One Rare Bird

An Update on Failure

A couple weeks ago I posted a very dramatic and heartfelt post about failing my Statistics Final. Well, it turns out I'm not the only one who failed miserably and there was something "wrong" with the exam! Which means reality has shifted and my new status is: I PASSED! I still haven't recovered from the cruel joke that was my failure a week ago, but the relief that I'm not a complete screw-up is starting to sink in and I think it's only appropriate I buy everyone a round of drinks - on the house!

CHEERS!

One to Make You Cry, and One to Make You Laugh

I don't spend much time on Facebook but I was browing my Wall (or whatever that place is where you can see everyone's posts...) and came across two really great videos. The first took me back and warmed my heart because I feel very lucky to have spent my childhood afternoons with Mr. Rogers. The second video brought the much needed relief and joy that only deep laughter can bring. Maybe these won't have the same effect on you, but it's not everyday I'm grateful for what Facebook has to offer, so I thought these worth sharing...

Mister Rogers Remixed

Conan Writes Blues Songs with Kids

New Old Sounds

I've been hearing a lot of new songs lately that remind me of days gone by. So Music Monday is dedicated to some of my new favorite old-sounding songs. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do - they're seriously awesome. Happy Monday!

Ho Hey by The Lumineers

Simple Song by The Shins

Everybody Talks by Neon Trees

Crush of the Week: Girl Crush Portland (with Lisa Golightly and The Jealous Curator)

This past Saturday I attended Girl Crush Portland with the very lovely Lisa Golightly and my all-time favorite blogger, Danielle Krysa (aka: The Jealous Curator), where I met some wonderful new friends and found some much-needed validation after the previous days’ chaos.

The morning started out with yummy coffee, pastries, and getting-to-know-you conversations that quickly turned into a beautiful three hours full of sharing our stories, empathetic head-nodding, and an exercise from The Artist's Way to help us reach deeper into our passions. I keep thinking back on the morning and am amazed at how quickly I opened up to these women I had just met. I'm not usually so quick to give it all away up front like that, and my first reaction is to feel uncomfortable with such quick vulnerability, but these women weren't just anyone. I felt like I'd known them my whole life.

After taking a mid-day break and devouring a delicious lunch, we went down to Lisa's studio where we created collage pieces on beautiful Plywerk panels. We consumed more coffee and enjoyed sweet mini cupcakes while continuing our previous conversations between bouts of quiet concentration. The time went by way too quickly and I was sad to say goodbye, but I am grateful to have been part of such an encouraging and lovely experience. Here’s a little peek into our day…

The Morning...

The Afternoon...

If at First You Don't Succeed, Destroy All Evidence That You Have Tried

Earlier today I took my Statistics Final. The one rule from the class is, "if you don't pass the Final, you don't pass the class". Well, I didn't pass the class. I'm obviously disappointed, but what might not be more obvious is that I'm choosing to sooth my disappointment with a cheap bottle of Cabernet at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I've also been trying to find quotes about failure that don't make me want to throw dishes across the living room. Most quotes about failure go something like "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". But I'm calling BULL SHIT. It sucks to work really hard at something and not succeed. So here are some more realistic quotes for anyone who doesn't want an automatic pick-me-up after falling on their face. These are for the people (aka: me) who want to remain on the asphault for a while, cry a river of tears, and feel the disappointment. Maybe tomorrow I'll try optimism, but today a positive attitude can suck it.

"If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you have tried."
~ Rule of Failure

"Show me a good and gracious loser and I'll show you a failure."
~ Knute Rockne

"If at first you don’t succeed, find out if the loser gets anything."
~ Bill Lyon

"The happy people are failures because they are on such good terms with themselves they don't give a damn."
~ Agatha Christie

{images via Still Memory}