Boston Living

In many ways I feel that the city of Boston has brought out the best in me. When I first moved here as an 18 year old college freshman in 2008, I arrived wide eyed and astonished at all the hubbub of the great Hub. For most of my life, I lived in a small, rural Connecticut town. In this town, we had one public school system, with one building for the elementary school, one for the middle school, and one for high school. The arrival of a Dunkin Donuts several years ago was met with huge fanfare. Everywhere you look is green. From the center of town's park, called the Green, to the masses of trees that surround us, my town is beautiful, but has very few things to do.

This Memorial Weekend, I made my way back home and, while I appreciate taking a short break from the excitement of Boston, I am reminded of how much of a Bostonian I have become. Still, the memories of this place will always be with me. I'm writing this post at my town's library, where I spent many hours as a child. Here, I read Harry Potter and became the champion of the Oregon Trail. I attended nursery rhyme readings when I was a toddler and went to the Christmas Tree decorating event many times over the years. However, this town is clearly in my past, and Boston is my future.

I love the excitement that comes with living in the city, that feeling that anything could happen at any moment. I might run into an old friend, be invited to a potluck at the dog park, find an amazing sale, or witness a proposal in Copley Square. All of these moments happened to me recently, but are only a slice of what it is like to live here.

One of my favorite things about Boston is a recent development, the arrival of Food Trucks! My favorites so far are Roxy's Grilled Cheese, where I once had a Duck confit and Brie grilled cheese sandwich. I haven't seen it on the menu since though, so please bring it back! Recently, I tried the Scallion Pancake with fried egg from Mei Mei's Street Kitchen. It had just the right combination of spice and salt, and the egg was cooked perfectly.




Boston also always amazes me with the sense of history that is always lingering. This past summer I worked as a Park Ranger with the Boston National Historical Park and was lucky to get the inside look on several important Boston landmarks. The Old North Church is a great place to visit, as it is the location of where the lanterns were lit to warn colonists that the British were coming. This was the night of Paul Revere's famous night ride. However, other men should also be honored. In particular, a man named William Dawes also rode that night. The fact that he is less known is likely due to the fact that Longfellow's retelling of that night focuses on Paul Revere.


There are many other things to love about Boston and I will continue to share my recommendations through this blog.

 

Graduation and Technology

This year I graduated from Boston University. Executive Chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, (photo courtesy of Boston.com) was our commencement speaker. He gave an amazing speech. One of my favorite lines is when he said, "All of these connections that you forge -- the digital ties that bind our humanity together -- that's not possible without technology. But it's also not possible without you, without a heart." 


After four years of writing papers and taking exams, I am now the proud owner of a Bachelor's degree in philosophy and history. I am very thankful for the education I received at BU. I'm perhaps just as thankful for my graduation present from my mom and dad. They got me... An iPad!

I've only had my iPad for a week, but already I am seeing what a useful and wonderful tool it is. I sincerely believe that it will help me a lot as I enter the workforce and begin my first job in the real world. My iPad keeps me organized and helps inspire me to explore my creativity. 

While I have not been updating my blog as much ask would like, my iPad is making it easier for me to blog whenever inspiration hits. I'm writing this post from my iPad on a new app that I just downloaded, called Werdsmith. Werdsmith is a great app with a beautiful user interface. It tracks the word count for any kind of writing you want to do. You can set a goal for yourself and watch the percent complete increase as you tap out your ideas. At this moment, for example, I know that I am 42% finished with this 500 word post. Make that 45% now. 

Another great writing app is DayOne. It's meant to be a journal and syncs with your iPhone and MacBook. It also automatically saves your work as you go. It can even be password protected, so you don't have to sorry about writing down all the tawdry details of your life. (just a suggestion). DayOne features a beautiful user interface with some great fonts. Right now I am find of sans poet. 

In terms of social media, my favorite way to stay connected is through Twitter. I use the Twitter app for iPad and find that it is the easiest way to scroll through all the tweets from people that I follow. I can easily see what tweets I missed from a few hours ago or even a few days ago. I know that there are a ton of Twitter clients to use, but I really think that the official one by Twitter has come a long way from its past incarnations. 

Finally, I have been using Producteev frequently on my Mac and iPhone since its new big update premiered a few months ago. A full iPad app is currently in the works and I must admit I am frequently checking their website and twitter for updates. Producteev is a great app that allows you to make a To Do list with multiple workspaces. You can add labels and notes, mark deadlines, set reminders, and it will instantly be synced through iCloud. 

I am always on the lookout for new apps that will make my life easier and more enjoyable. In fact, part of the fun of owning an iPad is the ability to discover new apps everyday. Still, I must remember Eric Schmidt's words and keep technology from ruling me. Rather, I aim to use it to enhance my life. What do you think of Eric Schmidt's advice? The full text of his speech can be found here.  

Pinterest!

I just made a Pinterest account and am really enjoying pinning everything from recipes to puppies. You can see my profile at http://pinterest.com/cohalls/

Here are some samples of the things I am pinning!

Do any of you have a Pinterest? If you do, please leave your profile in the comments section. I'd love to check it out!

Sunday Night

Earlier today I read an article on Thought Catalog about Sundays, called "What Sunday Is For." 
(Thanks Kevin Wang @Mister_Wang on Twitter for bringing it to my attention.)

Basically, the author argues that we should have more relaxation on Sundays, a notion with which I wholeheartedly agree. In the past, my Sundays have been packed with chores. I usually spend all day doing the things I don't want to do, until suddenly it's Sunday night and I realize that all I wanted to do was watch television with my dog on my lap.

So for all my future Sundays, here are all the random, unproductive things that I hope to do:

Paint my nails with glitter
Put ribbons in Alice's hair
Lie down and just think
Watch two or more movies in a day
Bake (and eat) Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies

Hello Again

As I try to sit down and write my first blog post of 2012, I can't help but be a little distracted. You see, in the months that I have been off-line from this blog, I have been raising my first puppy. Her name is Alice, and, as you can see, she is an absolute sweetheart. But she does have a devilish way about her. She's running around the room, chasing my sock. Yes, my sock. I have no idea why she likes my sock more than the stuffed squeaking bear toy I got her. Or her pink bouncy ball... or her tennis ball. Or anything else really.

Though my life has certainly been busy from multiple walks a day, potty-times, mealtimes, and random cuddles, it has really been a great experience. Alice and I are currently going to doggy training classes in Brookline, MA. I went to the first session last week, which was mostly an introductory lesson. However, tomorrow will be our first time together with our newly assigned class. I can't help but admit it... I'm very excited. I, like Alice, have much to learn about dog training. 

Spring Break

Yes, it's that time of the year. At first, my plans were to go somewhere warm and lie out on the beach. Then, I thought about going to Canada with some friends, but eventually, one by one, my plans fell through. I decided to make the best of my spring break, though. In fact, I think maybe without the stress of traveling, I will end up having an even better break. After all, it is definitely nice to be able to have some free time.

Tomorrow, I'm planning on seeing Red Riding Hood with a friend. I'm so excited to see it, and I'll be sure to post a review of the movie as soon as I can. I know I haven't posted in a while, but I have been busy with school. I have not, however, stopped writing. A month ago I started writing for Boston University's HerCampus. Please check out my articles on HerCampus!

This article is great for all you Glee fans out there! I ranked my top 10 and bottom 10 songs on Glee thus far.

This article features the Boston University Women's Resource Center and one of my friends who volunteers there, and told me all about it.

Finally, I wrote this article about tips for saving money in Boston. However, most of these tips work for other cities and suburbs as well!

I love my Nook!

I bought a Nook for myself this summer and I've really enjoyed reading books on it. During the semester, I didn't have all that much free time to read, and so my goal for this winter break is to read for pleasure. The great thing about ebooks is that you are free to read whatever you want wherever you want, free from judgment. I just finished an interesting read called "Matched" by Ally Condie. When I was finished I looked online to see what the reviews of it were like, only to discover it was a Teen Romance. Though at age 20 I find I am no longer a teenager, I still do love a good young adult book. Next on my list is "This Year I Will...: How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution or Make a Dream Come True" by MJ Flynn.

In terms of habits I'm planning on changing, I want to:

• Stop letting clutter collect in my room
• Exercise at least 4 times a week
• Look past brand labels and instead at quality when it comes to shopping

Anyway I find that the Nook is great for self-help books and nonfiction books especially, since you can keep lots of advice and references with you in one place. Additionally, I think I just love the way my Nook looks. It's so cute. Even the name "Nook" reminds me of how I used to read when I was a little kid, tucked into some nook in the house and curling up with a book. 

Merry Christmas All!

Merry Christmas! I am just checking in to state my intention to revisit this blog. I really do miss blogging. So, here are a few choice pictures from WeHeartIt that really get me into the Holiday spirit.

Wishing you all the best this day, regardless of whether you celebrate the holiday or not. Hope you feel loved and cared for on this day and all others.

Back to School Inspiration (and Budget Shopping Picks)

Watercolor Shirt

Would add just the right amount of color under navy and gray fall sweaters or cardigans

$19.80 from Forever 21

Bobby Pin 

Classic and Cute, a simple accessory that can make a boring outfit more chic

$2.50 from Forever 21

Stud Trimmed Belted Dress

I'm really loving studs right now, especially when combined with classic cuts and black fabric

$24.99 from Olsenboye for JCPenney

Gertrude Boot

I'm loving the short cowboy boot, and the detailing on this boot is very fun. 

$69.99 at Piperlime

Paula Cami

Going along with the lace trend, this cami would look great under a cardigan or light jacket. (Also available in Pink, Blue, Green, and Ivory) 

$18.50 at dELiAs

Sierra Twill Military Bomber

I really like the way the Military trend is starting to look more wearable. The color and fit look very nice.

(Also available in Gray and Blue)  

$59.50 at dELiAs

Summer News

Sorry I've been so MIA. I've been pretty busy lately with my internship. I helped out with programs for 5th graders, 2nd graders, and 1st graders and I'm also transcribing old Civil War letters. The typing can get tedious at times, but I'm learning a lot from reading these primary resources. I'd like to give an update about my novel. I currently have 13 pages.

I want to start writing some quick updating posts like this:

I am...

Reading... My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

Watching .... Desperate Housewives Season 4

Feeling... Sunburnt and sore from canoeing yesterday (but it was fun)

Thinking ... I should work on my practice LSAT book

Wondering ... How the rest of my summer will go

Planning ... On cleaning my closet, selling some textbooks online, and buying a pair of black pants