Natalie Raymond

I went to the New York Public Library on Tuesday. They have an exhibit filled with all kinds of various book related materials; the walking stick Virginia Woolf's husband found floating in the river after she drown herself, the glasses Jack Kerouac wore, the Koran Malcom X prayed with...

My favourite- a huge letter opener that belonged to Charles Dickens (Tuesday was his 200th birthday), whose handle is made from the taxidermied paw of his much loved cat.

It's incredibly bizarre. Like something from a sideshow. The fur faded ivory to match the blade...

It looks more like a sword. But perhaps he needed it that way...

I mean, I have no idea what kind of letters Charles Dickens had to open. They could have been quite large....

[journal 07.02.2012]

Oh! Darling, please believe me

I'll never do you no harm

Believe me when I tell you

I'll never do you no harm

Oh! Darling, if you leave me

I'll never make it alone

Believe me when I beg you

Don't ever leave me alone

When you told me you didn't need me anymore

Well you know I nearly broke down and cried

When you told me you didn't need me anymore

Well you know I nearly fell down and died

Oh! Darling, if you leave me

I'll never make it alone

Believe me when I tell you

I'll never do you no harm

When you told me you didn't need me anymore

Well you know I nearly broke down and cried

When you told me you didn't need me anymore

Well you know I nearly fell down and died

Oh! Darling, please believe me

I'll never let you down

Believe me when I tell you

I'll never do you no harm

-Lennon, McCartney

Well y'all, down to the wire.

It's my final semester as an undergrad (fingers crossed). & my schedule is totally new school-y:

Visual Art / Collage

French

Buddhist Sutra Literature

Independent Study / Lit Magazine

At least I'll have some creative stuff this semester. Last semester was soooooo boring.

But keep your fingers crossed for grad school. I've got all my elements into the admissions office, & now am just waiting for the final copies of references to go out. After that I should hear within a couple of weeks.

Gulp.

N

I will be participating in the SOPA protest blackout alongside websites like Wikipedia and Redit. The SOPA legislation has the potential to change the foundation of the internet forever, and seriously infringe on free speech everywhere. Censorship is not democracy, and that is why natalieraymond.com will be participating in the blackout for the entirety of 18 January.

For more information on the blackout visit the wikipedia page (which will be down on 18 Jan) and the SOPA protest page.

legs at lush. (I'm the pink socks).

After nearly three years of soap slinging in NYC it's time for me to move on. I've put in my notice at LUSH and accepted a position as a secretary/paralegal/girl friday at a law fim in Lower Manhattan. The new position will allow me more time to write and participate in the writing community we are so lucky to have here in New York. I'm very excited, & looking forward to the new chapter in my New York experice.

-N

Adele:

Kimbra: