you shall love your crooked neighbor

gala darling style.

perfect. just perfect.

food that is oh-so worth the wait & never, ever disappoints.

“there’s a great picture of jake, sitting outside on the porch. he’s laughing, & he has his hand up to his mouth, like he’s going to catch the laugh” + remembering how genius kelly link is.

i’ve got to stop opening text’s from gillian in public because it’s pretty hard to explain why you’re laughing so maniacally about a studded dress without sounding like a whore.

O NEW HOPE, by drum, fife & horn, prepare!
for i’m a turnhurling madness,
driving fire upon ice fields of air.
except hailey’s already gone,
taking HOPE with her.
—mark z. danielewski, only revolutions

forever: “as soon as he sees her, hope fills his eyes” & one more week.

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. “yeah, i have a snuggie. don’t be a hater. i also have a hot pocket!” + “come on, it’s the two-thousandsies!”
2. walking out of my last class for the semester (!!)
3. “i think what i’ll miss the most about tuscaloosa is how everywhere smells a little bit like barbeque & victory.”
4. the problem with wikipedia
5. sam cooke, for turning the worst of moods around + an end in sight

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. catching up on sleep + every single thing about matt smith’s face
2. being just on time all day long
3. mr. mcbride, for teaching me long ago how to write under pressure
4. calloused hands + “listen to my irish accent. oh, wait. that was australian. listen to my real irish accent!” + teeth that are barely crooked
5. oversized t-shirts to sleep in & ceiling fans on full speed

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. cooler weather, for bringing back long-sleeve flannel one more time
2. atlantic v. pacific, the columbia river gorge, & the way people look when they talk about something they’re looking forward to
3. “jam your elbows in that stomach, breathe in those shampoo fumes, & squeeze your knees into the puffy cushions while spooning into a quick catnap on the couch”
4. the last of this semester’s busy tuesdays at long, long last
5. “jake’s hair smelled like iced tea with honey in it, after all the ice has melted.”

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. “i fell so completely in love with these shoes, i bought enough pairs to last my whole lifetime. this is my last pair.” + “we breathe. we pulse. we regenerate. our hearts beat. our minds create. our souls ingest. thirty-seven seconds, well used, is a lifetime.”
2. when cloudy skies & cool breezes coincide with field work
3. city cafe, little italy, & pancakes for dinner
4. snowy beards & heart explosions
5. one paper & one lab down + two papers & two exams to go.

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. tomato dreams again + “the first on my list of things i should keep, the last one around when i’m falling asleep”
2. “you said… you said… french terst!!!”
3. kashi oatmeal cookies + molten lava cakesss
4. “that people will only like them for who they are, not the contrived figure they desire to present. that they can change, & feel good about themselves.”
5. deep breaths & sleeping

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. morning coffee, 70° with a breeze & the loudest thunder
2. thank you for reminding me that sarah kay is so, so wonderful + “the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape”
3. cucumber shampoo + burt’s bees lipstick
4. saying exactly the right thing
5. feeling more accomplished in one tiny day than i have all semester + one million pounds off of my shoulders + WHAT. THE. WHAT. only ten days!

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. happy birthday, sister!
2. “no wonder your hair is so big. it’s full of secrets.” + how you park your bike
3. those ten perfect minutes right before a thunderstorm. finally.
4. 2:04-2:27 & 3:14-3:34
5. the rain, for washing away all of this pollen + thunderstorm sleep, eventually

gala darling style

rachel’s unbelievably accurate description of what i assume summer in the naomi house will be like.

ezra klein’s new haircut is adorable. political crush fo sho!

leaving the west wing on in the background to keep me company,

look at this sweet face we found while doing field work!

“darling, you send me. i know you send me. honest, you do.” (still, forever, & YESBUTTIMESAMILLION.)

GILLIAN! remember this? they’re here! + coming up with better ideas for this summer every single day

pepper place is back saturday!

——————————————————
“this life, it hurts sometimes, and you cry to sleep and you wake up heavy-hearted but remember: the earth does not stop. your heart keeps going and your limbs keep moving and you sleep it off, you wake up new, and you face the day with eager, shining eyes, and you love with a full, full heart.”
——————————————————

forever: my postal revolution letter, seemingly endless beautiful weather, w.g. snuffy walden, pain relievers & melatonin after long days in the woods, blue cardigans & printed linen, “as soon as he sees her, hope fills his eyes,” fort inspiration, every single library employee, less than two weeks until freedom (WHOAWHOAWHOAWHOAWHOA), stronger muscles, sunset from the lurleen wallace bridge, river road after 6 p.m., & the curvy road because it means home.

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. “oh, c’mon. let me buy her love while i can still afford it.”
2. the last classes of the semester + sun-bleached hair
3. how gillian & i only text about the v. important things, like food we’re going to eat this summer, reality television that involves teen pregnancy or addiction, & people we hate
4. “you’re different here, too. you’re mean in england!” + “who wouldn’t want you?”
5. if it’s the mountain’s bending rivers, then you will have them + heavy sighs & giant pillows

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. the best melatonin dreams + waking up before my alarm clock
2. how novacaine will never, ever cease to trip me out
3. the lonesome crowded west
4. making it through the day despite near-constant yawns
5. “i’m out on the highway in the desert unknown. i’ll find a way to get back to you, though.”

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. “you know what the tough thing is about being married?” “actually being married?” + the backyard from boy meets world
2. the best of news when you were expecting the worst
3. warm sun on your shoulders + plenty of walking
4. jin&sun reunited! about time.
5. only one more tuesday left & time is only speeding up + sleeping off headaches

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. remembering for the millionth time that nothing is better early, early in the morning than the hottest coffee
2. an early end to field work + surprise puppy dogs!
3. how crazy-good it feels to finish a paper & realize it’s only 4:30 PM rather than 12:30 AM
4. the curly ends of guitar strings + familiar voices
5. “‘the president, while riding a bicycle on his vacation in jackson hole, came to a sudden arboreal stop.’ what do you want from me?” “a little love, leo.”

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. brinkley + “honey?” “yes?” “i was the horrible one.” + bouquets of sharpened pencils + “i hope you feel better soon. it would be a shame to miss new york in the spring.” “thank you for the daisies.” + movies that never, ever get old
2. cleaning to pass the inevitable sunday afternoon anxiety
3. sister! thanks for all of the tv giggles, whisper fights, & good company. i hope you enjoy your new apartment, denny-dog & job!
4. 76 degrees with a light breeze = the perfect back porch weather
5. new playlists for tomorrow’s long drives + getting all the sleep i can

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. “the world is wide, & i will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.” -frances e. willard (via)
2. schnitzel’s cinnamon allergy
3. a preview of this fall’s madness + a stadium full to the brim
4. continued progress & new incentives
5. puppy-sized elephant dreams

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. good morning, friday! i am so glad you are here.
2. printed blue tank tops + short sleeve cardigans
3. hilariously awkward field work stories + mini v-necks in cobalt blue
4. rachel maddow’s tiny town analogy for goldman sachs
5. determining to get a million & one things done this weekend so i can breathe during dead week. but first, nyquil!sleep & melatonin dreams

gala darling style

the garden of cosmic speculation

ohmygoodness, this face.

double exposure photographs

waking up out of deep sleep for the first time in months + how it feels to not be groggy

the azaleas are blooming all around campus + the shady parts of the quad

another weekend of beautiful weather + the a-day game!

the end of this scatterbrained & chaotic week is coming soon
(photo by tyler shields via gala darling)

forever: parks & rec before sleep, pizza & good tv with sister, clif z & lara bars, frozen chocolate protein monsters, less than three weeks until summer, secret garden explorations & enjoying field work again, a potential two-week streak of nothing but blue skies, LOST, sidewalks & chacos, walking up to hilarious text messages, thoughtful comments, running into people, & sleeping in tomorrow.

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. off kilter mornings that right themselves by noon
2. knobby knees & hiking boots
3. getting paid to combine my two favorite things - maps & puzzles
4. “i just fainted in front of you. i think we’re even.”
5. lying flat on your back + “oh, my love, is that you on the phone?”

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. another successful moving day for the koenig family
2. DFW’s circled words list.
3. “you see, i have no memory of who i once was & i don’t remember your name”
4. new windows, exhaustion, & pillows
5. three more weeks! i am torn between wanting it over as quickly as possible & begging for time to slow down so i can finish everything.

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. the bright morning sun through the blinds for forcing me out of bed
2. people who are thankful for what you do
3. ringer tee’s, goofy hair, & thoughtful comments
4. when long drives go by quickly + good music with the windows down
5. two more busy tuesdays left until freedom. come quickly!

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. sun-bleached hair & SPF nine million
2. old horse barns, rural art installations, & exploring secret gardens
3. the best antique store in the world + small town manners
4. successfully hopping interstate medians
5. “it was one of the best days of my life, a day during which i lived my life & didn’t think about my life at all.”

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. wake up, freak out, & then get a grip. + “those who came before us didn’t know about this problem, & those who come after will be powerless to do anything about it. but for us, there’s still time! we’d better get a move on though.”
2. car washes with rainbow soap
3. banana nut vitamuffins & saving more than you spend
4. making a list of the best west wing episodes to marathon on the first rainy hurricane days of summer + “hey, what did i say about speaking to me without addressing me as ‘wild thing’?”
5. “wish me luck, i know you think i need it. for all the hardest roads we have to walk alone.” + melatonin dreams & the floor

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. meeting my week-long goal & starting again
2. windows down weather + indian paintbrush
3. snuggly puppy dogs & hot coffee
4. when you catch a great song on the radio at the very beginning
5. sleeping, sleeping, sleeping.

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. friday, at last.
2. can we talk about how perfect she is?
3. “i’m burning up a sun just to say goodbye.” + “two universes would collapse.” “so?”
4. “there’s a whole channel on the cable that just tells you what’s on the other channels!” + “i put you in my phone as liz lemon because of the number of times i’ve heard you say blerg lately.”
5. “shatter my heart so new room can be created for a limitless love.”

gala darling style.

marysstikal’s european tour videos, pretty girl at the airport (still), scott’s banjo hugs (always)

“it’s spring fever. you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” -MARK TWAIN + “in spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” -MARGARET ATWOOD + “science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day.” -W. EARL HALL + “i bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass i love, if you want me again look for me under your bootsoles.” -WALT WHITMAN + “if i lost you, i’d have to ask the grass to let me sleep.” -MARVIN BELL

making plans for summer & naomi house. prepare yourself for six flags adventures, hours upside-down in front of the aquarium wall, food festival challenges, drive-in movies when it’s 80 degrees, spontaneous trips to new orleans, hiding under the natural bridge, exploring ruby falls, & endless anti-gravity nights on the quad.

summer snow! miami vice & polar punch after so, so long. there is nothing better after a long day in the woods.

leslie’s impression of tom + parks & rec in general

adorable guests on the rachel maddow show

watching this number dwindle every day

weather i’ve been waiting for since october.

text messages that make me laugh in awkward public places.

forever: nights spent on the back porch swing, camel pose & my practice, clean, cool sheets after long, hot days, the first cup of coffee in the morning, bright green vegetables & frozen fruit, deep breaths & moving.

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. “i’m talking about collapsing & screaming at the moon, but i’m a better man for having gone through it.”
2. splashing through all of the puddles on the way to class + cooler afternoons
3. an unexpected break tomorrow + following through
4. a crazy-cute puppy dog, if only for one night
5. when you’re so, so exhausted & finally get into bed. 

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. “i know, i already started a list. write an email to barack obama. lock myself in my office & scream until i lose my voice. that’s all i have so far.”
2. fake english accents & sam cooke on the overhead radio
3. another day of blue skies & 80 degrees + the back porch, forever
4. “i hope they go bananas.” “remember all of those bananas?!”
5. taking my last exam until finals + finishing labs + breathing room at last

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. the perfect morning weather for breakfast outside
2. an afternoon that turned out just fine despite running late (blerg) & spilled coffee (double blerg)
3. getting out of my own way
4. roasted asparagus, broccoli, & squash + pomegranate tea
5. another non-stop tuesday - only three left, yesyesyes!

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. being up early enough to watch the shuttle launch on TV
2. foggy morning drives + just the right amount of breeze
3. SPF 50, studio secrets no. two, & ice cold water
4. there is nothing, nothing, nothing better than having everything done that you wanted & crawling your sun-exhausted bones into bed
5. it’s official! one month from this moment, i will be dancing around & singing, “school’s out for summer!” & then it’s nothing but naomi house adventures & bright, sunny days of field work in the woods. until then, deep breaths, writing a million words, & endless amounts of coffee.

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. remembering again how much easier it is to get things done early in the morning
2. family, puppies, & chocolate pound cake
3. “i made you breakfast!” + “when people are comfortable with each other, they laugh at anything, even when it’s not funny. tears & laughter are often indistinguishable” “I DIDN’T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO STOP!”
4. “take a day off work. go & get a massage. have a bubble bath. bake an enormous chocolate cake. spend the weekend in bed with a massive stack of books. draw on a fake moustache & go out dancing. just do something which makes you really, really happy. you deserve it! (you always deserve it!)”
5. cooling down on the back porch with ice cold water, 70 degree nights, & a summer soundtrack + a full day ahead in the sun

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. “it still goes to show that chance happens when you let it.” + “they cannot even touch the things which are really mine & with which i live.” + “that journey has nothing to do with how well other people are doing, or what they have. it has everything to do with what we want to do, & where we want to go. that’s all you need to worry about.” + “& not just in little ways, either. i’m talking full out, ‘holy carp i pray no one finds out how messed up i am or i’ll be an out of business laughingstock oh hell get me some chocolate now on nom nom nom nom’ full-tilt crazy.”
2. making seven day lists + cookies for breakfast + “really, the second most important man in your life is supposed to be your uncle?” “what would yours be, president obama?” + “nice, that’s pretty much exactly how that went.”
3. “oh god, try pressing more buttons.” “it’s not helping!”
4. summer snow + new reusable bags + chocolate milk
5. “you look all lit up inside.” “i feel all lit up inside.”

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. greek yogurt, thermos magic, & pink poetry
2. “okay, i’m going to go delete this.” + food comas
3. i’ve got nothing to do today but smile  + i’ll love you for the rest of your life when you’re ready
4. “how can you trust someone who will eat anything?”
5. outflow boundaries, comfortable sheets, & turning off the alarm clock + the weekend, at last

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. the eight wonders of the solar system
2. crash potatoes (again) + coffee (forever)
3. “i’d brave a midwestern winter for that, no questions asked.”
4. “does this count as an annoying noise?” + letter typecasting + “is she supposed to sound really good or really bad?!”
5. oh my goodness, it is april. here’s hoping the next 35 days are a blur of good days & getting things done on time & with everyone’s sanity intact

“goodnight routine: shake out your sheets, lay in bed on your back, think of 5 positives from your day, concentrate on your breathing, dream.”

— YOUAREREMARKABLE’s twitter

1. being just on time despite a colossal alarm clock fail
2. feeling taken care of + deep breaths
3. “what’d you do for a klondike bar, kill your wife?”
4. selectively spicy honey mustard, the best reality television, leland chapman, “do you like it well done? cause i do it well”, & long list of summer plans
5. dear march, where did you go?