Travel Series #1: That Time I Went to Ireland

First of all, I fully acknowledge that this post is coming at you a good four months late, but I figure, better late than never! I don't know what it is, but I'm having the hardest time sitting down and blogging, no matter how times I promise you that I will be better about it! That being said, I am snuggling up and getting cozy in my local Pret A Manger, ready to tap furiously on this poor keyboard of mine until I have a post or two ready to go!

Also note, this post is about to get real photo heavy, so be ready!









Anyway. So, Ireland! I was there for a solid ten days over the holidays this year, visiting my best friend, braving the bitter temperatures, and drinking more beer than I probably have collectively in my entire life (which isn't actually saying much, to be fair).

I would also like to point out, they have Pop Tarts in Dublin. At almost 7 euros a box (of four), they were no bargain, but I was still happy to have that taste of home.

My aforementioned best friend, Kasey, is currently living in Dublin, which is where I spent most of my time while I was there. We did plenty of exploring in the city, that is, when things were open and operating. Since I was there over Christmas and New Years, and this is Europe, a lot of things were closed for the holidays. So while I did manage to see and experience quite a bit of Dublin and Irish culture, there was also a good amount of chill time on the docket during this trip. I gotta say, I didn't mind one bit. Especially given the gloomy skies and freezing temperatures!











When we did get out and about, we spent our time wandering around Dublin, eating and drinking our way through several cafes and bars, and doing a few touristy things here and there, like the Jameson Distillery Tour! Since I had been to Dublin before, I didn't feel the need to go crazy trying to fit in all the tourist attractions. I had managed to see a lot of those things the last time, so this time was more about being with my friend for the holidays and enjoying a much needed respite from Paris. I think the thing that stuck out to me the most was how colorful people had made the city, despite the gray stone buildings and the even grayer sky.











Christmas Day was very chill and casual for us. We spent most of the day hanging out at Kasey's apartment, where I put a lovely virtual Christmas scene on my iPad, complete with twinkling tree and crackling fire. One of Kasey's friends joined us and we ate food, drank gin and tonics, and had good conversation over knitting (as we do). In the evening, we went into the city for Chinese food and a very holiday-themed photoshoot in the street that very nicely featured my ugly Christmas sweater. It was probably the least traditional Christmas I've ever had, but it was exactly what I think we all needed, being away from home and family for the holidays.





New Year's Eve was also particularly calm, as Kasey and I headed to a local pub and rang in the New Year with some whiskey and good wishes for the year to come. New Years Day, the entire city was practically deserted, and we walked the entire city just looking for food. We finally found a fish and chips joint that was open and that was our first real meal of 2019!



The other big highlight of my time in Ireland was our road trip out to the Rock of Cashel. We took a whole day, braved the wrong side of the road, and made the trip out to the beautiful, gigantic, slightly eerie castle. The fog that settled over the Irish hills and clouded the tiny town surrounding the area made it feel like there just might have been spirits among us. What was left of the place was mighty, intimidating, and gave the impression of strength, despite the crumbling walls. The graves outside the main structure were stoic, but the sheep in the background made it serene, and there was a deteriorating abbey off in the distance that we managed to explore. We even got to tour the chapel, with its better-preserved frescoes, and learned quite a bit about the whole thing. Did you know that in medieval times, when structures like this were built, the faces of the wealthy who paid for them were literally built into the walls? I would be lying if I said it wasn't creepy to see all these eroding faces staring down at us as we walked through. All in all, though, a great experience that I'm so glad we decided to take the day to do!



























You know, I'm not so upset I waited this long to post this. It's been really great going back and remembering the trip, and looking back through my photos, I'm so happy with how they turned out and how they represent what I saw while I was there. I hope you enjoyed them, as well! Have you visited Ireland? What was your favorite part?

2019 - A Year of Emotional Freedom

And just like that, it's 2019! 2018 was one of those years that was simultaneously so long, but also went by in the blink of an eye. SO much happened in the last year. I moved three times, and one of those times was to Paris. I worked several jobs, met so many people, started some new projects, and went on the most intense emotional roller coaster to date. Sometimes I look back and I can't believe how much stuff happened in a single year... Do you ever feel that way?



So. Resolutions. As is customary, I have spent the last several days pondering my New Years Resolutions and Intentions. (I think I like the word "intentions" better than "resolutions") This year I have decided to do things a little differently. Instead of writing down several lofty goals for myself that seem unachievable, even with all the hope in the world, I am writing down smaller actions that I can implement every day to ultimately help me become a better person throughout the year. And for my couple of really big goals, I've broken them down into manageable bites that will be less overwhelming when I look back at them.

First, I broke my intentions down into categories: healthy habits, spirituality, career, art, writing, organization, and my planner project (I'm designing a planner, if you didn't know!). From there, I wrote down my actions steps. For example, under "healthy habits", I wrote things like "eat out less" and "take supplements daily". Under "art", I wrote "keep Etsy updated" and "use project calendars". Having everything written down this way helps me keep track of things, and lets me see that a lot of what I want to achieve overlaps between categories, like reading more and praying before bed are both habits I want to develop, but they will also help me achieve my "no screen half an hour before bed" goal!

The best part about writing down my intentions this way and seeing it all broken down, it makes me realize that it all serves one ultimate goal: to look back at 2019 with happiness and fulfillment. That is my biggest intention for this year. The last several New Years, I've looked back at the previous year and thought, "WOW that was a rough year". When we ring in 2020, I want to look back and think "WOW that was such a great year!" Even if it didn't always go my way (and let's be real, it won't, cause that's not how life works), I'll at least be able to look back and think "I found happiness. I bettered myself and I grew immensely because of my intentions."

2019 is going to be different for me. This is going to be my Year of Emotional Freedom. I am intentionally letting go of lots of past pain, and embracing everyday joy! I am embracing all the things that make me who I am, even those things that once made me insecure. I am an emotional human, I am passionate about art and pursuing the things that make us happy, contributing to the world, and I care exponentially more about all of those things over making money. No more shame in these traits of mine!

Here is a full list of my 2019 Intentions:

*LOOK BACK WITH HAPPINESS*

*EMOTIONAL FREEDOM*

*HEALTHY HABITS*

- Eat out less

- No screen half an hour before bed

- Take supplements daily

- Develop yoga practice

*SPIRITUALITY*

- Pray before bed

- Wake up to my Bible

- Church at least once a month

- Practice gratitude

*CAREER*

- Focus on getting back on stage

- Read more plays and listen to more soundtracks

- More dance classes

- Restart voice lessons

*ART*

- Keep CranberryInk social media up to date

- Paint at least once per week

- Use project calendars

- Keep Etsy shop updated

*WRITING*

- Journal once per week

- Blog once per week

- Use photography on the blog

- Read more

*ORGANIZATION*

- Project calendars

- Checklists

*PLANNER DESIGN*

- Finish the whole year's design

- Develop marketing strategy

- Product ready to sell by August

- Use social media for self promotion

What are your Resolutions or Intentions for the New Year? Do you feel motivated? What are you embracing or letting go of in 2019?

One Month Lessons

Can you believe it's already been a month since I got here to France?? (It's actually been just over a month, but who's counting?) A lot has happened in that month, and I've learned quite a lot already! Including that public wifi is often unreliable, and therefore it can be difficult to keep up with a blog... My goal for this year was to keep a frequent and thorough account of my experience here on the blog, along with sharing about my creative endeavors and other important (yes, important) musings! Yet, here we are, over a month in, and I can count on one hand how many times I've posted! Well I will tell you all right now, that is about to change, now that I've found a convenient and reliable connection just down the street at good old Pret A Manger. Thank God for international chains, amiright?



Anyway, now for the real meat and potatoes of this post: My One Month Lessons. Here are the things I've learned about France, and life in general, in the last roughly 30 days.

1. 95% of French people smoke. This is not a tried and true statistic, but it is certainly my educated guess. I had forgotten just how common smoking is in France.

2. Believe it or not, there is more puke on the sidewalks and trains here than in NYC. It's disturbing how much I've seen in this short month.

3. It feels VERY strange to brush your teeth and wash your dishes in the same sink. I have one sink in my teeny tiny apartment, so I don't really have a choice but to use it for everything! I gotta say, when you've spent 26 years with different sinks designated for different uses, it's pretty weird to spit your toothpaste into the same sink where you clean your pots and pans.

4. There are dopplegangers of people you know ALL over the world. The amount of people I've seen here who look EXACTLY like people I know back home is astonishing.

5. French people and American people are not on the same level when it comes to personal space. Sometimes I really get the feeling that I am a magnet, and people on the street are pulled towards me, regardless of the amount of empty space on the sidewalk. They don't feel they've gotten close enough until they've shoulder checked me.

6. On that note, I've never been sardined into a subway car like I have been multiple times on the Paris Metro. Things got pretty intimate on the NYC subway, but this is another level of public closeness.

7. For the most part, Parisians are kind, helpful, and understanding. Of course, there are always going to be your stick-in-the-mud waiters and stink-eye-giving shop keepers. But overall, people are willing to give advice, help you figure out what it is you need, and do it with a smile. Even when I stumble over my French, most French people have been patient. (And they appreciate when you are patient and kind and understanding, too!)

8. Americans are INSANELY lucky to have Trader Joe's. You have no idea. Don't take that for granted.

9. If you thought scooters went out of style in the early 2000s, you are mistaken! At least here, everyone uses them for transportation. Some of them are electric, but most of them are the old school push-it-with-your foot sorts. I'm seriously considering getting with the trend. Also, it's somewhat hilarious to see a business man in a three piece suit pushing himself along the sidewalk on a scooter.

10. Americans are, at least by comparison, a very friendly people. As a group, we smile, hug, and laugh a whole heck of a lot, and it gives us away almost immediately.

This is just a sprinkling of the things I've learned. I'll definitely be checking back in with more lessons as time goes. Of course, these are fairly subtle cultural differences. We aren't talking about major lifestyle adjustments. But sometimes it's the little things that add up to be a totally new experience! What sorts of things have you noticed when moving to a new place?