A Lovely Essay to Share

I blog for Skirt! and stumbled upon this great essay by Emily Patterson and thought I would share. She poses a nice challenge at the end where she writes:

"Let’s reach out to other women – of all ages. Let’s leave our comfort zone and talk to the woman in the coffee store and the mom in the check-out line. Let’s create community for ourselves. As we stride forward in our busy lives, modern feminists in every sense of the word, let’s not leave behind the skill bequeathed us by centuries of earlier women: that of nurturing female relationships. And maybe next time, when a neighbor moves in next door, you will bolster your courage and bring over a meatloaf and some conversation. Or at least some instant brownies. After all, who has time?"

Actually, I needed this

From Love Actually and from my favorite screenwriter, Richard Curtis.

Good Fortune

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The Last Lecture

I wanted to post a link to Dr. Randy Pausch's book which memorializes his Last Lecture. I hope it sells like hotcakes.

I cannot imagine the loss for his family. This kind of thing never makes sense to me.

Urban Legends & Email Forwards

In between meetings on Friday, I received a call on my cell phone (which doubles as a home line/PDA/email in-box/mommy hotline/all around bat phone). There was no service in the building, so I step outside, lose my grip and wham! the whole thing falls face down in a mud puddle.

So, I tried out the home remedy that I learned about in an email forward (thanks J) and put the phone in dry rice overnight. Sure enough, the rice absorbed the water and the bat phone is back in business. Who knew. I just thought I would pass it on if it ever happens to you, it actually works.

Along similar lines, my hairdresser was doing my hair a few weeks ago and locked her keys in her car while I was there with her. Her husband had another key-less entry key chain to the vehicle at home, so while he was on the phone with her, she aimed her cell phone at the car and he pushed the key-less entry unlock button while aiming it into his phone and it worked! Her car unlocked via remote control. She said she learned about it in an email forward. You just never know. Sometimes, you get Maxine cartoons or slideshows of eagles flying. Every once in a while, you get a forward that saves you some money.

Filling Up The Well

A recent trip to the ocean began a much needed creativity refill for me. (I dream of having a sand path to my door someday. It is my favorite place.) I'm trying to find other ways to store up summer magic to get me through the winter months and enrich my creativity. We all must be thinking about this sort of thing right now because the eloquent Ali Edwards had a great post about the same thing and she also provided a link for Keri Smith's book How To Be an Explorer of the World (Oct. 2008) which sounds amazing and you can see a very cool interactive teaser by clicking here.

The same day that I saw their posts, my MIL gave me the coolest book ever - Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use it for Life. WOW! I have loved every page.



No kidding, on the same day, I get an email from Skirt! about Marie-Chantale Turgeon who has just published First Thoughts, "a collection of spontaneous thoughts on life, creativity, and being an explorer - a sketchbook, a personal collage of ideas and observations," with Blurb. You can flip through it here and it's a great example of self publishing. Oh the possibilities!


In between loads of laundry and unpacking files today, I tried to pick up articles, finish a short story I began reading earlier in the week and, in general, seek out other inspiration. More on what I found after bath time. My daughter is flying through the house....

Paper Product Obsession #456

Hallmark somehow knows about me.
They know that I love to smell scotch tape, obsess about stationary and freak out over a beautifully wrapped package.
Either they know or it's just a coincidence that they came up with this OMG self adhesive wrapping paper.
I admit that I've watched the demo video of how it works more than once.
Love it.


I know. Dork-town, party of one.

Where Would I Be Without Blogs?

I just have no idea. They breathe fresh, clean O2 into every workday. One of my favorites, brilliant Grimsaburger blogged a while back about Pandora Radio. It's life changing. I'll share.

Go to Pandora.com
Type in an artist you like.
Pandora will start playing music that you will like. If you don't, give it a thumbs up or down (sort of like TiVo recommendations) and it will adjust. Awesome.
A personal radio station finding cool things for you, just you, that you would need 12 cool college radio DJs to find otherwise.

Happy Saturday.

Instant Karma

Check out this album of Lennon covers put together by the Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. Everybody is on this album: U2, Regina Spektor, R.E.M., Lenny Kravitz, Jack Johnson, Corinne Bailey Rae, and so on. Highlights include Ben Harper's cover of Beautiful Boy, which reminds me of this post from artist Faye Christian Phillips. Enjoy.

Pen Pals

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For Your Beach Bag

We're shaking sand out of our bags after my first week off in two years. It was a much needed break. I'm really sad that vacation is over. But, like Grandpa used to say, "I'm blessed with work," so I shouldn't complain.

Here are a few suggestions for your getaway:

I've been on the road a lot lately for work. My beautiful husband made me a mix that I first listened to at 6 a.m. on the way across the state. The first song, To The Stars, is from this album which everyone needs. The orchestration is amazing and the lyrics are like the most genuine love letter.
"Oh my darlin'
Dear I love you to the stars
love you from my heart"
click here to listen or buy.



I just read the new David Sedaris short story collection, When You Are Engulfed In Flames and though there are a few gems (particularly the first story "It's Catching" which made me laugh out loud) many of the stories chronicle awkward moments in travel that lack the depth in personal relationships that set his other work apart. It is worth reading, but if you have to choose just one, pick up his book Dress Your Family In Corduroy & Denim for the beach. A bonus is that you can probably find it on your bookseller's bargain table now.

I picked up these super comfy flip flops that don't hurt your arches.



And, no kidding, I found the most beautiful, fluffy beach towels at Marshalls on the cheap.

Before we left, I downloaded a couple of Yo Gabba Gabba and Backyardigans episodes for the video ipod which was a lifesaver during long waits at restaurants and during travel. It's a lot less cumbersome than the portable DVD player. Also, several PBS shows like Super Y are free podcasts. Check them out on itunes.

I hope you have a vacation scheduled soon, even if it's only to the backyard.

Inspiration for the treadmill

In my house, most sporting events go unnoticed.

We have to be told when it's the NBA playoffs, and usually find out who is playing in the Superbowl in the newspaper the day before.

But when Olympic swimming qualifying rounds are televised, we might as well have painted faces. My husband and I both swam competitively growing up. He swam at the collegiate level. We have been jumping up and down tonight watching Dara Torres swim.

This article from the NY Times explains her history, but the brief summary is that she's 41, mom of a 2-year-old, has retired twice, and is breaking records. This photo is going above my treadmill.


photo from the NY Times

The article (which includes the coolest interactive about her stretching routine) points out that women's bodies are STRONGER and more BALANCED after having a baby (no one ever tells you that) and that many athletes peak later in their career.

This gives me infinite inspiration. Age is just a number. What you do with your number is your business. Hell yes. Rock Beijing Dara!

Happy Birthday America

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In-Box Full

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