We are career women. We write about all kinds of women here on The Common Ground Chronicles; professionals in all fields from all corners of the world (and career moms as well). Our focus is on the whole woman (personal, professional and everything in-between). However, as career women looking for representations of ourselves wherever we …
Many women are shy to tackle the issue of sex, ashamed to talk about what does and doesn’t work for them in relationships—sexual and otherwise, but Shayna Jeffers is anything but that. She opened up and let it all hang out about her sex life, her views on relationships and what informs them. Here’s what …
Some women wake up one day, a light bulb goes off and they know. They just know what their life’s calling is and just like that–boom!—they start working toward it. For others, finding out what they are called to do in this life can be an experiment in trial and error. And, still for others, …
She is a modest fashionista. She is a sheltered globetrotter. She is a modern traditionalist. She is a shy journalist-in-training. She is 100 percent Armenian and 100 percent Australian. With all of the off-beat charm and quirkiness of Lois Lowry’s adolescent literary protagonist Anastasia Krupnik and the fashion sense and individuality of modern-day fashion icons …
Over the last few weeks—okay, maybe months—if I’m being completely honest, years, I have developed a sophisticated system of procrastination. I tap dance on deadline dates; shimmy through morning routines while, giving myself a few more minutes before rising; ask myself “What’s one more hour? Day? Minute?” Last night, it bit me in the … Continue reading
So in my last post, I mentioned that I’m newly pregnant. This will be my first child and I am not sure if I ever really expected to be a mom. Furthermore, even when I envisioned motherhood somehow I managed to skip right past the whole pregnancy thing. It just never occurred to me that my … Continue reading
Today marks the end of Women’s History Month in the United States–a month that we think is important to honor no matter where we are in the world. As we round out the month, we must admit that it was filled with eye-opening moments and pretty awesome expressions of women’s stories by pretty awesome women. … Continue reading
The narrative of the accidental heroine is a story of ambition meeting intention multiplied by happenstance and/or fate. Many of us stumble through our day-to-day lives unaware of the impact of our own greatness or potential for greatness on others. Our light shining outwardly, while we awkwardly negotiate our existence. We are sometimes oblivious to the … Continue reading
“Nothing is ever easy for you, is it? You make the simplest things, difficult,” my boyfriend proclaims half laughing and half serious as I tell him of my latest calamity. “Isn’t everyone’s life part situational comedy, part shit show?” I think to myself aloud. He shakes his head knowingly and no-ingly. I have always suspected that my … Continue reading
If you’ve ever been acquainted with someone who grew up in the inner city of Washington, D.C. or its metro area in the ’90s (maybe even the ’80s), you’ve heard the term “lunchin” before. And, for those of you who haven’t, no, it’s not a misspelling of the name of a formal midday meal (a.k.a … Continue reading
Adulthood. Where’d I rest down that damn manual? And who do you call once it’s lost? I lost the manual for my cable box once and a delightful customer service rep walked me through the set up. Is there a 1-800-DAMN-I’M-AN-ADULT hotline or something? I mean there has to be, right? There are all these … Continue reading
I woke up with the determination to get something done! During orientation a few weeks earlier, we were told that we would have to “change your idea of success” and that is what I was doing. I performed my morning ritual and decided to wear a new blazer to add a little oomph to my … Continue reading
I read an article last night that implied that atheists are more intelligent than “believers,” particularly Christians. As most atheists have advanced degrees, on one hand this may be true. As they ascend higher into the realm of academia people seem to check their faith at the door. Now, I am no blind follower of … Continue reading
“Peace,” that’s what I thought to myself. Despite the fact that it was shrouded in loneliness, which on some—or basically every level—begs sadness of some sort, it was only my 25th birthday; if the previous year was the marker, I was winning at this point. It was already 2 p.m. and nothing horrible had happened. … Continue reading
The Storyteller Chronicles are a random collection of anonymous narratives told by the women who are usually charged with telling other women’s stories here on The Common Ground Chronicles. It is our way of giving you a glimpse of who we are and what makes us tick. We will feature several this week and at … Continue reading
![The People, Places and Things that Really Matter in Life [w/ Jackie]](https://commongroundchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-1.jpg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "The People, Places and Things that Really Matter in Life [w/ Jackie]")
As storytellers here at The Common Ground Chronicles, we take a lot of care to tell women’s stories in a way that is authentic to their experience and conveys the most honest and telling parts of them (which they have been so gracious to reveal to or share with us). We often do that by … Continue reading
![Playing this Game Called Life [w/ Jackie]](https://commongroundchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo.jpg?w=260&h=290&crop=1 "Playing this Game Called Life [w/ Jackie]")
“If I could have majored in basketball, I would have,” Siscone admitted when asked about her career intentions upon entering college. Honest, raw and, well, odd to those who have never been quite so committed to a sport or a hobby as basketball is so often thought of, especially among women, Siscone’s “admission” was a … Continue reading
![More Than Meets the Eye [w/ Jackie]](https://commongroundchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/js_3.jpeg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "More Than Meets the Eye [w/ Jackie]")
Some people are defined by what they do. Some people are who they are and what they do, well, is just what they do. Others—rare as they may be—let what they do become a part of who they are. They achieve a delicate and enviable work-life balance. She is one of those rare “others.” She … Continue reading
![Finding Common Ground [w/ Jackie]](https://commongroundchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/js_1-e1375376520521.jpeg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "Finding Common Ground [w/ Jackie]")
Now our journey to find common ground takes us to a place that many in America mock, but one that few know personally for the beautiful and charming place that it really is. That’s right; our journey has landed us in the Garden State of New Jersey to connect with one of its beautiful flowers, … Continue reading
![And, The Award Goes To… [Drum Roll, Please!] …](https://commongroundchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/liebster-award.png?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "And, The Award Goes To… [Drum Roll, Please!] …")
The Common Ground Chronicles! Woo! Woo! [And the crowd roars with excitement!] Okay, okay, maybe there was no crowd to roar with excitement for or with us. However, we made all of the noise of a large crowd (or at least, the rowdiest section in the local high school football stadium on game night when … Continue reading
![I’m Just Happy Being Me! [w/Shayna]](https://commongroundchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/219235_442095445832958_1695154184_o.jpg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "I’m Just Happy Being Me! [w/Shayna]")
If we learned anything on our journey with Shayna Jeffers, it is that she is comfortable in her own skin. Here’s what she had to say about her self-esteem, self-image and the people, places and things that impact it: Storyteller: What do you see when you look in the mirror? I am pretty happy with … Continue reading
![Living Life on Her Terms [w/ Shayna]](https://commongroundchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/338075_438580336184469_1373317210_o-e1372619218575.jpg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "Living Life on Her Terms [w/ Shayna]")
American society dictates that success at the ripe old age of almost 29 is having a spouse, a house, a full-time job and things, lots of material things. To that, she says “F*$% you! I’m gonna do me!” Some say the ideal beauty has porcelain skin and blonde hair. To that, she says “F*$% you! … Continue reading
![Finding Common Ground [w/ Shayna]](https://commongroundchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/eyes1.jpg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "Finding Common Ground [w/ Shayna]")
This week our journey to find common ground brings us back to New York City to connect with 29-year-old-to-be Shayna Jeffers! Jeffers is a confident and self-assured woman and nothing was off-limits in our journey to “Find Common Ground [w/ Shayna].” So much so that her feature stories are told in her own words as opposed … Continue reading
As someone who is accustomed to being the interviewer, loves to listen and prefers to be behind the camera, finding common ground with Dilanchian was a challenging journey. We had to work overtime to get her to feel comfortable sharing her story. However, once we were able to chip away at her witty and hard … Continue reading
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