Dear influences,

I made this book during spring break retreat a few weeks ago, and I'm particularly fond of it.  By no means do I think it encompasses all of my influences, but they were what came to me in the moment, and I'm curious about what made it into the book.  And, I think it's really beautiful and I want to share it, because I don't know how to easily bring into conversation so that I could show it to someone.  So instead, I'm showing it to the blog. 

The cover.  See? Sea and space.  And my heart, somewhere in the middle.

This is a doodle I came up with, at camp, to represent my face with as little detail as possible.  Somewhere I have a mask of this.

Water. (You can see the horizon through my eyes on the page before) I love water

To the Tree!

I've been a part of the Young Artist Program for four years as a student and then two as a mentor.  YAP lead me to some very important friends and teachers, and shaped how I make art and friends.

Sweet home

Chicago (in color!)

A doodle developed in high school that I draw all the time.  All representative of lots of different directions and confusion. 

I loved fairies as a kid.  Loved em.  So while they mean less to me now, they found their way into the book.

Another fairy page.  This time with the phrase "First we form the world around us, and then it forms us." For we have powerful imaginations, but we can forget that.

As a classic Libra I struggle to find balance and make decisions. 

Jellyfish freak me out.  Big time.  But they are also some of the most beautiful creatures.  I just don't want to get too close. 

Jellyfish as a skirt.  I only wore skirts until third grade.  In fact, it was so intense that I wore a tutu over my pajamas every night so that I was always wearing a skirt.

From my mother I've inherited a love of cowboy boots, even if we aren't in the right region. 

The stage!

How I see the stage: less formal.  Lots of yes and. 

The blue doors of important places I've lived.

The Doctor, the flies and Berk Berk; a brief homage to the last four years.

My camel obsession.  Recent but important.

My heart broke open...

and history fell in.  This line is from my favorite book, The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie.  The personal history: I save all of my fortune cookie fortunes, hoping that one day I will look back at them and they will all make sense. 

love,
hannah

Dear problems,

A dude I don't have that much respect for brought everything into perspective yesterday.  He was oversharing, and in justifying his overshare he said this: We've all got problems.  To me: You've got to figure out your life.  To my friend Salima: Your dad is mad cause you don't wear a headscarf anymore.  To himself: And my balls itch.  We've all got problems. 

We do sir, but I don't think your balls are on par with her hijab or my career.  Just sayin.


love,
hannah

Dear Amy Pond,

I didn't know how attached to you I was until they announced the new companion.  I knew that you were leaving and I didn't have much of a reaction then, but now... You better be good lady Jenna-Louise Coleman.

And I was just saying the other day that I now follow tv less obsessively than before...


love,
hannah

Dear kid who gave me a sugar covered strawberry at lunch,

You are my new favorite lunch buddy.  We would get along so well.

As a side note, I love the days when my parents call me separately within an hour of each other.  Often to say the same thing.  They're so in sync.  I love you guys.


love,
hannah

Dear popcorn,

You are tasty.  (I haven't eaten you today.  That's okay.  There's always more time for that.) 

You are also a useful way to describe things.  A new friend said this the other day, "I like big birds.  I like lots of them.  If it doesn't look like popcorn, I'm not interested."  I had never thought about birds and popcorn, though the comparison feels appropriate. 

Tonight I walked home in the pouring rain, giggling at the sheer power of the water as it hit the ground.  I had a rain coat, but my pants and shoes were instantly soaked.  As the rain hit my coat it sounded just like popcorn, and with my eyes on the ground I thought that it might look like popcorn as well. 

Popcorn might be my new favorite descriptor. 


love,
hannah

Dear Lake Superior,

You are beautiful.  As many have said in the last week, you are the lake that looks like ocean.  What a discovery! And, in so many ways you are unlike any ocean I have ever experienced. 

Don't get me wrong, Lake Michigan will always be my favorite Great Lake, but you are something else entirely.  To stand so far above the water and stare out across your surface... it was magical.  I've never lived anywhere with any kind of height or hill to it, so when I come across land - and water - that doesn't just disappear into the horizon I am bewitched.  What is this land that curves and climbs?


love,
hannah

Dear International Women's Day,

You have gotten more attention this year than ever before.  I don't know what's up, but I like it!  Through both blogs and Facebook I was overwhelmed by well wishes for a happy International Women's Day.  In the past I remember missing the day and realizing that it had passed a week later.  Hopefully, this isn't a fluke and will continue next year!

I have so much to say, and to process, but I will leave you with Ruby instead.  Check out more of Smart Girls at the Party, cause I like them. 

love,
hannah

Dear Filliam H. Muffman,

You are my favorite celebrity couple.  That would be William H Macy and Felicity Huffman for those that don't know.  But, since ya'll are pretty normal there's not much to stalk.  Not that I would, but I just think you're great.  Today you were awarded a rare double star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  (Aaron Sorkin and David Mamet spoke at the dedication, which is also pretty fantastic.) 

I adore Sports Night.  Tonight, while procrastinating on other work I will watch clips from season two of Sports Night in your honor. 

Congrats, like I said, I think ya'll are super cool.


love,
hannah

Dear Moulin Rouge,

You are a wack ass movie. And, mildly seizure-inducing. Also, my critical deconstruction and introductory feminist film analysis make you a troublesome piece of cinema. (Really, you are troublesome regardless of that. The jump cuts make me a little dizzy.).

That said: EWAN MCGREGOR.


love,
hannah

Dear heels,

We have had quite a day together. I've been awake for approximately seventeen hours and worn two different pairs of heels. I wish I could say that it makes me feel like a real woman, but really I just feel pain in my feet.

The floor of my room was entirely covered when I returned today, so cleaning everything was therapeutic and necessary. What a week I have ahead of me, and then, spring break! Until then The Purse is returned to its rightful place in my closet where I don't touch it.

I got to have a drink with one of my professors tonight! It was exciting and bizarre. Time for bed.


love,
hannah

Dear Sally Hemmings jokes,

It must be a really boring night at the airport when the folks running security are at the point of Sally Hemmings jokes. They even got to the point of assigning who would work in the field and who would work in the house. (There was a conclusion that it didn't matter, it would all be bad.). It was simultaneously hilarious and tragic.

Also, The Purse is approaching outing number three after being taken out for tour number two on Wednesday. Wish me luck.


love,
hannah