This post will be full of photos, feel free to skip. I got to go back to Tokyo for the first time after 19 years so I took tons of photos. The one above is my favorite of course. Coffee art. Isn’t it amazing?
SFO airport. Early morning.
I went to the lounge and ate breakfast and read and worked.
love the message on my coffee.
waiting to board.
flying to seoul first.
seoul airport.
and back on the plane after an hour delay on top of my 4 hour layover.
i got to have the whole row.
so i snapped photos out of the window
i usually sit on the aisle because i go to the bathroom often.
so this was a luxury.
and i made it.
love these prepackaged joys in the hotel.
in the elevator
photo from the cafeteria
more from the cafeteria
the microkitchen
on Tuesday I had a little bit of time so I met two colleagues in Shibuya and walked around a bit.
look at these amazing desserts.
don’t you want to eat them all.
i loved the art on the walls too.
subway art 🙂
we walked around a lot.
saw some koi 🙂
subway map
love that the one in the back is sad and the one on the left is winking
cotton candy
shibuya
on wendesday we had a scavenger hunt. one of the items was to make a team photo.
our scavenger hunt team
one more
breakfast. the mangoes were amazing
sushi making.
my hotel room
it was a really nice hotel
and goodbye
it was long and tiring but also wonderful.
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
Weekly Intention: Finally it’s here. The summit I’ve been planning for, for 3 months is here. I’ve had three summits in the last month and a half. The other two were international in Sydney and Tokyo and I’ve planned all three but this is the biggest one and the one I am most nervous about. So I will be so glad when it’s over this week and I can stop thinking about it for a while. It’s also the kids’ last week of school so I will be spending Friday there at school. And I have several evening activities due to the summit, of course. And I am now going back to the gym daily! I am determined to make it all work and my intention this week is to be present, to be calm, to be helpful and to enjoy whatever I can.
This month’s intention is: A Stronger You: This month involves travel. Kids at home. Lots of chaos and also wonderful. It will challenge you and you will use the time to get stronger. You will also focus on yourself as needed. Take walks. Self care. As always I had no idea how accurate these would be. I will do all of this!
One way I will stretch this week: I am thinking of trying a Spin class, I might be crazy. I also will be socializing way more than I like to.
One boundary I will set this week: choosing gym over drop off.
This week, I will focus on pleasing: the big team, myself for the gym, and my kids+hubby
One new thing I will learn this week: spin maybe.
One area where I will go deeper this week: hmm not sure this week..
What do I need to sit with this week? the fact that summer is starting which is both wonderful and scary.
I am looking forward to: the summit, mostly its being over.
This week’s challenges: summit, exercise, and school!
Top Goals:
- Work: pm summit is done, strategy session booked with owner and organized
- Personal: exercise, good nutrition
- Family: last day of school!
I will focus on my values:
- Love: i want to give so much love to my incredible husband for his patience and kindness
- Learn: spin maybe?
- Peace: peace with the fact that it will be chaotic this week and things will go wrong.
- Service: to work this week..
- Gratitude: for having so much in my life. i am beyond lucky
This week, I want to remember: that i am showing up and trying. it’s the first step!
Stronger Than Before is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
How I got Stronger this week: I decided enough was enough after wallowing all weekend so I went back to the gym at work this week and worked out every day both at home and at work, except Friday when I worked out at work twice. I took a Barre class, two Body Pump classes, one Yoga, and one Pilates. I also did the Tabata at home. I ate no sugar until Friday when I had a very small amount which was likely in my vinaigrette dressing. I ate three meals with no snacks in between except for one piece of cheese or carrots. I tried to be reasonably disciplined about drinking a lot of water. I tried to sleep as much as possible and I worked pretty hard when awake. I also took personal time on Wednesday to get my hair done. I went to support Nathaniel for his culmination. I took some of Friday off to take care of myself and do logistical stuff. I did my best to show up this week and get myself on to a more positive cycle. I am proud of what I did. I have a long way to go but I made progress.
Top Goals Review: the pm summit is still changing a bit of course but hopefully ready-ish. here’s to hoping it goes well. i did a tiny amount of self work but i did eat better and i exercised. went to nathaniel’s culmination, hugged david all day when he got back from his trip, and spent time watching movies and hugging Jake.
I celebrate: I celebrate going back to the gym, my favorite teacher was so kind and so excited to see me that it was huge joy.
I am grateful for: feeling sore all over again, getting myself into a better cycle, my husband’s unbounded kindess.
Karen’s Points: exercised, did tabata, ate better, i am making progress.
A Change I embraced: it was super hard without david this week. i missed him so so so much.
I let go of: postponing and just started showing up
Core Desired Feelings Check-in:
- Fresh: exercise baby. i am hoping to go even further next week crossing fingers.
- Magical: magical to have the love of my husband.
- Lighter: feeling lighter finally, not light but lighter, thanks to my husband and the gym
- True: truth is that this will be a process and i am hoping i will keep at it
Where I chose Joy: friday morning at the gym was especially fun thanks to Molly!!
I showed up for: myself this week.
A Mistake I made this week: i was a bit too much in one of the meetings i had this week and worried a lot that i offended someone. i should have touched base with them ahead of time and i felt bad about that.
What I tolerated this week: soreness all over.
My mood this week was: better, calmer.
I forgive myself for: waiting this long.
What I love right now: the gym, the warm days, school almost being over, having david back!
Weekly Reflection is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
This week is about my trip to Tokyo and David’s trip to yosemite.
love these photos so much. nathaniel’s envelope says caution contains silly stuff.
shots from our offsite and sushi making and of my hotel room.
Moments from this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
   This week was low on reading. I was working a lot and quite jetlagged when I wasn’t. I spent the evenings working or being with the kids so there wasn’t much reading.
I had read about Love and Gelato and even though it’s not the genre I would usually read, it was fun and light and an okay read.
Essentialism had been in my list for a long time. It was a quick and good read. Good food for thought.
I was looking forward to reading Akata Witch since I heard about it and the book didn’t disappoint. I really enjoyed it and if Fantasy YA is your cup of tea, I’d recommend it.
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
I forgot to capture the Tech Challenge which was a few weeks ago. This year’s challenge was building a contraption that can withstand a huge drop and then can deliver a penny to a specific location. All without using batteries.
I was the least involved this year so I didn’t really see what they built until the day of. And their name was the best this year: The Prolonged Verbose Unhyphenated Autological Polysyllabic Sesquipedelianists. Isn’t that amazing?
They always get interviewed first. No adults allowed.
Here they are in line, waiting to come out.
And the challenge. They beat it twice in a row. Perfect both times.
And they won! Outstanding Device Performance. It was so wonderful to see them win.
Another wonderful year. So grateful.
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
Weekly Intention: This is a short week since we have Monday off and I am hoping to also take Friday off if I can pull it off. The three days in between are crazy busy and David will be off at another school trip. Nathaniel has a culmination on Thursday so the nights are busy and the days are busy but short. My intention this week is to see if I can spend some time on myself. Just 30 mins of thinking, writing, planning. I want to see if I can do some self-work.
This month’s intention is: Quietly Strong: How can you bring more calm into this month? May is chaotic with lots of endings and transitions. Celebrate but also stay calm. Stay grounded. What will help here? Maybe one last push here before May is over would work.
One way I will stretch this week: I think i will do personal work this week and see what I can move here.
One boundary I will set this week: taking Friday off.
This week, I will focus on pleasing: whatever’s hurting inside of me at the moment.
One new thing I will learn this week: still doing Italian and French.
One area where I will go deeper this week: self-work since i didn’t do it last week.
What do I need to sit with this week? how to shift things.
I am looking forward to: exercising again and journaling.
This week’s challenges: fitting so much in a short week
Top Goals:
- Work: pm summit is ready?!
- Personal: selfwork, exercise, healthier eating
- Family: nathaniel’s culmination, david’s trip, and just spend time with jake
I will focus on my values:
- Love: self-compassion is way overdue here
- Learn: italian+french still
- Peace: peace with whatever’s going on
- Service: to pm summit still + strategy sessions.
- Gratitude: kindsness of friends and my loving husband
This week, I want to remember: summer is almost here.
Stronger Than Before is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
How I got Stronger this week: I spent most of this week feeling jetlagged and going to bed too late and waking up really tired. I didn’t exercise all week until Saturday so net net we’re going to say this wasn’t really a week I got stronger. I did show up at work each day, I took risks, I learned, I tried, I am trying pretty hard daily now. So if those count, we can add this week to the “win” column I guess.
Top Goals Review: the pm summit is finally reasonably organized. here’s to hoping it goes well. i made no plan, i am really too tired. i did spend a lot of time supporting Nathaniel.
I celebrate: I celebrate Nathaniel’s awesome project.
I am grateful for: good news my mom got this week.
Karen’s Points: did the tabata only once this week. will do better next week.
A Change I embraced: this new job has been a journey and i am trying to figure out what’s good and not as good, and it’s constant change for me.
I let go of: most everything this week, too. i spent time hugging my family at night instead.
Core Desired Feelings Check-in:
- Fresh: started refreshing my italian since that’s our next trip.
- Magical: magical to see nathaniel’s project coming together.
- Lighter: not feeling all that light this week
- True: truth is that things are still where they were last week.
Where I chose Joy: had a wonderful hour hanging out with my friend Kelly
I showed up for: Nathaniel this week.
A Mistake I made this week: i am just still feeling down. i need to do the work but i am in a bad part of the cycle so it’s making it harder.
What I tolerated this week: a lot of catching up.
My mood this week was: jetlagged.
I forgive myself for: not exercising, i’ll get back on it
What I love right now: being back home still, i love being home and i really am loving the nicer weather finally.
Weekly Reflection is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
This week is about Nathaniel’s class trip to Pie Ranch, David’s play in Sense and Sensibility, Google IO and tidbits of life.
I love having these ephemera in the book with my photos
and i love the small stripes of text
Moments from this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
       This was a travel week which means lots of books. I will say I am still in a slump where I don’t really feel like reading and I start a lot of books and stop them.
I picked up First, We Make the Beast Beautiful because Ali mentioned it and I thought it would be an interesting read. It was interesting but also I think I have to read it a few more times.
Blackfish City was an interesting read. I enjoyed it but it was darker than I wanted at that moment.
This Messy Magnificent Life was lovely and I should read more of her.
If You’re in My Office, It’s Already Too Late was a quick read. Interesting and full of tidbits that are helpful.
The Perfect Mother was a different mystery for a change, not about drunk women. It also was honest about how hard it is to be a mom. I really liked that part.
The Girl Who Smiled Beads was sad and empowering at once. It goes to show you that we can overcome so many things in life.
Only Child the best book I read in weeks. It was incredibly sad and very depressing but it was also fantastic. I am glad I read it.
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
David’s class put on 4 different plays last week. Midsummer Night’s Dream. Henry the 5th, some Improv and Sense and Sensibility. David’s third choice was the last one and alas that’s what he got. They put on an 80s version of the play and it was quite lovely.
The best part was all the 80s music they played in between the scenes. 
In a few weeks, they will be going to Ashland and watching professionals put on all these plays. I am so excited that he’ll get to experience that!
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
I want to be an optimist.
I want to be the kind of person who can look at my life and know that I am doing my best. And approach things from the perspective of growth and gratitude and putting my best foot forward. And then letting everything else go.
I want to have faith that things will work out.
I want to remember that nothing is really unrecoverable and things work out in the end.
I want to let things go.
I want to just relax.
Yes, that’s it.
I want to just relax.
But alas. I can’t. I won’t. I don’t.
I worry constantly. I am often sad. I am anxious. I think of the worst possible outcomes. When there isn’t much to worry about, I tend to make things up.
And I definitely can’t just relax.
I don’t want to feel any of these things. I don’t thrive on being down so often. I don’t thrive on fearing the worst. I don’t thrive on being worried.
At least I don’t think I do.
But I can’t remember being any other way. This is who I am, this is how I show up in the world. This is what I know.
On my mind this week is the fact that I am so tired of feeling this way all the time. That I want to just be done being this way and instead choose peace. Choose to have faith and choose to lean into that faith. Lean into peace.
If only I knew how.
On My Mind is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
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projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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