NOT TODAY GRANDMA!!!

Did the silly title catch your attention? Wanting to know the true meaning behind it??? Well read on dear dodies and I will share the madness behind the statement. Can you believe that the holidays are nearly here? Am I the only one who has been completely caught off guard? Time is flying and there is much to be done, but here I sit, bundled up and no, it's not because it's winter, as you wouldn't know that by the 80 degree temperature we experienced today in Hotlanta. It's because in all the madness of my life and the fast approaching holiday...I would have to come down with the flu. The flu!!! Geez...why now? Well...why not now I guess. Truth is, lately I have been stressing myself out, trying to head in too many directions at one time and maybe my aging body has decided that if I wouldn't take all of the subtle ( and some not so subtle ) hints to slow down...well guess what missy...we'll throw a cog in to your plans and make you have to stop. And so I sit at my lap top...ginger ale glass well in reach ( no alcohol included) fashionably dressed in my thickest black fuzzy socks and pink flannels with little black Scottie dogs. Not exactly the picture of a diva. Well...I must admit the black Scottie dogs are diva-ish. Black fuzzy socks...a necessity to warm my ice cold feet. I did make every attempt today to put my best face forward. I to this day live by the famous Saturday Night Live skit of Billy Crystal...it is much better to look good, then feel good. Unfortunately my efforts were a complete waste of time and make up for the hour that I was able to keep it on before I had to crawl back in to my pj's due to body aches and chills. There is nothing like that old fuzzy dependable robe when sickness sets in. So I sit...a bit on the cranky side as I am angry with myself for allowing myself to get sick when there is so much to be done. I made myself a promise just the other day at the sudden realization that the holidays were coming whether I liked it or not that I would find and maintain some sense of holiday spirit this year. I mean, we are all in charge of our own emotions... we can choose to be happy or scrooge like, but the bottom line is we have a choice. So I am keeping my promise...yes, there is a smile on my face and a happy holiday tune in my head. That's right...I am the hostess of holiday cheer, the jester of jingle, I am going to be the fa in the la,la,la laaaaah. It's a good thing too...or I might start to dwell on how it irked me that I had to walk through 15 aisles of Christmas items before I could get to the aisle that had what I was needing 2 weeks before Halloween. And thank goodness my happy holiday spirits won't allow me to succumb to that grinch like feeling with the arrival of yet another holiday card complete with one of those gushy, let me give you an entire run down of the family's life since we last talked to you via a holiday letter a year ago card...and my I'm dreaming of a White Christmas philosophy won't even allow me to want to drive around my neighborhood with a dart gun taking out every awful ( how much more tacky can they get) holiday inflatable. Believe me...I would be doing you and your neighbor's a huge favor with that dart gun...I mean friend's shouldn't allow friends to use inflatables. Some day these will come back to haunt you like those 80's shoulder pads and side pony tails...oh come on, you know how the photos make you cringe. I mean even if I had one scrooge type bone in my body you wouldn't hear me going on and on about how they should at least make it a law that if you are going to display those things, they need to remain inflated 24 hours a day 7 days a week through out the holiday period. Why??? Because driving through the neighborhood in the light of day seeing what amounts to either a snowman crime scene of melted white polyurethane or as though a quadrant of sky divers just landed and left their parachutes strewn about all over the hillside. No not me...because this year I am the ambassador of good will. ( maybe next year I can get elected as the ambassador of good taste and do something about the above mentioned). But until that time, my cup runneth over with 11 Lords a Leapin and I couldn't be merrier. In fact I caught myself whistling that happy tune as I once again struggled to pull out my mail from my crammed to the gills mailbox that was overflowing with yet another Macy's ONE DAY SALE circular...Lowest Prices of the Season...How could Monday offer the lowest prices of the season when Sunday supposedly did? According to my calculations ( and I'm no math whiz), by December 24th, Macy's should be paying me to walk out of there with their merchandise. I mean every day the prices get lower and lower...at a certain point they should be owing me money shouldn't they??? Now please, don't get me wrong because everyone who knows me knows my first true love is Macy's and it remains my true love, in fact...sniff, sniff, I get teary eyed just thinking about it. Yep..that's right...no amount of distraction will keep me from my goal of maintaining the happiest of holiday moods. You couldn't slap the yuletide grin from my face and I feel good about it. I feel proud! I will keep my promise and do all I can to keep from repeating that ugly incident from last year. Okay...you all have hung in to my story long enough so its high time I reveal the meaning behind the title. Dodies...I am sorry to have to share this with you, but they say confession is good for the soul. Last year, at about this very time, I was on my way in to Target. I had just spent the entire first half of the day running haphazardly here and there and I'll admit my holiday nerves were a bit on the jagged side. I had avoided 6 close calls in my vehicle...6 separate incidents where someone came really close to hitting me. I was so disgusted by the total lack of concern for one's fellow driver that I nearly headed for home to safely park my car in the bat cave and go in to total hibernation until all the craziness had ended. But I persevered and knew that if I could just complete this one final task, I would be ahead of the game and able to return to a life of sanity. So there I was...at my final destination along with a gazillion other shoppers as quickly surmised by the amount of cars in the parking lot. But then it happened...just as I was seriously thinking of calling it a day, a set of reverse lights beckoned me like the light at the end of a tunnel. Be not afraid, look you are welcomed here. So I patiently waited for the driver to back out feeling good that I was about to complete my final chore. But then suddenly...my happy moment was disrupted by the appearance of a competitor. Could this be? Was someone really thinking that they were going to jump ahead of me and take the prime spot of real estate that I had so patiently waited for. Yes, sure enough...there just on the other side of the reverse moving mommy van sat one of those big old land yachts. You know the one...the type little old grannies drive slowly to Church every Sunday and once a week for their standing appointment for a wash and set at the neighborhood salon. I got a better glimpse of my stalker and sure enough...the little patch of curled blue hair was just slightly visible above the steering wheel of her land missile. White knuckles securely positioned on the wheel at the 11 and 2 o'clock position, steely gray eyes glaring through her little spectacles. I could see her and she could see me. I have to admit had this been any other day I would have probably said, you know what...shame on you, but you must need that spot more then I do and I would have just shook my head in disgust as I passed her allowing her to take what was so rightfully mine. After all I was raised by a well mannered family that harped on the fact that no matter what, you were to always show respect to your elders. In fact, for just a moment I thought about my own match stick sized Grammy and could even picture her sitting there next to me in the car saying, now Gina...she is older then you. Let her go first...but then it hit me. A strange rush of adrenaline flooded my body and when the mommy van was just far enough out of the way, I gunned the beemer from 0 to 60 and headed for my prize. Just as I was turning in I looked over at that dear, sweet old woman and yelled the words...NOT TODAY GRANDMA!!! That's right Dodies...I did it, I took what truly was my rightful spot and headed towards the store feeling less then proud, but entitled as it really was my right to have that spot. Besides, my feet were tired and sore from having shopped in heels all day ( let's not even go there on this blog), and I had managed to avoid 6 fender benders and I was tired of being the one who always has to make concessions. So I have gone from concessions to confessions. Here it is a year later and I still hold some remorse for what I did. In fact, that evening on finally reaching the safety of my home, I cleansed my soul by telling my husband of my naughty public display and then I washed my mouth out with a couple of glasses of chardonnay. I was not proud of my behavior. I do however have to admit...the words NOT TODAY GRANDMA have become a call to rise up and a continued private ( well no longer private ) joke amongst my yaya's when life gets us flustered and we need to blow off some steam. NOT TODAY GRANDMA has become synonymous kind of like the Marines Semper Fi.
It is the call of the yaya! So friends, Dodies and fellow holiday shoppers, remember...life is short...drive carefully, be kind and most of all decorate tastefully...you never know when I may just lose it and go all Rambo on those yard abnormalities. Pinkies Up!

Best Intentions

A while back a friend of mine asked me why I wasn't blogging. She reminded me that if I would just make it a habit to find the same time every week to blog, it would become a habit and I could remain on task. Sounded like a great and doable idea to me. I assured myself that every Friday after the radio show...I would make it a priority to head home from the station and compose my latest martini manuscript. Well it sounded simple enough, but alas I am not that disciplined. But I am going to attempt to learn to be.
There has been so much that has occurred since my last blogging...I have enjoyed the company of my yaya's during a recent trip to Toronto for a CSP conference, and I have continued to welcome some absolutely amazing guests to share time with me on the radio show. College football season is back in full swing ( and my beloved team is undefeated so far) and my youngest son is off to a great start of the school year despite the fact that he started to school with a broken arm. Life is good! It's crazy busy...but good none the less.
I have taken note recently of all the unexpected, but wonderful opportunities that have presented themselves. I am almost to the point of being overwhelmed by them all. But I remain humbled by them. I have found that my journey is still a winding path with curves and turns that I never prepared for. I have also found that my expectations are continuing to change. Lately I find myself wanting to completely re-do my home. I have come to a point where I want to wipe the slate clear of unnecessary items and objects. I want to live in a cleaner, clutter free environment. I mentioned this to my hair dresser the other day who's life closely resembles mine. Our children are all about the same age, our husband's work in the same field and she and I own our own businesses. We are always amazed by how much we find we have in common during one of our long chats over a cut or straightening...you can learn a lot about another human being over chemicals and 4 1/2 hour hair processes! ha! Then it occurred to me...we live in our homes at times in the way we want to be living in our lives. I am to an age now where I want to be open to all kinds of new adventures. I want to be free of clutter not just in my home, but in my life. My husband finds this change in my decorating taste highly unusual for me...but I can so see the relationship between how my surroundings have reflected who I was at each stage of my life and how my desire now to change my environment is so reflective of my wanting to change other things. My hair dresser made the point that she wants to start new and fresh and only have those things in her decor that are purposeful and of meaning...That is exactly what I am wanting...and not just in my "accoutrements", as my husband calls them...but in my life. I want to be doing things that are more purposeful and meaningful for me. Many of our early years are spent doing things because we had to...not necessarily because we wanted to. There are always going to be obligations and expectations...but I need to learn to find more time for doing those things I want to do as easily as I find time to do those things I don't want to do.
So where do I start??? Well...there are going to be lots of baby steps for sure...but they are steps and as long as they are proceeding forward then they will be celebrated! Step number one...no more cheap house wine! I deserve better then that. I don't get to do this often enough...but when I am out and enjoying a little relaxing time, I am going to do it enjoying a glass of wine that tastes good! Shopping...no more talking myself out of that absolutely perfect blouse because it's not on sale. I love the thrill of the hunt...don't get me wrong. I would rather find a bargain on a clearance rack, but if I should find the perfect blouse that makes my heart skip a beat when I see it...I will buy it with out remorse. ( sorry Princess...I know retail is a dirty word...I'll beg for forgiveness on this one ). Redesigning my own home...little by little I will start to remove those things that hold no real value or meaning to me and learn to live a more clutter free life and to make those things that share my spaces a truer reflection of the person I now am...not the one that I was...nor the one I have yet to discover...but me in the here and now. I am also going to take time to prioritize all the many things that are keeping me busy and direct my attention to those that speak to my passion. Again I am reminded that its not the destination but the journey and I can choose to be at the wheel or just be a passenger. Just try to pry the keys from my hands....See you on the road way! Pinkies Up!

All The World's a Stage...

Well, it was not my intention to be silent so long...in fact, being silent is a rather difficult thing for me. I have just been so busy that I haven't had time to blog. What have I been busy doing? Well...I started " talking " in a whole new fashion. Last Friday, June 15th was the launch of radio diva. I took to the airwaves to introduce the brand new radio/podcast show... Diva in the House - The Voice of Real Estate Staging. What an exciting endeavour! The most exciting part??? My very first guests were the well known Realtor's Donna and Shannon Freeman of HGTV fame. They appear on both " Designed to Sell ", and " Secrets That Sell ". This was such a joy for me to have the opportunity to speak with women who I watch on television as often as possible as Designed to Sell is a favorite show of mine. I went to the station a few days earlier to tape a phone interview with the Freeman's. They were most gracious and warm. It was just like talking to any of my girlfriends by phone and I offered them an invitation to the radio station to appear live with me in the studio when they come to Atlanta in July. I do so hope they will take me up on the invite.
Now the well of course that would happen part. Everything seemed to run as smoothly as a first time radio show can run. Lets face it...I'm a decorator, not a broadcaster and although I am quite fluent in speaking...I don't always speak fluently. So I had my share of what I like to term " diva-tisms". These are words spoken and understood only by me. During the phone interview play back on live radio I sat there and cringed a couple of times and then laughed out loud with the sound man when we heard some of those words come out. Perhaps I should start a journal of diva-tisms...now I know how poor George W feels. But wait...it gets even better. I finished up the show and actually was feeling quite okay about how things went. Having to sit in the sound booth while the taped interview was playing, John and I had plenty of opportunity to talk and he made me quite at ease about the whole process. Don't take things to seriously he suggested...have fun with it and be who you truly are...those are the shows people will really enjoy. Well, that's all I needed to hear. So with the signal to return to live talking...I chatted away with my new found friend and my new found confidence.
The shows are sent to archive a couple of days after airing live. So today I visited the radio show to play the archived version. I was busy writing notes for next week's show while half listening to the play back version. Then it caught my attention...Did I just refer to my first guest by the wrong name? No, I couldn't have. But then it happened again and again...I believe I caught myself do it three times. Earlier in the show I was happily chatting with Donna and Shannon Freeman and then by the end I was thanking Donna and Sharon Freeman. AHHHHHH!!!! What a faux pas!!! How could I have made such a horrible mistake...not once, not twice, but three times ( but who's counting?). I felt sick. There was my mistake not only to have been heard the first time on live radio...but now until eternity. Okay...maybe I'm having a bit of a diva drama melt down...but at least until they find the show no longer worthy of archiving.
I walked away from the computer and took a moment out on the patio...what should I do? Should I acknowledge it...should I be the professional that I am supposed to be and just ignore it while chalking it up to experience...or should I stick it on my blog as a good laugh to share with the world. I guess you know which route I took. Not only have I cleansed my soul and shared my foot in mouth moment ( better yet...the moment I wished I would have had my foot in my mouth )but I figure I'll use it as a monologue for next week's show killing off about 5 minutes of radio time to make a point about how first impressions are lasting impressions and how important they are...a perfect lead in to my topic of staging. So accept that all the world is a stage and that stage is shared by all types of people who are far from perfect. In fact, it's those far from perfect people who can laugh at themselves who leave a lasting impression and bring a smile to a face with a simple memory jolt. If I had a choice on how I would most want to be remembered...I'd want to be remembered as silly whats her name...they might not remember my name but hopefully they will remember the laugh and that would be a far better legacy then any other I know.
Friday, June 15th will be a day I will remember a long time. The night finished out by attending a very swanky party in celebration of the one year anniversary of Skirt Magazine in the Atlanta area. There I was with my husband, my friend and fellow yaya Cheryl and some of the most intriguing movers and shakers in the ATL. I met some wonderful people and left my mark in a completely unique way. It's getting late and I have to close for now...but if you are out in the Atlanta area any time soon and you hear someone attempt to order a wonderful drink they enjoyed at a recent party called a divatini...smile and know that it's a story for another day....Pinkies Up!

Citizens of yayaville

Yayaville started very innocently. Originally it was decided that it was a " woulda, shoulda, oughta" kind of thing. A group of decorator's got together during a conference and soon found a want to keep in touch with one another. What started as a group thrown together by the love of all things decorative, blossomed in to a friendship where daily chatter was no longer about decorating spaces, but also decorating one an other's lives with laughter, support, encouragement and comradery. In a business usually very secretive and competetive, we found that our businesses actually started to flourish because of our ability to share resources and support. Women helping women to succeed. We have since had many a story of successes and defeats. We've had moments of jubilation and heartbreak. We have laughed out loud while sharing tales of weight loss and menopause, hair mishaps and parenting. We have also been shoulder's to lean on when one of us has suffered a loss be it a friend or a family member. That is how the Power of 7 was born. There are 8 yaya's in all. When ever one of us is in need we call on the power of the other 7 to pray or send positive thoughts our way. We have all felt the need and felt the strength of knowing that we are never alone. What are some of the other things we have learned...well real women do drive trucks...BIG ONES IN FACT and can look real sexy doing so...socks and crocs is not a style of dress it's an attitude...fucowee isn't a destination but a starting point...lemon drop martinis are better for the soul then any old chicken soup. It's not what you drink...it's how you drink it...PINKIES up ya'll.

In the beginning...

In the beginning...

How does a nice girl like me end up in a place like this? It all started so innocently. I was just a simple decorator with a simple wish...to make the world pretty one room at a time. Do I still get to do that...Oh Thank God Yes! But has my life become so much more then what I envisioned it would...yes again! And for that I owe a great deal of gratitude to my fellow decorating yaya's.

Join me as we take a journey to a place called yayaville. Come meet the characters and learn, live, love, cry and triumph with the Power of 7. The journey can be far more thrilling then the final destination.