Florida

no undies, no eaties

I’m away from home base and having what I consider a most incredibly gluttonous amazing perfect day; porch, sun, palm trees close enough to touch, laptop, book, work, and quiet. For a girl like me who doesn’t allow herself nearly as much “me” time she needs, yet does a great job teaching others how to take it, and take it often, I’m in heaven right now.

Let me just go ahead and call myself out here again. Just trying to keep all of us on our toes, baby:)

I’m visiting someone who’s stuck at work longer than he cares to be today, but that stuck is a good thing in this case because it means I get the best of all worlds…a me fiesta, coupled with good bits of fun company at lunch and later tonight. (Win, win!) I just got scooped up for lunch and we went to one of those fascinating dive joints that I’m always on the search for. You know, the place that’s just the perfect amount of grimy and always filled to the max with locals, and blue collar friendly everyone?

Giant sandwich

Lunch

Did I mention I ordered the small veggie “round” sandwich? Mmmm…

My favorite part of our visit was the sign on the door as we walked in:

Door signs

Oh travel, new spots, and good food, you are my besties!

How are you taking care of yourself today?

#AlwaysLookingUp #EverydayAdventure #LifeUnstuck

*(You know what would be extra special and awesome? If you scrolled to the bottom page of this website and subscribed to my blog posts, so you can get them in your email inbox, that’s what. You know what else would be awesome? Ice cream for dinner. You can have it all! YAHTZEE! Treats left and right. Fantastic.)*

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remember, celebrate, live

I’ve always been known as the “energetic” one. That “Boy if you could bottle that energy and sell it, you’d be a millionaire!” gal. That friend that “we just can’t keep up with.” I don’t feel like a freak of nature, but sometimes I have to remind myself that in fact I’m not, when I hear the constant barrage of:

“I’d love to hang out, but I know you can stay up all night.”

“Good lord, where did you come from? How do you have all that energy?!”

“I’m sure YOU don’t need sleep, but I do.” 

Can’t a girl just be herself? It’s tough not to get a little insulted over here, when these “compliments” are regularly hurled at me. I have some very disappointing news:

I don’t stay up all night, I’m from a tiny town in Vermont, not space, I cannot explain how I have the energy I do (Mom, can you tell the people?), I actually need sleep like you, and no, I’m not a unicorn, Ewok, or other worldly being. I have shitty days. For instance, the other day I cried during a meeting with my accountant at Panera (yes, as in Panera Bread, in public), and it had nothing to do with finding out I’m not a billionaire. I already knew that and I don’t care. If you really want to know where the tears came from call me, (804.339.6514) I’ll share anything.

In an effort to solve the energy mystery right here, right now, after much reflection, I have come up this:

I CHOOSE TO CELEBRATE, PEOPLE. I AM JUST FREAKING CELEBRATING THAT I AM ALIVE.

Put that in your I’d rather stay miserable and quiet about it pipe and smoke it.

We’ve all been beaten into a life happens pulp. Do we need to recap on that again? So what do we do about it? Stay in the drone zone, or wrap our wounds with whatever we’ve got left, own and accept our crap, and drag our asses out of bed everyday in the never ending search for those few last tiny beautiful things that are left?

I refuse to wait for a weekend or big event to wear my sassy shoes:

Sassy Shoes

(This photo was taken on a Tuesday after stopping into my friends office to have coffee. I think that’s all I got dressed for that day.)

…I don’t say no to invitations to road trip to beautiful places with good friends:

Amelia Island

…I don’t save treats for only special occasions:

Dessert With Dom

…I always play like a kid and jump for joy at sunset:

Sunset Jumps

…and while things are often better shared with good company, (and oh my do I love a lot of humans!) If it’s 86 degrees on a random Tuesday in March like this week, I’m not afraid to sit outside at a picnic table to enjoy an after work beer in the warm and sunshine, alone:

Beer at a picnic table

I don’t have too much energy. I JUST ALLOW MYSELF TO BE ALIVE BECAUSE I AM, and I fully plan to continue celebrating the bleep out of this life while I have it.

I’ve never asked anyone to be like me and I would never dare. You do you, dudes and gals, quiet, loud, whatever you are…I accept all of you! You’re always invited to my party over here, but if this sparkly blue lollipop is “too much” for you, please walk on. I’m only interested in those fellow tribe members who might roll their eyes or shake and scratch their heads a little, but simultaneously are thrilled about getting smothered in glittery, energetic, life-celebrating love as we run down this steep, wondrous, rocky road together.

I’m off to my Friday morning dance party. I’ll see you and Beyonce in the soul train line…

#ShineBright #TodayIsTheDay #LessMiseryMoreLaughsHappyLife

*(This post is dedicated to everyone in my tribe (I LOVE YOU GUYS, you know who you are, but particularly Maria, Brandy, Leslie, Katie, Sam, Joe, and Grapa. I will forever be inspired to keep smiling and dancing because of you.)*

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get a life! (outside.)

Bright and early this morning and just after writing this last night, I heard something VERY disturbing as I was grabbing a coffee. The TV was on in this public place with me paying no attention until my ears caught a designer on a home show who was being interviewed; “The average American spends 23 hours a day inside…”

Twenty three hours out of twenty four a day, INSIDE?!

What are we doing to ourselves, people?!

This fact is almost as disturbing as a couple others I’ve learned, such as the average American home built in 2016 was something close to 4,000 square feet, and there are an average of 300,000 items in American homes.

I’m about to cry over here.

Holy mother lode guys and gals, these facts and figures are so NOT cool. Are you in Target right now? The mall? Hiding at home with all the windows closed? Please take your hands off the cart, hanger, or remote, and walk outside for a minute. Do me a favor and think of why you are in Target, at the mall, or on your couch. Do you actually need what you’re shopping for? Do you have any bills you could pay where your money could be more effectively used rather than that “I can never seem to get out of Target for less than $200” that I hear all the time? Are you just bored?

Please put me out of business! Remember we declared together (by that I mean I’m pretending like you all agreed) that 2017 is THE YEAR OF LESS CRAP? How about now we add that this year can be the year of more fresh air? The year of more adventure out of four walls with your bestie exploring a new neighborhood, more time to kick the ball around at the park with your kid, extra hours losing yourself on a road trip alone, more fun gettin’ frisky under a tree at the top of a mountain with your shmoopster….oh the possibilities!

Here’s a teeny sampling of my past few months:

In the Mountains

Aspen

Red Rock

Palm Trees

Red Rocks

Colorado

Spain sky

Lake Sunset

I don’t know about you, but this girl sure isn’t staying inside for a minute longer than she ever has to.

Consumerism and isolation are forceful breeding grounds for fear, hate, obesity, misery and all those other things that sound just awful, sad, and not fun.

Life is WAY TOO SHORT to be awful, sad, and not fun…don’tcha think? Yahoo! The bell just rang for recess! It’s time for all of us to go play. Get up, open the doors, walk outside, hug a tree, a person, or both, and find a little more health and happiness on this crazy ride.

#LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife #MoveIt #TheGreatOutdoors

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whistle with me!

My idea of a merry Christmas is living inside this Corona commercial:

(Pretty cool story, don’t ya think?)

Send me to the warm & beach, baby!

This is where I was exactly one year ago today; December 14th, 2014:

Florida

Ahhh…

Here’s to great adventures wherever you feel like you’re in paradise, this December!

How do you holiday?

#MoreTravelLessStuffHappyLife #Adventure #HolidayBeachBum

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hats off to the cold weather peeps

Today was nice. 74 degrees nice. This is the first time in a lot of months it has been this nice.

Each year when I try to be all “First world problems! I’m fine!”- when I’m freezing my ass off & feel depressed about the crap, cold weather. I can’t lie; I really want to stab myself in the face when It’s cold and cloudy endlessly, and snow happens. I hate snow. I hate cold. I hate it. Period. Vermont girl who despises the white stuff with everything in my being. I hate cold temperatures. I get bitchy, mean, and all those other things that I never want to be and that are scary to most people. Yep. I’m happy-happy joy-joy until it gets to be about this time of year and I think- Dear God, if it doesn’t get sunny and warm soon, I might have to buy a plane ticket to wherever the hell it is NOT 30 degrees and never come back again.

And then there is a day like today; 74 degrees and sunny.

THANK.

GOD.

(Or whoever.)

Hallelujah! Just when I felt like I was about to lose it, someone delivered me some sunshine & warm. I feel like a new human. As I sit here in the dark, with our living room garage door wide open, I can’t help but wonder how anyone lives through the 10-months-of-winter life each year that happens in so many states. I can’t imagine. Hat’s off and then some, to all those people out there who are tougher than me.

Here’s to “springing forward”, sunshine, warmth, and flip flops being the only shoes I ever need.

A photo I took in December as we floated away from Ft. Lauderdale on vacation:

Sunset in Florida

…just a little nod to the sun and warm, so it stays around.

What season do you look forward to?

#SunshineGoddess #SnowNeverAgain #IBelieveInFlipFlops

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language barriers that make you smile

I’m currently in Miami, where the weather is ridiculously amazing for December, the palm trees are draped with Christmas lights, and Cuban food is everywhere. (Hello deliciousness!) This Vermont girl who loves that state, but never did belong in winter- is one happy camper. Jingle Bells is on the hotel radio as I sit here and type next to the pool. It makes me giggle with delight. I feel like I’m living in a Corona commercial and I’m long every minute of it.

Out the door I went for an unplanned adventure this afternoon after way too many hours in front of the computer. 8 miles and serious hippie (what I call my completely blackened sporty-spice flip flop) feet- later, I’m back after a stop at a bookstore, a wander through a surprise -found fancy-pants neighborhood with gorgeous homes and flowers:

A walkabout in Miami

…and two limes:

Citrus Adventure

I didn’t plan on buying anything on my walk, but I saw a sweet looking old man with a roadside fruit stand, packed full of mangos, oranges, (what I thought were) lemons, and limes- so I stopped to buy a lemon. I figured an ice cold Diet Coke or lemon water after my walk in the sun would taste delicious.

Oh my.

You have never seen 2 strangers laugh so much at each other; one trying to ask for a lemon instead of a lime- the other trying to convince the lemon shopper that a lime was indeed a lemon. (I hate to say even the simplest communication in Spanish is lost on me these days which is pretty embarrassing seeing that I consider myself to be a savvy traveler.) After a 5 minute back-and-forth, I thought Ok well this one (the one I had picked up) does look pretty yellow- I guess it is a lemon, then if he says it is with that big, trustworthy Grandpa smile. I asked the man how much, he tried offering me 10 for a dollar, I told him I only needed 1, gave him a quarter- he insisted on giving me 2, we laughed some more and I was on my way with that never-gets-old meeting a person you will never see again but makes your day smile happiness- back to the hotel to make my cold drink. I laughed out loud and shook my head as I cut my “lemon” open:

Florida citrus

Yep. Totally a lime.

I love it. Thanks for making my day, cute old man with the fruit stand. I wish I had gotten a photo of you! I know you really were just trying to get me exactly what I wanted:)

Oh life’s sweet, simple moments. All for a quarter.

When’s the last time you wandered with no plan and something awesome happened?

#Travel #LifeIsShortGoOnAnAdventure #LaughingWithStrangers

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how does this author know so much about me?

A friend sent me this blog post today and as I read it, I kept thinking; YES! YES! YES! That is totally me.

DON’T DATE A GIRL WHO TRAVELS

She’s the one with the messy unkempt hair colored by the sun. Her skin is now far from fair like it once was. Not even sun kissed. It’s burnt with multiple tan lines, wounds and bites here and there. But for every flaw on her skin, she has an interesting story to tell.

Don’t date a girl who travels. She is hard to please. The usual dinner-movie date at the mall will suck the life out of her. Her soul craves for new experiences and adventures. She will be unimpressed with your new car and your expensive watch. She would rather climb a rock or jump out of an airplane than hear you brag about it.

Don’t date a girl who travels because she will bug you to book a flight every time there’s an airline seat sale. She wont party at Republiq. And she will never pay over $100 for Avicii because she knows that one weekend of clubbing is equivalent to one week somewhere far more exciting.

Chances are, she can’t hold a steady job. Or she’s probably daydreaming about quitting. She doesn’t want to keep working her ass off for someone else’s dream. She has her own and is working towards it. She is a freelancer. She makes money from designing, writing, photography or something that requires creativity and imagination. Don’t waste her time complaining about your boring job.

Don’t date a girl who travels. She might have wasted her college degree and switched careers entirely. She is now a dive instructor or a yoga teacher. She’s not sure when the next paycheck is coming. But she doesn’t work like a robot all day, she goes out and takes what life has to offer and challenges you to do the same.

Don’t date a girl who travels for she has chosen a life of uncertainty. She doesn’t have a plan or a permanent address. She goes with the flow and follows her heart. She dances to the beat of her own drum. She doesn’t wear a watch. Her days are ruled by the sun and the moon. When the waves are calling, life stops and she will be oblivious to everything else for a moment. But she has learned that the most important thing in life isn’t surfing.

Don’t date a girl who travels as she tends to speak her mind. She will never try to impress your parents or friends. She knows respect, but isn’t afraid to hold a debate about global issues or social responsibility.

She will never need you. She knows how to pitch a tent and screw her own fins without your help. She cooks well and doesn’t need you to pay for her meals. She is too independent and wont care whether you travel with her or not. She will forget to check in with you when she arrives at her destination. She’s busy living in the present. She talks to strangers. She will meet many interesting, like-minded people from around the world who share her passion and dreams. She will be bored with you.

So never date a girl who travels unless you can keep up with her. And if you unintentionally fall in love with one, don’t you dare keep her. Let her go.

Confession:

I’m amidst one of the worst winter-duldrum/when does this end and get warm again already/why am I not living in the tropics/on the road full time right now- times I’ve ever had. I’m sure you’re probably thinking boo-hoo, Diane- don’t you travel enough? Haven’t you been to enough spots? Aren’t you thankful for what you have done and where you have gone? Well, no, no, and yes. Travel is simply a part of my heart & soul. I can’t explain it. The above blog post makes me want to run- not walk, and do more.

I’ve tried so hard to shake this pesky bug, this lifestyle, this insatiable hunger for all things exploration and travel, but I just can’t. Sigh. I want to (I really do!) I want to be “normal” but I just can’t be. I’ve realized more and more lately, that probably the only thing that will ever keep me happy is living light and free; Free to stay if I want, to go if I want, to embrace the full “Me-ness” that is me, the forever overly curious, fight to feel truly alive everyday, wanderer.

At the moment I’m under a big blanket feeling cold, stuck, pretty uninspired, and not really myself. In an effort to ditch those yuck feelings, I just perused a bunch of my goofy, fun, and slightly ridiculous travel photos:

The above photo should actually say; I just love everything…TRAVEL. 

Ok, now I feel better. I guess when those blah, endless feeling wintery days strike- It’s best to fight back with memories of all the awesome that has been a part of my life already, and all that is still to come.

The reason I started my current BLR 365 project (have you seen it and gotten on board yet?) is exactly for days like this. I really do believe we can feel totally alive and make everyday an adventure, even when we are feeling glum/stuck/yuck. It’s all about taking a minute during your standard day, to look back, dream forward, do something creative, or let your mind wander about all that’s possible in the future.

What makes your soul burst with excitement?

#LifeOfATraveler #Wanderlust #StayUnstuck

PS~ A huge THANK YOU! To my always supportive, fellow lover of all things travel & adventure, fantastic friend, David who sent me Don’t date a girl who travels.

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