10 Things I'm Loving Lately

So apparently the last time I made one of these lists was back in March. Time flies when you’re surviving a global pandemic and other things, as they say.

Anyway! Trying to get back in the swing of updating the blog more regularly, and bringing back this series seemed as good a place to start as any. Without further adieu, here’s a September 10TILL for ya:

Since finishing up Kingsland’s curriculum, I’ve been on an unofficial creative break — not writing much, taking photos just for fun, and I’ve limited my freelance work. I’ve been really bad at allowing myself time and space for this in the past, and I always get a little nervous that my drive for that kind of work or those kind of projects will dry up forever if I let it sit for too long. But I’m learning that rhythm in creativity will look like rest sometimes; and I think I’m better for it. As that creative tug starts coming back (and it is!), I’m curious what comes from it. Guess y’all will find out since this is where I share most of it…
I dedicated my climbing this summer to a dedicated training program with Power Company Climbing, and I have never felt physically or mentally stronger as a climber. Super stoked on the progress I made and all the tactics I learned over the last few months, and thankful for my amazing coach and the meticulous planning that clearly went into the overall plan. If you’re a climber looking to step up your game… get on it.
My friends! I thought about a cooler way to phrase this, but honestly, as we tiptoe back into a more social (though socially distant) world again, I’m just happy to be working, climbing, and hanging out with my friends again. I have the best ones.
Got an astronaut shirt from Low Gravity Co. a few weeks ago and have barely taken it off since. (Speaking of friends — it’s owned by a couple local crushers who climb and work at Momentum! Check em out.)
In a similar vein — bought this ear cuff as a quarantine gift to myself when the world was falling apart in March and it’s pretty much permanently attached to my helix at this point. (I’d say it’s convinced me to just get it pierced, but I tried — for the second time — to pierce my upper lobe in February and once again my ears reminded me just how intensely they reject strange metal being stabbed through them and there’s a really long bad story about how infected they got and anyway. I’m probably not going to try piercing my ears anymore I guess. The end.)
Stumbled across John John Florence’s video series “Twelve” on YouTube a few nights ago — they’re gorgeously filmed/edited, and offer a cool perspective on the competitive surfing circuit. Also threw me back down the surf media rabbit hole that I find myself in at least once a year. Not super mad about it.
Did you know that if you add veggies to box macaroni and cheese it’s a balanced, adult meal instead of dinner for a toddler or college student? It’s true. I don’t make the rules. Go be blessed.
I rarely take portraits — my photography is almost exclusively landscape, climbing, and documentary-style captures of trips or friends or things of that nature. But recently, Momentum Katy needed to redo their staff photos and asked me if I could take them. It’s been fun to try and quickly connect with people and put them at enough ease to look natural and themselves in front of the lens — something I’m terrible at doing myself, so I like to think I can empathize. The whole process (and the resulting photos) made me reconsider my stance on portrait photography and want to explore it more. (I’ve posted a bunch on my Instagram, and I’ll probably throw some of my favorites on here at some point, too.)
Didn’t sleep well/enough for a few nights in a row last week. Was driving home one evening after feeling generally emotional and down, and suddenly a little lightbulb went off in my head, and I said, out loud, to myself, in my car: “You are not sad. You are tired.” And you know what? It was true. Think I’m going to implement a personal rule where I am allowed to feel my feelings always, but not take them seriously unless I have had at least eight hours of sleep. That is all.
I dyed my hair hot pink in June and I already miss it a lot. See: Embarrassing selfie train below.