My Funny Valentine | Ella Fitgerald
Loving. Summer time! I may not be loving the heat (especially in Arizona), but this summer is quickly becoming a source of new beginnings and a fresh start for me (including this blog). I can't wait for the adventures and experiences ahead of me in the next few months and I'm excited to share them with all of you!
Inspired by. Soul Pancake! If you haven't heard of Soul Pancake, you're definitely missing out. I'm in love with the concept and I'd definitely encourage y'all check it out right now with this link here! Soul Pancake was founded by Dwight from NBC's The Office (aka Rainn Wilson) and is a media company that encourages everyone to "chew on life's big questions" by exploring topics like spirituality, creativity, religion, arts, and philosophy. The website and book offer tons of articles, challenges and videos. I've been exploring the Activities and Perspectives sections of the site and I can't wait to talk about some of the prompts here.
Tasting. Red Chard! Up until recently, I considered red chard to just be a beautifully colored version of spinach. I had never tried it, but every time I passed it in the produce section, I couldn't help but be awed by the vibrant shades of red and green. Little did I know, this leafy green veggie would make an excellently delicious contribution to my morning Green Smoothie! I started adding a handful or two of Red Chard along with my regular handful of Kale and I'm loving it! I've also been looking up lots of vegan and vegetarian recipes to include it in and I can't wait to try 'em soon.
Reading. Right now I'm re-reading Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. It's easily in my top five favorite books of all time and if all goes as planned, one day when I'm a high school English teacher, it'll be the first book I have my students read. Salinger is such an amazing author and I love all of the symbolism in his novels, especially those about the infamous Glass family.
Watching. One Tree Hill. I've been in kind of a guilty pleasure show lull since the Grey's Anatomy season finale last week and I've been looking for a show to sub in until Season 10 starts (Suggestions are totally welcome!). One Tree Hill was one of my favorite shows when I was younger and I've recently rediscovered it via Netflix. It's so strange to go back and revisit a former favorite. I'm finding myself noticing all kinds of things that I never noticed before and my favorite characters are starting to become my least favorite and vice versa. I also just saw the new Gatsby movie which was marvelous!
Anticipating. Starting my new job! I'm so excited to be a Starbucks barista and learn something new. I figure learning how to make Frappucinos and perfecting my blending skills will go hand in hand with this summer time heat and my pursuit of the ultimate green smoothie!
Thinking About. 2 Timothy 4:7 has been on my mind a lot lately. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." When all is said and done, I really hope more than anything that I'll be able to say this honestly and nobly.
Listening to. Ella Fitzgerald! Oh my my my, I have been falling in love with jazz and Ms. Fitzgerald has been fueling the flames lately. I've had her entire discography on repeat for days and it just gets better every time.
Drinking. Water, for once. I just got this new app on my iPhone called Fig. It's all about fulfilling your personal wellness aspirations and number one on my list is drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. As an avid juice enthusiast, it's been difficult but I'm seeing the benefits already and I'm sure it's worth it.
Wishing. At the top of my wish list right now is a trip to Salvation Mountain, an art installation by Leonard Knight near Palm Springs in California. It's centered around the idea that God is love and quite frankly, I couldn't agree more. Having lived in Southern California for most of my life, it's a little disappointing that I haven't visited the site already, but hopefully that'll change soon!
