Katie Sokoler is too cute for words and her blog is just a little burst of sunshine. She draws up worlds of her own, bright cutouts (hearts, stars, footsteps) were strangers fall into place without even knowing it, as well as whimsy self portraits in which her cat Moo sometimes makes a cameo. It all makes me want to get up and start making little worlds of my own to photograph!

Who/what makes you want to get up and do something?

1. Language barrier  shmarrier — when your life depends on it your brain will spit out words you never thought you knew!
2. Cup noodles are not a good permanent dinner replacement.
3. Cab drivers are not only full of insight and street smarts, but they are a good source for practicing both listening and speaking.
4. Having a day of the week to sort yourself out is key; laundry, kitchen & bathroom cleaning, bill paying.
5. True friends will always have your back, no matter how drunk you were.
6. That said, finishing two Soju bottles on your own is definitely not a good idea.
7. When you buy tickets to see Tiësto, make sure you’re there 3 hours early or risk not even making it to the dancefloor.
8. Student life is the life.
9. The Great Wall is not so Great after 9 times. If you’re planning on going then get yourself to the old part in ruins; it has not been touched and is beautiful, without all the tourists and vendors around so you can get a nice photo!
10. Government censorship.
11. An afternoon out at Ritan Park, in the boathouse, with dumplings, is an afternoon well spent.
12. Bargain! Anything for sale you can get for less.
13. Hou Hai and the surrounding Hutongs are beautiful, even in the freezing winter; bikes are available for rent so you can explore to your heart’s content! One of my favorite places in Beijing.
14. Coming home at 8am in last night’s getup while everyone’s grandparents are out doing TaiChi does not make you look very good.
15. I want to go back.

So far this week I still have a cold that won’t let me breathe at night and a ton of assignments piling up on my desk. I found out my Windows 7 Starter doesn’t allow for the option of changing the wallpaper, threw a mini (nerdy) fit only to find fish on my plate for dinner. Then a documental came on TV about Africa, the forgotten continent. A few minutes in I just felt stupid, because I have everything and so many have nothing; then helpless, because I can donate but never really know whether or not that made any difference, and where’s sitting at home and doing absolutely nothing going to get me?

Remember Live 8? The G8 summit? Where’s that gone? So much research going into beauty procedures, how to enhance this and that, and so many people dying of diseases we might not even have heard of in Africa. I’m guilty too; it’s not like I think about it every day, or like I don’t indulge in makeup and shopping, but seeing things like this is a big slap in the face I think we all need once in a while.

“If anyone has any suggestions on how to stop this, how to make it better, please come and tell us. We don’t know how to stop the war, we need help because we are born into it and die in it”

That is what one of the Ugandan kids from the documental was saying. I wonder what it feels like to live in constant fear, to lose your family and have to live as the world watches on and does nothing about it. I’m not saying we can eradicate the wars, but so much more could be done. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like a lucrative option for businesses or pharmaceutical companies, and then it comes down to money over lives.

So this week, I’m loving everything in my life. I don’t think I’ve ever been truly unhappy, so I’m thankful for that! I invite you to take a step back and put things into perspective; what’s really important in your life, and what can you do to make someone else’s day/life/experience better. Join Bloggers Unite and blog for causes, help spread the word!

• My Social Psychology book because it’s beautifully explained.
• My Social Psychology professor — she reminds me of a less exaggerated version of Sybill Trelawny from Harry Potter. Always fun!
• Mint green. New nailpolish and cardigan to celebrate :3
• My new Eye Bright from Benefit. I just line my bottom lash line and instantly it looks like I’ve slept 4 hours more than I actually have.
• Taking a nap as soon as I get home (PJ’s and everything.)
• Planning a sushi date with friends for next week. Unfortunately it is way, way more expensive here than it is in Beijing and Hong Kong, but at least it gives us a good excuse to dress up.
• Planning Tom’s trip to Madrid — now that the touristy part was done with on his first visit, it’s time to get to the good stuff!

I hope everyone has been doing great, tell me things!

A few such things:

• NARS duo eyeshadow “Brume” & “Brousse”
• NARS lip lacquer
• NARS Tokaido Express nailpolish
• Benefit BADgal plum mascara & black eyeliner pencil
• Sephora’s Double Ended “Perfect Complexion Brush”, “Every Day Brush” & “Smokey Eye Brush”
• MAC Baroque Buduoir Lipstick (yum!)
• Lolita Lempicka perfume

Of course there are other non-vanity related wants, such as:

• The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
• Millenium Trilogy (I, II, III)

A little bit ambitious, but I would not be mad at anyone if they got me:

• CS4 Suite
• Analog camera
• A new iPod (preferably nano sans camera) since mine has officially died

A girl can dream! What are you lusting after?

]]> http://lemonlu.com/2009/12/wishlist-09/feed/ 4 http://lemonlu.com/2009/10/luana-loves102609/ http://lemonlu.com/2009/10/luana-loves102609/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:20:12 +0000 Luana http://lemonlu.com/?p=165

• Gaining an hour for daylight savings.
• Skype dates with Tom (Lately we’ve been watching a lot of True Blood. I’m not sure how I feel about this yet.)
• Home made custard! I absolutely love that stuff.

• This little cardboard guy’s adventures on 365 Days of Danboard by Arielle!

• The inspiring story of Nick Vuychich (Pictured Above). Please read this!
• 101 Great Ways to Pack Meaning into a Lifetime (via aphazia!)
• Falling asleep after lunch and waking up just in time for a snack.
• My new haircut! It is nothing extraordinary but essential as my ends were split beyond repair.

What are you guys loving right now?