Flannel Friday

Yesterday, while thrifting, I found a fantastic selection of men’s flannel (for myself).

Today, I discovered a smudge of paint on my “new” shirt.  This random discovery, that might disappoint an owner of a new shirt, truly intrigued me. 

 What was this shirt’s past?  

Who was this shirt’s past?  

What will I make this shirt’s future?

Hopefully enough to intrigue the next owner to ponder the same questions.

Xanga, Boob Jobs, Poetry Readings: My Daily Happenings & Thoughts

Random Thoughts of the day:

1.)  Xanga, I’m ready to take you back.  Our 10 year break has been long enough and Facebook is full of creepy “scrollers” (myself included at times).  I need some substance in my social media relationship.  Sorry Facebook, I’m bored and I just can’t do it anymore.  I promise, it’s not you……it’s me.

2.)  When a large envelope arrives in the mail, do not assume it’s a grad school acceptance letter.  (It might be information on your sister’s upcoming boob job)

3.)  Harry Potter marathons always make everything better.  I’m still an aspiring Slytherin version of Luna Lovegood, even if I am at an irrelevant age to stumble upon the real platform 9 3/4 and choose a window seat on the Hogwarts Express.

4.)  It’s my final weekend before full fledged adulthood hits (aka I start training for a desk job) and I would rather stay home than trek up to CMU?

5.)  If cinemas had day passes, I would use them more often.  Paying almost $10 to see ONE movie isn’t worth it anymore.  BUT if there was a daily rate so I could view more than one movie at a bargain price, I would consider it.  A day at the movies, anyone?

6.) I do need to see this movie:

I have an old soul, scratch that, more accurately: I was meant for a different century and any time I get a chance to transcend time through cinema, I’ll take it.

7.)  I may have googled “poetry readings in Grand Rapids” today.  Apparently people only do this stuff in Wisconsin and Minnesota…… cool.

8.)  If states end up successfully seceding from the Union, does that mean travel will be more expensive?  Yes, that is my only concern.

9.)  I’m still waiting for the “homeless” guy to turn up on my street corner.  I have a whole packet of information regarding jobs and assistance programs he’ll find useful, or at the very least, use as fire kindling during this chilly pre-winter-ish weather.

10.)  Someday, I will splurge on a ridiculously priced wine just to compare it with my favorite $8 Barefoot wine.  I’m skeptical that an extra $40 will make a bottle of wine taste better.

11.)  I received a lovely postcard from a dear friend yesterday.  I really wonder what it would be like to live during a time when the only correspondence between people was through snail mail?  It sounds too peaceful to ever comprehend in this day and age….

Roommate Wanted:

I used to tune into The New Girl simply to giggle at (and completely relate to) Zooey Deschanel’s congenial awkwardness, but lately it’s been to admire the loft style apartment she shares with her roommates.

It seems most famous sitcoms boast beautiful loft style apartments in the heart of a city.  Take Friends and Sex in the City as a selection of a myriad of possible examples.

(Images taken from: http://dailyoftheday.com/floor-plans-to-tvs-best-sitcom-apartments/ )

Tonight starts my search for my dream loft and I have only a few general requirements:

-Open floor plan

-Exposed brick

-Wood Floors

-Large window sills (not necessarily large windows, though)

-Walking distance to the rest of humanity (Coffee shops, bars, etc.)

-A vibrant history, or a least some sort of a story.  I want something that had an enchanting past that brings character to the future.

That being said, I may need roommates.  I honestly tried to draft up general requirements for a future roommate, but found a “warning” letter much more sufficient for a prospective roommate.

Dear Future Roommate,

-You better be ready for a wide array of wild and crazy nights on the town, when I think that my dance moves are comparable to “Step It Up”.  Christina Milian has nothing on me when I “Drop it down low then bring it up slow” (so I think in that very moment).  

-DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT take me to a bar to talk religion, politics, or Star Wars.  I WILL lecture your ear off (and probably get repetitive), you have been warned.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d gladly talk these subjects with you, but for your own safety, a coffee shop or the comfort of our own home will suffice.  

(Red light saber is and always will be the best light saber.)

-Have you ever booked a last minute ticket to the other side of the country?  Great, I’ve been known to do that regularly –  my preferences lie with the East Coast, but I’m always up for experiencing  new people and places.

-I also don’t limit my last minute trips to air travel.  Be prepared to become Amtrak regulars, especially if we live in Holland; that puts Chicago at 3 hours and $28 away….

-I am creatively messy.  I tend to keep my mess to my bedroom, specifically my desk and under my bed, so it’s bearable.  Despite the mess, I always know where everything is.  

-We can try to have movie nights, but after about 20 minutes, I will eventually tune out to my computer, a book, or some other form of entertainment.  I blame Nickelodeon for shaping my attention span at such a critically impressionable age.

-I will gladly cook meals, on a trade off basis.  Yes, I am a woman. No, that does not mean I am a certified chef or your personal butler.  (That goes for dishes as well)

-Expect regular “Risky Business” reenactments, I fully intend on using those wood floors.

-Do you have a bi-polar music taste? Fabulous. We’ll need to invest in apartment surround sound, then.  I’ve been known to go from Hans Zimmer, Mumford and Sons, and Backstreet Boys in a matter of hours.

-I was not blessed with vocals, but I will sing to Colbie Caillat like no one is listening and you might be right beside me.  I apologize in advance.

-I might appear to be introverted, but within the safety of our own home, I will randomly break out in song and dance, be prepared to complete a verse when I forget a piece of the chorus.

-Yes, I’m a Psychology major, and no that does not mean I am analyzing your every move.  You’ll actually find that I am a very oblivious person, yet completely aware of the world at the same time.  Weird and contradicting, I know.

-Video games. See my caveat about movies and subtract 18 minutes to my attention span.  I don’t like video games, I’m open to new experiences, but I find nothing invigorating about reacting war scenes, bashing in another guy’s brains, or stealing cars on a television screen.  Pokemon and Gameboys are completely another story, though.

-Like designating nights for searching the skies for satellites and/or meteorites?  Perfect. I may drag you out to the beach or local park but we might have to hop a few fences because West Michigan likes to close state parks at 10 pm (not exactly prime satellite searching time).

-You’ve been known to reread your favorite author, be ready to share your book with me.

-I absolutely love dressing up, but I also can be the grungiest of the grungy, days-off are synonyms for no-makeup-hair-on-top-of-the-head-sweats-days.

-I have an awkward habit of diving into the world and trying to understand everyone and everything within in it, yet I like to coil back to my own personal space.  I have the ability to go from extroversion to introversion like it’s a social chameleon superpower.

 -I’m colorblind, so I like the bold colors: deep red, cobalt blue, and black  The more fancy you get, the more you lose me and the colors look the same.  I may need you to inform me when my outfit clashes. 

-You have an embarrassing keepsake you take with you everywhere.  Don’t worry, I will never judge you.  To be honest, I have my “duckie” that’s been with me around the world and back and looks more like a rag than stuffed animal and I’m determined it’ll follow me everywhere.

-Finally, I’m a night owl.  I am currently up writing this blog post at 3:03 am.  This habit probably will not change any time soon.  I’m only a morning person when I have to be, and even then, you don’t want to be near me until I’ve had my morning coffee.

If you feel as though you can embrace and identify with these warnings/confessions, inquire within.

Ever Forward

When the wind ceases

one must lower the sails,

 pick up the paddles,

and begin rowing.

I am in control of my own destiny.

Not a single person

nor cosmological power

can disparage my journey

or confine my destination.

The depths of my dreams

 will not be chained.

Either by wind,

or by paddle

I will always move

Ever Forward.

My stubbornness has gotten me too far to ever give up.   Thanks to those who taught me how to cast my sail, those who believe my paddles are just as strong as the wind, and those keeping me company on my long and crazy journey.

Share this:

Looking to make a difference in the world?  

Smile.  

Supposedly, the greatest gifts in life are free and I find this age-old assumption absolutely true.  When passing a stranger, share a smile.  I’ve done this since childhood and I’ve discovered it’s also a gift to the giver; the satisfaction of knowing you acknowledged an unfamiliar soul and welcomed them into your heart.

It’s as simple as that.

🙂

The Curse of Awareness

3:22 am

And I’ve completely exhausted the words of Lana Del Rey for another night.  I’m left with the silence of myself, or lack thereof.  Why do I fail so terribly at sleep?  Even when I let go of the world and wander into the fuzziness of my mind, the slightest disturbance shakes my dreams into reality.  The wheels of my mind creak with the loudest enthusiasm, especially when I try to hush them.

So begins another sleepless battle of mind and body, how long until my mind surrenders?

I shall meander the deep depths and lost corners of the world wide web, or simply Pinterest the superficial rantings of the world.  We all desire that wedding with endless amounts DYI details, and a mansion with hidden doorways to libraries reaching toward the heavens.  We all dream of the worldly wardrobe fit for a queen and matching hair styles that would make Lady Gaga cringe with envy……

And tonight I shall fall asleep with big hair, obsessive amounts of mascara, and a missed opportunity because I feared traversing the city of Grand Rapids alone.  Eventually, one day, I will conquer my fear.

Fear is a strange thing, it’s the bone that can’t be buried.  No matter how creatively they’re hidden, fears and phobias find a way to creep back to the surface.

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If I move to Europe at this very moment, my sleep schedule will fit perfectly with mainstream society.

I’ll sleep on it.

The Day I Asked Myself on a Date

Some people decide to treat themselves to a new pair of designer shoes, that highly anticipated new album on I-tunes, or splurge on the newest technologically advanced gadget.

I ask myself out on date.

Some may say I’ve entered a whole new level of loneliness, I say I’ve found an invigorating mode of self-discovery.  Why does society cringe upon introverted experiences?  I certainly ask myself this question on a daily basis.  I am my best friend.  I enjoy delving inward and questioning myself.

Instead of bombarding my friends and family with random “Alissa thoughts” via Facebook and Twitter throughout the day, I’ve decided to condense them all into blog form.  I’m going to use this blog as a way to document the daily happenings of my so-called “awkward transitional phase” from crazy college student to entry into the Professional world.  I’m going to be honest, blunt, and record the most random thoughts that set off the synapses of my brain because these irrelevant little stories will someday be my little treasures of life.  Writing provides a way to express yourself, something that is uniquely you outside of you; a piece of you that can be held, seen, and spoken apart from your own being.  This is me leaving a piece of myself for people to relate to, criticize, empathize, and share.

———————————————————-

After purchasing my ticket to Perks of Being a Wallflower, I broke down and treated myself to some overly priced popcorn and walked into an empty theater.  I ended up sharing the movie theater with only three other viewers.  I honestly felt a sense of ease knowing I still shared this experience with someone, despite the fact that they were strangers and sat three rows below me.  Interesting how I’m so introverted, yet still need to find comfort by simply being around people, even strangers.

This was one of the many scenes that tugged at my heart strings.  I will own this movie and watch it regularly, as in once every five years, just to reiterate why one should never settle for less than they deserve in love, a career, or life in general.

And so it begins, the documentation of the love I have for someone very special in my life: my love affair with me.