Music Soothes the Soul

Last night I sat down at the piano for the first time in months.  Since high school I have learned to love just sitting down to play, but for some reason finding the time to do so seems so difficult.   

I was actually free for the first time this semester, and it was such a bizarre feeling.  I had to think for a little while, 'What should I do with my time?'  I resolved to play the piano, and it was the best decision ever.  I played for an hour without even realizing it, and was so relaxed afterwards.  Why is it so hard to do things that make you happy but so easy to fill your mind with stress?  I will work to change this in the next year.

The New Year for Trees

I've been overwhelmed with work lately, but today, in spite of my rushing around endlessly, I did manage to find a few wonderful things to love.  

First, today (or rather tomorrow, but starting tonight at sundown) is the wonderful holiday of Tu B'shvat, the Jewish New Year for Trees.  In light of this occasion, the local Hillel held a tree planting ceremony and I helped to plant a grapefruit tree.  The more I consider it, the more I absolutely love this holiday.  Not that Christmas began as a truly Christian holiday, but if you think about it, while the true spirit of Christmas is about love and giving, it has become overtaken by consumerism and cutting down trees, neither of which are particularly congruent with an environmental aesthetic.  

Tu B'shvat on the other hand celebrates the life that the earth and her bounty provide us with, and repays the favor by planting trees.  I really love this thought of repaying the earth in a way that most western societies have yet to figure out.  It was a very special night for me.  

On the way back from the tree planting (as I was rushing from one location to the next) I happened to glance up and see a beautiful, full, ivory moon peaking over the tops of the oak trees, and it reminded me to just breathe for a little while.  The moon and the stars really have such a wonderful, magical pull that is completely indescribable, but utterly soothing to me.  I could lay in the grass or on the beach for hours on a warm summer night staring at the night sky. 

Even though I am perpetually tense at the end of the day, I do have two other small things to be thankful for today.  I made a necklace out of a deer antler I found over Thanksgiving, and wore it for the first time today, which was really awesome.  And secondly on my ride home, I got to use my bike lights!  I was very excited to get to use them, as I have been just dying to try them out since before I even got them!  

Mamma and I by one of the world's largest spruces.  Hugging trees can be such a satisfying feeling.

Sitting inside one of the world's largest cedars.

And finally, a relaxing picture of the lowcountry swamp seems a fitting end to a busy day...

Quote of the Day

"Be fearless!  If you make only one resolution this year, let it be to live boldly.  You control this moment: Rather than cautiously test the water, dive straight into life with freeing abandon.  Imagine the person you want to be and the life you want to live, then simple commit to them.  Believe in yourself.  Embrace your beauty.  Discover a new passion.  And whatever you do, wherever you go, don't be afraid to make a splash."

-Self Magazine

Make Time for the Things You Love

I have yet to make time for myself to do two things that I said I would make time for this semester: photographing and playing music.  I need to change this is the coming week.  I will admit, however, that the reason for this is that I have been very busy all week long, doing something else that I love and believe in, so I suppose that is a valid excuse, right?  Yet another one of my goals is to ride my bike more, and to inspire me to do so, here's a wonderful blog of people riding bikes.  

And for my mother...

The List

One of my goals this year, which I've shared with my friends is to make a list of everything we want to do in New Orleans and do it.  We're going to try to cross off one item per week.  Already, though, I find myself struggling to balance school obligations and enjoy my last five months in New Orleans to the fullest extent.  Why does it always seem to be a trade off between what you want to do and what you have to do?  One of my New Years resolutions is to find a balance between the two, and make what I want to do part of what I have to do.  

Here is the list as it exists right now.

1.  Go to NOMA (and hopefully spend the whole day enjoying City Park)

2.  See a show at Tipitina's

3.  Go to Preservation Hall

4.  Go to Snug Harbor

5.  Go to Rock & Bowl (hopefully with the Green Club)

6.  Go to the Maple Leaf

7.  Order a sazerac at the Sazerac Bar

8.  Go see a horse race (and make a bet)
9.  Go to the insectarium
10.  Go to the casino
11.  Go to a midnight movie at the Prytania Theater

(While I realize that many other people in other places drink, it is striking that so many of these list items, while pertaining to other things, also have one thing in common - alcohol.  When I was home over break, and went to the liquor store with my friend on New Year's Eve, she commented that people were doing "last minute shopping" and I asked her what she meant (it was only 6 o'clock).  She told me that it was state law that liquor stores close at 7 in South Carolina, and added, "you can't just go through the drive through!"  Really, though, don't the SC laws seem just a little bit uptight, even if drive through daiquiris seem a little bit (or a lot) lax?)

Stop, Live, and Change the World

Wow it's been quite a while since I've posted anything.  I wish I could say I was spending my time in some exotic location, too busy to even pick up my camera or open my computer.  The truth is sadly lacking.  Somehow being home completely takes away my motivation to do anything remotely productive, and I spend days reading, cleaning my room, or organizing CD collections (my present to my dad for Christmas).  For me, college break = vacation and vacation = an excuse to stay in my pyjamas all day long.  Especially when it's cold outside.  And it was cold this December.

So here are two photos that relate to some of my resolutions for this year.  

I absolutely adore this one.  I was walking past this sign when I looked up and happened to notice the small "change the world" sticker.  And it's so true.  We all need to stop for a second and find out what we want to do in life, and find a way to make the world a better place by doing it.  Even if you're only changing a few little things about your world, your environment, you still make an impact on those around you.  

And this little tree makes me so hopeful.  I love the absolute vitality, vibrance, and stubborn will to live that plants possess.  This tree kept growing and growing, never mind those power lines, and when, for whatever reason, this tree was eventually cut, slated for death, it just wouldn't give up.  That tiny little branch full of leaves is all that remains of what was once, I'm sure, a beautiful tree, but it's still alive.  Anyway, this is less a resolution, and more of a general life goal: always live to the fullest, in spite of your circumstances, and never, never, never give up.