Things I Love Thursday

I'm back in the big city and have been feeling a bit grey. I've been trying to finish a couple of papers for a class I kind of neglected last year. The writing is not going as smoothly as I imagined, so I've been angry and frustrated in turns. In the past, I've gotten out of my hole by thinking about things that make me happy. I've always wanted to do a Things I Love Thursday* post, so I thought this is a good time to start.

1. Green cargo shorts - The big city is sweltering. Right now, my favorite thing to wear is this comfortable pair of green cargo shorts I found while thrifting some months ago. I'm practically living in them. And more pockets are always excellent.

2. iPod skins - I ordered a couple of skins for my iPod from stickitskins on Etsy and they arrived recently. They are pretty. My iPod is pretty. I feel pretty. (I love getting things in the mail.)

3. Mendeley - Mendeley is a free reference manager, basically a cheap alternative to Microsoft EndNote. I've been using it for about two years now, and it's been a godsend. It lets me organize my document files in my own arcane way, so it appeals to my obsessive compulsive tendencies. I can also tag my articles and search for specific content. There's a Web version too, so I can access shared folders wherever I am. It's perfect for when I'm cramming writing for work and/ or school. Nerd up, yo.

4. Charcoal leather flipflops - These flipflops are reasonably priced and extremely comfortable. They make me want to forget shoes altogether. They're also good for my skin, which has been recently revealed to be...er...hyper-sensitive.

5. The Elements of Style by Strunk/ White/ Kalman - The "little book" with Maira Kalman's illustrations is quite lovely. With her drawings, the elegant classic is pleasantly whimsical, but maintains its gloriously self-assured tone. (I wonder now if I bought it to resuscitate my ailing writing skills.)

6. Looper (dir. Rian Johnson) - My friend Joyce and I saw Looper when it opened yesterday. JGL puts in a strong performance. Bruce's badassery is indisputable. I think they could've dropped the prosthetics (although JGL may be too beautiful for the intended grittiness). Science fiction was sound (hm?) - time travel is always a good crowd-pleaser.

7. My running shoes - They are like air.

*Things I Love Thursday is a project started by Gala Darling whose philosophy is to live in the present and focus on the positive things around us.