Veronica Shukla

Random Musings

Author: Veronica Shukla

  • Hiking Trails In and Around Sioux Falls, SD

    Hiking Trails In and Around Sioux Falls, SD

    As part of our yearly hiking training schedule, I often refer to a spreadsheet to make sure the parks I’m considering for that day’s hike have enough miles of trails. I thought it would be nice to share this information on the internet, especially for the newcomers to the area. I know there isn’t much…

  • My Most Exciting Hiking Story Yet

     Saturday, April 30, 2022, my friend Rose and I ventured out to Golden Gate Canyon State Park for a hike. It was late when we got there. I would have liked to go in the morning. I was waiting for everyone else, but by like 1:00 PM, I realized that most of them didn’t even…

  • You Seem Smart, Why Don’t You Work?

    I saw a lovely neurologist today. He was young, and smart, and kind, and we discussed what may be keeping me awake at night. The thing that keeps racing around my head after the visit, though, was how perplexed he was that I seem intelligent but don’t work. “You’ve never worked in the medical field?…

  • Why You Shouldn’t Start a Charity and What you Should Do Instead

    Why You Shouldn’t Start a Charity and What you Should Do Instead

    Nonprofits are inherently inefficient. No matter what, a traditional charitable organization that depends on donations to survive will take double the work, if not more, to accomplish its mission. It’s in the bones of the concept. There are better ways to do it. So You Want to Start a Nonprofit Do you want to start…

  • Spontaneity and Joy – Don’t Wait for the Stars to Align, Just Go For It

    Spontaneity and Joy – Don’t Wait for the Stars to Align, Just Go For It

    Today I had to travel a couple hours away for a food forest consultation. On the way there I drove by a state park I haven’t visited before. It looked like it might be pretty nice. Luckily, the meeting ended early enough that I was able to stop by the park on the way home….

  • Let Go of the Grudge: How to Forgive and Why

    Let Go of the Grudge: How to Forgive and Why

    You’re walking barefoot in the forest, soaking up the energy from the earth (no really, you should totally do that) when suddenly you feel a sharp pain in the sole of your foot. You find a moss-covered boulder to sit on and examine your foot where you find a brand new splinter. It hurts like…

  • Why Dreams are Like Bubbles and How to Prevent Them from Popping

    Why Dreams are Like Bubbles and How to Prevent Them from Popping

    My dog, Sita, loves to pop bubbles. She’s like the dog who’s always bringing you a ball to play fetch, except she’s standing by the bubble gun, whining. She’s quite good at it. Often she’ll stand on her hind legs like a bear and pop all the high bubbles she can reach. But sometimes her…

  • 21 Time Saving Cleaning Hacks You Can Start Today

    We all love cleaning, right? Just kidding. But it does have to be done, and you can do it more quickly with these time-saving hacks. These are the lazefficient techniques I use, but I’m sure you have more tips to add in the comments. Dusting and Floors 1. Dust dart After you’ve finished washing or…

  • The Ultimate Time Saver: Stop Giving a Damn What Others Think

    I know, you’ve read countless productivity and efficiency tips. You probably just read a post about 400 hacks to save time. But this post is gonna get deep. Here, we’ll get to the soul of our over-crammed lives, find a fear that lurks in the dark, and smash it to pieces. Why do we care…

  • The Lie We Tell Ourselves About Fast Metabolism

    The Lie We Tell Ourselves About Fast Metabolism

    People talk about fast metabolism like it’s a gift given to skinny people. I think it’s assumed that if you have a slow metabolism, then you’re doomed to be overweight and if you have a fast metabolism, then you’re gifted with a perfect body while eating pizza and Cadbury eggs to your heart’s content. So…

  • Winter Running for Those Who Run Cold

    Winter Running for Those Who Run Cold

    I live in South Dakota, and I hate cold. I fell in love with running a few years ago, but I always stopped in the fall and didn’t start up again until late spring. I don’t like cold air touching my skin or breeze chilling my sweat. It is miserable to me. In fact, even when I…

  • What if You’re Not Sad that Your Child Has Started School?

    What if You’re Not Sad that Your Child Has Started School?

    I’ve been waiting (longing) for this day since we made the decision. Both my boys are amazing, smart, wonderful people, and I love them both from the bottom of my heart. They are also very different people. Dylan was always very easygoing and happy. Forrest required much more of me; he still does. I stayed…

  • Multi-use Clothing: The Turkish Towel

    Multi-use Clothing: The Turkish Towel

    I’ve been loving multi-use clothing and accessories lately. And why not? Own fewer items, spend less money, less clutter, and fewer decisions to make. It’s very freeing. Let’s talk about the Turkish Towel. I purchased this Riviera Towel Company towel from Amazon, but their website has even more options. “Santa Barbara-based, Riviera Towel Company was…

  • 27: If you believe strongly enough

    27: If you believe strongly enough

    I decided in my mid 20’s, while finishing my undergraduate late as single mother, to move to my current city because I thought I’d be better able to find a job in my degree. I started dating and became engaged to a boy who lived here, and when I graduated I moved straight in with…

  • Is college still a must for kids in today’s world? Or are we starting to drift away from it?

    Is college still a must for kids in today’s world? Or are we starting to drift away from it?

    Honestly I think it still just depends. It depends on a lot of things. It always has, but one huge factor that has changed the game is the internet and the vast amount of information that can be extracted from it. From the internet you have access to purchase any nonfiction book or textbook you…

  • What if you’re in your 30’s and haven’t found the right career?

    What if you’re in your 30’s and haven’t found the right career?

    Recently, a fellow group member asked this question: “Raise your hand if you’re 30 (or in your 30s) and not yet in your right career, financially unstable, or generally feeling like you haven’t found the right track yet for where you wanna go and who you’re supposed to be? I felt like my 20s would guide…

  • The Food Allergy Stigma

    The Food Allergy Stigma

    Imagine you are traveling for a wedding. You brought your weight in food so you don’t have to eat out. Restaurants are expensive, yes, but more importantly, it’s almost impossible to eat at a restaurant and avoid a reaction if you have food allergies like me. No, you want to look and feel good so…

  • Tackle Mini Goals in 5 Minutes a Day, Plus Push-up Mini Goal Plan

    Tackle Mini Goals in 5 Minutes a Day, Plus Push-up Mini Goal Plan

    Do you have mini goals? Mini goals are small goals that build up to the accomplishment of larger goals. Mini goals are great because they help you feel more accomplished. People tend to want results immediately, and when that doesn’t happen, they often get discouraged, sometimes quitting altogether. But when we break larger goals up…