Family

7 Things That I’m Loving About Autumn

Posted on by Laura

Life in the Fall

I feel like my life lately has been this crazy whirlwind of activity. Work, French, lunch with my sister, family nights on sunday, yoga with A, skype chats with M, counseling, Coffee Shop Thursday…I’m not sure where all my time is going but I’m not surprised I haven’t kept up with posting more and now that I’ve got myself in a somewhat quiet moment, I can’t seem to think of a particular topic. Instead, I’m going to give you a list of things that I’m really loving right now.

1) Austenland

I saw this last night with my friends, Anne and Popstar, and as a Die-Hard Darcy fangirl, I was swooning (yes, swooning) when I left the theatre. To my credit, so was Anne. This movie…I just love it. I discovered Jane Austen with the release of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, (you know the one, with Keira Knightley, and Matthew Macfayden and that first proposal in the rain?)

…Yeah. That one.

…And I’ve been an Austen fanatic ever since. How could I not see a movie inspired by the very fanaticism which I subscribe to? I even own a tote bag ridiculously similar to the one featured in the move poster! (I don’t know if I’m proud of that fact or not).

So Austenland, this movie was wonderful. The casting was perfect, the acting was flawless and for the record, I typically kind of loathe “rom-coms” but this one was an exception. Or maybe I just always make an exception for Austen-inspired things. Either way, this movie is excellent: 5 stars. Go see it.

2) Jillian Michaels’ Yoga Meltdown

My friend, Anne, happens to own this dvd and it’s incredible. There’s two levels, with the intention that one is supposed to be more difficult than the other but honestly they’re both pretty damn difficult- but they feel great. I’ve had other Jillian Michaels dvds but this one is one that I wouldn’t really mind doing everyday.

3) Halloween DIY Costumes

Guys, I thought I was poor as a college student and I’m not totally sure how I was wrong but I feel even more poor now. So naturally, any thing to help me save money? I’m all over it. Pinterest has been wonderful for this. After a certain amount of indecision, I decided to go as Hipster Disney Princess Belle.

What are you going as?

4) JJ Fields

Guys, I don’t know where this handsome brit has been all my life but he was in Austenland and I died from fangirl feels. He pulled off the Regency Era garb just as smoothly as he rocks this leather jacket. Also I’m convinced he’s secretly (or distantly) related to Tom Hiddleston. I just see it.

Bonus fact: JJ Fields also played Henry Tilney, the dashing hero to Catherine Morland in Austen’s Northanger Abbey, so that’s pretty fantastic.

5) American Horror Story: Coven

Anne has been forcing me to watch this, and I really didn’t want to. I hate scary movies and the first two seasons? They looked so freaky! No way did I think I could do it, but I’ve seen the first two episodes and I have to admit, this season looks pretty intense…I think I’m hooked.

6) Change

This season, the last several months, have been reinforcing for me how vital Change is to our lives. I’ve had some really wonderful experiences (like a year spent with incredible roommates) which I never wanted to end, but- and I hate to say it, because it’s so cliche- everything has to end so that you can embark on something new, something exciting, something to wake up your senses and shake down your soul. The best things in life are the ones that you savor while they’re fresh, but the most decadent cake won’t make your mouth water once it has turned stale.

My family has been going through some pretty big adjustments recently, and I thought that the determined solution was such a shame, that it was giving up. I’m beginning to see that I might have been wrong. There’s so much more optimism and positivity in our conversations now, the house feels cleaner and livelier. It takes change to realize you’ve been stuck in a rut, without direction or challenge, and really, that kind of stagnation can be absolutely detrimental to happiness. Interactions in my family have been far more copacetic lately, and that’s something that I can’t seem to get enough of.

DF Event with Taylor

And Finally…

7) My Geometric Cream and Black Boyfriend Cardigan

This cardigan has been one of the best investments ever. It goes with everything and I can wear brown OR black boots with it! Astonishing.

Geometric Cardigan and Sammy

Insightful Expressions

The Purpose in Life (According to Others)

Quote | Posted on by Laura

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“If you were all alone in the universe with no one to talk to, no one with which to share the beauty of the stars, to laugh with, to touch, what would be your purpose in life? It is other life; it is love, which gives your life meaning. This is harmony. We must discover the joy of each other, the joy of challenge, the joy of growth.”

― Mitsugi Saotome

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“To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.”

― Arundhati Roy

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“If other people do not understand our behavior—so what? Their request that we must only do what they understand is an attempt to dictate to us. If this is being “asocial” or “irrational” in their eyes, so be it. Mostly they resent our freedom and our courage to be ourselves. We owe nobody an explanation or an accounting, as long as our acts do not hurt or infringe on them. How many lives have been ruined by this need to “explain,” which usually implies that the explanation be “understood,” i.e. approved. Let your deeds be judged, and from your deeds, your real intentions, but know that a free person owes an explanation only to himself—to his reason and his conscience—and to the few who may have a justified claim for explanation.”

-Erich Fromm

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A “real” post is coming soon, I swear.

An Introduction

Posted on by Laura

It’s been about three months since I created this blog and I found myself putting off uploading any content because I just couldn’t guarantee that I could stay consistent. Meanwhile, I discover all these amazing bloggers who posted weekly or even (gasp) twice a week and I read their seemingly insightful expressions and wistfully dream of becoming an eloquent, aesthetic comrade. I’d like to stop dreaming — it’s time to begin doing.

But then I sit down and realize that I don’t even know where to begin. If my life were a movie, you- my audience- would be dropped smack dab in the middle and that hardly seems fair (nor does it encourage continued readership if I only inspire confusion) so an introduction is in order.

I’m 22, female, living in the bible belt, currently residing in the house where I spent my childhood (but hoping to move out in the next month) with my dog, Sammy (aka Samster, Sam-a-lam, Sam, Sweetie, I-Can’t-Believe-You-Peed-On-My-Stuff-You-Jerk, etc.), my mother and my step-father. I have one sister who is married to a pretty decent guy, and a dad. I have more “best friends” than I believe you’re technically allowed, but they’re all brilliant people so I’m not making any cuts and if I get married with the biggest wedding party ever seen then I win. Life’s a competition, right?

I graduated with a double major in French and Global Studies back in May (2013) and I’m still looking for a job (shocker, I know). Fortunately, I still have my part time waitressing job from college. Unfortunately, my lack of office experience renders me ineligible for most entry-level jobs (enter frustrated expletive here). Oh, also I have no idea what I want to do with my life, so I guess that’s a problem.

Every article I’ve seen about creating a successful blog (about.com has some really fantastic advice on this) says that you should list goals for what you want your blog to be, so here’s mine: I want to catalogue my life as an unemployed recent college graduate, I want to talk about the things that I love, like, appreciate and detest, I want to be persistent, I want to connect with others.

Challenge Accepted.

— Laura

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