Calling or Career
With corporate America still grappling to reclaim its footing in a post-pandemic return to the office world, people are spending more time and energy contemplating their purpose and the passions that fuel them. No longer willing to accept blanket job offers with standardized terms and conditions, the American worker is negotiating new agreements, ones that…Read More
Closure
Never underestimate the importance of getting or giving closure. For twenty plus years, I waited for someone to return for closure. That day never arrived. Because of the harsh words exchanged and the distance erected on both sides, I spent two decades in bitter resentment, masked by a feeling of “I’m o.k.; you’re o.k.” I…Read More
Houston
It’s been several years since I’ve been to Houston. Last week, I got a last-minute opportunity to return for a brief visit. A day trip for work took me to the Post Oak area of the city, in one of its two downtowns. Yes, two. Houston is stretched out to cover the two distinct business…Read More
Piling up the Pennies
Have you ever felt like you were stuck on the financial black-hole hamster wheel? You know that sensation you have that you’re running in place to get ahead of the game only to realize that you are still only hovering inches above the financial sinkhole of suck? If you’re like most of Middle Americans, you’ve…Read More
Working for a Living
The fight for Work-from-Home privileges vs. Return-to-Office (RTO) mandates continues to rage and ravage the employment landscape. Workers are weighing the pros and cons of taking more pay to go into an office full time or in a hybrid flex model or find a way to balance the loss of income with the reduction of…Read More
Manifesting Destiny
Have you ever felt stuck? You know that feeling that no matter what you do, how well you do it, or if you time it so well that Rolex wants to put you on the payroll, it is all just for not? The past decade, for me, has been an exercise of tar and feathering,…Read More
Solo Travels
I recently traveled to Pittsburgh, PA on business and realized how seldom I travel solo anymore. For almost a decade, I traveled alone regularly. Now mind you, I didn’t often venture too far. Except for a solo trip to Canada, all my ventures were domestic travel. Obviously, the pandemic changed the traveling landscape for a…Read More
Meowolf: Art and Culture
Immersive art experiences are the latest creative craze flooding the entertainment marketplace. The opportunity to surround oneself with life-sized creations allows us to forget our woes, albeit temporarily, and sink into a wonderland of amazement. Since the world reopened after months (or in some cases, years) of isolated hermit mode, the art scene is making…Read More
Transitioning Back to a Home Office
Eighteen months ago, I made the decision to leave my comfort zone and go back into a hybrid work arrangement. Thinking I could handle it after two years of isolation at home during the pandemic, I gleefully decided to take a position that would push me further into my chosen day-job career and give me…Read More
Personal Training: Working it Out
Don’t you just hate when you plateau? After three years of intensive hot yoga and power walking 20K steps a day, I finally hit a wall. Workouts were suddenly not producing the results I wanted (and needed). I decided to take a short (OK, 3 months) break from my routine. You can, of course, guess…Read More