The Intrepid Introvert

I had plans to spend the month of February—escaping Indiana's miserable winter—in sunny Jacksonville, FL. That all changed on January 4 when I got a text from my friend, Schuyler: “I’ve been thinking. Regardless how intrepid you want 2018 to be, you should find two weeks between mid-Jan and mid-March and connect with us in New Zealand.” Hold. The. Phone.

Jan 8

Jan 8 Week 39: I Came to Dance [Score +15]

The company holiday party: after three or four years of avoidance, I decided to be intrepid and go to mine this year. Big parties at which I have to yell to have a conversation with the person standing next to me aren’t generally my thing. Add to this my usual lack of a willing +1, and you can understand why my enthusiasm for attending in the last few years hasn’t been terribly high.

Dec 31

Dec 31 Weeks 37-38: Must-Mix-and-Mingle Fundraisers [Score +9 each]

My first memory of volunteering just for the purpose of doing something for the community—not because I would enjoy it or benefit personally—was bussing tables for a church breakfast over Labor Day weekend when I was in middle school. I'm scarred for life from the experience. The good news: I’ve found loads of opportunities to volunteer and give back in ways that I find much more enjoyable, and the holiday season offers many such opportunities.

Dec 10

Dec 10 Week 35: An Outlander Fan Gathering [Score +10]

I met 30 of the most ardent, dare I say obsessive, Outlander fans on a recent Saturday when a friend invited me to join a lunch gathering of the local chapter of the fan club known as “Heughan's Hoosier Heughligans”. I thought I was a big fan until I found myself thoroughly outdone by the folks in this group.

Nov 5

Nov 5 Week 32: Turtles All the Way Down [Score +2]

I consider a favorite author to be one whose books consistently draw me in and lead me to seek out more and more of their work. And if I find that author interesting or inspiring as a public figure, they move even closer toward the top of the list. John Green is one who fits this bill.

Sep 28

Sep 28 Week 28: An Occasion For a New Scoring Category [Score +12]

I should do it... But it’s on a Sunday night... It’s a free ticket... With an opening act, they won’t even start playing until at least 9:00 p.m.... For heaven’s sake, it’s U2! ... Yeah, but I don’t really like big concerts... AMANDA. Be intrepid!

This, my friend, is an accurate representation of my inner dialogue. You see why I need this project?

Aug 26
Aug 26 Week 23: Ladies Who Brunch [Score +14]

When did brunch become such an event? I’ve always found late morning to be an awkward time for a meal, especially when I’m being too type-A and overthinking it. Yes, one can overthink brunch. But even when I'm overthinking it, I can still enjoy it, especially when Copilot Mylee comes along on a gor-geous Saturday in Indianapolis.

Aug 6

Aug 6 Week 22: Summer Concerts and Social Intrepidity [Score +22]

I love this time of year for 5,379 reasons, one of which is the opportunity to simply pick from a list of a dozen things I might want to do—especially outside—on any given day. So this week’s post is a combo: two fun activities, one more personally intrepid than the other.

Aug 2

Aug 2 Week 19: Nicaraguan Vacation

I spent my final few days in Nicaragua acting the part of a woman on vacation: exploring colonial cities, taking boat tours, floating in crater lakes, and sipping fresh juices. But Nicaragua's reality was never far away.

Jul 21

Jul 21 Week 18: Two Uncomfortable Nights in Matagalpa

I felt I had some advantages on my trip to Nicaragua since I was friends with our leader. But separating from the group had its disadvantages, as well, which I learned quickly on our two nights in the city of Matagalpa.

Jul 16

Jul 16 Week 17: Three Schools. Three Days. One Tired (But Happy) Introvert.

Over the course of three days, our Alianza Advocates volunteer group visited three different schools in the campo on four occasions. One school was held in a standard building provided by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education. One was a new facility built by the Project Alianza team. One was a private building provided by the farm owner himself for the kids living on his farm.

Jul 9

Jul 9 Week 17: Three Slices of Life in Nicaragua

The campo. The bustling, working-class city. The colonial tourist destination. Over the course of my one week in Nicaragua, I spent time in each of these representative areas of the country. The result? I had both relaxing and uncomfortable moments but came away with a greater appreciation and understanding of the realities of Nicaraguan life than I would have if left to my own devices.

Jul 3

Jul 3 Week 16: An Intrepid Expedition: Nicaragua [Score +62]

I enjoy traveling and exploring new places, but I generally keep it on the conservative side of the adventurous scale. So when I decided to go to Nicaragua this summer, my friends’ and family’s jaws dropped open, eyebrows shot up, and “What?!” was the first word out of their mouths.

Jul 3

Jul 3 Setting the Scene: Nicaragua