{ J.Crew / Tessellate necklace }

Summer Goal 24.

Collect gorgeous, multipurpose jewelry pieces that can dress up old outfits without breaking the bank.

Once Upon Another Time: Shakespeare in New York

I’ve posted before about why I love poetry, how it manipulates words and can alter the way we see things, and one of my absolute favorite poets is Shakespeare. Yes, it’s awfully cliche, but since my first reading of Sonnet CXVI, I’ve been head over heels for his wit and writing.

During our visit to NY/Central Park, I had to make a pit stop and pay tribute to the Bard at the Shakespeare Garden. My personal map app, S, made sure we got there without getting lost, and although it may seem like just another garden to the literarily naked mind, the quaint little garden, enclosed by charming wooden beams, is full of plants named in Shakespeare’s plays. Half a year ago, I would’ve taken little interest in these simple plants and would’ve walked through without so much as a pause. But this past semester, I audited a class with Prof. Robert Hass, who just happened to be the U.S. Poet Laureate from ‘95-‘97, and he shed new light on the creative genius that was Shakespeare. And what I learned helped me appreciate the garden in a whole new way.

To explain just how brilliant Shakespeare’s imagination was, Prof. brought in another one of my fav. poets, John Keats, and his development of Negative Capability, written about here:

‘At once it struck me, what quality went to form a Man of Achievement, especially in literature, and which Shakespeare possessed so enormously- I mean Negative Capability, that is when man is capable of being in uncertainties. Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.’

This description can be compared to a definition of conflict:
‘An emotional state characterized by indecision, restlessness, uncertainty and tension resulting from incompatible inner needs or drives of comparable intensity.’

These two definitions are very similar; the meaning of conflict sounds very negative and hopeless. However, Keats’ creative concept seems positive and full of potential by leaving out ‘restlessness’ by avoiding an ‘irritable reaching after fact and reason.’

In another letter, Keats says that the ‘poetical character… has no self- it is everything and nothing- it has no character and enjoys light and shade; it lives in gusto, be it foul or fair, high or low, rich or poor, mean or elevated- it has as much delight in conceiving an Iago as an Imogen. What shocks the virtuous philosopher delights the camelion Poet… A Poet is the most unpoetical of anything in existence, because he has no identity, he is continually filling some other body.’

(http://www.keatsian.co.uk/negative-capability.htm)  

And what’s so amazing about Shakespeare and his Negative Capability is that he was able to inhabit every single character, from Iago to Imogen, Juliet’s nurse, Beatrice, and Caliban, and every piece of landscape from the simple chamomile plant to a cowslip’s bell to the lark and hawk and the infamous stage direction, “Exit, pursued by a bear.” And because of his intense ability to become anyone and anything, his descriptions and character developments are poignantly beautiful and are so because they are real and devoid of any constraint. He allows each thing to take its place and take off in the plot, and line after line, the incredibly detailed imagery just demonstrates the breadth of his imagination.

And as I was walking through the sparkling garden, fresh from a spring rain, everything just came together! For me, the garden was a living tribute to the legendary capability of a tremendously gifted man.

And to top it all off, this sudden infusion of Shakespeare is right on time for a CalShakes performance of The Tempest nexty week courtesy of Yelp ELITE! Time to brush up on some Prospero and Miranda…

East Coast Musings Pt. 2

I realized I forgot some:

* People dress better.

* More people smoke.

* Maybe there’s just more people? (see 1&2)

* I wonder if people ever get traffic tickets.

* I’m surprised I didn’t witness an accident.

My house is a mess, so I can’t post pictures and write lengthy posts like I want to right now. But that’s what summer’s for, right?

East Coast Musings

Random thoughts from my time here:

* Horrible reception everywhere - no reception in the subway, slow 3g everywhere else - from NY to Boston to Connecticut!

* I wish the Bay would take a hint from the NY subway and just charge a flat fee regardless of the distance. And I do wish the subway system would have better reception. And I wish both would instate some express trains.

* I learned that the sales tax for clothing in NY is per item, meaning if an item is over $110, you will pay tax on the whole item, but if you buy a bunch of items under $110, you will pay no tax.

* I envy the architecture of these cities!

* It’s so green in Connecticut, everywhere.

* Very few homeless peddling in NY compared to the Bay. But bums in Boston set against the historic backdrops set quite a disparaging landscape.

* Beautiful, beautiful weather!

* Sam <3’s Uniqlo!

Pictures from our trip to come!

A Whiff of Wonderful

I never thought I would pay double digit dollars for a candle, but the fragrance that comes from this candle is basically magical. It’s the type of scent that turns heads, like quite literally; I walked into Francesca’s today and immediately turned every which way looking for the signature blue glass. It’s also the lovely, smile-inducing aroma that hits you when you walk into Anthropologie.

I want my whole house to smell like this, forever.

A is for Avengers!

{ drafted friday night }

Just watched The Avengers with S, and it has an A+ in both our books. Captain America is actually popped in the dvd right now. Our plan is to watch all of the hero movies again this week and then watch The Avengers again next weekend. Call us crazy, or just call us to come with.

I won’t give away anything, but here’s a few takeaways:

1. Watch it in theaters. The big screen and surround sound are worth it. Even if you think this is all hype, it is, but it’s one of the most entertaining movies I’ve seen in theaters. And everyone I know who’s seen it has adored it.

2. Refresh yourself on all the secret endings from the previous movies. I found myself trying to remember and piece everything together, quite distracting mid-movie.

3. Go to the bathroom beforehand. It’s long.

I’m probably hyping it up for you, or I’m just encouraging those already set and pushing you fence-sitters to see it. Hahaha, I chuckle just thinking about it.

Today at Twig & Fig

I found …

…which has found a new home on my bedside table. I’m not a big magazine girl, though I’ll occasionally flip through one at the nail salon, but these lovely creatures known as quarterlies are so stunning. My favorite so far is Anthology, which showcases both captivating stories and imagery for the creatively conscious. In my attempt to slow down and “log out” from reading too many blogs, quarterlies are a fantastic alternative to sit and savor.

—

In our home, I pray that the inhabitants would be overflowing with true, sacrificial and submissive love and that the insides would be a welcoming haven to friends new or old, from near or far.

Cover Me Yellow

One of my fav. covers by one of my fav. voices!