Dear Rain,

I love you.

A lot.

I love the way you sound.

I love the way you make the air feel.

I love the way colors get brighter after you leave.

I love the way hot drinks taste on the days you are here.

I love that you enable me to wear scarves.

I even love when you surprise me, such that, while out on my morning walk with Charlie, he and I both end up soaked, trying to race home halfway through the walk, before you get us completely drenched.

I love that we got drenched anyway. And that I ended up laughing and humble, like a little kid, wiping water from my face as we splashed along.

But now I am warm again, bundled up at a coffee shop.

And I love that too.

And you made it all possible.

Thanks for showing up today.

Your fan,

Charlotte

October 6, I Love You

I was going to write a much longer, more philosophical post about some of my reflections as I transition from this home I've lived in since moving to LA to, well, wherever I end up going next. But, then life happened. And now it's late, and I'm off to bed so I can wake up early. So, the philosophizing will have to wait. But it will come. No worries. With me, it always makes it back around. :)

So, instead, I'm going to make you a list of my favorite things from today:

1. The fact that I got to eat red vegetable tofu curry TWICE today. I LOVE me some vegetable curry.

2. The fact that both of those meals were shared with two different, very precious, friends.

3. The way the day felt when I walked outside this morning -- crisp but warm, fresh, FALL.....

4. Did I mention it felt like fall today?! Makes me soooo happy. Fall is my absolute, hands down, favorite season of the year. I pretty much have this deep, underlying, giddy joy throughout the entire season ... even on the bad days.

5. The fact that my dog wore a sweater today, and wore it happily, and well.

6. The fact that I got to spend a good chunk of quiet, uninterrupted time with my best friend, talking about all things silly and serious.

7. I got some good mom advice today. I am soo thankful I can call my mom up, so thankful for that voice that is home.

8. I painted my nails and toes four days ago, and still, NO chipping! (Hey, it's the small stuff, right?!)

9. I get to go see Ingrid Michaelson in concert tomorrow night, and I am SOO excited! I know that's not technically today, but the anticipation occurred today, so that counts I say....

10. I'm on my way to sleepland. Any day I get to end with a good night's sleep, well, that's a good day.

Night all ... more philosophizing coming soon. ;)

And Did I Mention That My Neighbor Found A Bag Of My Pants On The Street?

It was moving day today in my household, which means a few things.

One, it means that I can't wait for a shower. It'll be a lingering shower tonight as I try to soak the heat up into my tired muscles and get my fingernails clean again (TMI?), as well as getting my feet back to their original, much pinker, color. It will be glorious.

Two, it means that we are now drinking out of plastic cups and that I'll be sleeping on a mattress on my floor for the next week. It also means that napkins will once again become a commodity, that I'll constantly be searching for something, and that when I go to cook that frozen pizza I bought (my attempt at "thinking ahead,") I'll realize the cookie sheets are packed. I'll improvise. There will be lots of improvisation in this here household until we finish moving everything and shut the door for good next weekend.

Three, it means that very soon, the three amigos (i.e. my roomies and I) will be splitting up, which is a sad thing. I know that musician Jackson Brown sings about all good things coming to an end. And I know that every beginning means another beginning's end. I know that, as Tom Petty puts it, "It's time to move on, it's time to get goin', what lies ahead I have no way of knowin', but under my feet the grass is growin'; it's time to move on; it's time to get goin'." I know all that song-lyric-ey philosophizing crap about change. But, still, it's sad. And I don't really mean that it's crap. I know that all of that stuff is actually very true. And I honestly have a deep peace that it's time for each of us to go our new ways ... two of us, to new jobs, and one, to school. It's just that I really love my roomies. We laugh together every day, see each other at our worst, get in the occasional "debate" (i.e. argument) about this or that, and then we always work it out. And did I mention that we laugh together everyday? And that we genuinely like each other? Last night, when we should have been packing, we took a break and sat together and belly-laughed until we were all laughed out ... about the most ridiculous things no less. Literally, we exHAUSTed ourselves laughing. And then we had no energy to pack anymore, because we were too tired from all the laughing. But it was worth it.

I think that's got to be at least one reliable mark of a good friend ... the ability to amuse one another and create fun no matter where you are or what you're doing. So, in their honor, a compilation of pictures taken recently at IHOP, at 2:30 am. You know you're good friends when you can be genuinely entertained at taking posed pictures at IHOP.

The Cast of Characters:

The Sleeper:



She and I have been friends for 10 years and share the same affinity for sleeping. So, it's only fitting that that's the position she chose for her pic.

The Jon Elway:



Not really sure that this picture describes much of anything actually true about him (as he's not even all that in to sports), other than the fact that he is a totally hilarious person who thinks nothing of striking a pose in IHOP when we request it. He and The Sleeper have been best friends since 7th grade, and I'm so thankful I got to know him through her.

The Butter Pecan:



Yep, that's me. And I DID just name myself after my favorite flavor of pancake syrup. You guys, if you have not tried the butter pecan syrup at IHOP, GO THERE. RIGHT NOW. Drop what you're doing. Quit reading this. And go eat pancakes with butter pecan syrup. It's not on the table; you have to ask for it, which really makes you feel all in the know, btw. But, seriously, it is deLICious. And, last time we were there, when I told the server how much I love it, he gave me a little container full to take home. That's my giddy butter pecan face.

Anyway, so we're moving, which means lots of things.

But for now, what it means is that I'm off to shower, and then, to bed.

My Day In A Nutshell

It's late Thursday night. I should be sleeping; and I will be, in just a few minutes.

But before I do, here's the nutshell:


Crickets chirping,
and freeway noise in the distance
through open windows,
windows opened in a desperate attempt
to flee the heat of autumn in Los Angeles.
All is quiet yet again,
another day done.
Another day given.
Another day spent cultivating life and relationships,
laughing and apologizing,
tasting tangy on my tongue,
salsa and chips
and drinking lots of water,
and remembering moments
and smiling to myself,
packing boxes and sorting piles,
and doing all the mundane things that are no less sacred
for their ordinary quality,
washing dishes,
watering plants,
returning phone calls,
and laundry,
there's always laundry....
and then prayer,
whispers from my soul to Yours--
a getting outside of myself again
--this daily striving
to remember that what is most important
is not what is seen
and to lean into Your love....
then toothbrushing,
and hairbrushing,
and blog-writing.
And bed.
Oh sweet bed.
Ordinay day,
Ordinary life (which, by the way, there is no such thing-life IS extraordinary),
I love you.

"Home Again Flannigan"

That's what my Dad always said to us kids when we'd pull into the garage after a road trip.

I am home, after three weeks of travel. No more trips for a while.

And I'm also exhausted. So I'll be succinct and to the point (and I'll also include a couple pics of the darling nieceys I talked about in my previous post.)

This post should be officially called:

Everything I Ever Needed To Know In Life, I Learned From...COOKIES!!!

1. It's important, sometimes, to strategize.



2. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.



3. You can never have too much color.



4. When it comes to something really yummy, calories shmalories.



5. When you're really in love, let it show.

From a Foodie, With Love

I went to a Farmer's Market yesterday morning. And for this foodie, let me tell you, I might as well have been in Disneyland. I didn't realize how expansive it was until I started wandering around in it. And as I did, I swear seratonin was a-spreadin'. I feel like I must have looked a little freakish ... overly excited at best ... wandering from stall to stall, all eager-like and wild-eyed, asking each seller, "Can I take a picture of your fruit? Your onions? Your asparagus?" But, people who grow things are generally kind-hearted and proud of their product, so I was able to snap away unabashedly.

I tried to whittle down the photos I'm posting. But it was pretty tough ... what with all these colors abounding. So, prepare to be a little bombarded. Crayola has nothing on God, seriously.





































And my personal favorite, the best kind of Happy Hour....

Hummus Makes Me Smile

I don't have anything wise or profound to share today ... unless writing about my love of food is profound.

Seriously, it must be said...

If pita chips and hummus were a man, I would have absolutely no problem making a life long committment. AND, as if it couldn't get any better, I ventured out of my comfort zone and purchased vanilla chai coffee creamer yesterday at the store. What is my comfort zone, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. When it comes to creamers, I'm a Mocha or French Vanilla or Irish Cream kind of gal. But not anymore. Vanilla Chai may well have won my heart. And, as if THAT couldn't get any better, I tantalized my testbuds with these fabulous flavors ... all whilst listened to the angelic voice of one Allison Krauss.

What is the moral of this story, you ask? (you sure are asking alot of questions)

Pita Chips + Hummus + Vanilla Chai Coffee + Allison Krauss = the good life.

An Ode

There is nothing else quite like you, all the promise you hold.
I wake up at look at you, so unassuming, undemanding,
and I am happy.
How did I get so blessed?
Liberation and the smell of coffee.
I stretch and feel my muscles and say hello to myself, and to my Father, who never sleeps. And then I say hello to you.
I greet you with a dance, a dance I can't stop from doing, because I am just THAT happy that you are finally here.
For a few moments, I am a child without a to-do list.
It will come; it always does. But not now....
I eat with you, peanut butter and jelly oatmeal,
And then we go to Yoga class and laugh at how inflexible I am and try to breath instead of scream.
I roll the windows down and turn the music on and don't care one iotta what happens to my hair.
Sunshine and blue sky and so many open minutes inviting me to play, to breathe, to be.
Saturday Morning, this is my ode to you. Thank you for coming....

A Few Of My Favorite Things

So yesterday, I was reading a post from my friend's blog (you can find her at: http://www.learnaswegrow.blogspot.com/). In it, she shared a story in which she asked her little boy what he was thinking about, and he responded, "good." Just as she was about to ask him again -- assuming he hadn't understood -- she realized that he had, in fact, understood ... better than most of us do. He was simply thinking about good.

This story struck a cord in me, as I believe that we are actually called to be proactive in our thinking, to choose to think about good things. It's harder said than done, I know. And I recognize that this is not to say that the occasional (or frequent) mean, hostile, jealous, resentful, or otherwise unpleasant thought won't meander in as well. But, I wonder, if perhaps we should just escort those thoughts right out the door through which they came, without allowing them too much time in the home of our mind.

Anyway, in her post -- in an effort to think about good -- she followed the story up with a list of 10 of her current favorite things ... sort of like Oprah's favorite things ... only without the maniacal crying.

And I thought it would be a good idea for me to follow suit.

So, without further ado, ten "goods" from life these days:

1. As a grad student -- which equates to being low on the income spectrum :) -- I tend not to splurge on too many nonnecessities. So, I was thrilled when I happened upon a store full of inexpensive, really fun earrings. I adore earrings. You can be feeling so-so, and then -- with the right pair of earrings -- vwahlah. You feel fab. I bought a few pairs, but my favorite pair look like they're from India ... gold, ornate, cascading. They are lovely, and they make me just a lil' bit happier when I put them on. Plus, the Indian cashier at Wal-Mart complimented them recently, asked me if they were from India. I took that as a good sign.

2. Since starting summer school again, and still being in the midst of practicum at my clinic, I have been making a concerted effort to take my pup, Charlie -- who stays couped up in the house while I'm gone -- to the dog park three times a week. On our way there, I roll the window down, and he sticks his head out. There is something that feels so carefree about that drive. The sun lays heavy upon us, Charlie's head sticks as far out the window as I'll allow, wind in his face, blowing the edges of his mouth back so one would swear he is smiling. And then, of course, there's his tail, which wags emphatically until we reach the park.

3. The long days, and that golden hour each night, when things quiet down, the earth cools, and leaves become translucent.

4. Five dollar footlong subs from Subway sandwich. Half for lunch, half for dinner. Five dollars a day. Wahoo!

5. Music. I've been accompanying many moments from my days with soothing, beautiful, soul awakening music. My current favorites are "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap, Jon Foreman's song, "Your Love Is Strong," and Gary Jules, "Falling Awake."

6. My new one-fun-thing-each-weekend rule. In my classes, there is all this talk about self-care. Over and over again, we hear the mantra: Therapists must take care of themselves if they are to be able to offer their energy sufficiently to those they counsel. For a long time, I thought my professors were perhaps being a bit overzealous with their insistence. And then, about mid-May (and almost half way through my program), I felt as I were walking around in a world full of sludge, as if slow-motion was my fastest pace. I was burned out. So, this summer, I've been trying to do one fun thing each weekend, the key word there being DO. I tend to dwell in my head quite a bit, which isn't a bad thing. But I need balance. We all do. So, the last few weekends, I have attended concerts (see previous blog:), dined at an Egyptian Huka bar/restaurant in Hollywood, and gone to the beach. It's amazing how much happier and able to "be" in the room with my clients I've been since this new rule came to fruition.

7. Lip gloss. Love me some lip gloss.

8. San Dimas ... where I live. It's this quiet little community, where streets go silent after 9 pm, people on horseback ride alongside traffic (not kidding), and mom and pop businesses are alive and kicking. It's a solace amidst the chaos and cluster of Los Angeles, calm amidst the storm.

9. A new recipe I just got of another new blog friend's website (you can find her at: http://flyfishesfly.com/). She is living in India with her family and shared a recipe for Aloo Ghobi. I think it's safe to say that I luu-uu-uve Indian food, and I am so excited to make it!

10. Love. My friends, my family, my Abba.

Here's to the good in your life, to naming it, celebrating it, living it. Anyone have any "goods" they want to share?