I love this poem.  I do.  It brought me some serious inspiration, and I hope it does the same for you. The Journey by Mary Oliver One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice- though the whole house began to tremble [...]

During the past weeks I’ve put a lot of thought into what’s next.  Not in the I-have-to-plan-every-detail sort of way, but in the if-I-could-do-anything-what-would-I-do way.  And you know what I would do?  I would travel the world.  Big surprise, I know.  As a matter of fact, I’m sure you’re gasping at your astonishment that such [...]

I have a request.  When you hurt someone, say you’re sorry.  Even if you didn’t mean it.  Even if you did everything you possibly could to prevent it.  Even if it’s their fault.  Even if they should know — they should just know you would never do anything to hurt them.  If it turns out [...]

I hesitated to publish that last post.  I worried that people would cringe when they read it; I worried what they would think.  I hoped my family wouldn’t bring it up.  (For that matter, I sort of hoped they wouldn’t see it.)  It’s hard for me to be open.  It’s even harder for me to [...]

Every once in a while, something hits you.  Like in the face.  Here’s what hit me:  I suck at reading people.  I mean, I used to think I was pretty good at it.  I used to think I was a pretty good judge of character, of intentions, of reality.  I was a damn psych major [...]

After a While by Veronica Shoffstall After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul and you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning and company doesn’t always mean security. And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts and presents aren’t promises and you begin to accept your [...]

I am quite content to report I did a whole heck of a lot of nothing over winter break.  I am, however, less content to report that winter break is pretty much over. Now, when I say I did a whole heck of a lot of nothing, I really mean I did nothing I didn’t [...]

When you’re super, super excited about the new year, what’s the best way to say goodbye to the current one?  Create a slideshow, of course!  So I set about to pick my favorite moments of 2011.  Naturally, I assumed all of them would be in Southeast Asia.  I was surprised to see that I did [...]

It would seem I woke up at the most inopportune time in the morning, and my mind has begun to race.  This hasn’t happened in quite a while, but I figure I might as well make the most of it.  No sense tossing and turning when I can write and perhaps do something productive.  I’m [...]

If you read my last post about travel plans, you know I’ve been thinking a lot about 2012.  (Not to worry, I’ve also been spending time enjoying precisely where I’m at.)  I just happen to think there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting excited about what lies ahead.  And it would seem 2012 will be worth [...]