An in(ter)dependence kind of day!

 While I think that independence is important and glorious, I also really like the idea of interdependence. Today I look forward to carousing with friends from all parts of my life at a feast later on this afternoon, as we eat grilled delicacies and chat on a West Philly porch, reconnecting, and celebrating our lives together. This day, to me, then, is more about being connected to others--interdependence-- and less about independence.

In celebration of interdependence, I invite you to look at this clip from 5/23/12, which reflects not only glorious creativity and spirit, but also great interdependence-- interdependence of the people who worked hard to put this project together, but more than that, the interdependence of this wonderful community of people, with so much love to share, all in celebration of one couple:

With happy wishes for a lovely day of interdependence, I wish you well on your fourth of July!

Cheers,

Anna

Aspirations.

A few summers back, my friends and I would listen to music and dance around in our college apartment. Recently, one of my friends posted this video to my Facebook wall, and it brought me back to those lovely days:

And not only was I able to remember our fabulous, memorable dance parties, as we reenacted this video...but I was able to be reminded that this woman (and her friend) are who I aspire to be when I get older. Their energy is infectious, their dance moves creative, and their presences are truly inspirational! Also, it should be noted that this song is sung by Ben Kweller. The star of the video is his grandmother, who was 83 at the time. Knowing this, I fell even more in love with this video.

Thank you, Jimmy, for bringing these ladies back into my life. (And this song, which I adore.) 

Cheers,

Anna

Evening inspiration.

A fabulous young woman who lives in Arizona, who I grew up with in Bergen County, NJ, is about to begin an important journey around the United States. 

She is a talented photographer, capturing the feminist movement through her photos. After taking pictures of feminists and posting them online, her success has grown, and she has felt inspired to take this project to a national level. She plans to travel, taking pictures of feminists around the country, and creating a book from her travels. Talk about inspiration! Her words are inspiring, as she discusses her project. Her project is inspiring in its unique and empowering approach to feminism. And her journey as a photographer is inspiring, as she delves into this work, jumping into this large-scale adventure! Read more about her project here.

And with that, I bid you good night. 

Sleep well, and I will (hopefully) be in touch soon.

Cheers to an inspiring week,

Anna

Inspirational Saturday

The weather is sticky and hot, and I sit baking away in my un-airconditioned apartment in Philadelphia. Today, I am posting two stories (submitted by Sally T., San Francisco, CA):

A heartwarming tale about a father's gift to his daughter on her high school graduation:

And Maurice Sendak, in all his glory, in his interview with Fresh Air on May 8, 2012:

And with that, I send refreshing air your way, wherever you are. 

Cheers to a happy Saturday,

Anna 

Buzzfeed does it again.

In a world that continues to struggle with homophobia and anti-gay sentiment, when people still post horrifically closed minded and offensive views on a happy Oreo ad, celebrating pride:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-krafts-gay-pride-oreo-draws-20000-comments-some-flak-20120627,0,490983.story

When a teen lesbian couple was found attacked in Texas, one of them killed, and the other in serious condition in a nearby hospital: 

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-texas-lesbians-shot-20120626,0,5851118.story

Buzzfeed still manages to instill hope: 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-most-inspiring-gay-pride-pictures

The world still has a lot of growing to do, but this selection of photos fills my heart with so much warmth and happiness. 

Thank you. 

Cheers,

Anna 

Capturing Philadelphia.

Inspiring for the beautiful articulation of what it's like to be young and living in West Philly. Inspiring also in the beauty it captures of Philadelphia as a city, its imperfections contributing to its authentic character. Also inspiring because it is written by a fabulous writer, who also happens to be a dear friend of mine from Haverford. This piece will likely be one of countless future ones. Please read: http://therumpus.net/2012/06/the-last-city-i-loved-philadephia/

Cheers,
Anna

Thank you, buzz feed...

For more inspiration:  http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/pictures-that-will-restore-your-faith-in-humanity