Peaches and Hip Hop Bound

As I am beginning to pack for my move to Atlanta, GA, I think it finally hit me that I am moving to a city where I don't know anyone and have never been to.

What the hell am I thinking? Did I seriously just voluntarily decide to move away from everything and everyone I know in exchange for a potential sliver of excitement and  enlightenment?

I'm not Henry David Thoreau seeking a transcendentalist state of being. . . I think the closest I've ever gotten to spiritual enlightenment was when I first tried the Molten Lava Cake at Chili's.

Yes, Life is very good . . . 

Many people I have met over my college career talk about wanting to go somewhere different (maybe abroad) and spend a few years traveling and exploring new things. But I only know one or two people who have actually done it. I guess I got caught up in all the excitement of a "new phase of my journey" that I decided to take the plunge into semi-deep waters (I'm not moving halfway across the world, but the foreign land of Georgia peaches and hip hop is a big move for me at 22).

The plague of the 21st  century . . .Reality TV ;)

Well its too late to turn back now. So on ward I must go...

So I haven't thought of a structure to this blog yet, but I am shooting for a blog entry every new city I travel to. Just a mini-bucket list of the next few months:

Things I want to do in the remainder of 2013:

• Travel to a continent on the other side of the world
• Travel to 2 different U.S. cities a month 
• Travel internationally at least 6 times before the end of the year 
• Go to at least 2 music festivals 
• Do 2 new things a month (an activity that I haven't tried before)
• Go visit my family more times than I can remember :)

I'm not a huge fan of bucket lists (probably because I hate being forced to meet a goal, it makes the struggle seem artificial and the victory less worthwhile, for me at least), but lets see how this goes. 

Next time I post, I will be in the ATL. Let me know if you have any suggestions on things to do, places to see/eat, or any general comments. 

Peace, Love, and Hippies,

Maryam 

Graduation Mania: Walking on Cloud Nine

I am not one to care much for my undergrad graduation. As I've told mutitple people, you're just doing what you are supposed to do- finish school. But that was before I went through the euphoria of graduation weekend.

There is something about everyone feeling so proud of you that makes you feel like solid gold :D I am lucky enough to say that the people that matter the most to me were able to make it to my grad (well, most of them were able to make it). I also got to catch up with a few old friends over the weekend too.

On another note, the commencement speaker did not live up to expectations. It was excruciating to see her attempt to connect to an audience that had little or no shared experience with the stories she relayed about her career. All I can say was that her speech came from a good place. There was one thing she quoted that I enjoyed:

"We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you."

As much as I dislike the blatant obessesion to praise oneself that plagues the "Me Generation" (Gen Y), I think that there are moments when you should shamelessly bask in the sunlight. So go ahead my children, enjoy your two seconds of fame.

Anywhooo, here are pics of family and friends on graduation day. Enjoy my lovelies!

Roommate and I at her graduation

First one to congratulate me: My little munchkin 

With all of the familia :)

bale bale! 

These lovely fools! Roomie pic. 

Yup, that's the highest I could get off the ground :)

The Greatest City West of the Mississippi

Austin, TX is the proud home of ACL, food trucks galore, and more old men jogging in dangerously short shorts than I can handle most days (lets just say there are some things you can't unsee). But there is so much more to the city, endless praise doesn't do this city justice. After living in the ATX, as it is so lovingly called, for close to 5 years now, I think it is time to move on to different things. 

But I feel one word can describe my experience here: liberating. 

If you are currently living in Austin, or even want to visit one day, I highly recommend getting to know the city as an entity- it has a "live and in color" personality that is only amplified by the city's tireless efforts to "Keep Austin Weird." 

This post is not offering anything new or extraordinarily thoughtful. Just thought I'd share my love for a city that never ceases to amaze me. 

Sweet dreams!

Austin Musts:

• get on the lake and do Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP); if its the first time, I recommend watching a youtube tutorial before going, they're helpful :) 
• eat at as many local food trucks as possible 
• check out a poetry slam (Spiderhouse Cafe has one every Tuesday night)