anna

2011-06-26T23:38:00.001-05:00

2011-04-11T01:10:00.000-05:00

2011-03-15T02:40:00.001-05:00

2011-02-22T18:54:00.002-06:00

2010-10-14T18:58:00.001-05:00

2010-10-07T19:33:00.002-05:00

love, tell me what is love?

it is defined by how i reveal myself to you.

2010-10-04T16:30:00.002-05:00

Look at the trees,

look at the birds,

look at the clouds,

look at the stars...

and if you have eyes you will be able to see

that the whole existence is

joyful.

Everything is simply

happy.

Trees are happy for no reason;

they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents

and they are not going to become rich

and they will never have any bank balance.

Look at the flowers - for no reason.

It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are.

—Osho

2010-06-10T03:46:00.001-05:00

2010-05-14T15:39:00.000-05:00

2010-05-14T02:01:00.000-05:00

2010-04-28T04:36:00.000-05:00

There is nothing greater than overcoming pride by being saturated in humility. I have realized my need for humiliation. I am very embarrassed. I have broken my own rules. No longer am I steadfast. I am realizing my own imperfection. Through this I am becoming stronger, mightier. Savage I am not, for my outer shell is that of a newborn lamb. In the quietness the lamb is filled with wisdom and energy, the commotion hovers and the lamb seeks its Source in trusting desperation. My mission is to love fully, disregarding the requests of my fallen nature.

The beast convinced me that I am wrong, that all of my wisdom is wrong, and that I must be attuned to my desires, inviting a spirit of gluttonous lust to direct me. The goodness that I had was tarnished. For I believed that those pursuing holiness could not be shaken by the heavy footsteps of the dark. Ignorance became prevalent, a blind road ahead without peace or sunlight, I felt the road crumbling beneath me. Winds were windier, colder, chapping my skin of which allowed tiny insecurities to seep into the pores and cracks. Respect for my innate wishes of purity were dehydrated. Not an ounce of energy left, a scream or cry for help deemed impossible. Those familiar gentle hands of tender remedy cradled me within, my weak limbs folded into fetal, I was nourished by the sweet milk of the Mother.

Rolled onto my knees, I peered over the ledge of these hands. Eyes closed tight, one leap and I was surrounded by air, my weakness invigorated with pure energy, Whoosh! Tossed into water, the coda of a brave jump. Enveloped by the elements composing my own being I was blithe, I worked with them to stay on the surface, and we moved together to the land. Tumbling onto the warm sand finding rest, the sun flowing into my mouth, lungs, heart, belly. My skin glowed, I walked around infecting the darkness with the endless energy of love, the earth rattled by a heartbeat.

Tears were no longer a fear, for they are a sweet nectar saturating the land with freedom. Freedom through tears caused by suffering! No longer am I afraid of suffering,

I am only afraid of the darkness which tries to overtake my light.

This is an apology, a request for pardon from the actions my body has manifested.

All that is within my heart, all that is within my mind, is shown through a collection of muscles bones and organs that move and produce sound. I cannot deny that my body was representing the truth. But the truth has changed.

2010-03-07T16:45:00.002-06:00

I'm overly and underly in love. To be understood so completely is sheerly irreplaceable. In each others arms we are comfortable. He magically whisks me out of my mundane thought. The intensity of our perfectly paralleled souls burys me to hibernate with the nutrients of the warmest words spoken to me. Its as if we finally realize that we deserve love and our utmost desire is to fulfill this destiny.

2010-01-29T03:48:00.002-06:00

2010-01-16T16:46:00.000-06:00

2009-12-30T22:36:00.002-06:00

the snow reached my knees and i was thankful to be wearing boots, the kind that are perfectly worn in, you know, those burnt toast colored justin boots that lace up and are more of work boots than victorian boots. the hat was worn for the first time that day, purchased at the Dillard's at Eastland before it went away, 2006ish. scarf bought in a market in Uganda. coat, thrift. $1. it's actually quite a lovely coat, all faded minty blue, with a plush brown mink collar. the headphones were connected to Andrew Bird's "Useless Creatures" album. photo taken in Polo, Illinois. happy new year

2009-12-16T19:18:00.001-06:00

laughter

the silliest thoughts tickle our minds

and the invisible wiring in our bodies

makes us chortle these intense sounds

like gasps of air and sometimes

these sounds get really loud

or they stay in closed mouths

but overall are pleasing to release

and also hearing them sparks

more to escape from our lips

our heads feeling weightless

laughter evokes happiness

with a hand on your belly

you recline with eyes wrinkled

fuzzy baby coons are dancing

inside each breath exhorted

2009-12-09T17:25:00.002-06:00

OH MY GOODNESS MY FRIEND DRAKE INTRODUCED ME TO GARBAGE SHADOW ART AND IT'S THE MOST INSANE THING I'VE SEEN IN A WHILE AND YOU NEED TO CHECK IT OUT AND BE INSPIRED.

2009-12-07T15:19:00.002-06:00

The dizzy lights at Coffee House on Cherry Street were not so admirable until the lens started facing them and memorizing them. Later I asked the lens if it would visually describe its photographic memory.

Here is what the lens told me.

2009-12-04T15:58:00.002-06:00

I'm mesmerized by the extreme ways our society handles the winter holiday. You hear about black friday and how people avoid normal sleeping patterns just to save a buck or two. What if you are planning to not spend any money on gifts? Then society says you're not as prominent or as valuable. Cultural labels are written in chalk on your back, as if you were being marked like a diseased Ellis Island immigrant. Will you still persist? For it takes a challenge and maybe a few lashes to attain virtue of which is priceless. On the receiving end, my grandma insists that I compile a list for Santa. If I were to do such a thing, this is what I'd include: [1] [2] [3] [4]

2009-11-22T17:35:00.001-06:00

2009-11-21T04:50:00.000-06:00

My struggle is,

I know the options, and the outcomes of each option.

So lately I've been choosing the contrary option to the norm.

Pretty much the rebellious and bad option.

Why?

Curiosity.

I want to understand where people are coming from,

why they behave a certain way, why they enjoy things like

alcohol, drugs, lust, possessions.

AND now that i'm done with my experimentation,

it's time to return to my snail shell,

and to slowly creep along the dirt like I was before.

Who cares if the other bugs' bodies are much faster?

For they do not know the quickness of my mind.

2009-11-16T17:12:00.001-06:00

2009-11-09T17:09:00.004-06:00

2009-11-09T15:55:00.000-06:00

2009-11-09T03:05:00.000-06:00

2009-11-08T04:27:00.002-06:00

Oh brother, the past few hours have been spent on editing the Uganda pictures. Although the results are worth the grueling labor, and indecisive saturation decisions, it is still a chore (namely because my skillz are disgustingly amateur and I'm using Picnik rather than the standard for all photographers - Photoshop). I hope they bleed an aromatic juice that screams "Flawless".

2009-11-07T18:23:00.000-06:00

Close your eyes and empty your mind's cache.
Let the heat of the sun evaporate all hostile and negative flood waters.
See the smile on the sun's face.
Allow the muscles of your mouth to move freely upward and the breath clogged in your lungs to escape in laughter.
Saturate your belly with food from the earth.
Clink the bottles together and celebrate life!
For one moment of rejoicing can melt away many moments of anguish.
Twist until you click with the rhythm of the land, as the sap bonds merrily with the pine tree.
Stride boldly into places clouded by oppression and purse your lips, exhaling a tingly wind of love and hope.
May your words seep in, corroding evil like acid ruins metal, to where the chains weighing down their souls become flaky like croissants, enabling them to tear away and run into the arms of their heroic Father, with soggy clothes drenched in tears.

2009-11-03T03:56:00.001-06:00

BREAKING NEWS: BAT LOOSE IN CONGRESS

2009-11-03T02:49:00.002-06:00

I took this freakin' picture when I was 14, and it's of the obvious Grand Canyon, so beautifrickinful, oh my goodness. And I found it in one of my facebook albums tonight and decided it was necessary to re-post

2009-11-03T01:38:00.002-06:00

These are from Halloween last year. We went to a party and then scooted around Wal-Mart, seemingly wasted but truly sober, frolicking through the aisles with disposable cameras in tow, getting word-slapped by an employee for whizzing around in shopping carts.

2009-11-02T17:25:00.001-06:00

Anyone else remember this brilliant Cavalli number? it still dances in my head, in my heart, clouding monetary perception with a fog, a steamy love.

2009-11-01T19:03:00.007-06:00

2009-10-28T23:51:00.001-05:00

photocred: Trek Earth

2009-10-24T03:24:00.000-05:00

PHOTOCRED: Me

2009-10-19T01:39:00.002-05:00

PHOTOCRED: Me. I have a very broken camera.

2009-10-14T00:20:00.002-05:00

2009-10-12T02:58:00.000-05:00

2009-10-11T19:00:00.002-05:00

The Jewel by James Wright

There is this cave

In the air behind my body

That nobody is going to touch:

A cloister, a silence

Closing around a blossom of fire.

When I stand upright in the wind,

My bones turn to dark emeralds.

PHOTOCRED: http://www.anthropologie.com

2009-10-10T04:16:00.001-05:00

My dad takes forever choosing which pickles to buy from Sam's. And there was this awkward knife demonstration going on at the end of the aisle, therefore a lot of people staring at dad while he picked out his pickles. I felt like we were being filmed. Lots of beady eyes were burning holes in our backs. By the way, he chose the gallon jar of dill spears.

2009-10-09T16:41:00.002-05:00

PHOTOCRED: Me, with my very broken camera

2009-10-05T23:08:00.002-05:00

"Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish." - John Jakes

2009-10-05T23:01:00.002-05:00

2009-10-02T16:06:00.003-05:00

Boogers and snot

Snot and boogers

A poem by Anna Coffman

You go outside and breathe in the air

You didn't realize you'd get a booger

But you can feel it in your nostril when you inhale

And there's no way to get it out

Except to pick ya nose, girl

So you do and find a big juicy thing

Then you flick it onto the ground

And a couple of days later it gets crusty

You won't remember that booger in a week

It will remember you

2009-10-02T01:56:00.000-05:00

2009-10-01T15:32:00.002-05:00

PHOTOCRED: NASA's "Earthrise"

2009-10-01T01:33:00.003-05:00

What would you do if your wardrobe caught on fire, turned into ash, and then was dumped into the Baltic Sea?

I was browsing through my closet tonight, and couldn't help but notice how much I love each individual item. There's history behind my clothes. My collection can't have a price tag - comparable to the National Archive's collection of historical written documents. After these ridiculous thoughts occurred, I felt convicted.

What if it were to vanish? What if all of the clothes I thought I loved were to slowly burn away before my eyes? After some immediate shock, and maybe some tears, I know I'd recover. Over time, I'd accumulate a new wardrobe of beautiful clothes that I'd "swear to never part with" - why is this? Why do I place so much value on tangible goods? It's not because I want people to admire me. It's how I display creativity. As I grow older, I'm adapting to a more refined taste. I continue to study fashion, but will I ever wear out? Maybe I need a new identity - bicyclist, entrepreneur, chef, philosopher, musician?

Ugh. I know there's a reason why I have such an "eye" - but for what? Why am I so picky? What is my purpose? All I feel like doing is loving people, and learning more about the world. Yet is that abandoning things I've tied in with my identity? What should identity even include?

In the words of my sister Liz, "One should count each day as a separate life." That's what I'll do.

2009-10-01T01:25:00.000-05:00

The Slow Loris.

2009-09-29T01:07:00.000-05:00

Everyone needs a pet Philippine Tarsier.

2009-09-28T22:24:00.005-05:00

The black & white image is courtesy of The Photodiarist.

I saw her image and remembered that I had taken zoomed-in versions of the same location - Wooster & Canal in NYC. Enjoy

Insults

2009-09-27T23:46:00.005-05:00

If you were a balloon, I'd toss you into a field of porcupines.

If you were a Kit Kat bar, I'd leave you on the dashboard all summer.

If you were a hamster's salt wheel, I'd immerse you in boiling water.

You are an onion. You make me cry.

If you were an alpaca sweater, I'd unravel you.

If you were a toilet seat, you'd be covered in dry ice.

If you were an instrument, you'd be a loud organ.

If you were a toy, you'd be a Furby.

You are Canada. You're not real.

You're a drunken, slurred accent. Nobody understands you.

- - -

These were unprofessionally concocted by me and my sister Rachel.

2009-09-26T15:44:00.002-05:00

Confused.

When I'm around people, I refuse to let anyone kill a bug -

beetles, spiders, anything.

If someone is freaking out about a bug, and they want it dead,

I'll be the first in line to kill it.

When alone, I throughly enjoy smashing bugs, stomping on them, trapping them in jars, cutting them in half and feeding them to garden spiders...

I've never confessed this until now.

2009-09-25T23:28:00.002-05:00

Is it safer to trust the person who knows you and has hurt you before, or to trust the person who doesn't know you very well with the clean slate?

When evaluating the moments of which you were hurt, ask yourself: Is it their fault for hurting me?, or Is it my fault for being hurt so easily?

The barrier of our hearts is a thin, tissue-like layer, of which can be easily penetrated. Whenever we try to toughen it up, we lose the part of ourselves that is vulnerable to love. We become bitter, cold, and disinterested in the needs of others. We only live for ourselves and for whatever keeps our hearts from experiencing chilly winds and scorching fires.

Rather, we should live with the capacity to receive hurt, yet the dignity to not hurt others. Let's put others before ourselves, even if it means getting hurt. We're called to be servants to the ones who stab and pierce innocence; to love them beyond our measure of reason. Since when has the swamp of filth we've created on this earth been any more sterile than another?

2009-09-25T19:14:00.007-05:00

Lizzie Fortunato Jewels

http://www.lizziefortunatojewels.com

2009-09-24T17:29:00.000-05:00

2009-09-23T17:35:00.001-05:00

I don't recall who took this, but it's lovely.

2009-09-22T00:57:00.004-05:00

I haven't been bike riding in a couple weeks.

It hasn't stopped raining.

There was a flash flood warning today.

I entered into a state of panic,

asking strangers if they knew of anyone

who has been building an arc.

My favorite colors since I was young have been:

Periwinkle, Coral, Silver, Neon Yellow, Gold, Gray.

I very recently added Navy and Mint to the list.

Yesterday I was at a thrift store, with only $12 in my wallet.

I cringed when I could only get a dress, sweater, and blouse.

I'll eventually post pictures.

My "Iceland/Uganda" paper is due in 11 hours;

I have yet to start.

I've listened to the following albums twice today:

U2 "Achtung Baby"

Sigur Ros "( )"

Conclusion: Radiohead is the best music for thunderstorms.

2009-09-22T00:03:00.003-05:00

----------------------

M. A. Andrew makes me want to crap my pants.

He's that good. Check him out here.

2009-09-21T22:02:00.003-05:00

PHOTOCRED: I created this on http://www.polyvore.com

2009-09-21T07:31:00.000-05:00

2009-09-19T19:48:00.003-05:00

PHOTOCRED: I created this on http://www.polyvore.com

2009-09-19T16:55:00.002-05:00

2009-09-19T01:38:00.001-05:00

2009-09-18T15:12:00.003-05:00

I am extremely terrified of those fuzzy caterpillars with the red faces.

I wouldn't deny that they've received orders from Lucifer's lips

to come taunt me for the rest of my existence.

They give me the jitters.

The most eerie thing they do is chill on the ceiling

of my back porch and then make suicidal falls.

Onto me.

2009-09-18T01:41:00.005-05:00

Oh, hello Proenza Schouler Spring 2010.

I'm queasy with envy of these garments.

What flawless beauties they are.

Metallic jewel tones.

More, please.

2009-09-13T20:23:00.004-05:00

Ashamedly, I just don't want to wear shoes anymore. I'll still wear 'em to church and restaurants, but... oh, I dread it.

Simplicity keeps poking me in the ribs, persisting that we be allies. Fine, I don't want my stuff. Rather than disposing of it, I'm finding proper homes for it all. Goodbye, stuff. Hello, oxygen.

Anoche, I went to a party at my friend's new apartment at 21st & Cincinnati. Talk about immaculate. It was tiny, clad in white crown moldings and rustic wood floors. I wanted to move in and live there for the rest of eternity. Oh, how I long...

2009-09-13T15:21:00.002-05:00

2009-09-12T18:15:00.005-05:00

Thoughts of late:

1. I've been thinking about stereotypes. And I want to find one of which I best fit. Because they are humorous and unavoidable. So I chose Skiddish Homeschooler. The only problem is, I wasn't homeschooled.

2. Skiddish is my favorite word. It always makes me envision weird livestock animals with bulging eyes, kinda running in all directions in anti-clusters.

3. I am obsessing over innocent-looking animals, like sheep and rabbits. I think I'll bring home a pet rabbit and hide it in the secret room underneath the stairs.

3. I'd shunned pastels, due to the traumatizing 90's era. And the instant relation I'd given pastels to Easter. And then realized, "Oh wait, it's fall. That means dark colors, right?" Wrong. Of course I choose pastels. What is my problem.

4. I still have issues with the color pink and may possibly need therapy. But I do have one pink dress, of which I wear on those occasions where I know it's going to be a bunch of old folks and parent's friends. I think it makes me look innocent, and then they don't ask awkward questions.

5. Upon first meeting someone, I tend to ask them questions of which they've never been asked. That, or I confess something to them. Example: "Have you ever been tempted to put a cluster of naked Barbies in your weird neighbor's mailbox?" or, "I fake sneeze in crowded elevators to see how people react." It throws them a little off-kilter and it entertains me. In fact, it's one of my guilty pleasures. Very guilty.

6. There's nothing better than going to the school library when you have 10 minutes to spare. Just grab a stack of unrelated magazines and flip through them really quickly, then put them all back, and leave. Or stand in the Native American History aisle in a weird crouching-cat-about-to-pounce stance.

7. I could never hate a wildcat. I'm actually afraid of all wildcats.

8. Flowers are so inappropriately expensive.

9. I have this old, rusty metal box of which contains a few things I'd never give away. I keep it under lock and key. I'm questioning whether or not this is ethical.

10. There's an irreplaceable satisfaction that comes from having freshly ironed clothes.

11. I've recently arrived at the conclusion that, when a song skips, it's actually a glitch in the matrix.

2009-09-12T14:20:00.000-05:00

2009-09-12T02:03:00.000-05:00

2009-09-11T15:17:00.000-05:00

2009-09-10T20:46:00.000-05:00

2009-09-09T19:12:00.001-05:00

2009-09-09T18:52:00.000-05:00

2009-09-09T14:59:00.004-05:00

I waited in the lobby at my friend's psychologist, skimming through a binder stuffed with informational magazine articles.

One of them convicted me.

It was written by an 87-year-old woman.

A compilation of things she wished she'd done.

- -

"I wish I'd laughed more, complained less.

I was the woman who had a flashlight, umbrella, and screwdriver in my purse.

I wish I'd packed lighter.

I wish that I'd taken more risks.

I wish my troubles were real, not imaginary because of fear."

- -

Finally she'd processed her life, spreading it out and clustering it together.

She had regrets, and unfulfilled wishes.

Her highest expectations were never her priority.

She'd settled countless times.

Does this happen to all of us?

Is there a preliminary maximum we can't pass?

Only being 19, I have an overwhelming capacity.

I feel as if I'm going to leave something practical for the world to use.

I'm too young to settle, to surrender, to quell, to seal up.

This is a declaration.

I will:

Recycle brilliance.

Enunciate my creativity.

Write more letters.

Request the advice of others.

Live out remarkable stories.

Deluge my mind with knowledge.

Waltz through adversity with euphoria.

Shatter malevolence with unconditional love.

Pursue fidelity as a virtue.

Be imperfectly relatable.

View independence as a misfortune.

Spill passion into their ragged dreams.

Revive our famished hearts with opulent community.

If I don't, then who will?

If you catch my heart, then join me.

2009-09-08T21:46:00.000-05:00

2009-09-07T16:40:00.001-05:00

2009-09-07T12:05:00.002-05:00

2009-08-27T16:19:00.000-05:00

2009-08-17T02:32:00.001-05:00

My camera & I have a bittersweet relationship.

It's turning 5 years old this December.

Countless miles have been traveled together.

It's helped me capture 5 countries.

It's been good times, though.

2009-08-10T00:17:00.000-05:00

I drove for 3 hours today.

US 51 led me to Lake Keystone.

An $0.89/lb Mexican tomato was purchased from IGA.

It was sourly unripe.

46 pictures were taken on this adventure.

I discovered three new great places to read books.

I'm an expert gas-waster.

MYERS-BRIGGS

2009-06-21T01:41:00.003-05:00

Out of sheer curiosity, I found myself taking the Myers-Briggs test. It was something I ran across while google-ing different things about human behavior studies. According to this renowned profiling, there are sixteen different personality categories. Each of the sixteen types have a different approach to living, thinking, feeling, sensing, et cetera.

I'm an ENFP.

UGANDA

2009-06-15T23:16:00.001-05:00

RELATIONSHIPS

2009-04-15T23:43:00.001-05:00

Relationships take a lot. Whether they are familial relationships, dating relationships, friendship relationships, whatever, they all require the same stuff: time, genuine love, sacrifice, provision.

You can't just simply meet someone one day, leave it be, then expect the relationship to blossom out of control to where you're inseparable. Absolutely not. There's a basic, obvious prerequisite of time. Whether you develop a solid, strong relationship with another is dependent on the time spent together. You have to create a firmer basis for the relationship, and to know more about the person, their habits, past experiences, peeves, dreams, passions. And there has to be a weird kind of cohesion with the person - a form of dependency, to where you feel comfortably vulnerable with each other. To where you're able to be entirely transparent and raw. Trust me, it's good for you.

Sometimes once you get to know the person, you might develop a barrier or resistance to them, because you realize that they require a lot more of you than you're willing to just give away. This ties in with genuine love. If you reach the point where you love someone, you're eventually able to give of yourself fully, to be open about your flaws, your slip ups. You're able to lay aside anything that isn't constructive for the relationship, even if that means humble self-sacrifice. You can love them through their faults as well, and can be enveloping of their brokenness. But it's tough, because sometimes (usually) we put ourselves first, and start believing that all of the work is just not worth it. But think of that discouragement as an awakening to reverse your thinking.

The provision part... Okay so when things start to get bland in these relationships, you may wish to seek after new ones that might be more exciting or more beneficial for you - such a selfish move - but it's a part of our disgusting human nature. In this skewed mindset of a process, you tend to be lax in your old relationships, and kinda abandon them. You're no longer pulling your part and threaten the foundations. Solution: See the relationships from a new perspective; envision the possibility of what they could be, and then pull your part to make the necessary changes.

Ok I don't know if this gets the point across... or what my intention was? Ha

IDENTITY

2009-04-13T22:45:00.001-05:00

It's crystal to me how simple our lives can become. All we have to do is give up on the endless pursuit of "more" - and to break apart from it - and dwindle onto another pathway, one I'll simply name "less".

We are to live to give what we have been given.

Surely, most of us find the ideal of a prosperous, material-filled life to be the most ideal, leading us to constantly frown on those who drag their feet, those who seem to be going nowhere, yet in all reality, we should just slow down and accept who we currently are. Instead of exhaustingly re-inventing ourselves, why not settle into our own skin? That's one thing about us that won't really change - being in our own bodies. Let's get comfortable in ourselves.

And instead of drifting into a realm where your mindset is always focused on, "I must earn more than those I know," or, "I want my family to live comfortably and I want to provide for my parents when they are older. ..." yadda yadda, why not focus on individuals and who they are, firstly channeling that focus onto yourself?

We're suffering in this world due to a lack of identity. There's a skewed perception floating around that everyone needs to be associated with something in order to be someone. Oh, how this world appears to have so much to offer us, with so many choices of who we could ever be. So we may try on a few personas, some of us exhaust ourselves with more than just a few, yet there's always one that we can't just yet wear. Think of it as being the "ideal" persona of your own little world, and it's on display in a glass box. You sigh and say, "Maybe one day...." Well, what could possibly be associated with an ideal persona? Is it, someone who is loving? Passionate? Driven? Comfortable? And why can't we be that person right now? What's holding us back? Must we be so consumed by what others may think? For what if you are destined to have a much bolder life? We cannot be so humble as to not be willing to shine amongst the deceasing souls amongst us. If there weren't successful people, then there would not be any inspiration for others to pursue a higher standard for their own self.

Evaluate who you truly want to become, and ask yourself, "Why am I not becoming this person?" Sincerely, you deserve this refreshing and glistening opportunity for change. Here's your launch pad. Be concrete with yourself and with your potential to where you naturally shine, even if it leads to groundbreaking success and a new desire to excel.

May we conform no longer.