THE CHEERY ROOM

I Didn't Get The Job I Really Wanted, But Somehow Through This Rejection I Found True Acceptance

2013-12-19T22:46:00.000-08:00

I didn't get it. The job I really wanted. The big one. It was loaded with career potential and a paycheck that would have catapulted us into a different SES. I could almost taste financial security. I made it through the third round of interviews and was hopeful. Very hopeful. Maybe too hopeful. And then I got the email. At first I thought something was amiss. After spending over two weeks of courting through emails, phone calls and interviews, the rejection sat there like a bomb in my in-box. Really an email? A generic and impersonal email from the nameless HR? You didn't have the decency to call me and reject me personally?! AN EMAIL!

I felt discouraged. I felt hopeless. Why didn't I get the job? Was I not smart enough? Pretty enough? Not willing to travel through 9 states from Alaska to New Mexico? I thought I assured my potential boss I was. But maybe I wasn't?

Normally I would have prayed to get this job. Really, really prayed. But when you become a mother, something inside you changes forever. It isn't all about you. Your priorities shift in the best of ways. So I prayed for God's will, whatever that might be. Maybe that was the easy part. Maybe the hard part came in accepting what that will was.

I admit. I was emotional. When does rejection ever feel good? After reading the email, I sat there taking it all in. I thought I had just ruined a really big opportunity. How did I let it get away from me? And then I felt my son wrap his chubby arms around my back in a bear hug, as my daughter patted my head softly and said sweetly, "Don't cry, Mom."

But how could I not be upset? Such a great opportunity that would forever change my life, our lives. And then my husband's voice, "You have three people here who love you very much." And then I felt the cloud lift. The cloud of insecurity and worthlessness and not feeling good enough start to fade. I started to take these good thoughts in. And then the bad thoughts started to go out. And then came a moment of clarity, a clear thought that went through my brain: Sure it would be nice to have the money of a CEO, or the good looks of a skinny model, or the validation of being named Mother Of The Year, but maybe at the end of the day that doesn't really matter. What does matter is getting up each day and trying your best and not sweating the rest. You get up, you give it all you have, and you go to bed peacefully, ready to do it all again the next day.

And maybe, just maybe, when you are called Home that will be enough. In fact, it might just be more than enough.

A Letter Wall For My Little Prince

2013-08-13T13:50:00.001-07:00

This is How I did It:

For some of the letters I enlisted family members to help. That made it more fun and personalized it for my little man. For example Grandma was responsible for "G," Aunt Beck did the "B," etc. I gave them the color scheme and just told them to be creative. (I have also seen this done at baby showers; you assign each guest a letter and they buy or make the letter as a gift for the mother to be.)

It was a fun little treasure hunt trying to find all the letters!

Here's the breakdown:

A - I bought this from Michaels for 5 cents on clearance. Yep, 5 cents.

B - My sister did this one. She bought the wooden B for a few bucks at a craft store and then collected different colored buttons and glued them on with a hot clue gun. ♥

C - My youngest sister found the C on a ceramics website and painted it with GLOW IN THE DARK paint. It is super cool at night!

D - I made this with about $1 worth of rope from the tractor supply company. I used these instructions to make it.

E - From Hobby Lobby, done by my Grandma, "E" for my Grandpa's first name. Painted with fabric/craft paint.

F - 5 cents from Michaels.

G - Hobby Lobby from my Mom.

H - 5 cents from Michaels, painted with craft paint.

I - 5 cents from Michaels, painted with craft paint. I put a tape border through the middle to give it a stripe and some depth. The middle stripe is painted soft blue.

J - Hobby Lobby

K- from a ma and pop store in Northern California, from my mother in law.

L - I bought off ebay from Barbed Wire Art.

M - Hobby lobby from my niece.

N - Michaels

O - Hobby Lobby, from my mom

P - Michaels, I painted it with craft paint, then sanded the sides to give it a rustic look.

Q - I photo copied the "Q" from the scrabble game and then blew it up on a piece of cardstock. I then cut it out and made a stencil of it to play on a piece of wood. I paint it will black craft paint and then once it was dry, covered it with wood gloss.

R - ma and pop store in Northern California, from my mother in law.

S - my sister in law did this. She bought two wood S's from a craft store and then cut out scrapbook paper and glue it on top. Then she finished it off with modge podge. I couldn't decide which one to pick because I love both so I just stacked them on top of each other.

T - Michaels - $1

U - I got this from a local horse shoe store. It was an old used horse shoe that they gave to me for free. I soak it in overnight in water to remove the dirt, and then wipe it down with disinfectant. Then I spray painted it black.

V - Hobby lobby from my Grandma.

W - I took two rulers and sawed them in half, glued them together in the shape of a W, and then used little scrapbooking brads to fill in the holes.

Y - wood letter from Michaels; I photocopied a page from a Winnie the Pooh book onto white card stock and then glued it on top of the Y. Then I took brown scapbooking ink and smudge around the edges.

& - Hobby Lobby

Z - Michaels, 5 cents.

There you have it! I was a fun and inexpensive project to do!

You Survived the Most Depressing Day of the Year

2011-01-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

I am sure we all know what Black Friday is, although I personally have never experienced it (I know, shocking for someone who likes to shop.) Well, yesterday was certainly Martin Luther King Jr. Day,- I am so grateful that Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream so I could have a day off - but it has also been deemed Blue Monday. Why? A combination of wintry weather, failed New Years' resolutions, and oh yes, credit card bills all seem to arrive simultaneously to create an even harder back to work Monday. I, personally, am recoving from an operation, and can not talk for more than three minutes at a time without 1) intense soreness and pain, and 2) a whopping headache..... so I sloughed myself off the couch and decided to check in with the world via facebook, blogs, and emails, because for someone who had the gift of gab, I find my vocal limitation...well, depressing. But not to fear I am feeling much better already; just this little posting is helping to lift my spirits.

Wheeww. That wore me out, I don't have any more energy, that is all for now.

Addie's photo shoot

2010-10-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.torrienicholasphotography.com/

Little Miss Addie Mae had her first photo shoot. Check out the link and scroll down.

How ever do I select The One to go over the fireplace?

A Southern Gal and A Cali Boy

2010-08-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

(This is a request from a friend and reader. Yes, I do take requests!)

(Because every couple needs a photo of cool architecture that we just "happened to be" standing by.)

My husband and I have an inter-state marriage, as in we merged two different statehoods together, like inter-racial or inter-religious marriages. I grew up in Texas and he grew up in Northern California. Maybe you don't think that is much of a merger, but then again maybe you have never been to Texas. (Yes, everything is bigger there and just don't mess with us.)

We met at a church activity on a hot summer Monday night in June. But that's all. We just met. He was new in town working at his summer internship. I had been in town for a year for my internship. I made no judgement of him, good or bad, just observed that he was surrounded by a plethora of girls, they sensed the new summer shipment had arrived. I remember I thought he was overdressed for softball, but he was dressed handsomely. Nice watch. (Let me jump ahead for one moment - Dave was doing his internship at an almond farm, I was doing mine in psychology at a school district. So we had this funny joke I would like to say: What do an almond farmer and psychologist have in common? THEY BOTH WORK WITH NUTS! I even painted a plate on one of our dates that says this and I still have it. I loved trying that joke out on new people. I think by the 15th time, Dave would just roll his eyes, and think, oh no, not again.)

Over the next month we saw each other at church and social events, but nothing more than an acquaintance developed. We had a very social bachlorette pad and often had many people over, including my future husband. But I was neck deep in grad school, and had left Los Angeles and the dating drama behind. I was feeling burnt out.

One day my roommate had invited Dave over and we were all just chewing the fat. I was struck with what a cool guy he was. I said something to the effect of, "You know Dave, you're fun, you're just like my little brother." Ouch. Whoops. You see the thing is, Dave is younger than me. I didn't realize then how much younger, but I guessed he was a few years younger like my little brother. Come to find out my younger brother was older than him. (But I will give you a hint, it all worked out.)

So something took a hold of me, and I began to be, well, let's just say a little friendlier. Okay, maybe flirtier. I admit it, I am not ashamed. :) If you would have told me then, what I know now, that I would be sittin' here married for three years with a baby on the way, I would have thought you had lost your mind and sold your soul. I honestly didn't see past anything other than that he just seemed really fun. I think in the back of my mind there was this thought percolating..."oh he is only here for the summer....this could be a fun summer fling...." HA! So I asked him for his number (I know, honestly where did this boldness come from?) That really is uncharacteristic of me. And frankly I had no intention of calling him I just wanted his number. Hmm. So I punched in his digits and said, "Okay I am going to save you as "Hot Dave." (I had already had a couple other Daves saved in my cell phone.) Again. What had taken over me? Keep it together!

A couple days later Dave called me. So technically I could say he made the first move, but I tempted him in that direction. I had just gotten back in my house after the gym and grocery store, and had accidentally locked myself out. I was carrying in groceries and the door latch clicked shut on one trip, locking the door. About an hour and half later with the help of our McGyver neighbor I got back in the house, groceries melting, tummy growling - I was hungry before I went to the store, now I was just famished. So when the phone rang and I realized it was Hot Dave asking me if I would like to get something to eat, all I could shout was, "YES!" I was so hungry it could have been Mr. Grinch and I would have said yes. As I recovered from the fact, that I would indeed not starve to death, I began to look forward to spending some time with him. I got ready and we went out to eat and then window shopped around the outdoor Latino Mercado (we both have a love of the Spanish language and food.)

Couples that run together, stay together,...at least for 13.1 miles!

Well, let's just cut to the chase. After five months of courtship, which included trips to Texas and his home town in Northern California, a half marathon - THANK YOU TIA! She was moving out of state and gave me her spot in the half-marathon, and I just needed a partner to train with and um, what about the cute guy I was dating? I conspired to get him to join me, realizing I would have to spend lots of time with him training for the half-marathon. Darn. Other fun dates included beach trips, chinese dinners- I once went to a Chinese restuarant in advance with my own fortune cookies of which I had previously placed specific written fortunes inside and had the waiter bring them to us after the meal. Go-cart racing, car shows, Halloween parties (see pics), pumpkin patches (can you tell we dated in the fall?), jokes - my husband is a practical joker, He once got down on one knee, opened a jewelry box, and said, "Will you....go to Texas with me?" And after I recovered and realized that the ring was indeed fake I informed him that he better not joke about that. Another time (after we were married) he hid in the trunk of my car one late night after I had taught a university class and as I started to drive away, he popped out of the seat (you know how in a sedan, you can push down the middle seat and stick your head through? Okay, I didn't know either but quickly found out.) I still don't know how I didn't wreck my car. I screamed and cursed and let's just say was....livid. Need less to say, he hasn't tried that again.

What can I say? He is my Superman.

So after five months of courtship, we got engaged in January and married in the LA temple in March , which I loved - a Spring wedding.

I married Dave for many reasons, but what drew me to him the most was how fun he is. I knew I would never be bored, and I can truthfully say that he has lived up to that. He is so much fun and I not only love him, I genuinely like him. Sometimes in my profession I see couples that say they love each other, but they don't like to spend time with each other. I miss him when we aren't together. I love his company. He is my best bud, my partner in crime, the peanut butter to my jelly. I often tell him I wish he could be my little Jimmney Cricket and stay in my pocket with me where ever I go. Instead I just carry him around in my heart.

It also didn't hurt that he is tall, dark, and handsome. I still sometimes get lost in his blue eyes that remind me of the time I crawled up on the top of the cruise ship during our honeymoon and looked outward, and all I could see was the deep ocean blue on a calm day. I could see him as my husband, as a good provider, as an honest and good human being, as the father of our children, but most of all I could just see him with me. I couldn't imagine not being with him. I love him.

I knew from our courtship that he was smart and a hard worker and that he would walk through fire for me and our children. He would no doubt die for us, but would also live for us too.

But before you stop reading and choke on all this lovey dovey stuff (hold the cheese please), let me tell you what I have learned:

1) No marriage is perfect. If someone tells you that, they are lying. I know that on both a professional level as I work with couples, and a personal level in my own marriage. Two imperfect human beings can not make a perfect union. I have learned that it is only with God as the third party that we have a chance at perfection. He, no doubt, makes up for all our inadequacies.

2) Marriage takes effort. I find that most things that our worthwhile in this life do. Like growing a garden, learning a new language, remodeling a home, it takes effort, determination, and commitment. You can't be idle. You have to be proactive. But what joy in the journey as you figure things out together! I love how my father sums up marriage, "It make good things twice as good, and bad things, half as bad."

3) Life will test your marriage. There will come into your life experiences that I believe can make or break your marriage. They will test you, they will challenge you, and they will cause you to become closer or move farther apart. My advice is to use them as glue to solidify your relationship. We have experienced quite a lot in our young marriage (maybe I will share those stories later) and I honestly believe they could have made us or broken us. Gratefully, they made us stronger, closer, and more committed. These trials increased our faith, strengthen our patience, and endured our love. That is the beautiful thing about life, WE get to decided how an experience will affect us. We have that power.

So here's to romantic walks on the beach, late night chats, waking up to your best friend, learning more about yourself (I don't really do that do I?) and above all, becoming a better version of you.

I believe in happy endings. And even happier beginnings.

Vaccine Shot or Massage?

2010-08-26T16:48:00.000-07:00

I am addicted to pedicures.

So my pediatrician's office has a SPA inside it. How exactly does that work? The baby gets a vaccine shot and I get a massage? Hmmm.

As I was waiting to speak to the pediatrician, (another check off my 'to-do list' before baby arrives....crib, check. Car seat, check. Find good pediatrician, check.) this four year old girl came out hysterically crying, and I do mean hysterically crying as in she must have been tortured instead of receiving vaccine shots. I looked so flummoxed, eyes wide open, mouth gaping open, thinking what will I do when I have to take our baby in for SHOTS, that the receptionist must of notice and said,

"Would you like to sit in the SPA area? It is kinda loud in here."
"The spa area?" I reply.
"Yes, in here." She leads me into another area that is much more serene, no flailing children, no torture chamber.
"Ahh, this is nice." I respond. And it was. What a nice marketing tool, eh? I hadn't even met the doctor yet, but she could have been Dr. Kevorkian and I would not have noticed, I was so side tracked with the image of someone massaging my ever swollen feet.

This spawned a discussion about services. My husband and I disagree on paying for services. (Wow, imagine that, a married couple disagreeing on something.) My husband thinks it is a waste of money to pay someone to mow your lawn, fix your car, cut your hair, clean your home, etc. I think it is a waste of time to do it yourself. (Maybe if I wasn't spending time cleaning bathrooms, I could whip up gourmet desserts. After my pregnancy, of course.) Now don't get me wrong. My husband has brought our lawn back from the dead more times than I can count. He is a very good handy man. If mechanical intelligence were measured in people, he would be Einstein. I have never seen someone take a part a vacuum cleaner with the speed and agility that he did:

"Baby, the vacuum cleaner is not working." (I exit the room.)
I enter the room approximately two minutes later. The vacuum is disassembled, as in every single part is out on the floor lined up in sequential order.
I walk back out of the room. I return in three minutes.
"It's working," he says.
"Wow," I think.
It would have taken me five minutes just to figure out how to open the vacuum cleaner.

But back to the topic of services, I do believe our conversation went like this:

Hubby: "Why would you pay for a pedicure when you could do it yourself for 2 bucks?"
(Well, hmmm, I could think of a million reasons but here are just a few:)

Me:
1) "My feet are beginning to get further and further away from me. In fact, I can barely see them anymore. But I know they are there. How? Well, they are three times their normal size."

2) "Have you ever tried to crouch down while being 9 months pregnant? I can barely shave my legs, let alone reach my feet. I think I would have to lay on my back and reach my arms up to my toenails, and somehow I think more toenail polish would end up on my shirt than my toes."

3) "Massaging your own feet, is so not the same."

4) "I personally don't own 300 bottles of fingernail polish. I mean what if I just need the luck of the Irish today and want Emerald Green on my toes?"

5) "Manicurists are like mini-feet surgeons, they have all these little tools and gadgets and they get in there and polish, buff, shine, clip, and paint like they are on a CIA mission from the US government. No cuticle will be left untouched. No hangnail will be left untamed. It is simply marvelous."

So the bottom line is that I simply can not, will not, and don't want to recreate their service!

This led to the question...if you were a millionaire which member of your "entourage" would you pick first?
Chef? Housekeeper? Chauffeur? Gardner? Personal Trainer? Dog Walker? (you haven't met our dogs.) Hair stylist? Personal assistant? What do you think?

I know, so many to chose from. But atlas, I guess I won't be making that decision anytime soon. I gotta run. I hear a bottle of Emerald Green calling my name. I can hear it loud and clear above the sound of the hair buzzers in my husband's hands.

The Wonderful World of Waddling

2010-08-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Say that title ten times fast. I dare you.

This is how I walk. (Okay, minus the gymnastics.)

My stomach enters a room first and then the rest of me follows. This little guy was a stocking stuffer gift from my father a couple Christmases ago. I am still not sure if it was a subliminal message for the next generation to continue the family tree. Gratefully, I do not share the penguin's height though, as being tall allows my baby to have lots of room to play. Although I must say that the penguin has me beat. I am not sure I could do what he could, pregnant or not pregnant.

This is how I move.

Again, I think the turtle has me beat! This turtle is honestly moving faster than I am these days.

But this is how I will feel afterwards!

(Okay maybe not right after, but my spirits will be as happy as the the squirrel who found the nut.)

As we wind down to the last few weeks it has been fun to anticipate her arrival. Who will she be like? What will she look like? I have carried her for so long, it is new to think of holding her in my arms. But oh how excited I am! I feel like I am gearing up for a marathon on Christmas Day. Such a special day with excitement, but an endurance feat to accomplish the goal!

To all the waddlers out there, don't forget to waddle in style. You can still attempt some fashion even at this late stage! Let go of the cut- off sweats and your husband's T-shirt. You can do it. Reserve that attire for home only. (Many thanks to my kind mother-in-law for taking me shopping and buying me this dress!)

Waddle. Waddle. But Waddle in Style.

I am usually not technically challenged, but I can not figure out how to make the video go horizontal. Actually my center of gravity has changed so much that I often feel I walking this way....upside down and to the side.

My love affair: Breaking up with...

2010-08-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

So I have a new friend in my body in addition to the daughter I am carrying. I am not sure this new friendship is working out so well. You see his first name is Gestational, last name Diabetes. Do you know Gestational Diabetes? He tries to sneak his way into your life, I mean body, around 26 weeks of gestation. You meet his acquaintance after you have the pleasure of tasting his Drink, a sugary glucose combo, that resembles Gatorade on a sugar high. Then you go back for more rounds, just to be sure he really is there, as though the first shot of sugar high wasn't enough to invite his company. He lingers in your placenta, affecting your pancreas and your body's ability to digest sugar. Suddenly you have to check and see if your new friend, who is quickly crossing to the other side of enemy territory, is there waiting. So you check FOUR times a day to see if he is present. How do you know of his presence? Well, you prick your finger and test your blood. I am starting to have a conditioned response to the sound of the sugar monitor, "beep. da duh, duh, beep. BAM....." A number. Sometimes a good number, and sometimes a not so good number. I mean honestly if anyone wanted to scare me all they would have to do is turn that little bugger on, my adrenalin just gets to pumping. Forget my little brother standing in the dark laundry room after I returned from a late night. You ain't got nothing on GD, bro.

But GD does not come solo. Of course not, he comes with his buddy Insulin. In the form of a shot given, well, now that just depends. Right now I am making his acquaintance just nightly. But Insulin is actually a better friend as he tries to ward of GD. So really I shouldn't be so bitter towards Insulin.

The true problem is my love affair with Sugar. I have fallen so madly in love with him after all these years together. I mean over 32, okay maybe over 31 as I am not sure we really knew each other the first year. He has been my constant companion through good times and bad. Through rain, and snow, and heat. Through blood, sweat, and tears. He is there; sometimes hiding out in the pantry awaiting my entrance, sometimes hanging out on the pantry shelves just beckoning to me, luring me to him with his sexy packaging. I have been so faithful to him all these years, and him to me. He never lets me down. (Isn't his full name Sugar High?) He has been there for me after long days at work, as I studied for graduate school, as I toiled the long morning hours writing a paper. He was there after long marathon dates, big decision nights, restless sleep, and even when some other unwelcomed guests came into my home like Anxiety and Depression. Sugar is always there keeping them at bay. He wards off those unwelcomed guests like the angry pit bull down the street.

And what about our Relationship? I have to break up with Sugar, I have to end our relationship, after all these years, I must let him go. I need time away from him to think, to find myself, to understand who I am. We may be able to see each other again, but as for now I must break up with him. As hard as it is, as painful as it feels, Sugar just isn't right for me. There is someone else in my life. Someone else I love more. Her health and happiness are more important to me than Mr. Sugar. As her mother, I put her first. So goodbye, Sugar. It has been rough for me, has it been this hard for you?

Promise me one thing,... if I see you again, you won't be a stranger.

In Awe

2010-08-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

I stare in awe through the sea of black and white,
Watching your every move
I think I am just watching an old movie play across the screen.
Then I realize it's you
And it's me, our union essential for your existence.

I see you dance to the rhythm of my voice.
I hear your heartbeat.
It comes through the speakers profound and with purpose.
The most glorious sound.
Like hard rain, coming down on a cracked desert floor.

I forget you are so small
For your presence engulfs my soul like water on a drowning ship.
It is a nutrient serum
And I realize though I hold you now,
It is you who carries me.
Towards hope.
To a place not crossed, to a journey untraveled.

One day we will no longer be one
I will hear your triumphant cry,
A path completed in full to lead us onward
I will bask in the joy
As finally we shall meet face to face.

Expectant Mothers - A Conversation Starter

2010-08-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

Nobody is more of a conversation starter than an expectant mother. It is funny how social barriers evaporate and complete strangers will act as though you and them are old friends.

"What are you having?"
"When are you due?"
"Is this your first baby?"
"Do you have a name picked out?"

"Do you need some help?" -A compassionate mother in the baby-r-us store who saw the bewildered look my husband and I were giving the 25 rows of bottles staring back at us. (Really, we need help, what gave that away?)

"You are so tiny." -the only time I really don't want to be called tiny. (I explained that being tall gives the baby lots of room.)

"Ahh, you are expecting." -(I have to admit I was once tempted to say, "no really I just ate a big meal", but that is down right mean to make someone turn crimson.)

"That sure is going to be a healthy baby." -direct quote from a great grandfather aged man in the swimming pool at aqua aerobics. He further went on to say, "You know what you should do, you should have her in the pool." I wasn't quite sure if he meant literally have her in the pool as in give birth to her in between laps of the butterfly, or have her in the pool as a baby so she loves swimming and grows up healthy. Either way, I didn't dwell as I was anxious to get back to my water lunges. (I sometimes envy fish, everything is so much easier in WATER.)

"You look how I felt: radiant." -from a colleague.

And my favorite of all time:

"Can I just tell you that an expectant mother is a beautiful thing." -from a genuine man in Barnes and Noble who came up to me as I entered the bookstore. He was probably in his fifties and it came across very sincere. He clarified, "And there is no angle here," and continued on his way. Not creepy, just sincere. I patted him on the arm, smiled, and said, "Why thank you, it has been a bad day, and you really made my day." (You never really know what effect you might have on a complete stranger. Kind words are never wasted. I appreciated his words. My burden suddenly seemed lighter.) And on that subject of beauty and pregnancy: I really do feel beautiful; it is a different beauty, natural, eternal, authentic. I had on no make up, I am sure my hair was pulled back, and I was not wearing anything that hinted designer. (Flip flops, cargo pants, and a T-shirt. Don't tell the fashion police.) The irony of feeling beautiful now is that I have never weighed this much in my life, and yet I feel the most beautiful I ever have. Not to mention the added benefits that pregnancy hormones make your hair, nails, teeth and skin phenomenal.

And let us not forget that in addition to a plethora of conversations in department stores, books stores, grocery stores and the gym, there are other perks and VIP treatments one receives; people are always sure to open the door for you and let you go first in the hallway. They let you go ahead of them in the grocery store check out lane. WHENEVER food is involved you are ALWAYS given the privilege of being the first to stack your plate. If there is a chair involved or a more comfortable seat it is offered to you first, even at the expense of making someone else move. An expectant mother seems to put off a red-carpet radius and for at least four months we get to feel like a queen. And doesn't that just seem fitting? I get to feel like a queen as I create a little princess.

Pregnancy is, indeed, a beautiful thing.

Slim's Pickin's

2010-07-29T13:39:00.001-07:00

In trying to pick a title for my blog, I decided to pick some topics I am passionate about that encapsulate my life. This blog is about combining my professional expertise with practical and personal experience. If I have learned anything through the years in my professional career and private life, it is this: we all learn from each other as we travel through this journey called life.

The topics at the top of the blog (under the header) give an overview of the themes represented in future blogs. You can click on them and get info about that topic and much more, including ideas that don't start with "M."

Happy Reading! Enjoy!