New beginnings happen every moment, and they are not stuck or stagnant. New beginnings are fresh and hopeful. They allow us to take what we have experienced and learned, and apply it while marching in a new direction. And in my ideal world, marching hand-in-hand with some of my fellow humans.
Read MoreTruth be told, you have continued to show yourself in the same fashion and so now, I call you my Sunshine. Whenever I feel the sun's warmth on my face, I know you are there offering me a big hug and telling me everything is going to be OK.
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The Bow at Gora Kadan, Hakone, July 2017
Japan of the past, Kyoto, July 2017
Bamboo and Tourists, Arashiyama July 2017
Osaka sundown, July 2017
November 8th, 2016 will be a day that I will remember for the rest of my life. The work day was normal enough, yet filled with conversations about voting lines, call centers, Nevada, Florida, Hillary and Trump. I remember a friend of mine messaging me with, “Wow, I am getting nervous”. “Me too,” I replied. She asked what I will do if Hillary doesn’t win, and I said verbatim: “I will be depressed for at least a week.” At that point, I still didn’t think she would lose.
Read MoreWe are all born without asking, into a body and with a mind we did not choose. We are one and we are many. Let's band together to make the world bright for everyone in it. #BlackLivesMatter
Read MoreThe deli employee is of Italian descent and he and my father-in-law struck up fast conversation. He explained that he leads a nomadic lifestyle, having lived in almost every major city. When we asked him more about his time in Paris, he described the city by saying "New York is not America, it is New York, yes? Paris is not France, it is Paris." Those words resonated. Paris is Paris, a multi cultural European epicenter, filled with some of the most fantastic food, art, shopping and history in the world. I obviously love it here.
Read MoreIts almost better to start with a really bad day. Everything after Fiji has been a breeze.
Read MoreAs a woman in business, I am constantly confronted with the debate over gender equality in the workplace. Issues like the pay gap, maternity leave, objectification, sexual harassment and having a "seat at the table" are most common. These talking points stem from obvious observations (hello, 12-week maternity leave) to a female friend trying to understand how she felt when called "hot" in front of her boss at a sales conference.
Is there a disadvantage to being a woman in the business world? Statistically, I would say yes.
Read MoreThe historic town of Mendocino has been carefully preserved. Originally a logging community for New England settlers, the economy took a nose dive in the 1940s. The revitalization began when Bill Zacha founded the Mendocino Art Center in 1959, encouraging a flock of artists and hippies to the area. The hippie-vibe of the town is firmly ingrained in the culture - pot dispensaries, nomadic musicians and Bernie Sanders posters are commonplace. The Victorian buildings remain intact and are now home to a number of businesses including hotels, eateries, chocolate shops, bookstores and yoga studios.
Read MoreBusiness meeting, almond latte and Van Morrison crooning in the background
Without going into the nitty gritty, my favorite moments of his speech were:
- His out of the box recommendations to encourage income equality, including free Pre-K and Community college, bolstering unemployment hand outs with vocational training programs, and creating a tax break for low income, single earners who do NOT have children.
- His rebuttal for critics of global warning: "Look, if anybody still wants to dispute the science around climate change, have at it. You will be pretty lonely, because you’ll be debating our military, most of America’s business leaders, the majority of the American people, almost the entire scientific community, and 200 nations around the world who agree it’s a problem and intend to solve it."
- His declaration that the U.S. is not weak when it comes to defense: "No nation attacks us directly, or our allies, because they know that’s the path to ruin. Surveys show our standing around the world is higher than when I was elected to this office, and when it comes to every important international issue, people of the world do not look to Beijing or Moscow to lead -- they call us."
- The final point of his speech addressing the problems with politics; voting districts should not be drawn by politicians and a handful of families and groups should not have the ability to bankroll our elections. Wall Street was responsible for the collapse, not "food stamps".
- His enthusiastic and firm declaration at the end "And that’s why I stand here confident as I have ever been that the State of our Union is strong!"
Read MoreSo, why so surprised? This holiday, I was slapped in the face by the dichotomy between old and new. Old and new traditions, and people. While the holidays are normally just a great excuse for me to take time off work, eat anything I want and spend time with my favorite people, this year was symbolic. The surprise this holiday was a realization that life can (and will) change in an instant, followed by the intense desire to make the most of what I've got.
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