Amanda Heironimus is The Adventurista. That is, a tourist on her own planet. Legend has it that, at the tender age of three, she was discovered sitting quietly and looking a little lost by her father one afternoon. Amused by her absent stare, he asked, “Hey, Mandy. Where are you?”

To which she replied, simply and assuredly: “Jupiter.”

And the rest was history.

As you can imagine, it’s difficult for a girl who spent a good deal of her childhood on Jupiter to be satisfied by anything but adventure and exploration of what her current world has to offer. Sadly, however, there were no trust funds or lottery winnings to finance her expeditions, and so she’s finding somewhat ordinary ways to make her life extraordinary.

Some Adventures to Date:

-Auditioning for the frontwoman position in a cover band (despite having only sung in high school choir), getting the job,  and using the money to pay school bills. Jumping around a stage for three hours for sweaty, cheering crowds = coolest part-time job ever.

-Moving to Austin, Texas (from Columbus, Ohio) alone – except for Kitty, her cleverly monikered cat. But she did know a friend of a friend there named Rug who hosted a sports talk radio show and drank whisky and cokes from a Big Gulp travel mug. So she had that going for her.

-Eventually moved BACK to Columbus and put a band together with her drummer brother and a viola player. Marchioness had a fierce, if short-lived run, mostly because Amanda finally fell hopelessly and healthfully in love, and suddenly, despite years of creating dark, dramatic (and what some might call angsty) music, was stricken with the inability to write a song.

Just a sampling, but that brings you about up to speed. The point is, you don’t have to have a loaded bank account or a jetsetting career to live an adventurous life. More vital is the decision we make to live without limits and face each day eagerly and with a sense of humor – whether we’re on vacation or in the office (someday she’ll post a picture of her desk for you).

Here, Amanda hopes to illustrate in vivid color the possibilities, and to inspire her fellow human beings to join the ranks of the actively living.