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Bloggers Who Need to Blog Again
Why is it the ones who blog every week (or sometimes three times per week) aren’t the ones you really want to blog in the first place? I used to have a huge circle of blogging friends four years ago. Let me clarify that: I used to have a huge circle of blogging friends who actually blogged, four years ago; we’re all pretty much still friends. Four years ago, I would get together with these blogging friends routinely and not just for events that we were paid to attend either. Meeting for lunches, dinners, drinks and appetizers, parties within each other’s homes, paid events in the city (they paid us?…
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Mental Health Crafting-Mod Podge Flower Pumpkins
I swear to GOD this is the last post about pumpkins this fall. Promise. Pinky swear. Honestly, I wasn’t even going to write about it but Rebecca sent me this idea a few weeks ago and we decided to do some “mental health crafting” one glorious fall day when the stars lined up and we both happened to be free. When you get days like that, you need to do a craft with your friend, go to lunch with your mom, sit and have a deep talk with your child, go to breakfast with your husband alone. Those days are gold. And I am lucky enough to have a blog to share some…
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I Went to My High School Reunion and Lived to Tell
A few weeks ago I wrote about attending my high school reunion and things I wasn’t going to do before attending the said reunion. I got a surprisingly positive response from that post and lots of requests for a follow-up post, Mostly because you really wanted to know if I told everyone that I trained hamsters in my basement. Sorry to disappoint you. I did, however, tell someone I invented post-its, to which they responded ROMY AND MICHELE!! then I open mouth kissed them no I didn’t, via GIPHY So change of plans week of the reunion, I decided to bring my mommy with me on the reunion trip! My mom…
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My Dreams Will Give You Nightmares
A few months ago, I read somewhere that first thing in the morning you should write your dreams down on a piece of paper, in your phone, wherever, so that you could look at them when your mind is clearer. Why? Who knows. I know of people in my life who’ve mentioned interpreting dreams and stuff but I’ve never been really evolved like that. Like, it took me a good 40 years to appreciate things like massage, yoga, and meditation. To be clear, I can’t meditate or do yoga properly. But I do appreciate them. I’m probably what those new age hippie types refer to as “fresh blood”. I’m new to the…
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Ode To Joy-Ish
*This has been sitting in my file for almost two years. I am Kon Mari’ing the shit out of my blog inbox. And in order to do so, I am clearing out the cobwebs and getting the old stuff out of my files. This is the first to go. Recently, my friend Laila shared on her Instagram account a quote that said:”Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction. Break the habit. Talk about your joys.” The first thought I had was, focus on the joy?? DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS FOR ME?? Then my second thought was, why is it hard for me? I needed to start seeing…
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The Bench
Ten years ago this month, my daughter and I got married to my husband in a barn. I have talked about it here before. I am not going to re-write that post because I really love it and that isn’t what this post is about. As I said, it was held in a historic barn from the 1800s that was moved down the road to the site where it sits presently and on the day we got married in 2006. I spy a bench. The barn isn’t that particularly nice to look at from the outside as far as barns go. I mean it isn’t ugly but I have…
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If You Don’t Like to Laugh, Then Don’t Buy This Book
Maybe that wasn’t the best title. As you know, lately I have not been doing so well with titles and this one is pretty much par for the course. I met my friend Keith two years ago at the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop. Actually, I think Shannon snagged him first and then I met him through her. So many things I can thank her for…..Keith, my ongoing love of pie, and my deep appreciation of the term “batshit crazy”. I learned so much at that workshop, it was one of the best experiences of my writing career but honestly, I got more out of the beautiful friendships that I made…
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How Gilmore Girls Saved My Life
I have so many things that I can thank my friend Rebecca for bringing into my life. CK One perfume, Tim Tam cookies, Filipino egg rolls, World peace. But the one thing I am eternally grateful to my dear friend for bringing into my life is the television show Gilmore Girls. Ever heard of it? In the winter of 2008, I was at home with a then-newborn Ella and wanted a television show to watch during the endless days and nights of feedings. Something to give me a boost, to get me through my post-partum blues, my husband’s terribly long hours and general Midwestern winter funk. My friend sensed…
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Why I Gave My Sick Friend Flowers in a Snowstorm #ILookToHer
I am surrounded by some amazing women in my life, near and far. Women whom I look up to, respect and love deeply on many different levels. So when FTD approached me a few weeks ago about their #ILookToHer campaign, I was intrigued. Here was the deal: they wanted me to hand deliver a bouquet of their flowers to a special female in my life; a positive role model, someone whom I look up to. After asking if I could hand deliver the flowers to myself first I AM KIDDING, I knew exactly who I wanted to deliver my flowers to. When people bring up the word “role model”, especially when referring…
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One Word Holiday- Vikki
My friend Vikki is one-half of the soul-saving superheroes from last winter. She is a huge part of my Ohio roots and she is so good about keeping me in touch with my past. In addition to keeping me in touch with my roots, we also share a brain. So much so that we even have a nickname for each other: Pea. Short for “two peas in a pod”. Meet my Pea today. What one thing annoys you the least about Oprah? Her hair. Her hairdresser seriously needs to start his own company….oh wait. He does. Who is your favorite family member? Why? My Dad. He is mine too. …