Annnnnndddddd She's Off:

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue ridge mountains
Shenandoah river -
Life is old there
Older than the trees
Younger than the mountains
Growin like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

Day After Bliss

This morning, on my way out the door I stopped to take a picture of a fallen soldier. My football, covered with sand, laying on it's side, exhausted from a fun day at the beach.

On my way back to my daily grind, I'm reminded to enjoy the fun things in life. Not to forget about them.

I'm signing off until Sunday/Monday. I will be taking a 3 day trip to good old WV for a fun filled bridal shower / bachelorette party weekend.

You know how it goes...Take me home country roads

What's in a name?

I've had quite a few nicknames in my lifetime. Trish being the most popular. So popular, that I didn't even answer roll call in kindergarten, b/c I didn't know my name was really Patricia.

Then there was the dreaded Patty in 5th grade...grrrrr. How I now despise that name. Then, a certain someone in highschool who called me Pat. He was the only one allowed. How can we forget the lovely ladies who dubbed me Tush for quite some time. Another lovely lady has taken to calling me Squish (which I kind of like). My bosses have reverted to old faithful, Patricia.

But, I'm attached to Trish. Many of you who know me, know that my signature is somewhat of a tag: just TRISH. You also know that my tag carries across into email as well... I sign everything with 3 carrots and all caps >>>TRISH (a lame computer attempt at my tag).

So, yeah...my name in the sand. This used to be my favorite past time at the beach. As soon as I got to the beach, I'd put out my blanket and write my name in the sand. When it was time to leave, mother nature would always absorb my name.

June has been a very good month. 4 trips to the shore (plus one in May). I'm working hard at my resolution!

Summer Reading

Almost 4 down...2 to go...23 days remaining.

Amazing as it may sound, I've never read the Harry Potter series. Which is strange, considering I've worked at 2 bookstores and in both children's departments. Maybe I was a book snob, who knows.

Anyway, after many library visits with my little sister, I started reading them. I've decided to read all 6 prior to the last one coming out next month. I'm a few days away from finishing number 4, so things are looking good. (of course, this is along with the mountain of other books I'm currently reading...they may get put somewhat on hold to meet the Potter deadline)

Rain Rain Go Away....

So, I manage to lose umbrellas like some people lose socks to the dryer. I personally think there is some gnome running around my house pitching my umbrellas out the window at the most inopportune times.

For some strange reason, the one umbrella that remains a true friend is a 20 year old Alf umbrella that used to belong to my brother.

Go figure, i lose the newer ones, but can't manage to misplace this one.

Cheers to the coolest umbrella!

Summertime, summertime, sum sum summertime...

Sunday was the perfectly relaxing day to complete a ridiculously busy weekend. I spent the day on the beach with Gina. Check ... trip three of summer resolution!!!

The wild part was up the beach we saw thick black smoke rising. It turned out to be the AC fire (which happens to be a good 25 miles away).

It'll be a busy week ahead...I look forward to my weekend though!

RRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRR

Back to all things scarey. The big cat exhibit at the zoo is amazing. Saturday Clara, her brother and I went to a Big Brothers Big Sisters picnic at the zoo. You literally stand face to face with the cats with nothing more than 2-3 inches of glass seperating you. The male lion was actually pawing the glass and rubbing his face on it...soooo crazy!

I didn't mind taking this guy home...he was cute.

I will smash you!

What is a house warming party without a light up talking Incredible Hulk bobble head. I'm scared of him!

Paint???

I've been contemplating painting a colored rectangle on the wall as a background for my framed Italy sketches. Or just paint the wall ivory...

I feel like my sketches get lost in the sea of white.

Oldie but Goodie

This is obviously quite an old picture (say about 18 months old). I spent a lot of time in City Hall the past few days visiting my good friends at the Historical Commission. My time there has made me realize what a under appreciated building it is on the inside. They've gussied up the exterior with some serious cleaning and while the inside is still amazing due to its original design, it is very much neglected. Original glazed brick and stained wood work sits along side of many many years worth of institutional white paint layers and worn VCT flooring. For some reason this train of thought led me to the lighting at City Hall for the 2005 holiday season. It was AMAZING!!!

The Little Prince

If you've never read The Little Prince, it's time to pick up a copy and read an amazing story.

"Nothing's perfect," sighed the fox. "My life is monotonous. I hunt chickens; people hunt me. All chickens are just alike, and all men are just alike. So I'm rather bored. But if you tame me, my life will be filled with sunshine. I'll know the sound of footsteps that will be different from all the rest. Other footsteps send me back underground. Yours will call me out of my burrow like music. And then, look! You see the wheat fields over there? I don't eat bread. For me, wheat is no use whatever. Wheat fields say nothing to me. Which is sad. But you have hair the color of gold. So it will be wonderful, once you've tamed me! The wheat, which is golden, will remind me of you. And I'll love the sound of the wind in the wheat..."


-The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Candle Rock

My parents just returned from the Moon Pie and RC Cola festival in good old Tennessee (my sis also lives there).

They brought me home a really intriguing Candle Rock. Basically a piece of slate with two wicks that will burn oil. It creates a really cool look of two flames sitting on the stone. I look forward to putting it on my deck with citronella inside, a stylish way to keep the bugs away.

Summer Resolutions

For the most part, it was a photo free weekend. I've been doing pretty good with my Summer Resolutions! So far...I've remained TV free on weekends, got in loads of reading and outdoor activities. I've also made it to the beach twice this month (not including the long weekend last month), next weekend will make a third time!!!

It's all about re prioritizing...you can make anything happen.

Summer Resolution Part 1: No TV, Movies or Computer on weekends. READ...PLAY OUTSIDE AND GET TO THE BEACH 6 TIMES

Summer/Fall Resolution Part 2: I've decided to challenge myself a bit more, this one will be much tougher! Part 2 is Delaware Valley exploration. I've traveled 9000 miles around the country and partially around Europe. By traveling across country, I thought I'd tackle the micro before the macro. I now consider my own backyard the micro...the Delaware Valley. I've been doing my research and looking at lots of exciting places to explore. It's amazing how much of the area is just considered Philly, NYC and Jersey Shore. Things that have peaked my interest so far: Hike Delaware Water Gap, Explore Jim Thorpe, attend Chatsworth Cranberry Festival, KAYAK (I'm obsessed), get to Zern's Farmer's Market in Gilbertsville. That's it for now, but I think that'll keep me very busy into the fall.

Drama Free Zone

There are certain things in life, like everyone, that I will gladly live without. Certain people surround themselves with drama and live a world consumed with petty bullshit.

I- am not one of those people.

Leave your drama at home...no one wants that stuff around. Take charge and lead a fulfilling life. Stop trying to please everyone and be selfish for a change. Stop depending on others and blowing things out of proportion.

It's been my motto for a little while now. Life becomes much more relaxed and enjoyable. We should all lead"not so big lives".

And when other people bring this kind of bullshit around...it's much easier to roll with it. It no longer will bother you.

Youth (not so much) Study Center

We finalized CD's for this project 18 months ago (yeah 18 months ago). How one person can derail an entire course of events for the city...I'll never understand. The best I can do is sit back and watch.

Dream, dream, dream

We got these cool new magnetic tack boards at the office. Kudos the the interior designer for finding sleek looking boards. Mine provides daily inspiration (or what I like to call...wish I was here). The boards has pics/sketches of buildings/scenery from various places around the world.

Places I'd like to visit: Spain (most notable Barcelona...I'm obsessed with Gaudi's work for some reason), Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Back to Malta (again...obsessed for some reason), Dubai .... the list goes on and on...

What am I?

This pic reminds me of the "What am I" games that could be found in kids publications.

This is my ear bud from my MP3 player. Such a little device that provides hours of companionship and entertainment. Product engineering at its best.

Let's Play Hooky

Summertime...

There are certain aspects of summertime that are worth playing hooky over. The 2 most notable in my life are: the BEACH and afternoon Phillies games on cool days (not during the heat waves in August).

Everyone should try it...well worth it!

Good ol Jersey Produce

There is nothing better than freshly picked Jersey produce straight from the farm.

MMMMmmmmmm...this is partly why I love summer!!!

Produce stand strawberries have to suffice. I have fond memories from childhood...grabbing the strawberry basket and running out to the patch to pick perfect strawberries. It was always a competition with the local birds! Sometimes, you'd leave a strawberry to come back for it the next day...only to find the bird got to it first and and took a chunk out of it.

Signs of a Good Evening

Ana and I spent another Saturday Latin dancing. We got decked out in our dresses and headed out on the town. After a good dinner and great conversation we opted for great drinks and dancing. Ladies night is always a good time!!!

I forgot my camera so I have no before pictures...this is the remains of my outfit this morning.

Childhood Bliss

The portrait to the right is me, as drawn by a young lady.

It sits tacked above my desk. Looking at the simple drawing brings a smile, followed by instant joy.

Thinking of the time spent with this young lady drawing, makes me stop and slow down. In the simplicity of a child's mind...life is relaxing and fulfilling.

Take 5 minutes...pour yourself a tall glass of lemonade...sit in the grass and sip it through the straw. Take those 5 minutes and recall fun childhood memories. Let the pressures of everyday life fade away.

Remember running in the woods, homemade Popsicles, racing your bikes around the trees, rope swings, hay lofts, club houses, roller skates, canoeing, hiking... Those are some of my childhood memories.

Baking Love Affair

For as long as I can remember, I've always had a love affair with baking. It's quite similar to my love affair with sewing and painting. They are great ways to use your hands, escape, yet be productive. Tonight was a baking night. Baking is the quickest of my vices and requires the least amount of attention / concentration. So, tonight it was me and some reduced fat/calorie chocolate chip cookies. Which, may I add, arguably taste better than the real thing. I'm still working out the ratio between dark chocolate and bittersweet chips.

No pun intended...they are simply Devine!

Coworkers beware...I will be pawning them off on you. There is no way I'm eating all of these. I already pawned half of this past weekends banana bread on my brother.

Ladies Night

What a perfect evening. A nice South Philly BYO...3 lovely ladies and a bottle of wine...

Ladies night is the perfect way to come back down to earth. Everyone can get so caught up in life...hurtling down their path on auto pilot at dangerously high speeds. A quiet evening spent with a few friends is a wonderful way to slow down and regroup.

" Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love" -Rumi

Crazy Construction Signs

We've all seen our share of construction signs...hell I'm sure many of you have even spec'd them. Can you imagine spec'ing the sign above....

Efficiency vs Effectiveness

I've said it before:

I'm a thinker. While chasing my own inner being I've discovered that I'm running down the path of discovery.

As a society I think we've lost the distinction between efficiency and effectiveness. In today's realm things need to be efficient in order to be effective and not vice versa.

What ever happened to pride in one's craft? There was a time when the batiked fabric to the left would have been hand waxed and inked. Nowadays everything is machine spun and dyed. Our evenings are filled with TV and lack books. Our kitchens are filled with microwaves and in some cases lack real ovens.

Am I chasing an antiquated ideal??? I long for a good book. I'm actually reading 3 right now... I long for weekends spent out of doors, home cooked meals eaten with good company. I love the fact that my laptop can be stowed away, and I don't have to look at it. I love going whole weekends without the TV and computer.

Hmmmm... there's an idea. I will do the best I can to spend the entire summer's weekends sans TV and computers(other than the occasional blog post and work).

It'll be me...the out of doors, my art, my books, my friends. All the enlightening things in life that don't revolve around technology.

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts" - Albert Einstein

Are we there yet?

I can't wait until the next one...

TAILGATING!!!

Saturday was the first official Phillies tailgating extravaganza of the year. It went quite well, if I do say so. The debauchery was at a minimum, but we had a great time. Our tailgating neighbors played one of funniest games I'd ever seen. We will have to play at the next tailgate.

Part I: Fill your wiffle bat with a beer and chug...

Part II: Once you've chugged your bat. Do five dizzy bat spins...

Part III: Pick up your bat (try not to fall over and try to hit a ball pitched at you)...

Part IV: Pick up the ball you hit, become the pitcher for teammate 2...repeat

Happy Feet

I have an oddly balanced inner self. Many of you know the over analytical robotesque over achiever (hence the 3 jobs and 3 volunteer gigs). This crazy machine like Trish is balanced by a free thinking densely artistic and spontaneous being How do the two co-exist? Well, it's quite fun, they are similar to the devil and angel on the shoulder syndrome. Every now and again one wins the race against the other, but most of the time they are head to head racing towards the finish line. These pink shoes are the artsy urbanista winning out. (my friends from Jersey will recall my days of getting up and having nothing to wear...I'd go to my fabric bin and make myself a shirt for the day...thats the perfect balance of the two).

Back to the shoes...this is an odd story.

Many of you may not know, but I bought these pink shoes simply because they remind me of my evil step grandmother. I don't remember much about her, besides the fact that I wasn't overly fond of her...she used to frighten me. Maybe it's because she used to try and put her purple lipstick on me as a child and send me running from the room frantically trying to get away. Anyway, I distinctly remember that she had one of those cotton head wraps that was basically like a swim cap, yet made to look like you wrapped it on your head. The front of the head wrap was gathered with a band just like the top of the shoes.

I bought the shoes for that exact reason... They make me smile every time I look at them and I amuse myself thinking of crazy old ladies.