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Greenville Grok

A few weeks ago I attended my second Greenville Grok. This is a local tech conference hosted by friends at The Iron Yard.

all photos by Jivan Dave

During those three days, I met people, talked with (relative) strangers, asked questions and got some great advice. It was an exhausting, but awesome time of learning and sharing ideas — with a little bit of kickball fun thrown in.

all photos by Jivan Dave

If you’re like me and a bit intimidated by crowds of strangers (especially super talented ones), the best piece of advice I can give you: seek out opportunities to volunteer. I was one of several volunteers that helped at Greenville Grok. It gave me a job to do and let me stay behind the scenes at times, both things I prefer. But it also forced me out of my comfort zone, answering questions and interacting with other attendees.

all photos by Jivan Dave

Aside from the volunteering duties, it would have been way too easy to sit in the corner and just watch everything going on around me. I will definitely be looking for ways to get involved in more events on a volunteer basis. As a part-time event organizer, I know that volunteers are crucial to the success of an event, plus, it’s fun to be behind the scenes, making things happen.

The biggest idea I took away from Grok was from Bryan Martin’s keynote. His advice to “Celebrate and Savor Checkpoints.” has come to mind so many times since I first heard it.

It applies to life, to work, and to everything in between. Pausing long enough to recognize and then savor the milestones that make up life is an important ability to develop. It breaks up impossible tasks into bite sized chunks and reminds you that progress is happening, no matter how much more has to be done.

Bryan Martin, by Jivan Dave

More words of wisdom from Bryan.

“If you can’t fix everything, just do a part and inspire others to do the same.”
“Problems are inevitable and temporary.”
“It’s all pretty ugly until it’s done.”

Bryan’s talk was incredibly inspiring, both in its delivery and sincerity. I’ve known Bryan for a few years now and honestly had no idea the extent of his talent. We all witnessed firsthand what it looks like to be passionate and humble at the same time.

Watch this video for just a glimpse of what I mean.

time for change.

A few weeks ago I chopped all my hair off. I went from this:

Super cute photo of us taken by Andrew’s mom.

To this:

I am so glad that I did it.

I’ve had short hair before and I trust my stylist, so in some ways it wasn’t a super risky risk. But it was exactly the change I’ve been needing.

All kinds of other exciting things have been going on lately, but I feel like this hair cut is momentus — worth documenting before it’s old news.

on control.

“We can shape our future to a point, but we can’t control it to any degree.”
— Dr. Steve Corts

thirty.

It’s already been a week since my 30th birthday.

Because of my amazing friends and family, it turned into an entire week of celebration. Between work lunches, flower parties, balloons, and a weekend away, there were so many wonderful things to remember.

Here are a few snapshots of the week:

The celebrations started with a flower arranging party.

Photo by Erin Godbey.

Then, last Friday, the big celebration.Photo by Jen Moreau.

The ceiling of our front rooms were covered in balloons.

Of course there were a few photos of my last 30 years.

Cake, and flowers and confetti, and (thankfully, not pictured) charades!

The view from the hallway, and one of the conspirators.

A silly confetti photo by Jen Moreau.

All of this was on top of a special video Andrew put together with help from friends near and far. Then, there was a wonderfully quiet weekend in the mountains with more friends.

I am so blessed.

greenville urban sawmill.

A few weeks ago, Andrew and I headed down the road to Greenville Urban Sawmill to find some wood for a quick DIY project.

We wanted an interesting side table for our front room and loved the idea of using a sturdy block of wood. Turns out, they had exactly what we were looking for.

The sawmill and workshop were so inspiring that I took a few photos to share.

We also bought a small slab of wood to make a bench near our entryway.

It’s difficult to tell scale from this photo, but these are two-, three- and four-inch thick pieces of wood! The guys at Greenville Urban Sawmill make custom furniture, but they also offer raw materials for people interested in making something themselves. Their prices are fantastic too!

In addition to being a talented craftsman, Steve was also incredibly helpful, giving us tips about what products we could use to seal the wood and more.

Once we got our giant block of wood home, Andrew sanded the sides, then coated it with a paste wax, which seals and protects the wood without giving it a shine.

The end product is a beautiful, simple, sturdy table, made from local wood. While it took some effort on our end, this project really couldn’t have been more rewarding.

I also loved that through the process, we were able to meet and support the folks at Greenville Urban Sawmill. The value of working with someone who knows what they’re talking about and is willing to share their knowledge can not be overestimated. We can’t wait to work with them again!

appropriate.

“The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.”

—Frank Lloyd Wright

growing up.

One month from today is my 30th birthday.

With everything that statement entails, I’ve been trying to figure out how to embrace this fact instead of dreading it. Two ideas have stood out. First, Andrew suggested that I journal for this next month. Something private, just for me.

I like this idea a lot. Not because I’m a writer, but because writing definitely helps me think through things. And, in a nutshell, I need to figure out how to deal with growing up.

Second, I’m considering a #30daysuntil30 Instagram series of what life looks like at the moment. I like the idea of daily(?) snapshots and the challenge to find something beautiful to appreciate in every day — even the mundane ones.

I want to be grateful for my life just the way it is, and stop focusing on all the ways I thought I’d have it all together by now.

Here’s to the last month of my twenties.

food for thought.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

— Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Support what you love

Tonight, I tried to visit readymade.com only to be redirected to Better Homes & Gardens website. Silly or not, that discovery is fighting to ruin my night. I’m so tired of good publications being put out of business by mediocre ones. This is just one more in a long line of casualties. It’s depressing.

Hundreds of advertising-driven magazines exist in spite of useless content, and the ones with great content can’t seem to live long, no matter how adoring their fans. While I love the internet and technology, never once have I’ve wanted to read a magazine on a screen.

If nothing else, this is a great reminder that I need to put my money where my mouth is. I immediately headed to the Kinfolk Magazine site to purchase a subscription. This is one publication that I want to live on, for a long time. I’ve picked up an issue here and there, but tonight, I’m happy to give my money in exchange for a quality product.

Moral of the story: If I don’t actively support the ideas I love or admire, they may cease to exist. Specifically, I’m thinking about magazines, local businesses and artists. Even good ideas require funding.