a jewelry box day

Many apologies for my absence over the past few weeks; I have this condition that forces me to shut down in February, which is always the worst month of winter to me. Needless to say, the past month of polar vortexes has completely thrown me for a loop. Seriously, the weather for the past few weeks has been horrendous. Slushy snow canvased by gray skies and dark afternoons. But this morning, I awoke to this:

Sewanee says  "I woke up like this."

The most stunning wintry day yet this year. Walking outside my apartment was like stepping into jewelry box; the snow was shimmering, and sunshine was glinting off of icicles. And finally, a dome of the clearest, royal blue sky. Days like this make me remember why I love this part of the world, even if February is grueling sometimes.

Anyway, today made me snap out of the doldrums for a little while, so it's time to write! I have no idea if anyone actually reads this besides my mother. Actually, she probably doesn't even read it. But if you do, I'm back! Hey, what's up?

Let's see. I'm not one for Valentine's Day (though I suppose I will be "celebrating" with Rob tomorrow...cue conversation about how love should be manifested everyday and not a singular day that keeps Hallmark in business...), but I do love birthdays! And today is my best friend Esther Na's birthday! Happy birthday to this kindhearted, talented, and creative soul. I remember our first outing at Stirling's Coffeehouse and we talked all about what we wanted to be when we grow up and I'm pretty sure neither of us are heading in those directions. Ain't life grand? Thanks for being such a wonderful listener to my stories and thoughts, and for dreaming wistfully with me about all the places to go in this world at coffee shops. You truly are a blessing to me.

Happy Birthday, Esther!

To segue, I've picked up a new hobby which I practiced on Esther's birthday card. And it is...HAND LETTERING! Ta da! I suppose you could call it calligraphy, but it's not traditional, it is, in fact, modern calligraphy. I've also been practicing fun layouts and bolder block letters with designs, shadows, etc.

m-m-m-i-i-s-s-miss-e-e-es-est-esth-esther-n-n-na....thank goodness she has a short last name!

Last week I posted a similar picture of my practice page on Instagram and received a comment from a friend of mine saying "why are you doing this? Stop it." Yesterday I followed up with the above, captioning it "can't stop, won't stop." Truly though, I'm so addicted to it. As an English major, I've always enjoy writing papers and essays, and there's a certain artistry in composition like that, however, calligraphy makes me feel so much more creative! I've been practicing with every opportunity to master individuals letters and to practice pairing them in different ways. Last night I couldn't sleep so I sketched out a design of some lyrics from "Green Eyes" by Coldplay:

Pencil sketch of "Green Eyes" by Coldplay

and the finished product (with a few amateur smudges because I'm impatient and some spacial irregularity):

Finished! 

The sense of productivity you feel after completing a project like this is wonderful. Even if it turns out to be smudgy and uneven, the feeling of having created something can't be beat. After three hours of sketching and drawing words and designs I feel like I've done more than some days at work. I love working with my hands in this way. It didn't take me long after graduating from college to realize that sitting at a desk all day with a computer is not for me. The sedentary work environment simply breeds sloth in me, and my hands have just been itching for something to do. That's one of the reasons why I love cooking so much; because the best tools in the kitchen are hands and they are so capable of so many things. So I've finally found another (more portable) occupation for these hands. Can't wait to continue practicing! 

"8 Days A Week" -The Beatles