We’ve had LOTS of new readers join Far & Wise over the past couple of weeks, which is very exciting! This post is to say “Hello!” and to give you a quick introduction and tour of the site.
THE STORY BEHIND FAR & WISE
I started writing online a few years ago, but I’ve hit my stride here at Far & Wise. That’s not actually such a surprising development. The last few years have taught me how important engaging my intellectual curiosity about the world is to my happiness — whether that means traveling far, far away or exploring much closer to home.
It’s a part of my life that lay dormant during law school and my first few years as a lawyer. As a law student, I was poor and too busy studying. As a new lawyer, I had limited vacation time and every drop of energy I had was focused on work. My hobbies and interests fell away during that time, and my dissatisfaction grew.
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived.” – Thomas Merton
Slowly I began to make more time for the things I missed most — reading, writing, and traveling. Somehow I’d come to equate successful adulthood with the most stereotypically routine parts of modern life (i.e. meatloaf on Tuesdays and nights spent on the couch channel surfing). That kind of routine was exactly what I didn’t want, and I realized that how I’d been living was merely a recipe for a boring adulthood. Now, after making time for what really makes me, me, I’m a much happier person and a more successful lawyer.
Far & Wise is a labor of love that grew out of that healing time of reading, writing and traveling. I’d write it whether you were here to read or not… But please don’t read anything into that! It’s much more fun to have you here, reading and commenting, I promise.
You’ll typically find me posting 1-2 times per week about these kinds of things…
MY TRAVELS
I’ve been asked a lot lately about how many countries I’ve visited and where. So far, I’ve been to 23 countries and 38 US states. I added a map over here to show you. After coming home from a trip, I relish the moment when I get to add another dot to the map. As a result, it’s almost always up to date.
Because Far & Wise is still relatively new, much of my writing about previous trips is in other places (online and offline). I’ll be posting some of the best of it and (of course) seeking out new adventures to share here too.
AROUND THE WORLD
These posts are kind of like R&D for future trips. Learning for learning’s sake. Books, magazines, and blogs are just the start. There are also amazing digital archives, collaborative photography projects, and cool interactive maps that can give us another layer in the story of a place and its people. Sometimes the inspiration for these posts comes from a new food I’ve just eaten, a story I’ve heard, or even a random mention from a footnote in something I’ve read.
(I must investigate. I can’t help it. It’s a blessing and a curse!)
FOR YOUR COMMUTE
Why not learn about world on your way to work? I love to listen to podcasts when commuting in the car or these days on the bus through Chinatown. For Your Commute is an series where I feature a podcast about a place, ranging from current events to travel stories that tug at your heart. Consider it research on the road.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
My move to San Francisco last summer was an exciting opportunity to explore a new city. I’d always wanted to live here someday, and I decided 2012 was the year! You’ll find plenty of updates from around San Francisco and the Bay Area as I explore close to new home.
+ CONTEST UPDATE!
By now, you’ve probably heard about the contest I’m hosting to celebrate my first full year as a resident and the trip to San Francisco I’m giving away…
There are still a few details to be finalized, but here’s the latest:
- The contest essay question will be announced publicly on Monday, Sept. 17th.
- Those of you who’ve signed up for my email list will get the question first, one week earlier on Monday, Sept. 9th.
- I’ve also roped in a friend to help choose the winning essay… She’s an accomplished travel writer and editor!
I hope you’re as excited about this contest as I am!
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Finally, not to be forgotten or overshadowed, Far & Wise’s early readers are a great group of smart, insightful people whose comments I’ve come to enjoy reading more with each passing post. Thank you too!
