Back in this post, I discussed a college writing exercise that helped me see my 5-year future in a way that was less about accomplishing specific career goals and more about deciding what type of life I wanted. I’m lucky enough to be living the life I wrote down and it’s time to do it again. The next 5 years hold new adventures and new desires. I can almost taste them.

Before I share my letter, though, I wanted to preface it with this:

One of the things I’ve been working on is accepting myself for who I am and trying not to live under anyone else’s expectations about what I should be doing with my life (even if those are my own made up expectations). What … Read More »

I have a dirty secret. I LOVE popular music. You know what else I love? New Yorkers. And here’s why.

Two of my favorite songs right now are “Firework” and “Teenage Dream” by (cover your eyes) Katy Perry.

I was a Katy Perry virgin before I met my neighbor and good friend, J. Clearly I was missing out.

At least once a month J and I spend our Saturday afternoons driving to HomeGoods (new favorite store) in New Jersey. Most of these trips are accompanied by the Katy Perry Pandora station. If you happen to drive by us on such occasions, you’re likely to find us car dancing and singing our hearts out.

On one recent Saturday, crawling along in typical East Coast traffic, rain pounding on the windshield and “Firework” blasting through the speakers, I turned to her and said,

“I’m so glad you’re … Read More »

Last week, this article circulated widely around the internet. If you haven’t read it, you should. To give you a brief run-down, a palliative care nurse recalls the 5 most common regrets people have on their deathbeds. The thread weaving all five together? People regret not spending their time more wisely. It is the one thing you can never get back.

The article was a poignant reminder to take control of our own lives and claim our own happiness now. While we still can. Which is probably why over 40,000 people have shared the article on Facebook. When something like this goes viral, I can only assume it’s because it has hit a common nerve among so many.

It is so easy to get lost in our day-to-day. To be consumed by our work, distracted by our gadgets (read this), … Read More »

Six years ago, I wrote myself a letter.

It was an assignment for my Art Senior Seminar class in college. We were to write down what we imagined our ideal day to look like 5 years later. This would presumably get us thinking about our future in a way that was more tangible than “I want to be a famous artist”. Because we all know how well that works out.

This was the day I imagined for myself:

I will get out of bed around 10, leisurely sip my coffee, walk my dog, and generally take my time waking up. Around noon, I will sit down at my desk (at home) and work into the wee hours of the morning the next day. Of course I’ll be designing CD booklets and show posters for my favorite musicians.

And off I went – to begin … Read More »