trip to the post office

i'm going to the post office today to mail this stack of letters, postcards, & packages. some of you will be seeing something in the mail shortly!
oh! i have a question: do you like that i reply to your comments? do you read them? haha just curious : )
i spent the entire day doing homework yesterday & little boy kept me company : )this is just a few photos of the wall behind my bed in the room i rent. see one of wendy's dreamcatchers hanging? i love it : )

replies:

natalie: yes! i saw one that was in the shape of a panda face once. so cute. i video chat with my cousin wendy a lot & she always shows me her latest buys & such : )

shelbyisms: haha thanks! oh that's so true! skyping is definitely helpful for long-distance relationships i'm sure.

k: hello! food on blogs always makes me hungry too!

inside the cabinet of wonder: i wish you a lovely lazy sunday sometime soon too. & for some reason, bento boxes remind me of something you would have hehe : )

bento

i bought my first bento box! i had been oohing & awing over how cute they were after visiting an asian market with my mom two weeks ago & i finally decided to buy one! i used it to pack my lunch for the first time at school last week. i really loved it! & it's so cute : )masala burgers & biryani with raisins & carrots = yumm.

i just finished skyping my parents : ) skype is so helpful when you live away from those you love. now i am going to spend the day reading my pages & pages of homework & listening to the rain outside. i'll probably drink some tea too. yes, that sounds good : )

happy sunday!

replies:

alexia: aww i'm so happy that i made your day! making your day made my day : ) & i'm in love with my vintage cardigan too.

petunia: hehe : ) thanks! just sewing up little things when i need them reminds me of you!

hellomissa: yes! i totally agree. i have so many cardigans too. every time i go thirfting, it seems i end up getting a new cardigan. hehe.

amy: yes yes! ugh. i'm on my third permit. i got my first one at 15. & i still do not drive. in all honesty i just really don't like to. aahhhh life.

natalie: yes, i am quite lucky to be living in a relatively large city where my bus stop is just down the street. i am glad that you point this out to me because i have never really thought about it that way before. thanks : )

lauren: hello! yes yes, i love to layer my clothes too. & i actually kind of don't like summer at all. but i love love winter! i love to were comfy cozy layers : )

goods

i finally gave in & bought the fjallraven backpack i've had my eye on for about two years. i found this new one on e-bay, so it was a little bit cheaper. it came in the mail on the first day of school this semester (monday), so i wore it to celebrate going back. it's completely amazing & so worth the money. i really love it : )i decided i needed a pencil case for school, so i sewed this one last saturday using a vintage zipper from my collection & retro-replica fabric. i think it's quite cute.

on my last coffee shop outing, i stopped by my favorite vintage clothing shop & bought this top for five bucks. i like it because it's nice & long. (i fail at outfit posts! haha.)shauna & stephen from something's hiding in here were featured in martha stewart's magazine! i was so excited for them, so i bought a copy of the magazine. (i do not support martha stewart, so this was a rare exception so i can support bloggers.)i was given an award from missa!! thank you! it's the versatile blogger award & i have to tell 7 things about myself. so here it goes:
1. when i say "i know you," what i mean is "i love you"
2. i want to make a zine
3. i'm twenty-three & don't have a driver's licence, ergo i take public transportation everywhere
4. cottage cheese loaf is my favorite comfort food dish
5. i don't drink
6. i absolutely love getting mail. i literally run to the mail box if i see that the mailperson has gone by
7. this is my favorite song at the moment

i tag the following people who i am replying to!

replies:

shelbyisms: awww : ) thanks shelby. i think everyone should make those little cards & leave them for people.

hellomissa: you would take a photo next to it! haha. & i bought the vintage lace seam binding at the thrift store, but you can buy it at hancocks i believe. but it won't be vintage. i may have some extra, but i think i sold it all.

dandelionkisses: yes! make some kindness cards! it's kind of awesome - like you are on a secret mission of kindness. lol.

brynna: it was a "me" day for sure. i need more of those i think.

sarah~mechelle: haha yes! first step is to find "your" coffee shop. & you simply must find somewhere you can get white mochas! they are kind of the coffee with the most calories, but they are so good!

good days

reply to last commenters: hello everyone. thank you so much for all your thoughts & prayers for me & my family : ) there were some tough moments, but your comments were comforting. what awesome readers you are!! thank you my blogger friends. the funeral has passed & now i have some time to get back to blogging & reading your blogs too.

i returned back to my place i am renting to get ready for the new semester of grad school. on sunday i spent the whole day wondering around downtown. i took the light rail & was on a mission to find a nice coffee shop to sit at & work on homework (yes, i already had homework before the first day of class!). i passed two other promising coffee shops on the way to the one i looked up online, so those will be next on my list. (sorry these photos aren't the greatest. they were taken with my phone.)
i left a kindness card that petunia gave to me at my table for the waiter to find : )i discovered this little encouraging message on the side of a parking machine on my walk : )after a white mocha, i stopped at the park i passed on the way to the coffee shop & crocheted a little. (i just started crocheting! i'm trying to make a patchwork throw).then i went home & redboxed the social network. oh man, good movie! i recommend it. it's kind of an intense & emotional. at least it was for me.so sunday was a really good day. & monday was not too bad either. i've been having quite a few good days lately. makes me happy. hope you are having good days too : )

replies to blackbird fly & bell & howell post:

natalie: thanks! the last two photos have my room window at my parents house. love that window. & the black cat (alice) is my sister's.

brit, alexia, & amy: thank you ladies!!

allison: thank you allison! & you are welcome for the link : ) i always think of you when i see sofia : )

hat: i'm so glad you have a tumblr now! & i know what you mean about school. hope the band is going good!

inside the cabinet of wonder: thanks nicola : ) that made me happy. haha the fourth photo makes me laugh! i'm so silly sometimes hehe.

shelbyisms: they are kind of virgin suicides, aren't they?? haha nice. & i am so happy you received & liked the maps! i hope you use them for new creations : )

ruth

i was named after her, my grandma. she died last night at 93. i was at the hospital all weekend. it was pretty tough. especially at the very end. i left about twenty minutes before she passed away. my mom called me when i was on the road home & when i finally got home, i sat on the floor with my back against the wall & just cried & cried. i don't cry often, but when i do, i really cry. i'm just glad i was in the house by myself.
my grandmother was such a character! she was full of spunk & was quite mischievous. she really had a sweet tooth too. whenever we had cookies or doughnuts in the house, she would always want "one more" : ) & she loved loved ice cream.
she was a rosie the riveter building planes during WWI. later, in 1950, she started working at the palace hotel in san francisco in the laundry room. she met my grandfather, who was a bellhop at the hotel. two years later they got married : ) i always thought that was cute.
now, i am helping my mom with funeral plans & post-death coordinations. there is so much to go over & do. it's pretty overwhelming & i am trying to help her where i can. & everything to do with the funeral - burial, tombstone, casket, flowers, reception, food, viewing, etc. - is so expensive! ugh. like we need that stress right now.
anyways, sorry this post is kind of longer than usual. i just thought i needed it & i needed to vent a little. thanks for listening : )
p.s. replies coming in next post.