— In 2023, I traveled abroad for the first time, fostered my learning and professional development, grew cherished friendships, and found joy in new podcasts, music, and blogs. With this new post format, I’m reflecting on some of those milestones and thinking ahead to next year.
Art Europe Music PNW Professional Development Reading Travel UX Design
— This past week, thanks to my company, I had the pleasure of attending the incredible SmashingConf online. I’ve watched many other front-end talks before (like Hover, a conference dedicated solely to CSS), but this was my first full-on, live conference. I thoroughly enjoyed the two days I spent tuning in from the comfort of my home.
— I returned from a great trip to spots around Washington state with my family this past week. Now that I’m home, I can’t wait to share photos in this blog post!
— As part of my Figma Fundamentals workshop in early 2022, I designed and prototyped this app concept over the course of a weekend.
— Here in Seattle, spring is in full bloom. I’m looking forward to the warmer weather to come! In the meantime, enjoy some iPhone shots I took of mossy trees and cherry blossoms exploding with color.
— These tips on front-end development by Kitty Giraudel are spot-on and relatable. So much wisdom in each of these lessons!
— Visiting San Francisco (and California) for the first time was just incredible.
— I really enjoyed this new episode of NPR’s It’s Been A Minute podcast. In it, host Sam Sanders talks to two writers who want to make remote work better.
— Apple is one of my favorite companies and has always been a source of creative inspiration and geekery for me. That’s why I was excited to see a new long-form piece on the tech giant in Wallpaper* Magazine today.
— I’m enjoying this new book, Extra Bold, which covers all sorts of practical ideas and stories about DEI in our design industry. It feels like the career handbook I’ve needed all my life.
— Back from my design blog hiatus to say: I’m in love with this kinetic typography by Mat Voyce for the L.A. Times’ new guide on hiking.
— Recently, Alex and I took a weekend trip to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington! The getaway, while short, was packed with a day of adventures, and we had a blast exploring some spots in the Olympic National Park for the first time.
— Things are looking up a little bit with the state of the pandemic, which has me daydreaming about all the possibilities for fun activities in Seattle!
— It’s been some time since my last post! With Thanksgiving weekend coming to a close, I thought I’d share a recap of my fall in Seattle.
— This past month was eventful, filled with many weekend adventures to places near our apartment in Redmond. It’s been so enjoyable to get outside and explore new areas around us—safely, of course!
— We took a visit to the Bellevue Botanical Garden in the morning. I really enjoyed looking at the many kinds of flowers, trees, and plants. I was amazed at the sheer diversity of everything! From grasses and floral displays to a traditional Japanese garden, there was a lot to discover.
— Alex and I are officially moved in to our apartment in Redmond, WA! The trip went incredibly smoothly, and thanks to the help of our dads, the move-in process was quick and painless (despite a near-100° day this past Sunday.)
— Driving through Minnesota and half of South Dakota was both tiring and awe-inspiring at the same time. The scenery gradually changed from typical Midwest (plentiful exits, trees, curves along the highway) to flat, straight roads with bare surroundings except for fields.
— Today we started our move out to the West Coast! We’re currently settled in at a cabin in Wisconsin, and the first day of travel went well.
— Less than a week until we move! This Wednesday, my fiancé Alex and I are leaving from Ohio to move to our new apartment in Washington. We are mostly finished packing and currently feeling all the emotions! Through this blog, I plan to document my discoveries in the Pacific Northwest and our new life together in Seattle.