Don't Worry, Be Happy*

The following was originally posted on June 9, 2011. It is being re-posted as part of our CHICKS ROCK! Summer Retrospective.




CHICKS ROCK! is happy to have Kristina back as a guest blogger this week.


Kristina Leonardi is the founder of The Women’s Mosaic. She is a career/life path consultant, speaker, seminar leader and expert in the areas of women, diversity and personal growth.

As the saying goes, there are three things that are certain in life: death, taxes and change. Change comes in all shapes and sizes, some more scary than others. Climate change, career change, graduations, marriages and relationships changes, TV changes, sex changes, change of residences, and regime change to name a few - and June seems chock full of them!

Most folks have a hard time with change. We'd rather stay comfy and/or miserable rather than letting go of our crutches and seeing what else life might have in store us. We cannot control things but we can control how we respond to them: we can resist and go kicking and screaming or we can accept that change happens, and just go with the flow.

Going with the flow means listening to yourself, and giving yourself what you need at any particular moment. The best way to navigate change is to trust in yourself and be your own best counsel, so it's important to have that 'muscle' in place as you go over the white water rapids of feelings that come with this thing called life.

Change is not always fun, but it's almost always for the better, because change forces growth and growth is good. And once the change happens, we can't be like a goldfish who lived in a fishbowl his whole life but then when put into the ocean still swims around in a little circle as if he were still in a bowl!

David Bowie tells us time can change you but you can't trace time. So this summer, if you feel you are ready to be hatched, then fly, be free! Not quite like Mork's egg, but more like Steve Miller's Eagle or with the help of Bob Marley's Three Little Birds and the wonder of that other Stevie who sings, Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing.

A Better Decade?*

This piece was originally posted on January 6, 2010. It is being re-posted as part of our CHICKS ROCK! Summer Retrospective, during which we will post a combination of new content and posts from the past. Enjoy!

Sure, a new year has just begun. But this stands out because it is also the beginning of a new decade, which was the prevalent thought in my mind as the minutes and seconds went by on New Year’s Eve. When the 2000s began, I already felt a sense of dread because of the election of the most recent former U.S. President, yet I had no idea what changes the decade would bring into all of our lives. I know I am no psychic, but I like to think that my instincts are pretty good. Will the second decade of the second millennia be a good one? I guess it all depends on what your definition of good is, in this case.

From a global perspective, I certainly hope that the new decade will be known for more responsible leadership. We are all human of course, so there will be many mistakes, but I think the shame alone of being charged with corruption and/or personal indiscretions may decrease the number of scandals in the future. Maybe it won’t, but I refuse to believe that no lessons have been learned so far. I would like to think that future economic recessions will not be as severe as the one we are currently recovering from, but it was far worse during the Great Depression of the 1930s, so I think we are getting smarter in general when it comes to money. I am hopefully optimistic about this; it is not a case of wishful thinking on my part.

Will this decade mark the defeat of terrorism and global warming? I see no easy answers, but I am convinced that we will achieve control of these and other difficult situations in the years to come. I just have to believe that better days are ahead for all of us. Yes, it could very likely to wishful thinking after all.

Do you agree that we will “get it together” in 2010 and beyond?

Seeking a Soccer Mom*

This piece was originally posted on September 6, 2011. It is being re-posted as part of our CHICKS ROCK! Summer Retrospective, during which we will post a combination of new content and posts from the past. Enjoy!

As a kid, I led a very sheltered life. My sisters and I couldn't do much of anything that wasn't schoolwork or reading and any fun we did have was in the comfort and protection of our own home. That meant no tv on school nights, no visits to friends' homes (though they could come to ours), and no after school activities. This last one seems particularly strange to people I know who grew up with soccer practice, karate, or some other activity that kept them engaged and entertained.

But I guess I'm making up for lost time because I've recently set up a schedule for myself that makes me feel like I need a soccer mom to keep me on top of things.

It started when I got French lessons from one of those daily deal sites. I still have hopes to travel to Paris and live there for a while, so French lessons are necessary and they were a good deal. They were nearing expiration and I finally found a class that didn't conflict with my schedule, so starting in a couple of weeks, I'll be spending every Thursday conjugating verbs and working on my accent.

Soon after getting that deal, I saw one for voice lessons. Having been a singer way back in junior high and high school, I have always wished I could have kept up with it, so I just had to sign up. I had my first lesson a few days ago and am ready for the next few. I'm even thinking I might keep going back once a month or so. The most recent addition to my schedule is a creative writing course through Gotham (another daily deal), and although that doesn't begin for a couple of months, I've got it in mind even now.

The good thing is that these classes don't overlap too much because one set is winding down by the time the next one starts, but it's strange to realize my schedule suddenly resembles that of a very active child. At least I'll be doing things I enjoy rather than something my parents pressured me to do!

The Flaw in Films*

The following was originally posted on October 18, 2010. It is being re-posted as part of our CHICKS ROCK! Summer Retrospective.


It's possible that many of you are already familiar with the Bechdel Test for women in films, but I found this video by The Feminist Frequency about a surprising phenomenon occurring in many popular feature films today:



If you watched the video, you might not need to read the rest of my post, but here it goes anyway. The Bechdel Test asks three questions of any movie to determine the true presence of women on the screen:

1. Does the film have more than one woman in it (who has a name)?
2. Do they talk to each other at some point?
3. Do they talk about something other than a man?

The first time I heard of this, I felt sure I could immediately name plenty of movies that pass the test. Turned out, I could name some--not plenty--and they weren't always the movies I expected them to be. And it remains truly shocking to me how many of my favorites fail miserably.

How do your long-time favorites stack up? What about any new releases you've checked out lately? Any surprises?

Friday Forum: Summer Retrospective

This summer at CHICKS ROCK! we're taking some time to celebrate our blogging history with a Summer Retrospective. We'll be reposting some of our past content, in addition to adding new posts, featured links and discussion topics as usual. What are some of your favorite posts from the past that you've read here on CHICKS ROCK!? We'd love to feature them again for our new readers!

Link Love for 6/14/2012

It's been a while since our last link love round-up, so we're back to share some of our favorite blog posts! If you know of any other blogs we should have on our blogroll, please link to them in the comments and we might include them in our next link love post.

Alexia Vernon reveals how a humbling moment at her local car wash taught her how to ask for help.

One Writeous Chick returns to collaging and impresses everyone with her playlist at her friend's vision board party.

NYWSE salutes both The Lotus Odyssey and WORK+SHELTER for their sincere commitment to women's concerns and fair operating practices.

In Good Company shares tips on how to re-gain 3 more hours to your day, even to those who are the busiest of all.

Savvy Ladies identifies the symptoms of those who suffer from a scarcity mindset, and how to overcome the affliction. 

Wishes And Their Consequences

Over the years, I have heard the quote “be careful what you wish for because it might come true” and processed it in my mind in different ways. Now, I am faced with some major changes in my life, some of which I wanted to happen for many years, and this same quote has re-entered my mind. While I am happy that some of my wishes are coming true, I am a bit apprehensive of what is to come as a result.

The first change has to do with my family dynamics; without being specific, I will say that I have wanted it to happen ever since I can remember, and now that it is imminent, I am both relieved and wary. The consequences of this major transformation will most likely be positive and negative, but I am hoping that the former will outweigh the latter. My physical reaction to this upcoming wish come true is similar to how I feel right before a roller coaster ride begins: even though my stomach is in knots, I am also looking forward to the good times ahead.

The other change has to do with my moving out of New Jersey to New York City. I am not very nervous about this at all, because it is a transition; I will most likely move next year to another state or possibly overseas. I have wanted to move for a few years now, and I am glad that it is happening. I like the idea of a new address, and re-adjusting my daily routines in another environment. The logistics of moving are never simple, but I am looking forward to reducing my possessions to what I need in my new, temporary home.

When wishes come true and changes take place, details always come into play. When they do, I have a tendency to get too caught up in them to enjoy the overall experience sometimes. I am going to try to avoid this pitfall moving forward. How does “be careful what you wish for, because it might come true” resonate with you?

Doing What We Love*

This piece was originally posted on October 4, 2011. It is being re-posted as part of our CHICKS ROCK! Summer Retrospective, during which we will post a combination of new content and posts from the past. Enjoy!

Why do we stop ourselves from doing the things we love? I’ve been struggling lately (and by “lately,” I mean at least a year) with this question.

I have a friend who wants to be an actor and moved to New York partly to pursue that. When I ask him about it, he’s never much closer to taking his acting seriously than he was the time I asked before that. Another aspiring actor studied theatre in college and hasn’t gone on any auditions or even gotten headshots. I also have a friend who used to dance and was quite talented but had to stop years ago. Even though she now has some time and resources to start dancing again, it’s too emotional for her to even try.

All my life, I’ve loved to sing. When I stopped singing regularly with a chorus (or “for real,” as I like to call it), I lost confidence in my ability and eventually it became harder and harder to think about doing it again. Similarly, for the past few months, I’ve found it harder to sit down and write something substantial – one of the things I love doing most. I write here once a week, but it’s nothing like what I used to write when I used to write “for real.”

So I have to ask why it is that we stop ourselves from doing the things we love. I wonder if we don’t think we’re good enough, but it doesn’t seem that simple. I think maybe we don’t think we’re worthy of doing something we truly enjoy – something that has the potential to make us truly happy. Whatever it is, I’m trying to get us all out of our funk. However big or small our steps are, I’m hoping my friends and I can all get back on track… I imagine we’d all be at least a bit more fulfilled.

As Resilient As Glass*

This piece was originally posted on August 2, 2010. It is being re-posted as part of our CHICKS ROCK! Summer Retrospective, during which we will post a combination of new content and posts from the past. Enjoy!


I visited a glassworks in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this summer, where you could sit and peer through a huge picture window into the active glassblowing studio. I sat for over an hour and watched an artist and his assistants sweat over a single vase, thrusting the glob of red-hot, molten glass in and out of the flames, pinching and turning and shaping and blowing it just so with each extraction. Fascinating.

In the time I watched, the artist drew the vase in and out of the fire once every minute or two, working it, studying it, and finally he held it up for a long inspection. I thought he was finished, he had paused so long, but then he shook his head and slammed it back in, allowing it to lose its shape entirely. He drew out the pulpy mass and started over, scrapping an hour's work, at least. Not angry, just matter-of-fact. You could see it in the set of his shoulders. Not bad, but I can do better.

The heat must have been unbearable. I felt pain for him, as he destroyed his work and started again, but his attitude about it gave me inspiration and hope. Because things don't always go as we plan, the first time. And if you don't give up, there are better things on the horizon. It's as true in life as it is in art, whether it be glassblowing or writing, which is my own stock-in-trade.

Attached to the studio there was a shop and museum of handblown glassware and glass art. I fell in love with about a dozen amazing works of art. In the end, I wasn't able to afford anything in the whole shop, apart from the trinkets at the checkout. I bought a small disk of pale blond-colored glass, swirled with strands of copper and gold, etched with the words SCRIBE DEEP.

It's small--about the size of a half dollar, only thicker, like a Nilla wafer--but it's quickly becoming a favorite touchstone for me in my writing life. A reminder that it isn't enough to go through the motions, but that I have to dig to find what's important. And, that it's okay sometimes to scrap a project and start it over, when I know I can do better. It's not the same as giving up, when the raw material (or, in my case, the idea) is still alive in the flames, ready to be drawn out and made into something beautiful.

Looking to the Skies

Last week’s Manhattanhenge and last night’s Transit of Venus have interested me enough to peer into the skies to see the unusual phenomena. None of us will see Venus pass directly between the sun and our planet again; the next one will take place in December 2117. Thankfully, the more awe-inspiring Manhattanhenge (otherwise known as the Manhattan Solstice), will happen again on July 11th and 12th. The reason why I find this more interesting than the Transit of Venus is because the sun will actually align with the New York City street grid, which really blows my mind. Watching Venus’s trek across the surface of the sun did get a little boring, except for the solar flare near the end of it. Regardless of this, I was and still am interested in more sky and space related natural events.

I would love to see the Aurora Borealis (otherwise known as the Northern Lights) this coming winter where I can properly see them, such as in Canada or Norway. A beautiful natural light show in the skies above would be incredible to see. I would gladly welcome seeing all the streaks of light and their overall beauty for myself, even if I had to be bundled up in multiple layers of fabric to stay warm. There is something exciting about staring into the sky and seeing something so beautiful and almost unexpected.

Witnessing these natural events in the skies create great escapism. I think we as people get too overwhelmed with Earth-bound concerns, so looking above to witness something that happens once in a lifetime, yearly, or every few years is a nice way to look beyond ourselves. I am looking forward to the next Manhattanhenge in a month and any future sky gazing spectacles to come.

The Heart View

Part of the experience of being an author is going on school visits. I went to a school visit in New Mexico recently where the students welcomed me with great enthusiasm, and had prepared art, music and theater projects on the themes of my books in celebration of my visit.

My second novel, CAMO GIRL, is about a girl who doesn't fit in at school and only has one friend. She's self-conscious about her appearance, since she has a skin condition that causes her face to have dark and light patches of skin on it. Mean kids at school tease her about it, which only makes maters worse. Her best friend, though, accepts her for who she is, and she him in return. They sit alone at the outcast table at lunch.

The themes in the book--things like friendship, peer bullying, and self-acceptance--resonate with middle schoolers, and they sit quietly in their rows while I talk about my own experiences of feeling left out as a kid, and how badly I wanted to have lots of friends.

It was especially touching to see the wall of art these particular kids had created in anticipation of my visit. They had read and discussed the book, and they created a collage mural with the main characters' names and decorated an entire hallway to reflect the settings of the book. My favorite piece, though, was the wall of faces they labeled "If you saw me with your heart instead of your eyes." The students decorated a series of identical cut-out faces by putting another, hidden, layer behind them and writing in things about themselves that you might not know by looking at each of them.

I found myself choking up looking at these faces, because it was such a beautiful tribute to the book. And also, because the idea of looking more deeply into people before judging them had been introduced to these young sixth-graders. I hope it's a lesson they will carry with them throughout their lives.

The original hardcover

The new paperback cover!

Friday Forum: TGIF

Remember the TGIF lineup on ABC Friday nights? Sometimes it's fun to reminisce, so tell us what some of your favorite shows were!

Space Travel Expands

When I heard the other day that a private company has made it possible for more individuals to take part in commercial space travel, I was both surprised and not surprised. Like everyone else, I have heard and seen news reports over the years discussing the growth of space travel so that many more private citizens with the funds to do so can make their dreams to be in space for themselves a reality.

To date, there have only been a handful of individuals who have travelled to space as private travelers, and they have all gone to and from the International Space Station. If I am ever in the position to go to space myself, it would be great to go there, but I would love to tour our solar system. I know this is will not happen in my lifetime, but I would like to think future generations would have the option to take a private spacecraft to see most (if not all) of our neighboring planets. Actually stepping down on any other planet’s surface seems like something much far off than just touring the solar system.

I can understand the appeal and the apprehension about space travel; the latter because of the great unknown being frightening to think of at times; after all, we cannot breathe without assistance with machines out there, and while an absence of gravity might be nice at times so we can float from room to room in a roomy spacecraft, it can be annoying if you try to drink a glass of water and the liquid does not make it into your mouth. Still, I cannot imagine refusing the chance to go to space because of these reasons. Of course I would like to see space travel expand so more safety precautions can be perfected. I suppose it was the same for those who were getting used to air travel a century ago.

Would you go to space if you had the chance?

Slow Down, You Move Too Fast

Sally is not available this week, so enjoy today's post by TWM Founder Kristina Leonardi:
 

The unofficial start of summer is traditionally accompanied by a more relaxed, go-with-the-flow kind of attitude. Years ago there were only re-runs on a very limited number of TV channels and no internet to entice/distract/constrain us from being outside enjoying the warmer weather and longer days.

With our 21st century 24/7 lifestyle, this means that we have to consciously take time to disconnect with technology and re-connect with Nature, and ourselves.  

Like that cool special effect in big blockbuster movies of our recent past and present, we need to pause midair and get a full 360 degree view of what is going on around us so that we can take the precise action to defend and/or advance who we are and what we want.

So while in the park or at the beach, be sure to take a moment toreflect on where you really want to be going and why, rather than just moving unconsciously from one activity to the next, day after day. If you've been feeling too anxious or not in control, give me a buzz - I'll take the remote out of your hand, put it on slo-mo, and guarantee you'll be feelin' groovy in no time!

All the Difficult Things

Poster by Debby Dahl Edwardson

Today being Memorial Day, I've decided to offer a tribute to a wonderful friend who passed away this weekend: the children's writer and inspiring teacher Ellen Levine.

Although Memorial Day is officially dedicated to remembering those who've died in service to their country in the armed forces, I would argue that there are many ways to be of service to the country apart from military service. When I think of Ellen Levine today, I am reminded how much we need word warriors, too.

Ellen was the kind of fearless writer who tackled difficult issues head on, and who knew how to wield the power of a story to make a difference. She brought to light stories that many others were too afraid to tell. She wrote about the challenges of McCarthy-era life for a communist family. She wrote about teens dealing with unwanted pregnancy in the days before Roe v. Wade made choice a legal option. She interviewed young civil rights activists, capturing their true stories of the 1960's protest era. She wrote about Japanese internment camps in the Pacific northwest during World War II. And the list goes on.

Ellen did not just write about issues--she put herself on the line for the causes she believed in, stepping forward in the face of all the difficult things about which she felt such deep passion. She marched for civil rights, taught, practiced law, and generally dedicated herself to creating a more just world. She said, "caring about fairness is a big part of the well I dip into....I wonder and still have only bits of an answer for why some people live on the dark side. And why some risk everything to fight the darkness. Here's to fighting the darkness!"

Ellen's latest novel, IN TROUBLE

It's never easy to lose a friend, nor a colleague and mentor. In the days to come, I know that many writer friends of Ellen's will pen beautiful tributes to her, attempting to capture her spirit, her essence one last time before it fades into the ether. But the beauty of a gift like Ellen's is that it keeps on giving. It will not fade, because we won't let it. Ellen's spirit lives on in her published work, but perhaps more importantly, her energy and her advice live on in the many students and friends whose lives and work she touched. Those ripple effects are nowhere near their end.

I believe that on Memorial Day we ought not simply honor what is lost, but also celebrate what has been preserved. When soldiers die on the battlefield, we are ready with medals and parades in their honor. When word warriors die, it may not have been on the battlefield per se, and there may not be medals or parades, but there will surely be quiet revolutions happening in the mind of a child, curled in the corner of a library, captivated by the truth of a story. That is how we can walk forward, knowing that which seems lost is continually being found.

Happy Memorial Day.

Friday Forum: Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day weekend! The start of summer, the season for beach and BBQs, and a day off from work! What are your plans this weekend?

We'd Love to Hear From You

Have suggestions for the blog? Got a favorite blogger you'd like us to feature? Ready to tell your story to people? Email us at chicksrockblog@gmail.com -- we'd love to hear from you!

The War on Bullying

I have mixed feelings about the sentence handed down on Monday in the Rutgers webcam spying case. While I was satisfied with the decision at first, I became less sure of it when I saw and heard the Ravis (the defendant’s parents) plead for leniency on their son’s behalf. Never once in their impassioned speeches did they attempt to reach out to the Clementis to express remorse to them for their loss. Did the defendant physically push his late roommate to his death off the George Washington Bridge? No. Did he intimidate and bully an emotionally fragile young man because of his sexuality? The jurors, the judge, and many others are convinced; I am too.

I know bullies, because I have family members, former classmates and former friends who share this dubious distinction. I remember feeling sick to my stomach when I had to be around any of them as a child, because they seemed to enjoy making me feel worse than I already did about myself. I was never a victim of cyber bullying, but I do recall having unflattering comments about me spread like wildfire. When all eyes were on me due to ridicule, I remember feeling that I wanted to be anyone else but me at those moments. Yet no matter how bad it got for me, I never wanted to end my life as a result. I also remember those who were bullied far worse than I ever was. Memories of what happened to these individuals still haunt me.

I wonder about families of bullies, like the Ravis, who see their child and themselves as misunderstood victims. Insincere apologies are worse than no apologies at all, at least I think so. Still, it is troubling that the defendant has never expressed sympathy to his late roommate’s family for his passing. Perhaps the years will open his eyes to the consequences of his actions; perhaps they won’t. Even though the sentence in this case is lenient, I still believe the bullies are losing in the war against them and their actions. It is about time.

Let the Sun Shine In

Sally is not available this week, so enjoy today's post by TWM Founder Kristina Leonardi:
 
There's a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.~ Leonard Cohen

I recently had my apartment painted, which is basically like moving without actually moving. The main reason I did it was to force myself to go through all of my belongings and see what should stay and what should go, clean all the nooks and crannies that never get looked at and rearrange things in a better way.  Well, it's working, but for various reasons has been happening s-l-o-w-l-y....and I just need to be okay with that.

In my post The Present of Presence, I mentioned that out of chaos comes clarity.  And I'm always talking about process, how patience is a virtue and the consistent effort needed to make lasting change, One Step at a Time. I'm certainly getting some good practice right now!

It's been a great exercise to dismantle my external life since most days I live and work on the internal side of things.  Just like with physical surgery, sometimes you gotta literally open up, get in there, dig around and rid yourself of and/or fix whatever is not working in order to begin healing and functioning more optimally.  Like my client's ostrich with its head held high on her Vision Board,we have to deal with what is and take action, instead of keeping our heads buried in the sand expecting things to change.

With all the graduations, series, season and competition finales, and loss of some famous folks, it's a reminder to say goodbye to life as a student, to an era, to characters and storylines, and perhaps jobs, people, places and things, and especially old personas that we've outgrown. There are just times in our lives when we need to let it all go to make way for the new.

What needs to be opened up, dismantled, re-examined in your life? What is old and tattered and/or has served its purpose and should be released? What can be put back together in a new and improved way so that you can more easily integrate ALL parts of yourself and more effortlessly move forward in the most positive way on this journey called life?

Whatever area you feel stuck in, be sure to Ch-Check it Out - because only when we look at things from a different perspective can we make different decisions.  Having a hard time letting go of anything that's not Hot Stuff?  Give me a buzz and I'll help you face the music and get you Stayin' Alive in the best version of yourself now and beyond!

37 Things I Love

I'm excited to announce that my new young adult novel, 37 THINGS I LOVE (in no particular order), is going to be available in bookstores tomorrow!

I've been very much looking forward to this book coming out. Here is a little bit about it:

Ellis only has four days of her sophomore year left, and summer is so close that she can almost taste it. But even with vacation just within reach, Ellis isn’t exactly relaxed. Her father has been in a coma for years, the result of a construction accident, and her already-fragile relationship with her mother is strained over whether or not to remove him from life support. Her best friend fails even to notice that anything is wrong and Ellis feels like her world is falling apart. But when all seems bleak, Ellis finds comfort in the most unexpected places.
 

Life goes on, but in those four fleeting days friends are lost and found, promises are made, and Ellis realizes that nothing will ever quite be the same.

The book has gotten several good reviews so far, including this, from Kirkus Reviews:
 "...another powerful outing from a rising star."
 
And this, from Publisher's Weekly:

“Magoon (Camo Girl) gently but unflinchingly explores difficult adolescent territory in this intelligent, affecting novel.”

And this, from the Horn Book:

"There is much to this slim book—coming of age, death, hope, love—and Ellis is a character to care about and cheer on for a long, long time." --Robin L. Smith

This is my third published novel, but experiencing a book's evolution from a wisp of an idea in my head to a full fledged hardcover book never gets old. So...like I said, I'm very excited. I could certainly list 36 more reasons why....but I'll just let you read the book!

Lucky Charms

CHICKS ROCK! is happy to have Kristina back as a guest blogger this week.

Kristina Leonardi is the founder of The Women’s Mosaic. She is a career/life path consultant, speaker, seminar leader and expert in the areas of women, diversity and personal growth.

A rabbit's foot, four-leaf clover or that certain pair of underwear - we all have things in our life that we consider good luck charms. Objects that we hold near and dear to serve the purpose of bringing us a little special magic in whatever scenario we need it.

But what about your inner charms, the things that make you YOU, those little quirks, sayings and even physical characteristics that come together in a combination uniquely yours? That is where your true luck lies, and by using them and trusting where they take you, doors that were previously closed can start to miraculously open.

We spend more time and energy than we realize trying to fit in and conform to certain standards of acceptance. Whether it be in our work, family, relationships, appearance or lifestyle, most people bury to varying degrees the very substance that will make them the most appreciated and successful. So if things aren't going your way right now, why not 'let your freak flag fly' and see what happens?

In Trouble For No Reason

Have you ever been in a situation at work where you did nothing wrong, but the hypersensitivity of others gets you in trouble? This just happened to my mother, a nurse supervisor, who had to report a staffing situation at work, and then recommended that the managers make sure their staffing is secure before they leave for the weekends. She actually got in trouble for writing this, even though this is what managers are supposed to do. Her co-workers and I know she did nothing wrong, but it appears that her direct supervisor agrees with the manager who complained about her email in the first place. My mother has been warned and even threatened with termination if they find fault with her future correspondence. There is definitely more to this story meets the eye.

My mother is planning to retire next year, so she is ready for an earlier termination if it comes. She is also one of the highest paid in her position, so those who do the firing would prefer to let go of someone like her. This way, they can hire someone else to do the same work for much less. My mother’s supervisor, who was just hired last year to clean house, has been very critical of her for nonexistent offences. My mother’s saving grace has always been her great work ethic; if her performance was less than stellar, she definitely would have been fired by now.

The complaint made against my mother is just further proof that those who are great at their jobs, are pleasant and fair to their co-workers, subordinates, and supervisors, and always try to do the right thing can still be on the chopping block for a many complicated reasons. I think the lesson is to continue doing a good job, whatever it may be, but to be aware of those in the position to make life more difficult, for their own reasons. A little paranoia may be necessary for survival.

Have you been in trouble at work for no valid reason?

Challenged

Last night, while making one roommate take photos of my outfit, I explained to my other roommate that I was doing a clothing challenge. For the month of May, I'm wearing only six items of clothing. I can mix and match as desired, accessorize however I'd like and things like shoes, outerwear, and activewear don't count in the six items. 

 After explaining this, my roommate asked "so what do you get in the end?" I stared at her, confused about why people keep asking me this, and said "the knowledge that I was able to do it, of course." That's when she said something I hadn't totally noticed before: "you really like doing these random challenges for fun, don't you?" At first, I didn't know what else she was referring to, but then remembered some of my other recent challenges and realized she was right. In the time she's known me, I had a dating/love life challenge of sorts, then there was the no alcohol in January thing, and more recently trying one new thing a month.

Apparently, challenging myself to do random things people don't normally do is becoming a hobby of mine.

I didn't notice I was doing it, and wasn't really sure why I'm drawn to them, so I started to think it over last night and came to the conclusion that I love competing with myself and proving to myself and others that I can do things I don't initially think I can do. There doesn't need to be any reward at the end and i don't need any glory, just the feeling that I finished something I set out to do.

Do you ever challenge yourself when there isn't necessarily a "prize" at the end?

Meeting Rosa

In the course of my recent travels, I've found that it is very easy for me to draw inspiration from the world around me. I also find that when you set your mind toward learning about a specific topic (in my case, the civil rights and black power movements) the world continuously offers up tidbits of information in even the most unlikely places.

When I was in Dallas recently, I was delighted to encounter this statue of Rosa Parks, one of the celebrated figures of the civil rights movement. The little plaza where she sits (beside a bus station, appropriately!) is something of a monument to the cause she struggled for, with a quote from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King emblazoned on the fountain wall behind her.

It's a nice monument, of course, but what surprised me was finding it in Dallas, far from the Montgomery, Alabama, location of Ms. Parks's actual public bus sit-in in 1955. Certainly her story has ascended to a position of national prominence, and I'd be thrilled to find more statues of people like her scattered around the country, but in this case it still caught me off guard. In a good way.

I like being surprised and delighted by the world around me. When I am home, moving through my familiar circles, it is so easy to keep my head down and follow an expected path, rather than opening my eyes to what unexpected things might be lurking around any given corner. Like my new fondness for public art, the inspiration of random encounters is helping me think in new and creative ways, and I find it exciting.

Have you been surprised or inspired lately?

Spring Break at CHICKS ROCK! Day 4

We love our guest bloggers here at CHICKS ROCK!, so read through the diverse stories they've shared with us.

Spring Break at CHICKS ROCK! Day 3

One topic we love writing about here at CHICKS ROCK! is travel and since it fits so well with our "spring break" theme, take a look back at our travel posts.

Spring Break at CHICKS ROCK! Day 2

As we continue our spring break at CHICKS ROCK!, let's look back on the posts about finding your voice and how important that is.

Spring Break at CHICKS ROCK! Day 1

We're a bit late in taking our spring break this year at CHICKS ROCK! But for today, take a look back at some of our personal growth posts and reflect on your own personal growth.

Friday Forum: Favorite Fakes

This weekend is one of the bigger "fake" holidays of the year: Cinco de Mayo. The misconception is that it celebrates Mexican Independence Day, but it's not actually a holiday many Mexicans celebrate. In some ways, it's similar to St. Patrick's Day, another fun "fake". Which is your favorite "fake" holiday?

What Are You Looking For?

We love making this site more about you and what you want, so we're doing another check-in to see what you're looking for. What type of content do you want to read? What writers would you like to see more of? Let us know in the comments or by emailing!

Beware of Scorpions

I always loved Aesop’s fables, but almost forgot one that has now become my personal favorite: The Scorpion and the Frog. It is a short yet meaty story about a scorpion agreeing not to sting a frog who agrees to take him across the river to safety. Inevitably the journey is ill-fated; they both wind up sinking, because of the scorpion’s nature to attack, even though it leads to his demise. It is not a happy story, but the lesson it teaches resonates with me. I want to avoid being at the mercy of the scorpions around me and to know them when I see them. It is similar to Sun Tzu's “know your enemy" with animal references.

This is hard to do when there are scorpions in our family and friend circles. I have dealt with one in particular since childhood, but my becoming aware of this individual’s destructive nature has helped me gain the proper perspective. I learned how to avoid poisonous behavior to maintain my own peace of mind. It is strange to compare a person to a scorpion, but I just see it as a point of reference in my own psyche. I know I never want to be a frog, when it comes to another person’s nature to attack others and self-destruct in the process.

When it is unavoidable dealing with a scorpion, whether it is a boss, a difficult family member, or friend of a friend, I find that the best ways to handle the situation depend on the nature of the relationship. If contact is limited, maintaining an emotional and physical distance and avoiding any financial, legal, or other kind of arrangement are key strategies. It is more difficult if the scorpion is predominant in our everyday lives. Regardless of the relationships, it is important to protect ourselves and understand the nature of cruelty, so it does not destroy us.

How do you deal with your scorpions?

When's a Decision Decided?

Why is it that just when you think you've decided something, you realize that you actually haven't? Somebody brings up a point you hadn't considered or money you saved for one thing suddenly needs to be used for something else entirely or you wake up one morning wondering why you're not fully satisfied with your decision. This has been happening to me a lot in the last several months and it's starting to make me wonder if I even know how to make decisions anymore.

One example of this is my potential move to Paris. I knew I wanted to go, I'd come up with a plan to make it happen and had more or less decided that grad school in Paris was my plan for 2013. Except that all the money I'd started to save for it had to go to sudden emergency expenses, like my taxes. And then the chances of getting a long stay visa seemed much less impossible than they had been before. And then I started to meet people with connections in Paris so that being a student was no longer the only way to make friends.

So now what? Now I'm back to square two: I have no idea what I'm doing when, but at least I have more options than I did back at square one a year ago. Still, my decision is now undecided, making me feel a bit lost.

When is a decision final for you? How do you know when to stop wondering about other options and sticking with what you decided?

The Art of Observation

I've been observing and enjoying a lot of public art lately. It might be because I'm traveling and so my eyes are open to noticing the world around me in different ways than usual. But even when I was last home, I found myself increasingly viewing the world in terms of visual art. I've been trying to take more pictures, and I always have my camera (or cell phone camera, at least) on hand and it makes all the difference when I am consciously aware of each new corner of the world as a potential photographic subject.

In every city I visit, I'm finding there is a notable presence of public art: dynamic sculptures, wall murals (some commissioned, some graffiti) activist-inspired installations, and much much more.

These discoveries have led me to think a lot about the presence and role of art in the world in general, and in public spaces in particular. I think about how essential it is, how delightfully overwhelming it can be to be startled, moved, inspired, made to giggle or to react in some visceral way to a piece of art encountered unexpectedly.

There's great power in art, which of course I knew already, being an artist myself, but the sort of art I pursue is more deliberate somehow. Readers don't tend to "accidentally" read a novel, not in the way you can so easily stumble into a piece of visual art, or overhear a song. I suppose you could compare the act of turning a corner and meeting a delicious sculpture to the act of browsing a bookstore and discovering a gem of a read you might never have gone in search of but just finds its way into your hand at the opportune moment.

At any rate, these recent glimpses of art continue to surprise and delight me. I continue to take their pictures and fold them into the photographic record of the life I am currently living. Which, I suppose is another layer of art unto itself.

Do you tend to notice art in the world around you?

Friday Forum: New New Year's Resolution?

If it hasn't happened already, this might be the time when a lot of people are wondering if they should change their New Year's resolution to something more manageable or more important to them. What was your resolution and how are you doing with it? Will you be changing it to something new?

Check In With Yourself & Us

We're now a third of the way through the year, so it's a good time to think about some of the goals you set up for yourself and how you're doing. Even better than that might be writing about it! It'll help give you some perspective and you can get support from others. So think about it and submit a guest post when you're done!

Return to Manhattan

Something I thought would never happen again is happening; I am moving back to New York City. I lived in northern Manhattan for a year in the early 2000s, and moved back to my home state of New Jersey afterwards, thinking I would never live there again. I thought this way for a variety of reasons, but the cost of living tops the list. As rents continue to skyrocket, I will never rationalize paying so much for such small living spaces. Now, I find myself getting ready to return to Manhattan without having to pay an exorbitant amount, and I am looking forward to it.

I have always liked New York City for all the obvious and not so obvious reasons. Manhattan in particular has always been great for me because I love walking, and when the weather is pleasant and I have time, I will explore neighborhoods on foot. It really is the best way to take in the sights; I even block out the auto traffic when I am not crossing the street, except when there is a major commotion. But even a few car horn blasts leave me indifferent, especially when I find myself walking on a particularly interesting street. I like having access to a car in New Jersey, but I will not need one in Manhattan, so I am looking forward to that.

I do not see myself living in Manhattan for a long time. I see it is a transition more than a permanent move, especially since I will not have a lease to abide by. I have been saying for a few years that I am looking to move out of the NYC metropolitan area, so I never thought I would be returning to Manhattan before leaving. I see it as a way to say farewell before venturing to places yet unknown. I am looking forward to my return stint as an older and wiser person, and this time I will make the most of it.

Beauty in the Breakdown

We're happy to share today's post from TWM Founder Kristina Leonardi

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~ Viktor Frankl 

I recently read about a pill being developed that would erase unpleasant memories, kind of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-ish. Of course I was appalled.  It's bad enough the American public is seduced by quick fixes to deal with many physical ailments that a simple change in diet and exercise, a reduction in stress, self-love and a little mind/body/spirit elbow grease would take care of.  Now they want to get rid of negative memories?!?!  We're already a society who over-eats, over-drinks/drugs, over-sexes, over-technologizes, over-works and over-realityshows to avoid what we're feeling!

There's a saying that many athletic coaches and trainers use: No pain, no gain. Yes, that can certainly apply to losing 20 pounds or training for a marathon, but it applies to our inner workouts as well.  As humans we like to avoid pain as much as possible, but pain can be a very useful tool if we let it.  Emotional, mental, physical or spiritual/soul pain shows us where we're out of wack and where attention needs to be paid and adjustments made in order to learn and grow in any area of our life.

To the extent that you are 'asleep' is the proportion in which the Universe is going to use some big 'ole version of its alarm clock to 'wake you up' and give you a big kick in the butt to do something about it.  And a kick in the butt doesn't feel too good, but we all need one now and then to propel us into action. Most of us don't want to endure prolonged suffering, so the pain forces us to take action. In other words, as I mentioned in the Well & Good.com article I was featured in, we often need to have a breakdown in order to have a breakthrough.

And remember that without pain we wouldn't know joy.  When we are experiencing something akin to the 'dark night of the soul,' think of the caterpillar who thought the world was over just before it became a butterfly, and that 'it's always darkest before dawn.'  Sometimes we just need to 'go there' - these are the times that are meant to test our mettle and force us to rise up like the phoenix from the ashes in order to evolve into a better version of ourselves - and who wouldn't want that?

So if you're feeling like you're about to crack, have been sleepwalking a little too long, or need someone to push you off that diving board, just Let Go, jump in, what are you waiting for? Give me a buzz and we'll find the amazing beauty in whatever type of breakdown is occurring in your life.

I Don't Feel Like It

I don't feel like doing any of the things I'm supposed to do today. Work on my novel. Go to the library to do research. Post a new article or interview on my website. Monitor my social networking pages for updates. Tweet links to interesting things. Archive old emails. Revise my speaker brochure. Read a book. Slowly, I go down the list of activities that count as "work" for a children's author, until I end up at the very bottom of the list: Lie around and contemplate things.

Believe it or not, I actually do consider lying around and contemplating things part of my creative work, but there is only so much lying around a person can do before she starts to feel quite lazy.

When I was a kid, my mom occasionally allowed me to stay home from school under the guise of illness when we both knew perfectly well that I was not sick. She called the phenomenon a "mental health day," which I've since come to understand is a fairly common thing. I would stay in my pajamas, put on the television and veg.

I'm not quite sure what health benefit twelve hours of television really provides to a person, if any, but I admit I always found it more manageable to go to school the following day (no easier to get up and out the door in the morning, though) when I had taken a little break from the brain-taxing academic and social activities that filled the school day.

Today, I guess, I'd like to call in with a mental health day! I've been working crazy hours lately, trying to please my crazy boss (yes, that would be myself) and it is time for a bit of rest. Now, if I could only reach the remote control without actually getting out of bed...

Do you ever feel in need of a mental health day?

Friday Forum: Pin It!

Pinterest is all the rage these days. The photo-based site lets you create inspiration boards of images and videos, and share it with your friends.

Have you tried Pinterest? What sort of inspiration boards do/would you have?

Be There For Yourself

There are still spots left for TWM's Visioning Workshop this weekend! Get the details and RSVP today!

Getting In Record Keeping Shape

Do you ever find your record keeping skills sorely lacking? I do at times. Every year when tax season is over, I find myself lapsing into a bit of disarray with my pay stubs and other related documentation. I don’t throw them out; I just keep them in different places. That made it a bit difficult this time around when I filed my taxes for last year. I have learned my lesson and am starting to put together my paperwork for next year, so I will not have too much running around to do the next time around.

I also have a tendency of keeping things I should have thrown out a long time ago. Sometimes, it is for sentimental reasons, or because I believe I will turn my attention to it eventually. Of course I always find myself throwing out most of these items eventually, especially when I have to replace them with new things. It helps make organization easier when I discard things I have not used for a while, and have no plan to use any time in the future. I am grateful that I do not have a hoarding issue, as I know that is a sign of more complex issues.

Record keeping, like anything else important and meaningful in our lives, takes conscious effort and action. My tendency to let things go in that department is something I am working on, so I will not be sorry in the future.

What do you want to keep order and control of in your life?

Taxed

Oh, tax day. How I dread you every year. 

 It seems that no matter how hard I try to make the process as stress-free as possible, I fail miserably. One year, I had an accountant prepare them and while I saved money, he was also unresponsive half the time and took forever to complete them. Another year, I ended up discovering a mistake at my job that affected how much I owed for state taxes. This year, I decided I would take advantage of the free time I had while I was jobless and file early. It turned out that I owed entirely too much money to pay when I had no paycheck coming in, so I never filed and said I'd wait until I had steady income. Fast forward a few months and I finally had enough money to pay what I owe, but because I live like a nomad and kept forgetting to grab my forms when I stopped at home for 5 or 10 minutes at a time, I couldn't file until the last minute. Stress, no matter what.

What makes the process even worse is that, for the life of me, I can't figure out how taxes work. In the years I've been filing, I've never had consistency. I've either switched jobs or moved between counties, and I've never made the same amount. Because of this, I never know how much I should expect to owe. Now add freelance work in there for next year's return, and I don't even know how I'll make it through without a panic attack. For now, I'll just be glad this hump is over and deal with the rest tomorrow.

Longing for Visioning

The TWM Visioning Workshop is coming up this weekend, but sadly, I'm going to be out of town and so I'll miss it. I missed the last one, too, and I'm bummed because I really love going to Visioning. I always get something great out of the workshop, above and beyond the fact that I just enjoy getting together with the group and making my personal collage.

I was feeling nostalgic today, so I went back and looked at some of my previous posts about my Visioning experiences. Apparently I've had a lot to say about it in the past, which only makes me miss it even more:

My favorite Visioning post
My next favorite Visioning post
Another visioning post (you can only have so many favorites)
Yet another...
What others have said about Visioning

Okay....nostalgia time is over. I will now return to my regularly scheduled program of travel and research. Sigh.

I suppose I could try to do a bit of Visioning on my own this weekend, but it just wouldn't be the same! I hope lots of you are going, and will report back about the workshop here at CHICKS ROCK!, so I can live vicariously through you.

Have you signed up for Visioning yet? If not, you're missing out! RSVP HERE

Friday Forum: Just Dreamin'

Whether they have a deeper meaning or not, dreams are fascinating! Sometimes we remember them, sometimes we don't, sometimes they comfort, sometimes they terrify.

Have you ever had a vivid dream you just couldn't shake? What about a recurring dream that kept cropping up?

Link Love for 4/12

Time for another fabulous round-up of great links! Let's dive right in, shall we?

Alexia Vernon is hungry to speak five sentences, and have those wishes fulfilled.

Girl w/Pen takes a look at gender reveal parties and six reasons we should dump 'em.

In Good Company wants you to remember that following up is important -- you're not bugging anybody.

Lindsey Pollak has some tips on landing an internship that are good for job-seekers to keep in mind too.

NYWSE spotlights She's the First, a campaign that's growing into a whole lot more.

That's what we've got for today. What have you been reading and writing online? Leave links in the comments!

Apartment Hunting Tips

I am thinking of moving from my current apartment to another one at the end of May, although as of right now I have not found anything suitable. It may or may not happen; it all depends on what is available, if it is a right fit for me and my needs, and if the money is right. I was thinking of making a change for more convenience on my part, but if it does not work out, I will not worry about it. I just want to see what is out there, and so far the pickings are slim.

For any of you in the market for a rental property, there are some basic tips to that will make your search easier to navigate, while also narrowing and possibly complicating your choices. They are as follows:

1. Beware of realty/brokers’ fees, unless you can afford it. This fee, which usually equals one month’s rent, is paid to the listing agent at lease signing, in addition to the security deposit (also equal to one month’s rent, or more) and the first month’s rent to the Landlord. If you want to avoid paying realty/brokers’ fees, look for apartments advertised by the owner or by leasing offices in apartment buildings. This will eliminate the need to pay out more than expected if renting through a realtor or broker.
2. If the price is too good to be true, then maybe it is. Renter beware when signing a lease to an apartment, house, condo, or any other property; if rent is extremely low compared to others in the area, it could be because there is a problem with the rental in question. Is it in good shape? Are tenants responsible for all, some, or none of the utilities? How will these affect monthly expenses?
3. Be annoying and ask questions. Before touring an apartment, ask questions you want to know the answers for. Questions about noise pollution from neighbors and other nearby elements are a good place to start.

Do you have apartment hunting stories to share? If so, please share them!

Retail Therapy

It seems that every few months or so, I remember how much I love stores like Old Navy (well... mostly just Old Navy, though I've been known to buy a few things at a good Urban Outfitters sale). Suddenly all the money I've been saving by not shopping is gone in a couple of trips to ON.

This happened to me recently when I found myself feeling a little stressed and a couple of friends suggested we hit the stores for some retail therapy. I'm not sure that it was the best solution to the problem, but I did end up with a couple of flats, several tops, a skirt, and even some accessories. And then a few days later, I went back for more. Oops! I fell off the wagon, and I fell hard!

I returned some of the things I'd bought that I knew I really didn't need or even liked all that much (don't ask why I bought things I didn't even like -- I was in a shopping haze). But I've started to wonder why this even happens in the first place. Most of my friends encourage "retail therapy" and don't feel that bad about spending so much of their hard-earned money on things they probably wouldn't otherwise. They don't ever seem to return anything, and they don't really hesitate to do it again a week or two later.

For me, it was the first time I blindly walked around a store in hopes of forgetting my stress and focusing only on cute clothes. It didn't work, of course, because the amount of money I'd spent just added to my stress, so I can't see why everyone else does it so eagerly.Do you believe in "retail therapy"? What do you get out of it?

Community Easter

I'm still traveling this week, and spent Easter weekend visiting a friend of mine, one of the numerous cool, quirky, fabulous people in my life who happen to be spread around the country and so I only get to see them once in a rare while.

This particular friend and I go way back, back to the days when carefree weekends filled with silly games were par for the course, and both of us miss being surrounded by a community of close friends who we might see and hang out with at length on a daily basis, the way you do when you're young, in high school and college. We lament the fact that out here in the adult world we don't really know our neighbors, rarely interact with them except for the occasional pleasantries. Living in proximity to others no longer implies a shared sense of identity.

To celebrate Easter, my friend decided we should try to bring people together. Her initial idea was to leave treat-filled plastic Easter eggs around the building, for neighbors to find and enjoy. But we figured, in this day and age of terror and skepticism, who is going to eat "unknown" candy? It'd be better, we reasoned, to give a little message, or invite people to DO something. Thus, the Puzzle Project was born.

We placed puzzle pieces inside Easter eggs and left them on doorsteps around the building, inviting residents to come to the common area and help complete the puzzle. We put the edge pieces together to get things started, and let other people take it from there. We left a little sign-in book, in case anyone wanted to share comments or thoughts about the experience. By the end of the day we had received several notes and the puzzle began to come together! People seemed intrigued, and happy to participate in an unusual group activity.

We hope the Puzzle Project might inspire our neighbors to meet new friends, but mostly we hope it made other people feel as good as it made us feel!

Friday Forum: Spring Break

Thanks to Easter and Passover, today starts a week of spring break for some -- and a time for the rest of us to be jealous. What would you do this week if you were on spring break? Or what will you do if you are?

Get in Touch

Don't forget we're always looking to hear from our readers and get them involved on the blog. If you read something you like, disagree with, or want to support, leave a comment. If you have your own story to share or point of view, submit a guest post. And if you have ideas or suggestions for what you want featured or writers you want to hear from, send an email. We're always an email away at chicksrockblog@gmail.com!

My Apologies For This Week's Post

Unfortunately, my computer crashed and I lost this week's post, in addition to many other documents and files. I will be back on track next Wednesday, so I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Easter!

People Problems

I've noticed recently -- well, I just noticed today, actually -- that more and more in these past few weeks, I've either wanted to spend time alone or with a couple of very specific people. Everyone else? Go away. (I say this in the nicest way possible.)

I want to clean the apartment in complete solitude, with only music to accompany me. I want to bake with and for people who appreciate the finished product as much as they do my belting showtunes during the process. I want to watch When Harry Met Sally... over and over and over again without anybody talking over my favorite parts. I want to sort out my finances while spending time with somebody hilarious enough to distract me when I need it.

There are a few problems with this. First of all, it seems that many of the people I'd most like to spend time with at any given moment aren't actually free. Secondly, I have so much going on every day that I hardly have a moment to breathe, let alone do something as silly as watch WHMS. Most of those I have going on, by the way, require me to interact with an awful lot of people. And lastly, I'm celebrating my birthday this week and next, which means I need to be even more social than usual when I have even less energy than usual.

I know that I just took a vacation only a couple of months ago, but I feel like I really need another break from people and commitments. I guess since I can't have that, I'll settle for having WHMS on in the background as I get a few hours of sleep.

Writing Poolside

I'm finding myself grateful for technology these days, as I'm traveling around a bit and always looking for places to quietly sit and write. I find that I can write anywhere, as long as there's a chair and a table, or even just piece of ground I can sit on where I'm not in anyone's way. I take my laptop or a pad of paper and go to town. Thanks to the wonders of wireless, I'm able to sit beside a lovely pool while I post to CHICKS ROCK! and edit my novel. Paradise? Just about.

Working on the road doesn't feel too different from writing at home in some ways. Creatively, there's a particular space I seek to inhabit when I sit down to work, but it's more of a mindset than a physical location. I've never been tied to my desk, or my particular writing routines. In fact, part of my "routine" is to have no routine at all. I actually feel myself inspired by motion, by change, by taking advantage of great opportunities and situations and jotting down random notes at random times. I like the unpredictable, but you wouldn't necessarily know it to look at how I live my life day-to-day when I'm at home.

In fact, lately I am feeling like it is great for me to be out in the world while I do my work, rather than holed up in my tiny space pecking at the keyboard in solitude. It is easier to stay connected to the moment and the material in total silence and isolation at times--but only at times. The rest of the time my creativity feeds on the energy of people around me, strangers who I don't have to interact with, but who are going about their business and living their lives and reminding me why I put pen to paper in the first place.

When I left on this long trip, people kept saying to me, "but how will you get work done?" I wasn't worried, and it turns out I was right not to be. Because work for me is not unpleasant, not a thing I have to force myself to do. It is something that brings me joy and fulfillment, and I'm grateful for that. Believe it or not, there are fewer distractions to me when I'm away from home--no t.v., for instance, and no regularly scheduled programming of the real life variety either. I feel myself being boiled down to the essence of what I love doing: writing and exploring and sitting quietly in new places, taking it all in.

A dip in the pool now and again doesn't hurt, either. The downsides are few, as far as I'm concerned!

Are you a lover of routine, or do you relish shaking things up now and again?