summertime sadness

Earlier this month, I snuck away to visit Boston & New York for the first time since moving back to Texas for a much needed visit with everyone I've been missing too much.  I feel like to adequately describe how important it was to me would inevitably end up in mega cheesball territory, so I'll just say this - nothing quite like staying up 'til dawn with people who know and love you right down to your rotten core to peel a few layers of cynicism right off of you!

I also got to spend time with folks I don't know nearly well enough and meet a slew of good new ones!  However, one downside of going above and beyond my normal level of social interaction was that I went through spells of complete brain death. To the lovely people who I could only respond to with blank stares and jumbled thoughts that sounded bad in my head and worse when said aloud, my apologies.  Here's to a next time if you'll have me?

Anyway, here are my disposable camera pix!   Initially I wanted to have an entire roll of sad faces, but I slipped up and got some smiles.  Angst typically is not a challenge for me, but I guess having fun sometimes gets in the way.  I'll let it slide.

Life is pain. The beach is pain.

\

Time spent with Noelle and Alanna is like having a devil on top of each of your shoulders and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Wistful porch culture forever.

Squeezing fresh lime juice onto flaming hot Cheetos before checking out some art, obviously.

Michelle, Pam, and Venice are not pleased. 

Pam, Matt, and I all desperately need to live in cities so we can spend all our time talking about how great nature is and venture out into nature-y settings in clothing that is not appropriate for outdoor activity, so we're a natural team.  

Pam and Dana slurpin' slurpees.  Dana is one of those people who I had only met once before moving, but became tight with after we lived very far away from each other and now I feel very comfortable reaching out to her if I need fashion advice or someone to text about my feelings (important things.)  Getting to bring our friendship's newfound slumber party vibes to real life was a treat!  

Noelle, Anna, and Alanna being treated to my professional portraiture skills.  

 Finally, a person I am not friends with being angsty without my explicit direction!  The last night of my trip, Noelle, Alanna, and I saw Dirty Beaches & Ice Age and it was excellent and the events that followed turned into quite the send off.  Noelle and I initially met when she recognized me from the internet at a Best Coast show, which I maintain is the most hilarious and stereotypically me way I have ever met any of my friends.  She became one of my very favorite people quite quickly and music has been a big part of that, so going to a show together again was exactly what my nostalgic heart needed.

I'm (slowly getting around to) putting up the last of my phone shots from the trip on my Instagram, too, so let's be friends there!