Amy Says…
Hello {{first_name}} ,
Something very important happened this week in my life. The final season of Outlander has been released on television.
I have been a long-time fan of the books, and I also enjoy the show. It has been reported that there will be another book by the author (Diana Gabaldon) that’s very exciting. But it hasn’t been released…I don’t even know if it’s been written. {GASP!} Apparently, the ending in the future book might not be the same as the show. I am not sure how I feel about that … at all. (confused, excited, annoyed…there are so many choices) 😉
Are you an Outlander fan? Hit reply and let me know. My husband is not. He has not been enjoying my project of rewatching the show before the release and I’m not sure if our relationship will survive this divide. I’m kidding. Maybe. 😁
There is a theme of “work and career” in the episodes of the podcast I released this week. I talked to Lisi Lopez about shifting from her engineering career to her passion of writing. I know that many people have a dream of making a change like this in their lives. I hope that you enjoy her story. I also talked to Kim Nicol about how when she was just 24 years old she asked (and received) a 10-week sabbatical from her job. That’s a great story.
Be sure to check out the community calendar for upcoming events from the community and the offers from the guests. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Career | Practical to Passionate
Lisi Lopez
Lisi Lopez was six years old when she wrote her first published book. It was about her dog. Her mom had found one of those mail-in kits where a child could draw pictures and dictate words, and the company would send back a bound, typewritten volume. Lopez still has it. She also has a graduate-level engineering degree, over a decade of professional experience in industrial engineering, and three children — one of whom was born with Down syndrome. She is also the author of three completed manuscripts, two of which are published works of historical fiction, and a third releasing in 2026.
What happened in between that first book and the ones on Amazon today is the story of a career change from engineering to writing. It is also about the long, slow negotiation between practicality and passion that plays out in the lives of so many people who chose a sensible path early and spent decades wondering whether there was another one.
Buy her most recent book: https://bookshop.org/a/87491/9798992480009
Connect with Lisi on her website: https://www.lisilopezauthor.com
📆 Upcoming Community Events
Jill Kaufmann (Episode 127) is hosting a workshop. The Power of Alignment in Divorce: An Integrated Legal and Financial Strategy. Find information here: https://go.divorcecoachjill.com/powerofalignmentindivorcewkshpreg
Gwendolyn Dolske (Episode 157) has written a book, Interview With Intention. You can find it on Amazon.
Creators Roundtable: Amy is hosting a roundtable of creators to talk about the question: What is a Podcast in 2026? March 10th at 2:00 EST on YouTube. https://youtube.com/live/SqjPwyafCYE?feature=share
Sabbatical | The Art of Asking for Time Off And Getting a Yes
At 24, most people aren't thinking about taking a sabbatical. They're thinking about proving themselves, showing up early, and definitely not asking their boss for 10 weeks off.
Kim Nicol was three years into her first salaried job at a 30-person engineering firm when she decided she wanted to go to France—not just for a vacation, but for an extended immersion in language, culture, and a version of herself she hadn't met yet. She had no corporate policy backing her up, no colleague who had done it before, and no one she'd consulted in advance. What she had was an idea, a plan for how her work would get done while she was gone, and the willingness to ask.
Her boss said yes.
Kim Nicol
Connect with Kim:
https://kimnicol.com/ or listen to her podcast, New Manager Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-new-manager-podcast/id1482942451
📕 🎧 Things Worth Your Time
This is where we share the cool suggestions for books, podcasts, gadgets that make life better and other fun stuff that our guests share during their interviews.
Lisi admits that she does her last-minute shopping on Amazon
Kim Suggests: Wearing sunscreen. Host Amy likes Zealios as a brand.
How You Can Support The Art of Imperfect Adulting
All the links to listen or watch the show can be found here: https://imperfect-adulting.captivate.fm/listen
You can support the show with a cash tip here: https://imperfect-adulting.captivate.fm/support
If you would like to be a guest or you know somebody who would make a great guest on the show, that starts here: https://www.imperfectadulting.com/be-a-guest
If you would like to advertise on the show and in the newsletter that information starts here: https://imperfectadulting.com/advertise-sponsor-partner/
Got Jokes? 🤣
I love jokes. I feel like the world needs lots of humor right now. If you have a fun joke to share I hope that you’ll hit reply and share it with me. Who knows…I might give you or your joke a shoutout on a live or in this newsletter.
We’ll be back in your inbox next week.