Not to be deppressing again but it still hits me like a brick that I'm still alive sometimes

Idk how to mentally catch up with that reality after so many years of sucidal thoughts and tendencies

Steven Yalo’s life as a Digital Nomad: traveling while working full-time

Hello, February! Welcome to another series of Digital Nomad Interviews by Travelwifi. In this month’s series, we sat down with Steven Yalo, a full-time traveler and digital nomad galloping around the world for work and play!

What was your life like before being a digital nomad?

Before being a digital nomad I was living in Orlando, Florida. I studied advertising at the University of Central Florida and was pursuing a career in marketing. During my senior year at UCF I found an internship opportunity for an influencer marketing company which eventually led to a full-time job. At this time, something really interesting happened that changed my perspective about the way I was living my life. 

This was back in 2016 and as I mentioned, I was in my last year of college. I heard about this crazy travel challenge hosted by Red Bull called “Can You Make It?” where they send teams of college students to travel across Europe for one week with NO MONEY. I applied for this challenge by making a video with two friends and it went to a voting process so we worked our butts off trying to secure our team a spot in the competition.

Eventually, our hard work paid off and we were selected to participate. They flew us to Florence, Italy and we had one week to make it to Paris with no money. We traveled through six countries in seven days relying on the kindness of strangers to help us reach checkpoints along the way. It was the most difficult yet most rewarding experience of my life. We made it all the way to Paris without spending any money. It was insane!

After this travel challenge, I returned to Florida where the company I was interning for offered me a full-time job. Everything was going great for me! But after a few months of working in the same office every day, I was craving more adventure. I just traveled across Europe with no money, so I had this new mindset that I could achieve anything if I worked hard enough. So, I set my sights on a new goal. 

I love making videos and I really wanted to travel more, so I decided to leave my job, sell most of my stuff, and I bought a one-way ticket to Thailand. I saved up enough money to travel with no income for about one year. I figured within that year I could learn how to sustain a digital nomad lifestyle, and I was right. 

Now, I travel full-time and make money online in a few different ways. Life is what you make it. Why not make it exciting, right?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Yalo (@steveyalo) on Nov 12, 2019 at 6:41am PST

When did you start being a Digital Nomad?

In April 2017 I left Orlando with a one-way ticket to Thailand and I’ve been living the digital nomad life since. It’s been an incredible journey. I’ve learned so much and I know there’s still so much more to learn so that excites me.

Describe your typical ‘work day’ as a Digital Nomad.

My typical workday is never really “typical”. At the core of what I do is make travel videos for my Youtube channel, but there’s a lot that goes into that. I’m usually in one of two work modes – ‘Travel and Film’ or ‘Stop and Edit/Plan’. I usually alternate these, so I’ll travel intensely for one month filming videos, then I’ll stop for one month to edit these videos and plan my next trip. There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes as I’m taking on the roles of videographer, host, editor, social media manager, travel agent and even more.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Yalo (@steveyalo) on Feb 25, 2019 at 8:47am PST

Tell us the top 5 things you can’t live without as a digital nomad?

As a digital nomad, there are definitely some things that I can’t live without. First, a laptop. I need to have a computer with me to handle all of this editing and admin work. Of course, there’s my camera. I need to have a camera to make videos and take photos. Another necessary thing is wifi. It’s nice to disconnect and visit places with no service, but eventually I’ll need some internet connection. Thinking a little less materialistic, I also can’t live without fun people. I’m a pretty social person and I enjoy spending time with others. I know that’s only four things, but I can’t actually think of anything else I absolutely need. I guess my final answer would be positivity. I strive to remain positive in all situations and I’m always facing challenges that test this, but I always try to think positively.

What’s your favorite part of being a digital nomad?

My favorite part of being a digital nomad is the freedom. I have the flexibility to work from anywhere and this really excites me.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Yalo (@steveyalo) on Aug 25, 2019 at 4:01am PDT

What’s the hardest part of being a digital nomad?

The hardest part of being a digital nomad is the lack of consistent community. Since I’m always traveling to a new place, sometimes it’s hard to feel part of a bigger community. There have been times where just as I’m starting to develop a sense of community, I leave to a new place. I make up for this by joining online communities of people (like Facebook groups or Discord chats) that are interested in similar things so I can still feel connected to like-minded people.

Where are you currently based and what are your future travel plans?

I plan on spending the next few months traveling around Southeast Asia but my goal is to spend the summer living in NYC. I love traveling to different places, but something about New York has been pulling me in. As I travel, I’ve been meeting incredible people, but a lot of people I meet are either on vacation or just not in a working mindset. I’m curious to see what it will be like to be surrounded by the busy city and the networking opportunities that will come from it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Yalo (@steveyalo) on Sep 7, 2018 at 11:21am PDT

What are your tips for Digital Nomads if ever they are in a city without reliable WiFi?

If you ever end up in a city without reliable wifi, I would suggest to just try to enjoy it. Most likely you’ll find some good wifi soon, so just make the best of the situation and don’t stress. Also try to plan ahead if you rely on wifi for work and make sure where you’re going has connection.

How does Travelwifi help you as a Digital Nomad?

Travelwifi is super helpful when I’m on the go. Usually I’ll connect to wifi wherever I’m staying, but for the in between and daily use, I need to stay connected for plenty of things like GPS, messages, and social media apps. As I mentioned, wifi connection is something I need as a digital nomad, so having my own travel wifi device is super helpful!

source https://travelwifi.com/blog/steven-yalos-life-as-a-digital-nomad-traveling-while-working-full-time/ source https://tepwireless.tumblr.com/post/190629777407

Steven Yalo’s life as a Digital Nomad: traveling while working full-time

Hello, February! Welcome to another series of Digital Nomad Interviews by Travelwifi. In this month’s series, we sat down with Steven Yalo, a full-time traveler and digital nomad galloping around the world for work and play!

What was your life like before being a digital nomad?

Before being a digital nomad I was living in Orlando, Florida. I studied advertising at the University of Central Florida and was pursuing a career in marketing. During my senior year at UCF I found an internship opportunity for an influencer marketing company which eventually led to a full-time job. At this time, something really interesting happened that changed my perspective about the way I was living my life. 

This was back in 2016 and as I mentioned, I was in my last year of college. I heard about this crazy travel challenge hosted by Red Bull called “Can You Make It?” where they send teams of college students to travel across Europe for one week with NO MONEY. I applied for this challenge by making a video with two friends and it went to a voting process so we worked our butts off trying to secure our team a spot in the competition.

Eventually, our hard work paid off and we were selected to participate. They flew us to Florence, Italy and we had one week to make it to Paris with no money. We traveled through six countries in seven days relying on the kindness of strangers to help us reach checkpoints along the way. It was the most difficult yet most rewarding experience of my life. We made it all the way to Paris without spending any money. It was insane!

After this travel challenge, I returned to Florida where the company I was interning for offered me a full-time job. Everything was going great for me! But after a few months of working in the same office every day, I was craving more adventure. I just traveled across Europe with no money, so I had this new mindset that I could achieve anything if I worked hard enough. So, I set my sights on a new goal. 

I love making videos and I really wanted to travel more, so I decided to leave my job, sell most of my stuff, and I bought a one-way ticket to Thailand. I saved up enough money to travel with no income for about one year. I figured within that year I could learn how to sustain a digital nomad lifestyle, and I was right. 

Now, I travel full-time and make money online in a few different ways. Life is what you make it. Why not make it exciting, right?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Yalo (@steveyalo) on Nov 12, 2019 at 6:41am PST

When did you start being a Digital Nomad?

In April 2017 I left Orlando with a one-way ticket to Thailand and I’ve been living the digital nomad life since. It’s been an incredible journey. I’ve learned so much and I know there’s still so much more to learn so that excites me.

Describe your typical ‘work day’ as a Digital Nomad.

My typical workday is never really “typical”. At the core of what I do is make travel videos for my Youtube channel, but there’s a lot that goes into that. I’m usually in one of two work modes – ‘Travel and Film’ or ‘Stop and Edit/Plan’. I usually alternate these, so I’ll travel intensely for one month filming videos, then I’ll stop for one month to edit these videos and plan my next trip. There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes as I’m taking on the roles of videographer, host, editor, social media manager, travel agent and even more.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Yalo (@steveyalo) on Feb 25, 2019 at 8:47am PST

Tell us the top 5 things you can’t live without as a digital nomad?

As a digital nomad, there are definitely some things that I can’t live without. First, a laptop. I need to have a computer with me to handle all of this editing and admin work. Of course, there’s my camera. I need to have a camera to make videos and take photos. Another necessary thing is wifi. It’s nice to disconnect and visit places with no service, but eventually I’ll need some internet connection. Thinking a little less materialistic, I also can’t live without fun people. I’m a pretty social person and I enjoy spending time with others. I know that’s only four things, but I can’t actually think of anything else I absolutely need. I guess my final answer would be positivity. I strive to remain positive in all situations and I’m always facing challenges that test this, but I always try to think positively.

What’s your favorite part of being a digital nomad?

My favorite part of being a digital nomad is the freedom. I have the flexibility to work from anywhere and this really excites me.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Yalo (@steveyalo) on Aug 25, 2019 at 4:01am PDT

What’s the hardest part of being a digital nomad?

The hardest part of being a digital nomad is the lack of consistent community. Since I’m always traveling to a new place, sometimes it’s hard to feel part of a bigger community. There have been times where just as I’m starting to develop a sense of community, I leave to a new place. I make up for this by joining online communities of people (like Facebook groups or Discord chats) that are interested in similar things so I can still feel connected to like-minded people.

Where are you currently based and what are your future travel plans?

I plan on spending the next few months traveling around Southeast Asia but my goal is to spend the summer living in NYC. I love traveling to different places, but something about New York has been pulling me in. As I travel, I’ve been meeting incredible people, but a lot of people I meet are either on vacation or just not in a working mindset. I’m curious to see what it will be like to be surrounded by the busy city and the networking opportunities that will come from it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Yalo (@steveyalo) on Sep 7, 2018 at 11:21am PDT

What are your tips for Digital Nomads if ever they are in a city without reliable WiFi?

If you ever end up in a city without reliable wifi, I would suggest to just try to enjoy it. Most likely you’ll find some good wifi soon, so just make the best of the situation and don’t stress. Also try to plan ahead if you rely on wifi for work and make sure where you’re going has connection.

How does Travelwifi help you as a Digital Nomad?

Travelwifi is super helpful when I’m on the go. Usually I’ll connect to wifi wherever I’m staying, but for the in between and daily use, I need to stay connected for plenty of things like GPS, messages, and social media apps. As I mentioned, wifi connection is something I need as a digital nomad, so having my own travel wifi device is super helpful!

source https://travelwifi.com/blog/steven-yalos-life-as-a-digital-nomad-traveling-while-working-full-time/

JULY/AUGUST 2017

This summer I had the incredible opportunity to live on a 40 foot catamaran for 7 days with 9 other people while we sailed, round trip from Sardinia, Italy to Bonifacio, France.  We were one of 6 boats on the St. James Maritima sailing trip.  This week was full of the best Ocean water I have ever seen, delicious Pecorino, fun in the sun and countless memories with new friends.

I was one of only a handful of Americans who joined this group of Europeans, mainly from Italy, France and Spain.  I heard so many beautiful people speak various languages, interchangeably, on a daily basis.  I even practiced a little French and Spanish while learning some Italian!  My new favorite word you ask?  Andiamo!

I paired this trip with a few days in Paris and Cannes.  More about that later…

About a month before departure, I met one of the members of St James Maritima and started researching the logistics.  I would highly recommend planning this excursion further in advance; however, if you are determined and have some airlines miles (or a bigger budget) short term planning is doable.  

St. James Maritima is a club of sorts founded by a few European guys. This trip was NOT an organized excursion through a company or business, just a bunch of friends.  Their goal is to have fun, connect like minded people and make unforgettable memories.

AIRFARE

My first big project was figuring out my roundtrip airfare from NYC to Sardinia. My pre/post travel plans depended on whether I could fly direct or what cities I could have a layover in.  While there really is no way to fly non-stop from the United States to the Italian Island of Sardinia, there are many cities you can chose to fly through.  Flights to Sardinia are available at both international and regional airports in Europe on low cost and regional airlines.  Some of the major hubs were London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Dusseldorf and Madrid. I opted to use points on an airline part of an Airport Alliance to fly from NYC to Paris and purchased a ticket separately to fly from Paris to Sardinia.  The individual ticket from Paris to Sardinia was the most expensive purchase out of all the flights for my trip at just under $500, one way.  Had I flown from ORY instead of CDG, I would have enjoyed a substantial savings.  

Air France, Air Berlin, Air Canada and British Airways all offer mileage seats from NYC to major European cities starting at just 20-25k miles, one way.  I selected Air France as I could transfer my credit card points into Air France miles, they had a decent point redemption rate and because I liked the overall scheduling of the light options.  If you fly into LHR or CDG check the local regional airports for deals for your flight to Sardinia.  You will most likely have an eight to twelve hour minimum wait between your trans-Atlantic flight and your flight to Sardinia.  This means you will be probably go to a city center before returning to the airport.  I am still kicking myself that I purchased my flight from Paris to Sardinia through CDG instead of ORY.  Both airports are connected to mass transit!

FIRST NIGHT IN SARDINIA

Knowing that I would be starting my vacation mid-work week, I wanted to ensure I had a day or two to unwind before meeting up with the group to board the boat. I knew I would be stopping in Paris on my way to Italy to visit family, so it was important to me to schedule some me-time before meeting the group.

The group was staying at Costa Ruja in Portisco, enjoying quaint accommodations about a 20-30 minute taxi ride from the airport.  The reviews online were not stellar.  Since I was arriving into the city late at night and wanted someplace quiet to sleep, I opted to find a place in the city center just a short bus ride from the airport.

I went on Hotels Tonight and found the perfect place!  A 20 room hotel and spa with bed and breakfast charm, down a quiet street called La Villa Del Conte or Ospitalità Del Conte Hotel e SPA in Italian.

I arrived at OLB (Olbia-airport in Sardinia) around 8:45PM after a short flight from Paris on Meridiana.  The child behind me kicked my seat for most of the journey, free of charge. Immediately I saw lots of signs for various modes of transportation around the island in the baggage claim area.  The group organizers told us about organized shuttles and taxis for about 15 euro plus. However, I had read online that there was a bus for just one euro that could take me to the city center.  

I went to the information desk and asked for directions to the bus.  Google maps made it look like I had to take a 15 minute walk.  The gentlemen at the information desk told me to just walk outside and turn the corner. There was no signage, anywhere, for this bus.  I walked out of the airport as instructed and walked toward the rental cars.  I asked a few people who had no clue what I was talking about.  After walking past the rental car building I saw busses.  A small regional bus was waiting next to a row of coach busses.  I asked the driver where I could catch the bus to the city center and he told me to board his bus.  It was a clean, small bus the size of a sprinter van full of tourists.  As I boarded, I showed the driver my stop and asked him to let me know when to get off. I am so glad I had, otherwise I would have missed my stop.  The euro bus was relatively simple and I can't imagine it took more time than a shared shuttle or taxi.  Out of the buses in foreign countries I have taken after sun down, this felt like one of the safer ones, if not the safest.

I got off the mini bus in the city center.  There was a beautiful old church, many restaurants and bars, with people strolling through the narrow streets with large cobble stones.   I was finally in Italy!  I had downloaded an offline Google Map from the drop off point to my hotel while I had Wifi at the airport.  I knew my ten minute walk would take me through a few different streets. I had to ask directions as the streets converged in a funky way toward the end, near Villa Della Terme.  I was about to back track to gather my bearings when two kind, young gentlemen happened to be walking my way.  Turned out they were staying at the same place, and guided me to my hotel.  Had I not seen them, I would have back tracked and figured it out. 

I arrived at the hotel about two hours before the front desk was closing.  Reception is closed from midnight to 8:00AM.   When I booked on Hotels Tonight, I was warned I may receive a double bed; however, I was given an upgraded room, with, what I am pretty sure was, a queen bed.  At check-in I was told about their Spa promotion and am wishing I would have enjoyed the Spa prior to departure the following day.  Once I checked-in to my room, I went on a walk to the city center.  On my stroll, I found the cutest European restaurant right next to the hotel.  I wanted to keep walking to see the places with music but after a 15 minute meander around town, I realized the best, least touristy spot was the one right next to my hotel.  I am so glad I went back to eat there.  I had an appetizer and an amazing fried cheese dish followed by dessert.  

I highly recommend both the restaurant and the hotel, La Villa Del Conte to anyone visiting Sardinia.  I really want to go back for a romantic get-away. I did not want to check out in the morning and was wishing I could stay longer to indulge in their Spa offerings.  The hotel is definitely in the high three to four star category.  I'm harsh on hotel ratings, so the average person would probably consider this a four star hotel.  The hotel had many amenities of a full service hotel with the benefits of a bed and breakfast.  The rate was a great value and my upgraded room even had a private outdoor space.

SAILING TIME

In the morning I rushed to wake up to enjoy the hotel breakfast and pack to meet the group at the harbor.  I was going to take the bus from the city center to the Club.  By the time I found the correct bus, I would have had to wait almost 45 minutes in the sweltering heat.  In hindsight, I should have just taken a taxi from the hotel.  I took a taxi from the bus stop by my old school taxi driver stopped for gas on the way.  When I arrived at the port, I met the group and we hung out all day waiting for our boat to be ready.  Finally about an hour or two before our welcome dinner, we were able to board our boat.

The following 7 days of sailing were incredible.  The first night we spent on the boat was at a port in Sardinia.  The second night we sailed and spent the night out at sea.  We were near an empty island and watched the sunset.  That night we literally partied on a boat by starlight-it was an absolute dream.  On day three we sailed to Porto Pollo and spent another night at sea.  We took a small boat to the island for a BBQ and dancing. The following day, number four, we joined the group at sea during the afternoon.  We jumped into the water and swam around what seemed like another remote island.  By night we left the group, and docked at Port De Cavallo to refill our water tank and dispose of our trash.  We were the only boat out of the group that needed to refill water throughout the trip. That night, I went into town with the Italians on my boat for a beautiful multi-course dinner with wine pairings at La Ferme.  The views and the food were top notch.  We woke up earlier on day 5 to ensure we could find a place to dock in Bonifacio. By day six we sailed back to Sardinia, spent the night at sea and enjoyed Aperitivo at Phi Beach.  Unfortunately, a mega yacht nearby made the water choppy causing me to get sea sick.  I did not have a chance to fully enjoy Phi Beach but was better by the time we went to Ritual Club.  The last night was enjoyed in Sardinia docked at the port we started on journey on just a week earlier.  Every day was spent enjoying the sunshine and the fresh, clear blue water.  

Out of everything I brought with me, I am glad I had two self drying towels and plenty of swim suits.  We spent most of the time either in the Ocean or drying off coming out of the water. Sometimes we showered in our suits off the back of the boat and sometimes we showered on the boat.  I wish we would have purchased more food and snacks, as the heat made us not want to eat big meals.  We ate a lot of delicious Pecorino cheese, cherry tomatoes and crackers.

POST SAILING ADVENTURE-CANNES AND PARIS

After the sailing excursion I had a few days to enjoy.  I flew to Cannes to stay with a friend I had met on the trip, before heading back to Paris to catch my flight home.  I took a bus from the airport in Nice to Cannes and loved looking out the window.  After spending a week at Sea between Sardinia and Corsica, I was incredibly underwhelmed with the beach at Cannes.  The country side views were also stunning on the almost 6 hour train ride from Cannes to Paris through Marseilles. If you are making the trip to Cannes, I would recommend taking the time to visit Monte Carlo and/or Saint-Tropez.  Due to the heat and rain, my friend and I opted to stay in Cannes.

When I returned to Paris, I made it just in time to enjoy the last day of the Summer Sales.  After an informative tour of The Marais, I went shopping!  Our guide made some recommendations that I did not have a chance to enjoy.  She suggested Breizh cafe for their buckwheat crepes and Cafe de flore.

All and all I had an incredible trip around Italy and Paris.  I cannot wait to sail again and visit that cute little hotel in Sardinia.  Sailing on a small Catamaran with a group of friends really is the best way to enjoy the clean calm water, beaming sun and company of cool people.

Live Ledge #314: Best Records of 2017

As I was putting together this year’s list of my favorite records I came across a article from a music journalist claiming that lists such as this are idiotic. Since it’s impossible to hear every single album that was released over the year, nobody has the needed knowledge to proclaim anything as the year’s best records.

Come on. This is ridiculous. Nobody is claiming to have the definitive look at the year in music. I’ve never read any music critic claim to have heard each and every record.

But that doesn’t mean these sorts of think pieces aren’t worthwhile. Every writer, fan, or publication has an area of expertise, and if they’re honest they’ll admit to their cultural shortcomings. Mine just happens to include pop, hip-hop, and bro-country. I know that the new Kendrick Lamar is probably the year’s greatest musical achievement, but it’s not my thing. At the same time, I don’t need to hear the latest records by the likes of Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, or whatever Jonas Brother that still makes music. Why would I waste my time when I know I’m going to hate it?

The purpose of these lists aren’t for people to proclaim themselves as the world’s biggest music expert. They exist mainly because as fans we want people to discover records they may have overlooked. I look at dozens of these types of articles, from giant publications to local music nerds, hoping to discover something that I’ve missed. Inevitably, I find quite a few, and I hope that my yearly list does the same for others.

This is a good year for this type of exploration. It’s been the best year in music in quite some time. Oftentimes, finding 40 records worthy of inclusion is not easy. This year, I started with over 80 candidates, and it took quite a bit of soul-searching to cut it down to my usual length. It’s such a good year that artists that routinely reside near the top (The National, Spoon, Steve Earle) didn’t make the cut.

What is it about 2017? Why was this a fertile year for music? Given the state of the music industry these days, there really shouldn’t be such an abundance of fabulous tunes. My theory is that as the possibility of fame and fortune fades away we’re left with artists who just HAVE to create. It’s in their blood. A musician and/or songwriter is who they are, and they’ll carry on as long as they can.

What’s even more surprising to me is the number of great releases by veteran artists. So many of my favorites from years past came out with their best records in decades. Who would have predicted the return of The Jesus and Mary Chain? Or that Robyn Hitchcock would put out one of his best records? Or that Guided By Voices would release not one but two albums that weren’t full of half-assed, seemingly unfinished tracks?

So here are 40 records that I consider the best albums of the year, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on my picks. Let me know what records have turned your crank this year. Tracks from each of these albums were also aired on Live Ledge in a reverse, countdown format. Click here for Live Ledge #314, or nab it via iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, or many other online spots.

1. Bash & Pop, Anything Could Happen. Anybody that knows me well probably knew this would be my favorite record of year. Yet the return of Tommy Stinson’s first post-Replacements band is even better than I ever predicted. It’s every bit as good as the 1993 Bash & Pop debut. In fact, it may be even better, as the original was Stinson’s first serious stabs at songwriting. Almost 25 years later, Stinson’s skills as a tunesmith has deepened, and combined with the Faces-ish feel of his outstanding bandmates this would have been towards the of any year’s list.

2. The Courtneys, II. The best description I’ve read of this great Canadian trio is “fuzzy, slacker pop”. Yeah, that’s pretty much it. Yet that would be meaningless if it wasn’t combined with sugary, singalong melodies. There’s a bit of a Blake Babies influence, but I also hear elements of late 80’s post-Jesus and Mary Chain bands such as The Primitives.

3. Ty Segall, s/t. James Brown used to be called the “hardest working man in show business”, but he’s a slacker compared to what Segall accomplished in a given year. Besides his usual album and a handful of singles, he’s involved with at least a half dozen other bands, and is inevitably a contributor as a musician or producer on a ton of his friend’s records. This year’s main release is also among his best, as it flows in and out of a number of styles.

4. The Jesus and Mary Chain, Damage and Joy. It was a big enough surprise that the warring Reid brothers reunited for a tour in 2007, but few thought that would result in a new album by the groundbreaking 80’s noise-pop veterans. The fact that it took a decade for it to happen is probably a sign that not all wounds have healed over the years. Yet this album is a pure joy for any fans of the original run. Yeah, it rarely deviates from the patented J&MC formula, but if it works why fix it?

5. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, The Nashville Sound. Easily the most acclaimed Americana album of the year, and it deserves each and every accolade. Isbell is at the top of his game, as rousing anthems comfortably sit next to heart-wrenching looks at crumbling relationships and the difficulties of chasing the American dream.

6. Guided By Voices, August By Cake/How Do You Spell Heaven. Robert Pollard has always been one of rock’s most prolific songwriters, and is also quite possibly the worst at quality control. Each and every year has seen a handful of albums that are frustratingly dominated by half-baked song fragments. 2017 saw the release of his 100th and 101st albums, and both of them Pollard’s best efforts in well over a decade.

7. Juliana Hatfield, Pussycat. How can a record of bitter politics sound so sweet? Juliana Hatfield is not happy with what’s happening these days, but it’s somehow inspired her to write some of her catchiest songs ever.

8. Warm Soda, I Don’t Wanna Grow Up. Let’s get this out of the way. Matthew Melton found himself dropped from his label earlier this year for comments he and his musician wife said about immigration. Having said that, the final record by Warm Soda is easily the best power pop record of the year. Can one separate the music from the opinions of the person who creates the music? That’s definitely a major question these days, and I’m not sure that’s entirely fair.

9. Kevin Morby, City Music. One of my favorite new finds of this year. Formerly of Woods and The Babies (not the 70’s pop band), Morby’s fourth album has been described as a tribute to New York City. While there is a definite nod to the Ramones (“1234”), the record’s nods to the metropolitan experience works with almost any skyline.

10. The Feelies, In Between. Hoboken’s greatest band’s first album in six years actually feels like a sequel to 1986’s The Good Earth. Those same loud/quiet dynamics are again the focus, but not in the Pixies/Nirvana way. Instead the record’s best songs feature a gradual buildup that ultimately turns into a cacophonic roar.

11. Beaches, Second of Spring. Certain albums deserve to be played in full. This is one of those records, even if it’s a 17-track double album. Each and every song of the all-female Australian psych rockers’ third album perfectly fits with what precedes and follows it. Sonic landscapes of fuzzy instrumentals dissolve into catchy pop nuggets, which then spins into more experimental fare.

12. L.A. Witch, s/t. This fabulous new trio is pretty much impossible to pin down. There are elements of 60’s girl groups, but it’s mixed with surf, rockabilly, psych, and garage rock. It’s sort of like if The Runaways had a bigger record collection (and minus the dictatorship of Kim Fowley).

13. Matthew Ryan, Hustle Up Starlings. Only a handful of songwriters can create intense environments with (relatively) quiet sounds. Matthew Ryan is one of them, and it’s simply because he completely inhabits the identities of the subjects of his songs. Those subjects tend to be the forgotten members of society. The people who struggle to find work, let alone keep their jobs. The people with regrets over past mistakes. People who need their voices heard.

14. Danny Dodge, Baby Let Me Be Your Mess. I know next to nothing about Danny Dodge except that I love this record. Discovered via bandcamp, the only information I’ve been able to find is that he’s a veteran of various garage and glam bands in Portland. This album definitely has elements of those genres, but there’s also a does of sugary jangle pop.

15. Waxahatchee, Out in the Storm. I’m not going to lie. I’ve found most of Kate Crutchfield’s prior releases to be a bit hit and miss. However, her fourth album under the Waxahatchee name is great from beginning to end. Credit may have to go to producer John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth), who primarily recorded the band playing live in the studio.

16. John Moreland, Big Bad Luv. After the success of 2015’s mostly acoustic High on Tulsa, it would have been pretty easy for Moreland to just copy the sound and production of that record. Instead, he wisely expanded into a full-band sound that accentuates his hook-laden songs of heartbreak.

17. John Murry, A Short History of Decay. Murry has lived quite the life. A second cousin of William Faulkner, his childhood was marked by undiagnosed autism. He eventually turned to drugs, and was hospitalized for both psychological and drug issues. Music may have saved his life, but it also led to other issues too numerous to list here. His second solo album was recorded in five days with help from members of Cowboy Junkies, and his heartbreaking songs detail much of his life’s lower moments.

18. The Cairo Gang, Untouchable. Discovered due to his summer appearance in town, Cairo Gang leader Emmett Kelly is best known for his presence on the last two Ty Segall records along with various Bonnie “Prince” Billy releases. The fifth album under The Cairo Gang, produced by Segall,  is truly a solo album, as Kelly plays that vast majority of instruments.

19. The Buttertones, Gravedigging. Another great bandcamp find, the debut release by this Los Angeles band is sort of like rock and roll history condensed into one full-length album. What other record combines surf, rockabilly, post-punk, garage, and psych with elements of The Clash and Cramps?

20. Meatbodies, Alice. I’m not going to lie. The name Meatbodies threw me off a bit. Yet once I heard this latest album by Chad Ubovich and crew I was itching for the rest of their discography. A little bit of research explained exactly why. Ubovich has spent time in Mikal Cronin’s band, and also plays in Fuzz with Ty Segall and Charles Moothart. Yep, it’s part of that L.A. orbit of musicians and bands.

21. Hurray For the Riff Raff, The Navigator. This record could have easily made the top ten, as the first half is about as exquisite as one could expect. Most of the second side doesn��t live up to that standard, though, so while it contains one of the year’s most inclusive record. Inclusive? Yes, leader Alynda Segarra combines various elements of Latina styles with classic American doo wop, folk, gospel and Motown sounds.

22. Alex G, Rocket. Alexander Giannascoli started off as a bedroom singer/songwriter who somehow got the attention of Frank Ocean. This led to his guitarwork appearing on a recent Ocean album, which has given him a weird notoriety that has very little to do with the lavish dream pop-ish sounds of his latest album.

23. Together Pangea, Bulls and Roosters. I first discovered this great band thanks to Tommy Stinson, who recorded their 2015 EP, The Phage. Their sound is firmly established in garage rock, but a bit quirkier than most bands of this type.

24. CFM, Dichotomy Desaturated. Here we go again. CFM is Charles Francis Moothart, who we’ve already noted is Ty Segall’s drummer. He’s also toured in Mikal Cronin’s band, is the guitarist/vocalist with Segall in Fuzz, and also participates in other Segall side projects. CFM is his band, though, and this second album is a great companion to that self-titled Segall album at the top of this list.

25. Old 97’s, Graveyard Whistling. After a few albums where the alt-country veterans took some mini-detours, this year’s model harkens back to the mid-90’s revved-up country roots. Leader Rhett Miller is still a master at turning a clever phrase, and the rest of the band has not lost a step.

26. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Lotta See Lice. This is something I’d love to see more often. Two critically acclaimed songwriters befriend each other on the festival circuit, and decide to collaborate on an album. Each of them brings some new tunes, and they both sing a song written by the other. Plus they cover a Belly song, and another tune written by Barnett’s girlfriend, Jen Cloher.

27. John Wesley Harding, Wesley Stace’s John Wesley Harding. Let’s get everything straight. The artist known as John Wesley Harding was born Wesley Stace. He uses his birthname on his novels, and has also put out a few records under that name. This year’s album, his best in decades, attempts to clear up the confusion over his name. His writing is still full of wit and snark, and who can’t love an artist who makes fun of the music industry? It’s also worth noting that his band on this album is The Jayhawks, who do a masterful job at staying out of his way but adding whatever elements are needed.

28. Flat Worms, s/t. Flat Worms would be considered a supergroup in some circles, as everybody in the band has played with artists such as Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Kevin Morby, and Dream Boys. Regardless of where they’re from, this collaboration doesn’t rely on the usual sounds that generally come out of the Segall/Cronin/Thee Oh Sees circle of friends. Instead, this is a bit of a tribute to the heavier postpunk bands of the past. There’s a bit of Wire, later Buzzcocks, and even some pre-grunge Seattle in their sound.

29. Wand, Plum. You know what I love about this band? First off, they’re prolific, as this is their fourth album in three years. They’re also a band that’s constantly changing, as none of their albums sound the same. Plum may be the best of the bunch. It’s certainly their most varied, which makes it next to impossible to describe as it flows in and out of various subgenres.

30. Dream Syndicate, How Did I Find Myself Here? Here’s another band I never expected to see release new music. And I certainly would have never predicted that anything they did record would be so great. Their first new studio album since 1988 is similar to the new Feelies record in that it’s like there hasn’t been any time between releases. It’s a perfect companion to their neo-psychedelic classics The Days of Wine and Roses and Medicine Show.

31. Palehound, A Place I’ll Always Go. Palehound leader Ellen Kempner recently lost her grandmother and best friend, and poured all of her grief into her second album. While that may sound depressing, it’s tempered by the fuzzy, alt-rock guitar rock that fans of Waxahatchee should love.

32. Son Volt, Notes of Blue. It’s been quite some time since anybody but the biggest Jay Farrar fans paid any attention to Son Volt. Weirdly, it took a recent obsession with Skip James and Mississippi Fred McDowell that led to a record that’s reminiscent of the band’s classic early records.

33. Robyn Hitchcock, s/t. Again, a veteran artist puts out his best album in decades. For his 21st album, Hitchcock actually gives a few nods to his Soft Boys power pop days, and that energy permeates through the entire album.

34. Ne-Hi, Offers. Chicago’s place in indie rock circles has certainly grown in recent years, thanks to the likes of Twin Peaks, Whitney, and our very own The Kickback. As they told me in an interview before playing Total Drag earlier this year, Ne-Hi originally formed to record a soundtrack for a friend’s film, and it worked so well they decided to become a “real” band. After a debut recorded in a basement, they hit an actual studio for this record, but the resulting still feels like the result of a marathon jam session.

35. Micah Schnabel, Your New Norman Rockwell. Two Cow Garage is one of our country’s most underrated musical jewels that took Americana and gave it a Replacements-ish edge. This record may be a solo record, but it’s really a more stripped-down version of a typical Two Cow Garage album. Which means, of course, that it’s brilliant.

36. Daddy Issues, Deep Dream. This list doesn’t have enough snotty all-girl punk rock, even though it’s been a great year for bands such as this. As my friend Gorman Bechard says, they’re so good that they can even make a Don Henley cover (“Boys of Summer”) sound great.

37. POW!, Crack an Egg. This is a record that one needs to hear on vinyl. The first time I heard this was a digital version, and it was way too dominated by their propulsive synths. The vinyl version, though, obviously still has this despised (by me) instrument prominently in the mix, but the analog version is highlighted by the deeper, fuller sounds of the entire band.

38. Damaged Bug, Bunker Fun. John Dwyer is another artist who obviously had little to no free time this year. Besides running a busy, successful indie label that’s well-represented on this list, Dwyer released records under the names Oh Sees and OCS. (Thee Oh Sees name was retired after two 2016 releases.) He also had time for his solo side project that relies more on electronics than his other bands. His third release under this name is a bit heavier, a bit funkier, and heavier on prog elements than his main band.  

39. Greg Ashley, Pictures of Saint Paul Street. Although a veteran of Texas garage-punk bands, along with a number of solo records, this record was my first hearing of this interesting songwriter. From the very first song, I heard a bit of Flowers-era Stones, mid-period Kinks, a pinch of Dylan, and even a touch of Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen. Ashley’s songs may primarily deal with despairing, hopeless characters living on the fringes of society, but he manages to turn them into messengers of righteous anger.  

40. David Nance, Negative Boogie. Describing this lo-fi Omaha musician is next to impossible, as he’s anything and everything. There’s a bit of Crazy Horse at their one-take coked up best, quite a bit of Pere Ubu-weirdness, and maybe a bit of the Velvets and The Chills, and even a touch of 70’s outlaw country. Yet it somehow works, even when he throws in a surprise shambolic cover of Merle Haggard’s “Silver Wings”.

While I personally don’t use drugs, my interesting journey with Bitcoin started with pot: I was in New York in 2012 (Bitcoin price was around 10$) where friends of mine bought pot with bitcoins. They used bitcoin because of its alleged anonymity and untraceability. Since I never bought pot, I unfortunately didn’t buy bitcoin at this price. Back then though I still thought that this is an incredible idea and realized already some of its advantages. I actually told my father who very early on started working with the internet that this is as well an innovation with its first use cases in pornography and drugs and might also end up as something way bigger (not clear at the time though where this could end up and what the real implications were). Back in Germany I tried to buy some bitcoins but gave up pretty quickly since I found it to be too complicated. After that – to be honest – I forgot about bitcoin. Bitwala: Bitcoin for mainstream In 2015 (bitcoin price was around $350), working as an Investment Manager for High-Tech Gründerfonds, I met the founders of Bitwala Jörg von Minckwitz and Jan Goslicki. Both bitcoin enthusiasts and early backers who raised my interest in Bitcoin again. They built a company to easily buy and spend bitcoin by doing SEPA payments and providing the customer with a debit card to withdraw cash and pay bills in many fiat currencies with bitcoin. By using the Bitwala debit card customers can pay any merchant with bitcoin that accepts debit cards (offline and online). It was one of the few applications that allowed mainstream users to interact with bitcoin and allowed them to spend money the way they were used to. It connected the blockchain to our established monetary system. Soon Bitwala will also offer fiat-to-fiat payments based on the blockchain without the user knowing that the payment is being settled in bitcoin. A transfer will for example go from Euro to Bitcoin, from Bitcoin to Yen in real-time at marginal cost. (Disclaimer: HTGF is a minority shareholder in Bitwala) The rationale of the investment was that the biggest obstacle for me and hence probably also for many others to join the cryptocurrency world was Bitcoin’s inferior usability. Besides that the offer of a cryptocurrency seems to be very attractive especially in a globalized tech-world due to the reasoning that is about to follow. The definition of money Before we explore Bitcoin further, I would like to remind you of the definition of money and how the established monetary system works: “money is a liquid asset used in the settlement of debts that functions based on the general acceptance of its associated value within an economy. The value of money is not necessarily derived from the materials used to produce the note or coin and, instead, derives based on the amount shown on its face partnered with the public’s willingness to support the value as displayed.” Money is always what people are accepting for a transaction. There has been a time where shells, food, animals or metals have been used. While coins were used for a long time, paper printing technology enabled the production of banknotes. People need to believe in a currency in order for its value to exist. In order to validate the value of money, the state has the juridical power to produce money and establish certain standards. The people have trusted established and powerful states to keep up the value of a currency. Manipulating the value of money Central banks possesses a monopoly on increasing the monetary base in the state. And unfortunately there has then always been the temptation for a state, its rulers and organs to manipulate the value of money when a commercial, economic or financial crises arose. Thus it is an old phenomenon that the state issued certain copper, silver or gold coins with a certain nominal value, but then regularly changed its valuable metal content by replacing it with a less valuable material. This so-called coin deterioration goes back to the ancient times on to the Middle Ages to modern times. This has then led to regular crisis in trust towards a currency. During those crises it has happened frequently that cities or banks gave out their own banknotes or bonds since certain groups enjoyed more confidence in them than in the currency backed by the state. For example, during the Great Depression in 1929 American cities issued their own banknotes to keep up the economic cycle. It has always been the central question which currency enjoys the most confidence. With the spread and networking of electronic technology, it is logical that money is produced and used electronically. For decades, state institutions, central banks and banks have been managing the monetary and fiscal system with computers. However, since economic crises continue to occur periodically (although attempts have been made to eliminate or at least dampen them by new procedures and institutions for many years), the old temptation of states, its institutions and politicians to manipulate money still exists. The old system of coin deterioration that was mentioned before has only taken on a new form, and has become easier with electronic systems. Coins don’t need to be monetized and bills don’t need be printed anymore. The push of a button can produce an unlimited amount of money. BUT: People still need to maintain their trust in “money”. Otherwise the whole monetary and economic system will not work anymore. As David Perry put it: “The problem is not a loss of money or credit, it’s a loss of trust.” While it usually takes a long time to build trust, it can collapse in a few seconds. Losing confidence in the system has always had severe consequences for the economic cycle. Therefore, central banks, governments, banks “manage” this confidence. Impact of artificially producing money The last major challenge was the sudden instability of the financial system in 2007/2008 with a very strong collapse of confidence by all market participants. Big banks were suddenly no longer willing to give other banks loans (not even for hours). Debt relationships between large participants of the financial system collapsed within a few hours so that huge claims became worthless. For example, the world’s largest insurer AIG was close to bankruptcy. Since AIG insured a majority of all airplanes, the air traffic would have come to a standstill and consequently this would have disrupted a lot of economic sectors. In order to restore confidence of major market participants, governments and central banks have immediately generated huge amounts of money by pressing the key of a button. AIG has received $86 billion and the state took over the majority of its shares. This was soon replicated by other states in a very short time to save other banks and insurance companies worldwide. Governments and central banks have ‘replaced’ the missing funds with money that has been ‘produced’ virtually. Obviously the question immediately arose: what impact will this artificially produced money have? A majority of people thought that this would result in a massive monetary devaluation. However, this fear has not been confirmed by the year 2017. Confidence in the state’s governing system of money was quickly restored, and it was even strengthened by the decisive actions of central banks. They are now regarded as omnipotent. Now, ten years after the crises, central banks continue to print money massively so that the confidence has been restored on the surface but the system is not stable. What cannot be ignored is that there has been massive inflation in asset classes such as equities, real estate and art (although the general cost of living fortunately has not dramatically increased). Even Deutsche Bank CEO John Cryan says that there are many signs for a bubble now in areas of the financial market where they would have never been expected and asks for an end of cheap money. Directly after the crises, a minority of people was left with doubt about the sustainability of the monetary system. For example, there were attempts to replace money bills with precious metals (e.g. gold, silver), a thousand-year-old form of money. From 2007 to 2011, precious metals have also enjoyed a huge increase in value. However, with the return of confidence in the state-controlled monetary system, metals lost their ground again. The rise of crypto-currencies Around the same time, the crypto currency Bitcoin has been invented due to the same distrust in the monetary system. The peer-to-peer system allows transactions to take place between users directly, without an intermediary, who usually would take a heavy toll on each transaction. Transactions are being verified by network nodes and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain. This means that Bitcoin is not controlled by any government, it is a decentralized digital currency without a central repository or administrator. A system that is based on mathematics to ensure the integrity of databases, seemed to offer a new way to produce money that could not be manipulated by the state or central banks. An introduction phase and wider usage of the cryptocurrency has increasingly strengthened the confidence of market players in the system. If people believe in a currency like Bitcoin it automatically has value as outlined above. If the belief fades the asset loses its value. Most people in the 21st century believe in technology and mathematics. In addition, Bitcoins are not being printed but produced through a minin process which has its costs. Hence, in contrast to money bitcoin has a value because it costs something to produce it (currently mining a bitcoin costs around $1.000) and it cannot be produced artificially by someone pressing a button since more computer power is needed. As explored above one of the main criticisms of our current monetary system is that central banks keep on producing money to service debt. With bitcoin that would not be possible since the number of bitcoins is limited and each new bitcoin has a cost to be produced. Three of the main characteristics of bitcoin are 1) it is hard to earn, 2) it is limited insupply and 3) it is easy to verify. Governments’ attention on Bitcoin The exponential growth in 2017 in this mathematically encrypted money and its independent possibility to create money outside the sphere of the influence of governments and central banks is now evoking their attention. There might be thus a possible problem in the management of trust in national currencies. In the next periodic financial and / or economic crisis, market participants might be able to move into crypto currencies and the management of trust in money issued by the state could be made more difficult. At the same time, some market participants realized that more crypto-currencies can be used to create new money (and also power new services) through Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) – not much different from money, which in the past has been issued by individual cities or banks (“alternative currencies”). Now this is being done in a new, electronic way. The intrinsic characteristic of Bitcoin allows it to be a truly global currency. It is logical that controlling states like China (and also the US especially since 9/11) are either forbidding, weakening or regulating Bitcoin. It is a threat to any centralized banking system that it is losing control of the monetary system as well as for Banks since they are losing their margins for operating as middlemen. With bitcoin neither of them is needed nor would they have centralized power. This is why J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon is saying “Bitcoin is a fraud” and why the SEC is working on regulating Bitcoin. The number one reason why Bitcoin does not have a higher value yet (besides the usability) is because the established system is against it. Every upcoming crisis and the resilience of bitcoin during those times will show that the people will trust crypto more than the government and the established system. Looking at the market capitalizations of currencies, stock markets and tech companies, Bitcoin plays a small role. But it gets a lot of attention due to its disrupting implications on the monetary system. Hence the debate is much more fundamental and philosophical than what price Bitcoin can reach (almost $5.000 in September 2017). The question is whether people will be allowed to control the monetary system democratically or whether the power will stick with centralized organizations like states and banks. Libertarian people should actually have a clear answer to that. Or is a debt paid a kept friend? PS: For learning more about to the history of Bitcoin, getting to know the movement and the regulatory position, I can highly recommend the Netflix documentary ‘Banking on Bitcoin’ Zur Autorin Chiara Sommer ist Senior Investment Manager beim High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF). Die Wirtschaftswissenschaftlerin und Gründerin eines Online-Beratungs-Startups hat umfassende Erfahrungen im Bereich Marketing, Produktentwicklung, Business Development / Sales, Fundraising und Corporate Finance. Die primären Investitionsfelder sind Marktplätze, Apps, SaaS und Fintech. Kennt Ihr schon unseren #StartupTicker? Der #StartupTicker berichtet tagtäglich blitzschnell über die deutsche Start-up-Szene. Schneller geht nicht! Startup-Jobs: Auf der Suche nach einer neuen Herausforderung? In der unserer Jobbörse findet Ihr Stellenanzeigen von Startups und Unternehmen. Foto (oben): Shutterstock

Going with God to #OML2017

So I thought I would give you guys a little background info on my personality so you can understand my thoughts and actions better. I am a very shy person and I tend to hide that fact by being confidence. I am the last of five kids so I'm use to being part of groups where I never really had to do any the talking, figuring things out, etc. I don’t go out very often. I rather stay in and make, read, or watch anime. That being said here’s what’s was going through my mind when I went to attend the Our Maker Life 2017 Toronto Canada event.

Thursday (July 13, 2017) I left everything I knew behind to head to a country that I never been to, to meet a bunch of people I only knew from an online site. And although it was scarey it was an amazing experience. It had it's ups and downs but mostly a lot of firsts. It was the first time I took public transportation, an uber, and attended a knit night. This weekend I met complete strangers who turned into friends and people I felt like I known for years; only through their social media pages! What really loved about the whole experience was that everyone was exactly how they were online. Down below are my thoughts and feelings on the whole trip. Well at least my before and afters.

 Pre-trip thoughts:

I’m really looking forward to going on this trip. I’ve always wanted to travel but I never had a traveling partner. I’m hoping by going on this trip alone I will gain the confidence I need to start traveling on my own and also reach the point where I can live on my own in another state or country with minimal problems. It’s kind of weird going to a place where I don’t know anyone and will be on my own most of the time. Of course, there are the other makers that will be there but I have not met any of them offline before. It seems surreal to me that in an hour I’ll be on my way to the airport then eventually on a plane and leaving behind all that I’ve come to know in these last 17-24 years. It feel almost as if there will be a part of me that I’ll be leaving behind to die because when I get back I feel as though I will not it recognize it and it me. “The old has pass away.” My sister, Andie, said to me once, and I’m paraphrasing; “Living on your own is hard but you learn and experience so much. That makes it all worth it.” And my mentor told to me, “Being on your own is a bit surreal. Out there you’re all alone. Just you and God.”

My family is panicking because I am the youngest of the bunch and we usually always travel together. They’re worried and I just keep telling myself that, that’s what they are suppose to do. After all, they all love traveling in groups. I, however, found out that I love being alone so traveling alone seems like something that’s completely obvious, it’s funny because I didn’t find that little fact out until just last year. A lot of stuff changed last year;

2016:

Jan - I started going to a new church

July - I went to a concert out of town with a friend

Sept - I went to a concert out of town on my own while visiting a friend

Nov - I met up with a small group from my church to go a concert

2017

Jan - June - Attended a bunch of different events my church was hosting; I haven’t made any friends yet so I’m usually alone. (Don’t get me wrong everyone at the church is sweet and helpful. I just haven’t found a buddy that I can hang with regularly.)

July - Going out of the country on my own to meet up with a group of friends

The Lord has guided me through all the new experiences and I believe that he will guide me and make my path straight to get to where he wants me to go. And the best part in the midst of all of this is that I am enjoying life. He has come to give us life to the fullest! No matter where you are. For I have plans for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.

I did have to give myself a pep talk when I got nervous when I was in Canada though you can read about it here.

Pre-Trip Exceptions:

Weather: Cool but not freezing. Says it’s suppose to rain maybe. I brought an umbrella just in case.

Plane Ride: Long but I will keep myself entertained

Hotel: Nothing fancy and no wifi but it’s a great deal though. All I need is a roof and a bed.

Knit Night: I won’t know anyone and I might not make any new friends. But I will give lots of hugs.

Meet up: I should take notes. I’ll bring a notebook I might need to bring a bigger bag though. I will give lots of hugs.

Last Thoughts: So excited to go on this trip. My greatest fear is forgetting something but it’s okay because I can also buy what I don’t have. But still why buy when you can save?

 Post Trip thoughts:

It was loads of fun & I wouldn't trade it for the world. I definitely feel more confident with traveling on my own. Whenever I was nervous about something I simply prayed about it and that calmed me down. It almost felt like I’m been traveling for the longest. It felt so natural. I was able to easily communicate with people; even complete strangers! (That’s really big for me!) I checked in the hotel, I took public transportation; a bus and two trains to downtown all on my own! & I didn’t forget anything. The only downside was that I didn’t plan any sightseeing. Other than that I had a fantastic time. I even started planning my next trip as I was getting off the plane from Canada. I’m thinking at least one trip every 6-7 months.

Post Trip Reality:

Weather: It was really nice. Not nearly as hot as Florida it was more of a dry heat; which is so much better than a wet heat. It was chilly when the sun went down but nothing that I needed a winter coat for. Also no rain!

Plane Ride: Ascending sucked because my ears popped like crazy. The descent wasn’t too bad. I had my knitting with me so they time flew by. When I was flying back t; maybe it’s because I haven’t flew since 2008. Coming back was a breeze though; I was asleep (or trying to sleep) for most of the time; my flight was in the AM.

Hotel: There was wifi and my room was amazing. & I had it all to myself.

Knit Night: As soon as I sat down people started talking to me and I made good friends. It felt as though we knew with other even though we didn’t follow each other on Instagram. I suppose it’s because we had things in common.

Meet up: I took a few notes.The notebook fit into my smaller bag good thing to because we receive so much swag. The swag bag were seriously so big. I’m thinking I’ll contribute to next year’s swag. I also fangirled at everyone I knew.

Last Thoughts: Basically had the best time of my life. I’m seriously already looking forward to next year & planning out my vacation. Praise God that I can say all of this. Seriously God has blessed me and built me up to this point and He deserves all the glory.

Now enjoy these fabulous pictures:

My first ever Knit Night! These ladies were so welcoming! Shout out to Courtney (@ilovetinderbox), Ania (@creativecolourfuldreams), Zoe (@knitbyzoe), Lauren (@amenagerieofstitches)  and Luna (@luna.craft).

Sarah from @repeatcrafterme was the first one I took a picture with. I was talking with her for a good 5-10 mins and it wasn’t until we exchanged social media handles that I knew who she was. She is amazing!

Jewell from @Northknits She knew who I was before I even introduced myself. She’s the founder of OML & a great speaker. You should listen to her Instagram lives!

OMGOMGOMG  Brittany of @bhooked I fangirled so hard. She sounds just like her podcast. If you haven’t listened to them here’s the link. She taught me how to shop good deals for yarn.

Chantal from @Knitatude She’s real you guys! & she’s exactly as she is online.

Alison from @la.reserve.designs She’s the reason I block my projects, y’all.

Ashley of @ashleyerikadesigns was sweet.

I can’t believe I got to meet Emily of @thebluemouse_ I wish we got to talk more!

Vanessa (@vanessaknits) and I are the same size! She was also the first one I hugged when I got to Canada!

From left to right: Vanessa (@vanessaknits) Chelsea (@chelsea_knit_photography) & Tristan (@theartrist) These ladies are amazing and so kind!

Twining is wining! Love this picture I got to take with Kelly of @Knitbrooks

Last but not least. Toni from (@Tlyarncraft )Shes does it all guys. She’s a big part of the reason Ohmyknit.com exist today!

Now for the fancy pictures. I stole this from Our Marker Life’s facebook page, shhh.

Speaking with Toni. #bestillmyheart

When I won one of the giveaways. It was literally my first time winning a giveaway. (Did I mention that I made my cardigan and skirt. Both knitted.) Cardigan is a longer version of the Cropped Raglan Sweater by Lion Brand The skirt is of my own design.

Talking with Ashley and fangirling. I see you too Courtney! Courtney (@ilovetinderbox) was my Toronto “tour guide” I had Indian Food for the first time with her and Lauren (@amenagerieofstitches)

Caught me off guard in this one. #forevertouchingmyhair

I saw this one coming lol. It’s @knitterei beside me! Can you believe I was sitting beside her for hours and didn’t know until I saw her social media handle on her name tag.

Group shot, groups shot! Can you spot me or any of your favorite makers?

Here they are, the OML Dream Team! From left to right: Alison (@la.reserve.designs) Kelly (@Knitbrooks) Jewell (@Northknits) Nathan (@loopnthreads) & Kathleen (@country.pine.designs) I got to take pictures with 3 out of the 5. Next year for sure I will take all the pictures!