So,  New Year’s Resolution:

Food Quest 2012.

After gathering recommendations from friends, online, blogs and magazines, I’m hoping to hit 2 restaurants I’ve never been to before each month. These are ones I’ve heard about and always wanted to try, and range from the fancy schmancy 5 course meal to the easy greasy burger.

And there are rules:

• Must go with at least one other person (and a person who likes to share, so we can all try as much as possible).
• Must get at least one appetizer/starter.
• Must get 2 main courses…ideally one the restaurant is “known” for or waitress recommends, and the 2nd something that just sounds good.
• I will TRY everything we order. I generally am not a fan of sea food, (call me crazy I know. But half of it tastes like sea water, and the idea of cracking something’s bones in half and putting out the meat while it still looks like it could crawl off my plate weirds me out.) but I will TRY everything just for the sake of experience.
• Now, desserts are not really on my radar for this project. Not that I’m about to turn down an incredible bananas foster if it’s offered to me (Do you want some? “NO.” But it’s really good… “OKAY FINE.”), but I’m really hoping to focus on REAL food. Dessert Quest 2013 might be in the future.

As I visit each restaurant, I’m going to blog & share here, and decide whether places lived up to the hype or not! And so, in no particular order I present…THE LIST:

1. Pok Pok

2. Biwa

3. Clark Lewis

4. Chennai Masala

5. Castagna

6. Marrakesh

7. Podnah’s Pit

8. Toro Bravo

9. Nostrana

10. Veritable Quandary

11. Pambiche

12. Woodsman

13. Nicolas

14. Pine State Biscuit

15. Olympic Provisions

16. Screen Door

17. Killer Burger

18. Din Din

19. Tasty n Sons

20. Broder

21. 22. 23. 24. & 25. are all left open. I’m expecting that as I start talking to people about the Food Quest, I’ll inevitably hear recommendations for one place or another. I’ve got backups to fill the spots, but I like leaving things a little open and spontaneous.

2011 was a challenging, educational, and reflective year for me. It was full of growth and evolution both personally and professionally. For the first time in my life, I don’t have a definite plan for the future, and yet I feel like I’ve got my life together moreso than ever before. It’s a very exciting time, and there’s no better way to start a new chapter than with some incredible food.

Here’s to 2012! ONWARD!

I get totally caught up sometimes trying to maintain that delicate balance of working hard but enjoying life. Making shit but taking time to enjoy things. Trying to document my life, but not let it get in the way of actually LIVING. And usually unless I have something important to say, I try not to say it. Particularly when it comes to cluttering up the internet.

But as it turns out, that’s a real great way to totally blow off your blog. You’ve probably been wondering what the hell I’ve been up to since I’ve had a whole whopping 2 posts in the last year.

I guess I have “rules” so to speak before I go posting every detail of my life on the internet. First and foremost I try not to clog up cyber space unless I have something someone (other than my mother) would want to hear. Facebook is for the most recent, up-to-date, you only want to know this cause you’re my friend stuff. Twitter used to be for little interesting tidbits that are fun and shareable, and the blog was supposed to be about more in-depth thinking moments, revelations, grand quandaries and nirvana moments.

Apparently I’m seriously lacking in the Nirvana category.

SO. Here’s a nutshell version update (if there is such a thing with me, god knows I am way too verbose sometimes) of what the hell I’ve been doing with my life:

GIRL TALK: Spent the entire concert on stage at one of my favorite artist’s show at the Roseland. One of THE best concerts I’ve ever attended. If you’re not familiar, the music is free and amazing. You can get it here.

MUSIC: I’m finally getting it back into my life, starting with recording covers of some of my favorite songs.

TULIP FESTIVAL: beautiful display in Woodburn, not to far away from Portland every spring.

HIKING TO PUNCHBOWL FALLS: A gorgeous hike, right off the scenic highway where you can find a dozen or so beautiful waterfalls.

DEVELOPING MY FIRST FACEBOOK APP: A fun little thing called “Ahh-Giver”, which lets you give your friend a free Coke. Check it out here.

BAKING A SHIT-TON OF PIES: In an attempt to win the prestigious WK pie contest…but with 92 pies and some serious subjectivity, I always have my work cut out for me. This one was a lemon-lavender meringue, and a Hazelnut Chai is next on the list.

MORE BAKING: Yes, I’ve become a bit obsessed with baking. Maybe it’s because I can no longer enjoy baked goods myself that I am desperately tapping into my inner Jewish mother to feed my friends.

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS BABY: Visiting my sister in Texas for the first time, and seeing the one and only Stevie Wonder perform 50 feet in front of me. Incredible. Both the weather and music are like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

WELCOMING FOREIGNERS: My dear, dear friend Katie (my old partner at the London office) came to visit. I was beyond happy to finally be able to show here where I’m from, and enjoy both Bon Iver and James Blake concerts over the course of the weekend.

ENJOYING OREGON: After living away for a few years, I definitely appreciate Oregon much more than I did when I was growing up here. But there are moments still every day when I am reminded just how damn lucky I am.

DREAMBOARD MOMENTS: I have long had on my dreamboard to serve a meal at the homeless shelter. Finally this year, I was able to check it off the list. Technically, I was part of the clean up crew. But the point was to be reminded especially this year how much I have to be thankful for.

I will try not to be so bad with my blog from here on out. Try being the key part of that sentence.

Let’s start with the exciting news: I’ve been doing personal training for 3 months, and got my progress report measurements done a few weeks ago.

RESULTS: -3% body fat and 5lbs!!!!!!!!!

I can honestly say I almost cried. I was hoping for 1 or 2%, but 3 was unreal. I’m SO happy, proud and truthfully just surprised  I didn’t quit.

SO, a bit of backstory how I got to this point:

My personal training story: I used to hate the gym. I’ve joined, canceled, signed up and resigned from classes and memberships more times than I can remember. NOTHING has worked. I used to pity my roommates as they happily trotted off to the gym at 7 in the goddamn morning. Who knew that person would be me 2 months later.

WHY I DECIDED TO CHANGE:

Primarily, it was to help with my ADD. I’d read studies that focused activity in the morning can help set the tone for the day. And anybody who knows me can tell you it’s like trying to herd cats in my head any time after 3pm.

Now: motivation. Ironic, considering most people would probably say I’m one of the more motivated people they know. But for some reason, getting me in the gym was like trying to put two wrong ends of a magnet together. So, I had a moment of honesty with myself and realized the only things that really motivate me are guilt, and wasting my money. ANSWER: personal trainer.

So Joey (my trainer) has been ripping me a new one once a week for the last 3 months. I go to the gym on average 5 days a week, usually at 7am. While the scenery (i.e., hot boys) is definitely nicer after work, it’s a bit too much bro-party macho-madness for me. Plus, I get sweaty and have to deal with again. I’ve done my hair for the day, fuck that.

Also: changed my diet. No carbs. (or as few as I can possibly do) THIS, is way harder than working out. There are some days where I honestly just want to eat 2 loaves of bread, a pot of fat Thai udon noodles, an entire 5lb bag of potatoes, a roll of unbaked cookie dough and top it off with 6 boxes of cereal and a pizza. My diet up until now has BEEN carbs. And it’s been SHITTY having to give them up. I think I might have had a dream about bagels other day, and I’m not even kidding. The first month I was good. The second I was less good, but did whole wheat. I could tell a difference. Back to no carbs. It blows, but it’s worth it.

THE ADVERTISY-BIT

It’s lead me to a lot of thinking about what motivates us, and how, when correctly identified, we can use those things to get people to act. A lot of my thinking when I’m brainstorming about campaigns is based on what I think will genuinely motivate people. I guess what I’ve learned is that even  the most seemingly successful, driven person has to have motivation. The key is identifying what exactly that is.

Me at Jaffa with Tel Aviv in the background

I just came back from 10 days in Israel on a Birthright trip. For those who don’t know what Birthright is: it’s a free trip to Israel for any Jewish person, that allows you to learn about your heritage, to visit your “homeland” and to give you an opportunity to strengthen your understanding of what it means to be a Jew. I feel so lucky to have been given an opportunity like this. For years, I’ve wanted to grow in this area of my life – what a way to be able to do it! And the best part: I got to go on the trip with my sister who currently lives in Austin, TX. It was particularly special to have this experience with her.

There are far too many memories to recall. This blog post is going to be a bit of a novel as it is, but I’ll try my best to condense it into a short list. So, here we go:

TOP 10 HIGHLIGHTS FROM ISRAEL

1. MEETING THE ISRAELIS

We had 8 Israeli soldiers and students our age participate on the trip with us. I don’t consider myself a person who stereotypes people, and thought I knew what to expect. But after spending several days spending time with them, rooming with them, and bonding, I was surprised how few differences there were between us. Having them be a part of our trip changed my perception on what it means to be Israeli, what it means to be a Jew, and what it means to be a 20-something like me, living on the other side of the earth. The trip would not have been the same without them. I can’t wait for them to come visit the states will come visit so we can show them the US.

2. THE DEAD SEA

The Dead Sea!

The Dead Sea: the lowest place on earth! Floating in the sea is an unreal experience. At about 30%-ish salt content (8x saltier than the ocean!) you have no choice really but the float once you get in. It’s like being a log – you bob right up to the surface, and have to make no effort to stay up. SO so cool. We also covered our bodies with the famous Dead Sea mud, and our skin was SO smooth after.

Floating with EASE in the SALTY salty water.

3. UNDERSTANDING THE JEWISH RELIGION

Rabbi Levi wrapping Tefillin Seth on the bus

This trip was so educational for me. There were so many questions I had, and I lacked a basic understanding of the religious aspect of Judaism. Luckily, we had an incredible Rabbi with us who really helped reshape my views. He was SO laid back – would talk sports and pop culture with us, and answer even our most taboo questions candidly and honestly. He was accepting and tolerant… completely different than I expected a Rabbi to be.

Summary from my own experience: Judaism isn’t a my-way or the highway kind of faith. It’s all about choices. Religion, and your relationship with G-d is like any other- it should be your choice. Being a Jew is different for every person – and that’s okay. Some people who are “Jewish” are Orthodox or Hassidic, and practice very strictly. Other “Jewish” people are strictly Jewish by culture and genetics, and choose not to believe in G-d at all. But the one thing in that we all have in common is a genetic bond, and a common heritage. And the importance of maintaining the Jewish traditions and culture is to make sure it doesn’t get lost. We’ve had to fight so many times just to exist as a people, and now that we finally have a Jewish State of our own, Israel, it’s important that we honor our culture and our ancestors by passing it down to our kids so they understand where they come from – whether they choose to believe the religious aspects or not.

My understanding of Judaism and my identity as a Jew is so much stronger thanks to this trip. And while I don’t necessarily choose to practice many of those traditions (like eating kosher for example), in general I agree with and appreciate the reasons why those things were set in place.

As we frequently said on the trip, I dropped the “ish” in Israel. I’m no longer Jew-ish. I’m a Jew. And I’m very proud to be able to say that.

4. SHABBAT

In front of the Western Wall

This was my first Shabbat ever! And what an incredible way to experience it. We went to the Western Wall, which was an experience in itself. When I was standing in front of it, I couldn’t help but think about my grandparents (who are holocaust survivors), and if they were alive, how much it would mean to them that my sister and I were there together – learning and celebrating our Jewish heritage in Israel.

It was so much more FUN than I expected. Being a deeply religious site, I expected a lot of formality, protocol and seriousness, but it was a celebration! Unfortunately, we did not use our cameras in observance of Shabbat, but here is a video that is a small example of what it’s like:

The men were on one side, and all you could see from above was just a sea of black hats, all rocking back and forth praying in front of the wall. On the women’s side, we were singing and dancing in a circle, it was such a wonderful bonding experience.

The next day we were able to experience a Shabbat meal in an Israeli family’s home. The couple and their children were so wonderful and hospitable. She was actually from LA, and he was Belgian, but they moved to Israel and raised their kids here. One of their daughters was about 18, and made the most incredible challah bread from scratch! As we walked down the streets (which were completely empty… no cars on Shabbat) everyone we passed said “Shabbat Shalom”. It was a peaceful, enjoyable experience in Jerusalem. So much different than the conflict-ridden Israel that is portrayed in the news.

The overflowing notes coming from the cracks of the Western Wall

5. RECEIVING MY HEBREW NAME

This was the best moment of the trip, and easily one of the most meaningful moments of my life. Every Jew is born with a secular name, and a Hebrew name, and the Hebrew name is supposed to indicate your character and the kind of person you will become. Not being religious, my sister and I were never given one when we were born. So, Rabbi Levi asked if we wanted to go through the ceremony the next day at Temple, which I was thrilled about.

We discussed the night before what our Hebrew names would be. I wanted the Rabbi and my sister to choose mine, and I helped choose Kimberly’s. Kimberly’s Hebrew name is Rivkah – who always put others before herself, which I thought was appropriate. When we came home, we realized that my Aunt (who is quite close with my sister) also has Rivkah has a Hebrew name! Crazy huh? My Hebrew name is Hannah – which means grace, but she was also quite determined. She was born barren, but wanted a child so badly. She prayed and prayed, and finally was given what she wanted. I really love my name.

At the temple, it was quite small, and very religious. There was a partition down the middle- men on one side, women on the other. Everything was spoken in Hebrew. The women were so wonderful from the moment we got there. When they noticed we didn’t have prayer books to read from, and got up and found some for us. Then, the Rabbi announced that 3 women visiting from the US (my sister, myself, and our friend Danielle) were born without Hebrew names, and were going to be given them today. You could hear the whispers and gasps from the crowd…” no Hebrew name!?” lol So he called us up front, and spoke a blessing with both our secular names and our Hebrew names, to which the congregation replied “Mazeltov!! Mazeltov!!” I had felt myself tearing up even before I got up there, but was trying to keep it together, thinking I was being super emo. But as soon as all 3 of our names were given, the women all stood up, cheering, clapping, singing, and dragged us to the center of the room, dancing around us. At least a dozen women pulled me to them through the crowd and said “Mazeltov!!” and gave me a huge hug. They were crying, smiling and SO so excited and happy for us. I started crying, Jodi, Mandy, and all our friends were crying…it was overwhelming.

I cannot remember the last time I experienced such a high- such an unmistakable happiness. I’m tearing up right now just recalling the whole thing! I wish that I could have recorded it so I could replay that moment over and over again. I felt so welcomed. These were very religious women, and when I was given my Hebrew name, it’s not like they asked me to pledge my life to G-d, to vow to live a kosher life, to dedicate my life to studying and practicing the Torah…they were simply happy to welcome somebody into the Jewish community, and to be a part of that special moment with me. And that was the general sentiment across Israel – people constantly said to us “Welcome home”, and really made us feel like Israel was ours too.  I could go on forever, but there really aren’t words to express.

It was one of the most special, meaningful moments of my life and I will never, ever forget it.

6. Holocaust Museum (Yad Vashem)

I’ve been to Holocaust museums before, but somehow being in Israel made this one different. I thought a lot about both my grandparents, who are now gone, but were holocaust survivors. And I also thought a lot about Leslie, who technically is my mom’s much older cousin, but has been a bit of a grandfather figure to my sister and I in recent years. He is a holocaust survivor, and I just finished reading is autobiography online shortly before coming, and it really blew me away and made me appreciate this museum even more. For anyone who wants to read an incredible true story, you can read Leslie’s autobiography online here:

Can You Stop the Wind

7. UNDERSTANDING DAILY CONFLICT IN ISRAEL

A common sight, soldiers in Israel

There were a few attacks while we were in Israel.  First, a group of terrorists launched an attack on passing vehicles with roadside bombs, assault rifles and RPGs. Soldiers were sent out to resolve the situation, and became involved in the gunfire. Ultimately 31 were injured, and 8 were killed including St.-Sgt Moshe Naftali, who was only 22. We heard this news on Thursday as we were making our way to the Dead Sea. Just 24 hours later when we visited Mt. Herzl (the military cemetery), we were standing over a fresh mound of dirt and wreaths – it was Naftali’s grave. We had several soldiers in our group, and I think all of us were unexpectedly overcome with emotion. It could have easily been one of our new Israeli friends that was a victim, and Naftali was only 22 – much younger than most of us even are.

It was extremely difficult, but I am actually very thankful that we were there to pay our respects and to experience it. It was a necessary eye-opener to see how Israelis live every day, and how hard we have to fight to keep peace. In America – with the exception of September 11^th – most people my age or even my parents age have ever really experienced a “threat” on our country first hand. Frequently in Israel, people said to us “Welcome Home”, as we traveled throughout the country. It was a humbling feeling that the Israeli people welcomed us so freely, and were so willing to share the country they fight to keep every day with those of us who live in America. I have a renewed respect for the people who serve both the Israeli and American military, and an increased appreciation for being lucky enough to have two countries that I can call “home”.

8. RIDING CAMELS AND BEDOUIN TENTS

Sunrise in the Desert

This was SUCH a fun experience. Yes, we literally rode camels, and no they don’t smell as bad as you’d think. We finished our ride through the desert, and came back for the most amazing meal, served on a giant communal plate with us seated on the floor around it. We listened to a Bedouin man talk to us about the lifestyle of his people, and then went on a walk in the desert. It was so peaceful, and the stars were beautiful out there. We spent the night in the tents, which, granted, were on floor mats and questionable sleeping bags, but it was for the experience none-the-less! People are frequently giving me a hard time about being a Gypsy, but I definitely felt right at home living that kind of lifestyle!

View from inside the tents

Camel Ride!

9. TRAVELING WITH MY SISTER

It is very difficult to get onto a birthright trip – as you might expect for an opportunity that gives you free travel! So when my sister and I found out that we’d been accepted on the same trip together, it was really incredible. Kimberly lives in Austin now, and I’m in Portland, so we don’t frequently get to spend time together. In fact, I think this is the first time we took a trip on our own together. It was an incredible experience, and I think I would have felt something was missing had I done the trip without her there. I am so thankful that we have these wonderful memories to share.

10. NEW FRIENDS

This is the first time I’ve really been part of a Jewish “community” and it was absolutely wonderful. I met so many amazing people on the trip, and feel I’ve made friends that I’ll continue to keep in touch with both across the US and around the world in Israel! Being with so many New Yorkers has made me crossover from being resistant to moving to the east coast, to being quite open to the idea. It has also made me realize how much easier it is to preserve your heritage when you have large communities of those people where you live. It might sound extreme, but this trip has made me realize that (in an ideal world), I’d like to marry a Greek or a Jew also. Don’t go all bat-shit crazy on me, I’m still keeping an open mind. But I know what it was like being only half-Greek and half-Jewish growing up without strong communities of either culture. One day (once I accept the fact that I’m actually having kids), I would want that kind of community for my kids. I hope that regardless of who I end up meeting, that I’ll find a way to instill the values of  both Greek and Jewish tradition and culture in them, and staying in touch with all the wonderful new people I met should help do the trick.

Overall, this trip was more meaningful and life-changing than I ever could have expected. I had amazing people in my group. Our tour guide Alex was SO knowledgeable and taught us so much about living in Israel and the history of this magnificent place. Ayelet, our incredible Israeli coordinator was such a wonderful example of what a strong Jewish woman in Israel can accomplish. And Rabbi Levi was our spiritual guide, patient answerer of questions, and a great leader by example throughout the trip. I think if more Synagogues and Jewish communities had a Rabbi like him, there would be more enthusiasm and pride in young Jewish communities. I feel very lucky to have every person in our group as part of my trip.

That is all!

Shema Israel!

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. For a while, I’ve been wanting to make rude Valentine’s cookies. No, this is not some sad projection of my own bitter feelings towards this special holiday (VOM). It just seemed ANNOYINGLY girly to bake sweet, sappy cookies for a day about love. Barf. Instead, I found this version much more entertaining. ENJOY.

P.S. You can find the recipe for cookies here, and the recipe for royal icing here. I also used my favorite gel food coloring from Wilton if you’re wondering how I got such nice colors.

After being back for several months from spending the last 9 months or so in London, people always ask me, “How was it?”. The short answer is, it was absolutely amazing. There were a lot of things I learned, and because I’m asked so frequently, I thought I’d share a bit about my experience and encourage anybody who has the opportunity, to live in another country.

Here you go.  It’s long, brace yourself. 10 Things I learned from living abroad (and reasons you should do it too)

1. You should always do things that scare you.

My journey to London was a complicated one. The nutshell version is that I was too chicken-shit and timid to move to NY after college, so I tried getting jobs at west coast agencies. That didn’t work, so 8 months later I ended up finding a job in Montana. I hated it. Four months after moving there, I was let go. I was devastated. But low and behold, the very next day I got an email from Wieden, offering an interview for Platform at their London office. A week later, I was on a plane to New York, and the week after that I found out I got the job and had a month left until I moved to London.

The lesson here is that big rewards do not come without big risks. I had to hit rock bottom before I finally found guts to take the risks I should have jumped at from the start. Not everyone has to take that path. You ALWAYS have to do the things you’re afraid of. You’ll be surprised what you’re capable of & the opportunities that arise when you put yourself out there.

2. You don’t need ‘STUFF’!

When you move to a new country with only one suitcase, you quickly learn how to say “no”.  When I moved to London, I left 98% of my belongings behind, and you know what? I NEVER MISSED THEM. Not even once. Big realization there. It was a lesson I had to live in order to learn, but I feel SO free now that my “stuff” no longer weighs me down.

3. Experiencing new culture is amazing.

I loved how quaint it felt to have “afternoon tea”, streets named “Hanbury Street” and “Whitechapel Road”, cobblestone roads and hanging out in pubs that were older than the western United States. In addition, the majority of my neighborhood was Bangladeshi/Middle Eastern. It was like living in a foreign country WITHIN a foreign country. London is a bit of a melting pot, and I met people from places I’d never before. New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Finland, Turkey, Hong Kong, Sweden, and Malta to name a few. I realized how ignorant Americans are about the rest of the world. I’m working on fixing my contribution to that.

4. Having an “accent” is awesome.

It never gets old. All of a sudden you’re funnier because of your stupid American accent and foul mouth. I did get a bit self-conscious for a while because of how WELL I fit the American stereotype, but it’s a good lesson in being aware of how you are seen by others.

5. Trying new & different cuisines is a must.

British food lived up to its reputation of being almost complete crap. I found it to be very fatty, lots of mayonnaise, and pretty bland. It wasn’t the worst food I’ve ever had, but it definitely wasn’t the best.

BUT.

Because so many different cultures have formed communities in London, I did have a chance to try foods that aren’t common in Oregon. Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, Pakistani, Georgian, Moroccan (care of James Ramsden) and Portuguese to name a few. And there was CURRY. EVERYWHERE. It is the British equivalent to Mexican food. No matter what hole-in-the-ground crappy little town you find yourself in, there will be a curry shop. It took some getting used to, but after a visit to Tayyabs (easily the best Pakistani Punjabi shop in London), I was sold.

6. Moving away makes you appreciate what you had.

You don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. A few things I desperately missed:

-Mexican Food

-Tillamook Cheddar Cheese

-Clean water out of the tap

-Pandora/Netflix

-Dishwashers

-Living rooms (most flats in London don’t have one, or it’s being rented out as an additional bedroom because it’s so bloody expensive!)

To this day, hearing the grunt and sputter of the garbage disposal is like music to my ears. And I never considered myself an outdoorsy person until I had NO mountains, NO places to ride my bike, NO places to hike, and NO rivers to swim in on a hot day. I never really saw Oregon as a “cool” place to come from, but GOD BLESS THIS STATE. There’s nowhere I’d rather be.

7. It IS possible to keep your DREAMS and RELATIONSHIPS alive simultaneously.

Yes, my boyfriend and I did the long-distance. AND. IT. SUCKED. Between he & I, we’ve moved 9 times to 6 cities in 2 states and 2 continents in the last 2 years, but we’ve always supported each other. We wanted to make sure we didn’t sacrifice our individual dreams because of each other. It was hard, expensive, and lonely at times, but I am PROUD and HAPPY with our choice.

I’m thrilled it’s over (“over” meaning our 5,000 mile long distance is now down to an 1.5 hour drive), but I would do it again in a heartbeat to get to where we are today. Adversity and challenge brings people together more than anything, and if we can survive that, I’m pretty sure we make it through anything.

We’ll be together 7 years next February.

8. Do NOT believe everything you see on Facebook!

Things like Facebook make it seem like everyone is living the dream, traveling the world, and spending money like there’s no tomorrow. NOBODY puts up the crappy stuff on Facebook. For that matter, it probably looked like I was having the time of my life. Which, I was. But what I didn’t advertise was that London was EXPENSIVE as hell, I was broke, stressed, and homesick.

Both my parents moved to opposite ends of the earth when they were quite young, coming to America, thousands of miles away from home before the days of email, Facebook, and Skype. It makes me appreciate the sacrifices they made to make a better life for themselves and their family.

PS- if you DO live abroad, Skype is a LIFESAVER. If you’d like more info on this, email me.

9. You will make some of the best friends of your life

That really says it all. I now have friends around the world that I’ll be close with the rest of my life. They helped me learn a lot about myself, and gave me 9 months of amazing memories. You can’t put a price on that.

10. You only live ONCE!

You just have to remember that if you hate it, you can always quit and come home. Everybody experiences each country a little differently, and there’s truly no way of knowing what’ll be a good fit till you try.

You have the rest of your life to be tied down to a job, a house, marriage, kids etc. Take one year before you get serious about your life and go experience the world a little. You will come back a more appreciative, passionate, adventurous, and genuinely happy person.

The. End.

Here’s the pumpkin, a little tribute to the sugar skulls from when I studied in Mexico:

Here’s the glowing version:

A lot of people have asked what I used to carve this design. I went back to my days of letterpress and printmaking and used my Lino Cutter that is usually made for carving prints out of linoleum blocks. It is a meticulous way to do it, but it gives you a lot of control and is very effective. Make sure you scrape the inside really thin, otherwise light won’t shine through. Also, you’ll need to leave the lid off, or cut a hole in the back so the flame can get some oxygen.

Happy Halloween people. More news later this week on my costume.

So, in an effort to interact more with the people who always walk by our desks (and rarely say hello), we created a prize wheel. They win a prize. We trick them into liking us. Everybody wins.