To-do list for the first Sunday of November, 2022: Wake up woefully unrested, given the extra overnight hour overnight (tough week, busy mind) Spend the early morning wondering what to write about today, over coffee. Eat breakfast (banana chocolate chip muffin, yogurt with hemp seeds and berries). Feel an idea of what to write about taking shape. Feel pretty good about that idea. Eat lunch (leftover one-pot Italian quinoa lentils, vegan parmesan, salad). Go to a fun orange wine fair, hosted by a…

A year or so ago, I started noticing small prints affixed to street lamps around the city. They featured different depictions of a woman with a bob haircut, usually clad in clothes reminiscent of 60s mod styles. The woman was always accompanied by some sort of message. Some were accepting. Others were encouraging:   Some of the prints expressed yearning: Others were spunky and spirited: And some of the messages were just sweet. When I moved downtown, I only saw more and more…

One of the things I’m enjoying most about my new neighborhood is its rich history. In spite of real estate development, a lot of historic buildings and architecture are still present, still part of the look and feel of nearby streets. In trying to take more advantage of the city in which I live, I’ve been looking up local history tours and opportunities to play tourist in my own environs. Yesterday afternoon, I took a walking tour of the crypt beneath the Basilica…

Five years ago, just as summer transitioned into fall, I took a trip to Prague. I was a few months past a terrible breakup, still trying to find my footing. Enough time had gone by that friends were starting to ask me if I was ready to start dating again. It was a natural enough question, offered in an encouraging spirit, but it seemed ridiculous to even consider. I knew that whenever I did date again, it would probably have to happen long…

Recently, I was talking (OK, complaining) to a colleague about being stuck with a seemingly insurmountable number of work to-dos. She offered that, when she’s overwhelmed, she shifts her mindset from “I have to” to “I get to.” She told me that this change in self-talk allows her to greet her work with more appreciation and excitement. I’ll be honest, my first reaction to this statement was an internal eye roll. Because none of the tasks in front of me felt like things…

I ran out to do a quick errand on Thursday. As I was dashing back home, I heard someone shout my name on the street. When I turned around, the woman who had called out to me had her hand over her mouth in disbelief. She told me she couldn’t believe that it was me and that I had responded. She said that she’s a longtime reader, visiting some family in NYC. Over the years, she’s come to feel as though she’s a…

I recently held The Vegan Week in my hands for the first time. It was a good feeling. I’ve joked so much about how difficult this writing process was, how it moved in fits and starts and deadline extensions. In spite of my own floundering, I worked with an amazing team of collaborators, and thanks to them, it’s really a beautiful book. Today in class my yoga teacher said something about the process of taking on a challenge. She pointed out how often…