Leah – Page 5 – Leah Wise

all the noise

February 2, 2014February 9, 2014Posted in thoughtsTagged blogging, facebook, morality, narrative ethics, negativity, object lesson, online, opinion wars, pushback, rants, stories, trolling1 Comment

If you walk into the story – if you walk into Christ among us – that releases hope in our midst.

– Sister Simone Campbell

I took a step back from writing longer posts because I got tired of all the opinions flooding the internet. Sure, I’m bound to prefer to tweak a few things here and there with any given argument, but for the most part I’d rather let a few prominent voices with more energy and more resources than me hash it out while the rest of us watch.

We think that because we have platforms for voicing our opinions that we must come up with something to say. But then we’re all mumbling and grumbling and shouting over each other and nothing is resolved. I have opinions, but I tell them to my husband, my sister, a coworker, my mom. I stumble over my thoughts as I let the words pour out. I make a fool of myself, but I do it in relative privacy.

I think it may be better if we use our words for stories rather than opinions about other people’s stories. Think about it. The only truly novel thing we have to offer are our stories.

You can shout with the masses that you loathe [insert societal woe here], but your words will largely go unnoticed. But what if you told a story of overcoming prejudice, or of helping resolve a tense social situation? You have profound object lessons to present and you’re the only one with access to them.

You can jump into the battlefields of the great opinion wars – scrambling for something to add to the cacophony, elbowing and kicking the shins of anyone who dares shout over you – or you can extend your hands and weave a tale that leads the people out of darkness.

Our stories offer clarity. They offer peace. They make sense of nonsense. Your story is a little part of the human story. Tell it and listen to others and you’ll realize that most online arguments are just meaningless blips on the map of human experience, not worth a comment or a blog post or a rant.

instaround

January 29, 2014Posted in life in photosTagged charlottesville, instagram, ipad, life, phone photography, photos, vsco cam2 Comments

I know I spend a lot of time talking about the weather, but the weather is so wonky! 54 yesterday and 26 today? But I’m enjoying my days for the most part; having instagram makes it easier for me to keep track of the little things that make each day special: a beautiful sunset, homemade vegetable soup, snowy train tracks, a reflection in morning coffee, and an abandoned Downtown Mall.

snow days

January 22, 2014Posted in UncategorizedTagged 50 mm lens, canon eos rebel xs, charlottesville, landscape photography, snow photography, snowstorm2 Comments

Winter is a cold, dimly lit waiting room. But sometimes it snows and that makes it seem worth it for a little while.

what can be found

January 19, 2014Posted in life in photosTagged charlottesville, landscape, life in photos, neighborhood, neighborhood quotes, photosLeave a comment

Tomorrow morning before we depart, I intend to land and see what can be found in the neighborhood.
-Christopher Columbus

It’s remarkable that every time I take my camera out for a walk around the neighborhood, it manages to surprise me. New growth, new decay, new shadows. I go out thinking it’s a lost cause and come back satisfied. I like bringing my camera on walks in familiar places because it forces me to dig a little beyond surface-level attractions to discover something unique, something that I never noticed before.

I’m so thankful for the sunlight and the lengthening days. I love this light-soaked neighborhood in all its brambly, kitschy, charming, brick-laden glory.

instaround.

January 15, 2014January 15, 2014Posted in life in photosTagged charlottesville, downtown mall, rainy, vsco cam, winter3 Comments

The sun was shining earlier so I decided it was high time for a walk around the neighborhood, but by the time I got home and ate lunch, it was cloudy and the temperature had begun to drop.

I’ve been playing a bit with instagram since I got an iPad Mini for Christmas. The above photos were taken today and yesterday. The quality’s sub par, of course, but it gives me a chance to catch moments and places I’d otherwise miss since I don’t like lugging my DSLR around with me every day.

1,000 followers!

January 8, 2014January 8, 2014Posted in newsTagged announcements, blog goals, followers, readershipLeave a comment

Thanks for following Leah Wise : a journal! Today I reached 1,000 followers on WordPress. I think every blogger hopes to gain this type of readership, but it’s often quite elusive. I’ll keep on posting essays, thoughts, and snippets from my life and I hope you’ll keep following along.

new york for new year’s

January 4, 2014Posted in life in photosTagged 2014, adventure, cats, friends, new year, new york life, new york photography, nyc, nyc skyline, photography, sufjan stevens, the cloisters, travel1 Comment

Our recent visit to New York in one word? Relaxing. Surprising, because when I think of NYC I think of sensory overload. The 6 hour drive coupled with parking issues and various train and subway connections was exhausting, but it was lovely to settle into our friend’s cramped apartment, cuddle with his fluffy cats, and have the confidence of city dwellers to back us up as we adventured around the grid of gray streets teeming with hustlers, tourists, and commuters.

Our itineray was relaxed this time around, but we still got to take in attractions unique to NYC. On Sunday, we attended Lower Manhattan Community church, then headed over to China Town for 4-for-a-dollar dumplings with church friends. On Monday, we took the long commute over to The Cloisters, a museum devoted to the art and architecture of medieval monasteries and chapels. We ate Venezulean street food for lunch, then took the evening off.

We watched lots of Friends, ate lots of bagels, and drank coffee from the corner coffee shop.

On Tuesday, we stopped into a few vintage shops, shopped at the American Apparel Outlet, and ate delicious Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches in the East Village for lunch. We lounged until evening, then headed out to Brooklyn to attend a New Year’s Eve party. A fun anecdote: the hosts had received mail addressed to Sufjan Stevens, who apparently recently moved into their old apartment in the same building!

We spent the final hours of 2013 with new and old friends, discussing our favorite moments and greatest achievements of the year. Midnight came quietly. We idled away the night with a few more episodes of Friends and the sort of odd conversations that tend to arise in the wee hours of the morning.

if only in my dreams

December 27, 2013Posted in life in photosTagged christmas, country christmas, home for christmas, shenandoah valley, virginia, woodstock vaLeave a comment

I didn’t make it home for Christmas this year, but I came pretty close. We spent Christmas day at a family friend’s childhood home in tiny Woodstock, Virginia.

It was a proper country Christmas. We fed the hens, chased the guineafowl (that was mostly me), ate pot roast with mashed potatoes, and opened gifts by the fireplace. It was just how Christmas should be. I missed my family, but I’m thankful that another one welcomed us in as two of their own.

Hope you had a lovely Christmas day!

leaves & berries

December 23, 2013December 23, 2013Posted in life in photosTagged 50 mm lens, berries, canon eos rebel xs, leaves, macro photography, nature photography, pictures, rain photos, winter1 Comment

Tiptoeing around the backyard squishing muddy earth into the ridges of my boots seemed like the best thing to do on this quiet Christmas Eve Eve afternoon.

The town is bustling with holiday vacationers, but no one thought to plan any last minute events. I’m going to try to convince Daniel to eat popcorn and watch a few movies with me.

DIY: frame art at home

December 23, 2013December 23, 2013Posted in DIYTagged craft store, custom framing, diy picture framing, frame, frame at home, framing tutorial, how to frame, matting, paper backing, pinterest1 Comment

I worked as a picture framer at a craft store the year after I graduated. It was exciting, hands-on work, and if it weren’t for the corporate environment and poor hours, I may have kept it up a bit longer.

This post was a long time coming. It’s my reply to the hundreds of Pinterest tutorials that suggest I hot glue twine to the back of my frame, use poster board as matting, or just ModPodge the heck out of everything. There is a tested and approved process for picture framing and it’s not too difficult to master the basics.

What you’ll need:

Ready-made frame (I thrifted mine)
Needle-nose pliers
Scrapbook tape gun or double sided tape
Pre-cut mat (I had Michael’s cut one for me out of matboard I had on hand)
Artwork
Paper backing (butcher or craft paper)
Staple Gun (mine is a small upholstery gun)
Razor blade or pocket knife
Measuring tape or ruler
Picture hanger
Glass Cleaner
Paper towels
Painter’s tape
Carpeted surface (this helps prevent scratching your frame or artwork)

1. Remove paper backing from frame if it has one. Use needle-nose pliers to remove staples or pegs from back of frame. Remove any previous hardware.

2. Take the glass out of the frame, spray a small amount of glass cleaner, and carefully wipe both sides. Taking the glass out of the frame ensures that particle buildup from the frame is removed before art is placed inside.

3. Remove packaging/backing from art, flip it, and place a line of painter’s tape along the top edge.

4. Extend the tape a little beyond the art to ensure that it doesn’t roll at the corners from humidity over time.

5. Turn the artwork right side up and carefully align the matting over it. Once it’s in place, press down over the tape edge to secure it.

6. Check for any lint and loose particles, then flip the matted artwork over and place it in the frame. Holding it secure, face the frame toward you and double check for debris and dust that may be stuck under the glass. Turn the frame back around.

7. Hold your staple gun at a slight angle 1/8″ to 1/4″ away from the lip of the frame and insert staples. They can be spaced 2-3″ apart depending on how secure the backing feels. Stapling at an angle ensures that the artwork and backing fit snugly against the glass.

8. Place a line of scrapbooking tape or double-sided tape along the edges of the back of the frame.

9. Roll out your craft paper over the back of the frame. Feel for the edges of the frame with your hands and press the paper securely over your tape lines. To keep it taut, secure the paper at the top, pull it down tightly and secure it to the bottom, then smooth it out and secure it on either side.

10. Once the paper feels secure, use a razor blade or small, sharp knife to remove excess paper from around the frame. Slide blade down edge at a 45 degree angle for the cleanest line.

11. Find the top of the frame where you’d like to place your picture hanger. Measure the width of the frame and mark the center top of the frame, making sure the hard frame surface is directly beneath it (you wouldn’t want to hammer into your cardboard backing).

12. Hammer in your picture hanger. It’s sometimes useful to prepare a guide hole with an awl if you have one on hand.

Done!

Admittedly, framing at home requires quite a few tools and a little bit of patience, but once you have everything you need, you can save yourself money and stress by framing things the right way all by yourself.

Let me know if you have any questions! I’d love to see your projects if you end up using my tutorial.

Christmas is coming

December 17, 2013Posted in life in photosTagged advent, christianity, christmas tree, festive, lessons and carols, liturgy, nativity scene, third sunday of adventLeave a comment

We finally got a Christmas tree! It’s rather small, several feet shorter than last year’s, but it’ll do. Ah, the smell of evergreens. Daniel found a hand-carved nativity scene on ebay last month, so we placed it on our side table next to the tree. I love that St. Raphael the giant archangel watches over the scene.

This past weekend was full of Christmas cheer. We sang carols around the piano at a cocktail party Saturday night, watched the church children’s pageant yesterday morning, and attended our church’s Lessons and Carols service in the evening. Since I’m in the church choir now, I got to participate in all the special music and help lead the congregation in song. I love Christmas when it’s celebrated with intention, ritual, and care. Christmas without the observance of Advent isn’t nearly as lovely (I say this coming from a non-liturgical background)!

“Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

– Matthew 11:4-6

Reading Lolita in Tehran: a brief review

December 7, 2013December 7, 2013Posted in thoughtsTagged azar nafisi, book review, iran, iranian revolution, reading lolita in tehran reviewLeave a comment

Reading Lolita in Tehran is the best memoir I’ve ever read. It’s intelligent, creative, intimate, and intricately and artfully narrated. I paused several times throughout my reading so that I could participate in author Azar Nafisi’s classroom just a little bit longer.

Her firm grasp of English Literature and Literary Criticism serve as a surprising, but really quite fitting, foundation to a discussion on revolutionary Iran. The memoir is about politics and fundamentalism, but it’s ultimately about the human condition, about how our proclivity for self narration informs the way we see and form ourselves and our societies. Stories can obstruct as much as they reveal, destroy as much as they create. The book, then, can be understood as a literary critique of the story Iran tells about itself at the start of the Iranian Revolution and of the thousands of personal narratives spilled out to counter it. Perhaps in peeling off these wordy layers – narratives piled on top of narratives – we can begin to arrive at something closer to the truth. But the truth we discover is less tangible, though just as moral in its aim as the black and white ethics imposed upon the Iranian people. It is seeing, really seeing, the multifaceted nature of humanity; we are strong, dishonest, cowardly, loving, kind, hateful, and oblivious all at once. We are all capable of evil. We all lean toward apathy.

I can only assume that those who say they “couldn’t really get into it” were expecting the light stuff of Eat, Pray, Love and its equals. But Reading Lolita in Tehran is the pinnacle of what memoir can be. It’s what memoir should be. You should leave with more than a feeling. As Nafisi explains within the book, literature exists to provide context for the individual, to explore the nuances of human interaction and behavior. Reading Lolita in Tehran bridges the gap between literature and autobiography; you should leave it with a better understanding of the other and yourself, and with a great deal more empathy.

first sunday of advent

December 2, 2013Posted in inspirationTagged advent, bible verse, christianity, episcopal church, inspirational quote, lectionary, romans 133 Comments

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. – Romans 13: 11-14

baltimore

November 27, 2013Posted in life in photos, thoughtsTagged aar conference, Baltimore, baltimore cityscape, baltimore guide, ellicott city, fall in maryland, inner harbor, ravens, tourist, travel, travel photography2 Comments

We last went sightseeing in Baltimore in December 2012. This time around was much different. Daniel’s mom, a Baltimore native, was our chauffeur and tour guide last year, which made getting around simple and fairly stress free. This time, we relied on the hotel shuttle to drop us off at the Inner Harbor (beautiful, but a bit touristy) and walked where we could.

On Friday night, we went to Fridays after Five at the National Aquarium (only $12.00 after 5 pm until March 28!) then sought out a place to eat. On our way to Cheesecake Factory, we spotted a Pizzeria Uno and a wave of nostalgia washed over us both. We ate at one of the original Pizzeria Uno establishments almost every night when we visited Chicago with friends in college. Chicago was the first big city I visited and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Since we were technically there to attend a Religious Studies conference, we spent most of Saturday at the convention center reading, attending panels, and catching up with friends when we had the chance. I gave myself a tour of the premises while Daniel attended a session and found that the 4th floor offered lovely city views. We joined some friends for crab cake sandwiches at the Rusty Scupper for lunch.

After checking out of the hotel on Sunday, we went to Savers, a delightful thrift emporium, then met up with Daniel’s cousin, Dustin, for lunch and a glimpse of the Ravens game at a local sports bar. He suggested we visit historic (founded in 1772) and affluent (situated in the 3rd wealthiest county in the US) Ellicott City. The antique stores were mostly rubbish, but the coffee shop we visited had good hot chocolate. We finished off the day with a quick trip into the city to check out the Walters Art Museum and visit with the girl I used to babysit and her mom at their hotel (they were there for the conference, as well).

A trip to Baltimore makes for a unique, enjoyable, occasionally alarming experience.