Book club met again last week to review Troublemaker by Leah Remini. In all of my years of celebrity stalking, I’ve never read a celebrity tell-all. Although I’m not a big fan of Leah Remini, I was open to reading this selection.

The Book

Remini’s tough talking, Brooklyn voice most definitely came through in the narrative. All I could think about was her annoying accent. The book had a conversational tone, however there were times the ghost writer’s voice spoke more loudly than Remini’s. Words and phrases were used that were simply too formal to be believable coming from Remini. This struck me as disjointed, but overall it was a quick and easy read.

Scientology

I was most intrigued with the story of Scientology. Of course, I’d heard about it countless times on E! News or Entertainment Tonight in reference to Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley and John Travolta, but I had never looked into it well enough to understand how completely crazy a “religion” it actually is. Remini’s telling of her experience from the time she was a young girl certainly put the faith on full blast and confirmed my suspicion that anything that Tom Cruise is involved in is probably not something worth a dime. I’m also not a Tom Cruise fan.

The cult-like behavior of the leaders and members of Scientology, as reported by Remini, was nothing short of criminal. The price Scientologists pay to be a member was outrageous, both literally and figuratively.

Although it is clear that Scientology is a scam, I couldn’t help but think that Remini’s harsh and bratty ways contributed to the problems she experienced and detailed in the book.

While Troublemaker by Leah Remini wasn’t a favorite, it was an interesting look at a belief system that I’d heard much about, but did not fully understand.

Having read this, my stage is set to learn more about Scientology in E! TV’s new drama, “The Arrangement,” which draws close parallels to the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes Scientology experience.

A & E TV also has a show called Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath that I think would be an interesting follow-up to the book.

The Review

At the end of the day and the end of this book, I think Troublemaker by Leah Remini was an interesting read. I would recommend it only if you are curious about the celebrity world of Scientology.

Next up…

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I just finished watching the HBO, seven episode mini-series starring Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley. It was so good, I can’t wait for the book.

On March 2, 2017, the world lost a lovely lady who left a lasting impression – on many and me. I dedicate this post to her.

The People’s Pantry

About six years ago, I walked into the North Parish at the North Andover Common, pictured, to cover a story I’d been assigned. The article was a human-interest piece on the People’s Pantry, which had been operating out of the parish building since 1992. I enjoyed interviewing volunteers, but was most intrigued with the Pantry’s founder. I left that day with a great story and resolve to get involved. I’ve been volunteering at the Pantry ever since.

Cari Marchese

The People’s Pantry was founded by Cari Marchese, a little lady (not even five feet tall) with a big heart. Her small stature never took away from her powerful presence. She was a firm leader who brought a smile to my face with her strict policies and no-nonsense attitude. Yet she was caring, ensuring that every pantry guest was made to feel welcome and respected.

Cari also took time to make me feel special. She complimented my efforts at Pantry and consistently read my magazine articles with the nicest things to say. She’d email me regularly to comment on my column or ask me how Tony, the girls and Oscar were doing. She’d tell me about her cat, Tony, and we’d giggle about “her Tony and my Tony.” She shared that she had a son in California who was also a writer and encouraged me to keep working at my craft.

At Cari’s memorial, when I sat inside the sanctuary of the North Parish for the first time, I marveled at the stories told by her loving husband, Mel, her children and friends. She was a remarkable woman. I left wishing I’d asked her more questions and learned more about her. Sometimes, I’m afraid to pry so I keep conversation light, but only at Cari’s memorial service did I realize how great her accomplishments were and her spirit even greater.

I’m glad I had the opportunity to know Cari. She inspired me in many ways. Through her, I learned that money need not be the only reward for hard work and passion. Cari dedicated a great portion of her life to volunteerism and she was undoubtedly fulfilled and empowered.

I wish I’d gotten to know Cari better, but I’m glad I got to know her at all.

The North Parish

Now, when I see the North Parish, I will think of Cari. In this photo, taken by Linda Holt, @LindaHoltCreative, the bright and colorful light shining on the steeple is the perfect representation of that which Cari brought into this world.

To learn more about the People’s Pantry visit NorthParish.org.

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A few weeks ago, I posted about getting organized.  I explained how the process of getting organized in my home helps me gain mental clarity and become more productive.  Well, I think it is working.  Not, however, without some difficult realizations as to why things get so cluttered and disorganized in the first place.

The Problem

Cleaning up the space that surrounds me has allowed me to make one huge discovery about myself that is completely counter-productive.  I’m a scatterbrain!  I never thought this about myself, and maybe I wasn’t always this way, but feeling scattered has crept into my life without me even noticing.

Working from home, always having a lot on my mind and dealing with typical, multi-tasking mom duties has led me to feeling overwhelmed, distracted and uncharacteristically scatterbrained. Sometimes, I think I’m losing my marbles. Quite frankly, I don’t like it.

The Solution

Thankfully, I have now identified the issue and am committed to putting an end to it.  My solution is actually quite simple – finish what I’ve started.

Take this blog for example.  Typically, I write a post in rough draft form then leave it to revise later. I’ll revise it, then leave it again to finesse and proof. I’ll leave it yet again to enter into WordPress and add photos at another time.  There are times it takes me four days to finish one post from start to finish. To be honest, I feel like getting up right now and going off to do something else. Laser focused – I am not!

I’m not sure when my attention span hit such an all-time low, but my scattered thinking is really slowing me down.

My worst household offenses are dishes. Dirty dishes go into the dishwasher, but pots and pans that need to be hand washed are “left for later.” Bills; they get paid, but updating the household budget is “left for later.” Laundry, oh please, it’s never done. And the very worst thing I start and stop is getting ready for the day. I’ll shower and dress, but leave makeup for later. Why? Why not just finish?

This procrastinating habit is horrible and has left me feeling scattered and overwhelmed with an ever-growing to-do list, off which nothing ever gets crossed.

No more! From now on it’s focus and full steam ahead! In just about a week of forcing myself to finish tasks to completion, I am happy to report that I have accomplished a heck of a lot.

With so much more to do, I am happy that my life as a scatterbrain is under control.

A Quick Tip

One of the best things I’ve done to reduce feeling scattered and distracted is silencing my phone – especially when I’m writing.  No more “breaks’’ to answer a call, check emails or glance at a text. From now on, I set the phone aside until I reach a reasonable stopping point. So if you are trying to reach me and I don’t answer, you can assume I’m busy getting things done.