real floating lights

First off, I don't think I've met one person who didn't like this movie. . .

Tangled (2010)

Now, check this out. And if you're like me, and had no clue that the lanterns in Tangled weren't totally just made up for the movie, you might, like me, think this is way awesome.

Photo by Sanchai Loongroong

Look familiar? It's Thailand's lantern festival, Yi Peng, held on a November full moon each year. Hundreds of floating lanterns are launched to celebrate a time for tham bun, to make merit. The lamps are usually made with thin fabric and a fuel source like a candle so that when it's lit, the hot air gets trapped inside the lantern and lifts it into the air like a hot air balloon.

I came across this pic of the Thailand festival while looking at a website of random, cool photography. At first, I was surprised that it looked just like the ones in Tangled - but then, I realized, of course, Disney must have gotten the idea from Thailanders.

The point of posting about this is:

a) It's just really cool and I wish there were festivals like this in my country.

b) I realized something - that I really don't know much of anything about different cultures around the world. There are so many of us on this planet, and I pretty much have a hard enough time just trying to understand the guys at school (in my defense, they've definitely got their own culture). But there are entire cultures just as complex as my own that I have yet to be able to first even become aware of.

I'm really glad I came across this photo because it made me remember that I am just a small little girl in a small little town in a small little moment in time. There is so much out there to learn and experience and understand, and I really hope that throughout my life, I can keep having similar epiphanies to remind me of how much bigger than me the world really is.


P.S. I think it fitting that I listened to Tangled music while writing this.

perfect people

My little sis lives at home still. After trying to curl her hair for a few hours, she gave up for the day, started up the stairs, and said to my mother,

"I just want you to know. The people who go around looking perfect all the time have had a LOT of practice."

Amen, sister. Sure, it's kind of annoying. But who really has time to practice that much? Hence, why I don't spend more than ten minutes on my hair in the mornings.

But hey, for the record, baby sis, you're adorable and confident and fashionable and healthy and kind and perfectly beautiful already.

broken smiling pig people

Pretty much from the moment my high school stats teachers showed my class a TED talk, I've had a not-so-small obsession for TED. I listen to these clips while getting ready in the morning, cleaning my room, or while doing my homework. I have a million of them downloaded for free onto my iTunes.

If you're unfamiliar with it, TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas. Scientists, researchers, comedians, experts, explorers, photographers, designers, mathmeticians, survivors, and really just anybody from anywhere in the world can be invited to give a TED talk. Speakers are challenged to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes or less. They can be funny, inspiring, informative, persuasive, fascinating, or just entertaining.

I can seriously spend hours watching these videos. Annnd, in fact, I just did. If you're good with multitasking, it's great to have playing in the background.

I'm serious. Right this very minute, go check out TED. Or get a taste for them by watching below.

P.S. Watching the videos below might make the title of this post make sense.

i simply remember my favorite things

Old postcards, Wildflowers (pressed), Stamps, Old sheet music, Old books, Coins, Memorabilia, Old maps, Old black and white photographs, Antique Toys, Card decks, Antique marbles, Fossils, Antique bottles, Seashells, Autographs, Sea glass. . .

I'm not sure what it is that makes collections so interesting. . . maybe it's the fact that someone is so fascinated by something that they would give so much of their time to it.

At home, I have a pretty good sized collection of bookmarks. I was in love with reading as a kid. Many of them are homemade, given to me as birthday presents, or bought from places I would visit. I have ones made from wood, ones that turn colors when you rub them with your hands, and ones that have wildflowers pressed inside them.

The collector in this video is pretty intense, but it's a good reminder that you're never too old to start or stop collecting something. So what will be yours?