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When Death Comes Calling
You think you’ll know how you’ll feel when a parent dies. You can assume or make guesses based on your relationship. But really, that’s you convincing yourself you’ve got it under control. Turns out, that headspace control? It’s a farce… a lie you’re telling yourself to get through your days. Truth is, you have no effing idea how you’ll feel ’til you get the call. And how you’ll feel all the minutes after…. Here I am. Tuesday. 8:48 PM. Call. Received. For the record, I feel overwhelmingly sad and guilty. Not the relief I expected. Anticipated. Hoped for. Mom, I hope you find peace. I hope you know how much…
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In my Ears: My Favorite Podcasts of 2020 ~ Small Biz Ownership, Money, and Living Life on Your Terms
I was recently asked if I’d share my favorite podcasts.. Absolutely! Most are business related – with slight differences/perspectives on focus areas – marketing including social media, writing, art, tech how-to – then they’re a few that keep me focused on the basics (finances and self-care). I encourage to check these fine folks out… As a self-described ‘visual/kinesthetic learner,’ I was shocked to discover how much I enjoy listening to podcasts (in very specific conditions, as you’ll read below)…. 😉 Here you go… (in no particular order) Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield (online biz/marketing) YESSSSS!!!!!! The Goal Digger Podcast with Jenna Kutcher (online biz/marketing/tech) This gal is both…
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Video Skills for the Win: Yes, You Really Can!
22 Takes Later…. So, I’m learning the ins and outs of recording video…. video blogging? vlogging? Whatever you call it, seems I’ll need a bit more practice….. LOL Wanna see what happens when you forget your name, do an (unplanned) Fonzie impression, and…. you’re recording the ceiling?! Oh, and your sweater and coffee cup don’t match!? Holy moly! I’m a hot mess!!! #Outtake #Blooper #WhatNotToDo #Learning Want to know when there’s more of this nonsense? Be sure to subscribe to get my latest shenanigans (ummmmm…. in-the-trenches-I’m-going-to-figure-this-stuff-out learning!) delivered right to your inbox. Entertainment free of charge… you’re welcome. 😉 p.s. Thanks for watching/reading and sharing! (Don’t forget Insta…. my favorite…
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Ten Years in the Making: How Fear (Eventually) Led to Flying from Educator to Small Biz Owner
I shared how it all began over on my About page… but wanted to share how it all turned out…. in case my twists and turns might help you realize fear is a speed bump that often slows us down but is 100% “overcomeable.” (And so darn worth it!) A quick recap in case you missed the first part of my story…. In 2011, I was in my 17th year in Education: eleven years teaching in classrooms two years as a Reading Coach for Alternative Education four in our school district’s main office as an Instructional Support Teacher (IST) and PD (Professional Development) creator/facilitator for our district’s Career Technical Education…
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Enchanting Details, Often Overlooked…
Details in Art, Writing, and Life Do you ever notice details in something you’ve seen many times, but one day you notice something… different? The details seem fresh, new…. enchanting, really. And you wonder: How did I miss them until now? As a writer, I’m pretty tuned in to details. I find I notice things many do not. Fellow writers know what I’m talking about. I’ve learned in my recent journey into art that details are integral, too. Now, those details may appear differently from each artist… some are loud and in your face, while others are quiet and subtle, but all are necessary. An important part of my art-making…
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A Mixed-Media Face in 18 Ingredients
I was asked recently during a Mixed-Media Faces How-to virtual workshop, “Okay, so we made a basic face with our pencil, but how do we make it ‘mixed media’?” Great question! Answer: Add everything you want and then a bit more… Really! And so we did. From floral repurposed paper napkins and scrap paper with mathematical calculations that inspired tissue paper with bold, graphic numbers to pink markers and pink paint for cheeks, a little show & tell about eyelashes, and all the possible supplies we could use – our group gabbed, shared notes and shared projects. With a few minutes left in our session, we shared what we created…
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Blackout Poetry: 3 Steps to Writing Stories from Others’ Words
Imagine looking at a page full of words and seeing a story begin to appear. That’s what happens with blackout poetry. It’s the story you tell from the words already told… mostly. Let me show you what I mean…. Here’s how to create your own blackout poetry/story in 3 simple steps: 1. Gather your supplies: a page from a book, newspaper, or magazine a permanent marker – might be black, but doesn’t have to be a pencil maybe a pair of readers – some of us need them! 🙂 your imagination and curiosity 2. Next, scan the page for cool words. 3. Blackout (fancy word: redact) the words you won’t…
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They’re Back!
The voices, that is. Finally! A note…. I started this post February 7, 2016, but never shared it. Not sure why not(?), but here it is…. celebrating the return of the voices in my head. What an awesome feeling it was! Feb 2016: If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you know that I suffered through a long spell of silence in my head as I struggled through difficult personal and professional changes in 2015. The silver lining was discovering mixed-media art as a tool to express myself, giving my heart and head a place to speak freely. But as I created art, I longed for…
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COVID-19: Connecting Despite the Disconnections
How did we get to this strange and unfamiliar place in our history? I remember reading about pandemics in high school in the early ’80s. It was a vague concept in which a lot of people got sick and died. During those times, the sickness took over. Pharmaceuticals were limited. Medical technologies were rudimentary at best. Now here we are. 2020. By all accounts, the numbers of dead and sick are rising daily. And the way to stay safe? Shelter in place. Wear a mask if going out. But for now, Shelter In Place. As I write this in April 2020, we are shell-shocked by orders to stay home, businesses…
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She has cancer.
September 30, 2014. The phone call. We heard the words. I wasn’t surprised based on the weeks leading up to that day. We are three girls in our family. We rally when we need to. Doctors’ appointments followed by waiting. Then the diagnosis. Our baby sister then 34, was starting a battle that claims so many. A mom of three and really a baby herself (at least to her two older sisters), our baby sister was scared to death. And so were we. And so it began…. six months of doctors’ visits, hospital visits, chemo, baldness, finding strength, and being so sick. Her daughter, then five, struggled to understand –…
words + colors guide the process
