It's been a great weekend! Friday night I hosted a pumpkin carving bonanza (extravaganza) that was a ton of fun-- our little apartment was squished to the gills! 8 pumpkins were carved, including a pufferfish and an unfinished (and rather Canada- and Alaska-centric) 'globe' pumpkin that is beautiful and looks a little like a howling dog, or a dog blowing bubbles. Much yummy food was consumed! I woke up yesterday morning feeling rather sickly, I think b/c of all the crazy things I ate... But I rallied, spent the afternoon painting with kids at the museum, then sat on the couch and got a little work done and played the guitar and talked on the phone and looked out the window at the gorgeous blusteryrainy day. Then took the bus down to Davis Square to meet LaurieAnn for some party hopping, which concluded in the penthouse apartment of a condo-complex that's built in a huge old church! (Very strange. I kept looking for Quasimodo.) There was a DJ, great music and dancing, silly string, and much moon-viewing from the balcony. I woke up this morning feeling much better, and have already gotten some reading in. The sun's out and I'm about to head to the library to work on a paper, then meet the girls in my museum research group, then do 3 hours of calling at the HGSE phonathon.

Life's getting to be hectic around here. But I'm pretty happy, and these are some of the reasons why:

1. New comfy house with really great housemate (and her nice boyfriend, who makes a mean peanut butter banana smoothie!)
2. Fabulous desk, purchased on craigslist. It's got a huge slab of beautiful wood for a top. Is big enough for me to really spread out all my stuff. Lovely :).
3. The crazy weather, today! It was in the 70s and the wind was blowing like we are by the sea, or something. Clouds were sprinting across the sky!
4. Great friends. I read a quote once (that I thought was dumb at the time) about how it's "your friends who make your world." I don't know that I agree 100%, but I get what it's saying, more and more!
5. Music. I spent a good deal of time typing something up, this evening, and jammed out (and sang) the whole time to songs I haven't listened to for a while. Felt a little like coming home.
6. Good food! I actually made myself a real 'Amy' meal tonight, after going to the grocery yesterday. Squash, avocado and black bean fajitas with peach salsa... Yum!
7. A cup of tea (in my new thrift store mug!).

Have I told you all about my amazing mom? I'm sure I have at some point or other. However-- I am particularly proud of (and amazed by!) her these days. She's learning to be a pilot!! And in the past few weeks, she's stepped it up a bit by going on "cross country" trips by herself...! So cool. She's such an awesome example of really wanting something (she dreamed of being a pilot when she was a kid-- used to sit on the roof and identify planes), deciding to go for it (that's the important part, I think-- the choosing) and then making it happen, with hard work and frustrations and set-backs and victories and all. Whoo-hoo, Mom! I can't wait to go flying with you!

It's finally getting to be fall, here in New England, but I just heard that the high in Anchorage, today, is 20...! Yikes. Already! So here's my list (to be continued, I'm sure) of ways to stay happy in the dark and cold, and it goes out to all you wonderful people in AK! (If anybody has other ideas to add, please leave a comment and I'll add to the list.)

1. Use a lamp, not overhead lighting.
2. Make yourself some hot tea.
3. Light a candle.
4. Wear warm fuzzy socks.
5. Call somebody you love.
6. Have a potluck!
7. Go outside anyways.
8. Buy a flower and put it where you can see it when you eat breakfast.
9. Visit the library and check out a cool-looking documentary.
10. Write a letter.
11. Take a bath (bring a book and some hot tea).
12. Create something (i.e. art, music, a guitar-pick flower, etc.).
13. Do your laundry and clean your room.
14. Cook. Use a recipe you've always wanted to try.
15. Dance!
16. Listen to some new music.

Here are two more pictures from my visit in Kentucky (finally figured out how to fix the red-eye!). How much do you love the big 'ole wide mouths on both of these girls?? So very cute :o).

(by Cheryl Denise, from I Saw God Dancing. © Dream Seeker Books, 2005.)

They'll

take your soul
and put it in a suit,
fit you in boxes
under labels,
make you look like the Joneses.

They'll tell you go a little blonder,
suggest sky-blue
tinted contact lenses,
conceal that birthmark
under your chin.

They'll urge you to have babies
get fulfilled.
They'll say marriage is easy,
flowers from Thornhills
are all you need
to keep it together.

They'll push you to go ahead,
borrow a few more grand,
build a dream house.
Your boys need Nikes,
your girls cheerleading,
and all you need is your job
9 to 5 in the same place.

They'll order you never to cry
in Southern States,
and never, ever dance
in the rain.

They'll repeat all the things
your preschool teacher said
in that squeaky too tight voice.

And when you slowly
let them go,
crack your suit,
ooze your soul
in the sun,
when you run through
the woods with your dog,
read poems to swaying cornfields,
pray in tall red oaks,
they'll whisper
and pretend you're crazy.

Yesterday, we took the T downtown to the wharf and hopped on a ferry out to the Boston Harbor Islands! It was cloudy early on, when we toured Fort Warren at Georges Island, but eventually the sun came out and we had quality time with sun in our faces and wind in our hair. Spectacle Island is pretty weird; Used as a landfill at one time, piles of trash were leeching ick stuff into the water until the landfill was "capped" 3 years ago with tons (literally) of dirt from the Big Dig (a convenient use emphatically stated in signage to be condoned by environmentalists and park planners alike). Next, the entire island was bulldozed, smoothed over and landscaped. The island's newly built visitor center is a "green" building that has solar panels, compost toilets and electric service vehicles, which is great, but I couldn't help thinking about all the displaced and/or stressed out island wildlife. We sat in rocking chairs on the porch, and soaked in the sun. Very nice, but the whole place had an air of 'fake' about it that was hard to shake. Regardless, it was lovely to be out on the water and to get away from the crowds (There was a Sox game on...). My favorite part of the day was skipping rocks and hunting for sea glass on the shore of Georges. I'd love to go back in early summer and camp at Bumpkin or Lovell's Island!

Two things--

First: Here's where I spend hours and hours of my life, these days. It's the second floor study area of Gutman Library, the Ed School's library. The paintings on the walls are all by Sister Mary Corita Kent (a social and political activist friend of Connie's!), and are lovely, with inspiring, grounding quotes about love and service. (Do you remember the first love stamp? It was by Sister Corita.) The chairs are extremely comfy, and there are tons of windows. I like it better here than at the fancy schmancy other libraries. :o)


Second: I love love love mail. To come in the door after a long day and find not just one, but two letters waiting on the hall table... Bliss! As good as ice cream.

The Boston Ballet performing downtown (by the water- see the boats?) at the
Boston Ahts Festival.

The amazing reading room at Widener Library. This is not a very good picture-- there are actually about 30 tables, and the ceiling is maybe 3 stories up. The studying here is SERious. NO talking, no skooching your chair around, no loud chewing. Got it?

Revere Beach-- "America's First Public Beach"
A really lovely way to spend this past Saturday afternoon!

You can't really see it that well, but over top of this entryway to Harvard Yard are the words

"ENTER to grow in wisdom"
On the way back out it says something about taking what you've learned
to use in service for the greater good... Nice.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's house! I pass it every day on my way to class.
(He was a professor at Harvard.)

Downtown Boston. I love the beautiful mix of styles and periods of architecture.


Anna and Amy half-way up Mt. Monadnock in southwest New Hampshire.