First Fridays.

Posted on February 7, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hey everybody! It’s the first Friday of the month!

Usually, this is the time for great goings-on in the East Bay (Drake’s Brewing Company, Oakland Art Murmur), but a lot of these events have unfortunately been canceled due to the rain. As many of you know, California is in the midst of a drought, so the rain is quite a welcome sight today. And, with the rest of the country dodging the Polar Vortex, us Californians have it pretty good. I admit that we’re grossly spoiled. Another thing that I will gladly admit is that, for some unknown reason, rain seems to send us into a tailspin. People forget how to drive and frantically veer around the highway. Walking to school or work suddenly becomes a game of Frogger (remember that one 80’s babies?). Actually, forget going anywhere altogether. We pretty much barricade ourselves inside. Because you never know when that acid-rain thing is going to happen, right?

I’ve never been one of those people that inherently loves the rain, but I certainly can appreciate it. I appreciate it’s ability to slow me down a bit, and it always provides an excuse to wear that new coat/pair of boots/chunky knit you’ve been guarding in the back of your closet. I also appreciate the free car wash.

Sometimes the rain is the only thing that cures my restlessness. This weekend, I’m planning on doing some vintage-dress hunting, some cooking/fridge cleaning, writing, movie-watching, and cocktail sipping. Ok, maybe throw in some dancing around in my socks à la”Risky Business.” Why else do you live alone?!

(I spy with my little eye, a little Hyperbole and a Half)

( I Are Writing. See!)

What are you all up to?

Happy weekend!

EVA♥

And then….

Posted on October 20, 2013 by 4evamaria

I’ve been spending a bit of time in my own head lately.

(Pause for reaction.)

Having early morning work hours has encouraged me to observe people and to absorb as much information as I can without being an outward “participant. Yes, I am only an aspiring morning person, not quite there yet. This morning, while standing around in the requisite meeting-circle (it’s like being a kid again, everyone is forced to “hold hands,” but no one really wants to) I looked around and had an epiphany. I use this word lightly, because I’ve had these thoughts germinating in my brain for quite a while. So many people, with their full time jobs and their bills to pay, etc. live their lives entirely unexamined. Once you’ve buried yourself in a world of responsibilities typical of adulthood, it’s very difficult to take a step back and ask yourself if you’re truly happy.

This question is not an easy one, and I think it scares a lot of people.

Like so many people I know in their mid-twenties, I’ve been subject to other peoples’ scrutiny, specifically in regards to the direction my life is headed. “How old are you? And you do what now? How’s that working out for you? What do you finances look like? Anyone special in your life?” And the best: “Oh, so you’re career oriented?” I just about fell over at that one. You can’t take it personally, no matter how bad this might make you feel on the wrong day. To these people, here’s how life’s usually supposed to go:

You finish school. You get a job. And then you meet someone. And then you get married. And then you have children….and then….and then….

People want to categorize your life in the same way that they have categorized theirs. And, consequently, you’re somehow instantly less threatening to other people, easier to understand, if your life follow’s this model. Too many people get caught up in running the routine of life, the “I should…” and the “I’m supposed to…” instead of doing what they really, really want to do. Remember what you wanted to be when you “grew up?” What the hell happened to that? Was anyone’s answer: “I want to do data entry!” or ” I want to be financial analyst for a corporation that cares more about it’s numbers than people!” I don’t think so.

But breaking away from this can be scary. Then again, if life isn’t giving you a good scare every once-in-a-while, what are you doing with it? I don’t want to wait until I’m older to see that there were opportunities I missed because I was too afraid, or because other people thought I should be doing something else. In short, take those chances, accept other people’s support, listen to that inner voice (however small) that’s telling you everything is going to be okay.

The Sunday Phenomenon

Posted on October 14, 2013 by 4evamaria

Everyone looks forward to the weekend. Friday night, then Saturday, then Sunday. They are, hands down, different from all the other days of the week. Now, being that I work six out of seven of them, I don’t really have the traditional weekend most 9-5ers experience. Despite that fact, I try to make my Friday and Saturday count. I’ll spend a reasonable amount of time out and about, go to bars and concerts, and out to dinner to reconnect with friends. Seeing as I live alone, there’s not that much excitement to be had at home. So out I go! I don’t let the long work hours get to me, and a small disco nap in the evening can cure almost anything. I say yes to all the invites, and put plans in motion when there are none. But as soon as Sunday rolls around, things get a little weird. There’s always brunch plans,farmers markets, and errands to run, but there’s also something I would describe as a general sense of restlessness. I have to admit, I was oblivious to this for a long time. I used to work short, sporadic hours, and often had Mondays off, so I was shielded from the impending threat of the work week for a while. Even so, you feel that last minute scramble to get everything done, to spend time with loved ones, and cram that last load of laundry in the dryer. Sundays sometimes involve good-byes, and most Sundays make me sad. It’s almost worse if you’ve had a good weekend, because, yes, it’s almost time to go back to work.

My immediate cure for the “Sunday blues” seems to have become ice cream. As I write, my fancy single scoop of Alameda Honey ice cream is melting next to me. A good shopping/cardio session also helps, but that’s only if running up your credit card doesn’t send you in to a panic later when the bill arrives, (hello adorable new dress from Madewell!). I like to keep things new and exciting, because then you don’t have to think about all the good things you would like to relive if you had a chance. I’ve always been a horribly nostalgic person, which can be problematic and very unproductive, especially when you have a big imagination. I’ll think about past events and the things that I might have done differently, worn different shoes or stayed out later. I’ve heard people talk about the practice of being grateful everyday, and it’s something I’d like to work on. I sometimes wish I could see wonderful times as they happen and appreciate them at that very moment. I wonder if this would make my Sundays feel less finite. I hope so.

Love,

EVA

Welcome to Watch Me Juggle!

Posted on October 7, 2013 by 4evamaria

Hello everybody! It’s been talked about for years, but I’ve finally sat down at my computer this evening and made it happen!

When I was younger I wanted to be a dancing forensic anthropologist-writer, like many people. I’ve got the dancing part down, and my fascination with forensic anthropology has been satisfied by the many Law and Order/CSI reruns I watch on a weekly basis. I believe it’s finally come time to tackle a little writing, or blogging, rather. Baby steps, people.

Question 1: Why “Watch Me Juggle?” Well, it all comes down to a little show (that many of you watch, but won’t admit it) called “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” Specifically this clip, in which it’s main character, bless her, shows off her juggling skills. The result is something like this:

(Feel free to judge at any time, but I have a point, I promise.)

I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so hard. And, when I really started to think about it, it felt like the recurring theme of my life. Those of you that know me well, often know that I like to bite off a little more than is reasonable to chew. I like a challenge, and if I want to do five completely different things simultaneously, then I’ll do it. Currently, my life looks like something out of flash dance, but with less fun welding and more scanning official documents/pretending to be productive. Sometimes I have the time of my life, sometimes it backfires and rains down on my head. But I’ve never once regretted trying. If anything, we can all have a good laugh about it at the end of the day. After all, don’t most good stories start out with: “Hey, you guys! Remember that time when……?”

Love,

EVA