Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
-Helen Keller
Welcome (back) Adventure Friends!
Some of you out there may be thinking “Wait, don’t you already have a blog?” Ummm, yeah, I do. Or at least I did. I had started one years ago under the name Where the F is Lisa Now? But why start a new one? Why not pick up where you left off? Why NOW of all times?
I started Where the F is Lisa Now? about 6 years ago, and I wanted to use my blog to share my travel adventures with friends and family. But I was so overwhelmed with making it perfect that I ended up doing nearly nothing with it. As the years went by, every time I looked at my blog, I felt like I had failed it. So as many people do when a new year rolls around, I decided to give myself a blank slate and a second chance. A big lesson I’ll be taking to heart this time around is that DONE is better than perfect. It’s something that I often hear many of my favorite content creators say. They want everything to be perfect before they post their content publicly. But there will always be something that can be fixed, changed, or improved upon with everything you do. And if you keep waiting for things to be perfect, you’ll never move on to the next step.
Location: Rome, Italy. Photo by: my (reluctant) mother
Why change the name of my blog?
I was 28 when I came up with Where the F is Lisa Now? At the time, I felt like it was kinda cheeky and it represented who I was. I considered myself to be unabashedly foul-mouthed in my late twenties apparently. Six years later, I am by no means a saint, but 34-year old Lisa would rather not have the F word attached to her name on the internet.
I was then faced with coming up with a new name for my blog. It had to clearly convey that it was going to be focused on travel. I did NOT want it to be overly-cringey (a little cringe is fine). And most importantly, the name still had to feel like ME. After a lot of reflection, introspection, social media research, and general mulling over, I landed on An Adventure and a Half.
What does An Adventure and a Half even mean?
As a Type A-(ish) personality, I take a lot of enjoyment in just PLANNING my trips. I know I’m not the only weirdo out there who likes reading people’s blogs, creating Pintrest boards, and making Google spreadsheets. But I have a tendency to develop an itinerary and only stick to what is on there. What I learned the last few years though is that I cannot force a structured itinerary on myself.
Don’t get the wrong idea, my itinerary is not going in the trash bin! I’m still a big believer in being prepared. Travel blogs are a great source of information and I love using them to nail down logistics. And honestly, that’s all I could really hope that my blog can do for you.
But this is where the “and a half” comes into play. It sounds obvious, but sometimes we forget that your own interests should always be the guiding force when planning your trips. In the beginning, I was re-creating other people’s itineraries I read online, instead of focusing on things that I wanted to do. I’m more in tune now to the kind of experiences that spark the most joy for me. Sometimes that means following the recommendation of a rando or staying put in one spot for much longer than I intended and skipping other plans. Don’t feel like you’re missing out if you aren’t doing what everyone else is. And don’t think you’re being a sheep if you are doing what everyone else is either! This is your time that you’re putting your hard earned money towards. Just make sure you’re always doing what YOU want to do and keep yourself open to pathways less traveled.
Location: Paris, France. Photo by: @videoparis
Location: Tokyo, Japan. Photo by: @jaimeforsonphoto
Let’s end with some FACTS ABOUT ME:
I’m addicted to skincare - I love trying different products, learning about ingredients, and watching Youtube videos of my favorite skincare gurus. Visiting South Korea and buying a suitcase full of skin care products is absolutely on my bucket list.
One of my goals to accomplish in the next few years is to write and publish a children’s picture book.
I get homesick before I even leave home. This happens EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. on the car ride to the airport.
Currently residing in Boston, MA.
Location: Budapest, Hungary. Photo by: @andrasgrausz.photo