by AnnSheybani | Aug 1, 2017 | Life, Reading
I had lunch sometime back with an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. Both oddballs in high school, we’d dreamed of baking bread together when we graduated, raising sheep, and starting a commune in rural Vermont. She’d do the wool spinning and... by AnnSheybani | Jul 16, 2017 | Life, Reading
Walt and I are up in New Hampshire getting certified in Wilderness First Responder Medicine, WFR, for short. That way if one of us breaks a leg or develops a pneumothorax (note: this is me showing off) when we’re off the grid, we’ll have a reasonable... by AnnSheybani | Jun 27, 2017 | Life, Reading
Like a junkie with a 14-gauge needle, my mother used books to blot out reality. Curled up in her chair, immersed in a novel, she ceased to be aware of anyone or anything around her. When she put her book down, exposed herself to the rage and tension that contaminated... by AnnSheybani | Jun 4, 2017 | Life, Writing
I think about my arch nemesis–efficiency–a lot when I’m on a mountain. Day in and day out, carrying one load up to a higher camp, going back down for another. Breaking camp in the morning, setting it back up all over again at night. Going up an... by AnnSheybani | May 28, 2017 | Life, Reading
I’m learning to drive all over again in Ireland. This doesn’t sound like a big deal, I know, but it feels death defying. Most of the time, I pretty much want to scream and cry, or blame my misery on horrible Walt. Smug Walt. Gasp-y Walt. The Irish, for whatever... by AnnSheybani | May 22, 2017 | Life
I’m in France right now as I write. Nearly 12 years to the day I took the bike trip described herein. I thought I’d share this with you again, mostly because it feels so relevant to me at the moment. About ten years ago, I took my first vacation alone, a...
