tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49805310056608852802025-08-03T23:23:33.777-07:00This is an outlet where I catalogue my random thoughts and daily inspirations; be it honeycombs and stardust, or moonbeams and saltwater. I am thankful for sunshine on my shoulders, mountain air and the tallest of trees.EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.comBlogger389125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-12753855334017300702021-10-15T06:41:00.001-07:002021-10-15T07:43:43.050-07:00

Three weeks ago today I had surgery.I had a 7+cm gap between my abdominal muscles. So instead of the muscles being joined, I had empty space, the size of a peach or a baseball running the entire length of my torso. The space filled with fascia and scar tissue and an umbilical hernia occurred, leaving me pained and achey, and my tummy distended - forever pregnant. Since 2018, after I

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-33478600423404862612020-10-18T10:01:00.000-07:002020-10-18T10:01:04.111-07:00

I wrote about how I felt during my last few days of maternity leave with Wolfie, and so I only thought it fair to write something similar for Poppy. What a strange, beautiful first few months with my daughter. My daughter! It was a pregnancy and maternity leave like no other, smack in the center of global pandemic, horrible wildfires and brutal heat waves, all of which persist to this day.

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-21326767703813416592020-05-20T13:35:00.001-07:002020-05-20T13:44:02.972-07:00

In the beginning, I didn't think too much about being pregnant during this pandemic. The severity of the pandemic was changing daily, if not hourly, and the many consequences and parameters now set in place were not yet part of our lives.  Quickly though, the rules associated with quarantining and sheltering in place became more explicit, and the days stretched into weeks,

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-56610174189169413572018-10-05T10:10:00.000-07:002018-10-06T08:46:29.244-07:00

It's the end of my maternity leave. Monday, I return to work after nearly 6 months of leave; 1 month prior to the birth of my son, and just shy of 5 months with him. Am I ready to go back to work? No. Not really. But I will be. I have been preparing myself these last few weeks, slowly getting reacquainted with the life of grown-ups and muni rides and noises of downtown. I've done practice

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-75128923212089145982017-04-04T09:38:00.003-07:002017-04-04T09:43:27.468-07:00

A year ago at this time, I reported to the San Francisco Hall of Justice for my first day of what would end up being nearly 2.5 months of jury duty. I served as juror #5 on a complicated and gruesome murder trial. A crime that took place years ago, but for many reasons, had only just gone to trial last year. The case was peppered with legal complexities and considerations - with an endless list

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-89844069069432184022016-11-09T21:33:00.001-08:002016-11-09T21:38:51.069-08:00

On Tuesday morning from a hotel room in Denver, when the country was still waking and the energy at the polls was just starting to pulse, I shared my thoughts about Election Day.   How I appreciated the camaraderie of the occasion  regardless of political affiliation.  I acknowledged the strains that accompanied the day. Some people would feel victorious, 

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-44850611907419894432016-03-03T09:13:00.003-08:002016-03-03T09:21:12.838-08:00

There are moments, every single day, that most people wished that they had behaved better. Perhaps exercised more patience, more restraint.  Everyday instances that we are not as proud of our reaction or reflexes as we could've been, if we had just taken a deep breath and not allowed ourselves to get overwhelmed, or defensive, or prideful. We're human. Our natural born

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-81997153868144394242015-12-16T14:54:00.001-08:002015-12-16T14:54:13.865-08:00

In a few short days, I'll be looking up at a whole new set of stars. Piecing together constellations in the southern hemisphere, staring at the sky from a different corner of the world,  in awe. A full moon.  On Christmas.  I can think of few better ways  to celebrate the end of the year, and the beginning of a new one. I'll be splashing around on the shores of

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-75635629025508842832015-11-08T17:36:00.001-08:002015-11-08T17:48:29.885-08:00

I’ve been having trouble expressing myself the way that I want to lately.  And I think that’s because  there are so many words that, for a number of different reasons,  I’ve chosen not to say. I think it's human nature to hold back sometimes. We convince ourselves that too much time has gone by, or we fear that we may come across as impolite, or inconvenient. We, or at

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-80483755578099288742015-09-22T20:32:00.002-07:002015-09-23T09:24:37.878-07:00

Tonight at sundown, marked the holiest of holidays in Judaism. It is a day about saying you are sorry.  And asking for forgiveness.  Sorry in itself is such a small word,  but it has such a big impact.  Just think about all of the little hurts we carry around; the weight of them on our hearts when piled up. Many of these could likely have been eliminated  if a

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-26090345239447711492015-08-24T12:25:00.003-07:002015-08-24T12:25:38.865-07:00

This next year, remember... There will be days dripping in gold, and others that are just okay, and some that are pretty terrible. Try not to be too scared when the ‘terribles’ come along. Maintain a positive spirit and a kind heart. Quiet the ill-intended. Work through the insecurities. Don’t let anyone mistake being kind, as being weak. Take care of your body. Find something

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-29610103545776623752015-07-21T14:46:00.001-07:002015-07-21T14:46:04.578-07:00

I was home in Connecticut about a month ago spending time with my family, paying the neighborhood donkeys a visit, giving Little Cat scratches behind her ear.  During my trip I got baited into sorting through  old bins and dusty boxes from our attic.  I guess our sweet old house  needs a sturdy new roof and with that,  the odds and ends  and treasures

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-11064570299561294782015-05-12T10:51:00.001-07:002015-05-12T10:51:26.538-07:00

Last night we watched the sweetest short film. It was centered around the theme of people  entering and exiting our lives, and how the abrupt shifts in those relationships ultimately can become a catalyst for a bigger change. It showcased the difficulty associated  with someone you love leaving you; be it platonic love, parental love, romantic love. And it made me think.

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-86284481609656154882015-02-09T08:26:00.005-08:002015-02-09T08:26:55.499-08:00

Today is the start of Random Acts of Kindness week, with the grand finale being Valentine's Day.  I am pretty sure my heart is going to explode confetti hearts.  So go ahead! Don't be shy.  Make an  extra effort to show love and kindness  to all living creature that surround you, big and small.  As Christian Larson said:  " Think well of yourself

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-44946852247623004762015-01-21T10:58:00.001-08:002015-01-21T10:58:12.592-08:00

John Wayne said that courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.  Well. I didn't.  Last night, I wanted to be brave.  But I wasn't.  I found myself caught off guard.  I'd like to say that my response to the scenario was selfless - that I reacted in a way that would ultimately spare some discomfort. But I still felt like a chicken. Here's what I

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-24090811094745188882014-12-21T14:00:00.002-08:002014-12-22T16:01:08.631-08:00

Today, the sun dips to it's lowest point in the sky, giving us a delayed dawn and an early sunset. Happy Winter Solstice.  From here on out, every day moving forward will be a bit brighter.  In a few short days, I'll have my feet in the sand  and my face towards the sun. Christmas spent by the Caribbean Sea. I. Can't. Wait. I'm appreciative of the growth and  self

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-24158123718150788202014-11-26T11:22:00.001-08:002014-11-26T11:22:20.325-08:00

My eyes are clear. My heart is full. I have sunshine on my shoulders, and a hand that holds mine. For these simple things, I am grateful. Happy Thanksgiving friends.   “For each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything thy goodness sends. I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-76889226215427457772014-10-28T16:47:00.000-07:002014-10-29T09:30:09.860-07:00

I've wanted to share an update for a long time now. But see,  there were dance floors to shimmy on,  and giant sequoias to gape at. There were trails on which to get my shoes dusty  And too many big moon nights, requiring the attention of my eyes. There were hawks – darting in and out of the shadows of the trees that begged me to spot them. There were meals to share

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-87023803253854834162014-08-21T13:49:00.003-07:002014-08-21T13:50:54.210-07:00

I always write of August.  Likely because it is my birthday month,  it is August during which I am most nostalgic and reflective.  I think of stretches of summer days spent in Maine with my family,  and long lazy weekends at the beach with girlfriends.  I have great memories of swapping stories and sipping beers with friends,  late into the humidity of the

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-81489089292404714892014-06-30T10:04:00.000-07:002014-06-30T10:14:14.123-07:00

My dad was visiting this past week; it was so fun having him here. His trip was impromptu, and I didn't plan much, but we ended up doing  the coolest thing. Every Saturday of a New Moon, Mt. Tamalpais hosts star gazers to check out the night sky through the astronomy club's telescopes. This past Saturday was a clear, cool night and eventually twilight started to give way, and the stars

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-15472460361772527942014-04-28T14:48:00.001-07:002014-04-28T14:51:16.432-07:00

Most friends are aware from firsthand experiences with me, that I have a huge appreciation for animal totems.   I’m a hippie dippy believer that there is a deeper, symbolic meaning associated with animals,  and that quite a bit of information related to our spiritual nature can be derived from any critter or creature that cross our paths: large or small, feathered, finned or furry. &

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-65059719169155592122014-04-15T10:13:00.001-07:002014-04-15T10:13:47.487-07:00

Last night, I set out to chase the moon.   I didn't know if the blood moon would live up to its name, and I didn't want to be disappointed. But it did. And I wasn't. The stars even got a little jealous of the magic of the moon last night,  because a couple of them decided to shoot across the sky – daring us to take our eyes off of the eclipse. We had to

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-38587319279248100932014-04-01T14:39:00.000-07:002014-04-01T14:40:36.964-07:00

Spriiiiiiiiing!  The word itself sounds happy. And bouncy. And light. Last night, I dreamt that piles of flowers came pouring from the sky. Big cheerful petals and blossoms.  They fell gentle, on my chest.  With arms outstretched, and up towards the sun: This is how I welcome April. (image is my own)  Winter.  You taught me lessons I never wanted to learn.&

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-16318358917925880132014-02-04T17:29:00.003-08:002014-02-04T17:29:35.982-08:00

My eyes need a sky full of stars, my lungs, the deep inhale of sea salt air. My legs crave the ache of a long day on a dusty trail. And my skin, the comfort of the desert sun. Once, I told my little sister that I wished I could go hug a saguaro. Well, I would tomorrow if I could, and tell all my secrets to the trees.  I whispered some wishes to the bay today, but it didn't quite

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4980531005660885280.post-46766932438929228762013-12-18T10:27:00.003-08:002013-12-18T10:27:43.614-08:00

It will be a quiet close to a relatively quiet year. Some years are packed with adventures, some are a bit more calm. 2013 was on the calmer side of the spectrum.  Sure, there are some things I would've done differently.  The usual things, mostly. I meant to read more books, and spend less time in front of the computer. I didn't ride my bike as much as I daydreamed about, 

EMILYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385914643742024904noreply@blogger.com0