What do we learn about ourselves in the time outs? On Sunday, September 8th, flying back to Florida from an event in DC, just as my plane was about to hit the runway in Fort Lauderdale, golden twilight illuminating the plane, we lifted back into the air, climbing beyond 10,000 feet. There was silence as passengers looked at one another,…
Category: Totable Muse
The Roller Coaster of Grief & Beyond
June 20, 2023, started off like most mornings since my dad had entered hospice two weeks prior. I worked beside him all day, glancing from my computer screen every few moments to ensure his chest was rising and falling under his flimsy white and blue hospital gown. I had decided to sleep over at the hospital that night – an…
Quarantine Treats
Depending on your situation, WFH and quarantining may or may not have given you some additional time in your schedule. I know that many of us feel busier than ever at work these days, and with some of us also having children at home to teach and entertain, free time is at a minimum. That said, whether you’re able to…
Roadmap for the Year Ahead
In my pursuit to foster a growth mindset, embrace the new and different, and live my best life – whether I’m at work, writing, or toeing the start line of a race – here’s some practices that I’ve implemented to fuel my journey. Beginner’s mindset: Every time I begin to write an article or story, show up at work, roll…
Most Memorable Books of 2019
2019 was the year of quirky, raw, haunting, and lyrical novels for me. Of the fiction list noted below, Family of Origin by CJ Hauser was the most notable novel of the year for me – the writing was fresh and gorgeous, and the main characters, with all of their flaws, were spirited and empathetic. A close second was Rushdie’s…
INDIA: Finding My Religion
It was 2005 and my life was all over the place. I had my apartment in Manhattan but was living in Truman Annex in Key West with my husband. Each morning, the roosters greeted us with their spirited cries as a warm breeze floated in through our balcony terrace. I felt as if I had found my own private paradise.…
The Other Side of the World
Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand On a Thursday night in mid-April, I embarked on a 30-something hour journey to Koh Tao, an island that is part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand, with a population under 1500, to take part in an Arrow Retreat led by founder, Dani Yarusso. Along the way, I intercepted three of…
New Year, New Career
As the new year approaches, many of us reflect on what was, with a goal of determining what we wish to adapt and accomplish in the next calendar year. The great thing about 2019 is that it’s a blank slate in which we get to plot our future. If you aim to make a career transition in the new year,…
The One Life
Early on in life, we tend to become aware of the dichotomy of our public and personal selves. We realize that who we are in our homes, amid our families, is not always the same self we bring to school or to a friend’s house. We become self-conscious when we realize that we may think or feel or do things…
Best Books of 2018
Powerful stories do great things to our psyche and spirit. They enable us to grow and dream and know and experience; they induce awareness and empathy. From Scot Jurek’s journey across the Appalachian Trail to Barry Cohen’s jaunt across America via Greyhound in Shteyngart’s Lake Success, I am grateful for the expeditions written words afford me and obliged to these…