Born a crime

When I saw this book in the book store, I assumed it could not be that interesting. Lots of people have 1 white parent and 1 black parent. Lots of people are from South Africa. Since Trevor Noah hosts the Daily Show, I assumed he came from a privileged background because how else could he be here now? His father was probably a diplomat.

Sometimes, I am amazed about how much I don't know about anything.

Trevor Noah's story is really incredible. He was born in South Africa during apartheid. His parents were not married because they could not legally marry. His mother had to hide him from the police for the first few years of his life until it was no longer illegal for a black and white person to have a child. He grew up in Sowetto. His mother raised him and she has to be one of the most dedicated and incredible parents I have ever met by memoir. She was really clear about her values. They spent A LOT of time in church and she really didn't care what Trevor thought about that. His life was so filled with obstacles and hardship, it's just a miracle that he ever arrived here.

But, I finally understood why he was chosen to take over Jon Stewart's position at the Daily Show. No one could really fill Stewart's shoes. Noah is probably the only person on the planet with the resilience to do it. He could take his time to make the show his own because whatever he'd experience in the meantime was nothing compared to the challenges he faced growing up.

Incredible story.

Going Gray

A few months ago, I decided to let my gray hair grow out. I was talking to the kids' dentist... admiring her hair even though I had no idea why. She got very excited and introduced me to the world of  "going gray". It's a thing, apparently.

She recommended the book Going Gray, told me about facebook pages, showed me pictures, and talked about her own process. After reading the book, I see why the decision feels so big to some women. The author felt she needed to answer questions like "am I letting myself go?" and "will men still be attracted to me?". Anne Kraemer was a successful businesswoman. At one point, she was a VP at MTV (Nickelodeon, more specifically). I appreciate how genuine and open she was about her experience going gray. She also answered questions that I don't need answered. She did this by creating a profile on match.com, going to a straight bar, going to a lesbian bar, and lunching with male friends to hear their opinions.

If you don't like my gray hair, you can tell me. But your opinion won't influence me. I am too old. Also, I am tired of trying to figure out what color my hair should be. It just makes sense to let it be the color it is.

The Sleeping Lady

It's a destination.

I spent the weekend at a yoga retreat at the Sleeping Lady resort. It's pure luxury. No demands. No chores. Just yoga, cross country skiing, relaxing, reading, & eating while surrounded by amazing beauty. The mountains around Leavenworth are as beautiful as the Swiss Alps. I suppose that's why the town decided to create a Bavarian theme.. in case you didn't notice the mountains, you'd think.. hey, that Bavarian themed bank reminds me of something.

My friend and I have attended this retreat two years in a row and hope to make it a regular thing. My everyday life is great.. it can also be tiring. When I return from this retreat, I cannot believe how rested I feel and how tired I was. I am so grateful for the opportunity to recharge.