25 Hours in Ithaca

For all of the traveling I’ve done so far, I have done very little of it in my own backyard. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the things that are right in front of you, but I have been trying to make myself more conscious of that. Ithaca, located in Central New York, is known for its colleges, gorges, and waterfalls. The bustling city has been piquing my interest for some time now, and it just so happens that my friend Lex currently lives there—which gave me the perfect excuse to hit the road!

Documentary December: Before the Flood

As a writer, I have always been a huge fan of fiction. There is some truth behind all of those imagined stories though, and while it may be much easier to hide in that make believe, I don’t want to ignore the truth anymore. My ever-growing list of movies to watch has lately been filled with documentaries. I decided to devote some of my time this month to watch some of those documentaries, and to learn.

Becoming Vegetarian

One of my good friends, Nicole, recently moved back to America after living abroad on and off for the past few years. (Check out her new blog here!) She expressed an interest in eating less meat because it is processed so differently in different countries, but wondered how to start cutting it out of her diet. So she asked me what kinds of food I usually eat since becoming a vegetarian.

Exploring Seoul

We returned to Seoul on a Tuesday afternoon after another interesting 24 hours of travel. (An uncomfortable eight-hour bus ride because the guy in front of me reclined his seat all the way and left me with no leg room; a shared cab ride with a German traveler named Franka that we had met at the pier on our way out of Koh Tao; a dozen rounds of cards on the airport floor.) We celebrated our return the best way we knew how—with hot showers, green face masks, “New York” pizza, and an episode of Survivor.

The next day, while Gina was off at work, Alexa and I ventured into the city on our own.

2015

With each year, there are some things that change and some that remain constant, some you gain and others you lose. In the moment, sometimes these things seem greater than they are. And sometimes they really are just that great.

When I was young, each year came to a close on a good note—because how could it not? We banged on pots and pans with wooden spoons, blew on party horns, threw confetti, and danced with sparklers. We danced and sang and celebrated. Then, just when I thought I was starting to figure out things in my life, everything changed.

A Moment, A Breath

It’s more than easy to get caught up in all of the holiday hustle and bustle as it quickly approaches yet again. (Seriously, how is the month almost over?!) It happens literally every year, to every one, and we still act surprised when it does.

I recently finished a two-plus-week cleaning stint of my room (possibly one of the longest), and am still sorting through mountains of laundry, and–bam!–it’s Thanksgiving.

We Have A Choice

In 2015, I am sure that everyone reading this has heard of Jane Goodall at some time or another. You probably know that she studied chimpanzees and gave them names (instead of numbers) and that she sort of went about the whole science thing in a rather unconventional manor.

A New Introduction

There is an important change I’ve made recently, one that I wanted to write about on my blog, especially as it signals a new direction in my life.

I’m good with words, I like to think. But much better when they are carefully thought of, mulled over, and written down. Scribbled on paper or typed with my fingers. Try to talk to me about big, serious, complicated things in real life, and I kind of clam up.

Sick Day Recipes: Part Two

Sooo, have I mentioned that I’m sick? As I’m typing this, I have to pause every twelve seconds for a violent coughing fit in which I nearly hack up a lung. There has also been a muffled ringing in my ear since I woke up an hour before my alarm this morning, which has made conversations very strange today. So. Much. Fun. It appears things are not quite turning around for me yet.

Sick Day Recipes: Part One

Being sick is absolutely never fun, but it is even worse to be sick during the summer. The weather is lovely, sunny, and warm. There are still so many things left to do before the cold creeps in, so taking advantage of every second of daylight is crucial. I would much rather soak up the sun, go for a swim, or take an adventure to somewhere new than curl up in bed surrounded by blankets and tissues.

Alas, I came down with a cold about a week and a half ago.