Welcome to Packing For a Trip

I wish I had enough time and money to travel the world. I would love to say that I've been on every continent. If I had thought about it, I would have tried to travel more when I was still a student. Unfortunately I didn't. Now that I'm no longer a student, it's harder to find the time (and sometimes money) for travel. Most of my traveling time is used to go to visit family (or moving because I've been doing a lot of that too). I've also traveled for work, which carry an entirely different set of rules than when traveling for fun.

I prefer to travel by car. Though long road trips can be taxing, I can pack everything I need. I don't have to worry too much about what I pack (as long as I remember a change of socks that is) and I have plenty of room to fit all my luggage.

If I can't travel by car, then I usually go by train or plane. I like taking the train for short trips. There really isn't a lot of room for big bags unless you are going from one of the big stations, but it's a lot more relaxing and I can read while the train takes me to my destination. I traveled a lot by train when I lived in Maryland. It was convient. I've even taken the train from Washington D.C. to New Orleans. It took 13 hours and I hardly got any sleep, but it was so much fun.

Traveling by plane is probably my least favorite (I'm not talking about boats or ships today because I haven't taken many to far away places). There're a lot of hoops to jump through and it's very expensive. Packing for a plane trip is also a pain. I don't like checking bags because of the fees and horror stories about loosing luggage. It's always a risk that the flight will loose a bag, even if it's not actually that big of one.

Packing can be the biggest challenge of any trip. I usually make a check list for each day of what I will wear and then add one or two more shirts, an extra pair of socks, and a few other pieces of clothing just to be safe. I never know when I might have a fashion emergency. If I can get away with not having toiletries, I don't bring any with me.

If I'm traveling for work, I make sure I have very nice cloths (even while en route to my destination). I keep my laptop in an easy to get to location and I try to arrive early. Going to visit family is easy because they usually have anything I might forget at home (sorry mom but it's true). Though holiday travel can be difficult with how crazy everying is.

Traveling for pleasure is very different. I have a very long check list of things I need to bring with extra space in my bag for souvenirs and gifts I buy along the way. I can't forget anything because it'll be expensive to replace (like chargers or shampoo) or I have to do without entirely (my glasses for instance). If I'm traveling by plane I need to make sure I don't have any banned items and to remember to check in 24 hours in advance.

The list seems endless.

My mom just might be the master at packing bags for flying though. I don't know how she did it, but my sister, mom, and I lived out of one bag a couple of times. It was so we have an extra bag free for he things we brought on the road.

Traveling is expensive, but I'm always happy when I can. Whether to reconnect with family or explore a new place, I find I have a good time. Sometimes I learn new things, other times I'm just there to relax.

Until next week and may the wind always be at your back.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Fresh Picked Apples and Pumpkin Spice

Fall official starts next week guys! Who's excited? I know I am. Fall is my favorite time of year. There are bright colors everywhere, so many delicious things to eat, and of course Halloween! It's both nostalgic and a look towards the future.

It might drive me a little crazy how early somethings for fall start going up. Walk into any store that sells beer in August and you'll find an entire wall dedicated to the pumpkin beers (not that I should complain, so many different flavors). I started seeing ads for Halloween decorations in July. And pumpkin spice lattes are inescapable by Memorial Day weekend. It can be a bit of an overload.

So many different types of food in different shades of red and yellow.

Some days I want to stand on a corner handing out pumpkin flavored food. "And you get a pumpkin spice latte! And you get a pumpkin bread! Everybody gets pumpkin flavored things!"

It's amazing how we as a society have hyped up these fall foods and flavors. Sure all things Christmas are also inescapable (even before Thanksgiving) for a solid two months. I may occasionally want to bang my head against something when I hear the Christmas Shoes song one too many times.

Then it all suddenly ends. Banished into our attic spaces and closet storage until it is socially acceptable the next year to pull them out (roughly two months in advance of the actual holiday).

It's not that I don't think the celebration should go on forever, but sometimes the hype for the holiday detracts from the actual day for me. By the time I'm ready to celebrate, it's over.

I also might be a little guilty of celebrating too early. Making the first pot of pumpkin flavored coffee is always a treat and I love getting my first butternut squash of the season. Sleepy Hallow and Practical Magic are back on Netflix. I dig out all of the Vincent Price movies I can find. Suddenly ghosts and goblins are just as real as Santa Claus.

Maybe I like celebrating early because it seems so short. The time it takes the leaves to change their colors and fall to the ground isn't very long. The weather in the Mid Atlantic that allows the prefect balance of not too hot and not too cold seems to last even shorter.

Life is short and the things we enjoy in life can be even shorter. We all live busy lives that don't allow a lot of time to enjoy the things we love most. Maybe that's why we need Halloween and Christmas to last for nearly two months each (with a small detour for Thanksgiving in the US). It's to find that one moment where we can enjoy what we love most, even if it's not quite the right date.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. I'm off to eat some fresh made apple sauce (my first attempt, hope it's good).

Until next week.

Welcome to Rememberance

September 11th 2001 started out as an ordinary day for me, but it didn't end that way. It's been 15 years since the attack. Over 2000 people lost there lives that day. Many of the first respondents have gotten sick and passed away because of the toxic dust and ash that entered the atmosphere.

Many people on social media sites have been posting about where they were or what they were doing when they either heard about or saw the live footage of the attacks. I remember being at school and having no idea what was going on. Which in all honest, was probably a good decision for the school to make.

My friends and I could guess that something was happening. Our teachers were on edge and there were a lot of early dismissals. We started with a class full of students and ended the day with maybe a third or a fourth still present. I am 100% sure that if someone had told me while at school what was going on, I would not have taken it well.

I didn't go home that day. Instead my mom had me go home with a friend. This friend's dad worked in the Pentagon and their family hadn't been able to get a hold of him all day. Thankfully they eventually did hear from him. Many families weren't as lucky.

There are a lot of things that I remember that happened in the days right after 9/11. I remember we didn't have school for a few days and that phone reception (both land line and cell phone) was unreliable. My mom, sister, and I stayed with my friend's family until classes started again. The news was constantly showing footage of the crash sites and missing people. Even though our parents tried to shield us from it, we caught glimpses of the news anyway.

It was scary, confusing, and difficult to process. I remember feeling a lot of confusing emotions and taking a lot of time to understand what had happened.

In the days after the attack, I went with my girl scout troupe to a hotel near the Pentagon to give out water and food to the families who were there. The hotel was the headquarters for the victims and families. When we arrived, my friends and I were swarmed by foreign press asking us tons of questions. It was very intimidating. Later we were thanked by the admiral (or general? I don't exactly remember their title, but they were very important) who was in charge. He was notifying and consoling the victims families. It felt good to help out, even a little bit.

As time went on, more and more security measures were put in place. Airports had a lot more metal detectors and restrictions. There were a lot more security personal in Washington DC. Places where I used to be able to just walk right in, suddenly had guards and metal detectors everywhere. I was a lot more aware of my surroundings.

September 11th 2001 was a major turning point in my life. I still remember a time when things were a bit more laid back (for lack of a better term). A lot of sudden changes happened and I was faced with emotions I had never experienced before.

There are many days were I wonder what our world would have been like if the terrorist attack had never happened. There are other days where I wonder what it would have been like if I had been older in 2001. Then there are the days where I wonder if something like that will happen again?

9/11 had a major impact on my life and I don't think I'll ever be able to forget.

Thank you for reading.

Welcome to the Sound of Silence

Happy holiday weekend everyone! The kids are heading back to school (if they haven't gone back already), outdoor pools are about to close, and the fashion industry tells us we can no longer wear white. Pumpkin spice has returned to coffee and sweet shops everywhere. In some places the leaves are already starting to change and I'm sitting here watching Hocus Pocus while writing this post.

It's a quiet weekend for me. Which means I have plenty of time to think, overthink, and think some more. Writing in my blog helps me organize my thoughts and try to make heads or tails of the crazy that is my life. This topic has been buzzing around in my mind for a while, but last night, before bed, I was kept up by a single question. What is the sound of silence?

I really like the song, The Sound of Silence, originally sung by Simon and Garfunkel and covered by Disturbed. I like both versions, but there is something truly haunting about the Disturbed version (I might get a little heat for that, but it's my honest opinion and I love rock). I was also inspired to ask this question because during my meditation and yoga practice, I am encouraged to maintain stillness and block out the surrounding noise. This can be particularly difficult in a noisy gym.

But in all seriousness, what does silence sound like? Its hard to wrap my head around. There's the metaphorical sound of silence. Where it is people who are silent for one reason or another on an issue (usually, but not necessarily, out of fear or political). Its one way to interpret the question.

Then there's the literal meaning of the phrase. Can silence have a sound? Isn't silence by definition the a sense of sound? 

Unless I suddenly become deaf or travel to outer space (because Ridley Scott taught us that in space no one can hear you scream), I won't find my answer. I'm sure I could (politely) ask, but would I be able to understand the answer?

Throughout the day, I am bombarded with different sounds. I love working to music or leaving the TV on while I cook and clean. I live across the street from a train station and I don't even notice the trains coming and going anymore. Crickets are constantly chirping as the sun starts to set and the three beagles downstairs make it impossible to sneak out of my own apartment (not that I need to sneak out, but they always announce my comings and goings and are super adorable). 

The amount of sounds I hear throughout the day can be overwhelming. I personally don't like going to concerts and haunted houses because the sounds can be too over stimulating for me. When I do find a quiet space, the noise is still there, but it's not as overwhelming. I am almost able to completely block out all outside noise, especially if I'm meditating.

One of my yoga teachers likes to talk about using sensory deprivation tanks. They showed one on the show Stranger Things to get El to the Upside Down world. My yoga teacher says that they get "visions" while in he tank. There isn't any light in the tank, but the mind will still create visions for them. I wonder if the same thing happens when in absolute silence.

Could the sound of silence be a peaceful mind? A sound that is still there, but still? Could it be phantom Maybe that's why I find this question so vexing. There are so many ways to interpret it. Some are positive, some are negative, and some are just neutral.

So what is the sound of silence?

I have no idea, but I'm sure it's different for everyone.

Welcome to School Days Long Gone

Next Monday is Labor Day, that means that school will officially be back in session for students everywhere in the USA. Some schools started already, while others are starting this week or next Tuesday at latest. Most college students have already gone back (with varying degrees of embarrassment because their parents are processing the emotions of their child leaving them). I, however, will be going back to my day job and this week's blog post (like many at the end of August) will focus on me not going back to school.

This is your reminder that winter comes after fall and that it does snow in Southern VA.

My first year after I graduate was weird. Back then, I was used to working all summer and then heading back to school in the middle of August. Instead of heading back, though, I helped my little sibling move into their Freshmen dorm.

It's not as weird now, even with the back to school commercials. No, what I am now confronted with is the fact that my friends and relatives are starting to send their kids to school. I know that some of my friends have gotten married and had children, but I still feel far too immature to have my own little ones at the moment, let alone be married.

I honestly don't think I feel that much different from when I was 15 or 16. It probably doesn't help that I'm still often mistaken as a high school student. No I'm not kidding. Maybe, I've matured a bit (which is important) and am focused on different things than my 16 year old self ever focused on.

My transition from full time student to full time member of the work force, has been a challenging one. Sure I'm still learning and working on projects, but I'm so grateful to no longer have to take tests. Now I just have annual reviews, which I think are as stressful as tests, but happen a lot less frequently. My vacation time is also a lot shorter, but I can go places in the off season.

For 12-16 years, school occupied most of my life and during that time, I couldn't wait to be an adult. I could make my own choices about where to go and what to have for dinner. I could stay up super late and watch anything I wanted to on TV. Back then, I didn't really think about a job, paying bills, or responsibilities part of growing up.

The 30 minute sitcoms that are popular always seemed to show the main characters when they weren't at work. Yeah they would occasionally mention their jobs or have the odd episode that featured their place of work, but most of the time the half hour was focused on their family or social lives. As a kid, I thought that life outside of work was what being a grown up was. I didn't realize how different from an episode of Friends or How I Met Your Mother my life would be.

For the past few years my career has been at the forefront of my thoughts (with a few side trips into relationships, exploring my interests, and plotting to take over the world - patent pending). I think it's a bit natural to feel weird or extremely nostalgic at this time of year. Something that was a huge part of your life is over. Sure going back to school is always an option and I'm sure if I ever did, I'd have another emotional roller coaster ride to go through.

But I'm not going back to school. I'm also not 16 (as I kindly point out to the people who actually think I am - this has happened recently and more than once). I have friends who have gotten married and a few who now have kids. I pay bills, lots and lots of bills. I've even started saving for retirement (which is a really long way away).

I want to wish everyone who is going back to school this year the best of luck. I hope you guys do well and are able to have some fun in between all those tests and studying. Maybe someday I'll get my Masters in [insert subject here], but I have a lot to do before then.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week!

Welcome to Car Trouble & Other Uncontrollable Problems

If I were to be honest with myself, I would have to admit that I like to be in control. Maybe it's because of my independent streak or my need for planning things out, but I like feeling in control of my life. I'm sure many of my readers feel the same way. So when something that I don't plan on happening happens, I tend to start overthinking things.

For example, my car has been having problems shifting gears. This isn't an unusual issue for the kind of car I drive. In fact the warranty has been extended for this issue for a few extra years. However, this is something that can take a while to fix if the parts aren't in.

My car is my primary mode of transportation. There are alternatives I can use (I live right across the street from the train station), but they are not the most convenient to get to work and I hate unconvincing anyone to ask for help (that doesn't mean I won't, I just feel bad about it). When I don't have my car I tend to get antsy.

Before taking my car into the dealership, I did some research as to which place I should go to (there are a couple close by) and what the Internet had to say about them. Now the Internet tends to be on the extremes when it comes to reviews, people either love something or they hate it. Then there are the fake reviews that can either be a smear campaign or a means of boosting up a rating. Looking in the Internet did not decrease my anxiety at all.

But the car needed to be looked at, so to the nearest dealership I went. I took a deep breath and I packed a bag full of snacks, books, notebooks and my knitting. I was set to wait at the dealership all day, which didn't end up happening because after they found out what was wrong and made sure they had all the parts to fix it, they took me home with the promise to come get me later that day when it was fixed.

This didn't stop me from worrying while I didn't have my car. What if they found something else wrong with he car. What if it wasn't covers under the warranty? What if a giant fell out of the sky and landed on my car squashing it for good ( as unplausable as that last one is I once saw a car combust in the parking lot at work, so my imagination went a little out there).

Today I feel a little silly for being so worried. Even though everything turned out alright for me, not having a car can be a real problem when there aren't many options for backup transportation. John Oliver went into detail about it this past week on his YouTube channel. If you haven't seen it yet, it's on pre-approved auto loans and it's a good watch.

Having a plan is a good idea if the worst should ever happen, but the worst that can happen isn't something that can always be planned on. I never thought an earthquake would hit Virginia and yet it did five years ago when I was just arriving at school.

It would be nice if I could control everything in my life, but then nothing unexpected would happen. And the unexpected can lead to some pretty awesome experiences, as well as some of the strangest.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from my readers. Until next week.

Welcome To Perseverance

Happy middle of August everyone! It's hot as all get out where I am, but that didn't stop one side of my family from coming out to our 84th Family Reunion. It was very hot, but we had around 30 people there. 84 years is a long time and we're hoping we make it to our 100th reunion.

Anything (be it an event, a business, or life expectancy, etc.) that lasts to 100 years is impressive. It requires dedication, hard work, a pinch of fun, and a lot of perseverance mixed with persistence (yep these are two different words with very similar meanings). I also think it's fun to think that so much has changed in that 100 years.

I have wanted to be a writer for a long time. I started a "family newspaper" when I was about 10 or 11 years old. There were three or so issues and I'm pretty sure one of my aunts has a copy somewhere in their house. I unfortunately didn't keep up with it (though thinking back that's probably a good thing). In high school, I took my school's journalism class and two creative writing classes. I also wrote my "first" novel around that time (it's in quotes because though there might be a paper version hiding somewhere out there, but for the most part it's lost to technology advancement).

I figure, if I keep at it long enough, I'll eventually polish up one of my other novels I'm working on, and send it out for publication (whether on an independent or traditional track is up in the air). For now, I keep working on my blogs (click here to see my second one that involves food - shameless plug, this is), my webcomic (see below - the title also shows up if you type it into Google), and experimenting with my writing style with fanfiction (sorry no links provided, but I'm working in the horror genre).

Mortimer's advice for marketing a webcomic...

I've made some progress since posting my first works. I have small followings (and a couple of fans who get annoyed when I disappear for a few months), but nothing major. I'm certainly no Anne Rice or Steven King (or that lady who wrote 50 Shades of Grey - seriously it was originally a Twilight Fanfiction). However my writing career is still more of a pass time hobby, then the driving force of my existence. It could change, but I have a lot more work to do before then.

This past week, I got to see Matthew Santoro at a book signing. He makes educational videos on YouTube, which are entertaining and great to listen to. The book is a "fun facts" type of book, with tons of weird and hilarious fact, much like his YouTube channel. Before he signed all of the books (over 100 people were at the event), he spoke to us for about an hour, allowing his fans to ask him questions. A lot of the questions he answered were about starting his YouTube Channel. He started uploading videos in 2011, but didn't start getting big until late 2013. There were many times he wanted to give up, but he kept on doing what he loved. He also said not to try to make it big with anything controversial. Not only will it fizzle and die out quickly, but you'll likely make a lot of enemies.

That is a great success story. His persistence and perseverance paid off and now he has turned his hobby into something that he loves. He's also not alone. On the website that I upload my webcomic to, there have been a few people who have made an announcement that they have been hired by one of the big comic book publishers. They now get to make comic for a living. The president of my current company is another good example.

Don't get me wrong, it does take some luck to turn a passion into a career. However, it also takes a lot of hard work, and perseverance. J. K. Rowling loves to talk about how many times the first Harry Potter book was rejected and look at how successful it has turned out (I bet all the people who rejected her initially have been kicking themselves ever since). Fred Astaire, one of Hollywood's biggest stars back in the day, was once told that he "couldn't act, couldn't sing, could dance a little." I guess he didn't take that criticism to heart.

I'm sure a lot of people want to be noticed right away (the media certainly seems to think so anyway). They want to go viral, they want to have a following, they want to matter to people. It just doesn't happen instantaneously. Most success stories talk about the first few years struggles and how many times the person or group almost quit. Then there are the failed stories that we never get to hear about (and it might have been for any number of reasons, not because they didn't work hard enough).

I write because it's what I love to do. Would I love to have 100 hits with each post or become a house hold name (well maybe not the latter - I like being in the shadows too much)? Yes, I'd love that kind of recognition. But I'm also happy when one person clicks on any of my work (sure it might be a spam bot, but it was a hit none the less and I will be excited about it).

I still need to balance my writing passion with my day job. I won't lie, I kind of like keeping the two separate right now.

But if you have a passion or a drive to do something, please keep at it! You never know what might happen. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.