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Artists #DrawingWhileBlack
Some amazing artists got involved with this celebratory hashtag. Social media is the place to be if you’re an artist looking to get involved with a community, share work and get noticed. The recent #DrawingWhileBlack tag aims to celebrate and show appreciation for black artists—and it’s gone viral. Created by Twitter user Abelle (or, to use their frankly amazing handle @sparklyfawn), the rules for #DrawingWhileBlack are simple: You need to be black, you need to be an artist (of any level, this isn’t just for pros) and you...
read moreGuts on Toast — The Tomato Sandwich
This is the best tomato sandwich recipe ever! The best. Not for nuthin’, I know a good tomato sandwich. Growing up in the garden state, Jersey tomatoes and tomato sandwiches were everyone’s daily indulgence during the summer—they still are. When tomatoes are in season, you can’t do better than this classic sandwich. Sure, people put their own twist on the classic, but what you are about to see is the king of recipes, I kid you not. And in about two minutes and seven seconds you just might be on your way to the supermarket. Roll tape...
read moreHow You Can Benefit from Mindfulness
“Peace of mind is not the absence of conflict from life, but the ability to cope with it.” ~Unknown Are you curious about mindfulness? Wondering whether it’s worth your time or will meet your expectations? I’ve been working with a coach three days a week for the past six months to learn about mindfulness and discovered how experiencing thoughts, feelings and sensations has actually influenced my well-being. Heightened appreciation Most people do not live in the moment, and not being fully present means you miss many pleasures in life....
read moreWill This Scale?
There are many great takeaways here. Personally, I have found great success with #6. The Washington Post blog, Wonkblog, cites that Americans hold about 11 million meetings a day on average, and employees say that about 1/3 of that time is just unproductive. While your company might not be making any real progress in a given meeting, you can always use it as an opportunity to remind everyone how smart and important you are! Just in time for your Monday meetings, here are 10 of the best ways to do that, by way of the ever-popular Infographic....
read moreBeing Gay in the South
These cute brown eyes ask the question, “In the south, what’s worse — being outed at your job or being outed at your church?” Shanté Wolf-Sisson, 21, and Tori Wolfe-Sisson, 24, were the first couple to marry when same-sex marriage became legal in Alabama on February 9. In Alabama, it’s legal for LGBT people to lose their jobs or get evicted from their homes because of their sexual orientation. Didn’t know that. And there are 28 other states where people can be fired for being gay. Didn’t know that, either....
read moreTranscendental Meditation: Out of the Mouths of Babes
There is a very interesting video below about Transcendental Meditation. Sixth- and seventh-graders talk about how it’s dramatically changed their lives. Their stories about dealing with extreme levels of anxiety, stress and fear rattled me. It’s one thing tackling this stuff as an adult; it comes with the territory. But kids? And TM helped? A few days after watching the video, I came across a New York Times op-ed piece about the pressures felt by many high school students who live in epicenters of over-achievement. One student in Palo...
read moreMaya Angelou: Upward to Heaven
One of the many ways NPR is paying tribute to author, poet and memoirist Maya Angelou, who passed away on Wednesday, May 28, is this enlightening interview from 1986, when Ms. Angelou spoke with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross about what influenced her writing style. Those influences were numerous and powerful. For some of us, insurmountable burdens. But not for Maya Angelou. Please take a listen to this very beautiful and insightful conversation. Transcript of Recorded Conversation: Maya Angelou died today at the age of 86. We’re going to...
read moreThe Braided Rapunzels of Africa & Other Tribal Trends
Submission by Ellen LaPenna, NM – A blogger recently posted a picture of a young African girl from the Daasanach village wearing a bottle cap wig and I was really intrigued. These are strange and amazing times. “The Daasanach people collect the caps of the Coca and beers in the bars of Omorate and make wigs with them.” A part of me felt horrified that indigenous peoples are so impacted by modern Western culture that they would incorporate our “junk” into their daily wear. But another part of me celebrates their innovative...
read moreComing to America
Growing up near Warsaw during the late 1970s, Monika remembers when tanks rolled through her town one afternoon. She was in second grade. Within hours, military presence was everywhere. Schools closed, and in the following days, numerous protests and demonstrations were held all over town. Heady stuff for a five-year-old to process. Monika said the experience shaped part of her character. During the period of time we worked together, I came to know her personable and practical sensibilities: whatever she has to tackle, she makes it work and...
read moreThe Company We Keep
Once upon a time, a nerdy gal from the Bronx had her sights set on a career in law and went out to the country for a spell to live and go to school. That school was – and is – the country’s premiere boarding institution for girls, Miss Porter’s School, in Farmington, CT. Yes, that one. Attended by the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Gloria Vanderbilt and Agnes Gund, to name a few. Farmington is a stoic suburban town in central Connecticut, about as polar opposite from the central Bronx as one might imagine. How did Shakima...
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