Clean.

Today in the Greenfield, Jeschkeit-Hagen, Shadid household its clean clean clean. Clean like your mother. Clean like a maniac. Clean naked. Clean with socks on. Clean to the radio. Clean to music. Clean thinking of your friends. Clean fast. Clean slow. Clean like your a professional cleaner. Just clean!

We are maniacs, cleaning maniacs, and we are ready.

Sand

Today, I'm going to recapture yesterday. It a doozy, we'll go from south to the north in about 3 hours. Don't worry. Its worth it.

The night started out at El Sabor de Juárez, which just happens to be the yummiest food, and only 2 blocks from Louis' house. That makes it a double yes, and we had never been there before, but o, yes will we be there again. Erin, Louis' neighbor and our friend, was also there, but all the pictures I took of her turned out grainy and don't do her justice. Too much beauty for one frame. I ordered the flautas plate, E&L ordered the tostada, chile relleno, and much much more plate. I ate that food so fast I didn't realize it was gone, and wanted a whole lot more. They also sold toys and jewelry at the counter.

Now, lets leave Mexico. Think plains. Think open spaces. Think North Dakota.

Afterwards Louis and I hurried over to the annual, much anticipated, one-of-a-kind show by Chris Sand, Sandman, the rappin' cowboy poet. He came down from North Dakota and played, rapped, and recited poetry. All outdoors in the midst of some gusty breezes. It felt warm, like an old friend returning to tell you jokes and laugh with you. In reality, I only spent a few days with him last year, but I think thats what makes him so great. He is a new friend, he is an old friend, he is funny, and this last picture looks like he may communicate with the divine.

Globos

"What is that?" I asked myself when I walked out class on Wednesday. Is it a new sort of baby cage? To be fair, at the time, there was a baby inside one of them. It seemed like a great idea, but really impractical to take that everywhere for your little one. Well, it turns out the architecture department was doing their submissions for final, and this one was about space manipulation.

I love it.

I love the shape, and the colors, and the way the weather was perfect. As I looked through my pictures I realized they are slightly tipped, swaying through the frames, like the wind was rocking the small baby to sleep.

Albuquerque can seem a little sleepy when it comes to art. I'm so pleased when she reminds me that her creative heart is loud and beating.

One of my classes, Imperial Russian History, has been wrapping up with presentations from each student. These can be pretty sleepy, but today my classmate, Kate, gave a completely unintentional, but hilarious, talk today about this history of magic in Russia. In a truly New Mexican fashion, everything was related back to our culture. At the end, a student asked why magic seems to translate, people seem to hold onto it throughout the ages, and many of the traditions, like the evil eye, are still here.

Kate thought for a minute, and then replied, "I don't know, I think its a bit like this: we like eating beans and chili. Even when we are living in houses with marble floors we will still be eating them."

True.

I'm planning on making myself a burrito, of the beans and chili sort. Then, I'll sit outside and let the wind rock me to sleep. Maybe this post should be entitled a love song to New Mexico. I'm feeling the love right about now, in every gentle breeze rushing through my room.

adjectives.

Last night I was sitting with some friends, and we decided to go around and say three adjectives to describe ourselves. Mind you, this wasn't because we are constantly engaging in team building activities, but my house is looking for a new housemate. As we went around, it really seemed like everyone was saying exactly what I thought would be accurate. Kevin said he is kind, and that is him. The ambitious said they were, the those who said they were tough really are. For some reason it was really meaningful to me. I really enjoyed it. But it came to me, and I realized I was saying things I aspire to be. I really would love to be ready and thoughtful. Jennifer pointed out if you decide you want to be that, your probably on the road to it. I think thats true. I'm on the way to those things.

I paused in this blog because I really didn't understand what I wanted out of it. I think I want to be thoughtful. I want to be mindful. I found out a week ago that I have mono. It can really knock a person out. I'm feeling tired. Luckily, the semester is wrapping up, and I'm managing pretty well. The end of the semester brings about those inevitable questions for me like, what am I doing? or who am I? More specifically though, I'm starting to wonder if grad school is really what I want to do. Something about being an intellectual is really appealing, but to think I am one of those is a bit too silly and a bit too self-important for me. I do know that the idea of working full-time with two weeks to explore the entire world sounds really awful to me.

I'm back to the blog. I think I'm onto something here. Lets hope thats right.

Pothole Gardens

Peter Dungey via All The Mountains

Slow Sunday

I woke up to Koby gardening in her underwear, and I knew it meant a good day. This afternoon I got to take a hike with my mom, and spend some time showing dad how to use the Netflix account I made for them today. I like it when Sundays start and end slow. I'm usually working the entire weekend, but this one turned out to be work-free, and unfortunately I also went school free. Its about to hit 9 p.m. and I'm wondering about that decision. I decided to take care of a plant today that has bugs. When I went to examine the damage I realized they went to the roots. They were even in the soil! And so the plant is no more. Unfortunately, because its Easter Sunday I found zero greenhouses open, and my pot is looking sad and empty. It will be hard to replace my string of bananas...I may have to just end up with a smaller version of the recently departed.

The painting is some unfinished business by Louis, the female bust/vase is from my great aunt, and the beauuuuutiful flowers are from Brenna's family as a "Wow you got your masters and we are soooooo proud here are some flowers" gift. The seedling is currently climbing to its destiny in our backyard.

Passion

In general, I've been really inspired by the colors, shapes, and beautiful hair of Lorena over at Spinthread. Her jewelry is .... I can't get enough of it. Plus, I really enjoyed her interview, and its worth a peep!

Is it acceptable to put these beautiful sunglasses by Shwood out into the blogging universe with the hopes that some of my family really does read this blog. And with that, also hoping they realize how wonderful it would be if these ended up in my hands for my birthday on April 21st? Internet, I am entrusting this to you.