an orchestra concert tonight. I’m so excited; 4th graders are the best!

I think I might try a WIAW tomorrow- yay or nay?

in the mean time, ASK AWAY for my Q&A

After long silence

So hey guys, remember me? I’m finally done for the year, which is such a relief, and I’ve got a couple days worth of photos for you!! I’m going to just do a bit of recap with photo captions and then tell in glorious detail the things that need telling, of course.

one pale green monster- check!

eating some SNB

desk before moving out

desk after moving out

I seriously notice a clothing-color trend...remember this shelf? empty!

home, sweet home!

I thought I wouldn't open this. WRONG.

So close!!

Yesterday was my last classes of my second year of college!! LONDON HERE I COME!!
Today I have a review session in the morning and then I go off to tutor/mentor for the last time then it’s off to perfect my papers and study for my one exam. Seriously only one? Yuppers

I tried Chobani Lemon this morning!

new!

The first thing I noticed when I peeled back the top was the lemony scent!! I love lemon yogurt but dislike lemon tea. One of my favorite yogurts with lemon has got to be WholeSoy Lemon, a delicious vegan yogurt with little bits of lemon in it for a tart zing. tis glorious.

so white!

I loved this yogurt!! Tessa has been telling me to try it so I bought it last time I was at stopnshop. boy am I glad I did!!
It got a little sweet for me after awhile, but overall I’d give it a 4/5; pretty good for a flavored yogurt, as I usually prefer plain! The 4th star came from the tartness for sure and the thick creamy texture we’ve learned to expect with Chobani.

Fashion Friday! That’s not actually a thing, but here’s my outfit de jour:

mustard yellow tunic with lace back, black cardigan

excuse the messy bookcase…I like to read/drink tea!

can you see the lace in the back of my shirt? me either...

I had a 9am review session (last class!!) and then I came home and had a fun time  taking artsy fartsy photos of my fruit bowl

you're destined for banana bread my friends

It was looking SO nice outside:

blue sky!

compare this

to this!

SAME TREE!!

that I decided I should go take a walk/go to GoBerry because they had new flavors!! Chai and Mango. 

This is huge because I usually plan and plan days in advance before I go. This was literally spur of the moment. I think I was a little anxious though because I went for a walk afterwards. It occurred to me that I shouldn’t go and get it because it was going to make me fat. Seriously? I had yogurt for breakfast, this just couldn’t happen. Besides, I can’t turn up my nose at calcium. All of these thoughts in my ED head got pushed aside as I walked downtown, enjoying the 69° weather. Perfect.

and Still, it was delicious and I spent money on it and did it all on my own, enjoying every bite…er…slurp. It was so hot today it began to melt!

but first I had to take this picture of my bed. Why yes, I believe I did spill a liter bottle of sparkling water on there last night. It is still wet. oooooh humidity!

oh dear

Now for the moment we’ve been waiting forrrr:
1/2 Chai/Original and 1/2 Mango/Original

doesn't it look huge? it's only a small...

I do the same thing every time. Maybe it’s safer for me? Whatever, it tastes fab.

-WHAT is all that cheering outside? It isn’t primal scream yet guys…-

Kaila did this cool questionnaire thing that I thought I’d do because it’s not like I have papers or anything…tomorrow…..stay tuned for random useless info about moi!

Hope you had a day that was fun, fab and full of sun!!

(terrible rhymes for you )

Love, Hannah

The Song Remembers When

I was taking a walk this morning and a song came on my ipod. The song played and streamed notes into my ears as my mind filled with all the memories I associated with that song. It occurred to me, as my walk continued and my hears were filled with other songs, that I associate many songs this way; with a time in my life or a place or a mood.  I’d like to give you a little insight into my life by sharing some of my favorite associative tunes with you
Get ready for a throwback….
(Disclaimer: This by no means is a list of everything I listen to!)

-Emmanuel by Amy Grant -Yes, this is a christmas song, but I have such fond memories of listening to this song and changing my dance for the fast and slow parts. I must have been about 6 but the memory sticks with me. 

-Doctor Jones by Aqua – This song reminds me of my 3rd grade year. We had an exchange student from Hong Kong who loved this band and we would listen to it together. I always wore my pink snuggie too. Yes, I do promise to provide a picture if I can find one

Losing Grip by Avril Lavigne- I remember listening to this song sitting in the airport in Taiwan. I bought the CD (with chinese writing!!) in a store in Taipei while I was there at age 10 and listened to it all the way home in my transparent blue CD player!

Nothin’ On You by BOB- My friend A and I used to sing this together when we were at Oxford together this past summer. It is the happiest I can remember being in a long time. 

Happy Girl by Beth Nielson Chapman- My mom loves to quote this song to me. It says
“I used to live in a darkened room
Had a face of stone and a heart of gloom….
I’m the happy girl, everybody knows
That the sweetest thing that you’ve ever seen
In the whole wide world Is a happy girl…”
This song just reminds me that I can change and be the Happy Girl.

Yearbook by Hanson and I Want it That Way  by Backstreet Boys -My cousin and I used to play elaborate games with Beanie Babies and we would have them sing these songs to each other. 

I’m Ready by Jacks Mannequin – I listened to this while I was traveling to the Netherlands during 2007. I can remember walking next to the canals in the sun with the flower stalls lining the path and bikes parked up next to the railings. It was warm and I was so happy and sang a bit to myself!

The Everglow by Mae- This song reminds me of the summer I took college biology during the summer to make up for the time I’d spent in treatment. I’m pretty sure I made my Dad listen to this every. single. time. he drove me to class

Shake it by Metro Station- I used to dance to this in my senior year of high school with our Indonesian foreign exchange student. I was pretty unhappy in school this year, but losing myself in this upbeat song with a friend was really great. 

Wall of Death by Nancy Griffith- My first friend Megan and I used to listen to this song in the car. Every time it said “wall of death” on “death” we would throw ourselves back onto the seats of the car as if we were riding one of those anti-gravity rides. I think of it every time I hear the song. 

Out of the Woods by Nickel Creek and Heal Over by KT Tunstall- These songs reminds me of my mom. We both love to sing and when we sing, we often harmonize together. Each time, it is just us and the music and it makes me so happy to share these moments with her. 

Desert Rose by Sting and Call me Mellow by Tears for Fears- My Dad and I don’t harmonize (in fact, I’ll admit, he can sometimes be off tune) but we love to listen to music together. Sometimes I’ll go with him to other towns for work-related things like going to district court offices (he’s an attorney) and we will just sing the entire way there. 

The Weepies- Anything by them just makes me so ridiculously happy. End of story. 

Yann Tiersen- This is my “oh woe is me” or “I need time to think” music. I love the emotions it stirs in me, causing me to come closer to myself and connect to how I’m feeling. 

I’d better stop now, but I hope you all enjoyed learning a lot a bit about me through songs old and new!
This weekend I will be be with my family for easter so there will be more opportunities for
-cooking!
-eating better (non diningroom) food
-outings
-pictures
-fun and love
and less opportunities for
-GoBerry- good thing I tried their Cocoa flavor today!!
-Sitting alone in my room
-working too hard on papers
-sitting in class reading blogs bored

Sounds like a win-win situation- see you soon!
Hannah

Cutting corners

Good afternoon. That sounds so frightfully formal! I’d like to discuss something that occurred to me as I was walking home from Glee Club today.

It was raining but because I like the rain, I carried my umbrella, letting the drops soak into my jacket and drip through each strand of hair onto my scalp, cooling my head and my thoughts. I walked quickly, skimming the path on my way back home and it occurred to me as I made my way that many of the steps I was taking were not on the path, indeed, I was cutting many corners.
This pertains not only to  the corners of the path that I was taking, the path that kept me out of the flower beds and off of the newly growing grass, but also to the corners of my life.
My mom had said yesterday to me that I was a square peg here, attempting to (or resisting a ) fit in a round hold. Thus it was, she said, that my corners hurt. See? I am not the only one who cuts corners.

I cut them coming out of class, I cut them going to class, I make my way down the hill to the bike path instead of taking the winding path all the way around. I get lazy and say “well, I don’t need protein right now” or “gee, I don’t really feel like reading that article” or “I could have 10 crackers, but five will do just fine.” These corners are all there for a reason. If things were easy, everything would be circular and we could all find ourselves around quite easily. We would all fit in, we would all be happy, we would all look the same and talk the same and have the same ideas. But even with the soft curves of a “circular” life, would we really be content?

I’m finding that even cutting those corners doesn’t give me what I am really searching for ultimately. If I eat those 5 crackers, am I really allowing myself to look at my fear and overcome it? Sure, cutting corners may shave 5 minutes off of my commute from one of campus to the other, but I am still stepping on the flowers. Maybe we’re meant to walk around for a reason, take the long way, if you will. If everything is easy and you always have a way out, how do you ever learn to appreciate what life gives you; what you already have. If I do not walk around the garden, paying attention so as not to step on the flowers and disturb their growing roots and bright petals, I will be able to appreciate them. So is it with life; if I am constantly looking for perfection and a short cut, where will I learn? Where will I struggle? This leaves me thinking about all of the corners that I cut and what life meaning is seeping through the cracks there. Yes, it may take longer to walk all the way down the path, but in the end, I think it’s going to be worth it to see the flowers I might have trampled if I had cut those corners.

 

Love, Hannah