A Mess of Youthful Innocence

boy: she’s so beautiful, so thoughtful, my manic pixie Dream girl

-you will leave bobby pins in every room you’ve ever been in

-throw out your birthday cards

-throw that out, too

-don’t throw out any pictures

-don’t order furniture from a startup you forgot to research (moveloot, I’m lookin’ at you)

-dust bunnies are called bunnies because they multiply

-loose change adds up, even though there is almost no change in your purse

-if you haven’t worn it in two years and you didn’t even remember having it till you found it, please just give it away

-you will never wear that again

-you are not meant to lift this many boxes

-there is never enough packing tape in the roll

-when you look at all the things on the floor, you will want to both read and set on fire that book about objects that ‘spark joy’

-the necklace is too knotty to fix

-it is a bittersweet feeling to close a chapter

-the turquoise flip flop was underneath the bed

-the french bulldog sock was also underneath the bed

-you can actually snap Ikea furniture in half

-friends become your family after a while, and you can drink to that

-family, both real and created, is worth more than all the bobby pins in all the rooms you have left behind

-your air conditioner is filled with water

-air conditioning is akin to godliness

-your grandmother’s clock is now on the wall, and you wish you could tell her that

-don’t wear sandals

-cold showers and cold beers are like air and water when you move in the summer

-all things pass

-you can never have too much money or too much love

HELP BRING CARLESHA FREELAND-GAITHER HOME

Philadelphia police need our help finding 22-year-old Carlesha Freeland-Gaither who was abducted in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sunday night, but was likely taken out of the state to Maryland. The young nurse was walking home from her godson’s party when an unknown man grabbed her, attacked her, and kidnapped her. The struggle took place around 9:40 PM on Sunday, October 02, 2014 at the intersection of Greene and West Coulter Street. The disturbing act was caught on camera and witnessed by people nearby. Security cameras show Carlesha fighting back, screaming, trying to fend off her attacker and almost getting free before she was put into the back of the suspect’s car and driven off. All that was left at the scene was broken glass, Carlesha’s glasses, and her cell phone. Her ATM card was used by an unknown male in Aberdeen, Maryland after the attack, a photo has not yet been released. Police are stressing that Carlesha was a good person and had no connections with any criminal or drug activity, and she did not know her attacker.

The car is a 2000-2002 Ford Taurus 4 door, dark gray metallic in colour, with Pennsylvania license plates. Carlesha kicked out the driver’s side and passenger’s side windows in the back of the car during the attack. The vehicle also has a rear spoiler and an unknown tag on the front bumper.

The suspect is believed to be a Black male, 5’10” with a medium build, between 25 and 30 years old, at the time he was wearing a dark jacket, a possible hoodie underneath, a dark hat and dark pants. It is believed he did not know the victim but attacked her at random.

Before the attack, the suspect can be seen driving up and parking along side Coulter Street, then getting out of his vehicle and crossing the street. He then walks towards Carlesha on the opposite side of the street, crossing  back over when she passes and grabbing her.

Carlesha Freeland-Gaither is a Black 22 year old female,  5’3” tall, 125lbs, Brown eyes and braided hair with a tattoo on her lower back. She was last seen wearing a bluejean jacket, white sweater, and was carrying a black backpack.

A $15,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the kidnapper.

Anyone with information regarding this case should contact the Philadelphia Police Northwest Detectives at 215-686-3353, the FBI is also involved.

Carl Freeland, Carlesha’s father, has been putting up flyers and told reporters, “I don’t care what anyone has to do, just let my daughter come home, that’s all I’m asking.”

This is Carlesha:

The family says her ex-boyfriend is from Maryland and stalked her, tracking her down. He has not been identified as a suspect but was called “obsessive.”

The reward has been increased to $47,000.

April Book Challenge 

Day 4: 1990s

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

The Giver by Lois Lowry