milk thistle...and a bottle of wine.

For many centuries extracts of milk thistle have been recognized as "liver tonics.". Research into the biological activity of silymarin and its possible medical uses has been conducted in many countries since the 1970s, but the quality of the research has been uneven. Milk thistle has been reported to have protective effects on the liver and to greatly improve its function. It is typically used to treat liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis (liver inflammation), and toxin-induced liver damage. -Wikipedia, of course...



so yesterday i headed over to Madison Market, one of my favorite markets in this area. i went to kill some time and i ended up finding myself in the Wellness department, with lots of herbs and vitamins. there was a ton to sort through, but a little bottle of Milk Thistle caught my eye. mostly because it is the name of a Conor Oberst song i really like.

Conor Oberst - Milk Thistle

but after reading the label i discovered it is actually used to protect and repair the liver. i thought to myself, "perfect! my liver is SHOT! this will be really helpful."

i am also on a bit of a health kick right now. im not putting much, if any, crap into my body (with the exception of certain liver-harming substances). im also making sure i am getting all the vitamins and nutrients i need, for the most part. basically things like that.

so i was excited about the milk thistle. i felt like i was on my way toward complete health and wellness.

i wandered through the market a little more and found myself in the beer/wine department, only to find that one of my FAVORITE WINES, "Cycles Gladiator," was on sale for super cheap!



and so i left the market with Milk Thistle, to heal my liver...and a bottle of wine.

that is actually pretty characteristic of a lot of things in my life right now...

happy cousins.

so sometimes i miss my family. but i love being here. so i complain about that tension an awful lot. and mentioned a few times that i really wanted one of my cousins, christopher, to come up here. but i cant afford to fly him out, he is a 19 year old with no money, and my family didnt seem too interested in sending him here. so basically ive been a big baby about that since december.

i really love my family, christopher in particular. and i also love my friends. i have THE BEST friends on the entire planet. and i have found them all in just a year. for reasons that are completely hidden and unknown to myself, my friends really love me. and really want to make me happy. and they are a success.

the best gift possibly ever recieved:







+ $300 for a planet ticket.

i am absolutely filled with gratitude that i have yet to figure out what to do with. i can tell from talking to christopher that he is immensely excited and his mom and dad say the same. he is registering for summer classes today and is going to get back to me so we can set some dates for his visit. i can hardly wait. expect a large summertime gathering at that time!!

author april.

someday i will write a book full of nothing but sandwich recipes.

i will also write a lengthy memoir that will probably explain a lot for those who have been wondering...

spinach.

i really love the way spinach shrinks when you cook it.

thats all.

so adult-like of me

i bought my first piece of original artwork yesterday. i am VERY happy about it. i considered it a birthday gift to myself as well as a way for me to commemorate my life here in seattle that i am absolutely in love with. i am a month shy of my one year anniversary here and i could never have imagined life being what it is today. but i am here. and things are not as planned but i love it all the same.

so here is to all of that and to this beautiful place i find myself in...



also, jesse link is BADASS and you should all check him out:
http://www.jesselink.com/