Category: Blog

10 Best Romantic Korean Dramas on Netflix

The first time (in 2021) I spent 16+ hours of my life watching a single KDrama series with friends, I was addicted. I have put in many more “kdrama hours” since, so I had to write this blog post and share a bit of my favorite romantic ones! Which have you seen?


10. Romance is a Bonus Book

Kang Dan-i is a person you want to root for. She is a character kind of like Will Smith was in The Pursuit of Happyness. Dan-i has had a seemingly tough time since the beginning. Divorce, starting over, lacking stability, struggling financially, bullied at work, the list goes on. Good thing for her…she is able to meet her challenges with the support and help of her best guy friend Cha Eun-ho. Eun-ho loves Dan-i and is ready to convince her of his love — even if she keeps sticking him in the friend zone.


9. She Would Never Know


Frustrating “love” story throughout so much of it. I kept saying, Yoon Song-a girl…get it together 😒

Song-a is dating her boss who turns out to have been engaged the whole time. When a co-worker (Chae Hyeon-seung) with a crush on Song-a reveals Song-a was actually the mistress in the affair, surprisingly Song-a doesn’t want to get over her fling as quickly as Hyeon-seung (her coworker) wants her to.

We watch an annoying step & repeat storyline where Song-a does not like Hyeon-seung then she does, and then she leaves him, but then she wants him again.

I added this to the list because Chae Hyeon-seung was a hopeless romantic and you cannot help but cheer for him and his efforts even when his time could be better spent elsewhere.


8. Her Private Life


Art Curator Sung Duk-mi is incredibly talented at her day job. She is also a k-pop artist stalker of sorts; as a hobby.

Meanwhile, her new boss Ryan Gold has a ton of secrets himself. Gold and Duk-mi navigate the awkward parts of working together and maintaining their secrets. They eventually really lean on each other for emotional support as their secrets get revealed.

Living double lives is the name of the game for this drama but it also makes for a cute and quirky romantic comedy. Watching their relationship unfold is bound to keep you really engaged like it did for me!



7. Clean with Passion for Now


It took me a while to get into this one but I am glad I stuck with it. I was glad to see an inclusive story line that includes members of the neurotypical community.

Gil O-sol’s character is simply a mess of a human for the most part. She is usually drunk, clumsy and often very messy; literally. Even though keeping things clean is not a personal strength, O-sol manages to land a professional cleaning job. CEO Jang Seon-gyeol has mysophobia, is extreme in his fear and hate for germs, dirt and anything out of place.

The ‘opposites attract’ angle lays on strong for this one but it works. You start to see both characters round out some of their inflexible areas to meet in the middle and kindle a friendly romance. This drama has a bit of a love triangle too with a mysterious neighbor who has loved O-sol for many years and wants her to return his feelings. Throw in Seon-gyeol’s overbearing, scary father and you have got yourself an all-out drama to keep!

Keep tissues on standby. There is an episode or two in there that may make you cry.


6. Crash Course in Romance


All the math content went right over my head but I really enjoyed the dynamic development of Choi Chi-yeol and Nam Haeng-seon’s stories. Beware there is a creepy supporting character in this drama to keep viewers on their toes. But better news — there is more than one love story at play in this series. I vote that Crash Course in Romance is a keeper!


5. You Are My Spring


I did not expect to like this one as much as I did. I usually do not choose fictional psychological thriller shows with dark elements like murder and suicide. I leave true crime content to my documentary playlist.

This series definitely has some twists that keep it interesting. Darkness aside, the importance of good mental health has a nice platform here. One of the main characters is a therapist.

I will say I thought the love story was a cute one and I could not stop watching! Ju Young-do is protective from the very start and you see that theme throughout. Also worth mentioning — part of what kept me from turning it off after the first drop of blood —- the drama was skillfully portrayed in such a uniquely creative and artistic way. Two thumbs up if you can handle it!



4. Extraordinary Attorney Woo


Woo Young-woo is a young lawyer with Asperger’s Syndrome. While Woo’s bold honesty gets her in trouble sometimes, her approach is so wholesome and she is incredibly intelligent. It is impossible not to like Attorney Woo Young Woo.

Besides Woo Young-Woo, I also fell in love with Lee Jun-ho who is one of the few kind, patient and loving people in Attorney Woo’s corner from the start. Jun-ho wants to woo her so badly (pun intended!) that he will give his time for anything Woo likes, even her whale obsession.

Between the constant crime cases at court, two major competing law firms and a past that circles back for Attorney Woo, you’ll be pressing that ‘Next Episode’ button so fast at the first sight of end credits!



3. Doctor Cha


In a Word…Powerhouse. Cha Jeong-suk (Dr. Cha) starts as a stay at home mom who has been trampled and overlooked by both herself and her family. They all see her mostly as a servant. Cha’s husband is not faithful, her kids order her around, her in-laws think she should be grateful for the lacking life around her because at least the house is nice and her husband pays for things. Cha is a devoted mother and wife but something is missing.

Dr. Cha has a health scare that starts to wake her up to wanting more from the life she has. Despite the naysayers (mostly her family sadly) she decides to make a bold career move at her age and later stage of life. When life gives you lemons girl…

This series explores family relationships, adulting as children grow up, choosing self over unhealthy marriages and finding strength to move forward in life, love and career even after constant setbacks. Circumstances certainly do not always go how Cha thinks they will but sometimes that works out for the best.

As far as romance, Dr. Cha is completely oblivious but a hot new doctor at her hospital definitely tries his best to make her feel seen and heard. It is the kind of care she deserves.



2. King the Land

This is my show! I almost cried because this was a 2 episode weekly release at the beginning. I was literally stalking my Netflix feed for updates.

As for the series — classic guy and girl despising each other at the beginning. Slowly but surely they start to realize they have more in common than they thought. Then they become more endearing of the other and you want them to live happily ever after. Their main character romance helps you forget a lot of the mean, greedy characters in the show which is nice.

Sidekick perk: There is also an adorably goofy and funny assistant to the leading character. To be honest, I would watch a second season with the sidekick as the main man.



1. Crash Landing on You


Crash Landing on You will always be number one for me. Always. I went through every emotion watching this show. I think I fell in love, laughed, cried each time I turned it on. There was so much action and layers to the storyline. It was just that good.

Yoon Se-ri is a famous and successful entrepreneur from a tough and cutthroat family in South Korea. Thanks to terrible tornado weather on an otherwise perfect day… Se-ri ends up across enemy lines in North Korea. There Se-ri has to convince everyone who comes in contact that she is not a spy, including the military men (led by Captain Ri) who are doing everything to protect their own lives by keeping her hidden in plain sight until she can return home to South Korea.

Along comes this corrupt jerk (who shall not be named) that desperately wants to destroy anything in his way to absolute power. That jerk goes after Se-ri and Captain Ri through intimidation, invasions of privacy, assault, etc. Se-ri has nothing to worry about though because the gorgeous Captain Ri has promised to do everything in his power to keep Se-ri safe as long as she stays in his sights. His limits are definitely tested on his promise but he will never give up.

There are a lot more characters and interesting storylines with plenty of mystery, drama and even a few laughs. All in all — ‘Crash Landing on You’ is the love story of a lifetime. I have not met a person yet who does not love this series!




Honorable Mention: *Business Proposal*


Kang Tae-moo has to meet his grandfather’s demands to settle down. He goes on a blind date with a girl. As fate would have it, that girl Shin Ha-ri is pretending to be her best friend because her best friend wanted to ditch the blind date. At dinner, Ha-ri suddenly realizes her blind date is actually her boss. At first, Ha-ri somehow manages to keep her identity a secret but now needs to keep ruse that up.

Later Tae-moo and Ha-ri end up striking a deal to fake a relationship that starts to turn deeper for Tae-moo when he realizes who Ha-ri is by accident and that he actually is developing feelings for her. Ha-ri is also a badass food scientist in the show which is just a cool tidbit. The whole show is quite cute.


I have so many on my watch list but I am always open to more. Any recommendations?

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before My Adult Tonsillectomy (And Other Things I Learned Along the Way)


This blog post is my personal experience. It may be funny, extreme and/or helpful to some. I am not making any attempt to over exaggerate. I actually wish I could say this whole thing was an over exaggeration.

It’s true others may have had very different experiences. Maybe they could talk within 24 hours or had the best sleep of their life after watching comedies and eating ice cream all day. Well, I am not them and that is not my story friends.

I had to write this while it’s fresh so it’s probably not going to sound happy. Sorry but not sorry. I’m writing for the people who want the real version in case they find themselves in such a seat. And also for the people who could use a chuckle because they would NEVER find themselves in such a seat LOL.

This blog post may even come off as complainy which is fine because I am complaining, so that tracks LOL.

Let’s get to it…



1. Age Matters
If only one of the several ENTs and doctors I met annually since 2013 had taken my concerns seriously. Perhaps I would have been enough years younger to have an easier recovery but it took 10 years of advocating for myself.

While I am truly grateful for the medical staff who took care of me and handled my surgery, I am not grateful for the recovery that has been hell in my apparently old age. (My age is indeed why they told me recovery has been such a bear 😒)



2. Fast Procedure, Slow Recovery
I wish the doctor had saved a tonsil or took a picture for me to see. Before I went under I asked if she could save the biggest tonsil stone so I could really see what brought me here. She laughed it off both times so I guess that’s a no.

The last I remember them saying at the hospital was you won’t remember a thing…


After I gave my final wishes to the anesthesiologist team, I was wheeled into a room where I could see nothing but blurs because they had removed my glasses. Some people said some things and next I know, I was waking up in a different room. Almost unsettling how that happens lol!

I threw up night 1 after surgery. To be fair the anesthesiologist said it could happen but there is no way to prepare for that feeling. There was no stopping it and with nothing in my tummy (you have to fast before surgery), there was nothing to give. I just had to let my body go through the motions until I forced myself to calm down. I thought I might have to go to the ER. I could suddenly feel the burnt throat bits. It was the worst. It sucks when you want to cry but can’t because that hurts too. Throat got tight. I didn’t want to sniffle up cry snot. I never had such a major silent protest against everything. Unfortunately, I threw up about 3-4 more times over the first couple weeks.



3. Ice Cream? Yeah Right
It should be said humor and sarcasm are some of my favorite coping mechanisms. I repeat: I did not enjoy this experience at all LOL.

The hospital said I could eat soft foods by day 2. IKYFL!

Everyone who’s like…”You just get a couple days off to enjoy some ice cream.”

…Who are these people!?


Most tried to pacify me with this beforehand. “Oh it won’t be so bad. It’ll be worth it. Ice cream and popsicles all day sounds like a dream.”

What they forgot was, I don’t even like ice cream or popsicles that much.

You fail to realize how much you involuntarily swallow your spit in a day or adjust your throat to breathe. Next time you notice it, think about if it hurt every single time you did that. So honestly, when I thought about minimizing mucus…the last thing I wanted was vanilla ice cream draping my throat and causing me to gag. Ewww

I’d rather have a burger and fries or yummy pizza but those were totally not possible. My diet for the first two weeks was primarily small sips of water. I will be posting another blog after this to share what I actually ate and drank post surgery. While this absolutely should not be used as a diet plan, I actually lost 12 lbs by Day 13 post surgery. I hadn’t been that small since pre-pandemic.



4. Say What You Need To Say…Beforehand
I’m grateful for my niece who from the beginning was like you’re going to hate it and it’s going to be terrible. It didn’t make me feel better by any stretch but at least it was honest. Then she gave practical tips like using ice packs on my throat and that changed my life.

I was giving The Little Mermaid vibes when Ariel can’t speak!


And I’m an introvert. I don’t even like general talking like that. But when you take away a simple freedom like speaking, boy it feels like it’s never coming back. I could not open my mouth enough to get words out and it hurt too much to try. The first week was a lot of unofficial sign language, grunts and written notes. I learned pretty quickly to keep things concise!


5. Time is a Social Construct
At some point I completely lost track of time. I started tracking my days in how long ago I took my last pain med dosage. Is it giving narcos yet?




6. Your Intestines May Struggle
⚠️This part is gross. A complete TMI and possible overshare so if you’re squeamish about bodily functions, skip this paragraph. Final warning ⚠️

I am not saying I could win an award for the state of my digestive tract but I was regular enough previously. It’s one of the few things I can admire about my internal system.

Let’s just say…I had surgery on a Monday. In 21 days I pooped 2 times. Now that’s some scary sh*t.

Mind you I hadn’t eaten my regular diet of trans fats and sugar but still. I thought the couple spoonfuls of yogurt, the tiny half mashed sweet potato and other small, sad snacks I pushed past my swollen throat would lead to something! It did not. They say this is what those really strong hospital meds can do to you. And taking laxatives while on a medication that makes you sleepy several times a day. God… please forbid the two experiences ever meeting 🙏🏽

⚠️ Trigger warning complete. Welcome Back! ⚠️



7. Stay Hydrated!
I found out I can manage without eating since I physically couldn’t. Even when it hurt like hell, I still did my best to drink water – still, sparkling or coconut, whatever worked. I tried gatorade because it was on the after care list but it honestly dehydrated me and made the pain more prominent. I also noticed a new unbelievable nerve pain — tracing from my jaw to my throat to my ear — that would stop me in my tracks and make me press ice immediately to my face until it relaxed.

The reason why I personally forced myself to sip water even when I felt extreme pain was because the medical folks said staying hydrated was a way to keep the pain from getting worse and it speeds up recovery. If they would not have told me that, I prob wouldn’t have bothered with those tiny sips every few mins. Instead I like to think it saved me from worse so sip your water!



8. No Rest For the Weary
Sleeping and waking from sleep were the saddest moments of the day. Mostly because there was no sleep for at least 3 weeks. Waking from closed eyes and realizing my attempt to sleep upright were thwarted by my large head which does not like upright sleep. Usually my head was too far back or too far down on my chest and any attempt to move it was met by severe and extreme pain either in my ears or throat or both.

If by day 2 they would have given me the option to safely go in a coma where I could stay hydrated and fed then come out healed up, I would have taken it. I don’t mean that lightly.


I was on Google daily researching. I thought maybe I missed a tip because no one was talking about these conditions enough. They said sleep propped on pillows for the first 3-4 days but then what? Because the propping didn’t work for me. Was I missing an instructions page because they sent me home to recover for at least 3-4 weeks, not days. I need more information!!

Also, most articles out there are written for toddlers. Apparently tonsillectomies are a rare footnote in the adulting handbook. I think that’s part of why I decided to write this blog. Maybe it will help someone else who’s desperate for more information!

For example, have you ever eaten a sour candy and your throat just tightens to a crease? Maybe I’m describing it wrong but you know that sensation I mean. That started around Day 5-6 and would often lead to silent tears. I couldn’t find any info to help me so I just powered through as best I could. Everytime we spoke to my doctor they said everything was normal. Maybe somebody else can comment on something they know about it.



Lessons in patience. I’m telling you.


9. Fill the Gaps with People Who Care

Most people don’t really want to hear about your pain. They want to hear about your progress.

Thank those who hold space for you to not be 100%…to still not be okay even after days of check-ins. Those are the people you need, especially at the beginning. People who haven’t experienced this surgery and recovery probably won’t fully understand what you’re going through. Empathy and patience is important long before people wonder when you’ll get back to normal life.

I was really struggling at times. I didn’t want to pretend I was ok when I truly wasn’t. And things were moving slower than expected which sucked. Having people be with you in that in between…when you have to rely on others and may be at your most vulnerable…is some deep love.


Here are some of my Thank Yous:

Thank you sister who picked us up from the hospital after surgery and made sure we got home safely. Also thank you for my glittery crocs that made surgery day and every day since so much more comfortable to walk and lounge as needed. They became my favorite comfort shoes on the journey to getting better.

Thank you to my sisters, parents, niece, nephew who checked on me daily, gave me advice and encouragement, sent outside world pictures and awesome netflix recommendations.

Thank you friends and loved ones for your check-ins and messages and food gift cards ❤️. I am loved beyond measure and that means more than you know but I hope you know!

Thank you medical team. I literally saw so many people there’s no way I could remember everyone but I met a lot of nice and helpful people. Other than the follow up appointments where I hope most of this will continue to be forgotten by, I wish you all well and hope we never have to meet again on this subject LOL.

Thank you to my significant other who has the patient of a saint. From surgery day and every day since he has been my caretaker at home. He had to put up with me and my burnt smelling throat whenever I tried to speak though I mostly had to text since I couldn’t open my mouth. He hunted down a pharmacy that could fill my pain med prescription since my regular pharmacy doesn’t stock hospital narcotics. He switched out my ice cups, waters, ice packs, pillows, rubbed my back every time I threw up (even at 3am), refilled my humidifier umpteen times, made me baby sized meals of whatever I asked for so I could try eating, tracked my progress, handled my phone calls, held my hands, wiped my tears, encouraged me, prayed for me and loved me so well. I know you hate when I’m hurt and you can’t just fix it…🥹 You are a king among men.



10. A Journey of Ups and Downs
After a few weeks, I commandered (is that even the word??) a breakthrough day where we took a walk outside in fresh air and bright sunshine. It felt like the kind of progress I needed. I realize it sounds dramatic but I didn’t know when it would come.

I still have trouble sleeping at night. I wake up several times to re-adjust my head, clear my throat, drink my san pelly. I still can’t say more than a few sentences without needing to take a break. My throat and neck still ache. I drink water all day long and never feel like my thirst is quenched. It’s not a simple bounce back.


The journey to recovery is not over but I am grateful at whatever day I have arrived to.
Thank for you reading my story. Oh and please wait at least 6-12 months before asking me if it was worth it 🫶🏾


PS. I think this would be a fascinating animated experience. I want to write a illustrated book lol! Who knows an illustrator?

PPS. I tried to cover most everything I experienced but may have missed something. If you are going to have a throat surgery or are in recovery now and have questions like I did, please let me know! I’d like to help anyone I can by sharing my experience. If you went through this operation or something similar, what would you add from your experience?

#tonsillectomy #adulttonsillectomy
#surgeryafter30 #surgery #postsurgery #blog #adultsurgery #tonsillectomyafter35 #surgeryafter35 #health #healthcare #lifeuntangled #ENT

New York, New York

A week ago (boy time flies!) I had the delightful privilege and honor to stand before a room of my peers in the workforce development sector. I was invited to New York City to join JobsFirstNYC as a guest speaker for a group of seven organizations who focus mostly on helping young adults, who are out of school/work, build workplace skills and find quality employment.

These orgs are doing really powerful work so I’ll link them below. You have to check them out!

Anyhow, so when I got the invite to be flown in from Chicago and have my hotel taken care of in Manhattan hunni, I was like, “girl, yes!”

Sidenote: You never know who’s watching you and taking notes. You never know when – who you are might open doors you hadn’t considered.

This moment has been in the making since April 2017 and I didn’t even realize it. In early 2017, I gave a speech in Chicago about employer engagement, strategies to building and maintaining relationships and overall success driver best practices for doing good work, tracking good work and using data to make sound business decisions. I was introduced to a consultant, Marty, during that meeting.

In 2017 I got a call from Marty with a request to talk to some individuals from New York over the phone. We had a great conversation about emplyer engagement and data.

Several months later, I recieved a request to do an event for New York. They offered a phone or live video conference for me to present. Unfortunately my schedule was insane so it didn’t work out.

Fast forward to April 2018, I was contacted by that same consultant friend, this time with an offer to visit New York and it worked in my schedule!

Taking a Water Taxi past the Brooklyn Bridge

The whole event was amazing. There was a lot of community learning happening as organizations shared with me and each other. There were great takeaways and action planning. This learning community takes times on a regular basis to meet and share their wins and losses, lessons and challanges. Instead of being competitive, they intentionally choose to collaborate. It’s inspiring, not only in our work but in our world.

At the event, I used my time to give an overview of my work, my team, describe our culture of metrics/data and share strategies for strengthening key internal/external feedback loops. I wanted to learn too and in addition to answering questions throughout the day to help as much as possible, I also took notes on ideas a few in the group offered me because who wouldn’t hear of an idea that could increase productivity and efficiency then do nothing!?

Action Planning Session

PS. If you’re not familiar with the work I do, here’s your chance to learn a bit more about Cara Chicago.

Walking through Cara’s Service Delivery Model

This space of helping individuals with barriers to employment, not only get back to work but thrive and walk with them as they transform their lives is such vital work. To sit in a room across the country and experience the synergy between my work and theirs was encouraging! I hope my insight will indeed help some individuals who sat in that room, along in their personal and professional journeys.

View of Lower Manhattan from Water Taxi

Outside of this really stellar part of my trip, I also had a few hours each day to explore New York City and boy did I! I walked all over town through Midtown and Brooklyn, Chinatown and Little Italy, Soho and Tribeca, Hell’s Kitchen and Lower Manhattan to name a few. My little legs were tired from all the walking but so worth it. And I saw crazy things, ate good food and had fun along the way!

Brooklyn Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

I already have a list of places to visit for next time. I look forward to more opportunities like this, more speaking engagements (I had a blast) and more cities to explore.

Thanks New York!

Organization list/links as promised:

Madison Strategies Group– connects individuals with quality employment, maximizing their unique talents to achieve advancement and independence.

Seedco –national nonprofit organization that advances economic opportunity for people, businesses and communities in need.

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation – partners with transportation and culinary employers to offer credentialing options for young people leading to a career pathway.

Green City Force – with partners Con Edison, C+C Apartment Management, and NYCHA’s REES focus on career pathways in the sustainability sector.

The Knowledge House – partnering on the Bronx Digital Pipeline with Hostos Community College and Per Scholas, developing pathways into cutting edge technology jobs by mobilizing pipeline partners who contribute to the Bronx tech ecosystem.

Roundabout Theatre Company in partnership with the IATSE union and The Door provide training and job placement for young people interested in technical theatre careers.

Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center partners with employers to train for careers in hospitality and food service. Isaacs Center also offers trainings in community health and education and child development.

Then They Came For Me

Free and open to the public until November 19th is a very honest, powerful, yet heartbreaking exhibit at the Alphawood Gallery in Chicago. You must see it if you can. Then They Came For Me is about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and the demise of civil liberties.

I went to go check out this exhibit finally over the weekend. I’ve gone past the building a few times and was struck by how they decorated the outside. How will you stand up to injustice?…giant posters ask as you go by. I’ve done my research in the past about Japanese internment camp incarceration so when the exhibit popped up I had to go see it. 

Then They Came For Me takes a look at a very difficult and painful part of United States history when the government forced over 100,000 American citizens and permanent residents out of their homes and put them into internment/relocation/concentration camps. because they were Japanese-Americans. This happened immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. 

The exhibit is wonderfully done with a number of life-size photos, artifacts and videos depicting the experience. They show what led up to that point in history, the experience of the people who suffered through that time and how that impacted their families for generations. 

Many “friends” and neighbors completely turned their backs on these Japanese Americans because of demeaning propaganda. They were treated like enemy spies even though there was no truth or proof or due process or charge or trial or sentence, just fear and hate driving policy that led to the infamous Executive Order 9066.

When the camps closed in years after the war, these families returned to racism, little hope and no opportunity. They were treated as outsiders, foreign enemies even though they were born in America, were Americans and called this country their home because it was their home. 

There was an interesting statement during a film in the exhibit that said there were 18 people arrested as spies in connection to the bombing but none of them were of Japanese ancestry. These citizens deserved the same human rights, civil liberties, respect and dignity of anyone else and they were denied all of it.

The exhibit also makes parallels between that experience and present day rhetoric and policy proposals driven by a culture of fear around Muslims in America, for many citizens and permanent residents who love their country and are loyal to a home that still treats them with on-going suspicion since 9/11. 

Decisions, laws, bills and executive orders seeking to make it legal to discriminate against people because of their religion or what they look like or the color of their skin or what they wear and using war and crime as the catalyst and propaganda to turn against anyone who looks like they could fall into that category. People in and outside their communities become black sheep, isolated, condemned, harrassed and the list goes on.  

Obviously we’ve seen this kind of hate and intolerance bubble up over and over again with many communities including the African-American community, the Latino-American community, other Asian-American communities and so on. Many people who are made to feel or believe that they don’t belong in a country that is theirs. 

For example, I was in a bar watching football a couple months ago and when the national anthem came on and a few players on the telly protested, a man in the bar began yelling, “Go back to your own country” and “If you don’t like it then leave” and other inappropriate comments which at the time I was thinking for a person who is trying to make a statement about disrespecting the flag and anthem, he sure was showing disrespect to both in that moment. I also thought to myself, this is their country so maybe if you don’t like it, then you can leave.  I’ve got stories like this for days and not just since the 2016 election.

It’s obviously very upsetting that these stories continue to happen. There is a saying that if we don’t know our history we are doomed to repeat it. Some days it feels as though we know our history well and still choose to repeat it, meaning that we don’t often learn from it. We don’t extrapolate the lessons that could make us not circle back to those same experiences. We can all use a dash more self-awareness, love, empathy and speaking up when injustice happens. Even you can be an agent of change.

If you can get to the Alphawood Gallery and see this exhibit before November 19, I would absolutely recommend it! 

Many of the photos and artifacts come from Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams who were photographers sent by the government to the document what was happening. There is also a daily screening of a film called “And Then They Came For Us,” created by Abby Ginsburg and Ken Schneider. The documentary is shown at the top of every hour.

Star Trek’s George Takei, a big advocate for human rights and civil liberties shares a lot in the exhibition because his family went through living in those camps, feeling betrayed and humiliated as they spent years behind barbed wire with armed guards from a watchtower.  He did a TEDTalk on it as well. 

Like I said before…honest, powerful, yet heartbreaking. 

Travel Untangled: Memphis, Tennessee

A few months ago, I had some vacation days to burn and some summer to enjoy. I asked my family to join me on a road trip to Memphis. 

We could spend time with my Uncle Sonny, a retired military vet who spent many years working in the Department of Corrections. He likes structure and routine but loves when family come to visit and disrupt all that. We had a great time. We could also…

.. See one of my fave former college professors and let her meet the cuteness that is my nephew. Then we could for sure…

 

…enjoy some sights and scenes of Tennessee. On our trip, we even took a few minutes to marvel at the mighty Mississippi River which we crossed at several points. We will definitely be back though, we didn’t make it to Beale street and some of the music tours we wanted because of several crazy, stormy weather days. 

One of the places we visited that I always wanted to check out was The Lorraine Motel. This is the location where civil rights activist and leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was shot. 

In addition to a memorial for Dr. King, there is also a Civil Rights Museum taking visitors through the history and journey of blacks arriving enslaved, enduring slavery and the on-going civil rights movement, to present-day, of African-Americans in America. A powerful mixture of triumphs and setbacks, the memories cascade even today since many of us or our parents and theirs are alive and saw the up and down times throughout history. We don’t have to look far however since America still isn’t very far on the spectrum of, “all men are created equal.”

Each room in the museum takes on a different piece of history. It’s always emotional for me, but I held myself together. That is, until I walked into a room with a song playing over the loud speaker and a video with lyrics on a giant screen. They were singing, “We Shall Overcome”….and I lost it. A ball of tears. I guess the outpouring of feeling overwhelmed me. Each word as powerful and relevant TODAY as decades prior.

It was quite an experience and I would recommend you take a visit to the Lorraine Motel someday. 

No matter who you are, where you are from, how you were raised or whatever else, we can teach ourselves (our kids, spouses, friends, neighbors, politicians, families, coworkers, etc) to be/do better because we know better, to really love people – all people, to show kindness and humility in our humanity. We can absolutely change the world. 

“I may not get there with you but I want you to know that we as a people will get to the promised land” -Dr. King

Final Civil Rights Museum room has quotes from many world leaders, including President Barack Obama

Hope you enjoyed the recap of my trip to Memphis! That place is full of history, music, great food, good fun and I can’t wait to be back.

Chicago Goods: Museum of Contemporary Art

In the last month, I have been to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) located downtown Chicago twice. They currently have Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami, on exhibition with The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg. 

Murakami has an interesting mix of artistic displays, ranging from traditional Japanese paintings to fun animated characters to kooky yet darkly playful looking, almost monster-like characters to pop art collaborations with musical artists like Kanye West.

MCA is located just behind the Water Tower Place, a mere block from the Magnificent Mile. Most days they are open until 5pm with the exception on 9pm on Tuesday and Friday and being closed on Mondays. Suggested regular admission price is $15 for adults. Illinois residents are free on Tuesdays which is also a treat because during the summer, MCA hosts ‘Tuesdays on the Terrace‘ which features live jazz from 5:30-8pm, has drinks for sale and space for people to mingle or chill on their back patio area. After the jazz is done, visitors have an additional hour to walk through all open exhibits before the museum closes at 9pm. 

Murakami’s The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg came out of the Japanese folk saying that an octopus in distress will chew off a damaged leg to ensure survival, knowing that a new one will grow in its place. 

A really profound concept when you think about it.

“The exhibition chronologically traces the many reinventions and refinements that have fueled Murakami’s career. I have now gone through the exhibition twice and I don’t think it will be my last. I find something new and interesting every time and there is plenty more to discover. Though some of the pieces have aspects that are plain weird, when I think overall about his message, I get it. I love that the exhibit goes in chronological order so you see the evolution of Murakami’s craft and mental state as he reinvents and refines over time.

I know the Art Institute of Chicago gets a lot of love (and it should!) because it has a lot more historical pieces but this is another option for people looking for something different in Chicago.

Murakami will be on display until September 6. Enjoy! 

Moms

The older I get, the more I appreciate my mom and what I have learned from her. She has had her set of triumphs and challenges in this life. In my eyes her triumphs are plentiful and outweigh anything else. She has taught me the love of learning and how to show compassion. I admire mom’s strength. It encourages me to live in my own strength. 
I am grateful for my mom and many other women in my life who have given motherly advice, been positive examples of wives, mothers, sisters and daughters I am proud to know and be like. 

You didn’t have to love me like you did but you did and I thank you. 

Happy Mother’s Day! 

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fyre

Surely by now you may have heard of a weekend fiasco (aka purebred sh*t show) called Fyre Festival, an expensive and decadently overpromised “luxury” festival in the Bahamas set to kick off last Friday. 

A dream deferred when as people arrived the festival’s promises went up in flames (in some cases, literally and yes the pun is intended). 

The festival’s organizers, McFarland and Ja Rule (which like, why?) have been under a lot of heat as they should be for taking thousands of dollars from people (just because some may have been rich doesn’t mean they deserve to be bamboozled) and totally not delivering the service nor the experience people not only expected but that Fyre Fest explicitly promised. Fyre Fest compared their inaugural event to Coachella in California which I haven’t been to yet but I guarantee people would not return if they experienced even a fraction of the hot mess Fyre Fest displayed. 

I won’t go into ALL the details of the unraveling that occurred because that’s what the internet for and you should certainly read about it. It’s terribly entertaining. 

In short, people bought high-priced tickets to stay in villas on a Bahamian island for what was supposed to be a two-weekend music festival. As people arrived, chaos ensued with lack of preparation and execution on the part of festival organizers and crew. People were pissed to find emergency response tents instead of villas, bare bones meals, lack of lights, security amd much more. It was basically camping which is fine if you knew going in that’s what it was. This was more of a bait and switch situation. 

Hearing the reports and seeing the pictures met a range of responses from hilarity to horror. Ja Rule became a Joanne the Scammer meme QUICK. It was all just a big mess. I started following the story because I was fascinated by the company responses or in many cases, lack thereof. 

Until they were dragged through every valley on social media, they seemed to play it cool or make excuses for why things weren’t ready. 

The following was the apology (or again lack thereof) attempting to explain away how their poor planning was not their fault. 

April 29, 2017

Yesterday was a very challenging day for all of us. But we would like to fully explain what happened.

Billy McFarland and Ja Rule started a partnership over a mutual interest in technology, the ocean, and rap music. This unique combination of interests led them to the idea that, through their combined passions, they could create a new type of music festival and experience on a remote island.

They simply weren’t ready for what happened next, or how big this thing would get. They started by making a website and launching a viral campaign. Ja helped book talent, and they had hundreds of local Bahamians join in the effort. Suddenly, they found themselves transforming a small island and trying to build a festival. Thousands of people wanted to come. They were excited, but then the roadblocks started popping up.

As amazing as the islands are, the infrastructure for a festival of this magnitude needed to be built from the ground up. So, we decided to literally attempt to build a city. We set up water and waste management, brought an ambulance from New York, and chartered 737 planes to shuttle our guests via 12 flights a day from Miami. We thought we were ready, but then everyone arrived.

The team was overwhelmed. The airport was jam packed. The buses couldn’t handle the load. And the wind from rough weather took down half of the tents on the morning our guests were scheduled to arrive. This is an unacceptable guest experience and the Fyre team takes full responsibility for the issues that occurred.

Everyone was very concerned for our guests. They needed a place to sleep and everyone did their absolute best to rebuild. We took everyone to the beach and built as many tents and beds as fast as possible, but as more guests arrived, we were simply in over our heads. Ultimately, we didn’t think security could keep up, so we had to postpone the festival. The response to the postponement was immediate and intense. We had no other options, so we began the process of getting guests quickly and safely back to Miami, which continued through the weekend. Our top priority as a company is to ensure the comfort and safe return home of all of our guests.

Then something amazing happened: venues, bands, and people started contacting us and said they’d do anything to make this festival a reality and how they wanted to help. The support from the musical community has been overwhelming and we couldn’t be more humbled or inspired by this experience. People were rooting for us after the worst day we’ve ever had as a company. After speaking with our potential partners, we have decided to add more seasoned event experts to the 2018 Fyre Festival, which will take place at a United States beach venue.

All festival goers this year will be refunded in full. We will be working on refunds over the next few days and will be in touch directly with guests with more details. Also, all guests from this year will have free VIP passes to next year’s festival.

We’re grateful for the Bahamian Government and The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for their assistance during this challenging time—their efforts have been exemplary. We want to thank the people of the Bahamas for their support and for graciously allowing us the privilege of visiting their islands. We apologize for any inconvenience the past 24-hours has caused and we look forward to making a considerable donation to the Bahamas Red Cross Society as part of our initiatives. We need to make this right. And once we make this right, then we will put on the dream festival we sought to have since the inception of Fyre.

Thank you for all your continued patience and understanding. We apologize for what all of our guests and staff went through over the last 24 hours and will work tirelessly to make this right. Please check our official social media channels (@fyrefestival) for further important updates.

You can (and should) do your research to fact-check. Still trying to save face, the company did not make an appropriate apology to address their role in the chaos at the same degree the mess occurred. The blame kept getting passed and there are still many stages of this story just DO NOT add up. They just don’t.  As a patron, that part would infuriate me because at the basic level this company is not acknowledging what they failed and misrepresented so everyone can move forward. 

For example, they apparently did not realize they were unprepared until people began arriving by plane to the island. 

They plan to try this again next year (which like, why?) and prove they can produce the vision they had. They are offering the option for refunds or people can opt for additional free VIP passes to next year and forgo their refund. The first lawsuit has been filed of which I am sure others will follow. 

The lessons for me in this story are simple: greed destroys, preparation is everything and taking genuine responsibility for your actions is what can actually save your butt when the smoke clears. As an aspiring entrepreneur, watching this company crash and burn in jaw-dropping fashion is a valuable example on how to not go down the same path even on smaller scales. 

Even If Your Voice Shakes

The best advice I ever received was ‘speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.’ I’m not even sure where I first heard it but it resonates deeply with me. 

I have always loved to read and write, something my mother influenced in me. I enjoy those things but sharing raw, personal information, having uncomfortable or difficult conversations doesn’t always come as easily whether in print or in-person. 

Over recent (…and ongoing!) years of maturity and self-boldness even if I feel fear, I push myself to have conversations that may be tough but need to happen. Whether it is addressing a crack in a friend or familial relationship, being vulnerable with sharing how much someone means to me, getting real with people about physical or mental health concerns, kicking myself in the pants often to progress or needing to get on the same page with people who are different so we can achieve goals at work or beyond. 

My mom told me if you have compassion and you show that in your delivery whenever you talk with people, they will receive it in the spirit you meant rather than be offended, upset or simply ignore you. Part of what we are accountable to with people is what we say but the other part is how we say it. 

Gear shift…

This week on the 26th marks my two year blog anniversary. My time flies. This is an exciting time because I am looking forward to exploring new mediums in addition to tradition blog-style writing like video blogging (vlogging for you hip folks). 

I will still keep writing every week because my content will be a little different. I am currently working on content for a YouTube channel with some fun topics about beauty, travel, food, fun, art and lots more. 

It took me a long time to try it. I kept talking about all these ideas and did nothing with them. Eventually, I had to feel the fear and do it anyway. That’s actually a blog topic for another day. Getting over the anxiety of trying something new. The fear of failure or the comparison drug that keeps one looking at someone else’s yard instead of focusing on our own. Hoping for the freedom someone else has without doing the work to gain it on your own. Be bold and go for what you want and need in this life. 

I am passionate about connecting across the globe – both near and far – with people I can both share with and learn from. I know as my digital network expands in the future it will always be a clear value to speak the truth even if my voice shakes. 

Baby Fullard Has Arrived!

Today is such a special day. We welcomed my nephew into the world and he is simply perfection.

It has been a bit of a hellish experience for my sister who was in the hospital 40 hours before the baby arrived. We are exhausted and will be recovering for a couple more days. Birth plans changed and there was a lot of pain involved but we are ultimately thankful for a healthy delivery for mom and baby. 

The new parents are adjusting to a new face in the family after many months of anticipation. We are all just SO delighted!