• Florence | Baby Steps

    January 31, 2020 - By 

    Florence– “Fierenze” as the Italians call it, is a movie-esque city shrouded in history and still buzzing with the creativity of the Renaissance. It sits nestled in the hills of Tuscany, and a wander down its storybook streets leaves you feeling miniscule in the shadow of its larger-than-life marble statues and iconic Italian architecture. It’s a distinct and breath-taking rush to gaze up and feel so small, and Florence delivers at very turn. On my first day I spent 14 hours speed-walking in excited exploration of the city’s museums, historical buildings, and shopping. IG-worthy photos at every turn. I felt…

  • Kinship in the Hardship

    November 15, 2019 - By 

    Anxiety, worry, racing thoughts, brain-lock, depression, moods, “lows” ... however you choose to reference your mind’s tendencies, it’s safe to say that all of us have experienced one or more of these. Some of us seasonally, some weekly, and others minute-to-minute. I’ve written about my personal challenges throughout this blog, particularly with regards to my life of travel and creativity. I hope to share more specifics of my experiences this year at some point in the future, but for now I'd love to share some of my daily devices for staying emotionally grounded, positive, and more peaceful.

  • With Love 💙

    April 30, 2019 - By 

    I am incredibly lucky to have a global tribe of people that supports my endeavors and cares for me when I’m in need. You know who you are, and this year wouldn’t have been possible or enjoyable without all of your help. For one of the first times in my life I had to put my fierce independence aside and embrace my need for others, and you all showed up. Historically speaking, relying on others was not my really my “thing.”  I spent the years just prior to my travel adventure embracing newly-found independence and convincing myself that this need…

  • What I learned from my year of travel

    April 12, 2019 - By 

    “Where are you based?”“When do you head home?” I still fumble through the answers to these questions after shows. Throughout the year I tried not to use the word “homeless.” More like “home-free.” Usually I mentioned something about two full-time bands and it not making sense to pay rent anywhere, but I’m still not sure most people fully understood what it meant.No closet. No address. No bed. No desk. No nightstand. No junk drawer… Just minimal clothes stashed in different places in the country, and a daily attempt to make a new place feel like a home. I’ll be forever…

  • How to Travel with an Injury

    March 18, 2019 - By 

    Or in my case, several injuries. Poke around this site and you’ll see plenty of posts outlining my quest and strategies for maintaining mental wellness, but this is often despite physical pain as well. (More here) It’s not easy, but respect for my injuries and taking intentional time to care for them can make travel far more comfortable.Here are my daily practices that make it easier to travel with an injury: 1. Do your exercises. It can be hard to prioritize while traveling, but setting aside mandatory time daily to stretch and do physical therapy exercises helps both mentally and…

  • Everybody Hurts

    February 22, 2019 - By 

    Despite pain making life more difficult, it has also given me what I consider to be one of my greatest strengths. I’ve learned to “default to empathy”in all situations, and it has truly changed the way I live my life. For years my pain made me bitter and resentful, but now, it makes it that much easier for me to identify with others and have compassion for anyone else suffering in any way. This took a conscious shift in mindset and certainly isn’t fool-proof, but now I believe my history of pain allows me to have empathy readily available in…

  • Part 2: What Fills Me Up

    February 8, 2019 - By 

    Your Passion Picks You The start of 2019 has been exhausting. The Moxie Strings have been doing mostly school performances and workshops, which leaves us a different level of exhausted. Often we find ourselves zombie-eyed between clinics, sitting for the first time in 3 hours, dreading the bell ringing and another onslaught of students entering because it means summoning the energy to get up from the chair and give all our energy to providing a peak, meaningful experience… for the 4th time that day. It feels insurmountable in the moment; but when we start performing for the students, the exhaustion…

  • Crazy Facts From My Year of Travel

    January 15, 2019 - By 

    My travel year isn’t officially over quite yet, but the holidays were a fun time reflect on the craziness so far. I’ve been talking with friends and family about a “rest year” after this year of nonstop traveling is over, and I guess this recommendation isn’t a surprise. I’m pretty torn. On one hand, I know that a year to be grounded and give myself the chance to form some routines will be incredibly healthy, mentally and physically. On the other hand, going from 100mph to 0mph is a daunting idea, and will definitely have its own complex set of…

  • My Top Travel Buys of 2018

    December 21, 2018 - By 

    Just in time for the travelers on your holiday shopping list!I find myself having lots of similar conversations about products people are curious about, so I’ve created this list to have somewhere to send them! I pride myself in a “minimal stuff, maximum efficiency” lifestyle, and these products help make it possible and enjoyable. (I’m not sponsored by any of these brands. Just love them!) Goat Cell Phone Case My favorite find this year.  I’m pretty sure it’s magic! Peel the cover off and stick to any shiny surface, but the actual case isn’t sticky to the touch.  I’m told…

  • Paris | Keep it Real

    December 8, 2018 - By 

    Paris was beautiful in so many ways. You can order 3 types of bread and 2 desserts all at once and no one bats a single judgmental eyelash. They practically have a cigarette hanging from their mouths as they serve the table anyway, like a beacon of their disregard. Parisians live on croissants in the morning, wine at lunch, cheese for dessert, cigarettes all day, and another baguette as they walk home. They stand confidently in their own skin, and I heard very few comments on each others’ appearance. There was a perpetual sense of shrugging and saying “you do you.”…