A Brief Thought about Teaching and Thanks

I'd like to challenge the widely accepted belief that teaching is a thankless profession. If you’re not a teacher, you might liken “Thank you” or “Great work” to the most impactful kind of validation. These things are very nice to hear, but they are flimsy and often fleeting. To balance your self-confidence on these words is risky.…

The Power of Color

When my friend Julie and I got our nails done at Honey in Prospect Heights yesterday, I picked this color as wishful thinking that spring is upon on. We are closer to spring than winter now, after all! The 45 degree temperature yesterday was inconsequential in my mind.   As I continue to admire my springtime-esque…

The best happy hour in Brooklyn!

I know where you can find the most amazing happy hour in Brooklyn.   That above picture isn't a mistake. The deal isn't on booze and fried food, but pastries! I had to share that (as far as I know) two shops, Saraghina in Bed-Stuy and Stocked in Prospect Heights are offering half off all their…

What does coming home feel like?

Living in Brooklyn for the last year and a half has been an incredible experience and something I will keep close to me and always look back on warmly. Being hundreds of miles away from friends and family isn't easy, but it has made visits home feel all the more special. I spent this last Friday night with…

Guilt-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

  Yesterday I learned that butter and sugar are not the most important factors for a delicious chocolate chip cookie. This was a very exciting discovery since I'm trying to eat more clean these days. I have to give credit to Curls 'n' Chard for the recipe, which I found on this Pintrest board. Sometimes…

Passion or Interest?

Today I learned that identifying a passion doesn't mean you're ready to pursue it, and that if you end up choosing not to, it probably was never a passion. It was just an interest. I am still learning that this isn't a failure, either. (But to be honest, it feels like a loss worth grieving.) One thing I'm…

Day 1: A whole new kind of freedom

On Tuesday February 2nd, I did something I've never done before. I resigned from my job as a high school teacher and embarked on a very unfamiliar yet necessary journey. I hope to dissect all of the layers of what made this decision so necessary; I can never explain it quite clearly or thoroughly enough…