Gusto.

I was reminded tonight that whatever I put in to something needs to give the same in return. Specifically, I was told that I’m deserving of gusto. Gusto. Great enjoyment, energy and enthusiasm. I agree. It’s so easy to wake up each day and put your heart into that which matters to you. So long as […]

Through the Years

There’s a framed, sepia-toned photograph hanging on the wall behind my monitor. “Racing at the Clarendon” is its title, and it was taken on the sands of Daytona Beach in 1922. Spectators are lined up along the boardwalk and can be seen viewing the festivities from out their hotel room windows. Cars — four of which are […]

Jumpstart the Enjoyment

Just like that, it’s over. Christmas is behind us. A local radio station that’s been playing holiday music since November 15th at 3pm (I know because, ahem, I tuned in for the start) is back to playing regular tunes — but they’re easing us into things. Every other song is still a Christmas favorite, thank God. Something about this […]

The Rain Wish

I arrived home from Christmas day festivities at 11:11pm, and it was 70 degrees outside. A warm wind had been blowing for almost 24 hours, and it felt like it should be any season other than winter. Back in the ’90s, I remember appreciating warm Christmases when I’d come home from college in Michigan; something […]

The Wrong and Right

Leave it to me, my brother and his wife to have a deep discussion on Christmas Eve. Really, there’s no better time for it. Wine is open, conversation is flowing, and memories are being recalled. We landed upon a topic that is true for any area of our life. “Good students learn from their mistakes. […]

What good shall I do this day?

“A writer takes earnest measures to secure his solitude and then finds endless ways to squander it.” -Don DeLillo Do you do it? I do. I’m at my computer when I realize that I’m thirsty. A walk to the kitchen turns my attention to my feet. They’re cold. Time for socks. As I pull on my socks […]

The Upside to Assumption

It was bad enough that I was in one of my least favorite places on the planet, but the tech at my doctor’s office couldn’t resist going the extra mile. “So, how old are your kids?” she asked. In the few moments we’d been in the same airspace, I’d said nothing about kids or family. Had she been […]

Quest Physics

“In the end, I’ve come to believe in something I call “The Physics of the Quest.” A force in nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity. The rule of Quest Physics goes something like this: If you’re brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from […]

Let’s date.

We all need to go on more dates. With ourselves. A woman on LinkedIn began a discussion in which she asked what advice her readers would give someone who’s trying to reinvent themselves. The answers were varied — some thoughtful, some semi-cliché. Some were vague (“think logically”) and some were rambling. One woman recommended the […]

Fair Share

My neighbor dropped off a Christmas gift tonight. Unfortunately/fortunately, it’s edible. What was masquerading as your basic apricot pastry from a local, mildly famous bakery was, in reality, more like a delicious, stone fruit pizza, complete with a buttery, flaky, croissant-like crust, sweet glaze and sugary frosting swirls on top. Why can my diets never […]