Monday, January 30, 2012

Baby Claire

This picture fills me with joy on so many levels.


Claire Barnhardt, Age 5, wearing glasses, holding a bunny. What more could you ask for?

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Computer:

Fried. Nothing much can help a computer that is literally split in two. Except for a lot of money. The kind of a lot of money that makes getting a brand new computer worth it.

Welcome to the family, new guy.

Please don't crack in half.

Chip Chop

Did I mention that I cut my hair? And maybe dyed it red? Like, really red? Well, I did. And so did just about everybody else I know.

Thursday was haircut day around here and Claire, Frances, Olivia and I all got a little fancy shmancy after we got our trim action on.

And in an effort to share my new hair in a less obnoxious way than last time (remember this?), I made a new video to show off our new looks.

Behold: Hairathon 2012.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Sad day

My poor laptop was forced to go into emergency surgery today after months and months of a slowly progressing disease. Somewhere along the line, the screen and the keyboard started having differences and decided to amicably separate. Irreconcilable differences. Which they were ok with, but I, was not so comfortable with the idea. So they are in counseling... I mean... Surgery. Wait. I'm mixing metaphors. Either way, my computer is broken. The thing literally broke in half. Which means the possibility of less blogging for a couple of days while it gets fixed. Don't cry.

This is just unfortunate for you because I was about the share a major surprise. Maybe one of the roomies will take pity on me and let their feeble computer-less roommate leach off their computers for a bit. Or-- worst case scenario-- I have to go to the library for a bit. But something that terrible would never happen.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

20|20

Today I read "20 New Years Resolutions for 20 Somethings" and they were great. So, I'm going to share them with you. But why would you read my blog if I didn't force you to listen to my opinion on everything? Especially because now I'm technically a twenty something. That'd be so lame. So, I'mma add on to everything with my own opinion in italics.



  1. Before you status update, Tweet, Tumble or Instagram, pause and say to yourself, “is it entirely necessary that I share this morsel of thought with my entire social network?”and if the answer is not, “yes, I absolutely must,” then step away from the Internet. (Guilty. I mean, what else is social networking for than sharing unnecessary information? BUT! I have gotten better at this. Hence the blog. It's my place to purge all of my random opinions on things)
  2. Know which candidate you’re going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, and know why. (I MOST DEFINITELY agree. Stop me before I let the political monster out of it's dark place in my tummy, but I will say that it is alarming to me how many people my age have no concept of any sort of going ons when it come to the upcoming election. And worse than that-- vote even when they have no concept of what they're voting for. Scary scary.)
  3. Enough with the 14-day juice cleanses. If you want to lose a little weight quickly, eat less and exercise like crazy. If you want to lose a lot of weight slowly, do whatever Jennifer Hudson did. (Ok. Why in the world would I want to do a juice cleanse? Answer: I wouldn't. In regards to Jennifer Hudson: Yeah. She looks amazing. Her commercials make me cry. It's whatever.)
  4. If you really like the person you’re hooking up with and would like them to be your boyfriend/ girlfriend, find a way to tell them, and hope for the best. If you don’t and wouldn’t, stop. (Preach.)
  5. Find a way to save approximately 300 dollars and spend it on a flight to see a friend or family member who lives far away. (If only it were that easy. But where would I go first? Let's see (in alphabetical order): Asheville, Austin, Berkley, Eugene, La Mirada, New York, Palm Springs, San Diego, Spokane... Any Benefactors out there want to fund this?)
  6. Please stop liking the Kardashians, all of them. It’s not helping anyone, least of all the Kardashians. (If like the Kardashians is wrong, I don't want to be right. I will watch them until they die, if that is their grand master plan.)
  7. Spend less than or equal to the money you earn each month. (Working on it. Not sure if this is easier or harder to do when you are not earning any money...)
  8. Wear clothes that fit you, especially to work. (So, I have to give up all of my sparkly pink tube dresses? Shoot.)
  9. Call someone on the phone at least once a week, and speak to him or her for at least ten minutes. (Mom, you can vouch that I'm good on this one. But other than you, I sort of suck at communication. It's not personal. I just hate talking on the phone.)
  10. Start preparing now to get over the fact that Facebook is probably going to change again in six months. You’re not going to deactivate your account. You don’t know how. (Call me a total dork, but I really like it when Facebook changes. It's like an unexpected challenge. Yeah. I know how that sounds. And I'm ok with it.)
  11. Wait 30 seconds before you look up a fact you can’t remember on your phone, and try to remember it using your brain. This is what the olden days were like. (Ok. Here's the deal with this one: We all know how much I love me some iPhone. And I will say that there is a lot of google searching going on in my life, but I do own a Dictionary (a real  life one) and I have made it a Julia Rule (or a "Rulia") to always look up words in that sucker instead of online. So, bam.)
  12. Replace one terrible reality show you’re currently watching with one wonderful scripted show currently available on television.  Swap suggestion: Real Housewives of Anywhere for HBO’s Enlightened. (I can't, won't, will never give up my Real Housewives. They are the lifeblood to my TV addiction. Not going to happen. But I will watch as many scripted shows that are recommended to me. My Tivo cup runneth over.)
  13. Try that food you think you don’t like but have never actually tried, unless it’s brussels sprouts. They really don’t need any more attention. (Done. And I'm sorry, but I like brussel sprouts. If you are skeptical,  please invite me over and I will cook you a brussel sprout that will change everything you thought you knew about them.)
  14. Cut one person out of your life who you truly do not like and add one person who you truly do. Note: not on Facebook, on Earth. (This is harsh. But I get the point. ...I'm having a hard time thinking of someone to get rid of, though. If you suddenly stop hearing from me, now you know why. Wait-- that was a joke. See my answer to #9)
  15. If you’re still blacking out regularly, you should stop. (Yeah. No.)
  16. Volunteer once over the next 90 days.  You’ll feel really good about it, and probably end up volunteering again over the next 275. (I'M TRYING BUT THE LADY WON'T EMAIL ME BACK!)
  17.  Tell someone who you love that you love them on a more regular basis. To their face, not in a text. (I would, but Ryan Gosling is just out of town a lot.)
  18. Back up your entire online life onto an external hard drive, especially your photos.
  19. Crap or get off the pot. This applies to whatever thing you’re not doing that you should just sack up and do already. (But, seriously. Truer words have never been spoken.)
  20.  And in the eternal words of Tom Haverford, “TREAT YO SELF!” (Can't argue with Tom Haverford. Ever.)
So what do you guys think? Pretty good rule book, eh? Or should I say... "Jule Book."

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Sunday, January 22, 2012

It's a Doozy.



I have a to-do list the size of an 8.5x11 paper. And it's growing. Since I took this picture (2 minutes ago) I have added 5 more whole things to it! This is no ordinary list though. It has been expertly crafted including things as mundane as "Windex Desk" to as foreword thinking like "Graduate." What can I say? I'm a planner. I guess I'd just rather write it down and know it's coming than get blindsided in 2 and a half years when I think I have an open Saturday and it turns out I have to be somewhere.

Anyway, I've made an accompanying playlist to get me through these hours/days/months/years of work ahead of me, like I'm known to do from time to time. This one is short and sweet, but it's getting the job done.

Like usual, it showcases my embarrassing taste in music, and also like usual, this doesn't even include the really embarrassing stuff. Come on. I've got a reputation to worry about.

Closing thoughts: This quarter is a marathon that I feel I am being forced to sprint through. There will be an eventual burn out. And it won't be pretty. I know it's coming. You've been warned.



Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Chop chop chop chop chopping.

I have class today. Which kind of stinks. But as they say, when SCAD cancels class on a Monday, they open a class on a Friday... and a Saturday. Ok-- that was my lame attempt to re-create the old "when one door closes, another one opens" phrase. Didn't work so well. Moving on.

MY POINT is that thanks to Dr. King (and the parade that blocks up most of downtown), our classes on Monday were cancelled. Most classes were rescheduled for Friday when, we usually don't have class (one of mine was), but my other class had to be rescheduled for today. Saturday. Who wants to go to class on Saturday? Not me. I mean, that basically means that I only have a one day weekend. No. Not basically. It does mean that I only have a one day weekend. Not ok.

And let's be honest, here. The Julia that we all know and love would most definitely skip those classes, because rescheduled classes aren't really "real classes" anyway, but those pesky little teachers managed to make really important things due on both days. Which means that I had/have to go to both of them. Grrr.

(By the way, I finally finished my paper and turned it in yesterday. Not my favorite work, but not the worst, either. Debating whether or not to put it up on the blog... but I digress.)

I was kind of grumpy about this whole 24/7 school situation until I decided that after class, I would make a delicious homemade meal to celebrate the end of this school marathon. Jujie tired. Tonight, I will be throwing together some new recipes (TBD) from some of my favorite cookbooks (the two that I have in my possession) to enjoy while watching a movie or doing something totally lazy relaxing.

I just found this video this morning, and although I believe that it is meant more for the viewing of children, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an artist and food lover. Vegetables are beautiful and healthy and interesting and good for you. And this video makes me want to eat them. Which is impressive.

And just as a mother who is tired of entertaining her children sits them in front of the television for a few hours to take a nap, so you, my blog children, have to watch videos all week on my blog while I regain composure in the face of school madness.

Enjoy.


Hopefully soon, I will have the energy and drive to post something interesting. 

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Pretty Girls are like Cars That Need a lot of Oil.



This kid is so intense.

Alec, you're right: Life is hard to move on.

Seriously. I don't even know what to say. There are so many gems.

I finally started writing my paper.


Yesterday in Intro to Fashion Design, I finally started writing my paper. We were supposed to be looking up images for an upcoming project, but I felt the urge to start typing and when I did, the text came pretty naturally. Finally!!!

I've come up with a paper that I am molding into something that I like, but now I have the confusing task of ending it. And I'm completely stumped. I mean, I know what happens in real life. Because I was there and stuff, but I can't find a way to wrap it up that feels natural to me. I just took a nap that was supposed to hit the reset button, but it didn't work as well as I'd hoped. Grr.

OK, time to stop dilly dallying and get back to work.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Capricious.

Capricious. Now there's another good word.

Literary Giant


Sometimes I hear someone say a word that just...sings. And I make a mental note to myself: "Must start saying emulsify more." But, then, of course, the moment passes and the word is simply forgotten until I'm watching Top Chef and the word pops up again. Emulsify. Gosh. I gotta start using that word! So I've made it a habit that when I actually hear the word I am going to stop, write it down, remember it, AND USE IT. It's simply alarming how many times I use the words awesome or cool or excited when A) there are so many better words out there and b) the words awesome or cool or excited don't even describe how I feel!

I have developed a little list in the last few weeks and I thought I'd share.

Hobnob
Boondoggle
Bitchin
Persnickety
Zedus Lepidus
Word
Groovy

All together in a list, they sound sort of ridiculous-- something out of a disney movie, maybe-- but, I think about them each alone and in context. Great, right?

And if you're wondering... no, I still have not started my paper.

Monday, January 16, 2012

On the List


It's MLK day. Which means no school for Jujie. Which means that we had a glorious 4 day weekend full of fun and procrastination (the phrase, "Just do it on Monday," has been thrown around a little too freely). But here we are on Monday and the work is just beginning. Not too much, but just enough that I have to close my door and sit at my desk (this only happens when I really mean business).

On the list of things to complete is my first writing assignment and this gal is quite the bag of nerves over it. I have to write a 5 page memoir. Simple enough. Basically an elongated version of what I do on here every day. Then why is it that I am completely frozen when it comes to thinking up good ideas? How in the world is it that I can literally draft this entire very blog post in my head before I type it, but I can't even think of a subject matter for a pretty simple assignment? I am so hard up for ideas that I have already swept the whole downstairs and cleaned the whole bathroom-- completely willingly, I might add!-- just go give myself some more brainstorm time.

My teacher instructed us that writing with emotion always makes for better reading and I think that some of my classmates translated that into "Write about the most emotional and stressful time in your life. And make the whole class feel sorry for you. And Cry." Believe me. I love a melodrama just as much as the next guy (did I watch Oprah everyday after school for 13 years? Guilty) but I'm going to avoid the tragic story of my mom's video game addiction or the death of my best friend and cat, Mr. Mango, and go for something a little less obvious. By the way-- both of those were real prompts for papers my classmates are writing. I mean, come on. The majority of us in the class are first year writers. When Emily Dickinson writes about depressing subject matter, it's beautiful. But we are not Emily Dickinson. I wouldn't even consider tackling writing about something super pivotal or deep in my life if I didn't feel that I could do it 100% justice. The challenge is now trying to think of something that is true, emotional, interesting, and not seeming to come straight out of a poorly written made for TV movie. And hey-- maybe I can even make it a bit funny? His advice, plus the very cliche mantra of "write what you know" aren't much help today so my word document is still staring at me, jarringly bright, lacking any type to tone down it's blinding blankness.

Sometimes in situations like this, it helps me to think of a title or a phrase to get the ball rolling. In high school, my friend, Lauren Wess, and I would play a game we liked to call "Let's Not Pay Attention in Class and Just Come Up with Amazing Future Memoir Titles Instead." And we were/are amazing at it.

  • I Didn't Do it for the Money: The Lauren Wess Story
  • Vindicated: Julia Patton's Explosive Years as 'Dashboard Confessional Bassist'
  • I Wear a Ski Mask to Hide my Facial Hair: The Struggles of Julia Patton
  • Do You Know the Way to San Jose: Lauren Wess' Crippled Journey Across the United States
  • RUIEPJFDSAJFKDLSA: Julia Patton's Fight for Words
  • Lauren Wess: The Original Sasha Fierce, Day by day, I crave Beyonce
  • Lauren Wess: THE MUSICAL

Unfortunately, the majority of them were completely made up scenarios and this paper has to be Non Fiction. Bummer.

Here are a few working titles that I've come up with so far this morning that could actually be made into real papers:
  • I Have Meat on my Thighs: The Good Kind
  • Emotional Duress at Terminal 9
  • Emotional Meat Sauce
  • Emotional Meat Sauce: Mincing Duress is Making my eyes sting
  • She Calls Herself Old
That's all I got. Can you imagine the stories that go with these? Yikes. 

In other news: Grandma Bunny, your comment worked!!! Finally! Yay!!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Talent City

Oh. Did I mention that Olivia Latinovich is an insanely talented photographer who's talent needs to be nurtured and celebrated? Because she is. And it does.

Oli is in a photo class this quarter that she is absolutely thriving in. One of her latest assignments was to take portraits of people in their natural habitat/ personal space. We were all lucky enough to be her subjects and I am so crazy about the results. She ended up setting all of us up in our individual rooms, which I absolutely loved because I have sort of this growing obsession with this idea that your room is probably one of the most representative things about your personality-- especially at this stage in our lives when we don't own a whole lot and what we do own is carefully held in our own space. Anywho, please head on over to her flickr account and check out all of the images. You will be so glad you did. Some of them are very artsy and serious, and some are completely ridiculous, but all of them are beautiful.

Fun Fact: Oli wanted to take some pictures of me sitting in my rocking chair reading a book, so I just grabbed one of my shelf and when I opened to it, I was so surprised to find that there were about 10 kid pictures of me tucked in the pages for some reason. I was so so happy and when I held one up to show her, she snapped a shot. Needless to say, my reaction is 100% genuine.

SO CLICK HERE. 

Friday, January 13, 2012

Happy Friday!


This weekend is thankfully going to  be a little slower paced than the last. I smell a lot of down time in the next few days and for that, I am quite thankful. What are you doing this weekend?

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Yikes: Day 2


My car was towed today.

I knew it was probably coming because I parked in a tow away spot, but I was going to be late for class so there was no choice.

When class ended and I came outside with no coat on and it was raining, I looked at where my car should've been and had to just laugh.

Spencer took me to go pick it up (a tragic irony) and when the lady asked me if I would be paying the $75 dollar fee with cash or credit, I replied with "75 tears."

She laughed.

I was only half joking.


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Yikes


I'm in a very drastic mood today. In the last few hours a few things have gotten me thinking and I 'm not in a bad mood per say... I'm just... in a feisty mood. Sort of. But also, not so much feisty and more... reckless. The kind of mood where I have been staring at the scissors on my desk for the last 20 minutes and seriously considering just starting to chop off all of my hair. The hair that I have been growing out since my high school graduation. I'm flooded with ambivalence.

I also want to take this opportunity to say that I don't feel that I totally took advantage of my "teen angst" years. And now they're gone. What a pity.

Downton Abbey

If you have been around me at all in the last few weeks... especially if you have brought up any TV show or movie, I am almost 100% positive that you have heard me gush about my absolute favorite new (to me) show, Downton Abbey. I'll stop myself from going on and on and on about it, like I've been doing lately to anyone willing to listen, but it is basically a British Soap opera about the wealthy Crawley family, their servants and their beautiful countryside estate, Downton Abbey. But I can prove how legit it is when I tell you that it has already won 6 Emmy's and it's only been around for 1 season! See-- this ain't no Gossip Girl, folks-- this here is a beautiful, well written masterpiece.

My mom and I watched the whole thing together over break and I was thrilled to hear that it was returning so soon. The season 2 premiere was on Sunday and after finishing watching it this afternoon, I am giddy with excitement for what is in store.

Like I have already told everyone within a 30 mile radius of wherever I am, YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS SHOW. It is not too late to catch up because the first season was only 7 measly episodes! I am so positive that you will love it that I am willing to even say that if you watch the first 2 full episodes and don't want to continue, I'll bake you a cake. Or a pie. Or something. It actually doesn't matter because I know that once you watch it, you'll fall in love. Just like I have.

Ay, yi yi-- how in the world am I supposed to wait until next Sunday to see the next episode!?!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Begin Again


I am so excited to tell you guys that my first week of classes went splendidly. Things got rolling with my writing class in which, although a little bigger than I was picturing it to be (still only 30 people), I already absolutely love Professor Lough. I can already tell that it is going to be the perfect balance of serious learning and productivity as a writer with a healthy dose laughter and comfortablility (did I just make that word up? I don't know. See-- I'm already becoming such an innovative writer!). The class is filled with writing majors and when I said that I was a fashion major, I got a couple of looks like "how'd this ditz get in here?" "I think she may be lost," but I am excited to dash all of their preconceived notions about us dum fashion mayjers. CMPA (computers) also went quite well. It seems that my workload will be light but helpful as by the end of the quarter I should have my very own website! Bushka facelift perhaps? Professor Hoshor is also quite entertaining and lively with stories of menopause and her past as a pantomime which makes getting to class by 8am a little easier. Finally- Intro to Fashion Design. Where do I begin? I mean, it literally could not have gone better. Walking in I was so calm and completely comfortable with the idea of absolutely hating the class and immediately dropping my fashion major-- especially after writing had gone so well earlier in the day. After going into three wrong classrooms I sat down and looked around to a classroom full of people that felt like my equals all semi-friendly and smiling (rare for art students). Our Professor is named Sidaway and is from London. After he explained the syllabus, I felt motivated and excited to face the challenges of every project. Everything sounded fun and although some things sounded harder than others, I feel like I am up to the challenge. I left feeling great. I could talk about this for five more paragraphs and bore you all to death, but I have a mountain of homework staring at me beside my computer in a pile of defiance. 

It's going to be a busy quarter. 



Thursday, January 5, 2012

What I'm Listening To

The day I left, with a little extra time to spare before heading to the airport, I sat down and watched something my mom had recorded on our TV about the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center Honors is an award of lifetime achievement in the preforming arts given out every year. This years recipients were Meryl Streep, Neil Diamond, Barbara Cook, Sonny Rollins and Yo-Yo Ma. Watching their peers, colleagues and proteges give amazing tributes to each of them in their specific fields was not only beautiful but moving.

Anywho- during the tribute to Yo-Yo Ma, I discovered that on top of also being an iconic classical musician, he is also a highly regarded bluegrass musician. Who woulda thought? Not this gal. After a little research and few iTunes searches, I stumbled upon his work on a record called "The Goat Rodeo Sessions."

I bought.

I played it.

I played it again.

I haven't turned it off.

It's soothing and interesting in a way that classical music always is, but with a sound that I have never really heard before in regards to the cello.

I mean, I'm no Amelia Burlingham or anything, but this stuff sounds legit. Give it a listen.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Oh hey, Academia.

It's the first day of the quarter and I am actually really really excited. This morning I have Nonfiction Writing (my father rejoices) with a professor that I have heard really good things about and then tonight... the big kahuna. Intro to Fashion Design. Yikes. This is the class that is either going to A) confirm the fact that my lifelong dream of becoming a designer is, in fact, something that I really enjoy doing and could be good at or B) confirm the fact that my lifelong dream of becoming a designer is, in fact, something that I really hate doing and am terrible at. Let's just say I'm a little nervous.

I'm currently sitting in my room dissecting my rolling racks for the perfect first day look (something that always brings a bright spot to the first day of school). It has to be stylish and interesting, but definitely nothing that looks like I'm trying too hard to be noticed. Actually-- the worst thing that could happen is that I look like I'm trying too hard to look like I'm not trying to hard. I mean, I might as well wear my bra and underwear to class instead. Geesh.

Have a good day, everyone! I miss all you crazy Californians already. Can you believe it's only been 2 days?

Sudden realization that needs to be said:
I don't think you guys realize how much I appreciate that people read this blog. The love and support I get from it cannot be measured and I am still a little confused why anyone would take 5 minutes of their day to spend here, but believe me when I say that I am honored.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

It's 2012. Let's Get Down to Business.


After an unexpected detour through Charlotte, I'm finally in Savannah and it feels right. 

Monday, January 2, 2012

Goodbye


It's early in the morning and I have a pit in my stomach. This isn't saying much though, because this pit comes whether I'm traveling to Georgia or LA. It's just my thing. 

But either way, it should be said that I am traveling to Georgia. Again. Back and forth and back and forth. (Taryn, you get it.) 

My bags are packed just in time (don't ask me when I finished) and I am leaving for the airport soon. There will be tears. This is becoming somewhat inevitable no matter where I'm leaving. But by tonight, I will be in a new mindset and new light. Happy as a clam to be reunited with my Savannah family. 

Goodbye/Hello. 

Sunday, January 1, 2012

2011: In Recap


My hair is brown. 
Saddest New Years day ever. Crying at the airport.
Still learning my roommates. 
Justin Bieber.
Taylor Swift.
Sub Sandwiches. 
"I'll have a half turkey with pepper jack on whole wheat toasted, please. Lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, onions, a little bit of salt and pepper with baja sauce. Thank you."
Eat that. Everyday.
Lived vicariously through Felicity and Ben and Noel. 
Claire creates a competition with herself called, "Let's see if I can complete this whole piece in less than 15 minutes."
Not as fun as you'd think. 
Oreos. 
Change my major.
Change my major. 
Oreos. Oreos. Oreos. 
Change my major. 
Freshman year is over and I realize that I was blessed beyond belief. 
Summer. 
At last. 
Pit stop: Birmingham.
Pit stop: Dallas. 
Oreooos. 
Change my major. 
I am so excited.
Pit stop: Atlanta. 
Taking major classes is fun. 
Wednesday night vent inspiration sessions with Baille. 
Spend Halloween in my PJ's. 
Slutty PJ's are not my costume. 
Come home.
Pit stop: Tuscaloosa.
Pit stop: Dallas.
Change my major. 
Change my major. 
Change my major. 
Change my major. 
Create. 
Eat everything. 
Eat more. 
New Years day with Casey, Kaitlin and Nicole. 
Haven't started packing.
Leave tomorrow. 
All is right.

**Wren's bunny named Cocaine
*A choreographed dance to the song "Birthday Sex"


I mean. Come on. I am so freaking blessed. I have an amazing family, I have amazing friends and so much opportunity that God has blessed me with. Can you imagine what 2012 has in store?