The Smiths Save The Day...

I should have thought of this sooner.

What Heaven Looks Like?

Image credit: Poppytalk

Time here in Israel (maybe it's just the Bahá’í World Centre, not really sure) moves really strangely - most of the time it seems as though it's escaping me. Like my days feel like old fashioned movies - ie. moving pictures. As though someone literally has piled all of my days together on individual sheets of paper and is thumbing through them so they're all on fast-forward.

This week, however, is so.dang.slow. To quote my cousin Dana (hey lady!), it's like molasses in the winter time.... Maybe it's the time change. Must be.

But I'm exhausted! ...dear weekend, please hurry!

If I could just go lay down and read a book - nap optional - I think I'd be great!

Girl vs. Wild...

On a scale of 1-10 of wilderness preparedness where Ginger of Gilligan's Island fame ranks a one...
And your girl Kate from LOST ranks a ten...

I used to think that I was somewhere around a 7.1 - I consider these figures on a richter scale like we do earthquakes (yes, I'm a Californian to my bones) where 7.2 is infinantly more prepared than even 7.1.

Friends, it turns out that I'm lucky to even rank a 3.4 on this scale of mine.

I went hiking in Yehudia again on Saturday. As per usual there were 10 of us - safety in numbers, mom! - and we fell into roughly 2 groups.

There was the alpha team (yes, they actually called themselves the A Team) and there was the 'B Team'. I was straight the weakest link. Basically the B Team were the people who would hang back to keep me company in my ineptitude. I swear, the whole trip (the 6 hour tour) it seemed as though I was determined to prove my chartable klutz factor (also figured according to a richter scale of sorts) as more than a figure of my imagination. ...not really sure why they doubted my assertions before.

I won't regale you with the bruises and cuts that now liberally criss-cross my legs, or the number of times I fell or my body simply failed to do what my mind new (thought?) it was capable of. Suffice it to say that today is the first day that I can walk without wanting to cry... which is good, because I have water polo tonight!

Favorites...

Two of my favorite people, courtesy another favorite....

*side note to Kadria & Nays: jhot khalee*

Some Things I L.O.V.E...

This poster ad (courtesy LITTLE BROWN PEN) - apparently it's all over Paris right now.
A good sense of humor.
And the fact that I played water polo this week! I've found a local women's team here in Haifa - it's so good to get back into the game!

...Don't We All?

Garance Dore's crush on London seems to almost as complete as my own!
...she and Scott are in London promoting his new book and doing what they do best: inspiring the heck out of me!
No? Too much? Tough.

In No Particular Order...

I had (following an amazing day o' the beach with jellyfish, rain, and mock-pirates!) an insomnia-esque night last night.
The thoughts that kept me up...
1. how hot and humid it was when I was expecting a deliciously cool rain scented breeze
2. why oh why oh why did I drink 2 cups (!!!) of iced coffee?!?
2.1 but wasn’t it good? Yes, you should make that more often, aimee piper!
3. yes, the teal scarf – definitely the teal scarf, that will look nice and keep your throat warm so you don’t get sick from the rain today.
3.1 where the heck is that breeze!? Oh yeah, open your curtain, silly.
4. sigh. dear Israel: I know that the citizens of your fine country take their religious traditions seriously… but 10 solid days of gun shots/fireworks every night – ALL NIGHT?! Chill the heck out!
Image credit.

Ahoy!

So tomorrow is International Talk Like a Pirate Day - see that you do, or it will go badly for you.
...I know, I don't think I'm very threatening either.

Anyhow, this is all early style (gasp! aimee piper - early?) because I'm binding books again tomorrow! {don't be jealous, but I'll also hitting the beach. Hard... because I'll be a pirate!}

Yeah. So have and nice weekend and etc.Image courtesy of ffffound!

Persistence Pays...

Whew! I did it.... I found the source - and you'll be glad, too. Because in case you're not peeping the four-hundred and seventy-two blogs currently shouting {TOAST} from their proverbial rooftops, you never would have found the goodness that is (drumroll, please) Toast.

This image and the one below can be seen in all of their original glory and context just by following that one little link.

The good news is that they're a UK option - so when I move there, I'll already know where to go for cute things.

*Sidenote:

Sorry for the early am drama - I have no idea what's come over me!

Okay... that's not true - but more deets later.

Daydreams...

I've always wanted to live in a treehouse - Swiss Family Robinson, much?

Image credit forgotten (I'm a jerk, I know). If you know the source, holler.

I really feel like I need to be the girl in this picture. We had our first rain this morning! Israel really needs it. So far it was more like a light sprinkle or maybe like deliciously fat and slowly falling drizzle... but any water is good water when you're in the desert!

I know it seems like bragging right now, but I can't help it (!!!): I learned how to bind books this weekend! I volunteered with another Department here at the Bahá’í World Centre and that's what we did - I bound books!

Sigh. It was perfect.

It's Time to (Wo)Man Up, People...!

I realize that now, as I live abroad (in Israel) that I'm a little out of the loop - and I know that I don't know everything... but I know that the Constitution of the United States demands life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for its citizens. And I know that all of these are impossible when you're worrying about how you're going to manage if your kid gets sick; what's more important? A visit to the doctor, or paying your [fill in the blank] bill?
Dear Congress.
Please get it together. Practice unity. Stop scaring your constituency.
Love,
me.
p.s. I feel I should remind you that Bahá’ís don't participate in partisan politics. This does not mean, however, that we can divorce ourselves from the ongoings of our government, particularly as they apply to humanity, and - more importantly - ignore the well being of our fellow men.

3 Summers ago I had pneumonia. The picture above was taken during my first time out of the house in almost a month... On my road to recovery, I went to the doctor's office many times - but, thankfully, I didn't need to go to the hospital.
My doctor's visits included things like chest x-rays to locate where the infection was and, finally, to make sure that my lungs were clear. I had health insurance through my job; whether at the doctor's or at the pharmacy, I was only responsible for my co-pay.
With a few short weeks, I received a bill from my insurance company for what they considered to be unnecessary procedures. ...like everytime I had a chest x-ray.

*crickets*

Friends - I have to tell you that everytime President Obama makes a speech, I like him more and more. But his Congressional address yesterday was the business.

“The time for bickering is over,” the president declared. “The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action.” (click the hyperlink above for the full NYT article)

Happy Birthday, Papa Jim!

I love you.

*Image credit.*

Headlines...

With follow-up coming soon(ish).
My brother-in-law is home from Iraq! Mer & John: I'm super happy for you!
My friend Joe married his sweetheart Erika this weekend - congratulations!
So yeah, I can't say for sure - but if I were them (I'm not... they're much cuter) I'd feel like this.

Alas... I forget where I found this lovely picture - if you recognize it, give me a holler so that I can properly credit. *Support the artist!*

Beautiful Collaboration...

In case you're out of the loop, the Sartorialist has finally (!!!) put together a book. Okay, yes... I'm excited - not least because this finally qualifies Sir Scott as an entry in 'celebrity'. *hey, Jared!*

Anyhow, Garance Dore - in promoting his first book signing: in Paris, naturally - has this to say: "Scott has a great gift. He knows how to see beauty in every walk of life. He doesn’t focus necessarily on context. He knows how to recognize a detail, the little thing that makes magic. The complexity of an adolescent, the vulnerability of a man, the strength of a child. The fragility in the determined stride of a woman."

And it's so true. His work is truly exceptional.

Check it out.

Horse, What Horse...?

So when I was in London I had this really interesting dream - I dreamed that I was on a city corner, waiting to cross (obey the laws, people!) and waiting just next to me was a man with 2 daughters - dressed completely in period costume - headed to the park (an English park, not an American playground job) to play Secret Garden/make believe. It was really beautiful.

At that moment my 'supposition' was proved: I may, in fact, be more excited to be a parent than I am to get married. *Don't worry, Mom. I'll go in order with that one.*

Just think of all of the cool things you could do with them! Like teach them to love to read and to run and jump and play!

Th Big Boy Room from Creede on Vimeo. Courtesy of Design Mom.

The muralist's name is Tony: support the artist!

Unity Is a Beautiful Thing...

Head's up courtesy of Samimi-Extremie, this video was made by the Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights. Thank you.

It's True...

Courtesy of: Elements of Style

Friends of mine, Parisa and Carmel, when they lived in LA kept an old typewriter in their foyer - complete with paper - so that guests could leave little messages and such. It was the raddest thing!

On a related note, last summer I announced to some friends that I would bring back "rad". It was a word that I felt had been underground for too long. Well... (!) according to my friend Rafaan (of Dog House Diaries fame) I have. There is obviously some debate as to whether this resurrection was singlehanded.... But it's comforting to know that I was at least ahead of the curve.

...Where the Heart Is

Disneyland: Circa 1985

I saw this photo (like 20 seconds ago) over at Ruby Press and got completely homesick. You should know that I wasn't nearly this cool when I was either of their ages! But I still love Disneyland.

Shoutout to my people: if you ever need anyone to tag along when you take your kids... holler at me.