June 22, 2019 On the Road Again It was only two hours into the road trip and due to poor decisions, both Arie and Sam were curled up in the middle row, snoring and sound asleep. If Mom and Dad weren’t here, I’d consider drawing on their faces in permanent marker. But Mom and Dad sat in the front, talking about what music to play and what we were going to do when we got there. The only thing I cared about in their entire conversation was the topic of lunch. Breakfast had been nothing more than bagels.
June 15, 2019 Another Mortal Monday Directly to my right, an alarm clock buzzed and vibrated the night stand. I opened my eyes, but moved slowly as I waved a hand over the machine, turning it off without even putting a finger on it. The horrid noise stopped and I pulled my pillow over my face. Another glorious school day. At least it was nearly summer vacation.
June 1, 2019 Copacetic Clare Tapping my foot against the tile floor, I checked the clock adjacent to the door. 2:58. Despite the exciting video that Mrs. Namira had put on during psychology, time was moving slower than sloths. And the more the narrator droned on about Sigmund Freud, the sleepier I got.
May 4, 2019 What Friends Are For It’s weird to think that a little under two months ago, I was living in Taiwan still working as an English teacher. And now I am in Florida, working and mostly settled into a new pattern and a new set of routines. While so much has changed, I was recently reminded that really, when it comes down to it not that much has altered.
February 13, 2019 Taking on Taiwan: Hiatus in Hsinchu Most days, I feel like I am on a speeding train, with no stops in sight. I have, fortunately and unfortunately, made it so my life is bustling with activities and tasks to complete, which I am grateful for 98% of the time. It’s true: I love feeling like there’s always something to do or work towards. Without a goal or a destination, I feel aimless and I get restless, and then get irritable. But I made sure that upon 2018’s end, there would be no such hectic planning or too many commitments to attend to. New Years’ was more or less a hiatus from the norm.
December 12, 2018 Among the Heavens The weekend before Halloween, I ventured to Nantou City. I’ve lived in Taichung over two years and somehow throughout that entire time period, I had yet to go to Nantou. I’d been to Sun Moon Lake, driven through Caotun, but I hadn’t stopped in Nantou. Thus, when my friend from Nantou invited me to see her, the answer was obvious: I was totally going no matter what.
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.
October 10, 2018 The Key to a Proper Diet The year is 2011. I was seventeen going on finally being a legal adult, preparing for university and collegiate division three ice hockey. In the spring of that year, I’d written my first real full length manuscript (which I never ended up publishing) and I was attempting to get noticed on other smaller websites or journals. As far as my future appeared, things were looking up. Until I glanced around at the other aspects of my life. Then the truth became more than apparent to me: my diet was inadequate.
October 3, 2018 That Time We Hid a Kitten In Our Apartment During university, I’ll admit: I did a lot of weird, out of character things. One time, I stole Santa Claus and hid him on campus. I’d go lay out on Chapel Hill and watch the stars when I couldn’t sleep, sometimes till the wee hours of the night. I often tried new things and much to my dismay, liking them was a hit of a miss. And a lot of the time, it didn’t take too long before I realized how much I really disliked something. But the time my roommate and I adopted a kitten and hid it from residence life for a week was definitely not something I regret doing.
September 16, 2018 Crazy Girls Racing In the Rain A few weekends ago, the city of Taichung was informed that we would be having no work or classes. That meant for the first time in my entire time here, I had a three day weekend that wasn’t a scheduled holiday. Businesses and malls would be open, but I would not have anywhere or anyone to see. No classes to teach. Nothing. And ironically, it also happened to be the same week I finished my latest manuscript and had given myself a proper break from writing my books. I decided there was only one thing to do: reevaluate.
