Isorhythm

Books Sputnik Sweetheart , Haruki Murakami;  In the Garden of Stone , Susan Tekulve; Bad Behavior , Mary Gaitskill Clothes Zara Long Flowy Skirt in Nude, $79.99 $39.99;  Zara Skirt with Contrasting Box Pleats in Sky Blue, $39.99 ; Everlane Raglan Boat Neck Sweatshirt in Black, $35.00 $15.00 Sound, Stage, and Seminar No Country for Old Men ; Saving Mr. Banks ; The Beatles Anthology ; Her ; The Act of Killing ; Ghostbusters Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival: Drama & Intrigue Adam Neiman, piano; Ara Gregorian, violin; Marcy Rosen, cello

Shirt: Everlane; Dress: ASOS; Belt: NY&Co.; Shoes: Mossimo via Target It's weird to think that just four or five days ago it was in the negatives. Today was mid-fifties and bright, and it was exciting not to have to wear leggings or tights. Classes started yesterday, so I'm back to professional dressing, lest some well-meaning passerby asks what courses I'm taking. It happens more often than you'd think. I promise I wear dresses other than this one. It's just so versatile and comfortable. Photo credit to Christopher, who is a sweetheart.

Navy blue might always be my staple color of choice. I'm always amazed by what I can match with this dress. Christopher said I look sad in my pictures, so I'm making an effort to look more content and less, like Christopher put is, "like a child who didn't get what she wanted for Christmas." Dress: ASOS; Sweater: Gap; Boots: White Mountain; Scarf: Gift

"A long time ago in China there were cities with high walls surrounding them, with huge, magnificent gates. The gates weren't just doors for letting people in or out but had greater significance. People believed the city's soul resided in the the gates. Or at least that it should  reside there. It's like in Europe in the Middle Ages when people felt a city's heart lay in its cathedral and central square. Which is why even today in China there are lots of wonderful gates still standing. Do you know how the Chinese built these gates?" "I have no idea," Sumire answered. "People would take carts out to old battlefields and gather the bleached bones that were buried there or that lay scattered about. China's a pretty ancient country—lots of old battlegrounds—so they never had to search far. At the entrance to the city they'd construct a huge gate and seal the bones inside. They hoped that by commemorating  them this way the dead soldiers...

Wind chill was -5 degrees Wednesday morning, which might make some of my northern friends scoff, but I've never experienced a January this bitter on the usually ever-warm coast. And somehow piling on as many colors as possible seemed like it would repel the chill. Besides, I'm always looking for an appropriate way to wear the Big Bird tights. Sweater: J. Crew Factory; Skirt: Rafaello via TJ Maxx; Tights: Target; Boots: Steve Madden via eBay; Scarf: Gift

Continuing the trip to Pittsburgh after Christmas, Christopher and I stopped at Mount Davis, Pennsylvania, to grab our tenth highest point. The mountain was covered in snow, so we opted for a 0.8-mile hike to the peak. There's very little elevation gain from the parking lot, so we could enjoy the trail and take our time. The trail was completely ours. I guess two days after a snowy Christmas isn't peak hiking season. The only footprints we found belonged to critters: The peak itself was wide and flat and covered with stone monuments detailing the region and its flora and fauna. It would have been a nice spot for a picnic if the mountain hadn't been covered in snow.

Christopher and I spent nine days traveling and visiting family this holiday season, so we built in a couple "alone" days to keep us from going crazy. After leaving my mom's the day after Christmas, we took a detour to snatch the Maryland highest point before heading up to Pittsburgh. The point is marked and the trail well-kept, but because it's not in a park (or anywhere special, really) you have to know what you're looking for or you'll miss it completely. And since half of the mountain is owned by a logging company, we actually started in West Virginia and hiked back into Maryland to reach the top. Because we'd driven most of the day, we caught the peak just before sunset. I was worried that the snow would slow us down, but the incline was never too steep or too slippery. And everything was gorgeous and glittery.

Eat green everyday. Take more weekend trips. Cook seasonally and leave food comfort zones. Find places to walk and hike. Read more nonfiction. Read more fiction published during my lifetime. Watch more movies. Attend more operas. Take more pictures. Be mindful and present.