Vivie's Commonplace Book

At the height of my academic pursuits, this book cart would often cross my path. It stood as a testament to the diversity of life's experiences, a stark contrast to my meticulously organized existence.

While I rarely indulged in purchases from this cart, its disorderly array of titles and the enigmatic bookseller intrigued me. This was a trove of unexpected treasures, where romance novels rubbed shoulders with dusty tomes on any subject possible. 

I used the cart as a departure from my own pragmatic tendencies, but I couldn't help but admire the passion that went into…

The profound satisfaction of a day's work done well is something I hold dear to my heart. To me, work is not a burden, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to work and have something come of it, and to be compensated for my efforts. Work provided me with a purpose, a sense of self-worth, and the knowledge that I did not have to rely on anybody else.

While I enjoyed working and getting paid for it, work would often take something out of me, and I enjoyed my little ritual to relax. I would sit down in a comfortable chair, pour myself a glass of whiskey, grab a novel with a good…

I discovered this old photograph from my college days, a cherished memento hidden among the dust and pages of my past. As I gazed upon the picture, it served as an important reminder of the profound impact of education on my life, both as a source of empowerment and as a foundation for my later successes.

In that photograph, my fellow students and I were captured in our academic attire, for women, this meant long dresses with our blouses buttoned all the way up to our necks. We were an assembly of diverse and hopeful minds, all united by a common passion for knowledge, knowing that…