Social Media: December National Days and More

DECEMBER NATIONAL DAYS DECEMBER 1 World AIDS Day National Pie Day National Eat a Red Apple Day Bifocals at the Monitor Liberation Day Day With(out) Art Day Rosa Parks Day

President Abraham Lincoln State of the Union Address Bette Middler Born

DECEMBER 2 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery National Fritters Day National Mutt Day Special Education Day #SpecialEducationDay Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting – Changes Annually Faux Fur Friday – First Friday in December

Good Will Hunting Debut

DECEMBER 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities Roof Over Your Head Day #RoofOverYourHeadDay National Rhubarb Vodka Day – First Saturday in December Skywarn Recognition Day – First Saturday in December

A Streetcar Named Desire Opens on Broadway The First Human Heart Transplant Ozzy Osbourne Born

DECEMBER 4 National Sock Day National Cookie Day National Dice Day

DECEMBER 5 World Soil Day International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development National Sacher Torte Day Bathtub Party Day International Ninja Day Repeal Day #RepealDay

Prohibition Ends Debut of Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop Steinbeck’s Sea of Cortez is Published

DECEMBER 6 National Pawnbrokers Day National Microwave Oven Day National Gazpacho Day St. Nicholas Day Miners’ Day

DECEMBER 7 International Civil Aviation Day National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day National Cotton Candy Day

Willa Cather Born

DECEMBER 8 National Brownie Day Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day #PretendToBeATimeTravelerDay

John Lennon Murdered Mary Queen of Scots Born

DECEMBER 9 International Anti-Corruption Day National Pastry Day Weary Willie Day

Al Pacino Stars in Scarface The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson is Published

DECEMBER 10 Dewey Decimal System Day Human Rights Day Nobel Prize Day National Wreaths Across America Day – Second Saturday in December

First Nobel Prizes Awarded Otis Redding Killed in Plane Crash Emily Dickinson Born

DECEMBER 11 International Mountain Day National Noodle Ring Day UNICEF Birthday

UNICEF Founded Alexander Solzhenitsyn Born

DECEMBER 12 National Ambrosia Day National Ding-a-Ling Day Gingerbread House Day Poinsettia Day

Da Vinci Notebook Sells for Over 5 Million Gustave Flaubert Born

DECEMBER 13 National Cocoa Day National Violin Day National Day Of The Horse (Senate Res. 452) Pick a Pathologist Pal Day

First Export of American Furs Dick Van Dyke Born

DECEMBER 14 National Bouillabaisse Day

The Birth of Quantum Theory Saturday Night Fever World Premiere First U.S. President George Washington Dies

DECEMBER 15 National Wear Your Pearls Day National Cupcake/ Lemon Cupcake Day Bill of Rights Day Cat Herders Day #CatHerdersDay

Leaning Tower of Pisa Reopens Schindler’s List Opens, Spielberg Wins First Oscar

DECEMBER 16 National Chocolate-covered Anything Day Barbie and Barney Backlash Day National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day – Third Friday in December Underdog Day – Third Friday in December Day of Reconciliation

The Boston Tea Party Jane Austen’s Birthday

DECEMBER 17 National Maple Syrup Day Wright Brothers Day

First Airplane Flies A Christmas Carol is Published

DECEMBER 18 International Migrants Day U.N. Arabic Language Day National Roast Suckling Pig Day Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day Free Shipping Day – Changes Annually

Mayflower Docks at Plymouth Harbor Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Opens in New York Slavery Abolished in America Steven Spielberg Born

DECEMBER 19 National Hard Candy Day National Oatmeal Muffin Day

Titanic Film Opens in Theaters National Hockey Leagues Opens its First Season

DECEMBER 20 National Sangria Day Mudd Day

DECEMBER 21 National French Fried Shrimp Day Crossword Puzzle Day Humbug Day #HumbugDay Phileas Fogg Win a Wager Day Winter Solstice – Day Between December 20 and 23 National Flashlight Day – Day of Winter Solstice National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day – First Day of Winter Yule – Day of Winter Solstice

The Graduate Opens in New York A Beautiful Mind Debuts in Theaters

DECEMBER 22 National Date Nut Bread Day Anne and Samantha Day (also June 21) Forefathers Day – December 22 – Unless on Sunday, Then Following Monday National Re-Gifting Day – Thursday before Christmas

First Gorilla Born in Captivity Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony World Premiere

DECEMBER 23 National Pfeffernusse Day National Roots Day Festivus

Van Gogh Chops Off Ear Philadelphia Premiers In Theaters (with Tom Hanks)

DECEMBER 24 National Eggnog Day Christmas Eve Chanukah Begins – Changes Annually

Stephanie Meyer Author of Twilight is Born

DECEMBER 25 National Pumpkin Pie Day A’Phabet Day or No “L” Day Christmas

JonBenet Ramsey Murdered To Kill A Mockingbird Debuts Bing Crosby Introduces White Christmas to World

DECEMBER 26 National Candy Cane Day National Thank You Note Day National Whiner’s Day Boxing Day (Canada)

DECEMBER 27 National Fruitcake Day

Radio City Music Hall Opens Peter Pan by James Barrie Opens in London

DECEMBER 28 National Chocolate Candy Day National Card Playing Day Holy Innocents Day Pledge of Allegiance Day

First Commercial Movie Screened by the Lumiere Brothers The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Published Denzel Washington Born

DECEMBER 29 National Pepper Pot Day Tick Tock Day Ted Danson Born Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is Published

DECEMBER 30 National Bicarbonate of Soda Day Falling Needles Family Fest Day Bacon Day No Interruptions Day – Last Work Day of the Year

DECEMBER 31 National Champagne Day Leap Second Time Adjustment Day (Note: This is listed as an observance title only. Some years scientists do not make adjustments. But, if they do, then it’s done on either June 30 or December 31.) Make Up Your Mind Day New Year’s Eve Universal Hour of Peace

Thomas Edison Demonstrates Incandescent Light Anthony Hopkins is Born

Creating A Refuge In A Stressful City

Whether you are working 9-5 in a cubicle, freelancing from a coffee shop, or creating from your garage we all are facing the increasing pressure of globalization. We are having to produce quality content consistently, navigate ever changing and at times frustrating social media algorithms, and DIFFERENTIATE ourselves from the competition. For the millennial generation who does not like to be stuck in a box or told we can't be good at many things -- there is always incentive to do more, achieve better results, and get ahead.

"We're all so scared of hurting or offending people that we don't tell them exactly what they need to hear in order to become fully realized adults." - Natalia Borecka

We are chipping away at making our dreams a reality. We are dedicated to skilling-up or pivoting, but character, and statesmanship are words that have become utterly defunct vocabulary. There is something missing. We are losing sleep, we are anxious and we are stressed out. We snap photos of perfect plates of food, but are losing the ability to converse deeply around a meal. Workplaces have become the center of cities - providing yoga, meditation, food, continued learning and community. The only problem is corporate wellbeing initiatives are not deeply rooted rather their focus is to "attract and retain talent". They are driven by a need to produce more, better, faster. Someone recently mentioned to me that we seem to be going back to the coal mining era where entire towns were built around industries. What happens if the tech industry which has been shaping Seattle decides to move elsewhere? What if the bubble bursts? What will be left behind?

“People are fed by the food industry, which pays no attention to health, and are treated by the health industry, which pays no attention to food.” ― Wendell Berry

We seem to have gotten off-course, but are so busy we don't even realize the massive shifts which have happened in the last 10-15 years. We've glamorized the dreams and goals of the individual, to the extent that we are trying to do everything by ourselves. We feel guilty when we can't do it all. We are bio-hacking, gene hacking, life hacking, to get any advantage we can. Our whole being, family, friends and communities are being neglected as we pursue success.

Most people try to fix their inner problems by getting better at the same external games they have always played... External changes are not going to solve your problem because they don't address the root of your problem. The root problem is that you don't feel whole and complete within yourself. If you don't identify the root properly, you will seek someone or something to cover it up. You will hide behind finances, people, fame and adoration. If you try to find the perfect person to love and adore you, and you manage to succeed, then you have actually failed. You did not solve your problem. All you did was involve that person in your problem. - Michael A. Singer

This past weekend my parents came to visit which led to a spontaneous slumber party at my sisters one bedroom apartment. Family members sleeping on couches, on pallets on the floor, and the dog squished in between. I was reminded that the size of the house doesn't matter, it's the people in it. As we are all pursuing our dreams, I would ask us are we making a home? Are we making a place that people can come into and just be? A refuge from the stresses of life?

I want to create a home, a place that is a refuge for myself and those I care for. 

Seattle Job Opportunities

Hi Seattle! I have had a couple of job opportunities come on to my radar that I wanted to share with my network. Specifically, the following roles: assistant to a jewelry designer, junior, senior & associate designer (fashion), fashion intern, and executive admin at a local tech startup.

If you are interested in any of these positions please message me at info@uncommoncartography.com with your resume and I can connect you with the hiring managers.

Best,

Esther

3 Ways Hiring A Coach Will Make Your Business More Successful

It's September and if you are like me you are probably thinking to yourself SHIT! where has there year gone. Not that we haven't accomplished amazing things this year, but the pressure is really on now to end strong. The challenge can be you may feel stuck or stagnant, either lacking direction or feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to happen in your business by the end of the year. Because as creatives, entrepreneurs and small businesses owners, let's be honest -- we wear a lot of hats! So I am writing to encourage you to consider signing up for three months of coaching, to help you get your marketing, strategy and social media in order for 2017. Here are the reasons I see that have helped my clients, and which you can benefit from:

Everyone has creativity in them. It's just a matter of unlocking that creativity. - Christina Canters

1. Provides A Sounding Board: You may have a lot on your mind, and not even know where to begin. A coach is a sounding board for you, helping you to prioritize so as to not lose momentum or miss opportunities in the midst of all that is happening.
2. Creates Room To Explore New Ideas: If what you have been trying this year has not worked, then it's time to experiment and pivot. A coach can help you review what you have done, expose connections and next steps.
3. Removes Barriers: Whether they are mental barriers that are limiting growth, skills gaps or lack of bandwidth. A coach can help you identify collaborators, resources, and strategies to bridge the gaps and pave the way for greater business growth.

Please contact info@uncommoncartography.com to schedule your free 30-minute coaching consultation. I want to help you position for success in 2017!

Healing Leads To Your True Path

If I were you I think I would be hoping that I would be letting us off easy today. But no, everything that has been said this week has been laying the foundation for this final post of the Desert In The City series. Because as we begin to take care of ourselves by creating sacred spaces, developing morning rituals and feeding our spirits, that is when we will find ourselves strong enough to face those wounds we may have been avoiding in our lives.

"You can make a drug - a way to anesthetize yourself - out of anything: working out, binge-watching TV, working, having sex, shopping, volunteering, cleaning, dieting. Any of those things can keep you from feeling the pain for a while - that' what drugs do. And, used like a drug, over time, shopping or TV or work or whatever will make you less and less able to connect to the things that matter, like your own heart and the people you love. That's another thing drugs do, they isolate you.

Many of us have a handful of these drugs, and it's terrifying to think of living without them. It is terrifying: wildly unprotected, vulnerable, staring our wounds right in the face. But this is where we grow, where we learn, where our lives actually begin to change." - Shauna Niequist

Busyness is never a substitute for our true North, if your heart is whispering of a longing for something more than that is a really good sign, because it means that there is hope for change. Many of my clients, friends and family (including myself) have been going through breakups, job changes, business pivots and more. It's not comfortable, and there is a temptation to feel the unknown with certainty - to schedule our days to the max, the begin new relationships, etc. But all that we have gone through and are going through is to expose areas in our lives that are in need of change. Unfortunately, many times we have to reach minor or major crisis in order to push us out of our comfort zone and make us desperate enough to do the unglamorous work of self-discovery and cultivating real change in our lives.

“Can the purpose of a relationship be to trigger our wounds? In a way, yes, because that is how healing happens; darkness must be exposed before it can be transformed. The purpose of an intimate relationship is not that it be a place where we can hide from our weaknesses, but rather where we can safely let them go. It takes strength of character to truly delve into the mystery of an intimate relationship, because it takes the strength to endure a kind of psychic surgery, an emotional and psychological and even spiritual initiation into the higher Self. Only then can we know an enchantment that lasts.” ― Marianne Williamson

So instead of blaming our last relationship, our last job, or whatever else may have contributed to where we find ourselves... Let's take time to heal our wounds. We do not have control over anyone but ourselves. Let's prepare for this next season so that instead of bitterness, hurt, and anger seeping out into the lives of those we interact with and care for, we will be conduits of peace, light, and gratitude.

“Until we have met the monsters in ourselves, we keep trying to slay them in the outer world. And we find that we cannot. For all darkness in the world stems from darkness in the heart. And it is there that we must do our work.” ― Marianne Williamson