Blogs, Pizza, and Excitement

Alas, after months of saying this blog was being redesigned and promising myself during late nights of self-loathing that I’d actually get it done…it is finished! I can’t tell you how many days I spent awkwardly curled up on the couch with my laptop half on my lap, half on the couch cushion, pouring over each SEO entry for every transferred blog post. You know what I mean: hands awkwardly contorted in unnatural positions that aren’t even comfortable but you stay in that position despite your body’s best efforts to convince you otherwise (hand cramps, limbs falling asleep, back pain) after so many hours on the computer there is no position that is comfortable. I was barely writing new posts because I had to go through each every post that I already wrote and rewrite the title, the description, and make sure that even the URL was correct.

Even after months of trying to decide the layout, the color scheme, the focus points, the menus, and even a half hour conversation with my sister over what my new tagline should be, had to postpone launching it for days. That’s because ever since I decided I was a professional writer, technology has had a vendetta against me. We used to be the best of friends. I could read a computer like it was my native language. Then suddenly my new blog is almost ready to go and my tech world explodes in a bad kind of way.

The hinge between my screen and my laptop snaps and I have to MacGyver it back together with some duct tape and superglue. As I’m walking home with my new purchase of duct tape and super glue, my iPhone decides now would be a good time to slowly turn down the music, shut down, and refuse to turn back on again for a period of time that can only be describe as “Too long.” Then my hosting server chooses to do some intense maintenance and take all of my websites offline for reasons I still don’t understand. Then I have to pull some mad tech skills out of my ass and maneuver around issues between subdomains and main domains and how to make it so people can actually SEE my website (since apparently having other people besides me visit my site is important).

Then it launched and I was stoked. I mean seriously stoked. I popped some champagne all by my myself while my boyfriend was in class and composed the ultimate Facebook post to brag about my beautiful blog. Of course I had to delete that post three times because it kept not working. Even on the third shameless promotional post it wasn’t working, but I said to myself, “Fuck it I’m not deleting this shit again.” I mean, honestly, one can only embarrass themselves so many times before they get tired of reposting the same shit. Only it kept not working. It wasn’t until late hours of the night that it was actually accessible by people aside from myself and my boyfriend.

I can’t act like I did this all myself, not even. My boyfriend, Alejandro, is a designer and he made my vision come to life in such a dynamic way. He put up with my impatient perfectionism and months of indecisiveness. I am not necessarily such a perfectionist, but I am particular and demanding. When I have a vision for something, I want to see that come alive and to not have to compromise on that vision. Luckily, I didn’t have to and I got everything I wanted. You should really check out his work, he has a blog too where he posts inspirational quotes that he has graphic designed into awesomeness. He also posts photographs and sometimes cartoons. It’s very cool.

This site is such a better representation of Digging to Roam and me. I am this traveler who lives as a global citizen. I begin to grow roots wherever I go and live a regular life whereever I go. I’m not always doing the next crazy thing or ticking another item off a bucket list while backpacking South America. I’m living this very unconventional life that when I explain what I’m doing and what I’ve done to people I meet, they can hardly believe it.

For me, this is normal. I live beyond borders and it feels unnatural to be restricted by governmental boundaries. The people of this world have a lot more in common than they realize, and our differences and similarities are beautiful. This eternal nomadic wanderluster is who I am and I want to share my experience with the world and have my readers share their experiences with me. This site is much more robust than the last blog design, it’s more mature and professional and it really reflects who I am now.

There are still kinks to work out. I have a lot of ideas for new content and I can’t wait to see what kind of community we can build here. If you know me, you know I am this bizarre concoction of ridiculous hilarity and introverted self-exploration. I can go from laughing hysterically at my awkward behavior to crying at my past pretty easily. I’m silly and introspective. We’re all contradictions and I like to lay mine out on the table.

This blog brings together all the diverse communities of people who seem to enjoy me for my funny perspectives, gritty honesty, or helpful advice. I want to bring all these people together and have conversations and dialogue about people’s fears, annoyances, issues, experiences, questions, etc. I want you to talk back to me!

I’m over the moon right now having finally launched this new design and with that, I’m signing off for the evening and going to find some way to enjoy my Fourth of July here in Argentina. I’m thinking homemade pizza, wine, and a movie marathon. Oooh, I know I am one wild woman.

That pizza by the way, turned out amazing. I made it completely from scratch: delicious simmered tomato sauce with red wine, garlic, onion, and fresh herbs; onion, mushroom, and chicken breast cooked in hot spices; all on a cauliflower gluten free pizza crust (so incredibly easy and healthy to make, if you’re interested I’ll post my recipe, just request it and I’ll make a post, it is so easy you can eyeball the measurements and is just made from cauliflower, egg, cheese, and my secret addition is a handful of gluten free flour). I have fallen in love with cooking, even after a busy day I am always the one in the kitchen whipping something up for dinner because I really love to cook.

Stay tuned and chime in on what you think of the new site!