So here we are, at the start of a new year (let’t not talk decades just because it ends in a 0; unnecessary added pressure). And maybe you want to start your new year’s resolutions. Maybe you “don’t make resolutions” or maybe you do it later – I usually review life goals around Lent. At some point in your life (I hope), you are making your own personal goals.
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Carry-on Only
If you remember from my trip to Portugal, I was miserable carrying my 50 lb checked in bag, a carry on, and a backpack along the cobblestone streets of Lisbon as I tried to find my accommodations, then the 3 story hike to the apartment with no one to help me. I had had it. Never again, I promised myself.
So the opportunity presented itself on my trip to Germany. I watched a ton of videos on the best way to fold clothes, packing cubes vs rolling, and what is really necessary. It’s all very fascinating, but all very custom to the type of lifestyle that you live. What I didn’t find were a lot of people that lived like me: . . . Read More
My trip to Colombia – Part 1
I recently traveled to South America for the first time, visiting the country of Colombia (no “u”). It was absolutely beautiful. I had an amazing time. Everyone told me to be careful. For the record, you should always be careful, no matter where you go. If you are thinking of traveling to South America, or to Colombia specifically, this post is for you. I’ll share some tips and tricks, along with the usual fun-filled adventures. Here’s my story. . . . Read More
Accepting Imperfection
It’s nearly March. Perhaps you are looking at your New Years’ Resolutions and giving yourself the side eye that more of it isn’t complete or that you are already tired of going to the gym and eating healthy. Perhaps you don’t make resolutions on January 1st; maybe you have goals that you are working on – I know I do. The thing that makes or breaks our ability to succeed is fear. Fear stops us from even trying. . . . Read More
Life explained in a Video Game
So I recently starting playing Super Mario Brothers again
after like 20 years, thanks to the new digital version. The furthest I could
make it was to level 8-4 (so far), but those stupid ninjas killed me off. After
repeatedly going through the levels I noticed how deep this game was. I’m so
serious.
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My Life without Facebook
Why did I give up Facebook? It started out as a 20 day fast. My church was participating in a fast, where you give up something and use that time to focus more on your spiritual growth. Jan 11th, 2018 I had to decide what I wanted to give up. Pretty easily, I recognized that I spend wayyyy too much time scrolling through Facebook feeds. It was the beginning of the year, and I was over it all. I was over the political rants, the constant anxiousness of the next racial event that was happening, and all the digital expectations. So, without too much preparation I turned off off my notifications and left a message that “Facebook and I are on a break.”
That was over 8 months ago. . . . Read More
Book Review: Born A Crime
This book was phenomenal. Noah took a somber true life experience and turned it into a comical reflection. I literally laughed out loud, got visibly angry, and cried throughout this book. I stayed up reading at times when I should have gone to bed because I wanted to find out what happened next.
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Fear of Missing Out
FOMO, or the Fear of Missing Out, is a real thing. It is the social anxiety of feeling that you are missing out on something because you are absent. In the age of smartphones and as much technology as we have, I think this is becoming more of a social problem than we let on. There are lots of interesting psychological articles written on the topic, which itself is not new, but social media, definitely enhances this fear. If you are on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, SnapChat, YikYak, Messenger, and even Pinterest, you may want to keep reading. . . Read More
AirBnb Explained
Traveling is so much fun, but it can be very expensive with hotel prices. Nowadays, I’m sure you have heard people talking about staying at an AirBnB, coined after the term Bed & Breakfast, but maybe you didn’t know what that actually meant. Well, fear not! I am going to share my experiences and what I think you might expect while staying at an AirBnB. This is not a review of the AirBnb website or business, but rather an informative article about the AirBnb process. I will forego discussion about ethics, gentrification, and the effects of rent/mortgages surrounding these types of establishments, specifically in urban areas. I’m sure you can find additional articles on that if you so choose. So, sticking to the topic, we will just dig right in. At the time of this article, I had stayed in 8 different AirBnBs (6 different cities, 2 different countries). . . . Read More
A Parade of a Lifetime
On February 4, 2018, the Philadelphia Eagles NFL team won the Superbowl for the first time EVER. The Eagles have been called the Underdogs. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. And the game was against the New England Patriots, who have been to the Superbowl like 6 times. It was Epic. The minute the game was over, the city jumped up and hi-fived itself . . . for about a week.
This is my account of the moments after the Win and the time up to and leading to the parade. For those that were not able to make it, this is for you! . . . Read More