When John died and my entire world came to an abrupt halt in February of 2017, it felt like everyone I loved paused with me for a moment. Friends ditched work to be by my side at the hospital, the funeral, the cemetery, and lots of blurry days in between and afterwards. A few weeks … Continue reading When the World Stands Still
Today I made the Salty Buckwheat Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Bon Appétit. This particular batch has a nice origin story. It begins with a no-contact flour exchange with my friend Allison (she with the buckwheat flour, me with the coconut flour), and ends with a delectable plate of cookies that I will eat all by … Continue reading Who Knew Pete Holmes Was so Profound?
Today has mostly been a drawn-out argument with the paper cut on the tip of my right thumb. It's deep and painful and I'm sick of it holding my thumb hostage. I miss being able to use my thumb. I also have three other paper cuts across my two hands because I spent a long … Continue reading Dispatch from Quarantine
Someone asked me recently if I've been writing. He asked me why when I told him no and I said, "Because I'm happy." Saying that was equal parts true, false, and made me feel like a phony. It's true because I'm pleased to share that for the most part, I am happy. It's also false … Continue reading Avoiding
I've dubbed 2019 to be The Year of Tessa. I'm 27, I work three different jobs, and I live with my parents (bless them). Why would this of all years be The Year of Tessa? I'll explain. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I'm in a position where I'm able … Continue reading Small changes. Big difference.
I'm beginning to learn a painfully obvious lesson: what has been cannot be again. Deep, I know. When it comes to travel and living abroad, I've discovered this to be even more true. When I arrived in Sámara last November for the Costa Rica TEFL month-long course, I was thrust into a group of friends that … Continue reading Going Through Changes
I've been really lucky to know three of my grandparents my entire life. My paternal grandma died at the hands of breast cancer when I was a wee babe, so I never really knew her, but her memory has been kept alive in my family in such a way that I feel like I do. … Continue reading International Love
In transition. That's how life has felt for the past year and some months. For five months of it, I had the privilege of living in wonderful Casaverde in Potrero, all of that time with Marcela and two of those months with Erik and Sigrid. With Erik and Sigrid heading back to Sweden and Marcela … Continue reading Moving Day
Let me start by saying that I know when I write about this, I write from a perspective of privilege and safety. That I know my rock bottom is still pretty damn good compared to what others experience. That my rock bottom isn't really even rock bottom. But all experiences are relative, right? That being … Continue reading Rock Bottom
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