Book Proposal

Check out this book I found in the bookstore the other day. 

Oh wait, no this is the cover I helped design for a project at school. Doesn't it look awesome? I'm starting to think this book actually exists. I know what the content is, and wrote some of it myself. We have the design specs laid out, table of contents with authors lined up, publication schedule and timeline, and we can almost guess how much money it would actually make. 

I'm learning a lot in my Book Publishing Overview class, and though I mostly cringe at group projects this one has had its great moments. I just about burst with joy watching this cover come to life. Oh yeah, Sophia Coppola on the cover? That was all me. 

My Day to Day

Someone recently asked me what my weeks look like these days. It is a loaded question.

I'll start at the beginning. Sundays James and I go to church, which starts at 10, and usually we have breakfast together before. The size of breakfast ranges from pancakes or frenchtoast to toast or a cup of coffee knowing we'll be fed lunch. It all depends on how late we were up the night before. Church is usually amazing. I feel like we've connected with most people at this point and we feel at home there. Sunday afternoon is time to relax, play a game, or read. Sometimes in the evening we end up at the Moores, or the Harveys, or we all meet in the middle at the Skellig (a local pub that does live music Sunday nights).

Monday James goes to work and I finish up last minute reading or writing for class Tuesday and Wednesday. I usually try and work from at least 8 to 3 when he arrives home. Lately Monday nights include a meeting for me at Emerson, for the book project proposal I'm working on.

Tuesday I work from 6:45 to 1:15 at Starbucks. Then I usually make it home for a shower and head to Latin American Non-Fiction at Emerson. I am enjoying this class immensely and discussion about the weekly reading is great. We end around 9:30 when I catch the T and the bus home. I usually arrive around 10:30. Tuesdays are my longest days, I'm usually exhausted after.

Wednesday is another work day. I try and get up when James leaves and finish up work for Wednesday night class, Book Publishing Overview. There is a lot of reading and writing for this class, as well as the book proposal I mentioned earlier. However I feel as if I have more of a handle on the industry than when I was working in a publishing house.

Thursday, sometimes I work at Starbucks, sometimes I get a day off. Usually I sleep in this day, and as it is the start of the "new" school week I either give myself a day to read and relax or I dig in to next weeks assignments. Often we have dinner or dessert with friends this night.

Friday is a Starbucks day. Friday night tends to be James and Ashley hangout time--also laundry.

Saturday both James and I work in the morning. I usually try and work on assignments. A lot of phone calls and Skype happen on Saturdays. We also hang out with friends on the weekend.

Thats my week! It has been amazing to fall into the school rhythm again. I get more done in school than when I'm not in school. When there is a pattern to the week I know when I have to sit down and get work done and when I can just relax. Its great to live in that again.

On a Fall Morning

 

I feel older today. Maybe it is the increasing responsibilities at school and the learning I am doing there. It could also be the fact that yesterday I came home to a mailbox full of lovely things, most of them addressed to Ashley Pierce. 

We've had lots of friends over lately. In celebration of Cake Day Amanda and Peter drove up from Connecticut and brought cake and lovely books for us. These are two good friends I studied abroad with, and I am so delighted that they are planning a wedding together. 

James bought a bike. He's been riding it to his school as often as possible. He's a trooper, its definitely cold and rainy out today. This morning as I was sleepy-eyed and waking up he donned his bike shorts and helmet before he said goodbye. Gotta love those bike shorts. 

Yesterday I took some time to walk around our neighborhood and take pictures of the colors. It was a nice break between work and school. Some of the trees have begun to bloom with red and orange, there are mums on every porch, pumpkins and scarecrows have popped up by front doors. Can you tell I'm completely enamored with fall? 

The Pierces and the Weckers: Camden Yards

James got to tick another ball park off his list at the Baltimore Orioles game last weekend. Camden Yards is said to be the most influential park in baseball, and revolutionized the way all parks were built after it. It is truly stunning.

 Set in downtown Baltimore with brick, views of the city and history adorning its walls this was a perfect place for family to get together and enjoy a game. We all (the Weckers, the Rogers, and tuns of good friends) piled into cars and caught the train to the game.

 Bill! Congratulations friend, you're married! It was the BEST to spend the weekend with you. 

 Steve Wecker, singing "Thank God I'm a Country Boy". He knows all the words. 

 Did I mention the Orioles won that night?! They've been winning a lot lately. 

The Weckers even arranged a fireworks show for us!! Well, almost. 

 What a beautiful night. It was a blast to sit and watch the game with James. We ate peanuts and hotdogs, with lemonade and cotton candy. So many friends to see and talk with. There was dancing, singing and laughter had by all. These guys are truly family to us and it was incredible to enjoy such an epic evening with them. Ry, you are beautiful and I am so thrilled for you. 

Life is great huh?

Rogers Wedding: Baltimore, MD

We love these two and were so blessed to celebrate their wedding this past weekend. You both are a blessing in our lives! 

 For their wedding rehearsal dinner, with close family and friends, Bill and Ryan did a 

crab feast Maryland style. 

 Josh and Faith, way too cute. 

 Old Bay!

 Stephen and Nikki. I love this picture of them. 

Ryan, friend I am completely blessed by you and so honored to spend the weekend with your family. Thanks for loving us the way you do. We pray blessings on your first weeks as newlyweds! Huge hugs, can hardly wait to see you again. I'll post more pictures from the rest of the weekend soon so come back for pictures of the Orioles/Red Sox game!

Sailing to Boston--With the Hudsons

We first connect with the Hudson family as we drove together up to New Hampshire for retreat. It wasn't long after they found out I like to sail that we had our first trip planned. James and I have been looking forward to it for a few weeks. 

 After church yesterday they took us and a few others out, what a beautiful day it was.

This is Gavin, the smallest Hudson with the most energy.

 Our beautiful city! This is a view you don't often see.

Gavin and Kristin, love it! 

 Check out my husband driving that sailboat!

Many thanks to James, who grabbed my camera and snapped a lot of these pictures while I was busy trimming the mainsail. We LOVED being out on the water and had so much fun. New England is full of fun places to sail and I can't wait to explore more of it. 

Brown

Making dinner with these cremini mushroom babies tonight. Wild Rice Casserole and roasted brussel sprouts. We have guests this weekend and so far have enjoyed them completely! Here's to good friends, to new friends, to living in this beautiful city, and fall.

Apple Picking

They just about fell off into your hands.

 Oh hey there handsome guy...

Our friend Bri (also our wedding photographer, for those of you who were there) has a tradition of celebrating her birthday with donuts instead of cake. Brilliant. This year she decided on fresh apple-cider donuts from this local apple orchard.

We all drove up last Saturday to wander through the orchard, plucking ripe apples off of the trees. We wandered through Gala, Macintosh, and Honey-Crisp dreaming of all the things you can bake with such yummy fruit. I think James and I combined at five apples just walking around! We packed a picnic lunch, bread and cheese, fruit, olives, and the like. Finished off our afternoon with a visit to the farm animals and some fresh donuts.

I think they melted in my mouth.

I'm so glad fall is here, and I'm absolutely thankful for these friends.

Back to School

Summer is officially winding down around here. It's brisk this morning. 

School began last week for me (for real this time) and my Book Publishing Overview class is more than I could have ever dreamed for. I feel like I have a better grasp of the industry as a whole after one class than I ever did working in a publishing house. 

These are pictures of the garden at our church. The ladies there designed it themselves and take care of it as a hobby and a way to get together with each other each week. As I lack a space to dig in the dirt this has created a space for me to do just that. It is a full garden. There are plants that bloom each season and each time I crawl around in it I feel rejuvenated. 

My work load this semester should be pretty manageable. With just two courses I'll have the opportunity to focus a lot of attention to reading. Two courses is about half of what I'm used to having. However I am also working, wanting to be involved with Emerson's literary journal, have time for friends and enjoy my first year of marriage. 

Back To School...Well, Almost.

I got up and went to work early this morning, trained a new employee to put our big order away and decorated the store with the Fall set. Happy.

School starts tonight...

I got ready, all cute with my new school clothes. I had the laptop charged, a notebook and pen, money on my Charlie Card. As Bostonians say, I was all set. James saw me off with a perfect soup and grilled cheese dinner complete with a sweet good-bye kiss. I caught the bus and walked to Emerson through China Town and downtown Boston. Found my class a few minutes early even.

But then 6:00, 6:03, 6:04 came around and no one was there yet, not even the teacher. Another student poked his head out of the classroom across the hall and said, "Where is everybody??"

At least I wasn't completely alone.

He called a friend and she explained that classes in fact begin tomorrow, so there are no Tuesday night classes this week. We laughed and introduced ourselves heading down to the lobby together, both lamenting about how excited we were to start tonight.

Hey, I'm ahead of the game.