autumn

Good weekends are hard to end because you get a little taste of what life should be like--all the time.

This weekend, I was able to spend a lot of time with a lot of good friends.

Friday:

House concert down the street in Grand Rapids. Stationary Travelers played. Some wonderful women were there: Lindsey and her sister, Natalia, and Kaitlin. Wonderful wonderful night.

Saturday:

Grand Rapids Farmers' Market. One of the best I've been to in a while. Bought myself a butternut squash, an onion, and a loaf of bread. MMM. Deep-cleaned my apartment while awaiting the arrival of Sarah Russo and Lauren Gantner! Walked around ArtPrize. Ate at Cinco de Mayo. Had too much Mexican food and some margaritas. Walked around ArtPrize some more. Nap time/Sex and the City time. Woke up. Gertrude and lipstick. Stella's. #hashtags. Mojo's--too many moms dancing everywhere. Best walk home ever. Holding hands with Sarah. GIRLS. HELLO. Mexican food and more movies.

Sunday:

Woke up. Lazy morning. Drove around looking for brunch. Electric Cheetah in the autumn s

unshine. DELICIOUS. Drove to Holland to see Lizzy/Joe/Allison/Paul/lots of other friends. Played board games on the back porch. Impromptu music-playing. Dinner at New Holland with Lizzy and Joe. Now, relaxing on my couch with a movie.

This weekend was truly wonderful. Beautiful weather with beautiful friends. This is how life should be--a little piece of Heaven on Earth.

another city for a new weekend

While I was driving home from Chicago this afternoon, I thought to myself, "What am I doing still living in West Michigan?" I know there is a reason for my being here. There is a reason I was only offered one teaching position (that just happened to be in Holland). I love my job. I love my school. I love my apartment. I love my landlords. I love my friends that I have here. I love that I am still not too far from home. So...why am I not 100% happy to be living here, then?

The answer to this is simple: this world is HUGE! I have lived in Michigan my entire life, and I am still here. My hungry heart wants to travel and explore this great big world. My soul desires to be in a city that offers exciting opportunities almost every day; a city that holds concerts and street festivals and has parks that run between the city skyline and a beautiful body of water; a city with easy and accessible transportation; a city full of people searching for meaning and enjoyment. This is what my soul longs for.

There is something romantic about musicians. Not that I want to be in a band, nor do I have the talent to do so, but the idea of traveling the country and seeing new cities almost every night, and getting paid to do so, is a wonderful thought to me. At a concert in Chicago last night, I found myself feeling jealous of the men on stage. While I didn't desire to do what they do, I was jealous of the travels they are experiencing and of the people they get to meet.

I am saving my pennies for big adventures. I have a list of places I want to go, and I am tracking flight prices. The world better get ready for me. Who wants to join?

Chicaho, I hope to see you again soon.