So, here’s the story. In 2019, I decided to create and develop a blog so that I could learn more about WordPress and website design. And I went through a lot of books and articles and videos, learning what web host might be best, what plugins I needed. And I designed a header in Canva, and I was all good to go except for two pretty important things: what to blog about, and what the hell I should do about a privacy policy (because it all seemed very complicated).
And I dithered around for months, during which time I sold my house, sold my car, arranged care for my pets, and set off on an open ended trip with two backpacks and a travel yoga mat. You’d think that the material would write itself, right?
Instead, I continued to dither, wanting very much to have a blog out in the world, and at the same time lacking the requisite courage (yeah, I know) and “get it!” attitude to get it done. But finally, here I am, at long last, getting ready to launch this thing.
This About Me page felt daunting. You wouldn’t think that would be the thing that would trip me up at the last minute, but it did. I looked at examples, I read all the advice. I tried, I really tried, to take that advice, but it felt so forced. Trying to write a “Hi! I’m Kristen and welcome to my blog!” kind of post felt inauthentic and unnatural. In attempting to make it feel personal, it actually felt less personal, and I want this blog to be personal, and for you to feel you know me (inasmuch as one can through a blog).
So if you’re reading this, please know that I am so happy you’re here. Ecstatic, actually! I imagine this blog will be a lot about travel and my experiences with it, since I’ve been at it for over a year, but it’s also going to have a little bit of all the many things I find interesting: yoga, books, music, relationships. And I’d really love to have you along.
Some things about me:
- My name is Kristen
- Halloween is my favorite holiday
- I am an animal lover in the extreme and my ride-or-die is my pitbull, Tiro (named after Cicero’s secretary—more on why below), from whom I’ve been away for almost a year and whom I miss every damn day
- I have a black belt in a hybrid of Taekwando and Shotokan, but I haven’t done much more than throw a few kicks or run through a kata in over a decade
- I love languages and got my master’s in Classics (Latin and Greek and all that comes with it)…hence my dog’s name
- My favorite book is The Secret History (weirdly, despite the fact that I pursued Classics as a course of study, I did not even know of this book’s existence until years after graduate school)
- I have no favorite color, but I like the way I look in red, blue, and purple
- Yoga changed my life (no, really)
- I have seven tattoos and my parents presumably know about none of them
- Surprise me with a sweet bakery good and I’ll give you heart-eyed emoji face
- I’ve worked as a barista, an entrepreneur, a teacher, and as the executive assistant to the CEO of a prominent chain of women’s health clinics
- I’m writing this from an Airbnb in Queenstown, New Zealand, and I’ve been in New Zealand since mid-March; I spent almost two months in a strict lockdown here due to the global pandemic
- I’m about to post the world’s largest About Me page photo because I can’t figure out how to make it any smaller with this theme (I’m sure there is a way, but I’ll be damned if I can figure it out)
One note before I go–I am always open to hearing from you. Comments are welcomed and encouraged, and if you’d prefer to send a personal note, the contact form awaits you. You can also find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/inspalchemy
