All posts in Writing

Escribir en Español

By Patricia On May 4, 2011 In Writing With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Escribir en EspañolPermalink

A través de los años, y con vergüenza reconozco, el español se convierte más y más en mi lengua secundaria. Ni hablemos de tildes, las cuales hace tiempo eliminé de mis preocupaciones al escribir. Pienso y sueño en inglés, no por querer sino por la larga temporada que llevo viviendo en este país.

Decidí escribir este pasaje en español por que deseo practicar el lenguaje que recibí al nacer, en la esperanza de que algún día, regrese a ser mi herramienta de comunicación principal.

A medida que envejezco, mis sueños ingleses proveen el único escape donde se desahogan mis anhelos, donde el mundo que he construido se desarrolla con continuidad y estabilidad. De niños soñamos con el futuro perfecto, el trabajo de nuestros sueños, los amigos mas leales y el amor mas desenfrenado.

Yo me hice la promesa que nunca trabajaría un trabajo de oficina de 9 a 5, y hasta cierto punto he mantenido esta promesa. La vida, de la manera más cruel, me ha dado un trabajo de oficina de 8:30 a 5:30. Mi punto no es de maldecir horarios, ni edificios de luz fluorescente donde las plantas se mueren por falta de luz natural y aire fresco. Esos detalles no son importantes cuando sientes pasión por tu trabajo y las causas de tus proyectos — cuando eres feliz.

Continue Reading →

On Receiving Mail from Bulgaria

By Patricia On April 2, 2011 In SEA, Writing With No Comments Permanent Link to On Receiving Mail from BulgariaPermalink

I don’t check my mail very often. Very few important correspondence needs to be communicated by regular mail. These days, all I get in the mail are those bulky, useless ad fliers that I neither want or need, and that take up all the space in my small mailbox. As an aside, if you happen to know how to make those fliers stop, do let me know. They’re like the spam of snail mail.

My friend Dilyana from Bulgaria had given me a heads up about something she had mailed, so I have been eagerly checking my mailbox. Finally today, a month later, it got here!

Even as technology makes is possible to chat everyday with people living on the other side of the world, the excitement of receiving a physical object from a distant land hasn’t gotten old — I hope it never does.

Last year, while living at the SEA House in freezing, snowy Woods Hole, Di gave us these red and white bracelets called Martenitzas. They symbolize the end of winter and the beginning of spring, giving the wearer good luck, health and a long life. Martenitzas are traditionally worn from March 1st until the end of March or until you see a blooming tree.  To this blooming tree, you tie your Martenitza.

Continue Reading →

New design brings new attitude

By Patricia On February 21, 2011 In Celebration, My Empire, Photography, Travels, Web Design, Writing With 1 Comment Permanent Link to New design brings new attitudePermalink

“I watch the sun as it comes up, I watch it as it sets. Yes, this is as good as it gets.” On the I-17, returning from a day of skiing and snowboarding in Flagstaff, Arizona. We watched the sun both rise and set that day.

Recently this website has slowed down some. There are several reasons for that, but one of the main reasons was that I hated the way it looked. For months — maybe as long as 7 months— I have been wanting a new design. At first I thought I could do everything from scratch, from design to development. I convinced myself I would get around to doing it, until eventually the site just became a reminder of my procrastination.

Also, while I know some WordPress development, I came to realize I did not possess the skills to fully breakdown the site design and have the WordPress functionality that I wanted. I hope to one day be THAT good, but until then I’ll resort to the amazing fountain of resources available on this thing called Internet. So here’s the result… for now.

Continue Reading →

San Juan, Puerto Rico

By Patricia On August 1, 2010 In Puerto Rico, San Juan, Travels, Writing With 1 Comment Permanent Link to San Juan, Puerto RicoPermalink

IMG_3594LR

It’s infinitely true, what people say. Well, some of it. But when you’re told that for your travels, a journal is an indispensable companion, the people are speaking the truth. And for all that, a journal is useless if you forget one thing: to write in it.

As my SEA travels fall further back into the irretrievable past, it is a struggle to remember the details, the nuisances of every day life while anchored in Dominican Republic, or docked at the marina in Jamaica. While traveling, your brain is in such overload mode, with new information, sights, sounds and smells all around you, it is easy to forget the name of that one restaurant or person.

And then when you’re back to real life, sitting at your office desk, you regret not writing more. You regret not making that effort, at the end of everyday, to write down every experience while it’s still fresh in your mind.

I meant to sum up every stop along my trip, with details on where we stayed and ate, yet as I began the following post on Puerto Rico, our first stop on the way to meet the ship, I struggled to remember the details. What was the name of that one corner shop where Sarah and I ate deep-fried goods and empanadas? Did we really eat empanadas, or were they some other deep-fried delicacies? I remember it had a somewhat out-of-context name like “Fast Mart” or something that sounded like you could get your car washed there too.

Here goes my best attempt at recapturing our stay in San Juan, Puerto Rico…

Continue Reading →

A new chapter

By Patricia On February 3, 2010 In Amazing!, Journalism, Sailing, Travels, Writing With 4 Comments Permanent Link to A new chapterPermalink

I hate making “big” announcements.

It seems egotistical to assume something that is big to me might mean the same to others. Usually, it doesn’t.

The two-weeks are in at my work.

Picture 5

Some of you have heard me talking about the SEA Semester program —the one educational opportunity I always regretted not doing while in college.

Starting in mid-February, I’ll be in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, which is near the beautiful Martha’s Vineyard area. I’ll be regressing to my college years, taking classes in all sorts of oceanography and maritime studies related subjects.

Then, I’m heading down to the Caribbean, to continue the semester learning about the finer points of sailing and research in the area. I chose this particular track because that whole area is close to my heart, and Panama shares a lot of the cultural and historical markers of the Caribbean region.

Did I mention I get to learn more about sailing?

And while at my work this doesn’t qualify as a journalism-related sabbatical, I plan to continue doing my own personal brand of journalism, writing about my experiences and posting photos.

*********************

For now, I’ll spare you the details on how this is logistically happening. It just is, and this is why:

I do not want to look back later in life and regret the things I should have done when I was young and carefree.

So far this life, I’ve only regretted the things I never did — the opportunities that flew by without me doing anything.

Blaming money can only go so far before it becomes just another excuse for why I’m idle and frustrated with what I haven’t accomplished. I’m not such a fool to think that money is not important. Money allows you to find happiness in whatever it is you value.

And I’m not such a fool as to not be grateful for all have, and the great opportunities that have come my way.

But I’ve often wondered if the excuses I create are a form of denial to never admit I’m afraid.

In my dreams, I change the world. In reality, I have convinced myself it is impossible because that is easier than doing something. In reality, I’m passionate about very little because being passionate is hard, painful and often disappointing.

It is a work-in-progress to realize you do not want the same things others do, or that while you might, you just do not value them the same.

I suppose that I decided, without really meaning to, that my career would have to wait — be second to adventure for a while. I welcome work in design, whether it’s web design or print graphics, and it has not stopped being my interest to be employed in that field.

*********************

My favorite question so far has been, “so what do you GET out of all this?” And the best response was suggested by a friend — whatever I want.

For the moment, I’m weary of defining success by what I GET in my bank account.

I’m ok with some people thinking that quitting the comfort of my steady income, and going to this program with no tangible financial benefits, is stupid.  To those people I say, I hope you find a shred of inspiration in my stupidity, to appreciate what you truly value, what you love on such a personal level that you have no need to convince others of its worth to you.

*********************

While this ain’t the Oscars, I can’t end this post without thanking those who have supported my crazy. M.M who encouraged the crazy if only for the sake of having a dream; the unfailing Don Wittekind, who can’t get rid of me no matter how many years and miles I go from UNC; Tyler for proofreading my essays; my sailing friends Ginger, Mark and Vance among many others.

And the two people who have been putting up with the crazy from day one — my parents. Thank you for always helping me think through my odd dreams and fancies instead of dishing out crushing disapproval. Above all else in my life, I’ve been the luckiest in having you.

I’ll post here as much as possible for those who are interested, and everybody is welcomed to follow me on this new adventure, as I hope you will.

The next chapter could be better or it could be worst. Either way, I’m confident it’ll be worth the read.

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →