I had missed hearing the countdown. The people in front of me just started charging into the waters of Lake Ontario. In the chaos of excited participants, wind, bare skin, and a belated realization that we should move closer to where T would be trying to take photographs, the countdown didn’t even register with me. My buddy A and I exchanged a look, and followed on in. The Toronto polar bear dip of 2015 was on. Continue reading I did the 2015 Toronto Polar bear dip, and lived to tell this tale
Category Archives: Best of
Posts you should totally check out.
Furtive potato chip eating: Scenes from a household
Me: “You want to watch an episode of Castle together?”
T glances at the clock. The clock hands are pushing 11:30pm. He yawns. “No I’m beat. I can’t do it tonight. You go ahead and watch Elementary.”
Aside: Castle is the one TV show that we PVR and wait until we are both ready to watch together as a couple. It started as an affinity for Continue reading Furtive potato chip eating: Scenes from a household
Hiring a life coach was my best decision this spring
I admit when I first started, a part of me felt that getting a life coach might be hokey and questioned whether I’d be doing exercises like walking barefoot over hot coals and repeating positive mantras in the mirror. The larger part of me though was more pragmatic: having a coach should make this self-analysis more efficient, help direct me toward forward momentum and hopefully as an outsider see something that I’ve been blind to for ages. Without a coach, I feared I might end up naval-gazing to the extreme, potentially ending up wallowing in self-doubt, negativity, and guilt in wasting time ‘searching for myself’. So I decided to take the plunge and invest in the time , money and energy with her.
Now as I wrap up my last session with my coach, I have a bunch of various emotions: Continue reading Hiring a life coach was my best decision this spring
Leadership of Virtual teams: Strategies and Tactical tools
The reality is that the composition of my teams in the past 8 years of my work at Accenture has increasingly become more virtual. I know there have been times I’ve struggled to adapt to the differences in being a part of, and managing, these teams that are not all located together. Further challenging the situation is the frequency with which the teams change, and the typically aggressive schedule for completing the work. Unfortunately, the training and mentorship I’ve received from Accenture to date on managing virtual teams amounted to little more than cross-cultural awareness and how-tos for the collaboration tools available.
Yesterday I attended a great lunchtime learning webinar hosted by the Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) on “Real Leadership in Today’s Virtual World”. Finally, some strategic and tactical tools to learn! Continue reading Leadership of Virtual teams: Strategies and Tactical tools
Portrait of my younger daughter E2-Age 4
E2, so cute she’s delicious. The last vestiges of toddler chub remain on E2’s body, so I get my nibbles in whenever I can. “Mommy, people are not for eating!” she protests to me. But how can anyone resist squeezing or nipping those cute chubby cheeks, roundish belly, and juicy legs? Already this past summer she has been lengthening out, and I just know by the end of this winter my baby will be transformed fully to little girl. Continue reading Portrait of my younger daughter E2-Age 4
Portrait of my elder daughter E1-age 6
*Sigh*, my first baby is no longer a baby, not by a long shot. Six years old and E1 is already so mature. I totally trust her to keep herself safe and not initiate trouble or take excessive risks–she is a bit of a scaredy-cat. Her limbs and torso have lengthened out and that baby chub she had as a toddler is long gone. She has a generally sunny disposition and even temper. The following are other random tidbits about E1, as a profile: Continue reading Portrait of my elder daughter E1-age 6
How deep is my love? Some anniversary thoughts
Hi Honey,
(feel free to play the Bee Gees song below in the background while reading)
Happy Anniversary, my love. Just like that, 8 years passed. Eight years since we said our vows to love, respect, and support each other through our adventures in life as husband and wife. While we didn’t know exactly what would happen, you were game enough to face that unknown with me. Continue reading How deep is my love? Some anniversary thoughts
The Struggle Inside: Lean In or Lean Back?
Before having children, I used to think that it would be no big deal to have both a career and a family. In other words, be a superwoman.
My mother did it, many of my friends’ mothers did it…and it felt like we owed it to our feminist elders to take on the torch and continue making progress towards equality in the career marketplace. Our partners would be more sensitive and involved in the raising of the family so the burden would be eased. Society would be fully supportive of working families and there would be many options for childcare available. I was going to make a big impact in the world, and I would happen to be a woman.
Then I had my kids.
The Struggle Inside: Lean In or Lean Back?
Before having children, I used to think that it would be no big deal to have both a career and a family. In other words, be a superwoman.
My mother did it, many of my friends’ mothers did it…and it felt like we owed it to our feminist elders to take on the torch and continue making progress towards equality in the career marketplace. Our partners would be more sensitive and involved in the raising of the family so the burden would be eased. Society would be fully supportive of working families and there would be many options for childcare available. I was going to make a big impact in the world, and I would happen to be a woman.
Then I had my kids.