In the past few months my usual high-spirited love for all things culinary related had hit an all time low. I worried that it was emblematic of my general inability to keep an interest in something longer than a few months. Aside from travel and food, most things in my life fall into this category. I continued to cook and bake, but didn’t enjoy it as much as usual, and while nothing I made was bad, I think, I do believe my lack of interest reflected in the quality. Perhaps I was busy with other things. But, cooking and baking has always been my refuse from the world, and though I’d get occasional sparks of inspiration, it didn’t happen often. I had stopped perusing my usual blogs. In part, I’m sure being outside the US, where everything I know culinary wise exists was hard. But, it was also a bit sad, to lose a bit of something I loved so much. Continue reading
Category Archives: Thoughts and Musings
Notes From a Rainy Day
Today, it rains. Not surprising in Ireland. It’s been clear since returning, almost tricking us into thinking it might stay that way. A steady stream of piercing cold plummets the outside of our apartment, fogging up the windows. Inside, there is a hazy low lit warmth that disuades our ever leaving its comfort. It is the perfect day to bake apple pie. Continue reading
2012: A Year in Review
This year I’m celebrating the end of 2012 with my family in Prague. It’s also my 30th country, which was one of my 30 before 30 goals. So it feels like an exceptionally important time and place. Partially, because it is the end of an absolutely epic year. 2012 was certainly a once in a life time kind of year, and I feel incredibly lucky for every day of it. For a visual: Travel Map. Starting graduate school was a big change, mostly because it involved moving to Europe, something I’ve wanted to do for the past decade, but hadn’t anticipated actually doing any time soon. It’s been exciting, challenging and generally nothing like what I expected. Which, generally, is what one would expect when moving to a new country. I’ve learned a lot about myself, and learned just how much I actually love living in the states, and am surprisingly excited to move home in a few years. Continue reading
A Surprising Discovery in Studying Public Health
It’s nearly Christmas here in Dublin! My first semester of grad school comes to a close in 48 hours. Well, mostly-there’s still this pesky thesis proposal that’s been sitting half finished for the past few weeks I need to tackle-but that’s an aside. The first semester was, despite a fair bit of fear mongering on the administration side, quite good. And not at all overwhelming, challenging to be sure, but manageable. The key, as it always is, is not to procrastinate and everything will subsequently go quite smoothly. I’ve learned a lot, and could hold many a discussion on health policy, economics, or epidemiology. And I’m glad to have gotten this education outside the states. It’s given me an exceptionally unique vantage point most Americans trained in the system don’t have. Not to say it’s better, just different. But there’s been this one little thing that’s been underlying everything, and causes great concern for a future career in public health. Continue reading

