Perforation Problems

Let's not talk about how much of a failure I've been at my Think Kit posts. Let's just see how many I can make up. Prompt: "Nametags and punchbowls aren't necessary (but we're okay with that!) – who did you meet this year? Was it awkward? Enlightening? Was your first impression correct? Was it accidental & meant to be, pre-arranged, or somewhere in-between? Whether you found a soulmate, held a new baby, or finally trusted someone to style your hair just so, write about a new person (or people) in your life." There were a lot of new people in my life this year. A lot of people left the company I work for and new ones came to take their place -- it's amazing how fast the dynamics of a workplace can change when the people change. I got a new boss (again), new people joined the marketing team, new people joined my brand strategy team. The people I worked with most closely changed, and so the day-to-day changed, the atmosphere and mood of everything...

So here are the three prompts I've missed this week: Sunday: " Wave your magic wand – whoosh – what would you transform, create, or make disappear in 2015? Don't be afraid to change the world, or merely alter the mundane. Just be prepared to defend your decision with reason, or irrational emotion!  Monday: "Get on your soapbox. What issue, idea, or stance were you vocal about this year? Or did you let it internally build up? Was there an event, person, or time that triggered your strong reaction? Or was it a slow-burn? Why do you feel so strongly – is it personal? Emotional? Strictly reasonable?"  Today: "The calendar still says 2014, but let's push forward. What are you looking forward to in 2015? Is there an event, special occasion, or reunion that you're counting down the days until? Planning a trip? A life change? A move? Or maybe it's the simple pleasures – the release of a movie, something or someone hitting a stage near you." ...

Today's prompt: "Work, home, and _____. Where was your third place this year? Did you like it, love it, ...or was it out of obligation? What feeling, sense, or vibe did you get from your third place? If someone can't imagine the scene, give the lay of the land in words. Is there natural light? Is there a certain smell? Bring us inside." That's an interesting question, and I'm not quite sure how to answer it. Is this supposed to be a physical place or a metal one? My first reaction was to think about it in terms of mental places, and if I think about what's occupied my time and energy this year, here's the list I would make: My job + specifically the launch of our new brand Olive & Clyde Michael My family Trying to figure out my next step Our attic But on second glance, the prompt seems to be asking more about physical places. That's tough, because really I spend most of my time at work or at home. When we go places, it's out fo...

So I'm supposed to write a post today but I'm about to drive to Cincinnati for a Christmas party, and realistically I know I'm not going to have time. So I'm going to do this real janky style. Prompt: "What did you say goodbye to this year? Was it a bad habit? A '94 hatchback? Or something less tangible? How did you feel the day after? The week after? Or! What did you say hello to this year? Did it enrich your life...or detract? A new favorite possession? A tattoo? Did you decide that your life was missing something, or did you just fall into new-ness? Share your aloha!" I'm about to say a big goodbye -- to my job. And a big hello -- to a new life as an entrepreneur and writer and consultant. The other big goodbye was to our attic...and a big hello to our new TV room/bedroom and my office. Both of those are going to have a big impact on my 2015 :) Happy Weekend!!

Day Four: "Whether you asked for it – or not – what good advice did you get this year? Did it come from an unexpected source? Was it unsolicited, or did you need a word or two after an eventful day, week, or month? Has the advice changed the way you think about the world? Changed the way you think about your advisor? Changed the way you think about yourself? Changed the way you act? Can you distill the message and help the rest of us out, or is it too personal to be universal?" I'm going to try to keep this one short tonight, because I'm tired and tomorrow night we're going to Cincinnati for a Christmas party. But this was the first time this week where I read the prompt and immediately knew what I would write about. I recently made the decision to leave my job, a decision that wasn't easy and which wasn't without some heartbreak. I'd been contemplating it for months and couldn't get myself to the point where I was willing to let go. But then...

Day Three: "Let's loosen up: share a side-splitting story from the last year. What made you laugh out loud until tears formed? What made you giggle every time it was referenced? Whether it's a story, an image, a video – we want to hear about the banana peel on the floor, your best practical joke, or gems from the mind of a three-year-old. Whether it's sassy, sarcastic, or just plain silly: make us laugh!" This is a lot of pressure. Not just a funny story, but a side-splitting story? When I think of the funniest story I know, it's not one from the last year. It's a few years old. I'll tell it to you anyway. I had a friend who, for health reasons, had to get regular colonoscopies. He didn't have any family nearby and his girlfriend was in grad school across the country, so he had to rely on friends to take him to the hospital. A little awkward, right? But my friend is a very good-natured fellow, and he took it all in stride. So one day he a...

Today's prompt: "What did you change your mind about this year? Was it a big deal – the way you feel about an issue? Or something small – maybe you learned to like Brussels sprouts? What was the moment or series of moments that changed how you felt? How did your friends or family react? Have you uttered the phrase, 'I'll never change my mind!' since then?" This is a tough one. I thought about it throughout the day, and at first nothing came to mind, either big or small, though I know really I change my mind all the time. Paint colors, furniture decisions, basically every decision I had to make in connection with the attic renovation we just finished. The thing is, I think I've just gotten in the habit of accepting that once I make a decision, it is what it is, and I'm just going to have to live with it. So you live with life not being perfect, and you ignore that you had a choice and screwed it up in the first place. For example -- we just pai...

Here we go with another blogging challenge! I'm participating in SmallBox's Think Kit , a community writing project that involves a prompt a day for the entire month of December. Here's the first prompt: "Share your year in photos. Was there a moment of unrestrained happiness? An unexpected encounter? What role do photos play in your life – were you more selective with your phone (er...camera) this year? Or are you the King of Selfies? Dig into the deeper meaning of a moment frozen in time." I take a lot of photos. Most of them aren't really worth looking at again. In fact, let's be honest -- most of them are pictures of desserts and my dog. But looking back over the year for pictures worth sharing, I realize just how much I've done this year -- and how fast it's gone. I guess that happens every year, but this year in particular seems to have passed in a haze of constantly-trying-to-get-through, constantly-getting-ready-for-the-next-thing. I...

In her book Bird by Bird , Anne Lamott says she keeps a tiny, one-inch picture frame by her desk to remind her to focus on short assignments, to remember that she only has to write what she could see through that one, tiny frame. When writing seems like a gargantuan, impossible task, remember to start small. You don't have to write something huge, important, or even good. You just have to write something. Just let some words come out. Here's something Lamott suggests to her students: write about lunches for half an hour.