"She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain." {Louisa May Alcott}

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Giardini di Perfezione

While I was in touring Ireland this past month, I was able to experience some the greenest landscapes I have ever seen in my life. It was amazing. Even within all of this wild lushness, two manicured gardens captured my interest. The first I saw while I was in the tiny little mountain town of Glendalough. It was a garden of the senses. Sight, touch, and smell were represented there. There were fragrant spearmint and peppermint plants, soft chamomile, and beautiful flowers. It was magical because every person could be able to enjoy it.



The second garden that I fell in love with was the Poison Garden at Blarney Castle. I know it sounds morbid, but it was absolutely fascinating! Every single plant in this garden was poisonous is someway, and was heavily marked as such. But there were also explanations about each plant with its history and the features of its poison. I vow to have a similar garden when I have a place of my own... maybe along with another one that is a little bit more functional, like a herb and veggie garden as well. :)

Monday, May 9, 2011

Gotta get that money, honey


Money, money, money. This stupid idea that makes the world go round, that everyone strives for but always ends up resenting, yet wanting/needing more. I effing hate it! I swear over here in Italy, it is spent even quicker. And the freaking exchange rate from dollar --> euro does not help in the slightest. The exchange rate right now is 1.45 I think, making everything here 18746392 times more expensive.

This weekend I went to Bologna, Modena, and Verona. While these places were fun and worthwhile to see, they definitely were NOT economical in the slightest. I managed to somehow blow almost 300 dollars in one weekend. So for the rest of the month, I will be subsisting on frozen veggies for every meal. I just hope that I will be able to make it through without having to borrow money, AGAIN, from my parents considering that I just did only 3 weeks ago and it is almost gone. I am not looking forward to having to pay them back over the following months. I think that it will be quite a bit... -_-

I really need to learn to control my spending. I thought that I was good at it, but I didn't realize how hard it can be when you are surrounded by people who don't need to. They always pressure you to buy, that you need 'this' or 'that', when in reality, you really don't. HELP!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

"An Instant Era"

I was surfing the web the other day, and came across this article about fashion, by Sara. Now to be one hundred percent honest, I am no fashionista in any way, shape, or form. Sure I like to look good, but generally its the old jeans and tee, nothing eclectic or out of the box. But I digress...

This article doesn't really address the conventional idea of fashion, which is what made me look into it. It talks about the effect that fashion has on society, and that it essentially shapes so many different aspects of it. It affects our world in so many more ways than we consciously think. It definitely made me think of the role of fashion in my life, and how it subconsciously affects me everyday.




Here's a preview of the article "An Instant Era - An Era Under Anesthesia"

"The collective unconsciousness of the world of fashion has been followed by a cultural thoughtlessness.

Fashion has become more than a simple word, it is a word that has the power to generate movement, a movement that has the power to lead the mass.

Fashion has become a lifestyle, a way of thinking.

This is why we must rethink, not the meaning of the word fashion, but what is being communicated under such premise..."