When people ask me what my blog is about, I want to tell them, "Playfulness." Playfulness is why I started this blog. It's on my About page; it's discussed on some of my most popular posts...
Yet one recurring theme has been assertiveness. Assertiveness seems at odds with playfulness... but, in fact, I've found assertiveness to be a crucial skill that enables my playfulness. And it's probably one of the most important possible social skills you can learn and use during the current lockdown/quarantine/social distancing protocols.
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I recently had the good fortune of meeting Rich Gosse, chairman of The Society of Single Professionals and author of The Donald Trump Syndrome: Why Women Choose the Wrong Men to Love.
He told me something none of you millennials are going to believe: "Even though I founded the second ever online dating site back in the 1990s, I still think meeting face-to-face is best.” And I agree.
At times, it's so gorgeous, I kind of tear up a little.
The last few years, I've been getting more and more into mountain biking. The Bay Area is an incredible place for it. There are dozens of gorgeous beginner and intermediate trails, from Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto/Los Altos to Fremont Older in Saratoga/Cupertino. But when I have the time (it takes about 30-40 minutes to get there from Palo Alto, vs. 5-10 to get to Arastradero), I love biking Russian Ridge -- the closer to sunset, the better.
"All disease," some antivaxxing dumbass who, apparently, is writing a book about his amazing perspective and incredible life experiences, "comes from a toxic mindset and bad lifestyle choices."
"Right," I replied. "And the woman who runs marathons and does yoga every day and eats kale who still gets cancer...?" "There is something wrong in her mind. Maybe she has a bad marriage or something."
Angkor Wat. Image: @TheHappyTalent on Instagram.
On June 4, 2019, I was in Hong Kong, honoring the victims of Tiananmen Square alongside tens of thousands of Hongkongers whose freedom is in peril, and mainland Chinese citizens who aren't allowed to discuss June 4 in their hometowns.
Then I hopped on a plane, traveled back in time to San Francisco, and lived June 4 all over again, this time commemorating the travesty by singing "Ohio" by Crosby Stills and Nash. Angrily repeating the refrain, "Four dead in Ohio! Four dead in Ohio! Four dead in Ohio!" I kept thinking about two things: I travel alone. A lot. It's super fun. It's never lonely. You're free to do whatever you want without worrying about other people's fears or physical limitations.
People say it must be "empowering" to travel alone as a woman. But, honestly, I've always found it way more empowering to backpack alone with my dog.
I mean, if I can skate to a party in a dress and heels at an age I'm not willing to admit, can't your kids propel their own skateboards?
Image: @TheHappyTalent on Instagram
Last Wednesday, I was at the rock wall, waiting for my climbing partner, who was running late. Mindlessly, I started scrolling through my newsfeed... when I saw an ad for a Fleetwood Mac concert!
I clicked the link, even though I was pretty sure I wouldn't actually go, since I'm bad at planning things in advance. But it turns out the concert was that night! In the moments before my climbing buddy arrived, I texted a friend to see if he was game, and booked our tickets. I had time for about 45 minutes of climbing before the show! Next thing I knew, I was in the 5th row at Fleetwood Mac, about to take a selfie during the chorus of Landslide, one of the most legendary songs of all time... when Stevie Nicks suddenly stopped singing and said, "What's happening? What happened? I lost the key!" Crabs hate freezer burn. I have a somewhat untested hypothesis to share: If you want to catch more Dungeness crabs this crabbing season, don't use bait that's been in your freezer for a year. But fresh(er) bait. (And if you need a step-by-step guide to help you get started crabbing, click here.)
Something major happens on the first day of October (and, sometimes, the first day of September) every year:
The menu at your favorite coffee shop changes. Just a little. But it is a very big deal. |
About the Author
Eva is a content specialist with a passion for play, travel... and a little bit of girl power. Read more >
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