Hello from…
I’m writing this post from California, where I came after deciding to hastily leave Costa Rica last month in the midst of border closings and travel uncertainties. I just logged out of my booking.com account, having gone on to cancel a reservation for an agriturismo in the heart of Tuscany where I was meant to be staying this June. Italy travel obviously will not be happening, nor travel of any type it seems. Sigh.
Musings
I didn’t think it was right to publish this under “On the Move Musings” because I am not on the move, haven’t been for over a month, and won’t be for who knows how long. Back to daydreaming, I suppose!
I’ve been doing my best to keep a positive mind, and on days when that is too challenging, I’ve tried to be gentle with myself for feeling less than optimistic/motivated. If I’ve learned anything this past year, it’s that we really can’t control much in life. Appreciate what you have in the present moment because nothing is guaranteed and things can change drastically overnight.
I’m so grateful I got to do the traveling I did, even if it didn’t last as long as I’d imagined when I left my job last year in order to see the world. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to pick up my dreams and my backpack and get started where I left off. But for now, I’ll enjoy life’s slow pace and the pleasures to be found in isolation.
Podcasts
If you are anything like me, watching the news or engaging in conversations about the pandemic can cause a lot of anxiety. That’s a big reason why I haven’t written for so long. I didn’t want to add another voice to a depressing conversation that feels inescapable already. That being said, ignoring everything isn’t a healthy option either, so I’m trying to engage in media that doesn’t cripple me with anxiety.
With that in mind, I wanted to share this (new!) podcast from Cheryl Strayed, who continues to be the definition of kindness, wisdom, and grace. We can all use more of that right now, and I feel like this episode touched on life as we currently know it without leaving me with an impending panic attack. I can’t wait to listen to the next two episodes!
Sugar Calling: ‘Everything is Always Keep Changing’ on Apple Podcasts
Books
I love to read and I’ve been using this extra downtime to work through more books than I normally would. I use Goodreads to track my reading and write my thoughts about books I finish. If you’re an avid reader, Goodreads is a fun place on the internet! There’s a book I’d like to highlight here, especially for all my Chicago peeps, and please also share any recommendations you have with me.
Here’s the review I wrote on Goodreads for The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson, which I remember being hugely popular when it first came out and now I finally know why:
As a lover of Chicago, I especially loved this one. The story is written so well it’s hard to believe it’s nonfiction. I learned a lot about such an interesting and historic time in Chicago’s history. So many random things came out of this fair (like PBR and the Ferris Wheel). Then to also have a serial killer plot makes this read irresistible.
YouTube
I’ve been following Flying the Nest for years now which has brought so much joy to my life. Stephen and Jess are an Australian couple from Perth who have been traveling pretty much nonstop for 5 years, documenting it all and creating awesome videos of their adventures. Since none of us can travel for the foreseeable future, I feel like getting a dose of the world through their channel is a great form of escape right now. They are the sweetest people and use kid-friendly language in every video, so they’re perfect for the whole family to watch. They won’t be creating any travel-related videos for while I’m sure, so it’s a great time to go back and catch up on old ones. If there’s a place you’ve been wanting to visit or have been curious about, odds are they’ve filmed a series there, so check it out. They’re currently expecting their first child, so even though they won’t have travel content for a while, I’m still excited to watch every week and follow their journey!
What’s Next?
I really have no clue what’s next for me, but I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! Please take the isolation orders seriously and stay put and away from others (even family!) as much as you can–many lives depend on it. These circumstances are unprecedented in our lifetime and are definitely not ideal, but we have to be smart, make sacrifices, and realize we are all in this together across the globe. I hope when things get closer to “normal,” we will recognize that we faced this crisis with compassion and humanity, not with stupidity and greed.