August

August. proper noun. The last month of summer (sob). According to Wikipedia, Julius Caesar did some calendar rearranging (he would) and named this month after Augustus, the founder of the Roman Empire.

Image via Pinterest

I’m linking up with Leigh Kramer and sharing all the jazz I’m into this month.

Reading:

I’ve struggled to find amazing books in August – I had already checked off the books on my must-read list for this summer, I couldn’t order books at will from my awesome small-town library, and I forget that I’m allowed to read for fun when I’m at college. But I did find a few gems.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J.K. Rowling. I’ve been slowly rereading the books in this series for around 2 years, sprinkling them in whenever I begin to miss Hogwarts and Hermione. After wrapping up Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last summer and taking adequate time to mourn Sirius’s death, I’ve finally got around to tackling the sixth book. Though I actually like the earlier books better (#3 is my fave), I still devoured this entire book in less than a week. And I’d read it before. (Granted, I only remembered like 3 things from my previous reading. But still.)

An Altar in the World – Barbara Brown Taylor. This was an impulse buy at Barnes and Noble. I went in for a planner and came out with, well, more than that. I’m soaking it in a few pages at a time, as Taylor’s style seems to call for. Her reflections on seeing God in the everyday world, from blades of grass to overly enthusiastic classmates, are just what I need.

Listening to:

I have a confession. In the last month, the songs I have listened to the most include “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift, “Shower” by Becky G, and “Classic” by MKTO.

I have no shame.

Okay, I have a little shame.

Watching:

Parks & Recreation. After taking most of the summer off from watching Parks & Rec, I’ve returned. Yay. However, I’m tragically 2 episodes away from finishing what’s available on Netflix. Boo. I’m going to need a new show soon – any recommendations?

The Lego Movie. (I’m so behind, I know.) I must admit that my feelings about this movie are still undecided. Pro, the one-liners that make 21-year-olds with nerdy humor laugh. Con, the plot that honestly didn’t make that much sense until the very end of the movie. Pro, the catchy “Everything is Awesome” song. Con, the catchy “Everything is Awesome” song.

gif via Google Images

Randomly Loving:

White Converse All-Stars. After seeing how much trendy bloggers and my mother wear these, I asked for a pair for my birthday. Due to a sock malfunction during their first wearing, I got the biggest blisters I’ve ever had. But this tale ends happily: I wore Band-Aids on my heels for a week, the sneaks broke in beautifully, and I’ve been wearing them all the time. I like to believe that they pair nicely with my entire closet, including items like shorts, skirts, and skinny jeans that I have never been able to pull off with sneakers. Converse for the win.

This blog post titled “When Suits Become Stumbling Blocks.” It’s old news in blog terms, but I still love it. If you like snarky commentaries on modesty culture that are funny but not mean, you’ll love it too.

Sunflowers. Someone brilliant put sunflowers in my college’s community garden. Dear gardener, you have excellent taste and I like you. I picked a few flowers for my dorm room right when I moved in, which increased the cheerfulness of white cinderblock exponentially.

These are few of my favorite things

Thrift stores. Because where else can your roommate find a comfy chair for $7? (Said chair is also grungy and ugly, but it’s nothing a makeshift slipcover can’t fix.)

This blog post by Sarah Bessey. I love the small moments that shape into her honest, beautiful love story.

Keeping Me Busy:

The last weekends at the lake. August was bookended by two mini-vacations at my favorite place in the world. The first had beautiful weather, so I spent every second on the lake. The last had crappy weather, so we watched movies and went into town. Both involved bonfires and s’mores, so all is well.

Moving back to school. I left home 3 weeks before classes started and moved into my dorm room to prep for a student leader position. I’ve spent that time figuring out what an Assistant Resident Director actually does, decorating my room (a serious undertaking), and relearning how to cook my own meals.

The college essentials. Note the vintage sweatshirt from my parents’ college days.

Leader’s Week and Freshman Orientation. For student leaders at my school, the year kicks off with preparatory meetings, introductions to school policy, and lots of group bonding (weekend retreat! low ropes course! camp games!). It all leads up to the extravaganza of Freshman Orientation, in which we welcome new students to campus with all of the enthusiasm. It is exhausting, but in a good way.

The Minnesota State Fair (x2). Minnesotans throw a darn good get-together. Highlights of this one include going with both family and friends, petting sheep, eating buckets of Sweet Martha’s Cookies, and dragging our reluctant sister on rides.