Off the Grid

My style these days has been rather utilitarian. Jeans, t-shirts, and moccasins. I miss taking the time to create an outfit which makes me feel good. Instead, I'm crawling into the day's clothes in a half-asleep stupor merely seeking to look socially acceptable/fully clothed. I don't really feel comfortable wearing dresses at work, as I work in a pretty outdoorsy-active type environment, and while I myself am only sitting behind a desk doing computer work, it seems incongruous to show up in a flouncy and feminine outfit while everyone else is in jeans or activewear. Consequently I don't really feel like myself these days. The weekends are a nice break, though, when I can forget about work and wear whatever my heart desires. TGIF!

dress/forever 21 :: hat + cardigan/courtesy of modcloth :: tights/target

necklace/handmade :: shoes/minnetonka

I'm just starting to read Walden by Henry David Thoreau and I feel like it's just going to intensify my desire to move to the woods and live off the grid. There's such an appealing draw to just ditch society and live in the peace and tranquility of nature. At the same time, I feel like human interaction and community give us a sense of value to our lives which solitude simply cannot. Even as an introverted person who much prefers solitude than the hustle and bustle of social engagements, I still feel that my life would be missing something essential if I were to just spend my life alone in the woods.

Perhaps there is some sort of middle ground. Small town living? Living in a more rural area with a city or town nearby? I've been so consumed with the beauty and necessity of nature lately. I'm glad we live in Tacoma, though, where nature is just a short drive away. That's one of the reasons I had hoped to settle somewhere in Western Washington. I remember living in Spokane and really loving the fact that just a few minutes in a car and I was out in nature. My freshman year I had a terrible roommate and would spend hours driving around the highways at night seeking solitude and the soothing salve of natural surroundings.