I woke up to a new day eager to set out, yet still feeling a sting of anxiety from the previous day’s mishap. As I passed through South Dakota on the third day, the snowfall took an intense turn for the worse. The winds picked up on the rolling plains and the snow started blowing... Continue Reading →
The Infamous and Wondrous Seattle to Chattanooga Solo Road Trip: Part Two [photos]
Waking up to the Bozeman scenery and a hot cup of coffee gave me all the motivation I needed to hit the road on the second day. Montana is quite the land mass so it took me a good chunk of the day just to drive through it. Passing through the Cheyenne Nation in Eastern... Continue Reading →
The Infamous and Wondrous Seattle to Chattanooga Solo Road Trip: Part One [photos]
On a cool, crisp spring morning in early April, it was time to set out on another epic adventure. I packed up my truck with all of my essentials and eagerly set out from Seattle on an epic five-day journey back home to Chattanooga. This journey would prove to be a test of patience and... Continue Reading →
For Maw Maw…
My grandmother recently passed away surrounded by family after a long, hard battle with cancer. After her death, I felt compelled to write a eulogy and wanted to share that today: I could go on all day about the countless things that made Maw Maw special. Known for her big heart and her big personality,... Continue Reading →
The Subtle Art of Being Alone With Your Thoughts
I think back over the past decade and can’t help but think about how much time was spent on my phone. It’s astonishing if I think about it. Communication and distractions on phones take up a large chunk of our lives and have fundamentally changed the routine of our days and our interactions with our... Continue Reading →
Finding Clarity and Purpose in the Fear of Death
I feel like I too easily grow complacent with life, as the drudgery of my routine experience ebbs and flows from day to day, month to month, and year to year. Everything has its place, is endlessly predictable, and seems to bleed on forever in the same old fashion. It’s so easy to seek comfortability,... Continue Reading →
Do You Ever Feel Lost in a Whirlwind of Contradictory Emotions?
I have a week left living in Flagstaff after three months here doing contract work and I am experiencing a whirlwind of emotion. A week from now, this charming small town, wonderfully tucked away in the Coconino Forest and Northern Arizona mountains will be but a memory. I have no complaints. It’s been a lovely... Continue Reading →
Are Your Physical Habits Making Your Mental Health Worse?
So often, our mental experiences spawn from physical habits we develop over time which reinforce our stress and anticipation. These habits can seem benign and necessary, but are in fact neither, for they only help set the groundwork for our anxieties to build. For me this week, I realized that much of my stress at... Continue Reading →
Feeling Lost in a Strange Place
It’s been a couple months since I moved to Arizona on my own and while I am elated by the sense of a new place and new adventures, I have recently been feeling homesick. It gets lonely here sometimes. I have new friends and coworkers I have met to keep me company but it’s not... Continue Reading →
I Want to Accept the Randomness and Chaos of Life
I want to embrace uncertainty. I want to be able to stare boldly into the randomness of this world and step forward with confidence and excitement. I want to thrive in a chaotic world, for a chaotic world it is. I want to be shocked, awed, and bewildered by the twists and turns of life.... Continue Reading →