uh huh.

... yes sir, i believe i will.

happenstances

sometimes it takes an night of watching a few solid bands play, nerf gun wars, indoor frisbee, card games and listening to awful country music with a couple of rowdy boys to realize... i love my guy friends.

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sometimes it takes a lazy afternoon of crocheting, fingernail painting, watching & giggling at familiar movies to the tune of the crisp rain to realize.... i love my girl friends.

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sometimes it takes a bible study talking to girls about body image/self esteem with a fantastic bunch of high schoolers, reinforcing my desire to be of service to the body of Christ to realize... i love my church. 

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and sometimes it takes a few quiet moments with the Lord, to reflect on my life and all that is around me to realize... i am blessed beyond belief & of such blessings i am not worthy. 

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there is so so much i have yet to do and appreciate. 

but for now, relishing in the richness and simplicity of my messy/vibrant/joyful/cluttered/inspired/redeemed/loud/

challenging/rejuvenating & full life is all i want to do.

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ALSO: earthquake in chile [8.8]

pray, pray, pray.

the rhino is lookin' fine-o

in my printmaking class we've been doing linoleum cuts {they're big stamps, to put it simply} based upon some of the master etchers and woodcutters recorded in art history. so we spent hours carving away the white space to leave the rest to be inked up and shoved through the press to make some pretty snazzy prints.


i chose the work of Albrecht Durer to do a subtractive linoleum cut from because:
1). he's a stud 
             &
2.) i am completely obsessed with his rhinoceros woodcut.
it's about time i posted about this little piece o' heaven since it's been in my life for nearly three weeks. and after many many hours and ink that is still under my fingernails, i am pleased with the results! so here he is, in all of his oversized/gorgeous mammal glory.

{the linoleum itself before being inked up}

{once it's actually printed}

{an experimental print: "rainbow roll" method}

{my fave... printed on mustard colored linen fabric}

these look much more beautiful/tangible in person but i've been wanting to show them off nonetheless. im hoping to do some more experimental printing and have heard of a few oppotrunities/shows to get this little guy out into the world... we shall see.

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in other news:


- my india interview is tomorrow! {send me some successful thoughts}
- the february eddy is also tomorrow! 7 at the fountain for the biola locals, should be a sick line up since its a student showcase of the campus wide talent.
- i am still completely obsessed with my dearest companion, my slr. {which i crocheted a camera strap for... which you can't see in this picture but it's pretty cozy, i assure you}

i wanna wanna wanna...

...travel.

real real bad.

"Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” - Cesare Pavese

oh james, you get me every time.

i realized today, that i will always have a perpetually large junior high girl crush on this man.

can't help it. he's too precious. please join me in appreciating his extremely fortunate appearance.

and james, i know you're married, but crushes are okay, right? {right}.

i've got a itchy brain

india. india. india. india. india. india. india. india. india. INDIA.

my brain is itchy about india.

never have i felt more excited to embark and explore any one place.

biola's student missionary union sends out trips every winter and summer and this particular summer i feel the itch.

the trip to india would be a team of 8 for 3 weeks and would involve ministry with youth, women, churches and overall ministry in Northern India with the Muslim and Hindu populations. crazy, crazy, crazy exciting!

although, i'm so freaked out that even the thought of it makes me want to pee my pants, but i've let that same fear keep me from doing far too many things, and that's gotta stop now.

i've been praying a lot about it and am applying this next week.

i would so appreciate your prayers as well, for God's direction and purpose in my life this coming summer.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt 28:18-19

... that is what i'm itching for.

its been a long time coming.

i heard this song on 4 different occasions today:

radio / class / pandora / ipod shuffle

i got the hint.... l.i.s.t.e.n.

so i did.

and yet again, sam has won me over. this has been one of my faves for quite some time. i enjoy gavin degraw's as well as lauryn hill's covers but sam {obviously} wins.wins.wins.

so have a listen, or 4. hah.

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in other news:

i have the funnest homework known to man.

here are some still life shots for a photo project.

they're still in the works and only one will be printed {2 more still arrangements yet to come} but here are a few...

happy wednesday.

introducing.... rachel mccord photography!

F

I

N

A

L

L

Y

my photography website is alive & kicking. halle-to-the-lujah.

i would love if you would take a look {and tell me what you think!}

www.rachelmccordphotography.com

please & thank you.

blips on my minds radar.

after 2 weeks of the semester under my belt... i'm feelin' good, feelin' settled.

it always takes me about this long to get my brain fully immersed in school waters again, in schedules again and being places on time again. but here i am, back.

things of late that i'm enjoying:

painting my nails in the middle of the day.

lunch dates.

my printmaking class {super hands on & fun}

free chick fil a runs with shan.

new music finding.

making making and re-making my photo website.

making tea and reading art & theology texts.

giggling & catching up with friends.

planning adventures.

chapel {went to my first of the semester today, goal: not to be on chapel probation again this semester, ha. fingers crossed}.

scoping out photography websites and pouring over them.

attempts at concocting new outfits from my not so new wardrobe.

play time in general.

and it's F.R.I.D.A.Y. woot woot. time for some relaxation, procrastination and exploration, hah.

also, this song is beyond great. i am newly a fan of this man and his scratchy wonderful voice. listenlistenlisten.

xoxo.

the day my sister was born

Lauren (McCord) Fair has been in existence for 24 years, today. Nuts.

She is a tremendous sister for many reasons, all of which I cannot list, but some I will.

She is my constant go-to girl for advice, giggles, embarrassing moment confessions and fashion agreement.

We share an adoration for chai, scarves, Friends, adventures & all things cozy. Quite admirable qualities.

She has a zeal for life that is unmatchable. Is full of love, adventure and passion to achieve her goals.

She can dance circles around me, or well, most people.

She is a coveted friend, loving daughter, crazy aunt, adoring wife, and especially great sister.

She is one of the worst drivers of all time, and graciously passed that trait on to me as well, awesome. {And is also a PRO at applying make up while driving, she taught me that one well}

She is great at effectively and creatively planning in pretty much... yeah, every circumstance.

She is a person of great quality & high moral values. In everything she does, it is represented at the highest caliber, with the most attentive care, work and time invested in into it.

She is one of the few people I can be a 12 year old with, and wrestle through some of life's hardest struggles with.

She has a natural beauty that still shocks me, which is continually being refined as she gets older/wiser/hotter, etc.

She reads books faster than humanly possible. Like 300 page novels in a day. Also known as light speed.

She is brave, confident, loyal, creative, honest, kind and a little bit cooky.

She is one of the greatest people I am privileged to know/share DNA with and call my dear friend.

I love you Laur! Congrats on the big girl accomplishment of hitting the big two-four!

technology bytes/bites

i am THIS close to finishing my photography website!

well, if i'm being honest, i'm finished... just fiddling.

i hope to put it up this week!

i realized today that i'm nervous about it! i had no idea i was, so odd. it was like all of the sudden, "oh, hey... this is a big deal. people are going to look at this. people may not like this/me. hmm."

but, then i quickly reminded myself that it's silly to be nervous, it's going to be great, and i should be exited & proud of my work. {deep breath} so, i am.

speaking of websites, i am completely obsessed with

this {kate spade} site's design.

i wish i could've dreamt it up myself.

i am especially addicted to the way they display their items on this page.

if you appreciate cleverness, clothes, or just aesthetics in general, take a peek.

as soon as i saw it i had like ten other ideas for my website {which would require complete redoing it}, gross. contentment is not among my favorite of disciplines.

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in other news:

i had a movie moment today. at my apartment i was scooting my bike over to the rack to lock it up, and just as i'd locked it, and had turned to walk away i hear the kickstand give out and knock over not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 other bikes! eff. i turned around to see them massacred, all tangled in each others tires, handlebars and locks in a big bikey mess.

if only i'd had a clever writer and a {very attractive} male lead, it would've been a perfect romantic comedy trailer.

{exclaim}ations

as i biked home from class the other day, i saw an opportunity to take a great shot and happened to have my camera with me. instead of stopping to take the shot, i rode on.

this happened two or three times until i stopped and took the shots i had missed and rode around for a while longer, snapping away.

it was exhilarating to feel my feet pumping beneath me, my eyes frantically wandering, forming compositions in my anxious little mind as my camera bobbled and dangled from my neck.

why didn't i do so earlier when i felt inclined? i asked myself the same thing.

then it occurred to me... because i was already preoccupied and was on my way, focused on something else.

after i stopped and thought about it i realized... i do this a lot.

why? i have yet to fully understand. but i discovered i make up perfectly good reasons not to do something i want to do. {what?! this makes no sense to me}

like the other day it was rainy and i was flustered because i knew all my clothes and self would get wet as i entered into the rain.

again, so what? what's the worst that will happen? i'll get wet. big deal, i'll dry.

in another instance, i was invited to a dinner for a dear friend at which i knew maybe five people who were there within the big slew of people.

and i thought about not going. why? because i didn't know many people there and might feel awkward. stupid rach, that's stupid.

So what?! what's the worst thing that will happen? i'll meet new people and have interesting & fun conversations and be at dinner with people i love and new people i like?

silly. my organic logic is flawed, i fully realize it & kick myself every time.

the great part is, once i do the things i for whatever reason try to talk myself out of, they are always opportunities i was so pleased to have taken. and each time i grow a step closer to being the adventurous self that i know i am, but convince myself i'm not.

odd. so stinking odd.

this little battle with myself was affirmed even more by God's enduring promise to bless us when we step out in faith.

while angela and christina and i were driving back from a jaunt to pasadena in the rain yesterday, THE most beautiful, perfectly arched and radiantly colorful rainbow stretched over the 605 & we drove under it.

seriously, the most beautiful awe inspiring sight i've seen in a while. i had my camera in the back seat and grabbed it without even thinking as i was driving, {sorry dad, i'm still a conscious driver, promise} and snapped as many shots as i could.

finally, i did what i felt i wanted to, in the moment, without an excuse.

this shot doesn't even come close to doing it justice, but it was very significant moment for me.

it was yet another affirmation of my desire to savor life, yank at its opportunities and stretch my horizons to include every excitement drenched moment i can.

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in other news:

high school girls are uh.maz.ing. after doing a purity/dating focused bible study with some of my churches high schoolers yesterday, i have never had more respect for any 15 year olds. such great girls, such great word i got to share, such an important thing for them to grasp {and they've got it down solid}

sang at church this morning. i feel like i'm floating whenever i am blessed to assist in leading worship, god's pleasure & presence were radiant this morning. holler. so good to be back at mosaic whittier. so good.

one week down of the new semester and i am giddy. this semester is already 12 times easier in comparison to the challenges of last semester. no mono, no web design, no drama, no discouragement. just a fresh start, super interesting classes {all art by the way. such a dream}, and cultivating relationships. i've said it once and i'll say it again - i've got a good feeling about this one.

well, i'm off to attempt to keep in step with the superbowl as i tote my cinnamon brownies along to share with the entertainment-hungry gang.

recent greats

recent musical greats:

faithful guide - wintersleep

giving up the gun - vampire weekend

we were never built to last - electric president

my heroics, part one - absynthe minded

the verb - the swell season

aretha's gold - wild sweet orange

search your heart - pete yorn & scarlett johansson

i know you are but what am i - mogwai

black swan - thom yorke

miasmal smoke & the yellow bellied freaks - wintersleep

recent photo greats:

recent realization greats:

i don't have to do things i really don't want to do {within moral reason}

art in any form is still art. and i love it all. really, i love it all i'm not just saying that.

things in your life are placed there specifically for a purpose and the difficult memories of some of those things remain in your life to remind you of that purpose. as much as you may want to forget.

growing up is ok. i can still be a 12 year old 20 year old, just with a few more knowledge notches on my belt.

reading the assigned text before the class period makes the lecture actually interesting. go figure.

self assurance is just as critical as Christ assurance. if i am not confident in myself which ultimately leads to what God can do through me, i feel i am ineffective.

its okay to spend time by myself. i lovelovelove people and being consumed by their energy, presence & conversation, but i am finally feeling comfortable being alone, not talking and thinking to myself. things that i had to put a little elbow grease into previously.

recently there's been many greats. soon i would enjoy some fantastics.

the day my roomzers was born

my beloved roommate and dearest friend,

shannon elizabeth tierney was born 21 years ago today.

(holler back)

not only is she a hoot and a half, but she is one of the most giving and kind hearted souls i am blessed to know.

she keeps me and my drama under control, but also acts like an 8 year old with me.

she is a babe and looks good in all of my clothes, even though i don't look good in all of hers.

she has a beautiful and big desire to do God's work, whatever that may mean. its incredible, not only does she want it, but she lives it.

she is off the market (ow ow!)

and will make a killer wife, i can already tell.

she can eat. seriously, that girl can put it away.

she is a crochet queen and spanish reina.

(and i actually knew this one shan, i didn't have to google translate it. win.)

she will always be shocking with me in... essentially ever situation with me. she is my partner in most crimes.

she hates cuddling with me & when i talk in movies, both of which i do sometimes to annoy her, duh. but i never last too long, too many giggles.

she is one of the good ones.

and i am tickled that she tolerates me, and includes me in her rich and full life.

i love you shansiebop & happy birthday!