C is Me

PatBlogahan.com: Damn, girl!

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:55:39 -0500

There aren’t better singers than Whitney Houston. Not now. Not ever.
She was very special. Sometimes the most fragile objects are the loveliest.
We have all missed that greatness that she has been keeping from us long before today when she moved on the the non-physical life. Being a prisoner…

"These words will get me through it…”Keep Smiling and Love Life"

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:47:37 -0400

“These words will get me through it…”Keep Smiling and Love Life””

- source unknown

Photo

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:01:00 -0400

Recapturing childlike wonder (Salzburg)

Taking in new flavors (Salzburg)

Getting a different perspective (Munich)

Enjoying nature's splendor (Munich)

Discovering works of art (Prague)

Exploring a city at night (Prague)

Seizing the moment (Salzburg)

The Joys of Travel...

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:55:00 -0400

Most hobbies are one dimensional. Movies, baking, hiking. You participate in these hobbies because of the one specific joy that they bring you. Traveling, however, is different. When you travel, you get to take in several hobbies at once and partake in a myriad of experiences that tap into not just one, but all of the senses. As I reflect back on my two weeks in Europe (Prague, Munich, Salzburg & Vienna), I am reconnected with everything I saw, tasted, and experienced. I can just about taste the Fried cheese & beer, the savory pork & pickled cabbage, the warm apple strudel, and the sweet vanilla ice-cream that was simultaneously intertwined with & juxtaposed against the strong iced Viennese coffee.. I can see in my mind’s eye the way the Prague Castle sparkled of heaven at dawn and eerily inspired ghost stories at night. I can relive that sense of adventure and accomplishment when I retell the story of visiting the Werfen Ice Caves in Salzburg, Austria.

Unlike anything else, traveling renews my spirit. I step into a new place and am reminded how little of this world I have seen, how small I am in the scope of things, and how giant our capacity as mankind to create and connect. As I wandered through the cobble-stoned streets of Europe, I was reunited with my childhood sense of wonder. Everything was grand in size and begging to be touched. As I looked out into the Bavarian countryside or over the copper-colored rooftops of Munich, I was once again a small figure in a big world. As I chatted with an Algerian man who ”invited” me to tea during a meal in Vienna, I was once again provoked to think about the world and my place in it. These are the joys that await you when you travel. These are the joys that found me. As Alan Cohen so eloquently puts it, “it takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.”

Photos like this make me realize how blessed I am to have...

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:29:16 -0400

Photos like this make me realize how blessed I am to have awesome friends in my life.

How Study Abroad Changes You...

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:01:48 -0500

In January 2007 I embarked on what has turned out to be the most influential journey of my life thus far. I left the only country I had ever known for a land of Cypress trees, rolling hills, and cobblestone streets. A place that lured me in through promises of sunflowers, gorgeous men, endless pasta, and red wine…or more simply put, “la dolce vita.” Looking back on it almost 4 years later, it seems like a dream that I have just woken from. Everything so tangible, yet out of reach. A puzzle that was once complete is now broken into its individual pieces and jumbled up in a box labeled Italy.

Some of the pieces are clearly defined, like border pieces. Whether in or out of the box they always are the same. My homestay family for example - Gianfranco & Flora. I remember them now as if they were standing right in front of me. Gianfranco was an older gentleman, but very good looking. La dolce vita had been sweet to him. His hair silver, but his body lean and his skin sunkissed. He had the kindest eyes and would always ask in Italian, “Che cosa hai fatto oggi?” - in other words “What did you do today?” Flora symbolized what I would later come to learn as the typical Italian woman. She was a lean machine. She could make a meal and clean the house in two seconds flat. To this day, the beauty and stamina of Italian women eludes me. How could they wear 6 inch heels and navigate cobblestone streets? How could they make meals that melt in your mouth so effortlessly?…Have you ever tried actually making pasta by hand? This is a difficult skill that when done by an Italian woman, looks easy. Flora would always shout upstairs before dinner…”Criiistaal.” This was how my name sounded in Italian not “chrystal” but “criiistal.” Everyone loves to hear their own name, but when you hear it spoken in beautiful foreign tones, you almost disown your own language. Most of the sounds of Italy are not lost. I can still hear the church bells ringing outside my room. I can still hear the trumpets from the contrade boys as they practiced for “il Palio.” I can still here Pazit calling out my culture class, “Regazzi! Andiamo.”

Other pieces are less defined. They are muddled in a sea of experiences too distant to define specifically. How sweet did that nocciola gelato taste? How difficult was it to actually navigate around Italy without a strong grasp of the Italian language? What conversations were shared over wine in the Piazza del Campo?

That’s the thing about influential experiences…like most other experiences, they end before they even truly began. Despite their swiftness though, their imprint is left behind, and you are changed. That’s the craziest part. Study abroad changes you…

I am sure I could count the ways in which study abroad has changed me and there would be a long list, but in the essence of time and space, I will only note the biggest change of all - the mission to make this change accessible & viable to all.

So as Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” In other words…study abroad and see how it changes you!

"Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart."

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:17:36 -0500

“Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart.”

- Washington Irving

Foodie

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:00:06 -0500

So for those of you who know me…you know I’m a foodie. I like fine dining, I like casual dining, I like exploring new realms, and frequenting old haunts. My foodie habits probably all started with trips to what my family calls “the usual.” The usual is actually The Country Deli and it is the best deli in the valley. If you are a lover of breakfasts than this is THE spot. Steak & Eggs, French toast towers, omelets to die for, fresh perfectly toasted bagels, home fries that make you smile for days on end, coffee that keeps on coming, and a Cheers-like waiting staff. Growing up, when my mom said we were off to our usual I knew the weekend was off on the right foot.
Although, I guess it could also be argued that my foodie habits were equally nurtured by my mother’s home cooking: sugar n’ spice pancakes, pumpkin bread, mouthwatering chicken and rice dishes and my ultimate favorite…homemade noodles. She cooked up some good stuff!

So here I am 24 years later still frequenting “the usual” and begging mom to cook up some sugar n’ spice whenever anyone visits…except now I can add alcohol to the mix…thank God for Los Toros! Anyway, I thought since I have food on the brain (like usual) that I would share some of my deep-seeded foodie loves:

Restaurants (from the valley down to the OC):

Los Toros (Chatsworth). Best cadillac margaritas around, period. Perhaps the best mexican food too…especially if you order a cheese enchilada.
Country Deli (Chatsworth). Best homefries. Great atmosphere. If you go on a weekend morning you’ll probably sit next to the local fire department.
Koko’s. Great mediterranean food. Their rice = amazing.
The Cliff’s Edge (Silverlake) Love the vibe and crave the desserts.
Toast (Los Angeles) Great drinks, great pancakes.
Roscoes Chicken n’ Waffles (Los Angeles & Long Beach) If you haven’t had this southern cooking yet, you shouldn’t be breathing. Sounds weird, but you’ll love it…but I only go once a year because although yummy as ever…it’s not good f
C’est la Vie (Laguna Beach) Best outdoor cafe spot for an afternoon brunch. Great desserts & yummy dishes.
Yardhouse (various locations) It’s not your average chain. If you want a delicious hamburger…this is the place to grab one. Top it off with a pint of beer.
Habana (Costa Mesa) Cuban food that although pricey, is worth every fine dining penny when you’re in the mood to splurge.
Taco Mesa (Costa Mesa) It’s a cheap mexican eatery that has a great outdoor patio for those lovely summer nights. It’s not the best, but considering you can get a decent margarita for less than a buck on Monday nights & have all the pickled veggies you want….it gets a spot on my go-to list.

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots; the..."

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:55:17 -0500

“There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots; the other, wings.”

- William Hodding Carter, Jr.

Acceptance

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:26:13 -0400

There used to be a time when I looked at the world and I saw black vs. white, right vs. wrong. I specifically remember a time when I said that marriage is between a man and a woman because that’s the definition…end of story.

The great thing about this world though is that it is full of color! It is not black and white. The great thing about history is that we can see our mistakes and learn from them (Nazism, Segregation, War). The great thing about words is that we can take them and redefine them. We have the power to change the world…but first that change has to start with ourselves.

Now I look at the world and I see shades of gray, my right and your right. I now am proud to say that I believe marriage is between individuals who love each other…end of story.

We must open our eyes, our minds, and our hearts. When we do this, we can give and receive love and with enough love, there’s no more room for hate.

*Prop 8 overturned*

Level Up

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:58:00 -0400

I grew up during the age of the original Gameboy.  My handheld was gray with a B&W screen (that’s right OLD SCHOOL), but other than that, I was much like today’s non-responsive, lazy, electronic-obsessed kid…solely focused on grabbing the coins, beating the boss, and leveling-up in SMB (aka Super Mario Brothers), with a “DO NOT DISTURB, I’M IN DA ZONE” look slapped across my face.


Leveling-up in SMB was a huge deal as a kid. Once you made it to level three, you were obsessed with making it to level four and so-on. You were never content to just play level three forever.  Dashing across the sky on floating platforms was cool for awhile, but before long you wanted to swim underwater or walk across the desert with ~~triangles~~ pyramids in the background.

Now that I’m in my mid-20’s I’ve come to the realization that playing SMB is just like wandering through this clusterf*ck called life…you have one goal - to level up!

People don’t want to know what you’re doing now…what they really want to know is what you’re planning to do NEXT.  When you’re in high school people want to know where you plan to go to college, when you’re in college people want to know what degree you plan to graduate with, when you graduate with that degree people want to know what the EFF you’re going to do with it.

And this is where I thought the leveling up ended. I thought get the degree, get the job…DONE!

Nope….you idiot! Of course you’re not done.

Now that you’ve hit those mid 20’s…society has a new world they want you to level up in….the world of relationships & babies!!!! If you’re single, the world wants to know when you’re going to get a get a life, aka a bf or gf. If you’re dating, your friends want to know the wedding date and whether or not they’re invited. If you’re married, your parents want to know when they can expect the first grandchild…and if you’ve already given them the first grandchild then they’ll want to know when they can expect to spoil the next.  All this madness as if to say, ”hurry up and level-up you fool!”

Growing up, I remember being so obsessed with leveling-up in SMB that my mom and I would compete to see who could get to the next level first. I had been steadily leveling-up past my mother (like the true cocky SMB pro that I was) until one night when my mom forged ahead past level 8 where I was and in to level 9…..

[please take a moment to pause for this tragedy]

It was devastating. She put post-its declaring her victory all over…my room, on the bathroom mirror, on the shower etc. She wanted the world to know she had leveled-up…she was victorious!!

And so it is with life. We are all competing…but not just to level up, but more importantly to see who can level up first.  And when we don’t level up first, we stay true to our SMB obsessed selves, by rushing to catch up.

This isn’t healthy though. Our lives are not a game. You run too fast and fall off a cliff in SMB and you can come back with that ‘extra life’ (aka the do-over). You run too fast in your relationships and you’ll end up with two kids, a divorce, and one fucking headache. In the best-worst-case scenario, you’ll end up like Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love) — divorced, childless and blessed with the opportunity to start over and travel the world for a year (ya don’t count on it). More often than not we get served a shit ton of annoying consequences for our bad choices, NOT do-overs.

So quit worrying about leveling-up…power down and walk away from the SMB monster! Take a moment and enjoy where you’re at now. Remember….as much as you want to level-up, the next level is always harder ;)

My awesomely cool friend & designer Steppie has cool things...

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:14:13 -0400

My awesomely cool friend & designer Steppie has cool things for you to buy…..shop now!

<3 Chrystal

steppie:

New Steppie rings now available online!

RE-BLOG THIS TO WIN A PACK OF 3 STEPPIE RINGS OF YOUR CHOICE!
Winner will be chosen 8/2/10 at 11pm PST.

Follow me on tumblr for more giveaways!
Visit my website: http://thesteppie.com
Follow me on twitter: @the_steppie
“Like” me on Facebook: steppie.panda

10 Summer To-Do's

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:28:00 -0400

1. Read at least 10 books this summer. Sure it’s nice to curl up to a good book during a cold winter’s day while sipping a chai tea latte, but summer is the season to read. You can read a book in the airport as you prepare for summer travel, or on the beach as you take in some summer rays and relax. Plus, you can read in the park with a high percentage guarantee that you won’t be hindered by cold temperatures or an early sunset.

My current reading wish list: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, Walks with Men by Ann Beattie, Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson

2. Summer cleaning and Feng-shui. I say we put an end to this “spring cleaning” business and make a commitment to starting fresh each season. Clearing our homes, closets, and minds of clutter on a more regular basis will lead to a better mind, body, and spirit year-round. This summer I’d particularly like to work on creating a bedroom space that is simple and relaxing…a better space for better sleep.

3. Explore the Great Outdoors. The Griffith Observatory, Laguna Beach, Hollywood Hills, Long Beach…and the list goes on. Some of these are familiar haunts while others are untouched enclaves, but ALL are worth exploring this summer. Movies are great, but now is the time to move. I especially want to take advantage of the plethora of festivals and events that occur each year in California. Wine tasting, beer tasting, art viewing, craft making, strawberry picking…whatever there is to do, I want to do it.
Currently, I recommend Best of Fest for keeping festivities on your radar: http://bestoffest.wordpress.com/

4. Etudier. It is time for a French review. After taking almost a year’s leave of abscence from studying French, it is time to return to the language and culture that I love. My goal is to learn one new french verb or saying a day. Then, as soon as Fall comes…it’s back to class! Whatever your hobbies or interests, delve into them this summer!

5. Night swimming. Walking is fun and the gym is great, but why do today what you’ve been doing all year. Change it up. Swimming is a great FULL body work-out and performing this exercise at night is a quick fix for an overworked mind. Trust me, once you jump into that water your troubles will be miles away. As soon as the sun rages and the temperatures heat up, this is where you’ll find me.

6. Learn something new each day. There are plenty of ways to do this, but my goal for the summer is to expand my mind via podcast. For months now, my friend Floreana has been raving about the podcasts she listens to. She always shares the most interesting stories and facts that she picks up during her day’s commute. After hearing Kesha and Lady Gaga one too many times, I am ready to trade the art of music for the art of knowledge.
First podcast on my list: Stuff You Should Know http://podcast.com/show/68331/

7. Watch True Blood. There’s always one epic show I miss out on watching. Some shows get a 50/50 reputation as to whether or not it’s worth watching, but from what I’ve heard it sounds like True Blood is a sure hit.

8. Bake. Not a clam bake, not a sun bake, not a shake-n-bake…just your normal in the kitchen “bake”. Who says you can’t turn up the heat? This summer I hope to bake up a pineapple rum cake, a black bottom pie, french toast cookies, baked oatmeal, bread pudding, and lastly… my own spin to a traditional and personal favorite, cornbread. Yummmm

9. Frequent the Farmer’s Market. Summer is all about fresh & wholesome. It is the best time for flavorful fruits and colorful veggies. Ditch the frozen foods and stock up on great summer treats like honeydew, nectarines, and berries a bundle. The Farmer’s Market is a great way to expand the senses, save money, and get a little sun. Just be sure to take your reusable linen grocery bag & a pair of shades ;).

10. Rock that summer dress. Don’t just buy a fun and flirty floral dress, but wear it! Quit searching for the ”right” occasion when a summer day is THE occasion. Summer is the season to show a little skin and it doesn’t have to be booty shorts and bikinis. I’m not hatin’ on the “beach bum” look, but how much more refreshing to pull off simple by tossing on a cute cotton frock that’s both bright and elegant. Pair a yellow dress with pink earrings or a vintage floral piece with a jean jacket. The options are so endless that your dresses will sail you through summer and into fall.

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity..."

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:54:00 -0400

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”

- Washington Irving

Good Fortune

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:13:00 -0400

I am an avid believer in the fortune from a fortune cookie. It may sound just as crazy as buying into Astrology tidbits, but I beg to differ. With astrology that one damned horoscope of the day or month is supposed to apply to me and ALL 9 million other Pisces in the world. With fortune cookies it’s more personal. At the end of a father-daughter date at P.F. Chang’s I look into the gleaming bucket of fortunes and I pick mine. That’s right. I pick a fortune that’s going to shed some light of wisdom for me and only me. My fortune isn’t applicable to everyone else at the table. My fortune isn’t written with you in mind. My fortune is my chosen destiny.

Over the years, I have had several great fortunes, many that I have kept. Of course with all things in life, fortunes do let me down sometimes. There was the time I had no fortunate at all :( and I’ve had a couple cryptic fortunes too, the ones where they tell you something ridiculous like “there is youth at play” and a look of dumbfounded confusion spreads across your face and your lips say “huh?”…But for the most part my fortunes have been pretty foretelling. Right before I studied abroad my fortune was “you are about to embark on a journey of travel.” Right before I won my infamous arcade game of awesomeness my fortune told me that I would come into a big prize. And my most recent foreboding fortune seems to the best yet. A month or so ago, I was on a date with my Mr. Wonderful. We both had Panda Express for dinner and then came fortune time. I cracked the fortune perfectly in half, slipped out the white ticket and read, “You will find happiness in mind & heart.” At the time, I was only beginning to feel something for Mr. Wonderful. As time has progressed, this fortune has really come to ring true. I can’t think of anyone else who has made me feel SOOOO happy both in mind AND heart. While I have been able to find happiness in mind several times with several different people, I don’t know that I have ever truly found happiness in heart before meeting Mr. Wonderful. There’s a big difference between feeling mentally fulfilled and feeling happy in your heart. I used to think happiness in heart was equal to mental fulfillment. It may sound bizarre, but for me I would say mental stimulation is very important for me. I’ve never done drugs, but when you’re having a good conversation the mental high you get from that meeting of the minds is pretty frickin’ awesome. But it’s not enough.

What I discovered I needed in addition to mental fulfillment is personal appreciation. I think what I never had before was someone to tell me the things every girl wants to hear - you’re beautiful, you’re sweet, you’re kind, you’re amazing, you’re sexy…but not just say them, TRULY mean them. I’ve had people tell me these things before (at varying times in varying degrees), but I’ve never felt as if they were genuine. I’m definitely a girl with my guard up. But slowly, Mr. Wonderful, has peeled back my shield. His words have meaning. Like those fortunes I pick out of the bucket, his words are meant for me and only me.

So the next time you see me smile a little wider, it’s probably because I have a lot to smile about. I have found happiness in mind & heart.

Edible spring! Anise & Almond-Orange flavored sugar cookies.

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:59:28 -0400

Edible spring! Anise & Almond-Orange flavored sugar cookies.

With a birthday like this one…I could never doubt that I...

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:11:00 -0500

With a birthday like this one…I could never doubt that I am loved and appreciated.
Thanks to everyone who made it special :)

Summing up Seattle

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:07:00 -0500

Public Market. Right along the harbor….

Get your Catch of the Day…

Join some friends for a cup of joe at the original Starbucks at Pike’s Market.
Of course no visit complete without a guy trying to make a buck @ the door.

Yumm…Coffee :)

The Space Needle is pretty cool.

Seattle is big on music & art. The home of Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Pearl Jam. Here is the Space Needle reflected in the artsy-decoed ”Experience Music Project Building”

Seattle city view from the top of the Space Needle.

Three Drinks Worth Drinking...

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:38:00 -0500

I’ve never been a fan of drinking carbonated beverages. I will have the occasional rootbeer, but 99% of the time I refrain from soda as it is not a healthy option. I used to drink tons of Orange Juice during my middle school/early high school years, but due to migraines onset by large quantities of Vitamin C, I had to give it up. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as juices are not nearly as healthy for you as they seem to be. Better to eat the fruit in its non-juice form, as juices contain a TON more sugar and are especially problematic if you have issues with your blood-sugar.

So, seeing as how I don’t drink soda or juice, you might think I have “healthy” drinking habits…but don’t jump the gun. In recent years (post-college) I have become an avid coffee drinker. Granted, by avid I don’t mean I drink 6 cups a day. In fact, I generally have only one cup a day or every other day. The problem, however, is that I prefer my coffee iced not hot & I need the sugar and cream to take the pungent taste. This creates what could be a healthy drink choice (as moderate levels of caffeine are proven to decrease hunger) into a not-so-healthy option. Plus, I am one of those people who is extremely effected by caffeine. One cup can sometimes provide more than a little boost…I often experience high levels of anxiety after finishing a full cup! This anxiety can vary in strength and duration. In addition, coffee isn’t cheap…unless you make it @ home, which I don’t for the most part. Thus, I’ve been on a recent path to sort of figure out what healthy alternatives might be.

First and foremost, there’s water. But, water is a little boring. Don’t get me wrong - I love water, especially after a strenuous work-out, but everyone needs a little variety in their life. If you, like me, are looking for healthy alternatives in terms of beverages…you might find the following useful.

3 Drinks Worth Drinking

1. Vegetable Juice

Apparently, chugging a glass of low-sodium vegetable juice every day is good for you! In a recent study, those who drank at least a cup of low-sodium V8 daily lost four pounds over 12 weeks, while those on the same reduced-fat diet who drank no juice lost one pound http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/tricks-to-drop-pounds/article164353-1.html#slide

2. Milk

Milk has tons of benefits. We all know that milk helps build strong bones & can help kick-start weight-loss, but there’s a ton of other life-long benefits that include: healthier teeth, better blood pressure, healthier heart…and the list goes on! http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=73 For those of you who hate milk like myself, you might want to think twice before saying “no” to that TALL glass of white gold.

3. Green Tea

Need caffeine? Check! If you absolutely need caffeine, but don’t want the jitters…Green tea is the choice. Green tea contains less caffeine than coffee or black tea + it’s healthy! Green tea is rich in anti-oxidants and has demonstrated to help with battling illness & bacteria. Another plus is that it has recently shown to also help with weight loss. http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm

So, there you have it! Dump the soda, fruity juices, and coffee. Be sure to drink your 8 fl. oz of water a day :) …and when you need a little bit of FLAVOR go for one of these three healthy choices.

I don’t know about the milk or veggie juice (yet) but my new mantra is gonna be “green tea!”

Remember time brings roses...

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:21:00 -0500

April usually brings showers, but this year I’m hoping April will also bring me one GIANT step closer to France. Taking an afternoon stroll from my office to the University Town Center today, I passed by the University rosebushes. Of course as would be expected, the bushes were barren - just stubs of thorns growing up from hostileearth. No beauty in that moment, but the promise of something beautiful to come. However, there’s no guarantee that these roses will bloom. There are always those uncontrollable elements that can thwart the process - like sudden strikes of bad weather or visits from pesky insects. Yet with the appropriate preparation the odds look good. For there in the midst of soil & thorns were the dedicated workers patiently pruning the garden. Seeing them care for something not yetvisiblegot me thinking about my own proverbial rosebushes…whether or not I will in fact be journeying to France this coming year. A huge part of me wants to forgetabout the fact that I even applied. No expectations = no disappointment. My mother, on the other hand, is practically already packing my bags. She has decided that I’m already going, this way she’ll be 100% prepared for my departure. She wants my potential absence to soak into her veins as much as possible. At the time, I thought this way of thinking was ridiculous. I like to gamble, but I don’t like to place bets when I don’t know the odds of winning. But, today as I glanced at the ungrown garden, I realized I have to bank on the fact that my roses will infact bloom.

With renewed optimism comes a plethora of possibilities. Where will I go when I get there? What will I experience? Who will I meet? What will I accomplish? Some of these questions frighten me, but if I answer them simply they don’t seem that bad:

Where will I go? Definitely Paris for Christmas to see the city of lights when it’s at its brightest.

What will I experience? Cherchez un appartement et faites-lui ma propre maison française. Mangez le fromage et les baguettes par des fontaines d’eau, buvez du café à un café et regardez les gens.

Who will I meet? At least one person. At least you’d hope haha.

What will I accomplish? Surviving a world away from home. Perhaps write a blog (http://glimpse.org/correspondents/) and share my experience with others.

So for now, I will keep patiently tending to my soil & thorns in preparation for what’s to come. For as the old adage says, “Avoid being impatient. Remember time brings roses.”