The Neurotic Wanderer

So September marked my 30th year on this Earth. I really didn't want to celebrate my birthday this year since all celebrations seem meaningless still, but I was pretty glad to be officially in my 30's.  I feel like age has finally started to make me a little bit more confident in myself and I'm grateful to have the luxury to do so. I know that turning 30 can be a big deal and most people make a big deal out of it, but I just didn't want to do that. I wanted to just exist and be grateful and reflect on life up to this point. So, despite protests from friends and family, I packed my backpack and hiked the Grand Canyon. I know that for a lot of people visiting the Grand Canyon, means walking along the rim trail, listening to a Ranger talk or shopping all of the neat stuff in the visitor center (and there is nothing wrong with that because we all have our own path), but for me the Grand Canyon is a spiritual experience. Whether you chose to believe in a diety or not, the Gr...

There is so  much information out there about this place, and a lot of it is outdated or incorrect. So I'm hoping to share some information on here for those who may be interested in visiting this wonderful and beautiful place. A Little Backstory Fossil Creek is one of only two bodies of water with a Wild and Scenic River designation. The designation came in 2009 and has undergone tremendous efforts in restoration. This was largely in part thanks to public outcry at closing the APS dam and restoring the creek to its former glory. This was a big deal in and of itself since this was first in a series of dam retirements to happen across the country. While the Childs power plant is significant to Arizona history, it not longer had any use in present day energy needs and was found to be detrimental to this delicate riparian habitat. And with that, the dam was taken down and Fossil Creek restored. There are still historic placards in place to remember and pay tribute to the important...

I've done three solo hikes since I've last written about hiking. My funk had not really cleared but I was starting to feel some physical effects of not being outside and active. Unofficially, I believe that I have a severe vitamin D deficiency, which manifests itself pretty severely if I don't go outside or take supplements. So for my first hike, I forwent the sunscreen for about 15 minutes and didn't wear a hat. I went alone, in part because I went during the day when most of my friends are working, but also to be able to just sit there and feel my feelings. There was hardly anyone on the trail and the sun was shinning and for the first time in a little while I didn't completely hate everything. I took a resistance band and did some arm exercises in an effort to tire myself out as much as possible. I was only out for about an hour and a half, but it was enough to remind me that outdoor is where I belong. I love being a couch potato and playing video games until my ...

As part of my goals for 2018, I have been making sure to set aside time to watch the shows I want to watch and read the books that are on my list. Some of the books have been for pleasure and some have been educational. One of the books I read sort of encompassed both, Turtles All The Way Down by John Green . I have read a few of John Green's books and when I heard that this one was about mental illness, I knew it was a must for me. I happened to pick it up on sale when a local store was closing and immediately added it to my must read list right away. I have read a pretty decent number of books on mental health, some good, some less so. But none of them captured the real essence of what it is like to suffer from mental health (coming from someone who has not suffered but has seen someone else suffer). Who better to tell the raw, unfiltered emotions of mental health than a teenager deep in the confusing social hierarchy of high school? To saw that I cried would be an understateme...

My first two hikes of this year (trail details below) have been completed with my mother. Most of the time, I am the type of hiker that is obsessed with metrics, meticulously keeping track of my miles, choosing hikes that are only 4 miles or more, how fast I complete those miles and what my elevation gain is. I am a "eye on the prize" type of person, racing my way through trail to achieve the best times. That being said, I really do appreciate hiking with my mom. She hikes at a much slower pace than I do and takes many more breaks. Hiking with her means I readjust my technique and really get to appreciate my surroundings. Even if it is a hike I regularly do, it is nice to just slow down and be in awe. She is also a real trooper in that she is willing to try new hikes that are out of her comfort zone. It's also nice to be able to spend that quality time with my mom. We see each other every day, but we don't often get to have longer, in-depth talks. When we are out on...

Setting challenges and creating benchmarks, utilizing metrics is just a part of who I am, that “Type A” personality. Being able to analyze metrics is something that legitimately brings me joy. But I have found a balance between utilizing metrics and setting unrealistic expectations. With that being said, I have set up what I believe to be some realistic expectations for this year. Blogging My brother tried to use his blog as both a method to cope with his anxiety and depression, and he was able to make some really great connections that way. People he would have otherwise been able to meet. I would like to try and carry on that legacy my bringing awareness to mental health issues and document my own healing through outdoor activity. Live a More Cruelty Free Lifestyle While I’m not ready to go entirely vegetarian, I would like to go meatless at least three days a week. I am still working on being able to give up cheese and sour cream. But I think that this is a good star...

So I realize that we are half way through January, but I still wanted to get out my 2017 wrap up. This past year was the worst and most discouraging year I have ever experienced. My lost someone who I never thought I would be without and my career never really went anywhere. I started the year thinking that I knew that would happen and that things would just all fall into place; time kept moving forward but my plans did not. There were quite a few take aways from last year though and I think there was a fair share of growth. Books I met my book goal. My goal was to read 20 books and I completed that. I feel pretty good about the variety of books I read and part of that was thanks to the public library, I’m a sucker for all of those librarian recommendations. Here is the list of books that I read: A Case of Need- Michael Crichton The Martian-Any Weir Kite Runner-Khaled Housseini Fight Club-Chuck Palahniuk The Martian Chronicles-Ray Bradbury The Strain-G...