oh, the places you'll go

so, obviously I've fallen off the blogging bandwagon lately. I'd blame it on "the holidays," but the truth is that I've been obsessively writing and writing and writing this silly "novel" of mine, because when I love doing something, well, I love doing it. Nonstop.

anyway, I am currently at the airport, much too sleepy (despite being heavily caffeinated, which truthfully in my case means zilch because coffee for some strange reason puts me to sleep) to novel-write, and I am thinking about this conversation that I had with my boyfriend a few days ago. I'm so fortunate to have been born into a family that considers travel so important, a priority, even, and sometimes I don't appreciate all the places I've been. Which is dumb, because I certainly should. One time, my uncle in France told us that if there is one thing worth spending money on, it is travel. I agree wholeheartedly.

via

so far in my (relatively short) life, I've been to: the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Turkey, Greece, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, England, Spain, France, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Cuba, the Bahamas, and Nicaragua, I think (do an emergency landing in Jamaica and reaching my hand into Lebanon count?). But there's so many places I'd still love to visit! Especially: Russia (despite the fact that I'm incredibly bitter about the new anti-US adoption law, considering I've been wanting to adopt a Russian child for, oh, I don't know, a good ten years), Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Morocco, Italy, Romania, Egypt (I mean, if shit ever calms down), India, and South Africa, to name a few.

basically, I want to travel the world. Because experiences mean more than material things, wouldn't you agree?

in other news, since I've been "gone," I've been thinking about: how the idea of arming schoolteachers is the dumbest, saddest, and most dangerous thing I've ever heard in my life (also: how it seems like an absolute no-brainer that there needs to be some serious gun control. This is coming from someone whose family was personally affected years ago in a civilian gun-related incident); how I need to study for the GREs and look into MFA programs I'd be interested in; how I am excited about the new direction my life is going in; how I still do not understand what the fiscal cliff means (I'm kind of stupid); how I am avoiding thinking about how much I miss Simba because I might cry; how much I hate airports and New York City (sorry, I'm not sorry).

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/whatever else you might celebrate!

colorado

our trip to Colorado is over. And I miss my sister, a lot, a lot.

I wish all the people I love could be in one place. But they're scattered, all over the world.

#fail

what's that?
how was Myrtle Beach, you ask?
well. It wasn't.

after a little (I kid, a major) hiccup with the airline, we decided it wasn't worth to stick out a 12-hour (I only slightly exaggerate) flight delay for a two-day trip. So. With much further ado (read: with many further obstacles that I have no desire to describe in detail because I might just tear my hair out), we decided to rent a car (do you know how expensive that is? I really had no idea!) and road trip it to Montauk, where we drank to our hearts' content (our bartender was quite heavy handed, and also, a very friendly drunk that insisted everything was "on the house"), got sick (me, to my stomach, of course), ate pizza, got sick again (me, to my stomach, again), and then could not, for the life of us, find a motel with a vacancy.

never mind the motel; as we drove around aimlessly in hopes that we would find somewhere to stay, my throat closed up. I couldn't breathe. An allergic reaction to...cheese? I couldn't tell you. But I can tell you that cheese is evil indeed (yes, it is delicious, but tastes can be deceiving, you see), since apparently not only does it cause me gut-wrenching stomach pain (pun totally intended), but I may or may not be allergic. Luckily, we found a gas station with Benadryl, and all was (sort of) good in the world again.

we did find a sleazy motel eventually. In the woods. The owner was a first rate creeper. We slept with the light on, lest he try to kill us in our sleep.

{I have always wanted to use the word "lest" in a sentence. Did I do it right? No? Well, thanks for raining on my parade then}

we spent Sunday morning wandering around East Hampton and visiting Rich People Stores. Eventually we did decide to come home early (meh), as my stomach and I are not friends at the moment. I am now making a commitment to living healthier - the way I'm going lately, I'm worried I'll need a bowel transplant by the time I'm 25.

New York City's welcome back gift to us? A torrential downpour that may or may not have ruined Mike's favorite Cole Haan shoes (we love you too, New York...nawt). What can I say; the kid's got style.

a roundup {7/30-8/3}

I've been doing lots of reading around the internets lately. Mostly when I'm bored, but also because I want to read and absorb every great piece of writing that ever was, and even every not-so-great piece of writing that ever was, in hopes that it will make me a better writer.

because dammit, I will be a writer if it's the last thing I do.

and a (and I use this term loosely) successful one, at that.

anyway, here are a few articles, gems, and such that I've found helpful, useful, inspiring, have made me think, etc etc.

+ it's okay not to be okay via Thought Catalog. My new anthem.
+ what do gymnastics, orthodox Judaism and Feminism have in common? Me via deadspin. Far from an orthodox Jew here (far, far, veerrryyyyy far from it), but this was actually compelling. And inspiring.
+ one spoonful at a time via the New York Times Magazine. Old, and I'd read it before, but a professor at my school wrote it, so I suppose it has me wondering. I know for a fact that this method wouldn't have worked for me, considering the family I was born in and whatnot, but I can't help but think, hm, if it had been plausible, would I be better off today?
+ the everything guide to taxis via New York Magazine. Hilarious and intriguing and just like a train wreck that you cannot look away from, no matter how hard you try.

in other news! I've been a bit bummed out lately, as I've been having some trouble with my Crohn's again. I'm a little worried that I will relapse into what it was a few months ago - completely debilitating. Let's hope not! Luckily I have my boyfriend and his sister here with me to cheer me up.

anyway, tomorrow my boyfriend and I are taking a little quick trip to Myrtle Beach; I hope my stomach doesn't act up! I'm so excited though; I've never been. I can't wait to share tons of lovely photos and (hopefully) funny stories with you guys (all negative three of you that read my blog).