Colorado Gives Day with Breakthrough at AVCF
I've written a lot in the past about my life changing experiences volunteering with Breakthrough Colorado (formerly known as Defy Ventures - see posts here and here). It was five years ago that I first went into Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility to volunteer. Unfortunately, due to COVID, we haven't been able to run any in-person classes there since 2019. Today, for the first time in two years, we were back to kick off our third cohort at this facility. As a quick recap, Breakthrough is a nonprofit that transforms lives by teaching the power of change. We work with those who are incarcerated to rise above their past and focus on who they can be in the future, by teaching business and entrepreneurship skills that help participants get jobs after their release. (Through university partnerships, they even get an accredited business certificate upon completion of the demanding eight-month program; for many participants, the Breakthrough graduation ceremony is the first time they have ever gotten to wear a cap and gown.) Our executive director Stacey once said something that has stuck with me, especially after going through the Step to the Line empathy building exercise: we … [Continue reading]
What I Read in October 2022
I read eight books in October, which is right on pace where I like to be, even though I'm already well ahead of my goal of 100 books for the year. The three that I gave five stars to were all very different: a serious historical fiction novel, a light romance, and a business book that I can't recommend enough about changing the hustle culture in corporate America. 5 stars: The Golden Doves, by Martha Hall Kelly: As with all of Martha Hall Kelly’s books, I found this a bit slow to get into… but then I could NOT put it down, and stayed up till 2am to finish! (Oops.) In 1942, Arlette is a Parisian girl who begins working for the French resistance and is teamed up with Josie, an American living in Paris. They become best friends known as the “Golden Doves”, famously successful for the secrets they steal, and are ultimately imprisoned at Ravensbruck concentration camp. Ten years later, Josie is working for the US Army Intelligence unit to track down some of the Nazi war criminals who escaped justice, while Arlette is still trying to find her son who was lost in Ravensbruck. The book alternates between Josie’s and Arlette’s perspective, and also alternates between 1942 and … [Continue reading]
What I Read in September 2022
I read a lot in September 2022 - 9 books, or more than two a week! (Though two were pretty short.) However, there weren't a ton of standouts, for better or for worse - I gave everything either 3 or 4 stars. 4 stars: Uncharted Waters (Getaway, #1), by Sally Hepworth: This is a short story about a woman who goes on an Australian cruise retreat and learns about herself in the process. Ella is married and plans to take the cruise with her doctor husband, but an emergency prevents him from joining her so the retreat ends up being very different than she expected. There's a little bit of suspense, and it was certainly a quick snack of a read, but I think it was hard to pack that much intrigue into so few pages. Meant to Be Mine, by Hannah Orenstein: Edie's grandma has a special power: she has accurately predicted the day every single member of her family (and some close friends, too) will meet their life partner. Grandma Gloria has predicted 6/24/22 as Edie's day, and that's where the book opens: with Edie paying close attention to every guy who crosses her path, until a hot musician sits down next to her on the plane. There he is, right? Maybe not. The book has several … [Continue reading]
Hocus Pocus 2 Watch Party
Last weekend, I hosted a watch party for the Hocus Pocus sequel. Back in September, my friend Elizabeth texted a few of us when we first heard a sequel was coming out, and I said I'd be happy to host a watch party. It had been so long since I'd hosted a party, and as it turns out, my friends really missed them! I had a number of people tell me how excited they were for me to organize events again. Anyway, this was no big extravaganza - I had less than a dozen people attend. But I had a lot of fun putting together a menu and figuring out some cute dishes to make! I decided to go "90s Halloween" with the theme - serving up 90s fare with some spooky twists. For appetizers, I made a "Snackery Binx" board of fruits and veggies, which I served alongside a copycat TGI Friday's spinach artichoke dip (this, to me, is classic 90s, since my high school friends and I used to go to Friday's all the time), Dunkaroos dip, and monster munch chex mix. For the entree, I made an American-style "Ghoulash", which is actually a homemade version of Hamburger Helper. (I never ate Hamburger Helper as a kid, but it's still definitely classic 90s.) And for dessert, I made these healthy five ingredient … [Continue reading]
