For months now I’ve had a print out taped to the wall in front of my desk that reads, “Discipline is just choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” This has been a gentle reminder to me in those moments when I’m prone to take the short view rather than the…
Category: Thoughts
Becoming French
At the end of 2013 I submitted the paperwork to apply for French citizenship. Ten months later I received a letter telling me that my request had been granted, and in that very moment I became French. The following month I was invited to an official ceremony where I, and many other immigrants, received my certificate of nationality…
Not so secret Santa
The holidays are upon us and I just had a crazy wonderful awesome idea. I want to send you a gift. As you may know, I have been embracing minimalism, which means, among other things, that I’ve been getting rid of a lot of stuff. Books, kitchen items, clothes, electronics, knick-knacks. Olivier and I have…
On courage
Back in December someone called me a coward. I was taken aback; no one had ever called me that before. I’ve been called a lot of things, a lot of worse things even, but never that. Quite the contrary, I’ve always been known for my courage. At least that’s what I’ve been told, and I’ve…
Doesn’t everyone put maple syrup on their bacon?
Change of taste
In this world of ultra-connectedness, where there seems to be an ongoing race to tweet, Instagram and Facebook our lives in minute detail, I really do enjoy doing most things without feeling the need to tell the world about it. I don’t take a lot of pictures. I don’t tweet or post a lot about…