The dryer just stopped and suddenly all I hear is the ticking clock. It’s oddly quiet. I was staring out the window, phone in hand, watching the tree limbs sway in the breeze. I hadn’t really noticed the sound of the dryer until I heard the clock. It seems like I was watching a dance performance and the music disappeared, replaced by the steady beat of a metronome. It’s 1:08pm and I’m not at work. Christmas and New Years Day fell on Sundays, so I had no scheduled days off. I didn’t take any since I had no weekday plans. Having nothing better to do, I went to work. I’ve been feeling intermitten ..read more

My mind is like a toddler. It’s hard to make it be still and quiet. It’s actually like several toddlers at a playdate – thoughts all assembled in various states of development, some playing together, others content being left alone, talking, singing, crying, giggling, whining, yelling and sometimes, just watching. Each, like all toddlers and most adults, wants her own way. Each requires attention, affection, guidance, love. They are full of potential, demanding that I feed and nurture them – all of them. Each is a story I would love to write, a business I would like to start, a service I want ..read more

It’s 3:41pm, the day after Christmas. It’s a cool, sunny day and I’m sitting on my patio in jeans, slippers, and a cardigan. My dogs are barking at people who are working in my neighbor’s yard and I’m waiting for the sun to sink just a little lower in the sky. I want to feel it’s full warmth on my face but the roof of the patio is partially blocking it. I could sit elsewhere but I’d rather wait. It won’t be long  – just a few more minutes. I’m glad there’s no breeze. That would diminish the relative warmth of the sun. I’m glad I have a glass of water and this time to sit here. I’ll be bu ..read more

In The Beginning We started our day with schoolwork, which was normal for the past few weeks, which had been different. Two of my children were in the kitchen discussing the ages of Dragonball Z characters while one loaded the dishwasher and the other prepared to bake a cake. My oldest child was sitting beside me wearing air pods, looking at her phone. I didn’t have my glasses on so I couldn’t see what she was looking at until she laughed and showed me a funny meme. I had just finished talking to my mom, who was celebrating her 70th birthday. All of this was very normal. The fact that my mom w ..read more

In The Beginning We started our day with schoolwork, which was normal for the past few weeks, which had been different. Two of my children were in the kitchen discussing the ages of Dragonball Z characters while one loaded the dishwasher and the other prepared to bake a cake. My oldest child was sitting beside me wearing air pods, looking at her phone. I didn’t have my glasses on so I couldn’t see what she was looking at until she laughed and showed me a funny meme. I had just finished talking to my mom, who was celebrating her 70th birthday. All of this was very normal. The fact that my mom w ..read more

2019 was a landmark year for me. I’d call it an emotional roller coaster but I felt far more drops than climbs. It was more like being forced to sky dive. It started off beautifully, like a scenic flight over a splendid landscape. Then suddenly, toward the end of February, I was shoved out of the plane, free-falling. At least that’s how I felt. I was glad when 2019 ended and I made big plans for 2020. I wanted a new look, a new business, and a new approach to life and I carefully made plans for all of it. After attending weeks of parades, gala events, and debutante balls, celebrating my birth ..read more

It’s 7:13am. So far I’ve used the bathroom, washed my face and hands, made my bed and started my morning stretches. Unfortunately, I also spent a few minutes looking at social media. That was a bad idea. While my life is fairly comfortable and I’ve adjusted to the current COVID-19 lifestyle, I’m still processing what happened to Ahmaud. Then Breonna. And now George. It could have been Christopher, the bird watcher in Central Park. Casually, comfortably killing Black people, and almost any non-white people, really isn’t newsworthy. It is not new. It’s just easier to prove. Still, hearing about ..read more

This may sound strange but so far, the global pandemic has been fairly pleasant for me. The inability to go about many of life’s normal tasks has given me an opportunity to rest. I’m not driving kids all over the place. I have few social obligations and none of them require me to get dressed, go out, or spend money. I’m free to read, rest, pray, think, and just be. Even homeschooling is a bit easier since I no longer have to leave the house every day. I’m thankful, especially because I know that others are suffering. While this experience has been more positive than negative, I’m still managi ..read more

I started writing this post in the first week of February, then I changed my mind and started writing something else. I didn’t finish that either because, well, I just didn’t focus on blogging for a while. Now that I’m on my third day of social isolation, I’ve caught up on a few things and I’m ready to write. Having observed parents expressing all kinds of emotions from fear, to confusion, to frustration about their instant and unexpected homeschooling status, it seems only right for me to finish this post today. In the original draft, the first two pieces of advice were the last. I wanted ..read more

For me, 2020 has gotten off to a good, but slow start. It’s good because mentally and emotionally I’m feeling better than I have in months. It feels rather slow because I’m still trying to get my footing as I climb the mountain of entrepreneurship instead of seeking a sense of comfort in the valley of employment. This week I’ve received much needed encouragement and guidance from several different people. I know the value of supportive actions and sound advice so I’m sharing four things from four different people that have helped me build momentum this week. I hope this helps you too. Schedul ..read more