This, I think, is the third hardest time in my life. The first, I won’t talk about here, but it was a long time ago with a girl who feels like someone other than me now. The second was in May of 2007 when my mom suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage and I spent 5 weeks [...]

1. Eu·re·ka A city of northwest California on Humboldt Bay, an arm of the Pacific Ocean. Lumbering, fishing, and tourism are important to its economy. Population: 25,400. 2. eu·re·ka interj. Used to express triumph upon finding or discovering something. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. [...]

For the last week I have awoken in strange beds.  I wish that were as fun as it may sound, but it’s because after 9.5 years of living together and 4.5 years of marriage, Francisco and I are going through a divorce. Why? Irreconcilable differences. There’s no bad guy/girl here. There’s a lot of love, [...]

“Get off the bus at Jasmine Guest House and then walk past it toward Ochheuteal Beach until you see the huts. You’ll know!” The directions to a paradise that was not supposed to exist by a fellow backpacker who’d already discovered it. It was January 2004 and Francisco and I had just come from Siem [...]

As 2010 comes to an end, I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and relief, and if you are reading this, it is in part because of YOU.  Instead of recounting travel-related experiences, the things that I’ve learned, or what I’ve overcome, what I feel most compelled to do is say THANK YOU!!! WARNING! Those [...]

Merry Christmas all! We got you some presents! Here are a few of my fave classic Christmas songs that you either don’t hear 50 million times every year (or that I could stand hearing 50 million more) and one new song. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, I hope you love them. Check ‘em out, [...]