Friday, February 26, 2010

this is an art gallery.

it's true, pictures speak louder than words. paintings speak MUCH louder than words. as a crazy art woman fanatic creep, i would like to share with you paintings that make me feel bigger than myself.
i like colorful art. paintings that emphasize the magic of our surroundings. as much as i know that art is not about pretty, i have always had a place in my heart for the idealized.
everyone can use a little more beauty. that is all.


this is perhaps my favorite painting. it's open window by Matisse, my favorite artist.

one of the series, an homage to the square, by josef albers. it may be just squares, and you may think that you could do that. it doesn't matter if you could do that. it's art and i love it.

mortaruru with red overhead, willi baumeister.



These are all by andre derain. the bottom one is also one of my favorites. 1. the pool of london, 2. charing cross bridge 3. the mountains at collioure.


well, i think that this is enough for today... be sure that there will be more. and... here's some more matisse. just for good measure.


By: Hannah

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Small Facts.

Today, I learned a plethora of things.


Ahem.


Did you know that 1 in every 5,000 Atlantic lobsters are born bright blue?


Did you know that there are twice as many kangaroos than people in Australia?


Did you know that the home plate in baseball is shaped like a house? (I never noticed this until today... Maybe this is common sense and I'm behind on knowledge.)


Did you know that when glass breaks, the cracks form at about 3,000 miles an hour?


Did you know that your hair grows for a few months after you die?

Did you know that the average person spends 2 years of life on the telephone and 6 months at red lights?



I'm not sure how I learned all of these things in one day.
I just did.
I was flooded with random, useless, pointless, fantastic, small facts.


It's these small and insignificant facts that define who we are, I think.
They define this life as a whole.

Each of us defines ourselves by the small facts that build who we are.


For instance:
My name is Mallory.
And these are small facts about me.


- I only eat the red candies.
- I have a large birthmark on my upper back.
- I love grilled cheese sandwiches.
- I have a perma-bruise on my left knee. (It will not go away. I've had it since I was like ten.)
- I have exceptionally small ears.
- I can not, for the life of me, trip my R's.
- I'm deathly afraid of grassshoppers.
- I'm the only child in my family without a biblical name.
- I'm deathly allergic to fire ants.
- I have a weird love for men who can pull off a 5 o'clock shadow.
- The only food I do not like is beets.
and
- I love museums and exhibits.

What about you?
How often do you take the time to step back and look at yourself?
And realize that everything about you is vital to who you actually are?

There is nothing about you that doesn't make up who you truly are.
So flaunt it. All of it.
There's nothing that you should try to change; no habit you should try to break.
Because it's a piece of who you are.
And that's the way it's supposed to be.



By: Mallory

Friday, February 19, 2010

two things.



first, let's talk about john cage.
amazing composer, smart guy.
here's a quote that has shaped the last few weeks of mine:

"Wherever we are, what we hear is mostly noise. When we ignore it, it disturbs us. When we listen to it, we find it FASCINATING."
--John Cage
I have hence adapted an exercise from a keri smith book, and have made a list of fascinating sounds. (you know i love lists).

FASCINATING SOUNDS:
  • zippers hitting the sides of the dryer
  • different people's footsteps
  • whispers
  • cars driving by out the window
  • laughs
  • attempted silence
  • rain
  • breathing
  • low voices
  • applause
  • heartbeats
  • smiles. (yes. smiles make sounds.)
that's all i really have to say about sounds. sorry. nothing deep about that.





second, i would like to share with you (yes another!) list. this one is of realizations i have come across.

  • i am not a self help book.
  • live by example.
  • love comes in every form imaginable.
  • don't take one person's advice. the best advice is that of everyone combined.
  • i'm not lost, just undiscovered.
  • every state is temporary and transitory.
  • eat chocolate.
  • dance like a fool. even if it makes you sore the next day.
  • things about me are not part of my identity.
  • keep good things. get rid of bad things. (it might help to smash some plates with the names of things you don't like on them.)
  • life needs comic relief.
  • i'm special because of everything i am combined. i don't need to be the best at any one part of me. i need to be the best at being me all together.
  • the end of the book will always be happy. the end of the chapters won't be.
  • everyday is a new beginning. you don't know when the first day of the rest of your life is going to happen.
  • know your name.
  • it's a wonderful world.



By: Hannah

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Normal.

Today was perhaps like any other day. Nothing exceptionally exciting really occured. And nothing really dreadful came about.
Today was normal.

You know, it's the normal days that you always forget.

I think we all know that we are aware of our (quote unquote) normal days.
But we never step back and acknowledge ourselves participating in them.

If I were to go back to one year ago and look at every single normal day from a distance, would I remember them?
All of them?
Any of them?
Would I find anything significant?
Would I recall those days at all?
Would I even remember that the person living them is, in fact, me?

It's these "normal days" that baffle me.

I mean, yes, they are normal. Very normal.
But what is normal?
Who decided on "normal?"
And why is it a standard?
I mean, we constantly hear the phrases "She's not normal." or "That isn't normal." or "They are perfectly normal."
But what IS it? What does it mean and why does it mean that?
Why do we live by it?
But, more importantly, why do we forget it?

It's like being abnormal is the only thing we can do to be remembered.
The only way for us to note a date or remember anything specific is for something abnormal to have occured.

I do not understand normal. Nor do I understand abnormal.
But there is one thing I do understand. And that is that we couldn't have abnormal, or exceptional, or horrible, or memorable days if we never endured through the normal ones.

I never claimed to be anyone normal.
Or anyone who even understands normal.

I stumbled across this William James quote as I was reading through an old journal of mine:
"To study the abnormal is the best way of understanding the normal."

This statement seems to read true, considering my past experience.
And although he says it is the "best way of understanding the normal," I almost want to say it is the only way.

Normality is perhaps the one thing that makes us what we are, or, better yet, what we aren't.
Being normal is one thing. Being normal is normal (if that makes any sense at all)...
But feeling normal... That's abnormal.
That's something to remember.
It's the fine line between being and feeling that seems to take everyone off guard. Being is who we are seen as, and feeling is who we see ourselves as. Not one of us really feels normal. Because not one of us really is. But most of us, in fact, can be normal. Because that's who people think we are. Whether we feel that way or not.
Making sense?
Didn't think so.

See, normal is complicated.
And now I've confused myself, as I've contradicted thoughts.
But don't worry.
I suppose, like anything else, contradiction and confusion is okay.
In fact, it's
normal.



By: Mallory



Sunday, February 14, 2010

happy lists.


one of the biggest thinking points of my life lately has been unhappy friends of mine. it has bothered me that i can't seem to do anything to help them feel happy, until i recently realized that the reason why it's not working is because it's not up to me.

in the words of dear, honest abe,

"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."



And so i figure the only thing left to do is continue to be happy myself. so in honor of rockstar diaries,

10 things that make hannah terribly happy:


1. the face of little mckay.

2. my friends, all of them.

3. chocolate chip pancakes. and all chocolate.

4. things that are so funny i do my stupid laugh.

5. being different.

6. faith, and the peace it brings.

7. music that makes me feel understood.

8. colors.

9. the internal quiet that creating things gives me.

10. people that love me.


do yourself a favor, and make a list yourself. there's a lot to be happy about.

By: Hannah



Thursday, February 11, 2010

An Introduction of Sorts: Part II

Hello friends. My name is Mallory.
My dear Hannah did a lovely job of introducing herself.
I thought that I would, in brief, describe myself.
I'm not great with introductions. So do not worry.
This will not be novel-length. Which is a step up.
Because I generally make things novel-length... Always on accident.

--My room is inconsistently clean.
--My hair is consistently unkempt.
--I do things the way that I like them to be.
--I love mechanical pencils.
--Grilled cheese sandwiches are my favorite food.

How was that for brief?

Now I would like to address a few things about Hannah that she ceased to tell you:
--She pulls off red lipstick better than anyone I know.
--She has the greatest thumbs in the world.
--She had her first kiss on a bridge. (anyone else as jealous of this as I am?)
--She likes peanut butter and jelly and barbeque chip sandwiches.
--She plays lacrosse. (unexpected much?)

I suppose that's all that's necessary for one to know. For now, that is.

I'm thoroughly ecstatic that she and I decided to start this lovely blog.
I guess I enjoy the idea of posting thoughts for all the world to see, although I don't believe, at this point, that much of a world will see it. Mainly some friends we've told about our blog, if even that. I guess it's all for fun. And, for Hannah and I atleast, all we need is the reassurance of fun for us to invest in anything.

Well, this is all beside the point. It is my wish to address some realization I came across as I lived my ever so un-glamorous life, today being just like any other day:
I realized that I am far from perfect. This is something I've always known, but it just became a bit more clear as I spent the whole day observing why.
I observed this today as I pressed the snooze button on eight different occasions. I observed this today as I struggled to peel a grapefruit. I observed this today as I noticed all of the cups and bottles, that once contained some form of drinkable liquid, scattered all over the floor of my car. I observed this each time I would remind myself to sit up straight. I observed this as I reached for a second bag of chips. I observed this as I misspelled the word "misspell" multiple times (I could have sworn there was only one "S").
I'm imperfect. And that's the way it's always been. And that's the way it will always be.
There was another thing that crossed my mind as I realized all of this so bluntly:
I simply love imperfection. There is no imperfection about myself that I would take away. Imperfections define each of us. Every day. That's the only reason we're here: to be imperfect.
So love yourself. Despite any imperfection. Flaws make everything interesting.
No one is perfect.

I feel that the phrase "no one is perfect" is one of common use. Everyone loves to tell you no one is perfect just to make you feel better about anything at all.
And while this is annoying, it really is the truth. I've found that my roughest times were the times I hated my imperfections and tried to fix everything about myself.
There is nothing to fix.
Only things to accept, and build upon.
What is life without a little bit of bad posture, or messy handwriting, or spilled milk, anyway?

So embrace this life. And never ever let something stupid, like and imperfection, get in the way of you accomplishing anything.

Pick your battles. But please: Save your force for the fights that really matter.




By: Mallory

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

an introduction, of sorts.

hi, kids. my name is hannah.i am a small girl with brown hair and greenish eyes.

here's ten things about me.
1. james morrison and i are getting married.
2. my favorite colors are yellow and bright blue.
3. i wish i lived through the 50's.
4. i am a horrible singer.
5. i love mail.
6. i wish i could teleport myself wherever i wanted.
7. i always forget what i'm going to say.
8. matisse is my favorite artist.
9. two words: food network.
10. two more words: audrey hepburn. cliche, but true.

here's ten things i like.
1. lists.
2. old blue refrigerators.
3. postcards.
4. watercolors.
5. blankets.
6. twinkly lights.
7. bridges.
8. sunflowers.
9. keri smith books.
10. sprinkles.

and just for good measure, here's ten things about mallory.
1. she only eats the red candies.
2. she has red hair.
3. she sings like a mad woman. literally. baha.
4. she likes cupcakes.
5. she wears her old dance class jazz shoes.
6. she loves regina specktor.
7. she owns a diana f+. (jealous?)
8. she likes old people.
9. she loves joseph-gordon leavitt, like all sane women.
10. she likes fall. autumn. whatever.

that is all for now. i'll be seeing you.




By: Hannah

Monday, February 8, 2010

To Whom It May Concern.

We are two girls. Two high school girls (for now, that is) and we hope to catch the attention of no one in particular. We claim to be two of the most brilliant people in the entire world, but please don't take our word for it. We represent the type of people who spend free time in the library. The people who roam parking lots in shopping carts. The people who laugh the loudest. The people who wear what they want, when they want, for no reason at all. We represent the people who figure worrying is pointless and creativity is vital. We like bubbles and cupcakes and, by all means, impress us with some helium balloons or hand picked daisies. And yes, perhaps to your dismay, we are the people some refer to as "free." We're sincerely sorry for any inconvenience.

I suppose the purpose of our starting a blog was simple. Hannah suggested it, and I jumped on the idea. And, on this idle Monday, here we are. I suppose our desire and purpose is one of serious lacking. For, our main intention is to simply find ourselves adventuring, and write about it. Or, blog about it, I guess. And though we don't expect this to really sincerely interest anyone, we find it interesting ourselves. And I guess that's all I ask of, at this point.

We like art and music. We find simple pleasures in the small things. And we live to observe. Such as a fly on the wall.

This is a blog of all we observe.

And, Heaven forbid, feel.




By: Mallory