A few weekends ago, I had the opportunity to join eight other expat girls on a hike in Mandello del Lario, a town I had no idea existed since it was my first time going past Lecco, a major city on the other side of Lake Como.
Ticket à la Trenord
I am no expert in sports, except running. I guess I could also throw tennis in there since it was a large part of my high school years, but don’t ask me about anything else, haha!
When it comes to hiking, I’ve always enjoyed the thought of it. Unfortunately, it’s only stayed as a thought because my close circle of friends and family aren’t exactly outdoor types. While they do enjoy the occasional walk for “fresh air”, I’m sure they would have been ANGRY with me if they had joined me on this particular hike…
Sliding down in mud, steep “rock climbing”, gripping onto chains for dear life, almost falling into rapid-flowing streams…
I was a bit nervous too at first, but by the end of the day, I felt like a total bad-a**, frankly speaking!
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The day started at a “decent” hour in the morning. I personally would not have minded if we left at the crack of dawn, but I don’t expect Italians to favor that request—even if they are expats!
Most of the girls caught the train from Milano Centrale, but since I recently moved to Monza, I was able to save an extra 15 minutes in travel (well, sitting in anticipation on the train…I still had to walk over from my apartment 😅).
I met a girl who was originally from Peru at Monza Station who was also joining the hike. We had a nice chat about our life experiences in Italy and she casually mentioned she did part of this hike before with her CHOW CHOW DOG (I was literally squealing with excitement).
The train ride was about 20 minutes (time flies by when you’re talking up a storm!) and we met the other seven girls when we got off. There were some awkward silences here and there as we all tried to figure out how to get to the trails, but someone mentioned coffee and that helped break the ice!
We found a small café and got ourselves together. One of the girls (who is Italian) spoke with a local and figured out exactly where to go. That helped.
Trail start: we went on the “del fiume” path
It took us about 20 minutes to get to the trail start—and off we went! We officially “clocked in” at around 10:45/11:00. I’m actually not sure of the exact time because I was already in deep conversation with the Italian (working as a post-doc) and a master’s student from Dubai about the toxicity of academia 😅. Oh the things that bond humanity!
Starting off the hike
The first two hours or so felt like a walk in nature. There were some steep parts, but nothing one would call difficult. I had enough energy to keep conversations going, and snap pics along the way—including one of this local:
Donkey pal!
We stopped for “lunch”/a break when we got to the first main waterfall (which some of the girl’s cutely referred to as “cascade”). I brought a simple, ready-to-eat deli sandwich, yogurt, and chips—not my first choice, but your options for ready-meals suitable for hiking are limited for a vegetarian in Italy!
Group pic at the first “cascade”
We definitely needed the rest because the next segment of the hike would require ALL of our energy (and bravery)! One of the hardest parts of the hike had us literally rock climbing. There was a chain strewn across a row of boulders, and we had to hold onto it for dear life while climbing sideways à la Spiderman.
It took us a bit longer to get past this, even more steep climbs, and rocky, narrow paths (I lost my water bottle at this point which I had filled with fresh water from the cascade! Darn!), but we waited for everyone to finish before moving onto our real rest spot.
Steep climbs!
No one was getting left behind.
At this point, we all settled in in the grass. Some girls had their “real” lunches while others napped. I tried not to be annoying while crunching on the rest of my BBQ chips!
Views from the “real” rest stopSo “Heidi”-like
We stayed for a full hour, and then decided to head back to avoid getting back too late/past sunset. The hike back was more on the annoying side, only because we were all starting to fall from our endorphin high and knew it would take us at least two hours to get back, even on the “easy, shortcut” paths. I had brought old running shoes for the hike, and had to be very careful since the tread had mostly worn down and I found myself slipping in some areas…
I also found myself a lot more quiet on this leg of the hike. I was hyperfocused on not falling, while also consumed in my own thoughts while some of the girls who still had energy chatted around me.
Views on level land: can’t leave without seeing a cat!Spot the doggo
When we got back into the city of MdL, it felt nice to walk on flat roads again. Some of the girls were in awe when I told them I was doing a long run the next day (had to fit it in before a half marathon the following week…), and to be honest, my legs were totally fine! My arms were the ones feeling all the DOMS the next day…
Cool shot from the hike 😁
We took the train back after 6pm, and I got back home a little before 7.
The train station 😅
I was able to get off in Monza and avoid the Saturday night craziness of Milan. Needless to say, the physical activity of the day left me a good kind of tired and I slept well that night.
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MdL was a great day experience, but I honestly don’t know when and if I’ll be going on another similar hike anytime soon with “winter” approaching (quotes because ya’ll…I’m still wearing shorts in October…I see Italians bundled up already like we’re in the North Pole but I think it’s out of habit vs. necessity!). Eventually, it would be nice to hike the Dolomites, but I’m also not in a rush.
It kind of looked like the Dolomites anyways…
The next couple weeks will be insanely busy, so it was nice that I was able to take a break early on and finally enjoy what (Italy’s) nature has to offer.
It’s been five months since I pulled the plug on @secondgendesi on Instagram.
I have a post explaining why here, but now that my bestie Christina and I are diving into the “pertinent” topics of today’s late 20s/30-something millennial on our new podcast Pour the Coffee, I thought it would be an interesting topic to cover through audio [click here to listen][listen on Spotify]!
https://anchor.fm/pour-the-coffee
Our “episode 2” covers exactly what the title of this blog post says, “It’s Okay to Not Be on Social Media“, and it is a *solo* episode featuring moi since Chrizz still has socials (lol!).
I actually recorded this episode several weeks before Pour the Coffee materialized. I had this sudden urge to talk about the topic in a free-flowing way:
“If you ask Pree for her social media handles, she’ll have nothing to offer you except the URL of her blog. In this solo episode, Pree talks about why she left a platform millions of people use for the sake of her mental health. She’ll go over…
[x] Her journey with the internet/blogging
[x] Her beginnings with Instagram as a food blogger
[x] Creating a new blog and Instagram in the early 2020s
[x] The red flags of the platform and toxic traits of “influencers” and niche accounts
[x] Why getting off social media altogether was the best for her mental health”
For those that want a written recap, I started writing about how I felt as soon as one week off the platform. Now with this blog post, it seems like an appropriate time to share!
How do I feel about leaving social media (i.e Instagram)?
Despite moments where I do feel isolated, I’m overall very proud of myself for leaving such a toxic environment. I think the biggest thing I gained was releasing unnecessary pressure of “following” people I didn’t want to follow. Despite so-called self-help “gurus” embracing the selfish notion of “look out for yourself” and “declutter your feed for your mental health”, I’m the kind of person who will always think about the other person affected.
When I had SGD on IG, it always put me in a funk whenever I saw someone I thought I had good rapport with (as much as one could have virtually) unfollow me. Towards the end of my IG stint, I even directly DM’d people asking why.
Yeah, I went there. Because it did bother me.
What is there to do with this newfound free time?
Lately, focusing on my job. Focusing on the next steps for the job I eventually want to land. Trying to enjoy things without worrying about others think…
…but it’s hard. Especially, when everyone around you is connected to social media in some form.
As much as I try to push people to go back to reading blogs (mine included!) and check in on my WhatsApp status if they’re *that* curious to know what’s up with me, it still hurts me to know people are okay with living life so attached to their phones.
Some days it’s easier to focus on creative projects, other days I just want to curl up and watch TV all day. Even if there is newfound free time because I ditched one unproductive source of consumption, it doesn’t mean I can be 100% productive with that newfound free time, and that’s okay.
Will I ever go back?
It will definitely depend on the purpose. Perhaps if my writing projects get anywhere and social media can help boost exposure, it would make sense at that point.
If I figure out a new niche or find something passionate about that I am motivated about growing, maybe…
But for now, I’m not compelled to “start over” and mutually follow people I don’t want to follow.
Nothing on that platform makes sense anymore. Pictures of frozen potatoes get more likes than fancy cappuccinos. Carousel posts with spelling mistakes somehow have hundreds of comments yet posts I made for a science education account rank low when it comes to engagement…
Instagram is a useful tool if you’ve got something to sell or promote, and it’s decent entertainment (I guess…) if you’re a passive consumer who doesn’t care much about “creating”. But becoming an “IG sensation” is not as easy as it was 10 years ago. The platform is heavily saturated, the algorithm is wonky, and it really does more harm than good to someone with earnest, but naïve intentions.
If you need some verbal company and want to hear my perspective on why I left social media, please give episode 2 of Pour the Coffee a listen! Let me know what you think in the comments!
Are you off social media/Instagram?
Have you thought about leaving? What makes you hesitate?
It all started a couple months ago when I was visiting my bestie Christina in Vegas.
We were staring at our respective laptops, sighing with frustration. I was venting about life in Italy and its difficulties, wondering why life’s twists and turns led me to a confusing place. Christina was lamenting about not yet meeting the “requirements” society has set for late twenty-somethings.
Then she said something that flicked a switch, “What if we started a podcast?”
It was something I found intriguing, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to commit to a new project. I was still struggling with whether or not I wanted to leave social media, and I was concerned that if I took on another creative project, I would neglect my writing projects (which, to be honest, has its ebb and flow).
I quit my IG May 2022. Months went by, and in late summer 2022, I felt like I needed a “creative reset”. I got back to Christina and asked, “you really want to do this?”
And now, here we are, ready to present to you, Pour the Coffee!
Here’s our lil description about the podcast:
Chrizz and Pree are highly-accomplished millennials near thirty, but like most of their peers, they’re starting to realize the world doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee. Rather than vent to each other, they figure others probably feel the same way, but are too shy to tell it like it is. Pour the Coffee is a podcast for anyone who appreciates open-minded conversations, fresh perspectives, and unfiltered opinions led by two vibrant hosts who happen to be besties for 20+ years and counting!
If you like conversation-style, discussion/opinion-sharing podcasts, definitely add us to your line-up! I know some of ya’ll still commute or feel a bit lonely on remote working days. Let Christina and I give you company with our unfiltered banter and genuine conversation!
We also plan to bring on guests in the future, so if you give us a listen and feel like you’d have fun speaking about a topic with us and sharing your unique thoughts and experiences in a space that won’t judge—by all means, reach out to us ( pourthecoffeepodcast@gmail.com)! Chrizz is managing our socials (casually, lol) and we are just getting started, but we are so excited about this project and hope you’ll come along for the ride 😘!
If curiosity has led you to inquire about the Italian immigration process, any expat (or immigrant, if you see yourself living in Italy for an indeterminate amount of time) will tell you immigration is, quite frankly, a long-a** nightmare.
I suppose bureaucracy in any country can be deemed as such, but when you go through the process yourself, it can be frustrating to know that steps A, B, C, and D can all be streamlined and become one easy-peasy step A.
But by now, we should all know that “why make it easy for everyone?” is the motto of governments worldwide…
My experience with Italian immigration has been full of frustrations, but it has also been a slightly unique experience compared to most. A lot of expats I’ve met usually ended up in Italy because of love, and hence, stay in the country through marriage/family permits which (can) eventually lead to work permits.
Others end up here via the student route, for example, by completing a master’s program and (hopefully) finding work soon after.
The following is my personal experience with obtaining an EU Blue Card to work in Italy. Please read for insight but understand every experience is unique and not all the steps I had to do may match your EU Blue Card journey. When it comes to government paperwork and steps, things are always changing, so brace yourself for any surprises that may be thrown your way!
There are also many resources online that go into the nitty-gritty about Italian visas, permits, citizenship, etc. and I am not an expert in this realm. I am only writing about my experience in the hope that it helps someone get an idea about the process (especially what they need to be prepared for and how long it takes)!
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What is the EU Blue Card?
This official site gives you all the deets (and this one for Italy) but generally speaking, the EU Blue Card is probably the smoothest of all permit options in Europe available to non-EU professionals with post-graduate degrees (master’s or PhD programs at least 3 years in length). And smooth in this case means a good 6-8 months before the card is to hand.
Given Italian bureaucracy, I’d say 6-8 months is lightning speed.
While the links above give more information, one perk of the Blue Card is that while you do have to work in the same country/job that your applied for for 18 months, after this period, you can move to another European country for work if that’s in your plans, or be on track for permanent residency in the country you got your EU Blue Card in.
The EU Blue Card in Italy is not treated like a special card lol. The template for the card is the standard “permesso di soggiorno” and it differs from other permits only in the “type of permit”/
How can I get an EU Blue Card?
One thing to make clear about Italy is that in order to (legally) work in the country with a standard work permit, you have to already have a job offer (if you currently reside outside of Italy—this step is different for non-Italian students who studied in Italy, for example).
When I came to Italy originally, I was doing a postdoctoral fellowship under the ricerca permit as mentioned earlier. I already had my PhD (a terminal, post-grad degree). Looking back, if I had known about the EU Blue Card, I probably would have insisted on this path instead of naively accepting the ricerca permit, now knowing the benefits the EU Blue Card comes with.
When I transitioned to an industry position within the pharma sector, pushing for the EU Blue Card benefited both me and my employer. I should also note that my path to this position started with a cold email (while I was in Italy during my fellowship), followed by interviews where both my future employer and I saw mutual benefits in my hire. I acknowledge that this opportunity was incredibly unique and based on the fact that 1) I had experience in the company’s line of work through my PhD and 2) had the initiative to reach out on my own, and not follow a job listing.
I encourage anyone with post-grad degrees (terminal ones especially, like PhD, MD, JD, PharmD, master’s is often fine too if it’s at least 3 years in length) to look into the Blue Card as an option for a permit, since they are considered degrees needed for “highly qualified professions”. The list is surprisingly quite broad for what is considered as such, especially for Italy.
It’s critical to have an (future) employer assist you in the process for the EU Blue Card since a work offer is needed just to get started. Finding an employer to help you with this can be an obstacle, as for a lot of Italian companies, it can take some convincing to explain why they should hire a non-EU citizen over a local Italian. But I recommend trying and keeping the following in mind:
[x] Seek a job in industry with a company that works internationally. If you are a native English speaker, this can help if the company does business with English-speaking countries and wants to build rapport with English-speaking clients (especially the US, because that is honestly where a lot of profits come from for Italian companies that do business abroad…)
[x] If you do come from academia, you can always try reaching out to “top” research institutions and proposing that you come under an EU Blue Card versus a ricerca permit and collaboration contract (the cococo, which was what I was under when I did my fellowship, is a bit more restrictive than the contract that comes with the Blue Card). In this case, coming in with a fellowship can be a huge advantage when you make your proposal, as it shows you are coming in with your own funding and can be self-sufficient to a certain extent.
[x] Don’t be afraid of cold emails. Sell your skillset confidently. That’s how I found my job.
[x] While knowledge of Italian may help, I got my job without being fluent in Italian. You can always say you are learning and would appreciate the opportunity to rapidly improve your skills in a workplace environment. Oftentimes companies willing to take on foreigners offer assistance such as with language classes, etc.
Why should I get an EU Blue Card?
An interesting observation I’ve noted while in Italy is that I have not met too many expats with an EU Blue Card. I believe it is because not too many people are aware of it, and even if one qualifies, their career goals may not include a stint abroad.
For example, a lot of post-doc fellows (people who finished their PhD and are continuing to do research) come to the US for their abroad experience. Rarely do you ever hear of an American scientist going abroad for a post-doc. If they do, it’s usually to another English-speaking country or Northern Europe. Even when I did my fellowship in Italy, I was the only American in my co-hort.
I also think I don’t hear of many expat Blue Card holders in Italy because of this sentiment – as an American, Canadian, or other citizen of a “developed” country, why should I bother with this?
Even if you’re not sure how long you plan to be abroad, insisting that this is the best option for you and your potential employer could be incredibly beneficial in the long run. It’s ultimately a great way to live in another country in the short-term, while progressing in your career. True, the pay may not match what you can get in the US for example, but if you’ve always wanted to experience life abroad, this could be a great option if you’ve “suffered” through many years of education, and now want to “experiment” with a new life and cultural experience…
So, what are the steps?
In general, this is what it was like for me before I got to hold my physical EU Blue Card:
Step 1: Employer sends in application request to Italian government (they ask for a Nulla Osta, which authorizes non-EU citizens to apply for a work visa at their home country’s Italian consulate).
My timeline: December 2021
Step 2: I had to collect the following in order to complete the application for the Nulla Osta:
1) Copy of Passport (duh.)
2) Job Offer from Company
3) Declaration of Value (the most difficult to obtain from the list)
Step 2.5: Assembling the Declaration of Value:
This is the most nightmare-ish part of the entire process, as it depends on what your local consulate* wants from you. The Declaration of Value is a document that states how your post-graduate education translates to the Italian education system.
*And your local consulate will be the one in the state where you completed your final degree. For me, this was the one in Los Angeles, even though I left LA years ago!
For the Declaration of Value, the LA consulate required that I send them:
1) A copy of my diploma declared authentic by my university’s registrar. His/her signature had to be notarized by a notary public (normally, universities get requests for this a lot if they have a large international student body, so they often have a campus notary or partnership).
2) The notarized document then had to be sealed with an “apostille” by the Secretary of State (in my case, in California).
3) A translation (from English to Italian) of my diploma AND transcripts. The consulate in LA was okay with me using a third-party translation service or even using Google translate. I assume because the lady who was in charge of Declaration of Value requests also certified the translations…
4) Passport copy (just make 10 copies and carry them around with you, to be honest…)
5) Information about my university (whether it was public or private, degree admission requirements, how long it takes for degree…)
My timeline: January – February 2022 (~5 weeks to assemble everything for Declaration of Value)
Step 3: Once I received the Declaration of Value from the LA consulate (they sent it to me via a pre-paid FedEx envelope), I handed the original copies to my employer during a business trip, and received the Nulla Osta from the government about 30 days later!
My timeline: End of March 2022
Step 4: Then I had to get back in communication with the consulate stateside (this time, the one closest to my current residence, so I didn’t have to get in touch with LA thankfully!) and ask for a long-term visa. I had to send my physical passport along with more photocopies of documents they specifically requested (i.e. local driver’s license/state ID, flight reservation, etc.). But this was more straight-forward and faster to accomplish than with the Declaration of Value.
My timeline: Sent out everything early April 2022 and received everything back within a week.
Step 5: I sent photocopies of my visa and the passport stamp* of my arrival into Italy/the first EU country I transited through before Italy to my employer, who then forwarded this information to request an appointment at the Prefeturra.
*Make sure you get this stamp!! Do not go through electronic screening at the airport, because getting that physical stamp is necessary for the next step. The airport workers may laugh at you for your odd request, but ignore them and get that stamp. It’ll save you so much trouble at the Prefeturra!
My timeline: Sent photocopies to my company early May 2022. Was scheduled an appointment at Prefeturra at end of May 2022.
Step 6: Next, I was given an appointment* at the Prefeturra to get my “contratto di soggiorno” (contract of stay). They also provide your tax code “codice fiscale” at this appointment too. In my case, I already had a codice fiscale so I gave the officials that number.
*I had the appointment end of May, but of course in pure Italian fashion, there was an issue with the office’s printer so I had to reschedule. Luckily, I was with someone from my company and they were able to help me communicate and reconfigure things. I ended up rescheduling for early July…
Step 7: In the Prefeturra “re-do” appointment, I received an appointment for the Questura (police/ immigration office, essentially) to “give” my fingerprints. Before that, I had to go to the post office to send off the forms that were completed at the Prefeturra. Why can’t the Prefeturra do that themselves? Beat’s me.
My timeline: early July 2022
Step 8: I go to the Questura a month later and get my fingerprints taken, along with having to submit a few more docs (like a passport photo and yet another passport copy). I then get instructions to come back within 25 days to pick up the card.
My timeline: early August 2022
Step 9: It indeed takes more than 25 days (probably because of this), and I actually came back six weeks later to finally get my EU Blue Card.
My timeline: Mid-September 2022.
This entire process took 9 months. Technically, you can start legally working after completing the Prefeturra appointment (you do not have to wait until you get the physical card).
But I mean, PHEW! Did you get all that? If it was a doozy to read all that, then you now understand that that is how getting to Italy is. The hard stuff happens WAY before you enter the country!
So I hope this post gives *some* idea and perspective about one “easier” option (as easy as it can get, which still isn’t easy…) to seek work opportunities in Italy if you are a non-EU citizen with a post-graduate degree yearning for a “life abroad” experience.
It can take a lot of planning, researching, sweat, and grit, but if your curiosity for life abroad won’t stop bugging you until you actually take the leap, there is nothing wrong with giving it a try. If you end up enjoying the experience and wanting to work in the country forever, then renewals and path to permanent residency should only get easier if you started off with a Blue Card.
And if you’ve never been an expat or immigrant, at least this post gives a glimpse as to how much hard work it is. Be kind to others going through the process, because it requires a lot of strength, bravery, and putting up with things they really shouldn’t have to 😉.
…is a classic blog prompt from the 2010s, the golden era of blogging 😁! The way these posts go is the blogger brings up items from their life that have happened since their last post. Usually these posts appear when a blogger has been absent for a while and they want to catch their readers up in a summary form.
This—along with the many surveys that circulated in the blogging community—is one of my favorite prompts when I feel like catching up in a casual way.
So, get yourself some coffee (or tea or water? That’s good too, haha) to pair with this read 😊.
⭐The Italian government has officially declared that we are no longer in a “COVID emergency” (whatever that means at this point), and so companies are now left to decide whether or not to continue with remote working (otherwise known as “smartworking”, lol).
The company I work for implemented a really great hybrid mode (2 days remote, 3 days in the office), but suspended it the beginning of September until they prepare an “official smartworking contract”. I don’t see why we have to pause such a good thing, but at least we are not pushing the brakes, as the majority is in favor of continuing hybrid work. It’s only a matter of time…can you even say you’re in Italy if you’re not forced to wait for something?
⭐The annoying thing about this though is that we still have to wear masks in the office, but literally nowhere else in Italy except medical centers (vestigial rules I’m not sure will ever go away) require it. Yo, I thought you said the “emergency” was over?Make it make sense…
⭐I also recently accompanied my boyfriend to a local race track so he could race his car and geek out over car things (lol). That was an interesting experience in itself, and I took the opportunity to “lament” on Yelp:
One of my many candid reviews on Yelp about things in Italy
Let’s just say you can take the truck out of Texas, but Italians can never replace Texans 🤣.
…I’d tell you that social media continues to be sucky. Anytime someone forwards me an “expat in…” video or “American in…” post, I roll my eyes so hard they almost pop out! When I was on Instagram, I used to mutually follow some mild-mannered, practical women who shared pragmatic content about life in Italy, but it’s crazy how luck and “starting out at the right time” can make a random person skyrocket in fame and “influence”.
⭐It makes me upset when I see people who amass huge followings out of pure luck “hijack” the stories and experiences of others with a smaller following, even though these “smaller” accounts have useful content and stories to share.
They’re just not busting out videos everyday 🙄.
⭐For example, someone “goes viral on TikTok” because they have a quirky audio or make a series of videos that “are just too funny”. It’s probably cliché, but they get lucky and the followers pour in. They build a huge following from that, and then are able to talk about anything they want and get engagement because now they have an audience. This is “the system” in play, and it really is unfair. And if we were having coffee, I’d be calling it out in more detail, big time.
☕ If we were having coffee…
…I’d tell you work has been super busy lately! I got assigned projects that could lead me to San Francisco (‼) for a showcase at the end of October! A lot of steps have to be put in place first (out of my control and at company level), but I’m really hoping that it works out because even though flying out to the West Coast is a nightmare on the legs, any excuse to travel back home is worth it.
Making long slide decks is literally part of the job lol
⭐I do know I will be back in Vegas (for the third time this year, lol) for an exhibition, and I am way too excited for that than I should be 😂.
⭐I’ve also enrolled in some free NIH clinical research courses and I try to post about clinical trials when I can. I know I said I don’t do Instagram anymore, but this account is explicitly for science education outreach. I have been feeling less motivated to be consistent with it lately though, because I know our society as a whole still has a long way to go before science is seen as something worth seeking out and interesting vs. something to fear and hate, unfortunately…
☕ If we were having coffee…
… I’d tell you my running has been going great! My coach out of Houston is awesome and I love the workouts he has me do. I always get nervous on interval days, but then when I crush my HARD pace, I feel amazing. I’m hoping to PR in Monza this October (in the half) and then of course at the marathon in Houston in January.
⭐The running group I organized has been going alright, even though I’ve only met 3 girls through it. It’s better than nothing though, and every time I run with them it’s a lot of fun.
When I do my solo runs, I always stop for cats if I’m not in the middle of a speed interval. If I am, I finish said interval and then walk back to the cat.
And yes, I listen to some hardcore hip hop when I do speed workouts 😅. It’s what gets me to a speedy 7:00min/mi pace so, it works!
☕ If we were having coffee…
…I’d tell you I just cannot avoid living in a city where the rent is just atrocious. First it was LA, and now Milan has caught up to match in ridiculousness. When I was in Milan 2020-2021, the rent was decent. Now it’s gotten so bad because there just aren’t that many vacancies (and ok, blame the geopolitical situation if you want, but I feel businesses often use that as an excuse way too much, like COVID).
⭐So, I’ll be little miss commuter again when I move to Monza next month. It definitely won’t be crazy like my two-hour one-way treks from Anaheim to LA, but it will be somewhat of a pain if we don’t get our remote working situation sorted!
…I’d reveal that things have felt stagnant creatively for me lately. When it comes to my ongoing writing projects, I have days where I pop out a really great piece/excerpt within an hour. And other days where I have major writer’s block and feel “forced” to write.
⭐It’s the shared experience of most writers, but I’ve also had the urge to start other creative projects. I think one can fuel the other if they’re both positive experiences. Instagram was supposed to be such an outlet, but because it caused more harm than good, that tie had to be severed.
⭐I’m really excited about this particular venture since I’ll be collaborating with my best friend. We have no clue how it will go, but I think it’s a project that utilizes a platform that is favorable to people who love words and stories, vs. pictures and speedy content. I’ll of course share what this project is when the time comes (soon)!
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I imagine you’ve reached the end of your cup, and I’ve about exasperated your attention span with all my venting and elaborating about events these past few weeks. And while a virtual cup can never replace the experience of a cup in-person, I hope you enjoyed our little coffee date!
