I’ve always felt that a home is way more than our physical surroundings. It is more than a place to store your stuff and take a shower. As much as I love to pour over beautiful interior (and landscape) design magazines, books and blogs, I appreciate that what I’m really absorbing is a story. It’s the […]
our relationship to our spaces Read More »
The following are words of wisdom from the writer Nora Ephron, quoted in this lovely article in The Atlantic on The Three Rules for Middle Age Happiness. Its intention touched me mostly because of the first line: gather friends and feed them. When I think of the moments of my life when I have been
Gather friends and feed them Read More »
On the morning of 1 November 1755, Lisbon suffered a massive earthquake that residents could feel as far away as North Africa. Seismologists today estimate the Lisbon earthquake had a magnitude of at least 8.4. It is considered one of the most deadly earthquakes in history, killing an estimated 30,000 people if you include the fires
Bury the dead. Feed the living. Read More »
This week marks three years in Lisbon. It’s no longer new, hardly warranting a post, much less an email update to friends. Tales of pasteis de nata and sunsets over the river have given way to the mechanics of daily grocery shopping, looking for a new apartment, and paying taxes. Yet, even after three years
a check-in after three years in Lisbon Read More »
When I initially meet with a real estate agent to explain what I’m looking for, s/he usually asks the expected questions — size of the home, general features, locations and, of course, budget. Two years ago I met with an agent in Portugal to talk about property and she asked a question that I have
the values of home Read More »
Is it wrong to say I’m resurrecting a year-old blog poster for Easter? Many faith traditions celebrate significant observances this time of year. Even if none of them is part of your annual tradition, you can still observe bud break and the early bulbs coming up in the garden, and take a moment to ponder
From the archive: easter reader Read More »
You want change. But are you prepared to change? Our intimate book club will explore this question as we read and discuss Immunity to Change, written by psychologists Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey. We will declare our commitments, but we will also face a reckoning with our competing commitments that keep us from the goals we have set for ourselves.
Immunity to change Read More »
We closed escrow yesterday on our home of over 20 years. The new owners will move in within the next couple days, marking the next chapter in both our lives and the story of the nearly 100-year old house on Whitney Street.
Farewell to Whitney Read More »
In literature, an unreliable narrator is one who is compromised. He or she is either deliberately deceptive or unintentionally misguided, forcing the reader to question the credibility of the storyteller. Either from ignorance or self-interest, this narrator speaks with a bias, makes mistakes, or even lies. We all have our internal narrator, the persona or voice that processes
Is An Unreliable Narrator Powering Your Story? Read More »
