Last night, after doing a really fun dance workshop, I went to my favorite Japanese restaurant where customers can sit at the sushi bar. Where they first seated me, it smelled really strongly of something like a cross between ammonia and Glade bathroom air freshener. I thought maybe they had just wiped the counter, but then I realized it was …
Protegiendo Tu Espacio
Anoche, después de un divertido taller de baile, fui a mi restaurante japonés favorito donde los clientes pueden sentarte frente a la barra de sushi. Donde me sentaron primero, olía muy fuerte a algo como amoniaco y aromatizante de baño. Pensé que apenas habían limpiado la barra pero entonces noté que era el hombre que estaba en la siguiente mesa, …
The Spirits of the Second Stall
It was my second day in New York City, and I was immersed in a crowd of nervous hopefuls. 100 authors and experts, all eager to get publicity, were jammed into a large hotel ballroom, lining up to meet the nation’s top TV producers, radio hosts, and print media editors. When our number was called, we had two and half …
The Beer Can Camera
“Oh my God, I have to have it!” I laughed, as the woman at the market stall showed me her husband’s latest creation. Holding a camera made out of a flattened beer can, she pushed the button, and a spring-loaded, wooden face with wild, yarn hair and a huge sequin grin came popping out of the lens. That camera for …
Valentine’s Day Attitude Adjustment
As Valentine’s Day approaches, many people start to feel pressured or anxious. Those in couples often resent the huge price mark-ups and the imperative to do something romantic whether they’re in the mood or not. Single people often feel lonely and depressed, either rushing to make plans or giving excuses of why they don’t really care about this day anyway. …
The “Poor Me” Post-it
Plucky and freckled, my neighbor Lana is a young Irish gal who’s always making wisecracks and is quick to lend a helping hand. Lana grew up poor, raised by a quirky single mom whom she says dated men “with more criminal charges than teeth.” To help make ends meet, Lana’s mom would take her daughters dumpster diving. Since Lana was the …
Marble and Mantras: Lessons from Mexico
Last month, I lived in Mexico. The last time I visited Central America, I went as a backpacker, staying in barebones hostels and interacting with low-income, indigenous families. This time, I lived with an upper class, Spanish-descent family, studied at a private language school, and taught at a well-funded university. Wanting to stay in shape while abroad, I enrolled …
You Already Know
My mind was full of questions and my body empty of food as I sat overlooking the canyon. During recent months, I had lost faith in myself and my life dreams. Was I really good enough to write a book that would inspire others? Would I ever meet “the One” and fall in love? I took myself to the place where …
Lighten Up!
Why are we so intense in our culture? Why do we tend to work so hard and take ourselves and life so seriously? What happened to our carefree days of childhood, when we would spend all day playing, laughing, and eating? Perhaps school squashed the lightness out of us, perhaps our families did, or perhaps both. How do we regain it …
Unleashing Your Passion
When’s the last time you had really amazing sex? When’s the last time you’ve moaned in ecstasy during an orgasm or while eating or drinking something that made your toes curl? When’s the last time you’ve gasped with delight at the beauty of a painting or sculpture, hooted spontaneously, or were moved to joyful tears by the colors of a really …