May: Currently

So, here’s a funny story. I always write these “currently” posts on the 15th of the month. And this weekend I glanced at my blog calendar and noticed that Monday was the 15th. “Oh, okay,” I thought, “So I’ll do a currently post on Monday and then I’ll do posts about the giant cookie I baked this weekend and the clothes I dyed and all that other fun stuff later in the week.” As you know, astute reader, today is not the 15th. It is the 13th. My calendar was still on April. I guess that’s what happens when you’re out of town for two weeks and blogging from hotel rooms and airports. Ha! So, anyway, here’s my currently post, a few days early.

Reading so many books. The pile beside my bed is becoming quite comical. I am working my way through an introduction to oil painting and Julian Barnes’ England, England. And I’m also paging my way through Robert Hass’ The Apple Trees at Olema (that one’s special, since he used to be my professor at Berkeley). I’m reading The Brothers Karamazov for my book club (ah, sweet and hilarious Dostoevsky!), and I just got a book at the library today on personal geographies. (No matter how many books I have at home, I cannot leave empty-handed!) My cup overfloweth.

Listening to my iPod on shuffle as I amble through town. It’s special, really. I used to do it in my grad school days, and I had forgotten how sweet it is to be reminded of a song you love and had completely forgotten. Sometimes the iPod seems to know exactly the song you need to hear, and when it does, it’s pure magic. Sure, I have to skip through my Turkish lessons and my recordings of Lolita and War and Peace when they pop up in the sequence, but it’s well worth it to be serenaded by better playlists than I could ever dream up. This month I’ve been enjoying Led Zeppelin and old school Smashing Pumpkins, Wilco and Lucero, and some good old Rolling Stones. And also Over the Rhine–if you’re not familiar with them, listen to this; it is so hauntingly beautiful.

Feeling excited and inspired by the books I’m reading on the proposal process. It’s so much fun to page through all these incredible insights as I’m putting my own proposal together.

Transcribing fantastic interviews. Slowly but surely.

Basking in our already summer-like weather. This weekend it was 100 degrees. Eric and I went to the farmer’s market early to buy all the fruits, and then we came home and promptly jumped in the pool. It was majestic.

Exulting in the experience of walking past the entrances to underground parking garages on hot days. The cool breeze they send up is as delicious as a milkshake, and just as refreshing.

Looking forward to so many things: seeing an awesome Berkeley friend, heading to Oberlin at the end of May, Eric’s mom coming to visit in June, and our anniversary! Don’t think I haven’t been spending every spare moment looking for a nice place to stay in Lake Arrowhead…because I have. Any tips?

Eating cherries and strawberries and apricots like there’s no tomorrow. And making a solemn pledge to start eating Greek yogurt for breakfast (instead of, you know, cookies), even though I find it to be the same consistency as spackling paste. I plan to cram it full of flax meal and walnuts. I shall triumph!

Excited to be finally working on our Istanbul scrapbook.

Loving simple weekends like this past one, when the most important thing is just to be together and enjoy each other.

Feeling so very, very happy to be right where I am, doing just what I’m doing.