Meet Beyonce

This is Beyonce, a stray cat who's been making friends with our family members lately. 

She waits at our front doorstep starting at around 6 a.m. making all sorts of kitty noises while walking us to our cars with that hungry, expectant look on her face.

My dad's mission in life is to feed the hungry, and feed we shall. Only the good stuff for this kitty: Fancy Feast and Meow Mix. And on real plates, too!

But she hasn't made an appearance in a few days and has the whole family worried!

Where are you, Beyonce??

What kind of sleeper are you?

For me, a 5-hour minimum of deep, satisfying sleep is a necessary element to be a positive, properly functional person during the day. When well-rested, my moods are balanced and I can do as much proverbial handholding as is necessary to ensure my projects don't crash and burn.  In case you were wondering, I'm a still, right-side, fetal-position sleeper, but apparently there are cons to all sleeping positions! See the comic below:

What kind of sleeper are you?

Source.

Father's Day quote

“There are many different kinds of bravery. There’s the bravery of thinking of others before one’s self. Now, your father has never brandished a sword nor fired a pistol, thank heavens. But he has made many sacrifices for his family, and put away many dreams.”

“Where did he put them?”

“He put them in a drawer. And sometimes, late at night, we take them out and admire them. But it gets harder and harder to close the drawer… He does. And that is why he is brave.”

(Conversation between Mrs. Darling and Michael, from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, via)

On happiness

After reading an article from The Atlantic about how our definition of happiness changes with age, I know there are certain things that have and will always make me happy:

Happiness means having a pleasant conversation, however brief and whatever the subject may be, with someone whose company I enjoy but don’t see as often as I’d like.

Happiness comes from receiving unexpected notes of appreciation from those who don’t normally express those sentiments because I know then that they’re writing in earnest.

Happiness is receiving a warm hug from someone you care about for the first time, even if to say farewell. 

And happiness for other people entails embracing the change, however unsettling, when they depart from our normal routine for greener pastures among those infinitely more deserving of their many talents.

What does happiness mean to you?

Me (left) and my sissy (right) at Philly's Love Park

Awkward gym encounters #1

As I was pedaling away on the elliptical this afternoon, I felt watched. The chunky monkey beside me was either checking me out real hard or trying to sneak a peek at my magazine. Meh, I kept pedaling, hoping she would become conscious of my awkward side glare and mind her own business. But she kept staring! … At my magazine! I looked over at her elliptical screen. Ah, no magazine. And I didn’t recognize her, so she must be a new member. Clearly, she hasn’t discovered the magazine rack overtly displayed in the entryway.

I also noticed that she lost interest and looked elsewhere in the cardio room if I stayed on any one page for too long, or flipped to a feature containing a long article and fewer pictures. But I alternate between watching TV (the only place I would ever watch ESPN) and reading my magazine while on the elliptical (my go-to, lazy-day workout). With all her staring, I considered lending her my magazine, but I brought it from home and was mindful that gyms are full of germs.

Thankfully, the observer hopped into the row of treadmills ahead of me and continued her taxing hike. No magazines on either side. Needless to say, she peaced out soon after. Hope she saw the magazine rack on her way out!

Do I say something?

I try not to offer my unsolicited opinion when people watching. While doing so at Lens Crafters, I watched an early-thirties woman try on the most horrendous pair of circular (think Ozzy Osbourne round), tortoise-shell sunglasses (no, not the kind Liz Lemon would wear). OK, maybe she’s trying on ridiculous glasses for fun. But then she flagged down a sales associate to ask whether the sunglasses could be made into clear, prescription lenses. OH NO, LADY. Do I say something? I didn’t. I clammed up! But I secretly hoped the place would say the sunglasses could not be made with clear prescription lenses. Unfortunately, they do. Maybe somebody she knows will dissuade her when she publicly wears the frames in their company for the first time? There’s a 90-day return policy. I hope she knows that.

Another day while waiting in line at Ann Taylor, I tapped the shoulder of the woman ahead of me and told her her shirt was inside-out. It turns out she was in the fitting room and mistakenly put on her shirt wrong-side-out, but was thankful that I pointed that out so she could properly invert her shirt before leaving the store. See? I did one good deed without feeling intrusive.

Here’s the difference: Glasses are much more personal and more stylistically subjective. But they are a hefty investment, so you might as well opt for a pair that can make the most of the situation. And always bring a friend for an honest second opinion.

Color test

My latest obsession -- and that of my coworkers -- are personality assessments. A recent one I took is the color code personality test, which asks the test taker to evaluate their childhood personality traits. I thought the questions were hokey at first, but the results are spot-on:

Motive [ Peace ]

Whites are motivated by Peace. They seek independence and require kindness. They resist confrontation at all costs. They are typically quiet by nature, process things very deeply and objectively with great clarity. Of all the colors, whites are the best listeners. They respect people who are direct but recoil from perceived hostility or verbal battle.

ABOUT WHITE

Whites need their "alone time" and refuse to be controlled by others. Whites want to do things their own way and in their own time. Whites are much stronger than people think, but are not often seen for their strength because they don't easily reveal their feelings. Whites are even-tempered, diplomatic, and the voice of reason; but can also be indecisive, unexpressive, and silently stubborn. When you deal with a WHITE, be kind, accept and support their individuality, and look for non-verbal clues to understand their feelings.

What color are you?