Christine Amorose

And in terms of upcoming travel plans and exciting things: I have a few work trips to New York City that I am very excited will coincide with peak cherry blossom bloom, one of my girlfriends is having her bachelorette party in San Diego (aka: tacos, yoga, beach, and I can sleep in my own bed, so I am STOKED), and I finally booked my birthday trip! The top five books I’ve read so far this year: Girls Burn Brighter (truly kept me 100% engaged from the first page until the very last sentence, and there are not very many books that can say that), The Sympathizer (the tale of a double agent in the Vietnam War that keeps you guessing–what is right and who is wrong? ), There There (one of my favorite types of books–so many stories that all interconnect in unexpected ways, and also a portrait of an underrepresented community I didn’t know much about), Dopesick (non-fiction about the opioid epidemic that is so eye-opening and devastating) and My Absolute Darling (this book is NOT for everyone and it is very intense and disturbing but also one that I could not put down). It felt like I was the only one out of my friends who didn’t have lash extensions…until one of my friends said that her lashes were real, just the result of regular applications of Grande Lash serum. And for things to help my skin that aren’t being put on my skin: I’m obsessed with Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer (although it only mixes in hot beverages, so I have to figure out a new solution for iced coffee weather! ) and Ultimate Omega fish oil (another strong recommendation from my facialist since the fatty acids in fish oil

It’s been the longest that I’ve stepped away from this space since I was 21 years old: it’s been a constant through entry-level jobs and promotions, breakups and a wedding, moves around the world and across the country. The reality is I haven’t missed it—or perhaps more accurately, haven’t had time to miss it. I’ve always been upfront about my desire to keep a day job, to not only have a steady source of income and health insurance but also a form of validation that isn’t tied up in the words that I write or the experiences that I choose to share on the internet. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the time, energy or desire to write here like I did in my early 20s: I was a different person with different responsibilities, and the internet was a different place.

I’m also going to share a favorite old post each week, things that you might have missed if you haven’t been here for the whole nine years–so don’t be afraid to check back. I want to write more, and write better, and write in more places. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, if I felt like this wasn’t a strange shifting of identities. What will happen if I go somewhere and don’t write about it, if I don’t have a post to share with a friend who’s going there soon?

I went to three new countries (Slovenia, Japan, Estonia), which fulfills an ongoing annual goal of mine (three new countries, including one birthday in a new country–something I’ve managed to keep up since moving to New York City in 2012). I didn’t totally accomplish my new year’s resolutions: I still feel like I need a healthier daily schedule (my daily meditation habit has totally slipped), and despite taking some Spanish lessons, I still can’t hold a conversation. It was her first time ever in the South (and first time drinking sweet tea), and it was really fun to explore a new city together: I’d also wanted to visit Nashville for such a long time! We bought our tickets for a September trip on New Year’s Day (a new tradition, perhaps? ! ) and made it happen