book crushes and paint paints

So today I thought I'd take the liberty of completely gussssshing about a favorite book of mine, and of course, I had to go with "Norwegian Wood," by Haruki Murakami. Now, I know that Murakami is kind of the hip and socially-acceptable author for college students to rave about, but oh my gosh, this book! So emotional, so beautifully (and simply) written. I've reread it twice this summer alone, and I still love it. Still, still, still.

I have the biggest lit-envy about this book -- I want to be able to write something this moving. It's a good summer read too, incredibly enjoyable and engaging. It goes by like nothing. I keep picking up other books this summer, but I only get through a few pages before I go back to this one. Maybe I'm over-hyping it (I probably am). So dont't take my word for it -- go pick up a copy yourself!

In other news, I've been paint-paintin' like a child some more. Girls and pets. Hoorah! Eliot's so good with the music posts -- I'm sorry I've been a little absent, but I'll make up for it, I promise.

pour le petit ami...

C'est le garcon dans ma vie... il est mignon, non?

In case you cannot tell, it is an Indian elephant. Hoorah for watercolors and animals and bright colors and all such wonderful things.

Here's un plus --

Je suis un girafe!

In other news, today I was at the library at 8 a.m. and stumbled across "20th Century Ghosts," a collection of short stories by Joe Hill. I only got through the first story and found it a bit too explicitly gruesome for my tastes - I've never been one to enjoy descriptions of people being maimed and tortured - but the writing was pretty engaging and from the reviews I've read, the other stories are more subtle.

If I can find it again when I go back, I might try another short story -- we'll see.

Tomorrow's Thursday! I can't help but live for countdowns to the weekend, sigh.

i am bad at this

Pile o' watercolor critters! :)

5

Little tidbits of writing plus a quick watercolor of a horseee! Yay!

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Cut your hair, little girl; gather the clippings in your palms. Breathe in these sharp fragrant strands. Feel the tickle in your esophagus.

Take a step back, little girl; throw your hands up like confetti. Let your fingers kiss that empty space that hangs above your head with such devotion, such loyalty. Tell it, thank you, thank you – I can always count on you.

Do not mention that night in the crawlspace, your head brushing against the ceiling, no space in between. You have already forgiven it for that instance of abandonment.

(Forgiveness, forgiveness – little girl, you must believe in remorse and redemption).

Emptiness, he is your only friend, floating above like a personal rain cloud.

Little girl, can’t you feel the bleakest corners creeping in? The dark horses gallop to the foot of your bed; they scrape their hooves on the walls of your dreams and they wait, wait, wait.

Little girl, won’t you let them in?

4

So, though Eliot will be the one who will be uploading more of the arts and I will be posting more snippets of writing, here is a bit of a foray into watercolor from me.

Elephant + part of a children's story that I am not working on (it's just a sample page).

Yay for watercoloring like a child! I'm so excited.