It's been about a year and a half since I last posted something on this blog.
I've thought about reviving it, many times, but then I never know where to start. An idea comes to me when I'm out and about, but then it seems awkward to sit down, write something, and publish it after such a gap.
But then, breaks are natural occurrences, and really, who cares.
The hell with it, as my grandfather likes to remind me.
So! Hello, blogosphere! It's been a year and a half, and I could use this creative outlet. Now, where to start?
To begin, I got a job just after that last post. I'm a barista, living that Portland dream (thanks, "Portlandia") and pursuing all sorts of fun things on the side. Like building a social circle and making some friends and enjoying living in one place where I can lay down some roots and make some connections. Granted, the circle I move in is mostly the barista circle, but that is a really, really cool circle. I love these people!
And, oh yeah, I love coffee. I have always loved coffee. And now, I've gotten pretty good at making it. I get to work in a cafe I love, with people I love, which is frequented by a wide array of people who do interesting things and introduce me to all sorts of people and places and things and ideas.
The biggest surprise perk from this job: something of a musical education.
If it were up to me, I would probably just listen to jazz and blues all the time; mainly vocalists. People like Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Chet Baker, etc. When I felt like it, I would indulge in guilty pleasures - pop radio when I'm jogging or driving, a little bit of Dutch hip-hop here and some French pop there, with a good dose of Dominican bachata, regueton, and some Mexican alternative rock to boot.
But working in this cafe has given me the opportunity to expand my musical interests. One of my coworkers has a solo project, which he describes as "dark 80s dance pop", and has introduced me to all sorts of electronic music such as Royksopp, M83, and Beach House, which I love (and whose lead singer is the niece of another of my favorites, Michel Legrand). I have another coworker to thank for Dr. Dog, the Drums, and Alexander Ebert, and yet another for introducing me to things like The Books and Black Moth Super Rainbow. Knowledge is power, especially when your job often requires you to act as a DJ.
I've also been volunteering for over a year now at Write Around Portland. It's an amazing organization and I love being involved in the work they do. If you ever get an itch to donate (time or money), they are an extremely worthy cause.
And then a lot of little things: running, not consistently, but for months at a time. And journaling, a lot of journaling. From March 2011 to February 2012, I wrote in my journal every single day. I also noted what I wore and all of the people I saw. It is without a doubt the best-documented year of my life, and probably always will be. But I stopped doing that because I started to have other things to do, and am now trying to live my life more and write about it less.
And now I am thinking about revisiting this blog! Go figure.
