We are at a pivotal time in history. Never before has so much information, so much stuff, been available to us at all hours of the day and night. It’s like a fire hose that we can’t turn off. I see us, this human species, on the precipice of something great—or not. The choice is ours. To move beyond the constraints of selfishness, of a me-centered mindset, will take time and intention. We are at nearly 7 billion people on this planet that we call Earth and it’s not sustainable to continue ...
When I was in my twenties, I dated a man whose family traveled extensively. They lived in Saudi Arabia, the father was headmaster at an American school, and the entire family of six would travel all over the Middle East and Europe. The one good thing I remember from that train-wreck of a relationship was his family's mantra about packing before a trip: Never pack before midnight, and never pack sober. I reference that maxim often when people ask me for advice on packing light, not because I follow the ...
I laugh out loud in the strangest places. Yesterday, I was sitting alone in my local coffee shop hangout, reading an essay by David Sedaris, when the impulse overtook me. My initial attempt to stifle the laughter, fueled by a momentary concern of what others might think, gave way to audible laughter. And not a polite little chuckle, but an eye-watering, I-don’t-give-a-damn-who’s-watching, laughing fit. Yes, people stared at me. I didn't care. I laugh when I ride my Vespa. I laugh at ...
Let me get this out of the way: this post is biased. Biased because, well, it's my blog wherein I share my opinion, and dare I say expertise (I just did), on all manner of things and because I am of the particular persuasion of which I am about to write. So here goes: I haven't had a job in more than six years and I couldn't be happier. While people of this fair nation, from one end of the political spectrum to the other, worry about who will ...
Words. Weighty things, they are. Words can cut us to the quick, heal past hurts, and cause deep and lasting memories—good and bad. The words we use can influence our states of mind, our states of being, and how others perceive our intentions. Why are words so powerful and why should we care? When we choose certain words, whether unconsciously or with much deliberation, we paint a picture through the metaphors that these words create and the symbols that the ...
Thursday night, July 23, 2010, at 11:15 p.m. In the company of friends and family, I said good-bye to the longest-term live-in companion I have known. Cradling my beautiful Persian cat, Murphy, I made the difficult decision to let him pass from this realm to the next. The week leading up to his passing was exhausting for both of us. I took him to the vet—I think it was on Monday—where I awaited a diagnosis. He had lost a lot of weight, and his appetite, and the blood work confirmed ...
