I'm sitting alone in a quiet, empty house. It is a revelation. The revelation is not only the fact of these hours today but that this will happen again later this week. And again next week. For the first time since early March 2020 my weeks will have some predictability, routine, and, most importantly, consistent time to myself. I think it's the beginning of a new season. I don't think I've ever experienced such a long stretch of time with so little dependable time to myself. Simultaneously I've been navigating demanding emotional and physical challenges. There's been the anxiety over... Read more →

A question I'm often asked is how the transition has been from being a full-time working mom to being an at-home parent. As I started to write this post I realized I have a lot to say. I thought about breaking this up into a few posts but instead I'm going to leave it as one giant post so all my thoughts are in one spot. I'll touch on why I quit my full-time job as a science writer three years ago, how my days go now, my thoughts on finding my value and identity after being a full-time working... Read more →

I'm excited to share the launch of a month-long creative project, the RISING*SHINING audioblog! During the month of April I will be releasing all blog posts in two formats: written and in podcast form in which they will be read aloud by me. In addition to new content I'm also going to experiment with releasing older blog posts as new episodes as a way to refresh older content and to give listeners more episodes. To hear the audioblog you'll be able to listen in two ways: use the embedded player at the top of the post or subscribe to the... Read more →

My pregnancy is drawing to a close and I'm reflecting on the things I've loved these last 40 weeks. From maternity clothes to foods to books there have been some stand-out favorites that I'd love to share with you... My maternity wardrobe is bigger than these eight items (one not pictured) but these are the things I'm reaching for on a near daily basis. Honestly it's kind of been the capsule wardrobe of my dreams. I love not putting much thought into what I'm wearing for the day but still feeling pulled together and comfortable. As evidenced by bathroom mirror... Read more →

In the spirit of MAGIC in 2020 I created a list of 20 easy-to-do things that will add magic to my year. I'm imagining the list might be especially useful on bleary-eyed days with a newborn or on days we feel not quite on top of parenting three kids. Basically on days when I'm not feeling the magic. At those times I hope I'll remember to look over my list and choose something to add a little sparkle to my day – several of the items would also brighten someone else's day. I've listened to Gretchen and Elizabeth on the... Read more →

Places I don't like clutter: kitchen counters, bathroom counters, on my desk, on the dining room table...okay fine, I really don't like clutter anywhere. Including my email inbox! Even though I don't have a full time job and I diligently unsubscribe to unwanted ads and newsletters my inbox can feel out of control pretty quickly. But not any more! I've been using a Gmail organization system for over a year that has tidied up my inbox and keeps it tidy. Are your ears perking up? The way email inboxes are set up, with one long list of emails and maybe... Read more →

My friend Georgia (hi Georgia!) sent me an email recently asking about my favorite books on goal-setting and accomplishment. I had fun thinking of my favorite resources and then realized it would make for a great blog post! Here's a roundup of the books, podcasts, and materials that have been the most helpful to me for making goals and setting myself up for success... Read more →

"People are so relieved when you start telling the truth." This is one of the many phrases that I scribbled down on my notepad, barely able to see in the dark theater, as I sat next to two dear friends last month listening to the wise and funny writer Anne Lamott. Over an hour and a half she talked about mercy, hope, and writing. Anne describes herself as a devout Christian and although I am atheist I find her reflections on love and faith accessible and uplifting. Her advice about writing I could listen to all day, or at least... Read more →

On my desk right now: + potted succulents that are doing well but have a few gnats – tips on getting rid of them? Trying to let the soil dry out really well. + Tommy John underwear that started fraying that I need to return + masking tape holding my computer charger in place (need a better solution) + old hard drives to be destroyed + Trader Joe's wool ball diffuser (with eucalyptus oil) + portable phone charger to be put away + Democratic National Committee survey to be completed and returned + papers reminding me that Dash needs to... Read more →

The celebrated poet and Pulitzer prize winning poet Mary Oliver passed away last week. Even if the name Mary Oliver is not very familiar to you, you have likely seen excerpts of her poems floating around the internet. Perhaps most notably are the final lines from her poem "Summer Day": Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life? Poetry has always felt unapproachable to me, at least until I heard an interview with Mary Oliver on the podcast On Being. I had one of those "driveway moments" where I sat in... Read more →