Of all the trees most lovely…

I have a confession to make.

I love Christmas. Yes, I’m one of the “those people” — who begins (privately!) listening to Christmas carols a little too soon, who has a queue of Christmas movies to watch all December long, and who believes in Santa.

From Miracle on 34th Street (the 1947 version) one of my favorite lines is said by Kris Kringle to Ms. Walker:

Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a frame of mind.

I relate to that statement. Because, to me, Christmas season represents true joy. I often think how wonderful it would be if I could maintain the mindset I have during Christmas throughout the year.

The joy of Christmas is especially evident in the ritual of putting up the Christmas tree. Each year, the entire Christmas-tree-process brings with it special moments: picking out a tree, putting it up in the perfect spot, decorating it, turning on the lights and basking in its glow each night, and even taking it down at the end of the Christmas season. When you think about it, it’s a wonderful exercise in creating something from the seemingly ordinary, admiring what you’ve created, eventually letting go of its physical presence, and keeping the memory of it with you. Kind of a nice metaphor for the very ebbs and flows of life.

I have a habit of collecting Christmas ornaments. I find it’s a nice way to remember special times shared with family/friends or think fondly about a Christmas when someone gifted an ornament to me. For example, husband and I are best friends with a couple, and we’ve taken a few trips together. One year was a ski trip to Steamboat Springs over my friend’s birthday (which coincidentally, is the day before Valentine’s Day). Apart from hitting the slopes, we went for a beautiful sleigh ride for our Valentine’s Day date, and it was on that trip that our friends took a picture with a tiny snowman to announce they were pregnant with their first child (who is our goddaughter). While walking around town, we each bought an ornament to commemorate the trip — ours was a gondola (in honor of the gondola at the heart of the Steamboat ski resort). And now, each year when we unpack that ornament and find a special place for it on the tree, we talk about all the special memories and fun things we did on that trip.

The same thing ensues with many other ornaments that we unpack and put up on the tree (as well when we take it off the three at the end of each Christmas season).

Some of my treasured ornaments from friends and family. Each carries with it a special (in some cases, hilarious) memory or story.

It brings a warm smile to my heart thinking about the stories we’ll be able to share with our children as we decorate the tree as a family — stories from our past, and stories that we add each year as we make more memories together. And someday in the far-off future, maybe they’ll keep some of those ornaments and pass down the stories to their children as they decorate a tree together. I have fond memories of sharing this very tradition with my parents and siblings — and it is special knowing that my parents shared the same tradition with their parents and siblings.

Traditions and rituals are important in this way because they are transcendent; they connect us to people and places in a way that is bigger than ourselves. For me, this is the very embodiment of the joy of the Christmas season.

I confess, I do love Christmas — it makes me joyful! And who doesn’t love to be joyful? The simple exercise of writing this post and thinking about my Christmas traditions fills me with joy. Because as Kris Kringle so accurately said, Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a frame of mind.

I had a baby.

At 39.5 weeks pregnant, it was a warmer-than-average Thursday in September, and my husband and I went to my final prenatal appointment for my first child. In many ways, I was without a care in the world — mostly because, I was sure (based on the previous week’s appointment and experiencing no pre-labor signs) that baby was no nearer to arriving, while an induction date had been set for the following week. So, this effectively meant that baby’s arrival was not imminent enough to send me into a panic, and I also had a verified “end date” of being pregnant.

At 39.5 weeks pregnant, I was feeling relatively lucky. I don’t know that I ever really experienced that godforsaken feeling of “I DON’T WANT TO BE PREGNANT ANYMORE” that comes with the territory of your belly growing to unimaginable sizes and a baby resting on your bladder or kicking your ribs. Partly because I felt like we had so much to do before baby girl’s arrival — a nursery to prepare; work items to wrap-up. Also because I knew I selfishly would sincerely miss the time with my husband as just the two of us.

Don’t get me wrong; my pregnancy was not without discomfort: I dealt with PUPPS the last four weeks that caused me to scratch to the point of drawing blood; I woke up to pee every hour (just like 99.9% of all pregnant women); and my first-trimester nausea (that thankfully did not include vomiting) never went away. But ultimately, my focus was on enjoying the last few months of our pre-baby life.

And so, at 39.5 weeks, I sat in the doctors office feeling excited for the weekend ahead — what I knew was to be our last before baby’s arrival.

Then, the doctor came in.

“Well, your blood pressure is high again today, so after we take a look at baby, I’m sending you to labor & delivery.” Wait. WHAT? Cue a rush of emotions, namely: aforementioned panic, anxiety, excitement, fear, and funny enough — relief. Delivering a baby was a pretty good excuse to get me out of the presentation I was due to make at work later that afternoon.

Fortunately, because we didn’t have an urgent and immediate need to deliver our baby, we were able to head home, grab hospital bags, eat lunch, and process the enormity of the event we were about to experience. We took our time and got back to the hospital around 3 pm. I eventually got checked in to a room, hooked up to an IV + monitoring, and learned I was already contracting (this was news to me…)

And so began the 33-hour journey of meeting our sweet baby girl. My clever and witty husband had the idea of updating a Google Docs sheet with this journey for our family and close friends. This served two wonderful purposes: (1) an ability to focus on the moment instead of worrying about communicating with those who were eager to know what was going on; and (2) a play-by-play keepsake to remember my birth story — which doubles as a tool for limiting what I have to type here. (The spreadsheet is linked above; check it out both for a few laughs and to see my birth story, as told by my husband).

Now on the other side of having a baby, I can tell you that my birth story did not go as I expected — and that was OK. Because I really tried not to imagine how the birth was going to go, apart from wanting a healthy baby and a healthy me. I think that helped a lot. Sure, I had my preferences: I wanted labor to occur naturally; my goal was to deliver vaginally, with no drugs; we wanted delayed cord clamping, and to donate our cord blood. But I went into the process knowing a variety of possible outcomes, and never fixating on our baby girl’s birth going one way in particular. Always taking things as they came, and with as open a mind and heart as possible. The end result was we got just what we always wanted out of our first child’s birth: a healthy baby, a healthy mama, and no regrets.

What a tremendous experience it was! We are thankful and blessed beyond measure.

Becoming a Walker

Cars are a wonderful evil. With a car, I can go where I want when I want, and –generally — in a time-saving fashion. I can more easily discover a wider array of neighborhoods, restaurants, and points of interest in my city. Also, sometimes nature really doesn’t want you to be outside (ridiculous heat, blizzards, downpours). For long out-of-town trips, I can pack absurd amounts of (un)necessary items to ensure I’m prepared for every possible scenario* (compared to taking a plane when the proposition of checking a bag serves a disincentive to become a traveling hoarder).

But, cars also require a good deal of maintenance. And it costs money to fuel my car. And traffic. And parking in big cities. And hail damage, flooding, and car accidents. And, although technically an ‘asset’, the value of a car depreciates quite quickly. Oh, and did I mention traffic? Because I dislike traffic.

While I lived in California, I was liberated from the chains that bind most of us Americans. I had no car. It was the first time since my freshman year of college that my primary mode of transportation was my feet (either walking or pedaling, on my bike). There were certainly challenges, at times. For example: when it came time to move, I needed a way to transport my belongings to my new home; I joined a recreational flag football team, and there wasn’t really a ‘safe’ and convenient bike route, while the fastest public transit option cost $14 round-trip; My primary airports were $75+ cab fare or 45 min extra travel time on public transit — which was a hindrance given I traveled at least 1-2 times per month for work. The negatives made it such that I maintained a membership with ZipCar and heavily relied on then-boyfriend-now-husband for transportation.

So, with that said, I’m not completely bashing cars. But, I do view them as a wonderful, necessary evil.

Back in Texas, it was pretty imperative for me to have a car, so I’m back on the car-wagon. But, equipped with my pedestrian experience, I began to seek out opportunities to walk. To the grocery store. To dinner. To the park. To church. To a nearby festival. What I found was that — as with many of life’s ‘conveniences’ — we often assume that the fastest way to do something (in this case, getting from point A to point B) is the best way. I was surprised at how many “quick trips” didn’t really need to be “quick.”

On a walk one evening in Dallas.

Walking became a form of therapy. I took the time to walk, and it was an opportunity to think or pray or clear my mind. It was a way to leave the hustle-and-bustle behind, and take my time. Why was I in such a hurry anyway?

When I walk, I notice more: the city skyline at sunset; the house with the always-changing seasonal decor; the hole-in-the-wall coffee shop; the beautiful trees; the smell of blossoming flowers; my neighbor’s cute kids playing tag in the front yard.

Take a walk once in a while — choose to walk to places that you may normally drive. Give yourself a chance to stop and smell the roses. I promise it will be a breath of fresh air. Literally.

*Husband and I have discovered that becoming parents for the first time automatically forces you to pack half of your belongings — to be prepared for every scenario.

Hi, my name is Raegan, and I’m a pack rat.

I really enjoy mementos — you know, those little keepsakes that you keep hidden away in boxes or tucked away in drawers — reminders of past travels and unique experiences. Anything from ticket stubs to wine corks. Perhaps in part due to my vivid memory and another part, my sensitive soul, I struggle to part with these things. I hang on to them, and then once every year or so come across them and smile fondly as I’m taken back to a night enjoying wine and cookies around a fire with friends.

Clutter is ultimately what this stuff amounts to, right? (I’m nodding at my computer screen right now…) Yes. And I tell myself again and again after coming across my mementos – now you’ve had your “moment” enjoying and reflecting on this memory, time to trash it. Right?

Maybe. But — sometimes it’s OK to hang on to these trinkets and scraps!

When I started dating my husband, I — in true “pack rat” fashion — started collecting items in a box, that I deemed my “Grox” (Greg Box). Included were the usual suspects – a note he wrote to me on our first date, a program from an event we attended at the Dallas Arboretum, plane tickets from trips we took, empty mini-bottles of limoncella we enjoyed, bus passes from cities we visited, postcards we sent to each other, and the list goes on… I kept it all.

For five-and-a-half years I hung on to all that stuff. Opening the box once every few months, to make additions and enjoy some of the memories. It (somehow) survived 7 moves since its inception without losing any contents along the way.

Then, as we approached our wedding day, I started noodling on the perfect wedding gift for my groom. I thought about things he might enjoy: a new guitar? a nice putter or driver for his golf clubs? a fancy set of skis? They all seemed too extravagant and worldly to reflect the importance and magnitude of officially joining our lives together. That’s when my mind wandered to my good ol’ “Grox.” 

Without really intending to, I had created an informal scrapbook of our relationship. And so that’s what I turned the Grox into. I had so much fun letting my creative juices flow, and reflecting on all the joyful, wonderful twists, turns, and adventures that got us to our wedding day. What a fun moment it was to give it to my husband on our wedding day when we exchanged wedding day gifts during our “first look.” 

We love flipping through our scrapbook now — and very cool, thinking how our (future) children will be able to look back at our “love story.” We look forward to adding to the scrapbook for years to come. 

So, if you are guilty of pack-ratting, take heart! And put your creativity hat on. There are tons of cool ways you can put that “clutter” to use in a way you, your friends, and family can treasure for years to come.

Stephen! Stephen! Stephen!

I’m a big, gigantic fan of Stephen Colbert — and as most people know, this is a BIG year for Stephen. When David Letterman steps down from the Late Show in May, Stephen will take the reigns in September (I can’t believe I have to wait another eight months before seeing him regularly on TV again!). Importantly, Stephen has made it clear that he is opting to no longer “play the role” of the character (who bemusingly shares his name) that made him so popular with my demographic.

Attending a taping of The Colbert Report in NYC

It’s interesting talking with people about Colbert leaving behind his character from The Colbert Report; many people don’t know much about the “real” Stephen Colbert. And as a big fan of Stephen + TCR, I have often been asked the question — how do you feel about Stephen not taking his character with him to the Late Show?

I couldn’t be more excited!

Don’t get me wrong: The Colbert Report was satirical genius, and I already sorely miss it. But, just shy of actually sitting down to interview Colbert, ever since I became a fan of TCR in 2008, I have done everything I can to find out who the man behind the character is. I think three (key) things drew me in: 1) he’s the youngest of eleven children; 2) he’s a major nerd about everything from Lord of the Rings to the political topics he covers; 3) his knowledge of the Catholic faith (as displayed in character, on his show) appeared to be (and I discovered, is) genuine.

Dig a little deeper on just those three topics, and what you find is a compassionate, well-read, intellectual, hilarious man.

To help you see the same, here are some of my favorite “real” Stephen Colbert interviews, quotes, and moments — during all of which he has been out of character:

1. “But when you watch the show, if you also like me, that’s because of my mom.” Stephen pays tribute to his mother, Lorna Colbert, after her passing in 2013. This to me is the clearest example of Stephen’s humble sincerity.
   He got tearful as he addressed the Colbert Nation about his recent absence from the show due to the death of his mother: “She knew more than her share of tragedy, losing her brother and her husband, and three of her sons. But her love for her family and her faith in God somehow gave her the strength not only to go on, but to love life without bitterness, and to instill in all of us a gratitude for every day we have together. And I know it may sound greedy to want more days with a person who lived so long, but the fact that my mother was 92 does not diminish — it only magnifies — the enormity of the room whose door has now quietly shut.”
2. He was asked to testify before congress on the issue of rights for Migrant Workers. He obliged – largely in character – but he got serious for a few minutes, as demonstrated in this clip:
   
   
   “I like talking about people who don’t have any power, and it seems like one of the least powerful people in the United States are migrant workers who come and do our work, but don’t have any rights as a result… And yet, we still invite them to come here, and at the same time ask them to leave. That’s an interesting contradiction to me… And, you know, whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers… And these seem like the least of my brothers right now.”
3. Possibly my favorite out-of-character Colbert interview, was his interview on the NPR program Fresh Air in 2007; one of many excellent interviews with Terry Gross. He discusses the evolution of The Colbert Report (and the political pundits who inspire it); the “wrist strong” saga; admits to smoking dope as a teenager; and to me, the most fascinating part occurs around 40:30, when he is asked by Terry about raising his kids Catholic.
   “My son asked me one day, “Dad what’s hell?”… I said, “If God is love, then hell is the absence of God’s love. Can you imagine how great it is to be loved? Can you imagine how great it is to be loved fully? To be loved totally? To be loved beyond your ability to imagine it? And imagine if you knew that was a possibility, and then that was taken from you, and you know that you would never be loved. Well that’s hell. To be alone, and know what you’ve lost.” And that’s the best I could do.” (I’m no religious scholar, but that is the best answer to that question I’ve ever heard.)
4. He discusses his book, America Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t (in 3-D high-def depthiness), in this 2012 interview with NPR’s Terry Gross.
   Colbert demonstrates his knowledge of news and politics in this interview, as Terry Gross discusses several topics with an out-of-character Colbert, including the making of his 3-D book; separation of religion and politics; and why he shares his character’s love of America.
   “[America is] the finest opportunity for freedom in the world, and the greatest force for good. And that’s why it’s particularly upsetting when I think that’s being harmed … by personal political ambition.”
5. Oprah visited Colbert’s home, which resulted in several great interview segments with the “real” Stephen. This one, regarding the tragic loss of his father and two brothers when he was only 10 years old, features great commentary from Stephen about the difference between joy and happiness.
   
   
   He describes a card that he keeps on his desk, given to him by Jesuit priest and author — and Colbert Report chaplain — Father Jim Martin. The card contains the quote “Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God” and he goes on to say, “Joy can be hard. Joy is not the same thing as happiness. I think happiness is overrated… [I’d rather be joyful than just happy], or even be sad with the people you love — because that’s real.”
   PS – all the segments from the Oprah interview are worth viewing!
6. An interview with Parade magazine in 2007 offers a lot of great insight into the ‘real’ Stephen Colbert (he actually admitted in one of his interviews with Terry Gross, he regretted ‘over-sharing’ about his personal life in that Parade interview).
   Regarding his obsession with Lord of the Rings: “There are such great role models in that book. Aragorn in the book especially. … [H]e’s an Apollonian ideal of a man. He is a warrior and a hunter and a poet and a scholar and a woodsman and a healer. Everything in moderation, everything done beautifully. And a peacemaker… When I was in my twenties, I thought, “That’s a good model.” I mean, not in any way that I base myself [on], but that’s a lovely message.”
7. Another snippet of that Parade interview can be found here. This is where Colbert is famously quoted about comedy helping us to overcome fear: “Not living in fear is a great gift, because certainly these days we do it so much. And do you know what I like about comedy? You can’t laugh and be afraid at the same time. If you’re laughing, I defy you to be afraid.”
8. Colbert drops by Slate Political Gabfest Live (a weekly podcast) and backs up his claim that he is fan of the show + demonstrates his impressive knowledge of American history.
   
9. In 2014, Stephen Colbert took part in the “Ask a Grown Man” series by Rookie Magazine. He dons his fatherly cap as he addresses some questions from teens.
   
10. This 2012 New York Times profile of Colbert has been referenced quite a lot, and rightfully so, because there are definitely great Colbert quotes in it.
    Bringing us full-circle, he again describes how monumental his mother was in teaching him important life lessons: “[My mother] taught me to be grateful for my life regardless of what that entailed, and that’s directly related to the image of Christ on the cross and the example of sacrifice that he gave us. What she taught me is that the deliverance God offers you from pain is not no pain — it’s that the pain is actually a gift. What’s the option? God doesn’t really give you another choice.”

Hard to say what Stephen will have in store for the Late Show when he is introduced as the new host in September — but I feel sure that I will not be disappointed. I can’t wait for all of us to be come better-acquainted with the “real” Stephen Colbert.

<<If you can’t get enough Colbert, here are a few other interviews and appearances to check out:>>

• From a private event at Fordham University, Colbert sat down with Cardinal Timothy Dolan (archbishop of the archdiocese of New York). The New York Times had a great overview of the event, as well as this article from the National Catholic Register
• Colbert interviews Neil deGrasse Tyson for a fascinating discussion about the universe, outer space, and other science topics.
• At an event at the Harvard University Institute of Politics, Stephen gives great insight about his show and takes questions from the audience.
• Stephen’s message for the “It Gets better” campaign.
• He delivered the commencement address at Northwestern University in 2011 out of character (starting at 16:45, his remarks about how life is an improvisation are great), and the Valedictory address at University of Virginia in 2013.
• Colbert has a “Catholic Throwdown” with Jack White.

A church at every port

It’s no surprise that traveling is a favorite hobby of mine. In fact, the idea of taking a trip brings such excitement to me, that I often spend my ‘free’ time planning the next one I take. I love finding a great flight deal; researching various hotel options; making lists of attractions / activities to do and see; figuring out how I’ll get from point A to point B… etc.

As a working woman, many of my trips encompass the weekend — well, duh — but the notion that my trips occur over a weekend becomes relevant in my identity as a Catholic. Because, as a frequent weekend traveler and a Catholic who attends (read: aims to attend) Mass each Sunday, part of my trip-planning process is determining when and where I can attend Mass.

From big cities to tiny mountain towns, in the US and abroad, fiancé and I have attended Mass at a variety of parishes — each one unique, both in its outward appearance, as well as offering a small glimpse into the community which supports the church.

Interior view of Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.

Chicago being one of my favorite cities to visit, fiancé and I have oft found ourselves there for a weekend visit. And, I can’t think of a single time we’ve been in Chicago that we did not attend Mass at Holy Name Cathedral. The incredible architecture — as with the rest of the city — is awe-inspiring. Just walking up to the church, I find myself in reverent silence.

Exterior of Holy Name Cathedral on State Street in Chicago.

Two of the most memorable times I attended Mass at Holy Name were the night before running the Chicago Marathon. The church seems especially packed for the Saturday Vigil Mass before the race — because it will be difficult for the runners and their supporters to attend the next day. Sure enough, after the Homily, it becomes quite clear just how many runners are present at Mass when the priest invites all of the marathon runners up to the alter for a blessing.

I’ve been on both sides — part of the ‘runners’ contingent, as well as the spectator side, and it is truly incredible to see not only the sheer number of runners, but also the diversity. There are people from all over the world, male and female, young and old, at the alter for the blessing. I felt so empowered and encouraged, standing there with all those runners, as I said a quick prayer for all those who would be running the next day. Coolest of all, the parish provided a little gift to each runner — one year it was a small token with a quote from the poem “Footprints”; this past year it was a rubber bracelet (which we were instructed to wear during the race) with the bible verse from Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” I did wear it during the race, and somewhere around mile 16, thinking about that verse, all those runners standing together for the blessing, and praying for strength to carry on provided just the boost I needed to power through.

Community is a beautiful thing. It allows you to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself. Whether it’s a community of faith or a community of runners — communities define purpose; motivate action; and bring joy to the people who invest time and energy in them. As a participant or an observer, it’s rewarding to be a part of a community. For me, attending Mass while on a trip is just one more way that I can immerse myself in a community at every destination to which I travel. And that’s why I seek a church at every port.

Music. BYOB. Nature… Must be COOL THURSDAY.

I love being outdoors. So, when I moved back to Dallas, one of my first prerogatives was gaining membership at the Dallas Arboretum. As a resident of Lakewood, it would almost be blasphemous not to become a member!

The Arboretum is essentially a botanical gardens in East Dallas, sitting right on the shores of White Rock Lake. There are seasonal celebrations at the Arboretum (for Spring, Fall, and winter), which allow you to walk around the grounds to enjoy the flora-inspired decor, pack a picnic and relax on the lawns. All of this makes the Arboretum a fun “Dallas” activity to enjoy — especially if you’re entertaining out-of-town guests. As such, in my mind, a (family) membership to the Dallas Arboretum is one of the most worthwhile investments a resident of Dallas can make: for $125 annually, you can get free admission for up to 6 adults and free parking on each visit.

But, what I love most about the Arboretum are Cool Thursday concerts. Every fall and spring, on Thursdays, a different (usually local variety or tribute band) plays on the Arboretum’s Amphitheater lawn, overlooking the White Rock Lake at sunset.

As the sun sets on White Rock Lake, a CCR tribute band plays at Cool Thursday.

The musical acts are consistently excellent – I’ve gone to see everything from variety bands to 80s cover bands to CCR tribute; at each concert I’ve attended, a solid dance crew assembles in front of the stage. Best of all, as any other time you come to the Arboretum, you can pack a picnic (alcohol-permitted!).

The scene at these concerts is great – you’ll find both families with young children as well as single, 20-somethings with their picnic blankets or camping chairs staked out, enjoying some dinner and a glass of wine. It’s a relaxing, fun, and “cool” thing to do on a Thursday night. And certainly an earlier-concluding alternative to how I spent my Thursday nights in college! If you live in Dallas and haven’t checked out Cool Thursdays, do yourself a favor and buy tickets to the next available concert. You won’t regret it.

PS: for all you runners out there, the trail around White Rock Lake is an absolutely beautiful place to run. I’ve leveraged the 9-mile trail for many training runs, and can’t think of a place I enjoy running more.

Where it’s snowing all winter through, that’s where I want to be…

…Well, maybe I don’t want to be where it’s snowing all winter through… unless that place is the mountains at a ski resort!

I’ve always been a fan of winter – the smell of the air when a cold front blows in; getting bundled up with jackets, scarves and gloves; a log fire burning in the fireplace; sipping hot cocoa; and – if you’re lucky – snow falling delicately from the sky. As a kid, I remember at Christmastime there was usually a toy I really wanted Santa Claus to bring me, but more than that I prayed to God that he might bring me snow. (Growing up in San Antonio, Texas, this was quite an ask!) Fortunately, my parents were native-northerners with an affinity for skiing, so they made a conscious effort to take my siblings and I on several ski trips. I feel lucky that they did (the more people I meet, the more I realize how many people were never introduced to skiing as youngsters!).

Because of all this + my love of travel, and the glory of having a disposable income as an adult, I have made an effort for the past few years to take a ski trip at least once each year. Past destinations have included:

• Winter Park, CO
• Steamboat Springs, CO
• Zermatt, Switzerland
• Squaw Valley, California

Inspired by advice from my fellow ski-loving brother, I decided this year to purchase a season ski pass — well, not just any season pass. The Rocky Mountain Super Pass – granting me access to both Winter Park and Copper Mountain. The decision was made easier by the fact that I have a wellness benefit through my company which allows me to get reimbursed for things like gym memberships, race entries, and ski lift tickets and passes. Therefore, in essence, it ended up being free; don’t mind if I do! (Tip: Look into whether your company has a benefit like this, and don’t let it go to waste!)

Boyfriend and I took four trips out to the slopes this year — a total of 12 days skiing. Blessed with some of the best snow Colorado ski resorts have seen in quite a few winters, we certainly felt each trip was well-worth it. We also (like to believe) we improved our overall skiing abilities with all the runs we got in — tackling moguls is now an exciting challenge, instead of a terrifying prospect.

The best part of all was that we even inspired some friends and family to join us on our ski-ventures, and made some awesome memories with those people.

On the lifts in Winter Park

Now, I have to give another nod to my brother, who in his infinite brotherly wisdom also led me on to a fantastic lodging option in Winter Park, the TimberHouse Lodge. I’ve never found a place quite like it anywhere else. It’s got a very communal and homey feel to it — guests dine together each morning and evening, and this affords you the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, and hear their stories. There are guests I’ve met who have been coming to the Lodge for over 40 years! And that’s awesome.

My experiences skiing this winter highlight the reasons that are at the core of why I love skiing.

1. Enjoying some of the most scenic beauty on earth
2. Recognizing improvement and increased comfort the more I do it + challenging myself with increasingly difficult terrain
3. The “community” that is ski culture – I can never strike up (good, quality) conversation quite as easily as I can when I’m on the slopes!

If you’ve never skied – give it a whirl. There is nothing quite like being in the mountains!

Conquering Lake Tahoe

Seventy-two miles. That’s the distance that makes up the roadway around Lake Tahoe. The idea of “72 Miles” + the concept of “around Lake Tahoe” was a pretty discouraging thought when boyfriend asked about attempting to bike around the lake. For those unfamiliar, Lake Tahoe is an alpine lake (the largest in the US), set 6000 feet above sea-level in the Sierra Nevada mountains on the border of California and Nevada. It’s a gorgeous lake! But riding my bike around it seemed a crazy proposal.

The bike around the lake is a pretty popular ride for cycling enthusiasts, and as such, it’s fairly well-documented. So, with a little research, a few training rides in the hills of Palo Alto, and a trip to REI for proper riding shorts… I agreed to tackle the challenge.

We made the drive from the Bay Area up to Tahoe on a Friday, and planned for a Saturday morning ride, but as we were prepping our bikes that night in our hotel room, one of boyfriend’s tires popped. It actually proved to be a blessing in disguise, as we hadn’t really brought sufficient gear to address issues that may befall us on our adventure. The next morning, instead of embarking on our ride, we popped into a local bike shop in South Lake Tahoe to get the tire fixed and better-equip ourselves for the ride (spare tubes, a pump, etc.).

Following on advice from this handy overview, we decided it best to hold off on the ride until Sunday, so we could get the earliest possible start and avoid the heavy traffic. Thus, with a full day available to us, we decided to spend our day enjoying the gorgeous weather and kayaked on the lake. A windy day though it was, we found it fantastic to be on the crystal water and look up at the pristine snow-capped mountains.

Kayaking on Lake Tahoe

Take two on our night of preparation — this time we had no snafus — and that Sunday morning we were off to the races by 7:30 am. (We’d hoped for a 6:30 start, but it’s pretty hard to motivate yourself to get up that early on the weekend!) I must say, I’ve seen Lake Tahoe + surrounding mountains a variety of ways: skiing, hiking, parasailing, kayaking… all of which have been greatly enjoyed… but cycling around the lake has been my favorite. The ride had its challenges — in particular, a couple of tough climbs about which the guide I referenced before warned us, and I think being able to somewhat anticipate what was coming proved helpful. As unseasoned riders, it was probably more difficult for us than true “cyclists” — we finished in about 5 hours. Just know that if you ride leisurely, and do a few long (20+ miles), challenging rides before attempting Tahoe, you can do it. As for me, I’ve not taken up cycling as a hobby (yet), but I do hope to make this Tahoe ride an annual tradition.

A quick picture stop at the halfway point

Lake Tahoe is a beautiful place — one of my favorites in the US — and as much as I can get back to the Lake (and find new ways to enjoy it), I hope to do so. A popular Tahoe tagline is “Keep Tahoe Blue” — while I hope that stays true, I must say, Tahoe keeps me nothing but bright and happy. Cheers to making your own adventures in Tahoe!

I leave you with a few more pictures from my other endeavors on Lake Tahoe:

   

randomly acting kind

What may be one of the most underrated occurrences in daily life are small acts of kindness from strangers. These small, positive interactions have added bright spots to an ordinary day – I typically walk away with a smile and a good attitude from those moments, and I’m therefore making it my goal to better appreciate them.

I’m talking about really small things. For example…

1) being remembered by the barista at Starbucks (3 months after our initial encounter!)

2) man giving up his seat on a crowded airport shuttle bus so I can sit down

3) receiving unsolicited help putting my luggage in an overhead bin

4) a pleasant conversation with a bus driver who clearly makes it his mission to help people have a better day

I also enjoy hearing about friends who are on the receiving (or giving) end of small acts of kindness – it’s a good reminder to think selflessly in everything you do. As such, I do try to be a ‘giver.’ And, I think one way I can be a better ‘giver’ is through better appreciation of the kindness others show toward me. Day in and day out, I’m on the receiving end of random acts of kindness, and I often overlook them – failing to let another’s kindness lift my spirit because I’m too self-involved, wrapped up in my own stresses, worries, and agenda to notice.

The benefit of having a keen eye for kindness is two-fold, I believe.

First, by acknowledging someone else’s kindness, you’ve already begun the process of paying their kindness forward. Think about when you’ve shown kindness to someone else – particularly a stranger. Usually, when you get that big smile or that genuine ‘thank you!’, doesn’t it make your day?

Second, making note of others’ kindness toward you each day makes it very difficult to complain. In essence, it inspires you to focus on the good; the positive; the uplifting moments of your day. It relaxes you in stressful situations. It reminds you that there is much for which to be thankful.

So, that’s one challenge for myself: appreciate random, small acts of kindness. After all, as the saying goes, ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ – indeed, we shouldn’t sweat it. We should smile instead.