Travel: Pearl Farm Vacation for My Summer's Last Hurrah!

June has been more than kind to me and my frazzled nerves! The past months have definitely been a handful, with work left and right, and barely having time to really take some quiet time and not get those terrifying surge of rush and panic: that-"ohhh, wasn't I supposed to finish X and Y and Z by tomorrow?!"-feeling every 5 minutes. I can tell you that's not always a happy time, that's a lot coming from me, the queen of breaking deadlines before the deadline it even realizes I'm all "...hasta-la-vista-baby!" with a smirk.

So my June vacation leaves were a kind treat to me before I got thoroughly down with burning myself out. I love that I was given 5 days (3 working days + weekends!) to feel refreshed and see a lot of places! Together with our friends Pat & Ren, we went to Pearl Farm Beach Resort which is one of the best beaches in the country.

Aside from all those food trips all over, I had also some time to practice some of my hobbies. I've been learning to watercolor now, and though it's going slow, I love the times when I just sit down quietly, tapping little brushes and splotching color on rough paper :)

And this is my watercolor desk inside my room. Bring in some Bon Iver music and you have a very happy girl.

July is catching up and I can't help feeling like I have to wait again for a long time until I can have another taste of summer. I used to feel really excited about August/September/October because it's one of the 'cooler' months but now I'm longing for summer just right after it has come to a close.

Thanks for reading!
I love strawberries.

EDIT: I made a simple new header. Figured I needed a new one. I'm not very good at digital painting as much as I'd like but no one really makes a mistake with a meadow, some mountains and fluffy clouds, right? Featuring one of my favorite quotes in the whole world!

Comments

Go Home Faulkner, You're Drunk ('Difficult Books' series)

In my quest to 'broaden my literary horizon' I made a point to go out of this terrible 'complaisant zone' I am currently at. To be honest, my reading state is probably a lot bleaker that what I'm letting on: I have not finished a novel since three months ago! As penitensya for my incessant lack of drive and, I suppose, to jolt my brain back to the pace it used to enjoy prior to this reading drought, I decided that I must go the route of reading 'Difficult Books'. "A difficult book is still just a book", I told myself; how silly to get hung up on what other people say about how much of a PitA it is to slough through. I pride myself on reading basically everything I get my hands on. Because when all your life you've felt that reading a book was the warmest , most comfortable state to just be , it feels as natural as a breeze turning a page. So I grabbed a copy of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury . I am lucky enough to be at ...

Schoolgirl by Osamu Dazai: Melancholic Contemplation

Arriving all the way from USA, I had a tiny traveler plop down right in front of my desk. The moment I held the book, I immediately focused long and hard on the book cover. I've had my small share of contemporary Japanese novels and each had very interesting designs, but not one is as gently arresting as this Schoolgirl by Osamu Dazai published by One Peace Books . Soft yet stark. I'm not one to judge a book by its cover, but it certainly is a good way to hold the interest of the readers. A closer look at the cover would remind one of things that are "beautiful in its simplicity". Everybody knows the Japanese aesthetics, a "set of ancient ideals that include wabi (transient and stark beauty), sabi (the beauty of natural patina and aging), and yûgen (profound grace and subtlety). * " Reflecting at these values, it's wonderful to observe how the cover follows the flow of wabi and yugen, isn't it? But a book should offer more than...

Atoning

Okay so it's not a clever title. Well, I am currently reading Atonement by Ian McEwan (wow, I've been at this book for aaaages) and I am trying to atone for the lack of posts lately! We were having--- actually we still are having a tough time at home. We're moving!!! Been pretty busy with the repairs of the new home and packing all our stuff. *Sniff, Sniff* I feel really sad leaving our home. We've lived there for around 13 years. Hopefully we can all scramble and leave before September 18. And ugh, it's such a downer to spend September 19 unpacking and decorating our home. It's my b irthday , I was planning to host a Crab Party! :( Anyway, I thought I would just like to share my favorite quotes on Atonement , if you don't mind. I love this book. Everytime I read a passage that struck me, I hastily jot it down. The book is wonderfully written, it is so erudite! The story itself makes me contemplate on the dynamics of family, the strength of imagination ...

Aicha Amano

Search This Blog