It’s been almost a week since I arrived back in Minnesota after my trip. In fact, at this point a week ago I was in a plane that was flying eastward as a part of my 30 hour journey from Hanoi to St. Paul.
I’m slowly but surely getting used to being back home. I’ve done some laundry, paid a couple of bills I forgot to pay before I left (oops), gone through 3 weeks of work email and documents and back into the campaign saddle. There is still a lot I need to do, mainly the rest of my laundry, moving my empty suitcase from the middle of the living room, and getting actual food in my house, but that’ll happen eventually.
As I look back, I realize the past week has seemed to just fly by. It seems as if the last 6 days have lasted as long as one day while I was traveling. Once I had this realization, I began to wonder why – time is time and it’s not like days in Minnesota are shorter than in SE Asia. . .
As I approach my departure date (tomorrow!!!!), I keep getting asked variations on the following questions:
“Is this a vacation?” Kinda. “Are you going on a mission trip?” Yes, but not that kind of mission.
“Why are you going there?” Why not?
Throughout my life, I have been blessed to have opportunities to travel – both domestically & abroad – which has allowed me to see some truly wonderful things, meet a wide variety of different people, push myself beyond my comfort zone and most importantly learn about myself and the world around me.
I am going on this trip for reasons that are both practical (to be covered in part 2 on this topic) and personal. I’m looking forward to helping make people’s lives better (something that drives my career as well) and seeing a new part of the world. As I’ve often said, when you look around and truly look at the lives of others – the struggles, triumphs, emotions, and dreams – you begin to realize that we aren’t all that different from each other.
Traveling also makes me thankful for all that I have in my life – the good and the not so good. I take these opportunities to reflect on things going on in my life; the distance from the noise of everyday life helps provide some clarity and insights I otherwise may have missed. I can recharge my batteries and gear up for the tasks ahead of me with a renewed energy and (hopefully) passion.
While I sit here freaking out about all I have to do before I embark on my journey to Cambodia, Laos, and Vitenam, I know that at the end, it will be worth it. I just have to let myself be open to the experiences and take time be in the moment.
More to come on the more practical aspects of why I am going on this trip later. . .
Well, it turns out that I kinda forgot about it and didn’t really post for awhile. Oops. I guess this is what happens when you are wrapping up being #onhaitus, go on vacation, start a new job, and suffer through approximately 9 months of winter.
Yes, that’s it.
Well, I’m back. I’m looking forward to getting back into this writing thing. I began this blog as a way to share my thoughts, ideas, and the random stuff that puts a smile on my face or makes me think, but some stuff happened that shifted my focus to other things and left me without the urge to write. It’s amazing what happens when you get some peace and clarity in your life – I now have the time *and* desire to write again.
I have a number of posts brewing, and some really exciting things coming up in my life to share, but for now, I’m going to sit in my backyard, play fetch with my dog, and just enjoy the warmth of a beautiful day in St. Paul.
Share some love and kindness today and live in the moment.
Those of you that follow me on Twitter know that I often tweet things using the hashtag #thingsithinkabout. Often these are random, silly, and rarely profound thoughts I have which are usually inspired by something I am watching or doing.
Some recent gems. . . . .
I think I’m going to start a Stevie Wonder cover band.
Question: Has Hasbro weighed in on the Scrabble rip-off Words with Friends the Board Game?
Pretty sure accio is the spell I’d use the most.
I keep forgetting what day it is. If only there were a block of TV shows on ABC to remind me.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is my Graceland.
Has Willard Scott announced his own 100th birthday yet?
Which is worse – negative political ads or a commercial for the next Twilight movie?
Does anyone actually eat the stick that comes with Fun Dip?
Is it possible to not eat the small boxes of Nerds by pouring the entire box in your mouth?
I can’t be the only person who thinks these things. . .or am I?
In other news, the 2012 election season is OVER! Thank cheesus! No more negative ads on TV. No more doorknocks, phonebanks, or lawnsigns. I’m looking forward to a bit of campaign vacation since it’s basically been back-to-back campaigns (in some form) for 6 years. I think I’m going to tap out for a bit and recharge.
I’m looking forward to some new things on the horizon professionally, as well as a few personal creative projects I have in a queue that I finally need to just push myself to do.
I was checking out some posts on elizabethbanks.com and came across this post. I proceeded to watch the video, which gave me chills – in a good way.
We are voting on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage here in my adopted home state of Minnesota. I wish I could make every voter watch this video. I will never understand why people can be filled with such hate and malice towards something as simple, pure and beautiful as love shared between two people.
Watch the video. Listen to the words. And Vote No if you’re in Minnesota.
So today was a day full of randomness. Although, who am I fooling, most of my days are full of randomness, but today just stuck out as especially random for some reason.
First, there are 21 days until election day. Thank. Cheesus. Don’t get me wrong – I do like campaigns, and the candidates I am helping this time around, but I AM OFFICIALLY OVER THIS ELECTION CYCLE. The constant barrage of ads on TV (I can’t event escape them by watching stuff on Hulu!), debates, polls, money raised, blah blah blah has just gotten to me. I blame the fact that we pretty much are in a constant state of campaigns and elections here in the US.
Guys, suggestion – how ’bout we agree to give ourselves a 3 month black out before starting any new campaigns. Seriously – no emails the day after saying “The Race for 2014 STARTS TODAY!”. Send a thank you to your volunteers and supporters and then RELAX. Read a book. Watch some movies. Eat some fresh and/or homemade food. Don’t play the could’ve, should’ve, would’ve game. You can’t go back in time, so recharge yourself, take a break and come back a few months down the road ready to do work.
Second – new MIKA album today!!! 🙂 This made me super happy and it’s been the soundtrack to my day.
Finally, my favorite TV show from the UK, Skins, released information about it’s 7th series today. *cue much rejoicing and flailing from the fandom* Happy to hear some of my favorite characters will be making appearances during the 3 “movies” that will make up the 7th and final series of the show. Here’s hoping we get some resolutions to some of the cliffhangers from the previous series and casts too.
Must return to my previously scheduled work for this evening. 21 days – let’s goooooooooooooooo!
