kareym…that is how I first came to know her on kirtsy, where in a few words she convinces me every time that i must, without a doubt, click.on.this.link.  and of course i always do, and i am never disappointed.

then i found her blog mackin ink.  if it is not in your reader or inbox daily, it should be.  if you are only to read one more thing today, let it be this.  you can thank me later.

and t. ruffle?  it is a new love affair of mine.  the best way to describe it is like reading a beautiful story in a few sentences, or less, everyday.  you should read this page to understand the concept, then the home page daily.  it’s a beautiful way to end your day.

i have nothing but love for karey and in just a week have found her to be just as sincere as her writing.  she is present in every word.

karey mackin

hi. it’s me…karey m. of mackin ink and also one of the t.ruffle girls and also one of the original kirtsy editors.

i had a totally different bullet list planned and nearly written when my friend joslyn suggested something totally different. she’s quite the bossy one, you know. i could almost hear the firm don’t mess with me, karey tone in her voice, so i felt compelled to listen. i imagine it’s the same tone that had me searching for white noise apps at midnight during alt design summit when we two shared a suite. and so, in honor of my simply loveliest friend who’s very very very neat and even smarter than that, by the way, herewith my bullet list: how to travel the world…well.

it’s been almost six months since we moved back to the states after living overseas for almost six years. and ever since, i’ve been flipping around like a fish out of her water. wide-eyed and more than a little aimless in a now what? sort of a way. {blink. blink.} to tell you i’m much more comfortable being uncomfortably in the minority seems thoughtless, though i’ve given it loads of thought, and also rather disingenuous for such a statement to come flying from the keyboard of a blonde{ish}, blue-eyed american girl, yes? i understand.

but, quite simply, i like the unknown. i crave change and adventure. and i sort of like proving myself. those who know me understand i don’t have a lot of confidence in a lot of things about myself, but i can confidently tell you that i travel the world…very well. here’s how:

• shock your travel agent. for those of us who were lucky enough to land in the united states, there’s no real reason to venture out into the world, is there? we’ve got more than enough sun and snow and sights for a lifetime or two. but if you can and whenever you can, expand your borders. it’s a total thrill to treat your eyes to new world views, not to mention viewpoints. whenever i saw americans touring petra or heading to palestine or trekking to pyramids, i resisted the urge to pat them on the back. tell them well done, you. for choosing a different sort of holiday. and i can honestly tell you that the dead sea is just as magical as disney. trust.

• dress appropriately. speaking of disney, we traveled there from jordan one christmas, rolling in on a deserted eve of an eve. the next morning was our first breakfast with {gasp!} mary poppins. we stepped out of our hotel room – me in black dress and heels, my husband in coat and tie, and our girlies three in twinsets and tulle – smack into an explosion of disney paraphernalia. not cool. we’re normally way better with our research, whether it’s what to wear on a beach in phuket {not much} or what to wear in an omani souq {much}.

• pack lightly. leave your opinions at home, along with all the ways things are supposed to be plus all your ideas of how things are supposed to taste. also, if there’s extra space in your carry-on, don’t forget low expectations. they turn most everything strange and dirty into a fantastic surprise.

• smile. from the minute you step onto the plane to the minute you step onto foreign soil, consider yourselves mini ambassadors. in my tiny experience, everyone just wants to be happy. no matter where. no matter what. one smile matches another and leads to another. before you know it, you’ve found far-away friends who teach you the meaning of sister soul mates. until one day, you’re standing at a party meeting the king of a country, just waiting to run out and tell your friend that yes, your cousin’s eyes are as blue as the sea. all the while desperately remembering if she instructed you to call him his majesty or his highness. amazing, isn’t it? where one small smile can send you?

• feel the fight. we’ve lived primarily in the middle east, where there’s no shortage of battles. as a mother, i know there’s always at least two sides to every story. more realistically, there’s three or four. for me, it’s not as important to choose sides as it is to understand them all.

• find beauty. in everything different. in anything different. one of the sweetest moments was when our lillie and grae-rose first noticed how stunning women’s features looked while wearing head-scarves. no matter my personal opinion, i loved that they saw something so visually different from anything they’d ever seen…and accepted it lovingly. it was so funny to travel back to the states for the first time and see them leaning out the window as we drove down state street in downtown chicago. “MOM! did you SEE that girl with the BLUE HAIR?” and “why is everyone wearing short pants?” those are shorts, girls. people enjoy showing off their knees in the summer. truly, there’s beauty in knees everywhere. covered or not.

• resize your pronouns. it is a small world, after all, and there’s simply no more room for exclusionary pronouns. it’s no longer them and us. it’s we.

oh, i hope i didn’t sound all preachy! lately, i’m just as much of a zealot about seeing more of the united states. i’ve not been anywhere! any suggestions on where i should head first? keep in mind…i’m not a fan of being cold. but i am very persuadable.

a special thank you to destri, who is even more beautiful in person as her online photo, which is pretty amazing and quite rare, yes? this was great fun to make a list for you. anytime, friend. anytime. xoxo.

i have a goal to raise my children with a sense of the world around them, and in this list are lessons i can only hope for them to learn.

how fortunate to have had karey for the day, i think i’ll keep her. thank you karey.

you know the ropes ladies, now it’s your turn…

if karey were to visit just one place in the united states, where in your opinion should it be?

ps there are no caps on this post because karey doesn’t like ‘em.  i aim to please.