Usually popping my head up and checking out what's going on in the world makes me weep for humanity. Watching all of those awful videos of Asian Americans being clobbered in the street for no reason while people idly stood by watching and refusing to help made me think we'd devolved to a completely different species. We've gone through lots of stages of grief together through the madness of the past couple of years. Watching Black, Hispanic, Native American, Jewish, Muslim, LGBTQ Americans and now AAPI people experience prejudice and violence, not to mention the obscene amounts of arbitrary gun violence has built a block of ice around my heart even this historic heatwave I'm experiencing in the PNW couldn't melt.

I’ve had an interest in auras ever since that ridiculous scene in Almost Famous where the “clairvoyant” shouts that William’s aura is purple. Really, really purple. I don’t put much stock in horoscopes, tarot cards, crystals, and palm reading, but I find them entertaining and interesting to explore.

I had been feeling restless and anxious for a change for several years. But I couldn’t figure out where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do, or really commit to the kinds of drastic changes that were calling my name. I was too pragmatic and practical, comfortable and settled, and weighed down by my things and my indecision to make any moves. I was getting really tired of feeling stuck and I was hoping something would push me towards a decision.

I was thinking about how much I miss MySpace, and the feeling of community we created sharing songs that perfectly expressed our emotions. Status updates and quizzes were added bonuses and helped us learn more about our friends and the bands we loved. I didn’t want to fill out a generic MySpace Quiz, but I wanted to do something similar to share my passions and interests at this point in my life vs that bright eyed high school girl. I am terrible at just picking one, but I’d love if you would tell me yours in your comments.

It is the third anniversary of Kate Spade’s death, and this essay from the day she died came up on my time hop. She was such an important part of my formative years. This has been my go-to travel bag for the better part of the past decade and my third one just bit the dust. I’ve been carrying my wildly impractical Kate Spade Camera bag for the past month, and I revel in the conversation and connection it brings with other people that appreciate her whimsey. I bought a new bag on an adventure with my sister to kick off the opened ended ticket portion of my journey and she’s been on my heart and mind.

I’m three months into the soul sabbatical, and I have a lot of feelings about it.

”What is it in life that you think you can't accomplish? Or what is it that people have said that you cannot do? Wouldn't it feel really good to prove them all wrong? Because I believe ambition is not a dirty word. It's just believing in yourself and your abilities. Imagine this: What would happen if we were all brave enough to be a little bit more ambitious? I think the world would change.” Reese Witherspoon