My Trip to Dallas, Texas

I just got home from a wonderful week-long trip to Texas. One of my best friends is from Houston, and she wrote a play that was produced as part of a "Fringe Theater Festival" last Friday, so I used that as an excuse to go visit. (It was a great show -- I'm so proud of her!)

While in Texas, I also visited the Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin, one of the premier graduate writing programs in the United States. They could not have been more welcoming or helpful. Actually, I was blown away by the kindness and friendliness of Texas people in general. I immediately felt right at home.

And, of course, I could not have left Texas without visiting "my city" -- Dallas! I am named after my grandfather, not after the city, but it was still very cool to visit and see my name everywhere. :) I took so many pictures! I also sang karaokee for the first time in front of a very encouraging group of new Texan friends. And the conceirge at our hotel gave us a coupon for free breakfast because she was so tickled that Dallas is my name!

In addition to recharging my batteries, my week-long vacation also did wonders for my creative spirit. Nothing fills my "idea well" more quickly than experiencing new things -- embarking on new adventures, traveling to new places, meeting new people. I was jotting down ideas and notes on scraps of paper all week.

Even if you don't have a vacation or trip planned for the near future, you can still rejuvenate your creative life by trying new things. Learn a recipe for a different type of food than you usually eat. Dabble in a different art form, such as painting or music. Even something as simple as taking a different route to school or work can prove inspirational as you find yourself noticing details you didn't pick up on before.