One Art. To Stephan Castellanos.

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster,

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three beloved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

-- Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) a disaster. 


Once I had a friend. A best friend. And he chose, chose, to remove me from his life. To delete me, if you will. Although I understand the circumstances of his actions, it does not make the repercussions of them hurt any less. Sometimes, life just gets in the way of what we want. 

So long, friend. It was fun while it lasted, but now I must erase you from my memory. 


It costs too much to be your friend. It costs too much.

For your entertainment...

Today I was surfing the blogger abyss, trying out super-cool new gadgets to make my blog the best that it can possibly be, when I stumbled upon some neat-o things that I thought might interest you. Here are just a few of the new features that blogger has to offer. I consider them to be blog enhancers.

1. Daily puppy photographs- This is exactly what it sounds like. A cute and cuddly puppy picture every day.
2. Shrek-ever-after countdown. Alright... I love Shrek, but I didn't know that it was such a phenomenon that it would require a countdown...? To each his own, I guess.
3. Teeth whitening tips. Always good to know. Who doesn't want to take good care of those pearly whites?
4. Campfire pictures. The camper in me loves a good campfire. Nothing is more cozy than a warm campfire, crickets chirping all around, the smell of smoke drifting in the air.

However, as appealing as these features may be, I decided that they are not exactly what I'm looking for in order to make my blog more indie/artistic/southern/cute/deep/literary/witty. If these gadgets are something you would be interested in, then, by all means, please let me know and I'll find a way to get your daily puppy photographs to you. I'm sure we could start up an email chain or something.

And because no blog post is complete without a random video...

You can just call me Mrs. Justin Robinett. Or Mrs. Michael Henry. Whichever you prefer.

Jump on in; the water's fine!

This video was sufficient advice for my first week of college.

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/high-school-musical-4/1085201/

Well, it wasn't entirely all-encompassing, but it was satisfactory for my first week.

It's been rough. Rush was overwhelming, to say the least. As was bid day. (I pledged Chi O... Hootie hoo! Yay for baby owls.) And so was my first day of classes. Let me tell you something: college professors are scary. And classes of 200 people? They're terrifying.

I know those words of wisdom aren't quite as deep as those of the great Troy Bolton, but that's just how I feel. I am a tiny fish swimming in a humungous pond.

A wise man once told me (aka, my dad), not to sit by the water (aka college) and think about what it would feel like to jump in. His advice to me was to dive into the water headfirst, not just tip-toe in. Cause unless I took that initial leap of faith, I would end up poolside all four years, knowing me.

All 640 something girls rushing to the sorority houses.

Sisters!

My precious owl pal.

My mother herself. She's awesome and she is the birthday girl.

I can tell that I'm going to like college. I just haven't quite converted that statement into the present tense. 

Looks like we made it.

Guess what this is?

If you guessed a post about my decision to defer college and become a palm-reader, you would be wrong.

A post about my appearance on an up-and-coming Disney channel show? You would also be wrong.

But, if you guessed that this is my first post written in my new salmon (yes, salmon) and burlap colored dorm room, you would be correct.

I made it, internet. I came, I saw, I conquered. Move in day.

I know, I can't believe it either.

I don't have much to share, but I did want to reassure you all that I've made it.

24 hours and counting.

College, I'm coming for you.

Dorm sweet dorm.

Sweet Discovery.

Let me tell you a little something about sadness:

It's overrated.

I'm over it. Being sad, being "in mourning" because my friends are gone... it's done. I'm through. It's only been two days and I miss them already, but I am convinced that college is only going to bring us closer.

I mean, look how adorable we are? How could we possible grow apart?

The Suite Life of Clumsy Kim.

4 hours and way too many swipes on the credit card later...

One short day in the emerald city.

Yeah. These relationships are built to last.

On a completely different note...

It's high time for me to get back to really blogging about what I love: music. I take great pride in the music that I listen to; whether it be top 20 on itunes or the discreet melodies that I discover on Jango. (yes, I said Jango and not Pandora. Why? Because Jango is better, that's why. You don't need to know why.)

I thought that I'd share a few songs that I'm loving these days. These songs are in no particular order, and they have no particular theme. (The wallowing-in-self-pity genre has been put to rest... for now.)

1. Long Time Traveller - The Wailin' Jennys
I have a thing for celtic/bluegrassy female voices, especially when they're singing together in perfect harmony. Similar artists: Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek (ahhhh Nickel Creek. Love them. LOVE them.) This song is so spiritual and gorgeous. To whom it may concern: I would like this song played, if not sang, and my funeral.

2. One Voice -  The Wailin Jennys
Ditto.

3. The Nicest Thing - Kate Nash
We all know and love the lovely Kate Nash. She's one of those artists that can sing about nothing at all and still sound cute doing it. Mouthwash, anyone? This one, actually has a little bit of substance to it, however depressing that substance may be. Similar artists: Lilly Allen, The Ting Tings, Laura Marling

4. Skyscraper - Demi Lovato

You can't deny it; this girl can sing, and she can sing with passion. I'm not going to lie, I feel a little awkward watching this music video because I feel like I'm reading a video version of her diary. It's that personal. Team Demi. Similar artists: Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus (yes, I realize the difference between the description of this song and the aforementioned ones. But if she can sing, she can sing.)

5. Cold Front - Amie Miriello
I love this song, and I love my awesome friends that introduced me to it. I'm calling it; this one'll be featured on Pretty Little Liars before long. It was written for Aria and Ezra. Similar artists: Alanis Morisette, Joni Mitchell

6. All The Way To New York City - Rosie Thomas
This song is just so ideal and sweet. I would love to live this life. Similar artists: Schuyler Fisk, Patty Griffin

This post is long/random/filled with pictures and songs, but I hope you enjoyed it. Just a little snapshot of the chaos that is going on in my mind as I get ready to leave for college TOMORROW! Which reminds me, I should be packing. Ugh. The bane of my existence.

Clumsy Kim.

The Sapster 2000

Alright guys. T-minus 6 days. And when countdowns begin, so do sappy playlists (Remember graduation?). Get ready to be depressed. End of the summer songs are my specialty.

P.S. I used up most of my super sappy end of everything songs at for my one-million-song-long playlist for graduation, so this one will be significantly shorter.

1. Age Six Racer (So Long, Sweet Summer)

Dashboard Confessionals

Super duper emo video, but what can you do? Gotta love my alternative side.

2. Fireflies
Ron Pope

I love Ron Pope. I brought him to Briarwood after hearing "A Drop in the Ocean" at camp, and anyone that claim that he/she introduced him to the private school system is lying. I try my hardest not to be a music snob, but sometimes I just can't help myself.

This song is just straight-up depressing, and the video just makes it worse. It's an average video, cheesed up to the max. And the fact that the guy is wearing capris... I don't know, cropped pants for men just don't really do it for me. But to each his own.

3. End of the Summer
Dar Williams

Whoa. I'm not going to lie to you, I just heard this song for the first time while I was making this playlist. How have I gone so long with never hearing this? I love me some 90's folk. This is beautiful. "The summer ends, and we wonder where we are//and there you go, my friends, with your boxes in your car."

4. This Time of Year
Better Than Ezra

5. Leaves That Are Green
Simon and Garfunkel

6. Summer Nights
GREASE

What can I say? I love musicals.

7. Summer Skin
Death Cab For Cutie

Again, depressing. But who doesn't love death cab? Summer love found and lost. So touching, right?

That's all for now, folks. But don't touch that dial; I promise I'll be happy soon enough!

Clumz.

Two's company.

I am just going to apologize in advance for the emotional posts that are bound to color this blog for the next 11 days (potentially the entire month of August). I'm going to college, I'm terrified, and the outlet for these fears is my blog. So, please, just bear with me.

I said my first goodbye Saturday night. It wasn't this big monumental thing, but it was still emotional, to say the least, and it made me realize that this next week is going to be filled with goodbyes. And it had me questioning my decision to "step out," if you will, and go to a college where I can count the number of people that I know on my fingers. And the ones that I feel comfortable with on about 3. I was literally thinking, "What have I done? I am going to be all alone."

But then I remembered this...

"It is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

And I recalled this as well...

"Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, for I have overcome the world." John 16:32-33

Oh, and this little tidbit...

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;  your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

How could I have forgotten? I have all the company I need.

So yes, goodbye's will be hard. Harder than I could have imagined. But the joy of the hello's are going to completely overpower the sorrow of the goodbye's. And on the days when I think that I can't stand to speak another goodbye, God will right there, waiting to greet me with the warmest "hello" possible.