Home is where the Wifi connects automatically 💻

Aug 29, 2018

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#WednesdayWisdom

"fail splendidly. fail comfortably. use failure as a redirect. not a measure of your worth or value. fail beautifully." — nayyirah waheed

Morning Musings

Growing up, I had an active imagination. I told my sister alligators lived in the sewer and moth balls tasted like candy (sorry, April!). In first grade, I told my classmates that my real name was Jesse (after my favorite Full House character), but my parents wouldn't allow me to be called that until second grade (don't ask). And I also told my friends that I had three houses.

In my defense, the last one wasn't *really* a lie. I was referring to my parents' house in Harford County, Maryland and both set of grandparents' houses in Baltimore City. They were *my* houses because that's where I spent the majority of my time as a kid. It made perfect sense to me.

In college, I remember accidentally referring to the dorm I shared with five other badass women (and my future bridesmaids) as my home when I was at my parents' house one weekend. I immediately felt a pang of guilt, as though I were a traitor for considering this other place my home.

It happened again when I moved to Chicago to be closer to my then-boyfriend, now husband. And it's happening now that we bought a condo here.

Is Chicago my home? Baltimore? What about my in-laws' house in Ohio?

They say "home is where the heart is," and the modern adaptation is "home is where the WiFi connects automatically." If that's the case, then I actually have three homes now: in Illinois, Maryland, and Ohio.

Like the quote from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's 2015 comedy, Sisters, I've come to believe that "A house is just a building, home is a feeling."

Home is camping with my family under the stars at Assateague Island like I did this past weekend. Home is visiting my in-laws in Ohio and Minneapolis. Home is falling asleep in my husband's arms and sleepovers with my best friends.

All of these places are home because they're where the people I love are. Where, or rather, who, do you consider home?

Love,
L'Oreal

IRL

One of these days, I will have events and speaking engagements outside of Chicago. Until then, here's where you can find me this fall:

Sept. 13: FWD Collective Summit (use the promo code LT20 to save 20%!

Oct. 6: Young Feminist Conference (it's FREE!)

Oct. 20-21: #SpeakTruthSummit (use the promo code 'speaker25' to save 25%!)

Links I Love

My Latest Obsession

Shortly after The Election, several friends and colleagues suggested I should run for office. Now, my political aspirations both began and ended when I was elected president of my eighth-grade class (and threw the best Valentine's Day party known to man).

But in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, there has certainly been an uprising of women running for elected office. Author Jo Piazza's latest novel, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, gives an up-close-and-personal look at the good, the bad and the ugly of what it takes to run a campaign ... and at what cost.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't see a bit of myself in Charlotte: outspoken feminist, successful, highly ambitious. Who knows? Maybe someday I'll consider a run, but for now I'm fine living vicariously.

Want to win your own copy? Follow me on Instagram to find out how!

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Well, that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed this edition of LT in the City Weekly! Be sure to follow me on the Interwebs using the buttons below or simply click "reply" to tell me what you think. Thanks a bunches!