Laniakea
Portfolio & Blog.
Blog
Latest posts
Knocking on Spring’s Door
Spring is almost here, and I couldn’t be happier! This winter in Germany has felt endless—so many dark days—but it’s had its own kind of magic. Now, I’m sitting here with the sun warming my face, surrounded by my plants, completely at peace. The birds are singing, and the world outside feels alive again. Our…
Exciting Times
We truly live in an unprecedented period in history. It’s honestly crazy to read the news and think about what is going on in the world. It feels like we are sitting on the edge of a third world war. Life, as we know it, is changing—and fast. The path that many of us thought…
Amsterdam
This was a small adventure that came out of the blue for us! My best friend proposed that we meet up in Amsterdam and hang out. I was instantly hyped to go; I had heard so much about this city, and the connection Pulp Fiction made to it always made it seem like a legendary…
Wintertime Deutschland
These past few months somehow topped the summer, which was already legendary. It’s been something of a fairy tale, honestly. Fresh off the plane from Levi, I arrive back in Hamburg. I’m still a mess from the shock that had just occurred days ago. I’m headed back to the hotel and to all my friends…
Levi
Winter is coming This was going to be a challenge from the beginning. I knew what I was signing up for with this adventure, but I never expected it to go down the way it did. I arrived in Levi, Finland, on the 6th of November 2024. I was committed for 5 months, deep in…
Summertime Deutschland.
The Beginning By far, the best period of my life began in the summer of 2024. I had just begun a new chapter in my life, and I was eager to explore my father’s homeland and meet my family here in Germany! I arrived in Germany at the end of May, and for the first…
Who am I?
My name is Oliver. Either you know me, or somehow you have stumbled upon this webpage. Now that you are here, this website is intended to serve as a digital portfolio and a personal blog outlining my story. I’ve had a crazy ride through life so far, but here is a lesson I’ve taken away from it.
“Cease the Day, Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May.” 🥀
This now lies at the crux of my own personal philosophy. Life is too short to spend it doing anything less than what you dream for yourself. I now travel the world, meet people, and get into adventures. I write, I read, and carefully play the game of life. I love to take photos, drink tea, and write letters to strangers around the globe! More than anything else, I love living. Whatever God sends me in this life, I am grateful for it. I intend to make the most of my life, to leave a legacy, and to pour my heart and soul into everything I pursue.
My Story
I was born in the United States in a small town in the ancient Appalachian Mountains. I lived a normal American childhood. I played soccer, loved video games, cartoons, and movies. I graduated from university and began a career working as an IT professional for around four years.
I learned plenty of lessons, earned some money, but I was never quite satisfied with this life. I craved much more and wanted to see the world. So, I started selling and donating my belongings. I learned how to live minimally and travel on a budget. I traveled all over the United States, working as a house-sitter. I loved it! I was alive. I was free. I knew that this kind of life was what I wanted for myself.
Today, I am like a feather in the wind. I’m like Jules at the end of Pulp Fiction—I walk the Earth, meet people, and get into adventures. I left my life in the United States behind, and now my only plan is to be like water and let God guide me along the path.
I dream that someday I will have children of my own, and that this path I’ve taken will pay off in wisdom that I can pass down to them. I want to live as rich a life as possible, to suck out all the marrow of life, and when my time to rest finally comes, take peace in knowing that I lived.
What I Do
Travel
I travel the world. The endless possibilities of life inspire me to see what is out there. I want to live in as many different shoes as I can. I want to push myself far out of my comfort zone. I want to learn everything I can about this world and the different cultures and ways of life around the globe.
Learn
I always look for the lesson in everything. Every success, every hardship — it is all an opportunity for growth. I seek wisdom above all else.
Create
Be it photography, startup ventures, web development, or coding, I am a creator at heart. I pour my heart and soul into everything I create and tend to it as if it were my own child. I’m very tech-savvy; I love figuring out how things work and how that can be translated into something real.
Photography
Here are some highlights from my life, my travels, and other moments that made an impact on me. Each of these frames has a story behind it. Some were heartbreaking, some were during high points in my life. All of these moments have made a major impact on my life in one way or another. Photography has always been a passion of mine. I love to shoot 35mm film (Kodak Tri-X 400) from my Canon AE-1, my SX-70 Polaroid camera, and, of course, my iPhone!
