Life
June was a month of incredible adventure: the Northwest Expedition. It was the best!
Design
I began a personal project, a redesign, and so far it’s been a real crowd pleaser.
June design project
While I was in Seattle, I shopped for startups and small businesses to work for and with. I hooked one and it’s working out so far. The team is really nice. I’m one step closer to actually living in Seattle. Come September we’ll find out if that’s actually happening.
Books
I began a variety of books but haven’t finished them. Check out my goodreads to keep up with my progress and share yours.
Food
Umami Burger in L.A. is incredibly good. Chinatown eats (pocky, moscato gummies), brunch at Tartine, dinner at flour + water in San Fran were gorgeous and palette stretching.
Love & Travel
I toured the Northwest in intervals beginning with a trip to San Francisco to see Donna, Suki, and Ryan for a few days. We climbed a hill that overlooked the city, ate a lot, and explored Chinatown. And then I took a train to Portland through Emeryville and Eugene. Oregon is one of the most beautiful states I’ve ever visited with tall, green trees and lakes that line the tracks. Portland wasn’t what I expected initially. I had hoped to sink in, but there was a little resistance. Luckily, I caught up with Doniree and Chris, who introduced me to Kat, Megan, and Gorillo. And from there, I felt like I could make a home in Portland. In May, I decided to lightly date again. Lightly dating started off a little wonky then, but while I was in Portland I attended the Chris Guillebeau book signing at Powell’s. After, I met up with someone at a coffee shop, and it was awesome. I was a little nervous, but Doniree and Chris kept me calm and crashed it to say goodbye.
The next day I came back to Dallas and the following week, I went on the trip I had been waiting for for years: SEA-VAC. Seattle and Vancouver were two peas in a pod cities. Vancouver was more rainy. Ah! I had so much fun. I felt at place in Seattle and Vancouver. Both places are how all of the US should be: cities full of free spirits and weirdos. I went with a friend and we were both incredibly excited. I’ve always wanted to live in Seattle, so being there was a dream come true.
June Journeys
I got a taste of my dream. And it was great. It felt great.
I came back to Dallas and every time I do, I realize that I love Texas so much. I appreciate it. I love being a Texan.
I took a road trip I’ve taken many times in my life — with family, with a lover. This time I took it alone. I took the 20 to the 10 out west, bound for Los Angeles. I was alone in the desert, passing Texas Canyon, Michigan Flats, and Picacho Peak. I envisioned the cacti wearing ten-gallon hats like on those old Nickelodeon cartoon shorts in the 90s. I made up wacky names for weird shaped clouds. I smelled the pungent scent of the desert rain; it’s much sweeter in the desert because it’s rare, not many people get to experience that joy.
What to expect for July 2012: July is another completion month; I’ll be finishing projects, clearing out stuff, I won’t be traveling outside of Texas! The end of my 6-month abstinence challenge comes to an end.