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Extra Scoop of Grace
I’ve taken my own advice over the past day or so, limiting my overall media consumption from a self-care standpoint. My professional life has taken the forefront as I’ve offered care and resources to colleagues, clients, former students, friends and family members regarding the outcome of the Presidential election here in the U.S. If I… Continue reading
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Squirrels Gone Wild
Simple things delight me. Especially in the morning. Alone with my cup of tea, the BEST entertainment EVER came scampering in yesterday…a couple of squirrely bruisers stopping by for breakfast. I know some folks are irked by the squirrels who eat their way through the pumpkins this time of year, but we love them. Their… Continue reading
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Me & Mariah
I would never have guessed that I had something…anything in common with Mariah Carey. Talented songstress and chanteuse. Not my jam, but who can deny the upbeat, seasonal appeal of “All I Want for Christmas”? A holiday anthem – a toe-tapper according to my dad. But last week I discovered that I do, indeed, have… Continue reading
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Dreamy With a Purpose
The quiet in the morning speaks of promise and possibilities. I know it sounds trite, but fresh starts put pep in my step. Daybreak has the power to upgrade my perspective. Pointed wisdom from Rumi popped into my awareness yesterday as well-timed encouragement: The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back… Continue reading
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When You Crack Yourself Up: Hubba Hubba Style
My sweet sister Lisa, despite her many disabilities is a walking, talking encyclopedia-like source of pop culture trivia. Especially if the vibe and music…and beefcake…appeal to her. (Sorry for the sexism…but come along anyhow. For Lisa’s sake. I promise there’s a smile coming thanks to a recent phone call.) In the mid-eighties, Lisa and our… Continue reading
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Hello and Goodbye?
This photo – snipped in above of a dear deer peeking at me is not my own, but a darn good substitute given that it’s just a stock photo from Google images. Normally I take my own pics, but I had a good reason for restraint. I’ll explain… I’ve written about the deer that frequent… Continue reading
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~Late and Lost~
I woke up, disoriented to the max. Foggy and exhausted, as if I’d been running a marathon. In a slumber state. Turns out, I had been. Running, that is. But the image of blue eyeliner pulsing through my brain? This is it, I thought. I’ve lost my marbles. All of them, thanks to this nonsensical… Continue reading
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Loving Lisa: “I’m Like the Others”
“We meet ourselves time and again in a thousand disguises on the path of life.” – Carl Jung Learning from others helps me see past the inadvertent disguises I wear. Most often, a comforting mask of certainty. Knowingness. Surprises come when I can recognize a growth opportunity. An opening to embrace what I might overlook.… Continue reading
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Hand in Hand
I’ve returned to Yeats. William Butler Yeats, that is, because of “The Celtic Twilight” – first published in 1893 yet resonant for me today. A volume that’s comprised of Yeats’ early morning reveries. They speak to me, especially as autumn approaches. Stoking my sense of wonder, my belief in possibilities… Hand in hand. I love… Continue reading
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You Were Right
Being a decisive one, I run on conviction most days. Unafraid to take a position on the field yet I need to remember to yield. Give my fellow players…in the game of life…their due. I love a meditative moment when awareness peaks. Across the day, I get swept up in all the “other” but… Continue reading
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The Morning Knows…
Some days go awry, don’t they? Even so, every now and then some days unfold better than anticipated. I’ve learned I can’t predict. Just hope for the best and remember to smile whenever possible. Remembering a favorite quote from poet Robert Frost never hurts: “The afternoon knows what the morning never expected.” Isn’t that the… Continue reading
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Bunnies, Books & Forgiveness
The other day while sitting on the deck I had a visitor. A sweet baby bunny intent on munching on a leafy hunk of geranium, juicy and wet, freshly fallen from the large stone planter thanks to an overnight thunderstorm. She glanced at me, just a few feet away and must’ve concluded I looked harmless,… Continue reading
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Woodstock Rocks!
No…not the music festival…the Library! Thank you to the wonderful people who joined me this week at the Woodstock Public Library for the “Navigating Elder Care with Grace & Humor” event. Connecting with new friends about what matters most…swapping tips and secrets about how to live our best lives while often caring for others…makes me… Continue reading
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Inspire
When readers of “Surviving Sue” ask about my courage and fortitude to write about my mom and my complicated life with her, I smile and share that I received plenty of support from allies and mentors along the way and choosing a career as a licensed counselor solidified my belief in the power of personal… Continue reading
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Backyard Buddies
I know, I know. The deer are a menace. We have several neighbors and friends who decry the horrors of deer this time of year because of their infernal appetites. The nerve, the nerve. I get it…but I figure our landscaping effort, in the end, is for our visual enjoyment. It’s not our source of… Continue reading
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Bringing the Light
Dr. Stein posted a thought-provoking essay today about friendship. I highly recommend it! I love learning new things from him and in this piece, he offers insight about the nature of friendships, the nuances and varieties. There’s so much to worry about in the world at the moment but the one thing that sustains me… Continue reading
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Where You’ve Always Been
June is a tricky month for me, full of celebrations and remembrances of people loved and lost. Birthdays, for sure, but also anniversaries of loved ones’ passings. Memories swirling together. As this month winds down, my head and heart are simultaneously full, so I reach for any scrap of paper to play poet. A post-it,… Continue reading
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Surround Me Now
Today marks the 27th anniversary of my dad, Sonny’s passing. Living with loss is one of the life’s greatest achievements, I think. Not a day goes by without thinking about my dad – for one reason or another. Every year he consumes my thoughts when June 10 rolls around. Sometimes fleeting glimpses of silly moments… Continue reading
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What Do You See?
Well-chosen words add richness to my life… when I slow down and let them in. I have a daily quote book that I love, but I’ll confess I’ve been remiss. Too busy to slow down and take a peek. I have favorites throughout – obvious when I see how the book is beginning to age… Continue reading
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Moving On
I’ll spare you all of the details, but a dear client came to me this week with a dilemma. A rewind of a persistent issue… For several years he’s allowed someone he thought of as a friend to live rent free in his head, plagued by her insensitivities and indiscretions of all sorts. Perhaps… Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – News!
Thanks so much for the continuing interest in my book, “Surviving Sue”. I’m grateful to the Palos Heights Public Library for hosting me on May 9. What a beautiful library and lovely people! Coming up next? Registration is still open for the course I’ll be teaching at Harper College, starting June 18. It’s an in-person… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Remembering Matters
“The world is shaped by two things – stories told and the memories they leave behind.” -Vera Nazarian My dad, Sonny, was a joyful man. At times. When I rewind and attempt to find photos where he’s smiling, though, I’m at a loss. When life was good, he was typically behind the camera capturing the… Continue reading
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In it…to Win it…With Gratitude
I hate to exercise. Hate, hate, hate it. Except…I always feel better after. Everything I know about endorphins and ‘happy chemicals’ from a therapeutic point of view – often helping athletes with sports performance issues – applies to me. It always has, but to get the benefit, like most things that are worthwhile in life,… Continue reading
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My Favorite Trio…
I love it when the Universe sends mini-messages. I need to pay attention, but more often than not while I’m drinking my morning tea or coffee, I can conjure up a dynamic duo of insight. Occasionally they roll in as terrific trios. That’s what happened this morning. I give myself a set amount of time… Continue reading
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Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes…
Changes. Being the new guy…I think it’s a tough role and it’s one I played over and over again as a child – moving a lot because of my dad’s job. When Wynne and I chatted with the wonderful Mark Petruska in this week’s podcast, I remembered there’s joy to be found when we step… Continue reading
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Don’t Waste the Moments
I had a wonderful, unexpected encounter the other day. I’m in search mode for athletic shoes that won’t bother my Achilles tendon and Haglund’s Deformity. (How’s that for disclosure right off the bat?) If you don’t know what a Haglund’s issue is, I invite you…err caution you…to Dr. Google it. I resent the oft-applied label… Continue reading
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Keeping Company
There are two lines from a Mary Oliver poem, “Mysteries, Yes” that I adore, in part because it serves as a warning and a reminder that being selective about the people, the energy I allow into my life is an active effort. I’d planned to send a snippet of Oliver’s poem to a particular person… Continue reading
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Loving Lisa: Easter Candy Absolution
I love, love, love my sister Lisa. (For any new reader friends, Lisa is my beloved older sister who is developmentally disabled.) Functionally, Lisa has a few physical disabilities, too, but they don’t slow her down much. She’s hilarious and quirky, with a savant memory for vintage TV trivia and music. If not for loving… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! “The Loop Files”
Young and defiant. Memory lane moments. Tortured teen years. Angst before adulthood. Reading Rick Kaempfer’s “The Loop Files” should fall into the category of time travel. I think I logged more than a few miles when I reminisced and read. I feel bad for my dog-eared copy (see images snipped in above). It looks like… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! The Next Good Thing
Wynne and I love a thought-provoking chat with our friend, Dr. Gerald Stein. This – our 60th episode – marks the sixth time we’ve enjoyed learning from one of our favorite podcast guests. Maybe it’s the introspectiveness that arrives when Spring dances before us in the Northern Hemisphere. Opportunity and new life; longer days and… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Chilling Out & Warming Up
What I know for sure? You’ll enjoy. Here’s a sneak peek: Peace out…chill out…Happy Friday! Vicki 😎 Anchor Episode 59: Creative Balance with Todd Fulginiti Episode 59 transcript Todd’s Wise & Shine post about creative balance: Is My Problem Age or Stress? Todd site where you can listen to his latest album and find out more: Todd Fulginiti… Continue reading
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When You Crack Yourself Up: “Wind Beneath My Wings”
No disrespect intended toward Bette Midler, but her famous song is akin to a laugh track for me. I can’t listen to even the teensiest bit of “Wind Beneath My Wings” without losing my mind. I’ll explain… Do you get the giggles at inopportune times? I’ve been plagued with poorly-timed giggle fits forever. I still… Continue reading
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Lizette’s 4-Steps
I love, love, love it when a former student stays in touch. In most situations the reason is related to providing a reference or a letter of recommendation – for grad school or for a job opportunity. I don’t care about the ‘why’. It’s a privilege to be thought of, sometimes five or ten years… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday! Writing Inspiration
I know a podcast is worth my time when I listen and learn – in digestible nuggets. Take-aways which inform and inspire. That’s what happened recently when I chatted with Wynne Leon and Brian Hannon as we discussed Brian’s abundant talents as a writer. Brian pivots from corporate communications to personal storytelling with an ease… Continue reading
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I’d Like to Thank…
I don’t know how it happened. One thousand designs? I mean…I know I’ve been busy creating promo materials for “Surviving Sue” and posting on my personal blog – right here on Victoria Ponders and partnering with my writer friends on Sharing the Heart of the Matter but 1000 designs? Wow. I took a gander and… Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Loving Lisa
Today is my big sister, Lisa’s birthday. Now that both of our parents are gone, it’s a high holiday that we continue to celebrate, honoring Lisa. One of the most magical humans I know. Lisa wasn’t expected to thrive or survive, but she did. She has. Despite being born premature and with substantial developmental disabilities… Continue reading
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Perspective
I’m a bit of a wayward poet. Writing when the spirit moves me…my practice is unpredictable. This one? It arrived this morning and I’m still working through what it means. Poetry is like that for me – appearing in a flourish. I receive and sometimes share. Making meaning of it – beyond the obvious geometry?… Continue reading
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ICYMI-Monday: Comfort in My Hands
Yes…this is a rewind post, brought to you by a dream. Last night my dad appeared in a goofy romp of an overnight, subconscious interlude where he wore his favorite swim trunks, preparing to dive into his pool, whilst wearing the most unlikely garment up top: the sweater his beloved sister knitted for him, decades… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday: Just Jack
For the love of Jack. Just Jack. No, no. Not THAT Jack. Although I’m a fan of “Will and Grace” and of Sean Hayes. I’ve got another Jack on my mind… When Wynne and I sat down to chat with our favorite playwright and author, Jack Canfora, we knew we were in for a good time. What… Continue reading
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Sharing a Secret: My Magic Mood Booster
I found a funny Venn diagram online. I’m not sure of the attribution, but for this very visual, coffee-loving girl, it made me smile. I wish I’d created it, honestly. Sometimes…a picture – a good graphic – says so much. More than words. See what I mean? Which brings me to a favorite song that I cannot… Continue reading
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When You Crack Yourself Up: Just Go!
Some of my all-time favorite posts are those that are confessional. Where I tell on myself. I started the ‘Crack Yourself Up’ series in 2022 and if you’re curious about reading more about silly…stupid…Vicki, here’s a link so you can catch up. Or not. You decide. But the point of this post? I’ve got a… Continue reading
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Podcast Friday: Super Stylin’ Edition
I loved talking with Wynne’s sister-in-law Lindsey in the most recent Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast. Lindsey’s a talented creative person who has mad, crazy skills in curating wardrobes, helping clients to simplify and feel good about themselves by honoring their bodies when it comes to styling and apparel. This isn’t JUST a… Continue reading
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Classic Rewind: Apocalyptic Brownies
Every now and then, a piece of writing, a post from the past still speaks to me. I smile when I think of these as my very own ‘classic rewinds’. Coming at you on this ICYMI-M (In Case You Missed It Monday). First published in August, 2022. I love the pic of my favorite “Dad and daughter”… Continue reading
“Surviving Sue”, a special story about resiliency and love: Eckhartz Press (paperback) and eBook on Amazon.
Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“
Visit Resources on Atkinson Group Solutions for more.
Podcasts
Listen to the “Sharing the Heart of the Matter” podcast.
Workshops
Chicago Writers Association Speakers Bureau – Writing for Wellness; Navigating Elder Care with Grace & Humor
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