{365 of 2012} Week 17

If I could do three things right now they would be: 

1) Read. I am in the middle of my book club book and I am HOOKED. 

It completely creeps me out and I get scared at night but I can't stop. 

2) Blast Fleet Foxes as loud as possible. 

I have been on a major kick lately. 

Epic steering-wheel drum solos while driving, I tell ya. 

3) Instantly become an expert at Photoshop. 

I started using it a couple months ago and the more I use 

it the more I realize I don't know what the hell I'm doing. 

For now I will share last week's photos and then resume grading. 

 Yeah I totally just blogged about this picture. 

 Blue trees at Westlake Center. Blogged about this one too! 

 Last/best night of bowling team. My love for this sport has been rekindled. 

 Somewhere amid the chaos on my fridge 

there are tickets Capitol Hill Block Party...! 

 Trivet friends on my oven! 

One of those late-at-night-I-forgot-to-take-a-photo! moments. 

 My bathroom. Again, late-at-night-I-forgot-to-take-a-photo! 

Tour de Lopez! Lots more photos to share soon. 

Sunday home and garden

As I have mentioned (probably numerous times), 

the weather was awesome over the weekend. 

I had a jam-packed day Saturday so Sunday it was time to play catch up. 

Cleaning the house with the doors open and sun streaming in is not half bad! 

I did four loads of laundry, which tells you how long 
that's been on my to-do list since I am a household of one. 
I remembered the closeline out back - perfect for the tablecloth 
I picked up at an antique store a few weeks ago. 

I checked in on my seedlings. Beets, snap peas, snow peas, 
carrots, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts are all doing well so far.

My strawberries and my roses are flowering. 

The cats monitored the front door. 
Dean only climbed the screen door and got stuck one time. 

Homemade hummus and veggies for lunch. 


Looking back at these photos it's hard to believe this was only a few days ago.
I was wearing T-shirts and leaving the door open!  
Today it is windy and COLD. I was freezing waiting for the bus after class. 
Tour de Lopez is Saturday so I'm keeping my fingers crossed 
for no rain and an increase in temperature! 

the lights are much brighter there

The clouds are back in Seattle, but we sure had some gorgeous days. 

After work yesterday I took the bus downtown. 

I needed to pick up some makeup at Sephora 

and endure an awkward bra fitting at Nordstrom. 

Then it was time for a Field Roast dog, a stroll around the city, 

and the walk home along Lake Union. 

Whenever I go downtown I get the song stuck in my head. 

I feel silly singing it in my head on the bus. 

At least I am not singing it out loud, right? 

Now I am picturing myself as Petula Clark on the bus. 

If you didn't click on the link above do it and you'll know what I mean ;)

Instagram Snapshots

3 days of instagram photos

1. grading support

2. rain and coffee

3. rosemary roasted carrots

4. Real Estate 

5. taking Betty for a ride 

6. campfire on the beach

this is proof that life is random. 

Poor Moon

On Friday I went to the Neptune to see Real Estate and Poor Moon. 

I was already a Real Estate fan but little did I know 

I would fall head over heels for Poor Moon. 

(photo source)

This band features one half of Fleet Foxes so I should have known, geeze. 

At one point they harmonized their whistling. Whaaat? That's crazy amazing. 

The music is melodic and beautiful like the Foxes but still unique. 

They have an EP out now with five songs on it that I play on repeat. 

The full length isn't supposed to come out until August. 

I might die waiting. 

Give them a listen... 

Poor Moon at SXSW from Largetail on Vimeo.

{365 of 2012} Week 16

I just had a fantastic weekend! 

It's going to be hard to go back to work tomorrow. 

Here are my photos from last week: 

 Sunday was grading and homework day. 

These guys kept me company. 

 Beets! It's what's for dinner. 

 Attempting candied lemon slices to top the cheesecake I made for bookclub. 

They looked pretty but tasted gross. 

 My students came up with their own manipulated variables in a lab... 

I was not expecting chocolate milk to be involved. 

 Poor Moon and Real Estate at the Neptune. More on this later! 

Biking on a gorgeous sunny Saturday. More photos later! 

I am exhausted from having fun and then cleaning all day. 

Not a bad way to go to bed. 

Sunny Seattle Saturday

Saturday was gorgeous!
Kelly and I had a nice little Saturday afternoon. 

Lunch (outside!) at Homegrown. 

Yummy squash and pesto sandwich, 

salt and pepper chips, and a blackberry soda! 

Then we people-watched at Kerry Park and 

enjoyed some Molly Moon's. I had the vegan coconut chunk! 

Perfection. 

Book Review: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

I'm smack in the middle of a grading marathon 

(they're due tomorrow...oops) 

and turnitin.com has decided to stop working. 

So I am forced to stop. 

I can't decide if this is good or bad. 

Time to blog! 

I stayed up way past my bedtime last night finishing this book: 

I think I cried through approximately half of the book but I LOVED it. 
My book club had mixed reviews from love to hate.
Here is my take: 
The book is extremely sad and incredibly moving. 
The tragedy of 9/11 was subtly juxtaposed with Hiroshima and Dresden. 
In each case innocent people died horrible deaths. 
Survivors have to live with those awful memories. 
It is sickening and it makes me sad about the world we live in. 


Sorry to be Debbie Downer. 
I still loved the book because I think it is good to try 
to understand and to try to empathize. 
It puts my own life in perspective 
and I am reminded of how very, very lucky I am. 
That, to me, is a good read. 


Have you read it? What did you think? 


 My next post will be a happy one, I promise! 

First Aid Kit and a Wednesday Night Out

When I first found out First Aid Kit would be 

in town I snatched up a couple tickets. 

Good thing because this show was sold out 

and my brother decided to come along!

 The night started with a bus ride and short walk to Belltown. 

 We met at Umi Sake House for drinks and sushi. 

They have a separate vegetarian section of sushi on the menu, 

most of which are also vegan. Thanks, dudes! 

 I had a roasted bell pepper roll, an avocado roll, and pear sake. 

I also tried some fried tofu dish that I wasn't a fan of. 

But the rolls, edamame and sake were delish! 

 We found out the show would be starting pretty late 

so we went around the corner to Shorty's for some beer and pinball. 

I love their "Pinball Cove" and it's a fun place to just hang at the bar. 

The show started late and the Crocodile was PACKED. 

We were in the very back next to the bar in a corner. 

Conveniently there was a stool that I kneeled on so I could see! 

The show was SO GOOD. These girls can SING. 

I shot some video of one of my fav songs. 

Be sure to hold out for the end - it's the best part! 

I'm so happy I got to see them in this small venue 

and I had so much fun on my night out with the little bro. 

Thanks for coming with me, Alex! 

Radiohead!

I still can't believe I saw Radiohead live. 

The day before the show I found out a friend of a friend had an extra ticket. 

Snagged! Winner. 

I remember in 6th or 7th grade hearing Karma Police 

on the radio and falling in love. Memories! 

And they have just kept coming out with great music. 

That Thom Yorke is a genius AND a fabulous dancer. 

So in tribute, some favorite Radiohead songs 

PLUS my own clip from the show (at the bottom of the post): 

The last video is one I took at the show of another fav song, "Nude". 
There are so many other great ones too.
Love! 

{365 of 2012} Week 15

As you may have guessed by my blog absence, 

this past week was CRAZY busy. 

Two concerts, class and homework, bowling, and a baseball game. 

So I can't really complain... 

Here are my photos from the week: 

 We had family dinner on Sunday and I made piña colada sherbet. 

 RADIOHEAD at Key Arena. AMAZING! 

 I'm the H. Not a bad game for me. 

 One of the two faces I come home to. 

The cats did not appreciate my social calendar this week. 

 My poppies are blooming. Favorite flower! 

 M's opening day. Horrible game but great weather and new friends. 

A fun afternoon out with Kelly. More on this another time! 

I have so many posts planned but no time to work on them. 

Lots of grading and homework today. 

Someday soon I will get caught up. That's what I keep telling myself... 

{365 of 2012} Week 14

I can't believe my spring break is over already! 

I did not accomplish many of the things I was supposed to. 

My motivation has been seriously lacking 

when it comes to blogging and working. 

However, my apartment is clean. 

You win some you lose some. 

Here are my photos from the week: 

 Just a week ago I was at the beach. 

 I was productive in the yard at least. 

 A lot of my time was spent like this... 

 The cats enjoyed having me home. 

 I was in charge of dinner for class this week. 

I made a gluten-free version of my vegan cookies. 

I also exchanged the cranberries for toasted coconut. 

They were a hit! 

 A recent estate find. I have more to share soon. 

First hike of the spring! 

The weather was gorgeous but I felt old and out of shape. 

More photos from the hike later too. 

I'm gearing up for a crazy week. 

I have something going on every evening, 

I'm two months behind on grading, and

I have a massive amount of grad school homework. 

Yay...