Things I love

A good friend of mine and I had a leisurely lunch today and got to talking about the next few weeks and the ever-looming future when she said to me, "Do you realize, you're leaving New York in three weeks?"  WHAT?  I'm doing what now?  Huh?  And I realized...she's right.  In just a few short weeks, I'm leaving New York for an indeterminate amount of time.  Potentially YEARS.  WHAT?!?  I can't believe I've gotten to yet another enormous life changing moment in my life.  Yesterday, I accepted a preliminary place at East 15 for next year.  It's a non-binding committal, which means that I have the chance to change my mind before I begin sending them money.  Coming to the understanding that by the end of this month, I'll know what I'm doing for the next year to two years is quite jarring...

THAT BEING SAID, I choose to ignore all the insanity in my life right now and share with you, my reader(s), things that I love:

1.  NPR online.  I literally discovered this today but I am completely obsessed with it already, especially the music section.  Today I've listened to concerts/live recordings by M.Ward, Antony and the Johnsons, The Decemberists, and Ray LaMontagne.  How cool is that?

2. Actually, M.Ward is just too awesome not to mention separately.  AND Antony and the Johnsons (Antony, by the way, spent a large part of his life in San Jose, CA and then went to NYU.  Fancy that! Twins, Basil.  Twins!)

3. Very few people know this about me, but I am a HUGE nerd for all things mountaineering.  I said to my mother just today that if it weren't for the knee thing...and the asthma thing...and the danger around every corner thing, I'd totally be a mountain climber.  I blame my dear uncle, who used to take my siblings and I "climbing" on Mt. Angashangabanga (which, obviously, isn't a real mountain, but one he invented...Call it my first experience with process drama, if you will) over the tops of my grandmother's furniture (which I'm sure she loved).  This being said, I'm currently obsessed with http://blog.firstascent.com/ I find it beautiful and fascinating and terrifying all at the same time.

4. These guys:

5. This city:

That's all for now.  Enjoy!  Happy Weekend!