I am feeling appreciative that I’m an appreciator of the bounty of this world.

I appreciate the arts events that I’ve participated in over the past 2 years courtesy of my gig as marketing consultant with Door2Door to the Arts by SCM.  In this capacity, I put together seasonal calendars of arts events.  This fall I’ve attended:  a BSO rehearsal with YoYo Ma, a trip to the Museum of Russian Icons, a concert by the Cantata Singers, a talk by Malcolm Rogers, Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,  and  Candide at the Huntington Theatre.  I look forward to attending Martinis and Merriment at the Jewish Community Center in Newton tonight and Singers’ Night at Berklee College of Music on Tuesday.  (I am a culture vulture in case you can’t tell.)

I appreciate other arts events like Roxbury Open Studios and a talk by author Walter Moseley at Roxbury Community College recently.

I appreciate living in Dorchester.  Last night it was my pleasure to attend the latest talk of the Dorchester Speaker’s Forum:  50 Years Later: Jane Jacobs and The Death and Life of Great American Cities.  More than 125 people gathered at All Saints Church on a crisp Friday evening and listened to the wisdom of the panelists:  Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, Glenna Long (author of Genius of Common Sense: The Story of Janet Jacobs and “The Death & Life of Great American Cities”, M. David Lee, a partner of the architecture and planning firm, Stull and Lee; and Frank Keefe, a Boston developer, who served as moderator.   It was a convivial evening that featured rich discussion during which the panelists, especially Gov. Dukakis, shared the hard-won battle to prevent what Boston might have been if the continued path of so-called urban renewal that decimated the West End of the city had been allowed across the city.  (While some skirmishes were lost, the battle was won.)

I appreciate facilitating two successful workshops in the past 2 weeks.  The first was “Selling Yourself on Paper” (part 1 of Pick-Up Your Power and Use It to Get a Job). The second was “Discovering Who I Am: Guiding Young Children as They Learn about Their Racial/Ethnic Identity” at the A View from All Sides Conference in Marlboro.  I appreciate Parent University of the Boston Public Schools and Children’s Trust Fund respectively for selecting me to do these workshops. 

I appreciate the deliciousness of the fall soups that I’ve begun making in earnest.  Nothing is more soul-warming that homemade soup on a crisp fall day!

I appreciate an unexpected payment for work done voluntarily.  (It came right on time.)

I appreciate receiving a Roxbury Pudding Stone Award at the Heart of the Hub fundraising event from Discover Roxbury.  I stepped down from the board after many years of service in June 2011.  It is affirming to get an award from people who know you!  (Thanks, again, everyone.)  And I appreciate that DR has taken over Roxbury Open Studios, an event I founded, thereby ensuring its continuance.

I appreciate the people who’ve ordered copies of two my two booklets, Pushing Through Shyness: Networking Tips when you’re shy, slow-to-warm-up, inexperienced or just don’t feel like you belong (a mouthful if ever there was one) and Handling Rejection.*  Thank you.

I appreciate having many irons in the fire and the possibility of an additional iron or two because of 1 recent and another upcoming interview.

I appreciate holding on to love despite a recent rocky time in my marriage.

I appreciate:

• the comics who provide laughter.
• the writers who write so many incredible novels, stories, memoirs & poetry that I will never lack for material to read.
• the musicians who provide music to dance to, groove to, make love to...
• food, glorious food. 
• my life despite occasional turmoil and uncertainty. 

I appreciate my faith and my doubts.

I truly appreciate my family:

• the children I birthed,
• the granddaughter I adore,
• the husband I found (and who found me),
• my mother who is unfailing in her love, and
• my sister, brother and the rest of everyone in St. Louis who know me from the beginnings of my journey.

And I appreciate you, my readers, some known to me, others unknown to me.

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*Copies of my booklets can be ordered via my website: under the putlications button.