Saturday Links (and an aside on pastry)

I am indeed more sane today! It’s amazing what a Chipotle burrito can do to pull back together the resolute American spirit.

And as goes my stress- I had my favorite pastry and a beautiful pear for breakfast today, went to the pastel exhibit at Petit Palais that I was looking forward to, bought a few things that I’ve been searching for (for years), and have a classic financier tucked in my desk for breakfast tomorrow (with a persimmon and maybe some chocolate (?).
So what is a classic financier I hear you ask? The almond one. My bakery had a pistachio-chocolate one (half and half), the almond, and a cherry one.  How does one choose?
Well, I like fruit in pastry, but I usually have fresh fruit with my breakfast (I stole an excellent pear from my landlords today) and didn’t want to be outfruitied.  And then I was considering pistachio, but when I got there realized I wasn’t feeling chocolate.  It’s always best to start with the classic anyway.

So life is good.

Here are my links

• 5 Questions You Should Ask at Your Next Job Interview: Honestly these are so excellent (and reassuring given the underway-ness of my internship search. I’m prepared.)
• The stigma around therapy for mental illness. Such a great essay. I remember opening up and deciding to be upfront about my anxiety and anorexia in college. I continue to be and it’s made my life so much better.
• The nominations for the Dorian Awards, presented by the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, are so much more interesting (and in line with my preferences) than the Golden Globes ones. Check it out.
• Freakebana: the art of arranging random shit. There’s a (beautiful) instagram for everything.
• More #art. By which I mean a hilarious food instagram account.
• I’m so glad they did Black Narcissus on Alicia Malone’s Classic Film Club. One of my favorite movies ever. Extra points for the male love interest’s short shorts and for the pushy pony photobombing at the end of the film.
• The value of “white space” in your daily routine. Okay. But how much white space do you really need? Because I feel like I need A LOT.
• Barack Obama; cool dad (but not as cool as mine).
• Women’s Freestyle Vaulting. It’s like someone took a peek into my awesome imagination.

Listen to Why I’m Stressed

It occurred to me that today is a links day but guess what? I don’t have many links and I’m feeling stressed and over-stimulated, and I felt like writing a links post would be not an excellent thing for my brain.

So I want to do what I often do when I’m stressed and make a list of what’s bothering me.  It kind of helps.  Especially because when it comes down to it I’m kind of living my best life.  There’s nothing seriously wrong in any way whatsoever.

There are a few too many focuses and that’s a hard thing for me to handle because of who I am as a person.

So in the order in which they occur to me:

• We have three tests coming up in the next two weeks. For one I have to memorize approximately 100 synthetic molecules, their names, and the families they’re classified in. And recognize them by scent.  And review the 130 natural materials that will be trickily sprinkled in… For another I need to recognize something like 50 or 60 fine fragrances, with names and brands, and scent families.  I don’t even know what the other one is at this point. Maybe chemistry?
• There’s a French one coming up. Do I even have to take the French test? (My French is good enough that I’ve been told I don’t have to come to class).
• I finished my green beans but didn’t eat the broccoli I bought this week and I’m worried it will go bad.
• I need to go grocery shopping on Sunday and I’m slightly stressed about what recipes to shop for.
• In three weeks we have a field trip to Grasse for a few days to study the mimosa harvest. And most people (including me) are staying the extra weekend days. But that means I have some trip planning to do, and my last trip planning experience didn’t give me a huge amount of faith in my abilities.
• Speaking of trip planning, a week later is the start of our two week February break. I have no idea what is happening there.
• It’s hard to go back to working all day. I hate sitting so much and feeling so exhausted after. Smelling for 8 hours is actually really exhausting. I need more physical activity and stretching.
• I want to try a financier pastry but I don’t know what kind to buy. It looks like they come in almond, pistachio, and chocolate varieties.
• Speaking of which, what kind of bread should I get this week?
• Lol I need to find a summer internship.
• I discovered that Chipotles exist in Paris and I REALLY miss Mexican food so I’ve asked some friends to go with me tomorrow, which is kind of a worry for me. Just the planning and timing.
• Speaking of my plans tomorrow, there’s an exhibit at the Petit Palais that I have to get to (it closes Sunday) on the pastel art of Degas and Redon. Must make that happen.
• I left my favorite necklace and my iPod at home. I miss them.
• My grocery shopping? I need to get a jam but I’m torn between four types. (Figs or mirabelle or Reines Claudes or fruits rouges?)

I think that’s it! Stay posted for links (and hopefully sanity) tomorrow!

A Little R&R

It’s easy enough to think of ways to treat yourself. But for some reason reality is set up so that money and time both need to be taken into consideration and I can’t elect to mosey across the world to Switzerland for a frangipani scalp massage or even take a quick Mediterranean cruise in the hour before my final exam.

One can’t even do what my Dad seems to like (going to a Russian steam bath and sauna to be beaten with oak leaves) on the daily.

So what can one do to coax away the stress?