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Focus on a Plan for 2018: Self and Purpose

Posted on December 27, 2017

The gaily decorated cards, received or sent, the increasing intensity of sales alerts, and the obligatory, or beloved, gatherings of family and friends; it makes sense that we move toward change at the holidays. We’re facing an ending as we move into a new year. Facebook hammers us with choosing words of intention, emails promising the best way to fight holiday weight, and people we know declare this to be the year that they’ll do Whole 30, run a marathon, or go vegan. We focus on self and community with a different intensity. My mom gave me a book about authors describing their favorite bookstores. “I never give a book as a gift without inscribing it,” she said. Sure enough, there was her familiar hand…

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Categories: Me

The Greatest Showman: A Lesson in Why

Posted on December 24, 2017

Last night we found ourselves at a 6:50pm showing of The Greatest Showman. It was a bold moment of rule breaking, though the rule was not anything we’d ever officially made. The weather was awful, freezing rain on top of snow on top of ice with visibility no further than our front bumper on account of fog. I’d just said yes to letting the neighbor’s daughter sleep over. “On Christmas Eve,” Sean asked incredulously. “No, it’s the eve of Christmas Eve,” I said. “Is that ok?” He sighed, “Fine, I don’t care.” A few minutes later he said, “Want to take them to see The Greatest Showman?” “Tonight? Out in this weather?” I asked. He smiled, “Why not?” We’d been gasping at the trailer…

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Categories: Random

Get to Work

Posted on December 10, 2017

Friday I spent the day on a photo shoot in the Scoharie Valley. The cold came at me like I’d done it wrong, turning my fingers white and making my insides quiver. It was alarming to be so cold, but it also felt good. It was all consuming. There was no phone checking, no idle fretting, the cold made me purposeful and focused. The animals made me believe again, even as I grappled with the idea of food and the way I love flank steak with hot-from-the-oven-tortillas and green tabasco. There are choices and consequences. I returned to start. Land, people, and animals. Farm. Farmers. Innovation. Resilience. Respect.   The light repeatedly took my breath away. The animals, from goats and lambs to cows and…

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Categories: Me

Learning to Live with Anger & Joy

Posted on November 11, 2017

Anger doesn’t sell. Joy can be dampened by the 24 hour news cycle. How are we supposed to achieve any sort of balance? I don’t mean the elusive idea of family and work, finance and purpose, and a hair cut that really is wash and go, because that’s all a lie. I mean how do those of us who aren’t professional activists or impervious optimists operate when we are pelted daily with fallen heroes, crippling expenses and tender, “Do you want to see what I made today, mama” from our kids and “You look gorgeous and I cannot wait to be alone with you” whispers from our partners? How are the people shouldering the greatest burden in trying to fix the world supposed to…

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Categories: Random

Tiny Reminders for Big Change

Posted on November 8, 2017

Do you ever catch yourself saying, “As soon as things slow down…” They never slow down. We never have the money sitting in the account. The right time rarely arrives in a moment when we can actually embrace it. I find myself doing little things to try and dull the sensation that I am tempting fate. I try not to race from place to place, I tell myself not to measure my success (or failure) by how much is left undone at the end of the day. I doubt most of us would put the same expectations on other people that we do on ourselves. It’s also unlikely that we’d afford the same kindness or consideration to ourselves that we give to others. I…

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Categories: Me

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