Some great new friends reminded me of this beautiful act of imagination.  (José González has been serenading heartbeats to me ever since, sigh! Don’t you love it when a song like that gets stuck in your head?) I love that it really happened.

Remember the paint + fireworks exploding from the seemingly abandoned building?

Or WAS it abandoned??

“I’m naturally allergic to paint.”

And then there was the pyramids…

Update: So I mentioned that I didn’t catch the ending in the alley, but Marcus snuck out of work for a bit longer and caught it on video, which you can now enjoy.  As you can tell from the reactions at the end of the game – Seattleites seemed to be rooting for Ghana – everyone just gets up and leaves and you can hear the one triumphant solo cheer (Marcus!) as the final penalty kick puts Uruguay in winning place.  Oh, and that other guy clapping… But who cares? By la mano de Dios, Uruguay goes into the semifinals!

I would almost give anything to be in Buenos Aires again for the game tomorrow.  Sure, the games are exciting to watch here in the US… but comparatively speaking? The game means so much more to our South American friends.  I just have to be there!!  After all, they play with their hearts…

And Argentina does have their legendary Diego at the helm. Has anyone else been watching his interviews?  >This man has no filter.<  I loved the particularly ridiculous question about love, hugs and kisses from a Brit reporter in the following clip (a good illustration of “es cultural”) when Diego had to clarify (first with his EYES) that NO, he is NOT gay, a mi me gustan las mujeres I am going with the 31 year old Veronica, she is blonde, she is beautiful…  One ultra basic cultural difference everyone should know! —-> Cheek Kissing.

Okay, I know you’re surprised to hear so much about soccer from me.  But this isn’t just soccer.  I’m filing this post under “things that inspire” because as someone who generally doesn’t follow sports – I am feeling the world cup fever. How can you not get caught up in the truly international and democratic nature of the event? It’s so irresistible, and so thoroughly optimistic.

Sorry for my absence!  I forget how June is such a busy month – full of so many celebrations, birthdays, holidays, happy visits and enjoying the outdoors.  Blogging is a total indulgence for me as it is, so when my days get packed and there isn’t any time all to myself, this is one of those things that naturally goes to the end of the line.

Don’t worry, we’ve just sent off the last of our out of town guests, summer solstice has passed, bringing in the longer, hopefully more lazy days of July. Maybe this extra daylight beating into my room is to give me that feeling of encouragement to catch you up on some inspiring images I’ve been enjoying lately…

Amanda Brooks, the author of I Love Your Style, sitting in a field of queen anne’s lace, the lush grassy meadow, the gold dress and bare feet. Somehow this all seems right, especially if she were me and there were a he named Marcus, taking the picture. Note to self. (Is this how all good pictures are constructed? Ha! Don’t laugh, take notes.)

Dear Sofia, I agree.  I think that God wants us to have fun.  He made us to enjoy life, after all. We can’t be serious ALL OF THE TIME.

I have many ideas of what the ideal studio looks like. Natural light is essential.  This attic space is pretty close to what my previous studio looked like if you edited it with pewter colored walls, still high ceilings but no skylights, same bookcase, same easel. The pattern of the colorful rug and the little armchair to sit and study books and the non-distracting whitewash background is so so great.  But the real reason I saved this image? the Mobil Oil Pegasus hung on the wall. (!) There is something mystical about that guy.  When I was a little girl in living in Detroit, (We moved to Seattle when I was ten) I had a white t-shirt of the softest cotton with that exact red logo on the front. Every time I wore that shirt, I felt invincible.  I love the way that he’s lifting off into the sky here and the formation of the bricks just pointing him upward.  Yes, this room is just about perfect. image source unknown.

I’m still posting regularly on my tumblr and the other day this scene got a popular response.  Everyone loves bicycles.  The simplicity, the freedom, the nostalgia, the fresh air, the exercise, oh the glory!! Which reminds me, I created a facebook group: Yes, I Bike in High Heels. Now just think about the practicality of this declaration.  It is difficult to walk several city blocks in heels.  But those same pair shoes on a bike? Just think of the ground you can cover! And the pretty condition your shoes will be in when you get to your destination== like new.  Oh yes.

roman & williams work

billykirk (their items are available here in seattle at blackbird.)

My heart sings seeing these studio visits made by the scout.

I know I’ve been a little MIA lately, but I hope I’ll be posting a little more regularly soon.  Let’s start off the weekend right with some PS22 Chorus, the very same sweet voices that sing on Passion Pit’s album.  Their teacher amazing for giving these kids the best opportunity they need at this age – confidence through the arts. BEAUTIFUL.

I really love all of the film shorts on Kate Spade’s website.  This one is particularly adorable and rings true to me because I believe that it doesn’t take much to feel adventurous: wearing a bold coat or holding out some pinwheels in the wind can feel unusual and exciting!  I think a good code to live by is asking the question, if it’s not breaking any major laws, moral or civil, and not hurting anyone, and it energizes and excites you, then why not?

What’s an adventurous thing you’ve done lately? Small or big? (I want to try incorporating something thrilling into my life each day.  Is it silly to make this a habit?  Then I’ll be silly.)

Max at the Washington Monument.

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.”

“Movie created using a single shot of Polaroid Sx-70 Time Zero film. Incrementally manipulated and scanned approx 125 times. Not digitally created.”

from SX70manipulator.

‘Blood’ The Middle East

the middle east | MySpace Music Videos

This song happened to come on the radio as KEXP‘s song of the day as I was taking my oldest to school.  And even though we were totally late, and I was having one of those awfully hurried mornings where nothing was going according to plan, it was this song that saved me.  I sat there with my hands on the wheel, car idling, stresses melting, as I felt my heart soaring higher and higher and I listened to every. last. note.

Maybe it will save you too?