24 Before 25

1. Double my savings
2. Read at least thirty books I haven't read before (Edit: 17/30)
3. Go back to Seattle
4. Take the GRE
5. Apply to graduate school
6. Watch Parks and Recreation finally (I know, I know.) (Edit: I'm over halfway finished, so I'm counting it.)
7. Go paddle boarding
8. Finish Blog Life
9. Make plans to visit Nicola in England
10. Stick to a blogging schedule
11. Revamp my blog
12. Volunteer somewhere
13. Take a road trip
14. Fix bike and ride (Edit: I sold it instead.)
15. Send more letters and packages
16. Use my DSLR more
17. Exercise regularly (i.e. more than once a month)
18. Contribute to Lady ATX Magazine
19. Host Friendsgiving again
20. Buy rollerblades
21. Reread The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
22. Attend local theatre productions
23. Join a volleyball league
24. Try one new local restaurant a month

-Maggie

P.S. Here's last year's.

23 Before 24

1. Save more, spend less
2. Fix bike and ride
3. Take more pictures
4. Finish Blog Life
5. Read at least thirty books I haven't read before
6. Fill up my yellow Moleskine
7. Meet new people
8. Learn how to really use my camera
9. Learn how to really use Photoshop
10. Go for more walks
11. Learn to make the perfect mojito
12. Meet up with the Blogger Family in Portland
13. Take a trip somewhere (besides Portland)
14. Write more stories
15. Volunteer at the Texas Teen Book Festival
16. Try one new recipe a month
17. Get my third (and maybe fourth) tattoo
18. Find the best coffee shop in Austin
19. Apply to graduate school
20. Go to SXSW
21. Send more letters and packages
22. Find the perfect couch
23. Go paddle boarding

-Maggie

P.S. Here's last year's.

Textbooking

My freshman year of high school a few friends and I were given some old computer textbooks to repurpose in whatever way we saw fit. Armed with all manner of craft supplies and a ton of magazines, we turned what would have been trash into our own personal treasures. The pages were covered with quotes from movies and books, pictures of friends and celebrities, and little high school mementos. We called it textbooking.

Eventually we moved from the oversized computer textbooks to smaller books and journals, but we still call it textbooking to this day. It's still something I love to do. I love magazines, especially fashion magazines, and love that I can use them after I finish reading them. Anytime I feel like I'm lacking inspiration or just need a creative outlet outside of this blog, I textbook. Usually while watching a movie or four.

It takes me awhile to finish a whole textbook because the urge/need comes and goes. Recently (or like two months ago), I finished the one I started my first year of college, which was, you know, five years ago. I don't mind though–I like that it spans so much time. It's fun to see how I have and have not changed. Anyway, I decided to share a few of my favorite pages with you. (You can click to make them bigger!) They're really nothing special, but I promise you it was so much fun.

-Maggie

A Few Things

I have a few posts in my drafts that I've been working on, but everything is still getting settled here. Between unpacking and starting a new job and the holidays coming up, it's taking a little bit longer than I would like to get into a routine. I'll get it down soon though, and then I will tell you all about it.

Here are a few things that deserve your attention in the meantime.

01. This post about the "rules" of blogging hits the nail on the head. Where did these rules even come from? Who decides these things? Short answer: You. Do you, boo.

02. I'm sure you've seen it. I'm sure everyone and their dog has seen it. But why not see it again? Taylor's Swift's "Blank Space" video is perfection. In fact, 1989 as a whole is damn near perfection. Far and away her best album, so if you haven't already, go ahead and jump on that bandwagon. After all, life is too short to pretend you hate pop music.


03. Quiet Company (one of my favorite Austin-based bands/favorite bands in general) has released their first single in over three years, and it's pretty great. Click here to listen to "Seven Hells" and read a little more on their forthcoming album Transgressor. (Also, buy a ticket to one of their special holiday shows.)

04. And last but certainly not least: Dog With 2 Broken Legs Adorably Adjusts to Vertical Life.

-Maggie

Read These

Slowly but surely I am making my way through all of the books I bought when I had no time to read them (which is roughly a third of the books I own). I thought I'd take the time to share two recent reads that I really enjoyed and one old favorite.

Fairyland by Alysia Abbott was assigned for my History of Sexuality class in Fall 2013. I love memoirs, so I was very excited to see this on the reading list, but never got the chance to finish it that semester. It was one of the first books I picked up again after graduating, and I'm so glad I did. (Shout out to Julie Willett for assigning such a great book.)

Abbott writes about growing up with her openly gay father in San Francisco during the 1970s and '80s, and after when she must return home to care for him when he is diagnosed with AIDS. Abbott uses her memories, her father's many journals, letters and writings, and interviews with friends and family members to craft this beautiful tribute to her father and their life together. It is wonderfully and lovingly written, full of little details and facts about life in San Francisco (and elsewhere) during the AIDS epidemic. Of the memoirs I have read so far (which is a fair few), it is definitely a favorite.

Johnathan Tropper has a way of writing that makes it impossible to stop reading. When I read his first novel Plan B, I literally could not put the book down (which led to me somehow managing to make a grilled cheese entirely with one hand). One Last Thing Before I Go was much the same. I kept thinking, "One more chapter, then I'll go make dinner... Okay, really one more chapter."

Although Plan B still remains my favorite of Tropper's books (that I've read so far), One Last Thing Before I Go was great. It follows Drew Silver, whose life is not going how he expected. He had his five minutes of fame as drummer for a one-hit wonder rock band, and is now reduced to playing at weddings and bar mitzvahs. His ex-wife is about to get remarried. His teenage daughter is pregnant, and only told him because she cares least about disappointing him. So is it really that surprising, when he finds out he must have a life-saving heart surgery, that he refuses the operation?

Since the first two books are a little heavy, I wanted to end on a lighthearted, hilarious read from Meg Cabot. (You can always count on Meg to be hilarious. Princess Diaries, anyone?) Boy Meets Girl is one of my favorite Meg Cabot books, and probably one of my favorite books period. It's told entirely through e-mails, journals, IMs (hello, 2004!), transcripts, to-do lists, and the like, which makes it a super quick "beach read." I've read it four or five times.

The story starts with Kate Mackenzie, an employee for human resources at the New York Journal. She is forced by her terrible boss to fire the most popular lady in the staff dining room. She is then sued for wrongful termination, which leads to her meeting the opposing (and attractive) lawyer, Mitch. Hilarity ensues and, eventually, love.

I hope you take the time to pick up one (or all, whatever) of these books! As for me, I'll continue making my way through my bookcase. Right now I'm reading Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and really enjoying it. What have you been reading?

-Maggie

P.S. Another of Jonathan Tropper's books, This Is Where I Leave You, has been made into a movie starring Tina Fey and Jason Bateman. It comes out September 19th, and I can't wait. Check out the trailer here.

A Few Things

01. Dance skills are something I am woefully lacking. Never have I ever shaken it like a saltshaker or a Polaroid picture. Not for lack of trying. I actually am physically incapable of doing so, but I love to watch other people dance. When I lived at home and had access to TiVo, I watched So You Think You Can Dance with my mom and sister every week. Now I rarely get to watch it, but I did manage to catch this performance, and it is breathtaking.


02. Read this letter written by Caitlin Moran to her daughter.

03. Regardless of how annoying Miley Cyrus has become (and probably always was), you must admit that some of her songs are catchy. And even though images of Miley "twerking" are burned into my retinas, "We Can't Stop" is no exception to this. (It's the chorus, man. Gets me every time.) Fortunately, awesome bands like Bastille take these catchy songs and put good vocals to them, so we feel a little less bad for singing along.


04. Recently over at A Beautiful Mess, they shared photos of Emma's living room and it absolute perfection. I am in love.

05. You must have seen this by now, but you should watch it again because it is just as funny the sixteenth time.


-Maggie

Castle Hill

One of the two times I took out my actual camera during the blogger meet-up was when we went to Castle Hill, and you'll see why as you scroll down. Castle Hill consists of walls of concrete, remnants of some abandoned construction project, that have been graffitied from top to bottom. Every once in awhile it gets painted over, but it's covered again in no time at all. In short, it's awesome.









Castle Hill, also known as the Baylor Street Art Wall, is located on Baylor Street (obviously) between 10th and 11th Streets. It's definitely worth exploring, though definitely at your own risk. (As I mentioned, Dillon injured himself on a piece of rebar, and I did almost fall to my death at one point.) If you do take the time to climb to the top, the view is definitely worth it.



-Maggie

A Few Things

01. This song, introduced to me by KaCee (who is a musical connoisseur).


02. Read this, and take it to heart. Thought Catalog does it again.

03. I've mentioned my immense love for Humans of New York before. I draw so much inspiration from the work that Brandon Stanton is doing, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard he was coming out with a book filled with some of his best portraits. I, of course, preordered it months ago.  You should too.

04. Speaking of love and New York:


05. And last but not least, this comic from the New Yorker that holds so much truth.

-Maggie

Monthly Mix: May 2013

I am aware that it is halfway through June, but you should know by now that I never get things done when I intend to. Like, ever. This mix, specifically numbers three and four, helped me get through the last few weeks of school. I haven't stopped listening to it since, so I decided it was still okay to post it. Enjoy.

1. The Match – The Eastern Sea
2. Who Knows Who Cares – Local Natives
3. The Loneliness and the Scream – Frightened Rabbit
4. Trojans – Atlas Genius
5. Why Even Try – Theophilius London feat. Sara Quin
6. Lights Out, Words Gone – Bombay Bicycle Club
7. 1957 – Milo Greene
8. Dents – The Acorn
9. Royals – Lorde
10. Madness – Muse
11. Skin (Akustik Version) – Boy
12. Sun – Two Door Cinema Club
13. Kids – MGMT
14. Pompeii – Bastille
15. Many Ways – Bombay Bicycle Club
16. Giving Up – Ingrid Michaelson
17. False Knight On the Road – Fleet Foxes
18. 3rd Planet – Modest Mouse
19. Sidekick – Val Emmich
20. Sweater Weather – The Neighbourhood

I hope everyone's summer has been great thus far. Mine has been filled with working, trips home, and a lot of meet-up planning. Just a month until I'm in Austin with some really fabulous people. I can't wait.

-Maggie

Twenty-One Before Twenty-Two

1. Save more, spend less
2. Cross "See Fall Out Boy in concert" off bucket list
3. Reread Running With Scissors
4. Find the perfect couch
5. Send more letters and packages
6. Plan and execute a successful Austin meet-up
7. Wear lipstick more often
8. Graduate college (Edit: Not until May!)
9. Move to Austin (Edit: Not until October.)
10. Read at least fifteen more books
11. Watch all the movies that I own yet have not seen
12. Finish my textbook
13. Organize a package swap
14. Write more stories
15. Continue gathering recipes for my recipe book
16. Learn how to properly cook those recipes (and the other ones)
17. Visit New York again
18. Get one of my tiny tattoos (or all three)
19. Start a blog with Melany
20. Wear more dresses
21. Go to SXSW

-Maggie

P.S. Here's last year's.

More Often Than Sometimes

In an earlier post I spoke of my love for words. (Reading back I realize I didn't even say love. I said I liked words, which is a horrific understatement. Truly, it is an infatuation.) Sometimes I find words that I love so much I am at a loss for words. I will read or hear something that is just so . . . just so that I can't even form a proper sentence to describe it and am reduced to rolling around on the floor. It's incredibly frustrating, but also probably the best feeling.

During a break in tonight's latte-fueled study fest, I stumbled upon spoken word poet Shane Koyczan. His poem "More Often Than Sometimes" left me at a loss. I hope it leaves you the same.

-Maggie

Happy Valentine's Day

Here's to love.

-Maggie

A Few Things

As a reader, writer, and English major, words are a big part of my life. I really like words, and I like it best when those words are strung together to make really great sentences. I like to collect quotes. If you hang around me for more than hour, you will quickly realize if you say something that strikes a chord or makes me laugh, I will quote you on various social media sites. It's just what I do.

Anyway, lately I've found a lot of words that I want to share with everyone. Words are good. I hope you appreciate these as much as I do.

01. I'm a sap, and Thought Catalog's 8 Ways To Say I Love You really gets to me.

02. All of the words Augusten Burroughs says are the best words.

03. Recently, Kyla Roma wrote this inspiring post about creativity and patience. It starts off with an awesome quote, too, so it's doubly wonderful.

04. Last week, I discovered Letters of Note, a website that compiles letters of all kinds from all different people. In short, it's the best website to ever be created, and I'm incredibly inspired by what I've read there. Two of my favorites are this one from Stieg Larsson to his partner, and this one from John Steinbeck to his son.

05. "Skin" is one of my favorites off of Boy's album Mutual Friends (you know, the one I had shipped from Germany). The acoustic version is even better, as acoustic versions usually are.


-Maggie

Mary Got Married

I have been missing in action for a few weeks because of finals (only one left now) and going to Austin weekend before last for Mary's wedding! It should have been stressful, going out of town the weekend before finals and missing the last few days of school when I had piles of work to do–but it wasn't. Mainly because I chose to ignore it.

I had already reached the "I don't care anymore" point of the semester, but the main reason was I decided what was more important to me. School is important, but I can retake a class. That weekend was a one time thing, and I wasn't going to let stress get in the way of all the happy.

The entire weekend was absolutely wonderful. It was something everyone desperately needed–literally everyone. I cannot tell you how many times and how many people I heard say, "I really needed this weekend." The bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, the wedding, and everything in between was so fun, so happy, and so full of love.

I am so happy for Marten and Mary, and wish them all the love and luck in the world. I'm so thankful I got to be a part of their wedding.

-Maggie

P.S. To see more photos from Mary's wedding not taken with an iPhone, go here.
P.P.S. Speaking of marriage: Check out this and this, and be emotional.

Boy

Don't you love it when you stumble upon one really, really fantastic song? One that just makes you feel good? You play it, like, eight times in a row, research the artist, listen to their entire catalog, dance around your parents' dining room, and then all of the sudden you're paying to have an album imported from Germany.

Oh–that's just me? Okay.

-Maggie

Shake the Dust

Shelby shared this on her blog, and I had to pass it on. I've listened to it four times since last night. Chills.



-Maggie

P.S. Humans of New York continues to inspire and fill me up. Go go go.

A Few Things

01.



02. September is my favorite month for many reasons–the main one being the fashion. And with the fashion comes the much anticipated September issues of all of my favorite magazines. I picked up Vogue a few weeks ago, and was very nearly moved to tears by the 900+ pages of perfection I held in my hands. Like, I had a legitimate emotional reaction when I saw the picture below. It is now hanging on my bulletin board. This is the kind of person I am.

03. "Find something you're passionate about and stay tremendously interested in it."

–Julia Child

04. The Color Me Rad 5K my friends and I signed up for was a blast. None of us were physically prepared to run an entire 5K, but the whole event was incredibly laid-back (most people didn't run at all) and we got free t-shirts and sunglasses, so it was great. KaCee somehow managed to get the most color on her even though she didn't run, and Melany barely got any, which is the kind of thing that would happen to Melany.

05. Joy the Baker is a fabulous recipe blog run by a fabulous lady named–you guessed it–Joy. Aside from the delish recipe posts (like, really, so good) accompanied by her funny writing, she has her Notes to Self series. Her most recent one struck a chord. Go read it.

06.

-Maggie

Get Inspired

Hello, everyone! I recently did an interview for the lovely Kaylie over at Word Doodles about my inspirations and more! Check it out here, leave a comment, and then peruse the rest of her crafty blog.

-Maggie

A Few Things

01. Somewhere during the process of revamping my blog, I decided I needed to hide some of my older posts. Today, I finally did that. So if you wanted to read anything I posted before August 2010, I am terribly sorry, but I assure you, you are not missing much.

02. One day, amateur photographer Brandon Stanton decided to he should assemble "a photographic census" of New York City and simply started asking people if he could take their picture. The result of this has been over 3000 portraits that make up Humans of New York. A few months ago, I stumbled upon his blog and spent hours looking through all the posts, and felt so inspired. His portraits are only getting better and his project more popular. Here are a few of my recent favorites.

03. My buddies (or two of them, anyway) and I have signed up for our first 5K! We all wanted to get in shape again, but needed something to work towards so we could stay motivated. The Color Me Rad 5K seemed like the perfect (and funnest) way to do that. As we run, we'll be pelted with colored powder similar to what you would see at a Holi festival, so by the end we'll be exhausted, but polychromatic. Maybe we'll see you in Fort Worth on September 8th!

04. 

05. "All improvements, transformations, achievements, liberations; everything you want to change about yourself and your life; everything you want to make happen, any obstacle you want to overcome, any crisis you must survive–the prerequisite is being able to allow yourself to feel whatever it is you feel and not pretend to feel something you don't."

This Is How by Augusten Burroughs

06. Only 20 days until I leave for Seattle, and 25 until I meet the Blogger Family.

-Maggie