Silence is Golden, Except When Blogging

Quiet feels so nice these days. Between running from here to there, keeping up surface-level connections with acquaintances and handling the personal necessities (eating, sleeping, etc.), silence really does feel like a coveted precious metal or gem.

I find I'm outwardly quiet when I'm keeping secrets -- though that doesn't last very long -- when I'm unsure about something or weighing options, and when I'm content. I have a lot more to talk about when I'm raising complaints, sharing issues, or looking for answers. Disease is fodder for conversation. Contentment doesn't yearn to be understood. It just is.

It's funny that the state of being content and the thing this blog is lacking lately (content) are represented by the same word. What can I say, synonyms amuse me.

Although I still find myself in that pleasantly calm place, I will be aiming to write more.

Patriots' Day -- Happy Marathon Monday

Happy Patriots' Day!

Since I don't know any Patriots, I'd like to also give a shout to what this holiday means to the New Englanders who are celebrating it. (Please note: I'm separating myself from the pack just a little bit here because where I grew up we didn't even get the day off school. And who wouldn't want another day off school?)

So for all the school-aged folks, bankers and business people:

Happy Day Off!

To those of you wondering why you're stuck in traffic or not able to cross the street downtown:

Happy Marathon Monday!

Or, to all my peeps back at BU (and my pals reliving that time in our lives):

Happy Marathon Drinking Day!


Oh, tradition...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Social Media & the Path to Anywhere

People like to talk about all the things you can do with social media, all the benefits of being in constant contact with your audience. Social media can bring you leads and sales. Social media can help your customer service team. Social media can.

Or that's what people like to say.

Social media can take you wherever you want to go. Social media is the path to anywhere...

IF, and only if,

you're willing to do the work.

Accepting the Now

We all have goals, wishes, hopes and desires. Some are more noble -- think world peace -- while others are more practical -- say making enough money to keep a roof over your head. There's nothing wrong with either. In fact, having a general direction is good.

However, wanting something to be true and making it happen are very different things. Regardless of where you stand on deliberate creation, you have to be able to accept the present. It's where you are.

Maybe it's not exactly where you want to be; maybe things could be better. But now is part of your path.



Red lights happen. Some times you just have to stop moving. Stop looking to the next thing. And feel the present. Feel present.

Sometimes it sucks. Sometimes you resist. Sometimes you can see your goal just a little farther in the distance. If only this. Or if only that.

Accept where you are. Leave the if onlys to hang out with the shoulds, coulds and oughts. Red lights aren't good or bad. They just are.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Tribute to the Sun

Joy is hiding behind the clouds. It's a gorgeous day here in Boston, and it's an opportunity to remember all the joys of sun.

Driving just a little too fast, windows open, music bumping.

The cooling condensation dripping off fresh home brewed iced tea--all the better if brewed in the light of the sun.

Lazy days that start whenever you wake and drag out on moonlight porches and front stoops.

Growing up under the cover of clouds and drizzling, leaky skies of my hometown in Oregon, the summers were blissful times. We'd bike and hike through the local park. We'd sit by the water of one of the dirtiest rivers around and happily dangle our feet. We'd eat more ice cream than my older self can now stomach. We did the things that made every day enjoyable.

Today is like that. Today is joyful.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone; Photo by James Jordan.

Learn Your Greatest Fear

The quickest way to learn about yourself is to find out what you're afraid of. Some people are terrified of drowning and stay as far away from pools as they can. Some people are afraid of creepy crawly things and scream very loudly when a spider comes into view. Me? I'm afraid of screwing up.

It doesn't really matter what your fear is. The reaction is usually the same. Your mind races. You start to make excuses for why you can't, why you need out. It's fight or flight. You might even notice some anger building up in to propel you to stick it out.

Fear triggers all your defense mechanisms. It's a physiological response to protect your ego, your person. But sometimes it just causes more problems then we'd like to admit.

You have to know your fears so you can learn to work within them. If you're afraid of water and your plane crashes in the ocean, you're going to need to stay calm and tread water or swim to safety. If you panic or freeze, you use your energy up too quickly or you just sink straight away.

For me, awareness is helpful. If I know I'm scared, I can allow the feeling to take place without acting on it, without it consuming me or becoming dramatic. I can remind myself that I'll be ok and wait patiently for that truth to come to pass.

Fear not, this too will pass...

Viva NashVegas

Nothing says Nashville like a mechanical bull ride. Right?

That may not be exactly true. But it was a good time, even if slightly peer pressure induced. :-)

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I was in Nashville this past week for a client. Now, I had never been to Nashville before. I had never really spent any time in Tennessee before. And I can tell you, it is certainly the South. Mechanical bull aside, there was catfish, sweet tea and accents galore. It was great.

Added bonus? I got to see Diamond Rio!