About Of Whiskey and Words
Making the most out of life and sharing those experiences with others is exactly why I started Of Whiskey and Words. The world is big and full of possibilities and I want nothing more than to say I took as many of them as I could. But the more things I did, the more I realized, I got the most joy sharing my stories and adventures with others. I saw my actions inspiring them to go see and try new things for themselves.
I was born and raised in Nebraska and after graduating from Creighton I worked in Omaha for a year before saying ‘F*ck this” it’s time to see the world (it was a little more complicated than that, but that’s the one line cliff notes). After interviewing for different ‘travel jobs’ I accepted a job on a cruise ship based in Brisbane, Australiaa. I spent half a year sailing around the South Pacific (Fiji, Papa New Guinea, Vanuatu, Australia etc) and worked as part of the Cruise Staff team (meaning I hosted things like trivia, theme nights, scategories etc).
It was a wild time and completely changed my life.
After my contract on the ship expired, I accepted a job Au Pairing in a small village in the Czech Republic for four months and then spent an additional four months backpacking around Europe. I had the full ‘backpacker’s experience’ doing it as cheap as I could which meant staying with friends, at hostels, but got to explore places I’d never even heard of growing up in Nebraska.
“Life’s too short to not do cool shit
and share it.”
The more I traveled, the more I wanted to see, and the more I wanted to share it with anyone that was interested. That’s when Of Whiskey and Words really became a large part of my life. It was my platform to expose people (most in the MidWest at the time) to the world in a way they weren’t used to.
The first step in an adventure is learning about a place. But I’ve found the next (for most people), is knowing someone else who has done it. Once someone you know has done whatever it is, it’s a lot less scary and it seems lot more do able. After all, it’s one thing to read about a place and another to know someone who’s actually been there that’s when it becomes tangible. It’s cool to hear about the prettiness of Prague, but completely different when your best friend is the one telling you about it.
I wanted to inspire people to go and see for themselves.
“I believe that life is all about perception and timing. That good things come to those who act and that life’s about more than collecting a paycheck. I believe that the only person you’re destined to become is the one that you decide to be. I believe that you are never as far away from people as the miles may suggest. I believe that where you start doesn't have to mean that's where you finish. I believe that you should never let your memories be greater than your dreams. And that you should always choose adventure.”
After a brief stop back in the States, I decided I should move to Melbourne, Australia with a buddy of mine from my cruise ship days. I’d traveled around the world but I hadn’t ever “lived” abroad. I hadn’t stayed in one spot and truly understood what it was like to live there.
Melbourne was my chance to do that.
I got to immerse myself in Australian culture and go to fulfill my bucket list idea of living abroad. It was one of the hardest and most difficult years of my life (both fiscally and emotionally), but also one of the most rewarding. Go figure, life’s funny like that.
I moved back to the States and ended up in Kansas City working at Lifted Logic (a web design company) which allows me to travel more than the average person. Over the past 4 years, I’ve gone to Burning Man (Twice), Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bali, Australia, Russia for World Cup, Costa Rica, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, and Egypt with no plans of slowing down going forward.
Of Whiskey and Words is my way of sharing everything with the world. On the site, you’ll find thoughts on life, love, relationships, along with travel ideas, tips, and stories. You’ll find the places and things that have caught my eye around the world and the web.
If there’s any topic or place you ever want to hear my thoughts on feel free to send me a message!
Stay Gold.
Todd Smidt
