Readers have been asking about my references to leaving Texas, and since I promised to make the blog more personal anyway, it’d probably be good to elaborate. If you’re only interested in recipes, feel free to skip this post; the recipes will continue soon.
I’ve always been a passionate person.
This can either be a good or bad thing, depending on the situation. From the moment I decide to do something, I will throw all of my energy into it, can’t be talked out of it by anyone (including myself), and stubbornly refuse to give up until I’m successful. Or until I’m dragged away, kicking and screaming.
(My apologies to anyone who knew me as a two-year-old and witnessed one of my epic temper tantrums.)
In terms of the blog, this passion could mean baking seventeen batches of brownies in the span of two days to perfect the recipe… it could mean staying up until 3 am writing and editing a post I’m dead-set on publishing the next morning… it could mean reading through an entire computer self-help volume in a night to figure out how to implement one piece of coding… All real examples of things I’ve done.
And in my non-blog life, this passion manifests itself in the risks I take, some of which people would consider to be crazy.
Like when I quit college to write a food blog…
In mid-October I decided that I wanted to was going to move to New York City, and I was going to do it before the month was over. So after planning everything down to the minutia, I packed my belongings into the car and commenced the long drive, pausing only for what was supposed to be a short detour to stay with cousins I’d promised to visit, directly along the way.
However, life decided it had a better idea than mine.
The morning I was scheduled to finish the trip, I woke up with a 102-degree fever; only the third time I’ve been sick in fourteen years. No big deal… I called my sister in New York (at whose apartment I’d planned to stay while looking for my own place) and told her to expect me the next weekend instead. Friday night before the next weekend: little sister calls me this time, saying she’s dealing with a gas leak at the apartment and could I please stay where I am for the moment? And then an unseasonably-early ice storm hit, rendering the roads un-drivable.
Meanwhile I found myself developing close relationships with some amazing people around me. Every day was a new adventure–from a Washington, D.C. socialite gala to a Rob Zombie concert, and everything in between. I was experiencing life in a way I’d never experienced it before, and it made me wonder…
Once I got it in my mind to stay?
Of course there was no talking me out of that decision either.
This post was so inspirational and genuinely made me smile. I bet everything is going to work out great for you in D.C.!
DC is a terrific place for vegans (check out the Ethiopian restaurants and Sticky Fingers cafe). If you ever get tired of the city, just drive an hour away and you’ll find rural Virginia or Maryland. Best of success!
Or West Virginia in between! Harpers Ferry is one of the most beautiful and historical parks around. Katie, definitely check it out if you need away from the city.
Congrats on your new adventure! I dont think Ive ever taken a risk except to maybe quit my job and be a stay at home mom which has been awesome. Don’t ever feel pressured to do what you think “society”, family, etc. wants you to do; i.e., “get a real job after college.” Being true to yourself will allow people you meet in life to know the real you. “Faking it” through life is stressful. The stress over questions about “getting a real job” pale in comparison to quitting the real job and having to field questions about “what happened?” and not meeting the expectations of the people you were faking it for. If youre able to pay your bills and pursue your dreams without getting that “real job” and are happy than keep on! I’m making your funfetti cookie dough balls and gingerbread balls for a cookie exchange tomorrow. Actually that could be a “risk” because anything cooking/baking related scares me. I dont know how I found your blog but so far Ive just admired the recipes; havent actually made any. But they dont look too hard and the “healthier” appeals to be so here I go. Good luck in DC. Have fun and don’t settle with the furniture! Wait until you find what you love!
Wow, you look fantastic!!!
Love the hot pink soccer ball! I don’t quite understand….are you moving to New York City or staying in Texas? I hope you continue posting your AMAZING recipes! 🙂
I am somewhere in between the two, in Washington, D.C.
way to go woman! dream big and go for it! and hope you are feeling better!
YAY! I live between DC and Baltimore, and I LOVE it here! Pretty much anything you could possibly want is within a short drive. Mountains? Check. Beaches? Check! LOADS of culture in DC and Baltimore, amazing restaurants, multiple concert venues, it is great. Since you are in the area, you should check out the swing dancing scene to meet people! Glen Echo near DC is great, but you should totally go to the Mobtown Ballroom in Baltimore — they have lindy hop, blues, Aerial Silks/circus, belly dance, square dancing, and burlesque! SO much fun!
Sometimes life takes you places you never would have dreamed of and you just have to go for it. After all, what do you have to lose?
Beautifully said. Those who have never failed – have never tried.
Wow, congratulations! I have been following your blog since I found out my daughter was allergic to egg and I still wanted her to have cool treats to share with her friends. I live in rural Maryland, only 30 minutes from DC and Baltimore. There are lot of people, but that just means there is a lot of interesting things to do and wonderful choices of food. If I ever see you out, I probably be one of those people who will yell “Hey I know her! I know her!”
If you do see me, definitely say hello! I would love to meet you… I’m always sad when people say they saw me but didn’t say anything.
Hey Katie! Big decision this was for you! Hope everything turns out well in this new city. For me, I have left my job (I’ve been working in the same field for more than 7 years now) and I’m going back to school in January. Big decision for me since I won’t have any income during that time and that I will have to find a new job after! I wish you great holidays!