journal / week 3

Week three of these journal posts and I'm pleasantly surprised by my dedication. Even my shirt (above) proclaims how I feel. This week's photos are a collection of shots from the past couple of days (except for two that I took a bit ago). It was a busy one. And gone in a flash. 

Last Sunday, I took a trip to the beach and successfully avoided sunburn, but not traffic. The sun was tired after the majority of the day passed and was much more forgiving during the time I sat in the sand. Despite this, it was unbearably hot, so I took my first swim of the season. When the wave first gripped my feet it felt as if sharp, icy hands had wrung out my toes. But like the kid near me who shouted out to his friend as he pushed him into the water, it's not that bad after a few minutes. Walk further into the ice bath, pause, and it becomes the perfect temperature. 

Monday, I headed to Trader Joe's to pick up some of my favorite things. Have you ever tried the french vanilla ice cream? It's heaven in a pale-beige, half gallon carton. It comes in a quart too, but that won't last you long enough. I haven't come across richer or more velvet-y ice cream in my entire life. If I could, I would live off of just that luscious ice cream. But, don't worry, I bought some fruit and vegetables too. And lemonade. #ad. Kidding, this is not an ad, I just love Trader Joe's. It's the best grocery store. 

I spent Tuesday working. Working and taking a few trips to Target (I went twice). I caught up with things I've been meaning to complete but haven't had the chance to. I also worked on my assignments for those classes I decided to burden myself with (actually, they're pretty enjoyable classes but admitting that just isn't reality TV material and I know that my description of french vanilla ice cream is). And I got a hair cut. Hair grows back. That is all I am going to say about that. 

Wednesday, I woke up with a sore throat and crazy hair and spent most of the day drawing and then took a spontaneous trip to the Art Institute. I got there about an hour before it closed. It was like a marathon. I raced through as many rooms as possible and absorbed everything I could. I spent most of my short time there looking at modern and contemporary art. There's just something special about running (ok, fast-walking) through an art museum. Try it sometime. The remainder of the evening I spent in the park with the roses and by the lake. Thursday,  I worked too. I was supposed to see Chastity Belt play at one of my favorite venues, but I decided to stay home. 

As soon as the first beams of morning light shot through my curtains on Friday, I woke up and finished my homework. It was the day I'd get to visit my horses. They're not actually my horses, but they're always excited to see us and greet us (and we're there an awful lot), so essentially they are. My mom, brother, and I got in the car and drove over. The sky was littered with storm clouds which rolled in and out, exposing a clear blue sky for random periods of time. The air was pleasant and a joyful breeze brought with it only the best memories of past summers. It couldn't have been a more perfect day to spend watching (and petting) those beauties. I can't describe my love for horses. Maybe it's their velvet soft ears or gentle noses or the fact that they give so much unconditional love. They're like dogs, except much bigger. I can't imagine living on a farm, but if I only had to take care of horses, I would. 

That's it for this week. I'll try to post my next journal on time (so maybe on Saturday). Oh, and that block printing post? Hopefully it'll be up this week since I'll be doing some block printing anyway. Until next time. xx