Hi friends! While I’m still looking for a job I’ve been able to build more structure and routine in my life in the last few weeks, mainly through tending my backyard garden and joining a new church community. Here are a few of my thoughts on these new developments and how they overlap. I live … Continue reading On Gardening and God
Originally published June 2, 2023 Four years ago, I said that I wanted to watch all of Cillian Murphy's filmography, but I completely forgot about this desire after one month. However, his new movie Oppenheimer is coming out in July, so now is the perfect time to get this done! Firsr, let me explain why … Continue reading Sunshine (2007) – An Oxymoronic Title
Welcome back to the blog. It came to my attention that my very first post was published on March 7, 2017. I can't believe I’ve had this little blog for six years already! Let’s take a walk down memory lane. Act One - The Movie Buff: I started this site out of spite. I distinctly … Continue reading The Six Acts of Elena’s Grace
In high school, I thought that a college graduate who worked at FedEx needed to get their act together. Five years later, I am that college graduate working at FedEx. Let me tell you why this is the best “retail” job I’ve ever had. I’ve written about my dissatisfaction with retail work (Making It Work) … Continue reading The Perks of Working at FedEx
Hey everyone! I wanted to branch out a little bit and share some of my favorite restaurants around the Twin Cities. As the daughter of a foodie mother, I have sophisticated taste in restaurants. Porterhouse offers elegant steakhouse fare, friendly and professional waitstaff, and a fun community of regular patrons. Since January 28th, 2000 (eight … Continue reading Restaurant Review – Porterhouse
Hi all. This week I want to revisit my favorite biography about politics and football. I care about neither politics nor football, but Where Men Win Glory is an engaging drama about the life, death, and manipulation of one very interesting man. Let’s get into it. I was also inspired to write this imagist poem … Continue reading Where Men Win Glory – An Unwilling Mockingjay
Hi! I finally saw Elvis after playing his music around my house for two weeks, and I have a LOT of thoughts. I actually saw Elvis twice in the same weekend, and the emotional onslaught was only slightly minimized the second time. I suppose I’ll put a spoiler warning for this stylized retelling of true … Continue reading Elvis (2022) – A Tragic Spectacle
Hi everyone. I write a lot about “post-grad life”, but I want to retrace my educational path and show how my unique learning shaped me into the woman I am today. I also want to showcase an exciting new opportunity that continues to shape young leaders. I was held back from preschool for medical issues, … Continue reading Holistic Education
Hello! I actually previously published a review of this movie, but I took it down because it did not meet my revised standards. I will be re-addressing characters, aesthetic, and pacing in one of my favorite movies. I will warn you, this movie is objectively terrible. No one’s getting any Oscar nominations here, but they … Continue reading In Time – A Lesson in Plot Holes
Hello fellow foodies! I enjoyed writing about Porterhouse a while ago, so I wanted to share about one of my other favorite restaurants. This intimate location in White Bear Lake is a neat little gem for those who appreciate Italian-influenced cooking. For those who are more into sushi, Mizu is right next door, and both … Continue reading Acqua White Bear
Elena’s Grace 