Sunday Love

My birthday was Friday! So I didn't pressure myself about doing Friday Love. Anyway, I'm going to share some pretty pictures from Wanderlusted. Enjoy!

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- Scout

This Week

I'm trying to spend a lot of time reading this week. I have this habit of starting books, getting distracted, and starting new books, never finishing any. So my goal is to finish The Macho Paradox and get as far as I can in Walden and Jayber Crow.

In the midst of these three books, I downloaded a free audio book from Audible.com. My intention was to get Water For Elephants - I've been curious about that one for a while. However, right next to Water For Elephants was The Help. I'd seen just enough of a trailer to know I'd like the movie but miss what the story was about. When I went to lunch with some friends the other day, one of them told me about it. On a whim, I got that book, instead. I'm only four and a half hours in, but I love it. It's definitely inspired me to look more into the Civil Rights movement. (This is the only way I learn anything about history - hearing about it from a novel or movie first and then looking it up for myself).

Here's the trailer for the movie. I absolutely cannot wait to see it, especially since Bryce Dallas Howard is in it (see: The Village).

Peace out!

Scout

Summer Breeze Playlist

Today is absolutely glorious. It's sunny and breezy and just perfect. In honor of this fantastic day, I've put together what I hope to be a breezy feeling playlist. You'll understand when you listen to it. 

Other miscellaneous thoughts in my head: 

• I think The Beach Boys are the perfect summer band. 
• I would really like to own some Cat Stevens and Cyndi Lauper music. 
• I ordered some books by/about Bob Dylan online. I cannot wait for them to arrive! I don't think they'll come until next week and I hate waiting. 
• I downloaded an audio version of The Help. I'm very excited to listen to it, but that sucker is about 18 hours long! Do you like audio books? One of my favorites was Tarzan. The Series of Unfortunate Events was also really great to listen to. Which audio books do you like? 

Peace out!

Scout

Friday Love

Just a few things for today's Friday Love. 

1. I love food blogs. I get so inspired looking at them - hearing them come up with new recipes, seeing the beautiful pictures, and of course, finding new recipes that look amazing! 

Here are my favorites: 

Pioneer Woman - she has a new show coming August 27th! I am SO excited!
Food Coma - I've mentioned Emma before.
Smitten Kitchen - I don't think I've tried any of her recipes, but her food always looks so good and her blogs are witty and entertaining.
My New Roots - I found this one today. I'm pretty excited because it's a lot of whole foods and vegan/vegetarian meals. She also explains how each food works to improve our bodies and our health. 

2. This picture is fantastic. It's brilliantly simple but so detailed! I am amazed. 

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3. As I Walked Out One Evening by W.H. Auden.

As I walked out one evening,
   Walking down Bristol Street,
The crowds upon the pavement
   Were fields of harvest wheat.

And down by the brimming river
   I heard a lover sing
Under an arch of the railway:
   'Love has no ending.

'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you
   Till China and Africa meet,
And the river jumps over the mountain
   And the salmon sing in the street,

'I'll love you till the ocean
   Is folded and hung up to dry
And the seven stars go squawking
   Like geese about the sky.

'The years shall run like rabbits,
   For in my arms I hold
The Flower of the Ages,
   And the first love of the world.'

But all the clocks in the city
   Began to whirr and chime:
'O let not Time deceive you,
   You cannot conquer Time.

'In the burrows of the Nightmare
   Where Justice naked is,
Time watches from the shadow
   And coughs when you would kiss.

'In headaches and in worry
   Vaguely life leaks away,
And Time will have his fancy
   To-morrow or to-day.

'Into many a green valley
   Drifts the appalling snow;
Time breaks the threaded dances
   And the diver's brilliant bow.

'O plunge your hands in water,
   Plunge them in up to the wrist;
Stare, stare in the basin
   And wonder what you've missed.

'The glacier knocks in the cupboard,
   The desert sighs in the bed,
And the crack in the tea-cup opens
   A lane to the land of the dead.

'Where the beggars raffle the banknotes
   And the Giant is enchanting to Jack,
And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer,
   And Jill goes down on her back.

'O look, look in the mirror,
   O look in your distress:
Life remains a blessing
   Although you cannot bless.

'O stand, stand at the window
   As the tears scald and start;
You shall love your crooked neighbour
   With your crooked heart.'

It was late, late in the evening,
   The lovers they were gone;
The clocks had ceased their chiming,
   And the deep river ran on. 

Peace out!

Scout

I Love When My Heroes Hang Out Together

First, the following is my FAVORITE video of Bob Dylan EVER. It's a clip from the movie The Other Side of the Mirror and he's singing Chimes of Freedom Flashing. It's an absolutely beautiful song and he's giddy through the whole thing, so he keeps laughing and smiling. It's very, very adorable. My favorite part starts at about seven minutes - if you're not up for watching a ten minute video, start there and you'll see the best of it.

Second. This is a video of George Harrison, my favorite Beatle, singing Here Comes the Sun with Paul Simon.

Third, here is George Harrison and Bob Dylan singing If Not For You.

You're welcome.

Love,

Scout

Friday Love

1. Man, oh man. This video is uber cute. It just makes me so happy! And it makes me miss dancing so much. I wish I could do stuff like this.

Just FYI, he's supposed to smile at the part at 1:18 ish, not grimace.

2. Cute song.



3. Adorable picture of one of my friends and her then fiance (now husband). Check out her blog!

4. Pretty chevron colors.

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5. To continue with the dancing theme....

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Love,
Scout

Tightrope

I really like this song. I just forget about it a lot. It's been in a Kmart commercial lately, which is why it's been in my head so much. I hope you enjoy it!

Janelle Monáe - Tightrope [feat. Big Boi] by Warner-Music

Peace out!

Scout

You Can Almost See The Carpet

I decided that you guys should see my room. Not because it's cute or anything, like other bloggers out there. I'm showing you my room because it's insanely messy and it kind of amuses me. There are several things to consider, though, before you judge me.  

1) I got back from college in the beginning of May and didn't spend too much time organizing my stuff because I was thinking I might end up going back to school.
2) I acquired a lot of stuff in the two years that I've been at college - stuff that had been in storage at my school. Since I'm not going back (I guess that's another story for another day), I have to bring all of my stuff home and try to cram it all in my one tiny room, instead of one tiny room at home and one tiny room at school.

 Are you ready? Be warned, these photos are not for the faint of heart. 

See? I told you. It's bad. In my floor you will find: 

• totes and messengers bags that were on the back of my door before the hanger broke
• scarves that were hanging on the wall but had to be removed in order to kill a bug
• dishes that I've bought at thrift stores and am saving for my future house
• unfinished craft projects, yarn, and fabric scraps
• books that probably don't have a home because my bookshelf is packed
• a boombox that I got on my 8th birthday (heck yeah! it still works, too. beat that!)
• VHSs of Disney movies because I can afford those (as opposed to DVDs)
• pink headphones that are almost broken
• an unorganized coupon collectio
• psychology textbooks (woot!)
• miscellaneous small baskets/boxes that will be used to organize small items once I get the big ones out of the way
• a makeup bag filled with eyeliner that I LOVE to play around with
• a can of Raid because I'm as prepared as a Boyscout
• Clothes, stationary, a comforter,...and who knows what else.

 In this corner you can see my ladder bookshelf, a closet (fairly empty of clothes), and...all the clothes on the floor. 

Do you see that book on the ladder called Pornified? It's awesome. You should look it up. It's about the effects of porn on different people and the American culture. Fascinating. On top of Pornified is a copy of Macho Paradox. Another book worth reading.

 This is my bookshelf. I love it. I have it organized. Some of my favorite things on there are my Harry Potter things (books, wand, and playing cards), a book of Norman Rockwell paintings, and a book of photographs of the Beatles. It also houses a collection of Agatha Christie novels, yarn, sketchbooks, my favorite classic novels, and two old cameras that I wish worked. 

 This picture is a little overexposed (unlike all the others...), but I only have access to a crappy camera and I don't believe in photoshop so you'll just have to get over it.

In the bottom left corner are some of the dishes I'm saving for my home. The tray on the crates holds my necklaces, at least until I finish my new jewelry hanger. I'm really bad at finishing projects...I bet you never would have guessed. On the right of the crates is a pink dinosaur named Seamus. He's kind of hard to see because he's standing on his head. He squeals really funny when you squeeze him - that's what I love about him. I stole it from some little kids at camp a few years back...Good times.

Don't worry, guys. I'm going to clean my room. Now that I know I'm staying home this fall, I am dying to take care of it. I'm hoping to get my hands on a dresser tomorrow, which will give me a lot more space. I'm also thinking of moving my mattress off of the floor and building shelves underneath of it. Like this one: 

[Source]

So, yeah. That's all, I guess. Now don't you feel so much better about your so-called "messy" home? 

Yeah. You're welcome.

Peace out!

Scout

Good Times Playlist 1

Remember that CD swap from before? Well, things are all sorted out. Originally I was randomly paired up with...one of my best friends from college. However, I was able to get a new partner, we exchanged information, and will soon have successfully exchanged CDs. I mailed hers sometime last week and got mine today.

Anyway, I wanted to share the mix I made for her. I think I'm pleased with it. I had a difficult time with the arrangement and I didn't have as many summery sounding songs as I wanted. I also think I would leave out Twist and Shout if I had to do it again. Strange, considering how much I love the Beatles. I'm just not sure it fits with the vibes from the rest of the mix.

The only difference between this one and the one I sent to Emma is that I used Lily Allen's cover of Mr. Blue Sky rather than ELO's original version. I would have preferred to put Lily's version on Emma's CD because I think it sounds more summery, but I don't own it.

I hope you enjoy!

I'll return soon with the one I received.

Love,

Scout