rich.

today, my word of interest is
rich.
mr. webster and I "converse" about which meaning I lean toward in my pondering...
I choose the following two: 
a. vivid and deep in colour
or  
2. meaningful or significant.

this chest of drawers in its rich brown colour feels cozy to me. (I also imagine it could have had many owners and might have lovely stories of locations and family history.)
autumn brings with it richer hues of clothing, leaves, and coffee.
I find darker tones of colour to be almost a proverbial hug to my spirit.  I steer fairly clear of pastels for the most part, as aesthetics and my surroundings are so impressionable upon me.  I suppose I try to create a warm atmosphere regardless of season.  
 
as an october baby, I logically hold a deep fondness for this time of year.
since we all seem to drink more hot beverages and begin to add layers to our wardrobes, people begin the process of having to slow down.
during the summer months, we drink iced coffee through a straw while on-the-go with little thought.  that autumnal steaming hot latte demands a slower sipping experience.  and when we decrease the pace, many times we desire someone to sit across from us to chat with to pass the time and increase the warmth.
with a deep breath and each measured drink, connection occurs...meaningful moments which hopefully lead to both parties feeling more significant and loved.

I recognize that in many parts of the country, the autumn has not quite made its appearance, and even here in new england with the past couple days turning cooler, we have not gone so far as to remove the A/C units from the windows.
I suppose I am just looking forward with smiling eyes of anticipation toward a season lending itself to more opportunities for richness, whether intentional or accidental.

happy september, friends.
(though I need none, I am fighting the urge to buy school supplies.)

cheers,
kb.

it's my anniversary...

this weekend marked the 1 year mark for my living in boston.

I awoke to this message on my bathroom mirror left by my wicked fun roommate.  (yes, those are lights on either side of our black speckled, creaky medicine cabinet mirror circa the decade of poodle skirts and malt shops.) fantastic.
houses with character.  unbeatable.

tonight a dinner is to be had with our downstairs neighbours, marco and nadine.  we will celebrate by making homemade pesto with basil grown in our back garden.  apparently marco is a bit stressed about how overgrown it has become lately and is unsure it is at its peak quality.
are you kidding?
it smells like an italian restaurant when you walk behind our house. so heavenly.
I have no doubt all will be amazing.

I.
cannot.
wait.

I assure you stories will abound after the celebration.
TO BE CONTINUED...

cheers,
kb.
p.s. bonus points if when you read the subject line of this post in your head sang a 
tony! toni! tone'! lyric.

heart, meet brain. brain, meet heart.

{via pinterest}

absolutely.

hoping my week and yours is full of intentional, mindful moments.
cheers,
kb.

choosing focus.

{awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com}

I have the impulse almost daily to clean out and give away.  truly.  lately, I have the thought more and more often.
is my head cluttered? 
potentially. 
but that is not a new state of being.

as mentioned before, I think when situations around me feel less controllable, I tend to shift and adjust those things which I am able to be master. 

boston is brilliant.
I love it here.
I feel more settled in locality than I have been since london life. 
and, I am approaching my one year mark of residing in this commonwealth. 
connections have happened slowly.
slower than to that which I have been accustomed in years prior, but in some ways that is refreshing.

the girl at the corner coffee shop near my studio makes my coffee when I walk through the door, and we chat about the weather while our caffeine/cash exchange happens, never having to address our customer/vendor reality. 
we do not know each others names. 
but, I sort of like that in a way.
the familiar anonymity is heartwarming.
one of those city life realities.

and the small town, southern part of me had a major breakthrough a couple weeks ago in my community group as we have begun to share our stories.  our study wrapped up at the end of the spring, so the summer has found us just hanging out on tuesdays with the underlying goal to just get to know each other a bit more.  as story is my heartbeat I feel, joy abounded when the group decided it was game to begin to share a bit throughout this hiatus from scriptural exegesis. 

though these aforementioned two parts of my being are being attended to as of late, I acknowledge that transition in the way of community is still ongoing and I think will be for some time.  (this awareness helps with my expectation management.)
 
so, as I settle into this neighbourhood and breathe into a new home, I hope to stay in a state of unrest in some ways, calling me to...

1.identify the essential.
2.eliminate the rest.

in possessions and in mental clutter. 

the more mindful I am about my surroundings,
the healthier I am. 
the kinder I am.
the more efficient I am.
the more intentional I am.
the more loving I am.
the more I listen.
the more thankful I am.
the more I laugh.
the more alert I am.
the more alive I am.

may the week ahead be full for both you and I. 
I remember reading somewhere that life is intended to be so.  (john 10.10.)

cheers,
kb.

(**erin, don't you love the white background of this picture?  the cleanliness visually represented. with the small, straightforward gray list?  made me think of you.) 

instant happy.

jimmy.the roots. robin thicke.

kb.

simple and deep...

joy.  

so many emotions can coexist with this above state of being.  

you can be crying, laughing, humbled, stunned, exhausted, envigorated... AND joyful.

how complex is the human spirit!  

multi-dimensional, layered, deep, mysterious (both to others and ourselves)...

in my experience, most of the time true, pure joy in its nature is contagious.  

the people surrounding you when your rivaling emotions ensue in this state, feel alongside you.  

{sigh}...

I love that.  

and so I circle once more around to what is a main theme in my life (and this blog), that of trying to be mindful of my intentionality of setting and social sphere.  

impressions are easily made on this sensitive spirit of mine.  

a couple of celebrity kids were born this week.  

one little kiddo who appeared on the scene is called winnie.  this baby girl was a surprise to all of us who follow mr. fallon and are entertained nightly by his hilarity and youthful exuberance.  jimmy is truly one of THE best.  he is that guy who you just know you would be friends with if you ever got to bump into him and share some every day experience like catching a foul ball at a ball game or seeing someone walk into a glass door by mistake. 

he reminds me of my brother and all his cultural references hit a home run for me.  

how thankful I am for the laughs that he creates within me with his gift of silliness.  delight.  

what a great young life leader jimmy would be.  

I mean, have you seen NIGHT NEWS NOW?  well, here you go.  

NIGHT NEWS NOW w. sam rockwell.

I love that we did not know he and his wife were expecting.  fantastic job of keeping life real and not glamourized and chatted about over the internet every second.  I am all the more impressed with this secrecy with the amount of press he is now receiving with his growing popularity.  

well done, fallons!  

(I feel compelled to send him a congratulations card, as I am genuinely excited for him and his wife.)

but we all know I connect and get attached.  haha.  

watch his giddy monologue from last night.  just makes me grin at the tv.

jimmy is a dad!

"another" one we heard about for months before he arrived.  george is kind of a big deal in one of my former homes, and understandably so.  how magical does a monarchy feel to us as americans who feel it as a fairy tale in a book we read as kids.  

william and kate are lovely, I think.  they are the most modern royals to date, and though they are very much entrenched in tradition, respecting their heritage and history, they are also mindful that they are people, just like everyone else.  

lovely. 

a common thread between these two announcements of new life?
elation irrepressible.

pure.

joy.

look at kate's glow.  

jimmy is still wearing his hospital bracelet and keeps looking down and squirming.

in the spotlight, they both are, and yet both  are intentional to guard their families from overexposure, striving for normalcy in the midst of informing and appreciating "their public".  

classy.

healthy perspective.

so.

so.

good.  (in the words of a friend--one whom I actually know--who oozes joy, as well.)

thanks for letting us in on a bit of your joy, HRHs and fallons.  

may the weekend be joy-filled for you and yours...

cheers,

kb.

harmony delights me.

music such as this is my heart melody.  

instant happiness emerges from within when I happen upon harmonies in both song and instrument. 

goodness, I adore this sound.

acoustic.

voices complimentary.

guitar and mandolin.

though I enjoy loads of styles of music, this one forever tops my playlist and holds the most real estate in my library.

hope you enjoy!

npr tiny desk concert: frank turner.

cheers,
kb.

arrangement.

{awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com/}

I believe it.

do I embrace it?

some days.

four day weekend this week.  I cannot remember the last time I had the fourth of july off work.  my normal is usually life at camp in the summer when holidays are fairly regular days.  tentative plans to venture to the beach and get some sun.  not far away and cheap.  I like it.  it may rain.  but said weather will not deter my pursuit.  (barring some sort of dangerous storm system.)

I rearranged my room a week ago.

it has changed my outlook on my daily world.

I love it.

as I sit here, I wonder how it could have possibly have been arranged in any other way.

this sort of feeling makes my heart happy.

I feel it when I buy a new favourite t shirt, pair of jeans, or a great pair of shoes.

that feeling of "what did I wear before I found these jewels?"

a feeling of newness without major change.  change that requires little thought or awareness.

just movement or adjustment on a whim.

I suppose these sort of alterations would fall under the category of "the little things".

and in a glorious way, changes in this "small" sphere help to heighten my acuity in life.

my creativity is awakened by shaking up the metaphorical boggle letters.

the same pieces moved around spark new perspective.

happy 4th!

cheers,

kb.

do you have things in your life that always seem to challenge you?
things that you think "surely, at some point, I will not have any issue with this!"?
like at some point you will "arrive" and will have no need to be bothered by this ever present place where it seems pruning is a constant?

I suppose I have several of those issues in my world, but there are a few that seem to battle within me more often, causing me to feel humbled, defeated, and oftentimes foolish.

what I know is that despite my frustration that these sanctifying spots do not completely go away, I have, over the years, achieved victories on the battlefield.  wisdom has seeped in.  vulnerability and honesty take more precedence over complete pride and self-sufficiency.  I get to a place of asking for help or voicing need quicker than in days of yore.

still frustrates.
still challenges.
still humbles.
still moves me to my knees.

but I refuse to lack hope.
I choose to celebrate victories great and small.
and, I will pray.
and, I will try to listen.
and, I will pray more.

cheers,
kb.

{photos via pinterest}

the last few days have been rainy.
the green looks greener, and the pollen is being squelched a bit.
it is jeans and flip flops or heels weather (depending on the occasion).
I got to go to fenway to see the sox.
and this happened...
Jimmy and "Jim".

it
is
a
good
day.  :)

kb.

{via pinterest}

I find myself striving lately to believe the above statement.  I know it to be true.
I claim it.
but sometimes it takes tremendous effort to just...

breathe.

I rush around, in my spirit, even if not in action.  I feel hurried.  and then, when I stop to think about how "busy" I am, I realise the reality of my situation is actually quite unhurried.  

where is it I am figuratively, mentally rushing to and from?  and why?

I definitely have some notions and awareness about the whys.  sure, I do.  I cannot help but get to the bottom of "where does that come from?"to allow me to feel centered.  

I will leave those moments of understanding in my own head, but I will say that I remember in this state of being that love is a choice.  I need to choose to believe what I know to be truth.  

clearly this past couple weeks here in boston have added a heaviness to my heart.
I was meant to have been at the marathon with some friends, who were sitting
10 feet from where one of the bombs went off.
had it not been for a sinus headache,
I would have seen what they saw...
horrific scenes that I will not be vivid about here... delicately put?  a war zone.

then, that friday in the wee hours of the morning, a manhunt began in my city.
a surreal unfolding of events... murder, carjacking, a narrow escape, car chases,
a shootout, a city-wide lockdown, more explosions and gunshots, and finally a citizen's sharp eye leading to a capture.
the parking lot where the police set up their makeshift headquarters is where I got my MA driver's license and at times go to target.  the house on franklin street where suspect #2 was found is within sight of the main road I drive every day on my commute to work.  the front door of one of my bosses' house has bullet holes in it from the shootout.

so, I am giving myself grace in my already challenging task of mentally slowing in light of the events of recent days.

life is moving onward here in boston, and I love this city even more every day.
I truly do.

recently, my enjoyment of "sport" has returned.  now living in a city where pride exudes for so many professional teams, I find myself engaging in the fanfare.
I knew I would become a red sox fan straight away.  no question in my mind.
but it also turns out I am finding I have an affinity for hockey.  I know very little about the game, and I constantly try to analyze it as I would basketball or soccer, both of these competitions being more familiar.  my roommate just shakes her head and laughs at me.  I like the pace of it.  and, I like "getting to know the players" (on both the sox and bruins).
I mean, I have to have a "connection". are you kidding?
takes me back to the glory days of razorback basketball in barnhill with nolan.
simply fun.

I share the above paragraph mainly to intro an hour or two I spent this afternoon that made me feel like...well, me.
as a new bruins fan, it is only proper that I own a great t-shirt to show my support, yes?  of course.
I looked online a bit and pondered going to the mall to shop.  then, it dawned on me.  why on earth would I go spend ten to twenty bucks on a shirt when I could go thrifting and find one for two dollars max?  ridiculous.  (I think working in retail has altered my brain a bit, haha.)
so off I went.  I find any thrift store to feel so homey.  a constant in all my travels and places of residence is that every city or town has a goodwill, a nubees, a charity shop.

and today I own a bruins shirt which fits spot on and cost me $1.
oh how quickly I forget. (isaiah 43.1)

may tomorrow find me remembering my name quicker than today.

cheers,
kb.

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.
                    psalm 4.8.

tonight, I find these words running over and over in my head.  not only for me, as I find it difficult to keep my eyes open due to exhaustion from watching so much footage and sorting through my own emotions of "I was meant to have been there". 

but even more so for the city I now call home and for all my friends who are suffering.  

words fail.

tears fall.

we pray.

kb.

{via colgate club of boston}

wow.  how quickly the day changed today.
sad.

{@jefholm}

{via pinterest}

spring.
the sun is shining.
my living room window is ajar to allow for a breeze to drift inward.
I am wearing a sweatshirt, jeans, and sit barefoot.
the red sox are on telly.
just finished my dunkin' coffee with skim.
my headache from earlier in the day that this season seems to bring often feels better.
spring,
welcome.

this weekend I rearranged my room and cleared out clothes I never wear anymore.
I am deeply influenced by my surroundings.
cluttered space equals cluttered brain, for me.  (just ask anyone who ever entered into my office at tw.)
needed to eliminate some dust and simplify.
felt compelled to make my nest more functional and less fashionable, meaning stacking my books in a way that allows me to grab one off the shelf to actually read and study, not simply look decorative.  because, NEWS FLASH, if they are not easily accessible, I well... do not access them.

so, my life is steadily simplifying in the world of work, bit by bit (not an overnight change), as transition, by definition is a process.
the move from chaotic, staccato to a rhythm that allows for rests...lovely.
the picture of this girl always makes me smile.  I would wear this look everyday and be completely content.  just thought I would share it.

{dailydoseofstuff.tumbler.com}

I love to read.  always have. 

reading is one of those litmus test's in my life, I think.  like writing thank you notes.  

if I am thanking people and reading books, all is closer to as it should be in my spirit.  

stacking my books in a different way yesterday moves me closer to health.  

happy patriots day. 

cheers,

kb.