Huzzah! A Day at the Ren Fair

Huzzah! A Day at the Ren Fair

September 8, 2025

Picture it: England, 1539.

This weekend, I checked another challenge off of my "25 Hard Things in 2025" list by taking a trip back in time at the Maryland Renaissance Festival! 

I've never been to a Ren Fair before, so I'm lucky that I have friends with some impressive Renaissance, theater, and LARPing pedigrees to show me the ropes: Tessa is a curator of historic textiles and dress and worked for years as a historic reenactor; Sam is a theater buff and talented seamstress (picture quoting Shakespeare from memory and sewing her own costume); Julia is one of the most well-read people I know, especially when it comes to Medieval and Renaissance poetry, and grew up going to the Maryland festival; and Corrine is a theater professional, playwright, and—the pièce de résistance—spent the first part of this summer working as a Ren faire cast member! They had us in stitches when they adopted their town crier persona to read the official lore of this year's festival on the drive up. (I had no idea so much happened in 1539!)

We visited the festival during Myth & Magic Weekend and tried to dress appropriately. My Celtic-ish coronet was the most overtly themed part of my ensemble, although the dried orange slices hanging from my ears felt vaguely magical(?). Tessa dressed much more on-theme as Strega Nona, replete with her magical pasta pot full of never-ending spaghetti (aka yards of stringy white yarn). Corrine and Sam stitched their own tops, an incredibly impressive feat, and I loved Sam's big purple wizard hat. 

Admiring the costumes worn by other patrons is a major activity at the Faire. We saw vikings, plague doctors chasing plague-infested rats, fairies, princesses, knights, barons, wizards, pirates, bananas, centaurs, dragons, serfs, burlap sacks, Fiona and Shrek, and the Pope. 

Eating is another major pastime and I was pleasantly surprised by the variety available. We'd been at the festival for maybe 10 minutes before Corrine and I stumbled upon the pickle and pretzel cart. Obviously a walking pickle was in order. The heat was particularly brutal in the sun on Saturday and, as I discovered during the Cap2Cap, pickles are quite hydrating! 

Over the course of the day, we also tucked into some funnel cake fries as we watched two fools perform a pantomime, tried to stay cool with ice cream sandwiches and pink lemonade, and enjoyed a lunch of spinach and meat pies, fried jalapeño mac and cheese bites, a scotch egg, and a (quite suggestive looking, might I add) sausage on a stick. 

I've been a pescatarian for over 10 years now. Still, there is something quite compelling about the idea of a turkey leg! I was genuinely hoping one of the meat-eaters of our party would enjoy one so I could live vicariously through them, but it was too hot to eat such a large quantity of food. Sigh. Another dream deferred.

There are so many things to see and do at the festival and we only scratched the surface! We caught some of Jacques ze Whipper's midday show, lobbed insults against the King, had our fortunes read by the Mayoress, and perused as many of the adorable shops that dot the landscape as possible. Unlike some other fairs (apparently), Maryland's festival grounds are permanent, meaning the buildings and structures stay up year-round and the shops move in every year. I really like that element because it lends a more immersive feeling to the whole event. I feel like I didn't see too many people on their phones as we walked around, either, which was really nice.

My favorite event, hands-down, was the joust. Challenged by a visiting Andalusian princess, four champions on horseback vied to win a map to El Dorado, the legendary City of Gold. A campy storyline to be sure, but there is nothing staged about the action in the arena when the mounted knights actually compete for the favor of the crowd. Tessa, Sam, & I went hoarse rooting for Prince Miguel. He might've been the contender assigned to our section, but I'm completely unbiased when I laud his undeniable charisma and the enviable fruit of his haircare routine. 

Not long after we ended our food tour through Revel Grove with frozen bananas dipped in chocolate and covered with chopped Maraschino cherries, enjoyed while we took in Ses Carny's daredevil knife show, the skies opened up and sweet, cool rain drenched us. It was a welcome relief after such a hot, dusty day on our feet, TBH, and we giggled all the way to the car.

In an ideal world, we would've stayed longer. The shows get bawdier as the day goes on, obviously the weather is cooler, and the final joust of the day is, apparently, a FIGHT TO THE DEATH. Alas! We had a long drive back home to Richmond and we were all pretty pooped. There's a reason the fair apparently gets more crowded in October, when the weather is cooler (although tickets for this weekend sold out after just 24 hours!). 

What is a group of tired, hungry, rain-soaked Ren Fest goers to do but seek the nearest stack of pancakes? And so we did! 

We were about halfway home by the time we pulled into this IHOP and everyone was extremely normal about encountering four damp sorceresses from the 14th century. I can't explain why, but group breakfast-for-dinner at the end of a singular event (ren fest, choir concert, theater show, tech rehearsal, swim meet etc.) has a unique patina of hilarity, absurdity, and meaning. You can feel yourself creating a memory that you'll feel nostalgia for while you're still in it, you know? 

That night at IHOP was like that—the four of us tucked into a slightly too-small booth so we were pressed close together, cupping mugs of tea, tucking into mozzarella sticks, waffles, pancakes, and veggie sausage as we laughed, shared stories, and bantered with the bemused waitstaff. I feel so warm when people from different parts of my life come together and get along like a house on fire...I'm so grateful to know & love such cool, creative, intelligent people!

Maryland Renaissance Festival, I'll definitely be back. 

A Weekend in New York

A Weekend in New York

August 24, 2025

In June, I hopped back on my old pal, Amtrak's Northeast Regional, for a long weekend in New York. My friend, Erin, joined me on the train as it passed through Baltimore and we gabbed about how excited we were to be going home. 

E & I met when we taught 9th grade ELA together in Manhattan.

She's always had this effortlessly cool energy that makes me feel like her overexcited little sister. Not because of anything she does! She just has this unflappable exterior that exudes a very integral element of chill. It's (part of) what makes her a really fantastic teacher; kids love consistency, and our students knew they could rely on her steadiness even amidst the turbulence of the pandemic. 

Erin was already teaching 9th grade ELA at our school when I joined the team, and she was so patient with me, a baby-faced recent grad trying to embody any element of authority in front of the classroom. She made me a better teacher with simple, direct reflections and tips, and her creativity was unmatched when trying to brainstorm ways to engage our students in the books we read with them. 

I love gabbing with her about...anything, really, but especially books, contemporary trends in education, and what she's listening to lately. Her music taste is unparalleled, as is her sense of humor. One of my favorite memories involves the two of us laughing literally to the point of tears streaming down our faces while sitting on the floor of my classroom after school. Or the time she literally changed my life when we went to New Jersey just so we could go to the Cheesecake Factory and Erin introduced me to the magic that is their Four Cheese Pasta. (Erin's a lifelong vegetarian—another thing that's just f*cking COOL.) Needless to say, I was pumped to spend the weekend catching up and exploring our old haunts. 

Our first stop was Tacombi for piña coladas, esquites, and tacos. It's probably the nostalgia, or the insane price tag, but I feel like I can genuinely taste a difference when I'm eating back in the city. Unfortunately, I am one of those assholes that proclaim the superiority of NYC bagels and pizza dough. (It's the water!!)

On our first night back in the city, Erin & I decided to pop into The Morgan Library & Museum. Neither of us had been before, and it turned out to be a free entry day! 

The library is gorgeous, all stained glass and lush mahogany wood, filled to the brim with rich paintings and, naturally, thousands of books. Three of the books in The Morgan's collection are Gutenberg bibles—three! The Morgan is the only museum in the world to have that many copies. It was rather astonishing to come across a copy of the ancient text rather casually encased next to a breathtaking edition of Charles Dickens. 

On Saturday, Erin and I made a beeline for old stomping grounds in Brooklyn. We picked up our usual orders from Bagel Pub, took a spin through the Saturday market in Grand Army Plaza, where I sadly did not see my pickle guy (I've been yearning for his wasabi dills since I left the city over 3 years ago), and settled on our favorite bench in Prospect Park.

Prospect Park is one of my absolute favorite places on Earth. My life in Brooklyn revolved around that park. I've been witness to the countless weddings, quinceañeras, memorial services, baby showers, birthday parties, little league games, marathons, pot lucks, open mic nights, frisbee tournaments, dog shows, Bible studies, Mommy & me classes, Tai Chi lessons, roving stand up comedy shows, improv practices, photoshoots, picnics, pick-up soccer matches, & going-away parties (including my own!) held on the regs in the park.

Taking a little walk down Prospect Park memory lane...

Baby Kate's first-ever time in Prospect Park! I think I'd lived in the city for 5 minutes by this point.

I love this photo of me saying goodbye to my friend, Allie, because my face looks like a cartoon character but I was genuinely trying not to cry

Erin & I sat in the park for hours, watching the old neighborhood go by. Eventually, we got up and made our way to the Brooklyn Flea—a Dumbo mecca for all the Brooklyn hipsters. (I had forgotten in my time away that you really can clock the borough where someone lives based on their outfit...sometimes down to the specific neighborhood or cross-streets. Imagine a lineup of tote bags from people that live in Chelsea, Bushwick, FiDi, LIC, and Washington Heights and you'll see exactly what I mean.) We also popped into powerHouse books, where I picked up a copy of Brigid Brophy's The King of a Rainy Country. (Review coming soon—TLDR: WOW!!)

Even though Erin and I once literally walked home from school across the Manhattan bridge (only took us ~4 hours), neither of us are used to how much walking you do by simply existing in New York anymore. We absolutely collapsed upon our return to the hotel room and decided to settle in for a night of scary movies & pizza. 

Erin and I returned to the city for another reason besides Prospect Park: we had Sunday tickets to Gov Ball! 

I've been to Gov Ball once before—it's where I discovered my undying love for MUNA. Sunday's lineup this year was stellar, including Raye, Clairo, Glass Animals (!), and Hozier (!!). The looming rain (mostly) held off and we bopped for HOURS, noshing on ice cream sandwiches and pierogis. Even the heat, which had been pretty punishing the day before, wasn't overwhelming in the massive crowd. 

I know I'm conforming to the stereotype of being yet another non-native New Yorker who lived in the city for a brief stint in her twenties and talks for the rest of her life about being "forever changed" by her time in the city, but.....oh well! I still think about the Miriam Adenay quote I used when posting the pictures from my goodbye party several years ago:  “You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.” 

I'm not itching to move back to New York, necessarily, but there is something to be said for the first place you get the chance to build your own life completely from scratch as a young adult. It's like your first kiss, first love, first pet, first anything of value—it'll always hold a special place in your heart. And how lucky for me that I still get to visit that love (alongside the people I love)?! I <3 you, New York. See you soon.

A Weeknight Wedding

A Weeknight Wedding

June 3, 2025

I'm not sure when I became old enough to have friends my age get married, but I digress...

Elisa was the very first person I knew in college

We first connected through the Facebook group that William & Mary setup for incoming freshman students in our class. People posted little intro blurbs about themselves in hopes of finding a compatible roommate. I have absolutely zero memory of what I wrote except for a passing mention that I'm a fan of Criminal Minds. Luckily for me, that's all it took! We started chatting and quickly realized our mutual love of food, napping, and, obviously, Spencer Reid.

The first photo we ever took together outside of our freshman dorm :') Please ignore my t*es and (melting) blue hair. (Literally, it was so hot during orientation that my blue hair permanently stained my white pillowcases. Ah, well.) 

El and I spent that whole year falling asleep while chattering to each other and giggling in our absurdly lofted beds. Coming home to a friend at the end of the day made freshman year so much less scary. Even though we didn't live together after that, we remained close.

I've always admired El for her kind, easygoing, and generous nature. She's never turned down someone in need and always has space to hold big, little, (and even ridiculous) feelings expressed by her loved ones (aka me, when I would freak out about something small). We've always just...clicked. During sophomore year, she came over to celebrate my birthday and we both ended up taking naps together, me in my (again) lofted bed and her on our guest camping mattress on the floor. Ah, dorm life.

Elisa's smile is infectious and she can make me laugh in an instant. Over the years, we've developed our own kind of ESP so that we can make eye contact from across a room and have an entire conversation without words—often ending in fits of giggles. When she FaceTimed me in the fall to share the news of her engagement, I cried.

Seniors, back where it all began...

Elisa and Driscoll have been friends at least as long as we have, if not longer. I met Driscoll in freshman year, too, when he used to come by to hang out with El or pick her up to head out for an event. Even then, I had my suspicions about the two of them. "We're just friends!!" (Famous last words.) Their relationship has always made sense—Driscoll is kind, patient, and funny, and their individual connections to their faith are made even deeper by their connection to each other.

In May, Elisa & Driscoll officially tied the knot!

I started crying as soon as El and her father started down the aisle...and honestly didn't stop for the entire ceremony. I know every bride looks breathtaking on her wedding day, but there's something incredibly special about witnessing the union of someone you've been lucky enough to grow up alongside. 

Over the past (nearly) 10 years, we've seen each other begin college, change majors 4+ times (ahem....3+ of which were Elisa's...that talented lady has a brain for science, music, and languages, and had a hell of a time figuring out which one to focus on!), graduate college amid a global pandemic, move to new cities, begin careers, and, now, get married! She is my sister and I was so blessed to watch her embark on this next part of her journey.

Elisa & Driscoll's reception was on a rooftop, where I got to reconnect with some of her family that I haven't seen in ages, befriend some spunky extended family members (my favorite part of every wedding, TBH—seat me at the crazy aunt table, please and thanks), and chitty chat the night away with fellow W&M alums. Weddings are always fun, but this one will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Cheers to the Taylors!

Camping in Ocracoke

Camping in Ocracoke

May 27, 2025

Over Memorial Day weekend, Gravy and I escaped to Ocracoke, one of the southernmost islands in the Outer Banks chain. Even though I grew up on the Outer Banks, I've never been south of Chicamacomico before! I was excited to explore this new territory (and test out all the new camping gear I received over the holidays).

Friday, May 23

After work, Gravel and I headed for my childhood home. Mom & I moved to North Carolina with my grandparents when I was six, and I spent a solid chunk of my childhood running around the sand dunes and being scared of the ocean. (Once, Mom sent me to a weeklong surf camp alongside my friend, Gracie. While Gracie was learning how to paddle out past the break with the other campers, I was sitting safely on the sand making castles. Even as a kid, I was highly demand avoidant.) 

Even after Mom & I left the OBX, it remained my home. Until recently, my bedroom still had all of my childhood memorabilia on the walls—notably, rows of swim ribbons, faded Michael Phelps posters, and a giant pink butterfly. I lived with my grandparents for consecutive summers in college, lifeguarding at the local waterpark and working as a camp counselor at a local yoga studio, and our family has celebrated most of our Christmases over the past 15 years there.

My grandparents, now blessed to be well into their 80s, recently decided to move closer to family. That unfortunately means my beloved childhood home has hit the market. Gravel and I spent Friday night sleeping on the four seasons porch where I used to pretend to host royal tea and try to avoid my piano practice. I fell asleep to the sounds of waves lapping against the rocks and woke to mourning doves cooing.

I'm grateful I got the chance to say a proper goodbye to the bedroom that saw me grow up, the kitchen where my grandmother fried chicken for my visiting friends and flipped more pancakes than I could ever remember, the boat dock out back where I confessed my first love, and my grandfather's beloved koi pond and pepper garden. It was also a useful starting point for Gravel & I's journey to Ocracoke on Saturday morning!

Saturday, May 24

Image credit

Navigating the OBX is delightfully easy. There is, in effect, 1 road, and you can either go north or south. So, Gravy Boat and I got in the car and went south. And south. And south some more. We eventually made it to the southern tip of Hatteras, where we got on the ferry to Ocracoke. Gravel's first time on a boat!

We made it to the island in the morning and campground check-in wasn't until 3pm, so we stopped to pick up some more ice for the cooler and hit the beach. Gravy's first time at the beach! I finished the book I started on the ferry: Vauhini Vara's Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age. I was OBSESSED with Vauhini's novel The Immortal King Rao when I first read it in summer 2023, and even though it didn't make it into my thesis, the novel was—and still is!—a huge inspiration for me. This book is part-nonfiction, part-memoir (full review of all the books I read this weekend coming soon). 

After a couple of hours baking in the sun, Gravel & I needed something to help us cool down. Into the village we went! Ocracoke is a delightfully small community and most people navigate the village on bikes or golf carts (or on foot). The tiny town is populated with the cutest pottery, smoothie, apothecary, and handmade souvenir shops, not to mention all the waterfront fresh seafood restaurants. 

I was lucky to find a parking spot outside Moonraker Tea Shop. The walls of this adorable shop are lined with jars of loose leaf tea blends and I was in heaven bopping from jar to jar, sniffing to my little heart's content. I purchased a few ounces of 2 different tea blends—a "limoncello" white tea and a coconut(!) black tea blend. I've never tried coconut tea but it smelled divine. 

I also had to try the shop's famous magic lemonade—bright purple, with glitter, and it changes color! It was the refreshing pick-me-up I needed. Then, Gravy and I popped next door into Books To Be Red, an adorable local bookshop. Gravel, ever the attention lover, likes to sing when she's in the backpack and there are other people around. She did it the entire time we hiked around the Grand Canyon and I have to admit I found it very funny to watch tired hikers question their sanity when they kept hearing a cat meow but couldn't (yet) see her. In this tiny shop, though, I was a little embarrassed about her chirping, but everyone in the shop seemed to find it adorable and cooed over her. 

I picked up a copy of Shel Silverstein's Falling Up and Donna Tartt's The Secret History. I've never read that one of Donna's, but I adored Shel's work as a kid. I remember poring over Where The Sidewalk Ends for hours, and I wanted to add him back to my collection. Over the past year or so, I've been more consciously collecting books here and there for a future child's library. Nothing crazy! I picked up a picture book at the Badlands when I was there in the fall, a beautiful fairytale anthology at the recent library sale, and now this poetry collection. 

The village is full of little gems like this, my alter ego

By the time we were done shopping, it was time to set up camp! We settled into our site quickly and I dug into my next read of the weekend: Eowyn Ivey's Black Woods Blue Sky. I've been struggling with my fiction reads lately, but this one blew me away! Set in rural Alaska, the major plot twist of this novel is revealed to us early on, but that doesn't lower the tension at all. I highly recommend it. 

Sunday, May 25

We may have reached the mid-80s during the day on Saturday, but the frequent ocean breezes made for cool nights and I found Gravel dozing in her sleeping bag on Sunday morning. We enjoyed some breakfast and morning yoga before heading just over the dune to the beach.

Sunday's read was all about one novel: Madeleine Thien's Do Not Say We Have Nothing. This tome takes place during the Chinese cultural revolution, from the rise of Mao Zedong through the massacre at Tiananmen Square. Artfully written, this one is in the running for my favorite read of 2025! 

After a few hours enjoying the sun, I was in the mood for a sweet treat. Gravy and I headed back to the village for a scoop of mint chocolate chip from Fig Tree Bakery & Deli. I'm not a regular cash carrier and Fig Tree has a $10 minimum, so I also treated myself to some of their fresh tuna salad. I cannot remember ever having said this sentence before, but...that tuna salad kinda changed my life?! It was SO good? Wow. I wish I had more, tbh. Next time you're in Ocracoke, don't sleep on the Fig Tree tuna salad.

Back at camp, Gravel and I were tuckered out from the sun and settled in for a lengthy nap. When I woke up, I dove right back into Madeleine's novel. The sun set slowly on Sunday, and Gravy & I enjoyed lazing on the grass, reading, doing sudoku, and cooking a yummy dinner. 

The campground was full, so nighttime ambiance consisted of lots of laughter, kids racing each other on bikes, dogs wagging their sandy tails as they walked their owners past, and the smell of everyone cooking on charcoal grills. In other words, pure heaven. Monday morning, Gravy and I woke to the sound of rain drumming against the tent and we quickly packed our things to begin the (I'll admit it) lengthy drive home. We spent ~9 hours in the car on Sunday, and I was absolutely dead on my feet by the time I could finally lie down in my bed again. And it was entirely worth it.

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A Week in the Life: May 2025

A Week in the Life: May 2025

May 19, 2025

I'm not sure if it's because I'm 27 this year and thus beginning to enter my Saturn return or what, but lately I have been feeling extremely grounded & engaged and happy that I'm spending my time very intentionally. How joyous is that?!

Saturday, May 10

Cap2Cap 2025, baby! As soon as the snow melts in the spring, you can find me biking along the Virginia Capital Trail and grinning ear-to-ear. Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the Cap2Cap ride, an annual community fundraiser. Last year, I couldn't participate because the ride fell on my graduation day, and I was thrilled to be back in it this time around! Luckily this ride was far less eventful than my first. In 2023, before I had even made it officially onto to the trail itself, I crashed and flipped over my bike, pinning myself underneath it. I then rode 50 miles actively bleeding on a bike stuck in top gear. Good times! 

I digress. A few weeks ago, my friend Alexis and I discovered over a catch-up dinner that we had both registered for the Cap2Cap Half Century and decided to do the ride together. Was I mildly bananas for agreeing to accompany a cycling instructor on an endurance bike ride? Yes. Would I do it again? Absolutely! 

Alexis and I decided to do an out-and-back 50 mile itinerary and we found ourselves pedaling alongside families, amateur cycling teams, and adorable duos on tandem bikes. The weather was absolutely perfect—a cloudless sky with very cool breezes, so we never worried about being overheated. We stopped at refueling stations for vital nutrient support; along the way, I tucked into fruit gummies, potato wedges, brownies (I've been dreaming about these since my last Cap2Cap, no lie), M&Ms, and pickle juice.

Some friends came to see Alexis and I off at the beginning of the trail & met us at the turnaround point, and still others were waiting for us at the finish line! It was so sweet to feel so surrounded by love. I spent the rest of the day soaking my sore quads in an epsom salt bath and eating pizza on my yoga mat. A 10/10 way to spend a Saturday, I think. 

Sunday, May 11

Sunday was Mother's Day! In the grand tradition of only daughters, I took no pictures with Mom on the day, but we had a lovely time. I baked us a pear and cardamom cake with fresh vanilla whipped cream that we tucked into after a lovely meal of shrimp paella and crusty French bread. 

Food is a love language for my mom & I. Some of our best memories revolve around food and it's usually at the dinner table that we have our Big Conversations™. I came out to my mother at an ice cream parlor in the Dominican Republic. Over the past few months, we've been talking through my breakup healing process over plates of pasta, homemade pizza, and salmon risotto. 

Though nowhere near as sore as I was in 2023, I was still definitely feeling the #effects of the Cap2Cap on Sunday, so it worked really well for me that Mom wanted to stay home. After destroying the kitchen as we baked and cooked, we watched the first couple episodes of Natasha Lyonne's Poker Face—so good!! 

Monday, May 12

The Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is part of VCU, where I earned my Master's degree. Even though I am no longer a student there, I still teach weekly yoga classes on campus and the occasional private lesson for VCU-affiliated organizations. 

I was really honored to be able to teach a mindfulness seminar at Massey on Monday. We practiced a few rounds of guided meditation, discussed the latest research on mindfulness and the brain, and practiced strategies for integrating mindfulness & meditation into daily life.

Tuesday, May 13

Turns out, I have no photos related to my current yoga practice...

Throughout the various stages of my adult life, yoga has been a consistent way I find a great deal of purpose serving my community. I earned my 200RYT certification and began teaching while I was an undergraduate at William & Mary. Then, I taught free yoga classes with The Phoenix organization when I lived in New York, and I've been teaching at VCU since moving to Richmond! 

Thankfully the looming rain held off for my walk to the gym for my classes on Tuesday night. I'm enchanted by my twilight walks to and from the gym. I pass several churches on my way, and often I am walking past when the bells start tolling the hour. There's something about a tolling bell that resonates inside my bones...some ancestral Catholic DNA, maybe? I digress.

Wednesday, May 14

Thunderstorms are my favorite meteorological phenomenon. I remember waking up one hot summer night when I was very young to the sound of what I could only describe as the sky breaking open. My family was all together in our house at the beach and I woke up alone and frightened. The storm continued to pitch as I gathered my courage to venture into the hallway. To this day, I don't know why I didn't continue downstairs to my mother's room. Instead, I walked to the living room down the hallway on the second floor, where I found my grandfather sitting silently on the couch, enraptured by the storm. I joined him and together we watched the lightning flash against an angry purple sky, illuminating the churning ocean that had been calm enough to splash in just a few hours before. The thunder was no less booming here, but I felt safe sitting with Pop. Eventually, I fell asleep there, lightning, thunder, and all. 

Needless to say, I love thunderstorms. A low, crackling one set upon Richmond on Wednesday night, and I was all too happy to curl up with some takeout sushi and watch the lightning flash through my windows. 

Thursday, May 15

After work on Thursday, Gravy and I hopped in the car and headed for Williamsburg, where I grabbed a quick dinner with my friend, Caleb. Councilman Caleb and I have been friends since we served as Orientation Aides together our senior year (#longliveYates). He is funny, thoughtful, and practically 8 feet tall, which comes in handy a lot more often than I'd think. 

I'm consistently awed by Caleb. Elected to the Williamsburg City Council during our senior year, Caleb's commitment to making a tangible difference on the people and world around him is palpable in everything he does. I wrote frequently in my Master's thesis about my propensity for materiality—my need to research, discuss, and implement ideas that could bridge the gap between theory and reality, make a real impact—and I've come to realize that a great deal of that drive is nurtured by my friendship with Caleb. My current mission is convincing him to bike across the great state of Iowa with me (and Gravel) next summer. He's already biked across Virginia, so....?!

After dinner, I raced over to my friend Tessa's (with a quick stop at Target for the sleepover essentials: peach rings & sugar cookies). I was late for the season finale of the ABC show 911!! I have not watched a single other episode, but Tessa is part of an avid watch group and I was delighted to be invited to join them on this grand occasion. Sadly, the episode itself was pretty underwhelming...? I've heard recaps of several 911 plots over the years and they could've done better, IMO. 

Friday, May 16

Throwback to my own William & Mary graduation, where I was honored to serve as the student commencement speaker

On Friday, I got to do something incredibly special! I am a proud alumna of William & Mary and last year, I was thrilled to join the advisory board for our queer alumni group. Because my own commencement was marred by the outbreak of Covid-19 (#Classof2020), I never had the opportunity to experience the joy of lavender graduation as a student. I was not going to pass up this chance to attend as an alum, especially knowing some of the graduating students who would be in attendance! 

In a happy, full-circle moment, I was asked to address the graduating class at this year's lavender celebration and officially welcome them to the Crim Dell Association. It was pure magic to be in a space that was so joyfully, beautifully, purposefully queer; all-too-rarely do I feel the immediate synergy and relief of existing among a crowd of people that require no explanation from, or to, me. 

I teared up several times witnessing the ceremony, watching siblings, friends, partners, spouses, parents, and mentors 'don' their graduate with a special lavender stole. When I approached the podium, I couldn't help adlib the beginning of my short speech, bursting out with "isn't queer joy beautiful?!" It is.

That night, back in Richmond, my groovy friend Elizabeth celebrated her 27th birthday with a 1970s-themed party. I pulled on my favorite pair of retro, floral carpeted platform boots and boogied 'til the wee hours of....10:30 or so. I forgot to take my narcolepsy medicine on Friday, and lavender celebration started at 8am! Besides, I am always pro leaving a party when you are still having fun, so... Happy Birthday, Elizabeth! 

Saturday, May 17

While I was earning my MA at VCU, I was lucky enough to take classes alongside some of the talented poets and writers earning their MFAs. The MFA program is 3 years long, so my pals received their degrees this past week and they decided to celebrate with a grand American tradition—prom!

I donned one of my favorite wedding guest dresses, strapped myself into perilously high heels that rarely see the light of day, and—the pièce de résistance—slipped on a winged, pearl-dripping halo/headpiece/thing that I purchased as the cherry on top of a Renaissance fair ensemble. The piece is absurd and decadent and I knew the crowd of creatives at this fête would properly appreciate it. 

We danced, toasted the recent graduates, played games, talked endlessly about books, and tucked into piles of French fries and homemade cinnamon cake before—no prom would be complete without it!—crowning a King and Queen. The party broke up in the wee hours of the morning and we all trundled home with sopping wet hair after an impromptu group swim. I can think of no better ending to such a full & loving week!