Work Hard. Play Hard.
Born and raised in a rural town in western Pennsylvania, I was a nerdy kid obsessed with The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. Growing up, I remember looking forward to my family’s annual beach vacation to Assateague Island in Maryland. However, in middle school, two new passions were sparked. I discovered my natural knack for technology, leading to my IT career. I also had the opportunity to travel with my church on a two-week missionary trip to Southeast Asia, which exposed me to new cultures at a young age.
High school and college flashed by, and I took advantage of every opportunity that presented itself. Those opportunities included the occasional travel to new destinations for conferences and academic competitions. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Shippensburg University, I moved to Nashville, Tennessee, for my first job as a software developer. A year and a half into this job, life threw me a curve ball that I didn’t expect for several more years: a promotion to manage a software development team.
Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios (January 2024)
Reunion Tower Observation Deck in Dallas, Texas (March 2021)
Six months into my new job role, I decided to treat myself to a long weekend solo trip to Denver, Colorado, for my birthday. I searched the internet for blogs and reviews on the best restaurants and attractions. Before I knew it, my whole trip was planned. I was so excited! However, the weather forecast changed the night before, and Colorado was expecting a blizzard during my trip.
I immediately started to look at alternative (warmer) destinations. My original flight to Denver had a layover in Dallas, so I decided to call the airline and change my destination to Dallas. For those who know me, I am high-strung and like structure in my life. I became anxious about shifting from a well-planned itinerary to a completely improvised trip. Before I went to bed, I booked a hotel in Dallas and packed my khaki shorts instead of blue jeans.
The next morning, as I sat at my gate at BNA, I started asking family and friends for recommendations at my new destination. Some of my activities included going to the top of Reunion Tower, touring AT&T Stadium, and eating BBQ at Hard Eight. The Dallas trip made me realize I love planning trips, and I can see so much in a short time.
Since my trip to Dallas in March 2021, I have traveled to several US cities, such as Atlanta, Chicago, and San Antonio. I even made it to Denver in 2022! I’ve also made it to a few international destinations, like Cancun, Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris. For each trip, I’ve created an itinerary based on recommendations from family and friends and my own research online.
I decided to create the Traveling Nerd Life blog for two reasons. One reason is the blog serves as a way to document my travels. I enjoy looking back at pictures and being reminded of the adventures from a particular trip. The second reason is so I can share my experiences, as well as any travel tips and tricks I’ve come across, with family and friends. When I return from a trip, people want to know how the trip went, but I often forget some of the details at the moment when telling my tales.
As you read this blog, I truly hope you will be inspired to explore new and wonderful places as time allows. Things may not go as planned, but that is always part of the adventure!
Montserrat Monastery in Barcelona, Spain (May 2023)
A few photos of my adventures
