How I Started Lifting Weights

A few years ago I started to realize how important muscle building was. Cardio alone can lose its effectiveness over time. From everything I’ve studied, muscle is the key to aging well. I want to be that 75-year-old woman who can jump and dance and lift heavy things. There are a lot of “lose weight…

Lessons Learned in 2016, My Year Feeling Sad

I was looking through my notes to find reflections on remorse and nuance, and I came across this reflection on lessons learned back in 2016, six years ago. “I was so sad this morning. I couldn’t smile. My face muscles don’t work.  I couldn’t look at the reception area because there were too many faces,…

How We Get Ready for School

This is how we mentally prepare for the first week of school. I ask the kids to pick out their school outfits for the week and have them ready to go. We talk about what they would like to pack for lunch and the importance of having it prepared the night before. They also pick…

A Day in My Professional Life in 2017

What was I doing five years ago? I shared the mundane details of my day with the Nonprofit Marketing Guide. A snippet is below. Before 8:00 a.m. – My morning ritual is to dry roast cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom and then pour in milk and water to prepare a steaming cup of chai. I sit down…

What is Color Factory Houston?

As part of our summer vacation fun, we visited Color Factory Houston. If you like Instagrammable, thought-provoking, sensory experiences, this is the place to go. Our group ranged from elementary school-age to adults, and everyone had fun. From beginning to end, we were greeted with colorful, tasty snacks. The sights and sounds were simply beautiful….

An Anthony Bourdain Weekend in Houston

Some of my family from Oklahoma recently spent a few days with us. I’m calling it “An Anthony Bourdain Weekend in Houston” because I think we indulged in some tantalizing food and activities that are so authentic Houston. Kerala Feast No. 1 On Saturday evening when they arrived, my mom had a Kerala feast waiting….

How to Have a Strong Marriage (21 Hypotheses)

I take notes about everything, and marriage is one of them. What makes a good marriage? You’ll find my hypotheses below. The Quick, Short Version If I had to summarize all of these points into a TL;DR, I would say this, which is what I wrote to a couple before they got married: Make each…

Hill Country Vacation Day 4: Natural Bridge Caverns

I loved visiting Natural Bridge Caverns when I was a kid. Back then, when I saw our tour guide, I decided I wanted to be a tour guide when I grew up, which actually came true in various opportunities I’ve had! Sajan and I visited the caverns for our one-year wedding anniversary, too. It looked…

Hill Country Vacation Day 3: Canyon Lake Gorge

I woke up and watched the sunrise on the fourth floor of the Lighthouse, joining two of the kids who were already up there. What a sight! After breakfast we drove 45 minutes to the Canyon Lake area. We did a self-guided tour with eight stops. Each stop explains what’s happening on the gorge as…

Hill Country Vacation Day 2: Miller Creek

On Tuesday, we explored the land around Lighthouse Hill Ranch. The kids hopped in the back of the truck. We drove by cows big and small that stared us down. The kids fished in a pond, with no success. Later that day, we went to Miller Creek, also in the land. It was incredible. The…