Category: 2021

Airbnb Journey: The Townhouse in Kissimmee

I’ve fallen behind in my airbnb home summaries. Life…amiright??

So just to recap, in December 2020 with full-time telework looking like our indefinite future due to COVID, I found a tenant for my condo, my boyfriend and I gave up our lease, and we put all of our stuff in storage and became digital nomads. We decided to basically take advantage of airbnb’s discounts on monthly rentals, and we figured if we kept our monthly lodging at around the same price as what we’d pay in rent/mortgage, it would all work out.

Our first airbnb home was in Raleigh, NC, then we needed to come back to the DMV area so we stayed in Alexandria, VA and then stayed in Frederick, MD for two months. By this point, it wasn’t quite yet Spring and we were tired of cold weather, so we decided to head to Florida for some sun.

We knew that with Covid, amenities were not guaranteed at a lot of places, and even if they stated that pools and gyms were up and running, there was no guarantee that it would stay that way once we got there. Outbreaks and surges just made things really unpredictable, so we thought it would be nice to have a house in a warm area that had a pool included. The 3 bed, 3 bath townhouse with a pool in Kissimmee was perfect! When we read the summary, we liked that there would be space to spread out. And somehow when we mentioned Florida, some friends and family said they may want to visit. And visit they did. lol.

The Rundown: So here’s the rundown on the home. Kissimmee is a neighboring town of Orlando. We had hoped that picking a time before Spring break, we’d for the most part have a peaceful space, before families started converging on the theme parks and warm climate. And that completely worked out. For the most part, this home and the neighborhood were quiet during our stay.

The home itself was decorated in white and orange throughout, and there were televisions in each room, which we loved. We had enough room for visitors, with a bedroom and bathroom downstairs for privacy. We had every kitchen convenience needed, except a few small things. We also loved having a trash valet, so all we had to do was put the trash in the bin right outside the front door and the community was responsible for placing it out for the trash men to collect, and then returning the bin to the home. But of course, the thing we loved the most was the pool right outside the back door. It may have been May but it was HOTTT in Florida. We’re talking upper 90’s on a lot of the days. So being able to take a quick dip during lunch or after running an errand in the hot sun was super nice. We even had a pool guy that came once a week to check water levels and chemicals. The community also had a pool, so we went there as well when we wanted more pool space or a change of scenery. And on most days, we were the only ones in the community pool. It truly was fabulous.

What we did: Because of the pandemic, of course we mostly stayed in the house. We did a lot of cooking and took walks. We found a few places that we could go to and still be socially distant. Because Orlando is inland, it wasn’t like we could really frequent the beach. But we found a nearby lake town where we could walk around, enjoy the scenery, grab food, and enjoy the day.

Before heading to Florida, we researched the safety protocols for the theme parks. They were limiting the number of people who could enter the park, and they also had strict mask mandates. We felt comfortable enough to buy tickets, so we also visited Universal Studios and Epcot. And we literally were not even 10 miles away, no traffic, easy parking…it was awesome!

What we loved and didn’t love: We loved that we had visitors and that we had space for them. We loved the warm weather. We did not love that there was no real space to work (I mean…who goes to Orlando to work??). We had to work either from the glass dining room table, which shifted if you leaned on it too hard…or from bed or the couch. So that was definitely not ideal. And we also had issues with the internet. There were four full work days that the internet was out due to them doing work in another unit and accidentally messing up our connection. Which means we had to take days off that we did not expect to take. So that would be the biggest complaint.

Overall, with a few exceptions, great space and great pick!

Here’s my IG vlog post about my stay:

Have you been to the Orlando/Kissimmee area? How was your trip?

justamarylandgirl4 Comments

What Drake Can Teach Us About Knowing Our Worth

Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

Rapper/singer/actor/and overall hottie Drake, announced that he was removing himself from consideration for his two Grammy nominations. While he didn’t give a specific reason for the withdrawal, his history with the Grammy’s may provide a little insight.

In the past, Drake has openly criticized the institution of the Grammy’s. He has said that the Grammy’s are an “opinion-based sport, not a factual-based sport.” In essence, winners are determined by someone’s judgment of them. And according to Drake, what does the judging body of the Grammy’s know about a biracial guy from Canada or, for that matter, a Spanish girl from New York? How can they relate to what people of different experiences and backgrounds have to say and the manner in which they say it?

The whole idea of this is intriguing to me. As an introvert who feels some type a way in front of crowds and in front of people I don’t know, and even in front of people that I know very well, feeling judged and fearing judgment is just part of my life. I unfortunately find myself deeply concerned by the opinion of others, even though I know very well that their opinions should not matter and do not pay my bills.

Now, I do realize that a certain IDGAF-ness may come with having millions in the bank and screaming, adoring fans wherever you go. The average person may not have traveling hype-men at their beck and call like Drizzy. But…he did not always have those things. I’m sure he got a lot of flack back during his Degrassi days, and I’m sure he could have let people’s negativity and criticism kill his dreams. He could have easily given up at any point, taken the safe route, gone to college, gotten a desk job, and spent the rest his days talking to his colleagues and friends about all of the “what-if’s” that “if I had only’s”. He could have just settled for the “easy” 9-5 life.

Somewhere along the way, HE decided that HE will not be judged and that the opinion of those that didn’t matter, well…didn’t matter.

At some point, Drake decided to stop acting and focus on rap, and I’m sure somebody somewhere was extremely vocal about what an insane move they felt that was. But yet, here he is– arguably one of the top rappers/musical entertainers of this generation. He knew his worth, he had the confidence to go for it, and he won’t stand by and be judged by people who he feels don’t matter.

“Nobody understood

what it was like to be

black and Jewish…

being different from everyone else

just made me a lot stronger.”

– Drake

I’m not really sure how we should go about getting out of our own way. Our own self-limiting beliefs are damaging enough. But then, for many people, they are compounded by other people’s judgment and limitations of us. And I’m not really sure how we go about ignoring them and powering through.

So while I don’t have answers, I do have mantras, affirmations, and empowering thoughts. So here we go…

  • Rule #1: F*ck what they think.
  • Other people’s opinions of me do not pay a single bill in my household.
  • Other people’s limitations of me are an expression of their limited mindsets and their lack of confidence in themselves.
  • I believe in myself, and I trust my ability to do great things.
  • I am strong in ways I haven’t acknowledged.
  • Don’t give people so much power over you that their silence leaves you questioning your worth
  • Their silence may be a reflection of their own shortcomings and insecurities because they see you doing big things
  • A woman who knows what she brings to the table isn’t afraid to eat alone.
  • You can’t knock a girl off a pedestal she built herself.
  • You will never influence the world by trying to be like it.
  • A girl who is going to do big things cannot let small things or small people get to her.
  • The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet.
  • Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it’s that little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.
  • Hustle until your haters ask if you’re hiring.

And if you want a few motivating quotes from Drizzy himself, here are a few of those…

  • When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen
  • Haters are just confused admirers
  • Kill them with sucess and bury them with a smile
  • I was born to make mistakes, not to fake perfection
  • It’s never too late to realize what you want in life, and it’s never wrong to fight for it

How do you deal with other people’s judgments and opinions? How do you power through and stay focused on your own goals and desires? Do you have any mantras or thoughts that work for you?

justamarylandgirlLeave a comment

Weekly Mindset: Appreciate the Simple Things

I’m totally appreciating so many things right now. I took a walk today at lunch, and frolicked (if you will) a little. I even played around on the neighborhood playground and giggled. I realized how that little bit of play brightened my mood pretty significantly.

It brought back memories from childhood when my friends and I used to create obstacle courses on my swing set. It got my heart pumping. The air made me smile. Plus my endorphins were flowing. It was so simple and such a mood booster.

“As the heart flourishes, the mind eases, and so gratitude practice can help to lessen our experience of anxiety and stress, improve the quality of our sleep, and enhance the equanimity we find within ourselves and within our relationships at large.”

mindfulexercises.com

Appreciating simple things has certain benefits, such as improved sleep quality, overall mood improvement and improved emotional regulation.

Author and thought leader Mike Robbins says that there are two things that can help you to appreciate the simple things. They are 1) being easily impressed and 2) being hard to offend. When we are appreciating life’s small miracles, we are opening ourselves up to being grateful and fulfilled.

| feeling the earth beneath my feet |

This makes me think of a conversation I just had about celebrating birthdays. For one person, a small celebration is an evening outing to the local Top Golf. Whereas for another person, a small celebration is a quick trip to Vegas or a week in Dubai. I would never say that someone shouldn’t treat themselves however they see fit, or that people shouldn’t aim high, but it’s easy to see how one is more attainable than the other. Attainable, simple joys are needed just as much as large scale treats and rewards. But if you only look forward to the large scale events, how do you enjoy your daily life? Every day just will not be a trip overseas. How do you find a reason to smile each day or to feel grateful for the little things that make life wonderful?

| views |

I believe in appreciating the small things, and this week that list includes:

  • the amazing crisp fall air
  • the BEAUTIFUL leaves and all of their awesome colors
  • being able to be a digital nomad
  • a healthy family
  • my health
  • good shows to binge watch
  • amazing friends
  • a healthy relationship
  • stable employment
  • access to modern healthcare
  • a roof over my head
  • safety
  • a neighbor who plays the saxophone (after living next to HORRIBLE, loud, aggressive neighbors)
  • peace

There are so many daily things to appreciate. And the benefits of acknowledging the little things in life are wonderful for your mental and physical well-being. Don’t just save appreciation and gratefulness for the holidays. Do it today, and do it often. I’m going to make it part of my daily routine.

What are you grateful for this week?

justamarylandgirl5 Comments

A Reflective Moment

Photo by Sarah li on Pexels.com

I got some sad news this week about the passing of a high school classmate. The whole thing just hit me in such a weird way. I wasn’t particularly close to this classmate, but I went to such a small school in a small town so everyone in my school knew everyone in some way. Even as a grown-up 25 years after graduation, if you hear a name, you immediately remember the classes you had, or how you went on a class trip, or how you crushed on so-and-so’s older brother, or how you used to play kickball in the cul-de-sac.

So I heard about this classmate, I saw a recent picture of her, and though I could see remnants of the person I remembered, her face in the picture carried the weight of the mental illness that she lived with throughout her adult life. I had no idea. She was a popular girl. A cheerleader. Cute as a button and sweet as can be. Her life was supposed to turn out perfectly. She was supposed to be the one we admired at the reunion because everything turned out as perfectly as you’d expect for the adorable, smart, bubbly cheerleader from high school. She rode on floats and got lifted to the top of pyramids. She was kind. Seeing that picture, with the wrinkles and dark circles, yet with the slight glimmer of the cheerleader from days past that I remember…and reading the family tributes about how things were for her later in life, it all just settled on me so heavily.

Of course your life is more than a picture, and there’s no telling what twists and turns life can throw at anyone over the course of 25 years. You never know what people are dealing with and what demons they battle. You don’t know what trauma they encountered or how that trauma impacted their life. She wasn’t someone I’d keep in touch with but she’s definitely someone I assumed would go on to great things and someone I thought would live well. It threw me for such a complete loop.

It’s all just a weird and sad reminder to be grateful for my health, to not make assumptions about what someone is going through, to live while I can, that life is short and that tomorrow is never promised.

justamarylandgirlLeave a comment

Five pics Friday: Fall and stuff

Photo by Madison Inouye on Pexels.com

This week was the epitome of early fall here in Maryland. The leaves are changing, the weather was warm, cool and crisp all at the same time, and the evenings are coming earlier and earlier every day.

While fall is awesome for weather purposes, it definitely lets you know that we are properly in the fourth quarter of the year. Winter is waiting in the wings and all of the holiday prep is about to get started in full force.

But in the meantime, I am enjoying my morning walks for coffee and my afternoons with fresh air and open windows.

Here are my five pics from my week.

From top to bottom:

1. Sometimes mail is a good thing I ordered some fun stuff from Etsy, and can’t wait to try it out!

2. The cold, rainy, wind advisory weather on Tuesday was perfect for a dimly lit bar and a glass of Tempranillo.

3. I bought a couple of accessories from Avon recently and these are two pieces that I really love. A simple dainty knot bangle and a sparkly ring. Great pieces to throw on with any outfit! And they were on clearance, so it’s a double win for me!

4. I snatched this cozy number up from Columbia. It will be the perfect addition to my fall wardrobe. The weather dropped while I was out so I wound up wearing it before I even got it home. I am proud of myself because I also bought gifts for my niece and nephew and I am NEVERRRR this early with my holiday shopping. Ever!

5. Sometimes the best pics are out of focus, amiright?

How was your week this week? Did you do anything fall-ish?

justamarylandgirl3 Comments