It’s been over two years since I last posted, and while my to-do list has been populated with an iteration of “Write new blog post” every day since my rededication to writing during the pandemic, I haven’t actually done it – at least not here. What’s been holding me back is fairly clear. Because I’m not traveling full time, I’ve let go of the commitment to weekly adventure and what I see as my daily life I have often thought is not all that interesting or worth documenting, for myself or for others.

I also know that the things I want to write about – my year of extreme loss in 2022, where my life was shockingly upended by a divorce and the sudden loss of my sister, and all my subsequent struggles and growth – are going to be difficult to relive, and I haven’t felt ready for it during the last year and a half. Those things were not often, well, pretty.

And this blog really has, for the decade it’s been around, mostly been dedicated to pretty things – pretty pictures and pretty stories about my adventures abroad. It’s hard not to look back at the majority of my writing here and not hear my mind whisper the words “shallow,” “naive,” even occasionally “fake” (I can’t even narrow it down to one internal link for that word; there are many posts that contain over-the-top platitudes about how thrilled I am with every. single. moment. of my life!)

But lately I’ve had a shift in thinking about it. Not just about this blog, but about it – life, existence, purpose, creativity, the world and my relationship with all of the above. I certainly am not in a vacuum here – I think the world itself has been experiencing an upheaval the last 5 years or so, with, at least what feels like to me, a cultural upheaval and reconsideration of what is important. I also feel like women in their mid to late 30s often undergo a shift in priorities (something Ann Helen Peterson called “a portal” in her newsletter and I am obsessed) and I was already starting to feel that before my life fell into shambles.

I’ve realized a few things. 1) That I want to start writing honest, authentic things about my life experiences and let go of the old Millennial desire to only share my “highlights” with the world. And 2) Actually, I think I’m ready to start writing down the really hard stuff. The very unpretty, the ugly, the at times pretty fucking dark stuff. And maybe that vulnerability will help me process. Maybe it’s even needed, and not just by me.

So, why not start small with Sunday Snaps? It feels like time I start sharing shapshots of my life while I’m working full time, in (somewhat of) a routine, and how I spend my time when I’m not “on vacation”. What does my life look within the confines of earning a living, navigating everyday situations and the reality of a woman on the brink of 40 whose life looks nothing like she imagined when this blog was first created?

Well, this week, it looks like a hike with a dear friend the day after a rainstorm in LA. Another mid-week early morning hike to make the most of some intense stress-driven insomnia. And then yesteday, a move with my partner to Mexico City, where we’ll be working remotely for the next couple of months. We did do some exciting things – Dan and I explored the city on foot, ate tacos (obviously!) and took in some awe-worthy art. But mostly we got to know our neighborhood, stocked up on fresh produce at the local farmers market, and practiced our Spanish so we don’t fully embarrass ourselves with the teacher we start working with later this week.

So here’s some shots from my life this week. Some are pretty and some are not.

Hope this week brings you some light, world. Until next Sunday!