Guilty Shoes

I will say goodbye to 2018 with mixed emotions. I can't say it was a great year. I lost my job. It's terrifying no matter what you are or how old you are. To be dumped suddenly, without warning or compassion is jarring at the very least. I recovered from the shock and sent out resumes. I thought, the economy is good; there's got to be something for me.  Well, there was plenty out there--and still is. Problem: nothing fit. Nothing full time, adequate pay or  of commutable distance.  In order to grab some gainful employment, I applied for a substitute teaching position. The training program was intensive. I've never worked so hard to for a position with such low compensation and such high expectations. I landed in a multi-disability class with autistic and intellectually disabled children under the age of 10. Nothing I had ever done before (even working in a trauma unit) prepared me. And yet I love it. I never thought I would be in a place wher

More Factchecking Revenge  Where are the facts? In my previous blog I discussed a magazine ( Fall Harvest Hoffman Media) that while lovely, had no photo credits, resources, DIY instructions or list of where to buy items shown. What little info they did impart was faulty or inaccurate. The only saving grace of the magazine were the 80+ recipes. In Martha Stewart's Living or Williams-Sonoma Entertaining magazines, I'm practically Ubered to the store where the items were purchased. Exhaustive lists and crystal clear instructions are in every issue. This is important as it shows care has gone into the production of the magazine--attention to fact and details. And they care about the vendors being promoted. It makes me want to copy the style (with my own spin) of the table setting, decor or interior design.  Please do not buy eye candy that won't provide some sort of Where to Buy index. Do not buy magazines that don't label items correctly or

FALL HARVEST FAUX PAS there's one life lesson that has gone unheeded for decades: Never tick off a fact checker. they can mess you up something awful. Well...maybe not. but without them you're apt to look a wee bit foolish. Take Fall Harvest magazine by Hoffman Media (the same folks who do Paula Deen and Victoria ), I bought the well-photographed magazine, spending a hefty $15. I quickly noticed there weren't any photo credits, no links, of how or where to find the decor, plates, flatware, stemware or flowers. Nothing to help my Thanksgiving become special and more gracious. In their defense, they had a photo credit and a resource on p.145. Just one. One. Seriously? I reached out via email to gently point out what was missing, and also that they had mislabeled butternut squash as acorn squash. (p.10) Guess what? They don't care. I was dismissed and without any sort of acknowledgement or  hey thanks! So that's it. I went full on fact check to find

to be invisible... Jason Bourne and I have a lot in common--we're both trained to be invisible. In the movie, The Bourne Identity , Agent Alexander Conklin tells Bourne: "I don't send you to kill, I send you to be invisible. I send you because you don't exist." As a server at catered events (weddings, parties, award ceremonies, etc), I too, am sent in to be invisible. My manager could as easily said that to me (except for the kill part). I wear the same uniform as the other men and women who serve food and drink. Nothing bright in my hair, face or nails. I'm blending in...faceless, nameless. Think about it. Do you remember the face or the name of the person who handed you a cocktail or an hors d'oeuvres at a recent event? Or did you think: Who just took my napkin? I'm also trained as a substitute teacher. Talk about invisible. Ask yourself, what substitute do you remember? None. I don't even remember my substitute teachers. Whether

Hershey Park flooded Here in the Eastern part of the U.S. there's been rain and flooding in nearly Biblical proportions. The amount of water falling from the skies is breaking records and ruining people's fun--vacations, travel, weddings, jobs, etc. It's gotten so bad people are actually praying for the rain to stop! Recovering tomato plant  I feel as though I need to apologize. In the beginning of the summer, I purchased tomato and pepper plants that were basically dying. I planted them and thought of the 44, only a dozen or so would make it. I prayed they wouldn't die--whatever it took, I asked, make it happen. So about a month and a half, crazy humidity, and 8 inches of rain later, every single plant survived. Even the ones that were stunted recovered and sprouted new leaves. Happy tomatoes While someone is praying for sun, someone else is praying for rain.  Now, after rained-out beach days and soggy weddings, I'm offering my apologies

I'm not scared, are you? Like most of the world I'll be watching the amazing footage of sharks starting July 22. It's an annual thing--Shark Week. Can you believe SW is now celebrating 30 years? Three decades of scaring the pants off of us with footage of feeding frenzies, human-shark close calls and a lot of very unlucky seals. I'd like to also think of shark week as a great learning experience. Each year, thanks to the shark love-hate, we humans learn more about the fish, the ocean and our impact on both. It's daunting and humbling. love sharks + love shoes = 24 style Some businesses capitalize on scare tactics (can you say: Jaws?), some companies are trying to do good for sharks and the world in general. 24 Style makes shoes and clothing with designs that focus on endangered and misunderstood animals. The positive side of things is always the way to go. And oh yeah, they also make sneakers with donut designs. Talk about positive!  24-style.com

hold a hand With all the political animus seeping into every corner of our society, I felt the need to tell everyone to calm down. And look around... Somewhere today a woman just discovered she has cancer. Somewhere today a man's son died in a car accident. Somewhere today a child lost a sibling due to an overdose. There is always suffering. There is pain. There is grief. What can you do? You can't undo cancer, bring someone back from the dead or be a replacement sister. But you (and I) can start by being grateful for what you have right now--a job, health, friends. Then reach out and hold someone's hand, donate blood, write a note, make a call, bake a casserole, do something positive and giving. It doesn't have to be bold, just sincere. Gratitude is something desperately needed. You are desperately needed.

Loveable slobber-face Dogs are expensive. Food, toys, grooming, boarding and vet visits. Especially vet visits. Like an old lady taking my jalopy to a sketchy mechanic, I’m easily taken advantage of. Scenario: It looked as though our otherwise healthy, 2-year-old, slobber-face Lab lost 15 pounds since his last visit less than a year ago. Sudden weight loss makes pet owners panic. It makes vets panic. Rather than re-weighing or waiting to come back after two weeks of smorgasbord eating, I spent $250 to rule out everything—heartworm, Lyme, parasites. Everything turned out negative; slobber-face was okay—it was just too hot to eat like a Lab. I knew this, I knew he was fine. But there’s always that doubt, my need for absolutely certainty. The weight mistake was theirs, it’s hard to get him to sit still on the vet’s scale. This was an expensive lesson to do 2 things: insist on a do-over and not to rely on panic and worry to determine my actions.              Only a

  Surrender I am in a good place. Not an easy place but a good place. Back in the saddle; enjoying the ride with a few active WIPs (works in progress). After years of fighting inner demons I am finishing projects. I'm doing what writers do. Finally. I wandered away from the work of sitting down and hammering out the next scene or chapter. I got caught up in the busy-ness of the writing business. Crafting query letters, pitching tweets, revising synopses (long and short versions) and researching agencies. All of these things are so critical to my career, but they take away from what I am – a writer. Imagine a cabinet maker, not making cabinets. He'd have nothing to show for his experience or expertise. And have nothing in his checking account. How did I get to this good place? I did two things at the once. I stopped fretting and surrendered. Worrying is true waste of time. Letting go, is not. Rather than wrestle with fate to bend it to my will, I am working with

     STAINS  TO GO                                   Ever tried lemon juice & cream of tartar for ink stains? You've probably seen stains in every shade & size. Were you able to treat them? Was the fabric ruined?  Good News: Here are a few more removers to have in your arsenal. Best to treat any stain immediately with a cold water rinse. Depending on the fabric and the stain--you may get some great results. Note: The manufacturers may not recommend the following, so go at your own risk! Good Luck. The 8 stain removers you may have at home: 1. Neutrogena facial wash – great at removing oil-based stains. Personal Note: I once left an eyeliner stick in my pocket and it went through the dryer and melted all over. I rain to the bathroom and only Neutrogena was within reach. I soaked in cold water, applied the soap and did some serious scrubbing. I rinsed in cold water again and the stains were gone. 2. Vinegar – its powers of stain removing

What's the office like? The office is never this casual... The office is never this laid back... The office is never this dress formal... And now for your Goldilocks' moment, a shoe that's just right... Flats are a great way to walk from point A to point B in the office.