Thursday, December 22, 2011
Doing well by Doing good
Stumbled across these awesome little bitties by Layak + Jac. I'm a huge fan of piling multiple bracelets of various styles on my wrists circa 1994, so this is totally my bag. But the best part about these are the fact that each purchase of a Layak + Jac bracelet directly supports an Andean family, plus all proceeds go back to the local community - and they are effin adorable and in a bajillion colors so what's not to love, really?
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Start 'em up
I decided to get this engine running again, solely for the purpose of sharing this video with the zero people that read this blog, but in the hopes that someone will watch this. Seriously, seriously incredible - I need to cartwheel off a cliff like that. I died watching this - in fact, I think it got MY adrenaline going and I'm just sitting here staring at a computer screen. WTF
I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.
I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Theory of Social Validation
"When we are uncertain about what to do we will look to other people to guide us. And we do this automatically and unconsciously."
-Robert Chialdini, PhD
In psychology there is a theory that claims that in order to be successful, and view ourselves as such, we need to know that others (specifically the "right" people for the given situation) recognize us as capable and successful for the task.
Anyone that knows me knows that I can be the most indecisive person in the world, and when it comes to major life decisions? Forget it. I will consult everyone from my mom (at least a dozen times), my friends, my boyfriend, my boyfriend's parents, my grandma, my professors, my colleagues, blah blah blah. For some reason I have always found it really challenging to just make a decision and commit to it, mainly because I like to weigh any and all possible scenarios -- really, it's a loooong process.
My recent decision to quit work and move here surprisingly required much less consultation than one would think. I surprised myself in my determination to commit to a plan and do it, knowing the possible risks, high stakes involved, and huge sacrifices I would be making. In telling people about my plans, my decision wasn't met with overwhelming positivity and support by everyone, in fact a lot of people thought it was cool, but questioned it, and likely thought I had lost it.
If nothing else, the whole event has taught me that I am capable, I can make a decision - especially a big one, like quitting my perfectly stable well-paying day job to move to an island and sling beers - and be confident in my personal success. Frankly, I'm just now learning my own personal measurements of success, and I'm not so sure I want to measure it in money or possessions. There is something to be said for finding joy and happiness in simple things...while I don't think I will ever live in the middle of a nowhere in a shack with no heat and no running water...my time here has already opened my eyes up to just how unnecessary excess is. Biking to get around, buying produce from the farmer's market, having no access to a shopping mall - it's pretty incredible to realize how much money I used to blow between Target and Rite-Aid, and for no reason, just to accumulate more stuff.
All in all, the theory of social acceptance is one that's had a constant presence in my life, and recent events have taught me that this theory, while mostly accurate, doesn't have to govern every decision we make. Sure there are people that live their lives only making the decisions they want, but then there are people like me, who seek out the advice of others, assessing all possible scenarios, weighing on the guidance received and then making a final decision.
This adventure has at least allowed me to disconnect from my tendency towards social validation. There is always room for improvement, but this is for certain a step in the right direction.
Like I always say...
'just do what feels right.'
-Robert Chialdini, PhD
In psychology there is a theory that claims that in order to be successful, and view ourselves as such, we need to know that others (specifically the "right" people for the given situation) recognize us as capable and successful for the task.
Anyone that knows me knows that I can be the most indecisive person in the world, and when it comes to major life decisions? Forget it. I will consult everyone from my mom (at least a dozen times), my friends, my boyfriend, my boyfriend's parents, my grandma, my professors, my colleagues, blah blah blah. For some reason I have always found it really challenging to just make a decision and commit to it, mainly because I like to weigh any and all possible scenarios -- really, it's a loooong process.
My recent decision to quit work and move here surprisingly required much less consultation than one would think. I surprised myself in my determination to commit to a plan and do it, knowing the possible risks, high stakes involved, and huge sacrifices I would be making. In telling people about my plans, my decision wasn't met with overwhelming positivity and support by everyone, in fact a lot of people thought it was cool, but questioned it, and likely thought I had lost it.
If nothing else, the whole event has taught me that I am capable, I can make a decision - especially a big one, like quitting my perfectly stable well-paying day job to move to an island and sling beers - and be confident in my personal success. Frankly, I'm just now learning my own personal measurements of success, and I'm not so sure I want to measure it in money or possessions. There is something to be said for finding joy and happiness in simple things...while I don't think I will ever live in the middle of a nowhere in a shack with no heat and no running water...my time here has already opened my eyes up to just how unnecessary excess is. Biking to get around, buying produce from the farmer's market, having no access to a shopping mall - it's pretty incredible to realize how much money I used to blow between Target and Rite-Aid, and for no reason, just to accumulate more stuff.
All in all, the theory of social acceptance is one that's had a constant presence in my life, and recent events have taught me that this theory, while mostly accurate, doesn't have to govern every decision we make. Sure there are people that live their lives only making the decisions they want, but then there are people like me, who seek out the advice of others, assessing all possible scenarios, weighing on the guidance received and then making a final decision.
This adventure has at least allowed me to disconnect from my tendency towards social validation. There is always room for improvement, but this is for certain a step in the right direction.
Like I always say...
'just do what feels right.'
Friday, May 20, 2011
Sage Advice
You will be the same person twenty years from now if not for the people you meet, the books you read and places you travel.
I already know the people...time to go read some books and see some places.
I already know the people...time to go read some books and see some places.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Kaleidoscoping
You know when you look into a kaleidoscope and all of the colors and images keep shifting and moving everytime you turn it? How the shapes change and you can make out certain figures, but not others? How depending on what you ultimately want to see, you will? Or, maybe when you look into it you don't know what to expect, and half the fun is in trying to find the best, most absolutely amazing combination of shapes and colors that is humanly possible, so you point it in every direction possible trying to come up with that strikingly beautiful collision of imagery.
Last week I decided to approach my life the same way. So I quit my job.
Yeah. I did it. Mmmmhmmm. It was equal parts scary, sad, exciting, fulfilling, anxiety-inducing, invigorating, awesome, panic-stricken, refreshing, stupid and brilliant.
When it comes down to it, we are the only people that can control our own destiny. The burden of debt that any person faces (including myself) is only as debilitating as you allow it to be. At the end of the day, doing what you love is more important than doing something just for the sake of complacency or safety. Do I panic at the thought of not having a steady paycheck, and having to actually hustle to pay my bills? Yes, of course. Who wouldn't? But still, I also panic at the thought of sitting at a desk in front of a staring unblinking into monitor in a fluorescent lit office for the next 30 years.
So, when do you decide to take the leap? For me, it ultimately became a (after a long few weeks of consideration and waffling) 'Why not now?' scenario. There's a reason certain cliches exist, such as 'no time like the present', 'carpe diem', 'jump and the net will appear' and blahdey blah blah 'life goes on' and blah blah.
But it's true - we all have to acknowledge our own personal tipping points. I've done a lot of reading over the past several months about all of these amazing people who have taken career breaks or revamped their lifestyles completely to pursue a location independent career. What the crap is that and I want it now. So, had I not made this decision now, I think the alternative could have only been never...a situation I wasn't prepared to find myself in.
I'm taking the approach that this magical net will appear. When and where, and in what form -- frankly, who cares because it will be better than the tangled mess I was in, laboring away towards a goal I wasn't even sure I wanted.viva un vida loca, my friends...now go find your tipping point, and cross your fingers for that net!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Survivor: What you Need to Know.
Stumbled across this post on 50 things everyone should know. Needless to say, I was fascinated, particularly by the fact that one of the most vile, disgusting, slimy, vomit-inducing creatures on my list of things-that-I-will-never-touch can be compared in taste to one of my most favorite things in all of life.. (not James Franco...BACON.)
WTF. What other crucial bits of nature and the world and edible bugs do I not know that I must learn in order to find true happiness? Why has this never been brought to my attention what with all of the people who know my undying love for and borderline religious relationship with bacon????
Anyways, for your viewing pleasure, I've outlined 31 things that, in my humble but expert opinion, that I think every person should know, as follows:
1. Compulsive shopping is a real illness
2. In Mexico they harvest corn that has been infected with fungus, can it and sell it - ever here in the US - it's called Cuitlacoche or Huitlacoche (google it and get ready to vom)
3. If there were no moon Earth would be subject to constant gale force winds
4. No matter who you are or how you drive, chances are I think you are a TERRIBLE driver if I am driving behind you
5.Every man should know how to drive a manual transmission car
6. Wearing headphones for 1 hour will increase bacteria in your ear by 700x
7. The chances of making two holes-in-one in a round of golf are one in 67 million
8. The first subway system in America was built in Boston, Massachusetts in 1897
9. An oyster can change its gender
10. We only dream of people that we have seen before- any of the millions of faces that we have seen since we are born can and will show up in our dreams. You never dream up something that you haven't seen at some point.
11. It is possible for your hair to turn white from shock... but not overnight! Hair pigment is produced in the hair shaft beneath the skin, so it would take about 13 days for any white hairs to show
12. A single hair can support up to 100 grams in weight and a whole head of hair could support up to 12 tonnes - the equivalent of two African elephants!
13. The American Association for Nude Recreation, founded in 1931, says that the nude wedding industry is now worth $440 million a year.
WTF. What other crucial bits of nature and the world and edible bugs do I not know that I must learn in order to find true happiness? Why has this never been brought to my attention what with all of the people who know my undying love for and borderline religious relationship with bacon????
Anyways, for your viewing pleasure, I've outlined 31 things that, in my humble but expert opinion, that I think every person should know, as follows:
1. Compulsive shopping is a real illness
2. In Mexico they harvest corn that has been infected with fungus, can it and sell it - ever here in the US - it's called Cuitlacoche or Huitlacoche (google it and get ready to vom)
3. If there were no moon Earth would be subject to constant gale force winds
4. No matter who you are or how you drive, chances are I think you are a TERRIBLE driver if I am driving behind you
5.Every man should know how to drive a manual transmission car
6. Wearing headphones for 1 hour will increase bacteria in your ear by 700x
7. The chances of making two holes-in-one in a round of golf are one in 67 million
8. The first subway system in America was built in Boston, Massachusetts in 1897
9. An oyster can change its gender
10. We only dream of people that we have seen before- any of the millions of faces that we have seen since we are born can and will show up in our dreams. You never dream up something that you haven't seen at some point.
11. It is possible for your hair to turn white from shock... but not overnight! Hair pigment is produced in the hair shaft beneath the skin, so it would take about 13 days for any white hairs to show
12. A single hair can support up to 100 grams in weight and a whole head of hair could support up to 12 tonnes - the equivalent of two African elephants!
13. The American Association for Nude Recreation, founded in 1931, says that the nude wedding industry is now worth $440 million a year.
14. Humans are the only mammals whose primary sexual position is face to face with bodies in full contact
15. CraigsList gets more than 20 Billion pageviews a month
16. Humans carry more Bacterial Cells than Human cells...you are more bacteria than you are you.
17. Tiger shark embryos fight each other in their mother's womb, the survivor is then born... I like to think that's how I came into the world too.
18. American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class.
19. Elephant teeth can weight as much as 9 pounds.
20. The pound (#) key is called an octothorp.
21. Yo-Yos were once used as weapons in the Philippines. Great mental image there, folks. Pretty sure my brothers used yo-yos as weapons against me when we were younger, too.
22. Colgate faced a big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking Countries because Colgate translates into the command "go hang Yourself."
23. More than 40,000 parasites and 250 types of bacteria are exchanged during a French kiss. Ooh, la la.
24. Camels have 3 eyelids.
16. Humans carry more Bacterial Cells than Human cells...you are more bacteria than you are you.
17. Tiger shark embryos fight each other in their mother's womb, the survivor is then born... I like to think that's how I came into the world too.
18. American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class.
19. Elephant teeth can weight as much as 9 pounds.
20. The pound (#) key is called an octothorp.
21. Yo-Yos were once used as weapons in the Philippines. Great mental image there, folks. Pretty sure my brothers used yo-yos as weapons against me when we were younger, too.
22. Colgate faced a big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking Countries because Colgate translates into the command "go hang Yourself."
23. More than 40,000 parasites and 250 types of bacteria are exchanged during a French kiss. Ooh, la la.
24. Camels have 3 eyelids.
25. On average, you’ll spend a year of your life looking for misplaced objects..unless you're my mom then that number jumps to two
26. The last letter to be added to our alphabet was J (perhaps that's why there is no 'J Street' in South Boston?
27. Mexican jumping beans jump to get out of sunlight.
28. Rinsing bacon under cold water before frying can reduce the amount it shrinks by almost 50 percent
29. Censor for small children: If an average human scrotum were stretched until all its wrinkles were smoothed out, it could hold a basketball. Pretty insane if you ask me.
30. Similarly, the skin needed for elbow transplants must be taken from the scrotum of a cadaver.
31. An African ostrich egg weighs almost 30 pounds and is so strong that a 200-pound man can stand on it without it breaking
32. 'Alien Hand Syndrome' is a real neurological disorder in which the sufferer’s hand seems to take on a mind of its own due to the damage in the medial motor frontal region of the brain and often occurs after a brain surgery, a stroke or an infection of the brain.
So go impress a boy/girl/tranny with your knowledge of useless information and I guarantee it will incite more conversation than whatever you'd plan on saying otherwise.
Who wants to bet I forget 31 of these facts within an hour?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
You were always saying NOTHING, but it was so PROFOUND!
Feel good Wednesday Jam coming in hot.
Just try not to get up and shake it to this diddy. thank me later..after you're done sweating off all that shit you put in your body this weekend and checkin out your own dancemoves in the bedroom mirror.
Just try not to get up and shake it to this diddy. thank me later..after you're done sweating off all that shit you put in your body this weekend and checkin out your own dancemoves in the bedroom mirror.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
thrill me
For someone who doesn't write nearly as often as I'd like to, I don't claim to be a "writer" or even a "blogger" for that matter....hell I barely read these days, not that I'm proud to admit it...I'm feeling very underwhelmed by my surroundings. Today feels like Monday..and this day, this week, this month feels lacking in anything inspiring. This place, this job, this city, these people have become so mundane. I know, I know - things can always be worse- and I should be finding excitement in the little things - but I want something BIG. I'm tired of little. I'm bored with it. I'm bored with most things of late.
Why is life a cycle, and why are the days routine? Who made these rules up?!
Every morning I wake up is Groundhog's Day lately -- I am desperate to be surprised, engaged..thrilled.
I want to do this:
Needless to say I need to muster up the energy to be positive about the things I do have, and the opportunities that do exist. I also need to face the reality that anything I want to do badly enough I will make happen- and not wait for things to fall into place. As much as I think things happen for a reason, and the pieces will fall where they may, if you've found yourself in a position that you don't like, you have to fight your way out. No Universe is aligning for a person who isn't making every effort to effect change.
This morning I decided I'm going to try meditating. I'm forcing positive energy into my brain the second I wake up. A lot of the people who DO inspire me speak very highly about meditation. So, for Lent (ok, a little late) for just because...I am going to meditate every morning for 10 minutes - clear my head, selectively collect my thoughts and embrace the day.
I'm really hoping this will be a long-term change I make in my life. I've found meditation in yoga practice before to be incredibly therapeutic, but I have never gotten good at it, because I would only do it those odd times I went to yoga. Hopefully I can truly learn to meditate, and impact a positive change in my mood and overall perception. Here goes nothin!
Namaste, friends.
Why is life a cycle, and why are the days routine? Who made these rules up?!
Every morning I wake up is Groundhog's Day lately -- I am desperate to be surprised, engaged..thrilled.
I want to do this:
Needless to say I need to muster up the energy to be positive about the things I do have, and the opportunities that do exist. I also need to face the reality that anything I want to do badly enough I will make happen- and not wait for things to fall into place. As much as I think things happen for a reason, and the pieces will fall where they may, if you've found yourself in a position that you don't like, you have to fight your way out. No Universe is aligning for a person who isn't making every effort to effect change.
This morning I decided I'm going to try meditating. I'm forcing positive energy into my brain the second I wake up. A lot of the people who DO inspire me speak very highly about meditation. So, for Lent (ok, a little late) for just because...I am going to meditate every morning for 10 minutes - clear my head, selectively collect my thoughts and embrace the day.
I'm really hoping this will be a long-term change I make in my life. I've found meditation in yoga practice before to be incredibly therapeutic, but I have never gotten good at it, because I would only do it those odd times I went to yoga. Hopefully I can truly learn to meditate, and impact a positive change in my mood and overall perception. Here goes nothin!
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| maybe one day I'll have this view..but for now I'll settle for the window in my bedroom. |
Namaste, friends.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
"To put your life in danger from time to time..
... breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities." -- Nevil Shute, 'Slide Rule'.
This quote is perfect- it sums up pretty much everything I believe in life. And as promised, the Costa Rica zipline video. I wish I was good at video editing and could add some cool music but alas, the raw version you will get.
check it.
Afraid of Dying
We've all been asked the question - "what's your BIGGEST fear?" and my answer is the same everytime, and it seems no amount of coaxing can convince me to be more scared of anything else.
DYING.
Who isn't afraid of the unknown? I love life way too much for it to just end one day. the end. that's it. no fat lady singing, no floating spirits into the clouds, no 21 gun salute. Just....black.
Well, Tyler Tervooren over at Advanced Riskology wrote this awesome comparison of the likelihood of dying from some of people's worst fears:
And the chances of dying from the number one fear - public speaking - is pretty much zero. Interesting perspective, seeing as we are always making excuses NOT to do things because of the danger associated with them.
So what the hell throw caution to the wind-- god knows death didn't even cross my mind when I went skydiving, but it sure as hell does every so often when I am driving in to work in the morning. Funny how that is- my fears of death can be so rational at times, but my lack of it in other situations is almost laughable.
DYING.
Who isn't afraid of the unknown? I love life way too much for it to just end one day. the end. that's it. no fat lady singing, no floating spirits into the clouds, no 21 gun salute. Just....black.
Well, Tyler Tervooren over at Advanced Riskology wrote this awesome comparison of the likelihood of dying from some of people's worst fears:
And the chances of dying from the number one fear - public speaking - is pretty much zero. Interesting perspective, seeing as we are always making excuses NOT to do things because of the danger associated with them.
So what the hell throw caution to the wind-- god knows death didn't even cross my mind when I went skydiving, but it sure as hell does every so often when I am driving in to work in the morning. Funny how that is- my fears of death can be so rational at times, but my lack of it in other situations is almost laughable.
From the rubble comes...
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.”
-Einstein
That quote really struck me this morning. I spend far too many days dreading the monotony of what has become a life lived that is actually much more exciting than I give it credit for. Despite the seemingly endless hours spent behind a desk at work and hours logged in the evening at the gym, I get to do a lot of cool stuff that I totally take for granted.
I can bitch and moan about work all I want, but that's what affords me the opportunity to roadtrip through Costa Rica, spend weekends camping in Maine, hiking in New Hampshire, long weekends on Martha's Vineyard, snowboarding in Vermont, countless concerts all over the Northeast, visits to NYC, impromptu weekend jaunts to Rhode Island/Chicago/New York, skydiving in Western Massachusetts, dinners in the North End of Boston, Pats games, seeing the Sox/Yankees rivalry in realtime at one of the nation's oldest ballparks- Fenway, outdoor festivals, old school New England clambakes in the summertime, sailing lessons in Boston Harbor...
the list continues, and the best part is, those are all things I've just done in the last year.
Sometimes I need to be reminded to stop and smell the roses - I've managed to do everything I set out to in my lifetime, and I'm thankful to have the willpower to stick to my guns. But the flip side of that coin, is that the yearning for newness never fades - from each adventure is born a new one, with each conquest comes a new goal set, and with each endeavor embarked on a new mission is unraveled. I have never been able to sit back and relish in my accomplishment, my success is felt in just a fleeting moment and then my mind quickly wanders to..what next?
Well-- here's what's next for me for the next few months - and don't dare me to add anything to this list because I will, whether I want to or not (it's just too hard to say no for fear of missing out on an incredible experience):
-Flying a plane in March
-Bonnaroo in June
-Warrior Dash in late June
-Teach in Vietnam in September
..and that's just a tasting of some things that are bound to be taking place amidst a peppering of other last-minute, peer-pressured or self-inflicted challenges.
So no time like the present to truly revel at the beauty in really creating our own blueprints for our own lives - it's only taken me 25 years to realize that no matter what anyone else will say to me I am the only one that's responsible for the stories I'll be telling at 80- and I want them to be good.
-Einstein
That quote really struck me this morning. I spend far too many days dreading the monotony of what has become a life lived that is actually much more exciting than I give it credit for. Despite the seemingly endless hours spent behind a desk at work and hours logged in the evening at the gym, I get to do a lot of cool stuff that I totally take for granted.
I can bitch and moan about work all I want, but that's what affords me the opportunity to roadtrip through Costa Rica, spend weekends camping in Maine, hiking in New Hampshire, long weekends on Martha's Vineyard, snowboarding in Vermont, countless concerts all over the Northeast, visits to NYC, impromptu weekend jaunts to Rhode Island/Chicago/New York, skydiving in Western Massachusetts, dinners in the North End of Boston, Pats games, seeing the Sox/Yankees rivalry in realtime at one of the nation's oldest ballparks- Fenway, outdoor festivals, old school New England clambakes in the summertime, sailing lessons in Boston Harbor...
the list continues, and the best part is, those are all things I've just done in the last year.
Sometimes I need to be reminded to stop and smell the roses - I've managed to do everything I set out to in my lifetime, and I'm thankful to have the willpower to stick to my guns. But the flip side of that coin, is that the yearning for newness never fades - from each adventure is born a new one, with each conquest comes a new goal set, and with each endeavor embarked on a new mission is unraveled. I have never been able to sit back and relish in my accomplishment, my success is felt in just a fleeting moment and then my mind quickly wanders to..what next?
Well-- here's what's next for me for the next few months - and don't dare me to add anything to this list because I will, whether I want to or not (it's just too hard to say no for fear of missing out on an incredible experience):
-Flying a plane in March
-Bonnaroo in June
-Warrior Dash in late June
-Teach in Vietnam in September
..and that's just a tasting of some things that are bound to be taking place amidst a peppering of other last-minute, peer-pressured or self-inflicted challenges.
So no time like the present to truly revel at the beauty in really creating our own blueprints for our own lives - it's only taken me 25 years to realize that no matter what anyone else will say to me I am the only one that's responsible for the stories I'll be telling at 80- and I want them to be good.
Friday, February 18, 2011
a leap, a plunge, a dive, a jump
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Yesterday I stumbled across the opportunity of a lifetime after being directed to Sean's blog Location 180. I've been toying with the idea of an international relocation for quite some time now-- but the usual excuses (work, bills, student loans, finances, etc. etc.) have kept me from committing. I looked back into Sean's old posts and found that he had gone through the EXACT same struggle before he jumped ship to Thailand with nothing but a backpack and a laptop.
Sean pretty much grappled with the same issues I did, and I swear he was inside my head (or maybe I have been inside his) because he writes verbatim what I've been thinking all along.
Right now I'm committed to living the life I want, and only I can build it. I refuse to succumb to the pressures of society that say that I have to sit on my ass at a desk for 10 hours a day to be a productive member of society. Me firing off emails to other people wealthier than I is not contributing much to any society, except for the upper class gentry of which I'll never be a part of if I stay on this track. My motivation is lost, my mission is no longer true, and I have such an anxious yearning to do something bigger- to really follow my dreams.
I have a litmus test of sorts that I use on myself to determine if something is worth doing - it's always worked in the past, and I suspect it will work now. If I have an idea of something I want to do that scares the absolute crap out of me with not an inkling of an idea of what the potential outcome could be, or ramifications for that matter - if I'm struggling with the decision but there is an eagerness and excitement about the uncertainty... I've got to go for it. It's just how I operate and it's how I've done what I've been able to accomplish in my life so far:
- Moving to Florida from NY at age 17
- Moving to Boston from Florida at age 19
- Backpacking Europe at 21 with no plan, no guidebooks and NO clue
- Whitewater Rafting in the Swiss alps with a CRAZY Aussie guide and a bunch of Germans
- Skydiving in Western Mass. (not only skydiving but backflipping twice out of the plane)
- Whitewater Rafting the highest water release in the mountains of Maine
- Leaving a secure full time job in PR to pursue a Biz. Dev. position at an Internet startup (which later failed)
- 2 weeks of road tripping through Costa Rica including a trek through the jungle and finishing the highest, longest zipline in the country ('Superman' style -- I'll post the vid soon)
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| 27 hour ferry ride with friends- Venice to Greece |
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| handstands in the Coloseum |
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| romanced in Paris |
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| getting ready to skydive |
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| driving through the California desert |
Now I've been spending the past 2+ years in a job that I like (I use that term loosely), but it certainly doesn't thrill me. So, as usual, I am restless and ready for a change. I've had a timeline in my head since I moved back to Boston after graduating, that time came and went, and now I'm holding myself to a new timeline -- fall of 2011. That means I need to decide and I need to decide fast.
Here are some of the plans that I'm seriously considering:
- Teaching English abroad - most likely Thailand or Taiwan, maybe S. Korea - the last two are more lucrative financially, but the first one is ...simply put.... paradise.
- Risk: Expensive - if I pursue this it's going to mean sinking at least $4K into getting a CELTA certification, getting to my destination and incurring living expenses until work starts. CELTA is the most expensive but most broadly accepted certification, and the only one accepted in EU countries (plus it's a salary booster because of its credibility)
- Plus I would be A-L-O-N-E in a very, very different environment where I have no prior experience, no understanding of the language/culture/food/customs....life. Gotta consider my mental state, yo. Thailand is attractive due to the fact that it's home to so many expats I don't think I would feel quite so out of my element, but pay here is lower than in Taiwan or Vietnam.
- Au Pair in Italy - always been on my bucket list to live in Italy, given the strict EU permissions around non-EU citizens working in Europe (basically impossible unless company sponsored) this seems like the way to go, plus a lot of these families are pretty loaded and looking for a nanny that can travel with the fam.
- Not really launching me into a new career..really just delaying the inevitable.
- 6 month visa to Australia - not sure what I'd do, but it would get me out of here and settled somewhere else. I could figure this one out as I go along, I think....
- But - it's so far!!!!!!!
So there ya have it. I'll be posting my bucket list in the next few days...mostly for my own good rather than anyone else's. Gotta sort all this shit out some how - I've had a traffic jam in my brain going on 5 months that's just about ready to collide.
Friday, February 4, 2011
a stitch in time
I got stitches earlier this week. Don't look at this if you get at all queasy. I'm not gonna lie, and you can judge me, I was PSYCHED to get them. It really reaffirms my bad-assness, I think. Plus, it'll be my second legit scar so that's cool because I think scars are kinda rad on girls...well, I guess it depends on the scar, really...prob it's location too because I def don't want the Continental Divide running down the middle of my face I'm all set with that.
Check it.
Check it.
Epiphany vs. Instinct
I realized a funny thing 2 days ago. After battling back to back snow storms followed by freezing rain, a night capped off in hail, tears and a half mile long walk in ice back to my apartment..I walked in to find my hero of a boyfriend pouring me a healthy glass of wine. I was inconsolably upset, mostly from work but a tad from the treacherous battle of parking spots that commences after every snow storm in my neighborhood. I vented for a solid twenty minutes while gulping sipping my wine, tears flowing like a five year old who just got denied an ice cream cone. Eventually after my rant I calmed down, took a deep breath, another slug of wine and I dug into my work bag and ripped out a recipe for these:
Sinful and slightly fat kid disgusting, I know. Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. These ones are like, half the size of the monsters I put out. But anyways, I take one more slug of wine and then skip downstairs and start taking my aggression out on two sticks of butter.
While I was stirring, baking, measuring and making an overall mess of my kitchen...I noticed how much I had calmed down from my earlier panic attack. I had completely forgotten about it.
So then I started thinking that, given my recent quarter life crises/life analysis, is this how people find their true calling? I never thought of being a baker or a chef, but to this day I still claim my all time favorite job ever was working in an Italian bakery for 3 years in high school. So...does that mean that I need to start thinking outside the boundaries of what I think my college degree afforded me? Or was this just my natural instinct-- to focus on something else that requires undivided attention to forget about the troubles of my day. I just really enjoy cooking and baking, but I'm not sure I could devote a lifetime to it. Then again, I have always LOVED the idea of opening up my own bakery/coffee shop. And I'm not sure what my other hobbies are, but maybe this is when i start finding out-- as I keep searching for the next road I need to go down..should be interesting.
And the cookies were bomb btw but I woke up feeling 28 lbs heavier.
PS- got this recipe from http://picky-palate.com/ - Jenny is a rockstar of a mom/chef/superhero and I wanna be her when I grow up..she has no idea who I am btw.
Sinful and slightly fat kid disgusting, I know. Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. These ones are like, half the size of the monsters I put out. But anyways, I take one more slug of wine and then skip downstairs and start taking my aggression out on two sticks of butter.
While I was stirring, baking, measuring and making an overall mess of my kitchen...I noticed how much I had calmed down from my earlier panic attack. I had completely forgotten about it.
So then I started thinking that, given my recent quarter life crises/life analysis, is this how people find their true calling? I never thought of being a baker or a chef, but to this day I still claim my all time favorite job ever was working in an Italian bakery for 3 years in high school. So...does that mean that I need to start thinking outside the boundaries of what I think my college degree afforded me? Or was this just my natural instinct-- to focus on something else that requires undivided attention to forget about the troubles of my day. I just really enjoy cooking and baking, but I'm not sure I could devote a lifetime to it. Then again, I have always LOVED the idea of opening up my own bakery/coffee shop. And I'm not sure what my other hobbies are, but maybe this is when i start finding out-- as I keep searching for the next road I need to go down..should be interesting.
And the cookies were bomb btw but I woke up feeling 28 lbs heavier.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Diaries of Misfortune
Apparently when I said "once weekly" I meant once monthly. In any event, get a load of this one:
This morning I decided I was going in late to work because honestly, who is going to notice? Well..besides my bosses who happen to be the CEO and COO, but other than that I mean WTF I work everyday, what's ten minutes, right?
Well...I get to my office and lo and behold the line for the parking garage is obscene because as usual, only one entrance is working. So I inch my way along until it's my turn to enter, I wave my pass..one time, two times...five times..six times until I am basically holding it against the censor only for it to blink red then green quickly then back to red, but no open gate. Cool. So while I have about 15 cars lined up behind mine and around the corner I get out of my car and shrug my shoulders rather emphatically to the 3 or so cars behind me. I receive several angry honks back, so I motion for them to reverse to let me out....no dice. Finally the way-too-eager-to-get-to-work woman behind me backs away to let me out. Mortified, I get back in my car and back out of the parking garage entrance and pull away slowly to see if the stupid lever is broken or if I am just special-ed.
Alas, everyone else enters no problem. So I pull around to the garage office, at this point I am running on 30 minutes late to work mind you, I throw my car next to the curb and go see what's going on. They tell me all is well in cyberspace and my card should work fine blah blah blah. So I go back to my car after warning them the raucous I just caused trying to enter, and start my car. Except..it doesn't start. Ok, turn the key harder..nope. Click click DEAD.
Sweet. So I go back to the office garage for some cables and thank god, they were able to send out the maintenance guy to jump it. That worked surprisingly well and I sauntered into work sunglasses on circa 10 am, with a meeting that I am completely and embarrassingly unprepared for in 30 minutes. It's fine. Happy Thursday to me.
This morning I decided I was going in late to work because honestly, who is going to notice? Well..besides my bosses who happen to be the CEO and COO, but other than that I mean WTF I work everyday, what's ten minutes, right?
Well...I get to my office and lo and behold the line for the parking garage is obscene because as usual, only one entrance is working. So I inch my way along until it's my turn to enter, I wave my pass..one time, two times...five times..six times until I am basically holding it against the censor only for it to blink red then green quickly then back to red, but no open gate. Cool. So while I have about 15 cars lined up behind mine and around the corner I get out of my car and shrug my shoulders rather emphatically to the 3 or so cars behind me. I receive several angry honks back, so I motion for them to reverse to let me out....no dice. Finally the way-too-eager-to-get-to-work woman behind me backs away to let me out. Mortified, I get back in my car and back out of the parking garage entrance and pull away slowly to see if the stupid lever is broken or if I am just special-ed.
Alas, everyone else enters no problem. So I pull around to the garage office, at this point I am running on 30 minutes late to work mind you, I throw my car next to the curb and go see what's going on. They tell me all is well in cyberspace and my card should work fine blah blah blah. So I go back to my car after warning them the raucous I just caused trying to enter, and start my car. Except..it doesn't start. Ok, turn the key harder..nope. Click click DEAD.
Sweet. So I go back to the office garage for some cables and thank god, they were able to send out the maintenance guy to jump it. That worked surprisingly well and I sauntered into work sunglasses on circa 10 am, with a meeting that I am completely and embarrassingly unprepared for in 30 minutes. It's fine. Happy Thursday to me.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Seriously.
Just really had to share this link:
Read that article then do what it says. I swear it's about me.
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