ON TRAVELING

FRI. Sept 28 2012
listening to: Mumford & Sons, Babel

Have you read this article yet? Converge Magazine wrote an article about traveling young and the author could not have put it in better words. Oh...you haven't read it? Well, go read the article and then come back to my blog.

Done? Good. Let's continue.

"You won’t always be young. And life won’t always be just about you. So travel, young person. Experience the world for all its worth. Become a person of culture, adventure, and compassion. While you still can."

"This is my calling! My life! I don’t want what you have. I will always be an adventurer.”

Adventure.

We all crave it. We read about it in novels, close our eyes and wish for it but didn't you know it is right in front of you? It's on that plane/train/bus ticket you have yet to purchase, in the pages of your passport, stuck between the tires of your car and right in the palm of your hand. It's that road trip you have planned on taking but just "never had a good weekend" and that international trip you just "couldn't afford". It happens when you escape your world for a little bit to discover another. It's what you get when you travel.

It is easy to find a comfortable place and stay in it. There's nothing wrong with that, but I urge you all to get out of your comfort zone even if it's just the next county over. Traveling doesn't have to cost you thousands. It is exploring the unknown. I love nothing more than visiting a new city, checking out the local places and discovering what makes the heart beat in that particular town. I think every place has a little something to offer in the world. Whether it's a quick trip to Atlanta or a month-long trip to the Philippines (I recently did both), it changes you. It challenges you to be lost in the unknown and start from scratch because only when you're lost do you find yourself.

When asked the question, "What is one thing you would love to do right now?" many people reply "Travel". If I could drop all responsibilities and had an infinite amount of money that is all I would do! Wouldn't you? Most of us want it, we crave it, we desire it, we cling to those two week vacations from work. Make sure you travel as soon as you can because one day you may not have that luxury anymore. 

Travel my dear friends.
Enjoy your life, spend a little bit of your earnings and reach out because the world really is in arms reach. You may find yourself falling in love - with a place, a person, an idea and a new perspective. Traveling refreshes you, energizes you, changes you, moves you, and makes you a better person. A person who is cultured, who understands the world around them, who breaks barriers and begins the little steps of linking us all together. We all live in this crazy world together and really should get to know one another. There's something great in all of us and traveling can help us discover that.

The feelings I get when I travel are indescribable. I wish I could capture the moments when I rode an elephant, saw the Madrid skyline, experienced the night markets in The Philippines and Thailand, ziplined through the Costa Rican mountains or swam near waterfalls with more than my camera and my stories. I wish I could describe those sensations, the scents and make you feel the wind or how the water felt, but it is merely impossible. You must experience it for yourself.

Next time you are stuck between "What should I do with my life?" or "What should I do this weekend?"...travel dearest friends. It would be an absolute shame for this beautiful world to go unseen, for cultures to be unknown and for people to stay strangers.

And this is why I travel.

So, I may have a new obsession.

It may be not new to most people, but because I've recently joined the "iPhone club" aka the cool club, I have been constantly downloading apps, texting more because it is fun and instagram-ing the CRAP out of my life. My boss Courtney, introduced me a wonderful photo app called Incredibooth, where it takes your iPhone and makes it into a photo booth..right in your pocket. These four photo strips are my first attempt and with my best friend Abe.

Wouldn't they be really fun to print as well?

So my fellow iPhoners, download this app so you can even have more pictures of yourself.

What are some of your favorite iPhone apps?

DISPOSABLE CAMERA FUN

 

There is something about disposable cameras that I can't just get enough of. Maybe it's the mystery, maybe it's the uncertainty. Maybe it's the sound of winding the film or maybe because it reminds me of when I was growing up. How about all of the above?

A few months ago I bought a pack of two disposable cameras for $10! (Walgreen's was having a deal. Woo-hoo!) I developed one camera already after I went to Athens, Georgia with it. Remember this post? Well I finally went to developed the second camera! Twenty-seven exposures of family fun including a trampoline, dogs named Peanut, spring, Raleigh, backyards and smiles.

Don't you just love film?

I REMEMBER: MY FIRST COLLEGE APARTMENT

All taken January 2010 in my first college apartment, J1

"I remember" is a photo series I started to look back at old photographs I've taken throughout the years. I've been feeling bittersweet about moving on to the next chapter in my life and I'd like to relive some of my favorite moments. Won't you come along? This weekend I'm in Athens, GA so you'll be getting a lot of "I remember posts"


Dear Apartment J1,

You were my first official college apartment and I thank you for truly teaching me a lot about life, relationships, friendships, roommates, cooking, laundry and of course being the ultimate place to hibernate during those winter months. Something about your wood paneled walls always kept me warm and safe. You were there for probably one of the toughest years in college and possibly my life. They call it the sophomore slump for a reason don't they? Even though you were much tinier than my townhouse now, you always felt like home. Plus, you were a two minute walk from campus! Such a stud you were Apartment J1.

When I look back to that year, there were a lot of things I could be angry about. On a small scale I could be angry at how loud I remember you being since we lived right by campus or on a bigger scale I could be angry at the constant confusion and feelings of lost I felt throughout that whole year...whether it was academically or emotionally, but I wouldn't be where I am today without it.

One thing I do appreciate you for is the constant inspiration I had that year with you. You were there when I got my DSLR camera and you were so patient with my desire to take thousands of pictures, even if close to 99% of them sucked. You were there when my passion took full speed and I will always remember that.

Do you remember when I got locked in the bathroom and when I called Vicki, our landlord, she laughed harder than anything I've ever heard before and that [hot] maintenance man came and got me out?
Do you remember when I spent the whole summer watching Weeds?
Do you remember I acted like a total college student, whatever that means?
Do you remember when I worked at Ruby Tuesday and hated it?
Do you remember when I started to truly fall in love?
Do you remember when I used to come home smelling like photo chemicals?
Do you remember when I tried taking a drawing class and was a-w-f-u-l?
Do you remember awful Biology class?
Do you remember when I tried to be a photo minor then switched to sociology?
Do you remember that hole in our bathroom door?
Do you remember when I picked up the guitar back up?
Do you remember when my roommate Chelsea and I would watch Maury and Jerry Springer?
Do you remember when we would stay up into the wee hours of the morning?
Do you remember when we had to attach the washer to the sink? (old school)

J1, although things were not all unicorns and rainbows, it was truly a wonderful year with you and that, I will always remember.

Sincerely,
Your 2009-2010 tenant

I REMEMBER: THE INTIMIDATOR

Taken Summer '10

"I remember" is a photo series I started to look back at old photographs I've taken throughout the years. I've been feeling bittersweet about moving on to the next chapter in my life and I'd like to relive some of my favorite moments. Won't you come along?  

Probably one of my favorite roller coasters thus far - The Intimidator at Kings Dominion. This baby is 305 feet tall with a drop angled at 85 degrees with speeds going 90 mph. Sure, not the number one fastest/tallest roller coaster, but a great one indeed.

I am definitely one of those roller coaster fanatics. I think you're either in love with roller coasters or the sight of them makes you want to run under your covers/pee in your pants. I am definitely not the latter. I love the heart racing, the anticipation, the screaming, the speed, the photos at the end of the ride and the adrenaline. Of course I act like a big baby during the long lines before the ride, but deep down I just freaking love them.

I brought a disposable camera to the theme park and snapped this puppy before embarking on it (three times). This photo and memory means the absolute world to me. A lot of things have changed since then, but I remember this day and I hope everyone that was there does too.

How do you feel about roller coasters? Have a favorite one? 

Guest post with Tongue Tied in Awe | What inspires you?

Recently, I've asked several of my blogging friends, "What inspires you?" In a world of deadlines, papers, group assignments, textbooks, dates with the library, sleepless nights, lots of naps, caffeine, COLLEGE, I find a lack of inspiration at times. I never want to feel uninspired, ever and I hope my readers are constantly inspired by something everyday whether its from someone's outfit, a lecture, a blowing leaf or Pinterest. That is my goal of this blog, that you leave inspired. I'll leave it to my blogging friends to share with you what inspires them. Let me know if you'd like to do a "What inspires you?" blog post!

Here is Danielle from Tongue Tied in Awe. I am constantly inspired by her posts and her wonderful design. Be sure to stop by her blog and say hello!

Ciao bella! I'm Danielle from Tongue Tied in Awe, and I'd be lying if I didn't say that I get a huge amount of my inspiration from Pinterest. Now we don't want to start out our friendship like that, do we? ;) For me, Pinterest is a never ending source of beautiful photos, inspiring words, and design goodies. I probably spend way too much time on there, but it is so hard to resist. For you today, I have curated some of my current favourite pins. If you would like to see more, feel free to hop on over and take a glance at my boards here.

I am drawn to photos for a variety of reasons, but what usually catches my eye first is composition and subject matter. Merely changing those can alter a photo completely. I also tend to be drawn to photos that leave a little mystery. I love to try to guess what they were trying to portray - a lot of my ideas come from this process.

So, my friends, what keeps you inspired? I'd love to know. xo, Danielle

*All photos from Pinterest