Love Beyond Words

I recently came across a thought provoking composition exploring words from different languages that simply could not be translated into English. It was a list compiled of words that describe relationships. Although most of the words I couldn't even pronounce, I instantly knew the feeling. These words from different parts of the world, different peoples attempt to describe the inexplicable emotions of relationships.

It's beautiful that we try to verbalize what we emote. But isn't there an element melancholy to this linguistic endeavor? 

The barrier of different languages prevents us from sharing the most uniquely human experiences. Although we may try to find equivalents in our languages, there will never be words the are synonymous across languages. Cultures construct the definitions, so to say that love in English implies the same definition as love in Mandarin is impossible.

But language is all about sharing.

And the honest truth is that no language, no matter how romantic, how eloquent or expansive, spoken word can't truly represent an emotion. Although this sounds depressive, it's really not.

Just because we can't verbalize it, doesn't negate it's power. In fact, I argue that since we can't perfectly evoke an emotion in words, that experience is significantly more intense and rare. We're mystified by the inexplicable. Isn't that the reason we seek these feelings; why we pursue relationships? There isn't a language, a vocabulary to express relationships, so we are actually forced by this linguistic barrier to act upon emotions, follow experiences to truly know and share.

 It's beautiful, don't you think?

P.S...See the top ten list here!

Story Scarf

How cool? These scarves allow you to have your favorite texts printed onto a scarf. It looks like a newspaper snood. Sweet! My English major geek persona is freaking out right now! Wouldn't this be such a quirky, and intelligent way to let people know you're a reader? 

What book passage would you wear? Speaking of which, a literary award worthy clutch. 

Image via

Order here!

Will You Read?

J.K. Rowling's new novel, The Casual Vacancy, will be released September 27. Although the Happy Potter series turned franchise was embraced by all age groups, ranging from infants to elderly, Vacancy is specifically recognized as an adult novel. Like most people, I'm almost hesitant to pick it up, for how will it ever compare to the enchanted magnitude of dear old Harry? 

However, HP was a success because it was a brilliant book written with a skillfully clear voice. Rowling made reading cool again. For everyone. After years of gossip magazines and depressing news, maybe it's time the adult population fell in love with books again. 

The Greatest Show in Town

As a child, I never really cared for the zoo all that much. It's not that I didn't like the animals; in fact, I loved them. The zoo was one of my favorite destinations. However, the circus wasn't appealing. Largely, I was terrified by clowns! The matte, white faces with bulbous red noses and severely frighting eye make up was beyond disturbing. Parades, therefore, tended to be out of my comfort zone. I don't understand those who like the story, "It". Freaky. 

After reading Water for Elephants a few summers back, I get a desire every now an then to go to a circus. Not some half hearted one in the baseball field, but a full blown, red and white stripe tent circus. I'd put up with the clowns. How spectacular would it be, with lighting and music to see the bejeweled elephants, the trapeze artists, the lions jumping through hoops, and horses dancing? It just sound exciting. 

Did you go to the circus as a child? What was your favorite part? I loved being treated to light as air pink cotton candy. Have you ever seen a fantastic circus like the Ringling Bros? Did you read Water for Elephants?

{Summer Reads}...Non Fiction

I've mentioned that I really enjoy the website goodreads because it allows you to create different shelves and lists for the books you've read, are currently reading, our would like to read. It also is great for sharing with your friends different titles. If you are part of a book club, I'd definitely recommend it. 

Now, with summer being officially here in just a short while, I thought it would be a perfect time to inaugurate a summer series based on good books for those lazy, sunny days when all you want to do is sit down with a glass of lemonade and a wonderful book. This week, let's start out with non fiction, alright? It's a great genre that usually sounds boring, but can really be the most interesting because these things actually happen! Keep in mind, memoirs are tricky because the author (and subject of the book) usually take some creative liberties to create a cohesive and concise story line. 

Here are some of my favorite non fiction books that would be great for summer whether you're on a plane ride, laying on the beach, or sitting in your back yard!

Women's Letters: America from the Revolutionary War to the Present, Edited by Lisa Grunwald and Stephen J. Adler - This is a wonderful look into our past; look at the powerful progression of our society and feel your faith in the power of women reaffirmed. 

Oh the Glory of it All, by Sean Wilsey - A raw and dramatic memoir. Don't forget to read his mother's memoir by a similar title, Oh the Hell of it All. 

Jesus Land, by Julia Scheeres - Simply amazing. The gravity of her life and the trials she and her siblings face bring our lives into a grounding perspective. A compelling look into the lives of the fanatic, devoted and hypocritical. 

How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster - My go-to book for all things literary. Intellectually written so that you feel informed, not demeaned. Foster makes learning literary analysis theories engaging and humorous. I swear you'll feel like a literary genius. 

The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath, Edited by Karen V. Kukil - One of the most mystifying and elegant poets, Sylvia Plath left much behind, but leaving us still wonder. Her journals are rare portal to her tortured, talented life. Not only a wonderful poet, but also displays her innate gift of eloquence in her casual journal entries. 

Good Reads

Are you a book worm? Do you love sharing your favorite titles with everyone you meet? I'm definitely that person. After a while, I felt like I was running out of good books to read. After a year at college, I'm dying to read for fun. However, it's been so long, I had no idea what I wanted to try. Enter goodreads.com. It's a fantastic site where you can create lists of books you've read, ones you're currently reading, and title or authors you want to try. You can also rate, review and share. A fantastic site for all you readers out there. It's a lazy day today, so I've been browsing for a while. Check out my favorite books! I'd love you know yours!

{Gift Guide}...For Your Best Friend, MOM

If you're lucky like me, you have a mom who is Wonderwoman. My mom always knows when I have something on my mind, and readily knows how to fix it. She makes the best coffee & best treats. Try as I might, I will never achieve the same yummy taste of her cookies. Mom is smart as whip, musical, a fashionista and classic best pal. Without her, my life would be chaos. Here are some gift ideas for your marvelous mums. Make her feel special, loved and totally fantastic! Tell her how much she means to you! Thanks, Mom, for all you do! I love you! 

Scarf / Candle / Clutch / Tray / Keihl's Bath Sea Salts / Vase / Necklace / Bracelet / NARS / Book / Chocolate

{This I Must Read}...An Object of Beauty

When I think about my childhood, I immediately hear a soundtrack of wonderful music, chatting friends, books on tape, and Steve Martin. A Wild and Crazy Guy will forever be a favorite of mine. Steve Martin never fails to put me in a cheerful mood, whether it be a comedy sketch CD, Father of the Bride, of a good book. I can't wait to read this! It's been out for a while, but it's still on my "to-read" list. 

Have you read it yet? New York Times raved... what are your thoughts? I'd love to hear your input!

Font Frenzy

I love fonts! Who doesn't? I'll admit, I'm getting a little sick of Times New Roman... So many papers in MLA format! But let's just enjoy the prettiness we have right here. 

Oh! And by the way...check out this font shop!

{Girl Crush}... Emma Watson

 One my ultimate girl crushes is Emma Watson. I grew up with her! She's only a few years older than me, and when I was younger, Hermione was the fictional embodiment of me... Now that I'm older, I admire Emma Watson for who she is.

Imagine spending half your life recognized as someone else. I'm an identical twin, and I know the difficulty of defining yourself as just you. That's just at school. The entire world knew Emma as Hermione. Remember how much flack she got when she cut her hair? That must have been the most liberating feeling. She could be herself; not Hermione. But the world criticized her for her bravery. It didn't "look like her." Actually, it didn't look like Hermione. That was the point. She looks gorgeous! She inspired me to cut my hair and be different from my sister, Abby. I applaud her amazing ability to transition from a beloved character to sophisticate, real young lady. We need more Emmas is the world, sending the message to girls to be themselves. Not what popular culture wants them to be, or thinks they are.

 I don't think there's a single person who doesn't like Emma Watson. How could you not?!? She is effortlessly beautiful, poised and talented. Not only is she a great actress (proving herself in "Wall Flower" and "My Week with Marilyn,") she's also intelligent, artistic & environmentally aware. Always the epitome of class, Emma is the ideal role model for my demographic. Hey girls, start channeling Emma! This quote from her is so refreshing...

“I find the whole concept of being ‘sexy’ embarrassing and confusing. If I do an interview with photographs people desperately want to change me - dye my hair blonder, pluck my eyebrows, give me a fringe. Then there’s the choice of clothes. I know everyone wants a picture of me in a mini-skirt. But that’s not me. I feel uncomfortable. I’d never go out in a mini-skirt. It’s nothing to do with protecting the Hermione image. I wouldn’t do that. Personally, I don’t actually think it’s even that sexy. What’s sexy about saying, ‘I’m here with my boobs out and a short skirt, have a look at everything I’ve got?’ My idea of sexy is that less is more. The less you reveal the more people can wonder.” 

― Emma Watson

Do you have a girl crush? Who do you admire? What makes them so interesting and unique? Do you feel like you can identify with them?

 Photos via

The Extremities of Flying

As I get more and more psyched about my upcoming two week vacation to the Sunshine State, I keep thinking about the flight. When I traveled to Florida with my choir in high school, we drove. Suffice it to say, the trip had some pretty horrendous moments (anyone starting to smell coach bus restroom?) amidst the good ones. This time, we're flying and I'm thrilled. Sure, there will be a ton of people on the plane. Heck, even in our entourage, there will be up to fourteen beach-thirsty Midwesterners! But I like being around lots of people. Right?

When it comes to the end-all, be-all debate of where to sit in crowded economy, I'm pretty ambivalent. A whopping 5 foot 3 inches, I very rarely care how much elbow, foot, leg (or any other extremity) room is available to me. There's always room. However, several family members drastically outgrew me during puberty and stand up to 6 foot 3 inches!!! Yowza. Being the sweet one in the family, I found this article in The New York Times by Michelle Higgins that might give them some insight and suggestions. 

Whether you're short or tall, this is an interesting discussion hosted by The NY Times.  

Photo above by: Eric Hanson via

Vogue auf Deutsch

   I just love these totally sweet art deco covers of German Vogue from the late 1920s! They have such fantastic color and design. This is definitely an example of magazine covers done right!

    Don't you ever get a little sick of seeing gorgeous people in the most expensive clothing, their hair perfectly wind swept, make up dewy fresh and staring at you with that coquettish stare that makes you want to read the issues cover to cover? Well, I know I do. I think it's important to have a variety of culture featured in periodicals we read. They're so common; we read them on the street corner, check out line at the market, while eating Saturday brunch.

   

    Why not take that opportunity to mass appeal and have display great art? I'd even tear the cover off and decorate my house with these covers. I wish that more journals would do this today! Even just a throwback month! Anyway, enjoy!

From the Condé Nast Archive; via German Vogue

Controlled Color

I'm organized. I like everything to be in a special place. If my desk is ultra messy, I simply can not work, brainstorm or be the tiniest bit productive. I just stare at the heap of "stuff" and must organize it immediately. However, I'm not picky about this organization. I love color and a little chaos. Nothing beats it! Think how exciting it is walking into a store and every color shirt imaginable is there. When you go into a museum and you are suddenly hit with indescribable colors, some you've never seen. The great thing about both scenarios is they aren't necessarily "coordinated" or displayed rainbow style. 

I just love seeing walls of color. Heck, I like boxes of color. That's why I love closets, books, floral shops and anywhere color might be organized in a cool, unexpected, and sometimes unintentional way. When colors are lined up in a clean linear fashion, there is something so pleasing and satisfying about that. There is a mixture of control, chaos and lovely color! Here are some linear color displays I've seen recently. 

Story on the Go

A self-declared book worm and handbag enthusiast, these Kate Spade New York book clutches are right up my alley! I love the map of a city in the numeral two! They're quirky, chic and, well, Kate Spade. How can we say no? 

Emma Clutch / A Tale of 2 Cities Clutch

P.S. Have you checked out the new theme by Kate Spade New York now available for your desktop? Available here.

{I Adore My}...Scarves

If there is one thing I have an abundance of, it's scarves. They are seriously spilling out of closets & drawers; cascading from coat hooks & bed posts. Is that too much? "Everything in moderation," right? But let's be honest, we all have that one thing we can't get enough of. I could say I "collect" them, but I don't! I wear them! It's not excessive, it's expressive. Everyone I know buys me scarves for gifts. Heck, it's my thing! It's my thing to get scarves & it's my thing to give scarves. They're great gifts! Therefore, I conclude there is no such thing as too many scarves. Or too many hats, too many sweaters. We're Americans. We're just fulfilling the stereotype of massive consumerism. :) Just doing our job.

Here is Abby with only a portion of out scarf collection. Doesn't she look adorable?


What do you "collect" or love to buy? Is there one thing people know you love & always buy for you? Can you have too much of something?

Scared of Shadows

Happy Groundhogs Day! So, what is the consensus in your neck of the woods? Six more weeks of winter or are you going to have an early spring? Also, remember to watch the movie today!

Photo via; Melissa Farlow

Enjoy Your Weekend

I hope you're staying warm this chilly weekend! While you're shivering in your winter boots, enjoy this wonderfully adorable picture. Don't you wish your own pet looked this intelligent? Doggy Einstein. 

Also, pick up this great book on dogs. 

If Famous Writers Had Written Twilight…

I found this hilariously entertaining post on this blog. 

via

"As I mentioned in an early post, the main problem withTwilight isn’t its sparkly vampires who lack all traditional weaknesses or its anti-feminist sensibility. When you get right down to it, the trouble is that the writing is terrible, filled with cliche phrases (“smoldering eyes”), repeated words (294 “eyes” in 498 pages) and the reductive characterization of its main characters (Bella is clumsy, and I guess she likes books. Or something).

On a recent car-trip with my husband and the writer Chip Cheek, we mulled over the question: What if great literary writers of the last 200 years had penned Twilight?

via

Herman Melville

“Call me Bella.” A tome about the length of the original series investigates Bella’s monomanical search for the vampire who stole her virginity. There’s an entire chapter devoted to describing the devastating whiteness of Edward’s skin, and several on the physiognomy of vampires, starting with their skeletal structure outward. 

Virginia Woolf

The novel takes place over the course of twenty four hours, during which Bella is painting a portrait of Edward and reflecting on how her femininity circumscribes her role within 20th century society.

Cormac McCarthy

In the opening scene, Edward dashes Bella’s head against a rock and rapes her corpse. Then he and Jacob take off on an unexplained rampage through the West.

Jane Austen

Basically the same as the original, except that Bella is socially apt and incredibly witty. Her distrust of Edward is initially bourne out of a tragic misunderstanding of his character, but after a fling with Jacob during which he sexually assaults her (amusing to no one in this version) she and Edward live happily ever after.

George Saunders

Same as the original, but set in a theme park. Somehow involves gangs of robots, which distract the reader from the essential sappiness of Edward and Bella’s story.

Raymond Carver

Bella stars as the alcoholic barmaid with daddy issues that Edward, a classic abuser, exploits. When Bella’s old friend Jacob comes to visit and is shocked by her bruises, she thinks about leaving him, but instead hits the gin bottle. Hard. 

Annie Proulx

Edward and Jacob defy society’s expectations up in the mountains.

Lewis Carroll

Bella takes acid and charts syllogisms.

James Joyce

Edward’s rapacious love for Bella reflects the way globalism has pillaged Ireland. It’s entirely written in Esperanto, with sections in untranslated Greek, except for Chapter 40, which is inexplicably rendered as a script page from the musical The Book of Mormon. 

Dorothy Parker

Bella writes a brilliant takedown of the latest school play, dates a string of men, and repeatedly attempts suicide.

Kate Chopin

Stifled by her marriage to Edward, Bella has an affair with Jacob and then drowns herself. 

Ernest Hemingway

Edward and Bella exchange terse dialogue alluding to Edward’s anatomical problem. Eventually, Bella leaves him for Jacob, a local bullfighter with a giant…sense of entitlement.

Flannery O’Connor

When Native American werewolf Jacob threatens her with death, Bella reconsiders her hardcore racism, and just for one milisecond, the audience finds her sympathetic.

Ayn Rand

Edward tells Bella that he intends to stop saving her life, unless she starts paying him in gold bullion. Hatefucking ensues, then Jacob spouts objectivist philosophy for the next 100 pages."

-By Lizzie Stark

Hello, New Year!

     Wow! It's already 2012! Of course, the first day we actually get snow this winter is a new year. I find it so magical that we get our first snow on the first day of the new year. Today is definitely a day in which I woke up very, very late. It is also a black leggings, turtleneck, cozy socks & glasses day. After our New Year's Eve party at our house, we have been grazing on the left overs from last night. Delicious!

Last night left overs

     Now that it's the new year, everyone is talking about resolutions. You turn on the television, which I've done all day (I'm too tired to do anything else!) and every commercial is about weight loss! Ick! What are your new year's resolutions? I'm going to try (like every year) to eat more produce & exercise more. But I'm also going to take more time to relax. I've been told I suffer from "post-crastination" instead of procrastination. Where most people put things off until the last minute, I stress out & get everything done at once & then have nothing to do for days. I'm guessing this highly wound, super organized (I plan every hour of my day sometimes) lifestyle isn't great. I'm learning to slow down & understand that I can't control everything. Me time is the new fad this year. I'm looking forward to it!

Three cheers for the greatness of 2011 & the fun unexpectedness of 2012!

{Girl Crush}... Rachel Bilson

Hart of Dixie, Hairdos & Holidays
Photo by Scott Alan Humbert (here)

Rachel Bilson. My style icon, favorite actress & "girl crush." Possibly one of the best dressed stars for young women, always looking effortlessly classy, she's simply stunning. (It helps that my guilty pleasure show is The O.C.) She is the face & one of the designers for Shoemint, which launches in 2012. I can barely contain my excitement. You often see her in killer shoes and bags. A fan of Phillip Lim, Chanel & Rag and Bone.

Bilson is petite like me. She's about 5'2" so it's refreshing to see how she dresses. So often I feel bombarded by the Victoria's Secret Angels who stand heads above me, the average girl. Not only does she have impeccable taste, she has class. Rachel is notorious for her steadfast decision to not do nudity, living by the idea that not everyone has to see all of her. Now that's what I call impressive. All in all, she's a fantastic actress & fashion guru. Why wouldn't you want to emulate her?

Photo via here

Photo via here

Do you have a girl crush? Who is it? Why do you admire them?