First things first, let’s catch up a bit! My month in the States simultaneously feels like it couldn’t be going by any faster and like I have also been here forever. How is that such a common feeling? I feel the same way when I think about how I’ve lived in Barcelona for almost four years. Anyway, today I wanted to do round two of what I call 10 things of note. If you missed the first version, you can find it here! Basically, as you’ve probably noticed already, I’m an existential girly. But I can also be quite lighthearted, so this format is my concentrated effort to pull back from the identity crises for a bit to have a bit of fun. Here are 10 things of note that have happened to me lately!
Intense flights. So, my dad is a pilot, which means that when I come back to the States, I can often take advantage of the fantastic perk that is standby passes. Basically, if a flight doesn’t sell out, then those who have access to standby passes can hop on board for free with the risk that you may be bumped if someone ends up buying those available tickets. It’s a roll of the dice, but it has saved me hundreds of dollars over the years.
I flew standby from NYC to Austin earlier in my trip, and it was a breeeeeeze. I knew that I would be flying standby from Austin to San Francisco later in my trip, and I just had a gut feeling that the Southwest gods would not reward me with two chaos-free standby experiences in such a short amount of time. I was right.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the crazy weather happening in California. A whole new wave of it was coming in on my travel day. My connecting flight out of San Diego was canceled before I even made it to Austin, so I had to divert to Phoenix instead, but that flight still touched down in San Diego, too. Yes, I am also confused.
That’s not the point of this story, though. My landing in San Diego was maybe the roughest landing I have ever experienced…so much so that I actually joined the obnoxious crew of people who clap when the plane lands. Later on, I was finally on a flight headed to San Francisco, but just as we tried to land, 55 mph winds were picking up over the Bay, so we couldn’t even land the plane! We hovered for a long time before finally landing in San Jose instead. In the end, I finally made it to San Francisco, but oooof I was just so tired and grateful that I am not really a person who gets flight anxiety. I got what I paid for, but I did get to San Francisco, and that’s what counts.
A cute city welcome. While the entry to California was slightly traumatic, the first day I was here was so nice. I also absolutely love the feeling of getting to your destination at night to wake up feeling charged with newness and possibility! I’m a little cheesy, but it makes me feel so optimistic and grateful to wake up having not seen anything in the dark to reveal what’s around you with the sun the next morning. I’m staying with my bestie, Tori, in her cute little apartment, and we spent the day working, bopping around, and happy hour-ing. But, the perfect end to the day was when we were walking through the park to spot the most stunning rainbow over downtown! It’s funny, because when I arrived in NYC earlier in this trip, my first morning was spent eating a bagel and stumbling upon filming for Sex and the City, which felt like a very NYC welcome, and this little rainbow moment felt equally like a San Francisco welcome.
Following curiosity. Last time I came back to the States, I was curious how I would feel being back. Moving abroad has made me very good at weaving narratives about where I’m from…what it’s like, what the people are like, etc. But, reality is rarely identical to perception. Last time, I left the States thinking thank God I live in Barcelona. Sorry if that’s harsh, but it’s how I felt. This time, I’m not so sure. People ask me constantly (and I really do mean constantly) if I think I’ll stay in Barcelona. I always say that it depends on the day you ask me. I don’t have a definitive answer to that question, but I have always been resolute to stay open to wherever the winds might blow me…abroad or at home.
Lately, I have been able to imagine what my life would look like here a bit more than last time. I think part of it is being 27…an age where your friends are in vastly different stages of life and you have a front-row seat to different scenarios that your life very well could have turned into. I feel like as I’ve gotten into my late twenties, I have softened a bit, and I don’t have that fiery need to prove myself that I did when I was younger. I can feel my priorities shifting and my curiosity expanding. I’m still very much living in a gray area, but I’d really love to know how this all turns out.
This photo of Midge. I have never been more obsessed with my family dog, Midge. I always say that I like a strong derp factor in my dogs and that I don’t like them to look quiiiiite right. Midge embodies that. She is pure chaos, and I miss her already. I really want to get my own dog in the next year or so, and Midgey made my puppy fever even worse.
The HEB salsa aisle. If you’re not familiar with HEB, it’s a fantastic Texas grocery store chain that I am obsessed with. I’m so obsessed that I have had recurring dreams about stumbling upon one in my current city ever since I left Texas (I wish I was kidding). I always lament the fact that it’s so hard to find good salsa in Spain, so this salsa aisle stopped me dead in my tracks. I wish I could have tried them all. If you’re in Texas, please do just that on my behalf.
Gage and the chicken. I couldn’t help but share this photo. It’s just so…my family. This is my brother, Gage, who had his 15th birthday when I was home. He’s decked out in his college sports gear (which is classic him), holding my mom’s favorite chicken, Harriet. Harriet is 12 years old, which is truly ancient for a chicken. In her old age, she has gone blind, so she spends a lot of her time in the house now, just like a dog or cat would. I don’t have anything particularly profound to say about this, but I did feel like more people needed to know about our house chicken.
Working with my hands = good for my brain. I mentioned briefly in my last newsletter that my mom and I had been working long and hard on a painting project in preparation for her big antique show coming up. This looked like the two of us painting 14 panels to build walls for her booth, with each panel taking us about an hour (I’ll let you do the math). My hand was definitely cramping by the end of it, but it felt so good for my brain! In a year like 2023, my work looks a lot like being glued to a million different screens, so I absolutely loved taking a week off work and finishing a project that was extremely manual. It was so satisfying, and it really felt like a reset.
California. Okay, so I forgot how much I love California. For starters, everything grows here! There are a million things in bloom, and it’s just so lovely. I’m the type of person who can’t help but comment on everything I find visually interesting around me, so all the cute little blooms popping up through the sidewalks or billowing off trees is just a treat for my eyes. I also love that the people here are weird. They don’t hide their crazy too well, and I have to respect that. The food is good, the nature is stunning, and I’m just really enjoying it. That’s all!
I got a cute new bag! I have always loved BAGGU from afar, but I, for some reason, never have bought anything from them. Tori and I popped into their store in San Francisco, and I immediately went for this bag. It’s recycled nylon, and it just feels and looks so gorgeous in person. I love the avocado color, and I feel like I’ll get so much use out of it in Barcelona!
Non-alcoholic drink shop. While we were out and about, we also popped into this adorable drink shop that was completely non-alcoholic! I love a nice glass of wine or a fun cocktail, but I am really loving how many great alcohol alternatives there seem to be on the market now. I rarely drink during the week (I like to drink some on the weekends), but sometimes I still want that “glass of wine in the evening” placebo. This would be a great spot to get something to scratch that itch! PS, if any of my Barcelona people know of any good non-alcoholic wines, I’m all ears.
Anyway, I hope this newsletter was okay! No worries if not! Talk soon! Bye!
If you’ve made it this far, you’re a real one. The fact that you read my writing means the world to me. “Are you mad at me?” is a free publication, but, let’s be honest, I’m a working gal! If you’re so inclined to show the love via a pledge or paid subscription, I’ll name my firstborn after you.