Springing Forward: Growth And New Work

March 8, Getting lay of land with the winter birds

Hello! I’ve writing news to share, including a new website name.

First, though: happy spring. One of my tricks to getting through winter is keeping out my two favorite Christmas decorations until spring arrives. Because aside from my daughter’s birthday, I’m not a huge fan of that last season.

If promise was a color it would be yellow: the first Forsythia peering from behind a grey tree, the first blooms of daffodils hinting at new life. At the promise of things to come.

In the spirit of spring, my writing platform is growing and changing as well. That’s why I’ve gone from DreadfullyBusy.com to KristinOKeefe.com. While I’m still busy, I’m also writing, editing and pitching a wide variety of work. It seemed time for a name change, a little rejuvenation.

I’m also back with some freelance pieces, which grew out of springtime conversations.

At a recent party for my son’s soccer team, a group of parents began reminiscing about our first jobs as teenagers. We worked at restaurants, amusement parks and camps; we learned to budget and advocate for ourselves. Those memories were so very fresh, those jobs were so very meaningful – especially in light of the fact that all of us have teenagers or tweens.

That conversation inspired me to write about my teen work experiences in First Job: Top 10 Takeaways For Your Teen on the excellent blog Grown and Flown. (If you’re the parent of a 15-25 year old, follow them.)

Earlier in the month the Washington Post’s On Parenting blog published The Best Advice I Received As a New Mom. It’s for any parent who’s felt overwhelmed with the myriad of stuff that accompanies a baby.

One of the challenges to writing these personal experiences is that they offer only one perspective: mine. Take the two stories above. Some readers will have very different experiences–perhaps one’s first job as a teen was used to put food on the table or pay for college; perhaps there was no fun involved. Maybe the baby item I found frivolous was an absolute necessity to a mother whose child had sensory issues.

Every story is valid. Thanks for reading mine, and I hope you share yours. Because in a world where some choose to scream and bellow their way through, the best thing we can do is talk to each other, not at each other.

If those conversations were a color, I think they’d be yellow too – pulling us out of winter doldrums, rejuvenating our minds and spirits. Here’s to spring and new growth — for all of us.

March 25 – winter birds tucked away, daffodils have taken over. Go spring!