My friend asked me today when I became a reader. Truth is, reading has always been a love of mine. I can’t remember the exact moment I became a reader, but it was sometime before high school and then again after I started working post-college. It might have been The Babysitter Club or Sweet Valley that sucked me in, but Amelia Bedelia was my friend way before that, right around the time that Curious George and I met. And then after I survived the mandatory readings in high school and college, it was Dan Brown and Keith Follett that brought my love back into my life. As I got older, I discovered non-fiction and what beauty it could bring into my life.
Happy Thanksgiving
While I’m not your typical holiday-loving person where I count down the days until a holiday or transform my home into a holiday haven, I do enjoy the holidays. I never really make plans nor do I have any traditions that I really follow, yet. (I can’t wait to create my own one day when my feet are a little more planted.) To be honest, it’s usually a last minute game-time decision on where to go, what to do, and who to spend it with.
Grateful For…
Thanksgiving in the US is usually the reminder that the holidays are here and the end of the year is just around the corner. It’s this time of year that you usually wonder where the time went and also simultaneously wonder how you’re going to get everything done by the end of the year. Before the panic begins, take a moment to pause and reflect on the things that you’re grateful for. After all, when the turkey is done, and the family is back to their respective homes, all you have left is yourself and the thoughts that go through your head. Pay homage to them.
This Year, Ruin Thanksgiving
For most people, the holiday season is a time to get together with your loved ones, eat great food, and be merry as you create new memories for the future. You may see the family who you haven’t seen since last year, and can’t wait to smoosh them up in a huge hug, but you might also see that one relative that you dread seeing because they always give you a hard time about your life choices or maybe they have opinions that fundamentally go against what you believe in. Whatever the case may be, it’s a once-in-awhile type of get together so you bite your tongue, turn a blind eye, and keep the peace.
Maybe it’s time to ruin Thanksgiving.
Life Lessons in Aisle 9
I got out of the shower yesterday and was greeted by chaos in what just was my clean room. The closet rod managed to break during my shower, spewing clothes that I had neatly hung up and organized all over the place. I didn’t know if I should laugh, or cry.
How Questions Strengthen Relationships
My favourite part about meeting someone is getting to know them and their story. What are the events that have shaped them? What are they most excited about? What and who are the most important things in the world to them? Their quirks and their strengths and their weaknesses–I can’t get enough.
Your Board of Directors
On a job interview for an internship 10 years ago, I got some of the best advice of my life.
The interviewer, the head of one of the HR departments, had received my resume in advance along with a list of questions to ask me. Before we could even start with the questions, she said, “Before we get started, I have to ask: Bollywood dance team?! Wedding planner?! How cool! Tell me about those things.” And I did.
Cleaning Up
I looked at my shoebox of a room the other day and thought, “Where did all of this stuff come from?” I had sworn that I would only keep some stuff with me here in SF while the majority of my things were in Portland, yet somehow my room was full. Not only was it full, it was full of stuff that I wasn’t sure I needed. It was also a reminder that there was ALL THIS STUFF in Portland that I didn’t need, considering I had been gone for almost two years and much of my stuff was/is still there.
You Are A Badass
Hey you. Yes, you. I have something I want to tell you.
You, my friend, are a badass.
Win or Learn
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” I have no idea where I heard that quote or who it’s attributed to, but it was running through my head today.