My Letter to Fear
Based on interviews with women, these essays about life (and all of its funny, sad and ridiculous aspects) were published in 2014.
Venice in the Afternoon
It was mid-morning of December 30th when J and I emerged from the train in Venice. Watching the sun rise over the waters and feeling the not all together unpleasant breeze, we knew we had made the best decision possible. The day before we had been in Vienna—it was beautiful, but, as anyone can tell
One of Those Internet Surveys
I haven’t sat down with one of these random internet surveys in a while. Lucky you! Now, let’s see… Do you do anything in private that would shock your friends? LOL! Oh yeah, but probably not what this question had in mind. It’s Broadway up in here. Seriously, the door closes, and I’m singing, dancing
2012
As befitting any situation where I make great plans, the end of 2011 saw me not being uber-productive in anticipation of 2012, but rather vomiting for several days. Unlike Bridget Jones who could claim hangover status as her reasoning, I ended up with the stomach flu (I blame every single person on my flight back
As An Aside
You know the “must do skin allergy test 48 hours before coloring hair” warning that shows up here and there on the packaging (and by here and there, I mean on the front and back of the box, on both of the top flaps and in the instructions)? Well, I didn’t have 48 hours, so
Yep, Just Like the Picture
I’m going to color my hair right now. I’m feeling confident. I can read directions. How hard can it be? Step 1: Smile calmly and think benevolent thoughts while staring into mirror just like woman in picture. No problem. I’m smiling. I’m in a zen place. I’ve also removed the bathroom rug and my
Mad Procrastinating Skills
Some people procrastinate by cleaning the house, rearranging furniture (I do that one), or staring blankly at the television. I had one task for the day: grocery shopping. Now, I loathe grocery shopping, but I understand it is a relatively necessary evil– unless Brad from WebVan re-emerges. Oh, Brad. Anyway, when I roused myself this
Vista for a Friday
I stood on this vista point near Solvang yesterday, and I thought to myself: This is amazing. This is beautiful. I feel so incredibly free. I’m alone here on this outlook communing with nature. I’m just going to stand here alone and breathe this in. Alone… and it’s a really severe drop off this breathtaking
A Step Behind
I think that the most successful people are not always the most innovative so much as the people best able to communicate why people need this new product, service or concept that has likely existed in other forms. Sadly, I’m always a step behind. For instance, the other night I mentioned to Pen that someone
Assertiveness and the Lady Syndrome
As will be a surprise to absolutely no one, I have difficulty being assertive in certain situations. At work, I had no problem expressing my opinion in relation to work matters. I had confidence in my abilities. Unfortunately, in social or personal situations, I am often unable to express myself. While I did go to
The Books Around Me
At a recent wine club gathering (look at me being social!), the conversation turned to books we’ve read, ones we should have read and the “classics” that have disappointed. For instance, I can’t figure out why Wuthering Heights, Portnoy’s Complaint, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, or The French Lieutenant’s Woman are absolute musts, though I have sneaking