the perks of being a wallflower/artist of the day

first of all, if you haven't read this book, you should probably get on that. second of all, there really are some great perks to being a wallflower.  coming from a girl who has been a wallflower most of her life, sometimes i think i prefer being the wallflower as opposed to the person standing in the lime light.  there's just something about observing people (not in a creepy way) and studying their personalities that's so entertaining.  it's like you can see into their soul just by interpreting their words, body language, clothing and life style.  sure, being a wallflower might be lonely sometimes but i think you can really understand a person if you observe their daily actions.  sometimes i don't think people take enough time observing each other. here are some of my favorite perks of being a wallflower quotes:

I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands and doesn’t try to sleep with people even if they could have. I need to know that these people exist.

So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.

Maybe it’s sad that these are now memories. And maybe it’s not sad.

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”

“Sometimes people use thought to not participate in life.”

Then I turned around and walked to my room and closed my door and put my head under my pillow and let the quiet put things where they are supposed to be.

And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.

I am very interested and fascinated how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other.

I used to listen to it all the time when I was little and thinking about grown-up things. I would go to my bedroom window and stare at my reflection in the glass and the trees behind it and just listen to the song for hours. I decided then that when I met someone I thought was as beautiful as the song, I should give it to that person. And I didn’t mean beautiful on the outside. I meant beautiful in all ways.

It's kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and you say your name. And it gets to a point where none of it seems real. Well, sometimes, I can do that, but I don't need an hour in front of a mirror. It just happens very fast, and things start to slip away. And I just open my eyes, and I see nothing. And then I start to breathe really hard trying to see something, but I can't. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, it scares me.

I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you do exist. Or something like that. I think wanting that is very morbid, but I want it when I get like this. That’s why I’m trying not to think. I just want it all to stop spinning.

I just laid around in my bed, looking at the ceiling, and i smiled because it was a nice kind of quiet.

It’s much easier not to know things sometimes. And to have french fries with your mom be enough.

Things change. And friends leave. And life doesn’t stop for anybody.

“I would die for you. But I won’t live for you.”

“If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it too. I want them to be able to do whatever they want around me.”

So, I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them

Maybe it's good to put things in perspective, but sometimes, I think that the only perspective is to really be there. Like Sam said. Because it's okay to feel things. And be who you are about them.

Please believe that things are good with me, and even when they’re not, they will be soon enough. 

And this brings me to the artist of the day: The Smiths.  Their song "Asleep" is mentioned numerous times in the perks of being a wallflower so i think it is only appropriate to make them artist of the day :)

"If you listen to the song “Asleep,” and you think about those pretty weather days that make you remember things, and you think about the prettiest eyes you’ve known, and you cry, and the person holds you back, then I think you will see the photograph."-Charlie

catch up on your alone time,

hill

The Desk Diaries... A Special Edition

So here we are, in the middle of the semester. And in our current state of mind(s) I thought it would be appropriate to look at the current state of our desks. 

Hillary's Desk

1. Here we see a relatively tidy desk, some new and may I add highly illegal christmas lights (and you are right, they are not just for christmas anymore) 
2. A nice neat little stack of books on the left side is quite minute compared to the other English book stacks. From my desk I can see about three different of knee high stacks. 
3. The Peace, Love and Ron Paul sticker is a nice touch along with the other little quotes and letters and pictures. 

 My Desk

1. My desk is usually quite clean (I promise mom) but the only things that seem to clutter my desk... things I don't need or just distract me from my homework.  Like a box of nose rings, a yellow globe, a composition notebook and waay too many bizarro comics. 
2. I also like to see how many stickers or magnets or pictures or flowers or notecards into one space.

Kelcey's Desk

1. Well, her it is folks. Climbing harness and shoes (No, I did not force Kelc into climbing Mom...) a computer on top of a mountain of papers and papers and tshirts and coffee mugs and earrings and letters and wallets and make up and picture frames... 
2. I think Kelcey's desk reflects how my brain looks. thats my girl. 

There you have it.

Go clean you room, 

rach.

Mother's Day...?

So, the girls of theindieattic have recently picked up some letters, and by letters I mean mail and those of the greek variety. I must start with a disclaimer, I never thought I would have picked up a greek organization, it always look extremely fun, and who doesn't like fun?? But I will save my story of becoming a KD for another time. Mainly, I just want to show off the beautiful investment that certain girls have given to Kelc and I.  Hill happened to be one of those investors for another beautiful freshman (oops, forgot this was Hogwarts) freshman, first year. I wish I got some pictures of Hill crafting for her 'little.' So much time and love and puffy paint. 

Anyway, here is a bulletin board that my 'big' gave to me. Still have no idea who she is, but clearly knows some very important facets of my personality.  I love the color red and yellow. I love flowers. I love crafting. The accouterments I just added (like the goat picture, duh!) But soak in the beauty of this new addition to theindieattic. 

Here we move on to Kelcey's Phi Mu gift. Flowers. Every girl deserves flowers. But really they do.  Since I have known Kelc (yes, about a year, but best friendship transcends time) she has been adamant about one wish for her future... her husband, right before the wedding will pick her a bouquet of wild flowers. (I hope she is okay with me sharing this!!) But anyway, nothing could be more appropriate for our gal Kelc.

Enjoy all the support that is around you, 

rach.

artist of the day

today's artist: dave matthews band

this is definitely in my top 5 dave songs. the lyrics are so good. ah. The Indie Attic LOVES dave.  i can't stop listening to him today. just heard news that he's touring this summer!!! so excited. i'm too lazy to write anything else.

have a sunny day,

hill

Today.

This is exactly what I expected. Valentine's Day. My fingers are itching to formulate some sort of diatribe articulating exactly how much I hate this Hallmark holiday and everything it stands for.  But no! That would reduce this blog to nothing better than a glorified teenagers facebook status.

So, seeing as this is not a Valentine's Day post or an Anti-Valentine's Day post, the only reasonable thing to do would be....

Monkeys riding Goats.

Keep it cool,
Rach

artist of the day

today's artist: bassnectar

today's artist is bassnectar.  i may or may not have chosen bassnectar because rach, kelc and i were rocking out to my dubstep mix on the way to the good old salval today and now, as i sit here trying to read for my evolution class, surrounded by 3 wonderful people, with my big fat greek wedding playing in the background, i can't stop singing this song in my head. so here it is. bassnectar is like a mellow, trippy dubstep.

not everything in this magical world is quite what it seems,

hill

burn one down

There is something that is so pure about atmosphere.  The words exchanged, the decisions made, the ideas thought and the emotions felt are real.  Often times I wonder about the quote, "it's not the location that makes the place, its the people who make the place."  Is that true? Life in its purest and most simple form allows happiness anywhere but since when has life been pure and simple?  This is not a pessimistic rant, or I hope it is not read in that way, but as a college student, life can be described in two words... complicated. 

Everyday begins and ends with same combination of thoughts and reactions.  The days blend together but there are two things (for I cannot find a better word than 'things') that make the moment/day/week memorable, and that happens to be 1. People and 2. The Atmosphere.  When the indieattic has visitors, the three of us are on our A game.  When the sunlight streams through the prayerflags adorning my window and I snooze my alarm just one more time, just to lay in my bed, awake, enjoying the hillsidian sun. 

Lets combine the two aspects of intentional living... and that would be setting the atmosphere with the people whom I cherish...

burn one down,

rach

(don't tell our RA)

artist of the day

today's artist: Bob Marley

who doesn't enjoy a little marley every now and again? or rather, every day? bob marley is best known for his reggae beats with a jamming quality. although people associate bob marley with marijuana probably more than any other music artist, the majority of marley's songs are centered around God, faith, happiness, and peace. i actually hate the fact that people associate him with smoking so much because i think he would be kinda disappointed if he knew that most people only think of him as a pot head. marley marked the reggae movement and has influenced numerous artists over the years. i picked "redemption song" because i'm trying to learn it on the guitar and also, rachael pointed out that it sounds like he says "theta chi" at the beginning. which is funny, to me at least.

hill

breathe in. breathe out.

overwhelmed. i spend a majority of my life feeling overwhelmed. and the way i escape the feeling is by making myself take numerous naps throughout the week. but then the feeling just gets worse when i wake up. sometimes i think sleeping will solve all of my problems because i enter a dreamland where i can do whatever i want. and sometimes i don't want that dreamland to be over. 

so here's the point of this post. i vow to not let myself get overwhelmed this semester. no more naps when i should be writing a paper or finishing a HW assignment. yes, i have about 200 pages of reading a week and hardly any free time to breathe...but i gotta remember to relax and enjoy every second that i'm still in school, surrounded by friends, not worrying too much about money, and knowing that my titan card will most likely get me food until the end of the semester. 

sometimes you just have to sit down. evaluate your life. figure out if you're actually super busy and bogged down with work, or if you're just making the things you have to do seem so much worse than they actually are. breathe. drink a coffee. enjoy your reading assignments. put on your favorite album and let the creativity flow.  we're young and should be enjoying life. worrying is for old people.

happy thoughts,

hill

artist of the day

today's artist: coldplay

today's artist is coldplay. today was kinda windy and rainy. it was significantly colder than the 60 degree weather yesterday. i took 2 naps back to back. i drank tea. i read a depressing novel. 2 sad things happened to 2 different friends. it's andrew scott miller day. so what better artist than coldplay? coldplay is one of the those bands that can make me feel happy when i'm sad...but if i'm feeling sad and antisocial and don't necessarily want to feel happy, i can still listen to certain coldplay songs. and by doing so, i feel like chris martin knows exactly how i'm feeling at that moment and lets me know it's okay to be sad sometimes. so here you have it. one of my favs from the new album, "paradise."

take a nap,

hill

The Happy List

Today is simple. Today is wonderful. The breeze is dancing the curls around my face. The grass is greener and my professor let us out of class early because she is pregnant.

With that being said dear reader, (I did learn that term today in class, when a character steps back and addresses the audience, it is called the fourth wall) I will contnue my tradition of The Happy List.

1. Opening windows. I know why the caged bird sings mentality. It is making me type fast so I can then run back outside.
2. Leaving pictures behind for others. Mountains and a Psalms quote for Chrissy.
3. Jack Johnson's live version of Bubble Toes/Express Yourself
4. Riiiiiiiiicola
5. Climbing in the morining. Well all the time, but it seems like a treat before classes.
6. "But it's not what you look like when your doing what your doing, it's what your doing when your doing what you look like your doing." I just can't get that out of mi cabeza
7. Meerkating
8. On the huntdown for the juggling freshman
9. Rock and Ice magazines filed as if they are important office documents (they are!)
10. Chillin' in Chile while eating Chili

god speed,
Rach

What did the lumberjack say about the mathematician who couldn’t dance?

... "Man, that guy needs to learn some logarithm."

anyway. I have been in a very intense lumberjack kick lately. and with that being said, i have been perpetually dressed like a lumberjack, maybe it's lumberjill...? Some basic facts about this wardrobe, the flannel was thrifted at the Salvation Army in close proximity to Pine Springs Camp ground, the leggings have a hole in the left knee area, the sock are burnt orange nordic print, my knifty (see what i did there?) sister, Justine, knitted the tube scarf for me and the boots are old LLBean i happened to filch from my Ma and are a size too small but i have worn them so much they have stretched into a comfortable size.

I was on my way to math class (yes, with the professor I have a husband crush on) and made some green zen tea to go along with the cool morning. no jacket, beautiful weather. 

 the little smilie bicycle pin is from EMS where i signed a petition to help expand the roads in central PA for more biking friendly routs. 

In the honor of lumberjack fascination, lets go plant a tree :)

keep it real, 

rach. 

artist of the day

today's artist: phantogram

today's artist is phantogram.  although i have heard their music before, i just recently started listening to it a lot more (thanks matt). so here you have it.  the indie pop duo from new york defines their music as "street beat, psych pop." this is another good artist for just chilling, working on homework, or staring at the ceiling.

get your R&R on,

hill