My Maggie: December

Happy December and holiday season, my friends! How was your Thanksgiving? I had a blast in NYC. Here's a quick run-down of our activities:

- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (seated tickets, yo!)
-Quick brunch on the Upper West Side
-Thanksgiving Dinner with friends
-Visit to The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine and viewed the amazing giant hanging phoenixes made from found objects by Chinese Contemporary artist, Xu Bing
-Quick visit to High Line Park
-Matilda
-Rockefeller Center
-5th Avenue Christmas windows
-a bit of shopping and bites to eat
-Brooklyn Flea (great barbeque lunch)
-Dinner at The Meatball Shop
-Visit to the Met to see the Madam Cezanne Show and Islamic art
-Viewing of You've Got Mail, because, duh.
-Sacrament Meeting at Lincoln Square Ward
-Lunch at Ivan Ramen on Clinton Street
-6 cookies purchased, BUT NOT CONSUMED, at Levain Bakery (in my freezer until 12:01 1/1/2015)

Please enjoy my December playlist. There are so many good Christmas playlists out there right now, some of which inspired a few of my choices here. But ultimately, I decided to go with music I already had and stuff that just felt December to me. I'm looking forward to going home to KC for two weeks and spending time with my parents and three siblings + Jed, Juliet, and Nora. We are rarely all together. I'm going to listen to this while I decorate my wee little tree tonight!

Not on Spotify, but #4 on my playlist!

#15 on my playlist

#18 on my playlist (scroll through to #5)

Click here for more! 2013 playlist and 2012 playlist

My Maggie November

November brings an earthy, emotional, ethereal playlist--pretty much an extension where October's playlist left off.

I'm heading to New York for 5 days later this month. CAN'T WAIT. It will be a mixture of easy, down time and fun exploring with hopefully a show or something festive.

So, I've probably mentioned that I made a goal to go sugar-free for all of 2014. I've done pretty great with it. The only occasional but conscious slip-ups have been consuming sugar in condiments, jams, and a few drinks such as smoothies and those darn Starbucks milk steamers. I literally have dreams, FREQUENTLY, about eating chocolate and eating cookies. They feel so real that when I wake up, I feel sad that I quit my goal. Then I remember it was just a dream! Well, now that we are well into November, I'm realizing if I really want to, I can save a few treats for 2015. Levain's Bakery, anyone? I'm seriously considering buying a half-dozen cookies while I'm in New York just to take home and put in the freezer to save until January. Although when 2015 comes, I don't want to immediately start eating tons of sugar. I want to hold off eating treats again until after I run a half-marathon in the spring. But I will lighten up on avoiding other sugary things like jam, cereal, yogurt, and hot drinks!!! Training for the half is the trade off. When the half is over, I'm feasting on whatever treats I want.

Enjoy November's playlist!

If you want to hear the Beatles version of Blackbird, which is the one actually on my playlist, listen here:

Blackbird - The Beatles from Dan Schonberg on Vimeo.

and #6, Taylor Swift's song, is pretty locked-up for sharing, so I'm not even going to deal with that right now.

10 Things Monthy: November + Bonus

                      

                      

I've been in my new place for a month now, and I haven't even nearly begun to unpack and decorate. It's a constant struggle to figure out WHERE to put all my stuff! So in that process, I try to get rid of as much extra stuff as possible. It's a slow process.

1-6. Tops and pants - donate

7-8. Twin-size bedding - donate

9. Toiletries - trash

10. Broken iPhone cord - trash

11. Slippers - donate

12. Condiment - trash

13. Old box - recycle

14. Hangers - recycle

15. Shopping bag - recycle

This fall I started a new experiment with my clothing called a capsule wardrobe. I'll be posting about it soon, but the gist is, I only use a portion of my clothing for three month cycles and all the rest goes into storage or is donated. Have you ever heard of this or tried it yourself? So far it has changed my life for the better. Plus, it is helping me get rid of a few more old clothes.

Can't wait to share with you my experience!

Palisades home

My new home in the Palisades is a basement apartment of a cute yellow Craftsman style house. The owners fixed up a beautiful basement apartment with wonderful features such as hardwood floors, white molding, security system, soft-close cabinet doors, heated tile bathroom floors, and so much more. I really really love the place.

The Palisades is a wonderful neighborhood. MacArthur Boulevard is wide and winding with a grassy median and tall trees on either side. I hear they have their own 4th of July parade. The Palisades is 10 minutes from Virginia, 10 minutes from Maryland, 10 minutes to 495, and 10 minutes from downtown DC. There are plenty of high-end restaurants I've been dying to try, namely DC Boathouse (at the end of my street), Et Voila!, BlackSalt, Sur La Place, and Bambu. Leave it to me to have already scouted out the best restaurants! I live right by Fletcher's Cove and the Capital Crescent Trail and the C&O canal towpath, so I plan to run on them as much as I can! And one of the best things is my commute is 30 minutes now, instead of an hour. Did I mention it's FREE too? Well, besides the gas I use to drive my car about 3 miles round-trip everyday.

On Instagram, I recently posted this quickie pic of our living room, which is not complete. It presents a few challenges. I LOVE the furniture, but they fade right into the walls. At least the sofa does. It needs some serious contrasting, texturizing, and decorating. Here are some ideas I am thinking:

-long cool grey drapes on the window behind the sofa
-warm brown cowhide rug on the floor to add warmth and contrast
-furry throw
-colorful throw
-gold toned pillows
-My Cezanne print on the wall

Here are some interiors that are inspiring me right now:

1. Using blues as an accent:

2. A no-rug possibility:

3. Possibly my favorite look, though I would use a cowhide rug instead:

After putting together a quick mock-up with borrowed materials, here's our first attempt:

I think grey drapes would really help the sofa to stand out. The cowhide would look a little better if it was lighter and had more variations. The orange/yellow/grey throw I love, but I'm not sure it will go with my green/blue Cezanne print. The sheepskin is not quite what I had in mind, since it is a rug and not a blanket. But have you seen how expensive even the faux fur blankets are?? Even at 20% off at West Elm, they are still around $100, and those are the only I've seen so far that I like. Also JCPenny has an amazing sale right now on Jonathan Adler products. I'm going to buy a few throw pillows for this sofa and my bed. Plus with their Friends and Family event coming up, I'll save even more!

I guarantee it will be a long time before this is all put together...decorating is EXPENSIVE!

10 Things Monthly: October + Bonus!

Moving really helps put things in perspective about what's worth keeping and what's not. So here's what I got rid of during my October move:

1. Curtain rod - donate
2. Frame - donate
3. Bed risers - donate
4. Mat - recycle
5. Mat - recycle
6. Shoes - donate
7. Bag - donate
8. Bag - donate
9. Frame - donate
10. Post-it notes - recycle
11. Lanyard - donate
12. iPhone cord - trash
13. Sleeve liner - donate

14. Table - donate
15. Mirror - trash
16. Plant - donate
17. Printer - donate (already counted this the month before!)
Plus, as a house we are donating another 50 or so kitchen items. Our dining room is lined with bags of stuff to donate. Off to a great start!

My Maggie October 2014

I'm a little late for October, but here are some songs that come to mind this time of year. This playlist starts out a little wild to gear up for Halloween parties and ends with some ethereal, nostalgic stuff that for me evokes walks through misty wooded paths. I just moved to a new place that is a couple blocks from the Potomac, and I can't wait to get use of the Capital Crescent Trail and the C&O Canal tow path. Hopefully I'll experience plenty of the brooding, damp October weather, along with the crisp, sunny, spectacular fall foliage. I can't decide which I love more.

This October marks the My Maggie Playlist 3-year anniversary! Here are links to 2012 and 2013. I'm still obsessed with last year's.

Don't forget to listen to this month's playlist in order! The first song is at the link below. It's my favorite right now.
http://grooveshark.com/s/Ladykiller/3iaTX8?src=5

Then this song is number 4 on the list.
http://youtu.be/547l8I9qaf4

The rest are on this fab Spotify playlist.

10 Things Montly: September

It's Monday, and I'm back from two weeks of vacation and three consecutive trips. It feels good to be back and to get my life back in order! Guess what? I'm moving to a new apartment in the Palisades, which is a beautiful, quiet neighborhood along the Potomac a little northwest from Georgetown. It's been overwhelming to think about packing up my life in Tenleytown, but luckily I've been slowly getting rid of stuff all along. I don't have too many choices to make about what to keep and what to get rid of, because I've been doing it all along.  Here's what I'm getting rid of in September:

1. Printer - donate
2. Jewelry box - recycle
3-5. Jewelry - donate
6. Shoes - trash
7. Shoes - donate
8. Yoga ball and accessories - donate
9. Shoes - donate
10. Shoes - trash

It feels so good to get rid of these items that have just been taking up space. October might be a doozy if I decide to get rid of a lot more stuff during the move.

Can't wait to share pics of my new place.

10 Things Monthly: August

I've been going through older clothes this month and trying to downsize in general. It's a slow process, but I'd rather do it systematically throughout the year than face a huge task all at once. Here's my August exfoliation list:

1) Bathing suit top: trash (replaced this and the one from last month with several new ones from Lands End on sale at the end of the season. I'm excited to wear them at the beach next week!)
2) Stickers: recycle
3) Old jeans: trash
4) Old bracelets: recycle
5) Bathing suit bottom: donate (never worn, still with tags)
6) Small lamps (two of these): donate
7) Granola: trash
8) Black t-shirt: trash
9) Black t-shirt: trash
10) bra: trash

My Maggie September

image source

September is upon us, and it's my month to celebrate! August was brutal for me, so I'm ready to take a few steps back and take it easy a bit. Yes, I do things a little backward from everyone else. September is my month to travel and relax. Can't wait! I'm headed to the Outer Banks for a whole week and then heading to Utah for almost another week. 

This playlist will see me roadtripping, lying on the beach, celebrating my birthday, and hanging with buddies. It's gonna be a gooooood month.

Glamorous September playlist from last year: here

Goals, Paintings, and Brooklyn

So everyone knows art and museums are, like, my life, right? I have a special relationship with them, as they've taught me a lot about myself and about the world. I've given a third of my 30-year-old life to pursuing a museum career, and have given of myself in the form of visiting, learning, and supporting art and museums since the time my parents introduced us to each other. They have given quite a bit back to me, too, but I’m still waiting for the biggest gift of all—a full-time collections management position. My job searching process has been a rollercoaster of emotions, and there are days that I want to give up. But I had an experience recently at the Phillips Collection, that provided some strength and clarity to help me get through this difficult time. I participated in a fun and insightful museum program called Art-O-Mancy. 

I was confused about the name at first and found out -omancy is a term that means gaining life guidance at random, usually by relying on fate. Cartomancy is learning your future from a deck of cards. Bibliomancy is opening books to random pages and finding answers to life’s questions. So artomancy is following fate through a museum (blindfolded!) and learning what the museum wants to teach you.

I don’t believe in fate, but I absolutely believe in revelation, both from the Spirit and self-revelation. I also believe in positive and negative energy. This was an opportunity to explore from multiple angles the question I was suppose to prepare ahead of time to present to "the muse." I decided the question I’d pose was, “What do I need to do to navigate this difficult transition time?”

I was paired with two guides, one of whom was a professional life coach, and asked to wear a blindfold. Sitting on a hallway bench on the bottom level of the Phillips Collection, I blindly held a museum map on my lap. I was asked to use my non-dominate hand and, while thinking of my question, follow the energy to where I felt I should stop. I used my left hand and felt silly at first. I actually prayed inside of me that the Spirit would guide me through this process. I guess that’s just the way my mind works. After a few moments, I really did feel a pulling energy and a hot spot. I put my finger down and felt that was the spot for me.

I was then guided onto an elevator, stopped on a mystery level, and was guided to the spot my finger chose on the map. Once there, I was asked to stop and feel out the area. Did I want to turn left? Right? Walk a little more? I tried out turning slightly left. Didn’t feel right. I tried turning widely to my right, felt I should move back to my left slightly. And then I stopped and felt that was the spot for me. Before I took my blindfold off, my guide asked me to discuss how I felt at that moment. I said I hoped I was standing in front of a painting and not a blank wall, drinking fountain, or fire extinguisher. I felt optimistic and hopeful. I chose this spot, because it felt peaceful and private as opposed to some of the areas I had walked through that felt drafty and noisy.

I took my blindfold off and I was shocked and amazed at what I saw before my eyes. 

Edward Bruce, Power,  c.1933

A huge smile spread across my face, because I couldn’t imagine a more hopeful image. Right before my eyes was the powerful cityscape of New York, with rays of sunshine breaking through clouds and shining over the whole scene. The mighty Brooklyn Bridge connects the background to the foreground of the Brooklyn banks of the East River. The perspective is that of someone standing not far from the river and bridge, clearly focusing on that exciting city in the distance. I described all of this to my guides, and told them that to me this is symbolic of where I stand now (recent grad searching for a full-time collections management position), what I need to do to achieve my goal (cross that bridge!) and achieving my goal of getting a job (making it to the big city!).

The guide asked me to read the label. Again I couldn’t believe my eyes.

The title of this painting is Power. It was painted by Edward Bruce, an American painter, son of a minister, who “brought spiritual fervor to his landscapes and cityscapes.” The title means a lot to me. I told my guides I am a very religious person, so both the title and the religious undertones really resonated with me. The question I brought was “What do I need to do to navigate this difficult transition time?” To me the answer is rely on the power I have within and rely on God’s power to get through this difficult time.

My guide asked me to also consider the world’s power. How could I incorporate the world’s power as I go through my transition time? I thought about that and determined that all the things you do to find a job through networks, connections, communicating, learning, developing skills are equally important. Those are ways to tap the world’s power. Those are things I need to remember too.

I also like that this painting was created during the early years of the Depression. Because, let’s face it, getting rejection letters is depressing. But this image is a message of hope and a message of patience. At least that’s how I interpret it. I may be on the lowly banks, but the path is clear before me. I just need to put one foot in front of the other, cross the bridge, and soon, I will reach my destination of starting my career!

On a related note, as I was recently reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I was amazed and touched by a passage about poor, little Francie—a girl raised in Brooklyn, who reverenced New York City as a magic place of her dreams that she had not yet ever visited. In a lot of ways, she represents where I stand in the painting above. Maybe she’s the only one who understands what crossing that bridge and reaching the city would mean to me. Here’s the passage, my favorite from the whole book:

Johnny [Francie’s father] took Francie up on the roof. She saw a whole new world. Not far away was the lovely span of the Williamsburg Bridge. Across the East River, like a fairy city made of silver cardboard, the skyscrapers loomed cleanly. There was the Brooklyn Bridge further away like an echo of the nearer bridge.

“It’s pretty,” said Francie. “It’s pretty the same way pictures of in-the-country are pretty.”

“I go over that bridge sometimes when I go to work,” Johnny said.

Francie looked at him in wonder. He went over that magic bridge and still talked and looked like always? She couldn’t get over it. She put out her hand and touched his arm. Surely the wonderful experience of going over that bridge would make him feel different. She was disappointed because his arm felt as it had always felt.

I know once I achieve my goals, cross that bridge and make it to that fairy city, I’ll look and feel the same as always too, but to finally have some stability and satisfaction after so many years of training and education will be a dream come true. Through relying on the power I have within, the power of God's influence in my life, and the power that comes from working hard within the Museum field, I will accomplish my goal!

My Maggie August

To me August is exhausting, emotional, nostalgic, and sleepy. It's the month that all the non-stop fun of summer catches up to you. It's the hottest month, usually, and all you want to do is be on an extended vacation. It's your last chance to fit in everything you want to do. It's a month of goodbyes and until-next-years. And inevitably, the month is cut short by responsibility.

Of course, my past three Augusts have been races to fit in as much school work as possible before fall semester starts, so I'm not the August vacationing type. But starting next year, I want to take an actual summer vacation. My playlist this month was inspired by the complicated emotions of August--happiness and sadness. There are plenty of good beats, forlorn melodies, and summer themes. I also like the subtle touches of hope.

Here's the playlist:

And one song not on Spotify:




Last year's August playlist here.

10 Things Monthly: July

Here are 10 things I found lying around and taking up too much space and serving no purpose...time to purge them!

1. sponge - trash (need to replace)
2. bathing suit top - donate (brand new with tags on and I've had it for 6 years)
3. loofah - trash
4. broken ear buds - trash
5. used Clarisonic brush - trash
6. jar I used for coconut oil - recycle
7. papers from desk drawer - recycle
8. earring holder - recycle
9. lipstick box -recycle
10. broken earrings

10 Things Monthly: June

Here are the 10 things I got rid of in June. It always feels so good! Believe it or not, though a lot of this stuff looks like it could be trash, I have kept it around for one reason or another, thinking it had an important purpose. But since I'm looking for 10 things each month, it was easy to realize I don't need these things.

1. Shoe boxes - recycle
2. Purse stuffing - recycle
3. Jewelry boxes - recycle
4. Perfume box - recycle
5. Bracelets - donate
6. Jewelry plastic bags - recycle
7. Old hair products -trash
8. Diffuser - donate
9. Contact case - donate (by the way I recently discovered these make great travel cases for facial cleanser and moisturizer...anything you'll need just a dab of)
10. Shopping bag - recycle

Hoping to have July up here soon too!

My Maggie July

I think this month's playlist is obnoxious in a neighbor-down-the-street-shooting-off-fireworks kind of way. Oh wait. That was me and my friends. So in other words, it's perfectly 'Merica.

I hope this playlist inspires some rowdy, borderline inappropriate fun for you this July. Here are YouTube videos of the two songs I couldn't find on Spotify and the rest of the playlist below:

Lows and Highs

Well that was over quick. Last week I posted about some upcoming excitement over a first date and DJing my first dance. It was not a good night. He and I did not hit it off and we have not kept in touch. I was invited to join an amazing and inspiring faith-based dating blog called "The Two Year Club," where I wrote a bit more about my experience. Here's a link. I recommend browsing it. There's some inspiring and entertaining stuff on there.

The DJing didn't go all that well either, since there was a sound limit, which was ridiculously low. If the volume exceeded a certain level, the speakers would shut off and the whole place would go silent. It happened like 50 times. It was embarrassing, but it was not my fault. I swear the sound got quieter and quieter as the night went on. I was sitting right by the speakers and couldn't hear the music.

Plus all the old people and their requests were getting on my nerves. It was cute watching them dance though and trying to make them happy.

I was pretty bummed about the weekend, but luckily Heavenly Father has answered my prayers and sustained my spirits during my attempts at dating. I'm trying. And I know he wants to bless me. Heavenly Father knows me so well, because I always need something to look forward to, and if I'm bummed, I need outings and friends to distract me.

After checking my email first thing Monday morning, I learned that I've been selected for a 2nd round of interviews at a campus museum in Ohio. They are flying me out where I will stay two nights at an inn on campus and one full day of interviews. I AM SO NERVOUS. I have never done anything like this before. I am going to have to be ON all day. I received my itinerary today and I'll be eating breakfast with the museum director and then take a full day of tours, lunch with students, and a lengthy search committee interview. I was seriously floored that I even got a 1st round interview, but now they want me to come to campus?! I know they are considering a handful of applicants, so I am truthfully not extremely optimistic that I will get this job, but I'm going to give it my all and see what happens.

THEN, I can't even believe this, but I got called for an interview with the Harvard Art Museums. Normally I wouldn't really go into the specifics of where I'm applying, but come on, this is Harvard and I must brag for just a second. My interview with them is on Monday, and again, I'm so nervous and have a lot of prep work to do.

Where my dating life is continually striking out, at least my professional life has some exciting things going on.

10 Things Monthly: May

Here's what I got rid of in the month of May...still catching up, but feels good to purge!

1. Dried floral crown...was just too attached to throw away for awhile, but I'm ready now.
2. Old hair ties - trash
3. Christmas 2013 stickers - recycle
4. Torn up jeans - trash
5. Russian souvenir - donate
6. Greeting cards - donate
7. Old mascara - trash...always have a hard time getting rid of the old ones, even when I have a new one to replace it. Why?
8. Photographs - recycle
9. Old shoes - donate
10. Old shoes - donate

Over the course of two years I've been participating in my own modified version of this challenge. But instead of 100 things total, I'm doing 10 things per month. I LOVE IT. Jess Lively once shared a tidbit that helps with tossing things out. She treats objects as though they come to visit for a time, but they are not a permanent part of her life. This helps me deal with sentimental items such as souvenirs, gifts, and handmade things.

Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous/excited about something. Want to know the secret? In two days I have a first date. But the circumstances are pretty unique. I've been talking with him for over a month, but because he and I live in different states, this is our first chance to meet.

And we will meet at a semi-formal dance. On a rooftop. Overlooking DC. And I'm the DJ.

AHHHHH!!! So nerve-racking. Actually, I'm more nervous to DJ than to meet him. It's just too many new things all at once. Here's hoping for no technical difficulties and...for the love...a little chemistry PLEASE.

Here's some inspiration I'm channeling for my big night:

Wish me luck!

My Maggie June

Welcome to summer, ya'll! This playlist is inspired by some new (to me) song discoveries that just so happen to capture exactly how I feel...some oldies wafting through the air while eating pizza with friends...and the cool and chill tones of early summer. Hope this playlist can be a part of wherever June takes you! For me, I hope there's some beach.

Here's the one song I couldn't find on Spotify:

Memorial Day Weekend 2014

Memorial Day weekend I knocked off one of my remaining 11 states I've never visited...namely North Carolina. "But it's so close to DC!" I know, right? Well, I've finally been and the bit I saw was breathtaking. This momentous trip required a home-made movie, which I'm happy to share here on my blog.

I went to Ashville with great friends Kelli, Erin, and Ruth. The scenery, quirky town, and carolina barbeque made the trip all worth it. Catch a glimpse here:

Memorial Weekend 2014 from Maggie Leak on Vimeo.

Check out another beautiful Memorial Day weekend movie, made by the lovely Melanie, here! Looks like she's got some skills! Next time I'd like to try doing more still video shots, instead of all the jumpy crazy stuff. Also I'd like to have a real camera some day and not have to rely on my iPhone.

Have you ever made a homemade movie to memorialize a trip or weekend? It's so fun and easy to do on iMovie. You should try it. Here's the last movie I made on a trip to upstate New York.

10 Things Monthly Challenge: April

I'm a little behind, but here are 10 things I found cluttering up my drawers and cabinets. I wouldn't have gotten around to throwing them out if I wasn't looking for the opportunity!

1. Old shorts - trash
2. Old hair tie - trash
3. Used up cosmetic - trash (need to replace)
4. Old tweezers that no longer work (I replace these and nail clippers all the time)
5. Old shirt - donate (this was the first clothing item I bought when I got home from my mission...can't believe I've had it all this time.)
6. Used up hair product - trash
7. Broken eye drop bottle - trash
8. Note pad - trash
9. Jello boxes that I am never going to use - trash
10. Not pictured: bracelet/necklace set I gave away at a clothing exchange.

My Maggie May

So THIS is what life post-grad school feels like! Guys, my life has improved 100% lately. I have no after work obligations, I re-joined the gym (and actually go), and have much more energy and enthusiasm lately. This playlist is one of my most favorites of all that I've made over the years. It just works for how I'm feeling this May!!

I don't know if I officially mentioned this on the blog, but did you know I made a goal to give up sugar in 2014? I've done 3-4 months before, but never a year. I'm still going strong and feel like it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I rarely miss treats. It's been so empowering. All three of my roommates ran the Nike Women's Half Marathon last month and they totally inspired me. Guys, I'm going to do it next April. At the end of the race you get a Tiffany & Co. necklace handed to you by a hottie in a tux. I haven't worked out the first part of the year, so I haven't seen any physical changes with going off sugar. But over the past two weeks I've worked out about 6 days a week and I'm feeling positive changes. I hope that with keeping off sugar and gearing up for a half marathon next spring that I can continue to empower myself!

Also I'm going to bring up another taboo subject. Online Dating. So my Relief Society held a discussion night about it recently. I wasn't able to go, but from what I heard and gleaned from others, I've been inspired by the girls who participated. I've asked lots of people about it and everyone is so positive. So guys, I tried it. It has been a really positive experience. First and foremost, it makes me want to be a better person. I filled out a profile (and of course wanted to portray myself in a positive light) and then *voila* I wanted to be that person. I wanted to live my life according to who I said I was. It's been great practice communicating fairly and positively to all who approach me. I've learned a lot about myself and I've found this experience to be yet another empowering force in my life.

Listen to this playlist on Spotify, and I guarantee you'll feel empowered too!