Interweb Finds: Cohabitation cautions, things to stop doing & more

January 6, 2013 by Cassie
peace

This photo has nothing to do with the rest of this post, and everything to do with me having fun with my new camera (and glowy, bendy things). In a couple of days, I’ll officially kick off my guest post series filled with some stunningly talented writers and photographers. Right now, enjoy my favorite web finds from the past couple of weeks.

I was recently struck by the salmon walls mixed with graphic black & white accents and traditional/modern flair in this gorgeous Chicago house tour on Apartment Therapy. And by chance or fate, the design-savvy hostess is an upcoming guest writer for WTH.

Many couples live together for the sake of convenience. Studies show that’s not the healthiest motivational factor. Here’s an interesting article on the downside of cohabitating before marriage.

[It’s] what researchers call “sliding, not deciding.” Moving from dating to sleeping over to sleeping over a lot to cohabitation can be a gradual slope, one not marked by rings or ceremonies or sometimes even a conversation. Couples bypass talking about why they want to live together and what it will mean.

More and more people are opting out of the 9-to-5 workday in favor of pursuing their own ventures. A growing number of those entrepreneurs are in their 20s and 30s.

Awhile back, I discussed five bad social habits to ditch. Amanda Genther wrote a post on that very topic as a kick-off to 2013, and I love it. My revised list would include not staying up late, not surfing the web in lieu of a book before bed, and not imagining worst-case scenarios all the time. Hello, reverse resolutions!

You love music. You love food. Why not give yourself the gift of music AND food (records & recipes, to be exact) and have them delivered to your door for a fun night with a friend/family member/lover?

Want to be a great writer? Don’t hold back on messy life truths. An essay on writing and brutal honesty.

This brings me to my one caveat: while readers will applaud your brave, tumultuous disclosures, your relatives won’t. The first piece you write that your family hates means you found your voice, I warn my classes. If you want to be popular with your parents and siblings, try cookbooks.

This is the most incredible, miraculous thing you’ll see all week (or year). A robotic arm controlled by thought. Be amazed and watch the video:


 

BONUS WEB FIND! Second most amazing you’ll see all week (or year): Your pet in miniature. You’re welcome.

Hope you guys had a post-holiday stress-free weekend!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Amanda Genther, Apartment Therapy house tour, Echo Park, Interweb Finds, opinionator, young entrepreneurs

The 5 Year Diary

January 3, 2013 by Cassie

five year diary

Five years used to seem like forever.

I remember thinking as a kid that I’d never come to reach milestone ages fast enough. Though I wasn’t necessarily in a rush to grow up (after all, my Barbie car was the shit), driving a real car at 16 seemed like eons away. Growing up to be a 23-year-old (who, as it turns out, obsessively researches which cars have the best fuel economy)? Unfathomable.

Now, it’s just the opposite. I look back five years and am amazed at what a blink it all was. Of course, as quickly as time has gone by, things are vastly different now than they were then. Not only have I begun a career and published my work, but I also drink good beer now. Life-changing. If 2007 through 2012 could feel so short, the next five years—sure to be full of even more drastic changes—will fly by even faster.

This is what I was thinking when I happened upon the 5 Year Diary in a museum gift shop. Intrigued by the simple idea and design, I treated myself to a little Christmas present. With the swipe of a debit card, I had suddenly made a long-term commitment to a journal.

five year diary

The 5 Year Diary is just what it sounds like—a journal for chronicling the span of five years. You can begin writing on any day of the year, and the coolest part about it is there’s just one page per date, with a few lines apiece for each year. (Each entry is slightly longer than a tweet.) That means once you’ve written in the diary for an entire year, you’re back to the same page you started on, and you can see what you wrote the year prior. And so on for the next four.

For anyone who’s obsessed with journals like I am, this is right up your alley. I have another journal I carry around all the time for ideas and notes (and dozens more before it), but this one forces me to sum up my day or thoughts in a few succinct words. I also kind of like that I began in the back of the book—December 22nd. I didn’t intentionally start it the day after the winter solstice, but I’m just naturally symbolic like that.

The key for me with this journal—which I’ll be lugging around for the next five years—is to remain honest. To be vulnerable and willing to admit when things are mundane or unsatisfactory. I also plan to ask my future self questions. And I’d like to think that the entries depicting my goals and dreams will serve as foreshadowing for the good things to come. I already look forward to when I reach the point that I see my entries from years past. Hopefully, I’ll be able to laugh at my own naïveté, assure my past self that some worry will work itself out, or gawk at how scarily accurate my predictions came to be.

Here are hints at just a few of my predictions for the next five years: California. Grad school. New friends. Anniversaries. Epic journeys. Lots of writing. Thousands of photos. Plenty of doubts. And a hell of a lot of fun.

I think I just had a vision: It’s 4 years and 356 days from now. I’ve got a sudden chill as I close the book on my final entry. It’s the good kind of chill.

Why don't you stick around?

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Filed Under: Thoughts on Life Tagged With: 5 year diary, change, photography, writing

A year in photos

December 29, 2012 by Cassie

2012 was one of my busiest and best years yet. It was also my most photo-filled, so what better way to sum up the year than with a few of my favorite shots? Some 2012 highlights: John and I took an epic trip to southern California that even a phlegmy, hacking cough couldn’t ruin. I got bangs and then spent the rest of the year growing them out. I took on an internship (which led to a part-time gig) at Urbanite magazine on top of my other job until the magazine folded. One of my bestest friends got married, and although I couldn’t convince her to let Bill Murray (their sheep) be the ring bearer, I did get to be a bridesmaid. I attended a number of musical events—the most memorable (and painful) being Firefly Music Festival. And most importantly, I amped up this here blog by putting in more writing time, launching an interview series, and getting to know you guys better. When my hard work was recognized by the Baltimore Sun thanks to your votes, that felt pretty darn special. Thank you for that.

So while 2012 was arguably one of my best years yet, I’m prepared to say the same about 2013 a year from now. There’s a lot I have planned that I can’t wait to share with you guys, and I’m lucky to have people who care to read about my adventures. I hope your own plans and adventures are equally as thrilling—and if not, why aren’t they? There’s no better time to come up with some dreams than right now.

Oh, and psst…

I got a fancy new camera. Don’t worry, I’m not done with film photography. But I WILL be taking a lot more pictures. See you in 2013!

California coast

Hollywood sign

Clipper Mill

the sisters

party time Patterson theatre Baltimore

name in the sand

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 2012, Baltimore, baltimore sun, California dreaming, film photography, the mobbies, year in review

Be present and give presents

December 24, 2012 by cassie

Fatty Christmas

(These are my dogs in elf sweaters—$3 apiece at Target. Best purchase of 2012 by far.)

I made a rather impulsive promise in my last post to remove myself from the online world for three days starting on Christmas Eve. So far I’m living up to that promise—today’s post was scheduled ahead of time!

Honestly, it was long overdue that I take a sabbatical (however brief) from the Internet. As much as I love the web—all the information readily available, the personal connections I make daily—I’m realizing I need to start monitoring my use of it more carefully. As it turns out, there IS such a thing as too much information and entertainment. I believe that when the comfort of web consumption distracts you from creating something meaningful outside of the blogosphere, it’s ultimately to your detriment. Being a writer doesn’t mean being chained to your computer around the clock. It means gaining real-world perspective elsewhere and making a mental note to write about it later.

Christmas reindeer

John and I went to the Baltimore Museum of Art on Saturday to check out the new contemporary wing. Talk about gaining perspective. I’ve never seen a work of art and NOT been amazed and humbled by the fact that what’s in front of me is the product of utter fearlessness, dedication, and reckless abandon. So much of the art we saw was evidence of that truth. Those artists don’t let time waste away guiltily browsing Jezebel headlines or accidentally spending too much time stalking strangers’ Facebook photos. They’re too busy creating, because there’s simply not enough time to do so in the first place.

bokeh Christmas lights

I’m no artist. I can’t draw or paint (not very well, anyway), and it wouldn’t ever cross my mind to sew banana peels back together and call it art. But I can appreciate that someone else has. And I can treat my own creative endeavors—art forms in their own right—with the same respect by spending more time observing, reflecting, and recording without immediately thinking to myself, “Can I blog about this?” It doesn’t mean I won’t, but that’s not where I want my mind to go first.

penguin Christmas

I have to say how thankful I am to have my love for film photography for these very reasons. Whereas writing does have its limitations (it’s only ever gonna get published if I put my ass in the chair), photography forces you to get your ass out of the chair and explore. Before I picked up my 1975 Minolta SRT-202, I never would’ve had a non-crazy excuse to pull my car over to the side of the road and take in the beauty of a patch of woods. The act of photography itself practically begs you to reexamine just about everything, and it requires you to be physically, actively engaged. There are no easy distractions.

Christmas lights

While I wrote this under the assumption that someone would be reading on Christmas Eve (after all, it is a wonderful time to veg out and partake in a few mindless activities), I encourage you to unplug and enjoy some time away from the computer, too. I plan on getting a little exercise, wrapping the last few gifts, and reading (for fun!) before Santa comes. Most importantly, I’ll allow myself to recharge a bit so that when the inevitable return to the working world comes, I’ll have some renewed energy to tap into.

To those who celebrate, have a very Merry Christmas.

Witty Title Here Christmas

Why don't you stick around?

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: baltimore museum of art, Christmas, film photography, writing

Last goals of 2012

December 20, 2012 by Cassie

peace

December is naturally a time to reflect on the past year and eagerly look ahead to the next. But in the midst of the holiday craze (not to mention the end of the world!), it’s easy to forget to take care of ourselves, be present, and not rush the last few days of the year. I confess—over the past couple of weeks, I’ve done a disservice to my mind and body by staying up way too late every night, because it seems like there’s just too much to do. More often than not, though, I’m up late because I can’t pry myself away from the computer. This blog here has seen some substantial growth over the past several months, and I am admittedly obsessed with watching that pan out. (You can only refresh your stats so many times in one hour, but apparently I’m out to challenge that notion.) On top of that, my dedication to exercise is waning lately, and I find myself running only two miles instead of three, or skipping the gym altogether. No bueno.

Despite all this, I started December on an upbeat note because there’s a lot to celebrate and much more to accomplish yet. I came up with a few healthy goals for the last days of 2012, and I’ve already checked some of them off my list. Others are a work in progress and will overlap into the new year. Here’s what I want to do before we ring in 2013, granted the world makes it past the 21st:

Renew my enthusiasm for fitness. Maybe my half-hearted exercise routine has become exactly that—routine. Too routine. It’s only a matter of time before the treadmill makes you feel like a hamster on a wheel. To shake that feeling, I finally took advantage of the beginners’ yoga gift card (and yoga mat) John gave me for my birthday, and I’m learning something new while gently challenging my body. It’s also the perfect destressor for the busiest time of year.

Pitch a story/blog post. I’ve been so focused on my blog lately that I’m slacking when it comes to publishing elsewhere. Writing for other sites will not only help keep my portfolio fresh, but it’ll also introduce new people to my own blog. Query sent and approved, draft in the works. Back in the game!

Expand my vocabulary. Words like “awesome” and “definitely” are definitely awesome, but those words have synonyms. And those synonyms have synonyms. Over the past few months, I’ve made a regular habit of learning new words (or relearning words I thought I knew the meaning of… whoops), and it’s something I plan on keeping up. I promise not to get all vainglorious on you.

Plan in advance. I’m pretty sure I enhanced my grown-up status when I created a Google calendar… for my personal life. I’m also starting to use it as an editorial calendar for WTH. This will hopefully prevent me from freaking out over what I’m going to write in January when I go full-time and keep track of all my upcoming guest writers. (You guys are in for a treat!)

Unplug. For three full days starting Christmas Eve, I will not have an online presence. No blogging, no stat checking, no tweeting, no Facebooking. Truth is, I need a break from the web in a bad way, and I should be spending that time with my family anyway. When I’m not eating mashed potatoes or hogging my sisters’ remote-controlled helicopter, I’d like to focus a little bit more on myself. Hear my thoughts more clearly. Get creative in other ways so I have something worth writing about here. Since I don’t have a smart phone, it’ll be a little easier to not get distracted from this most important goal.

To me, this list serves as a great reminder that 2012 isn’t over yet, and there are still a few things I can do before I make those midnight-on-New-Year pancakes. (This will be the third year running of said pancakes, and it’s pretty much the best and only tradition I’ve ever established. You’re welcome to borrow it.) Why wait until 2013 to make a resolution you might not keep? Why not make a few smaller, more immediate goals instead? It’s still 2012. What will you accomplish in 2012?

Why don't you stick around?

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 2012, film photography, new year, setting goals, the end of the world

Interweb Finds: A Victoria’s Secret prank, the science of optimism & more

December 16, 2012 by Cassie

San Francisco house

I attended another beginners’ yoga class yesterday, and before the session came to an end, the instructor asked us to think of what we have to be grateful for. It was a no-brainer for me. This week, I am especially grateful to have my family.

Let’s see some of the web highlights from this week…

Notice how every house tour I share is in California? This gorgeous Pacific Heights, San Francisco home (pictured above) is move-in ready as far as I’m concerned.

The creators of Uglydolls reached a point in their success where they had to decide to either quit or go all the way with their idea. (I know because I watched a lot of TV yesterday, and they were on the show “How I Made My Millions.”) An article I read earlier this week addresses that dilemma asking, Is it time for you to stop dabbling and get serious?

Is it dorky that I just want to give all my loved ones pretty calendars for Christmas? This lunar calendar also doubles as a lovely piece of art. Maybe I’ll just buy one for myself.

Feminists put Baltimore on the map in this Victoria’s Secret prank. The chain’s PINK line  seemed as though it was taking a step in a (gasp!) woman-empowering direction. (The panties with “Consent is Sexy” on the croch are a nice change from “Sure Thing.”) The store’s own employees were gushing with pride. But nope. Just a hoax that VS was forced to address. (An interview with the pranksters here.)

A fascinating read from Brain Pickings about the science of optimism.

Optimism starts with what may be the most extraordinary of human talents: mental time travel. That is, the ability to move back and forth through time and space in one’s mind. To think positively about our prospects, it helps to be able to imagine ourselves in the future. Although most of us take this ability for granted, our capacity to envision a different time and place is critical for our survival.

Speaking of Brain Pickings, here’s an interview with the woman behind the site.

The woman who rails against her contemporaries for turning their backs on old books said she had no interest in writing one. “That’s such an antiquated model of thinking,” she said. “Why would I want to write something that’s going to have the shelf life of a banana?”

Photographer Tim Flach’s More Than Human features beautiful images of surprisingly expressive creatures.

After the tragic and horrific events in Connecticut on Friday, I felt conflicted and guilty about engaging in an act as trivial as blogging. (These things give us all a somber dose of perspective.) I decided not to write about it at length—I have no appropriate words. But there are ways we can help. Aside from that, all we can do is make a promise to never forget those victims and their families.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: brain pickings, help Connecticut victims families, Interweb Finds, science of optimism, Victoria's Secret prank
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