• Go Vote
    Motivation,  My Friends Have Mad Skillz,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    Go Out and Vote.

    You’d have to be living under a rock not to know that this Tuesday, November 6–just two short days from today–is Midterm Election Day, and a very important one at that. More effort has been made to get out the vote than I can remember in my lifetime, which is great…yet I know that large numbers of people STILL aren’t going to vote. From the indifferent ones to the folks who feel like their one vote doesn’t matter to the people who don’t want to put in the effort to do a little research so they can figure out who they might vote for, America is still full of excuses.…

  • Eugenie Jack iron e1541103107734
    I've Got Mad Skillz,  Motivation

    There Has To Be A Life Lesson In Here Somewhere.

    I throw my back out approximately twice a year, and when it happens my my ability to move normally is impaired for a week to 10 days. As someone who exercises every single day for between an hour and ninety minutes (and gets crabby when she can’t, even for a day), this semi-annual event makes me ragey. I have a few risk factors for back woes: both of my parents have a history of back problems, I carry extra weight around, and there’s that aforementioned daily workout nearly without fail, without days off for recovery. It happened again nearly three weeks ago, under stupid circumstances: I yanked my back out…

  • Motivation,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    Managing Expectations is (Now) My Jam

    I had a great conversation earlier today with a friend about expectations and how we manage them. This is something I have been working on for a while now, but I’ve kicked it into overdrive in the past few months since I stopped working full time (and stopped having to be on the go constantly). Back in the day I was the Queen of Expectations–wait, maybe High Priestess of Expectations–both in regards to myself and others. I was raised with high expectations and believed that keeping the bar waaaaaaay up there was important when it came to being successful, being happy, and getting things done. Well, I was wrong…and I’m…

  • 2D3F4722 5241 4569 9DB2 3046FD598A06 e1511665942195 1
    Motivation,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    On Peeling Eggs and Other Things That Take Time

    One of my contributions to the family Thanksgiving dinner this week was deviled eggs. I was determined to figure out how to peel them so they stayed looking as pristine as the eggs you see in the magazines, because usually when I peel hard boiled eggs they end up looking like a hot mess. i did a little research of course, because that’s what I do. Let me save you some time; there are LOTS of theories out there about how best to peel eggs, and the theories contradict each other like you wouldn’t believe. What I came up with that was different from what I’ve always done was: 1.…

  • Motivation,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    Make It Sweet.

    I think as we get older, we tend to reflect on life so much more than we did in our younger days. I know I do. My appreciation for the little things and my laser focus these days on gratitude and blessings stems from my absorption of the fact that Life as I know it could end at any moment. I’m known for being a go-getter, and that trait comes in handy especially these days. I don’t wait for things to happen; I try to make them happen. What about you? Are you the driver in your life, or a passenger? If you’re riding shotgun, let me recommend you scoot…

  • Motivation,  Something That Could Change Your Life,  Travels

    Travel. (Just Go, Already.)

    I’ve done a little bit of traveling this year. *giggle* Actually, I’ve done a lot of traveling this year. Almost every time I go on a trip, I get texts from friends (and comments on photos that I post on social media) about how they wish they could pick up and go like I can. I get it. I was unable to do this until just a couple of years ago. I’m in this interesting season of life right now: I’m an empty nester and, for the first time in decades, unemployed except for some freelance writing I do on occasion. I’m able to keep appointments with myself to workout…