21 May 2011

Creativity Night


Tonight was creativity night. I have a basket full of yarn and needles and another basket full of sewing patterns and a box full of a sewing machine . . . so I rekindled my love for all of these things. After about an hour of brainstorming ideas via YouTube I made this:

It's nothing special, but it felt good to crochet again—just to refresh some of the skills I learned a long time ago. People crochet some really pretty things. I'd like to be able to make a necklace with crocheted flowers or beads. That would be intricate. Also, I love my new nail polish:
Pretty things make life so fun sometimes. 
Good night.

05 May 2011

GRE study #3

Adulterate—to make impure
Advocate—to support; to speak in favor of
Aerie—a nest built high in the air; an elevated and secluded dwelling
Aesthetic—concerning the beauty of something
Affected—phony; artificial
Aggrandize—to increase in power and reputation

I've been having some anxiety about my future this week. The requirements, the rigorous instructions, the forms, the applications—all of it was metaphysically filling in my head, piling up on my desk, filling in every free space of my planner, just consuming me. I wished that I could escape the gravity of it all and fly to my aerie in the sky. How am I supposed to keep my motivation up? Well, I've been focusing on the aesthetics of grad school and a career. Grad school offers a lot of perks like education, personal mentoring, financial aid, benefits of being a student, and the inevitably bigger paycheck. Also, my parents and brother and boss and co-workers advocate grad school and in turn will advocate me to any administrator or registrar. I have confidence that I can get good recommendations; I'm grateful that I've never had an affected relationship with the people closest to me. Nonetheless, my fears and un-confidences keep adulterating my will to persevere. I'm worried about not scoring well, not being good at studying, not knowing what to do next. I don't know where I'll be this time next year, and I wish I could know that. Anyway, if I keep thinking positively, then I will certainly be able to aggrandize myself through persistence and progression.

02 May 2011

GRE Study #2

Abstain—to not participate in; to choose not to do something
Abstemious—moderate in appetite
Abyss—a deep hole
Accretion—to add to, to build upon; an increase in amount or size
Acidulous—a sour taste or manner
Acme—the highest point or peak; the highest level or degree attainable

Fast Sundays always leave an acidulous taste in my mouth, literally. Going two or more meals without eating is difficult, not to mention intolerable when you consider the smelly breath you get from not eating anything. If it weren't for the spiritual feasting I receive on fast sunday, then the first of every month would be a physical and mental abyss. It's on these days that I crave anything but an abstemious meal. I want four courses, the whole nine yards. The irony is that my stomach is so much smaller that I have to abstain from excessive amounts of food, which is exactly what I want. When I give in to my hunger full throttle, I notice an accretion in my stomach. Not so pretty. A food baby. A cibo bambino. A cimbo. (Italian slang for food baby). One day I will be able to balance these needs and desires and reach the acme of both spiritual nirvana and edible glory.