Friday, July 17, 2009

Toss me a cigarette, I think there's one in my raincoat.




“So live that when thy summons comes to join
The innumerable caravan that moves
To that mysterious realm, where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave,
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.”

-William Cullen Bryant


This was my favorite stanza of my favorite poem in high school. That was back when I used to be a 'writer' and actually had an appreciation for poetry. My writer spirit was crushed once I started my tertiary education. This blog and its pathetic excuse for writing is the last hope to resuscitate my once-flaming passion. I have too many interests and only 24 hours in a day. In true economic mentality, I give up what is not going to academically benefit me in the short-run and long-run (instant gratification, much?). Sure, choosing to work at an accounting office instead of being out in the farm where I would be truly happy may seem like it's the right choice for the long run; I'll have an income meaning less loans to take out, easier to pay the bills, better for my overall college career. And yet, learning about the farm life would be so greatly beneficial if and when I decide to pursue my (for now) agricultural and resource economics graduate studies. Not to mention it would make me happy, but it pays less so "MC > MB" or so they tell me.

The point being: farming, writing, this last stanza I found absolutely prolific back in high school because I used to write and I loved it, is the point I am trying to get back at. Or rather, move forward to? That seems more appropriate. So for all those who have been concerned (thank you for caring), yes I am alive. Cullen Bryant has captivated me once again. I'm trying to not to live life like a quarry slave scourged to my dungeon at night. Rather, I am taking inspiration in my usual victims along with a recent appreciation for Bené. Can I just play Angelica and meet my Benny so we can move to the farm and enthrall ourselves in hippie glory?

Couple of things for those who missed my ramblings:
  1. Is Jay-Z not the most brilliant man ever? D.O.A. is quite brilliant. Along the same lines, I am quite disappointed in Nas for cheating on amazing Kelis!
  2. Travel & languages is all that is ever on my mind. I guess that's what they mean when they say guys always have sex on their mind. But basically, I'll be going to E.S. after my 2nd Summer Session is done. I'm so excited for the lovely beaches but even more excited to see the real life situation of the third-world country. Oh and I will be meeting my real grandfather who is an ex-guerrilla member & coffee farmer. Cannot wait to be out on the coffee plantations. Lately though, Siento-me muito cansado, necessito uma férias em Brasil talvez? Um verão nas praias ensolaradas de Rio de Janeiro seria maravilhoso. Tengo un nuevo interes en el portugues. Quisiera aprender el idioma y viajar a Brazil y Portugal. My new favorite quote: "Um burro carregado de livros não é doutor." Do you ever feel like that? I do, 60% of the time. Reminds me of my other favorite quote: "Que se acercen los niños, los amantes del ritmo. Que se queden sentados los intellectuales". Anyway, point is, for me: Travel & Languages = Sex. And I'm a raging nymphomaniac.
  3. Been spending lots of money on buying European fashion magazines. People really don't understand how much more fashion forward people in Europe are. It kills me to say it because I hate pretentious European obsessed people but I can seriously sit on the grass at the park and look at these magazines for hours just dreaming up what I would do with these beautiful garments and thinking of new outfits I can make to wear around Davis during the hot and beautiful summer. The people on the streets of Paris or Copenhagen are just so on it. They know style.
  4. Along the same lines, I miss thrift shopping. In high school, my friends and I would hop on the Gold Line or the Dash and hit up Goodwill and St. Vincents for thrifty finds. We got pretty amazing stuff. As we grew up, we progressed to more professional vintage shops on Hollywood & Vine. We never did make it out to Melrose too much. That's where the super pretentious and rich go "find" their "vintage" clothes. Maybe if I save up enough $? :) So anyway, the weekend after finals, I will go an all weekend thrift hunt in Woodland & Sac. Just my Ipod & my intuition. Cannot wait.
  5. Call me crazy but I love being a loner. I always have, ask my whole family and all my friends. I like to think all the time and people around all the time just get in my way. I think I suffer from narcissism. Really. I think I need a long drive down PCH with good music all by myself.
  6. Summer is absolutely beautiful (although I miss my coats). Getting darker by the day while Evsey Domar and Robert Solow 's stress inducing models are making me lose the lbs along with....
  7. Michael Pollan. He is amazing (Thanks Theobald). I cannot stop reading and listening to him. Farmers' Market and Davis Co-Op are my new fave shopping places. Locally grown, in-season fruits and veggies every day. Raspberries, beets and cucumbers are my everyday snacks. Today I got mangoes and they will be amazing tomorrow.
  8. News news news. All types. I am in love with my political science class. My professor let me know how valuable I am due to my Arabic speaking-ness. Quiero ir a Honduras cuando este en E.S.
  9. Besides travel and family, music is the only thing that can make me so incredibly happy. From Silvio to Zeppelin to Buena Vista Social Club to S&G. When I walk home from school, I just listen to the secret messages the universe leaves me. The same song tells me new things ever single day. Oh and movies too. Almost Famous never gets old.
  10. Only about 1 month until Chevy moves to SF and Jess to Santa Cruz. Perfect way to spend my last year in Davis (ان شا للله)

Okay I got way too many random ramblings in my mind but I'll end it there cause I have to get to my boring accounting job in a couple of hours. Promise I'll post more often. My family is visiting me for the weekend♥

C'est la belle vie de jours d'été!

Simon and Garfunkel, the whole Bookends album.

-melidee