I have completely neglected this blog.
As a college student, and an art major it is too difficult to keep up multiple blogs. Tumblr is also much more convenient for someone who focuses on the visual and not on the literal.
So here is my tumblr: The Cottage in The Woods
That's where I'll be most of the time (at least until my darling Jo is back with me and I can take outfit pictures once again)
-Brenna Kathleen
Showing posts with label ramblings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ramblings. Show all posts
Friday, June 17, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
2011
WOW! It's 2011!
What has happened in my life?!
I survived my first semester of junior year! I made so many amazing friends.
Seriously, this semester I think I've had so many friendships grow than all the others. Part of that is branching out in the art department. I was able to make friends in the graphic design area because of my illustration class. And friends in the film department from animation. Jojo introduced me to the lovely staff of The Point magazine, and I will continue to grow in those friendships because I'm a staff designer for next semester!!
I also said a physical good bye to my beloved Jojo for 8 months, as she is off to D.C. to become the best journalist the world has ever known. But her departure just means that I will be even more inclined to facebook, text, call, skype, and pretty much attempt to get in contact with her any way possible. You hear that Jo?! Your snail-mail box is going to be packed, because there is no escaping me. ;]
I'm taking a bookmaking class next semester! I am so excited to see what that's all about. My interest in books has been growing since I started using them in my art and it has led me to look not only at paper art careers, but also being a librarian or a book restorer. But we'll see, I still have so much more of life to go through before I settle on something like a career.
I have also been greatly influenced by Disney's 50th animated feature film, Tangled.
I swear they based the character of Rapunzel on me. Just in the very first song of the movie she does:
-chores, sweeps, polishes, waxes, laundry, mops, shines, and sweeps again
.......okay maybe that part doesn't sound exactly like me.
But then she:
-reads a book (or maybe two or three), paints, plays guitar, knits, cooks, solves puzzles, plays darts, bakes, makes paper mache, practices ballet, plays chess, does pottery, practices ventriloquy, makes candles, stretches, sketches, climbs, sews a dress, rereads the books, paints some more, and then brushes and brushes and brushes and brushes her hair.
Fwew! That's a lot to do in one day, but if you were locked in a tower for 18 years, you would probably be looking for things to do too.
I know that I don't have much hair to brush and brush and brush, but I will! Like many other girls out there, I have been inspired to grow out my hair.
All because of Claire Keane, who did the concept art for the film:
What has happened in my life?!
I survived my first semester of junior year! I made so many amazing friends.
Seriously, this semester I think I've had so many friendships grow than all the others. Part of that is branching out in the art department. I was able to make friends in the graphic design area because of my illustration class. And friends in the film department from animation. Jojo introduced me to the lovely staff of The Point magazine, and I will continue to grow in those friendships because I'm a staff designer for next semester!!
I also said a physical good bye to my beloved Jojo for 8 months, as she is off to D.C. to become the best journalist the world has ever known. But her departure just means that I will be even more inclined to facebook, text, call, skype, and pretty much attempt to get in contact with her any way possible. You hear that Jo?! Your snail-mail box is going to be packed, because there is no escaping me. ;]
I'm taking a bookmaking class next semester! I am so excited to see what that's all about. My interest in books has been growing since I started using them in my art and it has led me to look not only at paper art careers, but also being a librarian or a book restorer. But we'll see, I still have so much more of life to go through before I settle on something like a career.
I have also been greatly influenced by Disney's 50th animated feature film, Tangled.
I swear they based the character of Rapunzel on me. Just in the very first song of the movie she does:
-chores, sweeps, polishes, waxes, laundry, mops, shines, and sweeps again
.......okay maybe that part doesn't sound exactly like me.
But then she:
-reads a book (or maybe two or three), paints, plays guitar, knits, cooks, solves puzzles, plays darts, bakes, makes paper mache, practices ballet, plays chess, does pottery, practices ventriloquy, makes candles, stretches, sketches, climbs, sews a dress, rereads the books, paints some more, and then brushes and brushes and brushes and brushes her hair.
Fwew! That's a lot to do in one day, but if you were locked in a tower for 18 years, you would probably be looking for things to do too.
I know that I don't have much hair to brush and brush and brush, but I will! Like many other girls out there, I have been inspired to grow out my hair.
All because of Claire Keane, who did the concept art for the film:
See what I mean? Scissors aren't coming near my hair for a loooooooong time.
But seriously, the art from this movie is almost more beautiful than the film itself. And this, folks, is a beautiful film.
But what of my fashion shenanigans? Well, that's all still going. I've been hit pretty hard by the poor-college-student and the all-nighter-grab-something-cheap-and-24-hours-oh-wait-that's-fast-food slices of life, so personal fashion has not really taken a back burner. But it's not as fabulous as it could be.
That hasn't stopped me from continuing to keep my eye out though! Like this beauty...
 | ||||
| Sweet Visionary Dress |
I adore this dress with every fashionable cell in my body. If only I had the $159.99 of pocket change to actually own something this beautiful. My mom saw it and said that it would make a good "going away" dress for a wedding. But there isn't room for anything remotely close to wedding talk on this blog or in this year...
So here's to a 2011 filled with unknowns and undiscovered adventures!
-Brenna Kathleen
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Life, it will get the better of you
I haven't updated in quite a while. I also haven't finished my "Geek Chic" series, but I have drafts saved, so more will come in due time.
I've gotten caught up in school and life. It's exciting in some parts, not so in others.
I did turn 21 in October! It was my golden birthday, and lived up to that title.
I've been thinking about how your life opens up after college. You can go anywhere and do anything. My ideas so far were to go straight into work, or grad school. But I've grown tired of where I am. The new and shiny aspect of California. Everything is up to date, and the here-and-now. I want old and worn. A place with a history that goes back far longer than my own.
I think that's why I loved Germany so much. All those enchanting forests have been there for hundreds of years, and civilization has sprung up around it, but the aged feeling still lingers.
I've joked about with plans of moving to England and taking week or weekend trips to Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Of visiting not only museums, but all the old libraries and bookshops as well as cafés.
And it doesn't help that my dearest roommate, Jojo, directed me to this website.
Now I want nothing more than to relocate my living quarters to a cramped room filled to the brim with books, and I also long to go to Paris for the sole purpose of visiting Shakespeare & Co. A little independent bookstore located on Paris' left bank that has quite an interesting history to it.
I wonder if such a life will ever be possible. Another option I've been thinking over is owning my own little bookshop someday. I could make art on the side, and build up my own land of literary whimsy. I doubt it will be able to happen, starting your own business sounds like it takes a lot of money. But it's my dream.
Until I once again feel compelled to write and/or complete what I have already started, I hope your lives are filled with enchantment and whimsy
-Brenna Kathleen
I've gotten caught up in school and life. It's exciting in some parts, not so in others.
I did turn 21 in October! It was my golden birthday, and lived up to that title.
I've been thinking about how your life opens up after college. You can go anywhere and do anything. My ideas so far were to go straight into work, or grad school. But I've grown tired of where I am. The new and shiny aspect of California. Everything is up to date, and the here-and-now. I want old and worn. A place with a history that goes back far longer than my own.
I think that's why I loved Germany so much. All those enchanting forests have been there for hundreds of years, and civilization has sprung up around it, but the aged feeling still lingers.
I've joked about with plans of moving to England and taking week or weekend trips to Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Of visiting not only museums, but all the old libraries and bookshops as well as cafés.
And it doesn't help that my dearest roommate, Jojo, directed me to this website.
Now I want nothing more than to relocate my living quarters to a cramped room filled to the brim with books, and I also long to go to Paris for the sole purpose of visiting Shakespeare & Co. A little independent bookstore located on Paris' left bank that has quite an interesting history to it.
I wonder if such a life will ever be possible. Another option I've been thinking over is owning my own little bookshop someday. I could make art on the side, and build up my own land of literary whimsy. I doubt it will be able to happen, starting your own business sounds like it takes a lot of money. But it's my dream.
Until I once again feel compelled to write and/or complete what I have already started, I hope your lives are filled with enchantment and whimsy
-Brenna Kathleen
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Amen
-Brenna Kathleen
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The 80's, Cat Lady, and The Quickly Flipping Calendar
You know in the movies, when they want to show that time is passing at a quick rate and they show the calendar pages flipping past you as the days fly by?
That's how I feel my life is. There aren't enough days for me. Mostly because I'm gone at work from 8-11 pretty much all the time. I actually start work around 12 or 1, but I come in early with my dad since it's easier than him driving all the way from downtown and back to take me to work. I get Mondays off. But I only have 2 of those left until I move back, and I have to pack and fix my bike up, and come up with an efficient yet small organization system for my dorm (since I have less floor/art storage space this year because of new bed configurations). Also, there are people who want to hang out with me. Why they all wait until I have to work every day, all day, I'll never know. But it's driving me mad.
Speaking of fixing up my bike...
I'm SO excited to be starting on that. Yesterday (on my day off) my dad took me to the local bicycle warehouse where I picked up new handlebars and grips. Then we went to Home Depot and I got primer, lacquer, and a new pretty color for my darling two wheeled friend.
Now I need to find time to clean all the parts, sand and paint it, and wait for my new tire tubes to arrive in the mail. I've talked about my bike, right? I finally named him. Theodore. So cuddly, so proper. Good 'ole Theodore. I can't wait to fix him up and add the finishing touches of a vintage basket and my new bike bell straight from Amsterdam that my parent's brought back for me.
And now speaking of work....
The show I'm working on right now is called Mixtape. It's pretty much a musical overview of the 80's. Which is pretty cool, even though I only had 2 months in the decade I can still remember some things that carried on to the 90's. Pretty cool, that is, until you have "Eye of The Tiger" stuck in your head for 3 days straight. I'm sitting in the theater right now, in fact, early in the day while the carpenters are working on the set, listening to some nice chill-out-modern-day music. I've got some amazing acoustic-early-days-when-she-was-awesome Lady Gaga (check out the song "No Floods" it's wonderful), some Stephen Speaks, Owl City, Jason Mraz, Jane Monheit, Ben Rector, Jeff Pianki, Colbie Caillat, Pomplamoose, and Regina Spektor. Talk about easy listening.
So now I'm doing a deep cleanse of my eardrums for the day until it gets gunked up again with the likes of the Jem theme song, tons of MJ songs, "Papa Don't Preach", Madonna, and "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (which makes my mind jump to praise songs after the verses, look it up on youtube, if you want to know what I mean).
Don't get me wrong though, I do have a certain respect for the 80's. I mean, Captian Eo..... need I say more?
It's the kind of thing that happens no matter what show you're working on though. Last summer, I couldn't stand songs from The Fantastiks for weeks after I worked it. I could recite the entire play of Harvey at the beginning of the summer when I was on book for weeks. I guess now is my chance to get a thorough 80's education.
.....Bet you're wondering what all this has to do with the 'Cat Lady' in the title...
I just put that in there because I am a cat lady. Most people shudder and give me hateful looks when I admit to it. Several people have told me I should stop admitting it to save my reputation. But I love cats. I've always wanted one. So much that I used to pretend to be one when I was little. I think that when you start pretending to be your own pet cat is when you have confirmation of you being a cat person.
We have a particularly sweet kitty on our street that always tries to get into our house when we come home. He's a beautiful cat too... he looks almost like an ocelot. He runs over from the front yard of his house and attempts to sneak in next to us. So I give him some pats and skratches and tell Mr. Cat that he can't come in our house today. Then I usually close the door slowly on him as I secretly wish I could grab him up in my arms and snuggle with him as I curl up with a cup of tea.
Someday I will own a cat. It's one of those dreams that I've had for so long that it comes before children in my book, probably even marriage since I'm expecting that nothing like that will happen until I'm 30.
Best things about today?
1. Got my Starbucks Gold card in the mail = free grande tuxedo this morning to go with my yummy blueberry muffin (oh how I love muffins...)
2. Brought one of my Nutella snack packs from Germany with me, also my 'Nerd Herd' travel mug with a PG Tips tea bag in it, ready for a nice cuppa.
3. Found the mysterious disappearing third Milka bar in my almost unpacked from Germany suitcase. I knew I had one more!
4. My fake bro, Rayray, told me he knows what he's getting me for my big Two One bday coming up in october. AND my real-bro-at-sea-in-the-Caribbean-with-the-best-cruise-job-ever told me he got both of my bday pressies in the mail today. Needless to say, so much curiosity is building up inside of me right now.
There's another crazy word jumbled update from me!
-Brenna Kathleen
That's how I feel my life is. There aren't enough days for me. Mostly because I'm gone at work from 8-11 pretty much all the time. I actually start work around 12 or 1, but I come in early with my dad since it's easier than him driving all the way from downtown and back to take me to work. I get Mondays off. But I only have 2 of those left until I move back, and I have to pack and fix my bike up, and come up with an efficient yet small organization system for my dorm (since I have less floor/art storage space this year because of new bed configurations). Also, there are people who want to hang out with me. Why they all wait until I have to work every day, all day, I'll never know. But it's driving me mad.
Speaking of fixing up my bike...
I'm SO excited to be starting on that. Yesterday (on my day off) my dad took me to the local bicycle warehouse where I picked up new handlebars and grips. Then we went to Home Depot and I got primer, lacquer, and a new pretty color for my darling two wheeled friend.
Now I need to find time to clean all the parts, sand and paint it, and wait for my new tire tubes to arrive in the mail. I've talked about my bike, right? I finally named him. Theodore. So cuddly, so proper. Good 'ole Theodore. I can't wait to fix him up and add the finishing touches of a vintage basket and my new bike bell straight from Amsterdam that my parent's brought back for me.
And now speaking of work....
The show I'm working on right now is called Mixtape. It's pretty much a musical overview of the 80's. Which is pretty cool, even though I only had 2 months in the decade I can still remember some things that carried on to the 90's. Pretty cool, that is, until you have "Eye of The Tiger" stuck in your head for 3 days straight. I'm sitting in the theater right now, in fact, early in the day while the carpenters are working on the set, listening to some nice chill-out-modern-day music. I've got some amazing acoustic-early-days-when-she-was-awesome Lady Gaga (check out the song "No Floods" it's wonderful), some Stephen Speaks, Owl City, Jason Mraz, Jane Monheit, Ben Rector, Jeff Pianki, Colbie Caillat, Pomplamoose, and Regina Spektor. Talk about easy listening.
So now I'm doing a deep cleanse of my eardrums for the day until it gets gunked up again with the likes of the Jem theme song, tons of MJ songs, "Papa Don't Preach", Madonna, and "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (which makes my mind jump to praise songs after the verses, look it up on youtube, if you want to know what I mean).
Don't get me wrong though, I do have a certain respect for the 80's. I mean, Captian Eo..... need I say more?
It's the kind of thing that happens no matter what show you're working on though. Last summer, I couldn't stand songs from The Fantastiks for weeks after I worked it. I could recite the entire play of Harvey at the beginning of the summer when I was on book for weeks. I guess now is my chance to get a thorough 80's education.
.....Bet you're wondering what all this has to do with the 'Cat Lady' in the title...
I just put that in there because I am a cat lady. Most people shudder and give me hateful looks when I admit to it. Several people have told me I should stop admitting it to save my reputation. But I love cats. I've always wanted one. So much that I used to pretend to be one when I was little. I think that when you start pretending to be your own pet cat is when you have confirmation of you being a cat person.
We have a particularly sweet kitty on our street that always tries to get into our house when we come home. He's a beautiful cat too... he looks almost like an ocelot. He runs over from the front yard of his house and attempts to sneak in next to us. So I give him some pats and skratches and tell Mr. Cat that he can't come in our house today. Then I usually close the door slowly on him as I secretly wish I could grab him up in my arms and snuggle with him as I curl up with a cup of tea.
Someday I will own a cat. It's one of those dreams that I've had for so long that it comes before children in my book, probably even marriage since I'm expecting that nothing like that will happen until I'm 30.
Best things about today?
1. Got my Starbucks Gold card in the mail = free grande tuxedo this morning to go with my yummy blueberry muffin (oh how I love muffins...)
2. Brought one of my Nutella snack packs from Germany with me, also my 'Nerd Herd' travel mug with a PG Tips tea bag in it, ready for a nice cuppa.
3. Found the mysterious disappearing third Milka bar in my almost unpacked from Germany suitcase. I knew I had one more!
4. My fake bro, Rayray, told me he knows what he's getting me for my big Two One bday coming up in october. AND my real-bro-at-sea-in-the-Caribbean-with-the-best-cruise-job-ever told me he got both of my bday pressies in the mail today. Needless to say, so much curiosity is building up inside of me right now.
There's another crazy word jumbled update from me!
-Brenna Kathleen
Friday, July 30, 2010
Die Pfirsiche
^^ Is probably the one word in German that I will never be able to pronounce.
And that's saying something since I'm the girl who can now say
"Shiftfahrtskapitänskajutentürklinkenputzmittelverschlussöffner"
THAT word means something like the cleaner for the door handle of the captain's quarters on the ship.
"Pfirsiche" means peach.
Besides ridiculous German words. Why do you think I'm so educated in the language now? Perhaps because a few days ago I came back from my AWESOME TRIP TO GERMANY!
woot.
Needless to say I loved it. I fell in love with the country and with the people.
I was only there for a little over two weeks, but it felt like I was there for a month.
It was crazy and hard teaching the kids and being there for them when there was a language barrier. But even if some didn't know much English, there were always those around who did and who could help translate.
I also relied on intonations and situations quite a bit. I could tell what someone was saying based on what was going on and how they said it. It was actually quite funny when I reacted to something like that because then they all stopped and stared at me and said "you understand what we say?"
Maybe I should tell this story in order......
Okay. So.
I drove up with the lovely Amber to LA and met up with parts of the team the day before we flew out of LAX. Met Christine at the airport the next day and, after a slight scramble to find her passport that ended up being in her wonderful bf's car, we were off!
The day it took to get there felt like a million years, and the next week we spent at the E-camp (English camp) in the beautiful East German country side by an amazing lake while being completely surrounded by German forests filled with birch trees.
It was difficult being thrown into a group of about 50 German kids all at different levels of English comprehension, and being given the responsibility of teaching them English, a bible study, and getting them to just talk to you all while living and eating with them 24 hours a day.
It was difficult at first because of my shyness and inability to be able to strike up a conversation. But soon I was able to just get them excited and talking to me just by asking them to teach me some German. After that I got to know them well enough to talk and hang out with them.
It was an amazing week. There were so many things that God taught me the entire time. He gave me confidence and talent to get up in front of everyone and play and sing my uke not only for my English class, not only for the girls in my room, but for the entire camp, AND the church service the last Sunday we were there in front of the whole Guben congregation.
I've been told I have a beautiful voice and that people are mesmerized when I sing and play. I still don't get it. I hate hearing myself sing. But It's something that I am unable to go a day without doing.
It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone when camp was over, even though turns out we ended up spending the second week with a good chunk of them. There were still some people that we didn't see again, like Börni. He became like one of the team. Crazy, German, and loved by Brandon. That about sums it up. He became a pert of our little American family, and we all miss him.
There were two girls that I got very close to while at camp. LeJo and Thea. They were both in the room that Amber and I were in at camp, and we ended up staying in their amazingly fairy home after.
I keep talking about after camp, I should just tell you.
After two crazy days of running around Berlin, seeing the sights (some of them several times). We went down to Königs Westerhausen to hang out and do church work with some of the kids from camp. When we got there we were told it was better if we just stayed there instead of taking the train from Berlin every day, so we were all set up with homes that we could go and stay in. Ian, Brandon, Alysha, and Christine all went to stay at Viktoria's house (who is a complete sweetheart and only 16, even though I though she was 19 the entire time), and Amber and I went to stay with Thea and Leonie.
We had an amazing week there, hanging out with the kids every day, going to the beach with them, doing prayer walks, and the last day we were there we all went to the Pergamon Museum and then to the other side of Berlin to a church BBQ.
The Pergamon was awesome, and heartbreaking at the same time. Our group got split up so it turned into a museum trip that had us trying to find the other half of people as we tried to keep our half together at the same time.
But I know I'll be going back to Berlin someday.
I'll be back to Germany, for sure.
Most of us are already counting on going back to the camp next year.
So I'm going to be studying German like crazy this year on top of my schooling.
Also, Germany is the MOST inspiring place ever for an artist. If you're creative in any way. I'm going to tell you right now.
Go.To.Germany.
the forests that are broken up with sudden fields of sunflowers or wheat. the houses that all look like they were ripped from a story book. I swear I even saw Rapunzel's tower rising above the rolling tree tops right outside of Guben.
I'm excited to see what comes of my art after all of this. Also what happens with my relationships with other people, especially since I've grown incredibly closer to the 5 other people I traveled with these past 2 weeks.
That was an incredibly jumbled review of my trip. It doesn't even come close to describing everything. I'll never be able to fully tell people what happened.
We were kings and queens in a wonderous land. Now we're just kids again.
I'm going to miss Narnia.
But I'll come back. No need to say goodbye
-Brenna Kathleen
And that's saying something since I'm the girl who can now say
"Shiftfahrtskapitänskajutentürklinkenputzmittelverschlussöffner"
THAT word means something like the cleaner for the door handle of the captain's quarters on the ship.
"Pfirsiche" means peach.
Besides ridiculous German words. Why do you think I'm so educated in the language now? Perhaps because a few days ago I came back from my AWESOME TRIP TO GERMANY!
woot.
Needless to say I loved it. I fell in love with the country and with the people.
I was only there for a little over two weeks, but it felt like I was there for a month.
It was crazy and hard teaching the kids and being there for them when there was a language barrier. But even if some didn't know much English, there were always those around who did and who could help translate.
I also relied on intonations and situations quite a bit. I could tell what someone was saying based on what was going on and how they said it. It was actually quite funny when I reacted to something like that because then they all stopped and stared at me and said "you understand what we say?"
Maybe I should tell this story in order......
Okay. So.
I drove up with the lovely Amber to LA and met up with parts of the team the day before we flew out of LAX. Met Christine at the airport the next day and, after a slight scramble to find her passport that ended up being in her wonderful bf's car, we were off!
The day it took to get there felt like a million years, and the next week we spent at the E-camp (English camp) in the beautiful East German country side by an amazing lake while being completely surrounded by German forests filled with birch trees.
It was difficult being thrown into a group of about 50 German kids all at different levels of English comprehension, and being given the responsibility of teaching them English, a bible study, and getting them to just talk to you all while living and eating with them 24 hours a day.
It was difficult at first because of my shyness and inability to be able to strike up a conversation. But soon I was able to just get them excited and talking to me just by asking them to teach me some German. After that I got to know them well enough to talk and hang out with them.
It was an amazing week. There were so many things that God taught me the entire time. He gave me confidence and talent to get up in front of everyone and play and sing my uke not only for my English class, not only for the girls in my room, but for the entire camp, AND the church service the last Sunday we were there in front of the whole Guben congregation.
I've been told I have a beautiful voice and that people are mesmerized when I sing and play. I still don't get it. I hate hearing myself sing. But It's something that I am unable to go a day without doing.
It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone when camp was over, even though turns out we ended up spending the second week with a good chunk of them. There were still some people that we didn't see again, like Börni. He became like one of the team. Crazy, German, and loved by Brandon. That about sums it up. He became a pert of our little American family, and we all miss him.
There were two girls that I got very close to while at camp. LeJo and Thea. They were both in the room that Amber and I were in at camp, and we ended up staying in their amazingly fairy home after.
I keep talking about after camp, I should just tell you.
After two crazy days of running around Berlin, seeing the sights (some of them several times). We went down to Königs Westerhausen to hang out and do church work with some of the kids from camp. When we got there we were told it was better if we just stayed there instead of taking the train from Berlin every day, so we were all set up with homes that we could go and stay in. Ian, Brandon, Alysha, and Christine all went to stay at Viktoria's house (who is a complete sweetheart and only 16, even though I though she was 19 the entire time), and Amber and I went to stay with Thea and Leonie.
We had an amazing week there, hanging out with the kids every day, going to the beach with them, doing prayer walks, and the last day we were there we all went to the Pergamon Museum and then to the other side of Berlin to a church BBQ.
The Pergamon was awesome, and heartbreaking at the same time. Our group got split up so it turned into a museum trip that had us trying to find the other half of people as we tried to keep our half together at the same time.
But I know I'll be going back to Berlin someday.
I'll be back to Germany, for sure.
Most of us are already counting on going back to the camp next year.
So I'm going to be studying German like crazy this year on top of my schooling.
Also, Germany is the MOST inspiring place ever for an artist. If you're creative in any way. I'm going to tell you right now.
Go.To.Germany.
the forests that are broken up with sudden fields of sunflowers or wheat. the houses that all look like they were ripped from a story book. I swear I even saw Rapunzel's tower rising above the rolling tree tops right outside of Guben.
I'm excited to see what comes of my art after all of this. Also what happens with my relationships with other people, especially since I've grown incredibly closer to the 5 other people I traveled with these past 2 weeks.
That was an incredibly jumbled review of my trip. It doesn't even come close to describing everything. I'll never be able to fully tell people what happened.
We were kings and queens in a wonderous land. Now we're just kids again.
I'm going to miss Narnia.
But I'll come back. No need to say goodbye
-Brenna Kathleen
Friday, July 2, 2010
Bowties Are Cool
I have to admit. I did not like the 11th Doctor at first. Granted this was before series 5 had started, and it was the episode where David Tennant left, and I was a puddle.
I missed the converse, the glasses that made him look cleva', and the new one is trying to coin the catchphrase "Geronimo."
BUT! now that series 5 has ended. I love him. He's quirky and the man can rock a bowtie...
I missed the converse, the glasses that made him look cleva', and the new one is trying to coin the catchphrase "Geronimo."
BUT! now that series 5 has ended. I love him. He's quirky and the man can rock a bowtie...
He's setting a trend!
One that I think is one of the best trends to come along in a while.
Now I've made two out of scraps I've had lying around, have been strictly told several times
that I'm only borrowing my dad's little red clip-on, and found a sweet skinny black clip on for 96 cents at a thrift store.
I think I look rather dandy with my bowler hat and sweater+bowtie combo
I've only made a couple on a whim, but I really like the simplicity of a process that has rather dapper and quirky results. In fact, I've been thinking of opening an etsy shop.
It started with looking for cute bloomers.
Weird, I know. But I was thinking about wearing skirts while riding a bike, and how to solve the awkward "flowy fabric in the breeze is the only thing between me and extreme immodesty." And I thought, bloomers!
Too bad a quick search for them resulted in only three categories:
1. Weird vampy sexy lace-up bloomers
2. Plain white Ren Faire replicas
3. Perfect cute bloomers with pretty lace and bows.... for children.
2. Plain white Ren Faire replicas
3. Perfect cute bloomers with pretty lace and bows.... for children.
So I thought about making bloomers for classy ladies who go for a cycle ride now and then (in fact, I think I still might, so no one out there snatch my idea. I'm a poor private college student who needs the profit for things like exacto-knives and shampoo).
Then I made the bowties, and I was hooked. Or rather, "clipped." Haha. Get it?
Ehh....
So now I'm thinking over starting a little business. I would take this semester off to plan, sketch ideas, get some things made and ready to sell, and of course get school work done. Then after creation preparation and the actual creation part I would set up shop and try to keep it going in the midst of school insanity.
At least it would be flexible.
Oh.... remember what I said about not posting again until I'm back from Germany?
I lied... or rather didn't know that sudden bow tie inspiration and adoration would hit me later on in the same night.
I'm not going to make any promises this time.
-Brenna Kathleen
Outfit Post Brought To You By My Blurry Mac Camera
Since I'm home I've lost my most amazing photographer (and best friend and roommate) Jojo, who is working her little Lois Lane tushy off back home in Minnesota.
Also since I'm home, I've been hitting the thrift stores and been putting together outfits like crazy! It's why I love breaks. I don't have to worry about people staring at me and asking me why I'm so dressed up. And I don't feel like I'm parading around in the classroom or cafe. I'm just chillen' around Coronado or going to get last-minute travel items from Target with my Mom.
This outfit came together after I found an amazing striped top at a thrift store recently. There's been a stripe bug going round the blogger circuit, and I'm afraid I've caught it.
This look is inspired by two of my favorite blogs Lulu Letty and A Thought is The Blossom.
The two lovely ladies of these blogs always have the best looks, and they all look so comfy!
I don't have the best of legs to wear the cute high-waisted shorts that would complement the look better, and my modesty wont allow me to feel comfortable in shorts that go above my knee. But enough excuses. The pictures don't even show my whole body...
The bag is a new thrift find as well. It's weird. really weird. And that's why I had to have it. I'm pretty sure someone stitched that creepy cat and flower border by hand. I love the quirk and individuality of it!
Only one weekend separates me from Germany!! I'm driving up with a few of my teammates to Orange County on Monday, and then we'll be leaving Tuesday!!
My flight schedule says that we fly from LAX to Heathrow and spend about 3 hours until we catch our next plane to Berlin.
3 hours in England. The country I've dreamed about and waited to visit my whole life! ... and I can't leave the airport.
But that's alright. I'll be back. You can count on that :]
Besides, I'm going to GERMANY!! I'm not the type of person who gets excited about things. I am excited, but I'm a pretty reserved person. Things don't really make me show excitement unless it's like I'm there with someone I haven't seen in a while and means a lot to me, or Disney's new World of Color show (made me misty eyed that one did, and it wasn't mist from the 40ft. wall of water in front of me).
I'm sure I'll be excited when I get there.
I also don't really like airports. So the dreading of that could possibly be blocking the excitement at the moment.
I'll most likely update again when I get back, if the jet lag and almost instant work schedule doesn't completely overpower me.
-Brenna Kathleen
Also since I'm home, I've been hitting the thrift stores and been putting together outfits like crazy! It's why I love breaks. I don't have to worry about people staring at me and asking me why I'm so dressed up. And I don't feel like I'm parading around in the classroom or cafe. I'm just chillen' around Coronado or going to get last-minute travel items from Target with my Mom.
This outfit came together after I found an amazing striped top at a thrift store recently. There's been a stripe bug going round the blogger circuit, and I'm afraid I've caught it.
This look is inspired by two of my favorite blogs Lulu Letty and A Thought is The Blossom.
The two lovely ladies of these blogs always have the best looks, and they all look so comfy!
I don't have the best of legs to wear the cute high-waisted shorts that would complement the look better, and my modesty wont allow me to feel comfortable in shorts that go above my knee. But enough excuses. The pictures don't even show my whole body...
I was excited to be able to wear this great necklace from DearBeatrice.
One that I actually won in a contest at A Thought is A Blossom!
The bag is a new thrift find as well. It's weird. really weird. And that's why I had to have it. I'm pretty sure someone stitched that creepy cat and flower border by hand. I love the quirk and individuality of it!
Only one weekend separates me from Germany!! I'm driving up with a few of my teammates to Orange County on Monday, and then we'll be leaving Tuesday!!
My flight schedule says that we fly from LAX to Heathrow and spend about 3 hours until we catch our next plane to Berlin.
3 hours in England. The country I've dreamed about and waited to visit my whole life! ... and I can't leave the airport.
But that's alright. I'll be back. You can count on that :]
Besides, I'm going to GERMANY!! I'm not the type of person who gets excited about things. I am excited, but I'm a pretty reserved person. Things don't really make me show excitement unless it's like I'm there with someone I haven't seen in a while and means a lot to me, or Disney's new World of Color show (made me misty eyed that one did, and it wasn't mist from the 40ft. wall of water in front of me).
I'm sure I'll be excited when I get there.
I also don't really like airports. So the dreading of that could possibly be blocking the excitement at the moment.
I'll most likely update again when I get back, if the jet lag and almost instant work schedule doesn't completely overpower me.
-Brenna Kathleen
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
A Letter From The Modest Fashionistas
Dear Clothing Manufacturers and Providers,
It has come to my attention over several saddening months that the length and style of certain dress and skirt articles that you are producing and selling are not flattering to all body types and personal preferences. As a modest dresser, I myself find it very difficult to find dresses and skirts that I would attempt to wear in public without the aid of tights or leggings and summer dresses with sleeves that would cover even an inch of my shoulders.
This is not just a problem with certain clothing providers but with all of them. Even a trip to the mall results in cast away clothing that is short, showy, and down right scandalous.
Hey Modcloth, ever wonder why certain styles sell out the moment you post them online? I do love your "longer lengths" section. But even those are on the pricey side and are lacking sleeves
And Fred Flare, I love your low prices and super cute clothes. You even have some items that have been sold out over on modcloth. But in all the shots, not one skirt reaches the model's knee.
Urban Outfitters isn't much better. And Anthropologie is everything a vintage loving modest girl could ask for, but is like a knife in the heart when the price tag comes into play.
I know that there are designers out there who make clothes that are more flattering to all tastes and body types. Even as someone who isn't a size small, I can find real vintage finds that look great. But as a size medium-large, I can't find vintage inspired clothes unless I'm willing to pay up over $50 (and even then the quality is sometimes not fitting to the price).
Even though it's been taken over by the "go green" movement. The campaign to be more accepting of all body types is still there. And it would be greatly helped along if the clothing we sell is more flattering to all types that are tall, short, big, or small.
So who's going to be the change?
It has come to my attention over several saddening months that the length and style of certain dress and skirt articles that you are producing and selling are not flattering to all body types and personal preferences. As a modest dresser, I myself find it very difficult to find dresses and skirts that I would attempt to wear in public without the aid of tights or leggings and summer dresses with sleeves that would cover even an inch of my shoulders.
This is not just a problem with certain clothing providers but with all of them. Even a trip to the mall results in cast away clothing that is short, showy, and down right scandalous.
Hey Modcloth, ever wonder why certain styles sell out the moment you post them online? I do love your "longer lengths" section. But even those are on the pricey side and are lacking sleeves
And Fred Flare, I love your low prices and super cute clothes. You even have some items that have been sold out over on modcloth. But in all the shots, not one skirt reaches the model's knee.
Urban Outfitters isn't much better. And Anthropologie is everything a vintage loving modest girl could ask for, but is like a knife in the heart when the price tag comes into play.
I know that there are designers out there who make clothes that are more flattering to all tastes and body types. Even as someone who isn't a size small, I can find real vintage finds that look great. But as a size medium-large, I can't find vintage inspired clothes unless I'm willing to pay up over $50 (and even then the quality is sometimes not fitting to the price).
Even though it's been taken over by the "go green" movement. The campaign to be more accepting of all body types is still there. And it would be greatly helped along if the clothing we sell is more flattering to all types that are tall, short, big, or small.
So who's going to be the change?
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Geek Pride Day
Today is Geek Pride Day!!
While some people celebrate on May 4th ("May the fourth be with you"). The actual Star Wars Day is May 25th, which is when the first Star Wars movie was released.
Apparently, it was also made into Geek Pride Day. While looking some things up, I stumbled upon the basic rights and responsibilities of geeks. And although I consider myself more nerd than geek, I thought I'd share with all of you
Rights:
-Brenna Kathleen
While some people celebrate on May 4th ("May the fourth be with you"). The actual Star Wars Day is May 25th, which is when the first Star Wars movie was released.
Apparently, it was also made into Geek Pride Day. While looking some things up, I stumbled upon the basic rights and responsibilities of geeks. And although I consider myself more nerd than geek, I thought I'd share with all of you
Rights:
- The right to be even geekier.
- The right to not leave your house.
- The right to not have a significant other and to be a virgin.
- The right to not like football or any other sport.
- The right to associate with other nerds.
- The right to have few friends (or none at all).
- The right to have all the geeky friends that you want.
- The right to not be "in-style."
- The right to be overweight and have poor eyesight.
- The right to show off your geekiness.
- The right to take over the world.
- Be a geek, no matter what.
- Try to be nerdier than anyone else.
- If there is a discussion about something geeky, you must give your opinion.
- Save any and all geeky things you have.
- Do everything you can to show off your geeky stuff as though it were a "museum of geekiness."
- Don't be a generalized geek. You must specialize in something.
- Attend every nerdy movie on opening night and buy every geeky book before anyone else.
- Wait in line on every opening night. If you can go in costume or at least with a related T-shirt, all the better.
- Don't waste your time on anything not related to geekdom.
- Befriend any person or persons bearing any physical similarities to comic book or sci-fi figures.
- Try to take over the world!
-Brenna Kathleen
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Singing
... is my stress relief.
I believe that I've written that before. But I tend to go to certain songs when I get the chance to let it out.
1. Belle - Beauty and The Beast (also my favorite Disney song)
2. Something There & Home- also Beauty and the Beast since Belle is my vocal match in the princesses.
3. Part of Your World- The Little Mermaid
4. A Whole New World- Aladdin
5. Pony (It's Okay)- Erin McCarley ( repeating "it's okay" usually helps with stress. haha)
This is usually where it has to end. The windows of stress singing are small with two roommates, but I don't mind. They know I need it sometimes and graciously allow me to play loud music.
If I can continue I usually play Jason Mraz or Pink Martini since I like trying to copy the smooth, fluidity in the singing styles.
Now that I got that bit out there...
Back to my schooling!!
-Brenna Kathleen
I believe that I've written that before. But I tend to go to certain songs when I get the chance to let it out.
1. Belle - Beauty and The Beast (also my favorite Disney song)
2. Something There & Home- also Beauty and the Beast since Belle is my vocal match in the princesses.
3. Part of Your World- The Little Mermaid
4. A Whole New World- Aladdin
5. Pony (It's Okay)- Erin McCarley ( repeating "it's okay" usually helps with stress. haha)
This is usually where it has to end. The windows of stress singing are small with two roommates, but I don't mind. They know I need it sometimes and graciously allow me to play loud music.
If I can continue I usually play Jason Mraz or Pink Martini since I like trying to copy the smooth, fluidity in the singing styles.
Now that I got that bit out there...
Back to my schooling!!
-Brenna Kathleen
Thursday, May 6, 2010
My White Knight
When I was at the end of my sixth grade year, I auditioned for my soon-to-be middle school vocal ensemble. The song that I sang was "Goodnight My Someone" from The Music Man. Looking back I'm glad that they took a chance on me, I remember my whole body and voice was shaking so bad! I've never been an amazing singer, and I was singing super first soprano for that one. The choir director took me aside and had me sing Mary Had A Little Lamb to make sure I could follow notes, and to probably check that I could sing for real.
I still sing that song at random times, granted I usually take it down a notch. When I make my bed at night, and say goodnight to my roommates sometimes I will start humming it or sing a few lines. Most of the time that's met with some shushing because they're trying to sleep or read. But I still sing it in my head when I get it in there. I love the idea of singing to someone you love even when you don't know who they are.
Since I get it in my head, sometimes I want to actually hear it so I hop on youtube and bring up the modern version with Kristin Chenoweth (sorry for you folks who love the original). As always, youtube has the related videos on the side, and I saw the video for My White Knight was up.
This song has been stuck in my head, but I had forgotten what it was from! It's in there from reading and watching too much Alice Through The Looking Glass. When I read the character of the White Knight it makes me think of this song. So when I found it, I got really excited.
I had only remembered the tune to the words that are the title of the song, so when I listened to it again I fell in love with it.
How amazing is that? It's about how she wants a normal guy (even though the guy the character ends up with is nothing like what she described). Everyone has sweet songs about amazing men who will come and swoop them off their feet. But sometimes it's not like that. Sometimes he's a normal guy, but still honest, gentle, plain, and straightforward.
I love the line "And I would like him to be more interested in me than he is in himself. And more interested in us than in me." Of course she has the girlish feelings that she wants him to be interested in her, but then she says that he wants him to be more interested in their relationship than in her. She wants a man who will take more time to work on the two of them together.
Not only does she want a normal kind of guy, but one "if occasionally he'd ponder what make Shakespeare and Beethoven great."
This is why I love Marian. Because she loves books. And her secret little desire is that the man she loves is a man who loves the same things. Books and music. Ah..... sounds wonderful.
And as if the most mundane love song couldn't get any more un-romantic listen to the line "let me walk with him where others ride by." The other people can ride in their fancy little love mobiles. But Marian just wants to walk and love her man. It's so simple.
So simple.
If only it were truly that simple.
Enjoy the video, and click on others. I'm going to go sleep/try to sound like a respectable soprano
-Brenna Kathleen
I still sing that song at random times, granted I usually take it down a notch. When I make my bed at night, and say goodnight to my roommates sometimes I will start humming it or sing a few lines. Most of the time that's met with some shushing because they're trying to sleep or read. But I still sing it in my head when I get it in there. I love the idea of singing to someone you love even when you don't know who they are.
Since I get it in my head, sometimes I want to actually hear it so I hop on youtube and bring up the modern version with Kristin Chenoweth (sorry for you folks who love the original). As always, youtube has the related videos on the side, and I saw the video for My White Knight was up.
This song has been stuck in my head, but I had forgotten what it was from! It's in there from reading and watching too much Alice Through The Looking Glass. When I read the character of the White Knight it makes me think of this song. So when I found it, I got really excited.
I had only remembered the tune to the words that are the title of the song, so when I listened to it again I fell in love with it.
How amazing is that? It's about how she wants a normal guy (even though the guy the character ends up with is nothing like what she described). Everyone has sweet songs about amazing men who will come and swoop them off their feet. But sometimes it's not like that. Sometimes he's a normal guy, but still honest, gentle, plain, and straightforward.
I love the line "And I would like him to be more interested in me than he is in himself. And more interested in us than in me." Of course she has the girlish feelings that she wants him to be interested in her, but then she says that he wants him to be more interested in their relationship than in her. She wants a man who will take more time to work on the two of them together.
Not only does she want a normal kind of guy, but one "if occasionally he'd ponder what make Shakespeare and Beethoven great."
This is why I love Marian. Because she loves books. And her secret little desire is that the man she loves is a man who loves the same things. Books and music. Ah..... sounds wonderful.
And as if the most mundane love song couldn't get any more un-romantic listen to the line "let me walk with him where others ride by." The other people can ride in their fancy little love mobiles. But Marian just wants to walk and love her man. It's so simple.
So simple.
If only it were truly that simple.
Enjoy the video, and click on others. I'm going to go sleep/try to sound like a respectable soprano
-Brenna Kathleen
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Stress
I used to say that I never got stressed. I used to get angry, but not stressed.
Now I am stressed. Now I know how I deal with stress. I cry. I become a sniffling emotional pool of tears. When everything is being piled on top of me all I can do is curl up in a ball and cry, or hold back the tears and work through it until I have the chance to.
I try to nap because of exhaustion. All I can do is cry because of exhaustion.
I've been trying to use this as a lesson to rely on the strength of God. But I still feel overwhelmed. I ask for grace over and over again, but I still keep crying.
I need to think now. I need to get my act together and write a 6 page paper. I'm pretty sure I'll still be a wreck.
On a good note. I have a wonderful mother. And now I'm crying because I feel so loved and taken care of. I was sent the best care package ever. Nuts, tea biscuits, chocolate and pretzels, easy mac. Everything that I feel like eating right about now when I just want to give up.
I know that I can keep going. I have to. I have to continue to constantly hand my load and stress over to God, or else I won't make the grade.
I'm also kept going by the love and munchies of my mom, and my stress relief that I have to carefully plan to do when the roommates aren't around. Because that stress relief is turning on my favorite songs and singing until I let it all out.
I'm going to work on my paper now.
Prayers are most welcome :]
-Brenna Kathleen
Now I am stressed. Now I know how I deal with stress. I cry. I become a sniffling emotional pool of tears. When everything is being piled on top of me all I can do is curl up in a ball and cry, or hold back the tears and work through it until I have the chance to.
I try to nap because of exhaustion. All I can do is cry because of exhaustion.
I've been trying to use this as a lesson to rely on the strength of God. But I still feel overwhelmed. I ask for grace over and over again, but I still keep crying.
I need to think now. I need to get my act together and write a 6 page paper. I'm pretty sure I'll still be a wreck.
On a good note. I have a wonderful mother. And now I'm crying because I feel so loved and taken care of. I was sent the best care package ever. Nuts, tea biscuits, chocolate and pretzels, easy mac. Everything that I feel like eating right about now when I just want to give up.
I know that I can keep going. I have to. I have to continue to constantly hand my load and stress over to God, or else I won't make the grade.
I'm also kept going by the love and munchies of my mom, and my stress relief that I have to carefully plan to do when the roommates aren't around. Because that stress relief is turning on my favorite songs and singing until I let it all out.
I'm going to work on my paper now.
Prayers are most welcome :]
-Brenna Kathleen
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Provision
I am extremely, absolutely, undoubtedly, out-of-this-world overwhelmed with everything I need to complete in the next 5 weeks.
Today, I pretty much planned out the rest of my college career on a piece of paper with my messy pixie like handwriting. I have next semester definitely planned out (Animation, Illustration, Philosophy & Aesthetics, Sculpture, Contemporary Art Trends, and Theology 2). And I got started on my 4x3 ft. final drawing for my figure studies class. Then, after a run-in with my boss, I had to come back to my room, write out my entire schedule for the next 5 weeks, and have an emotional break down (although the break-down part was completely optional, but silly chemical imbalances will sway you to make those kind of decisions).
Throughout all of this mess, all I had to eat was an English muffin with jam, a banana, two cups of tea, a chai bomb, and after more influence from chemical imbalances, mad scrapings from the inside of a finished Nutella jar was also added to the list. So when 8:45 rolled around. I figured I should break from English-papering and pop some popcorn.
I should probably mention that popcorn was the last thing I would have chosen to eat at this moment. I wanted comfort food. I've felt like the lowest of the low for the past several days, and I wanted Mac n' Cheese. The most comforting food in the entire universe.
So there I was, going down the hall to my floor's lounge, swinging the popcorn bag in my hand, trying not to think about the fluffy yet crunchy texture of the popped kernels that I just wasn't in the mood to experience. And when I got to the microwave and put the bag in, what do you think I saw sitting on top, discarded there, waiting for someone to eat?
It wasn't Mac n' Cheese.
It was packets of Apple Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal! I know it sounds odd to be excited for something that I didn't even crave for, but it meant that I didn't have to eat popcorn! And it's almost the same as mac n' cheese. Texture wise, that it. It's warm and mooshy! Just what I was longing for, the comfort of something hot and soft, but still being sustainable food.
Thank you, Lord for providing comfort on a day when it was so, very needed.
Now if you'll excuse me... I still have John-Keats-English-papering to get back to...
-Brenna Kathleen
Today, I pretty much planned out the rest of my college career on a piece of paper with my messy pixie like handwriting. I have next semester definitely planned out (Animation, Illustration, Philosophy & Aesthetics, Sculpture, Contemporary Art Trends, and Theology 2). And I got started on my 4x3 ft. final drawing for my figure studies class. Then, after a run-in with my boss, I had to come back to my room, write out my entire schedule for the next 5 weeks, and have an emotional break down (although the break-down part was completely optional, but silly chemical imbalances will sway you to make those kind of decisions).
Throughout all of this mess, all I had to eat was an English muffin with jam, a banana, two cups of tea, a chai bomb, and after more influence from chemical imbalances, mad scrapings from the inside of a finished Nutella jar was also added to the list. So when 8:45 rolled around. I figured I should break from English-papering and pop some popcorn.
I should probably mention that popcorn was the last thing I would have chosen to eat at this moment. I wanted comfort food. I've felt like the lowest of the low for the past several days, and I wanted Mac n' Cheese. The most comforting food in the entire universe.
So there I was, going down the hall to my floor's lounge, swinging the popcorn bag in my hand, trying not to think about the fluffy yet crunchy texture of the popped kernels that I just wasn't in the mood to experience. And when I got to the microwave and put the bag in, what do you think I saw sitting on top, discarded there, waiting for someone to eat?
It wasn't Mac n' Cheese.
It was packets of Apple Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal! I know it sounds odd to be excited for something that I didn't even crave for, but it meant that I didn't have to eat popcorn! And it's almost the same as mac n' cheese. Texture wise, that it. It's warm and mooshy! Just what I was longing for, the comfort of something hot and soft, but still being sustainable food.
Thank you, Lord for providing comfort on a day when it was so, very needed.
Now if you'll excuse me... I still have John-Keats-English-papering to get back to...
-Brenna Kathleen
Monday, April 12, 2010
Thoughts that come to me while completing English homework
I love words! I often think about words and languages. I’ve discovered words that I like and ones I don’t. I now know that I have an odd love for vowels, and I’m not very fond of consonants. But think about words.
When I begin to think about them and how they are used, and about how words have opened us up to entire new worlds and ideas. They’re used to describe themselves and other things. Sometimes I think that words are one of God’s greatest creations, but no matter how complex they get, they also seem to be one of God’s simplest creations. They’re one of the simply sweet things in life that are able to pick you up and carry you off to bliss. These simple words with their logical structure are used to describe some of the most complex ideas out there like predestination, the creation of the world, the infiniteness of God, and the Trinity. All these things that we can’t wrap our minds around, we can’t wrap our words around.
They’re so amazingly simple that there are things we can’t apply them to. We can use them to describe our images; we can even put them in our images. We add them to our melodies to give them a certain message and meaning. But there will always be that thing in us, that wonderful thing that we can never apply our words to.
But that’s okay, words already do so much, they deserve a break! Look at how we mistreat them! We abbreviate them and misuse them in our text messages, chat sessions; it’s even made its way into our speech!
And I’m guilty of it too! I fully admit to my relentless beating and bashing of language. I can’t spell my way out of a box and my grammar is horrendous.
But I still love words. Look at a page of writing. Look at this page! See how the English language is written out? And every language has it to some extent- where it’s so linear. There is always some sort of line work going on in the writing. Every sense of the physical written word is linear and geometric. Yet when you read it, it moves! It flows and curves to whatever it’s describing. The sounds that it makes are so fluid and beautiful when you speak it. A good poem is like a perfect sip of tea (or coffee) that’s just the right temperature. It has a magnificent taste and it warms every bit of your body as it makes it’s way down your throat.
I love the way that Lewis Smedes talks about it…
“I like the feel of language; I like the texture of it, the flow, especially when it flows leisurely and lovingly and elaborately through the eddies of memory.”
Even though you’re reading the lines, don’t you feel the ebbing of the language? Like it’s a soft tide washing up on shore, only to retreat back to the sea, and return again a moment later.
Language is truly a blessing and one of the greatest gifts we have been given as human beings. I love words!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
How-To: Spring Break In San Diego With One of Your Roommates In 40 Easy Steps
1. Load up car and acquire Dr. Pepper
2. Sing along to all your favorite songs until you lose half of your voice (Disney tunes recommended)
3. Once you get home, be sure to visit with family and go to Walmart at midnight with brother, Taran, and friend, Ricky. - -While in the Walmart parking lot, turn up the music in the car and have a dance party in front of the store.
4. Sleep in.
5. Gather all your classic Disney movies and line them up in chronological order.
6. Watch
7. In the morning, make waffles (swapping of manly stories optional)
8. Cover pretzel rods in chocolate and pastel sprinkles
6. Buy the 1985 adaptation of Alice In Wonderland.
7. Watch (be sure to cover your eyes during the Carol Channing scenes if you need to)
8. Do the 5 loads of laundry you brought home with you (no need to pay!)
9. Go to one of the local youth theaters and see "13" to support your brother and Ricky who directed it. (actual direction by brother and Ricky optional, viewing of "13" optional... just go to the theater)
10. Dress up in your best vintage and go to church to celebrate Easter with your 9 family+friends (impromptu drive to airport to pick up other brother's friend, Lindsey, optional)
11. contemplate sudden 3 day road trip to San Francisco
12. experience a 7.2 earthquake, stop contemplating trip to San Francisco, instead plan a massive epic movie in which you die tragically young if you do indeed go on trip.
13. Continue watching line-up of classic Disney movies
14. Hang out with Brother, Ricky, Lindsey, and roommate while preparing for brother's 24th birthday party.
15. Make your famous and extremely delicious grilled cheese for everyone (burning of your hand and arm optional)
16. Enjoy more company, eat homemade Carne Asada Fries, and play Encore (the most ridiculous yet fun game ever) in celebration of brother's birthday
17. Go to bed late, say goodnight and happy birthday to brother and wish him, Ricky, and Lindsey good luck on their road trip to San Francisco.
18. Wake up early, go to doctor's appointment.
19. Go to the County Building and get passport.
20. If you have time before your next Dr. appt. Go to the little British shop behind Shakespeare's Pub and acquire the largest box of tea you have ever seen in your life.
21. Get delicious gelatto at amazing shop next to Shakespeare's
22. Go to Doctor's appt. Have a minor Sweeney Todd moment, then get stitched up like a rag doll (if you really wish to know the details I'll gladly tell you, but it's quite gross)
23. Come home, make homemade California Burritos from carne asada left overs
24. Resume Disney watching
25. Wake up in the morning (feeling like P-Diddy optional) and prepare picnic. Go to Balboa Park
26. While at Balboa Park stand in awe in front of Rembrandt's sketches, and visit the flowers in the rose garden. (don't be discouraged if the flowers don't speak to you, the ground is probably so soft that they're asleep).
27. Babysit the coolest little 17 month old, Scotland, for the day. (actual little girl named after country optional)
28. Finish Disney movie marathon
29. Start Lord of The Rings Marathon (discuss the many different ways in which you resemble a hobbit, do the same for roommate and her similarities with the elves)
30. Attend opening night of The Rivalry at Lamb's Players Theater. (Again, show and venue optional, just get your behind into a theater!)
31. Go to opening night after party and hang out with all the theater people you love and who pretty much helped raise you, introduce roommate to all of them (this is for the roommate's benefit, now they will have a better understanding of why you are the way you are)
32. Go get Thrifty's ice cream with Brother and Ricky. Come back home and watch Across the Universe for the first time (be sure not to finish it, because of the late hour)
33. Go out with Mom to Panera, eat the best Mac n' Cheese in the world.
34. Savor best Mac n' Cheese in the world.
35. Attend an awesome pop-up booklet making class-thing and keep the fact that you're an art major a secret as you craft with all the other older women.
36. Return home and write out your Germany Mission's trip support letters as you keep your roommate company, who is making delicious lemon chicken. (this step is completely optional, as a missions trip to Germany may not be in the works for you, but lemon-chicken cooking roommate is highly recommended).
37. Finish doing the laundry (last chance for it to be free!)
38. Wake up all groggy-like and get hair cut before church, after church enjoy some yummy fish tacos
39. Pack up all your stuff, load up the car, and acquire Dr. Pepper
40. Drive back up to school, singing along to all your favorite songs, once again losing half your voice in the process.
-Brenna Kathleen
2. Sing along to all your favorite songs until you lose half of your voice (Disney tunes recommended)
3. Once you get home, be sure to visit with family and go to Walmart at midnight with brother, Taran, and friend, Ricky. - -While in the Walmart parking lot, turn up the music in the car and have a dance party in front of the store.
4. Sleep in.
5. Gather all your classic Disney movies and line them up in chronological order.
6. Watch
7. In the morning, make waffles (swapping of manly stories optional)
8. Cover pretzel rods in chocolate and pastel sprinkles
6. Buy the 1985 adaptation of Alice In Wonderland.
7. Watch (be sure to cover your eyes during the Carol Channing scenes if you need to)
8. Do the 5 loads of laundry you brought home with you (no need to pay!)
9. Go to one of the local youth theaters and see "13" to support your brother and Ricky who directed it. (actual direction by brother and Ricky optional, viewing of "13" optional... just go to the theater)
10. Dress up in your best vintage and go to church to celebrate Easter with your 9 family+friends (impromptu drive to airport to pick up other brother's friend, Lindsey, optional)
11. contemplate sudden 3 day road trip to San Francisco
12. experience a 7.2 earthquake, stop contemplating trip to San Francisco, instead plan a massive epic movie in which you die tragically young if you do indeed go on trip.
13. Continue watching line-up of classic Disney movies
14. Hang out with Brother, Ricky, Lindsey, and roommate while preparing for brother's 24th birthday party.
15. Make your famous and extremely delicious grilled cheese for everyone (burning of your hand and arm optional)
16. Enjoy more company, eat homemade Carne Asada Fries, and play Encore (the most ridiculous yet fun game ever) in celebration of brother's birthday
17. Go to bed late, say goodnight and happy birthday to brother and wish him, Ricky, and Lindsey good luck on their road trip to San Francisco.
18. Wake up early, go to doctor's appointment.
19. Go to the County Building and get passport.
20. If you have time before your next Dr. appt. Go to the little British shop behind Shakespeare's Pub and acquire the largest box of tea you have ever seen in your life.
21. Get delicious gelatto at amazing shop next to Shakespeare's
22. Go to Doctor's appt. Have a minor Sweeney Todd moment, then get stitched up like a rag doll (if you really wish to know the details I'll gladly tell you, but it's quite gross)
23. Come home, make homemade California Burritos from carne asada left overs
24. Resume Disney watching
25. Wake up in the morning (feeling like P-Diddy optional) and prepare picnic. Go to Balboa Park
26. While at Balboa Park stand in awe in front of Rembrandt's sketches, and visit the flowers in the rose garden. (don't be discouraged if the flowers don't speak to you, the ground is probably so soft that they're asleep).
27. Babysit the coolest little 17 month old, Scotland, for the day. (actual little girl named after country optional)
28. Finish Disney movie marathon
29. Start Lord of The Rings Marathon (discuss the many different ways in which you resemble a hobbit, do the same for roommate and her similarities with the elves)
30. Attend opening night of The Rivalry at Lamb's Players Theater. (Again, show and venue optional, just get your behind into a theater!)
31. Go to opening night after party and hang out with all the theater people you love and who pretty much helped raise you, introduce roommate to all of them (this is for the roommate's benefit, now they will have a better understanding of why you are the way you are)
32. Go get Thrifty's ice cream with Brother and Ricky. Come back home and watch Across the Universe for the first time (be sure not to finish it, because of the late hour)
33. Go out with Mom to Panera, eat the best Mac n' Cheese in the world.
34. Savor best Mac n' Cheese in the world.
35. Attend an awesome pop-up booklet making class-thing and keep the fact that you're an art major a secret as you craft with all the other older women.
36. Return home and write out your Germany Mission's trip support letters as you keep your roommate company, who is making delicious lemon chicken. (this step is completely optional, as a missions trip to Germany may not be in the works for you, but lemon-chicken cooking roommate is highly recommended).
37. Finish doing the laundry (last chance for it to be free!)
38. Wake up all groggy-like and get hair cut before church, after church enjoy some yummy fish tacos
39. Pack up all your stuff, load up the car, and acquire Dr. Pepper
40. Drive back up to school, singing along to all your favorite songs, once again losing half your voice in the process.
-Brenna Kathleen
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Joys of Being An Art Major
The tree swing on campus= heaven
On Mondays and Wednesdays I have my crazy Art Major days. I wake up, have my God time, get ready and usually go out the door around 9:30 to skip on over to the Ceramics studio. I work in the studio until 12:20-ish, and then quickly clean up, stop by the art lockers for a supplies switch-off, and then go to Figure Studies 2 until 3:30.
I know what you're thinking.... but Brenna... 9:30-3:30. Do you starve?
And the answer is yes... yes I do. Save for the Lara bar and craisins I eat during break in Figure Studies.
That's besides the point. Today, my Ceramics prof, Loren (who is also the head of the Art Department) called the advanced students ( all three of us) to get in his car so we could drive down to Aardvark to get the glazes we need for the studio.
--Now hold on a minute and let me explain. The University I go to is a Christian College, so when I say that my prof told us to get in his car, it's not a weird thing. We call these people by their first name, they're more like uncles to us than profs--
So all four of us drive down towards Irvine, and Loren tells us that since we're going with him that we can pick out some new tools!! My friend, Katie, said that it was like a grandpa taking his grand-kids to a toy shop, to which Loren remarked something along the lines of laughing at how old we were calling him. It was silly.
But I did get new tools! two little little pretty carving tools and a new sponge. Amber and Katie got more, because they're throwers and I'm a hand builder, so I don't really use a lot of fancy tools.
We were late to our Figure Studies 2 class, and we might not be going at all on Wednesday because there's an exhibit on sculpture that all the ceramics classes are going to see.
Ahhh..... crazy days. I love them. I don't even know if all this made sense, but it was too wonderful of a day (later there was slack-lining and iced mochas) to not write about it.
I'm being rushed off to dinner, so I'll have to say farewell!!!
-Brenna Kathleen
Thursday, March 25, 2010
I've gone down the rabbit hole, and don't plan on climbing back out
Well, I finally saw it. Alice in Wonderland in 3D!
Let me say. BEAUTIFUL!
Alice has always been one of my tippy-top favorite characters of all time. Ever since I was little. And when I was old enough to read the books I fell in love all over again. The poetry in Through The Looking Glass! It's inspired my love of poofy dresses, bottles, cakes, and poetry ( I can even recite the Jabberwocky poem by heart)
Needless to say, when I came out of that movie theater my love for the story, world, and language was again raised from the ashes. I instantly came back and started researching everything I could, mostly dresses I'll admit. I found myself eating up every whimsical blue and white dress I could find
Let me say. BEAUTIFUL!
Alice has always been one of my tippy-top favorite characters of all time. Ever since I was little. And when I was old enough to read the books I fell in love all over again. The poetry in Through The Looking Glass! It's inspired my love of poofy dresses, bottles, cakes, and poetry ( I can even recite the Jabberwocky poem by heart)
Here she is. Alice Liddell. The girl Carroll based the book off of.
A sketch of Tim Burton's Alice.
The costumes (by the amazing Colleen Atwood) are like no other Alice before. I love that the clothes don't grow and shrink with Alice, so she gets dressed in all types of things from fabric scraps to curtains!
-an old vintage dress, I forgot where I found it - dress from dELiA's that looks so amazingly similar to Alice's dress in the movies ( I am so tempted to buy this one)- I forgot where I found this one too. poo.
These are amazing dresses I found at Victorian Maiden. Aren't they lovely?
The renewed imagination-ness of Alice has actually come at a good time for me. I've been thinking about my art and where I want to take it. I've found myself holding back in terms of the art I produce for class. I want to come up with a product, so I'm afraid to take chances that may result in a non-product failure. But now I'm going to unleash my imagination. I'm going to let the madness of Alice influence me in the best possible way.
I may even start to believe 6 impossible things before breakfast as an exercise.
Send word with the white rabbit if you need to get a message to me, in the mean time I'll be having tea with the Hatter.
-Brenna Kathleen
Saturday, March 20, 2010
An Explosion of Thoughts and Learnings
This will indeed be a ramble, I can feel it coming. So, brace yourself if you are ready to come with me on this one.
Now, This past week was my University’s Missions Conference. This means that classes are suspended for three days and guest speakers come in and we all attend the sessions and other activities.
I haven’t written on this blog before about my upcoming trip to Germany this summer! I’m going with a team from my school to go teach English to jr. high and high schoolers at a camp in a town in the country, upper east of Germany close to Berlin, and then we’ll be doing other work in Berlin after the camp.
That is mostly what I was doing for the first two days of mission conference. Working for the team at our table, selling my paintings and working on commissions. But that all is beside the point, I’ve been taking in all this information about missions and impacting the world for Christ. So I’ve been thinking how am I to do that? What am I being called to do?
And I thought about theater; I was raised in the theater. My dad has worked there for longer than I have been alive. And for some reason all the people that I’ve become close friends with have been involved in the theatrical world in one way or another. And for the most part, all the careers I’ve though about going into (besides my dream of being a vet to all animals except snakes when I was 6) have had something to do with theater or the media. Actress, Costume Design, Make-up Artist, Working for Disney.
I love being able to create fantasy for the real world. So that’s what I want to do with my life. And I’ve noticed how Godless that area of life is. Television, movies, stage. God is absent in most of it. The sad part is that it’s such a great way to reach people.
A friend was talking a couple weeks ago about how they want to work for theater, and how it’s such a great way to touch people’s lives. I’ve never heard anyone voice an opinion like that before, and I knew that I felt the same way, and that I’ve never really put it into words before.
It’s a great way to impact others lives. And, yes, even if plays aren’t specifically “Christian” they can still have Jesus at the center of them. But what about the people giving the message? I’ve grown up with these people; I know that some of them don’t know God. I’ve gotten glimpses of what other theaters are like, and it can be a scary place. I want to show the love of Jesus with everyone, not just the audience. And think of how much more powerful the performance would be if everyone on stage and behind it knew that the message was and believed it?
I don’t know if that’s exactly what I’ve been called to do. But at this time in my life I’m narrowing down my passions and connecting my past to open up my future. I’m willing to go wherever I am called. But I know that I’ve been given a passion for the arts for a reason. I hope that there is a way that I can use those passions to share Jesus with others.
For now I have to put my passions on the back burner and focus on my education, or else my creative ADD will take over and I’ll never get this degree…
-Brenna Kathleen
Now, This past week was my University’s Missions Conference. This means that classes are suspended for three days and guest speakers come in and we all attend the sessions and other activities.
I haven’t written on this blog before about my upcoming trip to Germany this summer! I’m going with a team from my school to go teach English to jr. high and high schoolers at a camp in a town in the country, upper east of Germany close to Berlin, and then we’ll be doing other work in Berlin after the camp.
That is mostly what I was doing for the first two days of mission conference. Working for the team at our table, selling my paintings and working on commissions. But that all is beside the point, I’ve been taking in all this information about missions and impacting the world for Christ. So I’ve been thinking how am I to do that? What am I being called to do?
And I thought about theater; I was raised in the theater. My dad has worked there for longer than I have been alive. And for some reason all the people that I’ve become close friends with have been involved in the theatrical world in one way or another. And for the most part, all the careers I’ve though about going into (besides my dream of being a vet to all animals except snakes when I was 6) have had something to do with theater or the media. Actress, Costume Design, Make-up Artist, Working for Disney.
I love being able to create fantasy for the real world. So that’s what I want to do with my life. And I’ve noticed how Godless that area of life is. Television, movies, stage. God is absent in most of it. The sad part is that it’s such a great way to reach people.
A friend was talking a couple weeks ago about how they want to work for theater, and how it’s such a great way to touch people’s lives. I’ve never heard anyone voice an opinion like that before, and I knew that I felt the same way, and that I’ve never really put it into words before.
It’s a great way to impact others lives. And, yes, even if plays aren’t specifically “Christian” they can still have Jesus at the center of them. But what about the people giving the message? I’ve grown up with these people; I know that some of them don’t know God. I’ve gotten glimpses of what other theaters are like, and it can be a scary place. I want to show the love of Jesus with everyone, not just the audience. And think of how much more powerful the performance would be if everyone on stage and behind it knew that the message was and believed it?
I don’t know if that’s exactly what I’ve been called to do. But at this time in my life I’m narrowing down my passions and connecting my past to open up my future. I’m willing to go wherever I am called. But I know that I’ve been given a passion for the arts for a reason. I hope that there is a way that I can use those passions to share Jesus with others.
For now I have to put my passions on the back burner and focus on my education, or else my creative ADD will take over and I’ll never get this degree…
-Brenna Kathleen
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Giving Thanks
As I have mentioned before, I spend every morning writing in a journal to God. And part of the system that I write in is the "Thanks" section.
I'm very thankful for so many things
1. My salvation
2. My life
3. My Family
4. My Friends... these two girls included
5. My creativity to imagine and bring to life amazing things
6. My wonderful University that I'm blessed with the opportunity to attend
7. My musical ability, my voice and also my uke (although they're not outstanding, I still love 'em)
8. My background in theater and the fact that I grew up surrounded by such amazing people and experiences.
9.These babies..... thanks Dad, they're not as blue as yours, but I'm pretty sure the recessive gene came from you. I love them
10. SO MUCH MORE!!!
-Brenna Kathleen
I'm very thankful for so many things
1. My salvation
2. My life
3. My Family
4. My Friends... these two girls included
7. My musical ability, my voice and also my uke (although they're not outstanding, I still love 'em)
9.These babies..... thanks Dad, they're not as blue as yours, but I'm pretty sure the recessive gene came from you. I love them
-Brenna Kathleen
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