Bouquets of Newly Sharpened Pencils.

My sister and I ready to embark on a new school day
(and possibly new school year, though I really can't
remember the details.) Note the sweet Crayola book bags
and Kim's Trapper Keeper, not to mention our stylin' attire.

Even though it's been nearly 20 years since I've had a first day of school, I still get excited this time of year for students and teachers returning to the classroom.

(I'm pretty sure it's the geek in me, but for the sake of kindness, let's focus on my love for fresh starts for now. Thanks.)

A fellow blogger, Joy Sowell, posted the other day about her nostalgia for all things school. Just before reading her blog, I had noted on Facebook that reconnecting with some childhood friends right here at the beginning of the school year was making me nostalgic. The two combined brought back many memories of my own, including the joys of new Trapper Keepers, being so excited about school I couldn't sleep the night before (told ya I was a nerd), and seeing how long it would take to get in trouble for talking in class with this new teacher (if you know me, you know...).

Image credit:
Jennifer Carroll's
 Celebrating Everyday Life

New school years also always remind me of one of my favorite quotes from "You've Got Mail" as Tom Hanks' and Meg Ryan's characters reflect on the joys of fall:

"I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

So at the beginning of this new school year, my wish for all students and teachers both in academia and life is that those of us embarking on any new chapters, whether personal or known to the world, will have a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils at the ready.

Our new school year may be a project we've been itching to start, revitalizing a career, delving into a spiritual quest, beginning a healthier lifestyle, or rekindling an old friendship. Our bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils could be a 20-year-old set of tools we're brushing off to make something beautiful from something old. It could be a phone we're using to repair a friendship instead of check social media on the regular.

Whatever your bouquet of newly sharpened pencils and whatever your new school year, I wish you excitement and the best kind of geekiness, despite what age the calendar says you are.

It All Pays the Same.

Don Smith was a guy I worked with a while back.

Actually, I should correct that.

Don Smith was a guy who worked, and worked hard, and his work actually invoked sweat. Mine does not always do that.

But not only was Don a great coworker, he was also a fun person to know. He had fabulous stories and comments, and one that has stuck with me in the three years that have passed since we wore the same badge was, "It all pays the same."

He'd usually say this when I was apologizing about asking him to do something that I found entirely unappetizing -- perhaps unloading a pallet of boxes, or sorting through a bunch of junk, or measuring random square footage so I'd have the proper dimensions for an upcoming event. The absolute best, though, was parking (and reparking, and reparking, and reparking) 50 Nissan trucks so that...get this...my aerial photo shots would be enticing to the media.

You KNOW he loved that.

For real. This man did WAY too much "beck-and-call" mess for my preference, but he did have a great point as he laughed and, without fail, shrugged and commented, "It all pays the same."

Maybe it's sad; maybe it's introspective. But fact is, I've probably mulled over that statement much more often than the deep, insightful career advice I've been fortunate enough to receive from PR/communications mentors and counterparts. Because on days like today, when I'm -- for real -- counting way too many rocks & seashells for my own good, or when I'm sweating my head off at an outdoors event, or when I'm practicing "the customer is always right" initiative, I have to remember, it all pays the same.

And that is something to be truly grateful for, whether I like what "it" is or not.

So thanks, Don Smith. I get it. And you're so right.

5th Element.

Five things I'm thankful for today are:

1. Bosses who listen when you say you need help.

2. Modern medicine.

3. Hair that allows for variety. (Curly, straight, ponytail, down, up, pigtails, etc.)

4. Friends in ALL places.

5. Books.