“Be in practice, not in pursuit.”

I read this in a newsletter from The Design Lab last week. Owner Nicole Yang wrote, “I think growing as a person often has much more to do with the ‘little’ unseen ways that we change rather than the big obvious ones.”

Things like:

• Becoming a better listener and communicator.

• Slowly moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

• Developing mental toughness and resilience.

• Learning how to ask better questions, in teaching and in learning.

Happy New Year's Eve!

It’s my tradition here on the blog to share a year-in-review post on December 31—a look back on the highlights and the things we learned, made, and experienced during the year.

2023 was a challenging year in a lot of ways, but also a year of personal and professional growth. We are grateful for all that we have, all that we learned, and all that we carry with us into 2024.

Here's a look back on our year:

Six weeks until Christmas, and Santa dropped out, our emcee was stepping down, and the Night-of Coordinator couldn't commit. Oh, and the Christmas tree is dying.

Our neighborhood has a longstanding tradition (104 years, to be exact): On Christmas Eve, neighbors gather at the end of the street under a big spruce tree strung with colored lights. 

Song sheets are handed out as the crowd begins singing “Deck the Halls,” then “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” and so on. 

Have you seen Ted Lasso? 

The Apple TV comedy-drama is one of our favorites. The show centers around Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) an American football coach who’s hired to coach a British soccer team. What he lacks in sports knowledge, he makes up for with enthusiasm, joy, and unshakable optimism.

His Pollyanna outlook on the team, their record, and the season ahead seems unrealistic and unfounded, but ultimately, it’s what brings them all together. 

What I love about the show is his ability to build community, bring people together, and work toward a shared goal.

I see so much of myself in TV characters sometimes. I am:

• The introvert version of Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation

• A unique (and admittedly less caffeinated) combination of Lorelai and Rory from Gilmore Girls

• A more independent (and less whiny) version of David Rose from Schitt’s Creek

• The brunette version of Miranda Blake from The Mallorca Files (without the British accent)

Steve says I must be earning money from all the licensing deals—sometimes the similarities are uncanny. Like when Lorelai said, "Life's short. Talk fast." Or "I can be flexible, as long as everything is exactly the way I want it."