So that happened…

And by “that,” I mean anything and everything from a global pandemic to an accidental three-year break from blogging (but that hasn’t stopped me from paying the hosting fees!!).

I don’t really know where to begin with this. It’s only in the last few weeks I’ve started to go into CVS or Aldi without a mask, and I feel guilty even admitting that. I’m ready to move on from COVID — we all are, but not all of us can.

Arya, March 2020. Perfectly encapsulates the mood. Eyes closed, hoping for the best.

For the longest time, in those first few surreal months of the pandemic, I felt like I was moving backwards. I started a new job in February 2020, was furloughed by the end of March and officially laid off by the end of May. I, fortunately, went back to work that July…at the same online publication I was working at in 2019, until I had been laid off there. I was also going through a breakup, and untangling all of… that. So while a lot of people I was close with saw their forward momentum stalled, I was actively slipping behind, despite my best efforts.

Yeah, that was a strange time of incredible isolation. Of feeling like completely insignificant with everything going on around the globe, but also feeling like your entire world was confined in your living room, if you were lucky.


That feels like a lifetime ago. I hardly recognize it.


So much is different now, but in a way that also feels like the natural progression of things, pandemic aside. I became the lead writer of that online publication, hiring and leading a team of two bright and hard-working writers, working myself to the bone and burning out like a flame. I started therapy again. I learned how to be a better cook. I got my third(!) tattoo. I fostered more dogs, and adopted a new-to-me dog! I saw my friends move away and get married and have babies. I got a new job and started recovering from said burnout. I spent more time in Florida than I have since I was 19. I got bangs (okay, that one is pretty new).

The bangs! Still a work in progress! Unrelated, I’ve been watching “Winning Time” and “Daisy Jones & The Six.”

Maybe I’ll write more about those things, maybe I won’t. The other day, I deleted draft posts that I started writing in 2015. Follow through is not almost-never my strong suit, and I blame the ADHD for that (something else I might write about).

I don’t know what’s next for this ~space~ though I doubt anyone cares. But I’ve missed writing because I want to write, so hopefully the future doesn’t involve another three-year-break from blogging. TBD.

~ Sarah

Arya and Buddy

Anti-Bucket List: A Look Back At The Decade

A couple weeks ago, some of my Philly friends and I went to New York for a day trip. I went to college in the Bronx, and a lot of my college friends still live in and around the city. For work, I also commuted from Philly to New York pretty frequently. So it had been a long time since I had gone to New York without any obligations — just to walk around and explore with friends.

The day was good for the soul. It’s always nice to have some quality, offline time with girlfriends.  It also reminded me what I love about New York, and brought back a ton of memories from my early 20s.

It’s easy to feel sentimental and nostalgic at the end of the year, and even more so at the end of an entire decade. The 2010s also coincided with my 20s — I was 19 at the start of 2010, and I’ll be turning 30 in the fall. So much has happened over the last 10 years.

Taking cues from some of my blogger friends, I thought this was a good time to share an “anti-bucket list” — basically a look back at what I did accomplish over the last decade:

  • Started this blog! (2010)
  • Went on two Global Outreach trips (2011, 2013)
  • Visited Italy & France with my family (2012)
  • Graduated Fordham (2013)

  • Moved to Philadelphia (2013)
  • Adopted two dogs: Zamboni (2013) and Arya (2015)
  • Was a bridesmaid for high school friends (2015, 2016)
  • Switched jobs three times (at least)
  • Visited my mom in Colombia (2015)

  • Went to Canada and the PNW for the first time (2016)
  • Visited my dad in Costa Rica (2017)
  • Lived by myself for the first time (2017)
  • Started therapy (2017)
  • Helped plan the PHLblogger’s Blog Connect Conference (2017, 2018)

  • Went to the Home Run Derby (2017)
  • Fostered senior dogs (2017, 2018, 2019)
  • Got my first tattoo (2018)
  • Bought a house! (2018)
  • Saw Dwyane Wade’s last game (2019)
  • Did a reading at my friends’ wedding (2019)

It’s crazy to think about how much has changed, how much hasn’t and what stands out years later. Not every year was great — like, I’m sure cool stuff happened in 2014 (I just can’t remember what) and 2016 and 2017 were particularly hard years as well. The last decade had its share of highlights and lowlights, but I can confidently say I’m happier now than I was ten years ago. I’m grateful for that, for the lessons I’ve learned and friends I’ve gained along the way.

Cheers to a happy and healthy 2020!

~ Sarah

13 Before 30

Hello friends! I can’t believe fall is almost here, but a pretty great way I get to end summer is by celebrating my birthday. I turned 29 on the 13th, so I guess I can’t deny that I’m in my late twenties now! It’s pretty wild when I look back and see how different my life is now compared to a year ago. I loved being 28 — it was a landmark year in a lot of ways, and hopefully 29 is just as wonderful.

Because I a) love lists and b) I’m a blogger who has to overshare, I decided to put together a list of things I want to accomplish before I say good-bye to my twenties. Why 13 instead of 30 before 30? Well, I couldn’t come up with 30 things and also Jenna Rink.

In no particular order, in the next year I hope to…

  1. Get a tattoo. I got my first a week before 28, and another one after I moved into my house. I’ve been itching for another one since!
  2. Pay off my credit cards. Or at least a credit card? Post-closing expenses add up quick. I don’t even want to talk about this, being a responsible adult can be annoying.
  3. Visit a new city. Getting settled in a new place and going to a lot of weddings meant there wasn’t a lot of time for exploring this last year. Hopefully this will change soon!
  4. Go abroad. I try to get out of the country once a year — I just feel like it’s good for me! Chances are though if I manage to visit another country this year, it’ll be one I’ve been to before though, like Canada or Costa Rica (where my dad lives).
  5. Go camping. So I’ve never been camping, but it’s something my partner really loves. I don’t come from an outdoorsy family, but I’ve grown to like hikes so maybe I’m ready to sleep outdoors?
  6. Foster a dog. We fostered a sweet senior pup this summer, and we were close to “foster failing” and adopting him. Luckily, he found a great home and I’m sure we’ll foster again once things slow down.
  7. Have a girls’ weekend. This is actually my plan for my 30th birthday. I’d love to celebrate with my friends who are across the East Coast and have them all in one place.
  8. Donate blood. I hate needles and I hate blood, so I always told myself if I got a tattoo, I’d have to donate blood first. Well, that didn’t exactly happen (see #1), but better late than never right?
  9. Learn how to ride a bike (again). Listen, whoever said you never forget how to ride a bike did not go 15+ years without riding a bike! My new neighborhood is less walkable, but I’d love to learn again so I wouldn’t have to rely on my car so much. (It’s a Prius, but I still feel guilty every time!)
  10. Get a facial. In the words of Donna Meagle, “treat yo’ self.”
  11. Go to the shore. I went once this summer, and no boardwalk ice cream was involved. A travesty that must be corrected.
  12. Be a bridesmaid. One of my dear friends, Cortney, is getting married next August, and I’m lucky enough to be a bridesmaid. I’m very excited to be a small part of this special day!
  13. Celebrate 10 years blogging! Dude, I don’t even know where the last decade has gone! I’m awful at keeping up hobbies, and my interest blogging has definitely ebbed and flowed. Still, ten years is a big deal!

And that’s it! We’ll see how this year shapes up, but I think this list is pretty doable. I’m all ears for any advice though — being in your twenties is a total roller coaster, but I’m excited about the next chapter.

~ Sarah

P.S. Thank you Camille for these snaps!

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Wrap: Five Below | Tank: Kohl’s | Shorts: Target | Sneakers: Old Navy | Earrings: Lou Lou’s | Bag: eternally borrowed from my mother