Life is not about the moments we breathe, but the moments that take our breath away.” Author: Unknown

    What’s your story?

    I’ve interviewed thousands of individuals over the last several years. I live to hear and tell people’s stories, whether it’s a sassy 5-year-old swimming prodigy or a delightful elderly couple celebrating 73 years of marriage. From beekeepers to UFC fighters to rock stars to police chiefs to Olympic hopefuls to miniature donkey farmers, the product of each of these interviews is evidence to support a theory I back wholeheartedly: everyone has a story.

    I started a blog at www.a-spicy-life.blogspot.com. In A Spicy Life, I plan to tell the stories of others and share some of my own experiences in order to help readers take on the mission: “Everybody has a story: spice yours up!” A few posts I put up on the blog in the past week include: “What’s on your list?” about the importance of having a life list; “A Spicy Life” on the um, interesting, process I went through in choosing my blog name; “Be Happy,” a little piece on finding happiness in the most unlikely of places; “Everybody is talented, original and has something important to say,” on a certain book that consistently provides me with inspiration; and “Don’t do what you hate,” an essay with a different take I have on the phrase, “Do what you love.”

    Life is but a series of moments. And here are few of my favorites thus far: Drinking Stella with a room full of Elvis impersonators at a grungy London pub; getting down with the gospel choirs at jazz fest in New Orleans; my 6 a.m. jogs along the pier while living in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn; dalmon fishing along the Kenai River in Alaska; living room salsa dances into the wee hours of the morning; climbing the 333 stairs to reach the top of Red Rocks with mom and dad; toasting the sunset with a glass of merlot along the Grand Canal in Venice; riding my horse through the cornfields on a summer evening back home; riding the carousel at the foot of the Eiffel Tower; listening to my grandfather tell his tales of growing up in India; bouncing around on the trampoline with my niece and nephew; road trips!

    Learn. Inspire. Love. Laugh. See. Explore. Eat. These are all essentials in living a vibrant life, and all subjects I plan to visit in the blog. I want to help you feel as I felt sitting on my stoop in Brooklyn, watching the sun set behind the buildings as I enjoyed a heavenly cup of Greek yogurt and listened to the boys playing baseball down the street: vibrant, alive … home.

    Life is but a series of moments. The level of happiness you experience in life equates to how you choose to spend those moments, and maybe more importantly, who you choose to spend those moments with. I’ve been fortunate in life to have numerous friends and family members I am thankful for each day. Much of the spice in my own life is due to spending time with them and to meeting new people as well. I look forward to getting to know you and I encourage you to send over comments and your own tips for adding a little spice to life.

    One more personal reason why I’ve chosen to embark on this blogging adventure. As my salsa dancing friend and blogger Gwen Bell sums it up: “The most vivid moments in my life have been those in which I’ve had a pen in my hand.”

    I’d love to hear your story--What are some of your favorite moments?

    Tweet me at www.twitter.com/aspicylife.