Kitchen Quirkiness

After going to the Palm for lunch (which was just delicious!) with my cousin and my grandpa, we stopped in the Williams-Sonoma that was in the same hotel building. The kitchenware retailer provided a visual feast of quirky cookware (and edibles!). Here are a few favorites that I spotted yesterday:

Star Wars Heroes and Villains Pancake Molds

Message-in-a-Cookie Cutters

Zoku Quick Pop Character Tool Kit

Fiona's Candy - colorful gummy drops and gumballs

Marvel Heroes Cupcake Decorating Kit

For more information: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/?cm_type=gnav

It's That Time of Year Again

Summer vacation's last hurrah has arrived at last. I can't believe the first day of school is a week from tomorrow - summer always speeds by. Moreover, it's even harder to believe that this is my last first day of high school. Adolescence seems to be in a hurry as well, quick to leave young adulthood in its wake. I can vote in the next presidential election? Crazy. I'm not complaining, just trying to take it all in. I've gotten briefly accustomed to the college lifestyle thanks to my month in New York. But still...I'll be legally an adult in a few months, and with that landmark birthday not only comes responsibility but the tail-end of the college application process, a process I've just delved into.

This week, before my hectic academic/extracurricular schedule starts up once again, I have to finish up my summer reading assignments, continue prepping for the SAT one last time, continue to hone my driving skills, and get a head start on Common App. I already wrote a draft of an essay I might use. I'm going to write a few different ones...I've kept a small notebook of college essay ideas. It's a bittersweet year ahead of me, the end of one chapter of my life, and the beginning of another, an unknown future bursting with possibility. And I'll make the most of it.

I baked... Muffins!

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins...I found the recipe in a book of muffin recipes my mom bought in Toronto.

Fresh out of the oven...

...et, voila!

Today I'm lovin'...

My nude slingback heels - so versatile! Mine are Steve Madden. They were a great bargain buy found at DSW.

Kipling products! The bags are spacious enough for everything I need to fit in them, and the monkey key chains are adorable. Plus they come in an array of colors!

Sushi! Went out for Japanese with my mom today. It was delicious, as usual!

Catching up on the latest issues of the magazines I read! I got the September issue of Vogue today (well, I don't read Vogue regularly, but the September issues are always jam-packed with fashion inspiration).

Cute, affordable styles at stores like Forever 21 and Old Navy. I found a great turquoise party dress and a classic black blazer at Forever 21.

Some Thoughts on Living a Fulfilling Life

To begin...find something you love, and engage in that activity. I understand that time can be our enemy rather than our friend when we wish to pursue our passions in life, but I've found from personal experience that if we are deterred in our quest to be passionate about the things, big and small, that bring us happiness, we throw away excellent opportunities for fulfillment. Sometimes I found myself, in lieu of taking the time to actually do what makes me happy, to simply think about the topics. This process of focusing on our passions, ideas, whims is what some have deemed, ever so appropriately, "brain crack." Instead of actually doing what brings us joy, we merely think about the activities, which in reality is just a waste of precious time. In fact, we literally become addicted to thinking about what we want to do. Yes, creative visualization can be effective, but always thinking and never doing does not provide any sense of accomplishment. Life can be hectic; we have to make time to paint, scrapbook, practice our instruments, knit, bake, write.

I found these words to be too true - "We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there, too." Hobbies can be soothing in times of stress or depression. Once we find our passions, we often lose ourselves in them, and it is in losing ourselves that we learn more about who we are. We learn how we cope, how we share our thoughts, how we fit into the world's puzzle. Through pursuing our passions, we learn who shares them, and who doesn't. To each our own. It doesn't matter what we are passionate about, as long as it is healthy and safe (well, I know extreme sports, for example, can be dangerous at times, but people don't engage in them to intentionally injure themselves).

Once we discover the things in life we are passionate about, and thus discover ourselves, we can truly live in the moment. Once we know what makes our spirits soar, the possibilities in life seem limitless. Opportunity exists around every bend, if only we take the chance, take the risk, to cease it. We often feel limited by our abilities in comparison to those of our friends, family members, and strangers. Second-guessing our potential is not beneficial whatsoever. Even the greatest singers and athletes have trepidations about the extent of their skills. To quote Yoda, "There is no try, only do." And with doing comes improvement, and with improvement, mastery. Everyone's a greenhorn at some point. So, go. Go out and make your moment beautiful. Fill each moment with everything you are.

Volunteering, Baking, and Rainy Days

Recently, I've been volunteering at a school for children on the autistic spectrum. I had the chance to help out in an elementary-level classroom (sitting with one child at a time as he completed his classwork), as well as help out with office work (photocopying, stapling, putting packets together). It was inspiring to observe not only the patient, dedicated staff members, but the students themselves. Being in a learning environment in which even basic math and reading comprehension do not come easily reminded me that the thought process itself is a gift. On a more broader scale, being alive...being human is a gift. No matter our capabilities, we have an innate curiosity to interact with our environment. We all see the world in a different light, and as a result, interact with our environment in response to our unique thought processes. And autistic children are definitely keen on interacting with the world around them, preoccupied by the simplest items within it, such as a book about reptiles or colorful clip art found on Google Images.

I've also been on a bit of a baking kick lately. Okay, so I've only baked those classic Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies at my mom's suggestion, but they turned out to be perfectly delicious, as usual. Cupcakes are next on my baking list. I found a cupcake recipe book at HomeGoods a few months ago, and have been wanting to bake the mini-delectables since then. Baking cookies this past week provided me with the inspiration and incentive to whip up other treats. The process of making the dough, I found, was relaxing. I was a bit tired/cranky that day, and baking lifted my spirits. As did eating the warm, gooey confections, of course. Freshly made baked goods are surely a cure-all.

And lastly, it was rainy the past week. We got double-whamied with southern and northern fronts, respectively. As my friend says, rainy days are perfect for fostering creativity. You sure wouldn't want to be participating in some kind of outdoor activity in that weather, that's for sure! (There were thunderstorms as well.) Indeed, I indulged my creativity. On Thursday, I spent the day at said friend's house. We swapped stories/writing we'd been working on, and then began to make a scrapbook for her characters/story world (which was my idea). I drew her characters, while she compiled descriptions and traits (everything from outer appearance to Myers-Briggs personality types). I enjoy scrapbooking in general and combining the activity with creative writing only made it more enjoyable. Making a collection of "character" pages helps you get more in touch with your characters. I'd recommend story-scrapbooking to anyone who wishes to further visualize and solidify design and characterization.

Saying "Yes"

I need to say "yes" in life far more frequently than I do. While I wouldn't willingly call myself lazy, I often become discouraged with my abilities and with myself. For example, if my dad asks me if I'd like to practice driving, my first instinct is to say "no." I'm not afraid of being behind the wheel, but apprehensive, because I will constantly think, before any other thought enters my mind, that I will not be successful in my endeavors. This thought is not at all rational. With practice comes improvement, and then mastery. To be blunt, I'm disinclined to really live to the fullest because of my self-deprecating inhibitions. I put things off, irrationally thinking that procrastination will provide me with the courage and confidence I do not currently possess.

If I said "yes" more often, I would have fewer regrets in life. Even if it's saying "yes" to working on/completing school work right now. Any practice of affirmative thinking would be beneficial. No, this does not mean agreeing to engage in precarious, risky behavior. It means diving into life head-first, and leaving tentative habits in the past. It means choosing to do something in this moment and sticking with that choice. 

I vow, in the upcoming year - wait, better - this instant, to live in the moment and strive towards a more positive lifestyle. No more comparing my abilities with the abilities of others. I am a unique, strong individual with so many wondrous, unknown adventures and opportunities ahead of me, and I will no longer let negativity and second-guessing rule my life.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

You know the poem. Though Frost's words can be interpreted in a variety of ways, I choose now to specifically focus on loss of innocence. By nature of the fact that we are human, forming relationships is a necessity. While making connections with those around us is easier for some of us, and harder for others, we still try our best to relate to those we come in contact with. Relationships come in a variety of shapes and colors, so to speak. Romantic. Friendly. Familial. And I won't be the first person, by a long shot, to say that relationships are complicated. Just examine Shakespeare's plays. It is because of the complexity of human nature that we have literary works created with the intention of being social commentaries.

Recently, I read the novel One Day by David Nicholls. It was beautifully romantic and heart-breaking, yet simultaneously a slice-of-life novel in the most literal sense. Nicholls’ story is not a fairy tale or a fantasy, but an intimate, objective look at the various incarnations that love can take on in our lives.
What I found interesting was that Nicholls drew a great amount of inspiration from the works of Thomas Hardy, whose novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles I have to read for AP Lit. He even quotes Tess before one of the sections of One Day (the book is divided into the various stages of the characters’ lives - i.e. Early Twenties, Late Twenties, etc.).

Hardy's purpose in writing Tess was to express his thoughts on the hypocritical sexual morals of the Victorian Era.  Likewise, One Day is a look at modern sexual morals (and more generally speaking, the intricate relationship between the sexes). In the 21st century, innocence is regarded more slackly than it was in Hardy's time. Now, we are "corrupted" by the media (well, by the internet, more-so than by other sources). Our world moves at a much faster pace than Tess'. Experience was once the key "corrupting" force in one's life, and to in extent, it still is. However, with social media and near-instant communication, there is an almost palpable need to grow up more quickly. Once "innocent" infatuation was okay; now, we're all but pressured to feel desire, to want it...to need it.

Let me be clear: There is a difference between romance and naivete. In today's world it may be practically impossible to live without a constant barrage of "SEX SEX SEX," but that doesn't mean we have to give in to it. Knowledge is fine, but the pressure, in a sense, is one of our own making. Our status does not perpetually have to be "taken." Love enters our lives when it wishes too, often when we need it. I'm not getting into fate or destiny or anything like that. All I'm saying is that we should embrace it when it appears, but we don't have to breathlessly run after it, or even after its semblance.

While Nicholls' characters Dex and Em essentially ended up in a romantic game of cat and mouse, they ultimately ended up together, despite their ups and downs. And we all have our ups and downs. As it is in our nature to form relationships, it is also in our nature to be resilient. Life will throw curve balls, and one day, any day, the surprise will be love.

A Month Spent in the Big Apple

I'm back from New York now...well, I've been home for a little while, getting reacquainted with (comparatively) quaint suburban life, catching up on required summer reading (Tess of the D'Urbervilles), and doing other banal daily-life type activities. To put it simply, I had the time of my life at Barnard College's four week-long "Summer in the City" program. Actually, that would be a huge, vague understatement.

Where shall I start? Well, the people - students and teachers alike - were wonderful. I met many kindred nerd spirits, and others, who while not nerds themselves, enjoyed the company of Potterheads and grammar freaks (I use that last term affectionately) alike. There was always someone to have a fandom discussion with, or even a stimulating intellectual conversation. I fondly declare, these were my kind of people.

The classes naturally contributed to the quality of the experience, as well. I took two creative writing courses: Writing Place and Writing about the Arts. Trust me - I did plenty of writing, and I wouldn't have liked to have spent my summer any other way. One of my greatest passions in life is for the art of the written word, and the environment at Barnard definitely fostered the creative literary process. I even had the opportunity to make a zine - a short self-published magazine that emerged from a strong do-it-yourself movement - for Writing about the Arts.

Of course, the metropolitan environment also played a large role in my enjoyment. As a bulletin board on my dorm floor declared: Manhattan was my playground. The hustle and bustle of Midtown was just a few subway stops away on the 1 Train. Aside from an 11:30 pm curfew on weekdays (and a 12:00 am curfew on weekends) there was the freedom to explore a whole urban world outside of class. The subway, and Starbucks, bookstores, and restaurants within walking distance, are all city conveniences that I now miss.

It's also worth mentioning that after experiencing the college lifestyle for a month, I'm feeling much better about going away to college in a year. No longer is the future a vast unknown. While I can't guarantee what college I will be attending, at least I know there are plenty of teenagers out there with similar interests, from all over the States (and the world!). Students came from as close as Pennsylvania and as far as China. It was truly a unique experience that I will never forget.