So my sister tagged me when she posted this on Facebook tonight, and wouldn’t you know, it was one of those great moments when things I’ve been thinking of for days in my post-New Year’s sugar-fuelled semi-hopeful but ultimately self-flagellating funk all come together in twenty minutes of someone else’s brilliance that only briefly made me feel inadequate. Really, you should watch it. It was good enough to make me leap off the couch and set up this blog, thereby solving a good half year’s worth of indecision about the fate of my old one.
2011, I’ve finally got a nice toasty fire lit under my ass. Prepare for baby pictures, weepiness, hopeful musings, awkward humour, existential angst, and recipes.
i am vulnerable 
welcome to your new space! I’ve seen this talk before, and she is amazing, a wonderful gifted speaker too. she wrote a book called The Gifts of Imperfection and how we need to embrace who we are and stop trying to be who we think we’re supposed to be. I read an article by her not long ago, and forwarded it to so many people: http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/11/01/give.up.perfection/index.html really simple, yet so profound.
I feel like you need a virtual housewarming or something….welcome! Back!
Saw this on a running blog last week and totally jacked it for my own post shortly afterward. It just may be the most worthwhile 20 minutes I’ve spent watching a web-based video. (not that there is much competition).
I’m feeling a little limbo-y at my space too – where what I want to talk about these days doesn’t necessarily fit the mold that’s there, but not really eager to leave my space either…I’m still there, but clearly in the midst of a quiet time. Maybe I need to watch Brene again.
I am excited you’re here. And for the record, I am all about hopeful musings, awkward humour, existential angst, and recipes.
I can’t wait to watch it!! Sadly, I’m always looking for a moment to settle in and take a moment for myself away from the wonderful, but consuming, endeavor of motherhood — and oftentimes I just don’t get a chance to get back to it — but this I will.
I’ll reading anything you write my lovely… it does seem in this day and age of connectivity that it can serve as a great barrier between ourselves and our real lives — real connection, real intimacy — that’s the rub here I think — because there is intimacy here as well — but, well, you know –what I mean, right???
I know you do!
This is yet another reason why we’re going to eventually become true pen pals. Maybe when our little ones are three and in preschool part-time??
Hah!
Love to you, as always, kindred spirit —
Pam
Hi there. I’ve been a reader for a while, but not sure if I’ve ever commented. I thought I’d start off differently on your new blog. 🙂 I love Brene Brown. She is amazing. Best of luck on the new year/new you quest.
Oh good Lord! I hate to be vulnerable but I do look forward to some awkward humor!
The timing of this is great. I have an awkward conversation to have with someone, maybe now is the time to practice. How do I take it if they don’t respond how I would them to though? How do I not take that ‘personally’?
Look the kid is up, I have a few minutes left on this video and OMIGOD, that’s all I have time to say.
Never saw this video or woman – thanks for sharing – she’s amazing! Cool stuff and what a great place to start from. Every year at this time I start thinking about my theme for the new year and how I want to live my life; this is great food for thought.
Okay, 12 hours later and I finally finished watching the video. I really enjoyed what she had to say. Totally myho ho for me and I will forward this to friends. I had a theatre audition a couple years ago, a part I totally thought I was right for but I didn’t get it. A friend was in the room as the reader. I saw her later and asked her about it and she said they went with someone who was showed more vulnerability. She said I was good but that I was so strong. Oddly, I was going through hell during that time. And that’s how I appear to most people. Of course, it’s an image I’ve cultivated over the years. Strong, black woman. I can put up with just about anything. And I did. I used to have a tough time crying in auditions because in my real life, I just didn’t cry. I never went to THAT PLACE. I avoided it like the plague. I numbed out. I’m much better at showing my vulnerability these days, thanks to my journey through infertility and especially because of adoption. Yet I do have to practise it every single day when I chant.
I’m so grateful to the amazing bloggers who directed my attention here. What a powerful video! I think it may even be the inspiration I’ve been looking for to start a blog myself. It is so important as to seem simple and obvious: in the search for true connection one must embrace his/her vulnerability.
I look forward to reading along!