So I guess it wouldn't be out of place to tell you that my week is not going well. Not only is my lovely, beloved Canon Rebel XTI out of commission, with something I can only imagine as a mental disorder, but last night the hard drive on my ibook FAILED. Giant, giant fail written all over my life, like a bad cat macro. Le sigh. So today I wore a (really adorable, not that I can prove it) all black ensemble to the Apple store...like a widow to a wake I went! It is all gone. It is all, all, all gone, gone, gone. I back up every once in awhile with my external hard drive but to be honest I hadn't done so in a while...I know that I should have been more vigilant. Thousands of songs, photos, and documents. Folders full of inspirational photographs that I have collected from the internet, all my saved sites, blogs, shops, and guilty pleasures are all gone. I am not sure where to start. After returning from the funeral of my little, white, sleek BFF I sat I outside for a long time letting the cold add to my suffering and self-pity.
feel my sorrow. and my wonky eyes.
Off topic, while I was pining for my lost computer compiled identity, I discovered that this is what I would look like if my features were symmetrical.
learn something new everyday, eh?
On the positive side, I am basically starting from scratch and it feels a little good. I mean, my computer hard drive was replaced along with the top thing-a-ma-jig so it is clean and sparkly. It feels somehow appropriate that I have to start over completely as the new year comes in...I get to reorganize, re-prioritize, and remember the things I really love again. If this sounds a little heavy for some lost information on a laptop, remember that I work online, live thousands of miles from my closest good friend, take photos every single day for work or blogging...I live a lot of life on the computer, and I don't have a problem with that. My next steps are, in no particular order;
- Music. Begin the re-downloading process. I like the idea of beginning with my top ten favorites and completing their catalogs before moving on. I have a bad habit of acquiring music on a whim then neglecting to have the complete works of bands and artists I truly love. I believe I will begin with the following artists; Spiritualized, Whiskeytown/Ryan Adams, Neutral Milk Hotel, Cat Power, Jason Molina (also as Songs:Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co.), The Kinks, Dolly Parton, Joy Division, Otis Redding, The Mountain Goats, Simon and Garfunkel, Wilco, Gram Parsons, Okkervil River, Lynyrd Skynryd, White Zombie...did I say ten? This is going to be hard.
- Compile new and more concise collection of bookmarked blogs. No more kinda sorta sometimes fashion I like. I will only be including those I absolutely am inspired by. As many as I can remember. This is where you come in! What are your favorite fashion/street style/lifestyle blogs? Jog my memory.
- Begin new and fresh collections of inspiration photos. Luckily I have a lot of editorials and images already uploaded to flickr. This event should also serve as just the kick in the pants I need to finally cut up all the magazines I have been saving. I have always been very precious about magazines, saving them, protecting them, displaying them...Recently, after a pile of Vogue's slid off a night stand and came close to killing my kid, I realized I am being silly. I think I honestly believe I may save them for my daughter to look at when she is my age (and obsessed with vintage, obviously). The more I think about it, the more I think she will enjoy looking at a scrapbook I made when I was young...as opposed to 400 advertisements for Ralph Lauren Collection! I am looking forward to spending some cold days sifting through pages and chop! chop! chopping! them up for a little look book of my own. It sounds therapeutic.
If you feel the need to cheer me up but don't know how, you'll be happy to know that before my computer imploded I was a busy bee, working on a birthday wish list. My 27th birthday is January 10th! You may be wondering why I am skipping the whole Christmas list thing and that is because it is considered uncouth in my family to actually ask for things you want. It ruins everything and sucks the spirit of Christmas out, just ask my mom. So, while everyone else is doing that...I am patiently waiting the arrival of my late twenties. An abbreviated list of my desires includes,
"non" necklace, headband, and mask from Emmanuelle Esther
(this one has been all over the place! So adorable!)
Chain ring, eyelash necklace, talon ring, and "faithful pantsuit" from Bona Drag
Sam Edelman ankle strapped booties
Plaid Hi-neck poncho from Nasty Gal Vintage
J Fit Digital Fitness Hula Hoop. How fun I need one!
Now I KNOW I KNOW what you're thinking. "But Sarah, these things are (for the most part) neither Vintage nor Secondhand!" To that I say yes, you're right. But I can only control myself and what I buy. I cannot control what YOU buy for ME. It is that simple. All the gifts that I give away this year will be vintage or secondhand.
Hopefully I will have photos and better news to report next time... But right now I will leave you with some shots from the greatest teenage love story ever told, better known as my weekly date with Randy (hearts! stars! fireworks!) in Valley Girl!
aaahhhh! a truer love would be hard to find...
