Dancing to your own music

Some of Today's adventures:

The central area of Amsterdam

The Sex Museum

This is my favorite picture of myself ever... sorry Dad.

The day got so much more enjoyable for us mindset wise when we decided to needed to chill the fuck out and went to get joints, beer, and then to sit outside on a patio to indulge in both.

We were feeling real real good after this. We let the universe take us where it willed.

We ended up accidentally stumbling into the cutest festival of sorts. We have no idea how we got in without paying but it happened.

The first booth we saw was a SILENT DISCO and I almost died. This is something on my bucket list!

I was high and high on life. I was dancing and laughing.

It was one of those moments where you feel so alive, so filled with all the love and happiness you could want. One of those rare moments.

Dancing like no one was watching me, seeing the strangers around me all dancing to different tunes, with laughter and sparkles in their eyes. What more do you need then this in life?

Then the next stop in the festival was a Banksy and Warhol exhibit.

It was super cool to walk around and look at there work

These to me are the best times, the unplanned times.

It is so easy to let yourself get stressed and worked up during travels. In those moments you just need to ground yourself. When you do this good things will come naturally.

A parallel universe

Amanda and I spent our first day in the city adventuring through the town, people watching, and getting lost a lot.

The main part of our day was in Vondel Park. We went to the " smart shop" and got some shrooms. We had a hour before they kicked in so we decided to head to our tripping destination- vondel.

On our walk there we took some detours, as the time went on we could tell things were changing for us. It was a hot, hot day so we were sweaty. When we arrived to Vondel park we crashed into the ground of the first shaded spot we saw.

It was packed there- so we had killer people watching. Laying there on the ground we were at the peak of our trip. We both felt weighed to the ground unable to move. You couldn't of paid me money to get up. I felt soaked into the ground, one with earth/ like I had melted into the ground. Staring at the sky and trees it was a colorful trip. I felt like all I could do was smile at how beautiful everything was.

Every once in a while we would try and sit up and we would see all these people so close next to us that we thought were far away when laying down. Our perspective of things was wack. It was like when we were laying down we were in our own Universe together. It had a magical glow to it. It felt Euphoric. We listened to the perfect whimsical, freak folk, electronic music.

Eventually we got into deep, loving conversation. Not ever getting distracted by all of the busyness around us. It was like they did not exist.

I felt raw laying in the grass. I was dirty with dirt, with dried sweat, messy hair, and ruined make up- but I have never felt more beautiful.

After a hour or so we finally managed to pull ourselves together and walk more into Vondel. A little down the way we came to a bridge- when we crossed it we both had the weirdest chill. It felt like we entered a different world. Like a twilight moment. There were hundreds of people all hanging out and cooking. The sun was setting, the birds chirping loud, kids running around in the distance, couples slow dancing to no music, and a bright gleam and glow to the area.

Needless to say I had a wonderful day and a magical trip.

Studying abroad: I'M HERE

I AM HERE!

I have arrived! I could talk forever about my flight and all that but I want to cut to the chase and talk about my feels.

Firstly- The arrival:

My flight was good, I slept for the majority of it, sitting next to a girl who was also traveling abroad. My aunt picked me up and I almost cried. I am so excited to spend time with my Dutch family. My Aunt was as nice, thoughtful, and generous as always. I get the apartment to myself for 4 days! I think that will be fun! I feel like a local already. I've got my bicycle of my own, my metro card, and my euros! It will be fun to have family time, alone exploring time, and Amsterdam time before arriving to my school and town on the 1st! I can't wait to be walking and adventuring around Europe again.

Secondly- THE FEELS:

I want to do my best to journal and blog this trip. I love having things like this to look back on. So I make it a point to remember and do on all my trips- and this one especially.

I cant believe I am actually here. I am studying abroad. This is something I have always wanted to do since I was young. It feels so nice to know I will be here for 5 months. Living in a different country. I have such amazing feelings about this. It feels different than any other trip. There is a certain energy in the air. I know with the mindset I have these days, and the person I have molded into I have the perfect head for this kind of experience. I am going to take in and embrace everything with full force. This is a once and a life time experience. I will not waste a moment of it.

Currently I am sitting in my Aunt's apartment. Drinking my morning coffee, eating a good healthy breakfast and waiting to bike over to the station and pick up my friend Amanda. I can't wait to adventure around Amsterdam with her. I feel we both have similar mindsets and attitudes so this will be a hell of a time.

Don's worry I will continuously undated you guys on all my bad behaviors and decisions ;) Off to the " coffee shops" I go.

Inspirational bathroom art

I went to this cool coffee shop called: stardust. 

It is a book store/ cafe/ video store/ coffee shop/ and bar 

It's filled with lights and random art and vintage trinkets 

It was an adorable grungy, old place 

Florida has impressed me with its coffee shops 

There is nothing like life inspiration while you shit 

              Don't be an asshole 

 

                  LESBIAN FUN 

 

                     Look at it 

  

This was my personal favorite thing I saw. This was a legit flyer on the door 

Meet Your Stranger : Denny

Meet Your Stranger.

This is my new, personal project I am starting up. I will be blogging it, but its main format will be a magazine. A magazine that I create, and just keep for myself.

I wanted to pick a new hobby, and something to work on so I started this. I am incredibly excited about it.

I will ask a stranger of my choosing that I see out and about during life. I will ask anywhere between 3-5 questions. Questions that for some may be hard to answer. Just a way of getting to know people out in the community. There is a certain cleansing to this kind of interaction. Answering random, personal questions from a stranger? I am excited about this.

It is going to be a work in progress and I am sure each post will get better as this matures.


So.. Meet Your Stranger: Denny.

Denny is your local Batista at Austin's Coffee Shop in Winter Park Florida. She is a veteran here as she has been there the longest out of the staff, with a total of 4 years there. The date I conducted this interview was August 19, 2016.

State of mind: a little tired/ a lot going on / feels calm

1.) Current Favorite song? : Easy, Easy by: King Krule 

( reaction to question: knew the answer right away, felt comfortable)

Likes this song because it is feel good, calm, upbeat, and uplifting

2.) Would you classify as a feminist? Why or why not? :

( reaction to question: Had to put a moment of thought into but seemed as if this was a subject she was comfortable in)

"Yes and no. I Believe in what feminism stands for. Everyone deserves equality. I am all about Woman's rights/equality but I am not an extremist. I don't like the aura that comes with the word now of days. I do not feel the need to label as a feminist because I feel it should be a given to be for equal rights for humans. It should be the norm, we shouldn't need a name for it. I think even having the name " feminism" separates us from what the regular should be. "

3.) What do you want to be forgiven for? : 

( Reaction to question: took a minute or two to answer, seemed as if she did not know how personal to get, seemed as though she was really searching for this answer)

" I want to be forgiven for a situation dealing with a relationship. The ending of the relationship had a lot of animosity. Things got really built up and out of control. I feel as though I did not handle things as well as I could of. I want to be forgiven for not giving my all and allowing my emotions get the best of me. I want this forgiveness not for me but for him. I have moved on and accepted it all. I know he is still holding on to things in anger. I want him to forgive me so he can move forward."


Denny's thoughts on this experience:

" I felt surprisingly comfortable the whole time. I knew if I did not want to answer I did not have to. I am usually more of a private person, but I knew I did not have to say if I did not want too."

My thoughts on Denny:

She had a calmness to her, very pleasant. She seemed very sweet and kind natured. A unique gal. Someone I could see myself being friends with.

Enzian Theater // Film is Art

Robin, my cousin Aubrie's husband took me to this movie theater called, The Enzian Theater.

I am dedicating a whole post to this place because I am obsessed with it.

The Enzian is a non-profit,  independent film, art house movie theater.

I love everything about this place. It looks super cute, they have a nice outside bar to drink at before going to your movie. All movies they play are independent films, foreign films, or old cult classics. The popcorn is hand- popped goodness, and you can order food and beer while watching your movie.

The Enzian also host the Florida Film Festival.

Robin and I had good conversation over a mojito for me, and Jameson and ginger ale for him. We talked about all our favorite podcast, what his most valuable lesson of his 20's were, and about old-school hip hop.

We went home, pokemoned, smoked, and had one more local, Florida, craft beer. Excellent night.

Robins best lesson in his 20's: Was to "always do what you want to do no matter your age. You can be a 28 year old at a house party filled with 20/21 year olds. I promise you are probably having more fun than them anyways. You can travel to Guatemala with 5 of your best friends even though you have kids and smoke and jam to grateful dead in the back of a taxi cab. Do not lose that side of you just as the number you are just starts to rise. That is how people get stuck into an adulthood pattern they despise."

Human beans

 2016/08/17 /// Doe creative Co  

My friend Lauren did a shoot with me today // it was rad 

Her photography is my kind of style 

Austins coffee shop was our first stop // coffee is always essential 

Then we went to an old abandoned house 

I love the moments she captures 

Just a bunch of grungy kids 

Thankful for the people in my life