The conscious decision to avoid nearly all Everest Base Camp-related research was strategic. I didn’t want to be talked out of it. Brief searches around the idea in years prior made the challenge sound epic and the experience sound amazingly rewarding. Beyond a gear list and the trek itinerary, the promise of a challenge and experience was all I knew …
Exploring Kathmandu, Nepal
Waking up in Kathmandu was surreal. The trip planning had taken months. The flights had been long and tedious. Our arrival felt more like a hazy dream than a monument marking the start of the journey. Surreal, indeed. Taking my first glimpses out of the hotel window in the daylight, I snapped a photo. I had no idea what I …
MCI > ORD > AUH > KTM
In my Moments from the sky entry in the journal, the idea of leaving home for this adventure was still very new. Adrenaline was pumping. Boyce and I landed in an easy routine of dashing through airport security to find a good lounge, have a sandwich and a drink, then dash to the gate to hop onto our next flight. …
“To both recognize and invent beauty”
A few years ago, when I took my first big leap into working for myself, my family rallied around to make sure I knew how capable I was for this journey. I doubt they realize that I still look at their words each and every time I need a reminder of that. Obviously your genius comes from your kind heart, …
Revisiting the Everest Base Camp stories
Each time I travel, I stash a new journal and fresh pen in the depths of my pack. Within a couple of days of finding some peace – I usually have plenty to jot down. The intention has always been to transcribe my entries into the blog. But, let’s be honest, the whirlwind return to reality never quite allows that to …
New brand designs for Emily Ackart Fitness
It’s true that the worst cases of designer’s block result in the most beautiful new designs! Emily, a great friend and the owner of Emily Ackart Fitness, caught up with me last Fall to discuss logo ideas, marketing concepts and more. We quickly landed on a concept for her logo – incorporating weights that emphasize the strength training aspect of her …
MARKETMOX is, once again, Laura Noll
Let me tell you – the past few years have been a wild and crazy ride. In 2015, I announced MARKETMOX – a hub for web design, development and marketing services. With amazing clients and awesome success, we stayed way too busy and had tons of fun ever since. Now, you can ask “what’s in a name?” and I’ll tell you. …
Be a better wedding show vendor
In the real life where I’m recently engaged and now expected to plan a grand wedding – I went to a wedding show. I’ve been to a wedding show before, this should have been nothing new to me. But, attending one of these things as a bride is a whole different ball game. First, marketing overload. Second, spam overload. Third – …
Ogilvy is 5
Years, around here, seem to fly by much too quickly. Adding the perfect punctuation to our holiday whirlwind, Ogilvy is 5. Even I have a hard time believing that it has already been a year since we last celebrated his big day in the dog park of Aaron’s River Market apartment. View this post on Instagram Happy Birthday Ogie. #dogs …
4 years of Top Nine photos + memories
Over the past few years, I’ve used the Top Nine app to peek at my top-performing Instagram images. I love this. Being a hyper-visual person, I adore the chance to see a picturesque summary of what happened in the previous 12 months. This year, I had the insane idea to put my Top Nine images side-by-side. 2015, 2016, 2017 and …