To the three people reading this: I’ve finally jumped on the wagon and created a blog. Partially because I’m filled with fabulous ideas that I just have to share; partially because I’m heading off on another big adventure and can’t fathom writing separate letters to everyone holding down the homestead like I did when I was in the Marshall Islands; and partially because I’m just a big follower. So for those of you interested only in my forthcoming environmental exploits: I’m very sorry, but to get to those, you’ll also have to plow through my musings on home design, interesting authors, living sustainably, resisting impulses to dognap every puppy I see, living the summer festival scene vicariously through my friends, etc, etc, etc.

To sum it up, I intend for hereby named TheCormorantBlog* to cover the following categories that I’m passionate about:

1. Adventures Afield. For those of you whom I don’t know, don’t like or simply don’t talk to, here’s the news: I’ve been living in south-central Vermont for the past year and a half, tirelessly championing my boss to get me OUT of my cubicle and into a world where people solve problems, finish projects, make decisions and interact with each other (all of which have been out of my reach), and now I’ve finally told him to put an ad on Craigslist and go fu.... find himself a new copywriter and editor. Why, you ask? Because I’m young and starry-eyed and think that I have an inkling of a chance of ‘making it’ outside the confines of the corporate world. Not that I fault anyone for sticking with a secure, well-paying or comfortable job (regardless of industry) in today’s economy, but if I had to sit inside under florescent lighting for one more summer I may very well have gouged my eyes out with plastic cutlery and stuffed green olives into the sockets. And as much as my family enjoys olives, I don’t think that’s anyone’s idea of a good time. But more on my crazy decision later. For now, the gist of it is that I’ve accepted a position as a “backcountry intern” at the Salmon-Challis National Forest and will be packing up and leaving in 3 weeks. I created this blog primarily to share the story of how one inexperienced East Coast girl will become a chainsaw-wielding, granola-munching, razor-abhorring, snake-wrangling Rocky Mountain force to be reckoned with in only six short months.

2. Books. Due to packing and weight restraints, I’m bringing only 14 books with me to Idaho. None of them hardcover. (In comparison, I read over 60 books during my twelve months in the Marshall Islands.) But I’m hoping that my fellow interns will be armed to the teeth with recommended reading material, and I plan on reporting back to you, my eager readers, with the good, the bad and the painfully ugly of it all.

3. Style & Design. You might not guess that someone who has thus far chosen to spend a good chunk of her adult life living sans electricity and/or out in the boonies would religiously follow the happenings of the big-city modern home design industry, but I’m goddamn obsessed with blogs like Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy that offer me a glimpse into the places other people call home. I love love LOVE decorating my own home; crafting, creating, bargain-hunting and dumpster-diving for objects to go in it; and unabashedly dishing out my opinion on what looks good in other people’s spaces.

4. Music. If I had to choose death or a life without music, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose death. So needless to say, music will be mentioned in this blog.

5. Food. Being a cormorant of sorts, I clearly love to eat. (Note to all the people who rag on me for being skinny: if I made similar comments about your weight, I’d be labeled something not-very-nice. So lay off and realize that this is the body I was given.) Sorry about that rant- I’ve been needing to get it off my chest. But fact is, I love growing, cooking and eating food; discovering new foods; and thinking about the way I view food. So I plan on sharing recipes, thoughts, cravings, etc.

6. Living Sustainably. This is something I think about a lot and try my best to practice. (It can also be another way of saying Living Cheaply.) For me, it means buying from local farmers and shopkeepers whenever I’m financially able to; making my belongings last as long as possible; recycling and composting; salvaging and repurposing other peoples’ junk instead of buying new things; and trying to cut back on the number of disposable goods I buy.

7. Following my dreams. In my dream world, by the time I’m 40 I’ll be a freelance author living in a little house in Vermont publishing articles and photographs in the likes of National Geographic, Orion Magazine, Outdoors, etc and spending my free time gardening, canning, persevering, beekeeping and traveling the world. Hey, go big or go home, right? And yes, I know this is wildly unrealistic, but at least I’ve got something to strive for, and in the meantime, I’m working toward getting myself published here and there, paying off my student loans, and having worthwhile, evocative and out-of-the-ordinary life experiences. Hence my upcoming journey.

8. Photography. I love to take pictures, and I’ll post some of my favorites on here for all you oglers to ogle.

Rock on,
Krista

*I was struggling to come up with a catchy name for my blog and failing miserably when I decided to hop on over to Dictionary.com. Their word of the day was CORMORANT: A GLUTTONOUS OR GREEDY PERSON. (Huh. And here I’ve gone my whole life thinking a cormorant was a kind of bird.) Anyway, when it comes down to it, I admit I am a bit of a cormorant. I want it all. Success, happiness, a beautiful home, supportive friends, riches beyond my wildest dreams, non-frizzy hair, world peace, a man who cleans up after himself... the whole nine. And since this blog is dedicated first and foremost to my latest attempt to pursue this somewhat unreasonable dream, I think that Cormorant was an excellent word for Dictionary.com to be broadcasting today. Who knew you could find serendipity on the internet?