Tag: Peace

Taryn Gets Robbed

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I wish I were joking, but it’s true. Some lovely person broke my driver’s side window and stole my laptop bag, wallet, and guitar. The laptop was on its way out, so I’m not totally broken up about it. Plus I have an iPad, so I’m still able to get my work done, thank God!! I am bummed about my bag, however. My mom got it for me in Turkey and had my initials put on it. It was such a cute leather bag, everywhere I went I received compliments on it.

Wait, I’m on the East Coast?

I should mention that I’m in North Carolina. Charlotte to be exact. I had every intention on sharing how I went from being in Arizona 2 weeks ago to ending up in NC, but this robbery happened, and I figure I’d talk about that first. I will, guarantee that I will go more into detail about my recent travels. I’ve been to Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. This week, I PROMISE, I’ll share photos and my shenanigans. Anyway, I should explain how I got robbed.

On a Hike

As I’m nearing 1 week of being in NC (I leave tomorrow), I’ve been indulging in the beautiful trails that are all around Charlotte. Honestly, I’ve had such a wonderful time here. Anyway, this morning, I decided to go to a new trail instead of the 4 mile trail that I’ve grown to love. I decided to take my laptop as I was going to sit in a coffee shop after my hike to do some writing. I get to the destination, and on a stupid whim, I decided to leave my wallet in the car, because I didn’t want to carry it*

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* Friends, never leave your ID, cash, valuables in a car.

I know, it was dumb. So anyway, I spent about 2 hours on the trail, enjoying the beauty all around me. I decided to leave my camera at the house I’m staying in (thank God). As I was walking back, feeling super refreshed and in good spirits after the hike, I was greeted by a park ranger who asked if the vehicle she was standing next to was mine. I was about 50 feet away, so I could barely see her, and the car was out of my line of sight. At first, I thought I was parked in an unauthorized spot, but as I got closer, she explained that someone busted the window and opened the trunk.

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Enjoying Life’s Curveballs

To be honest, after the year I’ve had, having my car broken into didn’t even phase me. After taking the information in, I sighed, called the cops, and inspected the vehicle. The thief even stole my earbuds case, which is also its charger. What’s stupid is that I had the earbuds with me, so all they got was a case, and now I have no charger.

To add to the mania, the park ranger legit hit on me. She low key dropped the “did your boyfriend buy you that jacket” qualifying question, to see where my orientation leaned. I laughed, because who in their right mind thinks it’s wise to hit on someone who’s just gone through a burglary? I sidestepped the question and told her I prefer to be alone and that my dog was all the company I needed. After 20 minutes or so, she left, and I waited for the cops on my own. I didn’t mind, though. After dealing with the officer (I swear, both the ranger and officer were as cliche as can be), I removed the glass and drove back to the house I was staying at.

 

This may sound weird, but I’m incredibly thankful for all of the ridiculous things that have happened as of late. It’s really made me grow closer to God and to keep things in perspective. I’m safe, Abbey wasn’t there so nothing happened to her. The window  isn’t going to cost a lot to replace and will be fixed tomorrow. Aside from losing some cash, my ID, and some gadgets, it’s all well and good. I am annoyed that I will be having to go to the DMV AGAIN as I just got my license replaced in May. Also, I had just purchased some amazing InkJoy gel pens and a really adorable pen case which was in my bag. If only you knew how much I LOVE my pens. Oh, and my journals and manuscript notes were all in there. There were years of ideas and notes about my books. So, that’s a tough loss. Oh well, such is life. I’m thankful that I have parents that were kind and helpful through this ordeal. I’m grateful that everything taken is replaceable.

Motivated to Make it Happen

If you’re of the Christian faith, you know that opposition and setbacks occur as a way to discourage you from growing closer to God. I find that when you’re cultivating that relationship, expect some weird stuff to happen. So, rather than discourage me, it’s making me double down in my faith, and be who He’s called me to be. These crappy moments just make me want to sing His praises even louder. So with that being said, I’m going to finish packing and getting ready for my next destination. That and I’m going to write more and with an increased gusto as I will not be deterred in being who I am. On that note, happy Monday and I hope it’s a good one!

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Taryn and the journey back to Satan’s Buttcrack

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Yep, you’ve read that correctly. I, Taryn, am moving back to Vegas! Early readers of this blog,  know that I loathed living in Las Vegas. I was always constantly dreaming and scheming of ways to move back to Cali. Last year, I did that! I even lived a 5 minute’s walk from the beach. It wasn’t a bad setup, really. So why, on earth would I want move to the place I complained oh so much about? Well…

Vegas wasn’t my enemy…

…rather my mindset was. If there’s anything I’ve learned in the last year, it’s that chasing ghosts will literally get you nowhere. I also had to come to terms with that, even though unpleasant things happen (crappy job, new environment, etc.) it’s not necessarily the place that’s to blame. Recently, I had an epiphany that made me reevaluate how I looked at Vegas. I thought to myself “If I didn’t experience unpleasant circumstances, would I actually hate Las Vegas?” That answer was a resounding “no”.

Friends and Family

Last year, my mom took a job within that relocated her to Germany (more on this later). I was super stoked for her, but that meant that my parents would no longer be in California. My dad stayed back for a year to help with the transition. But as of a few weeks, all of my immediate family will either be in Germany or in Vegas. Since I’m big on family, and I have 7 niece and nephews ( I’ll explain more later), it’s high time I got back. In addition, I made some awesome friendships in Vegas, that I didn’t realize that I’d miss dearly until I left. It’s funny, sometimes what you’re looking for happens to be right smack in front of you, you just didn’t realize it.

I like Vegas

This is probably one of the harder things to admit. I took so many perks and luxuries for granted. I didn’t realize this until I move away, but man, Vegas has some neat advantages:

  • For starters, it’s wayyyyyy more affordable compared to literally anywhere in California.
  • 24 hours Starbucks (Need I say more?)
  • Mccarran Airport: it’s super easy and cheaper to fly anywhere out of Vegas
  • I also loved going to Red Rock and Mt. Charleston.
  • Live music and entertainment (Sooooo convenient)
  • No fleas!!! (Abbey was struggling in Long Beach with those pesky things)
  • I love the desert (that took me by surprise, haha)

On to the next grand adventure

So in the next few weeks, I’ll be leaving Monterey to move back to Satan’s Buttcrack! I’ll admit, the summers will be hot, but what I’m getting in return, outweighs that significantly. I’m so stoked for the move and can’t wait to see what’s in store. 🙂

Stop Thinking, Start Doing

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“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

That quote is on a magnet that I put on my fridge about a year ago. When I bought it, my thought was I’d see it everyday when I pulled out my creamer for my coffee then magically become motivated to test my limits. The reality is, that most times I don’t even look at that magnet, nor do I venture out into unknown territory often. I ran into my neighbor again this morning as I was finishing my walk with Abbey. Honestly every time I see her I really do believe that sometimes things do happen for a reason. This morning was no different.

Last week, I had been struggling to progress with my freelance writing. I’ve been meaning to update my LinkedIn profile and put of samples of my work. The actual task of updating my profile is quite simple. You just have to update your career and upload some documents and Presto! You’re in business. If it’s so easy to do that, you’re probably wondering why on earth have I not done so? The simple answer is that, I’m scared to put my stuff out there. Once I hit that submit button, my hopes, fears, aspirations, are available to the world to do with whatever they choose. That type of vulnerability is terrifying to me. Granted, I realized that one of my key points in my post 2 weeks ago. I can’t very well encourage you all to be vulnerable if I’m not willing to do so myself, now can I?

Talking it out with my neighbor made me realize how much I hold myself back. My mind was working in “negative thought” overdrive. By holding onto negative thoughts and promoting self-doubt. I’ve talked myself out of doing simple tasks for fear of being judged. When I got home, I took a good look in the mirror and I’m resolving to make a change. I need to tear down the walls that I’ve built up and just get on with it. I am challenging myself to get out of my head and start living presently. And since it’s the beginning of the month, the timing couldn’t be better.

June is the month where I break out and really challenge myself both personally and professionally. I will update my LinkedIn profile and get over the fear of judgement. After all, in order to succeed, you have to start. In order to keep myself accountable, I’ll check in with my progress here and give an honest update with how it’s all going. My hope is that you’ll join me and stretch your minds to conquer whatever holds you back this month. Here’s to a growth-filled June. 🙂

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So, yeah, I’m Pretty Awesome

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I tend to downplay my awesomeness. I.E. when someone pays me a compliment, I tend to brush it off. More often than not because I usually don’t have the confidence to admit, that “hey, I might be talented”. It’s hard accepting compliments without feeling that A: you aren’t deserving of them, and B: you don’t want to appear cocky. I’ve also realized that I’m not the only one. Why is it, that most people (particularly of the XX variety) don’t take in positive affirmations well? I’m baffled by this. It’s like I’m automatically ready to dismiss anything nice that anyone says about me. It’s kind of sad really. So in my ever-growing quest for self acceptance, I’m challenging myself to take a compliment and accept it. No strings attached, no negative self-talk, just the appreciation that someone else likes whatever it is that I’ve done.

In unrelated news, I’ve been trucking along on my Bum Chronicles. I had the very distinct pleasure of seeing Bonobo in concert. If you’ve never listened to him I have attached a YouTube video of my favorite song of his (I love all of them, but I can’t post everything now can I?). It was at a newer venue in Las Vegas called The Brooklyn Bowl. If you’re ever in these parts, I definitely recommend that you check it out. It’s Brooklyn inspired decor plus the fact that you can eat, drink, bowl, and catch an amazing live act in one place makes it incredibly unique and super awesome to boot. Though it’s technically on the Strip, it’s far enough removed that most tourists aren’t even aware of it, which is nice for locals. But anywho, I digress. I absolutely LOVED the concert, just seeing all different types of people being moved by miraculous sounds is just something words cannot capture. The closest word I think that could describe the mood is: Harmony. I think that leaders of all countries should just attend a concert and get swept up in the vibe. Maybe we’d all get along better. Nothing like a good ol’ concert high. Well, there were people toking it up, but that’s unrelated to what I’m talking about, lol. IMG_10271IMG_10181IMG_1165

 

Also, my ventures to RedRock have been so amazing and great. I’m kind of a nature enthusiast now. Who would’ve thought? Getting out there in the open is so incredibly relaxing. It’s like my soul is being reborn every time I go. Fortunately there’s like 18 different trails, so I’ve been diversifying it up each time. I wish this weather would stay like this forever! So to some this up, learning to take a compliment, going to more shows, and getting outside more often than not are my main takeaways as of late. There’s so much to do and see, I want to take in all of it! I’m putting a bunch of photos of my shenanigans. Compliments are welcomed ;-).

 

 

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Why Nature Isn’t So Bad

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My nature consists of the beach, Starbucks, and a mall. That was the only “nature” I had been interested until recently. Going outside and being in the elements was not on my list of priorities, and I certainly didn’t think that was going to change. Last week I purchased the Up24 band by Jawbone. It helps track your fitness, eating, and sleeping. I’ll be doing a review of it later. So in an effort to stop being sedentary I took up an offer to go to Red Rock Canyon last Sunday. Not only did I end up loving the outdoors, it’s really motivated me fitness-wise.

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-Shot of the beginning of the trail

My friend and I and our dogs decided on taking a moderate course. (2.5 miles). We ended up parking in the wrong lot so that added an extra mile to our trip. The pups were eager to hike the trail, us humans were slightly getting our asses handing to us by the elevation. I walk about 2-3 miles a day with Abbey but on the mild paved sidewalks in town, not a 900 ft. elevation. Trust me folks, there is a distinct difference.

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-Another gorgeous view of Red Rock

Due to the lack of signs and directions the trails have, we did end up getting a little turned around, but there were plenty of people there who were more than happy to help us “city-slickers” out. Everyone was super nice and stopped to pet the dogs. Abbey did not mind all the extra attention, I’m sure.

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-Abbey posing for the camera

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-Abbey and Nevada

I really couldn’t get over how amazing Red Rock was. The never-ending scenic views, the unbelievably great weather, and the open air in your face was such a refreshing change from my usual activities. I found such peace and tranquility up there, and that’s saying a lot for someone with an anxious-ridden brain ;-). Now we have a standing Red Rock trip every Sunday which I’m incredibly stoked about. I suppose it’s nice to get outdoors and be one with nature from time to time.

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