#75.

Late night conversations.

You can never predict when they happen or how they're going to go. It could go horribly...because one or both of you is obviously dead-beat exhausted. Or it could be that unknowingly needed heart-to-heart where you gush out your fears, your insecurities, your excitement, or your anticipation.

The cosmos must be aligned for me this week (in this department anyway) because for the last 5 horribly exhausting days, I have had brilliant and rejuvenating late night conversations with an equal amount of people. Coincidence? Maybe. Crazy God thing where he knows exactly what you need when you need it? Maybe. Take it for what you will but the point is, I'm human and I thrive on social interactions. If the company can't physically be next to me, it better be just a phone call, text, or internet message away.

So, if you're reading this and thinking, "Oh, I talked to Elly at an odd hour this past week" (either US or Australian time), this is probably about you. Thanks for giving me energy!

#74.

Carving pumpkins.

It's a tradition in my family to carve pumpkins together. As my brother and I have moved away from home, the 'together' part of the tradition has ceased. But I still get a ridiculous amount of excitement going out to pick out my own pumpkin and carving it on the floor of my kitchen!!

Any experienced pumpkin carver knows you need the following items:

• A large, VERY serious knife.
• A small, tiny saw for the details.
• Lots of newspaper.
• A bowl for the pumpkin guts.
• An oven pan covered with tin foil for the seeds.
• A playlist with awesome songs to keep you going!
• Toothpicks. These are like the plastic surgery of pumpkin carving. They nearly invisibly hold things together.
• A little bit of cinnamon for the top. When you light a candle inside, a wonderful cinnamon-pumpkin aroma will fill the space! (Trick of the trade courtesy of Mom.)

Oh, gloves are for the faint of heart. Don't even think about it. Just touch the goop with your bare hands. DO IT.

Growing up, my brother was a perfectionist about his carving. He picked out the biggest, coolest, most complicated stencils. And I have to give it to him, he aimed high. But my parents usually ended up going out to buy a 2nd or 3rd pumpkin after my brother "ruined" his. Blaise had drive, ambition, and determination....and ultimately, he did carve the coolest pumpkins. One of my favorites was a wolf howling at the moon. (Pretty sure it took 3 pumpkins for that one and a few toothpicks to hold it in place.) It was hard to compete with him so I usually took the easy road and carved a typical pumpkin face; triangle eyes, a  3 tooth smile, and a nose of some sort. But of course, one year I even botched that simplicity so I carved the word "Welcome". We lined all of our pumpkins along our walkway leading up to our front door and mine got placed in the beginning of the walkway. I was so proud that it was the first pumpkin people would see! I figured that if I couldn't make the coolest one, I'd just make the first one.

I must say, I am quite impressed with my pumpkin this year. Maybe that's because it is the only one that will be displayed at my place so it has no competition, haha. But I think she's fierce!!

The before, during (gutting AND carving like a BOSS!), and after!

And the finished product.....

#73.

Adorable old men.

They're just cute and bring a smile to my face. And if they call me "darling" and are wearing a bow-tie, that's just a bonus.

#72.

A song and a poem.

This past week at my internship, I was dancing to a song. (No duh.) But what makes this significant is the feeling that happened...one that I'm sure you'll know as I describe it. It felt like my body knew the tune, the sound resonated in my soul, and I had to know what it was. It didn't really help that I didn't recognize the words. I asked my supervisor about the song and she told me the name of it: "Mil pasos". It's also know as a Thousand Steps. She translated what I couldn't and it was beautiful.

I wish I could sit or dance with you as you listen. Since we are probably not near each other, just play the video and listen. Don't think or judge. Just close your eyes and listen.

If you can, take the time to translate it. It's worth your time.

This poem also has the same sentiment as the song, which is why I'm posting them together:

The Journey
by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.

#71.

Wrote this one awhile ago and just didn't get a chance to post it until now!!


Kathryn Peterson.

You know when someone asks you "How are you? How's life?" and you get that unexplainable feeling that makes you give a simple answer like "life is good"?

Kathryn isn't like that. She asks and you feel 'oh my gosh I am so excited to tell you!'  Kathryn is one of my theatre professors and she is so kind, effortlessly loveable, and just one of the most genuine people I've had the pleasure of knowing in my life. I was just chit-chatting with her in her office today and walked away feeling so joyful. She has that kind of affect on people, I hear ;)

I caught up with a friend at a cafe later in the afternoon and was telling her about it and she said it's like Kathryn has eyes that just stare into your soul. The invested, loving kind. The kind that encourage you to keep spilling your feelings because someone is actually, finally listening.

Reader, I hope that you have a Kathryn in your life. If not, be a Kathryn. It makes a world of difference to talk to somebody who cares like that.

#70.

I found this note on the back of an old photograph of my grandmother. Talk about a romance!

To Eddy,

This picture tells a story

That words cannot describe

of all the things you mean to me,

in which I may try to hide

The things you do , the things you say,

That devilish glean in your eye,

All put together can mean one things,

I think you're quite a guy!

Now comes the special question,

I've been saving all this time,

All I ask is that you be,

My very own Valentine!

Love, Daisy

1948

*disclaimer: this isn't my grandmother but the photo looked similar to this one :)

#69

This one's coming......ha. haha. Stay tuned.