Settling in

I've done sort of an onslaught of picture posts lately, which I think appropriately relates the sort of exuberance that comes with arriving in a new place--especially one of renowned beauty such as Edinburgh. During the first few days I was here, it was almost impossible to go outside without pulling out my phone to take a picture, or if I thought ahead enough, my regular camera. But I thought that now, as I'm closing in on my third week here and things have begun to (gradually) fall into place, it might be nice to start reflecting a little bit on what being here, so far, is like.

Moving is hard. It's hard when you have to move to a different apartment in the same town you were in, or in the same state. It's a totally different story when you move to another country. I did it on my own, which makes it both simpler and more complicated depending on how you look at it, but I try to imagine having a family and all of those implications as well (doctors, schools, etc.) and it just boggles the mind. Or if I had to move furniture, or ship a car. Eep!

There's so much to think about before you leave, and then when you arrive! And of course, at that moment when you're most stressed from the physical move -- the packing of boxes, the flying/driving/shipping of items, and making sure you can get into your new place as hassle-free as possible -- there's everything to figure out. I have the benefit this time around of having been in the UK for a length of time before, so things like supermarket chains and currency I had mostly figured out before. I needed a little reminding, of course, but it's the sort of thing you take for granted at home, and can make settling in, in a new place, just a tad more challenging.

I started getting orientated to my university and specific program right away after I arrived in Scotland, so in addition to trying to stock toilet paper and figure out why ibuprofen tablets only come in tiny boxes of 16 tablets for the equivalent of $5USD, and what the heck a "flat white" is on the coffee shop menu (a small espresso drink with a thin "flat" layer of really velvety milk foam)--deep breath--there's school to think about.

And socializing! Joining a one-year masters program is like being a college freshman all over again. Nobody knows anybody, most people are from quite far away, so going through similar adjustments as you are, and therefore happy to lend a hand, give advice, or, if it comes to it, commiserate. One difference is our age, which is typically somewhere between 23 to 29 with a few later-comers thrown in there for good measure. The other difference between being a postgraduate and a freshman is that a larger percentage of postgraduate students are already married, more inclined to read and go to bed early (and therefore accept midnight bar closing as, well, acceptable), and... smarter. They want to be here (most of them, anyway) and they want to work hard and achieve something. We chose this. However, that's not to say that studious people don't like to grab a cold beverage after mind-bending seminars. Maybe two... or three.

Overall, in the last (almost) three weeks, I've begun to settle in and get a grasp on what's expected of me this year, and what I can expect to get out of it. I'm far from settled in yet -- relationships of all kinds are new and tenuous, classes have only just begun, I'm still trying to decide which grocery store is best for regular trips, and my internship has still to be determined altogether. Things are coming together, for sure. But there is quite a bit of settling in yet to do.

This weekend I'm headed to the Highlands on a see-it-all-quick bus tour just to get out of the city and see some hills. I need some expanse! Edinburgh is not an architecturally tall city, but it's a busy one, and I like space. I look forward to getting out for the day and then coming back to the place that's my own, and will feel more and more like mine as time goes by.

I'm having an amazing time, and it can't be overrated how lucky I feel--and am.

Cheers!
Kate x

Where did I pack the...?

Here goes: one of the only posts I'll probably ever do that does not include a photo! I'm pressed for time, you see. And technology. I don't know where my camera is at the moment--oh wait, I do, but it's buried in a carry-on bag full of things I couldn't fit in my regular suitcase. In fact, I don't know where I put the toothpaste, but I'm trusting it's in one of the bags, somewhere...

In a nutshell, I'm about to depart! Thought I'd throw out a quick update since I suddenly find myself with about an hour to spare and nothing more to pack. I could cuddle with my cat for a while, but he's napping and it would probably just piss him off. I got in a really nice last-minute coffee date with my mom and nana, and said goodbye to my sister and her lovely coffee shop. That's one place I will definitely miss -- the regulars there are like none other. Seriously, just about everybody knows everybody. There's some serious value to a place like that.

I finally started getting "nervous tummy," which my sister corrected me (correctly) and called "excited tummy." Not really wanting to eat anything, feeling a little anxious about all of the little things that really aren't all that important, but somehow seem hugely significant right now: Is my suitcase below the weight limit? Do I really need to bring that extra purse? Is mascara considered a liquid? Where is the toothpaste?

All in all, though, I feel really good. I feel prepared, and that's about all a person can ask for when she's about to embark on a big trip. And not just a big trip, but a long stay. A move, but a university move, which isn't really the same thing--but kind of. I find that the more I tell myself to go with the flow, the better I feel. So, to leave you with, three little day-of-departure tips that I'm finding useful right now.

1) Daily routines are important. I was distracted enough this morning with packing that I totally forgot to put makeup on. And not that makeup is a necessity -- I don't mind not wearing it. But the point is that it's a regular morning routine, and I didn't do it. So, to my surprise, late in the morning I was surprised by my appearance in the mirror, and felt like I had forgotten something. Moral of the story: stick with your routine and you'll feel better about the excitement and uncertainty that lies ahead.

2) Do a last-minute cull. You're getting down to the wire and you think your suitcase might be a little heavy or overstuffed. Open it up and make a snap decision or two about a few things you don't need. If you're like me, your last week or so has been, at least in some part every day consumed by thoughts of what to bring, what not to bring, what fits, what's too heavy, etc. When you've got a deadline (ie. actually have to getcho bad self to the airport), it's easier to just be done with it. Stop thinking, just pull a couple things out. It's so much nicer to have a little wiggle room in the suitcase.

3) Take some time to just relax. Scan your Facebook feed, have coffee with your mom, read a book, watch TV... just chill. It's good to get your mind off things for just a moment--just to pause--and refresh a little bit before hopping on the plane.

See you there!

Kate x

Second to last

To bring the blue velvet tennies, or no? The hardest part of packing has been limiting myself to things that I actually wear on a regular basis, since my wardrobe contains things I don't wear all the time, but am loathe to part with. Thus, the velvet tennies question.

My bags are mostly packed and still within weight limits, so I don't think it should be too hard from here on out. I've donated a bunch more stuff to the thrift store, gotten a haircut, packed away a bunch more stuff, cleaned some more...

I've been spending a good deal of time with this guy. 

And I'm finally starting to cross items off the list faster than I can add them. It's starting to look really good, actually, and with that, I'm feeling a little more at ease. It was really wonderful to go visit my favorite Kate at Shear Chaos Salon, a little treat from my mom as a last-minute get-ready-to-travel bonus. Is there anything quite like a really good shampoo/head massage? Pff, not likely!

This may be my final post Stateside, so perhaps the next you'll hear from me, I'll be travel-weary and exhausted, but excited beyond comprehension to finally be in Edinburgh. :D

Cheers!
Kate x

Pack it up, pack it in

Somehow, this photo makes this look a lot more contained than it feels!

With only three days until departure (!!!) the stress of packing and cleaning (ie. moving -- I'm sure there are those of you who know this well) has slightly eclipsed the excitement, but I'm ticking things off my seemingly monumental to-do list and getting down to the nitty gritty. And some of the stuff on that list is fun! Like a haircut tomorrow (nothing serious, just a trim), and a belated farewell dinner at one of the best restaurants in the area (from the museum), and probably at least one more get-together with at least one, if not more, of my favorite people. Laundry is getting laundered! Skype is installed! Bags are getting packed! Belongings are (mostly) boxed! My cat is freaking out!

It's all coming together. ;)

I'm currently without a phone that takes decent photos, or an iPod that takes photos at all--so Instagram is on hold until I get my iPhone up and running in Scotland. But until then... I hope you'll keep track of whatever updates I can muster via the Artsy Abroad Facebook page and I simply cannot wait to do my first posts from Edinburgh!

Cheers!
Kate x


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 4 (so close I can taste it)

What I've learned so far...

5 Tips from a Student Moving Abroad

...a continually evolving list about dealing with stuff and moving and the stuff of moving, as of 17 days before departure. ;)



5) Don't wait forever to get started. And by that I mean, waiting until the very last minute/day/week to sort through your apartment or house and try to get rid of everything all in one go -- that's tough. Unless you feel like donating everything, or paying boatloads (possibly for a boatload) to move your stuff somewhere far, far away. I've never been much of a knick-knacks collector or a media hound or anything (except maybe books), but when I thought I "didn't really have that much" to deal with, it actually came out to at least about twenty boxes and some furniture here and there, not to mention a bike and a couple of pets. It's hard when you've put down roots somewhere--even for only a couple of years--to come to terms with all that you've acquired.

Sell/give away/donate or as a very last resort, recycle/trash whatever you do not absolutely need. Every time I've moved, whether to locations near or far, purging has always been the most time-consuming and at times difficult part of the entire process. Moving is just physical labor, but having to sort through every little thing -- every drawer, closet, cabinet, dresser, etc. -- and then pare it down, deciding where it goes: it's draining. Make it a little easier on yourself by playing into your generous side and gifting things to people you know would be able to use them (but don't overburden them with crap that you're just too lazy to get rid of the right way; that's not generosity, it's just annoying). Donate whatever isn't all that valuable -- or maybe even stuff that is, if you really don't want to be bothered trying to sell it. eBay and Craigslist exist for a reason -- good for the big, bulky stuff like sofas and bikes.


4) Take care to keep the really meaningful things. In the process of decreasing the quantity of your belongings, don't forget: you're not a hoarder just because you keep old letters and photographs and the occasional ticket stub or somehow bizarrely meaningful chipped coffee mug. I've put away six fairly decent-sized boxes of valuable and/or sentimental books and keepsakes that I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world. Our lives are constructed of the people we know, the places we've gone, and sometimes the things we acquire. It's important to hold onto those things and keep them in a safe place if you're not taking them with you right away.


3) Seek out others who are doing the same thing as you. It's really helpful to hear from others who are in your same situation. How many suitcases are they packing? What do they expect to pay for airfare? What kind of accommodation do they have, and would that maybe work better for you than an alternative? Facebook is a fantastic medium for finding groups and other students who are going to the same school or city as you, and you can find friendly answers to questions like, "How does mobile phone service work where I'm going?" or "What is this neighborhood like?" What is the best bank for student accounts? How convenient is the public transportation? Likely your university website has plenty to help you out, but Facebook groups often offer opportunities for people who have been there already to give practical advice. And who knows, you may meet a few future friends!


2) Spend a ton of time with those who mean a lot to you. But respect those who want to keep a distance. It's really hard on other people in our lives, when we move far away from them. It's hard being the one left behind. And we're not talking significant others or even best friends, necessarily. It can be our parents, our siblings, or our coworkers. Spend a lot of time with the people you care about before you leave, and if you really intend to keep in touch with them, then reassure them of this. Sometimes, however, there is a tendency for those who know you're leaving to sort of... back off. It's done kind of unconsciously (I've done it, and I've had it done to me, so I know how it feels from both sides). Sometimes the person doing the backing-off is just ready to let you go; it's all relative to how long you plan to stay away. For a few months? Maybe not a big deal. A few years? A big deal. It depends on how close you are.

Respect that some people will want to stay in touch, and some people might not. Don't feel too offended if someone doesn't seem as interested in your move as others. For some people, it's just not their cup of tea. It's cliche, but worthwhile to remember, that some people touch our lives for brief periods and others stay with us as long as we live. It's just the way it goes. Don't force unnatural relationships when you leave; it keeps you clinging to home unnecessarily and makes it more difficult to get to know new people where you're going.


1) Keep an open mind. Wherever you're headed, whether it's someplace you've only ever dreamed of going, or you've been a handful of times already, be ready and open to everything. Remember that you don't have to bring absolutely everything with you; you'll be able to get what you need there, so it's not necessary to have every little thing ready to travel. And when it comes to experiences, it's imperative to be receptive and open to the new places and new people you will encounter. Like anywhere, at any time, you'll stumble across those you don't care for, but if you find yourself dwelling on the "bad" things or those that are different from home, you'll set yourself up for a totally crap time. Leave home with the realistic expectation that not everything will go exactly that way you've dreamed, expected, or planned, but that the experience is what you make it.

_._._._


These are points I've ruminated on quite a bit, especially after several trips abroad, including a study abroad semester in London several years ago. I hope they can be a source of, if anything, reassurance to anyone who is about to move far from home, whether abroad or just a few hours away.

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 18

Rummaging!

I really feel like I'm getting packed up now. I cleared out at least 10 if not more like 12 boxes and bags of clothes and household items to sell at this garage sale. I sold a good amount of it, too, but there was a lot of stuff and overall it wasn't very busy, so there was quite a lot left over as well. Regardless, it feels really great to get a lot of that stuff out of my apartment, and if not into someone else's hands at the rummage sale, then into a donation bin at the thrift store.

I got back home and started packing up my books and various sentimental things I won't be bringing along with me to Scotland, but that I want to keep. All in all, six-or-so boxes of stuff (books, mostly) at my parents' house and three suitcases (carry-on included) to Edinburgh is all I'll have, period. That feels good.

All I can seem think about right now, with moving in mind, is stuff, so I'm definitely ready to be able to drop it all off in my university flat and know the tedious/difficult part is over. Maybe I should take up a nomadic lifestyle; I feel it would suit me. ;)

Turns out that I'll be taking a few choice books with me, of course, including a Scottish Architecture book I found at my own bookstore today that happens to be on one of my class readings lists! Score.


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 20

One month to go!

A kind of random post today, but this is it, folks. The final stretch, or something along those lines. Today marks one month from departure. !!! I can hardly wait to start posting about all things Edinburgh and travel related! Therein lies the whole reason for this blog, and since I've had it for a couple of months now, I've got a handle on how best to bring the best posts to you. Family, friends, and blogosphere: I love you.

Just sayin'. :)

After what feels like eons waiting for all of this to come together, I'm finally faced with the concept of imminence, and trying to pack as much activity/work/travel into these last few weeks as humanly possible. As well as actually... packing. Which hasn't happened yet, not really even a little.

Today I have the day off and I've been taking it easy. One of the best things I know to do on a day off is go thrift shopping. I managed to find a sweet vintage leather convertible clutch bag in the most brilliant shade of blue. I try to only buy the things that a) are amazing, just amazing and b) are one-time-deal sorts of finds. I know I've been trying to clean out my closet, but some things I'm just certain I can make room for. And for $3.49, you just can't go wrong! Goes with my leopard print skirt I thrifted a while back. ;)



I also celebrated/prepared for Edinburgh arrival today by purchasing an iPhone off eBay that I'll be able to use on any number of networks in the UK once I get a SIM card over there. My current phone is about shot, so no matter what, it was about time to upgrade. Aaaallll the little things that go into a move overseas. Not that I'm complaining about a excuse to get a new phone. Not at all!



Otherwise, my very sleepy (read: naughty) cat and I are just hanging out today. He's an indoor feline, but yesterday he snuck out of the house and was outside for a loooong time. Luckily he hung around the house the whole time, but when I finally saw him, he couldn't stop scratching and biting at himself. I worried he had gotten into some fleas or something. Turns out he must have wallowed in some burrs, because they were stuck everywhere in his fur. Serves him right.




But now we're relaxed. I'm going to miss this dude. Lucky for me (and him, probably) my amazing parents are kind of adopting him. So I'll get to visit him at Christmas. ;)


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 32

Dreams of other summers

Beware: I'm in a nostalgic mood. Which is apparently not actually a bad thing!

The closer I get to departure date, and while summer starts looking dry and August-like with back-to-school sales cropping up in stores already, I can't help but wax nostalgic about summers past. And about those beautiful, memorable, irreplaceable people who populated them. Sometimes there were long, crazy, late-night summers. Some were more family-oriented. This particular summer feels loaded with work and "grown-up" responsibilities, or those around me are strapped by grown-up responsibilities, and it makes getting away difficult. I think "lament" is a strong word, but I do find myself longing for whiskey-soaked nights on the porch with a Smith Corona, channeling our inner Hemingway and Kerouac (unpretentiously as we could manage), or sitting around a backyard fire, or stopping by the bar across from work after a long evening shift. The last few summers were lovingly carefree and terrifically complex at the same time, with the sort of friendships forged and lessons learned that I wouldn't trade for the world.



I miss those times, but I'm not forgetting all the wonderful people and things I do now, and the opportunities for friendship and socializing and more genuinely wonderful experiences to be had in the future. I find that I'm starting to be able to wrap up a chapter that involves a certain group of people, and harvest my small, yet priceless and carefully cultivated bouquet of memories to hold onto forever. For the first time, over the last few days, I've started to feel a teensy bit homesick for friends I haven't left yet. I've felt this before, when I've moved far from home, but it never fails to amaze me how strong these emotions can be. It's truly the most difficult thing about going so far, knowing no one where I'll be, and that all of my friends and family are here.

This isn't really a sad post -- I hope it doesn't come off that way. I've simply been ruminating on a number of relationships, how valuable they are to me and how they have changed me and made me the person I am. And how I want to try my very best to hold onto them in spite of the distance I'll be putting between us. There's a large handful of folks I'll be very, very sorry to not see as often as I do now.



And my cat counts as a friend, just for the record. ;)

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 35

Pare down and pare some more

The sun is out, the doors are open, there's fresh fruit in the kitchen and... I'm cleaning! I could say the last few months have been an extended exercise in the art of paring down.



Getting rid of things can be a tricky business. Anyone who has packed up to move, whether short or long term, knows what it's like to go through the wardrobe or the bookcases and try to figure out what's necessary to keep, and what can be gotten rid of. When it comes to space limits and the practicality of say, shipping boxes overseas (ahem, cha-ching), the reality of how much I can keep becomes apparent. I've got this to deal with:



And this:



And some more that's hidden in various places around the apartment. An eclectic collection...



There's a bit of (my own and others') artwork, too. One large one I started a few years ago and never quite finished, below. I thought I was being clever with the idea that "nothing is black and white." Commence snicker and eye roll.



My parents are loving and generous and are allowing me to keep a few boxes of things in an out-of-the-way closet in their house while I figure out where the non-essentials like my art books and vinyl records should go. It's the stuff I can't bear to get rid of because it's either very valuable, or special in some way, or sentimental. I also find that I'm entering that grey area of "student life" where I'll have a room in a flat for the next year, but after that year is up, I'll invariably be moving again -- and I haven't the foggiest idea where. It's wonderful that I don't have to give up everything I can't take with me.

Today, on my very first proper day off in weeks, I decided to go through my belongings one last time. I've become a bit of a bibliophile in the last four+ years, having worked as a bookseller at a used bookstore where the treasures were really treasures. I tend to lean in the artsy book collecting direction, which of course tends the bookcase toward a mass of oversized, beautiful, sometimes rare and altogether totally impractical books. Well, maybe not totally impractical. ;) I am bound to be an art historian after all, right? ;)



I've been through these shelves and crates before, culling as I went, but I'm down to the tough decisions, and I think I've finally made them. I'm keeping plenty of really wonderful items, but as for the other things that I may have been holding onto simply because I was accustomed to holding onto them, they're going to the used bookstore to find new homes. Some, like my beloved and ancient Salinger will not last much longer no matter what happens to it, since it's basically in pieces as it is.

  

My cat Porter was kind enough to keep a watchful eye from his overseer's spot on top of the microwave, and I'm happy to be able to spend this beautiful Friday getting some things done (and getting outside a little bit too).






He can be kind of a serious guy. But he may have been frustrated that I hadn't fed him any Fancy Feast yet today. It can make him kind of testy.

Hope everyone has a marvelous weekend!


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 36

Take to the skies

I know, I know... an airline ticket in itself isn't much other than expensive ($$$), but purchasing airfare yesterday was like the icing on the cake of the last year and a half.

I'm not sure I ever mentioned that this whole grad school idea was actually concocted in the fall of 2011, when I had hoped to attend university in the fall of 2012. It was not to be, as I was well into debt from prior student loans and just couldn't stomach the cost out of pocket at that point (with loans, but still). So, I prudently waited a long-ass year and applied all over again, and here we are. It's been a long wait. So having a travel itinerary in my hands is tangible evidence that this is happening. I'm moving to Scotland. I'm leaving September 6. I couldn't be more excited!



As I was out photographing the break in the clouds (more for effect, I admit, than an exhibit of any actual photographic prowess on my part), I noticed that the tomato plants in our back yard are EXPLODING. Thanks to lots of rain and a slow start at the beginning of summer, everything is just freaking out. We've already had a couple of ripe yellow tomatoes, and they are amazing.



And it wouldn't be a walk around outside without one of the kitties. Scamp decidedly needed attention this time. Old, fat, arthritic fellow he is... he's always been my favorite. <3



Looking forward to a veeeery busy weekend through to Monday. But then, I'm telling you, I'm so excited for an entire day off that I might even take some real photos. ;)

Cheers!

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 43

Auntie Katie!

I've been waiting to be able to break this news: I'm going to be an aunt! For the first time! My beautiful sister Ali, who was married last month, is about 16 weeks along with her first baybay. Per the image above, she told my other sister and I in early May, shortly after our birthdays. These cards were her cute little way of getting the point across without having to really say anything at all. It was wonderful! Needless to say, we're all super excited around here!! Of course, I'm about to take off on la grande aventure but I'm stoked to be able to book a trip home after the new year -- right around the time she's due.

Anyone who takes a moment to do the math, will know that she was "in the family way" during her wedding and also on our magnificent trip camping to Glacier Park earlier this month. Apparently, she's been feeling great for the most part, if just a little more tired sometimes than usual. Other than feeling "huge," she's doing wonderfully. Did I mention we're all so excited!??



BABY!!!


In other news, my visa arrived in the mail today, so I'm all about scouring the internet for the best travel deals at the moment. Soon I should be receiving all of my matriculation forms/details so that I can actually join the university and register for classes and all that fun stuff.

I've been suuuuuper busy working both jobs lately. The bookstore is the bookstore is the bookstore, as it always is -- crazy -- in the summer. But the museum has tacked on an extra 20 hours or so, this week, because their annual art fair is on Sunday and they've been trying to get everything together in a very, very short span of time. I'm in charge of coordinating the volunteer base for that day. Once the weekend is over, I'm all but wrapped up at the museum, save one or two small tasks. Then it's on to the next thing...

Time continues to fly on by...

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 44

Visa! Airfare! Oh my!

The searching for and purchasing of airfare is the most:

a) exciting
b) irritating
c) painful
d) all of the above

...part of planning a trip.

Sticking with the travel theme, the picture above is one I took many years ago, of the ceiling of my first car, a 1985 Saab 900. The ceiling had begun to crumble (as they do in those cars), so I stripped it and replaced it with maps. Anyway.

With someone just today, I was discussing the sort of built-in exhilaration that comes with airfare: it's that positive, tangible thing (or email confirmation) that puts you in get-there mode. With the purchase of an airline ticket, your travel plans go from "possibly taking a trip" to "damnit, I have a five-hour layover in Detroit."

Big news: I just received an email from the British consulate claiming that my visa has been issued and it is en route to me as. we. speak. This is a big day! I was paranoid that it wasn't going to go through for some reason (no worries, there's no real reason it wouldn't have, beyond my incapability to fill out forms correctly or send the wrong kind of passport photo). But alas! It has been approved! Within days I shall receive this beautiful, necessary document, and within the next few days I hope to have purchased an exciting/irritating/painful round-trip airline ticket.

I've decided to come home after the new year for a week or so (after Hogmanay, of course!!), and besides, round-trip tickets look a lot better to immigration officials than one-way trips. As much as they want me there for study, they would prefer I go back home at some point. ;)

Anyone have any great tips for buying airfare, short of contacting a travel agent? Any amazing sites/deals you've stumbled upon? I tend to stick trusty Kayak.com, but I'm all about broadening my airfare search horizons.

Cheers!


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 46

Just a decoupaged Polaroid camera.

It might not seem like a big deal, but one of the coolest things about moving is having to go through everything. What to get rid of, what to keep, etc. Some of it's tedious, like clothes and furniture. But some of it's really fun, when it comes to sentimental stuff -- the photographs, knick-knacks, souvenirs, gifts, and so on. I'm not one for much of the knick-knacky stuff, so what I do have usually holds some sentimental value. That, or I've just had something for so long that I can't imagine not having it. Does that make sense?

So, I put on a record (Florence + The Machine's Ceremonials in this instance) and started excavating.

I went through a couple boxes of things from the last move. These were the things I thought I would keep forever, and mostly that's the way it turned out. I ended up reorganizing them into a box so they would fit better, and snapped a couple photos along the way. Nostalgia can be so much fun. Rediscovering and studying the things I've been given over the years, or taken, or kept for whatever reason -- it's that stuff that makes this whole process fun. In miniature, memories come out of the box, and then they go back in. Someday they'll be unpacked somewhere nice... :)

My favorite things have always and will always be old photographs. I don't have many, but my prized possessions include just a couple that my dad took back in the late 60s/early 70s in California, amongst others.



I even uncovered the pair of moccasins I made as a senior in high school for an anthropology course. We studied the Kiowa culture, and the big project was the construction (from scratch) of authentic moccasins. Deer hide, sinew (well, something like it), and awl. ;) Tehe. Anyone in my graduating class who made the moccasins wore them to the ceremony. They still fit!



I unearthed one of my many old Polaroid cameras (the others I'm fairly sure I've given away or lost at this point). This one I was possessed to decorate one day, with that lovely thing called Hodge Podge, and decoupaged modern art images all over it. See if you can recognize Mr. Warhol and Rrose Selavy, to name a few. ;)

If I could only get my hands on some [ahem, inexpensive] film, I'd love to be able to use this baby more. I miss being able to stroll into the nearest store and pick up a pack of film, albeit usually at more than a dollar per picture near the end there. It was worth it, though. I tried using The Impossible Project's imitation film, but I had a hard time with it. Perhaps more on my Polaroid fixation later...

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 50

Juillet est fou!

What's happening to summer? Where is it gooooinngggg? And why is it so HOT? Thinking of cool, lakeside Glacier NP on steamy days like today...

Wow. The days are flying. And what am I doing? Nothing very picturesque, lamentably. Yet I've been busy. When I returned from my trip to Glacier NP, where I want to be still (hence the photo), I hit a metaphorical wall of shit to do. Pardonnez mon français. Let's be honest: I've been stressed. More than I should be at this stage of the game, but what can you do? So much is going on!

My visa application has been received at the New York processing center. Technology is so amazing these days -- that they can email me to let me know they've received it and when-about to expect the decision. The whole process is a huge pain in the arse (and expensive), but it's streamlined online as much as it can be, and I appreciate that.

Additionally, working two jobs is no small investment of time, especially two distinctly different kinds of jobs. It's not all bad, though. The money is nice. ;) And of course, there's the work experience in my chosen field of art history, however part time, that I can use in the future.

In other news, I've rounded up the vast majority of of my wardrobe into what will be rummage sale-bound in a month from now. Much of it I've priced already. Now it's a matter of going through furniture, kitchenware, home decor, etc. and weeding out all the things I don't want to hold onto until some later date in my fuzzy future. Bahh!

Right. Remember. Calm and cool, Kate, you're moving to the UK. Stop stressing. It's amazing.

For now, I keep an eye on the end of July, when my projects will be concluded at the art museum and I can focus on actually moving. And maybe partying a little ;) So here's to looking forward to August!


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 52

Farewell, Chinchie!

Today marked one of the more taking-this-seriously moments in the getting-ready-to-move department. I had to part with my pet chinchilla. He has now happily moved to the home of a friend (and her very excited six-year old son), so I know he'll be well taken care of. I took in this chinchilla from someone else who wasn't able to devote time enough to it, and now that I'm moving overseas, I needed someone to continue to care for it. So I simply gave him away, glad to know he has a place he'll be cared for and loved.

Even though I've never been much for any type of pet that has to be in a cage most of the time, chinchie really grew on me in the three-ish years I had him. (I renamed him Bernie, but I don't think I've ever actually called him that.) He's a bit cleverer than a hamster, but still very much a rodent. Just a really cuddly, unbelievably adorable and supersoft one. ;) I'll miss thee, chinch.



I just spent another good chunk of my afternoon pricing and boxing clothing for a rummage sale next month. And there's more to throw in there, too -- another good raid of my closet should do pretty soon!


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 56

Take it or leave it

I really like clothes. I'm no fashion guru, and I don't read Vogue magazine every month, but I really like to get dressed. It makes it very difficult to think about parting with things-- even the things I never, ever wear (anymore). Additionally, I've never left an apartment without planning to return to it at some point, and therefore had to consider that everything must go. It has to be packed to take with me, shipped to me, sold at a rummage sale, donated, or simply thrown out.

Thus, the challenge begins. I attempted to "begin packing" by throwing all of my winter garments in my suitcase. Essentially, my suitcase now has two jackets and a ridiculous mountain of wool scarves, none of which I feel I can part with. My suitcase has taken up a home on my little-used couch and my cat loves to try to sleep in it.

I like to avoid throwing things out for simple environmental reasons -- if someone else can use it and it's still in nice shape, at the very least I'll donate it. It only makes sense, since probably half of my wardrobe consists of secondhand apparel anyway. So, I've been compiling boxes to price and try to sell at a garage sale, and a few more to simply donate.

Anyway. Today marks the beginning of a concerted effort to pare down even more than I already have. I feel that this process is best tackled a little bit at a time.

More challenging and intimidating in the take-or-leave decision department are my books and records. I've worked at a bookstore for the last 4 1/2 years, and in that time I've amassed a pretty decent library of art books, records and other various history books and niche items that I'm hard pressed to get rid of, so logistics will prove interesting. However, I think that's a challenge for another time...

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 73