The Paris Wife

Reading before my roommate met me for girl's night downtown

This weekend was incredible. Last week I read The Sun Also Rises, which lead me to read The Paris Wife. This book is a fiction novel, based on truth that explains the story of The Hemingway's marriage through the eyes of Ernest's wife, Hadley. I flew through the pages, delighted by the sassy, true love they shared. Ernest- particular, excited, spontaneous, outspoken but always quiet about things he found too emotional to discuss. Hadley- strong, supportive, faithful, loving mother and never feeling the need or ability to dress in the popular styling of Coco Chanel. Their love seemed to appear instantaneously and they seemed to be happiest when they were alone enjoying a drink, skiing through the mountains or spending time with their son.  Hadley would have been happy living in a small country home, supporting her husband and child. But Ernest became too much for her dreams to handle and the marriage fell apart after months of her trying to live with the reality that her simplicity wasn't enough for him. I am now reading A Moveable Feast, which Ernest wrote later in life about his early time in Paris. A time which included Hadley. I'm very excited to read his version of their story.

An afternoon of soup and reading

I deleted my Facebook about a month ago and have not once wanted to reactivate it. I recall this month and realize that I've read 4 books since I deleted the account. With the completion of these books comes a more fluent French accent, more hikes, new friends, weekend getaways and much more excitement. As I walked through a crowded street tonight, on my way to a coffee shop with a book in hand; I wondered what my Facebook status would read. I then smiled, knowing that my life is so enriched and that I don't have to share it with anyone for it to be true. My smile beamed even brighter as I couldn't help but feel a bit mysterious.

I have spent the past few days thinking of deleting this blog. One of my goals is to be more reserved and to myself. I feel hypocritical wanting to be reserved and mysterious but posting my thoughts and adventures for the world to see.

After the coffee shop closed I came home to sit in my Karli-themed living room. I didn't keep track of time as I flipped through each page, bringing me closer and closer to the back cover. When I reached the end it was 03:00 and the city seemed to have fallen asleep while I was engrossed in the pages. I looked around my home and didn't see any trace of electronics. It made me happy to know that I could always come home and disappear from the fast paced world we live in.

It is now 03:45 and I will research my next weekend getaway before I go for a sunrise run around the lake. I can't help but think of how wonderful my life is and how proud I am for making it this way.

A funny selfie of my cute Friday night outfit.

C'est la vie,

Karli

My Seattle Home

This week was very demanding. After much deliberation with myself, I decided to spend my Thursday staying at home to rest, cook and clean so that I could enjoy the rest of the weekend. I set the oven to 350 and baked some broccoli, cauliflower and green beans while I prepared a lovely salad and some chicken. I used the yellow curry sauce and sprinkled turmeric from Trader Joe's to add some flavor to my cauliflower.

After cooking, I cleaned my entire house and finally went through the pile of mail that has been stationed on my desk for far too long. I was quite proud of how great my house looks, so I decided to share it with everyone back home. Here are some pictures of my Seattle home. I love the natural, yet classy feel. It seems to fit me.

Bathroom

"Sometimes you just have to go for it"

Painting by my Mom

Can't wait to read by the fire! 

Living room

Karli's bookshelf

Painting by my mom

My balcony view

My bedroom

My creative area

Kitchen 1

Kitchen 2

Dining Room

Rocks and wood from hiking

My Bonsai!

Karli

What Defines You?

Life has been really wonderful this week. I am finally understanding enough at work and am taking steps to becoming part of the team instead of just watching from the sidelines.While not at work, I find that I crave moments sitting down with a cup of hot tea and a book, and these moments seem to be more frequent. 

Thoughts this week--

I'm becoming enlightened and wondering about what makes a person. Can you define someone by what they claim to be or by the interactions you experience with them? Most importantly, can you actually define someone? Aren't we all in a constant state of growth, learning from all the experiences we have? 

I think about interactions I've had with people where I thought I knew how they would react in certain situations and was proven wrong or pleasantly surprised. Most of my knowledge of the people around me comes from my assumptions of why they do certain things. I wonder if all the labels we place on people are just our own creations. My immediate reaction is embarrassment in myself for being foolish in assuming things about a person instead of discussing ideas with them.

But what if it isn't foolish. Does an assumption become truth if it is not corrected?

I am reminded of a quote from one of my favorite movies, My Sassy Girl. The quote says, 

"Do we live in the physical world that we can touch, or do we live in the world that we create in our minds?" 

I wonder if people feel like they know me or if anyone actually does. I feel like I know myself. My mom taught me, when I was a young girl, to write down the person I thought I was and the person I wanted to be in this world. Since my youth, I've been constantly writing lists of who I believe I am and who I want to be. The lists have transformed from descriptions of "lost, depressed, overweight, angry and loving" to descriptions now which include, "happy, strong, caring, passionate, seeking knowledge, and growing". I imagine that while my core beliefs and morals have held constant, I am in a constant state of growth; either growing to achieve the person I am supposed to be in this world, or growing to paint a picture of a person I will be. And yet, these are ways that I see myself. I'm sure others view my life with different descriptions. 

This week I wrote a thought on the white board in my room. It reads,"Live the life you get envious watching others live." This quote has served as an encouragement this week as I continue making weekend plans and transforming my everyday routine into something I am passionate about.

So what defines a person? Who are these people that we interact with? I wonder if we took away assumptions of the people around us, would we see who they really are? For example, I know that someone I see at church must be a Christian, so I assume they are a Christian. But they don't necessarily have to be. Maybe the only way to know someone is by actually experiencing them and their thoughts. And maybe it isn't our right to define people in the first place. But will the world work this way? How would something like marketing to a consumer work if we are unable to define people?

 Alas, this is mostly just blabbering from the mind of someone who might think too much. I'll stay lively, skipping through life as I do and enjoying the experiences I have with others, trying not to define people and allowing them to define themselves in my life.

C'est la vie.

Karli