“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” - Patanjali

“There are towns and cities where groups of people who reflect you and your own inner beliefs and interests live, and there are communities in which you will thrive. There are people we’re related to physically, and then there are people we’re related to spiritually, emotionally, and socially. The road to your dreams is sometimes dark, and it’s sometimes magical, but The Wizard of Oz had one thing right: it’s ultimately about the journey and the characters who accompany you on it, not the about the destination.” ~ Kelly Cutrone

Why hungover-hurricane weekends can be productive:

Laid on couch. This is known as relaxing.

Read half of The Help. Reading slowly while watching movies at the same time, but at least I'm finally reading it. It's really good I just have a terrible attention span lately.

Finally cleaned room and put away clothes that I cleaned last week.

Started cleaning my records! It's amazing how much better they sound.

Spent some quality time with a half-broken vacuum and a very stubborn rug.

Lots of good roommate time, including a great 3 mile run on a Monday morning.

Now, I'm in the office with a headache. If the two aren't related, I would be very surprised.

What I did on my lunchbreak.

Settling into the single life, I have noted, but not yet decided if I appreciate, that people around me are very concerned with "setting me up". Over the past week this has included;

a) my mom calling me to tell me that I just had to audition for Love in the Wild (season two is casting now, if you're interested),
b) my dad asking me (upon telling him that I am anywhere in public, like the grocery store) if there are any cute guys there,
c) my coworker telling me she knew a guy I'd just love, and showing me pictures on facebook, and
d) another coworker excitedly asking me if I was single (he wasn't sure, but he thought he heard it somewhere...) and subsequently dragging me (literally) over to a guy he thought I'd be great with.

I find this most interesting because this has never happened before. I've been in relationships, I've been in Vietnam where being 22 and unmarried is completely unacceptable, and so settled into the spinster role as quickly as possible, I've lived with boys, which is a whole other experience, and then I've been in relationships. I have to say, it's kind of exciting. What's most interesting is seeing the types of guys my friends think I'd be interested in. In case (d) after I assured him that I was, indeed, single, his response was "light or dark? blonde or brunette?" When I told him I wasn't really sure, he introduced me to multiple guys, all in good faith. I can appreciate that people are looking out for me, but I am slightly concerned with the need for me to be dating anybody. Can't I just be single for a little while? Although this could be fun...

Lunchtime stroll around the reflection pool, one of my favorite spots.

Oasis - Grace Potter

Don't let the sun beat you down

Steal your crown

Hold your head to the ground

Just keep on walking

Don't let your soul lose control

Let you roll down the mountain you climbed

Don't let the sand blind your eyes

Realize they're only lies and

Keep on walking

Let it cover you with grace

Let it take you from this place

And as your heart races

Pack your suitcases

And in the middle of the desert

There's an Oasis

Don't let your bones turn to stone

Cause you're feeling so alone

Just keep on walking

Don't count the miles

That you've climbed

Make you go blind

Cause baby there's something to find

Don't hide your eyes from the light

Just hold on tight

And soon it'll be alright

Let it cover you with grace

Let it take you from this place

And as your heart races

Pack your suitcases

And in the middle of the desert

There's an Oasis

And you know that it's closer than you think

And you know that if you're the first to blink

And you know you gotta swim before you sink so low

Let it cover you with grace

Let it take you from this place

And as your heart races

Pack your suitcases

And in the middle of the desert

There's an Oasis

Dear Andrew,

You are, hands-down, the most beautiful man I've ever met in real life. When you interrupted me this morning and asked where you should go to hail a cab, I knew immediately that you were from nyc, and put into my life to make me swoon. I told you more about my life on our five minute walk then I've told any other stranger. When we parted ways you told me to "Keep Rockin" and you were either trying too hard, or you are a man after my own heart. Despite our vast age difference, I'm leaning towards the latter.

Thanks for shaking my hand and simultaneously making me believe in fate,
Samantha

Watch this video.

[via That Girl]

I realized recently that I never shared my pictures from Gathering of the Vibes 2011! It was my first time there, and it totally blew my mind. I spent the weekend with amazing friends while we listened to Further, the Rhythm Devils with Keller Williams, Dark Star Orchestra, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Elvis Costello, the Levon Helm Band, moe., and a list of other bands I can't even recall. I love the atmosphere of a music festival. It's a great feeling to know you are surrounded by people who love the same things you love, respect the same things you respect. It was an amazing weekend and I'm so grateful for the experience. I'm not sure if I want to go to Vibes again next year or try another new festival because there are so many out there. It will definitely depend on lineups, and actually, it might depend on where in the world I am living :) See more pictures here.

Things I love this week:

11 Things to Live By

Everything I learned...

*Thanks Marisa, as always!

Camper Buses

Simple, but true.

Inspiration.

*Thanks Abby! PS. I didn't know you read my blog!

Your comment completely made my day, and now I'm stalking you online.

"Take me to the places on the earth that teach you how to dance,

the places where you can risk letting the world break your heart.
And I will take you to the places where the earth beneath my feet and the

stars overhead make my heart whole again and again. "

My kitchen table

Provincetown, MA

Boston from the ferry to Provincetown

Stacey & I on an unexpected Friday night boat cruise...

The other day I had the pleasure of having lunch with a student that I went to Ecuador with. He e-mailed me recently telling me that he got accepted into the Peace Corps, and he wanted to meet up before he left. In a month, he's off to Rwanda to teach English. I am so incredibly excited for him, and in a way I feel proud. As he shared his story with me and asked me questions about my experience teaching English, I had a rush of feelings come over me. We spent two hours (long lunch - oops!) talking about what it's like living in other countries, what he's looking forward to, what I miss. I suddenly remembered this other part of my life - a time when everything was new and exciting and I was facing my fears and being brave and seeing new horizons and living every day to the fullest, because when else would I be in this position again? He told me of his goals and I reminisced about a life past, and suddenly realized that it doesn't have to be a life past. I can do this again.

I love New York, I've applied to jobs there and I would, in theory, move there. But if everything is happening for a reason, then the no call backs are a sign of something else. Maybe I don't belong there right now. Maybe I should get back to what started all of this in the first place - traveling and doing service work all over the world. That afternoon, I sat down on google and searched international jobs, and I found a website that might be a life changer for me. Over the past few days I've really searched the website and talked to the people that know me best, and I'm going for it. This could put me in another country in only 6 short months, if I don't flee any sooner.

My wonderful roommate then sent me this article, an amazing letter of advice. Some of my favorite parts:

"Who we become is born of who we most primitively are; that we both know and cannot possibly know what it is we’ve yet to make manifest in our lives."

"Let whatever mysterious starlight that guided you this far, guide you onward into whatever crazy beauty awaits."

"You have to be kind. You have to give it all you got. You have to find people who love you truly and love them back with the same truth."

"Whatever happens to you belongs to you"

And then today, I read this, and everything seems to be falling into place.

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
—
Maya Angelou

In august and everything after, I'm after everything.