Just a thought...

It happens every year.
No sooner have the candy corn and costumes been condemned to the "clearance rack" , that retailers prepare for the next major American holiday...Christmas. Yes, sad as this is, the holiday commercials have begun to air, seasonal decorations adorn the aisles of stores, even ABC family has a countdown to the "25 Days of Christmas". Every year this happens, and every year I note the absurdity of it all. Do not get my wrong; I enjoy the Christmas season as much as anyone, but how come it is so difficult for Americans to enjoy the moment? To me, this is one of the most beautiful and tranquil times of the year in terms of nature. The weather is crisp, the leaves on the trees have finally strayed from their uniform green, to that beautiful amalgamation of orange, yellow, and red, before they begin the decent to the ground. Thanksgiving is also less than two weeks away. Why would one want to skip over this? I understand that this is America, and time is money, but to me, something as precious as time should not be hurried. Can't we all just stop rushing and just enjoy the moment for once? Constantly waiting for the next "big thing", only paves the way for missed opportunities. Even if I cannot change the minds of others, I know I will enjoy all of the beauty that autumn has to offer until its time has passed. My only embrace of the Christmas season until the first of December shall be having my pumpkin spice in a seasonal red cup (only because I don't have a choice there : ) ), as I eagerly await chestnut stuffing and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Mmmmmmmm.

East Bay Bike Path

Hello all! For the past two weekends, I have capped the hi-liter and put aside the seemingly never-ending mountain of school work in order to enjoy autumn's natural beauty; riding along the East Bay Bike path. I discovered the past last Friday when ironically, I was driving to pick up my new (well, new to me) bike. I had found the bike, a 1980s silver, Raleigh racing cycle on Craig's list after a month long search. I had the opportunity to test ride the bike before purchasing it, and even though the bike is about as old as I am , it rides really well (The shop owner, who sells a lot of used bikes from that era went on 1o minute rant about how outsourcing and the use of Chinese metal is ruining today's cycles, but that's another story :) )Driving home, while admiring the lovely New England foiliage I spotted the path and could not think of a better opportunity to take it out for its first real ride. The next morning, I loaded the new cycle onto the rack on the back of my jeep and drove about 10 minutes outside of Providence to Riverside where the trail begins. While adjusting to the new breaking style and lack of a speed system slightly rattled my nerves, I was soon coasting along the Providence River. Alas, I did not have my camera last week, and disappointingly so, because there was a considerably greater amount of wildlife (I spotted about 5 blue jays and a gaggle of about 10 swans at two different locations), but I managed to snap some great photos today. Enjoy these pictures with my new favorite piece of the Reagan era!

Bahstin!

My family (minus Jenn who is stuck in Harrisonburg) came to visit me Columbus Day weekend. Here are some of the pictures from our trip to Boston. I have more, but I could only upload five pictures. Enjoy!

Ben Folds Concert!

On Thursday Ben Folds played a concert at the Bank of America Center in Providence, R.I. The venue is actually an ice skating rink during the winter, although during the spring, summer, and fall it serves as a small venue for outdoor concerts. One of my classmates had a friend who worked the sound system during the show and was able to get us in for free, stage side. Missy Higgins, an Australian singer, opened for Ben doing a 45 minute set. I had not previously heard of her, but I enjoyed all of her songs and am planning on downloading a few. After a 30 minute break, Ben came on around 7:15. Anyone who has ever seen him live, claimed that he puts on a fantastic show, and he lived up to their praise. For the first hour he played a set of new songs from his new album which comes out on Tuesday. He actually is quite funny, and had the audience laughing with his anecdotes and the fact that he played multiple versions of the same song, letting us know which one made the album and which were so thoughtfully released by him on the internet for fans to enjoy. For a small venue, playing new material, he still managed to keep the audience into it. For the encore, he did about 6 classics, or "old shit", as he phrased it, including, "Landed", "Rockin the Suburbs", and "The Frown Song". He did not play "Kate" as I had hoped, but regardless it was still an awesome show. Here are some pictures!

Anecdotal Ben

The best picture I got!

Doing "The Frown Song"

Goodnight Providence!

Signs of Autumn

My pumpkin (technically it's a gourd) that I bought for my kitchen.

My first Pumpkin Spice Latte, with my trademark lip gloss stained lid (Kathleen, I know you appreciate this one!)

Leaves Changing

Pumpkins and mums on a porch in the neighborhood. classic autumn!


Since we recently had a change of seasons (the ushering in of my particular favorite), I figured I'd kick it off bloggy style.

Happy Breakfast

I woke up a little earlier than normal today. I was one of those mornings where for some reason or another, whether it be the alignment of the planets, a change in tides, etc. that I was wide awake and needed something to do. Thus, I decided to make myself a homemade breakfast...an activity typically reserved for weekends. I recently retrieved my beloved waffle iron from Long Island and decided to make myself one of my favorite breakfast foods. After heating up my waffle iron, and mixing the necessary ingredients, I placed the batter on the iron and eagerly anticipated this weekday treat. When my waffle was cooked, I lifted the iron to discover, not Jesus' face or any other apocolyptic message, but something far greater...the perfect waffle! Browned, but not too crispy, so that it was still light and fluffy in texture. I then added a strawberry jam smiley face, because Socrates once said, "A happy breakfast, makes a happy day" (Okay I have no proof that he said that whatsoever, but you catch my drift : P)

Family Picnic

From our annual family picnic held on 08/03/08