Do something

-Take time to be away from other people, both physically and through technology. Pray. Read. Write. Sit and do nothing. Even extroverts need some alone time every once in a while.

-Do something just for you, not to share on Instagram.

-Don't be ashamed of the things you enjoy. If you like"stereotypical white girl" things like Starbucks and flannels, embrace it. But do so because you genuinely enjoy those things, not because everyone else and their second cousin claims to love them.

-Step off the sidewalk to walk on the grass. Go out of your way to step on that crunchy leaf.

-Cry during sad movies if you want to. It's okay to show your emotions, even if it is "just a movie".

-Try to go a day without complaining.

-Write a letter to someone you haven't talked to in a while.

-Spend more time outside, even when it gets cold.

-Listen to good music.

-Discover new musicians you never thought you'd like.

-Don't worry about what other people think of how you're dressed or what you plan on doing with your life.

Vlog 4 // Doctor Who

Video thumbnails always catch the most awkward faces.

Doctor Who references are my favorite.

In other news, here's another vlog. These are slightly addicting.

I hope you are all having a wonderful autumn weekend!

Geronimo!

people watching

The woman with the artist's portfolio filled with drawing boards and secret hopes who waved goodbye to her husband and little boy before climbing on the train, wearing a hat to cover what the cancer took from her.

***

The man with the shiny dress shoes and tailored blazer, briefcase between his feet, disembarking in the city.

***

The group of teenage girls, chatting away as if no one could hear them, carrying purses and dressed in the trendiest style.

***

The older woman all by herself, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and wearing nice sneakers.

***

The tired, impatient tears of a little one out of my sight but not my hearing. I catch a glimpse of his mother, showing him the sights out the window.

***

The crew members, some friendlier than others, walking back and forth gathering tickets as they do every day, waiting for their shifts to end. 

***

The woman getting off the train while I waited to board, pushing a stroller. I grab the front wheels and pull it over the gap and confirm that she is at the correct station. A conductor watches.

***

The well dressed young woman carrying a backpack and a violin case, talking on the phone.

***

The kind conductor who let me know that I was on the wrong train for the second time that day and directed me to the correct one.

***

What are their stories? Will any of us break the code of silence that seems to be impressed on everyone who boards?

I can only guess at the first, and I am too afraid to be the one to do the second.

weekly wrap-up // fangirling

I was looking back over some of my old posts (I can't believe that I've been blogging for a little over three years!) and came across my "weekly wrap-up" posts that I used to do almost every week. I remembered how much I enjoyed writing those, so I thought I would start that series again. I don't want it to just be me talking about my week, though. I want to hear all about your week. What you did, read, listened to, watched, pretty much anything! I want to hear all about you, my readers.

reading || Red || My Utmost for His Highest || Rest is productive || A questioning of society's ban on sadness || The be project, v2 ||

listening || I wanna be there || Home || Jane Eyre soundtrack || The storm is over now ||

crafting || cameo mittens || cardigan ||

discovering || Bing search rewards || apples and peanut butter are amazing together || riding the train by myself is nerve wracking || 

fangirling over || Parks and Recreation || The Fault in our Stars || Captain America: The Winter Soldier || Season 8 of Doctor Who as a whole, but especially "Listen" || 

enjoying || snail mail || evening walks || fall break || 

Vlog #3

Hello, all! I enjoyed doing a vlog so much last week that I recorded another one. Let me know what some of your favorite things are!

Much that is fair

"Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?"
"A man may do both," sad Aragorn. "For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time."

The Two Towers

"If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or the other to end before we can really get down to our work. The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable."

C.S. Lewis

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."

The Fellowship of the Ring

"God does not ask us to do the things that are easy to us naturally; He only asks us to do the things we are perfectly fitted to do by His grace, and the cross will come along that line always."

My Utmost for His Highest

"Don't you think compassion can show strength?"

Merlin in BBC's "Merlin"

"I realized that I would rather die because I betrayed them, than live because I betrayed you."

Scarlet

Just some photos and quotes I've been loving recently. Also, that last quote comes from a book in the series The Lunar Chronicles. Read them. They're so, so good.

Life is good. Lots of homework, but that is to be expected. Playing Candy Crush every night before I go to bed. Sitting down by the pond on beautiful fall evenings. 

How have you all been?