sarah. on the run.

I needed a makeover...

...but I didn't feel like shopping, so I gave my blog a new outfit.
You likey?

I Make Your Life Fun.

Bored in bed? Need a new book? Then you're in the right place! Scroll down the left-hand side of this page and you'll find a new category called Sarah's Book Club. I'll regularly update you on what I've been reading while traveling, and each book will be expertly rated by me. Seriously, I have good taste in books. But sometimes my favorite books are kind of psycho. So you've been warned. Happy reading!

Oh, and if you like web widgets, I've turned myself into one. You'd think I'd be too busy for this crap, but I honestly can't help myself. You're welcome.

Love,
Sarah

New Shots...

...are up on our photo page!

Enjoy!

Liquid Uggs?

So I was catching up on celebrity gossip online and came across this article about Lindsay Lohan's latest train wreck.

I don't care so much about the Lindsay part of the article, but I do care about the drink she's holding.

GT'S KOMBUCHA!!

I'd know that bottle anywhere. Looks like either the ginger or mango flavor. God, I miss my Kombucha. It's one of the things I miss the very most about my old life. I can almost taste it. I'm tearing up. I need to take a walk.

Please don't tell me Kombucha is going to be the latest cool Hollywood craze? Actually, better that than getting photographed while not wearing underwear. Man, I'm such a trendsetter!!

:)
s

Bookworms of the World...Unite!

Now that I've gotten used to an existence with little to no television, I'm firmly back on the book-reading circuit. Being on an extended (permanent?) vacation finally affords me the ability to guiltlessly devote an entire day to reading. It's the smart person's pastime, after all, and, despite the lack of physical activity involved, nobody ever accuses the avid reader of being a lazy bum. In all honesty, I haven't had the free time or mental capacity to go through books at this pace since my V.C. Andrews phase in middle school (and that was mainly because of all the incestuous sex plot-lines...what can I say, I was a curious child). I'm really very proud of myself, and I hope you are too.

Here's the latest damage:

1. "High Fidelity" - Nick Hornby
I own the DVD, but I'd never read the original book, which is actually a lot more similar to the movie than most books. My problem is that I love the movie too much, especially the main character of Rob as played by John Cusack (swoon!). The original book character is English, does not live in Chicago, and does not have sex with anyone resembling Lisa Bonet. It was a fun read, but this is one of those rare cases where I prefer the adapted film version to the novel. God Bless America.

2. "Hannibal" - Thomas Harris
The follow-up to "Silence of the Lambs" brings the tale of Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter to an apparent close. I didn't love it, and I must first blame my lack of enthusiasm on Julianne Moore. Not because she's not a good actress, but because she isn't Clarice Starling. Jodie Foster is Clarice Starling. Jodie Foster is who I imagine when I read about what Clarice Starling is up to these days. But Jodie Foster didn't want to do that movie sequel, so they got Julianne Moore to play the role, and I know that, and it messes with my imagination and I find the whole thing exhaustingly distracting. My second issue was the author's decision to have Clarice and Hannibal suddenly get together (yes, sexxxually) at the end. Kind of a cheap move that felt thrown in just for the hell of it (sorry for the spoiler, but you had quite a few years to beat me to it).

3. "Bonfire of the Vanities" - Tom Wolfe
Juicy, fictitious take on racial tension, class distinction, and prejudice in New York City in the decadent 1980s. Kind of a comedy, but more ironic and less ha-ha. My gripe is that every single character in the story is unlikable in some way, either because they have affairs or hate black people or are just generally selfish and rotten, so it's difficult to root for anyone. I also couldn't put the book down, so I guess the author's technique worked. I seem to recall this book also being made into a movie that was universally panned by critics. Probably won't bother renting it.

4. "In Cold Blood" - Truman Capote
Ok! Really enjoyed this one! Truman Capote's retelling of the events that followed an actual set of murders in rural Kansas. Written in 1965, the book has a pleasantly old-fashioned tone and keeps you on the edge of your seat without getting too sensational.

5. "Eleven Minutes" - Paulo Coelho
Ugh. Nobody wants to read the beloved author of "The Alchemist" going into depth about the erotic pleasures of sadomasochism, do they? Maybe it's just me. In his usual existential style, Coelho tackles the sex vs. love theme, and the lengths that people will go to achieve one or the other or both. It's not a crappy book, I just found it a little too smutty in a supermarket romance novel sort of way.

6. "A Monk Swimming" - Malachy McCourt
The younger brother of "Angela's Ashes" author Frank McCourt gets a book deal to write his own memoirs, and this is the result. His are not a particularly pleasant chain of events to put into print (poor young Irishman moves from Limerick to New York City, drinks himself to near-death every day, fails as a family man), but hilarity does manage to ensue. McCourt is a very funny storyteller, and if half of what he's shared on paper is actually true, then he's lived quite a life. Being an Irish lassie myself, I tend to sympathize with anyone from the old country who's had a rough time of it and drinks a lot. When I do this, Brendan likes to scoff and remind me that I was born in America and have lived a very pleasant life and don't even like whiskey.

7. "The Corrections" - Jonathan Franzen
It was Brendan's book first and he raved and raved, so I gave it a go. Intricate story of an unraveling midwestern family, their individual idiosyncrasies, and their judgement of one another as each one follows life in a different direction. They story tackles some emotional issues raw enough to make me blush from time to time, but it's the sensitivity that really strikes a chord. I freely admit that I wept like a baby through the last few pages. Gasping, snot running, the works. If you can handle depressing material (and I really mean that), it's a fantastic novel.

I also have a favor to ask of you, fellow bookworms. A few years ago I was vacationing in Mexico and picked up a book someone had left behind at the resort called "The Keepsake" by Kirsty Gunn. It was one of the weirdest, most disturbing books I've ever read. Ever. But it was also terrific. I came home with the intention of buying it online, but have yet to be able to find it on sale anywhere oopsie, it's right here on Amazon! Has anyone read this obscure book, and if so, do you feel like explaining it to me?

Yours, etc.
Sarah

New Travel Photos...

...are up now! Check 'em out and share your brutal criticism of our elementary framing techniques in the comments section. Enjoy!

S.O.S.

Oh, this OS X saga just keeps getting better and better.

Warning: The following blog entry is not going to be interesting or rewarding for you unless you're an iWeb user or Superman. Just FYI.

Here's the deal: I lost my iWeb "Domain" file somewhere between the OS crash, archiving and installing, and mirroring the old system into the new Macbook Pro. iWeb is what I'm using to publish brendanandsarah.com to the world, along with "The Traveling Morans" podcast. However, iWeb now thinks that I've never used it before and has no record of the countless hours I've slaved over my project using its extremely limited functionality. My site files are published to a local folder and still intact (for the record, I publish to my own server rather than to .Mac), but as far as I know, once that "Domain" file goes missing, there's no way to re-import my published pages back in.

Under normal circumstances, I would approach this grand software challenge with a level of enthusiasm Brendan would probably categorize as crazed and obsessive. Unfortunately, I'm in India, the Brazilian embassy is refusing to grant me an entry visa, and I'm running out of toilet paper. Suffice it to say I really can't deal with this right now.

So, dear readers, if you've got some iWeb advice, speak your wisdom. Thanks in advance.

-s

Merry Christmas to you too, Apple

So earlier this year we had that non-working/exploding battery issue with our Macbook Pro that everybody else had too. You all knew this because I complained loudly and bitterly about it on this very blog. We ended up throwing out the battery and spending three months hunting for power outlets.

Then, about five days before we were due to return to the States, the Macbook decided to stop booting up altogether. Instead of my normal login prompt, I got a cryptic Darwin/BSD prompt that wouldn't take my password. Nobody in Bali was familiar enough with OS X to be trusted to troubleshoot, including me. It sucked. I archived and re-installed the OS, but had to re-import all my photos into iPhoto and re-create all my albums. With about 14,000 travel pics, it was quite a project.

Three days ago, our laptop fan broke. More specifically, it made a automotive fanbelt-like screeching noise that made coming within 15 feet of the Macbook without pulling my hair out impossible. At this point, I was ready to throw the damn thing into the fire and have a meltdown party.

But we need a computer, and we're leaving for India tomorrow. So this afternoon, we went down to the Apple store in Oakbrook, Illinois, to ask nicely for a new fan. A couple hours later, we left with a new Macbook Pro. A brand-new freaking machine with better features than our model bought last March, complete with fancy new glossy display and another full year's warranty, all for zero dollars! Man, I love Apple! This must be what all the fuss is about!

Special thanks to Mike Betzel who clearly understands the meaning of excellent customer service. You rock, man. Team Apple 4 Life!

(I also fell in love with those new adorable black Macbooks at the Apple store, but Brendan doesn't think we need two laptops on our trip. He's so weird.)

:)
s                                                             

God Bless America

It's 10 a.m. Monday morning here in Kuta, Bali. At 4 p.m. our plane takes off for Hong Kong. We arrive at about 8 p.m. and gain back an hour. Several hours later, we board a plane to Los Angeles. About twelve hours into the night, we will arrive at LAX. Upon touch-down, the local time will be earlier in the evening than when we left Hong Kong (if that isn't time travel, I don't know what is). We kill a few hours there and then board our last plane to O'Hare, finally landing in our final destination at around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning Chicago time.

Whew.

I can't wait for our two-week rendezvous, Uncle Sam!

You Were Always on My Mind

Just a little note to say we're alive and well and haven't forgotten about you! I've got travel tales and pics from Cambodia and Indonesia just waiting to be uploaded (though when the internet cafe is still on dial-up and the power keeps going out, you tend to give up easily). However, we go back to Ubud, Bali, tomorrow, where I happen to know of some free wifi. The fun continues then!

Oh! And Episode 11 of "The Traveling Morans" will be uploaded in the next 48 hours.. pinky swear. Thanks so much for your patience.

Fondly,

Sarah

As the Fur Flies...

You may have noticed that Brendan and I try not to dish too much personal stuff about each other on our respective blogs as we travel the world. Well, consider that all in the past.

Be sure to check out our latest sister blog, The Traveling Newlyweds on iVillage.com, for our innermost relationships secrets you can't read about here.

Juicy? Naturally. Therapeutic? Possibly. Regrettable? Probably. Entertaining in a trainwreck sort of way? No question. See you there, dahlings. And be sure to comment with thoughts, suggestions, ideas, yadda yadda yadda.

xo

In the absence of Seinfeld reruns...

"What I've Been Reading Lately on My Trip"

A short list by Sarah Moran

-----------------------------

"Under the Banner of Heaven" - Jon Krakauer
The true (or false, depending on who you talk to) bizarreness that is the Mormon Fundamentalist Church. Nonfiction. For the record, I read it before Warren Jeffs was arrested by the FBI, and felt kind of cool and "in the know" when I heard about his demise recently on CNN International. Yes, I felt this way about some kook who married 50 women. I have issues.

"The Sparrow" - Mary Doria Russell
Can't decide if this novel was too far-fetched in a good way or a bad way. In a nutshell, about a troubled priest who goes to an alien planet in search of God. I'd put it on the science-fiction shelf, though it's also rather heavy-handed on the religion front. Also, there is no sparrow, which sucks.

"The Tortilla Curtain" - T.C. Boyle
When I traded in for this book at the exchange in Moscow, Brendan did one of these: "Ooooh, T.C. Boyle. I'm a big fan. I have all his books at home." Of course he'd never heard of this one. About prejudice and racial tension in California between middle and lower classes, in this case the latter also being Mexican. Not a bad read, and also not too far off the mark. I'm from California and grew up with this stuff.

"White Teeth" - Zadie Smith
Excellent, excellent novel that spans a time period of many decades, involving several immigrant families in London and the tangled webs their lives have become. Admittedly, I abandoned it after a few pages at first because I thought it was going to be something totally different, but I'm glad I went back for more. This is the kind of book that makes you fantasize about the author and what kind of freakshow their mental state must be have been to have written something so incredible. You know, like how all the best math students or chess players have terrible eyesight or are still breastfeeding at nine or something wacky like that, and the best comedians are the ones with the saddest childhoods and the worst drug problems. The best writers are obviously the true crazies, god love 'em.

"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" - Dave Eggers
Memoir of a normal guy from Chicagoland with a particularly sad/scary/funny history who moves to the Bay Area with his siblings and lots of baggage. I enjoyed his book because he writes like I think...utterly manic, all over the place, yet somehow articulate and profound and easy to relate to (yes, I really feel this way about my own thinking patterns. I have issues). I'd love to take this Dave guy out to lunch. Dave, let's do lunch. I think you live near my mom.

-------------------------

About the Author

Sarah Moran, formerly Sarah Lane, graduated from Sebastopol, California's Apple Blossom Elementary School at the top of her class, and was a junior high cheerleader for the Twin Hills Panthers before landing a starring role as an apathetic teen on "Analy High School", a four-year series. She has won no writing awards to date, unless you count that one in 3rd grade (and she does). Sarah currently lives in a mildew-covered hotel room in Vientiane, Laos, with her husband and beloved backpack.

Guess Who Hates Apple Right Now?

If our permanently depressed trackpad button wasn't enough of an issue, we also noticed that our non-working, recalled battery (the one we can't send back to Apple to have replaced because we're in Vietnam), has spontaneously swollen up to the point of no longer properly fitting into its slot underneath the case. From what I read online, we've got company and I've got a fire hazard on my hands.

When I remove said battery from hell from the case altogether, the trackpad works, but then I'm exposing circuitry. I think that's going to have to do.

I'm so disappointed in my Macbook. Get a clue, Apple Sony!

The Laptop Saga Continues.. Now With More Chili Paste!

Thanks for the good vibes, everyone. I think I can feel them, though with 1005% humidity here in southern Vietnam, it's might just be the steam coming off my head.

Commenter Superman hit the nail on the head...I've got one of them crappy, non-worky battery model/serial numbers. The good news is that at least it's Apple's fault, further proving my long-standing theory that I am incapable of doing anything wrong. The bad news is that I won't be back in the States until November for Brendan's sister's wedding and will be forced to rely on power outlets until then. And I have a feeling that the thatched huts of Laos may be lacking just a tad. Ah, the joys of traveling. It's comedy, really.

Oh! The laptop repair shop here in Saigon got our click button working again. I'm flabbergasted. Brendan is editing our latest podcast episode in our hotel room as I type this from Sozo Cafe down the street.

I haven't forgotten about posting my China blog, mind you. Sometimes you just need to cave in and give the boy his computer to avoid a tense round of rock-paper-scissors followed by a tantrum (and to think bringing two laptops seemed like a crazy idea back in May!).

PS- Let the records show that it took two months and ten days for me to officially get "travel sick". We'll just leave it at that. I blame the pho.

Love is...

...never having to say "the laptop is broken."

Our laptop is broken.

Pardon the delay on 1) our latest podcast, and 2) my Chinese travelogue, as both are being held hostage by said laptop.

The main issue is that the mouse click button on our Macbook Pro has become possessed by the devil and will no longer depress normally. I think something's lodged underneath it (note to self: no more cookies while blogging). I would have just lifted up the keypad myself by loosening a few screws if Brendan's swiss army knife hadn't been confiscated by security at Beijing Airport. Sigh. Oddly enough, there's a laptop repair shop down the street from our hotel in Saigon. Send good vibes via airmail and hopefully we'll get lucky.

The other issue is what the Apple forums have led me to believe is a faulty battery in the Macbook. In a nutshell, I can no longer unplug the damn thing without it spontaneously shutting down within 3 minutes. Call me crazy, but I think a laptop that insists on being plugged in is really just a small desktop computer and completely inappropriate for the next three months in rural Southeast Asia.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go cry into a large, $0.60 bowl of pho. 

Yours in agony,

Sarah

We Are Not Alone

Mr. Moran and I have been on a system where we get online a few days before visiting a new place to book our accommodation. The short notice keeps us from getting locked into a schedule too early, and serves as kind of a refresher course on where we're headed. Plus, when faced with an unfamiliar neighborhood in a new country where you don't speak the language and you're sweating buckets under two backpacks, there's nothing sweeter than already having a plan.

I usually start with simple Google searches just to see what pops up, and then go hunting for that special little guesthouse at the end of a quiet lane sprinkled with gardens and rainbows. Invariably I end up browsing sites that don't help me find that magical accommodation, but are at least relevent enough to be interesting.

Today while researching the hotel scene in Da Lat, Vietnam (we'll be there sometime in the next couple of weeks), I stumbled across Conor's blog and laughed myself silly. You're funny, Conor. I'm also a huge fan of Mark Yiin's travel blog, and can honestly say his stories influenced some of our destination choices. Mark, let's have coffee someday.

It's so rewarding to find these internet gems and be reminded that countless other folks empathize with this ridiculous travel life I'm leading.

We're boarding a plane to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) tomorrow at 8:45 a.m. Once we get settled, I'll fill you in on our fabulous week in Beijing! If only we'd known how awesome China was, we'd have stayed a lot longer.

Love,
Sarah

Where the Hell is...

My buddy Matt Harding has posted his latest dancing video online. If you haven't seen it yet, please indulge. It's outstanding.

Kudos to Matt for taking the road less traveled!

The Traveling Morans Triumphantly Return...

...To G4's Attack of the Show!

Well, we'll actually be in St. Petersburg, Russia, but you get the idea.

Thursday, July 13th, at 7:00 PM ET.

Be there.

The Longest Honeymoon Ever...

...is now airing on Current TV! Being away from TV for the last month we haven't even seen the piece yet, but we'd love your feedback.

If you want to see more of The Traveling Morans on Current TV, send an email and show your support!

Thanks in advance,
s

I Feel Pretty!

A big thanks to Katherine Hinzman (of AOTS User Created fame) for creating my new page banner!!  I think it's just adorable and fits in really well. Besides moonlighting as a Photoshop wiz, Kat also teaches a Japanese animation class at an arts school in Wisconsin and is working on a new book. Oh, and also she taught me some helpful Russian phrases to use during my upcoming travels to the former Soviet Republic! Go Kat!

Thanks to those of you who submitted awesome banners. I loved them all, and am starting to feel like I'm the only card-carrying member of the WPEC left on the planet.

:)
s

I Did.

Yes, I'm a married woman... and it feels wonderful! I have never, ever been as nervous as I was that day. The clouds gathered just enough to be dramatic, but we weren't rained on and I got to have the outdoor wedding I'd always dreamed about. And I only cried a little! Absolute magic!

We were married at Viansa Winery in Sonoma, CA. For all you brides-to-be, I have only the best things to say about my wedding vendors. If you need some fabulous referrals, email me. Even though the "party" is now behind us, the fun is truly just beginning. We leave for Greece early Tuesday morning, but not before we squeeze in one more pre-trip podcast. :)

You've all been so supportive and given so much good feedback on The Traveling Morans. Thank you, and enjoy the pics!

Our color theme

Table settings (for the girls)

The mighty vows

Hottest wedding party ever

Signed,
Mrs. Moran!

Somebody's Getting Married...

Remember that song from The Muppets Take Manhattan where Kermit finally ended up marrying Miss Piggy at the end? It's been running through my head all week. Better that than the theme song from Runaway Bride, I suppose. I love muppets.

The next two days may be the longest two days of my life.

:)
s

Feeling Creative?

Ok, so here's the deal. I've got this lovely new travel blog that needs a decent image header. Since I'm a proud card-carrying member of the WPEC (Worst Photoshopper Ever Club), this could be your big chance to show off your skills and be worshipped by everyone on the planet. Seriously! The planet needs you!

As for graphics, I think something incorporating a temple, a dirt road, a backpack, and a pair of red pumps along with my blog title would be fantastic, but I'm open to suggestions.

Email me if you're interested...

:)
s

Podcast Added to YouTube!

"Bandwidth Limit Exceeded."

Ugh. I've always hated reading that phrase, but I especially dislike when it pertains to my own site. Until I can fix this tiny little server issue, I've uploaded "The Traveling Morans: Episode 1" to YouTube, and embedded the video below. I'm still tinkering around with compression rates for maximum quality, but it's getting closer. Man, I have a lot to learn!

Episode 1 Lives!

He edited, I uploaded, and now "The Traveling Morans" have our first podcast episode in the bag! It was fun. We're still trying to figure out what video format works best and all that jazz, so please speak up and let me know what you think!

I, Sarah...

Congrats! You've found the "new" blog.

After months of deliberation, living in sequestered quarters, and being forced to watch reruns of "Beverly Hills, 90210" on SoapNet, I've reached an important verdict. Welcome to my brand-new blog dedicated to travel tales and pics for the next year plus! It's wonderful to see you here (although I've done nothing more than put together the lamest template ever, more to come).

sarah. word. will remain a separate entity for the forseeable future. I can't really see adding a year's worth of global gossip to a bunch of new categories without it becoming even more ridiculously unfocused than it already is. And who knows, once I get on the road I might find a lot of subjects more suited to my general blog than my "travel" blog. I really have no idea yet.

BTW- Brendan wanted his own travel journal, so I guess you'll get both sides of the story after all. His blog is coming soon.