A Spring in Everyone's Step

Another Monday is here again.  It's alright with me though!  I had a delightful weekend filled with Starbucks work (we passed our big surprise sanitary test, and a customer told us that out of all the Starbucks he's been to, we're the happiest and most friendly), and school work (knocking two big assignments off the list today), and of course, my big computer purchase.  While getting the newspaper this morning, I noticed the trees that are blooming on the side of our house looked quite pretty.  Even though it has been a little chilly this week, seeing pretty blooms in different colors makes up for it.

(photos by e.hunt)

Two Years in the Waiting

For the last two years I have had the intention to invest in an new and improved laptop.  My vintage 2008 model has become like my child, but it was time to move on.  I think it stopped getting updates about three or four years ago.  I was also a little nervous it would one day decide to up and die and just not turn on when I opened it.  Oh, I have had nightmares of that actually happening!

So, I moved some monies around and was finally able to make the purchase!  Mom and I went to the Apple Store (on a Saturday; I know, we're crazy), and had a charming middle-aged woman help us out.  Taylor and I had previously discussed the model (13" Retina-screen Macbook Pro), and of course, I needed to buy Microsoft Office as well for its school-related value.  Then the other night I had a horrifying realization; Apple stopped including a disc drive on all of their laptops!  How was I going to watch my Lord of the Rings marathons every few months?!  So, I added a USB-connectable disc drive to the transaction as well.

After my student discount, the total turned out to be less than I was expecting, which is always nice, and we were in and out of the store within fifteen minutes.  As with all of their products, the packaging was almost as exciting as the computer itself, and now that I have it opened and turned on, I probably will not be doing anything else but set it up for the next few days.  So much excitement!!

(photos by e.hunt)

All of the Coffee

The semester is winding down to a close, but not at all winding down work-wise.  During these last few weeks before finals, I have to come up with, write, and present two lesson plans, finish my sixty hours worth of observations, write papers for those, write three papers that will be used in my certification portfolio, continue the weekly chapter readings, and study for final tests.  Needless to say, I'm going a little crazy over here!

The good thing is I'm planning a little weekend trip at the end of finals week, to commence the few days I have off before summer classes start, and as a little birthday gift to myself.  The plan is to drive down to Springfield for a night out with the old crew, then wake up and drive down to the Crystal Bridges Art Museum in Arkansas, and make the power drive all the way back home that night.  Starting with a more local trip to kick off the year of travel, but more on that later.

(photos by e.hunt, and collected from crystalbridges)

At the Old Ball Game

Yesterday I came home from an eight hour shift at work to the delightful smell of burritos and a fresh Schlafly Summer Lager.  Then Dad says, "Remember when we went to the baseball game where we sat right behind the dugout?"  "Yes!  That was so much fun!"  "Well, I got them again.  I think we should all go, tonight."  "It's tonight?!  Yeah, let's go!"  So we ate dinner rather quickly and jumped in the car to go.  Last minute, at it's finest.

It had been raining on and off all day, but the game was still on, as scheduled.  We parked a few blocks away from the stadium and upped our step counts walking in.

It was a beautiful night for a game: slightly overcast in the fifties with a slight breeze.  We walked down to our section and the usher wiped the rainwater from our seats.  We were in rich man's land, now.  Both Dad and I had only been to the new stadium once before, and Mom didn't think she had ever been, so it was fun scoping everything out.  Dad found the pitcher speed gun and I learned about how different speeds correlate with different pitches.  He also explained a strategy the other team was using to essentially force outs.  The shortstop moves over in between first and second and the pitch goes to a certain spot that makes the ball go right to him.  

The game went by surprisingly fast, with whole stretches of innings going by one, two, three.  We ended up leaving in the middle of the seventh to avoid the exit crowds, but listened to the win on the radio during the ride home.  What a fun night!

(photos by e.hunt)

As In a Gallery of Parallel Mirrors

Today, I applied mirror selfie tactics to capture my happy spring outfit, in three different mirrors, no less.  Blue dress (with pockets!), olive green shirt knotted over it, a loose grey and white checkered scarf, and my taupe ankle boots.  But I don't really need to tell you because you can see all these elements in the pics!

(photos by e.hunt)

Excitement in the Soul

Later this summer I will be going to my first college reunion wedding.  One of my good friends, Hannah, is tying the knot with her post-military beau, who I haven't met yet, but assume is quite lovely.  Ever since I received the Save the Date a few months ago, I've been keeping my eye out for a new dress, because there's no better occasion than a wedding to sport new duds.  This last weekend while at the mall, I made an impromptu foray into my old place of employment, Express.  After a brief catch-up with my favorite manager, I looked around to see if there was anything worth using a coupon on that I received in the mail.  Thinking I might find a good business shirt or something, it was quite a surprise when I found this delightfully bright and summery dress.  Perfect for a bright and summery wedding, no?  I'm thinking my beaded belt, heels, and a low side updo will compliment it nicely.

(photo by e.hunt)

A Radiant Thursday On the Rise

We are currently in the loud and dusty process of getting a new street in front of our house.  It was much needed, with the first stages of the project beginning last fall, and now currently being followed up with re-paving.  I thought it would be appropriate to continue the big trucks type of post, so here, we see some trucks of the dumping, paving, and flattening variety.

(photos by e.hunt)

Dihydrogen Monoxide

The water fountains are finally back on in the park!  That mid-run water and walk break is the best.

(photo by e.hunt)

The Big and the Mighty

I saw this flatbed truck with the back tipped up while driving around yesterday and knew I had to use it for a background.  So this morning, with that in mind, I planned my whole outfit around it, and the expected cloudy chilliness.  Neutral tan and white with a classic pair of jeans, topped by one of my many neckscarves and bomber jacket.  On location I set up the tripod and started self-timer snapping away!  On closer inspection of the truck (by reading that sign in the window), it appears the beast is for sale; for a mere $22,000, this baby could be yours!

(photos by e.hunt)

A Little Springtime R and R

In an extremely rare occurrence, to the point of almost unheard of, I wasn't scheduled either day on this beautiful spring weekend, and I could not be more pleased!  Between work, observing, and school, I feel like I have been going going going for the past week and a half, so this little break came at the perfect time.  I got to sleep in this morning (but was up at 8:30 anyway) and had coffee with the parents up at Kaldis.

Also, I finally got Instagram, and this coffee pic was my first post!

(photo by e.hunt)

Automatic Binding Bricks

I've spent quite a bit of time over the last few days (and will be over the next few) observing a high school art teacher in his element.  Most of it is spent keeping up with my journal assignment and walking around to check out the student work.  But yesterday, during my host teacher's planning hour, I got to carve a couple linoleum blocks to show the progressive printing process.  I did this same project back when I was in high school!

(photo by e.hunt)

"I Must Have Flowers, Always and Always"

-Claude Monet

It's a bit late, but Happy Easter!  I spent the morning at work and came home to a delicious brunch party with the fam.  Dad made some awesome dairy-free quiches for the occasion; Mom sent out the before pic while I was at work, and I came home to take the after!

Mom also set a lovely table.  Blue and white is definitely the best dish combination.  Throw in some bright centerpiece items, and little bowls of fruit, avocado, and lemons, and you've got a perfectly springtimey party!

(photos by r.hunt, and e.hunt)

The Thicker They Are, The Smarter You Look

Today is the first full day of wearing my new glasses.  Even with the "ultra thin" lenses, they're still pretty thick, but I'm going to stick with the old adage in the title.  According to that, I must be a rocket scientist or something.

(photos by e.hunt)

All I Need is Some Vitamin Sea

The last few days have been overcast and rainy and cold and gross.  Yep, all of those things.  To combat your sad, rainy mood, here are some delightfully happy things that are perfectly summer.

(photos collected from messynessychic, ohweddingday, flikr, and theyallhateus)

I Am More Aware of Lunar Activity Than I Have Ever Been Before

Well, I think the Moon was playing a trick on me last night for April Fool's Day, by shining through my skylight in all it's almost full moon glory and not letting me sleep before my 3:30am wake-up call.  And then it smirked at me through my windshield all the way to work.

(photo by e.hunt)

Movie Review: We'll Ride the Train to the End of the Line, and Then, We'll Jump

This weekend Mom and I went to see the new Insurgent movie.  As fans of the first one in the futuristic dystopia series, Divergent, we were pretty excited.  We got the best seats in the house, which are between a third and half the way up, and slightly to the right, and settled into the new rocking chair-style chairs.

The film starts about ten minutes after the first one ends, with the main characters, Tris and Four plus a few others, are running for their lives through the forest at the end of the train line going out of a broken down future Chicago.  Everybody in this society choses a community to live in at a certain age based on their personality and values.  These communities are called factions.  A few people (including Tris and Four) don't completely fit into any of the factions, but several, and are called Divergent.  Divergents are ostracized from the society, so most of them hide it and try to live within a faction of their choice and not draw attention to themselves; however, because they are seen as a threat they are being hunted down and killed by the bad guy, Jeanine, played by a very blonde, pencil skirt-wearing Kate Winslet.

Our little group of outsiders finds refuge in the Amity faction, made up of farmers who value happiness and living a simple, peaceful life.  They live in beautiful wooden structures among the trees, are led by a slightly-less sassy than in The Help Octavia Spencer, and are the only group not afraid to wear colors.  That was really the best part of this movie: seeing the different factions more in depth.  In the first movie we only saw Abnegation, who value selflessness, and Dauntless, who value bravery and strength, but here we get to see Amity, Factionless, Candor, and Erudite.

This movie was a lot more plot-driven than Divergent, which was more focused on the characters.  This took away from the story because that is the whole point of this society: knowing yourself and understanding life based on how you understand yourself.  It was a nice parallel that succeeded in the first movie, but not this one.  Of course, the ending set up the third and final part of the series, Allegiant, which will be split into two movies (a trend started by Harry Potter and followed by series like The Hunger Games).  I hope that we will see more of the happy and colorful Amity community.

(photos collected from ink361, trisandfour, fyeahtheojames, and professionalfangirls)