Love is Cornbread

Last night, I celebrated Valentine's Day by stepping into a new community, one different than any other I've been a part of before.

Every week, a couple in town hosts a Cornbread Supper. They open their house to their neighbors and the surrounding community to share in good food and good company. Friends and strangers alike are invited to bring a dish to share (but if they can't, it's OK), and each week a group of anywhere from 15 to 55 people assembles in the kitchen of this home. Although you never know what's going to be served (though, if last night was any indication, it's always something yummy), there's always some form of cornbread gracing the table. The hosts say their cookbooks are filled with variations on this hearty recipe and it's a Kentucky gustatory staple that shouldn't be ignored.

The mix of people who attends Cornbread Suppers is an eclectic yet delightful one. There's the young woman who opened the town's only bikram yoga studio, the pastor with two kids who is getting ready to write his second book and the nearly retired professor who is a pioneer in sustainable architecture. There's the young guy who opened the town's only shop that serves fresh, Italian pasta, and the older gentleman who plays violin for a group that practices a traditional form of English country dancing. Kids run around with carefree pleasure while the wiser, more experienced generation listens fondly to those of us living our adventure somewhere in between.

The open hospitality of this community is one that is rarely shared in our bustling self-centered society, and I'm so grateful to have been welcomed into the house where the smell of cornbread baking matches the love extended to other human beings--warm, comforting, fulfilling. The evening got me to thinking, can something as simple as cornbread change the world?

Photo thanks!

Happiness

I'm currently reading the book The Geography of Bliss, where reporter Eric Weiner travels to the world's most happy countries, searching for the source of bliss. (What a cool job!) I'm only two and a half chapters into the book, but I can already see where this is leading: There is no formula to happiness.

In the U.S., we put such an emphasis on being "happy." But in this seemingly hopeless pursuit, we often find ourselves falling short of our goal. Why do you think this is? Do you think happiness is impossible to achieve? Or maybe it's just overrated?

I'm beginning to thing happiness is arbitrary. We can decide to be happy or not be happy, but from there, we still have to live life. What is the heart of the matter? That I'm still trying to figure out. Maybe goodness or sincerity. Or faithfulness. Maybe happiness is part of the equation, but not the solution we need to find.

Unlike Weiner, I'm no expert on the subject of happiness, but I've learned a thing or two about it in my failed attempts to achieve it. Here you go:

• Happiness involves people. There's a reason we live in community with one another instead of in isolation. In a life apart from the people we love and trust--or are merely getting to know--we are unable to receive or spread joy.
• Happiness involves nature. Have you ever felt the weight lifted off your shoulders as you turn off the tv/computer/cell phone/iPad and take a step into the natural world? Stomp through leaves in a forest or let the waves of the ocean tickle your toes. You'll see what I mean.
• Happiness involves food. OK, nothing quite makes the perfect day as a sushi dinner followed by Jeni's ice cream--but that's not what I mean. Happiness comes when our basic needs are met ... not indulged ... met.
• Happiness involves God. If you think you are on top of the world, you're only setting yourself up to fall. (It's the law of gravity, friends.) Knowing that there's something bigger than yourself in control should not only bring relief. It should bring happiness.
• Happiness starts on the inside. You can't put on a smile and fake happiness. You'll never fall for your own charade.

What are your thoughts on happiness? How do you achieve it? Photo thanks!

Moving Forward: Gain and Loss

I drink prophetic tea. Mostly because it tastes delicious, and partly because the tea label imparts words of wisdom like this:

For every loss there's an equal gain. For every gain an equal loss.

These words couldn't ring more true for me in this part of my life, where it seems like every decision I make yields amazing joy yet requires immense sacrifice.

You could say I've moved out of the "honeymoon phase" of life, so to speak. The idealism of my teenage years and the glory days of college have passed in a whirlwind, and tiny bits of reality have seeped into my thought process. (What a bummer!) Don't get me wrong, I still possess an unflinching hope for the adventure ahead, but I also know that every move I make not only takes me a step forward in that adventure but also causes me to leave something behind.

Recently, that step forward has been "nesting" in my current town: committing to organizations, branching out to meet new people ... to put it simply, planting roots here. In the year-plus since I've moved to this place, I haven't allowed myself to do that. I've clung to my original roots--old friends, old hobbies, an old way of thinking--and that hindered my moving-on process. While all those things I held on to were (are!) wonderful in their own right, place and time, I allowed myself to linger in them, which caused me to sacrifice the relationship I have with this new phase of my life.

The 20-something journey is a little like adolescence. You're no longer the "kid" you once were, but the idea becoming a settled adult seems preposterous. Letting go of the comforts of the past is difficult--I'd even go so far as to say a little heart-breaking--but a sense of freedom comes in relinquishing control and allowing new opportunities to prevail.

Good things have come out of the few weeks since I took that step forward, saying to myself, "I'm going to be happy here (here being the physical city I live in and the time of life I occupy) until it's time for me to move on." I'm sure the gain won't come without its struggles, but that's all part of the adventure, isn't it?

Photo thanks!

I Gots Vision

Have you ever played the "Which is Worse?" game. You know, the one where you are given two completely horrible scenarios, and you have to choose the lesser of the two evils.

Which is worse: Eating only Brussels sprouts for a week or go hungry for a week?

Which is worse: Never being to be able to tell the truth or never being able to tell a lie?

One of my personal favorite scenarios, which I contemplate often:

Which is worse: Losing your eyesight or losing your hearing?

As is for most people, this question is a toughy for me. I love playing and listening different kinds of music and having great conversations and eavesdropping on people in coffee shops. (The sound of laughter is so infectious.) But when it comes down to it, to completely lose my sight would be devestating.

Just think about how much you would miss out on.

For me, I couldn't continue my job, which depends solely on my ability to see words on a page. I couldn't stroll a museum to enjoy painted masterpieces or stroll the mall to scoff at hideous fashion. I couldn't bask in the glow of a beautiful sunset or the coziness of a rainy Saturday afternoon. I couldn't people watch, examining fellow mankind for their eccentric ideosyncracies. I couldn't appreciate a thoughtful greeting card sent by a dear friend or laugh at the look my cat gives me when she wants to play. I couldn't delight in the color Persian Green simply because it's a fabulous shade on the color wheel, and I couldn't take in the delicate grace of a ballerina on stage, imagining myself in her point shoes for a couple short hours.

I think the reason I know I couldn't bear the ability to not see is because I've been there, done that. Legally blind, a pair of misplaced glasses or a ripped contact would leave me handicapped, unable to cope on my own. Although I've lived with this reality most of my life, the concept of lost vision is humbling at best and frightening at worst.

The past couple months, I've battled one eye problem after another, from allergies to cornea infections, that have left me struggling to clearly focus on the world around me. A visit to the optomitrist confirmed that one of my eyes has gone from really bad to even worse. (Imagine only being able to see 3 inches in front of your face when you could once see 6 inches away. It's that bad.)

Thank goodness small miracles come in the form of high-prescription contacts and competent doctors. Today, I'm back in the business of seeing properly, but momentary handicaps really do make you think, don't they?

Have you ever found yourself living out a "Which is Worse?" situation? Tell me about it.

Reconnecting

In the grand scheme of things, seven months is not all that long. But when you’ve been disconnected, cut off, seven months—more than half a year—can seem like a lifetime. That’s right, the reason I have not written you since (ack!) May is because I have been wireless, as in without wires.

As in, without anything. No cable. No internet. Nada.

Well, friends, I sucked it up and am paying an extravagant bill (it really is quite pricey!) every month so that I can be here with you on a regular basis. Gosh! I really have missed it.

My first day back online was filled with so many horrors. What did they do to my Facebook profile? What the hell is a Groupon? I can’t remember my Blogger password!!

But it also brought the delight of opportunity. The chance to reach out to friends new and old. The nudge I needed to plot out the next steps in this crazy life adventure.

To tell you the truth. The past seven months, I’ve been coasting. Not only have I let this blog fizzle, I’ve let my attitude toward this great journey of ours grow rather dull, as well. So the next few months are going to be about experiments. Digging into life in this no-longer-new town of mine that still seems so new. And reworking this blog so it suits the adventure.

Please don’t mind the mess as I experiment with new design styles and figure out this blog’s niche. In fact, feel free to give me your input along the way. It would be great to reconnect.

Photo thanks!

The Kick in the Pants I Needed

Ok, so maybe I did needed to jump out of a plane to cure my pre-summer funk.

Skydiving was awesome. (I say this like there's any other option.) The worst thing about the whole experience, is the ascent. When you go diving, they squeeze as many jumpers into a tiny plane as possible, so you feel like a can of sardines. My tandem, Gila, and I, sat by the pilot, so you know what that means ... we were jumping last.

With each foot we climbed, I could feel the pit in my stomach growing. Grass and pavement turned into green and black splash marks, while houses and buildings became little white clusters. According to Gila, most jumpers' "Oh, sh*t!" moment, is the 10 seconds you stand at the door before taking the plunge. "So we're going to make that part as quick as possible," he said.

Whew!

After he found out I'm an "experienced" jumper (one jump? hardly!), he asked if I was "feeling a little frisky" today. Absolutely, I said.

So during our free fall (about a minute total) we did some somersaults, floated on our backs and did some 360 spins on our stomachs. I saw the ground, the sky and stared the sun right in the face. It was cool (much cooler than on the ground), and the action was freeing.

Once we pulled the chute (I was offered the honors, but that was one responsibility I wasn't confident in taking on that day), we flew around for maybe 5 minutes. We swung by the other jumpers and had face-to-face chats in the air. And best of all, the landing was simple and smooth--two feet on the ground, no sudden jolts and all body parts in tact.

Lessons Learned

Hello dear bloggy friends!

Words cannot describe how very much I've missed you over the past couple months. As I sit here and type this, I'm actually getting a little weepy-eyed over how negligent I've been of this blog and of you. Amid getting wrapped up in my no-longer-as-new life in this no-longer-as-new city, I've forgotten that part of the fun of the journey is to get to share it with you.

Well, that negligence stops now!

So what exactly have I been doing since I last left you? (Oh my, we last spoke March 30!) Well, here's a quick little recap. (Hopefully I can remember the deets ... it's been such a blur.)

1. I finished a majorly huge project at work. It ate up a lot of my hours and a lot of my energy, but all the hard work paid off. The website I've been working on since... well... since I started my job, is finally off the ground! After spending so much of my life (4 years college and 3 years post grad) preparing for such a feat, it's refreshing to see the fruits of my (and my wonderful co-workers') labor!

2. I ran my 3rd half marathon. And we started the race in a thunderstorm. Epic! The race was amazing ... despite having thrown out my back (doing yoga, of all things) a mere week prior, I ran my easiest, fastest 13 miles yet at 2:12. Best of all, I reunited with my college running buddies and had my favorite guy and favorite mother cheering me on.

3. I got a cat. I adopted a 5-year-old kitten from my friend's soon-to-be hubby because she's deathly allergic to animals. The cat's name is Ringo, but I affectionately call her "Kitten." Actually, she was pretty much MIA for our first month together. (A bit of a scaredy cat, I'm afraid.) Just recently she's come out to play and cuddle ... and jump on my table top. (Bad kitten!)

4. I officially became a PC user. It's not something I'm proud of, but sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I still keep my little iBook on hand if I need to stroke its glossy white casing or feel the urge to drag-n-drop. Maybe, just maybe, I can one day return to the days of Mac bliss (maybe if their prices drop a couple hundred), but for now this PC gets the job done.

4. I nurtured a long-distance relationship. Three hours has been more difficult than I imagined, but completely worth it. We're going three months strong. Coincidentally, three months ago is when my blog posts became more sparse. I swear this is merely coincidental, but I give you permission to throw a little blame in his direction. (Wink.)

5. I bought Ikea pillows. This really needs no explanation. Ikea is awesome and the pillows are pretty.

Of course, all these events are not just moments swept under the rug. The past couple months have challenged me in many ways and I feel like I've really grown through these experiences (especially through the Ikea pillow-buying). Here are my (dum dum dum)...

LESSONS LEARNED:

1. Never (I mean NEVER!) launch a website and train for any physical competition at the same time. When you have to choose between checking an item off your exponentially growing work-to-do list and running 10 miles, and the hour is reaching 8 p.m., you are not in a good place. I'm not at all skeptical that this mental and physical stress revealed itself in a rather painful back spasm. (Oh, the hard lessons we 20-somethings must learn.)

2. Cats aren't dogs. I'm utterly swept up in dog envy, but due to apartment constraints and the inability to be a good mommy to a little sweetie pie of a puppy, a cat seemed like a good compromise for pet companionship. While the cat and I are warming up rather nicely to each other, she doesn't fulfill my longing to add a dog to the family.

3. I can live with a PC, but I need to buy my own Internet. Confession of a blogger: I stole Internet from my neighbor for about 6 months after moving in. Well, they moved and I'm unconnected. About a month later, I'm starting to feel the burden. Sometime in the near future, I'm going to suck it up and become a real adult. An adult who doesn't steal. (Stealing is bad.)

4. Ikea is awesome. The second time I visit, I will allow myself more than 2 hours to browse the apex of affordable home decor.

5. I will never leave you again. Ok, I can't make complete promises --life does indeed happen sometimes. But this oath I will give to you: You are important to me, and I will go the distance to share this journey with you.

Tell me, dear friends: What has life thrown your way lately?

Photo thanks!

Nature's Mood Booster

This morning, as I walked out of the door of my tiny apartment, ready to face the day, I found no surprise in the fact that it was a little cold. It's been a little cold (you know, just a tad) since the calender page turned to November. Used to the winter routine, I pulled on my gloves, wrapped my scarf tight and headed out to start the car.

When I stepped out from under the awning, I was stunned with the inundation of a bright and shining light beaming down from the heavens.

"God, is that you?" I asked. "Am I dying?"

I listened for a response. Nothing.

I squinted and made awkward, scrunchy faces and tried to duck behind the shield of my arms. I fiddled in my bag for my sunglasses, but no such luck. They lay on the dashboard of the car. Finally, after a few seconds my eyes adjusted to the glare and I realized the true source of this unexpected luminosity.

"It's the sun!" I cried from the depths of my soul, celebrating in its splendor, and fist-pumping the air for good measure. "The world is mine to conquer!"

Stopping for only a short moment to bask in the glory of this first sign of spring, off to conquer the day (and the world) I went.

*Disclaimer: The author of this blog might have gotten a little carried away in her excitement to see the sunshine on a morning in early March. While the story does reflect her true emotion, it's probably a safe bet that she did not cry out from the depths of her soul, as her neighbors might have called the police. However, it's possible she imagined herself giving the air a small fist-pump in celebration of this happy occasion.

Photo thanks!

My, What a Difference a Decade Makes!

Forget the new year. How has your new decade been?

Ten years seems to have gone by so fast, but looking back, it's quite amazing to see how things have changed.

In 2000, I was in my first year of high school.
In 2010, I am in my first year of grown-up job.

In 2000, my hobbies included ballet, journaling and training for 5Ks.
In 2010, my hobbies include yoga, blogging and training for half marathons.

In 2000, you could hear some mixture of R&B or pop coming out of my boom box.
In 2010, you can hear some mixture of country and singer-songwriters coming out of my iPod.

In 2000, the weirdest song topping the charts was Blue (Daba De Daba Di) by Eiffle 65.
In 2010, the weirdest song topping the charts is Paparazzi, or anything else by Lady Gaga.

In 2000, I was out of touch with technology because I talked on a household phone still connected to the wall.
In 2010, I am out of touch with technology because I don't have a phone with apps.

In 2000, I got excited about buying spaghetti-strap tank tops.
In 2010, I get excited about buying salad spinners.

In 2000, I wondered if I'd find a date to homecoming that year.
In 2010, I wonder if I'll have a date for the next 10,000 weddings this year.

In 2000, the farthest I'd ever traveled was Disney World. I stayed a week.
In 2010, the farthest I've ever traveled is Cambodia. I stayed a year.

In 2000, the biggest drama in my life was what to do with my Friday night.
In 2010, the biggest drama in my life is what to do with my life.

I can't wait to see what the next 10 years have in store. What changes have you seen during the 2000s? Tell me please!

Photo thanks!

I Believe...

This is the time of year to believe - to believe in Santa or God or goodwill or yourself. Among the hustle and bustle that the holidays can bring, it's important to focus a bit of your energy into your beliefs, and assure that nothing tramples them. Inspired by Totally Tay's holiday exercise, here's what I believe.

I believe...

...I'll make it home for Christmas.

...a good hour of yoga can wipe clean a week of life's dirt.

...deliberately putting yourself in uncomfortable situations makes you a stronger person in the end.

...gummy worms make a better movie snack than popcorn.

...time with loved ones trumps all.

...if you don't play Euchre, you're not from the Midwest.

...daydreaming is good for the soul.

...Ramsey's is, hands down, the best restaurant in Lexington.

...everyone should own a pair of fuzzy pink slippers.

...giving gifts is more fun than receiving them.

...we all have an artistic side.

...Jesus loves me.

...dog owners are happier people.

...if you have time to complain about your work, you're not as busy as you might think.

...traditions are important.

...everyone knows how to dance -- some just refuse to share their talent.

...in flossing.

...beauty is in the tiniest details.

...you should go an hour without touching your iPhone/Blackberry/smart phone.

...road trips need a good soundtrack - and John Mellencamp should be included.

...this world is temporary.

...white walls are scary.

...we are too wasteful.

...dark beer is for relaxing and red wine is for giggling.

...books are best read while sitting in a big comfy chair.

...thesauruses are awesome but dangerous if placed in the wrong hands.

...wearing white after Labor Day is ok.

...in second chances.

...all you need is LOVE.

...you should spend time getting to know a foreign culture.

...serendipitous moments are the ones worth living for.

...in eating your fruits and vegetables (and whole grains).

...blonds really do have more fun.

Tell me, what do you believe?

Can We Leave No Impact?

I've got green thoughts swirling around my brain. No, not the green thoughts of money or thoughts of envy. They are green thoughts of greywater systems and backyard chickens and vermiculture and food miles.

Just months ago, "going green" was an idyllic, faddish notion that I bought into but didn't really understand. It meant recycling and shopping with a canvas bag and buying local honey. But now, as I sit here writing this post under the warmth of a flannel blanket so I can conserve energy, I'm seriously contemplating washing my hair with baking soda and vinegar and feeling guilty for letting perfectly clean water run down the drain as I let my shower warm up this morning.

And I'm struggling on a mental level because I don't want to give up my everyday, wasteful conveniences. I don't want to think that the shampoo I use is killing fish in the ocean or that the packaging around my favorite cookies will sit in a landfill for eternity or that the boots that I just bought and love cost goodness knows how much in carbon emissions to get to me. These are all things I could give up and replace with more sustainable options, but I'm physically having a hard time jumping that hurdle.

Why?

According to Colin Beavan, I'm just doing my citizen duty. Not needing something, but wanting it anyway is what it means to be a good American, he says.

Colin is the No Impact Man. (Maybe you read his book or saw him on The Colbert Report.)

He and his family lived a year of sustainability. They cut the trash out of their life (literally) by becoming consumer conscious, they ate local food, they gave up wasteful transportation. They even gave up electricity for six months! YIKES!

While I'll never strive for this version of the green life, these sorts of actions make me think. (As they should you.) What crap do we have in our lives that's hurting our Earth and our own health? What little steps can we take to change?

Contemplate these thoughts with me.

So maybe we aren't bigwigs in Copenhagen debating climate change. But pretty soon I will test the baking soda "no-poo" method of washing my hair and you'll replace your trashcan with a worm bin. (Or maybe you won't.) Anyway, we've got to do something, right? Is it possible to make no impact?

"One Day" is Today

"Sitting still and wishing makes no person great." ~Author Unknown

My great grandma wrote this on the back of a makeshift list of monthly expenses in December 1980. It's a random oddity to find (and still have around), but I think she might have been onto something when she scribbled down that proverb 30 years ago.

We all have lofty dreams, don't we? We want to travel the world. Find that perfect job. Run that marathon. Write that novel. Whatever it is we aspire to do "one day" keeps us moving forward. It gives us something to put our hope in. These dreams and desires are good--really good--things to have in our lives.

But when does that "one day" come?

It's a struggle to turn our "want to's" into "have done's," isn't it? We've all at one point or another reached a goal and felt the blissful satisfaction of accomplishment. But if we take a step back to reassess our lives, we realize that most of these wonderful ambitions we have lay dormant. And the world is missing out.

I'm completely guilty of the sin of complacency. I wrote a thousand words and I "got busy." I ran 5 miles and I "got tired." I bought the seeds but they sit on my shelf. I'll ____ as soon as ____ (fill in the blanks). We've all made excuses, but what better time than NOW to put our dreams into motion?

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to chat with a local community activist. (These sorts of people always put me to shame.) He teaches kids to express their ideas through art. He educates the public on the importance of sustainable living. He builds hoop houses where food will be grown to feed the hungry. He has a passion and he acts upon it--not when the time seems right, but NOW.

Of course, if you are like me, you have way too many dreams to count, and perhaps if you had three extra days in the week and the ability to function without sleep, you could make them happen. But instead of trying to accomplish everything at once, start small. Make a pact with yourself not to procrastinate on the laundry or the dishes this week. Or go sign up to volunteer for that organization you've been looking into. Take the plunge and buy your plane ticket to Morocco!

Join me in making at least one of our dreams a reality this month. (I'm going to send out Christmas cards and sign up to volunteer.) We will become great because of it.

(P.S. I procrastinated on the dishes. Just goes to show, you can't do it all.)

Photo thanks: TristanGreer

Life's Detours: Lessons and Tolls Thus Far

It's both funny and obscure to think of the distances we travel in a short amount of time. Often it feel like time goes by so slowly, but then you step back and wonder how you got to where you are. I've been in transition for two years now, and I've definitely seen my fair share of big orange signs labeled LIFE DETOUR.

I cannot skulk at the outcome so far, however. My first week into my "real world" job that the J School of Ohio University so diligently prepared me for, I've truly begun to realize effects those little bends in the road have had on me. Along the way, I wondered when that realization would set in, and though I've yet to reach the "I'm too old for this" point in my life, it's interesting to note the changes I see in myself.

I've lost my stamina. In college, I'd get up for class at 8 a.m., run across campus for lectures and meetings, drain my brain of creativity and coherent thought, study at the library or copy edit at the paper until two in the morning, chat and sip tea with dorm mates until 4 a.m. (no really, it was tea, I was a lame excuse for a college student) and started the process all over again the next day. How did we do it back then? Two years of barista-ing, traveling and the like, and I've turned to mush. It's time to build that endurance back up.

I've gained the capacity to live life alone. I was the girl who turned into a social hypochondriac if I was sitting alone on a Tuesday night. Evil thoughts swirled around my head. Why does everyone hate me? Have I turned into that weird little blob on the social anxiety disorder commercial? I had to be busy at all times. Lunch dates. Evening engagements. Extra-curriculars. It boosted my confidence or something. Well, one year in Cambodia cured that. Now, I'll gladly redeem a day at the office for a quiet evening at home. (As long as Facebook can join, of course.)

I do not fear ambiguity. Although college taught me lessons in expecting the unexpected, nothing could have prepared me for life the past two years. My conversation with LIFE went a little like this:

• You want me to pour coffee for guys in suits this morning and blend icy cappuccino drinks for teeny boppers tomorrow night? Ok, I can handle that.
• You want me to drive across the country in my barely moving vehicle and live near the beach for three months? Alright, it's risky but worth the adventure.
• You want me to fly across the world with only a suitcase in each hand to a country where I don't speak the language and figure it all out once I land? You're crazy, but what do I have to lose.
• You want me to sit around all day, making no contribution to the world? (Not even to my savings account?!) That, is where I draw the line, my friend.
  

Muscles I never knew I had were stretched and strengthened. The warm-up is over and now I'm just waiting for the real challenge.

I've gained patience. I used to be a "RESULTS NOW!" kind of girl who got her panties in a ruffle if things didn't go according to plan. Ok, maybe I'm still a little like that, but looking back up to that ambiguity thing, I've come a long way. Now I'm a "things going awry?, take a step back, breath a little, RESULTS NOW!" kind of girl. (Hey, that's improvement.)

Yes, it's cool to browse old photo albums and think about how our life's path led us to THIS exact spot. And when things start seeming tough (like you spend 8 hours at the office messing with a finicky content management system), you can think that this is just another one of life's detours, and keep on trucking. I especially love to keep in mind this quote I found via naturally nina from an unknown source:

"As you journey through life, choose your destinations well, but do not hurry there. Avoid the shortcuts... wander the back roads... enjoy the scenery. And remember that the true worth of your travels lies not in the destination but in who you come to be along the way."

So life is sorta tough at the moment (like the whole wanting to crash at 8 p.m. thing), but as Emily mentioned on the last post, it can be difficult the first couple weeks, but things will get easier. Luckily, I've evolved to the point where I can endure. Cheers to that!

Thanks all for all your encouraging words along the way (via OUA and other modes of communication). If my posts seem a little sparse in the short while, don't shed a tear. I'm just passed out on the couch and will be back soon.

In the meantime, take a step back. What has life taught you in the last year? Two years? Five? TEN???

Countdown to Kentucky: 5 Days

Is it possible to miss the city you haven't left yet? I'm so excited to move and dive into "grown-up" life, but I'm already homesick for Columbus. It's hard to think that I might never live here again - the place I've called home for 22+ years. I LOVE it here and this is why:

• Driving on 670 past the Wonderbread factory in the evening smells like fresh-baked yumminess.
• Scarlet is my favorite color and the streets are flooded with it on game day Saturdays.
• Fun murals hide on brick walls in the Short North.
• German Village has the best tasting cream puffs.
• You can't get lost as long as you can find 270.
• Seeing a show - especially the Nutcracker - at the beautiful and historical Ohio Theater always feels special.
• No zoo in the nation compares to Jack Hannah's zoo.
• Festival season. Hands down.
• You can order tea to accompany your popcorn and film at the Drexel Theater.
• Cows reside on a farm 5 minutes from downtown.
  
• I will always see the skyline through 10-year-old eyes and imagine that Godzilla took a huge bite out of the Huntington Building.

Not to mention this city hold some of my favorite memories. Sledding down the hill at Hoover Reservoir on a snow day. Getting lost with my girlfriends while trying to find our favorite bubble tea shop. The Saturday special with Mom. The spots where I let my car run out of gas - yes, more than once. This city is lovely because it's familiar and it's familiar because it's lovely.

Ah, nostalgia. It always gets the best of me.

Photo courtesy Eric Shinn.

Cambodia Issues Make American News

For those who are interested, ABC News is doing a short series on sex-trafficking in Cambodia and you can check out the stories below. Reading these just reminds me of the amazing men and women, both Cambodian and foreign, I got to know in my year there who are dedicating their lives and sacrificing their own comfort for a larger cause - whether it be fighting trafficking, providing education in its many forms or working toward economic development. My life has been blessed getting to know these people. Thanks for your hard work.

Stories from ABC News:
Tracking American Pedophiles in Cambodia
How to Help End Sexual Exploitation

Ordinary Vs. Extraordinary

A longtime friend of mine and I got together this weekend for some great conversation. (Aren't great conversations with old friends the best?) Amid our talk, we decided there are two types of people in this world: the ORDINARY and the EXTRAORDINARY.

We decided that ORDINARY people aren't bad people - in fact, they tend to be quite nice and pleasant people - but the lack a certain passion for life. Their lives fit in pretty packages. They do what they must to meet the status quo, but they don't always enjoy what they do. Their dreams are simply dreams. These people live to just be.

EXTRAORDINARY people's lives, on the other hand, tend to look messy at times - a little rough around the edges. Often, they don't meet the status quo (perhaps they defy it), but they don't care because they enjoy what they do and they work hard at it. They sometimes make unexpected choices, but their decisions work for them. They set goals and do what it takes to see them through - even if it takes years. They revel in the small moments perhaps even more than in their successful achievements.

It's not what one does or accomplishes that makes a person fit into one category or the other. It's the zest for life they possess and the precious sparkle they add to the world.

Maybe it was my friend's and my desire to figure out what we want out of life that steered us to take on this topic, but reflecting on this conversation, I intend to make sure I live life in the EXTRAORDINARY category. We only get one chance to pursue all that the world has to offer, so why should we waste time trying to fit into a little box? Maybe I can learn from my friend Katherine, who couldn't figure out how to fit into the world around her, so embarked on a personal mission called "Project New Box." Overall, I don't want to meet people's expectations of me, I want to exceed them - perhaps throw in a surprise here and there.

I've been known to, at times, gripe because I'm not where I think I should be in life. (I am, after all, my own worst critic.) But the truth is, as messy as my life has been the past couple years, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I've experienced life outside of what I've always known. I faced hardships when things have always come easy. My life has for sure taken some unexpected twists and turns. Slowly but surely, things are working themselves out, better than I could have ever planned. Best of all, I haven't compromised my goals, dreams, values or desires to become the person others think I should be. I'm living life for me. It's been an amazing adventure.

Jordan Christy, author of How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World, includes a quote in her book from an unknown source that speaks to this ideal:

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

We can choose to live an ORDINARY life or an EXTRAORDINARY one. What about you makes you EXTRAORDINARY?

Photo courtesy scarabuss

Take Me Home Country Road

Don't you love how the outdoors clears your head and elevates your mood? This weekend some college chums and I roadtripped east, West Virginia bound, for a weekend of camping, hiking and white water rafting at the New River Gorge. All of us 20-somethings have felt reasons to feel discontented lately, but we all agreed, the perfection of a weekend in nature left us feeling blissful. Nothing soothes the soul like the smell of campfires, the sound of rushing rapids, the warmth of sun on your cheeks, the sight of endless tree-filled hills and the presence of dear friends.

How did you spend your beautiful weekend?

Feeling 24

Another year older, another year wiser. Last night I celebrated my 24th - a delicious evening full of old friends and older friends followed up with some good ol' southern boot scootin' boogie. It was a fun time, but as the clock struck midnight on the eleventh day of the eighth month of the year of the ox, I felt a strange mix of contentment and discontent.

Twenty-four feels nothing like I once imagined it as a little girl. When you are 8 years old, 24 is fun and exciting. It's living in NYC. It's painting your favorite wall of your new apartment red and covering it with your favorite photos. It's juggling a schedule full of editor meetings, lunch dates and happy hours. It's feeling hopeful about the next step. What it is not is this.

It's not sleeping in the same bed you slept in as that 8-year-old girl. It's not scrolling through sparse job listings. It's not watching your friends move up in the world while you still remain clueless.

Yet this - what 24 should not be - feels so real. Along with 24 comes a wisdom few understand. You are still new enough in the world to possess a fresh perspective, a longing for the adventurous life. But you've been here long enough to comprehend the harsh realities of everyday living - that economies suck, that people are disappointing, that life isn't the fairytale dreamworld that you once pictured (though there's still that possibility it could be).

As I approach another year as a 1985 baby, I am no longer worried that the next step I take is right or wrong. Though the unpredictability of the future can be unnerving at times, I relish in the scenic route of life, knowing that I have the strength to cross the next bridge, however long, narrow and wobbly it might be.

I wanted to find a poem to include here that would celebrate another year of life, but they all ended up sounding cliche and cheesy. Instead, here's some words from Hafiz, to all you 20-somethings who aren't where you once thought you would be:

God
Disguised
As a myriad things and
Playing a game
Of tag

Has kissed you and said,
"You're it -

I mean you're Really IT!"

Now
It does not matter
What you believe or feel

For something wonderful,

Major-league Wonderful
Is someday going

To

Happen.

Photo courtesy Urban Spirit

Identifying With mY Generation

I was reading (of all things) this week, a floral industry magazine that talked about the quirks of today's 20-somethings, more formally known as Generation Y. Of course, this particular magazine talked about how we up-and-comers differ from our parents and our grandparents when it comes to flower shopping and working as flower arrangers, but it got me thinking: How does my generation's perspective affect the way I live my life and approach my future career?

If you ask me, we 20-somethings are a spectacular species with a unique spin on life. Here are just a few ways the experts define my generation:

• We want our activities (including our work) to be meaningful.
• We value a work-life balance.
• We take pride in social responsibility.
• We work independently but appreciate a structured overhead.
• We are optimistic about the future.
• We expect immediate results.
• We question unnecessary rules and traditions.
• We are tolerant of diversity.
• We are expressive and our point needs to be heard.

(For a more defining look at Generation Y, Generation Y: The Millennials is an amazing source.)

Am I, by this definition, a Gen Y-er? Absolutely.

All you have to do is take a look at my approach to job searching for a clear example. I graduated from university two years ago, and yes, I would have liked to be working in my profession immediately following that June 2007 commencement date (hence the instant gratification that my generation craves), but my life took small, unexpected diversions.

I was not willing to settle for a job to "pay the bills." I needed to find myself working in a place where I connected with the people and was passionate about my work. This find doesn't come easy, so as a result I lived at home, worked in a coffee shop, drove cross country to live in California, flew across the world to live in Cambodia, and two years later I might finally be circling in on that first "real job."

Along the way in finding the position that suited me, I've learned about the world and all the amazingly different people who reside in it. I've taken an interest in new hobbies, like making my own yogurt and herbal shampoo. I've been able to read more books and learn more about politics and, in turn, analyze my own view of the world. I've begun to blogging, allowing myself to be heard.

How many other 20-somethings do you know who are living this life of displacement? I'm sure you can think of at least one or two. The 20-something way of engaging in life as the adventure it is rather than settling for the status quo set by our preceding generations is a counter-culture ideal affecting the way the world operates. We see things differently. We hear things differently. And we do things differently.

If you are a 20-something, do you find these qualities in yourself? Can you identify with the other members of your generation or do you feel like an outcast?

For those of other generations, what do you think of our generation and how does it compare to when you were a 20-something?

Photo courtesy Veer

My Bucket List

Before I graduated from college (and before the movie "Bucket List" hit theaters) I came up with a list of things I want to accomplish before I die. As I look at this list, I can't help but laugh that almost half of it is countries of the world and others are extremely open-ended. Let's take a look at how much of a dent I've made in this list (bolded items have been accomplished):

• Scuba Dive
• All 7 continents
• Backpacking through Europe
• Sky Dive
  
• India
• Egypt
• South Africa
• Australia
• Vietnam
• Biking cuisine vacation
• Windjammer cruise
• Write a children’s book (Finished the draft of "Dumpster Bear." Now looking for a way to get a publisher to look at it.)
  
• See Wimbledon
• Learn to write a grant
• Write a story about Somali refugees in Columbus
• Water ski
• Rustic canoe trip
• Be a writer
  
• Peace Corps (I think this was my solution to living overseas. Not so much a goal these days.)
  
• Own my own coffee shop
• Pilates/Yoga extraordinaire (One year in. Becoming extraordinary with every downward dog.)
  
• Perform Belly Dancing (My hips have lost their wiggle since I took the class two years ago, but there's still a chance I can make this happen one day.)
  
• Move to a big city (I think Phnom Penh counts, but in case it doesn't, I did live outside L.A. for 3 months.)
• Volunteer for a cause I believe in (Like I said, some of these are so vague, but hey, it got done and want to do it again!)
  

I'd like to add a few more items to my list:

• Read more of the classics (especially Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, William Faulkner)
• Learn to make things that we usually buy at the grocery store (I started tonight with yogurt. Thanks Alison for your recipe!)
• Go backpacking (the outdoorsy kind)
• Ride my bike instead of drive my car

What things are on your bucket list?