tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1886087877429438732024-03-13T07:45:55.810-07:00rejoicing in the handskalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-6034932025909289752013-05-23T08:11:00.001-07:002013-05-23T08:11:50.545-07:00over there!hello! as i said i would do, i am here to tell you where you can follow me if you wish. my new blog home is here:<br />
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<a href="http://thedapperdoe.blogspot.com/">The Dapper Doe</a></div>
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if you feel inclined, i would love to have you join me, because i like you guys a LOT. but that's okay if you don't too. i guess i am saying that, whether i see you over there, or we go our separate ways, i just want you to know how special you've all made it here. everyone i have met here has been wonderful and i am so thankful for you all.</div>
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love, kalie</div>
kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-49212522291008887632013-05-08T15:18:00.000-07:002013-05-08T15:18:10.296-07:00why i'm moving oni started this blog about five years ago; back before i knew anything about blogs and when i thought i would be the only one to ever see it. this blog, like me, has been through many changes. it has grown and evolved and has been a big part of me. my life has been richer, fuller, since joining the blog world. i have met and befriended so many wonderful, beautiful people from all over the world.<br />
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however, the time has come for me to let go and start over. i will cherish this little corner of the internet as a place where i have learned and expressed so much. but it is time for me to move on and begin a new journey. "rejoicing in the hands" (one known as "hope is the thing with feathers") will always be here, but friends - if you so wish, i would love for you to come with me while i begin something new.<br />
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i am thankful for you all.<br />
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love,<br />
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kalie<br />
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p.s. a link to my new home will be coming shortly!kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-42435682044676408872013-01-18T13:39:00.001-08:002013-01-18T13:49:55.684-08:00this.yes.<br />
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happy friday, friends near and far.<br />
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thought to take with you: "a thing of beauty is a joy forever." - john keats.<br />
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make a beautiful memory; a project, adventure, rest and peace, quality time with a loved one. the beautiful moments that sprinkle our lives create a joy that never ceases. we can remember them always with fondness. kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-76497675880886411072013-01-01T13:37:00.000-08:002013-05-06T14:09:44.271-07:00why this year might be different<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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i have been sitting here for about twenty-five minutes, not really knowing where and how to begin. last night, my head was reeling with ideas. i felt so inspired. and while still inspired, i am a little overwhelmed. and that is why i am in the middle of a crowded coffee shop with the leftover crumbs of a bagel all over my lap, staring at a blank screen.<br />
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folks, the year two-thousand-thirteen is upon us. i know this is the time when most people tend to reflect on the past year, rating is as a whole, making resolutions and goals and promises and hopes for the next. it is cliche, and yet kind of magical. we don't get restart buttons in life, but there is an understanding amongst humans that, you know, life is kind of hard and complicated sometimes, as well as good, but hard. and if the start of a new year is what it takes to get people contemplative and gracious and motivated and impassioned, then by golly i love it.<br />
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last night, i went out. for a little bit. with a few friends. we dressed up and went to a pub and ate food and drank some cider and talked. and then i went home at ten o'clock to my cats because i was really really tired, and fell asleep on the couch at eleven. but that is not the point. what i am trying to say is this: it was a really nice evening. at dinner, we talked about our hopes and goals for the new year. one person at the table posed a really interesting question: what do we hope for the new year - new experiences or learning new things?<br />
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well, can i want both? i don't think they are mutually exclusive, but it is an interesting way to look at life: how much do i value new experiences? what about knowledge? what do i want to do, or what do i want to learn? and then that makes me think about all the things i have yet to experience, and all the things i don't know. one year will not cover it all - a lifetime could not cover it all - but how motivating is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">that!? </span><br />
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thinking back to the beginning of two-thousand-twelve, it seems really long ago. i mean, it went by quickly and all, but also not. it wasn't just one year ago, but years and years and miles and worlds away. i am not all together different, but yet completely different. i had high hopes, but also i was pretty hopeless. maybe that doesn't make sense to anyone else, but if you have ever felt that way, then you know what i mean. it <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">does</span> make sense, in a way. because that's just how it <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">is</span>. i have never talked about this on my blog, or much in any public way at all, but for the past couple years i have been dealing with some heavy depression. i don't really know where it came from; it was like a snowy blanket that drifted down little by little and quietly settled all around me. this past year has been a discovery year. it was a learning year. but all that learning has been an experience, too. it wasn't what i imagined for myself, and it was certainly unexpected. but that, i think, is how a lot of things happen, so i should just get used to that. i already kind of am. used to it, i mean.<br />
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a friend asked me last night what my biggest hope for the new year is. i told her that my biggest hope is for peace. i would really like to rest in some peace, this year. i battled everything last year. i battled my beliefs, my faith, my relationships, my sense of self. i battled my sickness. i battled getting well. i battled truth. i don't want to battle anymore. not those things. i will fight for goodness and truth and love. but everything else i really need to let go. i need some peace. that is my hope. that is my goal. it is what i want to experience <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">and</span> learn. it is what i want to savour.<br />
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at the beginning of this new year, i don't feel hopeless. i may have some lingering doubts, but i am not giving into them. i have hopes for lots of new learning. and lots and lots of new experiences. i want adventure. i want quiet. i want to rest in the peace and love only my sweet jesus can give. i want to pour out unto others that peace and love. i don't want to let wonderous opportunities slip away. i don't want to let <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">myself</span> slip away.<br />
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so here's to a new year. happy new year, friends.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">" so many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. the very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. the joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." - christopher mccandless</span></span></blockquote>
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<br />kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-80482065868936754042012-10-24T13:59:00.004-07:002012-10-24T13:59:49.179-07:00why my head was in a wendy's parking lot this morning.i tend to be a sentimental person, generally. also, a daydreamer. those tendencies combined sometimes force me to exert a great amount of effort to stay focused on one particular thing or thought for a very long time. so if i don't, then my train of thinking will lead me to far away places in space and time and then i am left remembering, reminiscing, or dwelling over something - real or imagined - that is very obscurely, if even, related to my present.<br />
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this morning, my thought train dropped me off at the year 2007 in a wendy's parking lot.<br />
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with me were my two best friends, kelly and sam. we had dubbed ourselves the 'tres twigs' for really weird and wonderful reasons, and we loved each other so much (we still do). it was, obviously, one of our girls' nights. sitting in the car of the wendy's, we stuffed our faces with french fries, blasting 'irreplaceable' and talking about boys - stupid stupid boys boys boys. and, i am sure, other intellectual things.<br />
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because the thing is, one or more of us (i don't remember which) had been hurt or angered by some boy (i don't remember who) and it doesn't even matter now which one of us it was because if one of us was hurt or sad or angry, then we were ALL hurt or sad or angry. that's just how it was. and clearly, the remedy called for food, beyonce, and girl time. i think it's safe to say that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">that is always a good go-to remedy, amiright. </span>and now, all i remember from that night was how much fun it really was. how good for our hearts it was. how precious our time together was. how fabulous beyonce is all the time.<br />
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it's funny, because i don't know why that memory occurred to me this morning. while working. with a toddler. at the zoo. why this thought should come into my brain makes no sense. but it did all the same, and isn't it always nice to remember good things?<br />
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but it got me thinking about more (see? thought train. all-aboard, twenty-four seven). and the thought is this: sometimes the really really simple and sweet things that i knew as a kid were not too far of a stretch from the truth and goodness i still need in my life. as i get older - and i expect this is true for others as well, but for the sake of this post i will just speak as it pertains to myself - i complicate everything and bury things deeper just so i have to dig them out again, therefore feeling like i have done more work to get the end result. does that make sense?<br />
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i'll put it this way. maybe, in those moments when i am hurting or grieving or fuming or even just lonely, what i need is a wendy's parking lot with people who love me. you know, figuratively. or, you know what actually, literally. but the point is that maybe i don't need to feel so lost sometimes. maybe there's a part of me - of us all - that isn't easily labeled child or adult. maybe that's not how things are meant to be. i think that we are supposed to learn a lot of things, like how to be responsible, and how to spend money wisely, and how to get an oil change within an appropriate amount of time, and how to handle conflict, and how to treat other people well, and how to love and live generously and kindly, and how to grocery shop for meals not in the freezer section of the store, and other stuff like that. that is the hope for us, anyway. but maybe, just maybe, there is a part of us that is in a middle place, or perhaps it isn't the middle of anything at all but rather above all of life's concerns and rules and expectations and lies. and in that place is an inherent truth and wonder that is apart of us, that is simple yet profound. we don't need to add complexity to an already complex and confusing world.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">golden. didn't think i was going to find this, but i am pretty much totally positive this was from that night. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">kelly, me, sam. tres twigs forever. </span></div>
<br />kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-6174892946427564802012-10-17T17:48:00.001-07:002012-10-17T17:50:46.015-07:00what it is like to be a real life wallflowerthis post is about two stories. mine, and a book.<br />
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if you haven't read the book, you have at least maybe probably <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">heard</span> its name before: "the perks of being a wallflower" by stephen chbosky. it was a teen anthem in novel form in the nineties - you know, when young adult fiction was still respectable. recently it was adapted into a movie, both screenplay and direction in the hands of mr. chbosky himself. it was done beautifully. if you have not had the privilege of being exposed to one or both forms of this same story, then i suggest it wholeheartedly.<br />
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i think everyone who reads the book is able to take away something personal to them and their own story. i felt like i could identify with charlie, the protagonist, in many ways.<br />
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he, if you haven't gathered already, is the wallflower the title is referring to. a high school freshman, charlie is nervous, reserved, friendless, and has a past of emotional instability. just as the story is reminding me how much of a hellhole high school really is, things begin looking up for charlie when he meets new friends - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">senior</span> friends - who take charlie under their wings and introduce him to all the new experiences adolescent life has to offer.<br />
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although charlie opens up and little by little overcomes his shyness, he is still the ever observant and internalizing being that i know all too well.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">there is this conversation that takes place in the book between charlie and his favorite teacher:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">"Do you always think this much, Charlie?" </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">"Is that bad?" I just wanted someone to tell me the truth.<br />"Not necessarily. It's just that sometimes people use thought to not participate in life."<br />"Is that bad?"<br />"Yes."</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">that is absolutely, perfectly, unquestionably me. i have stated before that i am the very definition of an introverted person. for the longest time of my life the first and only observation others made upon meeting me was that i was a quiet girl. and well, that is pretty accurate, mostly. unless i am around one of the handful of individuals that have been patient long enough to know the real me, i am very reserved. especially if i am in a group of people, and even more so if those people are strangers. you may very well forget i am even there. i am pretty sure i have improved in my age. any shyness seen in me now was that times forty when i was younger. and, well, i'm <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">friendly</span> and all. i know how to make decent small talk, and be nice and everything. but, just for example's sake, my senior year of high school i was voted in as "most shy." it's not really necessary, i don't think, to explain how horrific that it was for that category to even exist, and how mortifying it was to be voted for it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">my shyness was rivaled only by my awkward appearance/sense of style</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">grade 11, circa 2005 - emo eyeliner/black hair combo ftw!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">but here's the thing: sometimes it's hard for me to recognize that i am not really engaging. let me explain what i mean. i can be in a group setting with people who i am enjoying very much. i will listen to all the things they say, all the jokes made. i will smile and/or laugh at all the appropriate times - and not because i <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">should</span>, but because i really am smiling and/or laughing at the funny and/or lovely things being said. i <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">feel</span> really engaged, you know? i am immersed in the moment. but what i sometimes forget in the moment is this: just because i feel connected to others does not mean that they feel connected to me, too. they cannot read my thoughts and know i am fully there in mind and spirit as well as body. and, well, i also do something else. i will listen to multiple conversations at a time. since technically i am not <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">in</span> a conversation, i will often focus on two or three. not in a creepy, eavesdropping way. they are right there, aloud for all to hear. but i will listen to these interactions, and i will watch the people having them. i can see when someone feels uncomfortable, or tired. i can see when someone feels uncertain, or insecure. i can see when someone has a lot of things on his or her mind. i can see when someone is being sincere. it's the way their faces make expressions, especially their eyes, or little movements of their mouths. it's the way they move themselves, the way they hold their arms and such. and so, i can walk away from an event and feel like i experienced so many things, and as others see me go they wonder if i had any fun. i know they wonder this, because i am often asked it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">college freshman, circa 2007 - age 19; just, you know, sitting in a chair in the pool by myself.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">college sophomore, circa 2008 - age 20</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
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there is a line in the book, spoken by charlie's friend, patrick: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">"He's a wallflower. You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.”</span><br />
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in my lifetime of standing by the wayside, i have noticed a few things about people and life in general. and those things are like this:<br />
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-people who are upset about something usually don't want input or opinions from other people. they mostly just want someone to listen. unless they specifically ask otherwise. </blockquote>
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-if you smile enough at a seemingly grumpy person and are nice enough, then they often loosen up. sometimes not, but it's always worth a try. </blockquote>
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-if someone is sitting by themselves at a party or event, it's not because they want to be alone. if they wanted to be alone, they wouldn't be there at all. saying hi to them, and maybe sitting with them will almost assuredly make them feel really good.</blockquote>
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-remembering names is not a difficult thing to do. people are always saying "i am so bad at remembering names." well, everyone says that. but i don't think that is really a thing, unless you are a person who has actual memory problems in your brain. i have a secret to share: if you tell yourself and the new person you meet that you will remember their name, you will. saying that you are bad at names is an excuse to forget. use that persons name a few times in conversation. it just works. but you have to choose to make it work. sometimes you will still forget, or accidently get it wrong. but it happens far less. </blockquote>
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-everybody holds the immense power of making another person feel stupid or judged. being silly and playful and slightly sarcastic, in the appropriate degree and context, are fine things to be. but it's really easy to push someone too far. also, attitude and tone of voice can be dangerous weapons when not observed carefully. i have seen so many people ask questions or answer questions wrong, and then made out to be stupid for asking/answering wrong. why do people do this? i don't know. it doesn't make anyone feel good. </blockquote>
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-often, people don't try very hard to makes outsiders feel included. it's common for people to be nice initially, but have absolutely no follow through. and as long as a person feels comfortable and has companionship, there is very little motivation to reach out to new people. i don't understand this, either. </blockquote>
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there is more, i am sure. i have been observing for a long, long time.<br />
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anywho, i don't really know if i had just one point or lots of points to share today. but maybe you should read the book. it's a really good book.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">24th birthday, may 5, 2012 - pike place market</span></div>
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more quotes from the book i like a lot:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">“We accept the love we think we deserve.” </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">“It's strange because sometimes, I read a book, and I think I am the people in the book.” </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">“I think the idea is that every person has to live for his or her own life and then make the choice to share it with other people. Maybe that is what makes people 'participate.'”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">“I just want you to know that you’re very special… and the only reason I’m telling you is that I don’t know if anyone else ever has.” </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">“You can't just sit there and put everyone's lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can't. You have to do things.”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">“It's strange to describe reading a book as a really great experience, but that's kind of how it felt.”</span><br />
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kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-3313549963476494762012-10-12T13:10:00.001-07:002012-10-12T14:07:09.726-07:00seattle tours p.4: lucca boutiqueperhaps you, reader, will understand what i mean when i say that there are some places that were made to warm the soul. places that are sweet, and lovely, and tinged with magic. like a coffee shop. or rei. these places, i think, are different for everyone. for instance, a person might walk into a home depot or kay jeweler's and feel this. i do not. but i will tell you where a wonderland of mine lies. found in the cobbled street of old ballard avenue lies a darling little shop called lucca. often on my strolls i find that my feet take me here, really without much prompting from myself. they just know. my feet like traveling to magical places, so.<br />
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it is, essentially, a gift shop. but a special gift shop. if you ask me, i think the more appropriate term would be treasure shop. in no other place does my heart fall in love with postcards. i'm serious. or matchboxes. this is what i mean - everything there is special. if you, like me, am a lover of fine classic vintage, of handmade treats, of books, of buttons, of paper and of whimsy, then i highly suggest a visit here. plus, the folks you will find there are so nice. they really are.<br />
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happy friday, lovies. i hope you are enjoying fall as much as i am. unless you live across the world, such as australia, where it is not fall. or if you are in florida. or phoenix. to you i say, i hope the sun is treating you well and not burning your skin. be pro-active, friends! remember your sunscreen! and large-brimmed hats! </div>
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how have you been celebrating the fall? and what are your weekend plans? </div>
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p.s. i updated my "about' page! i don't know. maybe you're interested. if you don't know me, that is. if so - hello. it's nice to meet you. </div>
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kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-2207457370599040192012-10-10T18:42:00.000-07:002012-10-10T18:54:34.995-07:00letter to my future-self. dear future kalie,<br />
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i don't really know when you will remember to read this. if you're still at all much like your twenty-four year old self, one of two outcomes are possible:<br />
one) you are still exceedingly impatient, and will read this in six months and will agonize over what you have and have not done in that amount of time. look, i don't like stressing you (us) out like that. perhaps i have selfish motives in this all, but really i want <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">for you</span> to be inflicted with as little anxiety as possible. it's because i care. so, if this is the case, i'm telling you now - just cool it, okay. you're fine. tuck this back away into the archives for another, like, five years, and then we can talk.<br />
two) you will forget entirely for about a decade and then, well, that's so long from now, so we'll just hope that you're doing well, whatever that means, because who knows if you will even be able to find this. ten years is so long, i don't even know if the internet will be a thing or not anymore.<br />
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all things considered, i will henceforth be addressing specifically thirty-year-old me.<br />
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anyways, thirty-year-old kalie, in writing this i'm not going to pretend like i have it all figured out. you won't be finding a wealth of wisdom here, but i hope to sensitively, and gently, remind you of a few things. things that maybe you have forgotten, and for the things that have been difficult, i hope to offer some encouragement and a tender push back onto your life-path.<br />
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i hope, firstly, that william shakespurr is alive and well. and may your patience be ever renewed for his ornery antics. and i sincerely hope that by now you have figured out to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">put your damn yarn away</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">if you don't want it all over your house for the sixteeth-bazillionth time.</span><br />
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obviously, i am curious about your relationship status. are you...in one? dating? dare i ask, married?? i am a little afraid the answer to this next one, but i have to know - single? and if the latter is the case, how many cats do you have? woman, i swear, i know we agreed that the cats were plan b, but please tell me william is one of no more than three. four tops. it's not too late for you, you know. so get out there! but, in all truth, whatever your status is, i just hope you are happy. that's important. if you are still a single cat lady, please know that i am not judging you. if you are happy, then more power to you, girlfriend. and if you aren't happy, then make some changes. do not - i repeat, DO NOT, be a wallower. sitting on your ass watching <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">bright star</span> over and over and eating mexican food and soy ice cream will not be the answer to your problems. instead, set some goals and work on achieving them.<br />
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such as...<br />
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your education. have you finished school by now? have you even gone BACK to school by now? truly, i am trying to work some of that out for you now so you don't have to worry about it, but come on - we both know us. it's a very real possibility that you are still working on that degree. if so, i am terribly sorry. that sucks for you. good luck.<br />
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also, how were those travels? you've gone on them, right? by now you better have been to at least one or more of the following: england, scottland, italy, iceland, greece or germany. new zealand would also be acceptable, as well as pretty much anywhere in south america. or, you know what, if nothing else, please be a well-seasoned traveler of canada.<br />
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there's no point in even assuming that you are more organized and fond of cleaning than i am, so all i am going to say is please do not let this letter find you as a person who's life resembles that of the people on <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">hoarders. </span>that is all.<br />
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i really have a hard time imagining that you are a mother by now, but stranger things have happened. remember everything you have learned as a nanny. remember the good and the not so good. remember that kids, while a joy and all that, are freaking a lot of work. TRUST ME, future me, i know what i am talking about. so, if you are still childless, take heart. when your ovaries/adoptive heartstrings are throbbing because all of your friends have babies all over the place, just remember that you still get to sleep through the night.<br />
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all the thirty years olds i know are pretty spectacular and none have i met has forgotten how to have fun and enjoy life. so maybe i shouldn't worry about you, but i know me, and i know that i am half-way to being a hermit. so i am telling you, and i couldn't be more serious here so listen, that you better be putting some ounce of effort into not being a total recluse. i am trying really really hard right now to be somewhat of a social being, so you are obligated to do the same. for reals, i am counting on you. don't let me down, future kalie.<br />
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i also hope that you are still doing the things that bring you joy; writing poetry, reading good written words, crocheting, painting, creating. are you? i know that sometimes it is really easy to fall into a funk and forget to do these things. i know that sometimes life gets really busy, or really heartbreaking, and it can be easy to lose yourself. i hope you haven't lost your(our)self. that would be a shame. if upon reading this you realize that maybe that is you, then i dare you to pick up a paintbrush. scribble in a journal. make a scarf. something, just something. it will be good for your soul, i promise.<br />
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furthermore, i hope you have found contentment with yourself. not indifference or settling for less than, but true acceptance of you (us). of who you are, of who i am. forgiving yourself for the wrongs you've done, and being free of shame. of being free of (most of) your insecurities. maybe you have new ones by now, but the ones i have now in the present (your past)? yeah, i hope those have been conquered. you are loved, you are are valued, and your body is fine just the way it is.<br />
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are you still living out the important things a person can be? above beauty and vanity, are you loving and kind and compassionate? are you thoughtful, respectful, honest and sincere? are you selfless, giving? are you patient and merciful? are you humble? do you stand up in the face of injustice? do you speak out for and support equality among people? are you courageous and do the right thing, even when it is scary? i hope so. i know you aren't perfect, i don't ever expect you to be. i know you couldn't possibly be 100 percent of those things 100 percent of the time. but all those qualities? they are what i always hoped i would have. they are what i hope for now. they are what i strive for. i hope you are still doing the same. if so, you are a woman i am thankful and proud to be.<br />
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love, 24-year-old kalie.<br />
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p.s. i may be wrong to guess that technology in your day and age has not yet accomplished time travel, but if this is an incorrect assumption, then i ask you this: maybe help a sister out and consider visiting and warning me of any catastrophic events, bad relationships, unwise hair-cut decisions, and perhaps clue me in on some winning lottery numbers. i'm not even saying it has to be a really big lottery, even one of the smaller ones would be fine. thank you.<br />
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<br class="webkit-block-placeholder" />kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-42460396438797334482012-07-27T14:30:00.003-07:002012-07-27T14:41:28.293-07:00adventures in portlandia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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the past couple of weeks have been a flurry of things, but most of all: apartment searching. i was fortunate though to get out of town for the day last weekend. one of the many wonderful things about living in seattle is that it is but a three hour drive to portland. now, portland is one of those places that is really really great for visiting. i cannot say whether or not what it would be like to live there, but the people there seem happy. and i think, to myself sometimes, that perhaps one day, maybe when i have a family of my own, or alternatively i am just settling down with my cats, that portland would be quite a nice place to be.<br />
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i went there with my friend sam. she is really cool and smart and funny and makes an excellent road trip companion. we had cds ready to play, with fun music on them - the kind that is best on roadtrips and gets you super pumped and makes you car-dance. but we didn't even listen to any until the last hour, on our way home when we needed it playing loudly to keep up awake. driving is safer that way. no, instead of music, we talked. and talked and talked. and it was one of the most splendid and special times i have gotten to spend my dear friend. she is a kindred spirit.<br />
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with no plan of action, we ambled around, taking in all the sights of quirky shops and quirky people, and the air led us to good food, bookstores, sunshine, coffee, and music. all good things.<br />
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<br /></div>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-64727996377305994252012-07-16T17:55:00.001-07:002012-07-16T17:55:14.686-07:00why i am issuing a psa concerning a certain bestseller.and i cannot even believe it is one. a bestseller, i mean. if you have any questions whatsoever about what "book" i could possibly be referring to right now, let me spare you the suspense here and now so you're not let down later: <i>fifty shades of grey.</i><br />
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<i>**disclaimer: i have </i>NOT<i> read this book, so every thought and opinion you are about to read has come from the gathering of information from various sources, including the titillating coffee-convos of middle-aged women i have been unfortunate enough to overhear. </i>FURTHERMORE<i>, my purpose is not to offend anyone who has read and possibly enjoyed this book. so, if that happens - i am sorry. </i><br />
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when i first heard of <i>fifty shades of grey, </i>i had a really strong feeling that this book would be terrible. for a couple of valid reasons, i think: one) it was the product of freaking<i> twilight</i> fanfiction, and two) just because a book is given a pretty cover instead of fabio (which, actually, might be pretty to some people) doesn't make erotic-romance magically good writing.<br />
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this was just a feeling, though.<br />
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i figured it would be one of those books i hear about a couple times, endure kathie lee gifford and hoda giggling about it over their wine glasses, and then we'd all move on. <br />
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but then all of a sudden <i>every woman everywhere was reading this book including neighbors and friends and moms of friends and it was on the new york times</i> <i>bestseller list and my facebook newsfeed was full of statuses about it and i was like whaaaaa? </i>so. wanting to keep and open mind and give this book the benefit of the doubt, i was thinking maybe, perhaps, it must be eloquently written, and have profound character development, and tell a unique and captivating story. with, you know, lots of hot sex and stuff. but the thing is, you guys - it isn't any of those things (except there actually is a lot of sex, duh). i know this because i have read excerpts and quotes from the book, and every posting from <a href="http://badbooksgoodtimes.wordpress.com/">bad books, good times</a>, a blog that sufficiently summarizes (and mercilessly tears apart) <i>fifty shades</i>. now, although it may seem my conclusion has been shaped by biased sources, i can assure you that the material straight from the book alone has been enough evidence for me to form my opinion.<br />
and my opinion is this: <i>fifty shades of grey</i> is perhaps the worst piece of writing i have ever come across. dramatic, i know. but believe me, i love books and have read a lot of them. some good, some bad. i read <i>twilight</i>, guys. and yeah, that was bad. and everything i disliked about it has been expanded on tenfold in <i>fifty shades. </i>let me break down what i mean by that.<br />
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but first, i think i should make it clear that i am not hating on <i>fifty shades</i> because it is of the erotic genre. i am not sitting here telling you to stay away from the devil's book, or whatever. because really, although it's not my thing, whatever you're into is your business. in fact, i will say this - i think that society's perspective on women's sexuality really needs to change. we talk about men and sex and men wanting and thinking about and having sex, but it is so taboo for women. society <i>shames</i> women. unless it is in cosmo or something. but even then, it's <a href="http://www.nerve.com/advice/ridiculous-tips/the-best-of-ridiculous-tips-for-a-miserable-sex-life-emcosmopolitan-em-edition"><i>such stupid</i> stuff</a>. no, what i mean is that ever since this book came out, half the publicity has been about the actual book, and the other half has been about the flurry that all the women everywhere are in and how moms all over the place are all hot and bothered and how exciting, and <i>oooh</i> how scandalous! really? really, that is such a shocker? is this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJoCV903Qxc"><i>pleasantville</i></a> we are living in? well, i guess it is alright as long as she can still get dinner on the table by the time hubby gets home! <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIRcZu43vic/UASlXdoPjtI/AAAAAAAABpk/2Gh3gva-lHc/s1600/very_sexist_ads_640_20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIRcZu43vic/UASlXdoPjtI/AAAAAAAABpk/2Gh3gva-lHc/s640/very_sexist_ads_640_20.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div>
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anyhow. back to when i said. "<i>fifty shades of grey</i> is perhaps the worst piece of writing i have ever come across." when i say that, i am referring to the language, grammar, structure, the content, and the messages in this book. good grief, <i>the messages</i> in this book, folks. i will keep my comments regarding the language/grammar/structure to a minimum because neither you or i have an entire day to devote to the issue, and also, we have bigger, more important problems to address. i will say this though: i do not understand how this book was published. this is completely unfair to all the brilliantly talented thirteen year olds of the world, but e l james <i>writes like a thirteen year old.</i> and yes, i realize how gross that sentence is, considering the content of the book. but what i mean is, she is a horrible writer. i can say that with confidence."my inner goddess is jumping up and down, clapping its hands like a five year old!" (literal quote from the book).<br />
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but now i am going to get to what the real problem with this book is. in all seriousness. for those of you who are not quite sure what the premise of the book is (besides all the sex, duh), here you go: the main character is anastasia steele; a young, beautiful girl (surprise) who meets christian grey - handsome, charming, rich (surprised again). sparks fly, yada yada. they get all sexually involved and this is what the dynamic is: christian is the dominant and controlling man, while frail ana is the submissive, manipulated woman. sexy, right? sex act after sex act is played out in the pages and each one is absolutely borderline sexual assault, if not <i>totally, flat out </i>assault. and the women reading this are supposed to be turned on - this is, apparently, arousing. the character of christian, more than once, uses language that is domineering and demeaning - he tells ana that she belongs to him and decides if and when she should be "punished" (in a sexy, sexy way, of course - but only for his own pleasure). christian grey, we should know, is a complex man with a dark, twisted soul - the classic bad boy that surely the right girl can "fix"! which is where we find ana, altruistic creature that she is. this concept on its own is nothing new - we recognize it as fictional and magical and know it is not real life. that's why we read fiction, including this book, right? to escape reality. but do we really know where the line is drawn? i mean, i read harry potter and it is pretty safe, because as much as i whole-heartedly wish that my hogwarts acceptance letter is just late in getting to me, i have faced the reality that it isn't coming. so it's not really too dangerous for me to get involved with the story, because i have a healthy, truthful perspective. but - i know women who have fallen into the care-giver trap over and over and over again. as a generally compassionate sex, many women can't help but be drawn to the mysterious, brooding guy because, well, we can help them! we are special. and that is a dangerous message we are believing. and stupid. <br />
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this book is being sold for a reason, and that reason is no secret; it isn't called "mommy porn" (excuse me while i vomit at that phrase) or "house-wife erotica" for nothing. women are reading this because they have a sex-drive just as much as any man. and, like men, some women are wanting more excitement, more pleasure. what better and easier way to get that than by purchasing and reading a now socially acceptable book? i mean, the word "pornography" is pretty intense and causes raised eyebrows in family circles. but erotic "novel" - that is much more accessible. <br />
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<span style="color: red;">women, i have a message for you, too. if you pay no attention to anything else in this post, please please hear this message: </span><span style="color: red;">you do not need to read this anti-feminist, misogynistic, female debasing trash. you are a human being who is inherently made to be valued and respected. you are not an object and you have NO obligation to submit to any man. if you are looking for excitement in your sex-life, look to your husband/significant other. instead of reading about fun kinky sexy stuff, <i>do it </i>if that is what you really need<i>.</i> and more importantly, do it with someone who has your absolute best interest at heart who loves you and respects you and values you. not with someone who is selfish and demeaning towards you. that isn't fantastical or arousing - that is horrid. <span style="color: black;">and if erotic fiction is really your thing, then i can only say that there has <i>got</i> to be something better than this! seriously. i mean,</span><span style="color: black;"> imagine really meeting christian grey - would you not freaking run for the hills at his first mention of signing a sex contract (yes, that is really in the book)? you would not have good times with him. you would probably cry. </span></span><br />
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this book, although written by a woman, is just serving to set us back years in feminism. seriously, the last time it was socially acceptable to spank a woman as punishment was the 50s, y'all (yes, that is also really in the book).<br />
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<br />i know that it is really easy to get carried away by the written word. i know the joy in leaving reality for a bit and exploring a fantasy world. but there are so many <a href="http://www.upworthy.com/101-books-to-read-this-summer-instead-of-50-shades-of-grey?g=2&c=ufb1">other options</a>. and there are so many other ways to realize you are special and desirable. you don't need poorly written, demeaning text to make you feel a certain way. it's cheap. and you, dear women, are not. <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">all vintage ads <a href="http://izismile.com/2010/05/28/very_sexist_ads_from_the_50s_24_pics.html">via </a></span></div>
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<br />kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-6912196351211168072012-07-09T15:55:00.002-07:002012-07-10T13:50:46.220-07:00part two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://kaliebrynn.blogspot.com/2012/06/why-i-am-getting-controversial-here.html">read intro </a>; <a href="http://kaliebrynn.blogspot.com/2012/06/part-one.html">part one</a><i><br /></i></div>
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<i>** in an attempt to share my heart and passion for animals, humans,
and the environment, i have decided to start a discussion about food and
its impact on all of the above. this is in no way intended to call any
one out or pass judgment on others. the purpose here is to share my
experience as a vegetarian/vegan, to talk about the food we put in out
bodies, health and wellness, and to challenge others to investigate what
is in their food, whatever your diet may be! i want this to be a
learning experience for myself and for others. there are many people out
there who are far more knowledgeable than me, and i cannot wait to
learn more from them. there are also many people who are interested in
exploring a plant-based lifestyle, but don't know where or how to begin -
and for them, i hope this series to be informative and encouraging. for
those people out there who are content eating meat, and have never
considered foregoing it, you are more than completely welcome too. i am
glad to have each of you here. this is my journey from omnivore or
vegan, and the things i have found out along the way. </i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RCVUgMRP8FY/T_tNOFFA7dI/AAAAAAAABpA/SXolmqVU4kc/s1600/il_570xN.246689489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RCVUgMRP8FY/T_tNOFFA7dI/AAAAAAAABpA/SXolmqVU4kc/s640/il_570xN.246689489.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/74729117/keep-calm-and-vegan-on-no-meat-5-x-7?ref=af_you_favitem"> via</a></span></div>
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upon finding out that i was a vegetarian, the first question people usually would ask is, "but you eat, like, ice cream and cheese, right?" "YES, yes, i do. i love those too much to give up," i would say back.<br />
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in fact, now that i am a vegan, that's usually what other people tell <i>me</i> - "i don't know how you do it, i could<i> never</i> give up dairy. no way." you know what is interesting about that? although there is an undeniable ridiculous deliciousness to cheese and milkshakes and the such, <i>that</i> really isn't solely what keeps us stuffing our faces with it. cheese is, in the literal sense, addictive. meaning, there are addictive properties to the moldy goodness we all love so much. scientists first made this discovery in the 1980s when they found a substance in dairy products that resembled morphine. casein, the main dairy protein, releases tiny opiate molecules, called
casomorphins, which have about one-tenth the opiate strength of
morphine. so when you say, "i couldn't live without cheese, i am addicted," you are speaking truth about that last part. not the not living part - you will not die from cheese abstinence, i promise. i should know - i am a recovering dairy junkie. (casein, incidentally, is also one of the biggest contributors to cancer ever. it's like a cancer cell steroid. but more on that later).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Of0QdBTdSHM/T_tdsQGkscI/AAAAAAAABpM/uC0PlOgYdUE/s1600/eating-animals-image2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Of0QdBTdSHM/T_tdsQGkscI/AAAAAAAABpM/uC0PlOgYdUE/s640/eating-animals-image2.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>
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BUT, but, before i knew even <i>that,</i> i read jonathan safran foer's investigative book called "eating animals." as a new father, foer felt a conviction to find out what is <i>really </i>in the food his family was eating. so, off to the factory farms he went. i said in <a href="http://kaliebrynn.blogspot.com/2012/06/part-one.html">part one</a> that this book changed my life. as dramatic as that sounds, it is one hundred percent true. and there really isn't an un-dramatic way to talk about a life-changing experience, you know? before i read this book, animal <i>meat</i> and animal <i>products</i> (dairy, eggs) were two separate things in my mind. i felt that as long as i wasn't eating actual animal meat, then i was, in good conscience, not participating in the harm and torture of animals. but what i found out was pretty much the exact 180 degree opposite of that thought. those animals that give us milk and lay us eggs are probably the most mistreated animals in the world. the poor creatures that are prepared for slaughter are pitiable and scared and abused - but it is even more so for the cows and hens who become the slaves to our appetites.<br />
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dairy cows - forcefully and unnaturally impregnated, over and over, to keep the milk flowing; separated from their babies (which are sold as veal); grain-fed and starved; kept in captivity; killed once milk production slows.<br />
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laying hens - severed beaks and talons; kept in wire battery cages, with an average of 67 square inches of space which is less than a sheet of paper (for perspective, a hen needs 72 square inches of space to be able to stand up straight
and 303 square inches to be able to spread and flap her wings); male chicks, who are useless to the egg industry (nor the meat industry, seeing as they have not been genetically modified for meat production), are ground
up in batches while still alive, suffocated in trash cans, or gassed; manipulated lighting and starvation periods to force their bodies into molting so that egg production is great, faster, and completely unnatural and unhealthy; die (or discarded) after two years (if they make it that long) when their bodies are worn out and they are no longer profitable.<br />
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the practices of "cage-free" and "free-range" are unregulated, and therefore virtually meaningless. the animals are still crowded, tortured, and - in the case of broiler chickens - still pumped full of growth hormones, making it unlikely that they can even walk to get access to the fresh air.<br />
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erik marcus, making a comparison to the better-publicized cruelty done to veal calves, says in his book <i>meat market: animals, ethics, and money</i>:
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"i personally believe that the average battery hen has it
worse than the average veal calf. i think it’s probable that a forkful
of egg comes at a cost of greater suffering than a forkful of veal… for
people making a gradual switch to vegetarianism out of concern for
animals, i therefore believe that the first food to give up should be,
not meat, but eggs."</blockquote>
you guys, i could keep talking. but there is just so much information out there, and this is only a glimpse of it. those of you who have no desire to know more about it, then i'm sure this was quite enough. but, for those who want to know more, i know you'll seek it out. to learn more about factory farming practices, the best places i can recommend you starting are:<br />
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<a href="http://www.hpbmarketplace.com/booksearch?binding=&mtype=B&keyword=eating+animals&hs.x=0&hs.y=0">eating animals</a> - jonathan safran foer (book)</div>
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<a href="http://www.hpbmarketplace.com/booksearch?qwork=17444859&matches=42&cm_sp=works*listing*title">the compassionate diet</a> - arran stephens (book - <i>short</i> book, quick read)</div>
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<a href="http://www.hpbmarketplace.com/booksearch?binding=&mtype=B&keyword=eating+animals&hs.x=0&hs.y=0">food, inc. </a>(documentary - available on netflix instant watch; website)</div>
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<a href="http://allvegdelights.com/facts">"the 9 reasons you should consider a vegetarian diet"</a></div>
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and seriously guys, ask me. if you have any questions, need some help/direction in getting started, or are simply curious, please ask. i would be so happy to answer any questions, give advice, etc. you can find my email on the sidebar, under my <i>portraiture.</i> </div>
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part three: i'll be talking about the health questions and concerns people commonly have in regards to veganism, as well as sharing the kick-ass benefits. </div>
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*** </div>
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"tell me something: why is taste, the crudest of our senses, exempted
from the ethical rules that govern our other senses? if you stop and
think about it, it’s crazy. why doesn’t a horny person have as strong a
claim to raping an animal as a hungry one does to killing and eating it? it’s easy to dismiss that question but hard to respond to it. and how
would you judge an artist who mutilated animals in a gallery because it
was visually arresting? how riveting would the sound of a tortured
animal need to be to make you want to hear it <i>that</i> badly? try to imagine any end other than taste for which it would be justifiable to do what we do to farmed animals." - quote from an ex poultry slaughterhouse worker in jonathan safran foer's book, eating animals.<br />
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“we know, at least, that this decision (ending factory farming) will
help prevent deforestation, curb global warming, reduce pollution, save
oil reserves, lessen the burden on rural america, decrease human rights
abuses, improve publish health, and help eliminate the most systematic
animal abuse in history.”
- jonathan safran foer, eating animals.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“what the meat industry figured out is that you don't need healthy
animals to make a profit. Sick animals are more profitable...factory
farms calculate how close to death they can keep animals without
killing them. that's the business model. how quickly they can be made
to grow, how tightly they can be packed, how much or how little can they
eat, how sick they can get without dying...we live in a world in which
it's conventional to treat an animal like a block of wood.”- jsf, eating animals.<br />
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“however much we obfuscate or ignore it, we know that the factory farm
is inhumane in the deepest sense of the word. and we know that there is
something that matters in a deep way about the lives we create for the
living beings most within our power. our response to the factory farm is
ultimately a test of how we respond to the powerless, to the most
distant, to the voiceless--it is a test of how we act when no one is
forcing us to act one way or another.” - jsf, eating animals.</blockquote>
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*** </div>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-64390147677297541472012-07-07T23:21:00.000-07:002012-07-07T23:27:58.563-07:00why handmade is best, and some links to prove it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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today was a very good day. you know, the kind of day that was really sunshiny and where you smile a lot and enjoy the presence of many kindred spirits. these things all make for a good day. i went to a little event called "<a href="http://urbancraftuprising.com/vendors/summer-2012/">urban craft uprising</a>." don't you just love that name for an event? so intensely crafty.<br />
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handmade shop owners hailing from portland to vancouver (wa) and all in between gathered to create a crafty dense hotspot for people like myself to drool over all the handmade and vintage goodness. i was happy to stumble across artists who's work i have admired for some time, and even happier to discover lots of new artists and craft makers who are truly and wonderfully gifted. i thought it would be nice to share some of my favorites, so you too can adore the work of the delightfully talented independent sellers of the pacific northwest (and they really <i>are</i> delightful people, indeed).<br />
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so. in no particular order:<br />
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<b>illustrator and designer, <a href="http://dpsullivan.com/">derek sullivan</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/dpsullivan?ref=seller_info">etsy</a> /<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/DPSullivan-Art-Prints/190210190997376"> facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/derekpsullivan">twitter </a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hH7wkTHYXUQ/T_kI5a3CxXI/AAAAAAAABng/D860HyYQOKU/s1600/washington3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hH7wkTHYXUQ/T_kI5a3CxXI/AAAAAAAABng/D860HyYQOKU/s640/washington3.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b>washington i.d. travel poster</span></div>
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quite some time ago, <a href="http://eliseloraine.blogspot.com/">e</a> and i acquired this print on a postcard from <a href="http://www.anniesartandframe.com/">annie's</a>, a local art and frame and miscellaneous goods shop in ballard. i love this picture. so, i was pretty excited to find it sitting in the middle of a booth amongst lots of other fun and quirky pieces and a very nice, bearded gentleman named derek sullivan. i also really enjoy his <a href="http://dpsullivan.com/Alphabet-Prints">alphabet prints </a>and <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/85384082/christmas-is-for-friends-4x6-postcard">christmas is for friends</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/FoamyWader"><b>foamy wader</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/FoamyWader">etsy</a> / <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1009954914">twitter</a><b><a href="https://twitter.com/FoamyWader"> </a></b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tdAWcNFd3gA/T_kPd73PTEI/AAAAAAAABn0/gunvonevIB8/s1600/il_570xN.339666456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tdAWcNFd3gA/T_kPd73PTEI/AAAAAAAABn0/gunvonevIB8/s640/il_570xN.339666456.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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seattle<b> </b>jewelry maker alexa allamano makes really interesting things, including knitted beards, wouldn't you know. interesting fact: her last name translates to "by hand." so, really, it's all just a little bit perfect how her fate came to be. she gets inspiration for her pieces from movies, books, music, nature, and funny quotes from friends. i like that. she creates some fancy, silvery jewelry that is certainly beautiful, but my favorites are her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/FoamyWader?section_id=5633666">rings</a>. i took home for myself one such ring with a little black kitty on it. </div>
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<a href="http://www.memecosmetics.net/"><b>meme cosmetics</b></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/memecosmetics">etsy</a> </div>
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inger l. genest, owner and creator of meme cosmetics, is a very pleasant woman. she likes chai tea, and even recommended her personal favorite in all of seattle. she is a certified herbalist and started this company to provide naturally healing, chemical-free make-ups, soaps, and moisturizers. see those delectable looking cupcakes in the picture above? yeah - those are bubble bath soaps. as explained on the website, "they soften the water with ph-balancing baking soda and skin softening
vegetable glycerin. the foaming ingredient is derived from coconut oil,
blended with our signature scent blends." all products are non-animal tested, contain no artificial preservatives, no synthetic chemicals, no mineral oil, and no solvents. they are not 100 percent vegan, as many of the products contain bees wax, but if that doesn't concern you, then you really should maybe get a lip balm or something. for myself, i did get an eyeliner. for fancy nights, and such. </div>
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<a href="http://www.maplexo.com/"><b>maple xo</b></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.maplexo.com/blogs/news">blog</a> /<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Maple"> etsy</a> / <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/MapleXO/244133192730">facebook</a> /<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1009954940"> twitter</a><b><a href="https://twitter.com/maplexo"> </a></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gtL1cJ3ykQQ/T_kY6gVnr5I/AAAAAAAABoM/PC5geU6KrjI/s1600/MAPLEXO_RECYCLED_SKATEBOARD_HAIGHTRING_photo_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gtL1cJ3ykQQ/T_kY6gVnr5I/AAAAAAAABoM/PC5geU6KrjI/s640/MAPLEXO_RECYCLED_SKATEBOARD_HAIGHTRING_photo_large.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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lindsay jo holmes, owner of maple xo in portland, oregon, is saving the world from overflowing landfills, one trashed skateboard at a time. she said that she gets really excited about busted boards that skaters bring in, especially the ones with really colorful guts (like the one the ring was sculpted from). she says that she imagines the pretty earrings it will make. and make those earrings she does. her company uses environmentally concious practices in production, and operate under the belief that recycling the boards is their way of giving back to the skateboard community by reducing the environmental footprint of skateboarding. linsday says, "with such amazing art and talent that is put into the graphics, production, and physical use of a skateboard deck, they deserve way more than to end up in a landfill." isn't that sweet? she is super cute. and clearly, super talented. check out her beautiful work. it's marvelous.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ykchauachocolates.com/"><b>ykchaua chocolates</b></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/YkchauaChocolates?ref=pr_shop_more">etsy</a> / <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ykchaua">facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/ykchaua">twitter</a><b> </b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0pw2Z7Sxl0/T_kcq0D0R0I/AAAAAAAABoY/S8pKxCEhYOA/s1600/brittle+new+bags+4+pack+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0pw2Z7Sxl0/T_kcq0D0R0I/AAAAAAAABoY/S8pKxCEhYOA/s640/brittle+new+bags+4+pack+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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when i saw the table with chocolate samples, the first thing i had to ask before getting my hopes up was "are any of these vegan friendly?" and you know what dear, dear kaine chandler, the owner, said? "they are ALL vegan! and gluten-free, too!" oh my gosh. heart a-flutter. i was so excited, and the sweet girl told me that is made her happy that i was so happy, because she and co-owner carla jones (whom i did not meet) worked really hard to make options available for everyone. some chocolates have nuts, some do not. all are soy-free. all chocolate is fair-trade. and all of it - <i>all of it</i> - is delicious. i took home the "mexi-cocoa" nib brittle (cocoa, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. YUM), the strawberry-chocolate cocoa body scrub, and the luscious chocolate-hazelnut fudge (aka, vegan nutella). happy, happy tummy.</div>
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<b>craftwich creations</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/craftwich">etsy</a> / <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Craftwich">facebook</a> </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FJb7bSFCxpo/T_kgJKvq7yI/AAAAAAAABoo/ZnwXeBEb_Ao/s1600/photo-3-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FJb7bSFCxpo/T_kgJKvq7yI/AAAAAAAABoo/ZnwXeBEb_Ao/s640/photo-3-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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this one goes out to all you crocheters out there. really, all i can say is that this woman is an angel of crocheters. monica lowe hand-carves and sands each and every unique hook she makes, which come in all sizes, colors, and shapes. her beautiful organic hooks come from fallen wood around the puget sound. furthermore, she uses all-natural wood preservatives (such as soybean, coconut, sandalwood, and tangerine oils). i did not take one home today, but i sure did lust after them a little. i feel like one of these would be ceremonious to have in the event that i make a really special present or something. </div>
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<a href="http://www.yarniapdx.com/"><b>yarnia</b></a></div>
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<a href="http://customyarn.com/blog/">blog</a> / <a href="http://www.facebook.com/YarniaPDX">facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/yarniapdx">twitter</a> / <a href="http://pinterest.com/yarniapdx/">pinterest</a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MUL5bM392DI/T_kjdNqbWQI/AAAAAAAABo0/5RQEgVOMbUU/s1600/coneEquals4Balls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MUL5bM392DI/T_kjdNqbWQI/AAAAAAAABo0/5RQEgVOMbUU/s640/coneEquals4Balls.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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have you ever been in a craft or yarn store, perusing the bins fulls of wools and acrylics and fine and thick and fluffy and coarse and weird and wonderful yarns and <i>still</i> feel like, there just isn't the perfect yarn there for the very special project you have pictured in your mind for grandma or your bf or your cousins new baby? wouldn't it be...grand...if you could, i don't know - make. your. own. yarn? let that sink in for a second. whether in the great city of portland or not, yarn-lovers of the world can now, from the comfort of their own homes or workplace or wherever they are with internet access, design the yarn of their <i>dreams</i>! you choose the color, fiber, thickness and amount - and these fine people will take care of the rest. it will be delivered into your hands, as if the clouds have parted above and it has fallen from yarn heaven. and, you guys, i'm not even kidding - the blog name is chronicles of yarnia. </div>
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well, there you have it. my top favorites from today's crafty adventures. i hope you enjoy exploring the work of these talented people! do you have any favorite artists or crafters? i'd love to hear about them. please share!</div>
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</div>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-51073058571864528182012-07-06T15:11:00.000-07:002012-07-06T15:11:16.797-07:00here, there, and everywhere.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(one) <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.306205138104.147548.306169768104&type=3">getting fancy with some colorization</a> (two) new shirt of piggy sporting sequin shades. i love everything about it. (three) sorting out tough games rules at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CardKingdom">card kingdom</a> with baby sister. and eating snacks, of course. (four) spontaneous septum piercing! (five) william shakespurr, pretending to stow away. he literally climbed in that bag himself. silly kitty. (six) <a href="http://peoplewebs.blogspot.com/2010/11/bow-headband-tutorial.html">crocheted hair bow</a>, for special occasions and sundays. <br />
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***</div>
<br />
oh, HEY THERE july. fancy seeing you here.<br />
<br />
for those
of you holding your breath, sitting on the edge of your seat (i know you
are) for part two of my vegan series - well. you'll just have to sit
tight a little longer. because, you know, i don't feel like blogging
about that today. today, i just want to say hi. because it's been a
little while. and i've missed you all. so.<br />
<br />
hi there!<br />
<br />
unlike most americans, i did <i>not</i> partake in july fourth festivities. i did <i>hear</i>
some fireworks, though. so that's something. my lack of participation
wasn't like, you know, rebellion against my country or anything. no, i
was helping my sister move. it was a very labor-intensive day, and after
something like that you just don't really feel like staying up late
into the night, in likely over-crowded grassy parks, just longing for
your bed. so i simply just chose my bed.<br />
<br />
ALSO. also. has anyone here yet seen wes anderson's "moonrise kingdom"? oh my gosh, you guys. i took myself out on a me-date last weekend and saw this movie. and it is probably one of my very favorite movies now. if you are looking for something to do, and you don't feel like fighting the spiderman crowds, GO SEE THIS MOVIE. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hA9zgqmpveo/T_dhnA_Fi7I/AAAAAAAABnI/gwGggXL8nBY/s1600/116108496613508841_iwbeARse_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hA9zgqmpveo/T_dhnA_Fi7I/AAAAAAAABnI/gwGggXL8nBY/s640/116108496613508841_iwbeARse_f.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
you can even watch the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N8wkVA4_8s">trailer</a>.<br />
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what have you been up to lately? any fun fourth activities? i'd love to hear. happy friday, folks! <br />
<br />kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-38566456358419260732012-06-22T14:20:00.000-07:002012-07-10T13:10:00.629-07:00part one<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://kaliebrynn.blogspot.com/2012/06/why-i-am-getting-controversial-here.html"> read intro</a><i></i></div>
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<i>** in an attempt to share my heart and passion for animals, humans, and the environment, i have decided to start a discussion about food and its impact on all of the above. this is in no way intended to call any one out or pass judgment on others. the purpose here is to share my experience as a vegetarian/vegan, to talk about the food we put in out bodies, health and wellness, and to challenge others to investigate what is in their food, whatever your diet may be! i want this to be a learning experience for myself and for others. there are many people out there who are far more knowledgeable than me, and i cannot wait to learn more from them. there are also many people who are interested in exploring a plant-based lifestyle, but don't know where or how to begin - and for them, i hope this series to be informative and encouraging. for those people out there who are content eating meat, and have never considered foregoing it, you are more than completely welcome too. i am glad to have each of you here. this is my journey from omnivore or vegan, and the things i have found out along the way. </i></div>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/drywell?ref=seller_info">x</a></div>
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like a majority of kids, i grew up eating meat and dairy. in fact, i did so for twenty-two years. and it was perfectly normal, of course. also like a majority of people, i was able to separate my mind from the actual animals these products were coming from. logically, i have always known that a hamburger is made of meat from a cow. and bacon comes from pigs. and eggs come from chickens. and so on. but, being <i>so far</i> removed from the process of how that animal became the food on my plate, i was able to eat it without actually thinking about that animal. my mcdonald's happy meal cheeseburger wasn't a cow; it was a mcdonald's happy meal cheeseburger. and, well, it made me happy.<br />
<br />
but then, something happened. i became friends with <a href="http://eliseloraine.blogspot.com/">a vegetarian</a>. i didn't ask why, and she never forced the information on me. she ate her tofu, and let me eat my chicken or whatever in peace. then one day, after we knew each other for quite awhile, i was on the verge of tears about some cat or dead pigeon or something, and she said to me, "kalie, i am surprised you aren't a vegetarian." not in an accusing way at all. not judgy. it was just...a statement. of surprise, i would say. and it made me think. <i>why am i not? i love animals, but am so emotionally detached from the food i eat. </i>and that is when i started researching. my aim was this: i wanted to find out for myself where my food really comes from, whether i decide to continue eating it or not. because even if i decide to remain an omnivore, it is still my responsibility to at least know what i am putting in my body. during the process i abstained from meat. i wanted to see if i could do it. and, well, i could. not only could i, but i was feeling really good. i wasn't even missing meat. so, two and a half years ago in january of 2010, i decided to be a vegetarian.<br />
<br />
really, i didn't know much at that point. my little bit of researching led me to some gruesome pictures of abused chickens and pigs, and that was quite enough for me at the time. that was all i needed to see to make up my mind. the only thing i didn't give up was fish. so technically, i was a pescatarian (a person who will eat sea food but not the flesh of any other animals - not that i actually knew that word then. but that's what i was). especially once i moved to seattle, it was all fish all the time. if you are a seafood eater, get yourself some fish and chips up here. do it for me. anyways. i also have always loved - LOVED - sushi. i loved sushi. i loved it. that being so, that was probably the hardest thing for me to imagine giving up. but i did, eventually. somewhere around the fall time in 2010. i saw a documentary on dolphins and whales (don't get me started on seaworld: that is a whole other discussion) and it talked a lot about the endangerment of many animals in the sea and how mass fishing is affecting these beautiful creatures. the problem is called <i>bycatching. </i>this is when fish, or other sea animals, are caught unintentionally in a fishery that is meant to catch another type of fish. shrimp trawling has the highest rates of bycatch. american shrimp trawlers, for instance, on average produce bycatch ratios between 3:1 (3 bycatch : 1 shrimp) and 15:1 (15 bycatch : 1 shrimp). um, CRAZY, right? for one itsy teeny little shrimp, as many as 15 or more other fish (or turtles or dolphins or sharks or albatross) had to die. because you know what happens to the bycatch? more often than not, it is discarded. <i>wasted</i>. unless the fisheries decide to make a little extra money on the side for good fish meat, in which case they will sell their unintended catch. <br />
<br />
after being a vegetarian for a year, you find that you get asked a lot: <i>why?</i> and you realize, well, that it is not always the easiest to explain. because you don't want to talk someones ear off. they also don't want that. and also, people like solid facts. more than opinion, usually. and furthermore, after being vegetarian for a year, you kind of want to know more, too. you want more <i>facts. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
so, it was on to more research. and that is when i came across the book "eating animals" by jonathan safran foer. and believe me when i say, this book changed my life. <br />
<br />kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-58399923800584864232012-06-20T13:43:00.003-07:002012-06-20T13:47:36.375-07:00why i am getting controversial here<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://theveganpolice.com/main/?p=366">+</a></div>
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there are three topics that tend to make people uncomfortable, and cause controversy and debate if brought up at the wrong times. we all know the first two well: politics and religion.<br />
<br />
but in my experience, the third is just as testy: the topic of vegetarianism/veganism.<br />
<br />
there are a few reoccurring reactions that take place whenever it is revealed that i practice a vegan lifestyle:<br />
<br />
one) disdain/annoyance. they take it really personally. the question , "WHY" with the same look you would see on someone who stepped in dog poop.<br />
<br />
two) bewilderment. also, maybe a little hint of sympathy. like, they can't believe i am missing out on all the delicious hamburgers and milkshakes and bacon-everythings of the world (although, i'll take the pity where the milkshakes are concerned. i miss those, sometimes, too.)<br />
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three) the question,"what about thanksgiving??" um. well. what about it? can't i still celebrate that day without eating turkey? yes. yes i can.<br />
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four) "what about protein and calcium? you're going to die." well, okay, no one has told me i will die, outright. but pretty much.<br />
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five) i am accused of being a nutcase liberal. and probably under the influence of satan. or, just, you know, seattle hippies. (btw, while we are talking about controversial subjects, i may mention that although i have many liberal tendencies, i consider myself pretty middle ground and don't affiliate with any one political party. and also, i am a christian. so.)<br />
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and probably the most common, and discouraging of reactions:<br />
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six) extreme discomfort. rapid change of subject OR defensiveness. a closed ear and mind. rolling eyes. as if they are thinking, <i>"the vegan is going to start preaching again."</i><br />
<br />
but you know what? i don't preach. i don't judge people for eating differently than me. i don't volunteer others to be my audience for information on animal rights, human rights and the environment (all of which are <i>significantly</i> impacted by america's omnivorous diet). as far as vegans go, i am a pretty decent and easy one to have around. my meat eating friends and family kind of lucked out, i would even say. i mean, there are some outrageous vegans out there. have you heard of pretty much <i>anything</i> peta has ever done? i appreciate their cause and everything, but i don't go around flinging blood on your leather jacket or whatever. also, you don't see me sporting pins that say "MEAT IS MURDER." so, you see? i could be so much more insane than i am. having said that, this is my blog, and i don't have to avoid talking about my diet and beliefs. in fact, i am perfectly free to do so. <br />
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it has been on my heart and brain for a long time to share more about my viewpoints and hopefully make clear why i choose to live the way i do. <i>not</i> because i feel i need to explain myself, but because i want to. because it's important to me.<br />
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i am planning on writing a series of posts on my journey to veganism, and why i grow more passionate about it every day. also, i will be providing references and resources to anyone who may be interested in vegetarianism and the benefits of a plant based diet. because, sometimes the hardest part is getting started, and many veggie-curious individuals are overwhelmed by the prospect of completely changing their diet. <br />
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so, get ready - more on that to come! i hope you are enjoying your wednesday, folks!kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-68748891481900638062012-06-19T18:10:00.000-07:002012-06-19T18:10:20.526-07:00playing catch-up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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time.<br />
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sometimes that is all that is needed. is time. sometimes words are all run out. and you feel so many things and nothing at all, at the same time. which sounds contradictory, but it isn't when you are there.<br />
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in my small respite from the blogging world, i have been up to a few things here and there. for one, i <i>moved</i>. across town. did you know this: moving is a huge, honking, pain in the ass. i thought i was going to have a melt down. actually, i did have a melt down. multiple times. but that's normal, probably? either way, at least that part is kind of over. until, you know, august. then i'll do it again. so.<br />
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also, you guys. i have been watching television. my temporary home is the residence of, well, one) someone who is very great and generous for lending their living quarters, and, two) a massive abundance of technological gadgets and fascinating things like wi-fi. and cable! i am watching netflix and filling my mind with junk like the bachelorette, and nanny 911, and toddlers and tiaras (seriously, please don't judge me). it's marvelous. i am catching up on everything i have missed out on for the past two years. whaaat.<br />
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oh, and by the way, that person i was talking about seven seconds ago, and whose place i am staying at? that would be e's bf, and together, they are the awesomest. if you don't believe that, then you definitely need to <a href="http://herewegowandering.wordpress.com/">check out their new blog</a> which is chronicling their european summer adventures. if you are like me, and culturally and worldly deprived, then you will probably enjoy living vicariously through them. and even if that is not you, you will probably enjoy reading their stories anyway, because they are both really funny and writ thins rull good. <br />
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there is probably more i have done, but my brain is too fried by trash tv to remember any of it right now. i hope you have all been well.<br />
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how is your summer so far?<br />
<br />kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-28585487272846720042012-05-25T13:57:00.001-07:002012-05-25T13:57:11.986-07:00good music, day five. and carkeek park.for the last day of my musical week, and for getting us all ready for the weekend, i thought something special and extra fun was appropriate. so. if this song doesn't put a little skip in your step, then i don't know what will. <a href="http://www.thejoyformidable.com/">the joy formidable</a> is nothing short of delightful.<br />
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you will find an incredible video of the same song <a href="http://www.thejoyformidable.com/video">HERE</a> , if, you know, you have NINE minutes to spare. but i thought i would just leave that up for you to decide.<br />
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today was the first sunny day this week. instead of cooping ourselves up in a coffee-shop or bookstore, k-bear and i spent our morning outdoors, soaking up the sunshine and all of it's wonderful vitamin-d. </div>
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carkeek park. a place for hiking, playing, picnicking, train-watching, and beach strolling. as soon as the playground came into view, k-bear <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">squealed</span> with excitement, with her little dimply smile. it was probably the sweetest thing i've ever seen. </div>
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but as fun as the playground is, obviously nothing compares to collecting rocks. on the beach. which was what we did for most of the time.</div>
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today's truth: i am strong and i have the strength to endure this. </div>
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i hope you all enjoy your weekend, friends. </div>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-50020612932135294132012-05-24T13:38:00.000-07:002012-05-24T13:42:22.316-07:00good music, day fouri will go back and forth between who i declare as my most favorite of all music makers of the moment, but i always always come back to the avett brothers. without fail. i would listen to them every day for forever, and be content, probably. many times they have been mentioned on my blog, because there is really never an end to the nice and flattering things possible to say about them. additionally, you may have noticed, they are beautifully beautifully beardy. so beautifully beardy. mmmm.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">we came for salvation</span></div>
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we came for family</div>
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we came for all that's good that's how we'll walk away</div>
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we came to break the bad</div>
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we came to cheer the sad</div>
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we came to leave behind the world a better way<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;">i just love that. </span></div>
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</span></span>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-54800964742983470362012-05-23T14:06:00.001-07:002012-05-23T14:17:20.090-07:00good music, day three. and on giving up and making excuses.these guys will never fail to brighten your day. when you hear them you cannot help but smile. because of that, i listen to them often. they are <a href="http://www.passionpitmusic.com/home">passion pit</a>.<br />
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like most fans, i first came across their song <a href="http://vimeo.com/8985470">sleepyhead</a> and then, immediately, fell in love. because if you have heard sleepyhead, that is pretty much the only thing you can do. but for today i have chosen to share an equally wonderful and genius song of theirs. may your ears be blessed.<br />
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you know what is really easy to do? give up. on, you know, anything, really. there are so many projects and ideas and plans in my life that i have started, and then halfway through [if i get that far] i give up. unspoken-like. you won't see me throw my hands in the air, dust 'em off, and exclaim, FORGETTHIS. but. i just sort of leave it in a neat little pile at my feet and tip toe away, when no one is looking. i am sneaky that like that. </div>
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and what is even <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">easier</span>? having a perfectly good excuse ready and waiting if i ever <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">do </span>need to address my poor productivity. there always is one. except, it usually is not so perfect, nor is it really a good one, either. </div>
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whether it is a declaration to keep my apartment tidy, or drink less coffee, or work out more, or spend more time doing nice things for other people, or keep in touch regularly with far away friends and family who i love a lot, or finish my degree. any and all of those things and more. somehow or another, i may or may not follow through. you guys, i have a commitment problem. to those things. i love setting goals, but there are few that i actually accomplish. and it is not that i can't. and i don't say this to be hard on myself. but, no, never mind - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">yes</span>, to be a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">little</span> bit hard on myself, because, really, it is necessary at a certain point to evaluate the areas in our individual lives where we see improvement can - and should - be made. i am not a maniac; i don't expect to, you know, tomorrow, be accomplished of all the things i have ever set out to do. but do i want to, over time, and with effort, be conscientious of the goals and commitments i make both to myself and to others? absolutely, i do. </div>
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just some thoughts. obviously, i have been doing heaps of thinking about tons and tons of things. it's good, too. difficult. but good. i am just glad that i am thinking, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">allowing</span> it. that i am able to without every thought drifting to negativity. it's a good sign. and i am thankful to you, dear readers, for listening.</div>
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today's truth: i am taking the right steps to feel better. </div>
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happy wednesday, friends. </div>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-1555571995697089972012-05-22T13:45:00.000-07:002012-05-22T13:49:05.547-07:00good music, day two<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;">heal·ing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"><span class="prondelim" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[</span><span class="pron" style="color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="boldface" style="font-weight: 700;">hee</span>-ling</span><span class="prondelim" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">] </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; position: static;">growing sound</span></span><span id="hotword" style="position: static;">; <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; position: static;">getting</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; position: static;">well;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; position: static;">mending.</span></span></span></span></div>
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exactly, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">hopefully, </span> what i am in the midst of. i realize i have been vague lately. but, you see, i am not in a state to be spilling much over right now. and eventually, i am sure i will get to a place where words will make sense of it, but that time is not now. now, i just need to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">be</span>. not wallow, not ignore, but just...be. allow myself that grace, at least. and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">heal. </span>mend.<br />
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the way to do so is to change the behaviors that have become habitual and damaging. it's a conversation with myself that goes like this: self, what would you normally do here? okay - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">that</span>, then - do the opposite of that. be a little uncomfortable. it will be good for you.<br />
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it isn't everything. it is not as though i have been doing all the wrong things, and making all the wrong choices. but. there are just some things that require intentional acting upon. beneficial, good, truthful things. and some of them? well, they are not natural to me. and so that is what i am working on. even the little things.<br />
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such as. i mentioned yesterday, one of my goals this week was to listen to music that makes me happy. not just because, you know, i like music. but because music is really powerful, and the right, or <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">wrong</span> kind, really affects my heart. i have found that when i intentionally blast my ears with atom-dancing-inducing music, then it helps me me get out of morose-like places. it helps me not...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">forget</span> the bad. but, rather, remember the good. and that is what i need. that, i think, is really what everyone needs now and then.<br />
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so this is a musical week here at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">rejoicing in the hands</span>. today, i share with you <a href="http://www.theasteroidsgalaxytour.com/site/">the asteroids galaxy tour.</a> i probably won't say much here about them, because you will understand anything there possibly is to say about them much much better by just listening to their music. and probably also by reading the description on their website, <a href="http://www.theasteroidsgalaxytour.com/site/about/">here</a>. except i will say, if i had to choose to be anyone famous in the world, it would probably be the lead vocalist, mette lindberg, in all her seventies-fabulousness and glamour.<br />
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there. now aren't you happy, too? really fantastic, right?<br />
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anyhow. the truth i am choosing to repeat today is this: i have friends who love and support me. i am not alone.<br />
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i hope you are all having a splendid tuesday.kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-13787994608545295772012-05-21T19:55:00.002-07:002012-05-21T19:55:48.447-07:00make a goal monday and good musicyou know what always feels good? music that makes, like, all the atoms of your body want to dance all around. music that makes you want to roll down the windows, except you don't because it is raining outside. music that sticks in your head and bounces around in it all day, and you don't even care because you like hearing it all day, anyway. it's especially good on a monday. and when you need something to be really exciting and full of energy to make up for your lack of it.<br />
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if you agree with all the above, then you should probably go listen to <a href="http://www.thenakedandfamous.com/?c=7">the naked and famous</a><a href="http://www.thenakedandfamous.com/?c=7" style="text-decoration: none;">.</a><br />
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this week's goal(s): finish packing up the catastrophe that is my disheveled apartment. repeat truths, even when i don't believe them. and keep listening to music that makes my heart skippy.kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-4620299168105914702012-05-18T20:08:00.000-07:002012-05-18T20:10:48.656-07:00why summer is not my most favorite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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the thing about not being a student is that summer is no longer a break to you. in fact, summer is really just the same as every other part of the year and you do all the same things, except that you sweat more while doing them. </div>
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in fact, the only redeeming quality i ever ever found in summer was the very fact that it meant freedom. other than that, it makes me crotchety. sun burning my pale skin. suffocating in the heat-oven that is my car when i first get in. too broke for traveling. wearing less clothes. the pressure surrounding me to participate in summer-y sports such as swimming in a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">swimsuit</span> and volleyball and other such horrid things. children <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">everywhere</span>. you know.<br />
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but now, while those around me make grand plans to do things such as travel to far away lands, get really tan, graduate, see family, and go the the beach, i have decided to not let my crotchetiness get the best of me. which is why i have made a list of things to do and accomplish this summer, so that i can enjoy it, too.<br />
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make a summer reading list (coming soon)</div>
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read that list</div>
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run a 5k</div>
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partake in lots of picnics</div>
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break out my bike, roxanne, and take her out on the town</div>
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get over fear of bike riding</div>
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enjoy a ferry ride and explore a nearby island</div>
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write poems</div>
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complete my sister's christmas afghan <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">from last year</span></div>
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paint</div>
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work on my etsy shop</div>
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YARN BOMB</div>
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take lots of pictures</div>
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get my tattoo colored in</div>
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make lots of crafts</div>
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such as making some cute bunting, like <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/97686895/burlap-banner-nautical-anchors?ref=sr_gallery_18&ga_includes%5B%5D=tags&ga_search_query=summer+bunting&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery">the one in the picture</a> </div>
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bake and cook some new recipes</div>
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bake and cook anything at all, actually</div>
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stroll the farmers markets</div>
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practice asl</div>
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write letters to distant friends</div>
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play melodies on my ukulele, clementine</div>
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that should be a good start, anyhow. what are your summer plans? what are your favorite things to do in the summer time?</div>
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<br /></div>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-36084944187545419612012-05-16T14:30:00.003-07:002012-05-16T14:30:29.822-07:00may, you seem to be in a hurry.i fell out of time. the world has been twirling and spinning, and i have just been existing. i am actually not even quite sure how i got to today. it is the sixteenth of may? how and when did it get here, and what have i been doing all this time? i don't know.<br />
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i remember it was my birthday. earlier in may. i turned twenty-four. but even that day, though i feel it just happened, still seems so far away, and somewhat like a dream. it was quite a dreamy day, after all.<br />
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a midday brunch. wonderful friends. sunshine. the waterfront. pike's place. sweetness and love. all good things. </div>
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and i am thankful for that day. my heart really needed it. i know that i have that to look back on. and really, i think, maybe, that twenty-four will be a big year. i hope it brings learning, and healing, and wisdom, and discovery. and joy. i hope it brings that, too. because i don't have that either, for the time being. it won't be like that forever, my head knows, but right now it is. i have thankfulness, though. i am grateful for many, many things. people and places. a home and loved ones. support and care. others who can see truth and have understanding when i cannot. when i forget. when i no longer trust my own feelings or decisions. distract me and encourage me when all i can do is dwell in my thoughts and grieve what i do not have, and what is missing. and bring me ice cream too, of course. </div>
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<span id="goog_225149463"></span><span id="goog_225149464"></span>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-28576527615015307622012-05-02T14:31:00.002-07:002012-05-02T14:31:28.717-07:00mischief managedyou may or may not have heard, but today is a special day. fourteen years ago, harry potter, the boy who lived, defeated lord voldemort. today muggles and wizards alike celebrate all over the world. happy international harry potter day!<br />
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how are you going to celebrate? </div>kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188608787742943873.post-53092738433299765852012-04-30T14:17:00.004-07:002012-04-30T14:17:45.891-07:00make-a-goal monday and why this weekend was a really good onethere is something about the routine of the week that makes me shift into autopilot mode. going through the motions, setting the morning alarm, yawning into my coffee cup, changing diapers (k-bear's, not mine), lunch at eleven-thirty, nap at twelve-thirty (unfortunately, also k-bear's, not mine), getting home, slumping onto the couch, closing my eyes to the mess that is my apartment, fighting sleep, eating dinner, bed. begin again. i don't mean to pass my days in robotic fashion; i know each day is precious. but i get so ...tired. worn down. burned out. and i relish the weekends. they refresh me. especially the ones filled with rest, time amongst sweet friends, laughing, kitty-snuggling.<br />
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this weekend was particularly heart-warming. my baby sister spent the entire weekend with me. and boy, did we have fun. the thing about our relationship is this: we weren't close growing up. always on different pages. then she moved to washington about nine months ago, and it was such a blessing. we realized that we had misunderstood one another in many ways. and now we are grown up (mostly) and we respect and admire each other. and we <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">love</span> each other. and we are sisters, but friends, too. so that is just a really <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">wonderful</span> thing. she is probably the best sister in the world (no offense to all the other sisters out there, but, you know).<br />
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there is also another reason why this weekend was memorable. after a year and a half of planning and wishing, i finally got a cherry blossom tree tattoo on my arm. well, the first session, anyhow.<br />
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and it would do well, i'm sure, to wait until it is all finished to show you the full masterpiece, the beautiful work of artist suzy todd. but i'm too excited about it and think it is already lovely, just how it is.<br />
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i get to check off item number fifteen off <a href="http://kaliebrynn.blogspot.com/p/25-by-25.html">my list</a>!<br />
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after that was all said and done, and i skipped my merry way along, we did other very nice things. like be lazy on sunday. and drink tea, and eat vegan treats.<br />
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vegan treats that we snagged from a vegan bake sale, where there were really intense vegans selling really intense vegan paraphernalia. as such:<br />
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and we perused the aisles of the beloved second-hand bookstore in fremont called "ophelia's." the simple fact that it is also the home of cats makes up about seventy-percent of my love for it. well, i would love it completely anyway, i think. it magically seems to always have just the book you need. and a winding staircase. but the cats truly are the cherry and sprinkles and fudge on top of all it's deliciousness.</div>
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so as for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my goal</span> this week: i think i am going to try to treasure each day for what it is. to take the time every day to remember all i am thankful for, and breathe and be happy that i have been given the day.<br />
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sigh. how was your weekend? i would love to hear.kalie brynn.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10439446634554663743noreply@blogger.com2