The View From Up Here

moon picture source

I'm going to the moon.

Let me be clear:

I plan on stepping foot on the moon in my lifetime. I know that sounds crazy, but it's going to happen. This is my dream, my passion. I am going to be in space one day.

On day I'll place my foot on the dusty surface of the moon, hop around in the atmosphere, and wander around the terrain. I'm going to explore the craters carved out by angry meteors, enjoy the view of Earth from my perch, and revel in the vast expanse of space itself. I'll walk over the whole surface, map out each square inch. I'll set up a moon town, made of moon rocks, and visit each shop. Gotta support local businesses.

I want so badly to be up past the clouds, past the life giving atmosphere down on Earth. I want to break through the barrier of this planet, and journey farther than my relatives ever have. How amazing would my stories be, if I go to the moon? I could captivate children of the future with my moon adventures. How their eyes would widen in awe and amazement. To be up on the moon, they would get the craving to venture up there one day too. They would ask me many questions regarding my adventures. Like how my town is doing, what my moon home looks like. How they can also go to the moon, one day.

But I'm not going to the moon to impress anyone.

I don't need to tell stories of my grand adventures to anyone. I just want to go there to feel it. To have the experience of weightlessness, and absolute silence. To see what the stars look like from a different vantage point. Will I still be able to see Orion's belt all the way up here on the moon? Do shooting stars whiz closer? Can I still wish upon one?

Once I get to the moon, my trip won't be a short one. No, I'm going to camp here for a long while. I'll have my little space pod set up on the best plot of moon land. I'll have a view that will capture my attention for hours, gazing lovingly outside my space pod's windows. I'll build a city, with tall buildings that reach towards the black sky above. I'll take my moon car on road trips, and stay in moon hotels and eat at moon diners. I'll even cut down my own moon Christmas tree from the moon tree lot, and haul it back to my space pod for decorating.

But eventually, I might miss the sunsets back here on Earth. And the sweet smelling flowers, and the calming ocean breeze. I might miss the people too, and the animals. And maybe TV...

I'm going to the moon. I will walk on its surface, dance in it's atmosphere, and collect a few rock souvenirs. But don't worry, I'll come back, eventually.

Or maybe I'll just keep going farther out into space...Mars anyone?


xoHM

Travel Time: Packing Tips That No One Talks About

Have you noticed that a lot of people have nice, neat comments and tips on how to pack for summer vacations but leave out a whole chunk of information, like bathroom essential, jewelry packaging, makeup bags, etc? I think if I read one more post about "rolling my clothes" or "packing neutrals" I'll go crazy--obviously they are helpful tips but they just seem open-ended. Let's finish their lists and get our packing completed so we can start our excitement for our trips without worries!

Bathroom & Makeup Essentials 

You will have some specific items that won't be on everyone's list, and that's fine. But there are some major players that you will need to remember, so here's the checklist (print it out for easy checking off and feeling of accomplishment, plus a great excuse to get a cute clipboard from Target):

(email me if you have trouble printing this out or want the document to tweak/customize for yourself)

Remember:

-You will forget something. Just roll with the punches, ask to borrow from your friends, or go without for a night and grab your supplies in the morning while out getting a cup of coffee. Without fail my boo always forgets his toothbrush. I've just started packing ours together. Thankfully you can usually find toothbrushes while traveling, so it's not that big of an issue (unless he remembers at night, after everything is closed...).

-Your luggage will be inspected and opened at the airport. Snap everything down and just be ready for a few things out of place. Maybe don't put your party panties in plain site though.

-Restock your travel bathroom bag after you come home. You know what's low, and you aren't in a rush to get it, so put it on your shopping list and grab your essentials the next time you go to Target/Rite Aid/wherever. That way when it comes time to pack, it's one less thing you need to worry about, and you can almost grab it and go, minus a few things. Easy-peasy!

-Stay organized. Don't just throw things back into your bag, take an extra second to put it back right. It's easier to find things later, and saves time in the long run.

-Makeup--check the weather first. Some places will be harder to wear makeup in than others, but that's usually okay. When I studied in Hawaii, I ended up skipping makeup all together, and I was much happier with that decision. It was just too humid and we were outside most of the day too, so nothing would stay on. Plus we were always getting dirty in some way or swimming, and eventually I think everyone pretty much skipped wearing makeup.

Hawaii, no makeup!

(Kind of blurry, sorry boos!)

Good luck packing and have fun wherever you go this summer!!