one of my favorite places.

It’s been months since, but I had to share with you of that time I went back to one of my favorite places on Earth – Orcas Island. Located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in Washington state, I spent a full weekend there, experiencing true beauty in its purest form. 

@mhitchner1 and I

I remember falling in love with the place when I first visited a few years ago; it was during the winter time. It was quite cold, and I remember feeling invigorated by the chilliness of the seemingly empty island. Since it was off season, there weren’t a lot of people. It was so quiet. We drove around, walked around, and we welcomed the serenity. I found myself realizing that I may have found the most peaceful place I’ve ever been in.

Going back during the spring/summer time a few months ago was a much different experience. It's a time when locals open up their shops and stores to the tourists (like me) that flocked to their little island. It gives you a much busier vibe, but you relish in that colorful atmosphere too. We mainly stayed out of town, opting to camp. Nothing beats sleeping under the stars, roasting marshmallows at night with good company, and waking up in the morning to watch the sunrise and see deer next to you. 

The more I think about it, the more I feel that the reason I love this place so much is not necessarily because of the place itself. While Orcas Island is truly awe-inspiring and breathtakingly beautiful, I feel its power lies in its ability to transform. For me, while in a serene place like this, I feel I am given time to open my eyes, to help discover myself, to uncover the flaws needed to be fixed in my life, and to realize what truly matters in my life. 

our friends while we were kayaking

I feel that being one with nature, walking on the rocky beach, hiking up muddy hills, smelling the ground, kayaking in the clean water, and breathing in fresh, untouched air can do all that. I’m grateful for that. It's quite an invigorating experience.  

@mhitchner1

I remember as we got on the ferry back home, I looked back at the island with its natural beauty, thanking it for the memorable moments yet again. Until next time, I thought to myself. Until I see you again.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter is life. It just is. It was after all a decade (and more) of growing up with Harry’s story, so like many, I waited for this book and bought it with so much uncontrollable excitement. 

First off, I knew even before that this novel was written as a play. I expected it to feel different and I knew it wouldn't be the same, but I welcomed it anyway because it's Harry Potter after all. I was just happy that I had the chance to come back to the same characters I loved. That's all I wanted. 

I should also mention that I am not a picky Potterhead at all. That being said, I did finish it last night and what a disappointment. This work truly upset me, made me sad. 

I'm skeptical as to how much Rowling actually put into this. There were two other writers, and honestly, it was kind of obvious. First off, the atmosphere is way off. The magic just isn't there. Is this taking place in the same Wizarding world? It didn't feel like it. Then, the character, which arguably, are the heart and soul of the stories, were butchered! They deserved better. As for the plot, I felt it was incredibly contrived. It just read like a really bad fanfic and I enjoy a good fan fic every once in a while. There were many moments I rolled my eyes, wanting to scream at the writers, knowing that Rowling would have never done this to these characters and this world if she had 100% control over the story. Perhaps if her name wasn't attached to this and it's not considered canon, I would like it much better because this excuse of an 8th Harry Potter book was just a sad and stunning disappointment. 

Should YOU read it? Sure. I know some who liked it, so you should definitely read it and judge it for yourself. I hope you love it more than I did, because sadly, I didn’t. Now I’ll just post this photo I took of the Hogwarts castle, purge this “8th book” from my memory, and reread the other seven books I loved so much.