* not with ink

Earlier this week, someone reminded me that fall = new TV. I had forgotten, as I don't have a TV or a regular torrenting/streaming habit. Of course  I instantly panicked that I was falling behind on my crime-drama-guilty-pleasures ( Bones  and The Mentalist ), and promptly caught myself up. Bones  is unfortunately not well-written at the moment, but I am highly committed to the characters and slightly crushing on all the men. Sooooooooo, I watch. The Mentalist  comes back on Sunday, and let me tell you, I am pumped. And then when I got home from work yesterday, I was tired and achey and bored, and before you know it, I had watched 2.5 hours of comedy on my little netbook and it was dark and there were no lights on in my apartment... I felt a bit embarrassed, but reminded myself this is not a regular occurrence. And then I decided: this year, I'm watching Up All Night  and Modern Family . I'm not watching New Girl  or Parks and Rec . Maybe I'll watch 30 ...

It started with Fuel/Friends' Spring 2012 Mix (so many things start with one of Heather's mixes). She wrote about "Old Pine:" "I love how this song starts about a thousand sonic miles from where it ends." I don't know exactly how Ben Howard's other songs wound up on my computer, but most recently, the track I can't get out of my head is "The Wolves." I adore his ability to build a song from start to finish. These aren't just two verses and a chorus and three chords looped round and round. His rhythms and lyrics weave a distinct momentum that carries me away every time.

I changed the layout of this blog-thing again. I wanted the other one to work, but it wasn’t doing it for me. We’ll see about this one.  In theory, I am also going to update the bio page to be more professional; something I could direct people towards for potential freelance work. I have been eating a breakfast of granola & plain greek yogurt. It has surprised me with its deliciousness and filling abilities. I don’t get hungry again til lunch! In other news, babies: The adorable toddler upstairs has learned my name and is constantly saying hi to me (apparently, I don’t even have to be around for this to happen) and I just want to squeeze her to pieces. My niece is hardly a baby anymore. She is potty-training and talking and laughing, but not too big for me to swing up in the air and pull into my shoulder and pretend to bite on the ear. Her sparkly blue eyes are captivating – it is fun to watch my brother melt at the sight of a giggly daughter. Have I told you that ...

I wore my fall jacket for the first time on Sunday. It was definitely a sad moment, as I'm reluctant to let go of the summer season. In fact, I've been moaning about the end of summer and the onset of autumn for several days (maybe a week or two?), and realized I need to counteract that negativity. So I made some soup. If there is one thing I love about pre-winter (my new name for fall), it is soup. Soup and stews. I started the season with my all-time favourite Yam & Peanut soup. It's delicious, hearty, and simple. This morning, I walked to work with a lunch-sized serving in my tote bag, and started dreaming about the other soups I'd like to make: Potato & Leek Chicken & (anything) Thai Tom Yum Curried Parsnip Spinach and Tortellini Spicy Squash with Apple (or pear) Southwestern Stew Corn Chowder Tahjine I love soups. And I would love to bring your favourite recipes into my kitchen. In exchange, I will gladly share recipes...

As always, a long silence on the blog compels me to explain myself . Here is my three part defense of my recent absence: 1. I’ve been active! Weekend visits out of town, a new ultimate team (I am feeling very humbled by my lack of skills. I hate being the weakest link, BUT I’m hoping to see actual improvement over the season), wedding preparation for two fantastic friends – wait, four fantastic friends. Two amazing brides and their fun fiancés. And so much more. Good things, all around. 2. I’ve been feeling thoughtful. And private. This past summer, something has shifted internally and I feel much more possessive of my opinions. I don’t know if it will last, but I am enjoying this feeling of establishing parameters and privacy and embracing the reality that it’s okay not to be fully known or understood; it’s an inevitable part of the human experience. 3. I’ve been convicted. A couple weeks ago, my boss found out that I’ve been job hunting. It was an awkward conversation in...