This girl and her fluffy white dog are in need of some wide, open spaces, so I’ve paired up this October with a fellow Hoosier-turned-San-Diegan for a four-day road trip from the land of sun and sand into an autumn-filled horizon. It’s going to be an epic trip: 2 girls, 4 dogs and 8 states…Continue reading Roadtrippin’ into Autumn
Time of Transformation
Have you ever wanted to cover your current life with plastic and leave for a while? Yeah. Me too. In fact, I plan to do just that. As I write this, I am in the midst of a period of great adjustment. My love life, work life, and home life have all been in unbelievable…Continue reading Time of Transformation
Simplicity and Sophistication
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ~Steve Jobs As someone who strives for interest while maintaining a minimalist mindset, this quote reminds me of the essesence of my being. Strip away the glitz and glamour, sit with yourself, and you might be surprised at the sophistication you feel while drinking a cup of coffee in the…Continue reading Simplicity and Sophistication
Letting the Man Lead
For one hour every week, I let my fiance take the lead with no questions asked. Now before I start getting hate mail from feminists and love notes from barefoot-in-the-kitchen traditionalists, let me explain that on Thursday nights, we take an hourlong couples dance class. One of toughest lessons that I’m still learning is how…Continue reading Letting the Man Lead
The Outline
Yesterday, I suggested using an outline to harness your focus and rein in your thoughts. I realize most writers hate outlines. Often, I hear things like “I don’t need an outline” or “I write what comes to mind.” I’ve even heard “I write better without one.” I’ve got news for you if you think that…Continue reading The Outline
Art of Self Care
Yesterday, I talked about the importance of volunteering. I can think of a lot of reasons why helping others recharges me and makes me feel valued and connected to others. Today, I’ll touch on why it’s important to take time out for yourself on a regular basis. There’s an adage that says you can’t take…Continue reading Art of Self Care
Value in Volunteering
I devoted the entire day today to one of my volunteer organizations, the Junior League of San Diego. I started the day with a four-hour training on the organization’s legislative activities in California. This included listening to one of my representatives, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, talk about barriers to low-income women in the workplace. One of…Continue reading Value in Volunteering
Find Your Focus
The thing about writing I’ve found as an editor is that if you are struggling, it’s because you’ve lost your focus. Think about it like I’m your word doctor and you’re my patient. You come in with symptoms (struggling with writing). Without checking your temperature or anything, I’d diagnose you with lack of focus. You…Continue reading Find Your Focus
One Step Ahead
If you’ve ever heard of the concept of love languages, you’ll understand when I tell you that one of my top two is words of affirmation. Makes sense, right? An editor loving positive words? It also appears that, perhaps because of my love for language and positivity, flattery will get you, well almost anywhere with…Continue reading One Step Ahead
Ban on Three Words
Authors often use words that are unnecessary. Not only is it, well, unnecessary to keep them; it’s also a detriment to you as the author and to the reader because it slows everything down and blurs the focus of the article. If you want to write in a clear and concise manner, do yourself a…Continue reading Ban on Three Words