Change is inevitable - Except from a Vending Machine.

Alas.
It is that time again.
It's December 31.
Oh, yes.
You all know what that means.


It's the last day of the wonderful (or perhaps not so) year of two-thousand-and-eleven.
A lot happened this year. A tsunami in Japan, Osama Bin Laden was killed, the "Occupy" protests swept the world, a terrorist killed 93 people in Norway, Jack Layton (Canadian leader of the opposition) died, Steve Jobs died. Prince William and Kate Middleton were married. The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup, causing a riot in Vancouver. Amy Winehouse died. Gay marriages were legalized in New York.


I was going to post a bunch of these pictures but I realized that I really wanted to post ALL of them, so why do what they've already done. These pictures show the severity of many of these events.


Whether any of these events affected you, or not, what's important is that they and many, many other major events drastically affected somebody, somewhere. Something affected you, 2011 has left an impact on you. Whether you know it or not. Every year, on New Years Eve (today!) somewhere between the partying and the eating, I try and sit down and think about how 2011 affected me. Try it. You may be surprised. Think back to LAST JANUARY. It may feel like yesterday, or it may feel like a million years ago, perhaps it feels like both all at once. 


It's unbelievable, to me, how much a person's life can change. In a year, in two, pretty soon, you may find yourself a completely different person. It makes me wonder, did we change? Did we just unveil a new layer of ourselves, revealing what was always there? I don't know. It's just a guess, but I bet you don't either.


Another thing I try and do every New Years (although this is a lot more recent of a tradition) is to sit down and compile a list of all the songs that made my life that year. I don't know about you guys, but I need music. I had a few months sans iPod this year, and it was torturous. 


I was reading this article the other day, and number 3 (In college more than ever before, songs will attach themselves to memories. Every month or two, make a mix cd, mp3 folder, whatever - just make sure you keep copies of these songs. Ten years out, they'll be as effective as a journal in taking you back to your favorite moments.) really spoke to me. So, I encourage each and every one of you to compile your own list of songs from that year, because every person's is going to be different. If you're super skilled, you could try and do something like this awesome mash up of top 40 songs from 2011. I'm not that skilled. Maybe you are. If you are, I'd like to meet you. You're probably a cool person.


Anyways, to kick out the old year, and kick off the new year, with a bang (sorry for the way too cliché phrasing) I'm not going to give you A final song for your inspiration, I'm going to give you...


My Songs for 2011:

Alright.

I'm sorry. I have to do it. I can't break a tradition. Sooooo.... ONE MORE VIDEO!

And here's a final song, for your inspiration. ;)

A Rose By Any Other Name

I think baby-name obsessing is a disease. A disease that somewhat surprisingly, many, many people seem to have. I am one. As long as I can remember, I've been obsessed with baby names. I think that at some point I want children. Not any time soon for sure, but eventually. Just a few. Either way, keeping an obsessive list of my favorite names is one of my favorite past times. I have folders on my computer, and every month I make a new list (starting three years ago) of girls names, boys names and twin combinations. I feel like sharing them with you. I'll start with girls. There's a lot of them. Some of them are normal, some are not. I love them all for different reasons. I'm not sure I'd have the guts to use a lot of them. My parents would think I was nuts if they knew I liked a lot of them. Here goes... (I'll comment on some of them.)

Adele

Adeline
Alice

Amabel - I'm not sure I'd use this because I feel like it would constantly be confused for Annabel(le)
Amalia - Similar to Amabel, they would probably get a lot of Amelia's

Amelia - Losing interest in this.

Amélie - Love this, difficult to pull off without a French accent. In English, it just sounds like Emily. And that's boring.

Anna - Losing interest.
Annabel - Much better than Annabelle in my opinion.

Aoife - pronounced Eefa. Probably wouldn't use, but I love it.

Arabella

Audrey

Avalon - Probably wouldn't use

Aveline - Love, love.
Caoimhe - Pronounced Keeva, see Aoife.
Cecilia - Nicknamed Cece or Celia.

Charlotte “Lottie" - Getting far to popular, sadly.

Clementine - Wouldn't use because most people would say it like the orange, instead of Clement-een.
Cosette - Les Mis gives this a negative connotation, but it's beautiful.
Cosima- Love, love.
Edith - Adore.

Eliza - Not sure if I love it or not.
Elizabeth “Libby” - Libby's the best nickname for this in my opinion.
Elodie - Not sure
Emmeline - :)

Estelle - New on the list, lovin' it.

Esther - Same as Estelle, but love it more.

Eugenia - After seeing "The Help", I adore this.

Eva - Beautiful, although I prefer Eve.

Evangeline “Evie" - Might be too religious sounding.
Eve – One of the fave's
Evelyn - See Charlotte
Fiona - Like it.
Gillian - 100 x better than Jillian.

Ginevra - Too Harry Pottery, but adorable.

Georgia (Gigi) – Love, love, love.
Harriet - Love, love, love.
Hazel - Love, love, love.

Hermione - See Ginevra.
Hope - Losing interest.

Imogen - Love, love, love.
Ingrid - Diggin' it.

Iris - Love flower names.

Isla - Okay.

Ivy - Love the v and y next to each other.

Jane - Way underused.

Josephine « Josie, Fifi » - Love

June - Probably my favorite name.
Léonie - See Amélie.

Lucy - Overused.

Lydia - Love.
Lyra - Celestial, I love it. 

Lyric - Probably wouldn't use, but I love it.

Maëlle - See Amélie.
Maeve - Adorable.

Nora – Don't know if this or Norah is better. Both are fantastic.

Nova - Doubt I'd use, but love.
Paloma – Love

Persephone - See Nova
Penelope - See Nova

Phaedra - See Nova
Philippa "Pippa/Flip" - Love, love, love.

Poppy - Love, unsure if I'd use.

Primrose “Rosie, Posie” - Too Hunger Gamesy

Rosamond “Rosie” - LOVE

Rose – One of the fave's

Rosemary « Romy » - Mostly like this for Romy, but I have a thing against nicknames without a full name behind it.

Rowena - See Ginevra

Ruth – One of the fave's. And I actually know a 3 year old Ruth!!

Saoirse - Seersha. See Aoife. This is my favorite Irish name.

Sorcha - Sorsha. See Aoife.

Susannah  “ Annie, Sunny” - Lovin' it.

Thisbe - Adoooooooooorable.

Véronique - See Amélie.

Victoire - Better than Victoria. Too French though.

Violet – Someone once told me it sounds like Violent :S

Xanthe - Love, love. Reminds me of Yellow.

Boys!

Asher - Fave at the moment.

Elliot - Overused.

Everett - 2nd fave at the moment.
Ezra - Love

Felix – Too cat like?
Harry - Love, love.

Henry - Love, love. 

James - Losing interest.

Joseph – Underused.

Jude - Love

Levi - Love
Oliver – Too cat?

Rhys - SO MUCH BETTER than Reece
Rupert - Adorable, very British. Just like the fantastic little bear.

Sebastian - Used to be my favorite.

Simon - Like

Spencer – LOVE

Walter - Love

Twins!

Twins

B/B

Abraham & Theodore “Abe/Bram & Teddy” - Like

Everett & Simon

Everett & Spencer - favorite boys' pair I think.

Asher & Felix

Asher & Henry

G/G

Nora & Lucy

Audrey & Clara

Stella & Lucy

Fiona Jessamine & Scarlett Lucasta - Like this.

Alice & Charlotte

Emmeline Violet & Susannah Poppy «  Emme & Annie »

Josephine Violet & Susannah Poppy «  Josie & Annie »

Annabel & Lucy

Annabel & Jessamine nn Annie & Jess

Susannah & Philippa « Annie & Pippa »

Lydia & Eliza

Lyra & Stella
Cecilia & Evangeline « Celia & Evie »

Gwendolyn & Francesca

Lydia & Francesca

Nora & Ivy

Norah & Iris

Susannah & Clementine

Lydia & Francesca

Nora & Rose
Eve & Ivy

Philippa & Rosamund «Pippa & Rosie » - Favorite girls' Pair 
Emmeline & Philippa « Emme & Pippa »
Lyra & Selene - Don't love Selene but think it's great with Lyra.

Rosalind & Arabella “Bella & Rosie”

Gwyneth & Felicity

Avalon & Nova

Esther & Imogen

Harriet & Imogen

**Purple means I love it.

B/G

Gavin Rhys & Norah Jane

Henry & Charlotte

Henry & Eliza

Abraham & Josephine “Josie and Bram”

Lydia & Oliver
Eliza & Oliver
Henry & Lydia

Everett & Josephine “Rhett & Josie”

June & Ezra

Everett & Philippa “Rhett & Pippa”

So there ya have it folks!!

Check out You Can't Call It It and Nameberry!

And to put you in the holiday mood,

Here's a final song, for your inspiration. ;)

UPDATE!

I just realized that I reposted a bunch of pictures from previous posts. For this, I apologize; however, it has to be said that they are amazing enough to merit a double post. Have a nice night e'rybody!

My Favorite Thing Is to Go Where I Have Never Gone

--Diane Arbus

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train." - Oscar Wilde

Do you ever have those days, where you wonder, wouldn't it be easier to just drop everything and go? Does this English Lit paper really matter in the big scheme of things? What about my job, does it matter? Couldn't I survive, just on the pure thrill of life, if I just went out and explored, forever? I know I talk about it a lot, but there is nothing--and I mean nothing--that I want to do more than travel. It's like I'm itching to get going and see everything. The world amazes me. How could it not?

As perhaps sad as it is, that video nearly brings me to tears. It enthralls me, it's like the entire world is a magnet and I'm also a magnet, and the whole world is pulling me towards it, so, so, so hard. But I don't know where to go, I don't know where to start, because it's all pulling so hard. Okay, so that was an awful analogy, but you get the picture.

I want to go somewhere, somewhere amazing. Somewhere that takes my breath away, where I can feel the awesomeness of the world around me just pounding through my veins. I do not want to be a tourist. I once heard a quote that basically said "Tourists see what they came to see. Travelers see what they see." I want to go somewhere astounding, I want the sheer amazingness of the place to overwhelm me and I want to be taken by surprise. I want to love this place because I love this place, I don't want to go somewhere EXPECTING to love it, that defeats the purpose, as hard as it is to go with no expectations.

And here's a final song, for your inspiration. ;)

“Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.”

Angela Monet said that quote. I enjoy it. A lot.

I realize that this picture has nothing to do with the quote, which is the title, which is supposed to be the subject of this post. I've had a lot of all over the place posts lately. I've been a little all over the place. I think this sign has the right idea though. What the world DOES need now is a group hug. Wouldn't the world be a whole lot nicer if there were no wars, no fights? If everyone could just agree to disagree? Gave each other group hugs?

Have you ever heard of Neil Pashricha? He started a blog called 1000 Awesome Things a while back, and ended up writing not one, but two books. If you ever need a little cheering up, "The Book of Awesome" or "The Book of Even More Awesome" should help.

I don't know how I feel about that. It takes away some of the magic of fairy tales. Everyone loves to feel taken care of, the prospect of growing up and having a career and being independent could be exciting to a child, but it could also be very nerve-wracking. I don't know if it's the kind of bed time story I'd want!

This is more like it. I loooooove me my WTP.

And here's a final song, for your inspiration. ;)

Oh Darling, Let's Be Adventurers

You know those websites? Like tumblr I guess, that just have a bunch of cool pictures and videos posted? I've been obsessed with them lately. I saved a few (bunch) of my favorites, and I thought I'd post them here.

They're all great for different reasons, but they're all great. I hope you like them. You should go out and look for more! There are so many of them, just make sure you do it when you have lots of time. ;)

Here are some of my favorite websites: http://fuckyeahhappy.tumblr.com/, http://iwastesomuchtime.com/, http://icanread.tumblr.com/. 

This post, by the way, is going to be a giant mess of all things cool, so bear with me and enjoy.

• This is cool, especially because many of the pictures are actually quite hard to decide. So what do you think, IS Ryan Gosling cuter than a puppy? (A lot of the time, I'd say YES!)
• More cuteness, THIS gets me every time. Great for when you really need a laugh.
• I feel like I might have posted this before, but it might have just been my Facebook status. It's very cool, however, and I love the title. "Go Beyond the Cover."
• Toooooooooo cooooooooooool.
• Another great video courtesy of my Theory of Knowledge class.
• ANOTHER Theory of Knowledge video. Very, very, very, cool.

And here's a final song, for your inspiration. ;)

You don't take a photograph. You ask, quietly, to borrow it.

(The website I got the title quote from listed it as "anonymous" but I chose it because it reminded me of the quote at the top of my blog, by Jules Renard.)

This is a photo I took, obviously while in a plane, very early in the morning a few summers ago. Planes are one of my favorite things of all, and I absolutely love the way this picture portrays them.

I was in a photography workshop all day today. I'm not great at photography, but I enjoy it. The photographer we were working with was comparing photography to painting, which is nice, but I like to think it as a moment of time captured forever. I know that's not the most original train of thought, but it makes me happy. I love the idea that with a photograph we can capture forever how one person saw the world at one spot in time and space. The photographer, who was this guy, Paul Vienneau, in case you'd like to check out his work, also told us about a quote from some guy he didn't mention the name of, about how "The camera sees from both ends." I really like that, because I agree. I see photography as a way of showing the world what inspires you, what makes you think, what interests you, what fills you with emotion, be it happiness or sadness, or anywhere in between, at one particular moment in time.

I've never done this before, but I decided to show some of my own photos today. The plane above is one I took. I love how peaceful it is. I absolutely adore flying, I love it. I love the feeling that you're high above the world, in perfect solitude with all this silence around you. I'd imagine flying a plane with no one else in it would be a fantastic experience. At the same time, we as human beings aren't supposed to be in the sky so it gives an element of risk that I absolutely love.

Here's some more:

Anyways, my inspiration for today is Paul Vienneau and photography. I hope this inspires you to check out some of Paul's work and to go out and by a camera and start shooting, or to go out and find some other way to capture a second and share it with the world.

And here's a final song, for your inspiration. ;)