modest mouse.

"The universe is shaped exactly like the Earth, if you go straight long enough you'll end up where you were."

east side gallery.

Berlin, Germany

young love.

"Once upon a time, there was a boy. He lived in a village that no longer exists, in a house that no longer exists, on the edge of a field that no longer exists, where everything was discovered, and everything was possible. A stick could be a sword, a pebble could be a diamond, a tree, a castle.


Once upon a time, there was a boy who lived in a house across the field, from a girl who no longer exists. They made up a thousand games. She was queen and he was king. In the autumn light her hair shone like a crown. They collected the world in small handfuls. When the sky grew dark, they parted with leaves in their hair."

-Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

This is an entrancing story that weaves together the lives of very real characters into one masterpiece. The personalities of the characters are so vivid, so perfectly flawed, that your heart grows attached to them as the story unfolds and the end of the story only leaves you wishing you hadn't read it so quickly. The story line is laid out in a nontraditional pattern and engages the reader in interpreting and discovering truths about these people. It's an absolute work of art - my favorite book of all time.

This is her second novel, she also wrote Man Walks Into A Room. Her husband, Jonathan Safran Foer, has a very similar writing style, if you like it. He has written brilliant novels as well including Everything is Illuminated, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Eating Animals (the book behind my decision to become vegetarian).

amsterdam.

Amsterdam is a city brimming with life and excitement. When you go there, the number of people roaming the streets high might be overwhelming, but what I found even more abundant were the bicyclists. Dutch people seem to love the bicycles and they are chained to every inch of the canals - and if they aren't chained, then they'll probably be thrown in soon.

If you are visiting, I would recommend going on this free tour on the first day to get a sense of direction around the city and learn a bit about the city. All of the tour guides are really friendly and really educated on the town and work only for tips. While I was there, I also went to Hill Street Blues - a coffee shop for the locals - and had a really good experience. I rented a bike from MacBike, because I was warned that other companies don't offer bikes with strong enough locks or brakes - both of which are necessities in my book. I also visited the Anne Frank House, which brought to life all of the powerful and heartbreaking scenes from Anne Frank's Diary. For travelers on a budget, the Flying Pig Hostel is one of the most famous hostels in Europe! If you have time, try to make it to see the oversized chess board, the Van Gogh Museum, the unique red light district (be warned, however, that taking pictures in this area could result in the worker splashing you in the face with a cup of urine) and the ultra-famous coffee shop in Oceans 11 (or 12, I can't remember which - I haven't seen it) called the Damkring. They have free posters just inside the doors for souvenirs. As for the boat tours, I didn't go, and was told by a local that they aren't worth the price. Biking is definitely the way to get around. They have a quality bus system, but it can get expensive if you use it all the time.

on working.

"I have nothing to say of my working life, only that a tie is a noose, and inverted though it is, it will hang a man nonetheless if he's not careful."
-Yann Martel, Life of Pi

I'm about halfway through this book now, and can't put it down. It's captivating and brilliantly told. Definitely recommended.

on faith.

"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."
-Yann Martel, Life of Pi

the beginning.

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
-Semisonic

For me, this is the beginning of blogging.

Up until this point, I have written down, taken photos and recorded innumerable tidbits of information and memories in every media possible. From scribbles on the backs of receipts to formal entries in a diary, text messages to myself to candid snapshots, paragraphs of highlighting in books to illegible curls across my palm, I have always struggled to retain the things I think of for a long enough period of time to put them to use.

Finally, I think that this is my answer.

I will record my inspirations, that picture that I can't get out of my mind, that quote from the book I just couldn't put down and that new, delicious recipe I just found.

In this blog, I hope to write about all the things that illuminate my world. Maybe, if I'm lucky, some of those things that mean so much to me, will go on to inspire others, too. From here on out, what is mine, is yours. I am interested in sharing what I know as much as learning about what you know, so comment back with anything, including links to your own blog! I'd love to read them.

I love life, and if you want to know why, this blog is for you...