Let's Revamp this, Shall We?

Hello. I'm not very good at keeping these things up to date, tumblr is just so much easier you know? It's like you don't have to put any effort into it, just click reblog and poof! It's all done. Anyways, it's been absolutely lovely in Chicago for the past couple of weeks, and by that I mean it's cooled down from the high temperatures we had in July. It's been really great running weather, although I'm sad to see the sun setting earlier and earlier each day. Nothing much as been going on, work and general errands and such.

Here's my breakfast, just in case you'd like to see it.

The end of August is one of my favorite times of the year; maybe it's the anticipation of classes starting up again after Labor Day, the fact that fall is coming (my favorite season) and my friends are returning from their summers. My roommate is finally coming back next Sunday, which happens to be the day my mother and aunt are leaving after their short three day visit. I'm actually excited to see them, and in a way brings closure in starting the new semester.

When I was little my mother gave me the L.L Bean catalogue and told me to fold any page in half toward the spine that had a shirt or dress I wanted, or thought I'd like for the school year. And being under the age of ten, of course I just about folded every single page in the girl's section. After narrowing down the choices, she circled the item number and called in to order--which is something so odd now, considering most days we order online or go to actual shops. Which we could have very easily done, however I don't think Walmart has nearly as nice of stuff as L.L Bean does. Then two weeks later or thereabouts the UPS would drop off a box big enough for me to hide in by our barn door, and after swimming lessons or errands we would come home and open it, peel off the plastic wrappings. My mother would hold the clothes up to me to make sure they would fit correctly. I've always been small so some of them I grew into, and others just hung loose. You can't have everything. I'm really excited for them to come, I haven't seen my mother since she and my father helped Colin and I move into our apartment, and my aunt since Christmas.

Finally got new headphones.

 Well, I think that's all for today. I have to finish cleaning out the sunroom and reorganize the cleaning closet. Jane Eyre has been going rather slow in terms of reading; don't get me wrong I love it, it's wonderful and brilliant and possibly my favorite of the Brontë sisters', but I don't know. My mind is elsewhere trying to prepare for the gaggle of people who are going to be in and out of the apartment in the next week. Off to study French now, since my vocabulary is deplorable. More on the books later. Happy Sunday.

Currently reading: Jane Eyre, The Bell Jar, The Catcher in the Rye
Music of the day: Doctor Who Series Six Soundtrack, Murray Gold
Weeks left until fall semester: Just about two

Vanity, and Element of Faerie Tale

I've started reading Atwood again. Lady Oracle this time. I'm enjoying it, the frivolousness of Joan's character, her long red hair, how envious everyone is of it. Without sounding too ego-centrical, I know how that is. It's so hard for me to cut my hair, it always has been. I'm too "sentimental" as Joan put it, and in the worst possible way. It's grown so thick as I've aged and perhaps it's because three summers ago I decided it would be a good idea to cut it all off that I'm terrified of getting it trimmed. Last week I took the 22 bus up to Lakeview to get a trim, and well, I don't think two inches is a "trim" per say but hey. Everyone keeps trying to convince me that it looks alright shorter but needless to say I've worn it up more than usual.

During my hair appointment women kept walking by telling me how beautiful it was, "Don't ever color it," they warned. "I know so many people who come in here for that color and fry their hair, it ruins it. Don't ever give it away like that." "I won't," I promised, to who I'm not sure. But sometimes I want to dye it brown, an unnoticeable shade. It's so funny, moving to a city after living in the middle of nowhere for so long and subconsciously, jokingly even, wanting to blend in with everyone else. How can that make any sense? Although, I can't complain when people at the grocery store compliment me on it, or when other women say in jealous tones how they wish they could have a shade of red that blends in with every color imaginable. It's such a small, small thing that brightens my day and in the end spirals back down to a very vain concept. I can't boast for having high self-esteem but when I get a compliment I generally try to take it with good graces. I have bad hair days like everyone, but I think it's safe to say if there's one thing I do love about my body, it's my hair. Something gold, something red like south western sand.

Which brings me to the explanation of the title of this blog, as well as the whole faerie tale "thing" going on with it. Two years ago I took a class on classic story telling and analysis of children's folklore and faerie tales. "Bluebeard" and all its variants is coincidentally my favorite, it's so dark and so prevalent even in today's world, same goes for any of the others. It's so interesting, everything I'm learning now, both in classes as well as just life in general and how much these stories have influenced our world. The "elements" such as vanity, beauty and violence, are so apparent (to me at least) walking down the street, in the magazines and books we read. Television, music etc. It's a lot to absorb, but I enjoy it and feel more informed because of it.

Other than that an introduction, yes? Hello and everything, Je m'appelle Fallon or Me llamo Fallon, whichever you prefer. I'm a student in Chicago, originally from the east cost of the US, however you will find me not often mentioning that region. There's a reason it's known as District 13 (laugh). To be simple I read so so much and write every day, or at least try to. To-Do lists are the only things that keep me going and I'm trying to get back into running. Quick sum up of everything else: vegetarian, size 36 shoes (hint hint wink wink little glass slipper cough), lover of pearls, letter writing, art, literature and reading too much Hemingway this semester hasn't done me any good. That's it I suppose, for now at least. What am I going to do with this? Thoughts mostly. I have a tumblr, and I feel that's not really the place for those. Maybe I just needed this to fill the gap in facebook non-existence-ness. Off to read for tonight, I took the day off from coursework and am regretting it just a little. Hope tomorrow is sunnier/warmer. Chicago took a nose dive in weather the past few weeks after it being in the eighties for most of March. Adios, Au Revoir et al. xoxo.

Music for the day: Simon & Garfunkel, Stars, The National
Books: Lady Oracle, La Perdida, Mockingjay
Weeks left of Spring Semester: 4