what i wore 09.07.09

details:
♥ black lace top, forever 21
♥ grey shorts, forever 21
♥ low black strappy heels, angels (on sale!)
♥ black-banded watch, fossil
♥ 7 silver bracelets, nogales street vendor
♥ silver bullet warewolf-killing earrings, mermaid's etsy shop
and later,
♥ 1940s sunglasses, deb

drinking chai and snagging an adorable black-with-white-polkadots 1940s-style swimsuit with my brother before hopping in his convertable and blasting some lonely island is a wonderful way to spend a day.

80%20 photoshoot!

green jersey multi-ways-to-wear-it dress, american apperal;
80%20 molly shoes


solid orange tshirt, rave; plaid shorts, forever 21; alien cat, planet neptune;
80%20 molly shoes


brown dress, vanity; 80%20 molly shoes
photos taken by my lovely mother!

i'm not wearing any jewellery in these because obviously the main focus is the shoes! i won them(!!!) in annie spandex and 80%20's joint give-away. the shoes i'm sporting are called molly (coral) and they have a delicious hidden wedge that makes me look deceptively taller. they make me smile! these are just a few outfits i'd wear them with— jeans too, but it was way too hot tonight to try them on. aren't they amazing? i'm smitten.

scheduled non-internet time

the past week has been all fireworks and mountain drives with a fair amount of sleeping in, and tomorrow i'll be camping in conifer for a few days with some of my favourite people. this busyness combined with a bit of food poisoning and my pediatrist's strict policy on my not-wearing high heels until i get the proper insoles has left my most amazing new 80%20 shoes somewhat lonely, and yet! i swear i will wear them (and take pictures) within the next week after my next appointment with the foot-doctor.
so to all reading this (and apparently i've had several secret-readers!) have a fantastic weekend!

nerd-sexy

we all know i'm a bit late jumping on the star trek bandwagon, but damn. that film was fantastic: everything from romance to tragedy to never-ending action. if you needed another reason to love it, i give you the leading men:

zachary quinto and chris pine as mr. spock and captain kirk

yes, they are adorable. yes, they look damn fine in those suits. yes, my boyfriend took me to see the film and has openly admitted his boy-crush on kirk (though you see, i'm more for the overly logical nerd than the reckless bad boy at the moment).

try and tell me why that wasn't a good film. i dare you.

what i wore 24.06.09hello, summer!

in front of pike's peak on sam's parents' deck




i am secretly in love with this giant floppy hat
even though sam thinks it's silly



details:
♥ plain black tshirt, h&m new york
♥ black skirt with white and orange flower details, thrifted
♥ brown woven belt
♥ black floppy hat, forever 21
♥ brown heeled sandels, frenzy
♥ black banded watch, fossil
♥ the usual face jewellery (nose ring + silver cartilage hoops)

travelling with jewellery is such a pain, non? summer so far has been very relaxing, if uneventful. i anticipate drama soon.

the ever-wonderful photographer:

oh yes, my bf is such a stud-muffin.

green is the colo(u)r

everything here is flowers and kisses and sundresses. of course, that doesn't stop me from occasionally busting out that silly video of my professor playing pink floyd on a lefty guitar.

things i love...

things i love london:
♥ the weather. the fog, the rain, the occasional appearance of the sun. it's nearly never too hot. ♥ public transport. sitting on the bus or the tube or in a black cab, listening to my ipod and staring out the window. ♥ the abundance of things to do. ♥ my classes &professors. ♥ reading in hyde park. ♥ the view out my window. ♥ not feeling overdressed in a place where people actually care about fasion ♥ british water; it makes my nails amazing. ♥ the cobblestone streets. ♥ the thames. ♥ having my own living space. ♥ ...london. all of it. ♥

things i can't wait to love denver:
♥ the airport pick-up. ♥ a real bed, bathroom, laundry room &kitchen of my own. ♥ reading for pleasure again. ♥ my brother's antics. ♥ sleeping in. ♥ eating organic food. ♥

morgan potts is a huge nerd.

i do believe i have, for the first time, a mentor: someone to guide me through academia and possible career paths while i float between power politics and the peace corps; someone who's been in the field and knows that getting a PhD doesn't guarentee success; someone who suggests i move to washington as an intern and find a sugar daddy.

this is obviously exciting. not only does it fill some strange father figure void, it gives me real perspective. it's also helpful to have someone you respect ask "what do you want to do after your undergrad?" because you can't flounder about with the same old answer you give everyone else to falsely demonstrate that you have your shit together.

the question remains, but i'll figure it out. that sugar daddy idea sounds pretty appealing...

in case you want to know even more about me

my favourite things.

1. color: blue.
2. dessert: vegan boston cream pie.
3. scent: vanilla or lavender.
4. flower: n/a, i don't have a favourite flower. i'm not all that partial to them.
5. animal: humans.
6. month: october or june.
7. beverage: still water.
8. pair/s of shoes: the ones that hurt the most, usually.
9. snack: dried mangos, for now.
10. song: 'isolation' by plastic ono band (i.e. john lennon)
11. book: catch-22. or the great gatsby, or waiting for godot, or...
12. fruit: strawberries.
13. hairstyle: mine, of course.
14. piece/s of clothing: currently, black jeans.
15. clothes shop/s: h&m.
16. season: fall.
17. hobby: chatting up strangers or political theory.
18. things to collect: crushed dried flowers in tiny jars.
19. movie: in the loop.
20. restaurant: saf.

what i wore 09.06.09

stack of books in the background = my research

details:
♥ grey slouchy tshirt, forever 21
♥ black jeans, target
♥ italian black wedges
♥ black dangle-like earrings, ??
♥ black watch, fossil
♥ silver ring, silver hoops
♥ silver bracelet with black ribbon, souvenir
♥ clunky charm bracelet, souvenir

i know i already posted this same outfit (same shoes even) but i love it so much. the lunch-lady said my jewellery was dramatic. my hair's all done up because my bangs still look pretty choppy, but last night i was told they're "artsy", so there's that.

dear sam,

i miss you madly. i have a bad case of cabin fever from staying in and researching while mes amies have been drinking and getting haircuts and going to free shows. thinking of you doesn't come as easily as i remember any more (except when i'm falling asleep, that is).

my daydreams are filled with tropical islands and matching beverages, dancing in são paulo wearing a deep red sarong, and drinking coffee in mountains taller than in colorado. i'm writing you letters from there, too: with several pages of parchment and my fountain pen.

you're the one i want to come home to.

small ways to change the world: boycotts(or, the start of my corporate shit-list)

• adidas for using kangaroo skins on certain types of soccer shoes. information here.
• canadian fish and seafood for government sanctioned slaughter of nearly 1 million seals in the past three years. information here.
• caterpillar for selling bulldozers to the israeli government with the knowledge that they would be armoured and used to destroy palestinian civilian homes. information here.
  
• cheveron texaco for dumping billions of gallons of toxic waste into the ecuadorian amazon and failing to clean it up.
• china for its continued human rights abuses and occupation of tibet. information here.
• coca-cola for for its repression of trade union activity in colombia, its depletion of groundwater resources in india (causing water shortages and pollution of groundwater and soil), and selling drinks with high levels of pesticides. information here.
• dean foods (owner of horizon and aurora milk) for mislabelling products as 'USDA organic'.
  
• esso (exxon mobile) for doing more than any other company to sabotage internation action for climate change and for being a top donor to george w. bush. information here.
• guess for selling fur products. see a list of uk companies that do not stock fur.
• harrods for being the last department store in the uk to stock fur products.
  
• israel for refusing to abide by un resolutions, international humanitarian law and the fourth geneva convention. information on boycotting israeli good here.
• japan for whale hunting in a protected whale sanctuary near antacrtica. information here.
  
• kimberly-clark (owner of kleenex and andrex) for destroying ancient forests in north america. write a letter in protest here.
• l'oreal for animal testing despite public statements to the contrary.
• nestle for breaking laws on the selling of breastmilk substitutes. also, for tasting like cardboard. information here.
• procter & gamble (who owns clearasil, crest, head and shoulders, herbal essences, iams, olay, old spice, pampers, pantine pro-v, and vidal sassoon) for unnecessary animal testing, responsible for an estimated 50,000 animal deaths each year. information here.
  
• shell for environmental exploitation of the ogoni region of nigeria, despite the fact that they recently settled the case.
• starbucks because every cup of coffee sold earns roughly 2p (3c) for the ethiopian farmers that grow it.
• tesco for its increased use of radio frequency identification (computer chips embedded in products that allows remote monitoring). information here.
• three mobile for investing in the myanmar government despite its gross human rights violations. information on boycotting myanmar's military dictatorship.
  
• toyota for continuing business with myanmar's government.
  

what i wore 06.06.09

serious morgan is serious.

details:
♥ plain navy tshirt
♥ grey high-waisted skirt and black belt, forever 21
♥ straw hat, forever 21
♥ black ballet flats
♥ white-banded watch, fossil
♥ no jewellery! check me out, all relaxed.

this is what i wore on saturday to lunch with kaitlin. we chilled out at the lot and i had an amazing veggie-burger and a pint of carling for £3.75. fantastic. topics included richmond gossip and summer aspirations.

to be perfectly frank the reason i'm all over this hat is i botched my bangs just before going out. note to self: never cut my own bangs while they're wet, because they will be shorter than intended (think betty page's crooked and less-hot twin). in the meantime i'm forced to accessorize my hair though!

songs i can't get out of my head

of course, everything by each of these bands is fantastic. highly recommended.

a partial list of the world's problems that i intend to solve:

1. a lack of access to clean water for most of the world.
2. poor working wages and conditions.
3. privatisation of things like rain water to the highest bidder.
4. low food standards for large industries.
5. low environmental standards for everyone.

as a classical liberal enlightenment thinker, i deem the best way to do this as legislation. go forth! fight for causes that make your blood boil and lobby for fair regulation! i'll see you on the other side.

the obligatory "what's-in-my-bag" post

i've been meaning to do one of these for a while now.

♥ faux-leather black converse bag
♥ faux-chanel sunglasses
♥ dracula by stoker

♥ three moleskines: small daily planner, london city map/write-it-yourself guide book, and a small blank lined one

♥ a little cheap notepad for scrap paper, etc.
♥ a wide assortment of black pens
♥ cute little tampon container
♥ tiny black umbrella, just in case
♥ fake coach wallet filled with $s and £s
♥ silver zippo (you never know)
♥ green silk pouch with oriental detailing, used to hold coins of all descriptions (my favourite is a 5 dollar coin from hong kong)
♥ calling cards in their silver case
♥ blue steel water bottle
♥ blue ipod nano and white skull candys (both usually in their cases)

♥ black flats: i almost always wear these to walk home
♥ hairbrush and several hair-ties
♥ small container of lotion
♥ a bit of that day's make-up
♥ nikon camera and protective case

the giant bag was originally bought to fit my huge old laptop in it, but now it just facilitates my tendency to hoard things. it is nice for carrying my notebooks &textbooks though. i still need to repair the messenger-bag strap that broke from putting too much in it...

for a while i carried an acorn around with me everywhere to remind me of a (now quite former-) lover, but for obvious reasons i've stopped doing that. it's been replaced by a stamped penny from a real-life penny arcade that says "i love you"; i keep it in my wallet and often forget about it, making it even better to find it later.

you'll notice: i don't carry around my cell phone. sometimes i throw it in my coat pocket, but i hardly use it here so it's kind of like my answering machine for now.

huge news, huge relief(i am a student &have the loans to show for it)

my agony over how to graduate on time (i.e. a year early) has had me racking my brain for any feasible way to cram 48 credits into the next two semesters.

resolution: fuck that. instead of sacrificing my education and mental sanity for cheap online courses and a rushed degree, i'm going to spend an extra semester in london. i'll graduate in december 2010, relax a bit in terms of my course-load (5 courses per semester instead of 8, which it turns out i wouldn't get credit for any how due to the ridiculously regulated policy) and take an internship next summer. i've worked too hard to watch my GPA slowly fall under the weight of stress. it also means i'm free to roam the earth this summer/winter. i'll still be graduating earlier than my peers, and i can start a master's programme in the spring of '10.

pragmatically, i'm postponing the real world (or, putting off finding a job in a shrinking economy) for another 6 months. hopefully by the end of 2012 when i have two master's degrees from LSE, the job market will be less dismal.

edit: the double-master's programme i'm looking at taking starts in paris in the fall, leaving me to do some awesome volunteering in the spring of '11. i'm so excited, my future finally seems clear again.

i said hi to nessie for you

i've been journaling much more often (with a journal like this, wouldn't you?) and hence the blog is suffering. it's just not where i write any more: it's where i post.

still, there's something very satisfying about my fingers hitting the keys, and the ability to upload photographs is ever-appealing. so here's a few things that kept me occupied this past week (other than reading stoker's dracula, that is):

hampton court palace. honestly none of my photos are worth posting, as there were hundreds of tourists last weekend (bank holiday) and the lighting didn't lend itself to my camera. andrea, brendan, charlie and i walked around the palace and ate lunch in the gardens while clydesdales pulled fat, pale brits and their children around. highlights include the tudor section of the palace, comparing the portraits of old, fat henry VIII to jonathan rhys meyers, and a particularly interesting suit of armor in the gift shop with a large bulge.

more dinosaur photos here

crystal palace park. yesterday i took the train down south and hung out with dinosaurs. oh yes. they were created in the late 1800s, meaning they're not at all accurate: life-sized sea monsters, giant crocodiles, and ice age moose roamed free behind the fences.

[clever link-sharing title in development.]

♥ steal our ideas ("we concept so you don't have to") has such adorable drawings of ideas for beard stickers on the back of laptops, more convincing anti-smoking adverts, and most recently a "twitter stalker" social experiment.

♥ i've just seen in the loop, and it's pretty much fantastic: witty political commentary on the start of the iraq war &the london/washington dynamic, sharp dialogue and superb acting. the guardian reviews it here.

♥ now i didn't find this myself (thanks, coilhouse!) but it's exciting— fear and loathing in las vegas: the board game, complete with narcotics of varying descriptions and activity cards ("walk around a neighbourhood and offer free cups of milk to anyone who opens their door") &challange cards ("speak only in the third person for 20 minutes") with things to do whilst intoxicated. first one to the end of the board wins the sum of the $20 each player pooled in at the start. (coilhouse's post on it here).

♥ the human development index always intrigued me, and recently my friend brendan linked this article on facebook about a new rating system that gives each US state an hdi, and how both the state and international ratings directly correlate to that state/country's GDP. (yes i know this is horribly nerdy but i think you can handle it). here's 2008's hdi (1^st, iceland; 3^rd, canada 15^th, USA; 21^st, UK).

♥ in the news: north korea is still firing missiles, president bashir of sudan has yet to be arrested despite the warrent issued by the ICC in early march for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and california upholds proposition 8 (but will continue to recognise previous marriages).

restaurant review: saf in london

on saturday i spent the day out:
first i went to hyde park to sit in the grass, eat a vegan breakfast pot and read some dracula; it was late afternoon and sadly, there was no one speaking at speaker's corner. it was so beautiful though that i hardly minded.

hyde park, view from the tree i sat under

next i went in search of the london wall near old street, but after an hour of looking and getting lost i still couldn't find it. no one seemed to know about the bit up there, and everyone told me to go down to the museum of london. old street wasn't a complete bust, because after that i took a cab to...

saf's bar

saf. a raw and vegan joint in the hip part of old town, crawling with guys in skinny jeans with cigarettes outside of local bars. my cab pulled up (usually i would have walked, but i found myself wandering three miles in in the wrong direction) and, like most buildings in london, it looked smaller from the outside than it actually was. everything inside was very sexy and sophisticated. i walked in without a reservation and waited at the bar while the hostess ran to and fro; being a saturday night, it was busy and i didn't mind the 10 minute wait (table for 1). the bartender immediately asked me what i'd like, and i let him pick me a nice red wine. everyone else was drinking that moment's trendy cocktail, the morrocan mojito, but i loved my spicy organic pea risotto. after chatting with the bartenders and writing a bit in my journal, i was seated and ordered the mushroom risotto (saf's website menu isn't up to date, but if you want good pictures of the food then flickr is your friend— prepare to drool). while i waited i journaled a bit more and felt slightly awkward for being alone: it is obviously a place better suited for groups, and i kind of felt like the creepy old guy in the corner. still, the exciting yet relaxed atmosphere had hooked me, and when my food arrived it was over.

my dinner: saf's mushroom risotto

everything was perfect: though it wasn't technically raw, being cooked over 40° C (104° F), it was so delicious. honestly, it was the most expensive thing on the menu (at £14.50) but well worth it. describing the taste is difficult, but i loved it and it just felt healthy. unfortunately i wasn't incredibly hungry and didn't get dessert, but looking at pictures i wish i would have. everything was quite well presented and it didn't have the dirty hippy feel of some vegan joints.

to summarise: i'll have to spend more time in old town. raw food is fantastic. i'm never drinking non-organic wine again.

post script: ratings are arbitrary. no stars or numbers here (or on possible future reviews).

the many things to do in london

(note: i originally posted this list on 31.12.08, but since then i've made additions, added links, marked free things with a *, and put together a map. new and much improved!)

these are things 'everyone must do in london' that i hope to accomplish (updates to follow). i've scoured all of the 'things to do in london' sites to get the best ideas. enjoy!


key: museums; parks (without dots: cemeteries); restaurants; pubs/bars/clubs (without dots: pub crawl); general points of interest
view my london in a larger map; i like to look at it with the 'transit' option shown

1. see big ben* and little ben*
2. visit the natural history museum*, the british museum*, the tate modern*, the national gallery* in trafalgar square, sir john soane's museum*, the horniman museum* (complete with a giant overstuffed walrus), the national army museum*, the royal atrillery museum*, the planetarium in greenwich (touch a 4.5b yr old rock that dwarfs this), the clockmaker's museum*, the science museum*, the clown museum*, pollock's toy museum*, and the petrie museum* (with a torch)
   
3. take a boat cruise on the thames
4. ride the london eye
5. see the prime meridian* in greenwich
   
6. visit 10 downing street*, attend prime minister's question time*, and watch the sunset at parliament hill*
7. see the changing of the guard*, witness the royal gun salute* and make a royal guard laugh at buckingham palace*
8. go on a ghost walk and visit the ‘magnificent seven’ cemeteries: kensal green cemetery*, west norwood cemetery*, highgate cemetery* (home to karl marx's grave), abney park cemetery*, nunhead cemetry*, brompton cemetery*, and tower hamlets cemetery*
   
9. go the gay pride parade*
10. see a play and a musical
11. see a shakespeare at the globe theatre as a groundling
    
12. get cheap standing opera tickets
13. watch a film premier in leicester square
14. seek out an autograph in the back entrance of a west end theatre*
15. visit st. paul’s cathedral*, attend a service at westminster abbey*, visit the shree swaminarayan hindu temple*, listen to a recital at st. martin-in-the-fields church*, and explore the temple church*
    
16. “mind the gap", take buses through central, and ride in a black cab
17. shop at the camden lock market and browse brick lane
18. grab food from a stall at exmouth market and hear the fisherman curse at billingsgate market*
    
19. tour the tower of london and the london dungeon
20. go clubbing in piccadilly circus, go to a proper transvestite bar (like the way out club), go ‘bodykenetic’ clubbing at matter, and swing dance at the rivoli ballroom
21. shop at harrod’s and the burlington arcade
    
22. tour the windsor castle, hampton court palace, and palace of whitehall
    
23. at hyde park: eat lunch*, observe speaker's corner*, watch horses be blessed*, and row on the serpentine
    
24. feed the ducks at st. james' park*, visit kyoto garden in holland park,* photograph the first ever theme park and quite inaccurate life-sized dinosaur replicas at crystal palace park*, visit the chelsea physic garden*, and run around richmond park*
25. see the london wall*
26. visit the london zoo
27. get a picture at platform 9 3/4 at king’s cross*
28. cross the thames on the millenium bridge*
29. explore chinatown during the chinese new year* (or other traditional chinese holidays)
    
30. visit oxbridge and bath
31. visit stonehenge in salisbury
32. eat cadbury chocolate
33. ice-skate at somerset house
34. play london skittles at freemasons arms and east end darts at palm tree
    
35. go vintage shopping at radio days (radios and phones) and james lock and co (hats; wellington and nelson met there)
36. go to a camden gig
    
37. have proper afternoon tea at the wolseley
38. watch the sunset over the thames in richmond on the terrace*
39. visit an old school sex shop in soho*
    
40. make a call from london's first red phone box
    
41. eat raw food at saf, in the dark at dans le noir, georgian food at minino, in a converted hydraulic plant at wapping food, tapa at the tapa room or el parador, fancy italian at vasco and piero's pavilion, have lunch at the ivy, and enjoy dinner with a side of burlesque at volupte lounge (more of london's best restaurants)
    
42. eat some of the world's best curry (i.e. at any of the tandoori joints in the city)
    
43. use the loo at sketch
44. develop a taste for gin at the prince alfred, the duke of devonshire, the princess louise in high holborn, the argyll arms in soho, the viaduct tavern on nergate street, and the island queen in north london
45. drink fancy cocktails at lost society, shochu at the shochu lounge, wine with a lover at gordon's wine bar (the oldest wine bar in london), ale at the wenlock arms, guinness at the toucan, and vodka at the bar polski, and enjoy the river view at the white swan in twickenham
    
46. watch irish hurling in kentish town or kilburn pubs*
47. play chess in a pub like harrison*
    
48. drink all day where the literary greats did (pub crawl): the grafton arms, the king & queen, the hope, valiant trooper, one turn, nortumberland arms, and fitzroy tavern
    
49. bartend*
50. watch the great river race*, complete with colourful viking longboats and chinese dragon vessels
51. go to a football match (preferably chelsea v. man u) or rugby match at the wembley
    
52. cross the zebra at abbey road*
53. photograph farting lane's sewer gas lamp off the strand* and wander the streets by gas light* (in green park and covent garden tube, for instance)
    
54. walk section 15 of the thames path*
    
55. model nude at the islington arts factory*
56. go free running with urban freeflow
57. witness swan upping* on the thames in july
58. be bollywood, learn to belly dance
59. get a tattoo at the london tattoo convention

29/137

more sites with events &things to do in london: 1, 2, 3 & 4

what i wore 21.05.09

the view from my room (no photoshop colour enhancement, i swear it's this green on sunny days!). that giant tree out there is higher than my window, and i'm on the third (or second here in england) story in a castle. it's huge.

details!:
♥ gray dress, forever 21 (does amazing things to my boobs)
♥ white heels with flowers, angels. it's hard to tell, the but heel and the bottom bit are a really shiny silver. whenever i cross my legs in class people are blinded.
♥ silver necklace, nogales street vendor
♥ earrings, accessorize (london)
♥ the usual silver diamond ring, silver cartilage hoops and nose ring
♥ watch with blue water face, fossil
♥ trench coat, (...wait for it...) free! a girl in my dorm freshman year threw it out, brand new, in its designer bag! madness i know, but i got a free coat.

over the corse of the day i changed into progressively more comfortable shoes (these and later these), mostly because the white ones are extra slippery and the stairs here are narrow. i also threw my hair up, which i think looked cute. four of my bags got in which means i have more clothes to play with, and the librarian let me check out a (disappointingly crude) new atheists' bible despite my outstanding fines. for dinner, the trench coat was used to successfully sneak two apples and a jar of peanut-butter out of the dining hall.

over the past few days i've been updating my list of things to do in london and creating a google-map with aforementioned things, which takes a lot more time than you'd think. the point is, expect it soon (along with photos of me doing everything!).

it wasn't a great day to be honest, but damn, i looked good while it all happened.

trans-atlantic travel tips(or, why i haven't posted in so long)

i am in london again(!) and have been without an internet connection for the past few days; the days before that were spent moving out of my apartment in fort collins and packing for the trip. this is the thirteenth trans-atlantic flight i've taken (yes, i counted) and it's safe to say i've figured a few things out. without further ado, my trans-atlantic travel tips (i.e. what i always try to remember):

planning
♥ if you make frequent flights over long distances, using miles is the best deal on plane tickets. otherwise, try discount sites like ryanair.
♥ when you book your flight, request a vegan/vegetarian meal. you'll get it before everyone else and they are so, so much better: healthier, hot when it arrives and generally tastier/less processed!
♥ make sure you know how many check-bags &carry-ons you're allotted. also note size &weight requirements.
♥ check on your seat! find out exactly how much room you have, where the bathrooms and emergency exits are in relation to it, and other such important information. i prefer aisle seats right behind the bulkhead (that's the very start of the 'section'; usually economy for me): no one in front of me to smash me with their seat or wobble my tray table, a little tv i can angle however i like, & i'm the first one in my section out.
♥ charge your cell phone, ipod et. al. the entire night before, just to be sure.
♥ if possible, print your boarding pass out and check in before you leave.
♥ a few hours before you would leave for the airport (or, 5 or 6 hours before your flight) check the flight status online for last minute changes. if it's early or late or cancelled, you'll know! some airports let you check the estimated time spent in line for security too.

packing
clothes i pack nearly every trip i take:
♥ a good coat (usually worn on the plane ride)
♥ two skirts and stockings
♥ one good sweater
♥ a few tshirts
♥ one dress-up/dress-down dress
♥ one pair of dress-up/dress-down heels (think simple &black) and one pair of flats
♥ a good pair of jeans
♥ to fit the most clothing in the least amount of space, follow these instructions. seriously, it works.

other various items i make sure to bring:
♥ electronics and chargers of various descriptions
♥ camera
♥ toiletries (especially tweezers, qtips and nail clippers)

your fabulous ensemble
this is what i always wear on the plane:
♥ comfy sweater, or a hoodie over a tshirt
♥ coat
♥ scarf (a light one in the summer)
♥ easy-to-slip-off shoes
♥ sunglasses
♥ it doesn't matter what i wear on my bottom half, because...

what i pack in my carry-on:
♥ a pair of black sweatpants to change into on the plane
♥ laptop in its own bag (again, check how many carry-ons you're allowed)
♥ ipod and good headphones (i'm a fan of my new grey skullcandys)
♥ dried fruit for snacking; i like mangoes or pineapple.
♥ notebook and pen
♥ small umbrella
♥ hair tie and sleeping mask
♥ a decent book
♥ tiny thing of lotion
♥ chapstick
♥ a little bag of vitimans: flaxseed oil, calcium, B12, iron...
♥ wallet, id, bank cards, passport (note: if you're flying into england (and others?) for school, they will ask for your student id at customs. have this on you.)

at the airport
♥ if the lines are long for the 'normal' people, slip into the priority line. so long as you smile and act confused if they say you're not a premier/1K member/VIP, you should be fine. if all else fails, tell them you usually fly with them and that you don't have time to wait in line before your plane boards.
♥ keep your passport and boarding pass in your coat pocket (if it's deep enough) for easy access.
♥ be ready to go through security before you're in front of the metal detector.
♥ self check-in is your friend. the computers are faster than the airline personnel and all it takes maybe 5 minutes if you've checked in before you left.
♥ stock up on a water bottle and munchies (avoid salt) after you go through security. also, grab some trashy magazines just in case you're uber bored on the plane.

on the plane
♥ reset your watch to be in line with where you're going. sleep at appropriate hours (jetlag be gone!). buckle your seatbelt on top of your coat/blanket to ensure you don't get woken up by a flight attendant before landing.
♥ before you nod off, put down your tray table. if you don't, they won't bring you your food! alternatively, ask the person next to you to wake you up when they come around for food/drinks.
♥ take your vitimans when the food comes: they add to your energy.
♥ if you can't usually sleep on flights, pack some tylonel pm or another over-the-counter sleeping drug. take with food 20 minutes before you want to be dreaming.
♥ drink lots of water out of your water bottle; dehydration only adds to jetlag.

for the trip back
♥ if you're staying in a hotel, grab up all the little travel-sized shampoos, lotions, whatever. they're perfect for weekend trips and you won't have to worry about them messing with your luggage weight/liquid requirements.

other great travel sites &articles:
time out
journal-keeping tips
extravigator.com
gala's articles 1 &2

david bowie is my new style icon

here is why:

young bowie


bowie's first chart-topping hit (number 5 in the UK), 1969
this same year he met his first wife, remarking later in an interview that they were "fucking the same bloke."


ziggy stardust personna, 1972
the red mullet is a bit much, but if you can pull that off then you can wear anything; the scarf is the best part.


1975 by terry o'neill
androgyny is hot.


thin white duke personna mugshot, 1976
(this bowie era is my favourite).


in chicago, 1980 & on tour, 1983


also, this parody by flight of the conchords

bascially david bowie (and all of his alter egos) make me smile. the music is so 70s and competes with shpongle for chilled out drug-tastic tunes. though his acting in the labyrinth left something to be desired, i can still appreciate his constant reinvention (both aesthetically and muscially) and inspired sense of self, the times and the media.
in conclusion, i want to be a fashion-forward cosmonaut too.

the most satisfying feeling in the world

finishing the last final exam and turning it in before the clock runs out.

sometimes, i feel like the loner flower

you stole my friends

soundtrack to my life (this week in songs)

(edit: the player was added 08.06.09)

♥ break the sky by the hush sound
"before the world dies at my door/i'll break the sky/for you and i are going nowhere/kiss goodbye/a dozen times before we get there/why do i need anyone else/when i can break the sky myself"

♥ we looked like giants by death cab for cutie
"god damn the black night with all its foul temptation/i become what i always hated/when i was with you then"

♥ tiffany blews by falls out boy
♥ sweet talk by the killers
♥ criminal by fiona apple
♥ tiny vessels by death cab
♥ who the fuck are arctic monkeys by arctic monkeys

♥ that's okay by the hush sound
"you want to go back to where you felt safe/to hear your brother's laughter, see your mother's face/your childhood home is just powdered white bones/and you'll never find your way back"

things i love thursday & what i wore 07.05.09

♥ new clothes &fancy italian shoes
♥ awkward confrontation (what's a super-power without a war?)
♥ being finished with classes!
♥ listening to my horoscope on the daily (today: sunny with a chance of randy!)
♥ naps in his bed
♥ killer political theory— marcuse is my favourite
♥ hummus on bread for breakfast
♥ long distance skype calls
♥ coffee dates with old friends

bathroom photo session


details:
♥ new grey flow-y tshirt, forever 21
♥ black jeans with studded back pockets, target
♥ angel wing silver earrings and assorted face-jewels
♥ long black heart necklace, h&m minneapolis
♥ black italian heels (honestly the name of the store escapes me)
♥ watch, fossil
♥ silver hoop bracelets, nogales street vendor

this is what i'm wearing to go for coffee with an old friend(?) from high school in boulder. then, another coffee date/wild party tonight. get ready.

forgotten fifteen

1. you are slightly beautiful, and delusional and cheap and quite sad. i pity you, but it wasn't my fault.
2. you are a tad desperate, but i like you. you keep me upbeat, even when you're depressed (and yes, she is doing fine).
3. i still can't stand you. you're not as pretty, or clever, or funny as you think. you seem to really enjoy it down there though, so bounce around all grotesquely and stay there, mk?
   
4. you're bad for me, but i still love the memory of you. 'you' have immense meaning in my mind.
5. you intrigue me. maybe i'll surprise you and see if you actually meant it.
6. thank you again. you're sweet and cute. he asked about you.
7. we'll see how tomorrow goes, shall we? please don't resent me too much (you know that's long over).
8. i love you, more than i've ever loved anyone ever. you mean the most to me, and nothing means much without you. somehow, i look forward to your absence because it means i get to see you for the first time again.
9. i kind of miss 'us'. the way you held me, and how naively happy i was. i suppose more i miss your grin, but you've gone and fucked everything up royally. forget all of it.
10. there's someone who looks just like you in my history class; every week i'm reminded of what an asshole you were to me.
    
11. how could you side with him? you know it was wrong, and you're going to have to face me every day for a month.
12. you will never toy with my friendship again, because this time i'm not giving it to you.
13. i liked you so much in middle school, but it doesn't look like you've come too far.
14. i don't know you, but i kind of hate you for ruining certain things for him.
    
15. you were my first kiss, and i don't remember your name. you lied and said you loved me.
    

russian tea party, anyone?

in the midst of procrastination and web-surfing, i'm realising that i am unique (just like the rest of you). sure, everyone knows someone who adores the beatles, someone who wears heels all day and we all have that former-cellist friend (don't we?), but all in one? that's me. throw in some extreme wanderlust, a love for the antiquated and some long, gorgeous legs with a dash of political debate and there you have it.
this next month will be a project for me: after working on combining my wardrobe with my personality/perfect vision of myself, i want to tailor my surroundings, my company and my library to match. i want more photographs, more travel, more love, more cardio and more excitement! i leave for london on the 16th, arriving the 17th, and for that month it will be different. not only will i look fantastic (hello, 114lbs! fuck i feel great) but my dorm will be decorated beautifully, my papers will reflect my diligent research, my drinking buddies will be all intellectuals, the fog will embrace me the glitter will fall from the skies and the absurdity of it all will inspire me.
expect photojournals from across the globe, small pieces on whatever i'm studying at the moment, &an elegant mash-up of the old world and the now.

post script: previous entries on my envisioned world.

"i think i've only ever had sex before."

today i am sitting on this couch that i never bought, listening to a voice post i found while back reading someone's livejournal. i am wearing last night's cotton summer dress. soon it will be time to pack up my curtains & books & excess of tea & music stand, but he gave me one more thing important to him, one more thing to call my own. we woke up to a woodpecker relentlessly knocking on my bedroom wall (i'm still trying to ignore it). they didn't play the song he requested for me, but icecream made it better. i can't drink my mother's cheap wine.

the lovers
he's normal

indescribable. there are no words.

i am so completely in love. these last two weeks will be magic, because no one can hold me or touch me or kiss me like he can.

belated birthday picnic!(and what i wore 02.05.09)

saturday, kayla surprised me and took me to a park near DU (it would have been the denver botanic gardens had there not been a private kentucky derby party there) for a fantastic vegan picnic! the weather was very grey in a it-could-be-any-time-of-day way, and to be honest i was feeling lethargic but it was still a lot of fun. to match the clouds, i wore:

details:
♥ grey 3/4 sleeve sweater, topshop (london)
♥ new white skirt, forever 21
♥ my mom's awesome scarf
♥ black sheer tights
♥ black ballet flats
♥ fossil watch
♥ cluster faux-pearl earrings, accessorize (london)
♥ pink coach purse(!!!)

i was staying at my mom's and was hardly prepared for the colder weather, but with some imagination came up with this ensemble. my mom hooked me up with the scarf and tights, and to keep from freezing i threw on an old white columbia ski jacket of mine (colorado chic!). the tights got a run in the back at the very end of the day, but everything else worked wonderfully. several compliments on the coach (my fingernails were painted to match).

"everything will be kosher."

he's right, as per usual.

break down

i'm more than ready to be done with everything. i think i might go home to my family tonight.

(post script: this is your indication that i'm not alright. fucking pay attention.)

what i wore 29.04.09

details:
♥ new brown dress
♥ usual face jewelry (nosering, cartilage earrings)
♥ discreet diamond ring from mom
♥ ivory necklace, heirloom
♥ no shoes! haha

new dress is parfait for dancing in the park past midnight and playing on the swings and watching for coppers. it's also good for showing off for my bf before watching a BSG movie. i love it! alas my perfect shoes to go with it are in london.

(older outfit post!
15.04.09)

dress-lust

(urban outfitters)

oh yes, it's almost spring proper and i want more clothes. i think i will go shopping today.

39 things to snap myself out of a slump

♥ shower, preferably whilst singing or screaming ♥ crash a yoga class ♥ listen to crazy-loud music on my killer headphones, in public ♥ wear a dress and heels ♥ go wild with make-up, hair curling, etc. ♥ cook vegan &organic ♥ read political theory ♥ take notes on slides from classes in london ♥ drive too fast ♥ go shopping for cute underwear ♥ write (love) letters, possibly to yourself. seal it wigh wax and hide it for the addressee ♥ wake up early ♥ drink fruit juice ♥ plan a great gatsby themed party ♥ be silly. answer questions with questions ♥ flirt &make a game out of it ♥ call old friends &set coffee dates ♥ buy a plant. give it a ridiculous name ♥ re-read favourite books/short stories/text messages ♥ organise anything from your planner to wardrobe ♥ stash chocolate away. devour alone/with friends/during a romance flick/after sex ♥ make tea ♥ daydream about your amazing future [affairs? locales? taste in clothes?] ♥ take yourself on a date full of self-romancing ♥ go to the bookstore ♥ drink fine wine before noon ♥ sneak into a hotel pool ♥ play with the puppies at the pet store ♥ disguise yourself in huge sunglasses and a trench coat ♥ call up your psychic friend ♥ write your idols using pretty stationary ♥ throw a dinner party ♥ plan a vacation ♥ write on napkins in cafés &leave them on the table ♥ listen to what used to be your favourite album. allow nostolgia to envelop you ♥ develop a strange superstition ♥ get into a heated debate ♥ dance to bollywood hits ♥ tell people you love them &why ♥