I'm always proud to call New York my original home, and I can deliver some pretty haughty side-eyes when people assume I'm from Delaware or New Jersey. The Empire State was a wonderful area to sprout roots, learn, and grow. And now every visit leaves my heart feeling full and a little nostalgic.
Here are some photos from my recent visit to the Hudson Valley, including a yoga dad on his birthday and some meditative romps through the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors. Enjoy!
It's starting to stay darker and cooler a little longer in the mornings, but that Texas-like ability to creep into the 90's by mid-day is still going strong enough to make you think twice about lighting cinnamon candles or ordering your various seasonal lattes. We'll be happily basking in the heat of summer until at least October around here.
In August, I was able to spend a lovely day here, and I kicked myself for letting over 4 years pass in Austin before finding the time to visit. Pace Bend Park has miles and miles of trails, exhilarating cliffs for jumping off into the water, countless campsites for overnight adventurers, and some swell trees for swinging your hammock. The shallow part of Lake Travis was feeling pretty bath-like that day, but it was all just fine.
If you're an Austin person looking for some sweaty hikes or your last swims of summer, or even a shoreline campground, I think it would really be worth your while.
It's kind of weird when your mom sells your childhood house and you don't know where to call home anymore, but if she decides to live half of the year on Long Beach Island and the other half in Savannah, GA, you learn to adjust pretty quickly.
It was nice to close out August by visiting a few of my eastern homes. Every year since I moved to Austin, I've had the good fortune to be able to visit the New York/New Jersey area for at least a week at a time. I'm back in Texas now, feeling fortunate to have seen so many wonderful friends and family members.
Let's do what we can to stretch this summer as far as it will go!
From a pretty young age, I realized that it didn't make much sense to ask for specific, little wishes from the universe, whether it was convincing middle school boys to like me or passing my driver's test on the first try. There were bigger things at play here. I've always had more than enough in my daily life, and I know now that sometimes what we want is far from what we need, so my requests have (not always selflessly) steered towards greater experiences, lasting talents, and a more global perspective.
I tried to keep to that theme when coming up with some eclipse intentions. It's always difficult to wrangle all my interests into a short list of three, but I realize the importance of harnessing this powerful shift and channeling energy toward what we find most important, even if it only happens in our heads. Here's a list of what I'll be focusing on this time around:
1. To live even more in the way. In other words, to go with the flow and to avoid letting big shifts throw me off my game. I'm learning to see the teacher in all experiences, even when they look like setbacks at first. I hope to continue this practice since we all know the big changes won't be stopping anytime soon.
2. To feel at home in myself. This one's usually tough! To be accepting of myself and my journey, without wanting it to look a different way or move along faster than it needs to. To feel comfortable with all my sameness and uniqueness that keeps me moving within my community, without comparing and competing along the way.
3. To cultivate discipline. As an Aries and an Enneagram 7, I am a really great starter and not much of a follow through and finisher. I'm enthusiastic about a broad number of activities, and deep about very few. Most habits that begin with full force excitement get forgotten or left behind in a week or two. I've realized that most of my internal growth has happened when I'm able to stay in one place and put my heart into something or at least sit myself still for time enough to think and reflect, even when my wandering feet get bored.
So that's my list. I'd love to hear yours. Also, remember that on any old day it's alright to drop everything, get outside, and wonder at the sky! It seems like there's so little that we really understand about how this world is working.
As you can see from the ABOUT section of this blog, I took a year off from work to pursue some traveling and community serving goals. And, as you can see from the date I started this blog, the end of that year has come, and the end of that year has gone. Here I am... stretching this "year" apart as good and far as I can.
I reluctantly chose not to return from my leave of absence, however unwise it may seem and however hard it may come back to bite me in the you-know-where. I remember the decision when it came to me, and I knew it was something I had to try. It happened on a night in early June, during a break in the informal class I was taking at UT. I opened an email from my dad (one of many on a similar topic), which linked to an article explaining how every job has parts that suck, and that there's no need to find a job that employs your passions, since you can do all that stuff in your free time outside of work. Although I agree with the main point, that every job has its downsides, and that you do have free time to amuse outside interests, the article was kind of bogus. The author spoke from a perspective in a career (as a writer) about which he is passionate. Where's the perspective of someone with a shitty job they care nothing about, telling us how they just sucked it up, dragging through 40+ hours of their week and finding it all not to be so bad?
I get it. Every job has negative qualities, and few people bound out of bed to jump into their passion-fueled work at 6am on a Monday. But from working at two completely different jobs over the past year, I can tell you that there is a difference in the things that suck about the job that aligns to your interests and the one that doesn't. Sure, as a spoiled, selfish millennial, I've found plenty to complain about in each of them, and the thought of making a difference in my community never brought a broad smile to my face when my alarm started going off in the morning, but I was willing to give so much more of myself and put up with the shittier shit (extra hours, low pay, cleaning up kindergartener drool, etc.) when I knew I was doing work that inspired me. In my earlier job, I sailed smoothly through each day accepting each and every perk, and yet it never felt like enough. There wasn't much to criticize-- big pay checks, vacation days, flexible time-- but boredom and a sense of disconnection were plentiful.
My dad is one person I'll take career advice from above anyone else, since he's had a long and mostly happy one and has managed a good many people through transitions of their own, but his job actually suits him very well. He's a successful manager, newly minted VP, and the people who work for him really enjoy it and feel a sense of purpose in doing so (or that's the story they tell to his daughter). He's a mathematician market researcher and an early adopter, so he gets to spend his days learning at conferences, exploring new technologies, and feeling like a part of something big. Sure, commuting and office life can be a drain, and he would rather be skiing, but he's been making more than the most of his work for a while.
So this post is not meant to write off the corporate world (it has a ton of upsides and can help the right person get a lot of things done), or any "type" of job-- none is inherently better than another. But something in me says that you've got to find the right one that matches with you. One that brings out the "you-ness" in you. A (if you're lucky) benefit-providing container for a little bit of the stuff that you like. The one that makes you stay up late and forget to eat sometimes, and not mind so much when the alarm clock rings or when you're treading through the shit that will inevitably pile up. I hope we all find something semi-permanent that we're wild about, or at least something with parts that light up the tiniest bit of wild passion in us. In the meantime, I'll welcome suggestions on what to call this page!
1. Get one of these:
If you think you need more than this, you don't! Resist your consumer lifestyle urges to pay extra for a carry-on or a checked bag. You chose this airline for a reason! Stuff your backpack to its brim, and bring a clutch for phone, wallet, and boarding pass-type essentials. Or, if you're a menswear wearing person, make the most of your large pocketed jeans and shorts. Maybe throw in a chapstick, if you're going to Denver.
2. Pick two to three bottoms only.
There is some strange, unwritten observance that, whenever we travel, we imagine we'll suddenly start wearing all of the outfits that have been hanging in our closets at home for months. In normal life, do you wear the same pair of jeans many times in a row without washing them? Bring those jeans! Why do we think that when we travel we are going to become miraculously cleaner, fresher versions of ourselves? Unless you're rolling in mud or are a very sweaty sweating machine, you can wear something more than once. Your friends are used to seeing you in the same five outfits, mix 'em, match 'em, and save your space.
3. Choose your shoes.
The heaviest ones go on your feet. If it's summer, pack sandals. If you need sneakers, get some flat folding ones like these. Let your footwear be comfortable and your walks will be plentiful.
4. Have a Kindle.
Budget flying leaves not much room for books. Reading apps can fit hundreds of them. Choose your battles.
5. Only laptop if you really, REALLY need to.
You are escaping! Stop working! Save your computer activities for low-level days like Monday :( or Tuesday :/. A tiny personal item restriction is a great excuse to be freely traveling without your ties. If you really need it, your phone does many of the same things in a more portable way. If you're traveling a budget airline for a work trip, find a better job.
6. Unlimited underwear.
Have small underwear that can squeeze in any extra space. Remember what I said about sink-washed underwear before, and give yourself this simple luxury.
7. Respect the limits of Ziploc bags.
I don't know the point of toiletry bags other than making me look very put-together and grown up. Many of us are not those things on a regular day, so why choose now to pretend? You'll need the baggie for security, anyway, so fit your toiletries in one and call it a day.
7. Go somewhere cool.
So that you care more about what you're heading towards than what you're bringing with you. Try Colorado. They have a lot of good looking sights to see.
8. Bring some friends.
Maybe they'll share the stuff that you couldn't fit! Remember that all you really need is the unmatched license/passport, credit card, phone combination, and head on your way.
*Note: This process has served me well for 3 to 4, maybe 5-day trips if it's beach weather. If you are budget flying for longer, I respect you and await your tips for the packing.
One day in July I sat here and meditated with the Oprah & Deepak 21-day meditation app and it was very nice, very hot, and very spiritual millennial of me. I am hearing a lot of people talk about summer coming to an end, and I hope that they will stop because there is a lot more ahead of us!
Are you taking time to find some peaceful outside places near you?
Well hi! I'm here, writing from a new place. Forgive my absence. I moved. Again. I don't have a whole lot of feelings about this move since I recently had to fill out the five years of residences section on my Global Entry application, and my list was rivaling the number of entries they allow. I'm living in a temporary room for the next two weeks until I change again, and it's a wonder how the addition of our stuff quickly turns an empty space into our own.
In the meantime, these two tied the knot. Are you getting married soon? I recommend doing it in Asheville, if that's the case. They have loads of mountains, beer, and biscuits. All the essentials for a proper celebration.
On the afternoon of the wedding, about an hour before the ceremony was set to begin, it rained. Actually, it poured, and flooded just a little bit. Then, believe it or not, the clouds parted ways and opened up into one of the most gorgeous evenings I've ever seen. I believe it, since love has a magical way like that. Seeing Lainie and Warren was like a finding the sun after a long storm.
Love to all! Enjoy your weekend.
Like I told you in the last post, I'm not the greatest of granddaughters, and before my recent trip to Buffalo, it had been quite a while since the last visit to upstate New York to see my grandma. This time, I took advantage of our stay together to convince her to share one of her most powerful areas of expertise: baking cinnamon rolls.
She has long been known throughout our family and her group of friends for her special touch with these tasty spiraled treats. My sister and I share antagonistic photos whenever one of us is lucky enough to get a full pan of her own in the mail. Despite my grandma's desires to spend the trip showing me around the Grand Island Golden Age center, she kindly agreed to spend a day in the kitchen walking me through all the mixing, rising, and rolling steps. And, even though the instructions have never been exact, the batch she guided me through came out pretty deliciously!
As the people we love grow older and begin to downsize in their living spaces, it's usually inevitable that we'll end up inheriting some of their precious possessions. Even better than the invaluable antique jewelry and multi-generational family heirlooms are the pieces of knowledge we can pick up along the way. A few years ago, my grandma taught me how to crochet, and now I think of her anytime I'm working on a project. And I've only made a few pierogi on my own, but I'll never forget holidays spent making them in a flour-filled kitchen with my aunt and uncle. It's a reward on two levels: you get to spend a special time together learning the craft, and then end up with lifelong memories that spring up whenever you decide to attempt it on your own. While I might not have perfected the kneading and measuring processes yet, it makes my heart happy that my grandma had the time to pass her unrivaled ability along to me. Hopefully I'll get to carry it with me for a long, long while, even if I'd rather not know how much powdered sugar ends up in the glaze.
Disclaimer: I did also come away with more than a few vintage skirts from the guest room closet, so don't go thinking that this post is wholly immaterial.
My grandmother lives in a place called Grand Island, New York where people wave often and talk to each other in the streets, children play and ride their bicycles without supervision, and neighbors know enough about each other to make passing comments like, "She has three sons, none of them are married, and they all have cats".
Her quiet neighborhood, idyllic in the months of June, July, and August, seems untouched by time. I can say that, since I spent the past 13 years not visiting, and, when I returned, so much of it remained recognizable and seemingly unchanged. Grand Island is right outside Buffalo, and, some might say, worlds outside the "New York" of stereotypes.
I was impressed by the amount of water in the trip, from the majesty of Niagara Falls to an impromptu Saturday ride on my uncle's boat. We went for a walk each morning, where it would rain sporadically, preparing to open up into afternoon sunshine. I was impressed that we saw sunshine at all. I even got to explore the downtown scene (at night, no pictures!) and people were out wearing shorts and dresses instead of the hats and gloves that I had imagined (and brought with me). Buffalo, I've given you a bad rap.
Hopefully, this time around it will take less than 13 years for me to go back.
If any past/present/future employers are reading this, please know that I am very dependable and dedicated, and this post is most definitely not about me. However, for some people who are surely not me, certain times of year require the skipping of work in exchange for the seeking out of fresh fruits.
If you're finding yourself in that seasonal position, and if peaches and blackberries are the objects of your sweet desires, here are some do's and don'ts to guide your quest:
Pick wisely and enjoy!
Nowadays, my family looks a lot different than the mom, dad, sister, and me stick figure drawings I used to sketch out back in grade school. As the years have gone by, it's expanded to include many new faces-- related and non-- who spread far and wide across the country and, occasionally, around the world. Regardless of how untraditional our clan looks today, it's pretty cool that a few weeks ago I was able to drive to North Texas for a mini-family reunion. Sometimes you end up where you never could have expected, and it seems to make the most sense of all.
Side note to Austinites who understandably think it would be silly to venture out of Austin to visit another Texan city: It seems like the Ft. Worth part of DFW might have some cool stuff, too! There were lots of breweries, music, and apartment complexes that look eerily similar to the ones here. Come for the professional sports teams, stay for the beer and tattoos.
Oh yeah, and happy 4th of July y'all!
In case anyone ever claims that I'm not an amazing sibling, let it be known that after months of receiving countless begs and pleas, I finally agreed to make a trip to Magnolia Market at my sister's request.
For people who don't spend their days watching HGTV, Magnolia Market is a Disney Land of brown, white, and green home decor with a lot of long lines and a fancy lawn. For people who know who Chip and Joanna Gaines are, it is the most magnificent place on earth and worth every drop of sweat lost while waiting outside in the Texan sun just to enter the store.
I don't have a house, or the ability to purchase and improve upon anyone else's house, so I was coming in as an outsider who had to Google to remember what shiplap was called. In the end, I can say that I am glad I was able to visit on a weekday, that the striped lawn beanbag chairs looked very comfortable, and that the shadeless bakery line moves pretty efficiently. If you happen to be in Waco, where I'm pretty sure there is nothing else to do, you might as well stop by.
When you live in a rapidly growing city, it's hard to let a conversation pass you by without commenting on the changes that have occurred between the time you moved to that city and now. Usually, these observations include mention of things that used to be better: "There was hardly any traffic!" "We never waited in lines!" "Rainey Street!"
Even if you haven't lived in the new place for very long, you'll find yourself yearning for days gone by. Weren't things less expensive? Couldn't you find a parking spot in an area now covered by valet service? Though we accept change as inevitable, our grumpiness about it proves our worth. We've been here long enough to find something to complain about.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to visit a lesser-known Austin destination that is getting close to shutting its doors: the Sekrit Theatre. This lovely outdoor space features a giant backyard, lots of quirky details, and an outdoor theatre where movies are shown twice a week. The central greenhouse was the ideal location for a ladies yoga Summer Solstice celebration.
While I'm sad about the sale of this special secret, I'm so glad I was lucky enough to spend one perfect afternoon here.
If you're a person who thinks ticket prices make it too costly to travel, try buying this $60 tent, packing up your car, and driving over to the next state. You just might find yourself in another world.
Sometimes you can camp for $10. Sometimes you can camp for free. Sometimes it will be too windy to camp and you'll get to sleep in your car, which could have been free, if you hadn't already reserved a campsite.
However you choose to sleep in the great outdoors, get out there! There's a lot to see.
Just when I think I have swum in all of the majestic swimming holes around here, I find myself stumbling upon another majestic swimming hole.
People are coming to Austin for the brunch and the jobs, and they are staying for the good and the green things that are very nearby. McKinney Falls State Park is one of those good, green things, which also happens to not be very crowded on an overcast spring day. You had better get here before summer when all the water might go away, but for now I'm giving it all the thumbs up.
This weekend, many of Austin's best galleries, museums, event spaces, and regular people's houses will open their doors to invite us all to come hang around and check out some really incredible art from art-makers all around the city. What's better than that? This will be my first year attending and volunteering at the West Austin Studio Tour, but I have been able to view and help at EAST for a few years now, and I imagine that its Spring counterpart will be equally magical.
Big Medium puts on some of the most wonderful art events in Austin, and these bi-annual studio tours have a particularly special way of making everyone feel like part of this giant community. You can pick out a catalog/guide from a nearby library, or plan out your route on the official website.
Come hang out with me at Saturday's Community Breakfast! And if you wanted to help out by volunteering, I think you could join in here.
Lainie's getting married, so we dropped everything and flew over to Denver. After the initial cold and snowy shock to my system, the weekend was otherwise magical. We celebrated a beautiful being and looked pretty good doing so.
Enjoying an adventurous getaway with such fun, positive, lovely women had me wondering why we only rarely find the time to come together like this. What makes us wait until once-in-a-lifetime events happen to gather wonderful groups of ladies (or gentlemen) together?
Let's do it more often.
If you're going to drive from Texas to Georgia, you'd better make sure you've got some entertaining traveling companions on the road and an amazing hostess of a mom waiting for you when you get there. Lucky for me, I was blessed with both, so I was miraculously able to survive the longest car trip of my life. Waking up for school on Tuesday morning was a bit grueling, but enjoying a Spring weekend in Savannah is always worth any amount of hours spent traveling.
A stopover in New Orleans more than satisfied our party requirements for the trip. Apparently the bars never close there? And the next few days in Savannah brought us back to nature. We trapped a snake, viewed alligators from afar, and watched dolphins swim in the sea.
It's hard to beat the beauty of Spanish moss, southern hospitality, and fried chicken paired with mac and cheese. I'm so glad my mom has chosen to make a little home down here.
"May you have enough..
Enough happiness to keep you sweet,
Enough trials to keep you strong,
Enough sorrow to keep you human,
Enough failure to keep you humble,
Enough success to keep you eager,
Enough friends to give you comfort,
Enough wealth to meet your needs,
Enough enthusiasm to look forward,
Enough faith to banish depression,
Enough determination to make each day better than yesterday.
May you have enough."
