Greetings from First-Post-Ever Land

Note to readers--we travel as much as we can when time and funds allow but until our Bee is a bit older, you can pretty much expect us to stay in the confines of the U.S.. When we are not on the road, expect posts about travel-related issues on things I think about when I'm worrying about, planning for, or creating our next venture.

Now, on to what was originally written for the post since I added the above bit in later.

I know it’s incredibly cliché to ramble on about how much having a child changes everything in life, but I can’t help myself here. I have to tell you that every single thing I used to think—whether it was about the largest things in life such as “meaning” and “purpose” or the small things, such as how I feel in public restrooms, for instance—has been altered post-baby. Dramatically.

At some point after our daughter, Bee, was born in November of 2006 some weird, unsettling shift took place in my personality, my outlook, my understanding of the world. Once my husband of 6 years and I got enough sleep at night to realize what was happening, we found we’d almost spontaneously transformed into different people—all in the short space of a few months. There would be no going back to those glorious hedonistic days of self-absorption. Meh.

So yes, we realize now that those days really weren’t as glorious as we might like to think when we’re mired our hindsight and memories. At least in comparison. Even though we um…weren’t expecting to be graced with the Bee so soon in our lives, we seized the opportunity for a challenge and began the journey that has been the most meaningful, the most fun, and the most exhausting of any we had ever been on before. Travel, which was something my husband and I have always loved, became entirely different as we considered what she might like rather than what we were into—or for that matter, comfortable with (indoor water slides anyone?)

Now, we look back on the ways we used to spend our time with a sense of amused boredom. We will never be able to back to those days and frankly, 99% of the time, we’re quite glad. Being a glass-half-empty sort is a drag. And something that people with kids don’t have the luxury of being like. So I don’t miss my life pre-Bee one bit. I’m digging this chance to hang out with my little mini-me and experience life through her wide eyes.

Clearly, I have a penchant for the ramble, no? It seems I totally forgot that this was a simple request for something “About” this blog—about our little family and our travels. And here I’m all telling you my life story. Let me give you the condensed “About” version then, since I wasted so much of your time with random thoughts on life…

The “About Us” Cheat Sheet

• My husband and I met because we were next door neighbors at one of the shittiest housing complexes within 10 square miles of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and, if nothing else at the time, had that much in common.

• We actually found we had a lot in common. Especially music and books. And other things that I will not be discussing here. Ah. Young love.

• When we met, I was an English major at OSU with double-minors in Cultural Anthropology and Comparative Literature (see, I even rambled as a student). My husband, being the sexy, wayward sort finally got convinced (by me—I’m a good “convincer”..ahem) to get himself a degree in English, but ended up only minoring. He started working at the Theatre Department, switched his major to theatre, and now is a graduate student at Purdue University in Theatre where he is learning (and teaching) set construction and other stuff that has nothing to do with acting or performance theatre stuff. He is also, if I did not mention this ahead of time, awesome.

• We were married on July 12, 2003 in the town where I grew up but haven’t lived for years (Elida, Ohio). We moved back to Columbus, Ohio where I worked as a writer and editor and he was the perpetual student to top all perpetual students. It was bliss.

• I done got knocked up.

• I kind of went overboard with the cravings and gained a vast amount of weight. It was glorious, even if I will continue paying for it for the next several months.

• Bee was born on November 4, 2006.

• We did not sleep for something like an entire year. Like ever.

• At the time I’m writing this, she’s close to 2 and a half and is a bright, fun, happy child with an amazing vocabulary and a smile that appears and knocks 2 minutes off of my original “time out” time limits I give her everytime. She’s amazing.

So, there you have it. Us in a nutshell. Nothing fancy or exciting, I do apologize for that. If there’s one thing the internet has made me realize, it’s that everyone but us is fancy and/or exciting. Thanks a lot, Facebook.

Eee!

I just stopped writing a moment ago to look at the “about” section on blogs I enjoy reading and noticed that no one else wrote a freaking book for theirs. While I love to blaze new trails, I fear this is a blogging faux pas and will end it here.

Is there some burning question that just cannot wait? Is there some trifle you wish to discuss? Did I bore you and you need now to vent some? Email me, seriously. I love the idea. Leave comments too, if that tickles your fancy.