Lunch with a view...

window seat on Newbury Street

One thing I love about Boston is the architecture....so many interesting, beautiful buildings. I especially love the nook-y tables tucked into windows in all the little restaurants and cafes along Newbury Street. So charming. Dan and I dined at such a table/cafe today, in fact, and it was perfect. 

That's all. Just thought I'd share :) 

The Big Dig 2011 (aka: Spring Cleaning).

Last week I decided that this week was going to be Spring Cleaning Week (something I've put off for way too long, now). This might not seem like an overwhelming task for people who actually manage to keep up on clutter and cleaning on a somewhat regular basis (are there really people like that out there?), but for people like me, who are not so good at the day-to-day upkeep, it's a monster of a task. Don't worry, we're not slobs. Just your basic clutter, clutter and more clutter. 

Which is why I've designated the WEEK for such a task, rather than just one day. For the sake of my brain (which becomes very overwhelmed by non-specific goals such as "clean") and my body (which is feeling pretty good lately, but still, I am lugging around some extra baggage these days) I decided to break down the cleaning into various sections, and tackle those sections in small, incremental, non-overwhelming chunks. Today, for example, after working at the coffee shop down the street most of the afternoon, I decided to baby step into Spring Cleaning Week by telling myself: okay...now I will go home, put dinner together then 1) clean the surface of the dresser in our bedroom and dust that surface, and 2) clear off the coffee table in the living room. 

And I did! Small, specific steps -- much more doable than saying: okay...now I will go home and "clean" -- which will more likely mean reruns of Seinfeld and Facebooking as I sit and try to figure out where and how to start. 

Of course, at this pace, Spring Cleaning Week may turn into a 2 or 3 week event, but that's okay. The goal is to actually, eventually, get it done. As long as I keep baby-stepping and setting small, specific goals (ie: tomorrow I will tackle my studio's table surfaces), AND discipline myself NOT to pile up clutter on those newly cleaned surfaces, it will all (hopefully) be clean and sparkly just in time for summer. :) 

Quiet.

 Harvard Square church

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Feeling quiet tonight. No words to share. 'Night :)

Good Things on a Tuesday.

 Harvard Square

1. sunshine (it really helps around these parts)

2. a productive work day

3. a good rehearsal (the show is really starting to shape up) 

4. American Idol (always a sucker for that show. early favorites: Ben, Jacob and Casey)

5. a sick husband (not good) who's feeling a smidge better now (v. good)

Happy Monday.

 downtown Boston, last month

Happy Monday (and happy last day of February! Hooray -- we're one step closer to Spring!). Not many words tonight. It was gray and rainy day, but a nice, full day nonetheless, ending with a showing a one of my favorite films over at the Harvard Kennedy School, Amazing Grace. Powerful and inspirational...makes you think about how one person can change the world.  

Bright spots.

Cambridge, Mass.

Some bright spots on a Wednesday:

~an amazing class on leadership

~lunch with a friend, the sharing of vision and dreams

~a good photo shoot (still can't believe photography is part of my job now)

~listening to my husband hum a little tune in the next room while he studies

Weekend Recap.

candy-colored houses in Cambridge 

It was a lovely, low-key sort of weekend. There was:

~an artists' meet-n-greet at the store in Faneuil Hall.

~indian food & jazz with my beau (remember when I used to call him that? :) in the south end.

~a walk through Cambridge in the (sorta)snow.

~rehearsal. 

~a movie night at home + pizza.

~random errands and apartment organizing.

Nothing too exciting, but oh so lovely!

Stuff.

Newport, NYE

Sorry I was MIA on yesterday's post -- blogger was misbehaving last night and I couldn't figure out how to fix it....so I went to bed instead :) There wasn't much to say/share, anyway, just a few more NYE pictures (I haven't been able to capture any Boston/Cambridge scenes w/ my new camera yet). I've mostly been cooped up -- hibernating from the cold -- and trying to get back into the swing of things work-wise. Have to admit, it's been tough to get motivated, tough to work from home. There are some days when the freedom feels heavenly, like a gift. And other times when it's so isolating and quiet that I think I might lose it. These past four days have been filled with more of the latter. Going to the 'bucks to work among "the people" helps. So does rehearsal....had our second one tonight and it was great! It's nice to be a part of something again. And really nice to sing again. 

Hopefully by next week I will find my groove and be more fully back to my normal, busy-bee, productive self.  

New camera, birthday, Newport and Ragtime

Newport, RI

New camera: it was my big gift from Dan. It takes in-cred-ible photos, especially night photos (see above). Perfect for capturing twinkle lights and magic. 

Birthday: I had one over the holidays (I always do). Last year I went ice skating with Dan. This year it was tapas and wine with Dan + friends. Lovely. 

Newport: where New Year's Eve was celebrated. Which might sound random. But after two weeks of running around over the holidays, both Dan & I were about ready to collapse. We left our New Year's plans to the last minute (we always do) and so a couple days before, decided (while still in Virginia) what we really wanted to do was find a cozy b&b and r-e-l-a-x. So we scouted cities/available b&bs between VA & MA, and found ourselves in charming, snowy Newport. Perfect. 

Ragtime: had our first rehearsal tonight! (remember that audition?) And it was good. And fun. And I guess I will have more details to fill us all in on later as things further progress :)

That's all. Goodnight....!  

us at my birthday dinner (taken with new camera!)

2010 Recap.

I don't normally recap years (just weekends, typically), but I am feeling nostalgic for another (good) year gone by and anticipatory for the year to come (it is always fun to play the "where will I be in one year from now?" game)(I really have no idea). So let the recapping begin!

It all started in New York, in the heart of Times Square on New Year's Eve, in fact. With the New Year came things like: a commitment to Doing Something (ie: weekly photo project), reflections and ponderings on my life in the city,  and the launch of my Etsy shop.

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...a Broadway audition, a big snow storm, a trip to Santa Fe, and my first artist's interview.

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...Central Park love, Brooklyn love, Highline love, and Central Park love again.

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...a wedding in Virginia, a trip to the beach, a lovely day on a bicycle, and some BIG NEWS about a big move to Boston. 

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...a whirlwind of New York to-dos, lasts and goodbyes (which has me tearing up now as i revisit it).

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...a move to Boston (well, Cambridge), a cute apartment, Harvard (for Dan), and my first attempt to be my own boss.
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...a trip out west, a new nephew named Luke, some rough adjusting-to-Boston type days, and an anniversary trip to Maine.
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...Cape Cod, some New England apple picking, and a trip to Scotland to see a dear friend.
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...a wedding in Charleston, my art in a store, crazy-busy Etsy sales, and a Christmas trip to New York.

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And that's about it, folks. Some of the highlights, anyway. Whew. No wonder I'm so tired...what a packed/crazy/rollercoaster-y year! I just want to thank you all, my lovely, faithful readers -- both friends & strangers -- for reading my words and commenting and sharing life with me. I'm honored. 

Thursday in Cambridge.

another chilly day in Cambridge

This day, Thursday (which was gray & wintry sort of day), brought lots and lots of art making (like this D.C. map ornament), a *very* cold walk into Harvard Square for lunch and some Christmas shopping, some mundane things like grocery shopping and dinner making, and then finally some more art making.

And now my day just got *much* better b/c Paul McCartney is on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. I. love. him.  

Another (cold) day.

Boston City Lights

Another very cold day in Boston. And another very busy day with more Etsy sales (yay!) and custom orders. So there's not much time for writing. It's back to work for me! Goodnight.... 

a Monday list.

city & traffic

a list tonight b/c my brain is tired:

~it's very, very cold here in Boston. and everywhere else, i hear. 

~this past weekend was a nice mix of chill and busy. there was a dinner out, a movie in, and a harvard holiday ball. perfect.   

~there was also a lot of paper writing (dan) and etsy-ing (me).

~today was one of those days of fogginess and clouds (not the weather...my head) & i couldn't seem to quite *wake-up*.

~nonetheless it was a busy day of running around the city & burbs, mostly in attempt to restock my art supplies (ornaments, canvases, etc.) and ship packages.

~i'm excited to report that there's been a small flurry of activity and sales(!) lately in my etsy shop. which makes me *so* happy (and keeps me *so* busy). 

~and lastly, continuing with the etsy theme: a very small plug, if i may....if you're scrambling for gift ideas, why not buy handmade this year? :)

like these handy map ornaments for your traveling buddy:

{link}

or a broadway-themed ornament for that theater buff in your life? 

{link}

(and much more here)

support the arts! buy handmade :)
xo

A Day.

green fire escapes ~ upper west side

Let's just finish out this week with New York photos, shall we? 

So the computer issues of yesterday seem to not be related so much to the computer itself but rather the power adapter. Whew. A much easier (and cheaper) issue to handle. Even so, it was one of those days. A day of many small (mostly technology-related) annoyances that added up to one big headache. I know technology is supposed to make life easier, and it does sometimes. But doesn't it seem to just make life harder at times, too? 

You know what doesn't make life harder? Chardonnay and reruns of The Office. Just sayin'.  

Pockets.

lovely downtown Boston

It was a good meeting in the city today (maybe more news on that sometime soon?) but even more fun than that was getting to walk around the little pockets of Boston that I had not yet explored. And there are lots of pockets, people. Boston? Not a bad little city. Not bad at all. (even as I say it, though, I am missing New York like crazy. does that ever go away?) 

And in other news, my sniffles of yesterday have turned into a full-fledged cold. Can't. Breathe. 

Hello, Tuesday...

A Fall day in Beacon Hill

This Tuesday brought me:

~a Harvard class

~prep work for my meeting tomorrow with a local Boston retail store featuring the work of various artisans & designers (perhaps me one day? :)

~editing/rewriting my NaNoWriMo novel from last year (the task that I have set for myself for this year's National Novel Writing Month -- quite the daunting/messy task, indeed)

~a constant stream of election news via CNN

~a mild cold that has left me sniffly, tired and a tad achy

And so I leave you with this lovely picture of a perfect Fall day (are we tired of me talking about Fall, yet?) not too long ago, in beautiful Beacon Hill. 

Goodnight, all. 

Hipsta-mania & Harvard

trying out my new iphone app in Harvard Square ;)
I've officially jumped on the Hipstamtic app bandwagon. And I like it :)

And in other (more important) news: I attended my first Harvard class today! One of the perks of being the spouse of a Mid-Career/MPA-er is being able to sit in on & audit classes. I've been a tad intimidated to do so up until this point, but a friend of mine (another MPA spouse) invited me to go with her to a Public Narrative class today...so I did. And it was GREAT. Fascinating, thought-provoking, challenging. All that good stuff and more.

And it made me realize what an incredibly unique position we are in right now. Having access to so many interesting opportunities, people, ideas. It really is amazing. And I don't want to sit idly by, missing New York and my old life, while these opportunities are out there, ready for the taking. So I gave myself a stern talking to today (in my head. don't worry I'm not crazy) and decided it was time to jump in. Both feet. Classes, lectures, auditions, friends, LIFE. Let's DO this!

(so, in that vein, tomorrow night I am going to my first Boston theater audition. eek!)

Reflecting.

the bowels of Widener Library ~ taken during our library adventure
Not much to say tonight. Just reflecting on my day. On this whole "working artist" thing, which is a lot harder to get off the ground than I thought it would be. Too tired to go into it all. Maybe tomorrow.

Not to worry, though...despite the frustrations, still feeling inspired. Still desiring to make new work. Definitely not giving up...!

Hard Days.

insurmountable. (a tall building in Boston)
I don't know why, but I seem to be having an amazingly long streak of hard/annoying/difficult days lately. It's mostly just a *feeling* that I have trouble articulating (although Dan is good at helping me find the words), and mostly just feels like anxiousness/agitation.

Some obvious things are: 1) I miss New York (duh), 2) and my friends and 3) it's hard adjusting to a new place. But I also think it might be 4) work. My work/life balance has been a little off-kilter lately (one of the downsides to working from home). It has started to bleed into the other areas of my life, and I find myself feeling like I always *should* be doing something while I am home now (since home is also my office/studio) and guilty when I am not. And there is always so much to do that even though I feel like I am doing things CONSTANTLY (even into the wee hours of morning), it somehow always feels like not enough. Which I know is messed up and not healthy and all that good stuff, but *knowing* it doesn't really lessen the agitation!! Sigh...Guess I'm still learning. Learning this Boston Life thing and learning this Full-time Artist thing.

And so tonight I made a list of things to do that might help me shake this feeling. Simple, happy things completely unrelated to art and work and photo editing and research and forums, etc. Things like 1) make dinner, and 2) work on Dan's present (one year anniversary is DAYS AWAY, people!!!). And I banned myself from the living room (where my "studio" is and where I spend WAY too much time) and instead sat in my cheery kitchen for a good long while. And that seemed to help.

It also helps to remember that tomorrow is a new day, a clean slate. (speaking of tomorrow, whoops, it is tomorrow. time for bed). Goodnight....

What a day...

an open door (Harvard's campus)
...and I don't mean that in a satisfied, 'wow I accomplished a lot and feel REALLY good about myself' kind of way. What I mean is that today was a day full of annoyances and STRUGGLE. Struggles with my art and creativity. Struggles with technology. Struggles with trying to run errands (which only led to running around in circles without actually accomplishing anything), and attempting to book our one-year anniversary trip (we're trying to go to Maine or the Cape for a night) but hitting endless complications and brick walls, and....AHH. The list goes on.

And so I am ready for this day to end. And for a new one to begin.

Goodnight, world.