6 Months to Live Blog

ChoiceMusic
May 24, 2011

Saying Yes! The Banjo Post

When was the last time you did exactly what you felt like doing? Not what you "should" do, not what you kind of wanted to do, exactly what you wanted--no compromises.  How many times a day do we tell ourselves, "not today" or "one day?" Photo by Tian Jiang What have you been putting off? I woke up about a…
Jacqueline 23
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Trust
May 1, 2011

In-between Sizes

Remember that awkward puberty period? That was fun. Clothes were either too big or too tight. Styles looked good one month and a sudden body shift would turn it into a trash item. Our society addresses this idea of limbo with a somewhat negative connotation. There's a pressure to figure it out immediately, "What are your plans?" True Growth Comes…
Jacqueline 8
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HeartTruly Living
March 27, 2011

A Tribute to My Grandmother

My grandmother passed on Ash Wednesday, March 9, 2011. I was given the honor to speak at her funeral 2 weeks ago. This is what I said about Mary Teresa, a woman that is dearly missed and will always be in our hearts. Mary Teresa Boone | 1910-2011 Eulogy for My Grandmother I’ve always known Grandmother is an angel. It…
Jacqueline 20
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Gratitude
January 16, 2011

Jimmy Stewart Moments

Every Christmas season I make my movie rounds. Tradition dictates that I start with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on Thanksgiving, followed closely by Scrooged, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, and of course, It's a Wonderful Life. No matter how many times I watch this movie, I am touched by the idea that we each make a difference. What, if like Jimmy…
Jacqueline 12
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TED TalkVulnerability
December 7, 2010

The “V” Word

"Courage is to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart." -Dr. Brené Brown's TED Talk I've tried to write this post several times in the past month. It started with a breakup. It took a detour with an empowering TED Talk I watched today that essentially says the people that feel the most loved and connected…
Jacqueline 21
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Celebration
November 12, 2010

I Believe!

Today marks the 1-year-anniversary of 6 Months to Live! It's been quite the week leading up to this moment: featured on Freshly Pressed for the first time, feeling incredible highs and lows, and reconnecting with numerous friends to name a few of the highlights of the past 7 days. If I had to single out one overarching theme or thought…
Jacqueline 16
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Gratitude
November 9, 2010

Centenarian

My grandmother turns 100 next week. I've had the privilege to know her a quarter of her life. When I was born, I had an Apgar score of 1 (10 is a perfectly healthy baby and 0 is a dead one). Needless to say, my parents were stressed. My grandmother and the rest of the family drove down from Kentucky…
Jacqueline 136
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PerspectiveThought Provoking
November 2, 2010

Being Human

Where does the line between aiming for one's personal best and perfectionism lie? Those close to me know that I have very high standards for myself, and I'm always striving to be a better version of me. An unfortunate side effect of this seemingly noble goal is that I don't cut myself (and sometimes others) much slack. Enjoy the Journey…
Jacqueline 9
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Heart LanguageThought Provoking
September 21, 2010

It’s in the Stars—Or Not

I believe in yuan fen (Chinese word for fate). I read my horoscope occasionally. I pay attention to the cycles of the moon. My thought is if the moon controls tides, it affects people too. Thousands of years of studying and observing the stars and planets has to mean something. Many cultures examine charts to decide an auspicious day to…
Jacqueline 11
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Life changing momentsPerspective
September 12, 2010

Deep Thoughts at the DMV

During my 4 hours at the California DMV (yes, it really took that long), I had time to think. After much deliberating, I decided that it made sense to call San Francisco home and trade in my Georgia peach for a California girl. I was surprised at how difficult this was for me. How do we identify ourselves? "It's a…
Jacqueline 0
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CourageNo Regrets
September 5, 2010

Undo Button

I recently located the "undo" button for my online checkers game, allowing me to instantly erase a move that cost me a king or a double jump. How nice would it be to have an "undo" button for life? How many times have we all said something we wish we could delete or acted in a way we've conveniently glossed…
Jacqueline 8
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Heart
July 14, 2010

Be You

The most courageous act you will ever commit is to simply be yourself. I rarely speak in absolutes, I can confidently say it takes sheer courage to be all of who we are. While living in China, one of the most prominent cultural differences I noticed was the idea of sacrifice and duty to one's family, culture, and society. Of…
Jacqueline 16
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Life changing moments
May 13, 2010

6 Months: Fresh Start

6 months ago, I started this blog to change my perspective. I wrote each post for me and hoped that someone else might read it or even better, gleam something from my observations and carry it into their daily life. It has been an incredible journey, and I thank each and every one of you for joining me. What I've…
Jacqueline 0
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Gratitude
May 5, 2010

Day 175: One Week

5 months and 3 weeks ago, I began an experiment in living. It has transformed every part of my life. As I go into this last week, I can't help but think of how I want to spend my time and how much has transpired in half a year. Who I am today and much of my life is drastically…
Jacqueline 6
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Acceptance
April 11, 2010

Day 151: Facing Mirrors

When I returned from my first year in China, I avoided mirrors. If I caught a glimpse of myself while washing my hands in a public bathroom, I would shake my head, look down, and walk out. It wasn't until a member of my family said, "Oh my god, what happened to your face?" did I begin to acknowledge the…
Jacqueline 14
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Creativity
March 14, 2010

Day 123: Sights Unseen

Helen Keller came up in conversation the other day. It led my friend and I into a discussion about which was more difficult: to be blind or deaf. If given the choice, my friend said he'd prefer to be deaf. Logically, this makes sense. We live in such a sight-dominated world, but a life without music? Without voices? Birds? The…
Jacqueline 6
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Questions that Count
February 14, 2010

Day 95: Puzzle Pieces

I spoke with a friend the other day, and she said something quite poignant: "I've been so concerned about the missing puzzle piece in my life, that I forgot to pay attention to whether it fit or not." How often do we settle? Whether it's career, relationships, a house, a car, a school, or even a vacation, how often do…
Jacqueline 2
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AdventuresNew Experiences
February 6, 2010

Day 87: Adventures of Jax + Sparks

I feel like a grown-up superhero with my canine sidekick, Sparky, a black lab/chow mix. Sparks' 'mom' is currently in Thailand, so I'm pup-sitting until she returns. We've already had our set of adventures, including trying to bathe an unwilling 65 lb dog in the bathtub, chasing squirrels in Buena Vista Park, and occasionally waking up with a wet nose…
Jacqueline 4
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Photo by Karen Boone
Gratitude
January 25, 2010

Day 75: Simple Joys

Some of the sweetest moments in life are the simplest. At the start of another week (2 months and 2 weeks into the experiment), it seems fitting to write 22 of what I consider to be life's simple joys. 1. A stranger's smile 2. Songs that are too beautiful to contain words 3. Climbing trees 4. The feeling after finishing…
Jacqueline 11
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PerspectiveWhy wait?
January 18, 2010

Day 68: Trees of Life

Even though I have only been in San Francisco two weeks, I've already visited Muir Woods twice. Cathedral Grove The trees are hundreds of years old and the section of the park named "Cathedral Grove" is aptly named. There I stood, dwarfed by trees in all directions, humbled by their lifespans and all they had seen. How many people have…
Jacqueline 6
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Being the Change
January 15, 2010

Day 65: A New Life

Life presents many opportunities. The trick is to both recognize them and to take a chance. I'm making headway in my "Keeping Promises" post from December. I had an audition for a community theater project this week (and got accepted into the troupe!), I'm actively working on the book, and most importantly, I moved to San Francisco. Calm In the…
Jacqueline 11
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Trust
December 29, 2009

Day 48: What You Need

I don't know about anyone else, but 2009 was not an 'easy' year. It required copious amounts of faith, patience, and surrender. It astounds me how easy those words are to type and to say, but how difficult they are to put into practice. Sometimes Life Has Bigger Plans Very little this year went according to plan. I am a…
Jacqueline 12
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Life changing moments
December 2, 2009

Day 21: Keeping Promises

Growing up, one of the things my parents did exceptionally well was to keep promises. It didn't matter whether that promise was picking my sister and me up from school on time or taking us on a trip for spring vacation. Promise is a sacred word in my family. It is only offered when the person intends on following through.…
Jacqueline 9
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Why wait?
November 23, 2009

Day 12: Letters of Appreciation

In a moment of last night's journal writing lucidity, I decided to write letters this holiday season to all the people who have made a positive impact in my life. I'm writing to all my loved ones and to anyone I may have unresolved issues with, no matter how minor. If I did only have 6 months left, I would…
Jacqueline 17
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Why not?
November 17, 2009

Day 6: Why Not?

How many times have we been told at some point in our lives, "You can't do that!"? Like most children, I often responded with, "Why Not?" As children, the "Why Not?" mantra is so prevalent that the infamous "because I said so" reply gradually transforms into "because that's the way it is" or "it can't be done" and many of…
Jacqueline 15
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6 Months to Live: The Experiment Continues