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January 23, 2012
in Asia, Bad Decisions, Laos, Luang Prabang, relationships, Round the World, sex, travel

…and doing another.

In retrospect: showing a guy the condom that you keep in your purse and telling him that you have your own room may send a strong signal. Like that he should ask if he should come upstairs before he even kisses you. And that when you...

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Drinking by the river in Vang Vieng, Laos.
January 20, 2012
in Asia, Bad Decisions, Laos, relationships, Round the World, sex, travel, Vang Vieng

I’m going to die here.

After a bumpy bus ride from Vientiane, one that was an hour late in arriving and only made pit stops by the side of the road, forcing me to pee in a bush, we arrived in Vang Vieng: a backpackers mecca revolving around rafting, drinking,...

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Hue, Vietnam
January 3, 2012
in Asia, Bad Decisions, Hue, relationships, Round the World, sex, travel, Vietnam

I’m not going to drink tonight.

I make weird faces at myself in the mirror. It's a quirky little habit that I picked up somewhere in my lifetime. Pursed lips, puffed cheeks, flipped tongue, squinted eyes. All kinds of nonsensical expressions. I've recently noticed I do it on Skype too, so...

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A night out in Hue, Vietnam - drinking at Backpacker Hostel, DMZ Bar, and Brown Eyes.
January 2, 2012
in Asia, Bad Decisions, Hue, Round the World, sex, travel, Vietnam

Riding the forbidden purple turtle.

We drank a lot of beer. Too much. We ate a lot of food. And ordered the entire menu. We made a dance floor. Where there wasn't one. We took shots. Too many. I got engaged. Again. We closed down two bars. Should have been three. I made out with a...

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Nha Trang, Vietnam
December 23, 2011
in Asia, Bad Decisions, Nha Trang, relationships, Round the World, sex, travel, Vietnam

Scenes from Nha Trang, Vietnam.

I didn't even really want to go to Nha Trang, Vietnam. I'd heard it was beautiful, but after spending way too long in Sihanoukville I wasn't quite in the mood for another party beach town. But I wanted a quick one or two day diversion...

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Sihanoukville, Cambodia: All sharks should come with the Jaws theme song.
December 14, 2011
in Asia, Bad Decisions, Cambodia, relationships, Round the World, sex, Sihanoukville, travel

Sihanoukville, Cambodia: All sharks should come with the Jaws theme song.

The bartender, one of about seven working behind the small bar of Monkey Republic asked me where I was from. When I said "America" he didn't believe me. Apparently when they were all talking in a language I didn't understand and glancing over at me...

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Finding Paradise in Koh Lanta, Thailand
November 27, 2011
in Asia, Bad Decisions, Koh Lanta, relationships, Round the World, sex, Thailand, travel

Paradise.

Again came just five days later. Gabriel and I arranged to meet in Koh Lanta, a nearby island, where we rented a bungalow for three nights on a quiet beach. It rained. A lot. But there was just enough sun for swimming, for lying in...

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JUST LET THINGS HAPPEN | Krabi, Thailand
November 20, 2011
in Asia, Bad Decisions, Krabi, Malaysia, relationships, Round the World, sex, Thailand, travel

Just let things happen.

"Just let things happen." I don't remember what exactly it was that Gabriel said that in response to on that night in Kuala Lumpur. Something to do with travel plans, I'm sure. But let's just say that at that moment it resonated. When he had said...

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La Tomatina After Party in Valencia, Spain
September 7, 2011
in Bad Decisions, Europe, relationships, Round the World, sex, Spain, travel, Valencia

Paint the town red.

Sometimes you have no intention of seeing someone again. Because you think they have to be too young. Because you think the whole thing is ridiculous. Because, frankly, you still think too much. And when he kisses you goodbye and asks if you want to...

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Sex in the Windy City Weird Chicago Red Light District Sex Tour of Chicago with Weird Chicago
July 19, 2008
in Chicago events, Chicago Life, sex

Chicago Sex Tour: Sex in the Windy City

So in typical Val/Emily fashion, this is how our Friday night plans of taking a Chicago sex tour around the city came to fruition: Val: Look Em, Weird Chicago has a sex tour of Chicago! Emily: I'll get the tickets! Really, neither of us needed any convincing that...

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Hi, I’m Val. I spent most of my 20s in a standstill, unable to pick which path in life I wanted to take. I wanted the nomadic life of a traveler but also wanted the husband, the condo, and the teal couch. Unable to decide which life I wanted more, I did nothing. I lived my life in limbo. When I turned 30 I’d had enough of putting my life on hold and decided to start “choosing my figs.” So, I quit my job and bought a one-way ticket to Europe. After 3 years on the road I’m back in Chicago, exploring the city, learning guitar, decorating my apartment in too much teal, cuddling my cats, and planning my next adventures.

            

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2006 –

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WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR LIFE?


Feeling stuck? Sick of living your life in limbo? Want to finally do all those things you always say you're going to do? Sign up for the Choosing Figs newsletter now to get a FREE e-book with tips on starting your own life list, inspiration for things to do in life, and worksheets to get your life goals out of your head and into action!


Your information will be used to send you our Life List e-book and subscribe you to our bi-monthly newsletter. View our full Privacy Policy.



            


MEOW | Is Val in Chicago?