Little boy and I have been playing a new super-fun video game called “baba is you” it’s the kind of game that was designed for someone like me. It is like a logic puzzle and creative thinking rolled up in one.

I don’t usually take time to play games with kids so it’s extra fun to get to share this with him.

Yes to spending time playing together.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

This past weekend was my 15-year anniversary at Google.

15 years is a long time for a job. It’s a long time to live in the same city. It’s a long time for a relationship. It’s a long time.

When I started working there I had a 1.5 year old boy and now I have a 16.5 year old and a 12.5 year old.

Over the last 15 years I’ve worked on a bunch of different products in a bunch of different roles. My favorite part has consistently been the people through and through. Some of the best people I’ve ever met have been my workmates. Kind, smart, generous.

My manager sent me these flowers today to say congratulations. It was really thoughtful and a lovely, unexpected surprise.

I remember I was very sure in 2009 that I would not return from my maternity leave. Here we are, 13 years later…

Goes by in the blink of an eye.

Yes to celebrating milestones.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

We had a piece of our fence come undone earlier last month. A handyman came to look and said he can’t really do anything until we removed all the ivy clinging to it. So we called the tree trimmers, got our tree and the fence trimmed then today another handyman came to look at it and said he couldn’t fix it because one of the posts is complete rotten and it’s a big job and I need to call fence people.

Since the pandemic started, I’ve had so much of this. Dishwasher breaking, tree dying, fridge dying, house needing to be painted, on and on.

Every one of these things makes me want to curl up and cry. I hate the minutia of life and having to take care of it all.

I was complaining to my mom a few months ago about how it feels like it never ends and if it’s not one thing, it’s another. And she said that this is life. For as long as we’re alive, there will be things that need tending to and to be grateful because it’s a sign that I’m alive.

So today, after I got bummed about needing to now track down some fence people, I reminded myself to be grateful that I have a fence to begin with and that I have the means to fix it and that I get to be alive today to take care of this next chore.

So much of life is about perspective.

Yes to shifting my perspective. Love you, mom.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

This morning I woke up and decided to soften.

I usually tend to live a relatively regimented life. I have daily routines and, for me, doing something every day is always the way to go. I am more likely to ride the bike 20 minutes a day every day than to do it for 45 minutes three times a week. When I do something every day it leaves no room for postponement. Every day means today is the day I do it because every day is the day I do it.

Simple.

And also sometimes a bit hard. Regimented. No wiggle room.

Sometimes I can find that I am feeling constricted by my own rules.

So this morning I woke up and decided it would be a holiday day. I acted like I was away on holiday and gave myself the day off.

It was just what I needed.

Tomorrow I’ll get up and go back to my routine.

Yes to being flexible and yes to softening.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Family photo day.

Over ten years ago, I wrote an article for an online photography site. It was about how I take all the pictures in my family so I am never in any of them and that if something were to happen to me, my kids would not have photos to remember me by.

That day I vowed to get in the picture more and started our family photo tradition. Ten years and more and we are still at it. My favorite tradition.

Yes to photos.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes