A fickle flurry...

It snowed today. In Texas! For hours! The snow was not only heavy and lasting, it stuck. The white wonderland that became our yard provided my roommates and me the opportunity to build two stout, and slightly skewed, snowmen and make snow angles! It truly was beautiful to see everything cloaked in white. It's amazing how an act of nature, so relatively mild in this case, can transform the world into something described so eloquently in novels and poetry.

It was wonderful just to embrace the weather and the gift of snow in Texas with three friends. We had a snowball fight, slipped and slid on the icy ground, shook white flakes from our hair in laughter, and let our hands grow numb with a smile on our faces. Tests were forgotten, due dates dismissed, and stress completely disappeared for the hour that we lost ourselves in the flurries. In short, it was magical. And so memorable.

The Snow that never Drifts- Emily Dickinson

The Snow that never drifts --
The transient, fragrant snow
That comes a single time a Year
Is softly driving now --

So thorough in the Tree
At night beneath the star
That it was February's Foot
Experience would swear --

Like Winter as a Face
We stern and former knew
Repaired of all but Loneliness
By Nature's Alibi --

Were every storm so spice
The Value could not be --
We buy with contrast -- Pang is good
As near as memory --

10:40pm

Oh dear...

So I have to be up in approximately four in a half hours and my day consists of a quiz and two tests, all of which I am sufficiently under-prepared for. I have procrastinated too much this time and I will surely suffer the consequences of my actions. Oh well, I can only take things as they come now. And pray. And dream impossible things, like pulling a couple of A's out of hat. Speaking of dreaming impossible things, I wanted to share with anyone who cares, my favorite Lewis Carrol quote from Alice in Wonderland.

"There is no use in trying," said Alice; "one can't believe impossible things." "I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before."

I was reminded of this snippet of pure magic, courtesy of Mr. Carrol, when I found it printed on a magnet and for sale at Barnes and Noble. Needless to say I purchased it. So thank you 'quoteablemagnets' for making such a wonderful product.

I think I love Alice in Wonderland simply because it helps us remember just how far a good dose of 'impossible dreams' can go. Sometimes whimsy and fairy dust, or a purple Cheshire cat and a mad hatter, can be the perfect remedy for real life.

Now, I will attempt sleep and dream of many things... "of shoes, and ships, and sealing wax; of cabbages and kings."

2:15am

Something to sleep on, or not...

How do people go to sleep? I'm afraid I've lost the knack. I might try busting myself smartly over the temple with the night-light. I might repeat to myself, slowly and soothingly, a list of quotations beautiful from minds profound; if I can remember any of the damn things. ~Dorothy Parker

How I adore this woman. If only I could have had one dinner with her, simply to listen to her speak. I was born about three decades too late. Damn.

12:52am

Dear Night Owls...

As I lie awake in my bed, not sleeping, I wonder what it is that drives my lack of shut eye. I've never had particularly good sleeping habits and can remember rarely sleeping through the night even at a young age. Sometimes, I can blame stress and anxiety. But for the most part, I just can't seem to fall asleep or stay asleep, whatever the case may be and at times, it's both. I think I am just unable to turn my brain off, because even when I do it is a rare occasion for me to experience one of those deep, seemingly dreamless slumbers.

This is not to say I'm a true insomniac despite my self diagnosis of the sleeping disorder. I don't stay awake every single night, though it is more often than not, and the majority of the time I fall asleep for several hours at a time. It's hardly more than four or five hours, however, unless its a weekend and I attempt a sort of sleep catch up.

At times, I feel like it my be self induced and I'm subconsciously keeping myself awake. I'd like to believe though, that I am not a masochist. Whatever the cause may be, I hope my body accepts the bad habit one day and just learns to adapt. Or corrects it. I really would be happy with either outcome.

Rest well, Night Owls. Or as Gregory Maguire would say, "Fresh dreams."

12:38am

'Tis the start...

...of something, at any rate. I haven't quite figured out which words will find purchase within the bounds of these neatly designed walls, but I suppose there is time enough to figure that out. As for this inaugural post, I simply mean to put words to, um, screen. So instead of me launching into a tell all, I will leave you with a playlist to capture my world on this fine Friday. Perhaps later I will be back for that tell all.

1. Untouched and Intact- The Honorary Title

2. Come Around- Rosie Golan

3. Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind- Spring Awakening OBC

4. Swan Song- A fine Frenzy

5. Hammers and Strings- Jack's Mannequin

6. Missed the Boat- Modest Mouse

7. Down- Jason Walker

8. For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti- Sufjan Stevens

9. A Comet Appears- The Shins

10. Seasons of Love- Rent Soundtrack