Travel Essentials You Didn't Know You Needed

Here's a bit of vintage Yes and Yes for you.  Why?  Because I'm too busy traveling down the east coast and running up those Rocky stairs to write new content.

There are some things widely known as non-negotiable for travel - many changes of underwear, an extra memory card for your camera and one very good sense of humor. But friends! There are some things I didn't even know I needed until I had to sleep on the dirty sheets/stuff toilet paper in the backs of my new flats/try to find antibiotic ointment in Hanoi.

Learn from my mistakes and stuff your backpack with these goodies!



BandAid Blister Block
Yes, I know you brought comfortable shoes. I'm sure you did. However, the shoes that are comfortable enough to wear around the grocery store are not the same as shoes that are comfortable enough to wear walking around every blessed inch of Barcelona. Short of ugly, giant Reeboks (which you are not wearing, right?) I'm not sure such a shoe exists. So bring your comfortable and stylish Clarks ballet flats, but bring these special blister bandaids as well. Because slowly filling up your shoe with blood is no way to travel.

Burt's Bees Res-Q Ointment
A modern day miracle, Res-Q Ointment is good on bumps, bruises, burns and bites. And because it's a nice thick salve, you can even use it on your cuticles and dried out elbows in a pinch. Take it from me - it's a lot easier to bring your own medicine than to stand in the Vietnamese pharmacy making the universal sign for 'rash.'

Sleep Mask
Because if you're sleeping in a hostel, someone is always going to come into the room drunk at 3 am, turn on the light, immediately turn it off again and then fall over. Also good for flights, bus trips and avoiding conversation with your seat partner.

Playing Cards
Seriously, at least 30% of your time away will be spent waiting for your transportation to arrive, being transported or killing time while you wait for the museum/ticket office/bar to open. Cards will help you pass that time. And! They are a great way to meet other people. Everybody likes a rousing game of Egyptian Rat Screw, right?

Sleeping Pills
Even though those tiny TVs in the airplane are great, a girl can only watch A New York Minute so many times, you know? Annnd, you feel approximately a million times better if you actually get some sleep on the plane.

Silk Sleeping Bag
Bedding in hostels and cheap hotels can be incredibly dicey. I actually knew several people who got bed bugs from a place in Fiji. Not nice. And some hostels charge you extra for sheets! Avoid all of this nastiness by bringing your own bedding with you. These are silky and decadent and the only germs in there are yours. (If you're heading to South East Asia, wait and buy one there. Every vendor and his brother sells them for a fraction of what they go for here.)

What are your travel essentials?

Got the travel bug?  Check out my ebooks and podcasts on making long-term travel a reality!  Only $15 forpetessake!

Real Life Style Icon: Kristine of Kristine or Polly

This is one of many Real Life Style Icon interviews in which we talk to smart, funny, lovely women who also happen to wear drool-worthy outfits.

Name: Kristine
Age: 22
Location: Toyama, Japan
Online haunts:  Kristine or Polly, Twitter

Three reasons that you're awesome: 

I eat chocolate covered peanuts mostly daily, I can hula hoop forever, and I've been told I have a really calming voice.

What are you wearing right now, as you type this? 

A white tee with red polka dots and a lace collar tucked into skinny jeans!

What is the last item of clothing you bought?

A simple white canvas bag with a huge smiley face on it :)

What is the item of clothing you most covet at the moment?

Right now, glitter booties. Lately, I've been thinking I need to start getting more daring with my style.

Tell us about a favorite childhood memory about your clothes.

Unfortunately, my childhood memories are quite vague. All I remember are my awesome peach jelly sandals and occasionally being dressed up in the same outfit as my older sister.

What is your best thrifting score? 

I found these great gold oxfords at a thrift store in Silverlake, CA that I used to wear quite often... until I realized that as awesome as the shoes were, they were a tad too big on me. I gave them away to a good friend before I moved!

Could you tell us your top three style tricks/DIYs?
1. If your hair is dirty, wearing a scarf around your head does wonders!

2. Red lipstick really makes a difference!
3. If you're short like me, work those heels! They lengthen your legs and improve your posture.

Thanks so much for sharing, Kristine!

And Baby Makes Three: Not Defending Our Life Choices

This guest post comes to us via the lovely and talented Fajr Muhammad.  She writes regularly about fashion, life and all things awesome at Stylish Thought.  Pop over and say hi!

Women. We have the weight of the world and all of Eve’s mistakes on our shoulders. We’re the mothers of the universe and the cooks in the kitchen. We climb the career ladder while making a home for our families. We are masters at juggling it all, but what happens when you don’t want it all?

Society tells us that "having it all" means having a husband, two kids, a high-powered career and a quietly kept exhaustion problem. There's absolutely nothing wrong with having these things - or wanting them.  But  this  lifestyle isn’t the end all be all for every woman. There are so many choices that don’t appear on mainstream television. There are women who are living life on their own terms who we never hear about.

Women can choose to never have kids

Women can choose to never marry and adopt a baby on their own

Women can love and marry other women

Women can choose to be the breadwinners for their families

Women can choose to ditch the cubicle and become employees of the world

Women can choose to be stay-at-home moms 
Women can choose to be committed to jobs that bring them joy and fulfillment

Imagine, what life would be like if we stopped “shoulding” ourselves - If we stopped feeling guilty about our choices or pressured to make choices we know aren't right for us. What would life be like then?  What would life be like if we listened to our hearts instead of following the voices in our head?

Whether we choose to never bear a child, never marry a man, to opt out of the rat race in favor of seeing the world, our choices are our own and not political statements we should have to defend. Not having a baby doesn’t make you less of a woman, just as having one doesn’t make you a mother. Let’s honor each others’ life choices, not  burden ourselves with defending them.

Here are some great quotes from women who have lived life on their own terms and have never defended, or regretted, a single moment of it:

“I have a lot of friends who are around. I'm having a wonderful time in my life now with my platonic relationships with men and women, because when that sexual tension is off the requirement of the interplay, then you get to who the people really are, and to yourself.”

- Shirley MacLaine

“Seeing unhappiness in the marriage of friends, I was content to have chosen music and laughter as a substitute for a husband.”

- Elsa Maxwell

“Gayle grew up writing the names of her would-be children, making little hearts and putting children's names in them. Never occurred to me to do that. I never had a desire. And I don't think I could have had this life and have children. One of the lessons I've learned from doing the show is just how much sacrifice and attention is required to do the job of mothering well.”
- Oprah

"Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore"
- Lady Gaga

What life choice have you made that doesn’t fit the norm? Have you ever had to defend a decision you’ve made?

Notes From The Road: Boston

I'm visiting five east coast cities over the course of three weeks, mostly busing and crashing on friends' couches. You can check out past Notes From The Road (which are more international in nature) here.

Friends, would you be disappointed to discover that not every person in Boston has that accent?  I was oddly disappointed that I didn't hear more people talking about being "smah-t" and going to 'Hah-vahd."  But when the guy at the deli handed me my coffee and said "Here you ahhhhh" I grinned like an idiot.

Other fun things from Boston?  Having high tea with Harvard folks - extended pinky, not required.   Sitting in Harvard Yard at night, eating frozen yogurt and talking politics/race/relationships.  Wandering on and off The Freedom Trail, depending on how boring it was.  Deciding not to wait in line forever to see The Old North Church.  Eating a lunch of cannolis and coffee.  Walking past a barbershop called "Johnny and Gino" and witnessing a man in tracksuit, cutting hair while speaking Italian.  Losing at pub trivia, but not caring because I was surrounded by such fantastic people.

By the time you read this, I'll be in New York!  Anything I can't miss in NYC?

True Story: I'm A Single Mom

This is one of many True Story interviews in which we talk to people who have experienced interesting/amazing/challenging things.  This is the story of Maggie and her son, Ian.

Tell us a bit about yourself!
I'm Maggie Skinner. I have a 6-year-old son named Ian. I'm 24 and I'm a caseworker for the Division of Family Resources in Lafayette, Indiana. If you don't know what DFR means- it's basically welfare. I help people get TANF, food stamps and Medicaid. I also have my own event-planning business.

For fun, I spend time with my son (So, I'm pretty much ALWAYS having fun! haha), go to movies, bake, go to shows, hang out with my friends and cleaning the kitchen has become pretty fun for me as well.

What was your relationship with your son's father like before you got pregnant?
*Sigh* I wish I could say that I knew him better and that we were in love, but that's just not how real life works out. I was 17-years-old, senior in high school, dreams of culinary school in Manhattan. He was the bad boy, older, tattoos, had a job, had nice teeth (I have a thing for smiles) and back then stakes weren't high. We weren't together very long and had never talked about having children. Most 17-year-olds don't.

How did he react when you told him you were pregnant?
When I told him I was pregnant he said it wasn't his, that I was a whore and that we were over. I was devastated. I hid being pregnant for a bit after I found out. Big sweaters (it was winter), kept working and working out as much as I could. I was on crew, I had a job, lots of friends - I stayed busy. I was also trying to enlist in the Navy and was getting yelled at for gaining weight. I had to go in the recruiters office and tell them what was up and they apologized. By the time I told my mom I was pregnant, I was 18 and couldn't hide it any longer. I spent a many nights crying myself to sleep while I felt my baby move.

How involved was he in your pregnancy?
Not at all. My mom stepped up. It was she and I against the world - still kinda is.

How many times has he seen your son?  Has he ever talked to you about why he's not involved in your son's life?
He's seen his son twice but not until Ian was four years old. He says it's because he lives in Wisconsin and we now live in Indiana. Every time he talks about getting involved in Ian's life he brings up relationship stuff with me. "There is no 'us' anymore," I tell him. He needs to focus on his son. Those words have never sunk in for him.

Can you tell us about a day in the life of a single mom?
A day in the life of a single mom.....*gulp*

I get up at 6:30 am - at the latest. I shower and get ready. By the time I'm showered and half ready, it's time to wake Ian up. It's about 7:15. He likes to meow and pretend he's a kitty. So I meow back and let him know it's about time to get up. I'll be back in a few minutes and then he knows it's time to get up- no fooling around. I help him get dressed if he needs it and I finish getting ready. I get him breakfast or sometimes he gets it. My boyfriend has moved in with us and started taking him to school to save me money. My boyfriend's name is Ian as well. I wake older Ian up at 7:40.

I give hugs and kisses to the little man and I'm out the door by 7:45.

I work a full day from 8 to 4:30. Sometimes I stay till 5:00 or so until I have to pick Ian up from after care at his school. If it's Tuesday or Thursday, I take him to karate class.

Karate ends at 6:05. After that, if I have errands we do those. Most of the time we head home, make dinner, watch part of what ever kids' movie he wants then bath and bed.

If it's not a karate night and it's nice outside, we go to the park till 6:30. We play soccer, football and frisbee. Then we have dinner, do some of his phonics book and some math work, take a bath and go to bed. He's in bed no later than 8:30.

After he's in bed, I pick up the house, clean up, pack our lunches and if I have time I get to watch a grown-up movie or part of it. I'm usually in bed by 11:30pm.

What surprised you about single motherhood?
Maybe just that I can do it. I can really pull this off - sometimes. Money is always tight. I buy him clothes before I buy my makeup. I make sure he has everything he needs and somethings he wants. Just because you are a single mom doesn't make you damaged goods. Your heart, soul and mind are still alive and well. You may be tired as all get out but you are still you.


What are the biggest challenges?  The biggest benefits?
Biggest challenges: finding the right kind of people you want in your life because it's not just your life, it's your child's life as well. That goes for friends, boyfriends, etc. I had a hard time finding the right day job. I need something between these hours and I need to be able to take my son to the doctor if need be. Even finding a place to live is a challenge. What neighborhood is it in? Does it have a back yard? Is there room for him? What about the neighbors? How much is the rent? Etc...

Overall though, making the right decisions is a challenge. Not that I don't know the difference between right and wrong but you have to give up so much in order to create so much more. If that makes any sense. Also, being a young single mom brings some evil looks.

Benefits? My son. I love him to pieces. Sure, he can max me out sometimes. There is crying and whining and tantrums. But he's funny, smart, caring and he's my snuggle bug and my fashion police. How can you not fall in love with someone who messes up the interrupting cow joke? It makes it even funnier! He does a great dragon impression and loves ice cream just as much as I do.

Are there other people in your life who help you with your son?
This list is my "If I won a Grammy, I'd thank..."
My mom- his Mimi
My boyfriend- Ian
My sister and her husband- Aunt Cake and Uncle Robber
My sister, Emily- Aunt Emily
My godparents, Melissa nad Terry and their wonderful boys
My friends, Martha, Melanie, Adrienne, Andrea, John for always helping out!
And some friends of my mothers as well, Monie, Magie and Beth
My mom's neighbors Pete and Pam
My Uncle Jim and Aunt Annie

Are there any amazing resources that have really helped you that you can share with us?
I know that where I work now can help single moms. You just have to be honest and not play the system. Distance education isn't such a bad way to go. It's very doable and you can get grants so you can go to school for free. If you need help paying for your housing you can get HUD assistance. Look to your YMCA or the City of (enter your city here) for programs and fun classes for your child. Low cost and they learn. I get a single mom discount on my car insurance even!


What advice would you give to other single moms?
You can do it! Go to school. Get your education. Focus on your child(ren). Don't play stupid relationship games, your children will be effected. Breathe. Pick your battles. Use your head.

Don't let your child rot infront of the TV. Don't worry if you don't get to the laundry or dishes for a couple days. It doesn't make you a bad mom it makes you a busy mom.

Tanning is NOT more important than buying your kids food. That last one might just be an observation from my job.

Thanks so much, Maggie!  Are any of you single moms - or raised by a single mom?  Any questions for Maggie?

Web Time Wasters

While I'm out traveling the east coast, a few other bloggers have been kind enough to take over Web Time Wasters for me!

Hi, I'm Katie! I'm the girl half of the duo behind House of Humble. I like cups of tea, crochet and colourful tights. My boy (Reuben) and I blog about our adventures in crafty thing making, yummy thing baking and picture taking. These are a few of my favourite linky things:

This print is almost too cute.

I love when bloggers do big, exciting, wonderful things. Kaelah is launching a little shop in a vintage caravan and Vanessa has designed a cute collection of dresses. Very, very inspiring.

Rose Granola sounds pretty and delicious!

Here in Australia it's spring time right now, so I'm thrilled to be able to join in on the Pumpkin Latte madness with this yummy iced version.

This rainbow swing seat is magical.

I am a thriftaholic. These thrift tips from Elsie are gold!

This clever girl runs a business in Paris making sandwiches and cakes and delivering them by bike! What a sweet idea.

How cute are these pet mansions?! So fancy.

Green tea is good. Learn how to do it right.

Check out these pictures from vintage Ikea catalogues. Pretty snazzy, no?

What wonderful things did you find on the internet this week?

Get In My Closet: Artaya

How lovely are these pieces by Artaya?  I'd love to wear them to spice up my general uniform of skinny jeans, cotton top and flats.

via Fly Girl Blog

French-speaking Kitties! Also: October Ad Space

What's this an ad for? Who cares! There are tiny kitties doing human things and speaking in French!  This will now be my go-to video for overcast Wednesdays and all downtrodden moments.

Now that I've warmed your heart with Francophile kitties, let's discuss October ad space.  I have some.  You might want it.

Here are the deets!

Sponsorships are available in one, two and three month packages with pricing discounts at two and three months.  150x150 sponsors and 2 month sponsors will be included in the mid-month sponsor round up post and 3 month sponsors have the option of a giveaway, if they're interested. 

Some facts about Yes and Yes?

Daily unique visitors: 3,200 - 3,500 a day

Page views: 150,000+ per month

Twitter followers: 2,160+

Facebook fans: 1,410+

Blogspot foll0wers: 2,380+
Google Page Rank: 4
Google reader subscribers: 5,190+

If you're keen,  email me at sarah (at) yesandyes (dot) org to organize a sponsorship.

Mini Travel Guide: Turin, Italy

This is one of many Mini Travel Guides - tasty bites of insider info from locals and expats!  This guide comes to us from from the lovely Chelsea, pictured below!  Check out more of her writings at All Roads Lead To Pecetto.

Turin is a large city that is perfectly situated in the north of Italy only one hour from the ski resorts, one hour from the Italian Riviera, and two hours from Milan. It was built by the Romans and has been growing and thriving ever since. I’ve lived here since 2007 and have made it my mission to explore every inch of this city.

Must Do

Savoy Residencies

Visit any of the UNESCO established residences of the Savoy dynasty. The Savoy family ruled over Turin much like the Medici’s ruled over Florence. They built dozens of royal residences with several in the heart of the city and most are open to the public. My favorite is Palazzo Madama in Piazza Castello. It has a roman base, a medieval middle, and a baroque facade. Inside are ornate rooms filled with the royal art collection, but the impressively overstated staircase alone is worth the visit.

The Egyptian Museum

I hear you, why am I recommending you visit an Egyptian museum in Italy? Because Turin doesn't just have an Egyptian museum, they have the largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian artifacts outside of Cairo. One of the many highlights is the exhibit of Kha and Merit. Everything in his room was taken from a complete tomb of a husband and wife who had been mummified with all they could ever want in the afterlife including food, a complete cosmetic kit, styled and beaded wigs, and perfectly preserved shoes!

The Mole

Take the elevator to the top of the Mole Antonelliana. The Mole is the tallest building in Turin and can be seen from just about anywhere. It now houses the Museum of Cinima which is worth a visit but make sure you use your ticket to board the glass elevator that goes to the top where you will get a stunning view of the city including the two rivers that cross through Turin and the surrounding Alps.

Must Go

Porto Palazzo Market
This market claims to be the largest outdoor market in Europe. Food stalls arranged in an intricate labyrinth seem to go on for miles. You'll find fresh produce, wines, cheeses, olives, bread, fish and meats. I recommend getting lost inside the maze and putting together your own personalized lunch to be eaten later, perhaps in the nearby Porta Palatina Park, which holds the ruins of the original Roman city gate .

Take a passeggiata in the Roman Quarter
The Roman Quarter is the oldest part of Turin and can make you feel lost in time when strolling along it's thin stone streets. I must say that Via Mercanti and Via San Tomaso are the most quaint and romantic of the streets in this quarter. It is full of cafes, antique shops, and bakeries.

Must Eat

Chocolate

Chocolate is serious business here. There are more chocolatiers in Turin than in all of France and Belgium combined. In the spring the city holds the Cioccola-To Festival where many of these chocolatiers converge in Piazza Vittorio to sell and show-off their greatest sweets. I recommend trying Gianduja (jan-do-ya). It’s mix of sweet chocolate blended with local hazelnuts and is the preferred flavor of Turin. You might also want to try it as a gelato flavor or the most common way kids grow up eating it, as Nutella.

Bicerin

The Bicerin consists of warm and thick dark chocolate on the bottom of a glass topped with a shot of espresso and then topped with a dollop of thick and heavy cream. The drink itself is not sweet until you add the sugar but, and this is important, make sure you do not stir your Bicerin! This is the one and only rule of drinking it. It can be found in any cafe or you can try it at it’s 1763 birthplace, Il Bicerin Cafe in Piazza della Consolata.

Cultural Tips

If you are in Turin in June, keep an eye out for the Marathon of Gelato (Maratona del Gelato). Each year many of the city’s gelaterie (ice cream shops) participate on marathon day by giving out samples of their best flavors for free. The marathon is; if you can make it to every gelaterie in one day. I have done it, twice!

In August most Italians go on vacation, usually to the sea. The city is empty and many shops and travel hotspots are closed. It’s quite but there might not be as much to do as you would like.

Travel on the Cheap

Parco del Valentino is the city’s largest park and on it’s grounds you will find Borgo Medievale. The Borgo is an extremely detailed life-sized replica of an authentic medieval village which was built for an exhibition in 1880. It’s picture perfect and entrance is free!

Any Turin (or Italian) travel tips to share?  Any questions for Chelsea?

You're just aching to book a ticket, aren't you?  Check out my ebooks on solo lady travel or long-term globe hopping - only $15 for 12,000+ words and a 60-minute podcast!

Moments of Win!

Do you guys remember our Moments of Win Flickr group?  It's a little repository for photographic evidence of us doing awesome, memorable, note-worthy stuff.  This is not to be confused with gorgeous, well-lit photos (though those are nice, too) but mostly just photos of us winning at life.  If you haven't already, go add some of your own!

Rachel
Here I am, victorious with glee, during a dip in the Archibald Fountain at Hyde Park, Sydney. I had always wanted frolic fully-clothed in a public fountain, but it wasn't until I'd endured two months of a hellish Sydney summer that I finally found the courage to go for it. The frolic only took about two minutes, but it remains one of my fondest memories of that summer - throwing caution to the wind and doing something utterly silly and childlike was so much more fun than I was anticipating!

Maren

My moment of win was when I had defended my master thesis and was rewarded with an A.
I took this selfportrait sitting in the field outside the house I lived in. I used to go out there and sit quietly whenever I needed some peace and time to think, and had done so almost every night the last weeks. It was a very emotionally challenging period of my life. I spent a lot of time worrying about the future, about getting a job, finding a place to live and just getting a decent grade on my master thesis. The day of my exam came, and I got an A! I had never in a million years expected an A. I was overjoyed, beyond relieved and could not believe how light I felt. 2 years of hard work totally payed off! Sitting in that field I had the world at my feet, and I have never felt happier, nor prouder.

Sabrina

This is me taking care of a sick 8-day-old foal. This is a moment of win because my experiences as an equine veterinary technician paved the way for vet school itself. I loved my job at this hospital, and really really loved the patients! 

Ms. Ten

During my first internship when I finished college, I got to band birds in Texas.  I had the opportunity to hold many beautiful, live wild birds in my hands.  Holding hummingbirds was neat, but by far the best experience was going to Fort Hood and having the opportunity to band two different endangered songbird species - the Black-capped Vireo and Golden Cheeked Warbler.  People worry so much about endangered animals like elephants and tigers that they don't realize there are animals who need help right in their own backyard.

Renai Marie
Hiking Mt. Rainier with my favorite Alaskan ladies. We packed this gem of a tallboy up with us and took turns chugging it in front of a waterfall. Serious serious win.

Brittany

I won the Tigh Nah Mara award (the prestigious cup you see in my right hand) during my 2010 archaeology trip because I found a vintage Rainier can from the 70s. Viva la XtraTufs!

Sarah Von
On a sunny Thursday afternoon, I took a break from working on a huge project, went to the train station and bought a ride-all-day pass for $13. I got on the first train leaving the station and headed out to the coast, getting off whenever something looked interesting and getting back on once I'd explored. I saw this sign near the track at my last stop. Is this Muster Peninsula? Is there where you're supposed to stand and muster about? I'm sure I don't know. Really, the only time I've ever even used the word 'muster' is in reference to gather courage or strength or energy. But I love the idea that this place, next to the train station, in a tiny town, on the coast of New Zealand - this is The Place to muster.

Jen
Ever since I was a little girl, one of my life-long dreams was to write a novel. After college, I’d written a few, but they just sat on my computer. I stumbled on a few articles on e-book self-publishing earlier this year, and I immediately decided to dive in. Two sleepless months later, I finally pushed the first installment of one of my novels out for the Kindle. This photo was taken after I had just downloaded my very own book to my iPad.

Laura
I am entering this in Moments of Win because at 42 years old and over 100 pounds overweight I showed up at CrossFit Green Bay ready for the intro (On Ramp) class. I felt ashamed of myself and very self-conscious, but I showed up at every workout and tried hard. The intro ended today and we did the exact same workout we did on Day One. I cut my time in half. My name is 4th from the top. I am going to continue, but wanted to celebrate today because I am so proud for not giving up and not giving in to that negative voice that told me I was too large and out of shape to be there.

What's your latest Moment of Win?  Mine happened while I was talking to a client about blogging.  I heard myself speaking and thought "Hey!  I totally, totally know what I'm talking about!"

A Personal Collection of "Wait. What?" Moments

When I was young my father said to me: "Knowledge is Power....Francis Bacon"

I understood it as "Knowledge is power, France is Bacon".

For more than a decade I wondered over the meaning of the second part and what was the surreal linkage between the two? If I said the quote to someone, "Knowledge is power, France is Bacon" they nodded knowingly. Or someone might say, "Knowledge is power" and I'd finish the quote "France is Bacon" and they wouldn't look at me like I'd said something very odd but thoughtfully agree. I did ask a teacher what did "Knowledge is power, France is bacon" meant and got a full 10 minute explanation of the Knowledge is power bit but nothing on "France is bacon". When I prompted further explanation by saying "France is Bacon?" in a questioning tone I just got a "yes". at 12 I didn't have the confidence to press it further. I just accepted it as something I'd never understand.

It wasn't until years later I saw it written down that the penny dropped.

Have you seen the above story floating around the interwebz?  Hilarious, no?

Now, you know I pride myself on being a smartie.  And I deeply believe that smart = sexy. 

But.

That does not mean that I haven't had pleeeeeeenty of facepalm-able moments.  And I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.

* I thought island was pronounced "is-land" and chaos was pronounced "chay-ohs" until at least sixth grade.

* Until the age of 25, I thought Vietnam was an island.  This is made more ridiculous by the fact that I was living in Taiwan and planning a trip through Southeast Asia while believing this.  I also thought New Zealand was located above Australia.

* It took me a really long time to work out that you could be ethnically Jewish, but religiously something else.  Or religiously Jewish but ethnically something else.

* I spent a large part of my childhood believing that Lee Iacocca was a political leader of some sort.

* It also took me a long time to figure out Singapore.  Is it an island?  A country?  A city?  Who lives there and what language do they speak?

Don't leave me hanging, guys!  What are some of your most ridiculous "Wait. What?" moments?

A Life Worth Writing About

"Either write something worth reading 

or do something worth writing about."

- Benjamin Franklin

I happened upon this quote a few days ago and it's been running in a loop through my mind ever since.  In fact, I am hereby adopting it as the (second, invisible) subtitle for this blog.  And also as a personal motto.  I'll add it to my on-going list of personal mottoes:

"I promise I shall never give up, and that I'll die yelling and laughing" - Jack Kerouac

and

"I want to be thoroughly used up when I die" - George Bernard Shaw

What's your favorite quote?  Do you have a personal motto?
P.S. remember this blog post about how to have more adventure in your life?