What I’m doing tonight

Tonight, I’m going to watch Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part I.

As I was making plans to attend the midnight showing, dedicated fan that I am, it occurred to me that I accidently never saw its counterpart…whups!

So, naturally, fit in time to watch in within this next week like it’s my job. My friend Jess and I will indulge in Hogwarts tonight. At least I think Hogwarts is still in the picture…

Quick story:

I first saw Harry Potter my first year in college. There were several HP movies out at that point but I had nothing to do with any of them at that point – yes, it’s meant to sound snobby! I confess: I stuck my nose in the air at the sound of wizards and warlocks – I really judged it. Though I hadn’t read it and I didn’t understand it… it’s a confession, calm down!

My rules and pointy fingers towards magic fiction became challenging when I found my social life at stake. Of course, right? A bunch of girls were going to the midnight showing of the latest HP film – I think it was the 4^th book at the time – the tri-wizard cup? (You can see I still haven’t arrived to any serious intimacy with the series, but o well). Yes, I’m sure these girls would have invited me to other things even if I hadn’t gone with them to the movie’s premiere – and things in college that I would dare say were, morally, “bigger fish to fry” than watching Harry Potter. ANYwho, I followed along. Because that’s my first year in college in a nutshell

Yep, the fourth movie was my very first introduction to Harry Potter. It wasn’t the book, and it wasn’t even the first movie – the fourth. But let me just tell you this: I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Watching this movie led me to watch all the rest in my dorm room and I even read several of the books themselves (it was actually on the syllabus in one of my literature classes, ahah). I was absolutely impressed by the world J.K. Rowling created in her head – from nothing else but imagination and creativity. She just…went there.

moving staircase - brilliant

Fiction is, by far, my favorite kind of literature. And the writer in me was able to set all judgments aside, that I might recognize what a fantastic fiction writer this woman is. She boasts creativity and a child-like spirit in every aspect of her writing, from the words she uses (endless alliteration – yum!) to the characters she creates. She doesn’t even neglect the settings – I looove the cafeteria!

I mean it, she really impressed me.

So yes, I’ve spent some x hours of my life jumping into Hogwarts – I do just love it.

And, my new perspective/opinion on this has to be said, the Christian controversy surrounding the novel is kind of a shame…we must save our breath for much more dire battles than this.

P.S. On a personal note, I’m loving summer.

Now for my photos

Divine.

my co-worker Stephanie bought me some house-warming flowers!

Ahem, I just moved out! I miss my family, but it was time…it just was.  I’m absolutely broke after paying rent for my own place, but ¡vale la pena! I need the discipline with spending money anyways…heh. Also, I’m living life without cable – we’ll see how much more blogging I accomplish without it. Writing more than TV? Yes, please.

Love you, Jen More to come, I promise! Thank you for loving me and my writing!! You are still such a blessing to me – even one thousand miles away…

Will

I will enjoy a run tomorrow. I will enjoy a run tomorrow. I will enjoy a run tomorrow.

The damp, drying pavement is already calling my name.

Creating Change

I read somewhere that the one of the best things you can do for yourself when trying to break an unhealthy habit is to take yourself out of your comfort zone. Ironic to me – because I often figure that my unhealthy habits are coping mechanisms helping me through the discomfort. But, in truth, they don’t help me through anything. They keep me right where I’m at, and that’s if I’m lucky.

I’m 23 = there’s a lot of change going on in my life right now. But, when I really think about it, it’s the circumstances that are changing on me like crazy…my habits are faithfully consistent.

Work-wise, my yesterday and today looked like this:

I’m blessed to have a job. But it doesn’t come without internal struggle here and there – surely. I’m cashing in my “internal struggle” check this week, knowing next week had better may call for sun

I finished a little earlier than my usual Friday and, thus, I was left with a tons of excess day. Hmmm….here I remain, living with a family I love, but in an area I’ve not grown up in, and have therefore invested next to nothing relationship-wise. I’m getting there – progress is slow, as we humans and our trust factors go – which is fair. But, all of this to say: it takes a significant amount energy for me to find anything other than going straight home after work appealing.

This is, I notice, a great opportunity for me to change up this incredible comfort zone I’ve created for myself. And today, I did!

Instead of going straight home, I didn’t a little bit of this at a local coffee shop:

And considered such options for a new cooking guideline at another local bookstore:

And until I get a grip on an actual direction I’d like to take this blog in, I am so down to try to follow this cookbook-like challenge. Call me Julie and Alicia Julia, if you must – but cooking is still out of my comfort zone, much less with such abstract ingredients. I’ve been considering this particular book for a while, because I appreciate the healthy changes she’s gradually made in her life, and I wouldn’t mind taking a step here or there to emulate such a lifestyle. Meat may remain here and there – my boyfriend may break up with me otherwise. But I figure if I at least get a grasp on what it’s like to make tasty vegan-like meals, at least I’ll have a foundation on which to stand.

May the learning begin I’m uncomfortable excited…

It’s Here!

The eyes to my voice has arrived!

Beginner's Shot

And Spring’s here, too

The Sun We Never See

This morning, I just gave thanks that Oregon even puts up a good fight for the sun. California’s too easy and Washington’s, well…prudish, I guess. Oregon knows juuust how to work it. It plays hard to get, and this is what we’ve earned for said strategy:

Greens of every shade

After parading around for my “beginner’s shots,” and teaching my beginner-self how to import, edit, and upload, my full-time working self has to go!

Enjoy the rest of your morning.

All or Nothing

This morning I went for a 3 mile run. Lately, as in this past month, running for the sake of “training” has given me a very all or nothing attitude towards one of my favorite forms of exercise. Mindset being this:

“If I don’t have time to run 8, 10, or 12 miles today, I’ll just wait until tomorrow – I just won’t run at all today.“

Deep down, I know this is illogical, unrealistic, and an excuse all in one. But, consequently, I’ve not run since Thursday. I always wonder to myself how long I can go without running…

But this morning, my body trumped my mind – it said, “I have so much energy; must. run. now.” Amazing to crave this – because it never does this for strength training…ever. If I told my body here and now, “I’ll never allow you to strength train again,” do you know what it would say? “Good riddance” is what it would say.

But after 9 hours of sleep, I woke up without the help of my alarm. Clear sky, bright sun, fresh air, and a whole lotta energy. Amen to all of those things.

There are a number of things I’ve wanted to accomplish this morning; this combined with the fact that I’ve not run for 5 or 6 days had me set out on a completely sensible 30 minute jaunt. Loved every minute, and didn’t need more. And I think to myself: what if I allowed myself this slight indulgence every morning, save the long-run training necessity?

If I had my camera today, I’d take some inspiring picture of my foot in my running shoe hitting the damp pavement which hasn’t seen the light of day in months. Soon, but not today! Trust me – I’m hitting its tracking number link like there’s no tomorrow.

The morning is ending. I’m off to work – but not before catching up with the man in my life on the Skype.

Because that’s how we roll these days.

Very Quick

I just bought a new camera! I’m sooo excited – I’ve been saving for months (proof per when I started  TimeToBreakfast)!

It’s a little difficult that my savings just took quite a hit – but, it’s what I’ve been saving for! I have every intention of using this camera for years. And it will shamelessly dress this blog.

6-10 business days and counting…

Expected Absences

This blog is a work in progress. I let months pass before I allow myself to imperfectly step forward towards another entry. I get all discouraged when days turn to weeks turn to months since I’ve written.

And then, I remember I’m writing this blog for my own sanity…to calm me down, and not to wind me up. And this is why stressing over posting a new blog every day is completely counterproductive.

I should look forward to writing. Like her: http://www.jmoys.blogspot.com This girl enjoys her blogging. And I’m inspired by her this morning

Soon to come: exactly why I love “to breakfast”…

It’s still morning … right?

10 am is absolutely still morning.

Waking up at 530 may turn you into one of those people who give the stink eye to people who wish a “Good Morning” around 11, but I think I’ll always take a Good Morning when I can

Currently, my Saturday morning is hot oatmeal with peanut butter, decaf coffee with cream, frost and fog outside, and re-runs of One Tree Hill.

I’ve also been half-heartedly researching cameras. I know I should start small time and work my way up; I’m no photographer, but I’m ambitious to start documenting my life – awfully ambitious. For the longest time I have been the girl always relying on a friend to bring his/her camera along. Facebook was born about a year before I started college, so I’ve shamelessly followed the “tag me” motif for years. And it worked for all the years I’ve been around my camera-stubborn-laden friends

But this is a different kind of year… It’s up to me now, and if I don’t start tending to this lack-of-documentation crisis, my mid-twenties are going to be at the mercy of my memory.  *insert melodramatic sigh*

I suppose it’s time to start the day.

• Yoga
• whine to Mac employee over the finicky flaws of my laptop
• apply for my first credit card
• figure out where I started to become an adult

Well, I’m glad it’s starting with yoga…

Vices and Virtues

Vice – The perfectionist in me has not allowed me to continue on in this blog since it started, just over four months ago.

Virtue – This morning, I tumbled out of bed at 5:35 (despite my best efforts to burst out at 5), batted eyes at my 35 minute loss, and patted myself on the back for going to bed early.

Vice – In an attempt to start this blog somewhere, the first month of it may very well be without pictures, leaving me to rely solely on literary imagery…can you work with this?

Virtue – Yesterday, I wore yoga pants and was a poser – a sorely familiar feeling to me, flashing back to the fragile junior high days when I sported trendy Roxy attire without ever really riding a surf board. This morning, I wear yoga pants and am a poser no longer. 2011 welcomed me in with a brand new  yoga/pilates studio’s grand opening. First class was at 7 – loved it. More on this later…

Vice – I vowed to throw something of any worth into literary cyber space today, but was forced to cut it short after, to no surprise whatsoever, getting lost in the fantastic morning-baking, thought-basking, creative-writing genius women on my blog roll.

Virtue – Due to time constraint and an understanding of just how little a reader’s attention span can be kept without pictures, I’m able to post with concision.

Many times, my vices outweigh my virtues. On the best days, they balance.

Enjoy your breakfast

Must start somewhere

Waiting for a muse…coming soon!