Best words I've heard all weekend

"Eat a chocolate bagel.

Go to the mountains!

Rest, receive, love."
 

Birthday!

21 happened.

It started with waffles.

Followed by a walk with my love and T.S. Eliot.

And it ended with dinner at a tequila bar.

..I had one drink. It tasted like nail polish.  

Breakfast

Today, I gave Fall a late welcome with grain-free pumpkin pancakes

and Lady Grey Tea. Here's to peaceful mornings and rich conversations;
can it be like this forever?

Hooray for birthdays!

This beauty and I are six days apart!

My 21st year of life begins in three days. 

This year, my wish list is a bit more practical than usual (partly).

Calcium Powder

Xylitol Powder

(To make my own toothpaste)

Activated Charcoal 

(In case we ever have a bout with food poisoning

...It also whitens teeth!) 

Microfiber Cloths

(So I can simplify the rags that I have now)

Trader Joe's Gift Cards

(Because they have the tastiest bell peppers)

Storage Containers

(Since we'll be moving out of the country in January)

Another External Hardrive

(So backed-up photos will be in two places)

What's the most practical/useful birthday present you've ever received? 

Experimenting with the light today

Coffee, blankets, cleaning, oatmeal pumpkin muffins, and edits.

These are the things that keep me from studying.

I really need to open my textbooks.

Later, though. Later.

Sun in October.

A day outside without a sweater?

If this is summer's final farewell,

I can't think of anything sweeter.

Lesson learned.

Whelp, I was duped.
My gullibility had me from the get-go.

Last night while in Seattle, I heard the most heart breaking tale. A man was digging in the trash looking for a cigarette when a few friends and I met him. He asked for orange juice and sweet tarts. After he received them, he talked about being a marine for nine years. He mentioned how he was kicked out for standing up for women who were being raped by his buddies, and then was shot because of it. "I have more mechanical parts than a semi-truck," he said, implying past surgeries.

And then he went on to tell us that his uncles tied him to a chair and forced him to watch them rape his mom. He spoke all about the intolerance that he has for injustice, and then started moaning. Why? Because he's diabetic and someone knocked away his last dose of insulin. Also,  apparently his spine is all jacked. He proceeded to mentioned that he needed to get home to his family, he even showed me a map with numbers.

Long story short, I ate tacos with Z after coming home at midnight, and told him about the story. And I also told him how I was disappointed that nothing happened when we prayed for the man. Zach looked up from eating his gordita, described the man perfectly, and said "Of course nothing happened. He's not actually hurt in the ways he told you. That guy told me a different rendition of the same story a few weeks ago, only the numbers were different and he couldn't actually tell me details about his home town. You didn't give him any money did you?" I shrank. I always tell people that it's best to get food or buy the homeless a room or a bus pass or something other than giving them money. But last night I did the complete opposite of what I regularly advise. It was only two dollars, but STILL, that was my bus money back home!

Looking back, it makes complete sense. He switched from "serving nine years" to "serving thirteen years," and then told me he was an hour and a half away from his hometown. When, in reality, that town is three hours away, and includes a ferry ride (which was not mentioned).

If I see him again this week, it'll be just OJ and sweet tarts.

Thursday

Today I'm thankful... 

...for October bike rides that chill my water bottle while I'm pedaling.

...for passing the emission test so that we can get new tabs.
...for finishing a paper and turning it in with enough time to blow my nose (from said bike ride).
...for finding my way back home from a photoshoot in an area I'm unfamiliar with.
...for fresh bell peppers.
...for pumpkin tea.