Hi -- I'm Vicki and I’m a big believer in the power of connection – taking time to share what matters most. I love pondering...thinking about work, family and home life and I enjoy blogging about all of it. Cheers!
I carried unnecessary heartache, and I’ll admit, a few grudges for years. Once upon a time, as an ultra-ambitious young professional, I got caught in a snare. Thinking I was being groomed and trained as an apprentice and “next in line” for a plum position, I fell headlong into an attitude of servitude. Jumping at … More I’ve Let You Go
I don’t know what it is about late summer blooms, or the sharpness in the sky – the contrast of light and dark. It captivates my attention, especially this time of year when I know the phrase “burning daylight” is more applicable than ever. I’ve noticed this over the past three years. As much as … More Love, Nature, Family
I can be an overzealous person when it comes to learning. I think it’s a combo of characteristics – mainly my curiosity and impatience. I like to dig in…go long…follow the threads but I might end up on too many trails at once. A professor once told me I was like a firestarter. I put … More Three Things About Learning
Hello there, September! This month here at Heart of the Matter we’re focusing on curiosity and learning. I love the concept of lifelong learning and acquiring new skills by being open and curious about the world. Try as I might, in most instances of “new learning” I’m also laughing at my own misadventures. I have … More Love, Curiosity & Learning
I appreciate and admire my blogging friends who share their observations about people, whether in chance encounters doing everyday things or sweet reminiscences about home and hearth from days gone by. Examples? Ally Bean and slices of human nature at the grocery store; Deborah and a forested encounter with a woman wearing her favorite color … More Inspirations
The other day I got swept up in an interlude of wonder…thinking about a former student and whether or not she was well, and safe. She struggled with an eating disorder and as I got to know her, she made great strides toward recovery but the issues she faced would not be remedied easily and … More “Hold Them in Your Heart With Love”
There’s a word I use a lot and I’m bothered by it at times. Connection, connection, connection. I’d like to find suitable synonyms, but I haven’t devoted the time or effort to exploring. As much as I appreciate the quieter moments in my life, this introverted girl needs to know she’s seen and heard, just … More See-Saw: Seeking Quiet, Seeking Connection
Yep. I’m talking about the famous line from the 1983 film “War Games”. If you’re old enough to remember, the film “War Games” had seismic appeal to nerdy types of all sorts. Me? I was a newly married bookworm, wed to my lovable geek of an inventor husband. Yep – we married when we were … More Shall We Play a Game?
I enjoy questions. Gentle probes, whether I’m the inquiring mind or the query recipient. When I admire someone, I find a way to ask about a skill or quality I observe and appreciate. How did you come to be this way? Do you have a story to share? Occasionally, I’ll admit, it’s a technique I … More Light & Love
“Overwhelmingly, we are attracted to people who listen to us well. When things go wrong in any relationship, the first factor to consider is: Are we still listening?” -Glaser & Glaser, p. 17 Listening skills…they’re the bedrock of healthy relationships and if I had to isolate one topic addressed most frequently in my consulting practice … More Quiet, Please!
