I have a modest proposal for society. Can we please stop punching one another before we’ve even had our morning coffee? Over the last two weeks, my commuter rides have turned into an unintended sociological field study. Twice, I’ve watched arguments erupt in front of me, escalating into […]
I love a good trip. I do not necessarily love the process of getting there. Airports, security lines, boarding groups, flight delays, and the general indignity of being treated like a suspicious package do not always inspire wanderlust. So this weekend, I opted for a low-hassle getaway right […]
What’s the best way to explore a new city? Everyone has their own travel philosophy. Some people take bus tours. Others visit every museum listed in the guidebook. Some plan their itineraries down to the minute, leaving no room for spontaneity or the possibility of accidentally discovering something […]
This morning, while riding the train, I found myself surrounded by people shopping on Amazon. Not talking. Not reading. Not scrolling aimlessly through Instagram pretending to be interested in someone’s vacation. Shopping. Amazon Prime Deal Days had apparently turned the train into a mobile shopping mall. I started […]
What’s the longest trip you’ve ever taken? I love to travel. Really, really love to travel. But here’s the thing. I don’t necessarily love the traveling part. Most of my trips are nine days or less because of work commitments. Lately, they’ve become five days or so. They […]
What’s something you do completely differently from how you were raised? I’ve been thinking about passion. What are we actually passionate about? A career? A person? A hobby? A cause? And then I started thinking about something else. What have I done that is completely different from how […]
I wanted a quick getaway. Somewhere I could hop on a direct flight, fly for about six hours, and suddenly find myself somewhere that felt very far away. And voilà: Ireland. I booked the entire trip exactly one week before I left. Apparently, this is what we’re calling […]
Every time I see a plane overhead or sit at an airport watching one lift off, I say a little prayer or make a wish for everyone on board. I whisper to the plane “Have a good, safe flight.” I like doing this. Partly because I’d very much […]
I’ve noticed something at train stations. Nobody uses the handrails anymore. Up the stairs. Down the stairs. Everyone is gripping their phones, their coffee, their bags, their existential dread. But the handrail? Absolutely not. I assume this is a lingering COVID-era thing. We spent two years being told […]
This Fourth of July, I celebrated freedom the old-fashioned way: by accidentally achieving it. Not metaphorical freedom. Not “out of office but secretly checking Slack every 11 minutes” freedom. I mean full-blown, Founding Fathers would weep, unreachable freedom. I went on a family trip. I saw relatives I […]
