The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

Visiting Schönbrunn Zoo + Palace in Vienna with Kids

Full disclosure: I’m writing about a place I haven’t actually visited. John and the kids went on an adventure last Sunday… while I stayed back at our Viennese apartment and enjoyed my first few…

Top Five/Bottom Five: Germany/Vienna Edition

I haven’t done a Top Five/Bottom Five post in a while and I thought I might as well break the drought with something relevant to my current state of mind.

We’ve officially spent three weeks…

Top Five/Bottom Five, Euro Adventure, Munich, Travel, Vienna
Mar, 30, 2026
32 Comments

Bratislava Day Trip from Vienna: What to See in One Day

If you’re staying in Vienna and want an easy international day trip, Bratislava is one of the simplest options. Slovakia’s capital is only about an hour away by direct train, and the compact Old…

Travel, Euro Adventure, Slovakia, Vienna
Mar, 29, 2026
16 Comments

Random Little Updates (AKA: Potpourri)

I rarely start a post, write conversationally, and immediately post it. I tend to draft, step away, come back to edit, and then schedule it for some specific future time. (That probably tells you…

Travel, Euro Adventure, Personality Insights, Random
Mar, 29, 2026
51 Comments

Come on In: A “We’re Leaving for Europe” House Tour

People always seem interested in seeing house pictures, and I’ve been meaning to post about a topic Engie mentioned MANY MONTHS ago (only partially successfully, I will add) which is to ask what’s in…

Life, Home, Organization
Mar, 28, 2026
23 Comments

Happy Things Friday: 27 March

It’s a cold, snowy (!), rainy weekend here in Vienna. To be fair, this is our first truly miserable weather since arriving in Europe and I feel like we’ve mostly dodged a springtime bullet.

Honestly,…