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Twenty highlights from 2024, in twenty words or less
Taking a look back on some of the highlights from 2024, from my worst habit (go ahead and guess) to the mountaintop moments that have helped me start to believe in myself—at least a little bit.
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Driving out the Dark; Or, Making My Peace with Christmas
My feelings on Christmas hit an all-time low when I lived in Indiana. I took a job working for the Purdue Alumni Association. Not a great fit. Things went from bad to worse a few months into the job when we returned from Thanksgiving break to find the entire building covered in Christmas decorations. It…
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Finding My Way Back
When a friend from undergrad heard about my plans to pursue a master’s degree in Wales (Cymru), she told me, “It’s wonderful to hear you’ve found what brings you joy—and will send you to Wales, where you’ve always belonged.” And it’s true. Call it a longing or a calling, but I’ve felt it for a…
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In Reflection: A Year of Self-Discovery in Wales
I spent the first twenty-odd years of my life doing everything I could to hide myself. Talk to just about any queer person over the age of twenty-five, and they probably have a similar story. It wasn’t until my late teens that I started tottering toward self-acceptance. Unfortunately, my first relationship put this journey on…
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Life in Bangor, Wales: Everything Closes by 5
I spent the 2023-24 school year working toward a master’s degree in Arthurian studies—and there’s only one place in the world where you can do that: Bangor, Wales. Bangor is a terrific community and a place I was proud to call home. Like anywhere else in the world, it comes with its highs and lows.…
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Life in Bangor, Wales: Car-free Living
I spent the 2023-24 school year working toward a master’s degree in Arthurian studies—and there’s only one place in the world where you can do that: Bangor, Wales. Bangor is a terrific community and a place I was proud to call home. Like anywhere else in the world, it comes with its highs and lows.…
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Life in Bangor, Wales: The Weather
I spent the 2023-24 school year working toward a master’s degree in Arthurian studies—and there’s only one place in the world where you can do that: Bangor, Wales. Bangor is a terrific community and a place I was proud to call home. Like anywhere else in the world, it comes with its highs and lows.…
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Life in Bangor, Wales: Community Spirit
I spent the 2023-24 school year working toward a master’s degree in Arthurian studies—and there’s only one place in the world where you can do that: Bangor, Wales. Bangor is a terrific community and a place I was proud to call home. Like anywhere else in the world, it comes with its highs and lows.…
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World Cup Reflection #1: Heartbreak
I’m Welsh-American. My fiancé is Argentinian. We had a wild World Cup. Neither of us are football fans. But the World Cup is about so much more than football. Over the tournament, I learned two things about football—as did countless millions of others: heartbreak, and joy. First, the Welsh side of the story. Heartbreak.
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Joy on the Journey: Top 5 Travel Moments of 2022
After a 2018 road trip along the Saint Lawrence Seaway from Michigan to Cape Breton Island, I started dreaming of going even further—all the way to the edge of the continent. To Newfoundland, and the adjacent French outcropping, Saint Pierre et Miquelon. I started mapping routes. I watched YouTube videos of people taking their cars…