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Charming Cold December Night

  • Dec 24, 2017
  • 3 min read

Updated: Apr 19


You never know when a Writer is going to put you into their story....

Holidays, Dickens Fair

Song of the day: 'Cold December Night’

- Michael Buble

_________________________

Six years ago this month, the man pictured cornered me at a friend’s holiday birthday party.


In other words, he monopolized my time with his witty charm. He took my phone out of my hand, dialed his number and called himself; with a coy and very confident smile he handed my phone back to me:

“Let’s get coffee sometime.”

My immediate thought was“Boy is this guy confident. He knows he’s charming. He’s in for a surprise when he realizes that self-aware Charm does not work on me....”.

I was over having any type of serious romance in my life—I juggled all I thought I wanted to handle.

December 24th I receive a Facebook friend-request followed by random, very clever, text messages that were fun because they gave me pause to think about and reply. Sprinkled between the clever texts would be an invite to coffee or Thai. I’d politely decline or postpone because I was rather busy with work and parenting my dog. If he wanted to hang out he’d need to come to me. And after a month and my finally agreeing to meet for coffee that’s what he did—he came to me. I treated it as a business meeting—I picked his brain about the writing profession. He kept my already active mind stimulated, which impressed me. We talked until the place closed and we got hungry, so, he invited me over for a ‘Serenity’ watching party he was hosting and now very late for (people were already arriving at his house).

I wasn’t going to go. I had work to do at the duplex where I was acting Property Manager, and tenant. That very cold December night I was on my hands and knees on the ground, digging and scratching at the surface—pulling at overbearing weeds from between the canals formed by brick....and feeling 100% relatable to Cinderella. Then....my near frozen fingers met with the large corpse of larvae—and froze in place. I resisted tears, which threatened to water both cheeks and give my lashes a lashing. I called my best friend. She talked me into going to the movie night "Just go inside, shower, walk April, and go!” So, resolutely, I did. I guessed some trivia at the party correctly (not sure how, as I had never seen ‘Firefly’ but I have been known to read a lot of books, so....I can generally figure out gists of story).

Though he tried, I made him wait a couple months before I let him plant a kiss on me, and another month before he insisted we call us officially exclusive—with a title. Which means he had to wait a year before we’d exchange a kiss on a cold December night....And repeat each December, five years and counting.

Like his novels he’s a Romance with a rough exterior. He challenges me daily.

I suppose an undercover Artist who is a Writer and self-professed Gamer, and an undercover Writer who is an Artist and an Athlete... compatibly enjoy doing what we do best—we keep each other (and others) guessing.

(And I guess you can say he’s got me Charmed) <3

Holidays, Dickens Fair

 
 
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About Me & BeGolden Success
Values-driven purpose and integrity are
of my highest regard—and are key ingredients
to BEING golden.​

To be golden is to embody humble leadership

and simultaneously not dismiss

your inner power to reap success with integrity.

After committing nearly two decades of my life to representing TeamUSA, in May 2025 I became a retired Olympian. I have since shifted my profession from Athletics to investing my time into clients, driving elite performance into impactful results.

 

I turned my athlete BeGolden℠ motto and brand into a service that gives back to community and ESG-minded individuals—I coach the facilitation of healthy habits that are lead components of highly effective leadership and development

People come to me for:

Business ethics and compliance initiatives, collaborative program management, and to help them develop tools to proactively embody personal and professional fulfillment.

 

Clients are walked through assessments, habit formation, application of self-knowledge paired with clarity, and how to reap the benefits of self-directed commitment to accountability.

 

The focus areas and tools at the heart of BeGolden℠ Success:

 

  • Assessing and understanding key pillars of

      Well-being,

  • Motivational Interviewing,

  • Multi-Health System’s Emotional Intelligence EQ-i 2.0 & 360 (team and individual assessment),

  • an applicable understanding of Enneagram and Attachment Theory.

Self-discipline and direction,
paired with guidance from trusted sources
of expertise, is how dreams are made reality. 

 

The phrase ‘BeGolden' is one I have used to motivate myself through adversity—inspired by observing my beloved golden retriever, April, who is the epitome of what it means to be: BeGolden Success. Dogs teach humanity about resiliency, how to exhibit unconditional love and how the act of acceptance resonates; to exhibit embodiment of universal principles unabashedly, and perseverance through disappointment, illness, heart-break, and adversity.

 

Lymphoma took April from Earth too soon, and yet inspired a commitment to finish a mission I had started but had abandoned years prior to having her in my life. She endured much and through all, she persisted at exuding love, compassion, self-discipline, and a will to make the most of her life—with heart and humble leadership. She inspired me to BE GOLDEN (to be more like her, to advocate universal principles unabashedly). She was intelligent, family-oriented, athletic and active, mindful, playful, unwavering, and she persevered through anxiety and through circumstances and environments that continually change. 

 

Our well-being is more than fitness and healthy eating, BeGolden℠Success is an embodiment that harnesses eight key pillars of leadership and development:

- financial health,

- career satisfaction,

- sense of community,

- family connectedness,

- sense of joy/spiritual (separating from toxic ego),

- physical fitness,

- general components of health that keep us mobile, and

- mental fitness (self-knowing with accountability).

Brief bio:

I was born in California among mountains and the eclectic lifestyles of the Bay Area. My profession and interests take me exploring worldwide.

My fuel is curiosity.​ 

I believe community thrives on creativity and commitment to having a proactive role in life.  

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