Reflections on My 1st Half Century

I know I'm not the first—and certainly won't be the last—to look in the mirror and think, "Funny... I don't think I look (or feel) 50!"

As this milestone birthday approaches, I've experienced a mix of emotions: wonder, gratitude, awe, and, if I’m honest, a little disbelief. I've also spent time reflecting on what this age means to me, what I've accomplished, and what I hope the next chapter will bring.

One of the biggest reflections has been about Start Here with Lisa - and all of you.

A little more than 10 years ago, as I approached 40, I was in a very different place. I had lost my NOAA funding and was beginning a new career in nonprofit fundraising. While I was excited to support organizations doing important work, I was mourning the loss of my identity as a marine biologist.

The next decade became one of constant changes. I moved from one nonprofit to another, and many of you regularly asked, "Lisa, where are you working now?" Then COVID hit, I became a banker, and quietly, in the background, I still found occasional opportunities to work as a marine biologist.

Then everything changed.

I discovered professional organizing, which eventually led me to the incredible world of photo organizing.

These past years have brought me SO.MUCH.JOY. I truly love what I do. Even better, I still get to call myself a marine biologist thanks to a part-time contract that allows me to stay connected to the scientific community. Every day I wake up knowing I get to spend my time doing work that I genuinely love.

Just before this big birthday, I had the opportunity to return to a research vessel and accomplish something I never thought would happen: traveling along the entire California coastline by sea.

From 2008 to 2012, I worked with the U.S. Geological Survey on the California Seafloor Mapping Program, studying the ocean floor. When I joined the project, waters between Half Moon Bay and Stinson Beach had already been surveyed. This past May, I was invited aboard a two-week research cruise studying the California Current and the animals that call it home. During that voyage, I finally filled in the last stretch of coastline I had never seen from the water.

As an unexpected bonus, my fellow scientists - without realizing I had another career - put me in charge of organizing our cruise photos and sharing our journey on social media! Some skills really do transfer anywhere. If you'd like to see what we were up to, you can visit the Access_Oceans Instagram page.

Looking back, I realize that ten years ago I felt lost professionally. Today, I feel incredibly fortunate. I've created a balance that allows me to pursue both of my passions, and I couldn't be happier.

Thankfully, life outside of work has been just as rewarding.

Matt and I recently celebrated 24 years together (19 of them married!). While saying goodbye to his parents over the past two years was incredibly difficult, we are grateful for the time we shared with them and for the memories that remain. Stout continues to keep us on our toes—he turns 14 on August 18—and Bella still finds new ways to make us laugh every single day.

Since we're talking about turning 50, I have one more milestone to celebrate.

Every July, I run Santa Cruz's Wharf to Wharf race. My usual strategy has been to show up with very little training because, well, if 15,000 other people think it's a good idea, how hard can it be?

This year, I decided to do something different.

I followed a training program and WOW...what a difference!

Training helped me shave six minutes off my Rotary Club's Fourth of July Firecracker 10K time, and I crossed the Wharf to Wharf finish line in 55:49 with an average pace of 9:18 per mile—a personal best that I'm incredibly proud of (in middle school, this accomplishment would seem almost impossible as I used to fake asthma attacks to get out of the Friday Fun Run)!

You may have noticed that this month's newsletter hasn't included many photo organizing tips.

Or has it?

Everything I've shared today - dates, places, research cruises, anniversaries, races, and even remembering exactly when events happened—came from looking back through my organized photo library.

Our memories naturally fade over time. Brain fog happens. Details blur. But when your photos are organized, you don't have to rely solely on memory. Your photo library becomes an extension of your memory, helping you revisit the moments that shaped your life and making it easy to tell your story accurately.

That's why I believe so deeply in organizing our photos. They don't just preserve images—they preserve the stories behind them.

Thank you for being part of my journey over the past several years. Whether you've been reading these newsletters from the beginning or just recently found me, I'm grateful you're here.

Start Here with Lisa will be taking the month of August off, but I'll be back in September—officially 50, hopefully a little wiser, and excited to help you organize, remember, and share your precious life memories.

Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer and keep making memories worth preserving.

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Sip & Sort

Just because I am taking August off, does not mean you have to! If you are looking for motivation to clean up your phone’s camera roll, please watch the replay of my Photo Purge Party

Also, you can reserve your spot now for my September presentation at the Scotts Valley Library on How to Digitize like a Pro - Saturday, Sept. 12th at 2 PM

California coastal work from 2009 to 2026! Seen here - sorting sediment samples, a tall sea pen (smiling) and photos taken right inside and outside the Golden Gate Bridge.