Whoever hurt Summer, come to the front immediately! Because right now she’s almost all packed up. Her bags — overspilling with flip-flops, beach days, and late sunsets — are at her feet, and fall (autumn) is already waiting, eager to be tagged in. Now, I know, especially here in Maryland, that a few of those 650-degree weeks were a little sizzling, shall we say, but it wasn’t all bad… right? I don’t hate the cooler temps wafting in — when you can actually be and sit outside without the frenzy of a thousand bugs or the need to take 15 showers to find relief from that sticky feeling. But damn,…
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Splurge or Save? What’s the Best Choice for You?
Random chats with friends often spin into the best convos. Case in point: my last trip home to London, soaking up some back home goodness and catching up with friends and fam, an interesting topic came up out of nowhere, it seemed. One of the crew brought his new-to-me boo, over my Bestie’s place. Me and my US fam usually split our time home between my sister’s and my Bestie’s pads. The day either of them start charging Airbnb rates, I’ll personally cry buckets in court and sue for emotional distress and abuse. Roll that ‘Help me, I’m poor’ scene from Bridesmaids… now picture me, every single time I travel…
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Are You Aligned With Your “Big Age” Life?
“Big Age” is a funny term I heard from many sources, definitely not one I made up myself, but I’ll definitely keep using. But people throw it around as if it’s a milestone you suddenly wake up to. Like, congratulations, you’ve hit an age—a Big Age—where society expects you to have it all figured out. Career, relationships, money, personal growth—the whole checklist. And yet, here you are, still figuring things out, still wondering if you’re aligned with the life you’re living, especially in this second chapter of ours. Most of us still are, and don’t panic, that’s really not a bad thing. Being in your “Big Age” isn’t about having…
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The Truth About “Catching Up”
And Why I Quit Trying. I used to foolishly believe that if I could just clear my to-do list, I’d finally feel caught up. But I was only clearing it up to make space for the next stack of to-dos, and the next and the next. Another work email to answer, another post to write, another idea I swore I’d get to once “things slowed down.” The older I get, the bigger the backlog seems to fill up, in all things. Half-written blog drafts. Unread books. Old voice memos with “brilliant ideas” I’d never started. And the work and family stuff is too mammoth to even mention. The lists, plural,…
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How To See If You’re Choosing Not to Choose Happiness
I know… weird title, right? But I was thinking about this the other day. Not feeling bad, or stuck, or even bored, but because I was pausing on finishing something minor, I knew I needed to do, and had the time to do it. In my case, it was crazy simple, like having to find some images for my already written posts, yet I was actively choosing not to do it. Am I a dumb arse… maybe? But the way my brain is wired, it got me thinking and examining, and rethinking why. Why was I choosing not to just do it, when there was zero reason holding me back…
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Will You Still Love Your Passion Project in 5 Years?
Open your closet, wardrobe, clothing racks, or wherever you store your clothes, and take a good look. I mean really look closely. Out of all that’s hanging, folded, stuffed, or shoved in somewhere, and don’t forget what’s been left to fry in the dryer, how many do you actually wear? Not stare at, slide past to find that specific top, but put on and go out in? I’m betting that for most of us, the number is probably smaller than you think or want to admit. Maybe 10%, or 20% if you’re really lucky and diligent about changing up your look. Not to mention if you work from home, have a uniform,…
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Empty Nester, Full Heart: How to Make This Chapter Yours
And may include bigger closets! My youngest is off to college, so my nest is officially… empty-ish. I’m not sad about “no longer being a mom” as that job is forever mine. And I’m definitely not in the “phew, I’m done, go solve your own damn problems, kiddos” camp either. It’s more like a shift: a new season of cheering on my mini-adults… while remembering to show up for myself, too. Now I 2,000% will be threatening (lovingly) to turn their bedrooms into my extended closets. Their trophies and school knickknacks can stay, but only as quirky and cool dividers between my shoes and boots. Thanks for the suggestion, S’MAC’! You…
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Staying Grounded in “The Gap” Between Now and What’s Next
There’s that odd and uncomfortable space between your current life and the life you’re still chasing — and sometimes even between who you are and who you know you could be. And I don’t mean you’re ready to trade in your life as a GenXer, corporate baddie, whose kids are grown and almost flown, to become Dr. Jean Grey from Marvel. Able to read people’s minds or control their thoughts. While that does sound delicious, it’s not the direction I’m headed in. I’m talking about that gap, that itch for the ‘things’ you continue to want to grab a hold of and run with, to stop it from slipping away.…
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Is Your Bucket List Staring You Down? Try This Fun, Easy, and Realistic One Now
The Thimble List! Your Shortcut to Life’s Magical Moments. I recently scrolled past a Pinterest blog post, one of those surprisingly good ones, and it stuck with me. A woman in her mid-40s admitted she’d only completed maybe 10–15% of her bucket list. She didn’t share the whole thing, but most of it was travel-related. One entry really got me: Meet up with old Uni friends I haven’t seen in three decades. Well, mine hadn’t been that long, but still, it had been too long. And I meant to save the post, of course. Didn’t. Can’t find it now. Bloody annoying. But the funny thing is, by complete coincidence, I’d…
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How To Easily Get 100 Grams of Protein a Day
Without Those Chalky-Tasting Bars You Pretended to Like And all you really want to nosh on are more carbs. And by ‘you’, I definitely mean me. I’m just a grown, “Big Age” woman trying to do all the ‘things’ in my second chapter. I keep active regularly, but I’m not training for the 2032 Olympics, and yet somehow, I need a billion grams of protein a day to do this without my entire body breaking down like a rust-bucket banger. OK, maybe it’s 100 grams. What’s a few extra zeros between friends? An initial Google led me to the discovery of protein-rich ice cream, and me wondering how? Does the…
