Beautiful, Artistic Life

Life is beautiful. It all happens so fast.

I am a certified Starbucks barista. I love my job. I love the people I work with. I totally understand why friends like Amanda (Moorhead) Stephens have stayed there for so long. It's wonderful. Tiring sometimes, but great.

I've got some interesting feedback and ideas about OSGA and students involved in politics.

I'm working on my second and third pieces for The Loop Magazine.

I have texted the man a lot, but we haven't resolved anything or made any plans. I'm officially in waiting mode for him. I think. Unless "god" shows me something else.

Today I was really sad about that, but then I talked to my Lovesound, and just hearing her voice - her light, carefree, youthful voice - reminded me that we are young and beautiful and everything will be okay. So after work, I ate a little dinner and then went to Frank's tattoo shop to hang with him. I talked a blue streak and he drew me this picture:

He said my voice made him think of this. It's a flower in abstract. He said, "somebody should dissect that shit and figure out what it means." I told him I was fine with leaving it how it is: a cool picture that came from a conversation between artists/friends. We talked about two tattoos for him to put on me: my cherry blossom tree, and something he thought up on his own that I like. He said he'll teach me to play the guitar. I'm sharing song ideas with him.

I wrote the beginnings of a song. I have 85% of the words, and a fun little melody. It's about my version of "god." It's called "You Are the Messes Too."

I felt like a much better, more balanced, more beautiful version of myself while making art imitate life with Frank. I could never completely live his lifestyle, but I'm happy to let him rub off on me.

There's a guy Marcus Muse, who Frank taught to tattoo and who Frank has re-employed as a legit shop artist (rather than a janky, back room of the house artist), who specializes in paint. We hung with him a bit too. Frank called us a trifecta, and I immediately fell in love with the idea of this trio of very unique people spending time being creative together.

Days at school and work. Nights being creative with my boys. Writing writing writing. Hell yes.

"This is my beautiful life
The only thing certain is everything changes
The lows and the highs
and all those goodbyes
As hard as it gets I know it's still amazing to be alive
It's a beautiful life"

Rules of the Game

Coffee and Alcohol have the same rules.

Think of coffee like beer - different flavors and less concentrated.
Think of espresso like hard liquor - the real shit.
Mixed drinks apply to both,
and the rules on shots are the same:
1. gulp it down all at once, no matter how big it is
(the size determines how cool you are)
2. it WILL burn on the way down
3. make sure you eat first
4. once you break the seal it's all over

Tales of Being a Starbucks Barista!
Summer of Perfect 2010!

It's still a Perfect 2010!

Since my last post:

I quit my job at Build-A-Bear because she wouldn't give me more money. Saturday was my last day. I got hired full-time at Starbucks. Monday is my first day.

I quit the poetry slam team - partially because I'm a punk and partially because it was AWFUL timing and it was disorganized. I'm thinking I'll switch back to the "real" poetry scene as soon as everyone gets back from Nationals. Red Dirt feels better in my bones and soul. That was a dramatic undertaking.

But in my pursuit of slam team activity, I got to see a youth slam team from Jacksonville, Fla. and it reminded me of what I want to do with my life. Favorite says she thinks it's totally doable and she might even end up helping with the legal stuff later on down the road. hearOKC is still gonna happen people; just hold your horses!

I did my first article for The Loop Magazine and everybody loved it. Please believe that as soon as I have the link, I'll post it.

I haven't re-lost any of the my weight gain...I haven't put in any work. BUT, I just discovered that walk-in yoga classes in the Paseo are only $10 for students!! BAM! Flexibility and tone, here I come! And I'll still walk or jog sometimes. But I've been reading yoga journal magazine and Eat, Pray, Love and I just wanna be a yogi. That's all. If I can do a complicated yoga pose in 15 pounds, then the numbers don't matter.

I haven't done ANY focusing on OSGA since my last post. But I do have a retreat with them on Saturday, so I'm sure I'll be back on the grind.

Rooms's best friend moved down from Michigan last week, so we moved out of our two-bedroom and into a three-bedroom. The living room looks freakin' bomb!! RoomsS did SUCH a good job! The kitchen needs some work. And I'm saving up to buy a Shoji room divider with a cherry blossom tree on it for the hallway. My room is getting there. I have all the furniture set up. Favorite says she'll buy me an Om to hang above my bed. I'm ordering this beautiful comforter from Target.com (gray with a big orchid and polka dot sheets). I'm buying a pink picture of the Buddha and a huge set of mala beds from Craig's Curious Emporium in the Paseo. I just need yellow curtains and a curtain rod and I'll be set. Well, and I'd like a small sculpture - maybe of a dragon, but I haven't seen anything I like yet.

I'm getting my hair braided tomorrow, because I've made the final decision: I'm getting dredlocks. No turning back. The goal is to have them starting the new year 2012.

I went on a date with a friend from elementary school. I like him a lot. My mom is convinced that he likes me just as much. But today he told me he's going through too much in his life for a relationship. I was sad for a couple of hours. But my mom is also convinced that there won't be too much time passage before he contacts me again. The fact that I'm not sad makes me think that she might be right. And if not, then there's someone else out there.

Oh, and I turned 22! It was uneventful. We were RIGHT in the middle of moving. But Deuce knows my name now and said he loved me. So I guess that's good. Another year!

I'm very comfortable with where I am in life right now. Retreat Satuday, church Sunday, work Monday, and then three weeks until school starts! I'm ready.

It's still a Perfect 2010!!