December 5, 2018 Tattooed Back in May 2013, I went in for my first tattoo ever. I was terrified, but I spent a lot of my days back then in a constant state of anxiety. So, in an effort to push myself past my comfort zone, I sat under the needle for about an hour. I got my first tattoo, and one that would cause me a lot of controversy for a couple of years: a girl breaking out of chains.
December 2, 2018 Travels from the Time Vault: Czech Republic Growing up, my parents were adamant about exposing us to our heritage. Both of my parents come from diverse backgrounds. My mother is English, Irish, Scottish, and Polish, while my father hails from Germany, Czechoslovakia, and England. Any family gathering we went to was complete with delicacies from every side of our heritage. They spared no expense when time proved available and there was a chance to explore uncharted territory. I was very blessed with a lot of chances to see England, Germany, and other parts of Europe before reaching adolescence. Among those as I reached my teenage years, Czech Republic made it onto my list of places visited.
November 28, 2018 Tips and Tricks for the Long Flights In this day and age, there’s an influx of people traveling far and wide. Many of my friends–at home and abroad–buy a plane ticket and venture off to a new country or sometimes a new continent to get away for a little while. Here on this side of the world, the popular places to go are Thailand, Japan, Bali, and Hong Kong. And Cebu, too. For my North American friends, it’s a different mix. Just take your pick! Will it be Europe? South America? The Caribbean? Somewhere close to home but not too close?
November 25, 2018 Travels from the Time Vault: Sweden Twelve years ago, my father received an email from a local hockey coach. We’d barely been in the Chicagoland area a year at this point, but the coach presented an idea worthy of consideration. In the spring, coincidentally during spring break, he was taking a team to Stockholm, Sweden, and he asked if we would be willing to participate. I’d be the only girl on an all boys team (and the first girl to every participate in the tournament), which to me, was just a small detail included in the entire offer. I’d stay with a host family and we’d be there for a whole week, taking in the Swedish culture, playing against Swedes and some Finnish players, and exploring the city. In my mind, it was a no brainer: we had to go. Luckily, everything checked out. Five months later, we gathered at the airport with the team and embarked for Arlanda International Airport.
November 18, 2018 Travels from the Time Vault: Paris Growing up in many movies I indulged in as a youngster, so much emphasis was placed upon the city of lights and romance. Paris was like this beacon of romantic expectation. I imagined being proposed to on top of the Eiffel Tower, overlooking the entirety of the metropolis beneath us. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. And I’m certain that I’m not the only one who once pictured sauntering by the banks of the Seine, eating un pain au chocolat and sipping un café, and admiring artwork in museums like the Musée d’Orsay. Needless to say, finally arriving in le Havre gave me goosebumps.
November 11, 2018 Travels from the Time Vault: Naples The tall mountains of the Mediterranean coastline seemed even larger from on top of them. I had spent the last two hours on a bus full of kids my age—twelve and thirteen years old—ascending the majestic peaks ever so slowly, each circle we did around them bringing us closer and closer to the point where I felt uncomfortable staring thousands of feet down to the small foreign fishing towns below. The mere sight of the distance between sea level and me made my stomach twist but also gave me a sense of wonder when I realized just how small the area was.
October 28, 2018 Solitary Today is the day he loses his daughter. He could tell by the silence—stronger than usual and more prominent—and the quiet packing in her room she conducted that morning, trying to be as invisible as possible. He has no idea why she would decide to leave. He has given her everything, in his eyes, and she just refuses to see it.
October 24, 2018 Clean Slate I stepped around the folded red blankets that hung over the tan couch and took a seat across from my father on the other side of room. He sat upright in the tan chair, paging through a copy of Forbes magazine. His eyes didn’t acknowledge my presence. I cleared my throat.
October 21, 2018 In Seconds The slam of my locker was a blessing. It was finally the end of the school day and I could gladly spend my free time tonight with my best friend, Anna. “Hey, stranger,” an angelic voice said from behind me. I jumped when she spoke and she giggled. There stood a girl with a huge smile on her face that made me smile in return.
October 14, 2018 Out of the Box As a young girl, I spent the majority of my time dirtying myself up in the woods of Wisconsin. I loved playing make believe, cutting hair off my Barbie dolls, or jumping off the pier and into Lake Geneva. I was not shy to being dirty, nor was I shy to getting rough with the boys. From a baby to age fourteen, the question of love and who we fall in love with never really bothered me much. As far as I knew during my grade school existence, I’d crushed on a few boys. A few boys had crushed on me. And of course, there were one or two girls who seemed to have feelings for me, but as far as I knew, I didn’t seem to like them back the same way. Over all of that, I played on two hockey teams, so the idea of trying to date was totally off my radar. So I placed myself in the first box: straight. Straight as an arrow. Or so I thought.
