The kids were on vacation last week. Vacation week is supposed to be fun, right? Well, this past week was just blah. To begin with we were stuck at home while my oldest played basketball all week.
I felt a bit trapped. This would have been a really nice time to get away. It hasn’t been a particularly bad winter, just long. My desire for a vacation week getaway was reinforced whenever I scrolled through Facebook. Seriously, why do I torture myself? About every third post featured a friend’s warm weather respite or some terrific tourist destination or a cool college tour. God, they all looked great!
Of course, the posts in between the vacation pics were even more troubling. Continued reactions of the horrific Florida school shooting filled my feed and it was gut-wrenching. Yet another tragic event that left me numb.
I had to step away. With nothing more exciting to do, I should have used the time to do some writing, get some pitches out the door or even get started on book two, but I was simply not motivated.
Not even the Olympics could hold my interest. I’m not sure what that says about me, but I have never followed the Olympic games. Maybe some figure skating here and there, but not even that this year.
Flaked
So, this vacation week was a bust. I did manage to find a new show on Netflix worth binge-watching. Flaked with Will Arnett was really good. It brought me to Venice Beach, CA and while it wasn’t all sunshine and smiles, I thought it was a well-developed show with good characters and an irreverent comedic slant that was enjoyable to watch.
Onward and upward
It’s a new week and almost a new month. Spring, I’m ready for you.
It’s some random person trying to sell you something you don’t want.
This really bugs me. Recently my doorbell rang at dusk and I was faced with yet another door to door solicitation. I thought, how in this crazy world is this still a thing?
For all the horror stories we hear on the news, why would anyone be expected to open their door to a stranger to listen to some spiel about whatever product, religion or political platform this person is supporting? It befuddles me that this practice is still permitted. Yet, the constitution says it can be so, so apparently it’s so.
I find this ridiculous. If I want to know anything about anything I will happily Google it in the safety of my home behind locked doors.
What’s more frustrating about these folks, who present as the friendly faces of door to door solicitation, is that unless you address them they seem not to want to go away. I’ve had my doorbell ring up to five times before these relentless peddlers give up. It’s bad enough that I have to listen to it, but I know it’s unsettling for poor Oscar and I certainly don’t want my girls to ever reach a point of frustration where they would consider opening the door.
What to Do
I firmly believe that any and all door to door solicitation should be a thing of the past. That said, in order to move these folks along as quickly as possible, I’ve adopted the following technique to kindly get them off my doorstep. A no soliciting sign at my door is also a possibility, but I’m not quite there yet.
I never open the door to an unfamiliar face I am not expecting.
I speak through the window of my front door to send the message that I’m not open to a conversation. If they can’t hear me, too bad.
As soon as I’m 100% sure they are door to door solicitors, I put my hand up and firmly state, “I’m sorry, I do not entertain any kind of door to door solicitation.” If I have to talk over them, I do.
I close with a big, loud thank you and wait until they leave.
That’s it. Every time I’ve done this, they stop their sales pitch, say OK and walk away. Truthfully, I hate to be rude, but I imagine they must understand how, in today’s day and age, what they are doing just doesn’t make sense.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Maureen Magauran, M.D. for several years. I first featured her home in an article I wrote on Feng Shui. Later, I called on Maureen for an article I wrote on alternative medicine. Her unique approach to treating anxiety and depression with meditation and non-medicinal therapies was compelling.
Although a board-certified physician, with the ability to prescribe medication, Maureen reserves that option for only those cases that truly require it. Otherwise, Maureen fully supports a holistic approach. I love this and admire her integrity.
Living With Intention
Recently Maureen invited me to her free talk about Living With Intention and I was thrilled to be able to make it. I brought along a friend and together we enjoyed Maureen’s insights on how to live life fully and with purpose.
Anyone who knows me knows I love stuff like this. Just the reminder to tune into what I’m doing in life is enough to help me reset my routine in a thoughtful way. So often we are caught up in the mad rush and we lose sight of what’s important. Maureen’s talk gave me pause and got me thinking about where I’m going and what I want to do in life.
Maureen shared how the sudden loss of her youngest sister personally set her on this path to answer the question, “What am I doing here?”
My favorite exercise in the talk was when Maureen challenged each of us to write down our response to the question, “If you had two weeks to live, what would you do?” Wow, that really hit me. I’d never thought about my own mortality in such a specific, make a list, kind of way. Getting started was a little uncomfortable at first, but once I wrote one thing down, the answers kept flowing.
I’m glad to have attended Maureen’s talk. Living With Intention is something I’m excited to pay closer attention to.
To read more about the talk I attended, and other great posts, check out Maureen’s Blog Page here. And, enjoy Maureen’s FREE Stress-Less 7 Day Challenge here.
Who couldn’t benefit from a little less stress in their life?
What better time to read the Elin Hilderbrand Winter series of books than winter. In what was supposed to be a trilogy including Winter Street, Winter Stroll and Winter Storms, book club committed to read any one of the three for our last meeting. As it turned out, there was a fourth book, Winter Solstice. At least two of us in the club read all four. Unlike our last pick, The Boys in the Boat, the Elin Hilderbrand Winter series were super easy reads. Perfect distractions during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Elin Hilderbrand Winter Series
Known as the “Queen of Summer,” author Elin Hilderbrand tackled this winter set of stories like a pro. The beauty of Hilderbrand’s books is that they are quick and lightweight. How else could I have gotten through four novels since book club’s last gathering?
Like all of Hilderbrand’s books, the entire Winter series is set on Nantucket where Hilderbrand and her family reside. It follows the Quinn family through a litany of family drama, romance, joy and sorrow. I likened each book in the series to a soap opera. I found myself sucked into the storylines despite their hokey nature. Wisely, Hilderbrand ended each of the first three books with a cliff hanger that left me wanting answers and so onto the next book I would go.
Part of what I enjoyed about these books was Hilderbrand’s reference to actual places on Nantucket as well as Boston. It lent a certain authenticity to the novels, but I must admit there were times the mentions seemed like product placements. I wondered if the businesses named were sponsoring their spot on her pages. It was curious to me, but not off-putting.
Interested in a Synopsis?
Check out each book in the Elin Hilderband Winter Series at Goodreads.
The Fourth Book
At the close of the third book, Winter Storms, Hilderbrand had pretty much wrapped up all of the Quinn family drama and dysfunction with a neat little bow, so I was surprised that a fourth book followed. Interestingly, in the book jacket, Hilderbrand explained that her publisher had requested the fourth book when another book in their anticipated list had fallen through. She managed to squeak out Winter Solstice in four weeks. Wow! It’s no wonder she’s such a prolific author…#lifegoals!
But let me be clear, if you are a reader who enjoys some heft in your prose, Elin Hilderbrand may not be your kind of author. For me, however, her casual kind of storytelling and her Winter series were easy and enjoyable.
Next Up
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. Looking forward to that one!
Lysa in all her fabulous glory! Photo by Emily O’Brien Photography
As 2017 came to a close, I felt an irresistible urge for change. Change in my home décor, my workout routine, my diet and, most desperately, my style. I feel lucky to have a friend and expert in the field of fashion who helped me with this last one. It’s not that I don’t have clothes I like, I just don’t know how to put them together in a current and cool way.
Enter my good friend and personal stylist, Lysa Pelletier. Lysa and I have known each other for about twelve years since our daughter’s attended preschool together. I was always drawn to Lysa’s bold style and hilarious sense of humor. I’ve had the good fortune to work with Lysa, be a guest on her radio show and participate in creative pursuits that nurture the artsy spirit that bonds us.
After talking about it time and again, I finally invited Lysa into my closet and my style makeover began. My big question was, why do I wear the same old things over and over when I have plenty of great clothes and shoes to choose from?
Closet Conversations
Bye, Bye, Bye
First things first, Lysa helped me lose the snooze wear and I don’t mean pajamas. Lysa helped me clear out items in my closet that were outdated and unworthy. I actually loved this part. I didn’t mind getting rid of things and every time we tossed something, I wondered why I’d held onto it for so long. “You’re better than this,” Lysa said about an old, out of style, top. I couldn’t have agreed more and out it went.
Work it
After the purge, I pulled items I should be wearing but never do. I have several pieces of clothing that never see the light of day, but are fantastic. I just struggle with how to wear them. Lysa gave me the best advice – she said, “You’ve got to make your clothes work for you.” In other words, if you have jeans or a shirt that you never wear because they’re too long, grab your scissors and cut them. If you have a top that is itchy around the neckline, try wearing another top under it.
Lysa in action! Top right, Lysa collapses on my to-go pile. Bottom left, Lysa throws on a gray crushed velvet blazer I got in Paris. She showed me how easy it is to make it look good. Bottom right, Lysa came armed with ideas and notepad to jot down items to fill in the gaps.
Back to Basics
Layering has always been a challenge for me and now I know why. I had no basics to pair with the fun jackets, sweaters and shoes I stockpile and never wear. No black turtleneck, no white T, no fitted tops. It’s no wonder I couldn’t pull any outfits together. I needed those simple pieces to tie my outfits together. Meanwhile, those pieces I never wear have their moment to shine.
Ta-Da
The best part of my styling session was letting Lysa do her magic! In my case, Lysa brought together tops, bottoms, jackets, sweaters and shoes I never would have matched. In fact, I learned I am way too matchy-matchy and need to take more risks mixing patterns and colors. She created looks that take my style up a notch in just the way I had hoped. And all of those missing basics from my wardrobe…Lysa ran out and picked up exactly what I needed. I was thrilled!
I have had the pink boots featured in two of these shots for over 10 years and never wore them. They’ve already hit the streets twice!
All about Lysa
Lysa is a photo stylist and personal stylist working with top brands including New Balance, Rue La La, Titlest and American Airlines. Check out her beautiful body of work at AnchorArtist.com. She is the style editor at Merrimack Valley Magazine and the hilarious host of her own talk show, Valley Girls (find them on Facebook), on Eagle Radio, NETalks.net.
Style Makeover with Lysa
If you are interested in stepping up your style with Lysa email her at lysap@comcast.net. She will revamp your closet and your style in a way perfectly suited to you and your budget. Lysa is an expert at mixing high and low price points – great style doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Thank you!
Thank you Lysa, for giving me the guidance to look at my closet in a whole new way. Before my style makeover, I never would have had the courage to purchase the wild boots (bottom right in photo collage above) that I love so much and for which I have received so many compliments.
You have inspired me to dare to be different and take the time to consider outfits that would never have occurred to me.
