2022 Year in Review: Riding the High

Hi, it’s me, I’m the problem, it’s me. After a seriously mediocre 2021 and an infinitely worse 2020; for whatever reason, the last few months of 2022 have made up for lost time and felt completely different which was a much-needed breath of fresh air. The wins just kept coming, so I’m going to keep riding this high until it wears off – who wants to join me?

Unpopular Opinion: Now that I have the 40-foot view, and it’s largely in the rearview mirror, I think I’m one of the lucky few who can genuinely say COVID changed their life for the better.

I made it out largely unscathed with no serious health issues for me or my loved ones. Beyond that, it forced me to take a serious look at my finances and get much more intentional about planning for the future. I pivoted to an industry I never even remotely considered (and now love) and jumpstarted a new career and what was, at the time, a new relationship (quarantining in a 750 sq.ft. apartment for 8+ months leaves little to the imagination). Now, 3.5 years and a different state later, we still cohabitate pretty well and have a good thing going.

While freelancing was working out, it was a grind. This job gave me a safety net, and a continual set of new goals and levels to unlock that kept me challenged and engaged. Travel came back, especially international travel, and it’s been nice to get away and be reminded of the high you get from a new place or adventure. We adopted Bruno, my massive fluffy baby who was supposed to be a mini.

When an enticing invite finds its way into my inbox, I certainly consider it, but am more selective and like being home with the family (we even do Hello Fresh now, how domesticated is that? #unsponsored). I still feel like I need to conserve a lot more energy and peopling is much more exhausting than it was pre-pandemic (or perhaps that’s just being in the late 30s…but we’ll blame it and everything else on the pandemic).

Let’s start with the major highlights: I got a promotion and a book deal!

Being a published author has been on my personal bucket list since about third grade when my teacher told me I would be a writer. I laughed because I thought authors made no money, and I didn’t really see myself penning the next great American novel struggling in a coffee shop somewhere. So instead, I sold out and went the marketing route. But it always remained in the back of my mind, and I’m thrilled I get to do it as a side hustle without relying on it as a primary income stream.

And because I can’t do anything half-assed, I have not one but two books in the pipeline. I had been working pretty rigorously on a book about all my adventures close to home and abroad and was getting ready to pitch “101 Things You Didn’t Know You Wanted on Your Bucket List” to agents when I stumbled upon a publishing house that specialized in localized series, including the “100 Things to do in xx” coffee table books. I pitched them Beaumont since I could basically write it in my sleep and it tied in nicely with the real job. Lo and behold, they liked it, and now I have a deadline in three months (if you don’t see me for a while I’ll be holed up doing that…). Look for it to come out around this time next year for a holiday release.

As for the real job, after building the Communications Division from the ground up a year ago, our new City Manager decided it was important enough to make a standalone department reporting directly to the Executive Office. There’s truly no better feeling than to feel appreciated at work and hugely flattering that they have that level of trust in me. The autonomy to operate as we wish (virtually unheard of in government) and to have a seat at the table and know exactly what’s going on makes all the difference. I’m thankful, grateful, and love that the sky’s the limit with where we take it.

Onto the Fun…

Sonoma Spa Trip

My first major campaign post-COVID was a production…literally. Generally, I fly to a place and explore solo with whatever piques my interest, but this wellness-themed weekend paired us up with random bloggers, blind-date style to jointly create an itinerary we’d hopefully both enjoy with a film crew documenting the whole thing. Thankfully, my partner in crime, Ginger from Dallas, ended up being awesome (give her a follow) because it could’ve gone quite the other direction to spend basically 24/7 with a complete stranger. Her aesthetic couldn’t have been more different than mine, but our travel styles aligned well and we ended up being the curious go-go-go couple that crammed as much as possible into two days. We explored everywhere from the Redwoods to the coast, learning about acupuncture and herbalism, forest bathing, sound therapy, and safariing with some wine sprinkled it. It was much more relaxing not to have to worry about documenting and photographing everything myself, and the confused looks of “who are they” when we rolled up to a restaurant with a camera crew in tow let me live out my reality star dreams.

Chuga Chuga Choo Choo

I love any excuse to get back to Colorado and had been dying to go on the Rocky Mountaineer Train since I saw the fabulous pictures of it in Banff so being invited on the inaugural Denver to Moab route was pretty sweet. While it was a bit slower travel than I’m used to (they call it “Kodiak speed”), sitting for 6-8-hours a day with nothing to do but eat and drink is generally not my cup of tea (terrible, I know), the experience was still great. I got to meet some of my online influencer friends IRL finally and reexplore Arches, one of my favorite National Parks. The train is great if you have money and time to burn, and I’d love to do the Canadian Rockies someday.

OWAA in Casper, Wyoming

I’ve spoken at conferences before and am looking to do more of that in the near future (putting it out into the universe), but this was my first time leading a 3-hour hands-on social media and content planning workshop (two days in a row). Much respect to teachers because it’s not easy filling that much time and being “on” for that long. The Outdoor Writers Association of America was a new professional organization for me, and I enjoyed meeting some highly respected travel writers I’ve admired despite it being a bit more “hook and reel” niche specific. The weather was absolutely terrible (I certainly don’t miss freak May blizzards), but we still managed to ride in a covered wagon along the real Oregon Trail as “Old Town Road” played on repeat in my head.

Back to the East

2022 was the summer of weddings, with one each month that took us across the country. One location we were most excited about was a city we hadn’t been to before — Providence. I fell in love with Newport, Rhode Island, on our east coast road trip last year, and Providence did not disappoint either. One of the few cities we could really see ourselves living in; there was fantastic food (thanks to Johnson & Wales), it was super walkable, had a young, hip vibe with tons of colleges nearby, and there’s easy access to the Boston airport. We took a ferry to Block Island for the day and stuffing ourself with stuffies and exploring by moped, which was equal parts adrenaline rush and terrifying. Either way, I highly recommend checking out RI out if you’re looking for a new lesser-known US gem.

Swamp Thing

Still a huge proponent of exploring your own backyard, Caddo Lake on the Texas–Louisiana border had been all over my Instagram for months. About 3.5 hours north of us (and an hour east of Dallas), the weird swampy setting lives up to the hype. The largest bald cypress forest in the world, the lake is blanketed in Spanish moss and is a great off-the-grid getaway. Almost no rental properties are on Airbnb or VRBO, so you just have to know about them, which is equal parts annoying and convenient in that it allowed us to snag a fantastic art-themed guest house last minute for the 4th of July.

Coastal Mississippi

I checked one new state off the bucket list this year. Mississippi was an easy drive, and we liked the cute beach towns that each had their own charm and personality. We went on a very odd shrimping tour where we caught no shrimp and took Bubba to the beach for the first time (he likes water, waves not so much). We feasted on seafood and generally relaxed for a long weekend sans obligations. I have yet to blog about it because the blog has taken a bit of a backseat to everything else but maybe it’ll make a triumphant return at some point.

Luck of the Irish

Ireland was my first international trip post-COVID. It was a good easement back into it without much culture shock, super easy direct flights, and pre-customs. It was supposed to be Quebec a month earlier, but I did the unthinkable and somehow let my passport expire after not looking at it for two years. And when our government considers 5-8 weeks expedited… le sigh, it happens to the best of us. I felt so rusty with the whole process and truly forgot how to pack (outlet converters, entertainment for long haul flights, and bags suitable for European cobblestone, very much an afterthought). While I was grateful to be invited, and I met a lot of fantastic writers/influencers/bloggers, the itinerary wasn’t ideal, as we skipped a lot of the major attractions to promote some lesser-known gems. I love off-the-beaten-path, but I want to see what’s popular too and feel like I have to go back to get a true sense of all it has to offer. There were some fantastic adventures, though; e-foiling (electric surfing meets SUP) was new to me, and who doesn’t love a good castle tour?

Cruisin’ Again

After all the horror stories of cruising during COVID, I was pretty unsure about jumping back on a big boat, but it’s hard to turn down a quick weekend trip to Mexico that leaves right from your backyard. Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas is the largest ship ever to set sail from Galveston and they treated us like royalty from the moment we stepped on board. From a private Kelsea Ballerini concert (who we ended up clubbing with later) to indulgent specialty restaurants with tableside steaks and lobster galore, I was quickly reminded how easy, enjoyable, and gluttonous cruises are. It was also a bit of an experiment as I was pretty sick at the time of departure and wanted to test their new health protocols, unsure I would even be allowed on board. I may have fudged the wellness questionnaire a bit, and I’m glad they didn’t seem to notice or care because the Vitamin D was sorely needed. I’m convinced it aided in my recovery.

Those were the big trips of 2022, but there were a few other adventures sprinkled in: hosting my first Mardi Gras (check DJing a float for the mayor off the bucket list), cuzzie’s wedding in Atlanta, Terra’s wedding in Steamboat Springs, a campaign with a casino in Colorado, and lots of good food, spa days, and road trips to Houston and beyond. I finally sucked it up and joined TikTok, and quickly got sucked into it. But truly the biggest change was getting a fur baby of my own (getting him pageant-ready for Dogtoberfest was also a highlight).

What’s on Tap for Next Year?

I only have four US states left, three of which conveniently encircle baby bro’s DC area, so we’ll knock those out next summer. Then it’s just down to North Dakota and hopefully a few more international sojourns. I’m still trying to do all 50 states and 50 countries before 50. And fingers crossed, wedding planning would make the year ROCK even more and truly be the icing on the cake…but we’ll see. Until then, wishing everyone health, wealth, and prosperity in 2023. Thanks for joining me on the journey.