Dreams of Barcelona

Right now, the only new things in my own life are trips to the mechanic, job hunting, excursions to find good packing boxes, and new rolls of duct tape. As I sit at my apartment and strategize how to fit all of my worldly possessions in one 1998 Toyota Camry, or at the mechanic's shop wondering how it is possible for such a small mechanical part to cost so much money, my sister is exploring the streets of Barcelona.

For obvious reasons, I have decided to write a post in honor of my sister’s much more glamorous life.

Street in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona

Barcelona.

I think of that city and immediately see visions of Moorish architecture and pitchers of sangria. Paella and cobble stoned streets and bullfighters and dark eyed women in flamenco dresses.

My only personal experience with Spain was when I made her acquaintance on a brief weekend jaunt with my friend Margot years ago. One morning we awoke inexplicably bored with the quiet streets of Bordeaux, and decided there was nothing to do but jump on a train and head south. We didn’t make it to Barcelona (or even Madrid) and instead spent a weekend exploring a small town near San Sebastian in Northern Spain.

San Sebastian

We arrived late in the night, hungry for food and conversation. We dropped our bags off at a hostel, and then happened upon a small restaurant that had stayed open late so that the owners could watch a game of futbol. With a clumsily constructed mishmash of French, Spanish, and English, we made friends with the owners and watched soccer and laughed and drank sangria, then ran to the ocean and jumped into its warm waters (just to say that we did) before returning to our rooms to fall into bed happy and exhausted, dreaming of what the next day might bring two bright-eyed, happy-hearted friends.

No, I’ve never been to Barcelona and can rely only on my imagination (and stories from my sister) to piece together a description of a city that I imagine is old and young and full of romance and stories.

La Boqueria in Barcelona

In my imagination, Barcelona is full of artists and poets and people with curious hearts that are eager to learn.

In my imagination, Barcelona’s streets are charmingly crowded with buildings close together. Lace curtains trail out of the windows, and plants grow in pots on rooftop gardens.

In my imagination, you go to Barcelona to fall in love and dance with strangers and make new friends that you recognize immediately as kindred spirits but may never see again.

In my imagination, once you go to Barcelona, you never want to come home again, but when you do return, you’re left wondering if that magical city was just a daydreamed fancy.

One of these days I will go and find out for myself if what I imagine Barcelona to be is near to the reality of the city.


But until then, I will continue to dream the city up in my mind, all bright and beautiful.

Vasanthi

I stumbled upon beautiful things this morning...

The Danish company Vasanthi specializes in lighting. According to their websight, much of their inspiration comes from the color and light at festivals in Thailand and Sri Lanka.

I love how something as simple as a clothes rack is made beautiful by their lights.

This bassonette becomes whimsical and perfectly suited for a baby girl when you add these beautiful peach and pink lights.

You can so clearly see how their adventures in the East have come through in their creative designs shown in these pictures (all from their website). 

The result is magical and romantic and whimsical and simply perfect. 

Cozy Sundays and Good Books

If you looked out of my window today, you would never guess that you were in the middle of southern California. It's one of these extremely rare days where the sun is hiding behind gray, rain-filled clouds. Mist and drizzle give everything a sleepy, comfortable sort of feeling.

It is my opinion that there is nothing more comforting than a rainy Sunday morning, especially when they only come around once a year.

In the corner of my apartment, situated perfectly in between two windows and beside our fireplace is "the chair." Though it doesn't belong to me, it's understood that it's mine. Anytime my brother, sister-in-law and I watch a movie or are all seated in the living room, they take the couch and I take the chair. Its a beautiful, old fashioned kind of chair with a high curved back and dark, wooden legs covered with intricately carved designs. Never do I appreciate the chair as much as on rainy days like today where it's mine to sit in and gaze out of the window all day, wrapped up in a blanket with a steaming cup of coffee in my hands and my journal or a new book in my lap, my imagination running wild.

This glorious gray morning calls for cozying up next to a fire with a good book. Anyone who knows me can tell you how much I love to read, so I thought that in honor of this cozy day, I would make a list of some of the best books that I've recently read. I warn you that I am no snob when it comes to books. I love a good story, and it matters little to me what genre that story belongs to. The following books are not necessarily the best literature you'll ever read, but they are the types of books that will sweep you up to another place with the magic in their pages. But then, isn't that why we read?

Read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstein if you want to be swept up in a magical love story. There are few things I appreciate more than a good imagination, and you can tell within the first chapter that Ms. Morgenstein has an astounding one. Some of the scenes in this book are described so beautifully that I read them out loud so I could really savor what was being described!

Read West with the Night by Beryl Markham if you are looking for a hero. The life of Beryl Markham completely astounds me. Although she is most well known for her work as a pilot, Beryl Markham (an incredible writer) focuses her autobiography mainly on her upbringing in Africa. This book will inspire you and probably amaze you that a woman could accomplish as much as she did in the early 1900's.

Read Zeitoun by Dave Eggers if you're in the mood to be completely outraged. This book is an account of a Middle Eastern man who stays in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Your heart will be uplifted as you read of his bravery, and then outraged as you read on about his treatment by the United States government. It's the type of story that inspires your heart to do something that might change our world for the better.

Read Entwined by Heather Dixon if you want to be completely and totally charmed. This re-telling of one of my favorite fairy tales (the Twelve Dancing Princesses) is set in the Victorian era, and the sweet, funny, plucky dialogue between the sisters in the book will make you laugh and wish that you had eleven sisters to keep things interesting!

I hope these suggestions are welcomed and help you to enjoy your next rainy, cozy day.

How to Have a Good Conversation

Recently I wrote a post about the habit my generation is making of becoming boring. I don’t like it when people choose to watch TV or play video games instead of going off and making their own adventures. I wish people would go do something interesting and risk getting into a little bit of trouble rather than sitting at home watching their favorite TV shows. I hate that we use social media to lie about how perfect our lives our. I wish that we were genuine and knew how to be vulnerable.

Part of that post was about the importance of conversation. As Christians, we are commanded to love others as Jesus did. When you’re trying to love someone well, it helps to have some basic understanding of that person. It’s pretty much impossible to understand them if you never talk with them, and if you want to talk to them without coming off as awkward, it helps knowing how to have a good conversation.

This line of thought begs the question, “what makes a conversation good?” You would think it’s instinctive, but lately I have had some pretty bad conversations, and I want to point out a few simple things that can make or break a conversation.

#1. Make introductions

If you are with another person, be sure to make the introductions between all present. Nothing is more awkward than being the third person when a duo runs into each other, and all of the sudden you’re invisible. It’s just as awkward to run into an old friend while they’re with another person, and you’re suddenly in the uncomfortable position of trying to catch up while figuring out who this new person in the background is.

#2. Ask questions

Everyone loves talking about themselves, but rarely will people simply offer up personal information. Show your interest in other people’s lives by asking questions to get conversation rolling. What are you doing here? How is your day? How is your family? What are you doing? How is your husband/wife/kids?

Sometimes people will be terrible at responding to these questions and your conversation suddenly begins to feel more like an interview. When that happens, it’s time to gently leave the conversation. If people want to talk back, they will, so if they’re not responding well to questions, now is probably not the best time to chat.

#3. Remember details from previous conversations

If this is a person that you talk to on a regular or semi-regular basis, follow up with them on things they have mentioned in previous conversations. Example: if the last time you talked they mentioned that they were close to finishing an important project at work, or that they were about to move into a new apartment, ask them about it. Knowing that someone listens and remembers details in your life makes you feel valued and loved.

#4. Make good eye contact

This one is a classic for a reason. When someone is in a conversation with you but is constantly looking around the room or at their feet, it gives the impression that they cannot wait to get out of the conversation. Conversely, if someone looks you in the eyes and maintains good eye contact, it instinctively makes you feel at ease and gives the impression that they truly are interested in you.

#5. Make physical contact

Obviously, this is a cultural thing and should be treated as such. However, I really think that a quick hug or a touch on the shoulder lends an air of familiarity and ease to a conversation. Giving a quick hug to a friend you run into at a café is a small physical detail that tells them that you are legitimately glad to see them. 


So there you go. Hopefully these are easy, simple things to make your conversations better. Happy chatting!

Anglophile

Why is British TV such a big deal all of the sudden?

Let me be completely honest—for the most part, I kind of hate TV. I find most shows to be dull witted and crude. I think that the jokes are too obvious, and that they often rely on tired stereotypes and promiscuity in order to be interesting.

I think the Bachelor is boring, I think Pretty Little Liars is tired, and while I think shows like Breaking Bad are remarkably well-done, there’s nothing all that surprising in the plot.

We Americans seem to love the glorified bad guy in our entertainment. We like to think that deep down, he’s really pretty cool and the more badly he behaves, the more we take his side and love him.

Which is why it is interesting to me that British TV shows are becoming so popular. Sherlock, Downton Abbey, and Call the Midwife have become hugely followed in the United States despite (or perhaps because) none of them are your typical American TV show. For one thing, none of them rely on over-sexualizing any of the main characters, which (let's face it) is generally a given in most American shows. Obviously, sex is a big part of a lot of stories, but while these shows may hint at and acknowledge sexual relationships, in general they rely on dialogue and avoid nudity or graphic sex scenes that make so many of our favorite American TV shows a bit awkward to watch with family members and friends.

According to an article by CNN, approximately 10.2 million viewers watched the live season four premier of Downton Abbey. And that just shows the people who watched it live! I don’t know about you, but I am an avid Downton Abbey fan, and I have never watched it live. I have a feeling there are a lot of people like me, and Downton Abbey has even more followers that watch the show online or later in the week! Their is even a BBC article discussing the way that the show has impacted international fashion!

In the UK, the show Call the Midwife is even more popular than Downton Abbey.  The show follows Jenny Lee, her friends, and her colleagues as they experience life working as nurses in the slums of London in the 1950’s. Nurse Lee is surprised on her first day when she arrives at Call the Midwife headquarters and realizes that her new place of employment is an abbey! This show is absolutely heartwarming. If you begin to doubt the human race, watch an episode or two for your hope to be restored. Althoughis remarkably popular in England, it is still gaining viewers in the States. It currently has about 3 million live followers on PBS— which although lower than Downton Abbey, is still a much higher fan base than the station’s norm.

Sherlock, also a PBS show, is definitely the edgiest of the three British TV examples and had approximately 4 million watchers when it aired on PBS. This spin on Sherlock Holmes is set in modern London, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch (of Star Trek) and Martin Freeman (of The Hobbit). My favorite part of this show is watching the ice around the stoic, sociopathic character of Sherlock Holmes begin to melt as an unexpected friendship with Dr. John Watson grows.  The show is witty and mischievous and clever and lots of fun to watch.

To me, the resurgence of British shows in American pop culture is an interesting phenomenon. For the most part, these shows are wholesome, especially when compared to their American counterparts. And there is something in the way that the characters relationships are played out. They are never perfect, idealized individuals, but for the most part you see the characters becoming better and stronger. Compare that to popular American TV shows that often portray the corruption or demise of a character with a seemingly strong personal character (Shane from Walking Dead, anyone?).  The writers of these British shows also seem to be masters of conversation. One thing that all these popular shows have in common is that the dialogue is sharp and funny and overall well done.

All of this is obviously just one girl’s opinion. What do you think? Is the reason for British TV’s rise in popularity due to a hunger for more wholesome entertainment and better dialogue, or is it all just happy coincidence? 

If you're interested in watching any of these shows, you can find them all here on PBS's website!

Mary Blair

I have yet another favorite illustrator.

Recently I stumbled upon the work of Mary Blair, and I died a little. She worked as an illustrator for Disney and is responsible for many of the beautiful images you'll see if you watch Peter Pan, Cinderella, or Alice in Wonderland.

I'm including several of my favorite illustrations she drew as concept pieces for the aforementioned movies.

I love the way that the magic of the stories comes through in each of her pieces!

Technology Rant

 “We are all fatter, uglier, lazier and less interesting than our parents.” Those were the words that crossed my mind as I enjoyed dinner with a group of friends  and watched as they sacrificed conversation on the collective altars of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or simply chose to text with other (assumedly more interesting) people not present.

No, my friends don’t hate me, and I don’t hate my friends. Although it would be quite understandable for one to get that impression after observing us neglect each other at an occasion where the entire purpose is to connect and be present in one another’s lives.  My friends and I are actually very kind, fun, attractive, and interesting people, but I can’t help but feel that we grow less so the more we dedicate our spare time to TV, video games, and our phones.

Please don’t misunderstand me—I don’t hate technology and I’m not of the opinion that we should burn our computers and televisions and only use landlines and swear off watching movies. As a twenty-five year old resident of Orange County, I am surrounded by a culture that respects show business and sees it as an art. I too, think the new iPhone is really cool and often the first thing I do when I wake up is grab my phone and check for emails, texts, and notifications on social media.

Lately though when I look around and see so few men and women my age accomplishing anything other than incredible amounts of debt and really awesome Instagram pictures, I can’t help but wonder why we are all so dull. Does anyone create anymore? Does anyone think anymore? Does anyone do anything interesting just for the sake of it, or are they choosing their extracurricular activities based on what will get them the most likes on Instagram? Just once, I would like to go watch the sunset at the beach and not see anyone take a selfie.

Do you want to know why I think dialogue rich shows like Downton Abbey are so popular right now? It’s because my generation has no idea how to have a conversation, and is astounded when they see it done well. I think we have forgotten that people are actually kind of interesting—not their facebooks, or their websites, or their instagrams, but people themselves. What they think and wonder and dream about and have to say if they’re asked is interesting.

If asked, many people would say that I live in one of the most interesting places in the world. Southern California is hailed as a mecca of entertainment both in the entertainment and outdoor recreation industries. Yet, if you ask the average person who lives in my neighborhood what a typical day looks like, they will say that they wake up, maybe go on a run or to the gym, shower and eat, go to work, run some errands, and then come home. They will then typically eat dinner and watch TV until they go to bed. If you ask them how much time they spend having intentional conversations during the day (not counting with customers or clients at work) they will probably say they spend about 15-20 minutes. If you ask them how much personal time they spend on social media, watching TV, on the computer, or playing video games, you can rest assured that their answer will be anywhere from 1-5 hours.

As a human being, I am irritated by this. Maybe this is why it’s so hard for single women my age to connect with a worthwhile man. They’re all too busy playing video games to notice us.  Maybe this is why it’s hard to connect with new friends. They’re all too connected to their hundreds of pseudo friends on facebook to bother with new friendships.

As a human, I am irritated, but as a Christian, I’m appalled.

I sincerely believe that when Christ died for us it was with the expectation that we would not take His gift and hide it. The Bible makes it perfectly clear that we are meant to connect with other believers and non believers. We are meant to have fellowship and we are meant to be in the world but not of it. We are meant to have community.

Just as sincerely as I believe that, I believe that my generation is both hungry for real friendships and numb to the fact that they are hungry or lacking of anything. Because let’s face it, friendships are hard. They take time and work and real effort. They aren’t always pleasant or pretty, they take grace and love and compromise.

So, let’s talk about this. TV, video games, social media. In my opinion, someone who delegates all of their free time to these things will be effected in two different realms—the temporal and the spiritual.  For instance, if you choose to only be entertained by other people’s adventures (TV and video games) you’ll never go off and have your own. You will become boring, and when you go on vacation you won’t want to leave your hotel room. You’ll just want to stay in and eat and watch a movie. So now you’re fat and lazy and boring. Spiritually you’ll be affected because eventually you will lose the drive to really delve into a friendship. You’re focus in life will have shifted to your own cheap entertainment and you won’t want to take the time to go and do all the things that having relationships require you to go do. It’s much easier to sit at home alone and not connect with anyone other than characters in our favorite TV show or with a game. Our hearts and spirits and souls need other people. When we starve ourselves of that, we miss something vital in life.

In a way, social media is even worse. Instead of connecting with no one, you’re connecting with everyone, and trying to sustain a ridiculous number of cheap and shallow friendships with people you don’t even really know, and most of the time, with people you don’t even really like. 

According to my Instagram my life and the lives of all of my friends is perfect. All we do is watch beautiful sunsets and look gorgeous in perfect outfits. Our boyfriends and family and friends are always perfect and nothing is ever wrong.  We hide behind a façade of perfect pictures and clever tweets. We live lives that aren’t vulnerable and we do not invite others to share any imperfections in your apparently perfect world.  We cheat ourselves from the beauty of real friendship, as messy and hard as it can be.

But we are commanded to love, and love is both a choice and an action. You can’t love the way that Jesus loved if you can’t even handle twenty minutes of conversation with your friends. Conversation is a tool that we have to hone, because in order to love someone well, you have to have some basic understanding of them, and in order to understand someone, you really must talk to them.

Our obsession with TV and being entertained with other people’s stories is halting us from pursuing our own story. 

When our focus is more on technology than on the simple day to day moments of our life, we lose our ability to be genuine.

We lose our ability to connect.

We forget to value what it means to delve into a friendship.

We sacrifice our ability to love well and to be loved well.

I don't mean to say that it's bad to be watch TV or to be linked in to social media. Wonderful stories are communicated through film, and social media can be an invaluable way to keep up with people. I guess it can all be summed up in a pretty simple question. Are you connecting more with technology than you are with the humans that surround you? If so, something needs to change. 

Choose to be interesting, and you’ll meet interesting people. Choose to obey God and love other well, and see how He uses you and blesses your obedience.

So this is a challenge to my generation. Go do fun interesting things just for the sake of having a good adventure. Invite your friends over to cook dinner, and instead of instagraming your dinner (I'm very guilty of that) and trying to decide what the most clever hashtag can be, talk about how everyone is really doing. Next time you’re waiting in line at Starbucks, don’t pull out your cell and try to look busy on it. Talk to a stranger. Connect with someone you otherwise never would have connected with.

And in all of your experiments, ask that God help you to choose to love whoever it is that you’re coming into contact with. It’s a beautiful thing to be loved as someone’s brother or sister in Christ. I know that for me, being loved well by believers is what moved me to choose this path. So let’s be intentional in our time and recreation and conversation. Let’s talk to people and open ourselves up and be inspired and original when it comes to have our fun.

Maybe we can even end up as interesting as our parents.