What I Learned in 2014
This time of year (even more than most) the internet is full of lists. Lists of what to buy; lists of how to be a better host (or a better person in general); lists of best Thises and Thats. Lists of how you’re living all wrong. Lists of things to do differently next year. And … Continue reading
The Not Knowing
Lately I have been pinch-hitting at a local school. It is super fun. I get to work with kids and explain things like rainbows and dipthongs and fractions. I bring in library books for story time and host Jeopardy for the older ones if we finish early. I get asked things like “What color is … Continue reading
A sense of seasons
The crisp-apple air of autumn has begun blustering about. Tiny cold and warm fronts battle in eddies above my tea mug; on the window sill; at my upper lip. The invisible becomes tangible in this shifting season, and as the birds rang in the dawn an epiphany woke within me. Autumn will forever be scented. … Continue reading
Chicago at One Month
We moved to the Windy City four weeks ago. It feels much longer somehow. Moving in was the traditional small-scale saga, starting with a farce of a landlord having no key for our bolt and ending in a beautifully crafted climax: a gaggle of family perched, in pairs, up each section of our fire escape … Continue reading
Ten Things I Did Not Know I Would Love About Chicago
The sailboats ambling by the end of our road The distant rumble of trains reminding me of the hurtling city a few miles down of the line Drag Performance Debates The big yellow school bus that stops on our leafy street The sunpatch-cum-mini-patio at the top of our fire escape The inspiring homeless guy … Continue reading
#MakingTime : Day 2
I’m taking on Do What You Love‘s 31-day experiment #MakingTime. Each day we’ll carve out an increasing number of minutes (one minute on Day 1, two minutes on Day Two…) to make time for the here and now and the big picture stuff that gets shoved under the sofa most nights. I’m going to try … Continue reading
Making Time : Day One
I’m taking on Do What You Love‘s 31-day experiment #MakingTime. Each day we’ll carve out an increasing number of minutes (one minute on Day 1, two minutes on Day Two…) to make time for the here and now and the big picture stuff that gets shoved under the sofa most nights. I’m going to try … Continue reading
Do What You Love
In this new life, still shiny-pink and small, I want to be mindful. Mindful of who I am and what I want. Mindful of where are headed and where I came from. Mindful of what drives me and makes life worth living. To that end, I am undertaking some personal DIY. First, I am … Continue reading
One Year
One year ago, we took a one-way trip to America. Since leaving Heathrow that morning we’ve been rather busy. We’ve clocked 15,000 miles by car, plane, bus, train, boat, bicycle and ferry. We’ve visited 5 states and 19 North American cities (not including driving through dozens if not hundreds of one-stop-light towns and villages). On … Continue reading
Not all who wander are lost
Last week my dad invited me to see his friend’s rock band. I had no idea what to expect (other than, I kidded to myself, some middle-aged people acting like high schoolers). I certainly didn’t expect what found. ~~~ It’s a hot sticky night, humid and blazing even at 6pm. We … Continue reading
Que Sera Sara? 