Heart of the Matter

I just finished the fifth of the Emily Giffin book series, Heart of the Matter, and like the others I couldn’t put it down. The other thing this book has in common with the others are little nuggets that I find interesting, compelling or thought-provoking.

The book series seems to focus on relationships and the ebbs and flows that occur in our lives.

The books are entertaining, easy reads, but still if one can glean little nuggets from fiction stories that can apply in the real world, than a-okay.

 

I think of how each person in a marriage owes it to the other to find individual happiness, even in a shared life. That this is the only real way to grow together, instead of apart.”

 

Heart of the Matter book cover

It’s funny how as you get older, you learn how important knowing yourself is. I believe it’s important to find your own happiness, find the person that accepts you for who you are including your individual happiness, and then bring that happiness into the relationship. I appreciate how this book says it eloquently. Something I plan to remember.

 

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We Need a Pep Talk

You may have seen this online, but it’s too good not to post, in the chance that you haven’t gotten a pep talk yet.

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TED Talk from Gen. Colin Powell – Kids Need Structure

I love TED and the many speakers they bring in to discuss various topics.

This one is from General Colin Powell and it’s about how structure helps kids grow up smarter and become their best.

Kids need the gift of a good start…They need to be a part of a tribe, community, family…There are kids that can make it, if you give them structure…All of us have to have a commitment to do that…We have to invest in our future.”

Some good insight from General Powell and worth the watch.

Always be looking for that which you do well and that which you love doing, and when you find those two things together — man, you got it.”

Thanks for the perspective and good advice. What do you think? Do kids need structure?

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Somebody That I Used to Know

I don’t know about you, but I tend to like some of the more quirky artists because they’re just that. I like Lady Gaga because she takes her own creative interpretation on fashion, music, lyrics, appearances and more. She pushes the boundaries of traditional thinking, sure, but I believe she’s living what she wants and not doing it simply for attention. I’m sure attention-seeking is part of it though.

     A unique fashion choice, but only she can rock it the way she does!

 

Photo Courtesy: Google Images

Sometimes there are artists who take this creativity to how they present their music in a video — enter Gotye featuring Kimbra and their hit song “Sombody That I Used to Know.” It could quickly be deemed odd or weird, but there’s something about it that to me is amazing, genius and open for discussion.

 

If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look and let me know what you think. Let’s discuss! Creative or Attention-seeking artists?

 

 

 

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2012 – A Full Year in One Blog Post

20-12 wasn’t the year for my blog. Clearly, the year had huge time gaps where I posted nothing at all. But I’d like to think it was because I focused more on LIVING. I did miss the writing though. Capturing the moments through the year that inspired me, drove me, or were just plain cool.

 

So here’s my attempt to do 20-12 right and quickly share the top 12 moments for this year. 12 moments, for 12 months, for the year ’12. It’s never too late, so I’m taking charge and getting it done just under the wire 🙂

Cheers and Happy New Year! See you next year.

 

Annual College Girls Reunion in Memphis!

Hiking up the tallest dune in the Great Sand Dune National Park.

My friend Jen and I having brunch in the Space Needle with 360-degree views of Seattle! Unbelievable.

Best shrimp truck in all of Oahu… Giovanni’s.

Trying something for the first time – sea kayaking. Harder than I thought and a great team building exercise for a relationship 🙂

Meeting Jaws at Universal Studios. Duh-Nuh…

Best theme park ever! It really is the most magical place on Earth. Disneyland!!!

Another first… letting the Sea World flamingos nibble my hair! Apparently it’s their way of helping me groom myself. They were gentle and quietly ‘honked’ while doing it. Classic.

My Laguna Beach sunset. Chased down and well worth it.

Stomping grapes and touring Napa Valley wineries to ring in the big 3-0. Couldn’t have asked for more for my special day celebrated with family!

New York City at Christmas time was incredible. A 5-day work trip mixed with classic NYC moments…a great ending.

As fun as it is to look back, it’s more exciting to look forward! From my family to yours, have a safe New Year.

 

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Heaven Looks Like This…

I’m convinced that there are rare moments in our lives that if we pay close attention, we are given a glimpse of what is ahead of us. This may sound crazy, but when I was on a road trip in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, I swore a lake we’d come across was exactly what I envisioned heaven to look like… without the mosquitos 🙂

See for yourself and tell me what you think…

 

 

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Perspective

A Daily OM to remember perspective…

Hidden Treasure 
Finding Another Vantage Point

Seeing the world from another perspective can introduce you to all sorts of hidden treasures.

The ocean can look very different, depending on whether you are standing at the shore, soaring above in a plane, or swimming beneath its waves. Likewise, a mountain can look very different relative to where you are standing. Each living thing sees the world from its unique vantage point. While from your window you may be seeing what looks like a huge shrub, a bird in its nest is getting an intimate view of that tree’s leafy interior. Meanwhile, a beetle sees only a massive and never-ending tree trunk. Yet all three of you are looking at the same tree.

Just as a shadow that is concealed from one point of view is easily seen from another, it is possible to miss a fantastic view. That is, unless you are willing to see what’s in front of you through different eyes. Seeing the world from another perspective, whether spatially or mentally, can introduce you to all sorts of hidden treasures. The root of the discovery process often lies in finding another way of looking at the world. The common human reaction to insects is one example. Spinning its web in a dark corner, a spider may seem drab, frightening, and mysterious. But seen up close weaving silver snowflakes between the branches of a tree, they can look like colored jewels.

Sometimes, there are experiences in life that from your vantage point may seem confusing, alarming, or worrisome. Or there may be events that look insignificant from where you are standing right now. Try seeing them from another point of view. Bury your face in the grass and look at the world from a bug’s vantage point. Explore your home as if you were a small child. Take a ride in a small aircraft and experience the world from a bird’s eye view. Just as kneeling down sometimes helps you see more closely when you are looking for lost treasure, so can standing back help you appreciate the broader picture of what you are looking at. In doing so, you’ll experience very different worlds.

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Do you CrossFit?

Photo Credit

Have you heard about CrossFit?

Maybe you’ve heard…it’s a crazy group of athletes/weight lifters who lift lots of weight, run around and do exercises that are almost un-human.

Well I’m happy to dispel any myths because I do CrossFit. Am I an athlete? I’m athletic and true to form, believe I’ve been an athlete from dancing in high school (some may disagree ;)), but not an athlete that you would imagine.

Am I a weight lifter? I lift weights, but again, I’m just as intimidated to lift heavy weights at the gym with all the gym rats who only lift their upper body so they can look good during beach season.

So what’s great about CrossFit? It’s functional training, which means you’re not just working your muscles in one direction. The exercises help you build muscles, so that if it’s picking up a heavy box, carrying groceries from your car, etc., these movements help build your muscles in a way that is more real world applicable.

CrossFit is a strong community. It’s a sense of achievement. The workouts do seem un-human, but the best part is that you can do it. You get through it. You challenge your body, but especially challenge your mind, to overcome what seems impossible, and you come out the other side feeling strong, powerful, and dare I say like Super(wo)man.

All within a 20-30 minute workout. CrossFit is variety. Every workout is different, challenging and awesome. If you can’t already tell I’m a believer. I’m guessing too that I’m not someone you might see as doing CrossFit. Well, I do. And you can to.

I’ve done it since December and have seen my body get stronger, quicker and… I feel pretty darn powerful too.

So have you heard about CrossFit?

Photo Credit

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Locks of Love vs Pantene Beautiful Lengths

As you may have seen from my updated 35 Things to do Before I’m 35 list, I’m growing my hair out to eventually cut it off and donate it to be made into a wig for a cancer patient/survivor. I had only ever heard of Locks of Love being a company that took hair. Recently a friend on Facebook donated her hair, which sparked a discussion in the comments on whether she’d donated to Locks of Love.

Much to my surprise, she said no. She’d instead donated her hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths because Locks of Love sells part of the donated hair. What?!?! The hair I would donate would then need to be paid for by someone in need of a wig… they wouldn’t receive it for free?

I looked into Pantene Beautiful Lengths and sure enough, wigs are distributed for free through select American Cancer Society wig banks across the country. Well, decision made.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths, expect to hear from me with at least 8 inches of my hair near the end of the summer.

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Learn, Grow and Adjust

On Sept. 15, 2009 I wrote a blog post on 35 Things To Do Before I’m 35. I learned about making such a list from a blog I’m fairly obsessed with, Stratejoy, and had a lot of fun creating it. I’m a firm believer in being flexible with yourself. And what I learned at a recent two-day work retreat business meeting (more on that later), was that people change/grow all the time.

So after a year and seven months, I know I’m not the same person now as when I created this list, so it’s time to take another look and adjust. Because what may have seemed important to me then, may not now, and that’s okay.

Do you have a list? Have you looked at it and adjusted? It’s liberating. Try it.

35 Things To Do Before I’m 35

1. Buy my own place – completed June 2009

2. Go skydiving

3. One big international trip a year – Ireland in 2009, no international trip in 2010, but did travel in 2010 to: San Antonio, Hollywood/Los Angeles, 2 trips to Washington, D.C., Austin, Madison, Indianapolis, Aspen, Pittsburgh, Columbia, MO and 2 trips to St. Louis)

4. Go to South by Southwest to mingle with bloggers and social media addicts – completed March 2010

5. Start my own social media marketing company

6. Hike all of at least one Colorado 14er (that’s a mountain above 14,000 feet elevation!)

7. Learn to snow shoe and go during the winter season – completed March 19, 2011

8. Run a 10K race at least once every year – Bolder Boulder 10K May 2008, Fans on the Field 10K September 2009, Platte River Half Marathon 13.1 miles March 2010

9. Get married and have a family

10. Go on an annual trip with my girls from college – Chicago August 2007, Lake of the Ozarks September 2008, St. Louis/Kansas City June and September 2009, Columbia/St. Louis October and December 2010, New Orleans July 2011

11. Complete my family tree with as many pictures as possible – have started this

12. Visit the seven Wonders of the World

13. Vacation in a place like Bora Bora where you stay in a hut above the crystal blue water

14. Paint my own piece – completed January 2011

15. Be recognized as a Forty Under 40 winner in Denver – Change to: Take on a more minimalist lifestyle decreasing the number of possessions I have, and focus more on relationships and experiences

16. Visit the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore

17. Throw a spooky Halloween party

18. Start a personal and professional blog – completed Sept. 13, 2009

19. Get a dog

20. Go backpacking in the Rocky Mountains

21. Learn how to make sushi

22. Take a photography class

23. Save $50,000 in savings

24. Read the autobiographies/biographies of key figures in our nation’s history including Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King and Thomas Edison

25. Make a Thanksgiving dinner all on my own

26. Read Jane Austen classics including Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion.

27. Tour the Napa Valley wine country with my family – planned for October 2011

28. Plant and grow a vegetable garden

29. Make my own pottery

30. Go with a group of friends on a house boat trip to Lake Powell

31. Volunteer at the Denver Art Museum or Denver Museum of Nature & Science

32. Take an art history class – Change to: Learn about different forms of art by visiting local art galleries and determine what art style I prefer

33. Cut and donate my hair to Locks of Love – still growing 🙂

34. Write a poem

35. Host a wine, chocolate and cheese tasting party

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